"Alice dinner's ready come on upstairs!" My brother's god father Sirius Black called from the top of the stairs.
"Thanks but tell Remus I'm not hungry." I shouted back without opening my bedroom door. I was lying on my bed staring at the ceiling not moving just like I'd done every hour since we'd gotten back from platform nine and three quarters.
"She's refusing to eat again." I heard Sirius say to my guardian Remus Lupin.
"She no longer has a choice in the matter." Remus replied before stomping down the stairs and banging on my bedroom door. "Allison Lillian Potter open this door right now."
"Please just leave me alone." I whimpered back to him without opening the door.
"Allison it's been three days…No I won't do this. I'm not going to talk to you through a door, not in my own home." There was a light rumbling as Remus tried to turn the door knob that I had locked days ago. Of course Remus was an adult wizard and fully capable of magicing the door open. The unlocking charm was cast with a low uttering of "Alohomora". Remus stepped through the door and started laying in on me. "Allison it's been three days. You're not eating, you're not doing homework, you're not writing letters to your friends. You're just laying here day in and day out feeling sorry for yourself. It's go t to stop Alice. It's not good for you." In response to Remus' lecture I rolled over facing away from him. This caused Remus to cross the room, crouch down by the bedside and stare me in the eye. "Alice please I'm trying. I'm doing my best. I know I'm not Severus and I know you wish he were here and not me but well it's just me for now and I'm doing my best…"
"That's not true." I interrupted him.
"Honestly I am…" I dragged myself into a sitting position deciding it was time for me to open up to the sad werewolf whose house I currently resided in.
"I meant it's not true that I wish Severus was here instead of you. I mean I wish he was here, but not instead of you. I love you both. I-I-I." In an attempt to open up a little bit about how I was feeling a rush of emotions began to overtake me. I was hit with the grief of Cedric's death, Voldemort's return, Harry being forced to live with our Aunt and Uncle, and Severus disappearing before he could explain anything to Remus or I. Tears were pouring down my face and I launched myself at Remus entrapping his neck in my arms.
"I know things are hard right now, but it will get better. Everything is always much much worse before it gets better." Remus muttered into my hair. After a prolonged embrace Remus detangled my arms from his neck and placed a firm hand on each of my shoulders. "Alice-Lily I know it feels like the world is falling apart but starving yourself is not going to put it back together."
"I know that." I told him whipping at my tear stained cheeks.
"Hey you two dinner is getting cold and I'm hungry!" Sirius called down to us.
"What did you make for dinner?" I asked quietly.
"A Beef stew."
"Well let's go before Sirius eats it all then!" I grabbed Remus' wrist and dragged him upstairs to the kitchen.
"Oh Alice glad to see you'll be joining us for dinner tonight." Sirius grinned as I grabbed a seat at the table.
"Sorry I've had a lot on my mind." I replied awkwardly.
"So we've noticed." Sirius replied his voice completely absent of accusation as he handed me a bowl of steaming stew.
"Well Remus and I had a good talk and I think I'll be making it to a lot more meals now."
"Glad to hear that kid." Sirius smiled at me over his spoon.
Two hours later the dinner dishes had been cleared, cleaned and put away. Sirius, Remus and I were sitting in the living room watching television when out of nowhere Remus' fireplace began to spark with green flames. As the three of us turned our attention to the fireplace the green flames subsided and out stepped Professor Dumbledore. Upon entering the room Professor Dumbledore didn't greet us he simply walked over to the television and swept his long fingers across the top.
"Interesting device the television is it not? However I'm afraid I shall have to distract you all from the telly for a few short moments." Dumbledore's eyes twinkled before he flicked his wand and turned off the TV.
"Is everything alright Albus?" Remus asked as his face instantly wrinkled into concern.
"No worse than usual Remus." Professor Dumbledore answered cryptically. "I'm assuming you gentlemen were able to contact many of the former members of the order, as nearly all of them have sent me an owl or some other communication inquiring when our meetings will begin. That was when I realized I had forgotten the most important part of the puzzle. In short my friends, I am in dire need of a location for meetings and I am open to any suggestions you could off me."
"Well we'll want somewhere secret, somewhere witches and wizards wouldn't think to look but also somewhere muggles can't stumble upon. It may take us a bit of time Albus but I think Sirius and I might be about to find something." As usually seemed to happen when something important was being discussed, the adults in the room seemed to have temporarily forgotten my presence but I was happy listening in and not saying a word.
"I think the answer is closer than we think." Sirius grinned. "What about my parents' old place? 'course it hasn't been lived in for years but well it's got everything Remus just said. There have to be hundreds of anti-muggle spells on the place so we don't have to worry about any of them just walking on up. With a few extra precautions we could keep witches and wizards away too." Professor Dumbledore stared at Sirius his eyes unfocussed, it was clear that he was truly considering what Sirius had just said.
"That very well maybe the solution I was looking for." Professor Dumbledore told us at last. "However before we make anything final I'd like to have Alastor take a look at the house. When will you be able to take us for a tour Sirius?"
"Whenever you need me!" Sirius answered over eagerly.
"Excellent! Then I shall head back to my office and contact Alastor. I will let you know what date and time work best for him. In the meantime Enjoy your programs." Professor Dumbledore flicked his wand and turned on the television again before disaperating from sight.