They all left to go home the next day. Ever since the rescue Persephone hadn't really said much to Winnie. Winnie had a big party planned for her birthday at Gryffindor Manor. Since Geoffrey had disappeared Persephone and Winnie had been fixing up the house. The party was also a celebration of her officially owning the manor. Things were tense between them and Winnie tried to talk but Persephone would always find a way to leave the room.
The morning of the party Winnie, Lily, and Persephone traveled to Gryffindor Manor. When they arrived James, Sirius and the Potter's were waiting to help set up. The house felt alive again and cheerful unlike when they visited before. They busied themselves with preparations. Of course it did not help that Sirius kept trying to get Winnie to sneak off with him. When Geoffrey had been living there he had acquired some new house elves named Little and Wort. When Winnie and Persephone discovered them they looked half dead. Geoffrey had hardly fed them and beat them constantly. Winnie had offered them their freedom, but they chose to stay and serve her. They had done a wonderful job of restoring the house and they seemed almost pudgy since she had insisted that they eat three meals a day.
Winnie and Lily had both purchased new dresses. Winnie had a dark crimson dress with gold trim. She wished it could be sleeveless but her arm still barred the scar she was given a year ago. Lily wore a black dress with polka dots. There was a knock at the door.
"Are you ready yet? Persephone wants you downstairs before the guests arrive," yelled James through the door.
"Almost," said the girls in unison. A few minutes later the girls opened the door the find the boys waiting outside. They were both dressed in their dress robes. "How do we look?" said Winnie as they twirled around.
"You look ok, I guess," said the boys which earned them both an elbow to the ribs. "You look wonderful," as they quickly changed their tune. They felt like princesses as they came down the staircase.
The guests started arriving and the party got underway. Aunt Persephone seemed to be in a really good mood until Dumbledore arrived. Winnie did not understand what was going on, her aunt and the professor had always been good friends. Everyone was quick to avoid talking about Voldemort or any of the troubles. They danced and mingled and everyone was having a good time except Persephone. She started drinking the wine like it was water. Towards the end of the night Dumbledore came over to talk to Winnie, Lily, Sirius, and James and that is when Persephone's bad mood plus too much wine caused her to explode.
"Albus Percival Wulfic Brian Dumbledore," shouted Persephone across the room, "don't you dare." Everyone in the room got quiet and you could tell some were thinking it was time to leave. "You did this once to me and I will not let you do it again," she continued as weaved and wobbled towards him. "Winnie go upstairs now," she commanded.
"But my party…," started Winnie.
"I SAID UPSTAIRS!" yelled Persephone almost knocking her self over.
Winnie stared to go when Dumbledore stepped in, "Persephone what is wrong why are yelling at the poor girl?"
"She is my responsibility and I will keep her safe from the (burp) likes of you," she said trying to stand on her tippy toes to get in to his face.
"What are you talking about? I assure you I have done nothing to negatively affect Miss Mason's safety," replied Dumbledore.
"Aunt P please stop this," whispering to her aunt. "I am so sorry everyone, my aunt is not feeling well. It looks like it is time to end this lovely evening," announced Winnie trying to stop the spectacle that her aunt was trying create. Luckily the wine was overcoming Persephone's anger and she was starting to wobble. James and Sirius were able to catch her before she hit the ground and Winnie asked them to take her in to the other room.
Winnie and Lily said goodbye to the parting guests and then went to check on Persephone. Dumbledore was in the salon trying to help the boys with the inebriated Persephone. All they could seem to make out was, "Not again…Not like Dee…I won't let you." They took Persephone upstairs and put her to bed.
Once they were back downstairs Winnie felt the need to apologize, "I am so sorry professor, I do not know what came over her."
"It is alright I now know the root of her concern," said Dumbledore. He continued, "before Voldemort there was another dark wizard that craved power. At first I tried to stop him my self as I felt responsible for what he had become. I was unable to do so and your aunt and others came to my rescue and helped me to defeat him. There were many losses before the end and one of those was Deandra Lamont."
"She was Aunt P's…," said Winnie.
"Yes dear, and she was lost to us in a spenching incident. Persephone believes I am going to ask you to join the order and fears for your life. In fact I am offering all four of you the chance to join the order," replied Dumbledore.
"You want us to join the Order of the Phoenix?" asked Lily.
"Yes after what happened the other night and the recommendation of the Longbottoms and others. Yet the choice must be yours and yours alone. You must each give me your own answer by the start of next term," he responded.
Dumbledore made his farewells and left the manor. The four of them talked for hours about joining the order. The boys were very gung-ho and wanted to track down Dumbledore and give him their answer that very night. Lily was more cautious and wanted to give it a few days before making her decision. Winnie didn't know what to do. She wanted to join, she wanted to fight, but she also did not want to lose the only family she had left.
When Winnie and Lily came down for breakfast they found Persephone fighting over making breakfast with the house elves. When they finally got breakfast settled and everyone sat down no one seemed quite sure what to say. Then Persephone started talking a million miles an hour about getting Lily home, packing my things, things to do around the manor and school next year until Winnie stopped her.
"We need to talk about last night Aunt P," said Winnie.
"I know I had a little too much," she said sounding like nothing had happened, "but I doubt anyone noticed." Persephone had a crazy smile on her face begging Winnie to drop the subject. Winnie might of if she had just apologized, but she had been tossing and turning about her decision all night.
"Nothing happened all right, nothing but you accusing Professor Dumbledore at the top of your lungs. You were drunk and you made it sound the headmaster had done something inappropriate to me in front of everyone. Everyone did notice and they left to get away from the crazy drunk witch," said Winnie.
Persephone tried to explain, "I am truly sorry my dear, but you must understand where I was coming from…"
"You don't think I understand where you are coming from! We are standing in the very room where I lost my parents. They died because of him, because of the greed and hate he put in to my uncle's heart. I am the heir of Godric Gryffindor. I cannot turn from a fight. I cannot let others fight for me. It is my duty to my family and my friends. Yes it will be dangerous and yes I could die, but I will die fighting. When you and Dee helped Dumbledore defeat Grendalwald did you fight because you wanted to or because you know you had to. Yes she died but do you think she would have backed down even if she had known. It is not Dumbledore's fault, it was Dee's decision and this is mine. I am joining the Order and if you don't like then get out of my house!" Winnie and Persephone just starred at each other.
Then Winnie turned and left the room and went upstairs. Lily got up and followed her, "What was that?"
"Stay out of it Lily," said Winnie who was tossing things around the room searching for something.
"She is just afraid of loosing you," said Lily, "What are you looking for?"
"THE THING! With the other things on it. Ah-ha!" upon finding it Winnie dashed out the window on to the roof.
Lily followed Winnie out to the deck on top of the house where she finally found out what things she was searching for.
"You are smoking now?" asked Lily.
"Yes, yes I am," answered Winnie.
"What was that downstairs?" she asked. Winnie just sat there and continued to puff away. Before Winnie could respond a voice from below called out, "Lily dear if you want to fly back with me please be ready to go in 30 min."
"Yes Persephone," she replied.
"You don't have to leave you could stay here this summer. We can do what ever we want to and the boys are right around the corner," said Winnie.
"You know I have to go back home. My parents will freak out if I stay here, especially right around the corner from my boyfriend," Lily responded. "You really should go talk to her before we leave," she added as she climbed back down in the house.
Winnie sat there and finished her cigarette. She wasn't quite sure why she had been so angry. Once she had started yelling she couldn't stop. It was her pride that didn't want her to apologize. She climbed back down just as they were about to leave. Winnie and Lily said goodbye and Lily said she would try and come visit before school started. Winnie and Persephone just looked at each other. No one could bring themselves to say anything. Getting on her broom Persephone did say that she would send Winnie's things to her. Winnie stood there and watched them fly away.
For the very first time Winnie was really alone. She walked inside the house and started wandering from room to room. Eventually she ended up in the kitchens drawn by the only other signs of life in house. Little and Wort were not the best conversationalists. Every time she would ask them a question they would try and feed her or ask if something needed to be cleaned. She went to her room and laid there for what seemed like hours staring at the shadows on the wall. Just when she was about ready to go mad there was a knock at the door. It was Sirius.
"What are you doing here I thought you were going back to Aunt P's?" asked Sirius once Winnie had stopped hugging and kissing him.
"We had a fight and I told her to get out of my house," responded Winnie looking embarrassed.
"Why didn't you come over to the Potter's? We didn't think anyone was here until we saw the lights on," said Sirius.
"I did not want to impose and I needed to think," responded Winnie.
"What lying on your bed for hours and staring at the walls?" he inquired.
"No! I walked around a bit before hand," she responded as she wrapped her arms around him.
He kissed her on the nose and then asked "Got anything to eat?"
They went into the kitchen and had a light supper. Winnie took Sirius up on the roof deck and they sat there in each others arms wrapped up in a blanket. They had fallen asleep up there until it started raining. Back inside they put on some dry clothes. Sirius was about to leave but Winnie asked him to stay. They made love until they were exhausted and fell asleep in each others arms.