12 Grimmauld Place, London. 12 Grimmuald Place, London. Ava thought to herself and felt herself being pulled into what felt a small tube. She opened her eyes - no longer was standing in the safety of her flat. She looked around the street and saw the familiar skyline in the distance and the red double deck buses traveling in slow speed on the other side of the road. In front of her was a row of traditional brick town houses. In a matter of seconds, seemingly out of nowhere; between number 11 and 13 suddenly a narrow brick house with a worn set of front steps appeard. Ava knew without a doubt that this must be it. From the outside it looked manky and old, judging from the dust that had been collected and the dirty window glasses on the windows it didn't look like anyone had lived there for years.

She pulled her pin striped jacket tighter tighter to her t-shirt and her loose fitted jeans as she walked up the steps with hesitant steps.

The large wooden door had a handle in the shape of a silver serpent, which Ava pushed several times. Something about all this made her very uncomfortable, and she started to doubt it really had been Dumbledore in her flat last night.

The door opened, and a man with light brown hair stood by the door spring, he must be quite young but the bags under his eyes and flecked grey hair strands made him look older. He gave her a friendly smile.

"You must be Ava Barnes."
"Yes."

"I'm Remus." he said as they shook hands.

"We're still waiting for some people, follow me." he said and she nodded as she stepped hall was dark and narrow, lightly lit by gas lamps and in the high ceiling a large silver chandelier surrounded by cobweb hang and the wall paper had started peeling off. The house had an smell of damp and dust, it was clear that had been unoccupied for many years.

There was a moth eating painting off a older woman in a cap that shouting at them as they walked by.

"Filth! Scum! By-products of dirt and vileness. Half-breeds! Freaks. How dare you befoul the house of my fathers"
Remus gave a look in Ava's direction.

"Sorry about that, we can't seem to get that portrait off, some permanent stick charm" He explained and waved his wand towards a drape on the floor that moved up towards the photo and covered the painting that gave some more muffled sounds before becoming silent.

The house probably had been great in its time but the house elves heads on the wall by the staircase and the troll feet umberella stand to the right of the door made Ava even more uncomfortable than before. It looked more like a dark wizard house rather than a headquarters for a group against Voldemort. Ava followed Remus through the corridor and down a staircase into the kitchen. The room was very large, with brick walls and on the other side was a magnificent fireplace. Pots and pans dangled from the ceiling. There was an great oak table to the side where she saw some people where sitting who were now eyeing her closely. She felt a sudden urge to run outside

First, a plump woman with tomato red fiery hair walked up to Ava, introducing herself as Molly that had gone up from her seat. She was followed by a thin man who introduced himself as Arthur with thinning red hair and a tall man with long red hair pulled in a pony tail and a dragon tooth as a an earring who she recognised as Bill Weasley. They had been in the same year at Hogwarts, both Gryffindors but their experiences could probably have not been more different. Bill had been popular and well, Ava had kept to herself. They had both been prefects in their fifth year and had some conversations while going on patrol around the castle.

"Ava, how are you?" He asked as he hugged her

"Good, you?"

"Good"

A tall bald black man who wore a single hoop earring that Ava recognised very well; Kinglsey Shacklebolt who was her mentor in the auror office. As well as a young auror named Tonks with a heart shaped face and at the moment spotting bubblegum pink hair who Ava was friendly with at the office. Both greeting her with hugs.

"I knew you say yes! Kinglsey and I suggested to Dumbledore we should recruit you." said Tonks happily, and Ava gave the two a big smile. It made more sense now about why she had been asked by Dumbledore to join.

Then Ava's eyes settled for the last person in the room, whom was casually walking up to her. She had never been more confused. He was a lot more handsome than in the photographs she seen, his dark hair wasn't waist length as in the photos she seen but now to his shoulders, but there was no doubting it was him; but the gaunt pale face with high cheekbones and grey eyes. Ava hands clutch tighter to the wand in her coat pocket in a reflex move and moved steadily towards him and she could feel her pulse going faster. Close enough, she pulled the wand up by his neck, and locked his arms behind his back.

"Sirius Black" she said, still startled by the man's appearance, and more so by the fact that that a large grin had appeard on his face, and the fact he didn't put up any resistance.

"He's on our side Ava." said Kingsley in his deep voice, placing his a hand on her shoulder. For a moment she considered whether she was dreaming or maybe if this was some awful plot but she calmed down a bit when she figured there was no way that some evil wizard or witch in disguise as she figured the odds of overmanning Dumbledore and Kingsley must be very small.

It was a very odd situation considering Kingsley spent most of these days at the office now being fixated with catching Black ( or well everyone seemed to be ) and was the head of the operations of doing so, and had led her to many assignments with catching him that had lead nowhere. Of course, it dawned upon her now that it was probably a way of protecting him. She put down her wand and released her grip around his hands.

"But aren't you-?" She said looking at Sirius.

"An evil mass murder on the escape?" he finished with an casual voice

"Yeah…something like that." Ava said, more relaxed by his humor.

"They got that all wrong. Sorry to disappoint."

"How - I mean all that was left of Pettigrew was his finger?" She asked, not out of doubt, but more curiosity. Sirius seemed to have sensed the tone in her voice.

"Pettigrew was the Death Eater working for Voldemort who revealed the Potter's adress to him. When I found out he did I went after him, only he cut out his finger and transformed into his animagus a rat"

"Ava stood shocked at this revelation, her eyes becoming larger. It meant Sirius Black had been imprisoned at Azkaban for 12 years for a murder he didn't commit, and everyone still thought he was responsible for. It was Ava's biggest fear as an auror; that she get the wrong wizard or witch and they'ld be imprisoned for something they hadn't done.

"I'm really sorry about that before, I had no idea."

"That's nothing. Kingsley jinxed me before anyone had the time to explain."

But before she had time to add anything else to the conversation, more people walked into the room. Some where old teachers at Hogwarts; Professor McGonagall who had been Ava's favourite teacher looked the same; tall and her black hair in a tight bun and the same stern face she remembered. The other teacher did surprise her however, Ava almost had to take a second to be sure it was him when he walked in, he had an appearance of overgrown bat with his greasy shoulder length hair and dark eyes. He had a hooked nose and yellow uneven teeth and unlike the other people who had either hugged or shook hands with Ava he just gave her a quick glance and a hint of a nod as he sat down. The appearance of him surprised her even further as he had been a known Death Eater of Voldemort. So what on earth was he doing in the Order?

Mad-Eye Moody, an retired auror who sometimes came in to the office to help with cases he came limping in on his wooden leg, his face covered in scars with a piece of his nose missing, his hair was grey and matte but the most peculiar about his looks were his eyes; one of them was small and dark the other was a large blue magical one. As well as ( and Ava was very surprised to see him ) - Mundungs Fletcher, an up too no good dodgy type whom she had came across several times. Three other people that Ava had never met; Hestia Jones, Elphias Doge and Emmeline Vance. They eventually all sat down at the big table. Ava had taken a seat between Remus and Kingsley. At last Dumbledore came in; he had a scarlet robe and as he entered he had the effect of everyones eyes falling on him as he sat down at the chair in the middle of the table.

"Thank you all for coming, please do excuse my tardiness. Firstly, as you noticed we have a new member - Ava Barnes." Said Dumbledore and everyone turned to look at her, making Ava feel her cheeks burn a bit. Luckily, Dumbledore swiftly continued.

"Now, there's something very important I like to discuss." Dumbledore said. At this everyone leaned forward in surprise. "I believe that Voldemort wants something at the Ministry, in the Department of Mysteries." he continued. Most people had seemed to leaned forward at this. There was an air of silence in the room.

"There is something I believe he wants there, very much. Something that we need to guard." said Dumbledore."What is it?" asked Arthur. Dumbledore looked at him intensely before looking a round the table.

"A prophecy made between Voldemort and Harry Potter."

"What does it say?" asked Sirius in a concerned voice.

"That - I can't unfortunately say."

"But why does Voldemort want it?" asked Kingsley.

"Because the Dark Lord has never heard the full prophecy and he thinks by doing so he'll find a way to kill Harry." Snape answered.
"Does it?" asked Sirius, directing his question towards Dumbledore Ava noticed.

"That's unfortunately all I can reveal." said Dumbledore "and what I suggest we do is guard the prophecy so that everyone takes shift."

After the meeting had ended and the schedule for the shifts had been made Molly announced that dinner would be severed. Dumbledore, McGonagall, Snape and all excused themselves and walked from the table. As Ava got up to leave, hesitant in whether the offer had extended to her and not wanting to push the hospitality.
"Oh, don't be silly Ava. Stay for dinner, it's an order." said Molly reading Ava's body language.
"Oh thanks." Ava said and awkwardly sat down again.

Three boys entered ( two of them twins with tomato red hair and grins on their face ) the other one was a bit younger but tall and lanky with the same vibrant red hair, as well as two girls; one with equally red hair and one with bushy brown hair. The girls had walked up to Tonks and started a conversation with her and it didn't take long before she had started to change her face and the three of them were giggling at her nose that had now been changed to a snout. Kingsley was now in a deep discussion with Bill regarding some investments at Gringotts as the plate with mash and steak appeard. Not having anyone to talk to Ava suddenly became very self conscious and spent a great deal of effort in trying to finish of the vegetables on the plate.

She was however saved by Remus, who noticed her behaviour and they got into a conversation regarding their works. Remus had apparently worked at Hogwarts twos years ago as Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, and Ava had been very keen to listen to his approach to the subject.

"You know, you're not at all what I imagined Barnes" said Sirius suddenly, who had been seated in front of Remus and it became so quiet around them you could hear the sound of crackling wood in the fireplace.

"You heard of me?" she asked surprised, her eyebrows raised.

"Oh trust me, the last years of Azkaban there was talk about auror Barnes. I expected you to be a big bloke"

"Oh"

"Oh, Ava may be small but you don't want to get in way of her stunning spells" said Kingsley smiling

"So, time for dessert?" asked Molly