Hi guys! Sorry I've been MIA with this story! Life has been extraordinarily busy and I was inspired to start writing my other stories again! I will be slow on updates and trying to cycle which stories I update, but I have a nice long one for you! I hope you all enjoy!
Adalyn impatiently paced the headmaster's office as Jones looked around as if he were a kid in a candy shop.
"Don't touch that!" Adalyn criticized in a harsh whisper as she turned to see Jones bent over one of Dumbledore's sensitive devices.
Jones withdrew his finger, looking at her accusingly.
"What?" he asked her, causing her to roll her eyes at him. "Like you aren't curious?"
"I'm not," she told him firmly as she walked over to him, "It's a sensitive piece of equipment. Leave it alone."
Jones rolled his eyes at her and plopped down in the chair, disgruntledly.
They had been waiting in Dumbledore's office for the past twenty or so minutes. After a bit more bickering the 'partners' had made it to the castle, only to be shuttled quickly to the headmaster's office by a stressed looking professor Adalyn didn't know and told to wait. Though she had been here many times before, Adalyn felt unease for the first time in the headmaster's office. Previously, she had been a full believer in Albus Dumbledore. Now, after what she had seen and been through, she felt extraordinarily differently. For some reason, she felt as if the office itself felt it, becoming colder and more intimidating on purpose.
"I've always wondered what Dumbledore's office looked like," Jones said more to himself as he looked around at the grand office.
Adalyn paused, turning towards him, "You've never been up here before?"
"Most students haven't," Jones told her as he turned, looking over his shoulder at her, "You and your little group just tended to get into trouble more than most."
Adalyn stiffened, staring at the smirk that appeared on Jones's face as he turned back around to eye the portraits feigning sleep around him.
"Come on, Potter," Jones told her, "You can't think that we are that far apart in age."
"You were at Hogwarts the same time I was?" Adalyn clarified.
"I was younger than you, but yeah," he told her, "You were a 4th year the year I started, I believe."
"Please tell me you weren't in Gryffindor," Adalyn asked, hoping she hadn't just blanked out a younger face in her own house.
"Naw," Jones said as he put his feet up on the desk, "I was in Ravenclaw. Remember you sneaking into our common room a few times with that one bloke… what was his name?"
"Fitzgerald," Adalyn said rolling her eyes, more at herself than Jones this time, "Warren Fitzgerald."
"Yeah," Jones said snapping his fingers as he remembered, "You were head over heels for him."
Adalyn sighed to herself. Warren Fitzgerald had been an extremely good-looking 7th year quidditch captain of Ravenclaw who had taken an interest in her fifth year. He had been smart, handsome, good at quidditch, older, a smooth talker and much MUCH more experienced at dating than she had been. She had said yes to a Hogsmeade date with him and found herself immediately pressured to go further than she was comfortable. She just wanted to be liked by a boy. The Boys had pretty much ensured she had been single up until that point, and this handsome older boy actually wanted her…. HER! Overall, the relationship had lasted only a few months, only for him to humiliate her in the end. She had sworn to herself that she would never fall in love again… fall for someone's bullshit… until…
"Well," Jones said, breaking her thought process, "until he exposed what a total git he was."
Adalyn looked at him, knowing exactly what he was referring to, causing him to smile at her.
"Trust me, no one actually believed what he said to be true. Especially those of us that shared a common room with him."
Adalyn felt a corner of her mouth pull up at him. That had been a dark point in her life. She thought that she would never be able to face the rest of the school after what Fitzgerald had done. It meant a lot, even now, knowing that what that arse had said wasn't taken seriously.
WOOSH
Jones jumped slightly as the bird perch lit with fire briefly before exposing the beautiful red and gold bird Adalyn knew to be Fawkes.
"What the…" Jones muttered as Adalyn smiled, walking over to the bird.
"Hello love," she greeted as Fawkes cooed at her as she stroked his plumage.
"Is that…?" Jones asked as he got up, staring at the bird intently.
"…a phoenix?" a third voice asked jovially.
Both Adalyn and Jones turned to see none other than Albus Dumbledore strolling towards them, his eyes twinkling at he took them in.
"Yes, Mr. Jones," Dumbledore told him, "It is a phoenix."
Adalyn turned to see a dumbfounded Jones, staring at Dumbledore and the door wildly.
"But…"
"Even the most observant miss the most observable," Dumbledore told him as he winked at Adalyn, rounding his desk to take a seat.
"Sit," he said, sweeping his arms in welcome as he sat, "we have much to discuss."
Adalyn glanced at a still dumbfounded Jones, before she walked over to a chair, pulling Jones down alongside her as she sat across from the headmaster.
Dumbledore smiled kindly at them both.
"I want to thank the both of you for taking this position," he told them. "Fudge was not too thrilled that I requested two of his Aurors to be stationed at Hogwarts until Black was caught, but I prefer dealing with the bureaucracy of the Ministry rather than allow the Dementors onto the school grounds."
Dumbledore paused and smiled at the two of them warmly.
"My main priority is the safety of the students at Hogwarts. While I doubt Black will be caught on the school grounds…"
"With all due respect, headmaster," Jones interrupted tentatively, glancing over at Adalyn, "All reports have stated that Black is deranged. He escaped from a high security prison, which no one has ever done…"
"Mr. Jones," Dumbledore said gently as he cut him off, folding his hands in front of him, thoughtfully, "I expect you remember Black from school? I do believe your time at Hogwarts crossed?"
"Uh… yes, sir."
"Then I expect that you remember how bright and mischievous he was. One of the top students in the year while simultaneously reeking the most havoc Hogwarts has ever seen, not without the help of others, of course." Dumbledore's eyes twinkled as he glanced over at Adalyn. "It shouldn't be a surprise to think that he would, if anyone, be capable of breaking out of Azkaban right under the Dementor's noses."
"We know he is targeting the school though, Professor," Jones told him.
"So, I've been told," Dumbledore stated in a flat voice, "I want to assure that Hogwarts is the safest place for its students. But, that doesn't stop me from believing that the young Sirius Black I knew wouldn't be so reckless to attack Harry Potter within these walls."
Adalyn swallowed as guilt filled her once more.
The Sirius she had known… The one she hadn't seen coming…
"Or so I hope," Dumbledore continued, "That young man fooled the brightest of people. Myself included."
Adalyn looked up, finding the twinkling blue eyes gazing at her.
"But…" Jones began before he was cut off once more.
"Your duties," Dumbledore began, silencing Jones once more, "Specifically I will defer to the two of you and your experience. All I ask is that you ensure that students remain safe, the Dementors stay off the grounds, and there to be as little interruptions to the students' education as possible. You will have free reign of the castle. I do ask that you notify me if you would like to implement a safety measure that will affect the students. My staff will fully cooperate with you in anyway you wish."
Jones just stared at Dumbledore, slightly frozen.
"Thank you, sir," Adalyn said quickly, glancing at Jones.
How green of an Auror he truly was was showing.
"We will come up with a plan and present it to you and your staff," she continued as she stood up, nudging a slightly stunned Jones to stand up as well.
"Wonderful," Dumbledore smiled at her, "that just leaves your accommodations. We have set up an office and rooms for you on the first floor. I will be happy to show you to them in a moment, but I would have to ask for a private word with Miss Potter before we go."
Adalyn looked at Dumbledore, as Jones looked at the two of them in surprise.
"Uh, of course," Jones said, "I'll be outside by the trunks."
Adalyn felt uneasy as she heard Jones' footsteps disappear down the spiral staircase.
"It is good to have you back at Hogwarts, Adalyn," Dumbledore said with a smile.
Adalyn tried her best to stop a scoff from coming out of her mouth, failing as she crossed her arms and sat back down in her chair.
Dumbledore didn't react. He just raised an eyebrow at her.
"Tell me," Adalyn asked him, "Why am I here?"
Dumbledore's head tilted at her with interest.
"Why do you believe you are here, Adalyn?"
"To be watched," she told him flatly. "By you, by the Ministry… not to mention give the Ministry a reason to fire me for good."
"Why do you believe that I would want to be watching you?"
Adalyn laughed bitterly in disbelief as she leaned back in the chair, looking at her former mentor.
"Oh, I don't know," she said sarcastically, "Maybe because you were the one who requested I be sent to Eastern Europe. Whispering in Fudge's ear that I would be an asset in that post, while I doubt he or anyone in the ministry for that matter actually know 80% of the intel or reason I was sent there in first place."
Dumbledore stared at her for a moment, folding his hands neatly in front of his lips as he stared at her.
"What you accomplished during your time there," Dumbledore told her, "While one can only imagine the horrors you went through, the work you have done for the Order has been essential."
Adalyn scoffed once more.
"You don't believe it has been essential? Gathering information on Voldemort's movements and followers?"
"What I believed is that you found a simple solution that was win-win for you and the Ministry. My whole life went to hell. I wake up every morning blaming myself for nearly 20 deaths and the hell I have put my nephew through. I believe shipping me out on a suicide mission solved your problem and the Ministry's. I die, win. Solves the Potter problem, my gift hopefully gets passed to my nephew, whom as a 13-year-old boy you have isolated from the wizarding world is much easier to manipulate than me. But I didn't die. So now, I have extraordinarily circumstantial rules to interact with my nephew, I'm being forced to meet with a fucking shrink, and being babysat by a knob head who is greener than the grass outside while the Ministry tries to fire me. All the while, I get to hunt down a man who's head I want on a pike. Soo yeah, I don't necessarily believe what I was forced to do was good, or beneficial, or even essential as you say."
Dumbledore hadn't look away from her during her entire rant. His eyes just soften towards her at her words, as if they saddened him deeply.
"You really believe that, don't you?"
Adalyn looked away, tapping her foot impatiently.
"Is that all?" she asked.
"Adalyn, I would have never sent you to Eastern Europe if I didn't have the utmost faith that you would make it out alive. You carry such strength with such an enormous burden that only few would not crumble beneath it. We would not be as far ahead of Voldemort as we are if it had not been for the memories you extracted."
Adalyn swallowed and looked down, slightly ashamed as she could feel the sincerity in his voice and radiating off of him.
"As for why I requested you back now. I believe you are the only one who can capture him. You knew him better than anyone. You know how his mind works. You know what is at stake."
Adalyn shook her head, "I should have seen it. James, Lily, Peter… they are all dead because of me."
"You are not to blame for Black's actions, Adalyn," Dumbledore told her, "I missed it too. So did Lily. So did James."
"I should have seen it though," Adalyn said, anger seething through her once more, "Because of what I am."
"You're gifts do not…"
"Is Snape still teaching here?" Adalyn asked, cutting him off, "Or do I get one positive thing in my life?"
"Yes, Severus does still teach here," Dumbledore told her, "And I should remind you that you both are working towards the same end goal. Also, I should likely warn you, I have not yet informed him that you would be here."
Adalyn let out a small laugh.
"Well, there's that. At least I get to see the shock before the sneering takes over."
"Nor have I informed Remus Lupin."
Adalyn's head snapped up in shock.
"Remus?"
Dumbledore smiled at her.
"Yes, he is the new Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor."
Adalyn remained silent for a moment, trying to take in this new information.
"I remember the two of you were close at one time, inseparable even. I believe the both of you could use an old friend right now."
Adalyn stared at him.
"Why bring the both of us back to Hogwarts now? With Black on the loose?" Adalyn asked him, "Snape will have a field day with that."
"I trust both you and Remus with my life. I trust that neither of you will help in any way as I think you both have more reason to want him back in Azkaban than any one else."
Adalyn bit her tongue.
"And, if Severus does bring it up to me, I will remind him, as I am reminding you right now, that it was both you and Severus I call upon in my times of great need. I expect the both of you, along with Remus to set aside the differences you believe you have and focus on our larger goals."
Adalyn did not move, causing Dumbledore to smile at her.
"That is all for now, Miss Potter," he said as he stood, "But I also need to remind you to control your emotions. Anger and chaos will not serve you at this time."
# ()* ()#* )(#
Nearly 10 minutes later, Jones and Adalyn were shown a door at the end of the first floor corridor. It was centrally placed and nearly perfect… nearly….
Dumbledore had bid them good day and left them to unpack with a twinkle in his eye, leaving Jones and Adalyn alone once more.
"What did Dumbledore want with you?" Jones asked her as he steadied her trunk, watching the retreating from of Dumbledore disappear into yet another corridor of the castle.
"He was just telling me to get along with Severus," Adalyn lied quickly, "He's a git who was in my year, teaches potions here now."
"Holy SHIT," Jones gaped, no longer listening as he opened the door to their new office.
Adalyn looked up and felt her mouth drop as well.
They had just walked into the most magnificent office she had been in in a long while. She had assumed they had been being shown a small hallway with a dingy office and separate living quarters, but damn, was she wrong.
The office was a large semi-circular room. There was a large banquet style table in the center of the room with a large open wall space she knew they would need. Two polished wooden desks sat on opposing sides of the room, facing the banquet table. Bookshelves and open space plastered the walls of the room, framing a single door on either side behind the desk.
There was a small staircase leading to a second story loft, complete with more bookshelves, and roaring fire, complete with cushy looking armchairs that reminded her of those from the Gryffindor common room.
"Damn, I wish all our postings were like this," Jones said as he pushed past her and forward into the room.
Adalyn couldn't say anything. She was completely and utterly speechless at the sight.
Jones was already wandering around the room, taking it all in, before he tried the door on the left.
"I guess this is where we are living too," Jones said looking back at her, smiling.
Adalyn looked to the other door on the right side of the room, opening it to find this was indeed where they were living.
She had opened the door to find a simple, yet cozy bedroom, complete with its own bathroom. The standard Hogwarts fourposter lay in the center of the room while a fire roared to its right. Another armchair was placed next to a large window, giving her a far-reaching view of the grounds.
"Well, what do you say?" a voice asked from behind her.
Adalyn turned to see Jones grinning at her cheekily from the banquet table.
She just raised an eyebrow at him in puzzlement.
"Share a room and save the elves from doing less washing?" Jones asked, "I mean… It probably will be more washing if you play your cards right."
Adalyn rolled her eyes immediately as she walked back over to grab her trunk.
"Piss off, Jones."
Jones laughed heartily at her words as she stormed back towards her room in full annoyance
"I'm kidding Potter!" he called after her, "unless you're up for it. You're too uptight, love."
Adalyn whirled around, "Call me 'love' one more time and I will castrate you."
Jones threw his hand up in defense, "Geeze, I'm just saying a good lay would do you some good."
"How in the hell have you not been fired for sexual harassment yet?" Adalyn asked in disbelief.
Jones grinned at her once more, shoving his hands in his robe pockets, "No one has ever complained about my performance."
Adalyn shut her eyes and turned back towards her room, slamming the door shut, only to hear Jones laugh once more.
Like she had said before… nearly perfect office. The only flaw was now being roommates with Jones.
#*( )*#( )*#)_ () (
Harry woke up on the last day of the holidays, feeling himself already missing the aunt he had only known for a few days. He was ecstatic to have a real connection to his mother and father. He felt as if he had a million questions to ask her at once… but the night had gone too quickly.
She'll be at Hogwarts though…
He smiled to himself knowing he'd at least see Ron today. Adalyn had told him to expect the Weasley's any time today as they would be taking him to Kings Cross the next day.
He got up, dressed, went for one last look at the Firebolt, and was just wondering where he'd have lunch when he heard a voice call out to him.
"Harry! Hi Harry! Over here!"
They were there; both of them. Sitting outside Florian Fortiscue's ice cream parlor. Rone, looking incredibly freckly. Hermione, very brown, both waving frantically at him.
"Finally!" said Ron, grinning at Harry as he sat down, "We went to the Leaky Cauldron, but they said you had gone. Then we went to Flourish and Blotts, and Madame Mulkins, and…"
"I got all my school stuff days ago," Harry explained, "You heard I'm staying at the Leaky Cauldron?"
"Yeah," Ron said nodding, "Dad told us about your Aunt coming to get you."
"Do you really have another Aunt?" Hermione asked in a serious voice.
"Yeah," Harry responded, "its been weird. She's my Dad's twin sister, an Auror…."
"She's an Auror?!" Ron said excitedly, "Cool!"
"I mean," Hermonie began skeptically, "Why are you just finding out about her now?"
Harry launched into the story of how Adalyn had rescued him from the Dursleys, how Fudge had been waiting for them at the Leaky Cauldron, Sirius Black and how she had been called back incase he came after him, how Adalyn had known Sirius Black, and how she kept evasively telling him she couldn't tell him certain things because of a vow she had given Dumbledore.
"What do you think she meant by a vow she gave Dumbledore?" Hermione asked once he had finished.
"Dunno," Harry shrugged, "She wouldn't answer much about it, but she's stationed at Hogwarts, so you'll both get to meet her."
Ron and Hermione looked at him suddenly, startled.
"What?"
"Hogwarts?" Ron asked, "There will be Auror's stationed at Hogwarts?"
"Yeah, as a precaution."
"Harry," Hermione said tentatively, "the ministry wouldn't station Auror's at Hogwarts unless they had evidence that Black is targeting Hogwarts, and likely you. Do you think you are safe?"
"Its just a precaution."
"I dunno, mate," Ron said, "I've heard stories. Black is out of his mind."
"That's why there will be two Aurors on the grounds. Between them and Dumbledore, do you think there is a safer place?"
Hermione pursed her lips, unable to find any argument with that. Ron, on the other hand shrugged in agreement before pulling something out of his bag.
"Look at this!" Ron said emerging with a long, thin box, opening it eagerly to show Harry,
"Brand new wand! 14 inches, willow, containing one unicorn tail hair."
Harry grinned at him.
"And we got all our books!" Ron continued, pointing at the other bags under the table.
The trio began discussing their upcoming courses, how Hermione may not sleep at all that year, before finishing their ice cream and heading to the magical creature shop to get a sickly looking Scabbers looked over and Hermione a new pet.
*#&( *#() #) (#)_
Later, Harry and a bickering Ron and Hermione entered the Leaky Cauldron. Ron holding his pocket containing Scabbers protectively, while Hermione held a large, purring ginger cat.
They found Mr. Weasley sitting in the Leaky Cauldron, a copy of the daily prophet open in front of him.
"Harry!" he greeted them, closing his paper, "How are you?"
"Fine thanks," said Harry as he Ron and Hermione joined Mr. Weasley with all of their shopping.
Mr. Weasley put down his paper and Harry saw the now familiar picture of Sirius Black staring back at him.
"They still haven't caught him then?" he asked.
"No," said Mr. Weasley looking extremely grave, "They pulled us all off our regualr jobs at the ministry to try and find him, but no luck so far."
"Would we get a reward if we caught him?" asked Ron, "it would be good to get some more money."
"Don't be ridiculous Ron," said Mr. Weasley, who on closer inspection, looked very strained, "Black's not going to be caught by a 13-year-old Wizard. Its the Azkaban guards who will get him back, mark my words."
At that moment, Mrs. Weasley entered the bar, ladened with shopping bags and followed by the twins (Fred and George), the newly elected head boy Percy, and the Weasley's youngest child and only girl, Ginny.
Ginny, who had always been very taken with Harry, seemed even more embarrassed than usual when she saw him. Perhaps it was because he had saved her life the previous year at Hogwarts, she turned very red and muttered 'hello' without looking at him.
Percy, however, held out his hands solemnly as if he and Harry had never met and said "Harry! How nice to see you!"
"Hello, Percy," Harry said, trying not to laugh.
"I hope, you're well?" said Percy, pompously, shaking hands. It was rather like meeting the mayor.
"Very well, thanks."
"Harry!" said Fred, elbowing Percy out of the way and bowing deeply, "Simply splendid to see you old boy."
"Marvelous," said George, pushing Fred aside and seizing Harry's hand in turn, "Absolutely, spiffing."
Percy scowled.
"That's enough now," Mrs. Weasley told them.
"Mum!" said Fred as if he had only just seen her, and seized her hand too, "How really corking to see you!"
"I said that's enough!" said Mrs. Weasley, depositing her shopping in an empty chair, "Hello, Harry dear. I suppose you heard our exciting news!" she pointed to the brand-new silver badge on Percy's chest. "Second head boy in the family," she said, swelling with pride.
"And last," Fred muttered under his breath.
"I don't doubt that," said Mrs. Weasley frowning suddenly, "I noticed they didn't make you two Prefects."
"What do we want to be Prefects for?" said George, revolted at the very idea, "It would take all the fun out of life."
Ginny giggled.
"You want to set a better example for your sister!" snapped Mrs. Weasley.
"Ginny's got other brothers to set her an example, mother," said Percy loftily, "I'm going up to change for dinner."
George heaved a sigh, "We tried to shut him in a pyramid, but Mum caught us."
* #*() *#)(
Dinner that night, was a very enjoyable affair. Tom the innkeeper put three tables together in the parlor, and the seven Weasley's, Harry, and Hermione ate their way through five delicious courses.
"How are we getting to King's Cross tomorrow, Dad?" asked Fred as he dug into a sumptuous chocolate pudding.
"The Ministry is providing a couple of cars," said Mr. Weasley.
Everyone looked up at him.
"Why are the ministry providing cars, father?" Percy asked.
"Its because of you, Perce," said George seriously, "and they'll be little flags on the hood with HB on them."
"For humongous bighead," said Fred.
Everyone except Percy and Mrs. Weasley snorted into their pudding.
"Why are the ministry providing cars, father?" Percy asked again in a dignified voice.
"Well, as we haven't got one anymore," said Mr. Weasley, "and as myself and Harry's aunt work there, they are doing me a favor. Adalyn and I had to pull a couple of strings, but we got them in the end."
His voice was casual, but Harry couldn't help but notice that Mr. Weasley's ears had gone red, just as Ron's did when he was under pressure.
"Good thing too," said Mrs. Weasley briskly, "Do you realize how much luggage you all got between you? A nice sight you'd be on the muggle underground. You are all packed, aren't you?".
"Ron hasn't put all of his new things in his trunk yet," said Percy in a long-suffering voice, "he's dumped them on my bed!"
"You'd better go and pack properly, Ron," Mrs. Weasley told him, "We won't have much time in the morning."
Ron scowled at Percy.
After dinner everyone felt very full and sleepy. One by one they made their way upstairs to their rooms to check their things for the next day. Ron and Percy had taken Adalyn's room next-door to Harry. He had just closed and locked his own trunk, when he heard angry voices through the wall and went to see what was going on.
The door was ajar.
"It was here!" said Percy loudly, "I took it off for polishing!"
"I haven't touched it, alright?" Ron roared back.
"What's up?" said Harry.
"My head boy badge is gone!" said Percy, rounding on Harry.
"So is Scabber's rat tonic," said Ron throwing things out of his trunk to look, "I think I might have left it in the bar."
"You aren't going anywhere until you've found my badge," yelled Percy.
"I'll get Scabber's stuff, I'm packed," said Harry to Ron and he went downstairs.
Harry was halfway along the passage to the bar, which was now very dark, when he heard another pair of angry voices coming from the parlor. A second later, he recognized them as Mr. and Mrs. Weasley's. He hesitated, not wanting them to know he had heard them arguing, when the sound of his own name made him stop, then move closer to the parlor door.
"Makes no sense not to tell him the whole truth," Mr. Weasley was saying heatedly, "Harry has the right to know. I've tried to tell Fudge, but he insists on treating Harry like a child. Thank Merlin Adalyn Potter is back and told him some of it."
"Arthur, she shouldn't have. The whole truth would terrify him!" Mrs. Weasley told her husband, "Plus, is she really the right person to even be telling him? Who knows what she believes to be true!"
"Molly, she was cleared," Mr. Weasley countered.
"I know she was legally cleared, but she was engaged to Black, living with him! You can't tell me that one of the most elite Aurors the ministry has just missed that she was engaged to You-Know-Who's right hand!"
Harry felt his stomach drop.
Engaged? Adalyn had been engaged to Black? Why hasn't she told him that. She had just said he was one of her best friends…
"Molly," Mr. Weasley said sternly, "you saw how she was treated after Black was caught. Endured nearly 2 years of being yelled at and shunned before she was sent out of the country…"
"And rightly so…" Mrs. Weasley told him.
"Molly, she had served her penance. The ministry sent her into the woods to do recon work for the last 12 years. She hasn't even seen Harry until now…"
"But why did they send her to Hogwarts?" Mrs. Weasley asked in frustration, "How do they even know Black will come there and that she'll stop him?"
"Because they say Sirius Black is mad, and maybe he is, but he was clever enough to break out of Azkaban and that's supposed to be impossible. It's been 3 weeks, and we have seen hide nor hair of him. I don't care what Fudge keeps telling the daily prophet, we are no nearer catching Black than inventing self-spelling wands. The only thing we know for sure is what Black is after. Fudge wants it kept quiet, but the Azkaban guards told him he has been muttering in his sleep 'He's at Hogwarts. He's at Hogwarts. They know Black is after Harry and Adalyn Potter knows Black better than anyone else. Dumbledore himself requested her for the post. The fact that he trusts her to catch Black is more than enough for me."
"But Harry will be perfectly safe at Hogwarts!"
"We thought Azkaban was perfectly safe. If Black can break out of Azkaban, he can break into Hogwarts. You keep forgetting that Black is deranged, Molly. He thinks that killing Harry will bring You-Know-Who back to power."
"But how does the ministry or Dumbledore expect her to protect Harry? How can they know?"
"She's his Aunt, Molly. Black fooled a lot of people back then. She hasn't said it, but its evident this whole thing has tortured her. She even thanked us for looking after him when she couldn't."
"But why couldn't she?"
"I've heard rumors, rumors that she gave Dumbledore an unbreakable vow she would stay away from him."
"An unbreakable vow? Why on earth would Dumbledore even do that?"
"Its a rumor, Molly."
Mrs. Weasley sighed, "I just don't know if she can be trusted. Why is she so interested in Harry's welfare now that Black is on the loose?"
"Molly, for the last time, she was cleared of any knowledge of Black."
"I know, but love makes you do stupid things…"
Mr. Weasley laughed slightly at her words, "You think she's still in love with Black? After all that he did?"
"It is possible…"
"You haven't met her, Molly. I sincerely doubt that."
"I was just saying, Arthur that the heart wants what the heart wants. I doubt she's told Harry any of this. The boy was so excited he has some family. Did you see his face when he spoke about her at dinner?"
"I know, I am telling you though, Molly, if Dumbledore trusts her and those rumors are true, we have no reason to suspect she has anything but Harry's best interests at heart. And honestly, I will sleep better at night knowing that someone who knows how Black thinks will be watching over Hogwarts with Dumbledore."
Silence took over the room.
"Anyway, its getting late, Molly. We'd better go up."
Harry heard chairs move. As quietly as he could, he hurried down the passage to the bar and out of sight. The parlor door opened and a few seconds later footsteps told him that Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were climbing the stairs.
The bottle of rat tonic was lying under the table they had sat at earlier. Harry waited until he heard Mr. and Mrs. Weasley's bedroom door close, then headed back upstairs with the bottle.
Fred and George were crouching in the shadows on the landing, heaving with laughter as they heard him dismantling the room in search of his badge.
"We've got it," Fred whispered to Harry, "we've been improving it."
The badge now read "big head boy"
Harry forced a laugh, went to give Ron the rat tonic then shut himself in his room and lay down on his bed.
So, Black was after him. All this protection wasn't a 'just in case' scenerio. This explained everything. Why Adalyn had picked him up from the Dursley's and why she had seemed so paranoid. Why Fudge had met them at the Leaky Cauldron. Why Adalyn had been so vague with her explanation of her sudden return, and why two Aurors were to be stationed at Hogwarts. Why there were two ministry cars being sent to take them to Kings Cross so that the Weasley's could look after him until he was on the train.
Harry lay listening to the muffled arguing next door and wondered why he didn't feel so scared. Sirius Black had murdered 13 people with a single curse. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley thought he would be panic stricken if he knew the truth, but Adalyn… why hadn't she told him?
Was she ashamed she had been engaged to Black? This was a new piece of information, but it made more sense to Harry why those men in the Leaky Cauldron had upset her and why she had been stationed out of the country.
Or was it this 'Unbreakable Vow' she had made to Dumbledore? That had to be the vow she was referring to when she said she couldn't tell him all the details of why he had to live with the Dursley's?
Harry couldnt help but remember one thing his Aunt had said to him the night he had met her…
"If Black was loyal to Voldemort…"
If.
Was Mrs. Weasley right? Did she think Black may be innocent? After all that had happened?
He didn't think she was helping Black. If Black wanted him dead, she had had plenty of times to kill him when they were alone… plus, she was the only real family he had who didn't treat him like a piece of trash. She was his father's twin sister, his mother's best friend… surely that meant that she would help protect him?
But regardless, the safest place to be is wherever Albus Dumbledore was. And if he had requested Adalyn Potter for security, that meant that he believed in her ability and trusted her, which meant that Harry did too.
(*&$( *#() *#)( *
Adalyn pushed harder through the last straight of the run she used to run everyday with her brother at Hogwarts. Her lungs burned and her legs felt heavy. She wasn't sure if it was the time since she had run this exact loop, or the fact that she felt as if she had a million things running through her head.
Remus. Black. Harry…
The lack of sleep was catching up with her. She had spent most of the night up talking with Harry before she left, then most of the night prior going over plans with Jones. Soon after they had unpacked, Mr. Filch had shown up at their door with the greatest amount of distain that Adalyn had ever experienced. As soon as she had saw him, she knew that he had remembered her from her school days. She had lost track of the amount of times her and the boys had been threatened with whipping and shackles…
His anger had been somewhat funny as he showed them all the secret passageways he knew of that Black could attempt to enter through. She had smiled to herself as she knew of at least 2 he hadn't mentioned, meaning she knew about them, and Filch still did not… which was still some sort of perverted victory for her trouble-making side. She knew she should tell Filch, but telling Jones and ensuring both entrance and exit were covered was a better answer. She doubted anyone knew how to get into the Whomping Willow, and Honeydukes was being covered by the Dementors and the rest of the wizards in Hogsmeade had that covered. Adalyn remembered the amount of joyful memories those passages had brought her. She didn't want to spoil that for future students.
Plus, she knew Black knew about them…meaning they would have even better coverage. She had the advantage of knowing exactly which passages he favored in and out of the school….
Adalyn slowed her pace and began to walk with her hands above her head, catching her breath as she slowly made her way back to the castle.
The students arrived today. They still had so much work to do, but so little time. Staying up until 5 AM planning and then sleeping in until 2 PM didn't help things.
She felt herself sweating as she walked back into the castle.
God, it was so weird to be back here…
Her mind flitted back to the pit in her stomach.
Remus… she was going to see Remus.
Remus. There was a complicated story. The two of them were all that was left of their small group. They had been all each other had to lean on in the aftermath of the events, but before James and Lily died, things had been tense. Suspicions had been at an all-time high with the knowledge that a spy was in the Order. With Remus's condition, some had suspected him. Both Remus and Adalyn had been on separate missions for the Order and not seen much of each other, but Black and her brother had had many debates on the werewolf's true allegiance.
In retrospect, Adalyn wasn't quite sure what had happened between them after everything had transpired. They just kind of fell out of touch… both hurting more than words could describe. He had been there for her though, in her time of need.
Adalyn sat nearly curled up completely in the old, moth-eat armchair of Remus's small cottage. The fire roared as the pair sat in silence, words having long failed them.
"What am I going to do, Reems?" Adalyn asked him, breaking the nearly hour long silence they had had since she had broken the news to him.
Remus's warm brown eyes fell on hers, empathy and hurt emanating through them as he stared at her.
"What do you want to do?" he asked her gently, "It's your decision, Adalyn."
Adalyn shifted, putting her hands on her stomach and biting back a sob. She knew what she wanted to do. She knew that she couldn't bring this thing into the world… not with what its father was. Not with the complex mixture of betrayal, filth and love she felt towards the thing growing inside of her.
"I know what I want to do," she admitted to her friend, hating for even saying it outloud, "But is it the right thing to do?"
"I can't speak to that," he told her.
"It's been a month since James and Lily… " she trailed off unable to finish the sentence, "I'm not even allowed to have Harry because of how the wizarding world is reacting… let alone, his child? How in the hell am I supposed to look at this child?"
Remus softened towards her.
"I can't even look at myself, Remus," Adalyn said breaking down into tears, "How am I supposed to raise a child when I already hate it because its part him?"
Remus didn't say anything. He just got up and knelt in front of her chair, gently pulling her into his arms and letting her cry just as they had so many nights in the last month.
Adalyn sighed as she made her way down the corridor. She didn't even know what had happened between them. She didn't know how he would react to seeing her. Part of her felt as if she had abandoned him when she was sent away, leaving him in his own personal hell. He hadn't written her back. He hated her for leaving him all alone… abandoning him. Just as she had abandoned Harry.
Adalyn opened the door to the office her and Jones shared. She wasn't paying attention at first, but she heard a scuffle, and a grunting, causing her to spin around in surprise.
"...89,... 90…. 91"
Adalyn stared in disbelief. There was Jones. Shirtless, in sweatpants doing pushups on the floor. He was next to a chair and a magazine was chucked to the side.
Did he seriously expect her to believe that he didn't wait for her to come back in before he started trying to workout and impress her?
Adalyn shut the door and rolled her eyes as she walked towards her room.
"Last I knew, you started with one, not 89, Jones," Adalyn told him as she reached her door.
"What?" Jones said, obviously pretending to just notice she was there, "Oh, hey! I didn't hear you come back in. I was just getting a workout in…"
Adalyn just stared at him for a moment, before opening her door and rolling her eyes once more, "Yeah," she muttered sarcastically before shutting and the door behind her.
She heard Jones swear quietly under his breath, causing her to smile herself as she stripped off her running clothes and started the shower.
Maybe getting under Jones' skin would be fun after all.
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