A/N: Who's ready for Year 5!? I have got plenty of ups and downs ready for Magnolia in her fifth year- what are our theories?

Thank you to everyone who favourites/ follows and reviews, I love reading your reviews and seeing what you all think of my story. This began as just a way to pass time and keep me motivated during Lockdown, I honestly didn't think I'd get the response that I have. I know sometimes my updates can be a little slow, but I promise I won't be leaving this story unfinished- I have big plans for Magnolia Potter. x

Chapter 41.

Magnolia was sat in the park with Harry, watching Kaida chase moths, as the evening began cooling the stifling air. Magnolia had fought against the Dursley's usual rule to keep Kaida locked up in her and Harry's room during the summer when the intense heatwave hit, but they still only allowed the half-Kneazle out for an hour early in the morning and in the evening. Magnolia smiled as she watched her play, wishing that she could feel that carefree.

Harry had had another argument with the Dursley's just moments before, after he had been found lying in their flowerbeds listening to the news. Magnolia didn't know why Harry was still listening to it or receiving the Daily Prophet every day; it seemed the Wizarding World was pretending that Lord Voldemort hadn't risen again.

Her brother had taken his paranoia to a new level over the summer break, especially after not receiving any letters from his friends from Hogwarts; she herself had only had sparse notes from Tracey and Blaise. Magnolia often found her brother hiding in the hallway listening to the news or searching through people's bins for newspapers hoping to find stories on disappearances or murders that he could attribute to Lord Voldemort.

Beside her, she heard Harry scoff, and looked in the direction he was looking in, to see their cousin approaching them. Dudley and his friends hadn't seen them though, something Magnolia was glad about; her twin's temper had been getting as short as hers around the muggles recently.

"Hey, Big D!"

Magnolia sighed when Harry called to their cousin after his friends had left him, causing Dudley to pause in his walk for Harry to catch up. Magnolia shook her head and called for Kaida to follow her as she jogged to her brother; she wasn't letting him do anything on his own.

"Don't the boys know what your mum calls you?"

"Shut your face."

Magnolia shook her head; Harry was deliberately goading Dudley. They bickered about Dudley's latest fight, he was picking on smaller and younger boys. Magnolia thought he did it because he knew he'd win, he wouldn't go against anyone on equal footing to him, she proved that every time she threatened him with her magic.

"Think you're a big man carrying that thing, don't you?" Dudley sneered.

"What thing?"

"That- that thing you're hiding."

"Not as stupid as you look, are you, Dud? But I s'pose, if you were, you wouldn't be able to walk and talk at the same time." Harry snarked back.

"Not this brave at night, are you?"

"This is night, Diddykins. That's what we call it when it goes all dark like this."

"I mean when you're in bed!" Dudley snapped.

Magnolia felt her blood freeze. Harry had been having nightmares of the Dark Lord's return. Dudley must have heard him crying out at night. Magnolia had been woken up many times since they got back to Privet Drive and had to comfort her brother.

"Don't kill Cedric! Don't kill Cedric! Dad! Help me, dad! He's going to kill me, Dad! He wants Maggie! Mum, come and help me!" Dudley laughed.

Magnolia whipped her wand out before Harry had and stepped in front of Dudley, shoving her wand into his throat. He had no idea what he was talking about, and now her blood was boiling.

"Get that thing away from me!"

Magnolia felt the familiar thrill course through her as Dudley's voice shook.

"Don't ever talk about that again." She told him, her voice eerily calm.

"You- you're not allowed… I know you're not… I- I've heard Harry tell you before you can't use it here."

"Take a good look at me, and tell me if you think I care about that right now, Ickle Diddykins?"

Magnolia felt Dudley take a small step back, seeming to shrink into herself. He often bickered back and forth with Harry, but when Magnolia stepped up, he seemed to see or feel something that was too much for him. Magnolia smirked as she saw the tell-tale sign of fear creeping its way through him. In moments like this, she felt so powerful.

"Mags," Her brother whispered beside her, pulling her away from her prey, "Go home, Kaida's time is up."

Magnolia scowled at her brother and cousin before slipping her wand back in her pocket and picking up Kaida. She knew Harry just wanted to get her out of the situation, he always did this, like he thought if he let her get too far, she wouldn't ever stop.

Magnolia had stomped into the small room she and Harry shared with Hedwig and Kaida, throwing herself on her bed and seething. How dare Dudley make fun of Harry about Cedric, he had no idea what the twins had gone through at Hogwarts.

Her mind went to Draco, like it had numerous times since they had parted ways from the train. He had promised to write, they all had, and yet he hadn't. Magnolia hadn't heard anything from Pansy, Theo, or Daphne either; but Draco's silence hurt the most. She had thought they had had something, something special. Maybe she had deluded herself with her schoolgirl crush, and he had just used her as his flavour of the week.

"DIDDY!"

Magnolia was forced out of her self-pity by her Aunt's cry. She slowly made her way off her bed and downstairs to find Harry, Dudley, Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon in the kitchen. Dudley looked dreadful, what had Harry done to him after she left?

"I didn't do anything to him, it wasn't me, it was-"

Magnolia jumped as an owl screeched through the open window, dropping a letter at Harry's feet, and flying back out as quickly. She could hear her uncle shouting about it, but she stood next to her brother and read the letter with dread washing over her.

Harry had been expelled. He had been expelled from Hogwarts and a Ministry Official was coming to Privet Drive to destroy his wand. Magnolia gripped Harry's shirt, pulling his attention to her.

"Leave." She breathed, "Run, as far as you can and as quick as you can. Get away from here, Harry."

Harry nodded slightly, Magnolia's tone leaving no room for argument. He turned to walk out but Vernon spotted him and stood in his way.

"Where do you think you're going?" He thundered, "I haven't finished with you, boy! You're going to stay here and explain how my son-"

Magnolia moved to stand between them then, "Get out of his way."

Her uncle had spotted her wand in her hand before Magnolia had even registered that she'd got it from her pocket.

"You can't pull that one on me! I know you're not allowed to use it outside that madhouse you call a school!"

Magnolia felt Harry push her back then, his own wand raised to their Uncle.

"The madhouse has chucked me out, so I can do whatever I like." Harry threatened, "You've got three seconds. One… two…"

A loud bang echoed through the room and Magnolia span to see a familiar owl dazed on the windowsill. She skipped to the window, pulling it open and straightening the bird up, taking the letter from its beak.

'Harry,

Dumbledore's just arrived at the Ministry and he's trying to sort it all out. DO NOT LEAVE YOUR AUNT AND UNCLE'S HOUSE. DO NOT DO ANY MORE MAGIC. DO NOT SURRENDER YOUR WAND.

Arthur Weasley.'

"Erm, Harry." Magnolia spoke over her shoulder to her brother, "Actually, I think you should stay."

Harry read the letter as she handed it to him and nodded in agreement. He pulled Magnolia towards the kitchen table and sat them both down, opposite their aunt and cousin. Magnolia frowned at the state of Dudley.

"Harry, what happened?" she asked between her aunt and uncle's shrill cries and Dudley's quiet mumblings.

"Horrible." Dudley muttered, "Cold, really cold. Felt… felt… felt as if…"

Magnolia swallowed hard, glancing at her brother in fear as he finished Dudley's sentence.

"As if you'd never be happy again."

Magnolia put her head in her hands; how could Dementors be in Little Whinging? She never should have left her brother alone out there. It was true, they hadn't had a single sign, no matter how small, of Lord Voldemort's power rising but now Dementor's were roaming around Muggle dwellings. Magnolia felt the cold dread settle in her stomach; it was beginning.

"De-men-tors. Two of them." Magnolia heard her brother explain to the Dursley's.

"And what the ruddy hell are Dementors?"

"They guard the wizard prison, Azkaban."

Magnolia snapped up to look at her Aunt, who had thrown her hands over her mouth after speaking. Everyone in the room, except Dudley, was staring at Petunia in shock. Petunia herself looked like she couldn't believe what had slipped out of her mouth.

"I heard- that awful boy- telling her about them- years ago."

Magnolia felt like her Aunt had to try extremely hard to get the sentence out. She never spoke about their mum, or the wizarding world at all if she could help it. Magnolia could only remember one time Petunia had ever mentioned her mother.

Magnolia leant forward to the table, resting her elbows on the wood, and placing her head back in her hands. She was starting to get a headache after all that happened so quickly. Minutes past, and no one spoke. She looked up when she heard her uncle cursing owls again. Harry pulled the letter away from the owl that now stood on the table in front of them and showed Magnolia.

The Ministry had backtracked on their decision, Harry was no longer expelled and could keep his wand for the moment. He had a trial on August 12th though. Magnolia wondered idly how the twins would get to the Ministry, she didn't even know where they would find it. Beside her, Harry was trying to keep his cool whilst he explained to the Dursley's what had happened.

She was the first one to spot the next owl that flew in through the open kitchen window, landing on her shoulder. She unwound the letter from its leg and glanced at it before handing it to Harry. It was from Sirius, reiterating to Harry to not leave the house. Magnolia could have laughed. All these letters and none of them explained what the hell was going on, why Dementors were there, or mentioned herself at all.

"He must have sent them." Harry mumbled, gaining Magnolia's attention.

"You think…"

"What's that? Who must have sent them?" Vernon interrupted.

"Lord Voldemort." Magnolia murmured.

"Hang on, I've heard that name… that was the one who-"

"Murdered our parent, yes." Harry replied.

"But he's gone." Vernon rebutted, "That giant bloke said so. He's gone."

"He's back." Magnolia snapped.

"Back?"

It was a whisper. A whisper so quiet that Magnolia almost missed it. She glanced at her aunt, who was clutching Dudley to her, and looked paler than she had moments before.

"Yes, he came back a month ago. I saw him." Harry explained, softer than he had spoken earlier.

"Hang on, he's back you say." Vernon spoke, a thought niggling in his mind Magnolia could tell, "The one who murdered your parents."

"Yes, haven't you been listening?" Magnolia snapped.

"And now he's sending these things after you."

"Looks like it." Harry sighed.

"I see." Vernon nodded, "Well, that settles it. You two can get out of this house!"

"What?" Harry balked.

Their uncle seemed to explode in front of them; shouting at them to leave, about owls flying around and all the strange occurrences that had happened around Harry and Magnolia. He was stopped from his rant when another owl flew into the kitchen, this time heading straight for Petunia. She screamed and ducked as the owl flew over her, dropping a letter in front of her.

Magnolia smirked at her aunt's panic, knowing that in no time at all the letter would burst open and let everyone hear what was in it. Magnolia loved Howlers, she always laughed at students faces when they received them at Hogwarts. Just as expected, her aunt had dithered too long, and the letter burst into flames in her hands.

"Remember my last, Petunia."

Magnolia frowned. Harry glanced at her, confused as well. Petunia however, looked as though she may faint. She was staring at the burning letter in silence, ignoring her husband's questions. Suddenly she stood up, demanding the attention of the entire room.

"They stay." She said, her voice stronger than she looked, "They stay in their room and do not leave the house. Now get to bed you two."

Magnolia glanced at her brother, "Who was that?"

"Don't ask questions." Her aunt replied.

"What did it mean?" Magnolia pushed, "Remember the last what?"

"Go to bed!"

Harry gripped Magnolia's hand, stopping her from asking anymore questions and pulled her through the house to their bedroom. Magnolia flopped on her bed, questions still running through her head about what her aunt's howler could have been about and who it was from.

Harry told Magnolia more of what happened after she had left; Mrs Figg was a Squib, Mundungus Fletcher was supposed to be watching the twins, how the attack had happened. The twins fell into silence once Harry had finished, both had questions swirling around their minds.

Days later, and Magnolia was ready to curse her brother. He had spent the past few days pacing up and down their room, huffing and puffing, and complaining under his breath about his friends. He had sent Sirius, Ron, and Hermione a note about what had happened, ordering Hedwig to not leave until she got a good response from them all; and so far, he had had no answer.

They hadn't been allowed out of their room, their aunt and uncle would push food through a small cat flap that had been installed on the door when they first moved into the room, but it was locked the rest of the day so Kaida couldn't escape the room. Magnolia was beginning to go crazy.

She was laying on her bed, Kaida curled up on her lap, reading a book when their door opened for the first time in five days. Magnolia dropped the book and grabbed Kaida to make sure she didn't run out the door. The Dursley's were going out for the evening, her uncle was telling the twins of all the things they couldn't do whilst they were gone before he decided to just lock them in the room anyway.

Neither of the twins responded much, Magnolia just didn't care. Her and Harry stayed in their room, barely speaking to each other as they heard the family leave and the silence of the house wrapped around them. Suddenly though, Magnolia heard a loud crash from the kitchen and jumped off the bed, being careful of Kaida.

Harry had sat up straight too. He put his finger to his lips, telling Magnolia to be quiet when the sound of footsteps and voices drifted through their door. Harry was sliding off his bed now, grasping his wand from the bedside table. Magnolia went to stop him, grabbing her own wand.

"You're already in trouble for using magic around muggles." Magnolia whispered.

"Exactly. No point you getting in trouble as well."

Magnolia followed her brother out of their room, both padding quietly through the hallway and down the stairs. She could see a group of people in the hall and was glad she had kept her wand on her.

"Lower your wand, boy, before you take someone's eye out."

Magnolia shivered; she knew that voice. The growl in it was unmistakable. Harry didn't lower his wand, and Magnolia raised hers.

"Professor Moody?"

"I don't know so much about 'Professor', never got round to much teaching, did I?" Moody replied, "Get down here, we want to see you two properly."

Magnolia saw her brother lower his wand slightly, but she kept her hand raised in front of her. She had spent the previous year at Hogwarts cautious about the man, and although it turned out not be Moody, who was to say this wasn't another Death Eater posing as him.

"It's ok, Maggie. We've come to take the two of you away."

"P-Professor Lupin?"

Magnolia could hear the relief she felt echoed back in her brother's voice. She trusted Remus Lupin. Moments later, another voice joined the conversation, a woman who cast light across the hallway. The hallway was filled with people staring the twins and Magnolia was suddenly glad that she was partially hidden behind her brother. They were all excitedly chatting to each other about how much the twins look like their parents.

"Are you quite sure it's them, Lupin?" Magnolia heard Moody growl, "It'd be a nice looking if we bring back some Death Eater impersonating them-"

Magnolia scoffed, "Yeah, you have plenty of experience with that, don't you?"

"From what we've heard about her, I think we can all agree that that's definitely Maggie." The girl laughed.

"We ought to ask Harry something only the real Potter would know, at least." Moody grumbled.

Magnolia kept her wand raised, even after Harry had answered his question and pocketed his own wand. She and Harry had been waiting for something to happen ever since Voldemort returned and maybe this was it. She didn't like that Harry had trusted the group so quickly. She grabbed the back of his shirt as he started to descend the stairs again, forcing him to stop.

"Wait, Harry." Magnolia told him, "They know it's us. How do we know it's them?"

"You can't cast a Patronus." Remus began, "I told you my theory as to why you couldn't… because of the subconscious pain in your past, I believe your Patronus will only become corporeal when you truly fall-"

"Ok! Ok, it's him." Magnolia interrupted.

The twins were introduced to the others then; Nymphradora Tonks, Kingsley Shacklebolt, Elphias Doge, Dedalus Diggle, Emmeline Vance, Sturgis Podmore and Hestia Jones. Remus told the twins that everyone had volunteered to collect them, sending a particular glance in Magnolia's direction.

"How are we getting… wherever we're going?" Harry asked.

"Brooms. Only way, you're too young to Apparate, they'll be watching the Floo Network and it's more than our life's worth to set up an unauthorised Portkey." Remus replied.

Magnolia felt her stomach drop. Broom. Flying. She hadn't flown since first year Flying lessons. She wasn't comfortable with flying at all. Magnolia quickly got herself out of the conversation when she and Harry went to collect their things.

"Hey, you ok?"

Magnolia glanced at her brother. She wasn't sure if she was ok or not. She was concerned with where they were going, who all these people were and why they were collecting them. Their friends had been so quiet during the summer, and now this all of a sudden, Magnolia couldn't help but feel suspicious.

She was excited to be leaving Privet Drive, but a part of her worried that she hadn't heard from Draco and if she left, would he know how to find her? Tonks had joined them then, picking up things and commenting on the house. Magnolia learned she was a Metamorphmagus, and felt a stab of envy.

She would love to be able to change her appearance on a whim. She had never hated her looks, her red curly hair, hazel eyes or even her freckles, in fact quite the opposite; she knew she was pretty. She didn't like the looks she received from people who had known her parents though. Sometimes, they seemed to forget she was Magnolia and not her mum. Magnolia knew that some people looked at her and saw her mum looking back at them.

When the three of them made it back downstairs, with both the twins' trunks, Hedwig and Kaida, Remus was writing a letter by the kitchen counter and smiled at the twins when they walked closer to him.

"I'm just leaving a letter telling your aunt and uncle not to worry-"

"They won't." Harry interrupted.

"-that you're safe-"

"That'll depress them."

"-and you'll see them next summer."

"Merlin, do we have to?" Magnolia grumbled.

Moody approached them as Lupin smiled, pulling his wand out to Disillusion them. Magnolia hated the slimy feeling that settled over her, but she hated what she was about to do even more. She was stood in the garden surrounded by everyone else and in front of a broom. Luckily, she was stood next to Tonks, who would be sharing her broom and helping her fly.

Magnolia held Tonks tightly as she navigated them away from Privet Drive. She squeezed her eyes shut tightly as they flew over villages and she became colder and colder until she was worried she wouldn't be able to hold Tonks properly and she'd fall off the broom. Luckily, it wasn't too much longer until they began to descend into the middle of London.

Magnolia was thrilled to get her feet back on land and leaned against Harry as he stood next to her. The twins glanced around at the street they had landed on. It was a normal muggle street and Magnolia couldn't tell why they had been brought there.

"Here. Read quickly and memorise." Moody had thrusted a note towards the twins.

Magnolia glanced down at the piece of paper in Harry's hand. She instantly recognised the handwriting as her Godfather's and frowned as she glanced at Moody. How did he get that? What was it?

'The Headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix may be found at number twelve, Grimmauld Place, London.'