Kingsley's cubicle was right next to Ava's, and she had kept her eye closely at the big entrance ever since she arrived in the office that morning to see if she could spot him or Tonks to hear about how transporting Harry to Grimmauld Place had gone. As she hadn't heard anything bad she assumed the news was good. It was still pretty early and sound of heels clinking on the dark marble floor and mumbled voices along with the smell of fresh coffee had started to fill the room. It was an enormous room that consisted of different cubicles set up together, in most of them you could see photo frames by people's desk.

Finally she spotted the familiar figure in a purple cloak step in. He stopped to talk to some people, she tried to focus on the report in front of her but she couldn't concentrate and had probably gone through the same sentence twenty times, tapping the quill absentminded on the bench.

In front of her was a photo of her, her mum, sister and dad from when they were at a beach in Spain on holiday years back. Her gaze froze on to her dad in the photo, he was smiling and she was sitting on his shoulder laughing as you could see the blue waves in the background rising up to the sand.

When Kinglsey finally sat down she moved herself closer and leaned over to his cubicle, where apart from a map where certain dots were blinking red every direction she looked she was met by Sirius face. Before when she looked at the posters she had seen an evil maniac, now all she could see the pain and desperation in his eyes.

'Did you have a nice dinner last night' He nodded and by that she took it that the operation had gone well.

'Yes. I had chicken. You?' He asked, referring to her guard shift.

'It was all right, some left over stew'

They both got indulged into the paper works, mostly reading "tips" about Sirius location.

She didn't even notice him at first, a man with big tawny mane with some streaks of mane, his yellow eyes behind some wire rimmed spectacles which looked at Kingsley intensely. Rufus Scrimgeour, the Head of Auror office was standing in front of them as it was creeping up to lunch time.

'Kingsley, how is the search for Black going'

'He was spotted in Marbella by some wizard on holiday, so I'm looking into that' Scrimgeour scourged his bushy eyebrows a bit.

'You know. I would have thought he be in England to keep track of Harry Potter. Where are you getting your information from? I'm starting to think someone is planting fake evidence to divert us'

'It's a possibility. I will look into it' said Kingsley calmly

'Good'

'Ava, can I speak with you for a moment?' Scrimgeour asked and she looked at him surprised. There had only been a few instances where he asked to do so and she tried to ransack her mind to see if there was anything she may have forgotten that could make them think she had a connection with the Order.

'Sure' He pointed towards to the door at the left which Ava knew was his office, he was the only one that had his own office in the auror office, everyone else sat in cubicles. In silence they passed the cubicles, noticing that some of them were following the two with their eyes. Her chest starting to feel heavy and her throat getting dry. What if Scrimgeour have found out about the Order? But then, why just her? and not Kingsley or Tonks too? Or was it to do with her work? But she couldn't for the life of her think of any obvious mistake she could have done.

He opened the door, where she had been there a few times before. It was big, with a large walnut desk and a big office chair on one side and black arm chair on the other. All around the room where news articles from The Daily Prophet of Scrimgeour catching different dark wizards and one of them from when he was appointed Head of Auror Office. She could never really decide whether she liked him or not, there was no denying he was a very good Auror but you definitley didn't wan't to be on his bad side. He pointed towards the arm chair as he sat down in the other.

'Tea? Coffee?' he asked

'No thanks' she declined and sat down.

He put his hands together on the table

'Ava, I trust that what I say will stay between us?' he looked at her with an intense look, as it to see if she was lying.

'Yes'

'Well, as you know, Dumbledore is spreading these lies that You-Know-Who is back. Fudge is certain that he is out for his position and is gathering people to overthrow him and he have asked me to gather some people to follow him to see what he is up to and I have suggested you'

Whatever she had been expecting it wasn't this and she sat frozen in her stare as she looked at him with big eyes.

'But sir, Dumbledore is the cleverest wizard out there. You really think he won't know if he has people following him?"

'Look, even a great wizard like Dumbledore is bound to miss a few tricks' Ava wasn't too sure of that but nodded, knowing fully well the first thing she would do was to contact Dumbledore.

-x-

Ava had no idea how to start. She had was pretty sure that any mail to Dumbledore could be intercepted, and she could not come up with how to let him know he was being followed subtly in a letter. He was also extremely busy nowadays, he had only attended two of the Order meetings so far while she had been there and it could only be matters other than school but not coming up with a better idea she apparated to Hogsmeade as soon as she had gotten off for the day.

Walking down the Hogsmeade high street, it was a lot more quiet than she remembered when she had been there during Hogsmeade visits at Hogwarts. The cobbled road down to the castle it was usually packed with students filling it up. She saw a few witches and wizards inside the stores as she strodded down. She had usually preferred to spend the Hogsmeade dates inside the castle as most of the students were out so it was easier to find a quiet area in the library or in the common room or be alone in the dormitory. She looked up at the big castle from the gate where she arrived, most of the rooms were dark since the school year hadn't started yet. Looking around her gaze stayed at the two winged iron boars. She had never come to Hogwarts as a guest before and had no idea how to get in. During Hogsmeade visits, usually Filtch or occasionally an teacher had been standing there letting them in. For a few seconds she looked around for clues when one of the boars said in a shrill voice.

'I'm here to see professor Dumbledore'

'Name?'

'Ava Barnes'

For a while it was quiet again until the movement came back.

'The headmaster can see you now, password is "Fizzy Wizzy" the boar said and the gates to the school opened.

There was something about being inside a school during the summer months; the corridors were not crowded with students pushing through or running to a lesson they were late for and the usual audible sound of laughter and people gossiping not filling the rooms. All was suspiciously still and quiet as though the corridors could not wait to hear the first steps of heels march in to the castle. Ava must admit she preferred it this way, it made her take in all the beautiful old details like the glass artwork on some windows, the details on the staircase and the ...

It was weird, she never had excepted to be back here, even if it was just for a short meeting.

The hallway outside the headmaster's office was small, with only room for four people. Never having there been here previously, Ava was in awe how pretty it was, from the beautiful oak door in to the polish of the wood and the griffin shaped brass knocker. Eventually she grabbed the knocker, slamming it carefully against the door.

The door swung opened

'Ah, Ava. Welcome' his soft voice said as he directed her inside. He didn't seem very annoyed, but she definitely had the feeling she had been interrupting something.

'Thank you professor' she said, almost stopping in mid-sentence.

The room was unlike anything Ava had ever seen. It wasn't very big but it was fascinating. Circular to shape, with plenty of windows for the sunrays to push through. The walls covered by portraits of old head masters and mistresses ( some of which Ava recognized from school books ) staring at her intensely making her feel a bit uncomfortable. She had never liked the idea of moving portraits very much, it made her feel like everything she was saying could be heard.

The desk in the centre was great with claw feets and a big wooden chair with a red soft fabric. Around the room were different artefacts, from the worn out sorting hat on a shelf to silver instruments around the room and papers the desk. He gestured her to the desk, where another chair had now come in to place in front of the desk.

'So how are you Ava? Can I offer you anything to drink'

'I'm good thank you'

'So what brings you here?'

'Well…I thought you should know. The minister wants me to spy on you' Instead of looking surprised that Ava thought he might, he smiled

'Thank you Ava for letting me know - it was only a matter of time before he would. I think I seen Dawlish around here in the Hogsmeade area'

'So...what do you want me to do?' she asked confused about Dumbledore's blasé tone.

'Spy on me and report to him' he said simply and she nodded.