"Fabian," Emmeline breathed, leaning closer to him while simultaneously trying to untangle herself. "Fabe, I need to get back to the castle."

"Nonsense Emmie-mine, you're a seventh year in your last few months of school. No one cares at this point." That wickedly crooked smile held her captive, and she slumped back against him with a sigh.

"I just can't win against you, can I?"

"Why even try, beautiful?" He winced as she punched him lightly. "Come on, I've got to deal with cuts and bruises from the DE's as well as you?"

She furrowed her brow slightly. "DE's?"

"Death Eaters. They're You-Know-Who's little gang, they run around and blow things up and kill people."

She swallowed. "I guess it's pointless to tell you to be careful, isn't it?"

He nodded. "I'm as safe as I can be, Emm. So's everyone I work with. We look out for each other and… well, sometimes things happen, but I've been alright so far, and as long as you love me I'll keep being alright."

"That's a really stupid, sappy line, you know."

"I know. Now come on, I'll walk you back up. Can't have my dearest Emmeline Vance wandering about all alone, something might happen."

She rolled her eyes. "Nothing would happen."

"Never bet on that."

He saw her off at the gates with a kiss that lasted for several minutes and resulted in mussy hair on both their parts, and then she snuck inside the gate as the sun set. Making her way back up to the castle, she turned and looked down across the grounds, her shadow falling in the pool of golden candlelight, at her boyfriend. It's still a silly thing to call him, she thought. He was so much more than a simple boyfriend. Neither one of them admitted that, though.

"I don't want to make a promise I can't keep," he'd told her once, when they'd been lying outside the Sea Tower at night, safe in the enchantments surrounding the place.

She'd nodded and said nothing.

"Emm!" A screech greeted her. She blinked and was dragged inside the dorm room by Lily. "Look!"

Lily's hand was shoved in Emmeline's face and she blinked again as a large diamond caught her eye and sparkled like a Filibuster firework. "Uh, Lily, is that…?"

"I'm getting married! Mrs. Lily… Potter."

"If you'd said Mrs. Lily Anything-Else, I'd be a little concerned, you know."

"Oh, shut up."

Emmeline smiled and hugged Lily. "But finally. I mean, Merlin, the kid's been drooling after you for years."

"Oh, but Emm, it was so romantic!"

Alice rolled her eyes and pantomimed shoving her head through the wall. Lily saw this and glared at her, and Emmeline decided to intervene. "Alice, you were like this too when Frank proposed, you know."

"And I'm sorry."

More glares. Emmeline sighed. "Come on, can't we all just be happy?"

"You're right. Although, Emm, it's kind of sad you don't have one," Alice commented, admiring the sparkly rock on her own finger. Emmeline raised an eyebrow and Alice continued. "Well, you've been with Fabian forever. When's he going to ask?"

Emmeline shrugged, affecting an air of nonchalance. "Ask him." She didn't let on that it was hard to see her friends with engagement rings.

The other girls rolled their eyes, then turned and started muttering quietly about wedding preparations. Emmeline excused herself and went back down the stairs, only to find James wreathed in smiles. Sirius caught her eye and rolled his own grey ones exaggeratedly. Standing up, he took her arm gently and led her out of the common room.

He took her up to the Astronomy Tower. She didn't comment about his choice of location and joined him in leaning against a wall. "Kind of sickening, isn't it?"

"I'm happy for them."

"You're trying to be happy for them, Emm. I can see it. But you're not. And believe me, I'm not too thrilled about it either."

"Why?" She asked curiously. "You're his best friend."

"And you're hers. Theirs. You've got double duty. Don't tell me you're not jealous."

"I'm not jealous."

He smirked at her and she crossed her arms, looking away with a huff. "Alright, fine, maybe just a little."

"There's nothing wrong with you, you know."

Emmeline bit back her first response. That thought hadn't been going around her mind… really, it hadn't. "I… never said there was."

"Emm, give me a little credit. I think I know you pretty well. Well enough to know when you're not the happiest, anyway."

"It's nothing."

"I'm sure." He was teasing her, but there was an underlying air of seriousness in his tone she hadn't heard before. "Moony mentioned something about this the other day."

"Oh?"

"Yeah. Your friends are getting married and the guy you've been together with for a very long time… he's either not around or you're really good at hiding him."

"I saw him tonight."

"For the first time in how long?"

She didn't answer.

Sirius sighed. "Look, Emm… I'm just worried about you, is all. I need you to know that there isn't anything wrong with you. Whatever's making Fabian hesitate about… well, everything, it's not your fault."

She drew breath to respond, but she didn't reply. He hugged her gently around the shoulders and then leaned his forehead against her own. "You'll be alright. He's just being a guy."

"Then why is he doing this?" She burst out suddenly, causing him to move backwards slightly. "Why won't he give me a response about anything important? You're a guy—tell me!"

"Emm, I don't know. Yeah, I'm about his age and a guy, but I don't know what's going through his head. And listen, if you scare him as much as you scare me… maybe that's a good thing."

Emmeline looked into his eyes, suddenly so close. When had he moved forward again? Her lips parted slightly and her voice dropped into a completely unintentional husky whisper. "What do you mean, scared of me?"

"Men are always scared of beautiful women."

She almost didn't realize it as she moved her lips over his and kissed him, and it felt wonderful to have him kiss her back. Nothing rushed or hurried, no back-alley meetings arranged by owl post. There was no fear of interruption, no waiting to see if a message would come for Fabian telling him he'd have to leave almost instantly for the latest crime or worse. No weeks of waiting, the only correspondence letters few and much to far in between. Something spontaneous and wonderful.

And so, so wrong.

He pulled back before she did, both of them breathing heavily. "No," he whispered, his voice cracking even over that single syllable.

"No," she agreed, placing her forehead against his shoulder. "I'm sorry."

"Me too." His arms encircled her again, but there was a definite, strict air of friendship this time. Only friendship. "I shouldn't have…"

"I think I can safely say it was mutual," she laughed ruefully, yet still very quietly.

He chucked deep in his throat, and she felt the rumbles in her own chest. "No argument here."

"We should probably go back."

"Yeah. Hey, Emm… what I really brought you up here to say was that if you ever need to talk, need a friend and you can't go to the otherwise engaged, if you catch my drift, then you can come to me. And I'll keep my distance this time, promise."

"Sirius," he looked at her, and she let a slight grin pass her lips. "Really, it was mutual. And thanks. You too, you hear?"

He nodded, then they started walking back to the common room by the secret passages known to Sirius and his friends. "Got it. And uh…"

"Don't worry. This is staying between us."

"Thanks."

"Hey, I'm not just saving your skin. Do you have any idea what Benjy would do to you… and Fabian would do to me?"

Graduation day dawned for the seventh years bright and early. The sun was shining high at three, when the ceremony started.

As Emmeline crossed the stage that had been magicked up for the event on the front lawn she managed to keep tears off her face. She'd dealt with a lot at this school, and as she walked down the line of her teachers she started crying. They were happy tears, and she was quick to assure Benjy of that when she saw him after the commencement had ended.

"Come on, little sister," he said, sweeping her up into his arms and carrying her bridal-style while she laughed. Her other friends were laughing along side them, traveling in a loose group towards the gates while everyone was congratulated by family and friends. "The Prewetts might have a castle but I got invitations out first. Party at the Tower!"

She looked at him. "Don't you have to work?"

He shook his head. "Frank, Fabian, Gideon, Caradoc and I ganged up on the schedulers. We're on vacation until tomorrow evening."

She hugged him tightly. "Really?" When he nodded and grinned, she added, "That's the best present I could ask for."

"Nope," he shook his head. At her raised eyebrow, he suddenly dumped her into Fabian's arms and added, "This is! I'm leaving you two alone until midnight."

She wasn't listening anymore. There was the familiar rush of excitement and butterflies she always got when she saw Fabian, and another, sweeter feeling that was growing more common. If she'd been forced to put a name to it she would have called it love, but that was one of the words they steered clear of. "Hello there, Emmie-mine."

"Fancy seeing you here, Fabe."

"Congratulations on the graduation. Not that anyone had any speck of doubt, of course." She laughed and kissed him, grateful he and her other Auror friends had the day off.

The party lasted long into the night. Almost all her friends were at her place, and Emmeline hadn't seen the Sea Tower that full in a long time. It was great for there to be people in every room, and yet there was still only minor trouble finding places for people to sleep. Emmeline and Fabian somehow ended up in her room without Benjy's notice… or maybe that was just part of his present to her.

She was sitting in the ledge of her window, legs bared to the quarter moon. She wasn't in robes, because it was hot, and her shirt was thin enough. She could tell that Fabian liked what he saw… and so did she, when she looked at him. He came and sat down next to her, balancing precariously on the small ledge.

"Fabian, we need to talk."

"I know."

"That's not what I expected you to say."

He grinned crookedly. "I know. But you're right."

Emmeline looked at him in the moonlight, waiting.

The redhead sighed. "I haven't been straight with you, Emm. None of us have."

That didn't sound right.

"We didn't just take time off of the Aurors today," his voice was slow and his eyes were serious as he continued. "The Aurors… well, we're not that effective anymore. You-Know-Who had infiltrated our ranks and we don't know who to trust anymore. Ben, Gid and I quit today. Frank's still there, and Caradoc, but there's getting out soon too. Thing is, Frank needs money for his wedding and Caradoc's finishing the training."

"You quit?"

He nodded. "I hate to throw all this on you but it's better that you know. There's a new society. Actually, it's not that new. Dumbledore's had it going for years, apparently. Anyway, he wants Gid and I to join."

"What are you talking about?"

"The Order of the Phoenix," a low voice said from the doorway. Benjy shut the door behind him as he walked into her room. "I should probably yell at you both for being in here alone but right now there's more important things going on."

"How do you know about the Order?" Fabian blurted out.

Benjy grinned darkly. "I've been a member since I graduated. Dumbledore talked to me after your parents died, Emmie. He actually sent me to talk to you about it… but I see that job's been done already."

"But I don't know anything about it. What is the Order?"

"It's a secret society devoted to fighting You-Know-Who," Fabian said.

"Emmie, we fight because it's the only effective thing. Fabian probably told you that the Aurors are gone."

"He mentioned, yeah." Her voice was guarded and slow. She didn't know what they wanted from her… well, okay, maybe she did… but there was something she needed answered. "Wait, Benjy… you said you've been in this since my parents died?"

He nodded.

"Then why didn't you tell me?" She tried to keep the accusation out of her voice but failed.

Benjy closed his eyes and then opened them slowly, walking over to the window and standing slightly nearer to Emmeline than to Fabian. "For your own protection. Hear me out on this. If you didn't know, you couldn't be taken for information. Anyway, you were too young. No one in school is allowed… which is why I'm here now, although it seem Fabian beat me to it. I, unlike him, however, actually have permission to ask you about joining, little sister."

Fabian narrowed his eyes slightly. "Who said I was asking her to join?"

It was Benjy's turn to look surprised. "What are you talking about? You're joining."

"Like hell."

Emmeline looked at Fabian. "What?"

"Gid thinks it's a good idea. I say no."

"Why?"

He looked at the two of them, an unreadable expression in his eyes. "I don't want to die."

Emmeline's mouth opened in an 'o' and she quietly asked, "Benjy? Would you excuse us for a few minutes?" Her friend bit his lip and then nodded, throwing yet another strange look at Fabian. Once he shut the door, she continued. "Fabian, I don't want to die either. I'm seventeen, I'm not ready for death. But this is important."

"It's suicide."

"Are you scared?"

"Of course I'm scared. You'd have to be an idiot not to be. Emm, I love you and I want to spend my life with you. I want to grow old with you and have our own house, send our kids off to Hogwarts and teach them Quidditch. I want to live."

"Fabian…" Where had these tears come from? "I want that too, more than you know. But in order to send our kids off to Hogwarts, we need for the world to be safe for them."

"Let someone else fight for it."

"I don't believe what I'm hearing. Fabe, you're one of the bravest guys I know."

"I'm brave, yeah, alright. But maybe there's more fear than bravery. You know people are going to die."

"People already have!" Emmeline burst out. "What about my parents? And Alice and I spent our Christmas alone last year. We know the sacrifices. We know what could happen."

"What will happen."

"All death is certain."

"Don't quote things at me."

"Fabian, please." She'd been calm, she'd kept her cool, until now. She didn't know if she was angry or sad about his reaction. She wished she couldn't understand where he was coming from. She wished she didn't know. "You'll regret this, if you do stay away from the Order. If we lose and we all die, at least I'll have died fighting for what I think is right. What I know is right."

"Emm," he started.

She shook her head. "Get out," she said without malice. "Get out of my room."

He seemed about to argue, and then he stood and sighed, shutting the door with a slight click as he shut it behind himself.

"Oh, Bludger," Emmeline muttered to her cat, who had jumped up on her lap with that innate sense animals have when their owners are sad. "Please say this is going to turn out okay."

Emmeline was swept up in so many wedding preparations that she really didn't have time to think about what Fabian had said over the next few weeks. Not that she wanted to. She didn't know what to think, let alone say about him. Benjy hadn't mentioned it, only given them strange looks, and she didn't want to discuss what had happened with him either.

"Alice, really, do we need another bridesmaids' fitting? I haven't eaten any more chocolate than usual, promise," Emmeline commented in a whiny tone. Alice sighed and shook her head.

"Just come on, Emmeline."

"At least you didn't use my middle name," Emmeline muttered.

"Sybella."

"Oh, shut up." Emmeline was forced onto a fitting podium and stood up straight and very still as the fitting witch practically prance around her.

"And anyway, Emm, you're not just a bridesmaid. You're my maid of honor! Your dress is different."

"I just don't like all this fuss. You're the one getting married, not me." And then she refused to talk until she was back home.

Benjy knocked on her door later that day. "Emmie? Would you come out here, please? I've got something I'd like to teach you."

"Really?" She said, closing the door behind her as she stepped into the hallway. "You haven't taught me anything since you taught me how to fly."

"I have so, and this… right now this might be more important than how to fly." That got her attention, but he didn't elaborate until they were downstairs. He cleared the living room with a wave of his wand, sending the chairs and couches to the walls. "Emmie, this might not save your life but it will save your soul, alright?"

"What are you talking about?"

"The Patronus Charm is a very powerful, rather difficult spell but you need to know it. It's used archaically to ward off the Lethifold, but we use it now against dementors. You know about them?" When she gulped and nodded, he continued, not seeming to notice Caradoc and his little siblings, Lily, James, Frank and Alice coming into the room, swiftly followed by Sirius, who had been making a loud comment to Remus and Peter but shut up really quickly when he noticed the hushed air to the room. "Well, they've joined You-Know-Who, and you've got to know how to fight them off. Like hell I'm losing my little sister to some soul-sucking bastard, got that?"

She grinned slightly and nodded again, placing her fingers around the base of her wand. "Show me what to do."

"First, you need to focus on a happy memory, the happiest one you can think of. I know you're not all that great at Charms, but the happier the memory for this, the easier it is. Then, with that firmly fixed in your mind, you say 'expecto patronum!' and keep concentrating. Don't let sadness overwhelm you." His eyes looked shadowed for a moment and then he looked around before she could say anything. "Oh, hey you lot. Get over here, you should learn this too."

Soon enough, the living room was fuller than it had been before, and Benjy stood alone in the middle. "Each patronus is unique to its caster, with a few exceptions. Some people have matched sets, like a lion and a lioness, and they always have some kind of connection. Twins—Fabe and Gid both have foxes. A patronus can run in families as well. Apparently a patronus can change after a shock, but I haven't met anyone with that. I'll go ahead and cast mine, then you try it." His eyes glazed over for a moment and then he suddenly looked very concentrated, swinging his arm down as he shouted, "Expecto patronum!"

A large tiger, stripes a smoky white against a sheer body, leaped from his wand. Emmeline looked at it, amazed. "Benjy, it's beautiful," she murmured.

"Well, beauty isn't the point, but he is pretty good looking. They're happy memories, the unique personification of happiness that each of us has. They'll keep the dementors at bay. Depending on how strong it is and how many dementors there are, they might even fight them off. Following that logic, Moody says they should be able to kill the damn things, but it's not something I've had the pleasure of seeing. Go on now, you lot try it."

The air was then filled with slashing wands and shouting. Sirius and James both produce silver mist, and Frank showed off by calling up his patronus in an instant, a large bulldog that proceeded to strut around the room proudly.

"Come on Emmie, think happy thoughts," Benjy coaxed her.

She had her mind set on Fabian, though, and right now there weren't any happy thoughts. She gave Benjy a small smile. "I can't."

"Little sister, sure you can. What are you thinking about?"

"Fabian," she sighed.

"That's not happy," he said, slinging his arm around her shoulders. "Think about… I dunno, Christmas or something."

Christmas… she looked across at Sirius, who snickered and screwed his eyes shut. A big, misty dog, surrounded in a silver miasma but still able to be distinguished, fell out of his wand when he said the spell and then strengthened at his happy shout of laughter. "Yeah Emm—I thought of Christmas!"

"Shut up, Sirius!" She shouted at him, but then thought herself. Getting Bludger was a happy memory… she focused on that. Concentrating very hard, she shouted, "Expecto patronum!"

A sudden rush, like cool water on a summer's day flowing over her skin, made her eyes open. On the floor in front of her there was a small, silvery cat, tiger-striped like Benjy's. It stood up and looked at her, then seemed to wait. Her mouth opened slightly as she looked at it. "Benjy!"

"Good job, Emmie! I told you you could do it." He grinned at her, that carefree smile she so loved. "Look, it looks like a little tiger."

"Thanks Benjy," she muttered as she grabbed him in a hug. "I don't much fancy my soul being eaten."

The day of Alice's wedding approached. Emmeline was forced into bridesmaids' fittings for Lily's wedding as well. She sighed as she crawled into her bed that night, running a hand over her face.

She should be happy for her friends. She knew that. But… the dark-haired girl turned over restlessly, then sat up. She slipped out of bed and drew on a light robe that fell to mid-thigh and pulled on a pair of sandals, then snuck down the stairs and out of the Tower. She ran to the end of the lane and opened the gates silently, then closed and barred them behind her.

Emmeline still hated Apparating herself, but she turned on the spot and reappeared in a London back alley. Glancing around with a slight shudder that had nothing to do with cold, she walked quickly up to the door of a small apartment and knocked. Then again, since she was waiting too long outside for comfort.

Finally she heard the lock slide back. A very ruffled looking Sirius answered the door, blinking sleep from his eyes. "Eh? Emm? What's wrong, who's been hurt?"

"No one. I'm sorry to come like this," she offered an apologetic smile. "I just needed to talk, and Benjy's gone on Order business."

"Yeah, no problem… come on in, Emm." He stood back and held the door for her, then sniked the lock back into place. "Can't be too careful, you know… what's going on?"

She shrugged. "I'm just having… loneliness issues again. I haven't talked to Fabian in almost a month and a half. Benjy's gone tonight and Caradoc took the twins on vacation for a few weeks. Even Bludger's off roaming somewhere… probably got himself a girlfriend."

Sirius grinned at her, that lazy grin that had driven so many girls crazy at school. He leaned back in his chair. "So you're jealous of your cat?"

"Oh, shut up." She rolled her eyes at him. "I'm not jealous of my cat. I just wish… I don't know."

Sirius opened his mouth as if to say something, then sighed and stood up instead. "You want anything to drink?"

She shook her head. "I'm good, thanks though. Just came for the sympathy, really."

"Plenty of that here, sunshine."

Emmeline snorted despite herself. "Sunshine? Really?"

"Really, beautiful." He yawned. "Sorry. I've been up too late too many nights recently."

"Why?"

He shrugged. "Partly that I've had Order duty, partly nightmares." His voice dripped nonchalance, but Emmeline saw through it.

"Nightmares? I'm sorry to hear that. I won't insult either one of our intelligences by asking you to tell me what they're about, or assuring you that you'll be alright."

Sirius laughed. "Thanks Emm."

"Actually, I'd better go. I just needed a bit of company, thanks. You need your sleep."

The dark-haired wizard raised an eyebrow. "You think I'm letting you go out alone at two in the morning? You're staying here. Take the bed, I'll sleep on the couch."

"Sirius, no. Look, I'd like to stay if you'd let me, but I'm not taking your bed."

"Sure you are." He got up and moved before she had the chance, sweeping her into his arms and walking to his room.

She didn't fight, but looked up at him with teasing eyes. "You know, if someone walked in right now we'd have to do some really quick explaining."

Sirius laughed and dumped her unceremoniously in his bed. "Shut up, you. I'll be on the couch if you need anything."

"Sirius, don't," she said, rolling over to lean on her elbow. "Just sleep on the other side. That couch is tiny."

"Emm, that's really not a good idea."

She shook her head. "Sirius, you're my friend. Nothing's going to happen, and if it did… well, I'm not exactly taken right now."

Sirius looked like he wanted to jab something sharp through his eye. "Don't give me incentive like that, Emm."

"Come on Black, you scared of little old me?" She teased, throwing her hair back over her shoulder.

He groaned. "Emm, please… don't do this to me."

"Do what?" She sat up fully and looked at him, loose hair falling around her shoulders. She hadn't bothered to put it in her usual braid before she'd come over, and she suddenly realized that none of her male friends, Benjy barred, had ever seen her with her hair down.

Sirius seemed unable to take his eyes off her unbound hair as he replied slowly, "You know I like you."

Emmeline let her confusion show through, brow twisting slightly. "I like you too."

He groaned again. "No, Emm, I really like you."

Her mouth formed the movements to say 'oh' but didn't. She bit her lip instead and closed her eyes as he shrugged. "I didn't know. Sorry."

A wry chuckle escaped him. "Unless you're going to apologize for being so damn cute and gorgeous, and nice and caring and all the other stuff I really like about you, don't bother."

"Well, it's not like I can help it."

"I know. I don't blame you. But that's why I think sleeping in the same bed is a bad idea." When she didn't respond, he leaned forward and patted her shoulder. "I'll be on the couch."

Emmeline sighed. "Boys…" she muttered to herself before pulling up the blankets and burying her face in the pillow.

Alice's wedding was left as a blur in her mind. She danced with Frank's father, who was his best man, and all the others as well. Alice was radiant in a simple white dress, and Frank appeared not to be able to pick his jaw up off the floor when he looked at her. Emmeline herself was dressed in light green, a dress that left her shoulders and calves bare.

Sirius stepped up to her as she was leaning against a pillar of the pavilion. "May I have this dance, beautiful?"

"Sure thing, Dogstar."

He laughed as he twirled her around the floor. "Where'd that come from?"

"Well, since you insist on calling me beautiful and sunshine, you needed a name too. And Siri is much too girly."

"Thanks for that." He spun her around into his arms and she caught a glance over his shoulder of Fabian looking both hurt and angry. She stepped back and sighed. "What's wrong?" he asked.

"Sorry. Here I am leading you on and… I need to go."

"Alright," he said quietly. She smiled at him and then walked off.

Following Fabian wasn't difficult. He tended to leave a trail when he was running high on his emotions. She followed the debris of turned over chairs and confused wedding guests. She eventually found him sulking around the back of the old stables of the castle. "Fabian," she called. His head shot up and it looked like he was having a hard time keeping the happy expression off his face, and then he replaced it almost instantly with a scowl. "Fabian, please. I just want to talk."

"Thought you would like talking with Black better."

"There's nothing like that going on between us."

"I've seen how he looks at you."

"Have you noticed how I look at you?" Something inside her suggest beating her head again her palm for such a stupid line, but she repressed it with a glare at Fabian.

"But you're mad at me."

Stupid boy! She went ahead and said it out loud too, then stepped closer to him and took his hand. "I'm not mad, I'm confused. I'm not going to be angry at you if you don't join the Order, because it's not my place to decide anything for you. I'm scared too, yes. I want to live too, of course I do, and I want this," she swept her free hand around back to the large pavilion, "for us too. But we can't get that until life is safer. I just can't understand why you won't fight."

"Because I…"

She hushed him by placing her free hand on his mouth. "Not 'I don't understand,' Fabe. I can't understand."

He just looked at her. "Please, you idiot redhead, don't shut me out. I'll love you no matter your choice."

Fabian moved in a rush, gripping her tightly in a hug. "Just stay away from Black, alright?" She managed to let him see her raised eyebrow and he shifted awkwardly, not letting her go. "I just… I've been jealous, alright?"

She knew she should respond to that, knew instinctively that it would cause problems later on if she didn't address it now, but she was so glad that he was talking to her again, that she had the one she loved back, that she couldn't force herself to bring it up.

Lily's wedding went off better, and James's best man behaved himself. Emmeline wasn't the maid of honor this time, or which she was grateful. Her speech at the Longbottom's wedding had been slightly giddy, and she appreciated being able to blend in with the other bridesmaids. Benjy took charge of most of her dancing that night, and she knew it was because he had to go off on Order business.

She went to sleep late that night after helping Caradoc with putting the twins to bed. They would be going to Hogwarts the next year, and he looked back up at their rooms with incredible tenderness before bidding her goodnight.

Emmeline sighed. Even with having had a very full day (including two breakdowns by Lily that she'd had to soothe without messing up the bride's makeup), she was restless. But I'm not going to Sirius's this time. Of course Fabian had found out about that. How, she had no idea. She knew that Sirius wouldn't have told him, especially since her yearmate recognized that Emmeline didn't like him like that back. She snorted to herself. Like him like that, what was this, third year?

She'd started something… whatever it had been… with Fabian in her third year. It had been easier then, her secret not-really-but-kind-of boyfriend that she got to kiss and tease. It had been so fun, and it had kept on developing into something more and more perfect, and then…

Another sigh. Sirius. They'd kissed once and she admitted that she'd like to do it again, but that was something she recognized more as forbidden fruit. She loved Fabian, she knew that. She wanted to spend the rest of her life with him, he was just making it difficult. She knew that if he died her life would get a lot more difficult if she let what they had continue, but she couldn't resist. But Sirius was always there when she needed him. Fabian, while not working as an Auror anymore, always followed his brother on Order missions.

"So why doesn't he just join the damn thing and make it easier on everyone?" she muttered to herself, getting out of bed and walking up to the small observatory. She looked out at the stars and then sat down, curling up her knees into her chest. She didn't know how long she sat there, but she watched the sun rise the next morning.

She walked down the flying staircase early to make some tea. After putting he kettle on to heat, she was surprised by the front door opening softly. "Oh, morning Caradoc," she said quietly. When she got a second look at him she winced—he appeared unhurt, but covered in dust and soot.

He blinked at her. "Morning Emm. I didn't expect you to be awake."

"Me neither, but so it goes. How did it go last night? And uh, what happened?"

"Well, pretty badly, actually." Caradoc was in the Order as well, and she frowned and poured him a cup of tea as he sat down wearily. "No one was hurt, don't worry, but headquarters was destroyed."

She couldn't stop the gasp from escaping her. "How?"

"Elphius Doge was watching the place, he said they just all came at once and blasted it. Someone must have let slip—ever since we lost the last headquarters, it's been harder and harder to cast the right enchantments to keep the place safe."

She made a noise of agreement, and then furrowed her brow. "So where's tonight's meeting being held?"

He shrugged. "I don't know. There isn't a backup headquarters."

"Would you mind having it here?"

The confusion on his face was brief. "It's your house."

"But Auggy and Ziggy live here, and so do you. So does Benjy, but I can't ask him and I know what he'd say anyway."

"I don't mind. Actually… this place would be pretty good for it, wouldn't it?"

She nodded. "I've been thinking about it for a little while. I haven't been much use, besides guarding and playing backup, and I can at least offer my house. It's covered in enchantments, and we can do the others as well."

"Go talk to Dumbledore about it, then. Try the old headquarters—they were trying to pull things out of the rubble when I left."

Emmeline nodded again and finished her tea with a smile, then headed upstairs to change into something to go out in. She tucked her wand into a pocket and then went back downstairs, the heat of August already being made apparent.

It was strange being alone as she Apparated. They'd been taking precautions for the past few years, even if Benjy and Fabian and all the other overprotective men in her and her friend's lives hadn't said it was for protection. Quickly, she strode down the long drive to the ruins, still smoking and practically crawling with Ministry officials, of the old building. She recognized the long white beard almost instantly, along with a pair of redheads she hadn't expected to find. Emmeline waved to them slightly and then walked over to the professor.

"Excuse me, Professor?" She inquired politely. The man looked down at her, eyes warm but slightly distracted. "I was thinking we could hold the next meeting at my place," she offered in a whisper, not moving her lips much.

He gave a warm smile and then made a hushing motion. "I will speak to you later, Miss Vance. For now… please escort Mr. Doge home. He has had a trying night."

Emmeline nodded and then walked over to the small man. "Mr. Doge? Please, if you'll come with me? Dumbledore asked me to see you home."

He seemed distracted as he offered her an arm genteelly, which she took and then let him Apparate them. They reappeared outside a small cottage, and she made sure he was safely in after he brushed off her offer of coffee. Shrugging to herself, she turned again and then popped into existence outside the entrance to Diagon Alley.

She stepped into the Leaky Cauldron for a drink, and was surprised to see someone she knew very well. "Alice!" She called out.

Her friend turned, a happy glow on her face. "Emm! Come on over, have a drink!"

"I didn't know you were back from your honeymoon yet." Emmeline slid into the seat next to Alice and ordered a pot of tea. She wasn't much good with alcohol so early in the morning.

Alice shrugged. "We got word that things were getting more and more intense here, and decided to head back early. How are you?"

Emmeline lowered her voice. "Headquarters was destroyed last night. Next meeting is at my place, I think. I offered it to Dumbledore, anyway. And I've been better… been worse too, so I guess I shouldn't really complain."

Alice smiled sadly. "Frank and I would like to come over later, if that's all right with you. We need to catch up, and I think it's safe to say that no one should go anywhere alone now. Speaking of which, where's your noble escort today?"

Emmeline laughed. "Which one? Benjy's gone on business, the twins are helping to clean up the mess of the old place, and Caradoc's at home sleeping, I hope. He looked pretty worn out."

Her friend shook her head. "You're sticking with me for the rest of the day, then. No going out on your own, young miss! Anyway, what about Sirius? He likes hanging around with you."

A sigh this time. "Yeah, he does. And… that's kind of a problem."

"Oh?" Alice finished off Emmeline's tea and stood up, leading the way into the Alley behind them. "What happened?"

"Alice, he likes me."

"You're kidding. Don't get me wrong, I can understand why, but… you're taken, you've been taken for a very long time."

"Tell that to him."

"When did he get the opportunity, anyway?"

"Before your wedding."

"And you're just telling me this now?"

"You haven't been around, and it wasn't something I'd put into a letter. Can we talk about something else?"

Alice sighed. "You're just determined not to make this easy on yourself, aren't you?"

The meeting was a week after the old headquarters had been destroyed, and Emmeline hadn't had the place so filled in a while. She had people in almost every room of the house, and they eventually all gathered in the living room and kitchen on the ground floor, the only place large enough in the circular tower. The ground floor had no walls dividing it, so people were able to see each other everywhere.

She took her place standing next to Fabian. He draped his arm over her shoulders and gave her a little hug—it seemed that he forgave her for those months apart, as did she. Now, in late September, maybe things would be alright? Emmeline hoped so.

The two sets of newlyweds had stolen her couches, and Sirius made sure to keep away, even though she sent him a sympathetic smile to where he lingered in the corner. He shrugged elegantly and winked at her slightly, then turned his attention to the professor.

"I welcome you all, and I extend a great thank you to Miss Vance for the use of her house. She has assured me that we can continue to meet here—and she won't need to meet us all at the gate the next time. We have already placed the Fidelius Charm on the Sea Tower, as you know as well. Hopefully this place will be our haven in the coming shadows."

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