.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.Harry.associated.with.the.arrival.of.Dementors..Where.seconds.before.it.had.been.sleepily.relaxed,.it.was.now.alert,.even.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..
.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.on.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—..
.Hang.on!..interrupted.George.loudly..
.How.come.Harry.gets.his.questions.answered?..said.Fred.angrily..
.We.ve.been.trying.to.get.stuff.out.of.you.for.a.month.and.you.haven.t.told.us.a.single.stinking.thing!..said.George..
..You.re.too.young,.you.re.not.in.the.Order,...said.Fred,.in.a.high‐pitched.voice.that.sounded.uncannily.like.his.mother.s...Harry.s.not.even.of.age!..
.It.s.not.my.fault.you.haven.t.been.told.what.the.Order.s.doing,..said.Sirius.calmly,..that.s.your.parents..decision..Harry,.on.the.other.hand.‐..
.It.s.not.down.to.you.to.decide.what.s.good.for.Harry!..said.Mrs.Weasley.sharply.
.The.expression.on.her.normally.kind.face.looked.dangerous...You.haven.t.forgotten.what.Dumbledore.said,.I.suppose?..
.Which.bit?..Sirius.asked.politely,.but.with.the.air.of.a.man.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.last.three.words..
Ron,.Hermione,.Fred.and.George.s.heads.swivelled.from.Sirius.to.Mrs.Weasley.as.though.they.were.following.a.tennis.rally..Ginny.was.kneeling.amid.a.pile.of.abandoned.Butterbeer.corks,.watching.the.conversation.with.her.mouth.slightly.open..Lupin.s.eyes.were.fixed.on.Sirius..
.I.don.t.intend.to.tell.him.more.than.he.needs.to.know,.Molly,..said.Sirius...But.as.he.was.the.one.who.saw.Voldemort.come.back..(again,.there.was.a.collective.shudder.around.the.table.at.the.name)..he.has.more.right.than.most.to.‐..
.He.s.not.a.member.of.the.Order.of.the.Phoenix!..said.Mrs.Weasley...He.s.only.fifteen.and.‐..
.And.he.s.dealt.with.as.much.as.most.in.the.Order,..said.Sirius,..and.more.than.some...
.No.one.s.denying.what.he.s.done!..said.Mrs.Weasley,.her.voice.rising,.her.fists.trembling.on.the.arms.of.her.chair...But.he.s.still.‐..
.He.s.not.a.child!..said.Sirius.impatiently..
.He.s.not.an.adult.either!..said.Mrs.Weasley,.the.colour.rising.in.her.cheeks...He.s.not.James,.Sirius!..