𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝘁𝗼𝗰𝗸, harry potter

˗ˋ 09

CHAPTER NINE
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-: fifth year :-

── IN WHICH AN ARGUMENT BREAKS OUT

. . .

Mrs Weasley's anger towards the twins' constant use of magic ceased after Percy was mentioned, and for a few minutes, the kitchen was silent as everyone began to eat the stew that the Weasley woman had prepared.

For a few minutes there was silence but for the clink of plates and cutlery and the scraping of chairs as everyone settled down to their food. Then Mrs Weasley turned to Sirius and said, "I've been meaning to tell you, there's something trapped in that writing desk in the drawing room, it keeps rattling and shaking. Of course, it could just be a boggart, but I thought we ought to ask Alastor to have a look at it before we let it out."

At the mention of boggarts, Aviana felt a shiver run down her back as she was forced to remember her previous encounter with them transforming into a dementor and frightening her during the many classes that she spent with Remus when he was a teacher and Harry, during the year that they both decided to ignore each other for all the time outside of those lessons.

"Whatever you like," said Sirius indifferently. Both Aviana and Harry's eyes flickered over to him. Of course, she was a little more used to Sirius's attitude, but it seemed that Harry wasn't.

"The curtains in there are full of doxies too," Mrs Weasley went on. "I thought we might try and tackle them tomorrow."

"I look forward to it," said Sirius. Harry heard the sarcasm in his voice, but he was not sure that anyone else did, but glancing across the table and he saw the only Slytherin smirk down into her stew.

He also noticed that Aviana talked to nobody else but Sirius during their meal, and that was limited. It seemed that she wasn't eating too much, and every so often Sirius would be given some of her stew, slowly taking away her food until there was only about half left. 

It wasn't like anyone was involving her in their conversations, and he didn't blame her for not getting herself involved - they weren't exactly the most interesting of topics. He was sure that she had seen Tonks transform her features at every meal she was at, and surely she was only taking in the information about whose sides the goblins might be on, ready to relay back to anyone who asked. 

Mundungus was telling a rather funny story to Fred and George, which seemed to be the only thing that Aviana interacted with, often smiling or holding back laughter. She watched withh wide eyes as Molly threw a rather nasty look at Sirius before getting up and fetching pudding, using the opportunity to give Sirius a couple more potatoes, leaving her with two herself.

Despite her lack of interest in the savory food, the Rosier girl was more than happy to have a couple helpings of rhubarb crumble, and Sirius watched her eat with a smile, leaning over to Harry once he saw him watching. 

"She doesn't eat a lot, especially when sat at the table. I managed to hear her.. grumbling about how she preferred rhubarb crumble to the blackberry pie we had a couple nights ago." Sirius told him, and Harry nodded, taking another helping for himself. 

The dyanmic with Aviana was certainly interesting. She was close with Sirius and Sirius only, despite knowing for a fact he wasn't a big fan of Slytherins. There had been a moment, when that knife had come far too close to her hand that there had been a slip in her usual stony nature.

Harry was surprised to find himself thinking so far into it, but since finding out that of all people, Aviana Rosier was staying in the same house as him and all these people he knew, it had thrown him off slightly. 

Soon enough, everyone had finished and the atmosphere was completely relaxed, only Aviana sitting with the same air of seriousness that she always had. But even she looked more relaxed, every so often reaching out and taking spare corks to give to Crookshanks, who was rolling them around on the floor.

"Nearly time for bed, I think," said Mrs. Weasley with a yawn. 

"Not just yet, Molly," said Sirius, pushing away his empty plate and turning to look at Harry. "You know, I'm surprised at you. I thought the first thing you'd do when you got here would be to start asking questions about Voldemort."

The atmosphere in the room changed with the rapidity associated with the arrival of dementors. Where seconds before it had been sleepily relaxed, it was now alert and tense. A frisson had gone around the table at the mention of Voldemort's name. Lupin, who had been about to take a sip of wine, lowered his goblet slowly, looking wary. 

Aviana had gone pale, eyes flickering around to look around at the various adults. A twinge of pink returned to her cheeks as she realised quite a few of people were look at her, wary of her presence, and she shifted uncomfortably.

"I did!" said Harry indignantly. "I asked Ron and Hermione but they said we're not allowed in the Order, so -"

 "And they're quite right," said Mrs. Weasley. "You're too young." She was sitting bolt upright in her chair, her fists clenched upon its arms, every trace of drowsiness gone. 

"Since when did someone have to be in the Order of the Phoenix to ask questions?" asked Sirius. "Harry's been trapped in that Muggle house for a month. He's got the right to know what's been happen —"

Aviana jumped out of her skin as the twins began to protest, and cringed when they mentioned her being there. "They have a point. I'm the daughter of a known death eater, pretty much the last person that should hear about this. If you're going to talk about it, I should go." She said.

"No-" Sirius protested, and Aviana hesitated, half way out of her seat. "It's not my fault you haven't been told what the Order's doing," said Sirius calmly, adressing the twins. "That's your parents' decision. Aviana and Harry, on the other hand-"

"It's not down to you to decide what's good for Harry or Aviana for that matter!" saidMrs. Weasley sharply. Her normally kindly face looked dangerous. "You haven't forgotten what Dumbledore said, I suppose?"

"Which bit?"  Sirius asked politely, but with an air as though readying himself for a fight. 

"The bit about not telling Harry more than he needs to know," said Mrs. Weasley, placing a heavy emphasis on the lastthree words. 

"And what about Aviana, you know he said nothing about her." Sirius replied, his voice steely. "Nothing to do with you, anyways." 

Aviana breathed in sharply at being brought into the arguement. Surely Dumbledore would have told them not to tell her anything, considering who she was - but that didn't seem to be a part of the argument. 

Which made her wonder just what Dumbledore had told them regarding her stay, and why was it any different to Harry - or more than Harry, who would know all about Voldemort?

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