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'Yes；' said Sirius； surveying it with distaste。 'Finest fifteenth…century goblin…wrought silver； embossed with the Black family crest。'
That'd e orf； though；' muttered Mundungus； polishing it with his cuff。
'Fred … George … NO； JUST CARRY THEM！' Mrs Weasley shrieked。
Harry； Sirius and Mundungus looked round and； within a split second； they had dived away from the table。 Fred and George had bewitched a large cauldron of stew； an iron flagon of Butterbeer and a heavy wooden breadboard； plete with knife； to hurtle through the air towards them。 The stew skidded the length of the table and came to a halt just before the end； leaving a long black burn on the wooden surface； the flagon of Butterbeer fell with a crash； spilling its contents everywhere； the bread knife slipped off the board and landed； point down and quivering ominously； exactly where Sirius's right hand had been seconds before。
'FOR HEAVEN'S SAKE！' screamed Mrs Weasley。 THERE WAS NO NEED … I'VE HAD ENOUGH OF THIS … JUST BECAUSE YOU'RE ALLOWED TO USE MAGIC NOW； YOU DON'T HAVE TO WHIP YOUR WANDS OUT FOR EVERY TINY LITTLE THING！'
'We were just trying to save a bit of time！' said Fred； hurrying forward to wrench the bread knife out of the table。 'Sorry； Sirius； mate … didn't mean to …'
Harry and Sirius were both laughing； Mundungus； who had toppled backwards off his chair； was swearing as he got to his feet； Crookshanks had given an angry hiss and shot off under the dresser； from where his large yellow eyes glowed in the darkness。
'Boys；' Mr Weasley said； lifting the stew back into the middle of the table； 'your mother's right； you're supposed to show a sense of responsibility now you've e of age …'
'None of your brothers caused this sort of trouble！' Mrs Weasley raged at the twins as she slammed a fresh flagon of Butterbeer on to the table； and spilling almost as much again。 'Bill didn't feel the need to Apparate every few feet！ Charlie didn't charm everything he met！ Percy …'
She stopped dead； catching her breath with a frightened look at her husband； whose expression was suddenly wooden。
'Let's eat；' said Bill quickly。
'It looks wonderful； Molly；' said Lupin； ladling stew on to a plate for her and handing it across the table。
For a few minutes there was silence but for the chink of plates and cutlery and the scraping of chairs as everyone settled down to their food。 Then Mrs Weasley turned to Sirius。
'I've been meaning to tell you； Sirius； there's something trapped in that writing desk in the drawing room； it keeps rattling and shaking。 Of course； it could just be a Boggart； but I thought we ought to ask Alastor to have a look at it before we let it out。'
'Whatever you like；' said Sirius indifferently。
'The curtains in there are full of Doxys； too；' Mrs Weasley went on。 'I thought we might try and tackle them tomorrow。'
'I look forward to it；' said Sirius。 Harry heard the sarcasm in his voice； but he was not sure that anyone else did。
Opposite Harry； Tonks was entertaining Hermione and Ginny by transforming her nose between mouthfuls。 Screwing up her eyes each time with the same pained expression she had worn back in Harry's bedroom； her nose swelled to a beak…like protuberance that resembled Snape's； shrank to the size of a button mushroom and then sprouted a great deal of hair from each nostril。 Apparently this was a regular mealtime entertainment； because Hermione and Ginny were soon requesting their favourite noses。
'Do that one like a pig snout； Tonks。'
Tonks obliged； and Harry； looking up； had the fleeting impression that a female Dudley was grinning at him from across the table。
Mr Weasley； Bill and Lupin were having an intense discussion about goblins。
They're not giving anything away yet；' said Bill。 'I still can't work out whether or not they believe he's back。 Course； they might prefer not to take sides at all。 Keep out of it。'
'I'm sure they'd never go over to You…Know…Who；' said Mr Weasley； shaking his head。 They've suffered losses too； remember that goblin family he murdered last time； somewhere near Nottingham？'
'I think it depends what they're offered；' said Lupin。 'And I'm not talking about gold。 If they're offered the freedoms we've been denying them for centuries they're going to be tempted。 Have you still not had any luck with Ragnok； Bill？'
'He's feeling pretty anti…wizard at the moment；' said Bill； 'he hasn't stopped raging about the Bagman business； he reckons the Ministry did a cover…up； those goblins never got their gold from him； you know …'
A gale of laughter from the middle of the table drowned the rest of Bill's words。 Fred； George； Ron and Mundungus were rolling around in their seats。
'： and then；' choked Mundungus； tears running down his face； 'and then； if you'll believe it； 'e says to me； 'e says； 〃'Ere； Dung； where didja get all them toads from？ 'Cos some son of a Bludger's gone and nicked all mine！〃 And I says； 〃Nicked all your toads； Will； what next？ So you'll be wanting some more； then？〃 And if you'll believe me； lads； the gormless gargoyle buys all 'is own toads back orf me for a lot more'n what 'e paid in the first place …'
'I don't think we need to hear any more of your business dealings； thank you very much； Mundungus；' said Mrs Weasley sharply； as Ron slumped forwards on to the table； howling with laughter。
'Beg pardon； Molly；' said Mundungus at once； wiping his eyes and winking at Harry。 'But； you know； Will nicked 'em orf Warty Harris in the first place so I wasn't really doing nothing wrong。'
'I don't know where you learned about right and wrong； Mundungus； but you seem to have missed a few crucial lessons；' said Mrs Weasley coldly。
Fred and George buried their faces in their goblets of Butterbeer； George was hiccoughing。 For some reason； Mrs Weasley threw a very nasty look at Sirius before getting to her feet and going to fetch a large rhubarb crumble for pudding。 Harry looked round at his godfather。
'Molly doesn't approve of Mundungus；' said Sirius in an undertone。
'How e he's in the Order？' Harry said； very quietly。
'He's useful；' Sirius muttered。 'Knows all the crooks … well； he would； seeing as he's one himself。 But he's also very loyal to Dumbledore； who helped him out of a tight spot once。 It pays to have someone like Dung around； he hears things we don't。 But Molly thinks inviting him to stay for dinner is going too far。 She hasn't forgiven him for slipping off duty when he was supposed to be tailing you。'
Three helpings of rhubarb crumble and custard later and the waistband on Harry's jeans was feeling unfortably tight （which was saying something as the jeans had once been Dudley's）。 As he laid down his spoon there was a lull in the general conversation： Mr Weasley was leaning back in his chair； looking replete and relaxed； Tonks was yawning widely； her nose now back to normal； and Ginny who had lured Crookshanks out from under the dresser； was sitting cross…legged on the floor； rolling Butterbeer corks for him to chase。
'Nearly time for bed； I think；' said Mrs Weasley with a yawn。
'Not just yet；