way you talk about him, it’s as though you think you’ve got your best friend back!’
‘What’s wrong with that?’ said Harry.
‘What’s wrong, Harry, is that you are not your father, however much you might look like him!’ said Mrs Weasley, her eyes still boring into Sirius. ‘You are still at school and adults responsible for you should not forget it!’
‘Meaning I’m an irresponsible godfather?’ demanded Sirius, his voice rising.
‘Meaning you have been known to act rashly, Sirius, which is why Dumbledore keeps reminding you to stay at home and —’
‘We’ll leave my instructions from Dumbledore out of this, if you please!’ said Sirius loudly.
‘Arthur!’ said Mrs Weasley, rounding on her husband. ‘Arthur, back me up!’
Mr Weasley did not speak at once. He took off his glasses and cleaned them slowly on his robes, not looking at his wife. Only when he had replaced them carefully on his nose did he reply.
‘Dumbledore knows the position has changed, Molly. He accepts that Harry will have to be filled in, to a certain extent, now that he is staying at Headquarters.’
‘Yes, but there’s a difference between that and inviting him to ask whatever he likes!’
‘Personally,’ said Lupin quietly, looking away from Sirius at last, as Mrs Weasley turned quickly to him, hopeful that finally she was about to get an ally, ‘I think it better that Harry gets the facts – not all the facts, Molly, but the general picture – from us, rather than a garbled version from … others.’
His expression was mild, but Harry felt sure Lupin, at least, knew that some Extendable Ears had survived Mrs Weasley’s purge.
‘Well,’ said Mrs Weasley, breathing deeply and looking around the table for support that did not come, ‘well … I can see I’m going to be overruled. I’ll just say this: Dumbledore must have had his reasons for not wanting Harry to know too much, and speaking as someone who has Harry’s best interests at heart —’
‘He’s not your son,’ said Sirius quietly.
‘He’s as good as,’ said Mrs Weasley fiercely. ‘Who else has he got?’
‘He’s got me!’
‘Yes,’ said Mrs Weasley, her lip curling, ‘the thing is, it’s been rather difficult for you to look after him while you’ve been locked up in Azkaban, hasn’t it?’
Sirius started to rise from his chair.
‘Molly, you’re not the only person at this table who cares about Harry,’ said Lupin sharply. ‘Sirius, sit down.’
Mrs Weasley’s lower lip was trembling. Sirius sank slowly back into his chair, his face white.
‘I think Harry ought to be allowed a say in this,’ Lupin continued, ‘he’s old enough to decide for himself.’
‘I want to know what’s been going on,’ Harry said at once.
He did not look at Mrs Weasley. He had been touched by what she had said about his being as good as a son, but he was also impatient with her mollycoddling. Sirius was right, he was not a child.
‘Very well,’ said Mrs Weasley, her voice cracking. ‘Ginny – Ron – Hermione – Fred – George – I want you out of this kitchen, now.’ There was instant uproar. ‘We’re of age!’ Fred and George bellowed together. ‘If Harry’s allowed, why can’t I?’ shouted Ron. ‘Mum, I want to hear!’ wailed Ginny. ‘NO!’ shouted Mrs Weasley, standing up, her eyes overbright. ‘I absolutely forbid —’
‘Molly, you can’t stop Fred and George,’ said Mr Weasley wearily. ‘They are of age.’
‘They’re still at school.’
‘But they’re legally adults now,’ said Mr Weasley, in the same tired voice.
Mrs Weasley was now scarlet in the face.
‘I – oh, all right then, Fred and George can stay, but Ron —’
‘Harry’ll tell me and Hermione everything you say anyway!’ said Ron hotly. ‘Won’t – won’t you?’ he added uncertainly, meeting Harry’s eyes.
For a split second, Harry considered telling Ron that he wouldn’t tell him a single word, that he could try a taste of being kept in the dark and see how he liked it. But the nasty impulse vanished as they looked at each other.
‘Course I will,’ Harry said.Ron and Hermione beamed.‘Fine!’ shouted Mrs Weasley. ‘Fine! Ginny – BED!’
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