The locket lay on the table, four pairs of eyes staring at it. Anna pulled the blanket over her shoulders closer to her chest, comforted by Sirius's arm around her shoulders, hugging her close.

Dumbledore had been silent since she had finished telling her story, looking at the necklace as if it might reveal some explanation.

"He's getting stronger." Gen's words weren't really directed at anyone, but the clouded look over her eyes suggested that she was remembering something.

"He could have found out anything. If he's been through your memories, he could have found out the location of the Order."

Dumbledore nodded slowly. "I think, for your safety, Miss Annelise, that leaving the country would be your safest option."

Anna blanched at the suggestion. On one hand it seemed rational, and a good idea in case Voldemort tried to target her in the real world. But leaving England? And where would she go?

Sirius pulled her tighter to him, his hand squeezing her own. Swallowing, Anna looked at Dumbledore. "Yes...yes I think that will be for the best."

"And the Potter's? Dumbledore, what about the Prophecy?"

"They are not safe here either." Dumbledore replied to Sirius's questions. "I have already spoken with James and Lily, and we have found a place for them. A place that they will be safe. And I think-" Dumbledore stroked his beard. "That you should be the secret keeper."

Anna wasn't sure what any of it meant, but she could gauge that being a secret keeper was a big deal. Sirius straightened his shoulders, nodding at the older wizard.

"I will." He promised, and Dumbledore smiled. "We will discuss that later. Right now, I think that getting Miss Smith somewhere safe is important."

And so, three hours later, a group of Order members sat in a circle, all debating the safest place for Anna, and the safest way to get her there.

"What did you say to America, Anna-Banana?" Gen asked, curled up on the couch, opposite her childhood friend. Anna hesitated for a second, then shrugged.

"America is good. I'm sure I'll be able to find some work there."

"Treat it as if you're going on a holiday." Gen instructed her. "The war is going to be over soon. I can feel it."

Anna found that she believed Gen. After all, she was rarely wrong.

"The death eaters have been tailing Anna for days now." James pointed out, jiggling an excited Harry on his knee as he spoke. "They'll know that something's up if we're with her."

"I'll go." Sirius vollentured almost immediately. "As Padfoot."

"Pad-what?" Anna twisted her head to look at him.

"You haven't told her?" Remus looked surprised and Anna looked around at the faces amongst her. "Told me what?" she asked, feeling that the question was becoming rather common.

"We- James, Peter and I, are Animagi. We can turn into a certain animal at will."

Anna blinked, her eyes wide. "Wha-? That is so cool! Why didn't you tell me?"

"It never really came up." Sirius shrugged, looking apologetic.

"Can everyone do it?"

"All wizards can learn to do it, but many don't, as it is such a long process, and can take years." Lily explained.

"And so Padfoot is..?"

"I transform into a dog." Sirius explained, "James, or Prongs, is a stag, and Peter, otherwise Wormtail, is a rat."

"What about you, Remus?" Anna asked, and immediately she noticed the tense atmosphere return.

"Werewolf." He answered tightly, and Anna's face was filled with a mixture of awe and surprise. "Only once a month then I suppose?"

"Right."

"Join the club." Gen said drily, and the awkwardness was broken with the sudden laughter her quip brought.

Anna looked around the group of people, some that she had known for less than a day. She was going to miss them, she realised. It was so strange, but she felt at home with them all, like she had been friends with them for years rather than days.

Anna eventually found time to eat. A sandwich would do for now, she decided as she dropped two slices of bread on a plate.

A cloud blew over the sun, obstructing the light that was shining into the kitchen and sending shadows throughout the room. Anna tensed up instantly, looking over her shoulder in case Voldemort might be lurking in the pantry.

But she was alone, and Anna forced herself to relax, returning her attention to lunch.

She was almost done eating when Sirius walked into the kitchen. "How are you?" He asked, standing behind her and wrapping his arms around her in a hug.

"Fine." Anna said slowly, taking another bite of the sandwich so that she didn't have to elaborate. Repeating what Voldemort had said and had done, to Dumbledore, Gen and Sirius in the morning had been difficult enough. She didn't want to have to relive those memories again.

Sirius planted a lazy kiss on her neck, offering her comfort. "We'll be okay. You know that right?"

"If I've given away valuable information…" Anna started, but Sirius shushed her gently, and she fell silent. "None of this is your fault, Anna."

"I shouldn't have worn the locket."

"You had no idea that he could do that. None of us did." Sirius argued, turning her around so that she faced him.

"Stop blaming yourself? Please?"

"Okay." Anna relented with a sigh, and Sirius pressed a kiss to her lips.

A knock interrupted them, and the two broke apart, looking to the doorway where James stood. Judging by the boyish grin on his face, Sirius would undoubtedly be getting an earful later.

"If you two would be so kind as to spare us a moment of your time, Dumbledore wants to talk with us about "the secret". You can come to, Anna." He added as she hesitated, before he then ducked to avoid the swipe Sirius had aimed at him on his way out of the door.

Lily smiled at Anna when she came in, and Harry reached out his hands, grinning at her, and showing off his two front teeth.

James went to stand with his wife, and Anna noticed Peter Pettigrew standing in the shadows, twisting his thumbs in what appeared to be nervousness. Dumbledore was standing nearby, and Anna could see that he seemed tired.

"James, Harry and I are leaving as well." Lily explained. "For Godric's Hollow. Harry-" she gave the baby a kiss on his forehead as she mentioned him, and Harry cooed excitedly. "Is possibly a part of a prophecy, and we need to go into hiding for a little bit for his safety."

Anna could only admire the way Lily spoke so casually, as if going into hiding was such a normal thing to do, but if she looked closer, she could see how the young witch's hands trembled as she held her son tightly, as if afraid that Voldemort might appear out of thin air and take her son from her.

Anna noticed that Remus wasn't in the room, and she frowned in confusion. From what she had gathered from her time with Sirius, Gen, Lily and the rest of the Order, Peter, James, Sirius, and Remus were all practically inseparable. Why would he miss such an important event?

There was no time to dwell on this though, as Dumbledore, who had been talking to James, Peter and Sirius, turned to Lily and Anna, his expression grave. Peter was to be the secret keeper, rather than Sirius, as he feared it would be too obvious.

With steady hands, Lily handed Harry to Anna, stepping forward to stand beside her husband as Dumbledore instructed her to. Peter Petigrew was white as a sheet as Dumbledore solemnly cast the Fidelius Charm, making him the sole person who could divulge the Potter's location. Anna held Harry away from the shine of magic, trying to ignore the ill feeling that welled up within her, screaming that what they were doing right now, was a terrible mistake.

Later, when plans had been made, Sirius came to her room, knocking lightly on the door. Anna was lying on her bed, staring up at the ceiling.

"What's going to happen to us?" She whispered, her voice small as Sirius lay down on the bed next to her.

"You're going to go to America, and you're going to have a marvelous time." Sirius answered, "and I'm going to find Voldemort and kick his ass for ever thinking of laying a hand on you." Anna giggled, and Sirius took her hand in his.

"And then, when that's over, you'll come back, and we'll be together, and who knows, a year or two down the line, maybe we'll get married."

Anna's eyes, that had begun to close as she imagined what he was saying, flew open at the mention of marriage.

"Are you proposing to me?"

"Not now." Sirius said. "But I wouldn't be opposed to it in the future. What would you say?"

Anna sat up, looking down at his face. Grey eyes met her brown ones, and she tilted her head. "I think I'd say yes." She answered, heart racing as she admitted it to him.

Sirius propped himself up on his elbow, reaching up up and kissing her on the lips. Anna leaned into the kiss, and Sirius's hand cupped her cheek. They broke apart breathlessly, and Sirius brushed the hair out of her face,

"I think I love you, Anna." He whispered and Anna felt her heart swell.

"I think I love you too."

And she meant it.

A/N. Just a quick note that I thought I'd better add. I'm not a huge fan of rushed romance, and while I don't want to rush Anna and Sirius's budding romance in the slightest, I thought given everything that's happening and the extreme emotions, they might feel as if they want each other to know that they love each other, least anything were to happen to each other, regardless of how new those feelings may be, if that makes sense? Anyway, we're reaching the end of this fic quite soon, so thank you to everyone for sticking around :)