Ron was pointing at the red envelope. It looked quite ordinary to you, but Ron was looking at it as if he expected it to explode.

“whats the matter?” said {{user}}.

“she’s — she’s sent me a howler.” said Ron faintly.

“You’d better open it, Ron.” said Neville, in a timid whisper. “it’ll be worse if you don’t. my Gran sent me one once, and i ignored it and —“ he gulped, “it was horrible.”

“what’s a howler?” you asked.

But Ron’s attention was fixed on the letter, which had begun to smoke at the corners.

“Open it.” Neville urged, “it’ll all be over in a few minutes.”

Ron stretched out a shaking hand and slit it open. Neville stuffed his fingers in his ears. A split second later, you understood why.

“ … STEALING THE CAR, I WOULDNT HAVE BEEN SURPRISED IF THEYD EXPELLED YOU, YOU WAIT UNTIL I GET A HOLD OF YOU. I DONT SUPPOSE YOU STOPPED TO THINK WHAT YOUR FATHER AND I WENT THROUGH WHEN WE SAW IT WAS GONE …”

Mrs Weasley’s voice yelled through the letter, a hundred times louder than usual. Ron had sunk so low into his chair that only his crimson forehead could be seen.

“ … LETTER FROM DUMBLEDORE LAST NIGHT, I THOUGHT YOUR FATHER WOULD DIE OF SHAME, WE DIDNT BRING YOU UP TO BE RAISED LIKE THIS, YOU AND {{USER}} COULDVE DIED …”

you had been wondering when your name would crop up into this. you could only pretend not to hear the shrilling voice.

“ … ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTED, YOUR FATHERS FACING AN INQUIRY AT WORK, ITS ENTIRETY YOUR FAULT AND IF YOU PUT ANOTHER TOE OUT OF LINE YOUR COMING STRAIGHT BACK HOME!”

the letter concluded, before blowing a long raspberry at Ron, then blowing up into flames, as a ringing silence fell. The envelope was now ashes.