Chapter 24
The night of Harry's rescue, I found myself staring out the window at the shadowed back garden, a book sitting limply in my hands. All day I'd been restless, unable to sit still but it seemed that all my energy had dissipated. I barely listened to Ron and Hermione's conversation, finding my fingers going to my pendant which wasn't there. I'd given it to Harry at the start of the fourth task for luck.
Hedwig was sat on my knee hooting contently as she nibbled on my untouched sandwich left over from lunch. A loud shriek from Hermione snapped me from my reverie and I turned to see her almost strangling Harry, Pigwidgeon zooming excitedly around their heads.
"HARRY! Guys, he's here, Harry's here! We didn't hear you arrive! Oh, how are you? Are you all right? Have you been furious with us? I bet you have-"
As Hermione babbled on, a flare of warmth grew in my stomach as I found myself watching Harry, truly happy for the first time this summer. He seemed to have grown several more inches and had filled out into the baggy faded t-shirt and torn jeans. My throat constricted at seeing him and I wondered whether he'd been feeling as confused and pained as me. A sort of relief engulfed me and I stared into his green eyes and saw they were as deadened as I had been feeling. At least I wasn't alone.
"Let him breathe, Hermione," said Ron, grinning as he closed the door behind Harry. Hedwig left my knee and swooped over to him, landed gently on his shoulder, nibbling his ear affectionately.
"She's been in a right state," said Ron. "Pecked us half to death when she brought your last letters, look at this-"
I flexed my own fingers feeling the cuts stinging as they opened up again.
"Oh, yeah," Harry said. "Sorry about that, but I wanted answers, you know-"
"We wanted to give them to you, mate," said Ron. "But Dumbledore made us-"
"-swear not to tell me," said Harry. "Yeah, Hermione's already said."
There was a horrible strained silence. Ron and Hermione gave each other a significant look one that Harry didn't miss. He marched round the room, looking around. By now I'd turned my eyes to the dark solid wood floorboards.
"So why's Dumbledore been so keen to keep me in the dark?" Harry said eventually trying to keep his voice casual. "Did you - er - bother to ask him at all?"
There was another brief silence as though Ron and Hermione were trying to decide who should answer.
"Allie kicked right off, when she realised we couldn't tell you anything important or write about You-Know-Who." Ron said hesitantly. Harry shot me a glance which I didn't return. Trust Ron to drag me into it. I expected him to say more, about what Dumbledore had concluded, but he dwindled and played with a thread in his t-shirt which had suddenly become very interesting.
"He could still've kept me informed if he'd wanted to," Harry said shortly, hitting the footboard of the bed with suppressed anger. I rolled my eyes at his attitude, rubbing my forehead as I felt a headache coming on. "Maybe he thinks I can't be trusted,"
At this I watched Harry closely, seeing his temper rising rapidly before I knew it, he was shouting, his eyes stormy and his fists clenched in anger. Hedwig took off in fright and landed beside me again and Harry paced around the room.
"SO YOU HAVEN'T BEEN IN THE MEETINGS, BIG DEAL! YOU'VE STILL BEEN HERE, HAVEN'T YOU? YOU'VE STILL BEEN TOGETHER! ME, I'VE BEEN STUCK AT THE DURSLEYS' FOR A MONTH! AND I'VE HANDLED MORE THAN YOU LOT HAVE EVER MANAGED AND DUMBLEDORE KNOWS IT - WHO SAW HIM COME BACK? WHO HAD TO ESCAPE FROM HIM? ME!"
I almost snarled as he said that. And where the hell was I when all this happened? Ron was standing there with his mouth half-open, whilst Hermione looked on the verge of tears. I ground my teeth together as Harry's voice rattled the dust from the chandelier above us, surprised as I found myself wanting to hit him with every second that passed.
"BUT WHY SHOULD I KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON? WHY SHOULD ANYONE BOTHER TO TELL ME WHAT'S BEEN HAPPENING? I SUPPOSE YOU'VE BEEN HAVING A REAL LAUGH, HAVEN'T YOU, ALL HOLED UP HERE TOGETHER-"
"OH HARRY, GROW UP!" I yelled, angrily, throwing my book down. He spun round staring at me in shock. My eyes flashed and the same anger he'd been venting on us reared up inside me, and a sudden tornado of hate towards Harry burst out. "YOU THINK THIS HASN'T BEEN DIFFICULT FOR ALL OF US?"
By 'all of us' I meant me and his eyes softened before he looked away, ashamed. My eyes wide, I shakily sat back on the window seat, heat settling into my cheeks. Ron and Hermione looked at me, with wide eyes which flickered towards my covered arm.
"What is this place, anyway?" Harry suddenly shot out.
"Headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix," said Ron at once. I pushed the hair from my eyes, my joy at seeing Harry turning to an icy pool in my stomach.
"Is anyone going to bother telling me what the Order of the Phoenix-?"
"It's a secret society," said Hermione quickly. "Dumbledore's in charge, he founded it. It's the people who fought against You-Know-Who last time."
"Well?" Harry demanded, glaring at us.
"Er," said Ron. "Well what?"
"Voldemort!" said Harry furiously, and both Ron and Hermione winced. "What's happening? What's he up to? Where is he? What are we doing to stop him?"
"We've told you, the Order don't let us in on their meetings," said Hermione nervously, glancing at me as if hoping I'd stop Harry if he blew up again.
'So, what have you three been doing, if you're not allowed in meetings?' he demanded.
"Cleaning," I muttered, "This house isn't exactly fit for habitation. It was-"
Two loud cracks, one by me, the other behind Hermione, and Fred and George stood in the room with us.
"Stop doing that!" Hermione said weakly to the twins.
"Hello, Harry," said George, beaming at him. "We thought we heard your dulcet tones."
"You don't want to bottle up your anger like that, Harry, let it all out," said Fred, also beaming. "There might be a couple of people fifty miles away who didn't hear you."
"You two passed your Apparation tests, then?" asked Harry grumpily. It would have taken them about thirty seconds longer to walk down the stairs but I couldn't be bothered to point this out to them. I jumped up and made my way over to the door, weaving in and out of the others and opened it to find Ginny, hand poised on the handle.
I slipped past her and headed along the landing. Kreacher was standing down in the hallway, slowly and rather perversely, polishing the frame of my charming grandmother, whispering to it. I wondered whether he was truly loyal to me or was it just because I saved one of the family heirlooms he prized so highly.
Suddenly the kitchen door clicked open and Order members began filing out, signalling the end of another meeting, causing the house elf to slink up the stairs and pass me, muttering. I peered cautiously over the banisters, straining to hear anything of importance. The hallway was still packed with members of the Order, coming up from the kitchen all whispering together. I was just wishing that I had an Extendable Ear when one was lowered in front of me and I looked up to see Fred and George on the receiving end.
There was a touch on my back as Ron, Harry and Hermione joined me in eavesdropping, but a moment later, the crowd of members began to move towards the front door. Walking down the stairs we slipped past Molly, Moony and Tonks magically sealing the door, and passed my dear grandmother's portrait.
CRASH.
I winced and threw my hands over my ears as the horrible, blood-curdling scream echoed from the portrait and the curtains flew open. Tonks was apologizing profusely over the shrieks but I darted forward trying to pull the curtains shut and battled with the insulting screams in my ear.
"You! Filth of my blood! A disgrace! Like your father! Blood Traitor!"
Sirius came charging from the kitchen his face twisted in hate for his mother and snatched the other curtain from Molly, pulling it with all his might.
"Shut - UP!" he roared and together we yanked the curtains closed. I cast an evil glance at the old witch as Sirius, probably resisting the urge to spit on the moth- eaten curtains, turned to Harry.
"Hello, Harry," he said grimly, "I see you've met my mother."
I left them to it and made my way down to the basement kitchen. Arthur and Bill were talking with their heads together and I purposely sat next to him, casting my eye over numerous parchments scattered over the table. One looked to be a plan of a building and I got a good look before Bill caught me.
"No chance Allie!"
"You should clear them up then shouldn't you," I said still looking unabashed, before going over to help Molly unload plates from an ancient dresser in the corner. As she piled them into my arms, I wobbled over to the table and passed them around. I wrinkled my nose at the smell coming from Mundungus and pushed his feet roughly off the table and placed a plate down.
"Fred- George- NO, JUST CARRY THEM!" Molly suddenly shrieked and I jumped out the way just in time as a large cauldron of stew, an iron flagon of Butterbeer and a heavy wooden breadboard, complete with knife, hurtled through the air towards me.
Harry was already sat next to Sirius, both laughing, clutching their sides and Mundungus had fallen backwards off his chair which was where I normally sat so I dropped into the seat opposite Dad. The rest of dinner was rather quiet; I toyed with my food instead of eating it, pushing peas around the plate.
"Allie you really must eat something," Molly said loudly, drawing attention to me. I scowled. We hadn't really been on good terms since she'd believed Rita Skeeter's lies about me last year.
"Not hungry," I said, putting down my fork and pushing the plate away. I leant back in my chair looking up to see Sirius was watching me with a significant look but I slid my eyes away from him, glancing down the table. Everyone had almost finished and I tucked one leg under my body, thinking of my bed upstairs although I knew I probably wouldn't sleep.
"You know, I'm surprised at you. I thought the first thing you'd do when you got here would be to start asking questions about Voldemort." My eyes flicked up looking through my hair, immediately alert as the atmosphere in the room changed. Molly was immediately sitting bolt upright, glaring at Sirius. Her face was like thunder as they began to argue.
"Hang on!" interrupted George loudly.
"How come Harry gets his questions answered?" said Fred angrily.
"We've been trying to get stuff out of you for a month and you haven't told us a single stinking thing!" said George.
'"You're too young, you're not in the Order,'" said Fred, in a high-pitched voice that sounded exactly like Molly's.
"How come Harry gets to know anyway?" I said annoyed, "If he gets to know what's been happening then so should I!"
Sirius looked at me and nodded but Molly had turned red and was very close to shouting. They argued for ages trying to decide what was best for Harry.
"He's not a child!" said Dad impatiently.
"He's not an adult either!" said Molly, the colour rising in her cheeks. "He's not James, Sirius!"
To be honest, I thought she made a good point although it pained me to admit it. So far, all Sirius had talked of was Harry. Me, Ron and Hermione had done just as much as him, yet he seemed to have forgotten that part. I was in the graveyard too but apparently I didn't deserve to know more than I needed to. Everyone was looking between the fighting adults and it was clear Sirius was winning so Molly rounded on Arthur.
"Arthur back me up!"
Finally Moony chipped in and Molly was over-ruled, her body was shaking with rage after a cowardly jibe about Sirius's time in Azkaban. Her attempts to send the rest of us to bed were met with outrage.
"No chance," I said amongst the mass of protest.
"Allie is staying right here, she is my daughter and I say she can stay." I heard Sirius try to yell over Fred and George. I couldn't help but find myself smiling smugly. Molly retreated to the corner, Ginny was sent upstairs and the rest of us crowded round Sirius and Moony. I listened with rapt interest waiting for anyone to say something of use which would answer my questions.
"His comeback didn't turn out quite the way he wanted it to, you messed it up for him," said Moony with a satisfied smile.
"You weren't meant to survive," said Sirius, "And Allie was never supposed to have got away. And you both made sure Dumbledore was the first to know."
What they told us was only basic information and their answers seemed to skirt around our questions but it gave us a more accurate idea than what we had before. Sirius filled Harry in on the Ministry's attitude to Voldemort and the trouble Dumbledore had got in trying to convince Fudge to accept the truth.
But soon we'd obviously stumbled onto a subject they didn't want to discuss. I watched Sirius and Moony exchange yet another significant look and at the mention of the word 'weapon' from Harry, Molly snapped so suddenly we all jumped, forgetting she'd been there.
"That's enough! You say much more and you might as well induct them into the Order anyway."
"Why not?" I said quickly.
"Yeah, I want to fight." Harry said passionately.
"No." Moony looked at us both, then glanced at Sirius. "Molly's right. We've said enough."
I made to protest but Moony put up his hand and shook his head. Molly looked at me impatiently and I realised the others were all getting up, admitting defeat.
"Bed now," Molly said, leaving no room for argument.
I looked at Sirius but he wouldn't meet my eyes and nursed his bottle of firewhiskey. I scoffed and pushed myself from the table, making sure the chair went toppling backwards, and strode out of the room. I followed the others and said nothing as I kept climbing.
"Straight to bed Allie," Molly shouted after me.
"Yeah right," I said angrily to myself, slamming my door shut, and standing in the deserted room. I let out a frustrated sign, banging my fist against the door. It was so unfair. I wished Sirius would make up his mind. His promises were so far coming to nothing and I cursed, scowling at the wall opposite. Turning the key in the lock and pulling the heavy bolt across the door so Kreacher would not disturb me, I changed and slid under the cool sheets, pulling them around me. I left the candle beside my bed burning asI thought back to the weapon Sirius mentioned and wondered what could cause so much anxiety in the Order. What could be that powerful or dangerous? I wondered whether Ginny was quizzing Hermione and wished I could be sharing a room with them as I finally nodded off to sleep.
Three times that night I woke in a cold sweat, my breathing hard and fast. I was exhausted by the morning and hardly found the strength to pull on some old jogging bottoms and a t-shirt, pulling my hair into a rough ponytail and headed downstairs.
"You look shit," Sirius observed as I entered the kitchen, rubbing my head.
"Jeez thanks,"
"Bad night?" Moony asked sympathetically as I poured a cup of strong coffee and jumped onto a work surface, clutching my drink. I had never really liked the stuff but it seemed to be the only thing that could keep me awake through the day.
"Yeah," I mumbled. It was early and there was only me, my father and Moony up. The silence was painful, with only the rustling of paper as Moony read the Daily Prophet. I looked at it darkly, telling myself I'd stop looking through it although I knew I wouldn't.
"Good Morning!" beamed Molly as she burst in half an hour later. I winced at the loudness of her voice. I'd preferred the silence. "We're cleaning today, so Allie you best get some food inside you. What would you like? Eggs? Toast? Muffins? Sausages? Bacon?"
After assuring her all I wanted was some toast, the others had come down, we'd all eaten and were currently standing in our next challenge. The drawing room was covered in dirty tapestries hung on olive green walls. The dust caught in our chest as we stood looked round with miserable faces.
We spent the rest of the morning spraying the Doxy ridden curtains then in the afternoon we sorted the dusty glass-fronted cabinets. However our job was made extremely difficult as Kreacher attempted to steal the Black family heirlooms. As we all stood around taking a break, sipping drinks he shuffled in again, muttering under his breath. Harry was quite intrigued by him
"What are you up to Kreacher?" Sirius stood in the doorway, very much looking like he wanted to chuck the house-elf out.
"Kreacher is cleaning," the elf said evasively. "Kreacher lives to serve the Noble House of Black-"
"And it's getting blacker every day, it's filthy," said Sirius, disdainfully.
"Master always liked his little joke," said Kreacher, bowing again, and continuing in an undertone, "Master was a nasty ungrateful swine who broke his mother's heart-"
"My mother didn't have a heart, Kreacher," snapped Sirius. "She kept herself alive out of pure spite."
The look the old house-elf gave my father was one of the deepest loathing as he muttered his way out the door. A few minutes later, Molly brought us some sandwiches and we all tucked in, famished after the vigorous cleaning. While we were eating I sat across the room watching Harry and Sirius looking at a huge tapestry that was immensely old. A family tree was sprawled across in glinting gold thread and large words at the top read: The Noble and Most Ancient House of Black: Toujours pur.
I'd had a quick glance at it when we'd come in and, no surprises, neither me nor Sirius nor Mum were on there because, as Sirius so eloquently put in 'any time the family produced someone halfway decent they were disowned'. I'd been delighted to find out that I was related to Tonks and was looking forward to meeting her mother and Dad's cousin, Andromeda, unfortunately also sister to Narcissa Malfoy and Bellatrix Lestrange.
I was nibbling on my second sandwich when everyone began to move to reluctantly get cracking again. Over the coming days we finished the drawing room finding numerous interesting and most likely, dangerous objects (lots of silver instruments that seemed alive, a deathly music box, a heavy locket and lots of ancient seals).
We continued to wage war on the house as Order members came and went, ringing the doorbell, triggering the piercing shrieks which gave us a chance to try and eavesdrop. It felt as though I was busier than ever and I barely managed to keep my mind on the tasks at hand. I could see Harry similarly able to concentrate, the events in the graveyard weighing heavily on his mind. My nights were still punctured by fits of screaming and jolting awake in cold sweats.
The night before Harry's hearing, I had the worst nightmare yet, I lay panting, cold sweat lacing my forehead. Knowing I wasn't going to get anymore sleep I sat up, staring into the darkness. I could swear Voldemort's cruel laughter was still echoing around the room. Getting out of bed, I tip-toed down to the kitchen. The large grandfather clock in the hall told us it was early morning but Moony, Sirius and Mr Weasley were sitting at the table conversing quietly.
"Allie," muttered Moony, holding an arm out, and I slid into the chair next to him, leaning my head against him feeling my eyes flutter from tiredness. I dozed lightly, every so often sipping the warm drink Sirius placed in front of me. Tonks came through at about half past four followed by Molly and sat beside me looking almost as tired as I did. I brooded as they talked in low voices. Although Dumbledore had hide the Mark, every so often I felt the urge to cover my bare arms as though the Mark would burn right through his charm.
Harry came down shortly after, in a shirt and tie. I shifted in my seat as he sat beside me and pushed his sleeves up, fidgeting nervously. He still looked sleepy as he slowly munched on his toast while Molly attacked his unruly hair with a comb.
All too soon, Arthur was standing ready to go. Harry stumbled to his feet, white as a sheet, saying nothing. I caught his wrist before he left and pulled him back into a hug. His arms encircled me, his grip tight and I could feel the nervous thudding of his heart. I inwardly sighed, my previous mood lifting and I felt like I could breath freer. My lips swept across his cheek and he pulled away, looking happier than he had before.
"Good luck," I said, as he let go of me and left the kitchen, giving me one last lingering glance. Letting out a breath of air, I sat back down.
"Feeling better Allie?" said Tonks from across the room. She was standing against a counter, a cup of tea in her hands, watching me with a knowing smile on her face. Sirius and Moony looked up at me.
"What?"
"You've got some colour to your cheeks," she observed, her hair turning from bright blue to a lovely shade of lilac. "Could it have anything to do with Harry?"
Laughter bubbled from my mouth and heat rose in my face. Moony raised his eyebrows, my sudden happy mood coming as a shock after weeks of my depressive misery.
"No," I said obliviously, hiding a smile, rather surprised that it was Harry who had brought a rush of happiness to me. Sirius suddenly gave a sly grin.
"You fancy him!" he said, eyes glittering.
"No I don't," I laughed, standing up.
"Yes you do!" he sang, as I headed out of the kitchen. I rolled my eyes ignoring his persistent calls as I went up the stairs. My good mood however soon melted and turned to nervousness as we waited for Harry's return. I hadn't thought much of his hearing until now but for the rest of the day I couldn't keep still. Molly was cleaning the kitchen in a vigorous fashion, and Hermione had a book propped in front of her but wasn't reading. Ron just sat at the table tapping his fingers while Sirius sat in his room upstairs.
It was nearly half past two in the afternoon when we heard the front door creak open and Harry descended the steps into the kitchen. As soon as his face cracked into a wide grin, Molly let out a shriek and wiped tears of joy from her face. I engulfed him in another hug, smiling into his shoulder.
"Everyone seems quite relieved, though, considering you all knew I'd get off," Harry said, smiling as Ginny, Fred and George did a kind of war dance to a chant that went: 'He got off, he got off…'
We celebrated with a hearty lunch, and I wolfed down food, my appetite coming back full force. Everyone was in a good mood and as I sat full and sleepy feeling better than I had in a long time, I watched Harry. Was it possible that I did fancy him? After everything that had happened last year, the Yule Ball and our accidental kiss in the champion's tent after the First Task, he was definitely more than a friend.
Then suddenly he looked at me and I blushed, butterflies exploding in my stomach. But it wasn't just that. It was the warmth that expanded in my chest, pushing to the very edges of my body until I felt like I'd burst. His emerald eyes lit up as he grinned and I found myself smiling back, unable to contain it.
My thoughts were broken as we both looked away at the same time, smiling to ourselves. Over the next few days whenever I and Harry were together and Tonks was around, she'd throw out little hints and innuendo's that would leave me blushing and Harry confused. I was waiting for the teasing to come from Sirius but he spent his time holed up in his room.
All of us were relieved when the letters from Hogwarts came and despite enjoying being with Sirius, I would be glad to get out of this musty old house. I followed Ron, already tearing mine open, up to his and Harry's bedroom. Harry was standing on a chair, cleaning the top of the wardrobe and I sat myself cross-legged on his bed to read.
"Only two new ones," Ron said, reading the list, "The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 5, by Miranda Goshawk, and Defensive Magical Theory, by Wilbert Slinkhard."
Fred and George apparated into the room either side of Harry but I hardly flinched, so used to them doing it. We speculated over the new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, wondering who was crazy enough to do it.
"One sacked, one dead, one's memory removed and one locked in a trunk for nine months," said Harry, counting them off on his fingers. What we hadn't noticed was Ron standing gaping at his Hogwarts letter and the reason why left us all gobsmacked.
"Prefect?" Fred said, grabbing the letter. "Prefect?"
My eyebrows nearly disappeared into my hairline as I stood beside Harry stunned.
"Prefect… ickle Ronnie the Prefect."
I was cringing for Ron as Fred and George made fun of him but even more so when Hermione flew in and came to the wrong conclusion seeing Harry holding Ron's badge. She turned red with embarrassment when she realised her mistake but Ron turned red with anger. Luckily, Molly entered at that moment, carrying some laundry unaware of the shock she was about to get.
"I don't believe it! I don't believe it! Oh, Ron, how wonderful! A prefect! That's everyone in the family!" she shrieked, almost strangling Ron, when Fred and George snidely told her.
"What are Fred and I, next-door neighbours?" said George indignantly, but Molly completely ignored him and as she kissed Ron all over his face, calling him sickly names the twins made retching noises. Once she'd left, Fred and George were intolerable and after what seemed like a lifetime of teasing, they disapparated, their roaring laughter still heard from upstairs.
I could tell Harry had thought he would get the Prefect badge and despite his initial jealousy I hoped he wouldn't hold the grudge. I simply put a hand on his shoulder before leaving to finish my packing.
That night, down in the basement, Molly had organised a party rather than a sit-down meal. Everyone was congratulating Ron and Hermione and I was surprised as I sipped on a Butterbeer that I realised I was feeling a small hint of jealousy towards Hermione. Tonks joined me minutes later along with Ginny and Hermione and I shook of the negative feelings.
"I was never a prefect myself," said Tonks brightly "My Head of House said I lacked certain necessary qualities."
"Like what?" said Ginny, who was choosing a baked potato.
"Like the ability to behave myself," said Tonks. I grinned knowing exactly what she meant. Trouble just seemed to find me- one of the obvious reasons I wasn't Prefect. The night was getting on and the yawning was infectious as everyone began to realise the late hour.
I followed them upstairs at a slower pace only to find Molly crying her eyes out, surrounded by Moody, Sirius and Moony. Harry was half hidden in the shadows and he beckoned with a jerk of his head and I quickly followed. He filled me in on Molly's Boggart and the sickening image of Harry's dead body filled my head.
"Well, I'm knackered," he yawned, stretching his hands above his head. I had a good view of his bare stomach as his t-shirt rode up before I turned, grinning and headed to bed.
"Night,"
"Wait," I stopped on the stairs and looked down at Harry who was pulled something from his jacket pocket. "Here."
He held out his hand, my pendant nestled in his palm.
"I wore it to the hearing- you know- for luck." I smiled and took it from his hands, slipping it over my head. Warmth spread through me as it made contact with my skin and I sighed.
"Thanks," he flashed me a grin before retreating down the stairs, "Harry!"
He stopped and looked over his shoulder and I paused not sure how to phrase what I really wanted to say. I felt like we hadn't properly resolved things at the end of term and we hadn't had a proper heart to heart and after my recent revelations, I needed to get this out.
"I'm glad you won- I mean- I'm glad you're coming back to Hogwarts. Really glad." I said in an almost whisper. "I don't know what I would've done without you."
He smiled again but it faded away as we looked at each other. My face felt oddly hot and Harry had turned a cute shade of pink. I cleared my throat awkwardly and we both grinned before heading our separate ways.
I leant against my door in my room and grinned to myself, hoping that this feeling would last. I was so glad I was going back to Hogwarts tomorrow.
Thanks, please review) I'm always happy to recieve construction criticism x x