Elizabeth hadn't spoken much since the fight with Minerva. She didn't have much to say and didn't have a desire to speak. She was still disgusted with herself over what she had said to Minerva.
So, when Ginny asked if she'd like to go to the Burrow for the summer holidays, Elizabeth just nodded and smiled gratefully.
"I know you're going through a hard time. Maybe some time away from here will help." Ginny said.
"Thanks." Elizabeth replied.
As the girls in their dorm were packing, Elizabeth was pondering whether she should tell Minerva about going to the Weasleys. She hadn't even gone back to her quarters since the fight and wasn't sure how she would even tell her.
Novo, who was sleeping on her bed, stretched out and batted at her hair. That gave her an idea.
Minerva was sitting in her office, grading final exams, felt her heart pang when she saw Elizabeth's test. Just seeing her name made her wish for her to be here and for the fight to be over.
Suddenly, Novo appeared by her feet, meowing to grab her attention. She looked down and saw a roll of parchment tied to his collar. She reached down and unfurled it, and began to read.
Ginny invited me to stay with her family at the Burrow. I'll be there for the summer.
That was all it said. Elizabeth knew that she would recognize her handwriting, so she hadn't bothered to sign it.
"What have I done?" Minerva asked herself.
"Hello, Elizabeth!" Mrs. Weasley greeted. She wrapped her in a hug very tightly, which almost made her start crying because of her motherly embrace.
"Hello, Mrs. Weasley. Thank you for letting me stay with you." Elizabeth said.
"Of course, dear. Our home is your home." she replied, helping her load her trunk and Novo's carrier onto a cart.
The Burrow was just as wonderful as Elizabeth remembered. It was lively and bright, and filled her with a vague sense of joy, though it was still masked with pain and regret.
She hadn't brought her broom with her, since she left it in Minerva's quarters, (it was to stay there for safekeeping) and she didn't want to go back there when she wasn't wanted. So, she and Ginny didn't fly much.
Instead, she and Ginny spent most of their time in the garden. They were supposed to be picking some strawberries for Mrs. Weasley but spent the majority of their time talking.
"What do you think will happen when the Ministry finds out about her un-adopting me?" Elizabeth asked.
"I don't know. Did she tear up the certificate or something else to make it official that you're… not?" Ginny asked.
"I don't know. She could have after I left. It's not like I'd blame her if she did. What I did was unforgivable." Elizabeth said.
"Not entirely. What you said was bad, but it doesn't sound like you were in a good place to be talking about what happened. And when she didn't stop, that just made things worse." Ginny theorized.
"I guess that's true. But what should I do now?"
"You know you're always welcome here. My parents love you, and there's plenty of space in my room. You can stay here for the summer, and then we go back to school, and for Christmas, you can come back here. As for next summer… Well, we'll figure it out. Together." Ginny responded.
"Really?" Elizabeth asked in awe.
"Of course. We're best friends, I'd do anything for you." Ginny said.
"I knew that, but I didn't think you'd go this far for me, Gin. And I'm so happy that we're friends." Elizabeth said, hugging her.
"I am, too. And I'll be here for you. I know what it's like to have darkness in your past, and how hard it is to talk about. And as long as we're best friends, I'm not letting you go through that alone." Ginny promised.
It had been a week since Elizabeth had gone to the Weasley's. Minerva had been channeling her heartbreak into her work. Once again, she was spending her summer cleansing the school of the magic that had been performed the previous year, so that the students would return to a school ready for them.
Albus had been watching her closely. He had many concerns at the moment, but the fight between Minerva and Elizabeth remained fresh in his mind as he watched his friend go through such pain. He knew Elizabeth would be experiencing similar feelings, especially loneliness. He hated knowing that two of the people he cared very much for were hurting, and knew that the situation would not be resolved if Elizabeth stayed with the Weasley's all summer.
So, one evening he invited Minerva for tea in his office. She arrived and accepted her cup. As she drank, he said, "As I am sure you are aware, I am restarting the Order of the Phoenix."
"Yes, I was positive that it would be coming up soon enough." she replied.
"And it has. I would like to request you as a member if you wish to join again."
"Of course."
Dumbledore smiled. "Very well. I have spoken to Sirius Black, and he has agreed to let us use his family house as Headquarters. In two days' time, he will be returning there with Harry. Remus Lupin will be staying there for the summer as well. If you like, there is a room for you. It might do you some good to get out of the castle for a bit" he explained.
"I suppose that is reasonable, so I would be more accessible to the Order, and a bigger part of it. But I will need to spend a portion of the days here, doing my summer work." Minerva amended.
Dumbledore nodded, accepting her changes. What he refrained from telling her was that Elizabeth and the Weasleys would be joining them as well, Elizabeth included.
Meanwhile, in the Burrow, the Weasleys were going through hard times. Percy had begun to believe what the Ministry was saying, instead of what Dumbledore said. He'd come home from work spouting utter nonsense all about how Fudge was right, and that Harry was just confused and traumatized.
It didn't go over well. And one night, it all came to a boil over dinner.
"You care more about your stupid work than what's really going on in the world!" Ron yelled.
Percy looked affronted and insulted. "My work is important!" he fired back.
Mr. Weasley tried to intervene. "Now, boys, we're all upset, but you shouldn't be taking it out on each other! You're brothers and you're family, so you need to start acting like it!"
"Stay out of this, Father! I can fight my own battles!" Percy retorted.
'Don't talk to Dad that way!" Ginny yelled at her brother.
"Why shouldn't I? You all think what I do is stupid, but look at him! Wasting away in a pointless job no one cares about! At least I have ambitions in life!" Percy screamed.
Mrs. Weasley gasped. Mr. Weasley stood there, frozen as if he couldn't believe what his own son had just said to him. The twins' mouths were open in equal amounts of shock. Ron's face was as red as his hair, and Ginny's hand was shaking with rage, and she threw her roll at Percy, and it bounced off his glasses.
The third oldest Weasley looked angrier than Elizabeth had ever seen him. He stood up and walked up the stairs to his room. They all heard him uttering spells and the slamming of a trunk lid. Percy then walked back downstairs loudly, his trunk and Hermes, his owl's, cage, floating behind him.
"I'm not staying in this house of disrespect and ignorance any longer." He announced, then he walked out the door.
Mrs. Weasley stood up from her own seat and ran out after him. "Percy! PERCY!" but she was too late. She walked back inside, crying, saying, "He's gone!"
Mr. Weasley took her in his arms as she cried, and the remaining Weasley children and Elizabeth slowly stood up and started clearing the table, all having lost their appetites.
After that, Percy became an unmentionable topic. If somebody did accidentally say his name, Mrs. Weasley would break down crying, and Mr. Weasley became so angry he would break whatever was in his hand.
Luckily, they received good news from Dumbledore a few mornings later. He sent the Weasley parents a letter, explaining that the Order of the Phoenix was restarting, and invited them to join. He also invited them to stay at Headquarters for the summer, and that Harry would be there with Sirius. Mrs. Weasley wanted to go so she could check up on Harry and see how he was faring.
Fred and George had been a much-appreciated source of laughter during all of this. They knew about the fight between Elizabeth and Minerva (everyone in the Burrow knew about it, though.) and had given her a pair of Extendable Ears to make her feel better. And now, their skills had kicked into overdrive since Percy had left. And they were even happier to be going to Grimmauld Place, where Sirius and Remus would be. They idolized them since they were two of the famous Marauders.
"Boys, if you are going to pack your joke supplies, put a warning on whatever trunk it's in! Ron can't afford to keep having his eyebrows seared off! Sooner or later they'll stop growing back!" Mr. Weasley said as the kids were packing.
"We make-"
"No promises!"
Elizabeth could hear Ron's groan from Ginny's room. "Why don't the twins ever target you? Not that I want them to, but it just seems odd, since they prank everyone." she asked.
Ginny smiled a devious smile. "They tried once when we were little. Let's just say they learned their lesson."
Mrs. Weasley had set up a Portkey for them all to use. "Everyone, hold on. I don't want anyone falling off or getting hurt." She instructed, well, ordered really. All the kids nodded. Mr. Weasley had already apparated himself and their luggage to the street Grimmauld Place was on, but Mrs. Weasley insisted on a Portkey for Ron, the twins, Ginny, and Elizabeth, citing that it was safer.
After another bumpy landing, they walked down a street in muggle London, until Mrs. Weasley said, "This is the place!" After a complex concealment charm was taken down, they all saw Number 12, Grimmauld Place, for the first time.
"Whoa." Ginny and Elizabeth said at the same time.
"Looks more like a palace. Think they miss named it." Ron remarked.
"Enough. We ought to be getting inside, it's not safe to be out here for too long." Mrs. Weasley said. She ushered them all in, where they were greeted by a happy-looking Lupin.
"Remus!" Elizabeth exclaimed in joy.
"Good to see you, Elizabeth!" Remus said in response, hugging her once she got inside.
Sirius was there as well. "Harry's up in his room, taking a nap." he said to Ron, who was wondering where his best friend's whereabouts were.
Sirius hugged Ginny and Elizabeth, still not forgetting their faith in him two years prior. He then high-fived Fred and George and asked about their most recent pranks.
As the jokesters went off talking, and Remus was showing Ginny and Elizabeth around the house, they came across a sitting room, which held a surprise for Elizabeth.
When they walked inside, she and Minerva locked eye contact.