Back to School

Molly Weasley was busy preparing dinner, and the aroma had filled the room. Everyone gathered around the table.

Fred Weasley and George Weasley kept pulling out little gadgets, making Molly set down her work several times to scold them.

One moment Tonks turned her mouth into a duck's bill; the next, she gave herself a pig's snout. She pulled faces like a comedian and had Ginny Weasley and Hermione Granger laughing nonstop. She was a rare Metamorphmagus, born with the ability to change her appearance at will. That made her ideally suited to tracking dark wizards as an Auror.

Ginny and Hermione envied Tonks's ability to change her hair color at will. As they debated which colors looked best, Tonks took turns looking like each of them to show them.

Sirius Black and Lupin chatted happily, just as they had when they were at school.

Harry looked from one person to another, utterly content. The room was full of people who loved him most.

Moody kept a stern face. He looked no fun at all, and no one knew what he was plotting.

"Sirius, were you just... talking about Voldemort?" Harry and the others had tried to eavesdrop on the meeting and failed. Now Harry finally asked.

Sirius glanced at Moody, who stood in the corner. Hearing Harry's question, Moody merely turned his head.

"Yes," Sirius said. "You know Voldemort has returned. We have to do something... From what we know, he's recruiting followers. We're preparing to do the same, and..."

"Sirius!" Moody called out, warning him. Apparently, he didn't think Harry should hear what Sirius was about to say.

"We also believe Voldemort wants more than followers right now." Sirius glanced at Moody but said it anyway. Moody looked back at him without a word.

Molly, who had been