Arthur Weasley returned home to Mrs. Weasley rather late. Ron and Ginny were already asleep and Hermione had gone home. Mr. Weasley sat down in a beige chintz chair and asked, "So Ron had the vision again?"
Mrs. Weasley nodded. "Arthur," she said anxiously, "You do think- I mean, any luck finding him?"
Arthur looked down at his shoes and quietly answered, "No."
Mrs. Weasley looked out the window for a few minutes. She thought she saw an owl, but no. "And what about…" she shuddered, "him."
Mr. Weasley looked up at her, perhaps wishing she hadn't asked. "Well, as a matter of fact, I was about to call the order to meet."
Mrs. Weasley was suddenly on her feet. "Vol- well, he may be back already…"
***
The sun had slowly crept in Ron's room and was getting closer to his face. It was certainly harder to get up. Ron turned over with his eyes closed. Much too tired. He began to think of Harry. Was Harry tired right now? Poor Harry, he thought as he squinted his eyes in the bright room. A bird sang merrily out through the window and Ron guiltily got up.
Ron journeyed to the kitchen to find Ginny downstairs attempting to make pancakes.
"Oy, Ginny. Where's mum?" Ron asked her as he looked reproachfully at the lopsided cakes.
Ginny turned around and wiped her forehead, "Didn't you know? Honestly Ron, you're going to sleep your life away." Ron rolled his eyes and lifted his eyebrows in expectation of his first question answered. "Dad's called a meeting for the Order." Ron's stomach churned a bit- were they here cause of his vision?
Ginny placed a tray of pancakes on the table along with some maple syrup, "Tuck in." She sat down and put two pancakes on her plate. Ron had put three on his, though he wasn't sure he even wanted one. Ginny was pouring the syrup over her cakes and was about to say something when her eyes widened. Ron turned around and saw that she was gaping at the open door.
"Ron!" she yelled and started pointing madly at the door.
"What!?" Ron yelled in reply wondering why she was making such a commotion over an open door. But Ron looked again and noticed the doorknob had been blown off. Ron heard a noise from the top of the staircase. "Ginny," he said, "go get dad!"
Ginny looked at Ron searchingly, "But Ron you haven't got your wand." Ron realized this and felt like a Muggle in a scary movie. He slowly left his seat and quietly made his way to the stone staircase. Looking up, he saw no one and so he backed away. Ginny had silently followed him without his knowing and he bumped into her, yelping.
Ginny and Ron had realized that they didn't know where the room the Order was meeting in was because the house was so new and the room secret. Ron and Ginny tip-toed up the staircase, Ginny with her wand out. There was no noise above them as they made their way up. All of the doors were open and no light was being hidden through shadows. He's up here… Ron thought to himself. They made it up to the top and looked directly in Ron's room. Immediately, they saw who was standing there: Peter Pettigrew.
Ron flung himself at Peter, not thinking once about being wandless. Ginny had shouted, "Petrificus totalus!" but the spell just brushed over Ron as he had tackled Wormtail to the ground.
Ron had started punching Peter and Peter was yelling, "Please- stop! Please I need…"
Ginny pulled Ron off with much difficulty and shouted to Peter, "What?"
Peter dropped his wand and said, "Please I'm unarmed!" Ron jumped up and Ginny held him. "Listen! I came to help you but if this is the welcome I get, then…"
Ginny pointed her wand at him, "Help us with what?"
Peter had stood by the window and told Ron and Ginny his story. "So," Ron said crossing over to his bed, "You say Voldemort's back and he has a new target?" Peter nodded.
Ginny looked very nervous, "Who is it?"
Peter shook his head, "I don't know. I thought it might be me, but he has spared me by letting me live and I fled. Pity he talks so loud, though I know he plans on killing me."
Ron looked suspiciously at Peter, "And why is it you're telling us all this?"
Peter looked at Ron squarely, "Potter spared my life, and I owed him. I don't know, or care if this helps, but it's what is due and now I don't owe him anything!"
"Good!" Mr. Weasley shouted from by the door, "Then get out of my house!" Ron and Ginny jumped onto each other and Peter almost fell out through the open window. Mr Weasley had his wand pointed directly at Peter as he stood in front of Ginny and Ron, his ears bright red.
"Now, now Arthur," Dumbledore said, appearing in the doorway, "Peter has indeed been helpful to us and for that we should at least appreciate his presence." Dumbledore swept in and picked up Peter's wand, handing it to him briskly, "Now if you would be so good as to leave this house and never return."