Harry Potter 06 - Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

‘Whereas Bill and Fleur … well … what have they really got in common? He’s a hard-working, down-to-earth sort of person, whereas she’s –’
    ‘A cow,’ said Ginny, nodding. ‘But Bill’s not that down-to-earth. He’s a curse-breaker, isn’t he, he likes a bit of adventure, a bit of glamour … I expect that’s why he’s gone for Phlegm.’
    ‘Stop calling her that, Ginny,’ said Mrs Weasley sharply, as Harry and Hermione laughed. ‘Well, I’d better get on … eat your eggs while they’re warm, Harry.’
    Looking careworn, she left the room. Ron still seemed slightly punch-drunk; he was shaking his head experimentally like a dog trying to rid its ears of water.
    ‘Don’t you get used to her if she’s staying in the same house?’ Harry asked.
    ‘Well, you do,’ said Ron, ‘but if she jumps out at you unexpectedly, like then …’
    ‘It’s pathetic,’ said Hermione furiously, striding away from Ron as far as she could go and turning to face him with her arms folded once she had reached the wall.
    ‘You don’t really want her around for ever?’ Ginny asked Ron incredulously. When he merely shrugged, she said, ‘Well, Mum’s going to put a stop to it if she can, I bet you anything.’
    ‘How’s she going to manage that?’ asked Harry.
    ‘She keeps trying to get Tonks round for dinner. I think she’s hoping Bill will fall for Tonks instead. I hope he does, I’d much rather have her in the family.’
    ‘Yeah, that’ll work,’ said Ron sarcastically. ‘Listen, no bloke in his right mind’s going to fancy Tonks when Fleur’s around. I mean, Tonks is OK-looking when she isn’t doing stupid things to her hair and her nose, but –’
    ‘She’s a damn sight nicer than Phlegm ,’ said Ginny.
    ‘And she’s more intelligent, she’s an Auror!’ said Hermione from the corner.
    ‘Fleur’s not stupid, she was good enough to enter the Triwizard Tournament,’ said Harry.
    ‘Not you as well!’ said Hermione bitterly.
    ‘I suppose you like the way Phlegm says “’Arry”, do you?’ asked Ginny scornfully.
    ‘No,’ said Harry, wishing he hadn’t spoken, ‘I was just saying, Phlegm – I mean, Fleur –’
    ‘I’d much rather have Tonks in the family,’ said Ginny. ‘At least she’s a laugh.’
    ‘She hasn’t been much of a laugh lately,’ said Ron. ‘Every time I’ve seen her she’s looked more like Moaning Myrtle.’
    ‘That’s not fair,’ snapped Hermione. ‘She still hasn’t got over what happened … you know … I mean, he was her cousin!’
    Harry’s heart sank. They had arrived at Sirius. He picked up a fork and began shovelling scrambled eggs into his mouth, hoping to deflect any invitation to join in this part of the conversation.
    ‘Tonks and Sirius barely knew each other!’ said Ron. ‘Sirius was in Azkaban half her life and before that their families never met –’
    ‘That’s not the point,’ said Hermione. ‘She thinks it was her fault he died!’
    ‘How does she work that one out?’ asked Harry, in spite of himself.
    ‘Well, she was fighting Bellatrix Lestrange, wasn’t she? I think she feels that if only she had finished her off, Bellatrix couldn’t have killed Sirius.’
    ‘That’s stupid,’ said Ron.
    ‘It’s survivor’s guilt,’ said Hermione. ‘I know Lupin’s tried to talk her round, but she’s still really down. She’s actually having trouble with her Metamorphosing!’
    ‘With her –?’
    ‘She can’t change her appearance like she used to,’ explained Hermione. ‘I think her powers must have been affected by shock, or something.’
    ‘I didn’t know that could happen,’ said Harry.
    ‘Nor did I,’ said Hermione, ‘but I suppose if you’re really depressed …’
    The door opened again and Mrs Weasley popped her head in.
    ‘Ginny,’ she whispered, ‘come downstairs and help me with the lunch.’
    ‘I’m talking to this lot!’ said Ginny, outraged.
    ‘Now!’ said Mrs Weasley, and withdrew.
    ‘She only wants me there so she doesn’t have to be alone with Phlegm!’ said Ginny crossly. She swung her long red hair around in a very good imitation of Fleur and pranced across the room with her arms held aloft like a ballerina.
    ‘You lot had better come down quickly too,’ she said as she left.
    Harry took advantage of the temporary silence to eat more breakfast. Hermione was peering into Fred and George’s boxes, though every now and then she cast sideways looks at Harry. Ron, who was