Secrets and Lies
Chapter 2: Who are you?
I stepped again onto the curb and the Knight Bus appeared. "Cool." I muttered under my breath.
"Where to now Miss?" The man asked me.
"Ottery St. Catchpole." I told him.
"Yes, ma'am." He saluted me. Harry and I sat down. The entire trip, although it was short, was very silent. "No more questions?" The greeter man joked with me.
I smiled but shook my head no. I can't believe this is all real. I mean, these towns aren't even real, and yet, here I am...Maybe they authors of the books just lied about them all being fictitious, for the sake of protection. Eh, I have no clue. All I know is I'm here. Or am I? Maybe this is a dream. That would actually make sense. Awesome dream though!
Maybe if I go to sleep, I'll wake up at home. The bus stopped and I sighed. Okay, I'll sleep later. I thanked the man and got off, Harry following with his trunk.
"Where're we going?" He asked me.
"Where do you think?"
"The Burrow?"
"Yeah." I led the way away from the muggle village and found the rickety, old house. We continued up to the door where I knocked. I smiled when I again heard grumbling. A man opened the door. His receding hairline told me it was Arthur Weasley.
"Harry?"
"Hello Mr. Weasley."
"What are you doing here? Come in." He ushered us inside and sat us at the table, pouring the three of us a cup of coffee, which I promptly ignored. Coffee, ick.
"Ask her."
Arthur turned to me. "Who are you?"
"Call me Natalie. I'm here to stop many deaths."
"Natalie." I heard Harry whisper to himself.
"Stop deaths?"
"Yes." I didn't elaborate. "I can explain more, but I think we should get everyone together first."
"Sure." He got up motioned for Harry to follow. I heard him whisper to Harry, "Are you sure she's on our side?"
"Yes." Harry replied. Interesting. Arthur nodded and sent him upstairs to wake everyone while he sent out a patronus to the others who should be here.
Within 15 minutes, the Weasley house was packed, despite it being shortly after 3:30 in the morning.
"What's going on Weasley?" Kingsley grumbled as he walked into the Burrow.
"Yeah, why the early wake up call?" Tonks asked.
"What gives?" Fred moaned, rubbing his eyes sleepily.
"Harry?" Remus exclaimed, seeing the boy wonder for the first time. This set off the rest of the order members, who weren't Weasleys (they already went through the shock) into a tizzy.
"What is Harry doing here?" "Do you know how dangerous it was to come here?" "What were you thinking?"
"She took me." Harry pointed to me. All eyes focused on me, even the Weasleys who also hadn't seen me before. Harry had kept quiet until then.
"Throw me under the bus, jeez." I commented, standing up.
"Who are you?" I had wands from every angle trained on me.
"I'm here to help. I knew your plan and I know who would have not survived. I know it all and I want to help. That snake bastard has no right doing what he has been and I want him ended. I can save months of time and countless lives, if you only trust me."
"How do we know you are on our side and aren't setting us up for imminent death?" Ginny asked.
I glared at her. "I would have brought Harry to Riddle if that were my plan. Or, like I told Harry, I could have just killed him while he was sleeping."
She glared back. "Then what is your motive here."
"I want to save lives."
"Really? How do we know you aren't making this all up? How do we know you aren't in the long run causing more deaths?"
"I have no idea how many will die. I only know that I've saved Moody from dying in this daring rescue. I've saved Hedwig from dying. I've also, not that it's very relevant, saved George's ear."
"My ear?" George perked up.
"Yes, Snape would have taken it off, by accident," I added, seeing their reactions, "when you went to save Harry from the Dursley's house."
"Oh." Everyone was silent as I stood before them, telling of what would have happened.
"No witty comebacks?" I asked. "I see. Now, your choices lay before you. Trust me, let me help you and save lives. Let me help kill Riddle. Or, turn me away. Ignore my help. Let more die." I shot a meaningful look at Fred. He, not making a sound, pointed to himself and mouthed me?. I nodded. He gulped.
"I'm with her." Harry declared, standing up and walking over to my side. "She could have let it all happen but she risked it and came to rescue me from the Dursley's. She saved lives and I trust her."
"Thank you. Anyone else?"
Hermione stood. "I believe you." I smiled in gratitude.
"I do too." Remus declared.
"And I." Tonks.
After that, "I'm in"'s and "I trust you"'s rang through the room.
"Ginny, Ron, come over here." Molly chastised. They were the only two that hadn't shown their support.
"But I don't believe her." Ron declared, looking at me angrily.
"That's fine, Mrs. Weasley. They don't have to. I'll go."
"Go? Go where?" Harry asked me.
I opened my mouth to answer but I had none, so I closed it again. "Would you maybe let me use Grimmauld Place?" He smiled.
"Somehow I'm not surprised you know about that. Sure, you can."
"Thanks." I walked to the fireplace and grab floo powder. "Number 12, Grimmauld Place." I stated, tossing in the powder. I stepped into the green flames and twisted away to my temporary home.
Once I arrived, I looked around the dusty house. Behind me, Harry and Hermione landed in the fireplace, having followed my abrupt departure.
"What're you going to do?" Harry asked, looking around at his late Godfather's home.
"Well, settle in, I guess." I replied, walking up the stairs. Both of my companions looked at each other in shock when the portrait smiled at me.
"Hello, dear. Welcome to my humble home." I give her my kindest smile, although it didn't reach my eyes.
"May I stay here, Mrs. Black?"
"Of course!" She grinned at me. Then, as if noticing the others for the first time, "Get out of my house, mudblood! blood traitor!" I stepped back from her. "I'm sorry, honey." She, again, smiled at me.
"That's perfectly alright." I gulped. I continued on up the stairs while Harry and Hermione struggled to close the portrait. I found a spare bedroom and decided that's where I'd stay. I tossed my bag onto the bed and began to dig through it. I threw all my clothes onto the other bed in the room and the rest of my stuff, mostly the stuff from the future (my phone, iPod, chargers, etc.), I left in the bag.
"All unpacked?" Hermione said from the doorway.
"Yes." I replied, looking around the dimly lit bedroom. "Thanks again for letting me stay Harry." I whispered.
"No problem." He looked at Hermione, obviously telling her something without speaking. "Do you mind if we ask what the talk with the portrait was all about?"
"You can ask, I don't know if I'll answer." My eyes met his.
"Why does she approve of you?"
"My blood." Was the vague answer I gave them. When I didn't elaborate, or even look like I would elaborate, they nodded.