Chapter Ten

I woke happily after a good night's sleep. It was early and Ginny was snoring soundly.

Must take after her brother's I thought remembering the twins flat out and snoring loudly last night, that re-jigged my memory as Remus flashed into my mind, my grin grew wider.

I caught reflection of myself in the mirror then, I shook myself inwardly. Get a grip I thought as I strode to the bathroom keen to get rid of my bed head.

After I'd showered and felt human again I entered the kitchen to find the boy with mousy hair and glasses sat eating cereal. I knew he was called Harry and despite knowing he and Ginny clearly had a thing for each other and that he had a connection with Sirius, I knew little else about him.

"Hi" I said nervously, I was hungry but didn't fancy the idea of sitting eating with this guy in awkward silence. I had to base my decision on a split second judgment from his answer.

Harry glanced up at me. "Hi there" he answered back and motioned for me to join him at the table.

I couldn't say no his direct invite so I decided to suck it up and hope breakfast wouldn't be too awkward.

I made myself some cereal and went to sit with Harry at the table. It seemed huge with just the two of us sat there; we ate in silence at first until curiosity got the better of me.

"How long have you known the Weasley's?" I asked inquisitively twirling my spoon in the milk.

Harry blinked for a moment, mind clearly elsewhere before answering.

"Oh erm since I started Hogwarts. I met Ron on the train, we would have been eleven" he answered.

"A while then" I smiled, "they seem very fond of you."

Harry smiled back, "The Weasley's are ace" he admitted, "they sort of adopted me in and took care of me; we always have each other's back."

I decided to be a little more inquisitive then I leaned back on my chair.

"So were you always part of this group thing, the Order? Is it something you always believed in too?"

Harry shifted a little on his seat his head bent low over his cereal bowl. For a moment he reminded me of how I'd sat hunched over my cereal ignoring Arthur at home. I recognised the shift in atmosphere, this was clearly something he wasn't comfortable with sharing.

"Erm yeah." He answered eyes still directed at the bowl. "I'm sort of in a way, at the center of it all." He mumbled quickly I only just caught what he was saying.

I decided to let it go and gave a slight nod in response. He got up then and cleared his bowl away, before pretty much bolting out the door mumbling good bye.

I frowned watching him make his sharp exit. What did he mean about being at the center of it all?

Sirius entered the room at that moment; he looked surprisingly cheery this morning after yesterday's dispute. His smile faltered a little as his gaze fell on me.

"Oh, I thought I heard Harry." He asked looking puzzled.

I glanced at the back door. "You just missed him" I answered. "I think I may have scared him away."

Sirius laughed at that. "What on earth did you do?" He asked before pausing. "Ah, you do know him and Ginny..."

"No"" I said stopping him mid-sentence. "I mean yes I knew that. But that wasn't the reason, it was nothing like that!" I reasoned.

Sirius chuckled, "alright love, keep your hair on! I believe you." He winked before sitting down. "So what did you say to scare him away?"

I frowned again thinking. I hadn't said anything that bad, I clearly touched a nerve somewhere though.

"I just asked how he met The Weasleys and what made him want to join the Order thing and fight with you guys, you know for what's right." I said trying to work out when and where he scarpered.

Sirius looked directly at me then, the room went strangely quiet.

"What do you know about Harry Potter?" He asked quietly, his voice took on a serious tone.

I looked back puzzled. "Nothing really, apart from he met Ron on the train to school when he was eleven and he said my Aunt sort of adopted him into the family." I stopped myself then thinking.

"Why did they adopt him into the family?" I asked "did he not have a family of his own?"

Sirius scoffed at that. "No not hardly." He glowered.

I felt myself tense, his mood had changed again rapidly and I reminded myself that this was the guy that may or may not have killed several people.

I wasn't sure whether to continue then but Sirius started talking again.

"Harry Potter lived with his own Aunt and Uncle, The Dursleys. Life wasn't kind to him, his parents, my very close friends and Remus's too. You met him last night." He explained and I suddenly sat up, tension easing and took an interest.

He carried on unaware of my change in interest.

"Well our very close friends, Harry's mum and dad were killed, murdered in their own home. Harry was a target too. He was very young, only a baby but he escaped unharmed except for a scar he wears on his forehead." Sirius tried to explain.

I stared back at Sirius in awe; I strained my mind back to my small conversation with Harry. I hadn't noticed a scar.

"His mum and dad were murdered? And they tried to kill Harry too?" I asked making sure I'd got it right.

"Yes" answered Sirius. "It was no meaningless killing either. It was planned and the attacker, his name is Voldemort is still very much at large." He stopped then searching my face for any sign of expression.

I stared blankly at him.

"The name Voldemort" he continued "have you heard of him at all?"

I shook my head in answer.

Sirius looked confused then, "but you know about the Order? About what we do? I thought Molly and Arthur had explained?" He asked.

"They did explain" I replied. "They said they were part of The Order and it was a small minority trying to protect against a bigger force, called the death eaters."

Sirius nodded, I could see the cogs whirring behind his eyes, thinking. "And do you know what death eaters are?" He asked.

I rubbed my head thinking, "well Arthur explained it a bit like a cult and he said they have their own ideas and morals, beliefs that their blood is pure. They wouldn't like me a muggle. Sitting here talking to you a wizard for example." I said trying to remember and understand their logic myself.

Sirius chuckled hoarsely. Though there was no laughter in his eyes.

"Death Eaters are merciless." He said, eyes narrowing. "They are evil pure and simple. They torture and they kill for fun. The idea of being associated with muggles has long gone out the window. They wouldn't care who you were, if you were in their way they'd kill you." He said darkly.

I blinked then, shuddering slightly. Arthur hadn't put it quite that way. But then again it must be serious to be holed up in this house with meetings night after night. Sirius wasn't even allowed to leave the house ever; there must be some truth in what he was saying.

"So this guy, Voldemort." I said his name slowly, trying to sound it out correctly. "He is a death eater?" I asked trying to make sense of something.

Sirius glared at me then, right into my eyes. He looked fierce, frightening even. I couldn't bring myself to tear my own gaze away.

"If Arthur explained death eaters as following a cult, then think of Voldemort as the very center of the cult, the center of ultimate evil." He uttered. "Everything Voldemort says or does. The death eaters will follow. They are blind to him, to his orders, to his commands. They would do or die for him willingly without a seconds thought. He is a very powerful being."

"So Voldemort, he was the one that killed Harry's parents?" I said, understanding now the reason for Harry scarpering. Of course he scarpered I thought, feeling stupid. I'd just asked him why he was involved. He can't not be involved; his parents were killed by these people.

"Yes" answered Sirius his face hadn't shifted from his dark expression. "He still wants Harry dead" he explained. "It's all he has ever wanted. He will not stop at any cost." He drilled into me.

"He still wants him dead? After all this time?" I asked confused. "But why?"

"It stems way back to a prophecy created the night Harry was born" explained Sirius. "It is believed that the boy, Harry as Voldemort took it, would be his ultimate downfall. He killed James and Lilly, Harry's parents simply because they were in the way. But even though physically once dead, the path was clear to Harry. Lilly's love for Harry remained strong and powerful. She sacrificed herself for her son and protected Harry in a way not even Voldemort could foresee. It is what protected Harry that night." Sirius finished.

I sat staring at Sirius, trying to absorb all this new information. "So it was a spell? Magic?" I asked "that Lilly cast to protect Harry?" I tried to make sense of this.

"In a way" Sirius explained "love is a powerful form of magic" he smiled then, "that all of us possess."

I blinked trying to understand. If love really was as powerful as magic then we'd all be witches and wizards I thought bitterly.

"So that's what The Order is then?" I finally made sense of all this information. "The Order is protecting Harry and planning to bring down Voldemort?" I felt scared for them then. This guy really didn't sound like someone to be messed with. "If he finds out, won't he come after you?" I asked alarmed.

Sirius chuckled, "Oh he knows about The Order, we've been going for decades. I have been part of it for decades, along with the Potters and Remus" his eyes narrowed. "And someone who betrayed us, who we considered a friend."

This jogged my memory back to what Ginny had said about Sirius being betrayed, was this the same thing? I had to ask, otherwise the Sirius being a murderer thing would just continue to play on my mind.

"If you don't mind me asking" I started slowly, feeling less brave now that Sirius's intense eyes were boring straight into mine. "But you said you were betrayed? Is that how you went to prison?"

Sirius's eyes reflected pain then and he looked away.

"You know about that then." He said glumly.

"Yes sorry" I stuttered. "Ginny explained yesterday why my Aunt was so angry with you being outside. I did ask why, It wasn't her fault, I'm sorry." I stumbled, tripping over my own words.

Sirius looked sharply back at me. "Yes I was betrayed, we were all betrayed by someone we considered a close friend. Peter tipped off Voldemort about the Potter's whereabouts and he tried and succeeded in throwing me to the dogs." He ended bitterly.

I breathed a slow sigh of relief then. Hearing it from him and seeing how sad and angry it made him, I could see that Sirius must be speaking the truth. It all linked to the Potters too and made sense of why The Order was fighting together so hard.

"I'm sorry." I muttered, "It must have been an awful time for you."

Sirius looked away again, "It wasn't the best time, no." He managed a smile then "But Harry found me, believed in me, saved me. I only wish I could have done that for him. The Potter's trusted me as Godparent to Harry and I failed them almost instantly." He ended sadly.

"But you did, you are" I argued, how could he not see this? "All that you're doing here for him now, you're all fighting for him."

Sirius smiled sadly. "Too little too late though kid, he didn't have the best upbringing at all. If I hadn't have been locked away I could have given him the best start in life."

"But that wasn't your fault" I protested, trying to get him to see.

Sirius glanced at me. "Thanks" he said nudging my arm, "I knew you were alright the moment you called that old bat Dracula."

I recoiled at the mention of that memory. The memory I would never live down, the one I'd rather forget. "Please never bring that up again." I said, it was my turn to look away this time however in pure embarrassment.

Sirius laughed. "Why? It was one of your finer moments in life. Embrace it" he chuckled.

I shuddered "he gave me the creeps" I admitted, thinking back to Severus standing tall and dark, looming in the doorway.

Sirius laughed again "you wouldn't want to bump into him on a dark night that's for sure!"

"Or any night" I added, grinning back.

Sirius chuckled, stroking his goatee clearly thinking. "I heard Molly talking to Arthur last night. You can't work your device here am I right? To speak to your parents?"

"Parent." I quickly corrected him. "And no my phone doesn't work here. Aunt Molly did say I'd get better signal in town."

"My apologies" Sirius corrected himself, before he could open his mouth to speak again I shut him down quickly.

"It's fine, it's my mum and step dad and my little sister. They're out of the country for a while on holiday" I tried to explain as casually as possible.

"Right" answered Sirius. "You don't like your step dad then I take it?" He added.

I tried to shrug it off and keep cool, though I could feel my body tightening and the walls in my mind were starting to cement up.

"What gives you that impression?" I asked, unclenching my fists and trying to sound casual.

Sirius chuckled, "well if anything gives it away, it's the steam coming out of your ears."

I felt myself blush, "no I'm fine." I tried to keep up pretense. "I was merely correcting you."

I could see Sirius waver between letting it go and how far he could push me. "Well anyway, I hear you want to contact them. I could take you into town one day if you'd like?"

Part of me was glad he'd gone for the letting it go option, though the other part of me was horrified with this offer.

"You can't be serious?" I said my face showing my full horror of this request.

Sirius's face dropped at my expression and he muttered in response "it was only a suggestion."

"With that crazy guy out there threatening your godson and you being on the run for serial murder?" I repeated what was buzzing angrily round my brain.

Sirius glowered, "it was just a suggestion." He muttered again.

My voice turned into an angry hush as I heard footsteps on the stairs. "Well it was a stupid one. Think about it."

Sirius glanced at the stairs hearing the footsteps coming closer.

"You've no idea how it is to live like this." He muttered before leaving the table and heading to the door.

"Morning Rose dear" beamed a cheery eyed Aunt Molly as she burst into the kitchen. She jumped back allowing a stony eyed Sirius to stomp out of the room. She looked at me.

"That man must have at least ten mood swings a day" she said amazed "what happened?"

I managed to put on a fake smile. "Nothing" I answered. "I think I may have brought up the past a little too soon." I finished as I headed to the sink with my own bowl.

The magic hands dancing above the wash bowl took my dish from me and began cleaning straight away.

"'ll go get dressed" I called over my shoulder as I too bolted out the room. I chewed my lip as I climbed the stairs. Was I too harsh on Sirius then? The idea of us going into town did seem nice, it might give my brain some time to calm, away from the chaos here but after all that Sirius had just said, what a reckless idea.

Ginny was awake when I entered the room, I explained everything that Sirius had told me, about Voldemort and Harry and his parents, I told her about Sirius's offer of going into town. She'd scoffed at that.

"What an idiot." She muttered whilst running a comb through her long locks, we were both sat cross legged on my bed.

I nodded in reply. "I do feel a little sorry for him though" I added.

Ginny sighed and twirled her hairbrush in her hands. "I did too and look where that got me! Luckily it was just mum that spotted Sirius and not someone else."

I nodded again glumly.

"I could take you into town to contact your parents" Ginny said changing the subject somewhat. "I'd have to run it past mum of course, but I don't see why it would be a problem."

I opened my mouth to correct the word parents again, but shut it quickly after Sirius's jibe. I changed my fish expression to a smile. "Yes that would be great thanks" I replied.

"I'll run it past mum tonight; I've got to dash now! See you later" said Ginny and she bounced out the room.

I glanced at my picture frame on the chest of drawers next to my bed, I really hoped the phone call would go okay, I did miss them a lot but I also had the habit of building a defense quickly when Arthur was mentioned, resulting in stubbornness. I hoped mum would see sense and not include him in the conversation. I'd have to lie a lot about my time here though, I thought of how the conversation would go otherwise…

Mum: Hi sweetie how's it going over there? Molly looking after you okay?

Me: Oh yeah great thanks. I'm currently helping Aunt Molly to hide a convicted murderer on the third floor, all going well so far, she says hi by the way. Also we're hiding this guy called Harry Potter. Not because he's a convicted murderer but because a powerful deranged man with the ability to hold a good grudge is plotting his death right at this second. Other than that, witches and wizards pop in from time to time to keep check on us, so not to worry. Did May manage to get hold of that kangaroo on a cloud?

I groaned thinking how crazy but true that conversation could go.

On second thought, maybe I'll just skip that trip into town!

A/N

Hey guys! I do apologise, I know I've ran over my weekly limit on shooting out these chapters. Last week was crazy with work and I actually had a social life at the weekend, hence the delay!

As its Easter break for me now I will be away on my jollies next week so I will either publish a quick chapter this weekend before I go, or I shall be back with you the week after next. Don't worry though, I have my notepad and head full of ideas to jot down my plans while I'm away; so typing it up when I'm home hopefully won't take me too long! :)

Thank you again for your lovely feedback, I'm so glad you're still enjoying Winter Rose and keeping with me.

tmtcltb sorry to hear you've not been well, but I'mglad to hear you've recovered now and I'm so glad you enjoyed my last couple of chapters.

If you're off for Easter like me, I hope you enjoy the holidays! If not have a great week anyway wherever you are!

Bex.