DOORWAYS || MARAUDERS ERA

ϟ23: MISTAKESϟ

"Harry!"

As he opened the door, Rhea launched herself on him and tackled him with a hug. She had been at Hogwarts until the holidays officially started, to avoid Umbridge's suspicious questions. Harry and the Weasleys, however, came straight to Grimmauld Place after Harry and Rhea had the vision about Mr. Weasley getting attacked by the snake.

"Rhea?" Harry gasped, patting her back awkwardly. "What are you doing here?"

"Well, hello to you too," came in an amused voice.

"Hermione?" Harry looked even more shocked. "I thought you went skiing with your parents?"

"Well, to tell the truth, skiing's not really my thing," said Hermione. "So I've come for Christmas. But don't tell Ron that, I told him it's really good because he kept laughing so much. Anyway," she said briskly, "let's go to your bedroom, Ron's mum's lit a fire in there and she's sent up sandwiches."

"We came on the Knight Bus," said Hermione airily, pulling off her jacket before Harry had time to speak. "Rhea told me what had happened after you two had the vision, but we had to wait for term to end officially before setting off. Umbridge is already livid that you lot disappeared right under her nose, even though Dumbledore told her Mr. Weasley was in St. Mungo's, and he'd given you all permission to visit. So . . ."

They sat down next to Ginny, and looked up at Harry. "How're you feeling?" asked Hermione.

"Fine," said Harry stiffly.

"Oh, don't lie, Harry," she said impatiently. "Ron and Ginny say you've been hiding from everyone since you got back from St. Mungo's."

"They do, do they?" said Harry, glaring at Ron and Ginny. Ron looked down at his feet.

Rhea looked at Ron sharply, "What was that, Ron?"

"I—just—" Ron stammered. "We heard Mad-Eye telling mum and dad Harry might be possessed—"

"And you two stopped talking to him," Rhea cut him off coolly. Ron's ears turned red while Ginny looked miffed.

"It's him who's been avoiding us! And he won't look at any of us!" Ginny retorted.

"It's you lot who won't look at me!" said Harry angrily. "Don't think I haven't noticed how you two scurry away as soon as you call me down for dinner!"

"Maybe you're taking it in turns to look and keep missing each other," suggested Hermione, the corners of her mouth twitching.

"Very funny," snapped Harry, turning away.

"Enough," Rhea snapped, looking at all of them. "Look, Harry, they aren't scared of you. We aren't scared of you, alright? And Ron, Ginny—shouldn't you have tried to talk to him?

"We did—"

"I meant," Rhea clarified. "You two should have tried harder. Just calling him down for a meal and hoping he'll come so that you can talk to him is not enough."

Ginny crossed her arms defiantly while Ron examined his bed as though it was the most interesting thing in the world.

"Look, the others have told me what you overheard last night on the Extendable Ears —" Hermione started.

"Yeah?" growled Harry bitterly. "All been talking about me, have you? Well, I'm getting used to it. . . ."

"We wanted to talk to you, Harry," said Ginny, "but as you've been hiding ever since we got back —"