Gen and Anna had been through a lot together. Anna losing her parents, Gen dropping out of college, Anna shaving her head one summer, and Gen buying her first car. They had witnessed each other's successes and failures, new relationships, and breakups, they'd been through it all together, and now they were standing on the front entrance of Anna's house, staring at the white door.

"You know, I still remember the first time I came over to play." Gen commented as Anna stuck the key into the door.

"I'm not leaving forever." Anna reminded her, her attention shifting as the door opened without needing to be unlocked.

She looked around apprehensive as she pushed the door open wider. The hallway looked the exact same as she and Sirius had left it, two hours earlier, and she frowned. Maybe she had just forgotten to lock it on their way out. Granted it wouldn't be the first time that had happened, and she had been distracted by a certain pair of grey eyes.

"I know, but it's so weird. So much has happened in the past twenty four hours." Gen continued as Anna walked inside, taking care to close the door behind them.

"You and Sirius going to Paris, being chased by death eaters, meeting the order, getting the locket." She paused as Anna looked back at her, her eyes narrowed.

"What?"

"How'd you know we went to Paris?" She asked suspiciously, and Gen hesitated. "Uh..you told me?"

"No I didn't, because I haven't spoken to you alone since you disappeared from work five days ago ." Anna answered, folding her arms and giving Gen a look. "What did you have to do with it?"

Gen clapped both hands over her mouth, but when the death glare only hardened, she relented.

"Sirius may or may not have presented the idea to me...to make sure that you would like it." Gen squeaked through her fingers. Anna raised an eyebrow and Gen added. "I promise, that's all. Are you mad?"

"No." Anna smiled despite herself, "Why would I be?"

"You can't imagine how much I've been dying to know how it went, although." Gen elbowed Anna in the ribs and she laughed. "Judging by you two, it went well."

Anna opened her mouth to respond, but the words died on her lips as she turned the corner into her living room. Everything was trashed. Pieces of furniture overturned and destroyed. Glass lay on the floor, the curtains were ripped down and were lying in a dirty heap on the ground.

"What happened here?" Gen finally broke the silence, gazing around at the destruction in shock.

Anna stepped into the havoc, her hands trembling as she reached down, picking up the picture on the floor. Her parent's smiles were intact, despite the slight burns around the corners, and it's crumpled appearance, and Anna stuffed it into her pocket where it would be safest.

"They were here. They know where I live."

The two women walked throughout the house slowly, looking through each destroyed room, finding small things that they remembered.

Anna looked at her reflection in the mirror that was now cracked, making her look distorted. Sirius had stood over her shoulder not four hours ago, and now Gen stood behind her, her expression furious.

"We need to hurry. Take what you need and let's go."

Anna looked up, knowing that Gen was right. With robotic movements she collected a few choice items of clothing from the mess on the floor, grabbing her necessary toiletries and stuffing them all haphazardly into a bag.

"Anything else?"

As much as it pained her, Anna shook her head. "No, this is it." She had the necessities, everything that she needed, and so taking anything else would be a waste of time.

Gen trotted down the stairs, followed by Anna, a little slower as she looked at her house that, mere hours ago, had been the picture of perfection.

"Anna." Gen called and Anna hurried down the last few steps, forcing a smile. "Let's get out of here before they decide to come back."

Gen started to walk towards the door, then paused, picking up two plates that weren't broken. She waved her wand, and after a second, Anna's china plates transformed into two pairs of dark sunglasses.

"What? Why?"

"Just put it on." Gen ordered, throwing the plate- sunglasses at Anna. "Thank goodness I paid attention during transfiguration."

"I'm not even going to ask." Anna muttered as she put the plate-that-was-now-sunglasses on, and followed Gen out the door.

"Don't lock it." Gen reminded her as Anna began to put her key in the door. "They didn't, so if they come back they'll know something is amiss."

Anna nodded, pocketing the key in her jeans and following Gen as she began to walk down the streets.

They had barely gone a block when the hairs on Anna's back stood up, and she tensed, looking over her shoulder self-consciously. A man with long white blonde hair was walking past, sidestepping the two as he hurried on his way. His face was blocked from view but Anna knew which one he was, and she turned to Gen.

"Don't look now." Anna whispered, pushing the sunglasses higher up her nose. "But there is a death eater right in front of us."

"What!" Gen's voice was an octave higher than usual, and Anna tapped her hand irritatedly. "How do you know?" She asked quietly.

"I saw him in Paris when they were looking for us." Anna answered. "And I hit him across the face with a board, so he has a pretty memorable face, and he has a personal vendetta against me."

"You did what? You will be explaining that later, now turn left."

Anna kept her head down as she followed Gen down a quick alleyway, appearing on the other side of the street and continuing to walk in the opposite direction. "Where are we going?" Anna asked. There was a shout behind them, and Gen spun around, looking for any death eaters as her hand instinctively moved to her wand.

"Come on, this way!" Anna pulled Gen across the busy street, keeping an eye out for anyone suspicious as she squeezed past a few unsuspecting people, jumping onto a waiting bus.

Gen was shaking as they climbed up, looking around the near empty bus before deciding it was safe.

"They know where you work, they know where you live. Anna, if anything happened to you-"

"Nothing's happening to me!" Anna reassured her, sitting her best friend down on one of the empty seats, away from anyone else, as the bus began moving again. "I'm fine."

"No you're not! You have a cursed necklace that only you can use, a wizard boyfriend, and a witch BFF, and the dark lord and his flying monkeys out looking for you!"

"Sirius and I aren't boyfriend and girlfriend."

"That's not the point!" Gen hissed, grabbing Anna's hands and looking into her eyes. "I need you to be safe, okay?"

"Yes of course," Anna responded. "And where is safer than the Order?"

Gen looked at her, somewhat sadly and Anna felt a chill go down her spine. "Right Gen?"

"I would imagine so." She said doubtfully. "But with this new prophecy that everyone's talking about, and the Potter's moving house..."

"The Potter's are moving?"

"Yeah, for Harry's safety I believe." Gen sighed. "Nothing is certain at this point. The war is at a tipping point, and one wrong move could be catastrophic for muggles, muggle-borns, half-bloods and their sympathizers. That's us Anna. And I made a promise to myself that I would keep you safe, after your parents, and my parents, and your gran.."

Gen broke off, and Anna reached out to hug her, pulling her close and trying to stop the tears in her own eyes from spilling over. "It's going to be just fine, Gen. I promise."

"Do you have the locket?" Gen asked her, wiping the tears from her own eyes.

"Yeah, why?"

"It blocks spells, yeah? Wear it."

Anna hesitated for a moment, unsure why she felt reluctant to do so. It made sense after all. "Okay." she dug in her pocket, pulling out the locket and putting it around her neck. The clasp snapped shut, and she looked over at Gen.

"Feel weird?"

"Nope."

But little did she know that it was only a matter of time.