Chapter 12: Of Attack and Headmaster

We began with the books, then went to Madam Malkin's for James. As we were heading to Potage's I saw a couple looking at me. I don't think I know them, the woman was a brunette in her thirties, I guessed, and the man has raven black hair, long, and was around the same age, or younger. They were staring at me and that made me feel weird. Sirius caught my arm as I was to pass in front of Potage's, to bring me in with them. Once inside, I went back to look again in the street through the door's window, they were nowhere to be found. I guess they went away. Sirius came at my side, looking the same way.

- What are you looking at? He asked.

- Oh. Nothing... There were weird people staring, but they're gone...

He looked outside again, frowning.

- What's going on? Asked James, approaching us with a concerned frown.

- Probably nothing... Well, let's buy a cauldron, right? How exciting is that? I said, turning back towards the boutique, with a false excited voice.

- Dore, you need to warm up about potions, Lily said, passing her arm on my shoulders affectionately.

- I should, but I can't, I pouted.

- See that one here, would be perfect, she said, pointing a cauldron.

- Good, done, let's buy this crap, I said, taking the cauldron, while Lily was rolling her eyes at me.

It took something like 2 minutes to find a cauldron and paid for it. I put it in Lily's small bag, the little tote canvas bag she magically expanded. We putted all our new school stuff in it. I passed the strap over my shoulder before we got back in the street. As Lily was walking entwined with James, the both of them laughing, and Sirius was stopping in front of Quality Quidditch Supply to admire the brand new Cleansweep broomstick, I heard something strange at my right. Something like a child's cry. I turned this way and saw a little alley between shops, and there was indeed a little girl, must be about 4, standing at the end of it, and visibly crying because she lost her parents, I guessed wildly. I walked in her direction, planning to reassure her and then try to find her parents in the small crowd of people present in Diagon Alley. The alley was narrowed and a little dark, wide enough for two persons standing side by side.

- Hey, hello, you, I said gently to the little girl, walking slowly towards her not to scare her.

She was still crying, looking totally lost. When I arrived in front of her, I putted myself at her height and looked at her in the eyes. Something was odd, she wasn 't returning my gaze, like she didn't see me or something. And she didn't stop crying... And then she vanished. Like that. Like she was just a vision or something. My brain was trying to understand, but my guts reacted and I took off my wand, and as I did it, I heard rustling in my back. I turned around just in time to see two hooded wizards raising their wands towards me. They were wearing masks. THE mask. Death eaters. Oh, Merlin. Death eaters. On Diagon Alley. I got the feeling that the weird couple looking at me earlier, that those people were the one hiding behind the masks at the moment. Such cowards.

- It's her, no mistake, said the woman, pointing her wand on me.

I had my wand in hand too, but problem was, they both were pointing theirs at me.

- What the bloody hell do you want from me? I asked them, trying to sound brave, as I was truly feeling really nervous.

Trying not to panick, I saw that, while the women was still pointing her wand at me, the man was doing protective spells, I guess to isolate us from the Diagon Alley's crowd, the sound of them fading to nothing after seconds. I thought about disapparate...

- Just in case you were wondering, we blocked the apparition in the area.

- I guess you think you're very clever? Don't you? I have friends with me, they will be looking for me... I said tentatively.

- Let's make this quick, then, won't we? Your parents, they putted a lot of my friend in Azkaban, began the woman, as the man was coming to stand next to her, pointing his wand at me too.

- Maybe you should find yourself better acquaintances? I suggested, trying to sound brave.

- And maybe, if we hurt you pretty bad, your parents would finally get the warning... Said the man, closer to me, now.

- You killing me won't change anything, I snarled.

- We're not supposed to kill you, if we do, you would made quite a poor messenger, would you? The man said.

- Crucio! I heard the woman say.

- Protego! I countered, creating a shield protecting me from the curse.

I knew that I was in very bad position, one teenage witch against two adults death eaters. My only chance was to be able to sneak between them and escape through Diagon Alley.

- Experliarmus! I tried on the women, missing her.

The men casted a silent curse at me, and since he didn't call it, I didn't see it coming before the purple light hit my left arm, and it burned pretty bad. Not looking at it, I tried to aim for him in riposte.

- Petrificus totallus! I tried, turning my wand at the women at the last second, taking her by surprise, as she was casting Crucio against me once again. I dodged it, but she didn't. She fell on the ground, stunned.

The man didn't look at her, our wands pointing at one another. Remembering that he could do silent casting, I was highly on my guards.

- You scum, if you think for one second that you can win this...

- Well, I like my chances, one on one, is it not? I said, trying not to look at my arm, where I felt warm liquid going down and dripping (clearly blood).

- He's coming, you didn't notice her call on him, don't you? He snarled.

- How so? Wasn't it impossible to apparate here?

- The way is locked to disapparate, not to apparate.

- And why on earth would he want to meet me?

- It's pretty personal between him and your parents. The dark lord wanted them to know it would be his doing.

I listened to him, while not dropping my guard. I was very focus on his wand, waiting for his next move. It indeed moved and automatically, I cast a Protego once again. After two times doing the same thing, I thought that I would have to use something defensive, to get rid of him and be able to run before Voldemort arrive. Because I was no fool, my only chance was to flee within the next minutes.

- Experlliarmus, I tried again, but he dodged, and there was another purple light, I tried to dodge it, but it grazed my knee, causing another burn in my flesh.

I clenched my teeth, not wanting to show him that he hurt me, and had a wild idea. What I needed was to make something that would disrupt his focus. Without overthinking it, I raised my wand.

- Lumos maxima!

The light was a very big contrast in that dark alleyway and I knew that it would prevent him to see for precious seconds. Closing my eyes as soon as the flashing light erupted from my wand, I jumped on the side. As the light faded, he was looking where I was and that gave me the precious seconds I needed to surprise him.

- Experlliarmus! I shouted once again, but this time it worked. His wand left his hand and landed in mine.

What now? Do I try to tie him? Is it true about Voldemort? Should I just run? As I was thinking about that, I saw a black shadow arriving between me and the still standing death eater. I had my back to Diagon Alley, so I just ran for it, the death eater's wand still in hand. I sure as hell am not waiting to see who was coming. As I passed the magical barrier they made up to isolate me from Diagon Alley, the sound of the crowd all around me made me shiver from relief. I spotted my friends, very near, talking actively between them, probably wondering where I was. I run to them.

- WE'RE LEAVING, NOW! I shouted to them, before disapparating on the spot.

The first place that came in mind was the bedroom I was in as I was living at Potter's Manor. I was stunned for a moment, before I heard Sirius calling my name, followed by running footsteps in the corridor. I closed my eyes to try to keep my cool when he would arrive.

- Dorcas?

I opened my eyes to see Sirius coming in the room.

- I'm okay, Sirius, I murmured, as he was coming closer.

- You're covered in blood! What happened to you? He asked, worry clear in his voice.

- I got attacked by death eaters, I said, still trying to stay strong, not wanting to look at my injuries. Where are James and Lily? I asked.

- I don't know. When you shouted at us to come back, there was confusion to where you meant. Maybe they're at your gran. They will figure it out. Are you hurt? What did they do to you? He asked me, now taking my face in his hands and looking me pretty intensely in the eyes.

- I'm fine, stop worrying, I said again, looking back at him.

There was something pretty intense going on between us. Our eyes were connected and he was so close that I could feel his warm breath. One of his hand caressed my cheek, and my breath hitched a little. He looked at my lips and I was pretty sure he was going to kiss me, and I wanted him to, so badly...

- Dorcas?

That was Lily, calling for me. Sirius shook his head, like getting out from a trance. His hands fell along his body and he took a step back.

- We're here! He replied to Lily.

A second later James and her came running to our room. She took me in and I saw the worry in her face.

- What happened to you? James, go fetch a medical kit! She demanded to him.

He Accio it immediately. She made me sit on the bench at the end of the bed.

- Go on, love, tell us everything, she said.

- I... I was with you lot, then I heard a child crying... I began, while she was taking off my coat.

- I'll need to tear your sweater, hon, she said.

- It's fine. I don't like it that much anyway, I said.

That was an ordinary blue long sleeves t-shirt, I had tons of shirts like this one.

- I went in that tiny alley to see if the girl lost her parents or something... The fact is, there was no girl, it was an illusion. Made by death eaters to trap me.

- Why? I heard James ask.

Lily was now delicately tearing my sleeve near my shoulder with her wand.

- To make me pay for my parents' victories against them. OUTCH! I said, because Lily was pulling on my sleeve, who was glued to my arm by blood.

- Sorry, sorry, she apologized to me.

She succeeded removing it.

- How does it look? I asked her.

- Oh, the cut is quite deep. James, quick, give me Dittany essence, please. How did you get that? She asked me, while pouring the liquid in the cut.

- I don't know, the bastard was good at silent casting, I said. So, as I was saying, outch, be gentle, Red, there was two death eaters who trapped me in that alley. I was unable to disapparate, and they magically hid the alley from where you were. By-the-way, they were wearing mask, but I'm pretty sure they were the weird couple I saw looking at me in front of Potage's earlier...

- How did you manage to escape? Sirius asked, looking impressed.

- I managed to petrified the woman at first, after she attempted to do the Cruciatus curse on me couple of time... Then, the man attacked me as I was casting Protego.

Lily was now kneeling in front of me, looking at my knee.

- Well, I'm afraid I'll have to ruin your pants too, Dore, she said.

- It's fine, I answered her.

She tore them around my right thigh.

- Then... Where was I? Oh, yeah, I had a very stupid idea, I casted Lumos Maxima to blind him, then I move behind him pretty fast, and managed to disarm him, then.

- Whoa, that's awesome, Meadowes, I'm impressed! Said James.

- OH. I almost forgot, I still got his wand... There, I said, pointing it were it laid on the floor. James got it and look at it.

- And then? He said.

- I wish I could have tied them, but the man said that Voldemort was on his way.

- WHAT? Said Lily, removing my tore pants too quickly because of the surprise.

- OUTCH LILY? I shouted in pain. I know it's crazy, the man told me that it was a personal matter between my parent and him... So, when I saw him arrived, I flee like a coward, I said, a little ashamed.

- Love, I'm so glad you did, he's too powerful, you could've... Lily began.

- I guess you're right... I said.

- Don't you dare be ashamed, you just won against two death eaters, you're a bad ass, Meadowes, said Sirius with a crooked smile.

- Well, I did, didn't I? I smiled at him, then grimacing a little in reaction of Lily pouring Dittany on my knee.

She then bandaged my two injuries pretty efficiently before she sat next to me.

- That could've turned so badly… She murmured, horrified. Your mom was right, Dore, we'll need to watch our backs better than we did until now… She added.

I got some big shivers and my teeth began clattering. What's going on? I guess that's what being shocked does... Lily took me in her arms and hugged me. Mrs. Potter arrived at that moment in the door frame.

- Hey? James, you didn't tell me we would have visitors? She said, looking at us, smiling, then, seeing our expressions and my bandages, her expression turned fast to one of worrying.

- What happened? She asked, coming closer to me.

- Dorcas got attacked on Diagon Alley. Death eaters, said James.

- Merlin! Why? Are you all okay? She asked us, with an astonished and worried expression.

- Yes. I'm okay, I said. They ambushed me and I managed to escape...

Moments later, we were all sitting in the living room, and Mrs. Potter was coming back from the kitchen with hot tea.

- She saw them before we went in Potage's. They were staring at her. Why would they risk to attack in a public place like Diagon Alley? said Sirius.

- Maybe my mom was right. My parents are getting them angry. They putted a lot of them in prison, they changed strategy and want to get revenge from them through me.

- That's insane! Lili said.

Before I could have the chance to answer her, the fireplace illuminated and Dumbledore stepped out of it, removing ashes with his wand, before he looked up at us, with a concerned expression.

- Professor Dumbledore, Sir? Asked James with a frown.

- Good evening, James, and to all of you. I'm guessing you're all wandering what I'm doing here, uninvited, am I right?

- I called him, said Mrs. Potter, now sitting with James's father, whom seemed very tired, like he just woke up. Would you like some tea, Albus? She asked Dumbledore.

- Sure, that would be lovely, Euphemia, thank you, He answered her. Evening, Fleamont, he said, looking at James' dad.

- Hello, Dumbledore, he answered him.

James' mother served another cup, while Dumbledore came to sit in the couch in front of the one I'm seated in, Sirius next to him. He looked at me over his half-moon-shaped-glasses.

- So, miss Meadowes, Euphemia told me that you got attacked on Diagon Alley? Care to tell me everything?

I do know that Dumbledore was pretty deeply involved in fighting Voldemort and his followers, secretly. I eavesdropped him with my parents many times, talking about strategies to caught death eaters and other stuff revolving around the same theme. I often heard them calling the operation, or the group, more likely, The Order of the phoenix.

- Ok, but I want in, Professor.

- In what, exactly? He said, clearly playing dumb.

- You know, in The order of the phoenix, I can help. More now that I have a target on my back, I realised.

- Let's discuss about this once you finished your Hogwarts studies, is that enough for you? Your parents would kill me if you were to enroll at seventeen, he said.

I looked at him and he seemed like he was sincere, and since I trusted him, I choose to believe him that I would be part of it. Also, he's damn right about my parents' ire towards him if I joined the "resistance" right now. When I'll be of age though, they won't have a say in it. I looked at Sirius, seated just next to Dumbledore, and his gaze was piercing through me... I forced my eyes to focus back on Dumbledore.

- Hm. Fine. We'll have to come back on that matter later, I insisted.

- We will, now go on, miss Meadowes, he pressed me, with an encouraging smile.

- Well... My parents told me that I might be targeted because of them, but I don't think that they would have thought that I was at risk of being attacked in the middle of Diagon Alley... We were going to Potages, when I spotted a man and a woman, looking at me in a weird and intense way...

- How were they, what did they look like? He asked me.

- Heum... She was a brunette, in, I would say, her thirties, with long brown curly hair, dark eyes, golden colored skin, pretty skinny... And the man was pretty tall, I would say more than 6 feet, long raven black straight hair, grey eyes, around the same age or younger than the woman, pale skin...

- I see... He said, pensively.

- You know them? I asked.

- Maybe, go on... He pressed me.

- If that could help, here's the man's wand, I mentionned, pointing at the long black wand on the coffee table.

- It will, thank you, he said, taking it in his hands and looking at it. Then?

- Er... Then, we went inside Potages's, we bought stuff, and we got back in the street, and that's when it happened... I said, retelling it for the second time.

Dumbledore, who was sipping his tea, looked at me before speaking again, after I finished reciting what happened.

- I forgot to tell you, Dorcas, I sent someone to let your parents know about this, he mentioned.

- Of course, you would know where they are. I said, pouting. Because you're the one that sent them away, aren't you? I asked, forgetting for an instant whom I'm speaking with, because the realisation hit me.

- I'm not discussing the order's plans here, Miss Meadowes, but let's say that you're right.

At that moment my parents stumbled through the fireplace and threw themselves at me, as I was standing up. There was another round of worrying, explanations, consternation... For a while. James's mother asked the elves to prepare a big dinner for all of us and insisted that we all stay, what everyone's agreed. My dad went to fetch my gran for her to join us. We all took place at the big dinner table with the Potters and ate a wonderful meal. It was weird to see that, after a big stress like this, everyone was happy and enjoying themselves. But I guess that when life throw something bad at your face, you have even more the reason to enjoy every moment. What would've happened if I didn't have the time to flee when Voldemort arrived? The thought knocked me off. I put my glass of water back on the table and looked at my half-eaten meal, fixing it, thinking of what could've happened in the small Alley. I sensed a hand on my left wrist, that took me back from my dark thoughts. I looked up at Sirius, who was the one touching me.

- Are you okay, Dorcas? He asked, looking concerned.

- Yeah. I am, I just thought... Nevermind...

I didn't really want to talk about it and ruin the mood. He squeezed my wrist a little before he released it. Lily and James, who were sitting with us at the end of the table, stopped talking and looked at us.

- Are you two finished? James asked us, clearly wanting to go somewhere quieter to talk.

I pushed my plate and putted my table napkin in it, standing up. I too wanted to go somewhere away from our parents and Dumbledore to discuss. Sirius took one last bite and did the same. We excused ourselves from the dinner table and went to James's bedroom. I never went in, I just saw it briefly when he gave me the tour of the manor. It was huge. And it was very Hogwarts-like, more like Gryffindor-like. Red and gold everywhere, with a couch and two armchairs in front of a big fireplace. I raised my wand and cast an incendio in it to start a warm fire. Now it really felt like we were in Gryffindor common room and that appeased me a little, in a way. I think that's because Hogwarts always felt like home to me. Even if I do have a home, my home was very modern and, I don't know, cold? I didn't understand why on earth my brain feels like an old, cold and humid castle was feeling warmer than my own home... Lily and me took place on the couch while the boys sat in the armchairs.

- So, Lily said, who here knew something about The order of the phoenix?

- James, Sirius and me rose a hand in the air.

- Really? Well, thanks, guys, she said, crossing her arms, pouting a little.

- I don't know that much, Lils. That's why I never told you, I said.

- Us either, and to be fair, we are pretty recently dating, Lily-Flower, you still don't know that much about me, added James, winking at her.

- Fair enough... And what do you know, then...? She asked us.

- I eavesdropped Dumbledore with my parents a couple of times. I think it's a bunch of people making undercover and secret missions against Voldemort and the death eaters, I said.

- That's what we know too. My parents are too old to be an active part of it, but I think they finances some operations and plays a role of consultants or something like it for the order... I did the same as you did, Meadowes, by-the-way. I asked Dumbledore to be a part of it. Pads, too. He told us the same thing he told you, that we needed to finish our studies, first. What a party-pooper, that man, he said, smirking.

I laughed at this with him.

- Agree, I said, like we're not able to help before we're eighteen. I just defended myself quite efficiently against two death eaters, didn't I?

- Damn right you did! Said Sirius. What could we do until then? He asked us.

We all took a moment to think about it. Hogwarts was one of the safest places that exist in the magical world. Which was a good thing, for sure, but also it isolated us from the world while we're there. So, what could we do inside of those thick walls?

- Actually, your defense this afternoon got me thinking, Meadowes, James said to me.

- How so? I asked him, intrigued.

- We know how to duel, but your idea to pull a distraction was actually a good idea. As mischievers, we got a lot of tricks that could do well to distract their attention too...

- Good idea, I guess that a lot of stuff from Barging and Burke's could do... Said Sirius.

- Great, and I don't know, we could also spy on suspicious snakes? I suggested.

- We did that a little bit already, said James. We know which of them are about to join the Death eaters, he added, looking at Lily with precaution.

I did know the source of his worrying.

- James Potter, if you say that Severus...

- Nothing for sure yet, Lily, but you do know that it's a strong possibility. He's hanging out a lot with Dolohov and the others... James answered her, with a concerned tone.

- I know. Merlin, I know... I did kick him out of my life for a reason, you know. I just don't... I'm not ready to discuss this, about him... She said sadly.

- Fine, we won't, then. He said softly, standing up from his armchair to come sit at her side, taking her in his arms with affection.

My parents came a little while later to told me and Lily that we were going back at gran's. Exhausted as we were, everybody went straight to bed. We were getting under the blanket when I decided to open up to Lily.

- Lily, I need to confess something… I began

- Okay, what is it?

- Sirius and me... I think we nearly kiss.

- You what now? When? How?

- It was weird. It was just after we flee the death eaters... When we arrived in his bedroom, we kinda had a moment, I think...

- Really? And why did it not happen?

- Because you guys arrived.

- Oh... I'm sorry, hon.

- Well, as you were worried sick about me, I'm not blaming you.

- I was, Merlin, when I saw you appeared from the crowd, covered in blood... Then disapparate, I panicked.

- Thank you, for the taking care of my injuries part, I said.

- It was nothing. But... Dore, still sorry I ruined a possible snogging session.

- Don't worry about that, maybe that was all in my head, too, you know. I do have a fertile imagination.

- I guess we'll never know?

- Yup. 'Night, Red.

- 'Night, Dore.

It was weird that after the attack where I could have died, the thought of Sirius is the one taking all the place in my head while trying to fall asleep. Just thinking about him makes me feel like something is burning in the pit of my stomach. Ok, I just need to stop trying to figure out what could've happened and sleep. Easier said than done, isn't it? I tried hard to empty my head and after some time I finally fell asleep.