Ah, my first story. Be brutal.
Disclaimer: The characters are not mine. All Harry Potter stuff belongs to the wonderful creator J.K. Rowling. Please don't sue me. I'm broke.
Pain and Loneliness
The skies of London hung low over the buildings, grey and threatening to pour rain at any second. It seemed to Katie Bell as though the city of London were mourning with her. She pulled her eyes from the window to the parchment lying on the table. The words were burned into her memory.
Dear Ms. Katherine Bell,
It is with deep regret that we write to inform you of the death of Ms. Alicia Spinnet. She died bravely, doing her part in the battle against Voldemort. Please accept our deepest condolences.
The Ministry of Magic
She grabbed the letter angrily, crumpling it in her hand and then threw it into the fire. The flames devoured it within seconds leaving mere ashes behind, but even this failed to make her feel better. She could destroy the information, but her best friend would still be dead.
At a loss for anything to do, she made her way to the kitchen where a bottle of vodka was waiting on the counter. The liquid scorched her throat on the way down, but she was grateful for it, grateful to feel anything at all.
"Are you sure it is wise to spend your only day off getting drunk?" an all too familiar voice asked.
"Why not?" Katie responded, tottering to her couch and sinking down onto it, "My best friend is dead. I can't contact anyone much less go to her funeral. Tell me oh wise Dumbledore, what the hell should I do?"
She took another drink of vodka as the older wizard took a seat next to her.
"Miss Bell," he said gently, "If I had known what events would transpire, I never would have asked you to take the position."
Suddenly, to Katie, he appeared very weary and much older than usual. The sparkle that she remembered being in his eyes during her Hogwart's days was gone.
"I'm sorry," she told him, "It's not your fault. I'm just lonely today."
"Do not worry Miss Bell. I understand," he took a small white envelope from his robes, "and I know Miss Spinnet does, too."
And with a low pop he disapparated before her eyes, leaving only the envelope behind. Katie recognized Alicia's scrawl across the front. A few hot tears sprung to her eyes as her trembling hands pulled out a muddy sheet of parchment.
Katie,
I am writing this at Dumbledore's suggestion. He says I won't come back after our mission tomorrow. He says that none of us will, that we've been sent on a suicide mission. Merlin. You always wonder what you would say or do if you were to die tomorrow. There's nothing you can do or say because all you can think about is the fact that you're going to die.
Dumbledore explained everything to me. I'm sorry that I thought you lost contact for your own selfish reasons. I understand now. I'm proud of you.
Merlin, I can't even look at the others in my group. They don't know we're all going to die. I want to cry just thinking about it. Brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, sons, daughters, cousins, aunts, uncles, friends. Dead. But I won't dwell on it. I have to focus on my duty.
Never give up Katie. Keep fighting, fighting for us.
Alicia Spinnet
Finally, Katie flung herself across her couch and sobbed into the cushions.
The crowd that had been gathered beside the small grave began to disperse as raindrops fell from the sky. Everyone, that is, except four people wearing red and gold scarves.
"I don't believe this," Angelina whispered, dropping a single rose onto the coffin being lowered into the ground before crying onto her husband's shoulder.
Fred wrapped his arm around her, trying his best to comfort her. There were no words that any of them could say to make the situation better. Their friend, their comrade, was gone.
Oliver sighed and pulled his robes closer around his body.
"I didn't see Katie anywhere. Hard to believe she'd miss her best friend's funeral."
"Were they still best friends?" George asked, "I don't think Alicia heard from Katie either. For all we know Katie is dead."
Before any of them could say anything else, Angelina's fist flew out from behind her robes, landing squarely on George's nose.
"Don't say that!" she screamed, "Don't you dare proclaim her dead without proof! Dumbledore would tell us! He wouldn't just let us wonder!"
"You're right. I wouldn't."
"Great, you couldn't have showed up sooner," George muttered, tentatively touching his nose, from which blood had begun to trickle out.
"I prefer to let you learn these things the hard way."
If it wasn't for the grim circumstances, Oliver would've laughed.
"You missed the funeral," he stated plainly.
"I already made my peace with Miss Spinnet," he informed them, "Miss Bell, however, had not."
"You know where she is?" Angelina asked, "Tell us, please."
Dumbledore shook his head.
"You never know who is listening."
Suddenly, Oliver felt his body explode into a million pieces. It was as though he was being scattered throughout space. If he had had a stomach at that moment he was sure he would've felt incredibly queasy. Then, as suddenly as it had happened, he was pieced back together again in a room he'd never seen before with Fred, George, and Angelina.
"Where are we?" Fred asked.
"Someplace safe from unseen ears," Dumbledore informed them, "Someplace where I can tell you about Katie, if you swear not to repeat what I tell you, not even to each other."
They nodded solemnly.
"The Order is not the only secret organization in this war. There are many of them, all doing specific tasks to aid in the defeat of Voldemort. Among these groups is the Blue Flame Order."
"I've heard that name before," Fred interrupted, "Back before our last year Dad and Lupin were talking. I was testing out our listening device and they said something about a Blue Flame before the device melted. But I have no idea what they do."
"The Blue Flame Order are essentially diplomats," Dumbledore answered, "They attempt to convince Ministers of Magic around the world the join forces. A unified front against Voldemort is our best chance."
"That still doesn't explain why Katie hasn't kept in touch," Oliver said.
Dumbledore sighed. "We never imagined that Voldemort would feel as threatened by this as he did. For the safety of the members and their family and friends, they have been placed in safe houses with no contact to the outside world."
"So Katie is gone until the war is over."
A slight smile crossed his face.
"Not to those I trust to keep this secret. I feel that Miss Bell would benefit greatly from not being alone in these dark times."