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Harry tiptoed up the stairs in the hall past the stuffed elf…heads； glad to be on his own again； but as he approached the first landing he heard noises。 Someone was sobbing in the drawing room。
'Hello？' Harry said。
There was no answer but the sobbing continued。 He climbed the remaining stairs two at a time； walked across the landing and opened the drawing…room door。
Someone was cowering against the dark wall； her wand in her hand； her whole body shaking with sobs。 Sprawled on the dusty old carpet in a patch of moonlight； clearly dead； was Ron。
All the air seemed to vanish from Harry's lungs； he felt as though he were falling through the floor； his brain turned icy cold … Ron dead； no； it couldn't be …
But wait a moment； it couldn't be … Ron was downstairs …
'Mrs Weasley？' Harry croaked。
'R … r … riddikulus！' Mrs Weasley sobbed； pointing her shaking wand at Ron's body。
Crack。
Ron's body turned into Bill's； spread…eagled on his back； his eyes wide open and empty。 Mrs Weasley sobbed harder than ever。
'R … riddikulus！' she sobbed again。
Crack。
Mr Weasley's body replaced Bill's； his glasses askew； a trickle of blood running down his face。
'No！' Mrs Weasley moaned。 'No： riddikulus！ Riddikulus！ RIDDIKULUS！
Crack。 Dead twins。 Crack。 Dead Percy。 Crack。 Dead Harry：
'Mrs Weasley； just get out of here！' shouted Harry； staring down at his own dead body on the floor。 'Let someone else …'
'What's going on？'
Lupin had e running into the room； closely followed by Sirius； with Moody stumping along behind them。 Lupin looked from Mrs Weasley to the dead Harry on the floor and seemed to understand in an instant。 Pulling out his own wand； he said； very firmly and clearly：
'Riddikulus！'
Harry's body vanished。 A silvery orb hung in the air over the spot where it had lain。 Lupin waved his wand once more and the orb vanished in a puff of smoke。
'Oh … oh … oh！' gulped Mrs Weasley； and she broke into a storm of crying； her face in her hands。
'Molly；' said Lupin bleakly； walking over to her。 'Molly don't：〃
Next second； she was sobbing her heart out on Lupin's shoulder。
'Molly； it was just a Boggart；' he said soothingly； patting her on the head； 'just a stupid Boggart：'
'I see them d…d … dead all the time！' Mrs Weasley moaned into his shoulder。 'All the t …'t … time！ I d … d … dream about it：'
Sirius was staring at the patch of carpet where the Boggart； pretending to be Harry's body； had lain。 Moody was looking at Harry； who avoided his gaze。 He had a funny feeling Moody's magical eye had followed him all the way out of the kitchen。
'D…d … don't tell Arthur；' Mrs Weasley was gulping now； mopping her eyes frantically with her cuffs。 'I d … d … don't want him to know： being silly：'
Lupin handed her a handkerchief and she blew her nose。
'Harry； I'm so sorry。 What must you think of me？' she said shakily。 'Not even able to get rid of a Boggart：'
'Don't be stupid；' said Harry； trying to smile。
'I'm just s …'s … so worried；' she said； tears spilling out of her eyes again。 'Half the f … f … family's in the Order； it'll b … b … be a miracle if we all e through this： and P … P … Percy's not talking to us： what if something d…d … dreadful happens and we've never in … in … made it up with him？ And what's going to happen if Arthur and I get killed； who's g … g … going to look after Ron and Ginny？'
'Molly that's enough； said Lupin firmly。 'This isn't like last time。 The Order are better prepared； we've got a head start； we know what Voldemort's up to …'
Mrs Weasley gave a little squeak of fright at the sound of the name。
'Oh； Molly； e on； it's about time you got used to hearing his name … look； I can't promise no one's going to get hurt； nobody can promise that； but we're much better off than we were last time。 You weren't in the Order then； you don't understand。 Last time we were outnumbered twenty to one by the Death Eaters and they were picking us off one by one：'
Harry thought of the photograph again； of his parents' beaming faces。 He knew Moody was still watching him。
'Don't worry about Percy' said Sirius abruptly。 'He'll e round。 It's only a matter of time before Voldemort moves into the open； once he does； the whole Ministry's going to be begging us to forgive them。 And I'm not sure I'll be accepting their apology；' he added bitterly。
'And as for who's going to look after Ron and Ginny if you and Arthur died；' said Lupin； smiling slightly； 'what do you think we'd do； let them starve？'
Mrs Weasley smiled tremulously。
'Being silly；' she muttered again； mopping her eyes。
But Harry； closing his bedroom door behind him some ten minutes later； could not think Mrs Weasley silly。 He could still see his parents beaming up at him from the tattered old photograph； unaware that their lives； like so many of those around them； were drawing to a close。 The image of the Boggart posing as the corpse of each member of Mrs Weasley's family in turn kept flashing before his eyes。
Without warning； the scar on his forehead seared with pain again and his stomach churned horribly。
'Cut it out；' he said firmly； rubbing the scar as the pain receded。
'First sigh of madness； talking to your own head；' said a sly voice from the empty picture on the wall。
Harry ignored it。 He felt older than he had ever felt in his life and it seemed extraordinary to him that barely an hour ago he had been worried about a joke shop and who had got a prefects badge。
… CHAPTER TEN …
Luna Lovegood
Harry had a troubled nights sleep。 His parents wove in and out of his dreams； never speaking； Mrs Weasley sobbed over Kreacher's dead body； watched by Ron and Hermione who were wearing crowns； and yet again Harry found himself walking down a corridor ending in a locked door。 He awoke abruptly with his scar prickling to find Ron already dressed and talking to him。
'better hurry up； Mum's going ballistic； she says we're going to miss the tram …
There was a lot of motion in the house。 From what he heard as he dressed at top speed； Harry gathered that Fred and George had bewitched their trunks to fly downstairs to save the bother of carrying them； with the result that they had hurtled straight into Ginny and knocked her down two flights of stairs into the hall； Mrs Black and Mrs Weasley were both screaming at the top of their voices。
'… COULD HAVE DONE HER A SERIOUS INJURY； YOU IDIOTS …'
'… FILTHY HALF…BREEDS； BESMIRCHING THE HOUSE OF MY FATHERS …'
Hermione came hurrying into the room looking flustered； just as Harry was putting on his trainers。 Hedwig was swaying on her shoulder； and she was carrying a squirming Crookshanks in her arms。
'Mum and Dad just sent Hedwig back。' The owl fluttered obligingly over and perched on top of her cage。 'Are you ready yet？'
'Nearly。 Is Ginny all right？' Harry asked； shoving on his glasses。
'Mrs Weasley's patched her up；' said Hermione。 'But now Mad…
Eye's plaining that we can't leave unless Sturgis Podmore's here； otherwise the guard will be one short。'
'Guard？' said Harry。 'We have to go to King's Cross with a guard？'
'You have to go to King's Cross with a guard；' Hermione corrected him。
'Why？' said Harry irritably。 'I thought Voldemort was supposed to be lying low； or are you telling me he's going to jump out from behind a dustbin to try and do me in？'
'I don't know； it's just what Mad…Eye says；' said Hermione distractedly； looking at her watch； 'but if we don't leave soon we're definitely going to miss the train：'
WILL YOU LOT GET DOWN HERE NOW； PLEASE！' Mrs Weasley bellowed and Hermione jumped as though scalded and hurried out of the room。 Harry seized Hedwig； stuffed her unceremoniously into her cage； and set off downstairs after Hermione； dragging his trunk。
Mrs Black's portrait was howling with rage but nobody was bothering to close the curtains over her； all the noise in the hall was bound to rouse her again； anyway。
'Harry； you're to e with me and Tonks；' shouted Mrs Weasley … over the repeated screeches of 'MUDBLOODS！ SCUM！ CREATURES OF DIRT！' … 'Leave your trunk and your owl； Alastor's going to deal with the luggage： oh； for heaven's sake； Sinus； Dumbledore said no！'
A bear…like black dog had appeared at Harry's side as he was clambering over the various trunks cluttering the hall to get to Mrs Weasley。
'Oh honestly：' said Mrs Weasley despairingly。 'Well； on your own head be it！'
She wrenched open the front door and stepped out into the weak September sunlight。 Harry and the dog followed her。 The door slammed behind them and Mrs Blacks screeches were cut off instantly。
Where's Tonks？' Harry said； looking round as they went down the stone steps of number twelve； which vanished the moment they reached the pavement。
'She's waiting for us just up here；' said Mrs Weasley stiffly； averting her eyes from the lolloping black dog beside Harry。
An old woman greeted them on the corner。 She had tightly curled grey hair and wore a purple hat shaped like a pork pie。