Chapter One

Aurora cried on Belle's shoulder for what seemed like hours, unable to really believe what her mother had told her before she had fled to her room. They sat there in silence, two best friends, practically sisters from childhood. Belle was doing her best to comfort Aurora, who was still shaking from the tears that had overcome her earlier.

"Aurora," A deep voice punctured the silence of the room, "Mom just…just told me the news…" Aurora looked up to see her twin brother, Adrian, standing in the doorway. "Are you alright?" he crossed the room to sit on the other side of his sister.

"I'm okay now." She sat up and gave him a weak smile, then a loud grumble erupted from her stomach causing the three to laugh a little. "Guess I'm hungry." She cast a glance to Adrian, but quickly turned away at the sight of his sorrowful grey-blue eyes.

"Then let's get something to eat." Belle suggested, "I think we're all getting hungry." She stood and led the way as they filed out of the room.

By the time they reached the kitchen (which was a way off, considering the size of their house), they were all feeling a little better, to the point where they were making small jokes as they usually did. When they entered, Belle and Aurora looked around, surprised to see that nearly everything was packed up into boxes. Aurora looked back at Adrian; his face showed that he'd already known about this, maybe even helped some. She turned back, determined to find some food, since now her stomach was complaining loudly and painfully that it wouldn't wait much longer. However, the sight of Brie's blonde head bobbing over the boxes was too much temptation for her to bear.

Quietly, she snuck around the piles of boxes, coming up behind Brie as she finished packing up the few remaining items. Aurora got right behind her, a mischievous smile coming across her face; she poked Brie on either side. This caused Brie to jump with a squeak, sending several spoons to go flying into the air. Aurora giggled as Brie turned to face whoever had dared poke her.

"Aurora!" Brie gave a little glare as she 'scolded' Aurora, "You know better than to do that! Oh, this means war, you know." She smirked as she bent to pick up the spoons that had flown everywhere.

"Sorry, Brie," Aurora said with a small smirk, "I just couldn't resist."

"Either way," Brie warned in her attractive French accent, "this still means war." Aurora just smiled as she found something to snack on, there was always at least one 'war' going on between at least two people in this house. They always ended up with the whole family being involved and wouldn't end until there was one last 'battle,' which usually happened in the family room where the stairs came down along one wall.

"So Mom," Belle stepped in, "what are all these boxes for?"

"Oh, yes. That." Brie looked around. "Well, we got a summons this morning, from the Order of the Phoenix. They want us to go back to Great Britain to help with the war against Voldemort." Brie looked at Adrian, who already knew about this and had everything already packed, "Adrian, could you start covering the furniture in the living room please?" He nodded and left to do just that.

"Did-did Adrian already know about this?" Belle asked as she watched him leave.

"He was here when we first read the summons; Aurora had left before we could tell her." Brie finished packing, then turned to find the girls still there. "Well, what are you still doing here? Get upstairs and start packing your clothes and school items! We don't have much time to get everything ready before Addie gets back and we leave." With that, she shooed them back up the stairs to get packing.

Adelyn was in London, waiting where she was instructed to by the summons she'd received from the Order just a few hours ago. She had arrived from Salem just moments earlier, Addie was tired. Apparating that far was a little more difficult than she remembered. As she stood there, she slowly became anxious, so to try and get rid of this, she started walking around the clearing she was in, which gave her a better chance to look around. This place looked so familiar to her, but she couldn't quite place the memory…she glanced at the address on the house nearest her. 'Number 10, Grimmauld Place' it read, then it hit her as to where she was.

"Remember this place, do you?" A stern, yet distantly familiar voice came from behind. Addie turned around to find Minerva McGonagall standing behind her. "I see you got the summons we sent you, Adelyn. But I might ask, here is Brie?"

Addie smiled as she saw how little the transfiguration teacher had changed in all these years. "Brie's back home, making sure the kids get ready to leave and packing up the house so things won't get stolen." McGonagall's face showed surprise when she mentioned 'kids,' "I take it Dumbledore explained everything to you before he…"

"Oh, yes," McGonagall said quickly, "I remember now."

Addie looked around and quickly steered the topic away from Dumbledore's death. "Grimmauld Place," she sighed, "I haven't been here in almost eighteen years."

"So I've been told." It grew quiet between the two witches for a moment as they looked around; McGonagall then pulled a slip of paper from her robes and handed it to Addie. "We should go inside, so we can talk about more important things." Addie read the paper; memorizing the address written on it wasn't hard and she quickly set the parchment to flames.

They headed toward numbers 11 and 13 together, not speaking a single word to each other as number 12 popped up between the two. Briefly McGonagall explained where everyone would be staying as they entered the quiet house. For a few minutes after that, they discussed Order matters and caught up on the past. It had been such a long time since Addie had been in contact with the wizarding world she'd grown up in; she had missed so much. McGonagall then left, saying only that she had several meetings she had to make that day.

A moment was taken to collect her thoughts, facing the shadows of her past was never an easy thing. Only once she was in full control of her rioting emotions did she head towards the kitchen, knowing by what McGonagall had mentioned that everyone was down to breakfast. Walking down the dimly lit hall, she halted before the swinging door and simply listened to the feverish bustle that constituted breakfast. Conversations flew back and forth, the sounds of almost forgotten voices stirring the depths of her memories. Addie knew she had to go in, so a moment later she lifted a work worn hand, pushed open the door and sauntered through the now open doorway.

The sound of the door opening under most circumstances would not have been odd, but everyone was already at the table and fully involved in the meal. Slowly, silence descended over the group as all eyes turned towards the woman who now stood frozen in what could only be called fear.

Everything about her was vibrant, from the rich auburn of her hair to the full tan that colored her skin. A faintly surprised frown twisted her lips, it was clear she had not been expecting so many people to be there. Nervously she allowed a lean hand to pick at the hem of her dirt-stained blue shirt. Lupin looked at her as if he had seen a ghost, everything about his paler than usual face belaying his absolute befuddlement. Stepping almost shyly toward her, he asked "Addie? Addie, is that you?"

The woman smiled at him and nodded as if she recognized him, rich milk chocolate eyes all but glowing with silent pleasure as the gold flecks in their depths surfaced. "Remus! I barely recognized you!" she went to him and hugged him tightly. Tears swelled up in her eyes as she said, "I've missed you so much."

Lupin squeezed her tightly, "I've missed you too." He whispered in her ear. "Where have you been all these years? We almost gave you up for dead."

Pulling away, Addie smiled weakly at him. "To tell you that, dear Remus, we'll have to go somewhere private to talk." Remus nodded and the two turned to head out of the kitchen to find a quiet place to talk. "But first," the rest of the party could hear her saying, "I'd like to hear about what exactly happened to…" her voice trailed away as the door closed behind them.

Once they were gone, conversation at the breakfast table slowly started up again. Meanwhile, Ron and Harry were looking at each other, both confused as to what had just happened.

"What do you suppose that was about?" Ron asked.

"I don't know, but I certainly want to find out," Harry mumbled as he thought of the way Remus had left with Addie on his arm.