Author's Note: I hate giving excuses for the lack of updates, but real life issues demanded my attention recently and I was struggling with a bout of depression that was sucking all of the motivation and energy right out of me. Thankfully, I'm on the upswing now :) The only thing left still unresolved from real life is my dog needing surgery on his elbow since he's at that age now where his joints are acting up. *fingers crossed* Here's a little something so you know I haven't forgotten about you :) just kidding—this is the longest chapter I've ever written. It's a monster!

Since this chapter includes the Order meeting, I had to do a bit of research on the original members, but I ultimately decided to go with what I liked best anyhow. For example, Minerva McGonagall wasn't a member of the first Order of the Phoenix! I didn't know that or maybe I forgot years ago, but in my story, she is :) I'll admit that I also had a bit of trouble figuring out how I wanted the scene with the Order meeting to go too.

Thank you SO very much to everyone who has favorited or followed this story! We're creeping on up to 400 favorites and 550 followers! It's so crazy to me that there's over 500 of you out there waiting to see how this all ends! I hope you enjoy this chapter! :D

Review shout-out: MarvelDweeb, polkadotharrys, Justforloveknows, and Dreampuddle! Thank you! :)

Let me know what you think :D

I do not own any of the Harry Potter characters or anything else resembling what J.K Rowling introduced us all to. Just the plot and OC are mine.


Chapter 43

Despite Avalynn's favorite holiday being only two days away, her stomach was in knots as she forced herself to nibble on her dinner roll. In less than thirty minutes, she and Aunt Minerva, along with the other Order members present in the castle, would be heading to an undisclosed location for her first meeting. This is what you wanted, isn't it? Take a deep breath and get your shit together. Listening to her own advice, Ava closed her eyes and took a few slow, steadying breaths.

Wrapped up in her nervous thoughts, she startled when a hand clasped hers—the one that wasn't currently poking craters in the crust of her bread as she clutched it. Her eyes peeked open to find Severus scanning her face in concern as he sat across from her at the Slytherin table.

"Are you going to be alright?"

She shrugged.

His lips thinned. "McGonagall will be with you. We both know that she would never let anything happen to you, Ava. You're just going to a meeting." His dark eyes narrowed. "You are just attending a meeting, right? You're not going on some foolhardy mission, are you?"

Her eyes widened in surprise at his demanding tone. "No, Severus. It's just a meeting."

The tension seemed to leave his body as he nodded. "Good."

She sighed, pulling her hand away from his. Her eyes roved over the platters of food, but her stomach shriveled at the smells emanating from the roasted chicken, potatoes, and buttery vegetables, much too queasy to tolerate anything she'd usually stuff her face with. "Can you at least trust me enough to let you know when I'll be doing something a bit more dangerous?"

"I do trust you."

"Then trust me when I say this is just me freaking out because I hate being the center of attention and I've got to make my story believable to an entire group of people I've never met before."

His mouth turned down at the corners. "I thought you were going to tell some of the more prominent members the real truth."

She groaned and rested her head on the table. "That's the plan," she voiced, lacking enthusiasm. "I can't let Dumbledore and Aunt Minerva be the only members that know the whole truth. What if something happens to them and I can't get anyone else to listen to me?"

A mixture of worry and fear tinted his tone as Severus asked, "Is anything supposed to happen to them?"

Her head shot up. "No." As far as she was aware, Dumbledore hadn't yet collected the Gaunt ring, but hopefully he would do so over break. She hoped even more so that the Headmaster would heed her warning.

Severus peered over her shoulder, his eyes widening a fraction before he began rattling off advice. "Clear your mind before the meeting. Focus your shield on what's most important. Dumbledore can't possibly be the only Legilimens in the Order."

Ava swiveled in her seat to see Aunt Minerva approaching, having come down from the Head Table. She faced her best friend as his words became more frantic.

"Stand firm, no matter what happens. What other people say. You know the truth, they need to listen to you. Message me if you need anything."

She gulped and nodded. Standing from the bench, she asked, "Want to meet up when I'm back?"

"The Room?"

She shook her head. "Just come to our quarters and we can hang out. We've been working really hard the past few days. We deserve to just chill for a night."

He looked a little uncomfortable as his cheeks tinted pink.

It took her a moment, but Ava realized that Severus had never been inside her rooms. And it's probably a whole other level of awkward with Aunt Minerva being his teacher. "We can meet somewhere else if you want." She grinned. "We can hang out in the Slytherin common room."

"No," he breathed out, eyeing the younger Slytherins at the other end of the table. "I don't think that's a good idea. Who knows what those idiots would say once classes resumed?"

"So, my quarters then?"

He rolled his eyes. "I know what you're doing."

"Is it working?" she asked with a wide smile, knowing that he'd rather face an unpleasant situation with the professor than have her anywhere near the Slytherin dorms.

He let out an exaggerated sigh. "Yes, witch. Now leave my sight before I change my mind."

"See ya." She glanced behind to see her aunt patiently waiting.

Just as she was about to step away from the table, Severus whispered, "Good luck."

Ava paused. "Thanks." Steeling her nerves, she joined Professor McGonagall.

"Are you ready, dear?"

"As much as I'll ever be."

The pair made their way to the Hospital Wing to meet up with Madame Pomfrey before heading to use Dumbledore's Floo, and Ava lost herself in the swirling storm of what-if situations that flooded her mind. I can't believe I'm going to a meeting for the Order of the fucking Phoenix. This is too unreal. She flushed at the thought of explaining herself in front of the serious kick-ass wizards and witches that made up the Order. What if they don't accept me as a member?

Wiping her sweaty palms on her robes, she turned to the professor, trying to push down the queasy feeling rising in her stomach. "Does everyone know I'm coming?"

"This meeting has been scheduled for months, so we would be gathering anyhow. I doubt anyone is aware that we're gaining a new member tonight though, unless they've spoken to Albus, which is unlikely."

Ava could feel the blood draining from her face as a wave of heat rushed over her. Breathing rapidly, she pinched her shirt and flapped it away from her chest while fanning herself. "I'm sure that'll be a fun surprise for everyone," she murmured, all possible negative reactions circling through her head. "Oh, here's McGonagall's long lost niece out of nowhere, she hasn't even graduated yet, but she's ready to be a member, don't worry about it, she'll be fine. It's not like she's brand new to magic or anything."

"Are you feeling quite alright? There's nothing to be concerned about."

"I'm just hot. Are you hot?" I don't think I can do this. She wiped sweat from her forehead as her vision started to blacken around the edges. I shouldn't go. But Dumbledore already thinks I'm going, I can't back out now.

She felt lightheaded and clawed at the wall, her stomach ready to spew up its meager contents, but someone grabbed a hold of her shoulders and guided her through the large doors of the Hospital Wing.

"Poppy!" Aunt Minerva called out.

That must be who's holding me. Her vision faded in and out as blood pounded in her ears. What's happening? Am I dying? The sound of panting reached her ears and she realized it was her own panicked gasps for air.

The professor's voice was garbled, but Ava could just make out something along the lines of "sit down" as she was directed towards a hospital bed.

Chest heaving, Ava's hands trembled as she attempted to keep herself upright on the edge of the mattress. Of course I can't do this. At least if I'm dying, I don't have to go to the meeting. Another heat wave of anxiety crashed through her body at the thought of not helping stop Voldemort. Maybe I'm interfering too much and this will make it all worse. But I can't just sit back and watch it all go to shit.

"Of course you can't," Madame Pomfrey said, causing Ava to realize she'd thought aloud. "And you aren't dying, young lady." The healer pushed a glass vial into her hand. "Take a few sips of this. You'll feel much better."

She took the potion but glanced at the older witches with a frown. "I don't know if I can go," she whispered breathlessly.

Pomfrey sighed and cupped her hand around Ava's, pulling out the stopper and gently lifting it towards the young woman's mouth. "We'll discuss the matter as soon as you've had some of this."

Ava complied and drank several mouthfuls of the sky blue liquid. Still clutching the vial, she could feel her body cooling off, as if a pleasant breeze had just decided to blow through the Hospital Wing. Her mind quieted down and her breathing evened out. Coming back to herself, she blushed and ducked her head. "Was all that freaking out a panic attack?"

"How do you feel?" Aunt Minerva asked, skirting around Ava's question.

"Better." She breathed out in relief, handing the potion back to Madame Pomfrey and taking in the concerned expressions on the older witches' faces. It probably was a panic attack and now they think I'm too delicate to tell me the truth.

As the healer set the glass vial down on the side table, she explained, "It's a Calming Draught and it should keep your nerves settled for a couple of hours."

McGonagall grasped Ava's hands in hers. "I can understand why you'd feel anxious at the thought of the meeting, but dear child, there's nothing to fear. All of the people who'll be attending are decent and kindhearted. I cannot even begin to understand the weight resting on your shoulders, but I believe that your intent is pure. Everything you've done since you've arrived has been focused on helping others and saving the Wizarding World."

She flinched. "Just don't start calling me 'the savior' please," she joked half-heartedly. "It's bad enough as it is." Taking a deep breath, she said, "This is all just a little overwhelming."

"As your healer, I would recommend that you rest in a calm environment for the remainder of the evening." Pomfrey quirked a brow. "However, I'd wager that you aren't open to my suggestion."

Ava let out a small laugh. "Yeah, I had a moment there, but I'm fine now." She ignored the niggling voice at the back of her mind that whispered, "No, you're not." As if to prove herself, she shakily stood from the bed. "Can I just have a glass of water, please? And then we can go."

Aunt Minerva stared at her for a long moment before nodding and conjuring a cup of cool water.

Madame Pomfrey ran a diagnostic spell over Ava and appeared satisfied. "We should be going if we don't want to be late."

She nodded and gulped the water before wiping her still sweaty face and neck with her robe. Convinced that she was well enough once again, the older witches turned their backs and headed towards the door.

Ava lunged for the side table and downed the rest of the Calming Draught before the professor or healer could spot her. Just in case, she told herself, using the back of her hand to wipe her mouth clean. She scurried to catch up, and fell into line with them as the potion seemed to be taking affect.

The tension slid right out of her body, melting into a puddle on the floor she could leave behind, and her mind felt lighter than it had for months. Probably clearer than it had ever been. I feel a little too relaxed. Now walking next to Aunt Minerva, she giggled, thinking about how she told Severus they deserved to "chill." I'm certainly chill right now, she thought, laughing to herself again.

The side-eye from her guardian was enough to sober her for a moment and she ruthlessly pinched herself beneath the sleeve of her robe. Son of a bitch, she mentally complained with her jaw clenched. Before they reached the Headmaster's Office, Ava had to force herself to focus once more, making her swear that there would be a nasty bruise on her arm come morning. She was beginning to regret drinking the remainder of the potion.

She took back that thought almost immediately as she ascended the stairs and watched Madame Pomfrey greet Dumbledore before disappearing in a burst of green flames. Trepidation grew in her stomach but it seemed to leak out as quickly as it came. Before Ava could step up to the fireplace, the wizard handed her a small piece of parchment that read, "The Headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix is located at Number 20, Mablethorpe Lane."

She hadn't even realized that she didn't know what address to announce in order to use the Floo. When the parchment sparked and flames consumed it, she merely raised her brows in mild surprise and slowly released the paper, letting it flutter to the floor.

"Are you feeling well, Miss McGonagall?"

Ava tore her gaze away from the ashen address on the stone floor to find Dumbledore peering at her with narrowed eyes. "Yes, I'm perfectly calm. Alright, I mean. I'm fine." At least she had the wherewithal to look away from the blue eyes that inspected her.

Perhaps sensing her discomfort, Aunt Minerva gestured for her to use the Floo first. It wasn't until she spoke the last syllable of the address for Headquarters, when the green flames were their brightest, that Ava realized she was tumbling into unfamiliar territory on her own. That startling thought was enough to snap her senses into alertness as she ducked out of the fireplace, brushing soot off herself and blinking rapidly to clear spots from her vision caused by the luminous flames.

It appeared that the home she just entered had the Floo network set up in a library or an office of some sort. The dim glow from lanterns revealed a high ceiling, at least twelve feet tall, with bookshelves stretching up to reach it. The scent reminded her of the library at Hogwarts—a combination of paper and must, and she momentarily wished for time to peruse the texts that she might not find in the school's inventory.

There was a small desk near drawn curtains, no doubt in an attempt to conceal the secret meeting taking place, with only two other chairs in the room. Though there was enough floor space for more seating furniture, it appeared that the owner didn't entertain much in this room since crooked stacks of books littered the carpet and chairs instead.

Hearing voices outside the door, Ava inched closer just as a head popped around the corner, nearly scaring the life out of her. She grasped her wand instinctively.

"Ava, dear, come meet some of the members," Madame Pomfrey called, waving her over.

The familiar face doused her nerves and Ava quickly stowed away her Blackthorn. She formed her mental shield, barricading in memories that would reveal the truth about her, before stepping forward. Just reaching a hallway that was wide enough for five people to be milling about, she faintly heard to Floo activate behind her.

The healer looped her arm through Ava's and introduced her to the other four chatting members.

She channeled Phineas as she politely greeted each of them and tried her best to catalog something about their appearance or personality so she could easily remember their names. Dedalus Diggle was the homeowner and rather cheerful in her opinion considering the reason for their meeting. Benjy Fenwick also seemed in a good mood, but Ava could recall that Moody had once commented that they could only find "bits of him" after Benjy had been killed by the Death Eaters. She swallowed a grimace and kept her face blank as Pomfrey moved onto the others while Aunt Minerva and Dumbledore joined them.

Dorcas Meadows was a dark skinned witch that even Ava found slightly distracting with her gorgeous looks and mesmerizing eyes. The woman shook Ava's hand firmly and stood with confidence though she appeared to be only a few years older. I wonder if Sirius ever had a crush on her, she idly thought. The last introduction was only necessary for her to get the twins' names straight. With the red hair, freckles, and an infectious smile, she could see the similarities to the Weasleys before the wizard kissed the back of her hand with a wink and announced himself as Fabian Prewett.

Ava felt her cheeks flush as she squirmed and practically yanked her hand out of his. He may be good looking, but I've got a mate for Christ's sake. Even though the full moon had been over a week ago, Ava could feel her magic growling in displeasure at another male touching her. I know, I know. Me too.

The cheeky wizard only seemed to be amused by her behavior. "My brother will be quite curious to meet the niece of his favorite professor."

"Oh, Mr. Prewett, you flatter me," her aunt said with a small smile.

After pleasantries were exchanged between members, Ava gently nudged her aunt, desperate to escape the hallway that felt as though its walls were closing in on her. She trailed behind the professor and her chest expanded with relief as the hallway opened up into what looked to be the foyer of the home. Other members were spread out in the open space, conversing in small clusters near the door and at the foot of a large staircase.

Directly across from her was a wide entryway of double doors leading into a room that reminded Ava of a modern-day board meeting for some large company. A wooden, rectangular table was in the center and spanned the length of the room, lined with dozens of chairs. She frowned at the sight, knowing that there had only been around twenty-five or so members on the list that Dumbledore had given her. Maybe other new members are joining tonight.

McGonagall had only pointed out a couple more members to her when the Headmaster entered the foyer and voices died off.

"Good evening, everyone. I appreciate you making the time to meet with the holidays coming up, but this is an important meeting and we won't be gathering again until after the New Year. I'm sure you'd all enjoy getting back to your family and friends at a reasonable hour, so why don't we get started?" The old wizard gestured across from him, indicating that people should take their seats.

Hushed words and curious eyes followed her through the room, causing Ava and her magic to bristle. I hate this, I hate this, she complained internally, refusing to make eye contact with anyone. The Calming Draught seemed to be warring with her true emotions, causing a ridiculous influx of feelings as it continuously attempted to suppress her anxiety whenever it spiked.

While Dumbledore took the head of the table at the far end, Aunt Minerva took the chair on his right, dragging an unwilling Ava closer to the center of attention. Thankfully, Madame Pomfrey took the seat on her other side, keeping anyone new from perching next to her.

On Dumbledore's left side, Professor Flitwick sat with wide eyes as he realized Ava's presence. She gave him a sheepish smile, hoping he wouldn't hold it against her since she had never mentioned the Order during their countless meetings before and after Charms, discussing magic and her extracurricular projects. The surprise soon left his face and he inclined his head with a smile, allowing some more tension to melt from her body.

Directly across from her was a middle-aged wizard with light brown hair, a scar running parallel to his jaw line, and a penetrating gaze. His narrowed eyes peered into her very soul as he inspected her, seemingly trying to determine who she was and if she posed a threat. Before she could lean over to Aunt Minerva and ask about his identity, her attention was stolen by the pair of redheads that claimed the seats next to the intimidating wizard.

As soon as the unknown wizard addressed the twin beside him as Fabian, Ava took note of the differences between the brothers since she was able to see them side by side. She quickly committed them to memory, hoping to avoid ever calling them by the wrong names. Fabian, who struck her as a bit of a scoundrel, and knew exactly how handsome he was, had more freckles scattered along his nose and cheeks, and his eyes were a paler blue compared to his brother's. Both of them had shoulder-length hair, but Gideon's was tied back.

Everyone had begun chatting as they took their seats, and she couldn't hear what the twins were saying to each other over the din. They were obviously discussing something about her considering that Fabian was pointedly glancing in her direction and Gideon's eyes followed.

She couldn't help but roll her eyes at their lack of subtlety.

Fabian was grinning widely at her attention while Gideon appeared to still be taking her in. His eyes trailed over her face and loosely braided hair and down to her robes, but his gaze didn't come across as leering. He seemed more curious than anything.

As Ava opened her mouth to tell off Gideon for staring, movement further down the table caught her eye and a welcomed sight greeted her. Dorea Potter had waved at her with a smile and tapped the arm of a man sitting next to her, causing his face to swivel towards Ava. At first, Charlus Potter appeared confused by her attendance, but nodded in her direction before revealing a small grin as well.

Remembering how kind and understanding the Potters had been when she met them a couple months ago, and that they had been thoughtful enough to invite her to their home for a portion of the holiday break, Ava could feel her body relax further into her chair knowing she had more allies amongst the members gathered.

Taking the opportunity to glance around the table to spot any other familiar faces, Ava could tell that there was way more than twenty-five people present. She scanned the room, estimating the real number being closer to forty or fifty attending members. She spun in her seat to glare at Dumbledore. There's no way he found this many new members in just a couple of weeks!

Noticing her stare, the shadow of a smile passed over the bastard's face before he looked away to bring the room to attention.

She let out an infuriated huff, crossing her arms. He didn't give me the complete list of members. How? How did he get around the Oath?

Just a moment later, she got her answer when the conniving Headmaster announced that everyone present would be required to swear an Oath and become official members. Murmurs broke out in the crowd, with sounds of both agreement and protest following. "I didn't sign on for this, I'm just a financial supporter," someone declared a few seats down from her. A witch she didn't recognize complained, "I only committed to this because I could remain anonymous. Is that going to change?"

Ah, so he's got more connections in his network than just "members." He wouldn't have been bound by the Oath to include them on the list I asked for. Pushing that issue aside for later, she glanced around the room with furrowed brows. Why wouldn't they want an Oath? It helps protect everyone.

A gruff voice broke into her thoughts. "Everyone's got something to hide, girly."

Her gaze shot across the table to the imposing wizard.

He continued, "Your average witch and wizard aren't usually inclined to bind themselves magically."

She quirked a brow and straightened in her seat. "Good thing we have no use for average witches and wizards then, huh?"

Aunt Minerva released an exasperated sigh, probably wanting her to behave. However, the twins were having trouble hiding their smiles and even the wizard in front of her had amusement spark in his eyes.

"Is that right? And you're one of those above average witches, yeah?" he asked in gravelly voice.

Ava grinned. "As a matter of fact—"

Red sparks shot into the air. They were harmless, but startling nonetheless, and forced everyone's attention to Dumbledore. "If everyone would quiet down, I could explain and address any of your concerns."

At the resounding silence, he went on to inform the room that someone had recently brought it to his attention that the Order and its members would be more secure if an Oath was required. Not necessarily because he doesn't trust them—Ava had to hold in a snort at that part—but more so as a safeguard so that a member couldn't inadvertently reveal any sensitive information. A handful of members had questions for their leader, but she tuned them out, instead trying to subtly study those around her.

She was distracted from her spying when a nasally voice asked, "What about her? The new witch?"

Ava clenched the armrests of her chair at the audible shift in the group's attention to her. Panic welled inside her briefly, but began to drift away as she focused on taking a deep breath. She turned slightly in her seat and looked to Dumbledore, attempting to convey as clearly as possible that she was not about to discuss her identity or anything else personal until everyone in the room had sworn their allegiance to the Order of the Phoenix.

He returned her stare with a nod before casting his gaze back to the room at large. "We will only discuss Order matters after everyone has completed their Oath. If anyone is uncomfortable with that decision, then they can choose to leave but I will need to set up an appointment with those regarding their departure from the Order to follow-up."

She couldn't stop the scoff that escaped. Most likely to forcefully Obliviate them of any memory about the Order. Seeing that she drew the attention of those sitting closest around her, Ava attempted to cover up her noise of disbelief with a cough.

Even though she was technically the only new member, everyone recited the Oath in tandem, allowing a smidgen of her anxiety to float away. In her own, semi-professional opinion, having demanded Oaths from multiple people, Ava thought the wording of the Oath was tight and precise, requiring the caster to bind their loyalty to the Order as a group, rather than to just follow Dumbledore's lead.

Maybe he's planning for all contingencies, she thought with mild shock while resuming her seat along with the rest of the members. The old wizard didn't seem like the kind to tolerate others stepping out of bounds. Surprisingly, no one had walked away from the table after the Headmaster's offer, despite complaining about having to take the Oath.

The esteemed leader opened his mouth to speak, but was interrupted by the same wizard as earlier, given the distinct voice. "What about the witch?"

Ava's nerves may have gotten the best of her because before she knew it, she had rolled her eyes, stood with her chair squeaking across the floor, and faced the room, trying to find the person to match the voice. "Who is it that has the patience of a three-year old and finds me so interesting that he couldn't wait one minute for me to be introduced?" She raised her brows and slowly made eye contact with several members further down the table, ignoring the snickers that followed her question.

When the awkward silence began to border on unbearable, Dumbledore cleared his throat. "I believe it was Mr. Fletcher, Miss McGonagall, whose curiosity you piqued."

She didn't take her eyes off the rest of the members when she repeated, "Mr. Fletcher?"

"Mundungus Fletcher, ma'am," the nasally voice spoke up.

Of course, she chided herself. The only Fletcher that makes any sense. Her eyes followed the sound to a bald, short wizard with tanned, leathery looking skin. "Well, Mundungus, and everyone else who's wondering, I'm Ava McGonagall."

Whispers reached her ears from the wizards and witches surrounding her and she looked over her shoulder to Dumbledore.

He inclined his head, so she turned around to the crowd once more.

"Yes, I'm related to Minerva McGonagall, she's my aunt. You probably haven't heard of me before because I grew up in the Muggle world in America, not having much interaction with Aunt Minerva or the Wizarding World, but I'm here now and I find myself compelled to help the Order in any way that I can." She remained standing, waiting for the onslaught of questions.

"Aren't you still in school?" a dark skinned wizard asked.

"Yes, Mr. …?"

"Shacklebolt."

"Are you Kingsley's father?" she asked with a smile. At the wizard's nod, she added, "He's a smart cookie, that one. He's going to be a force to be reckoned with when he graduates."

Mr. Shacklebolt returned her grin. "Thank you, that's very kind. Kingsley wrote to us that he was tutoring Professor McGonagall's niece, and while he's no longer doing so, I'm assuming that you're still working your way through the curriculum. How are you supposed to contribute to the Order when you haven't completed your magical studies?"

A shrill voice interrupted her response. "Forget about her studies. She's still a child. That's hardly appropriate."

Fabian groaned from across the table, drawing her attention briefly. He mouthed, "sorry," and ducked his head.

Ava frowned and peered down the table, attempting to find the witch that had spoken out against her. Well, shit, she thought when her eyes connected with those of a redheaded woman who looked ready to give birth any day now, and who happened to share notable physical traits with the Prewett twins.

A wizard with fiery hair as well stood behind the woman, his hand on her shoulder, presumably in an effort to calm her. "Molly, let's hear them out," he suggested softly.

Mrs. Weasley crossed her arms. "Yes, let's hear the reasons for letting an underaged witch into the Order."

Ava could hear Dumbledore beginning to speak up, most likely on her behalf, but she realized that it would only make her appear even more childish, needing an adult to speak for her. Thank God I wore witch's robes today instead of my school uniform.

She cleared her throat and addressed the Order. "Look, I might still be in school, but I am seventeen." Not sure if that's entirely true, but let's go with it. "I have every right to be a member of this group, just like everybody else, and you won't be changing my mind. If my age makes you uncomfortable, get over it."

A grunt and a chuckle sounded from across the table. "And if it's my magical abilities that you're hesitant about, speak to the professors." She gestured towards her aunt and Professor Flitwick. "They'll vouch for me."

Madame Pomfrey shot her an encouraging smile, bolstering her confidence.

"If you have any other questions or complaints, you can take it up with me and my wand after the meeting."

"Avalynn!" McGonagall hissed.

She pressed her lips together to keep from laughing at the shocked faces around the room. Though she managed to catch Dorea's approving expression as she sat down. As bold as her statement was, Ava knew she needed people to back off from asking questions about her. Not to mention, it'd be good practice for her to duel someone other than her friends and Remus.

Fabian waggled his eyebrows. "Feisty," he whispered. "I like it."

She rolled her eyes in exasperation but couldn't hide her grin. That wizard's going to be trouble.

With her introduction out of the way, the meeting drifted back to the original agenda. However, Ava found it particularly boring since the Order hadn't become too active yet, considering it was only the end of 1977. They discussed the current layout of politics and which people in positions of power were on their side or firmly against them. There were a few names mentioned of those that some members thought could be swayed to their side depending on how upcoming bills and policies were handled by the Wizengamot.

Seeing as she didn't recognize any of the people discussed, Ava nearly tuned out of the conversation, but it seemed as though the meeting was already wrapping up. She sat up in her chair with a frown and glanced around the table to find people beginning to stand or put their outer robes back on to brace the cold weather.

What? That's it? Just talk to more people and see where they stand? How is that a plan? She had to remind herself that the Order hadn't encountered the Death Eaters at full, murderous force quite yet, but that didn't excuse their unpreparedness.

"Uh," she began, awkwardly raising her hand as if in a classroom.

"Yes, Miss McGonagall?" Dumbledore asked, resulting in several groans of annoyance to echo around the room as all movement was halted. The wizard looked curious as to what she had to say and gestured for her to continue.

She wrapped her fingers together and hid them beneath the table. "Well, um, what about the Aurors?"

"What about them?" snapped the gruff wizard across from her.

She quirked a brow at his brusque response. "They weren't mentioned."

"How do you mean? In what way would we have discussed the Aurors?" McGonagall asked.

She sighed, predicting a negative response to her line of thinking. "I'd like to know about the affiliations of the Aurors. Both established and in training." As her comment sunk in, she looked around cautiously. Aunt Minerva and Professor Flitwick both appeared troubled while Dumbledore eyed her with an assessing gaze.

All at once, everyone in the room started speaking. Ava could only hear those around her, and Dedalus Diggle's voice carried to her from the other side of Madame Pomfrey. "But the Aurors are loyal to the Ministry. They're there to protect us."

Unable to stop herself, she scoffed and leaned forward to get a better look at the wizard. "That's ridiculous. You think people will be loyal because of where they happen to work?"

The older man's cheeks reddened and he sputtered, unable to form a response.

Once again, Dumbledore called the group to attention with sparks. "Alastor, what do you think?" he asked, shifting his attention to the wizard across from her. "You're Head Auror after all."

Alastor? Like Alastor Moody? Shit! she yelped internally, meeting the dark wizard catcher's piercing eyes with a gulp. I hope I didn't piss him off. Of course that's Mad-Eye Moody, I should've known! It's not like he's missing an eye though. Ava continued to mentally berate herself as she looked him over with a new perspective.

Moody stared at her while he said, "I have a decent idea as to which Aurors we could approach and those we should steer clear of."

Without thinking, she asked, "What about those on the fence?"

He nodded and rubbed his jaw. "Aye, there are a handful that I'll need some time with." He glanced to the twins. "You boys will help me with that, won't you?"

"Yes, sir," they said in unison.

Seeing that the twins were the only ones that Moody addressed caused her to frown and look down the table to see if any other Aurors might be listening to their boss. Ava didn't spot any, but she did notice Dorcas Meadows. The witch was sitting next to Gideon and staring at her with interest.

Dorcas raised her voice slightly and asked, "You don't think those who signed on for protecting our society would do so against this man gathering followers and spouting off about policies prejudiced against members of that very same society?"

Ava couldn't help the laugh that escaped her. How are these people so naive? "Just because someone is a part of the law enforcement doesn't mean they're no longer susceptible to their own prejudices, or bribery, or blackmail, or whatever. Dictators rise to power all the time by enlisting their own armed forces. Why wouldn't the Aurors be considered for recruitment?"

Noticing a lot of eyes on her, she swallowed and glanced around the table, waiting for someone to break the deafening silence.

Unfortunately, it was some idiot. "Maybe that's what happens in Muggle societies, but it's not the same in the Wizarding World."

Ava tried. She truly did. Her cheeks flushed with anger, and her frustration boiled over. She shot out of her seat and slammed her hands on the table, glaring out towards the rest of the room. "If you honestly believe that, you've got your head so far up your ass, you don't know right from left."

Ignoring the various remarks of incredulity and admonishment, as well as a few surprised laughs, she whipped her gaze towards Moody. "I'm sure as a dark wizard chaser you know all about Grindelwald, correct?"

The group had quieted once more and his grunt of acknowledgment was crystal clear.

She dismissed the obvious expert on Grindelwald sitting tensely in his chair at the head of the table, and continued to question Moody as he appeared to be the highest member of the wizarding law enforcement in the Order. "How long did it take for him to amass the greatest number of his followers?"

The gruff wizard leaned his elbow on the table and understanding seemed to dawn in his eyes. "Three years. And the total number was never determined, but it was upwards of a few hundred."

She nodded, thinking quickly. "And how many wizards and witches make up a department of Aurors, typically?"

"Including the trainees? Anywhere between forty to sixty would be at the home office as some would be out on assignment at any given point."

"Was there any evidence that Grindelwald recruited from within the ranks of law enforcement in the various countries his followers were stationed in?" Ava knew that the fighting with Grindelwald was mostly restricted to the European continent, and she was hoping her line of questioning would still pan out considering she wasn't too familiar with that particular dark wizard.

Moody let out a dry chuckle. "Quite. He had dozens of confirmed agents within foreign ministries, and most professionals believe he had even more undercover because of the level of intel he was able to gain, giving him the upper hand in most skirmishes with the authorities."

She could hear whispers throughout the room, but shook them out of her thoughts, wanting to get her point across. "I'm assuming there were interrogations held?"

He nodded.

"Did any of the Aurors following Grindelwald give any indication as to why they joined him?"

Moody let out a low growl. "Just about any reason you can think of. They believed in him and agreed with his views. He paid them off or promised them power. But there were others that had been blackmailed or coerced in some way."

Ava looked to Dumbledore and she could've sworn fear flashed across his face, but she blinked and his features were blank. "How long has Voldemort been gathering followers?"

He pressed his thin lips together. "It's difficult to say with how underground he kept his organization until recently, but I was first able to confirm his active recruiting nearly two years ago."

She took a breath and slowly looked at her aunt, Professor Flitwick, and Moody before facing the rest of the Order. "If Voldemort is as even half as convincing and charismatic as Grindelwald was," which he is, "his followers already outnumber the Aurors of the British Ministry of Magic. And he's probably converted some of the Aurors to his side already."

Reality settled in as silence hung heavy around the room. Even those that had argued, believing that the Aurors wouldn't turn against them, stayed quiet.

Eventually, Dumbledore cleared his throat. "If there are no further questions—," he cut a look to Ava, "—or observations?" He waited a moment, then continued, "In light of this evening's discussion, Alastor, as well as the Prewett brothers, will begin to assess the standings of the Aurors. I ask that everyone else continue working on their own tasks until the next meeting. Have a good evening, and Happy Christmas, everyone."

As the majority of the Order began to shuffle out of the room, Fabian and Gideon made their way around the table to where Ava was standing with Aunt Minerva. She was getting an ear-full on proper behavior for a young lady when the twins waltzed up.

"Miss McGonagall, allow me to introduce my brother, Gideon Prewett. Brother, this is the impressive Miss Ava McGonagall," Fabian announced with an exaggerated flourish.

She kept herself from rolling her eyes in fear that Gideon would think it was directed at him. Fabian reminds me too much of Sirius, she thought while extending her hand towards Gideon. "Nice to meet you."

"You too," he said while gripping her hand firmly before tucking it in his pants pockets.

"How long has it been since you've graduated?"

"Five years," they said together.

"So you've been fully trained Aurors for how long?"

Fabian flashed her a smile. "Don't worry, we'll be able to protect ourselves against the big, bad wizards."

Gideon shook his head and shared a look of exasperation with her. "We trained for about a year and a half after graduating, and we've been working in the DMLE ever since."

She nodded. "What's that like? Being an Auror?"

Both of their faces lit up and they launched into an explanation. Fabian's description told more so like a fairytale in which he was the knight in shining amour, whereas Gideon's was practical but humble. He seemed hesitant to mention that he currently held the best exam scores for the training program and his cheeks reddened when Fabian announced it for the entire room to hear.

Only a dozen or so members remained when Gideon asked Ava which House she had been sorted into.

"Gryffindor," she told them, beaming.

"Of course you are. Quite the spitfire for your first meeting," Fabian said with a waggle of his eyebrows.

Gideon returned her smile. "We should've known, considering who your aunt is."

Ava cast a glance at Aunt Minerva who had stepped aside to mingle with Madame Pomfrey and other members. "Yeah," she said with a huff of a laugh, appreciation lacing her tone as she considered the older witch who took her in with no hesitation.

"How are you settling in at Hogwarts?" Gideon asked.

As much as Fabian seem to tease and play around, he looked genuinely interested in her response as well.

"Well, I'm doing alright in my classes. I'm not taking any electives so I can catch up quicker, but I'm already starting seventh year Charms after break."

"That's great," Gideon said.

"Are those little Gryffindor troublemakers still there?" Fabian asked. "They had a name for their group almost straight from the beginning, but I can't remember…" he trailed off.

Ava laughed. "You mean the Marauders? Those guys are some of my best friends. They're in seventh year now."

The twins chuckled and Gideon said, "Those boys were too clever for their own good, even when they were firsties."

She smiled. "Yeah, they're something else. Although, my best friend is probably the cleverest person I know." Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Aunt Minerva stiffen next to Madame Pomfrey. She frowned and nearly asked what was wrong but Fabian distracted her with more conversation.

"Who's that then? Lupin? He seemed to be the only one of the four that took school seriously. He'd follow the other three around trying to keep them from getting into too much trouble."

She giggled in delight, loving the fact that she was learning about Remus and the Marauders when they were younger. "No, not Remus. I'm not sure if you know him. Severus Snape?"

The twins frowned in unison. "Snape?" Fabian asked.

Gideon tilted his head. "Yeah, tiny, dark haired bloke that the Marauders always seemed to be messing with."

"No, that couldn't be him," Fabian said with a shake of his head. "Wasn't he a Slytherin?"

Ava crossed her arms and raised a brow. "Yes, Severus, my best friend, is in Slytherin. Your point?"

Guilt flashed across Gideon's face as he started to backpedal over his brother's insinuation. "What he meant was—"

But Fabian was flabbergasted and didn't let his brother finish. "No, that can't be right. You're a Gryffindor." He turned to Gideon. "Didn't we hear that he was a part of the crowd playing around in the Dark Arts with a bunch of Pureblood arseholes?"

She noticed several members around them had perked up, eavesdropping on the conversation as their own fell silent. Moody and Dumbledore seemed particularly interested in her response.

Fabian glanced back at her with furrowed brows. "What's a nice witch like you doing hanging around boys like that, love?"

Her magic seethed at the term of endearment and she reflexively palmed her wand, causing Moody to take a step towards her. She ignored him and closed the distance between herself and the obnoxious twin, pressing the tip of her wand under his chin while she clutched the front of his robes.

"Ava!" she heard McGonagall cry in shock.

"Miss McGonagall," Dumbledore warned.

"One moment, Aunt Minerva, Headmaster," she replied in a sweet tone that contrasted nicely with her feral grin inches from Fabian's startled expression.

His blue eyes were wide as saucers as his mouth hung open, and he seemed unable to form words.

"Let's get a few things straight, shall we, Prewett? First of all, never call me 'love' again." She lowered her voice while jabbing her Blackthorn more forcefully into his skin and practically snarled, "I'm not yours."

Her magic quelled after the statement and Ava felt her temper cool a few degrees. She pulled back her wand slightly and watched him swallow. "Second, who I'm friends with is none of your business. I don't prematurely judge people based on their Houses. I leave that to the small-minded." She gave him a pointed look.

He began to protest and she clicked her tongue. "It's rude to interrupt," she chided, pricking his skin with her wand. "And lastly, you don't know anything about me, but I'll tell you one thing. I'm only 'nice' to those deserving of it."

She lowered her wand and took a step back. Plastering a smile on her face, she looked to his twin and said, "It was a pleasure to meet you, Gideon." Casting an uninterested glance over Fabian, she added, "It was a pleasure, until you opened your mouth. I guess we'll just have to wait and see, hm?"

Without waiting for a response, Ava strided over to her aunt and Madame Pomfrey who were standing with Professor Flitwick and a wizard that McGonagall had pointed out to her earlier. She couldn't recall his name at the moment, but she blamed that on the fact that she was too busy trying to soothe her magic and emotions and settle her nerves after the scene she had just displayed.

"Blimey," she heard breathlessly whispered from behind where she had left Fabian standing dumbfounded.

Peeking around, Ava saw Gideon leading his brother away by the shoulders. Fabian risked a glance back at her and flashed her a crooked smile before winking. She whipped her head forward, blushing furiously. "He's an absolute idiot!" she hissed, looking at her aunt for sympathy.

The wizard standing next to McGonagall let out a belly laugh. "True, but it helps that he's easy on the eyes. He's a decent wizard too." He extended his hand. "Edgar Bones."

Failing to keep a smile off her face, she shook his hand. "Nice to meet you, Mr. Bones." He appeared to be in his mid-forties, with thick and wavy brown hair, and his finely trimmed mustache gave him an aristocratic air.

"Bones is right," Moody said, the sudden, gruff voice by Ava's ear causing her to startle. "Prewett's a damn good wizard. Would've been interesting to see you go up against him."

She merely grunted in response, still wanting to wipe that stupid grin right off Fabian's face. Casting her gaze about the room, she noticed that only a handful of the members remained. Even Madame Pomfrey had left. Oh damn. It's just Dumbledore's closest lieutenants, she realized, remembering Aunt Minerva's briefing on how her first meeting would go.

The Headmaster had resumed his seat at the table and the others followed. Her aunt, Professor Flitwick, Moody, Edgar Bones, Dedalus Diggle, and Elphias Dodge sat as well, leaving Ava's chair from earlier empty.

Her eyes darted around the table and back to her seat. Time to explain, she thought, taking a deep breath before sitting. Thankfully, the Calming Draught appeared to still be working as the rising nausea in her stomach retreated after a few moments.

Whether Dumbledore wanted to take the lead or sensed her unease at the prospect of explaining herself, the wizard calmly brought his most trusted Order members up to speed on Ava's situation and from where she truly came. The unsuspecting wizards were incredulous at first, but within a minute, Professor Flitwick had come around to the idea.

"It's no wonder you're pushing yourself so hard in your classes, dearie," he told her.

She gave him a sheepish smile. "Thank you for believing me."

The others eyed her warily. "Well, I trust you, Albus, so I suppose I'll be trusting Miss McGonagall as well," Elphias Dodge said.

Bones and Diggle nodded their agreement.

I guess that's the best I could ask for right now. Ava understood that with outlandish claims and such a grim future outlined for them, anyone would be hesitant to accept her story. She turned her gaze to Moody, who was squinting at her, seeming to have an internal debate as to whether or not he should toss her out of the room.

"Alastor," Dumbledore said. "It if helps, Miss McGonagall answered a plethora of questions while under Veritaserum, proving that her loyalty lies with the side of the light."

She caught the fact that he neglected to mention that she also attested that she would willingly disobey orders to ensure the safety of an alternate time line.

Moody gave a grunt and nodded.

Though she found the Auror's lack of trust annoying, and was growing tired of proving herself, she understood that it was necessary. So I guess he's always been a fan of constant vigilance, she mused with a smile.

Moody caught her grin and barked, "What are you laughing about?"

Her hands rose in surrender. "Not laughing, sir. Just pleased with your dedication to constant vigilance." Ava's smile widened at the shocked faces staring at her.

Dumbledore smiled and after an unending moment of silence, Professor Flitwick and Bones let out surprised laughs, triggering amused chuckles from her aunt and the others as well. Moody didn't laugh, but the corners of his mouth twitched and there was a glint of mirth in his eyes.

"She has you pegged in one, mate," Bones said, slapping the Auror on the shoulder.

"I suppose she does," he grumbled, almost pouting at the fact that Ava had insider information on him.

She crossed her arms. "Do you suppose then that I'm telling the truth?"

He peered at her with inquisitive eyes. "Aye, lass. But can you be trusted? That remains to be seen."

With a smile, she said, "All I'm asking for is a chance. I understand your hesitation."

His gaze narrowed. "You would, wouldn't you? Can I assume that's why you inquired about the Aurors?"

She nodded.

"What's your skill level? You seemed pretty confident threatening Prewett earlier."

Ava rolled her eyes. "Good enough, so that boy needs to mind his manners or I will put him in his place."

Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Dumbledore, Dodge, and Diggle standing and making their way towards the door, but her attention snapped back to Moody as he asked, "Would you care for a friendly duel, Miss McGonagall?"

She swallowed. Holy shit! No way. "Are you serious?"

He nodded with a feral grin that should've set her on edge, but it didn't. She couldn't help but think that it was the opportunity of a lifetime to duel Alastor Moody.

Before she could respond, Aunt Minerva cleared her throat and said, "It's getting rather late, I think we should be getting back to castle at this hour."

She waved off the older witch. "It's not that late. I don't mind." McGonagall began to protest further, but Ava looked at her with pleading eyes. "I'd really like to. Please?"

The professor huffed. "Fine, the outcome be on your head, young lady."

"Yes!" she whisper shouted before turning back to Moody. "Are we dueling now?"

Professor Flitwick perked up and Bones starting laughing.

Ava looked at him with a clenched jaw. Does he think I can't handle myself?

Bones took in her expression and glanced at the others, his laugh dying off. "Oh, you're serious?"

"Damn straight."

"Language," Aunt Minerva admonished.

"Come," Moody said gruffly as he stood.

Everyone followed him to the front door and they stepped outside, after passing the Headmaster and the other two older wizards in the foyer. I guess they have something private to chat about, she thought before crossing the threshold to the outdoors.

The light fixtures on the outside of the house didn't allow for much visibility, but after a quick spell from Professor Flitwick, the entire yard was illuminated. There wasn't anything out of the ordinary, nothing to indicate that a wizard lived inside the home, other than the group of oddly dressed people standing in the front lawn.

"Where are the neighbors?" she asked, leaving the walkway that led towards the house and trailing behind Moody to an open space of grass.

"Far enough." He murmured a spell that shot straight into the dark sky above them and released a shimmering blue dome that cascaded around the portion of the yard in which they were standing.

Her head tilted back to take in the sight and a smile blossomed on her face. "Cool. What's it do?"

"It's a combination spell—protection and privacy. It'll keep any friendly fire from hitting the others and Muggles won't notice the light show."

"That's quite handy."

"Aye, we use it with the trainees in Muggle London so they can get used to the lay of the land if any of our suspects step out of the Wizarding World." He turned to the three spectators and then back to Ava. "We'll duel in the traditional style."

Her brows furrowed. "Uh, I'm not sure exactly what that means, other than bowing and no killing."

"Or maiming, Avalynn McGonagall," her aunt admonished from the sideline.

She rolled her eyes. "Yeah, yeah, no maiming either." She lowered her voice. "Spoilsport."

But the masculine chuckles and familiar sigh of exasperation revealed that she hadn't been as quiet as she intended.

"Flitwick!" Moody barked, startling everyone in the vicinity. "As a former World Dueling Champion, how could your own student not know the standard procedure for a traditional duel?"

The Charms professor appeared flustered and sputtered out, "We discontinued the Dueling Club several years ago."

"Bah!" The Auror looked at her with a frown of disappointment. "You'll be no match for me then, girly."

Indignation coursed through her body as her magic flared to life in response.

"How unfortunate," her aunt commented with a lick of hope in her tone. "We'll be going then." She looked at Ava expectantly.

"I think I'll prove to be quite the adversary, Mr. Moody." She could see him waffling, so she grinned and added, "Unless you don't think you could take me."

Flitwick chuckled in delight and gave her a nod of encouragement that boosted her confidence since the professor had never seen her duel before. Bones roared in laughter, presumably at the prospect of her challenging Moody, but it lightened her nerves none the less. If I can duel Severus and Regulus simultaneously while taking hits, surely I can make a good stand against Moody.

"Fine. But hurry it up, I've got things to do," he grumbled.

She accidentally let out a squeal of excitement, but immediately calmed herself at the glare from Moody. "Yes, of course. So we walk what? Ten paces away from each other? Then turn and bow?"

"Yes. No Unforgiveables, otherwise I'd have to arrest you, and like the professor said, no spells that could maim or seriously injure."

"Got it."

The pair stood together with their wands drawn and swiveled, taking ten steps in the opposite direction before facing each other once more. They bowed and Moody fired off his first shot before her back had even straightened out.

With a yelp, she dodged to the side and cast Protego in case another spell followed.

"That's good!" he yelled. "You've got to be fast on your feet."

They circled for about a minute, flinging harmless spells back and forth, just testing out their opponents. Ava knew Moody was taking his sweet time, finding all the chinks in her fighting style. Her frustration and nerves mounted.

In quick succession, she cast red sparks and Fumos, releasing a smoke screen that would hopefully cover her movement. She leaped several feet to the side and then began to cast Everte Statum, with the hope that it would land its mark and throw Moody off balance so she could easily bind him.

But right as she began to utter the spell, the Auror cleared the smoke and whirled to face her. He was able to cast a shield just in time to deflect her attack.

"That's more like it!" he shouted with a deep chuckle.

She knew her aunt and the others were murmuring behind her about their duel, but she couldn't discern their words over the pounding of blood in her ears. Though she was able to cast as quick as lightning, the Auror was microseconds faster, allowing him to shield and retaliate at a frightening speed. Spending most of her time shielding now, she could barely fire off any spells at her attacker.

She took a deep breath and focused her mind. Time seemed to slow down for the next minute as Ava fell back on her instincts and allowed her muscle memory to take over as she danced around the lawn, dodging and shielding against Moody. Whenever she could, she'd throw a spell aimed to hurt, hoping it'd be enough of a distraction.

However, the Tripping and Stinging Jinxes weren't enough. She growled in frustration, hating the fact that there were spells at her disposal that she couldn't use. Laughter from the sidelines broke into her thoughts. Fuck it, she thought, assuming that someone was enjoying her predicament a little too much.

Not wasting another second she shouted, "Confringo!" As the fiery blast drew Moody's attention, she cast a Slicing Hex.

A hiss of pain reached her ears.

Gotcha, she thought with a grin, but as she raised her wand to cast Incarcerous, her mouth dropped open.

What little smoke her fire spell had created drifted away, revealing Moody clutching his chest with one hand and deep red liquid soaking through his fingers.

Unbidden, a tiny whine left her throat, disturbed that she had caused enough harm to draw that amount of blood. A Slicing Hex didn't usually cut so deep, but she must've put more power behind it than she realized.

Ava took a step forward, lowering her wand. "I'm so—ooph." The wind was knocked out of her as she hit the ground, bound tightly in ropes.

"Never lower your guard!" Moody barked at her.

She rolled her eyes as she strained her neck to find her opponent. "Bullshit," she muttered under her breath. She should've known better. Moody wasn't the kind of wizard you apologize to in the middle of a duel just because you accidentally put a little too much strength into a spell.

Aunt Minerva was already with the Auror, seemingly bandaging him up since he had shed his robes. Ava peered around and found that Dumbledore, Dodge, and Diggle were outside now as well. Her hackles raised at the thought of the Headmaster watching her duel.

Since no one had made any moves, she yelled, "Anyone care to cut me loose?"

Professor Flitwick let out a startled squeak and released her as he hurried over. "Well done, Ava. That was very impressive."

Her cheeks heated. "Thank you, professor."

"Your performance makes me almost wish we still had a Dueling Club. It would've been very good for others to see."

She ducked her head. "I don't know about that."

"He's not wrong, you know," a voice said.

She peered up to see that Edgar Bones had joined them.

"You held your own against a powerful Auror for quite some time." He smiled. "Granted, he might've been going a little easier on you, but it was clear that he had to work to defend himself several times."

She beamed. "Really?"

"Unfortunately," Moody's gruff voice remarked behind her.

She spun around with an open mouth. "I'm so sorry, sir. I didn't mean to, I—"

He sliced his hand through the air. "Enough. You did better than I expected."

She let out a huff of laughter. "Thank you for that backhanded compliment, sir, but I might've won had we not adhered to the standard dueling rules."

He quirked an eyebrow at her and grinned. "That true, Miss McGonagall? Maybe we need to see how that match would turn out."

She beamed. Noticing how he addressed her, it seemed that she had somehow earned a modicum of respect from the imposing Auror.

"I think one duel is enough for tonight," Aunt Minerva said primly. She gave Ava a pointed look.

"Alright, alright." She looked to Moody and held out her hand. "Thank you for your time, sir. It was an honor."

The reverence in her tone might've been a little much because he eyed her warily as he shook her hand. "Aye, it was a bit of fun." He leaned in. "Might I suggest that you work some more on your defensive magic? You have a variety of offensive spells, so it seems you favor those."

She nodded vehemently. "Okay, thanks." He's totally right. For crying out loud, the only shield spell I know is Protego. Is there even another kind of shield?

As she walked with Moody to join the others at the entrance to the house, she caught Dumbledore's calculating gaze. She shivered, not liking the look on his face. Not one bit. If the old wizard had been alone, Ava swore he would've been twirling his mustache and throwing his head back while letting out a diabolical laugh.

She tore her gaze from him and stood shoulder to shoulder with Aunt Minerva.

The group parted ways, those Disapparating staying outside and those returning to Hogwarts heading inside to the library. As the front door closed behind them, Ava could hear the muffled cracks of Disapparition sounding from the lawn. Can't wait until I can do that, she thought, realizing that they needed to narrow down her "age" so that she could get her Apparition license.

They congregated in the library of Diggle's home and Professor McGonagall stepped into the fireplace, following Flitwick. As soon as her aunt vanished in a flash of green flames, Ava moved to step forward to return to the school as well, but Dumbledore caught her elbow.

"Miss McGonagall," he said.

She cringed but smoothed out her expression before pivoting to face him. "Yes, sir?"

"I was rather impressed with your skills against Auror Moody," he began.

Shit, she thought as her stomach dropped to the floor.

"I'd like to schedule a meeting with you in the coming days, before classes resume, to discuss your future role with the Order."

"Yeah?" she asked, her voice cracking. She cleared her throat. "That'd be alright with me. Just let me speak to Aunt Minerva about when would be the best time for her."

"No need to bother your aunt. We can keep this between ourselves."

Dread trickled down her spine as she met his gaze full on. "And you'll be on your best behavior?" she whispered, trying not to catch the attention of the homeowner who was busying himself with organizing books on the desk.

Dumbledore smiled, but it didn't seem to reach his eyes. "Of course. I wouldn't break the fragile trust between us by attempting to enter your mind again."

She held his stare, knowing that he wouldn't try something with a witness at least. It also didn't slip past her notice that the Headmaster included his trust in her as "fragile." I took Veritaserum for fuck's sake. "I would certainly hope not." She couldn't think of a single legitimate reason why she wouldn't be able to meet with him, but she could try. "I'll be staying with the Potters after Christmas."

"I'm sure they would be more than willing to allow you to use their Floo to visit the castle for our meeting."

She swallowed, looking away from him. Well then, I guess we're having this fucking meeting. "Just let me know when." Without waiting for a reply, she spun around and strided to the fireplace, grasping a handful of Floo powder. "Headmaster's Office, Hogwarts," she muttered, hearing the resignation in her own voice.

Upon her arrival, she practically dragged McGonagall out of the office and down the corridor, heading to their rooms post-haste. "I'm home" she sent to Severus through their enchanted parchment. She froze mid-step, causing Aunt Minerva to falter as well. I'm home? she repeated incredulously. Home?

"What is it, child? You're very pale."

"I, uh—," Ava began, wondering if she should just shake off her feelings. She pressed her lips together and let out a breath through her nose. "I just thought of Hogwarts as home," she blurted, frustration clear in her voice.

McGonagall's eyebrows raised. "Oh? I would've thought—," she stopped speaking as a look of understanding passed over her face.

Ava clenched her fists at her sides. "This isn't—," she hissed, eyes darted up and down the corridor to make sure they were alone. "I mean, it is, but—." She heaved out a sigh.

Aunt Minerva stepped towards her. "Dear child, you can have more than one home. If home is where one feels safe and comfortable, surrounded by family and friends, and it happens to be more than one place, then so be it."

Her eyes stung with tears. "I—I get so wrapped up in things going on here, that I sometimes forget about my world. My old home. My real family and friends." Noticing the stricken look on the older witch's face, she hastened to add, "Not that my family and friends here aren't real. God, that's not what I mean at all!"

Ava buried her face in her hands as drops of wetness spilled from her eyes. "I love everyone here. Everyone that's been there for me."

Aunt Minerva gently wrapped an arm around her shoulders and continued leading her to their quarters. It was probably for the best because she bursted into sobs just a moment later.

"I just my mom sometimes, you know?" She sniffled. "And my friends. And my dog." Letting out a pitiful whine, she cried, "Jesus Christ, I miss my dog." Her words became blubbery as her crying headed towards hysterical. "My—my fluffy bud—dy who was al—always there, no—no mat—ter what."

McGonagall stayed silent as they approached their rooms, other than muttering the password and coaxing Ava with a, "Come on in, dear."

She struggled to gasp for breath between sobs as she stepped through the entrance of their quarters and sat on the couch.

"Shhh, that's it, Ava," her aunt whispered, gently pulling her in for a hug and soothingly rubbing her back. "Merlin, child. You're allowed to miss your family and whoever else your heart longs for. It's perfectly natural. No one here is asking for you to give them up and no one ever will. Understand?"

Ava nodded against her shoulder.

"Good. Now I'd like for you to listen to my words carefully."

She sucked in a ragged breath. "O—okay."

Aunt Minerva kept stroking her hand in circles on Ava's back as she spoke. "There is nothing wrong with showing your emotions."

"I know," she murmured.

"Shush, dear. Just listen. I won't ever fault you in needing some time to process your grief. Because that's what you're experiencing, understand? You've been taken away from everything and everyone familiar to you and you've been very strong in adapting to your situation. It's admirable."

Even with her face buried against McGonagall's shoulder, Ava could feel her face reddening.

"While I might not know your friends or Mr. Lupin as well as you do, I would like to think that they wouldn't judge or condemn you for needing to process your emotions."

Deep down, Ava knew they wouldn't. She just hated crying in front of others and she needed to stay strong for the sake of everyone around her.

"If anyone ever treats you differently, you come straight to me and I'll handle it." Her arms tightened around Ava.

She smiled at the fierceness in her aunt's tone and grip.

"Something else that I'd like you to remember is the other side of your emotions. The joy and happiness and belonging that you feel here."

She stiffened, self-loathing coursing through her veins. "But I—."

"No," her aunt said firmly. "It's perfectly understandable for you to settle and find your sense of place within this world, Ava. I'm willing to continue looking for answers on how to return you to your first home, but it's entirely up to you. There's no need to feel such heavy guilt as you begin to move on with your life. You need to understand that. As it stands, you will likely spend the rest of your life here and you shouldn't have to experience such turmoil until the day you die. Give yourself permission to live if that what you need."

Ava pulled back in surprise with a sniffle. McGonagall's words hit the nail on the head. Every time a wave of grief like this crashed down around her, she felt so incredibly guilty that she hadn't been devoting all of her days to trying to find a way back to her original world.

But at the same time, she couldn't ignore the people here. Those that she knew needed her, or wanted her, she thought with a heated flush, thinking of Remus. Her soulmate.

She smiled at the thought of her friends and mom finding out about her having a legit soulmate. They'd swoon and want all the juicy details. She let out a shuddering breath. Resistance is futile. I'll drive myself crazy going back and forth over this.

She looked at the professor with a determined edge to her features. "We don't need to keep looking. We exhausted all of our resources before and it led to nowhere. I can't live with a festering flame of hope and pass the rest of my life in perpetual disappointment. I have a life here now, but I'm not going to just forget about my life from before."

She vowed in that moment to create another notebook just like the secret one she used for details of this world, but she'd use it for keeping record of her previous life. Maybe I'll share it with Remus too, she thought, considering that it might help her not feel the drowning guilt that overwhelmed her every time she thought of the life she left behind if she shared it with someone.

A knock on their door sounded. Severus. As she stood, she wiped her nose and eyes on her sleeve.

"I take it that'll be Mr. Snape?"

She nodded, her breathing still ragged.

"I suppose I should make myself scarce then. I wouldn't want to frighten away your friend," she said with a soft smile. The professor stood and headed into her bedroom for the time being.

Ava opened the door. "Hey, Severus."

His eyes roved over her face and his brows furrowed. "What happened?" he demanded as he stepped inside, grasping her shoulders. "Why were you crying?"

While his tone was laced with anger, she knew it wasn't directed at her, but at whoever or whatever had upset her and he wanted to seek revenge on her behalf. She flung her arms around his neck and hugged him tight. "I'm so glad you're here," she whispered.

He returned her embrace. "Always."

Her heart turned to mush in that moment, and she realized that while she would never stop missing her previous life and loved ones, she wouldn't give up her best friend for anything in the world.