'Well, for one thing it means your initials spell 'RAW.'
Ron looked as if this had not occurred to him. 'I suppose that's true.'
Charlie was now grinning a tired sort of grin. 'Your middle name is
'Aurelius,'' he said to Ron. 'Your favorite color is red but you hate maroon, when you were ten you cried because Mum wouldn't let you join a motorcycle gang and change your name to 'Kill Crazy' and last year you told me you thought the prettiest girl in school was — '
'All right,' interrupted Ron, ears bright pink. 'You're Charlie. Now belt up.'
Charlie threw himself down into the armchair opposite Ginny and stretched out his legs. 'You sure you don't want me to go on?' he grinned, but his expression turned serious as Mr. Weasleys entered the room, looking grave.
'I'm going to the Ministry,' he said to Charlie. 'There's twenty Aurors outside already the house and the AC is sending over twenty more. But I want you to stay here.' His glance swept over Ron, Hermione and Ginny, and the implication was clear: Stay here and keep an eye on the kids. 'You lot,' he said to the three teenagers on the couch, trying to keep his voice as light as possible. 'With forty Aurors outside, this should be the safest wizarding house in Britain.
But I want you three to stay inside. You're not to go outside for any reason, not even into the garden. Not until I come home and tell you otherwise. Understood?'
Ron looked at him, spoke for them all: 'Understood.'
Mr. Weasley looked as if he were swallowing past a lump in his throat, and nodded briskly. 'All right, then,' he said, and Disapparated.
Hermione stood up. 'I'm tired,' she said. 'I think I'll go get in bed, do some reading.' She looked at Ron. 'Could I borrow a t-shirt or something to wear?'
Ron got to his feet after her. 'I'll get you some pajamas from upstairs.'
Ginny watched as her brother and Hermione walked up the stairs, and felt a sudden flash of an envy she had nearly forgotten. Ron, Harry and Hermione had always formed such a perfect little circle; no one else had ever been able to get in. Then Draco had come along and seemed to have effortlessly punched his way into the circle, and if he wasn't always welcome, there was certainly no question that he was going away any time soon. If nothing else, Hermione's sheer determination would keep him part of the group, and Ron and Harry would always, in the end, do whatever she wanted. But she, Ginny, often still felt as if she didn't quite belong, as if she were an outsider who had showed up at a party without being invited.
'Ginny.' It was Charlie speaking, looking at her with questioning eyes. 'Did you really think that that person was me? That I would do something like that?'
Ginny bit her lip, trying to focus her thoughts. 'Well, at first you -
he — seemed perfectly normal, and then at the end everything happened so fast we didn't really have a chance to think anything.
Then we were unconscious.' She raised her eyes to her brother's, saw the worry in his expression, the shadows in his eyes. 'I'm sorry, Charlie,' she said, her voice cracking. 'It wasn't fair even to think that for a minute.'
But Charlie, studying his hands, took a moment to reply. 'It's hard to say,' he said finally, 'just what people really are capable of. You never know, people sometimes think they're doing the right thing, and then it turns out to be a mistake, but it's too late to change things.'
Ginny was confused. 'What are you talking about?'
Charlie smiled faintly. 'Just rambling pointlessly. Ignore me. Come on, let's go into the kitchen — I'll make you some tea.'
'According to his Apparating License, his name is Alexander Taylor,' said Mad-Eye Moody to Sirius, who was standing next the body on the gurney with his hands in his pockets and an intent expression on his face. The moonlight streamed through the small barred window overhead, turning the edges of Sirius' dark hair red.
'And according to his Ministry Registration, he's a werewolf.'
'A werewolf?' Sirius glanced down at the body of the man who had disguised himself as Charlie Weasley. The glamour he had been under was fading with death; the red hair turning black, the distinctive Weasley freckles disappearing. 'Actually, that makes sense.'
'Does it?' said Mad-Eye neutrally.
Sirius nodded without answering. Mad-Eye knew about Lupin -
nearly everyone in the wizarding world did — but Mad-Eye also knew Lupin. He had been one of Sirius' instructors during his days of Auror training, and had met him not infrequently. He knew of their friendship. 'What I don't get,' added the scarred old Auror ruminatively, scratching his head, 'is how the attacker' — (so far, no one had mentioned Slytherin by name, but had referred to him simply as 'the attacker' — trying not to sound too mad, Sirius suspected)-'managed to get into the house. Arthur Weasley is no fool; he's got his house well warded.'
Sirius shrugged. 'The wards are set to recognize family members by sight, so it's no big mystery how the false Charlie got in. As for the rest, Hermione Granger told me that 'Charlie' spent the afternoon
'working in the garden'. I suspect what he was actually doing was taking the wards down. It wouldn't be too hard to do from on the property. And then, when he was done, he Summoned his Master.'
Sirius sighed, feeling weary. He raised his eyes and glanced around; he and Mad-Eye were alone in the dark corridor. 'Has he got any family?'
'Who? The werewolf?'
Sirius nodded.
'Not that we can find a record of. Probably the best thing, too, considering…'
'Considering what?' asked Sirius sharply.
Mad-Eye wasn't looking at him, but down at the body of the man on the gurney. 'He has injuries,' he said. 'On his hands. Not defensive injuries. As if he clawed his way out of something. A cage, some kind of holding pen. The glamour hid them. I suspect he was being Called. I suspect all the werewolves in Britain are being Called and that's what's behind this plague of werewolf sightings that's been in the news.'
Sirius tensed. 'That's an interesting theory.' He had so far told no one about Lupin being Called, and didn't want to mention now that he might have any special knowledge of Calling, werewolves, Slytherin, or anything else.
