Chapter Twenty-Five

I didn't sleep at all that night.

Andromeda took Lily's bed, and Lily took the couch (after profusely apologizing that I'd have nowhere to sleep and ascertaining I was okay with it). Morning dawned gray and cloudy, the full moon fighting through the clouds as it sank. A muted blue dawn lightened the pale clouds, though not by much, and a series of pops came from the backyard. I headed over immediately and looked out the back window to see Remus hanging from James and Sirius's shoulders, an arm around each. I swung the back door open.

"Is everything okay?" I called to them. Remus's dark blue eyes met mine with a haunted expression.

"Long night," Sirius explained. I nodded in understanding and held the door open as they came through. They passed by into the living room, and I saw the confusion on James's face as I closed the door.

"Why is Lily on the couch?" He asked quietly, setting Remus in an armchair.

"Meant to talk to you about that," I replied. "Sirius, your cousin Andromeda showed up last night with her daughter. Apparently, Bellatrix showed up last night for Ted, and found Andromeda and Nymphadora home alone. They came here searching for safety. They're asleep upstairs, in the room Lily and I shared."

Sirius's eyes widened. "Are they okay? Does Bellatrix know where they are?"

"No; she petrified Bellatrix and then headed here by broomstick."

I looked over to see Remus had passed out, his face blanched, and my eyes widened. "Is he okay?"

"He will be," Sirius answered. "James- potion."

His friend nodded and headed upstairs, and then Sirius stepped over to me and caught me by the arm, pulling me into the kitchen. "So- so, what happened?"

I explained it in more detail; James came back downstairs and gave Remus the potion, forcing his friend to drink it, and then caught the second half of the story of Andromeda's arrival.

"What do we do with them?" Sirius asked. "We can't really offer for them to stay here; we've all got targets on our heads, and not only do they add to the level of danger here, but they put themselves in more danger by being here as well. And what about Ted?"

"I don't know," I said. "But Andromeda thinks she might have a way to help Regulus and her sisters. Even after what Bellatrix did, she still wants to help them."

"They're past helping," James said. "Regulus did what he could in Oxford, and that was a risk. Narcissa's openly stated that she'd rather not get banished from the family. And Bellatrix is bloody bonkers, so there's no helping her. She'd never leave her precious Tom."

Sirius snickered, but it ended quickly, followed by a sigh. "So we have to tell her all this. Hazel, why didn't you?"

"She was exhausted, and I wanted to talk to you about it first. Where can she go, then? Cassi and Amos don't have room now that Cedric is here. Yumi likely wouldn't take her in. My mum has been made a target too much, and wouldn't have the ability to keep her safe."

"We should establish a safehouse," James answered. "The Prewetts said they were working on making one for their sister and her children, should the war get that bad and come to her. Molly's trying to stay out of the thick of the fighting, on account of having small children, and her husband has no desire to get involved in it, either. Maybe we could make a safehouse for members of the Black family who don't want to be involved."

"How would we get the word out, though?" Sirius asked. "Most of my family is involved, by their own choosing or not, and are so frightened of one another that they might just rat out the hiding spot on principle, to save their own necks."

"What about Frank and Alice?" I asked. "They'd be willing to take in another couple, especially with a child."

Sirius nodded. "That might work. Didn't they have a sister or something staying with them for a while? They'd have a vacancy."

"We can find out."

James nodded. "Alright. Who else, then? The Bones?"

"No; they're rather… Tense. Not a good environment for a child. Alice is more maternal."

"The McKinnons?"

"Maybe. We can ask."

"What about Peter's family? Where is he, anyway?"

This brought pause to the conversation. Sirius added, "He was with us last night, wasn't he?"

"Where did he go since then?"

I sighed, trying to think. "He wasn't with you when you came back. There were only three apparations."

"Hmm. We'll have to find him later, I guess."

James clasped his hands together. "Okay. So, one of us wait here for Peter, another go to the McKinnons, and another to the Longbottoms?"

"Hazel, you went to Oxford with the Longbottoms; they might respond better to you. I'll wait here for Peter, that way I can talk to Andromeda when she wakes up. James- you go to the McKinnons."

We each nodded, and then a small voice spoke up from the entryway to the kitchen. "May I have some tea?"

I looked down to see Nymphadora, this time with a shock of electric blue hair sticking straight off the top of her head, and bubblegum-pink eyes. I saw Sirius and James staring with wide eyes.

"She's a metamorphagus," I explained. "Nymphadora, this is Sirius. He's your cousin."

She stared up at him with eyes wide. "Tea?"

"Uh… Right away," he answered, and moved to start it. She kept within centimeters of his leg, following him around the kitchen. I looked at James.

"Right, then. Shall we?"

He nodded, and we stepped into the backyard. He apparated, and a moment later, I did the same.

I arrived in a heartbeat somewhere near the Longbottoms' house in Hempstead. I remembered them saying they lived with Augusta, Frank's mother; she lived in a narrow, two-story tudor house, while they lived in a small cottage behind it; they would inherit the house when they provided Augusta with a grandchild, she said, at which point she would move into the cottage. I began walking the narrow, unpaved road that matched the description they had provided, and thanked my lucky stars I'd thought to ask them about their home.

The sun was up, peeking between dark masses of bruise-colored clouds, when I finally found what looked like the house. A small wooden fence wrapped around the yard, and a gate interrupted the drive up to the house, with a brass lionhead where there would normally be some sort of lock mechanism. I peered at it for a moment, trying to figure out how it would work, and then its mouth stretched wide. Of course- it's magical.

"Name!" It barked, in a genderless and metallic voice.

"Hazel Drummond," I answered.

"State your business!"

"To speak with Frank and Alice Longbottom."

A curtain shifted in one of the house's windows, and an old witch stared out at me for a moment. She waved her wand, and then jerked it a few times, and the brass lionhead's mouth snapped shut as the gate swung open.

"Step through quickly or it'll slam ya!" The witch in the house shouted, and I all but jumped through the opening the gate left. I had narrowly crossed the gap when the gate slammed shut, whisking past my leg. The witch's voice came again: "Come straight to my doorstep and no further!"

Yes, ma'am, I thought sarcastically, but luckily had the good sense not to say. The witch's identity could only be one person- Augusta Longbottom, Frank's mother- and I highly doubted there was any wisdom in getting on her bad side. I waited on her doorstep, looking up at the paneled walls and wooden-beamed windows of her house; it was a fine home, really, and I could only imagine what the inside must be like.

The door swung open in front of my face and I was faced with Augusta Longbottom. She was a formidable woman, with the same dark curls as Frank, though hers grew long and were tinged with gray where they fell out of her bun. She wore a green dress, likely too form-fitting for a woman of her age, and had sharp, dark eyes that seemed to analyze everything about me before I could speak a word.

"Hazel Drummond, on my doorstep," she muttered. "Who'd have thought it. Aren't you too busy getting nearly killed by Death Eaters?"

My eyebrows shot up, and I forced them back down. "I see you read the Daily Prophet, then."

"Every time it lands on my doorstep. Not too often, then, with what a worthless owl I've got." She strode back into her home. "Come in, then. No sense spending all day at the doorstep."

I took a few uncertain steps inside. The door closed behind me. A soft whish-hiss, whish-hiss drew my attention to an enchanted broom sweeping her floor, while a book whisked off the shelf onto her table and flashed open to a page.

"Read that, will you? Tell me what ingredients it says."

She was already across her immaculate living room and through a small doorway, into what I could only guess was the kitchen. I hurried quickly to the book resting on the coffee table and began reading the ingredients.

"Bicorn horn," I called, raising my voice so she could hear from the kitchen, "Mandrake root, ginger, and… Sulfur?"

"Sulfur extract, that would be. Thank you, dear."

The book slammed shut and whisked back to the shelf. I followed Augusta into the kitchen. "You are Augusta Longbottom, right?"

She paused her stirring, turning to give me a fixed look. "Where else do you think Frank got his good looks from? The boy looks just like me, if a bit more tired." She turned back to her stirring with a sigh. "It's all that auror work he's been doing. His wife, Alice, is just as competent as he is, and between the two of them I don't know that I'll ever get a grandchild with how busy they are. Ran into the Dark Lord himself just last week! Can you believe it! -Hand me that ladle, dear, yes, that one- thanks- And then he wants to go back this week to that blasted Order of the Phoenix, which I hear you're a part of, too. If I had it my way, you'd all stay put, but none of you seem to know what's good for you. Running about threatening dark wizards…"

"Well, someone's got to catch them, or he'll win."

"Perhaps it could be someone a bit more experienced."

"Not to be rude, miss, but how do you reckon aurors get experience?"

She glanced over her shoulder at me again, with such a frosty glare I was sure I was about to be sent off her property. Instead, she simply said, "I do suppose you have a point there. Now, go wake up my lazy son and his wife, and get them in here for breakfast. Don't tell him about the pepperup potion; he's been sneezing for days now, and he hates this stuff but he needs it. I'm sneaking it into his tea."

I just nodded and stepped out the backdoor, finding myself on a lovely back porch. The clouds had somewhat evaporated more, allowing sunlight to fall on a dew-sparkling green lawn. I picked my way down the sloping backyard to a cottage tucked against a small copse of oak trees, and passed a stream that wound down the hillside as I followed a pretty cobbled path that led from the back porch to the door of the cottage. They had an enchanting little home, far better than the rudimentary cottage I was used to.

I reached the cottage and took a moment to observe its whimsical facade. The door was wooden planks with a rounded top, fitting perfectly into an arched doorframe of cream-colored brick, and the house itself appeared to be constructed of a similar cream-colored stone, which was supported by pillars of stocky oak wood at each corner and on the impediment-arch windows, which each had a sill for planters. The roof appeared to be thatched, but it seemed that could have been only a general appearance with something sturdier underneath. Just to the right of the front door was a birdbath, surrounded by small bushes and wildflowers, which I was surprised to see blooming in February.

I knocked on the door finally, having been thoroughly astounded by the beauty of the home. No wonder they don't invite people over often- I would never leave! Just as the thought finished, the door opened to reveal Alice Longbottom, her short hair ruffled from sleep and a crimson robe wrapped around her. Her eyes rose tiredly to meet mine.

"Hazel?" She greeted me with a yawn. "What are you doing here?"

"I have a favor to ask, actually. Go ahead and get woken up, and wake Frank as well."

Alice just nodded and walked off, leaving the door open. With less uncertainty than when I entered Augusta's house, I stepped inside the cottage, and closed the door behind me. The living room greeted me immediately, a basic area with a dark green couch, matching arm-chair, low coffee table of cedar wood, impeccable cedar desk, and a tall bookshelf. Directly across was a small dining room with a round table and four chairs, and next to that a small kitchen. A doorway rested immediately to my right, next to the desk, through which Alice had disappeared and closed the door behind her. I heard Frank's sleepy voice carry through the wall:

"Who's here? What's happening?"

"Hazel, dear. She has a favor to ask of us."

"Well, is she giving one back?"

"I don't think it's something that simple, dear. She wouldn't have come all the way out here for something trivial. Hurry up and get dressed; she's waiting out there."

"But it's early in the morning… Do I have to get up? Can't you deal with it?"

"If you want me to make all the decisions in our marriage, I will, gladly. However, I believe in a thing called equality. So please, darling, put on your pants."

By the time Alice walked back into the living room, I was testing out the armchair, which worked well for me. It was just firm enough that I wouldn't go numb if I sat in it too long, and it was just plush enough that my back wouldn't ache.

"This is a wonderful armchair," I noted, looking up at Alice, who now wore black pants a matching sweater and boots. She nodded, grabbing a piece of parchment from a desk drawer.

"Frank found it at a, um- oh, what do the muggle's call it? A 'thrift store,' I believe was the name."

"Oh, yes, my mum shops at those all the time."

Alice scrawled something on a piece of parchment, and a moment later Frank appeared in their bedroom doorway, still combing out his hair but dressed in a burgundy button-down and a pair of dark jeans.

"Is that the grocery list, dear? We badly need a resupply."

"Oh, but your mother just loves it when we eat her food," Alice deadpanned, and her husband chuckled, ruffling her hair, which she quickly fixed.

"As much as I'm sure you think so, I'm afraid we'll just have to make a trip at some point today." He sat on the couch and patted the spot next to him. "Now, sit down, love, and let's hear what Hazel has to say. You were right- she's not the type to track us down and find out where we live for nothing."

Are they quite certain about that? I am dating Sirius.

Alice took a seat as well, looking antsy, like she was ready to get her day moving. She clasped her hands between her knees, as if finding a way to physically restrain herself from moving around. "Now then, what did you need?"

"It's not actually for me," I said. "Sirius's cousin, Andromeda, arrived at the Potters' house last night."

I saw the Longbottoms thinking for a moment, and then Alice said, "Andromeda Malfoy? The Slytherin?"

"Not- not exactly," I said. "It's Andromeda Tonks now."

Alice's eyes shot wide. "She married Ted!?" Alice leaned back on the couch. "I didn't think she'd do it! It was obvious they were in love, but they kept it hidden for so long- why did she arrive at James' house?"

"For Sirius," I said. "He's her cousin, and her only other family member who got banished from the family tree for not- not dating a pure-blood."

Understanding dawned on the couple, and Frank added, "I see."

"Anyhow. Bellatrix arrived at the Tonks' house last night, I suppose to torture or kill Ted, and found Andromeda and her daughter there alone. Her daughter, Nymphadora, is barely more than a toddler. Bellatrix made them the offer that they could live in peace, if and only if Andromeda had her marriage annulled and raised Nymphadora by the Dark Lord's standards. She managed to get away with her daughter, and had heard about Sirius staying with James in Godric's Hollow, so she came to look for him. He was actually not there last night, but I was."

"Why?"

"The boys were out for the night on some personal business, and I stayed with Lily and Euphemia to keep them safe. Anyway." By this point, I was really feeling my sleepless night. "I let Andromeda in, and she explained it all to me and then fell asleep with her daughter. I stayed awake to keep them safe, and I am now very tired. But James made a good point this morning, when he pointed out that Bellatrix Lestrange bears a personal grudge against me, and the Dark Lord is actively trying to recruit Sirius and James and Remus and even Lily. So Andromeda staying with us makes her unsafe, and makes us all even more of a target."

"So you're trying to find somewhere else for her and her daughter to stay," Alice concluded. "Somewhere unassuming and out of the way, that her sister would never think to go to."

I nodded. "Exactly. Or, if nothing else, keep her daughter safe. James has gone to talk to the McKinnons about the same thing, but they don't have very much room. I remembered you two talking about how much room there was in your mother's house, and I thought maybe…"

"Maybe she would be generous enough to open her doors," Frank finished. "Well, we can definitely find out. I would very much like us to open our doors to her; I remember Andromeda from school, as I'm assuming Alice does. We got picked on enough, but Andromeda wouldn't let the other Slytherins get away with it if she were around. It would be kind of us to return the favor."

Alice turned to her husband. "We can't leave a little girl homeless, even if her mother is targeted by Death Eaters. We put ourselves at risk every day. We joined the Order for a reason, and if we can't even protect a child, what good are we?" She turned to me. "We'll take Nymphadora, and, if Frank's mother allows it, Andromeda as well."

A/N: Yay! Frank & Alice are two of my favorite characters. It's said they were extremely popular among the wizarding world, which made their torture that much more heinous and unforgivable. It's not unreasonable to think two such beloved and well-known characters would be welcoming to one of the Black sisters, especially Andromeda, who I also love. Remember that moment in the fifth movie when Sirius points her out on the family portrait? Since looking her up due to that, I've loved her character, and now there's room for in the story. She won't be here super long, but she'll be here for a while.

Anyway, thanks for reading so far, and let me know what you think will happen next! Don't forget to fave/follow/review!