♦ 056 ♦

                                    

                                          
The Order of The Phoenix
♦ ♦ ♦ ♦
The subjects of the portraits lining the room were no longer pretending to be asleep. They were shifting around in their frames, the better to watch what was happening. When the clever-looking wizard continued to feign sleep, some of them shouted his name, too.
"Phineas! Phineas! PHINEAS!"
He could not pretend any longer. He gave a theatrical jerk and opened his eyes wide.
"Did someone call?"
"I need you to visit your other portrait again, Phineas," said Dumbledore. "I've got another message."
"Visit my other portrait?" said Phineas in a reedy voice, giving a long, fake yawn (his eyes travelling around the room and focusing on Harry). "Oh, no, Dumbledore, I am too tired tonight."
The portraits on the surrounding walls broke into a storm of protest.
"Insubordination, sir!" roared a corpulent, red-nosed wizard, brandishing his fists. "Dereliction of duty!"
"We are honour-bound to give service to the present Headmaster of Hogwarts!" cried a frail-looking old wizard whom Cassie  recognised as Dumbledore's predecessor, Armando Dippet. "Shame on you, Phineas!"
"Shall I persuade him, Dumbledore?" called a gimlet-eyed witch, raising an unusually thick wand that looked not unlike a birch rod.
"Oh, very well," said the wizard called Phineas, eyeing the wand with mild apprehension, "though he may well have destroyed my picture by now, he's done away with most of the family. . . ."
"Sirius knows not to destroy your portrait," said Dumbledore. "You are to give him the message that Arthur Weasley has been gravely injured and that his wife, children, Sadie Bridgerton and Harry Potter will be arriving at his house shortly. Do you understand?"
"Arthur Weasley, injured, wife and children, Sadie Bridgerton and Harry Potter coming to stay," repeated Phineas in a bored voice. "Yes, yes, very well. . . ."
He sloped away into the frame of the portrait and disappeared from view at the very moment the study door opened again. Fred, George and Ginny were ushered inside by Professor McGonagall, all three of them looking dishevelled and shocked, still in their night things.
"Harry, what's going on?" asked Ginny, who looked frightened. "Professor McGonagall says you saw Dad get hurt. . . ." Ginny walked over to Sadie  and hugged the older girl tightly. Sadie  hugged her back, just as tight and wrapped an arm around the younger girl.
"Your father has been injured in the course of his work for the Order of the Phoenix," said Dumbledore, before Harry could speak. "He has been taken to St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries. I am sending you back to Sirius's house, which is much more convenient for the hospital than The Burrow. You will meet your mother there."
"How're we going?" asked Fred, looking shaken. "Floo powder?"
"No," said Dumbledore, "Floo powder is not safe at the moment, the Network is being watched. You will be taking a Portkey." He indicated the old kettle lying innocently on his desk. "We are just waiting for Phineas Nigellus to report back, I want to be sure that the coast is clear before sending you. . . ."
There was a flash of flame in the very middle of the office, leaving behind a single golden feather that floated gently to the floor.
"It is Fawkes's warning," said Dumbledore, catching the feather as it fell. "Professor Umbridge must know you're out of your beds. Minerva, go and head her off, tell her any story. . . ."