Author's note: Hello, lovelies! It took a while to write this chapter but I finally did it! Sorry for updating a month late but school was really taxing the last month. So many assignments, so little time ~. Do leave comments and kudos. You don't know how happy it me to know that someone is enjoying this story that I wrote. Well, onto the new chapter!

Mid-June 1981, The Headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix (Potter Manor)

Bryn gawked at Marlene, her mouth opening and closing repeatedly. Marlene's brown eyes went wide with panic when she met Bryn's hazel ones. Marlene hurriedly jumped to her feet, keeping her eyes downcast as she brushed dirt from her robes.

"Goodness Marlene, are you alright? I thought you were staying for dinner? Where are you rushing off to?" Lily frowned, her eyes darting suspiciously between Marlene's uncomfortable expression and Bryn's stupefied one.

"Oh well I – "

There was a sharp intake of breath before she heard Chris whisper, "Marlene?"

Bryn twisted around to see her brother frozen in place, slack-jawed as he came face to face with the woman who cut all ties with him a year ago.

"Ooff!" Mia exclaimed, colliding into Chris' still back. Chris didn't even budge, his eyes fixed on Marlene's paling face.

"Why on earth did you stop all of a sudden?" Mia complained, oblivious to her brother's stiff posture. "Did you see something strange? Just a reminder, we are in a magical house so we are bound to see something – "

Mia stopped short, her jaw dropped when she peeked out from behind Chris. Marlene shifted uncomfortably under the shocked gazes of Bryn, Chris and Mia.

Mia recovered first, stepping out behind Chris with a dangerously calm expression. "Marlene, it's been a while," she said coolly. Bryn could detect anger in her tone but Mia was masking it well.

"You guys know each other?" James questioned. The rest of them were bewildered, unsure of what exactly was going on.

"You can say that," Mia responded evenly, her eyes still trained on Marlene. "So, I'm guessing you're a witch then?"

Marlene didn't answer, her gaze locked on Chris, both of them unable to look away as if they were in a trance. Bryn gulped, failing to find the words to lighten the mood. The tension was thick and palpable, to a point it had the wizards and witches uncomfortable, albeit confused.

The fragile atmosphere was shattered when Fabian stuck his head out of the dining room, a friendly smile on his face. "Hey, what are all of you standing around here for? The table is almost set and everyone can't wait to…meet…you."

He trailed off and the smile morphed into a frown when he noticed the stiff expressions and tense mood. "Uh, is everything alright?"

At Fabian's words, Marlene snapped out of her trance, her face becoming unexpressive. "I have to go," she said in a strained tone, actively avoiding the gazes of everyone, especially Chris, as she made her way to the fireplace. "I forgot – some work to do – bye."

She escaped into the Floo, disappearing into the green flames and leaving all of them in a stunned sort of silence. Bryn clapped her hands together, plastering a bright smile on her face in a poor attempt to smooth over that awkward situation. "Well, I am starving for Molly and Mum's food, aren't all of you? Come on, that beef stew is just calling our name."

She grabbed Mia and Chris' arms, hastily shoving them into the dining room before anyone could say anything else. She regretted it almost immediately when every head in the room swerved towards them, stopping her in her tracks.

She felt a hand squeezing her shoulder, the warmth from Fabian's palm easing some of her nervousness. "They are harmless, I promise. But if it gets too much, just let me know," Fabian whispered before clearing his throat loudly. "Hey everyone, these are the Harpers. This is Mia, Chris and Bryn. Bryn here is the one that saved me and Gideon from the Death Eaters."

Bryn managed a smile and a wave before she was immediately surrounded. They introduced their names to her one after the other in rapid succession, she almost had a hard time keeping up.

" – Emmeline Vance, very nice to meet you – "

" – Eliza Bones and the man with the deep frown on his face is my husband, Edgar – "

" – Dedalus Diggle. An absolute delight – "

" – pleased to meet you. I'm Dorcas Meadows – "

Bryn was shaking hands from all sides, slightly surprised and overwhelmed by the attention. Mia and Chris weren't excluded from the warm welcome, the wizards and witches shaking their hands and striking up conversations.

Bryn heard the clunking sound of a cane and she turned to come face to face with a scowling man with scars littered all over his face.

"So you're the Muggle?" the man growled.

"Uh, yes?" Bryn squeaked, completely caught off-guard by how close he was. Or the fact that one of his eyes was glass and bright blue was twitching erratically of its own free will, moving up and down as if it was scanning her.

"You seem unsure," He edged, his other eye, dark as coal, narrowed at her.

"Oh, uh – " She stuttered, leaning back as he moved in closer, his gaze scrutinizing. Any closer and Bryn would find herself falling to her bum on the floor.

"Ease up, Moody," Fabian jumped in, one hand on her back to hold her steady. "Breathing down her neck isn't exactly welcoming."

Moody's scowl didn't lighten but he did shift out of her personal space at Fabian's behest. She straightened up, feeling slightly relieved. Fabian kept his hand at the small of her back, causing her racing heart to beat just a little bit harder.

"Yeah, come on, where's that smile we know and love?" Gideon grinned, coming to her other side.

Moody glared at Gideon so severely that Bryn winced on his behalf. Moody's hard gaze turned back to her and she managed to stamp down her yelp and met his gaze steadily, trying her best not to be distracted by his blue eye.

"You've got some guts, lassie," Moody said in a gravelly tone, "Most people would have run away at the first sight of trouble. Most wizards wouldn't have dared to go up against any Death Eaters but you just ran in without a single thought?"

"Well, I couldn't just leave them behind, can I?" Bryn stated as if it was the most obvious thing in the world, glancing at Fabian and Gideon.

Moody grunted, hobbling away on his cane after glowering at her one last time. She exhaled the breath she was holding, instantly relaxing when he was gone. Fabian smiled comfortingly, patting her back before quietly saying, "He likes you."

"How could you tell?" She asked distractedly, her mind still on his glass eye.

What is up with that eye?

"We've been working with him for years. He's our boss, Head Auror extraordinaire," Gideon explained with a wink. "And we know his tells. Safe to say, Bryn, you've made quite the impression on him. A good one."

"Quite impressive if I might add. Alastor is not one to be easily moved," a silvery voice added and a tall and thin man swept in front of her. He seemed quite old, with a beard so white and so long, it was tied with a leather strap near the end to keep it in place. His blue eyes, compared to Moody's electric blue, were lighter behind his half-moon spectacles. He wore a kindly smile as he extended a wrinkly hand. "Hello Bryn, I am Albus Dumbledore. I hope you will excuse Alastor and that eye of his. He recently received it you see and he is still getting used to it."

"Ah, is it supposed to um – move like that?" She inquired hesitantly as she shook his hand. Albus chuckled lightly and his eyes twinkled merrily.

"Yes, I procured it for him after he lost his eye during one of his missions. It is a magical eye that has some rather useful properties but it does take some time to get used to controlling it."

Her lips parted in a soft "Oh" as she nodded, still slightly bemused. Albus smiled, his fingers pressing his spectacles up his nose. "I must confess, I was looking forward to meeting you, Bryn. I wanted to meet the fearless woman who took down five Death Eaters by herself."

She felt her cheeks heat up. Fabian and Gideon smothered their chuckles, amused at her embarrassed reaction. "Well, I hope I didn't disappoint," she joked, slightly self-conscious

"Not all. In fact, I'm very glad I invited you here," Albus reassured her, his blue eyes gleaming.

All of a sudden, there was a flash of red and gold and Bryn found her gasping at a magnificent bird which had perched itself on Albus' arm. It was a thing of beauty, red plumage decorating its entire body. Its long tail and claws were golden, gleaming under the candles of the dining room. Its black eyes were staring back at her, almost inquisitively.

"Ah, it seems Fawkes wishes to say hello," he said pleasantly. Fawkes glided from his arm, landing quietly in front of her.

"Hello Fawkes," she whispered, eyes glued to the majestic bird. She stood frozen as Fawkes head craned forward, not wanting to accidentally offend the bird.

Fawkes seemed to like what he saw as he rubbed his head against her forearm as he emitted musical notes. Hesitantly, Bryn stroked his soft head gently and Fawkes ruffled his feathers in pleasure. Fabian and Gideon watched in amazement as the bird affectionately nuzzled into Bryn's hand.

"He seems to have taken a shine to you," Albus murmured, his gaze becoming thoughtful as he stared at Bryn and Fawkes.

"What kind of bird is he?" She asked, her fingers running across his neck.

"He's a phoenix."

Her hand froze, jaw slacking while she stared at Fawkes. "A phoenix?"

Fawkes bumped his head on her palm one last time before returning to Albus' arm.

"Yes, beautiful isn't he?" He smiled, stroking Fawkes' neck. "They are extremely loyal creatures so they can be rather fickle with their affection sometimes but it appears that you have won over him easily."

Bryn felt slightly flattered at the thought but she didn't really know how to respond so she settled for a weak smile and a small shrug. Albus smiled gently as if he understood.

"I best make a move first," Albus sighed tiredly, "there is still much to be done before Hogwarts opens in September."

"Albus is also the headmaster of Hogwarts. The wizarding school I told you about," Fabian whispered.

"See you next week Fabian, Gideon," Albus tipped his head, wishing them goodbye. His blue eyes then moved to Bryn, his mouth fixed into a mysterious smile. "I think I will be seeing you soon as well, Bryn. I have a feeling our paths will cross more often than not in the future."

She furrowed her brows, puzzled at his cryptic words. But before she could ask for further clarification, Molly loudly announced that everyone should come and sit at the table. With a quick nod and a twinkle of his blue eyes, Albus exited the room as he bid the rest of the members goodbye.

Willow blinked a few times, baffled, before she said, "Is he always that cryptic?"

"Yes, he's bloody brilliant but it's hard to tell what he's thinking most times" Gideon sniffed.

"Stop dawdling the rest of you and sit down!" Molly called out, magically ladling soup into numerous bowls. "You don't want the food to get cold."

"Sit next to me," Lily offered and linked her arms with Bryn, a bright smile on her face as she pulled Bryn away from Fabian and Gideon. "We still have so much to talk about."

Alice took Bryn's other arm, her eyes gleaming with interest. "You mentioned you are a 'surgeon'? What kind of healer is that?"

Bryn smiled, settling into her seat with the two women on either side. The other wizards and witches were leaning in, curious to learn more about Bryn as well as the Muggle world. Fabian hid a small smile behind his hand, relieved that Bryn was getting on well, as he watched her begin to explain what her occupation was to a bunch of eager wizards.

"A surgeon, simply put, performs surgeries which are – "

༻⸻⸻⸻⸻༺

Early August 1981

That was a memorable night to say the least. Bryn still giggled every time she remembered everyone's comically horrified faces (except those with Muggle parents) once they knew what exactly a surgery entailed but they were quite impressed once she got into the specifics, marvelling at how Muggles were able to treat serious injuries without magic.

She became very close to quite a few of the Order members, especially Lily and Alice. As James would put it, it was almost like they have been friends for their entire lives. She was often invited to the Longbottoms' and Potters' houses. When she was visiting the Potter Cottage, Bryn couldn't help but wonder why Lily and James didn't live in the Potter Manor but rather in a cozy little house within a notable Wizarding community only 20 minutes away.

"Well, Fleamont and Euphemia passed away due to a magical disease when James was in the last year of school," Lily elaborated, sorrow flickering in her eyes. "It was difficult for him to stay there. He was so very close to his parents, you see and he was devastated by their deaths. It even took him a while before he could interact with their portraits."

"I can only imagine how that must feel," Bryn murmured, her gut wrenching painfully. "It was hard enough losing my father but to lose both parents at the same time? James is so strong."

Lily gave her a sad smile and reached over the table to grasp her hands comfortingly. "James wanted to sell off the manor but Albus talked him out of it. He convinced him to use it instead as the Headquarters as the original location became compromised. It was good for him in the end. It helped him heal from their deaths and now, James can view the manor with fondness rather than in pain."

She also finally met their children, Neville and Harry. They were utterly adorable and she loved spending time with them. But there was just one problem.

"Bin! Bin!" Harry squealed happily, reaching out to her with his pudgy arms when she stumbled out of the fireplace to visit Lily at Godric's Hollow.

Bryn groaned, a defeated smile tugging her lips as she took Harry from Lily's arms. Her green eyes were alight with amusement as she watched Harry babbling excitedly to Bryn as if he was telling her all about his day. Bryn listened seriously, gently pulling her hair away from his tiny fists.

"I can see you smiling, Lily," she muttered, glaring at the red-headed woman.

"It's a cute nickname," Lily shrugged nonchalantly but there was a small quiver of laughter in her voice that Bryn did not miss.

"Yes it is so cute that James and Sirius just have to laugh every single time," Bryn deadpanned, "Did you know they spread it among the Order? Emmeline and Eliza called me 'Bin' when I popped by the manor a few days ago!"

Lily bit her lip, desperately suppressing the laugh that wanted to bubble out of the lips. She busied herself with Harry, wiping away his drool with a conjured handkerchief to avoid Bryn's eyes.

"Harry will pronounce your name correctly soon enough once he can enunciate better. Until then, you'll just have to bear with it…Bin," Lily teased, winking at Bryn's petulant expression.

Mia comes along with her from time to time, glad to have some girl time with those closer to her age but these days, she's been busy with Arthur, tinkering with something in a large shed at the back. Bryn asked once what they were doing and she sorely wished she didn't.

"We're trying to build a flying car," Mia confessed in a hushed whisper, baby blue eyes glowing in the darkness of their room, both of them getting ready for sleep.

"What?" Bryn's eyes bulged out, thunderstruck.

"Yeah!" Mia nodded enthusiastically, "Arthur's been telling me how he got this Ford Anglia and how he wanted to restore it. I've been helping him recently."

"How did restoring the car turn into trying to make it fly?"

"He was talking to Sirius during one of the meetings and apparently, Sirius has been experimenting with his own motorbike to make it fly. It got Arthur all inspired to try to make it himself with the car sitting in the shed."

"Oh," Bryn said, "So how's that been going?"

"Progress has been going well," Mia informed, "Almost down with the reconstruction of the car then we can move on to making it fly. I have some ideas after reading The Magical Theory but I need to run them by Arthur first."

Bryn bobbed her head, burrowing into her sleeping bag until it suddenly occurred to her. "Does – does Molly know?"

"No, and you can't tell her," Mia urged, her voice slightly panicked. "It doesn't bode well when she finds out that Arthur enchants normal – er, Muggle – things."

So, Bryn was inadvertently roped into becoming an accomplice who was tasked with distracting Molly every time Mia and Arthur slipped into the shed to continue with their project. Thankfully, it wasn't that hard since Molly had been on bed rest more often with her due date coming soon. Bryn did have to dodge a few pointed questions here and there but all in all, Molly had no clue what was happening in the shed.

Overall, it had been peaceful almost two months since they started living in the Burrow. Well except what was going on between Marlene and Chris. Chris never spoke about the tense and awkward encounter with Marlene, no matter how hard Bryn pried. Marlene was similar, avoiding them like plague if they ever dropped by Potter Manor. It didn't go unnoticed by any of the members. Most chose polite ignorance while others were too curious for that nonsense.

"Is there something going on between your brother and Marlene?" Alice finally brought it up when Bryn happened to be at the Longbottom Estate after weeks of subtle hints.

"Alice!" Lily chastised, horrified at her tactlessness.

"What? You can't tell me you're not curious about those two."

Bryn chuckled, not missing the way Lily glared at Alice despite her busily playing with Harry and Neville on the rug. "Lily, it's fine. I was wondering when she would just burst out and ask."

"Doesn't mean it is polite," Lily grumbled.

"Hey, you heard her. She says it's fine," Alice sniffed, feigning innocence. "So, how did you know Marlene before all of this?"

"Marlene was Chris' girlfriend," Bryn disclosed quietly. Alice and Lily gasped in surprise. They have been friends with Marlene since their Hogwarts days but she had never given any inclination that she was dating anyone.

"They were dating for close to three years but they broke up about a year ago," Bryn continued.

"So they started dating when we were in our seventh year," Lily murmured to herself. "Do you know why they broke up?"

Bryn shrugged. "No clue. Marlene was the one who initiated the breakup but she didn't really give Chris a reason why."

"But I'm guessing you two might," Bryn added, noticing how Alice and Lily were sharing a knowing glance.

"Well," Lily started, shifting in her seat. "You know how the Wizarding World is hidden from normal people like you right?"

"Uh-huh."

"Well, in order to keep it that way, a law was passed down to protect the existence of magic and wizards. This law is known as the International Statute of Secrecy."

"Wizards were not to expose ourselves to Muggles in any way and we cannot tell them about our identity," Alice continued.

"Okay, that explains why we never knew she was a witch but how does this relate to her breaking it off with my brother?"

"Well, a year ago, things took a turn for the worst in this war. The Death Eaters, they tortured and killed a Muggle family in their own home and they didn't even have any affiliation with magic. There was no witch or wizard in the family, nothing. The entire scene – it was horrible. I still have nightmares about it," Alice shuddered, a haunted look in her eyes.

"Marlene was pretty freaked out by it, more so than anyone else. I guess she must have been afraid that Chris would have been hurt if she continued to be with him. That could have been the reason why she broke up with him," Lily said.

Bryn pondered over their words, discovering something odd. "Even if that were true, it still doesn't explain why she is actively avoiding him now. There must be something else going on."

Alice shrugged, taking a gulp of her tea. "Guess you're going to have to ask Marlene that."

Bryn sighed, brushing Harry's messy hair back. It was something she had to do. Those two can't go on like that for much longer since it seemed that she and her family were going to be sticking around for some time.

She pressed a goodbye kiss to Neville and Harry's foreheads before she stood up. "I better head back to the Burrow. I promised the Weasley kids we'd have a few rounds of Quidditch-Rounders before dinner."

"The both of us need to get going too," Lily grabbed Harry, tossing him up in the air playfully. Harry shrieked with delight, demanding for more. "We need to drop off Harry and Neville at Augusta's house."

"She's my mother-in-law," Alice added, seeing the puzzled look on Bryn's face.

"Ah yes, you have the mission tonight, correct?"

"Yes," Lily concurred, slightly surprised that Bryn knew, "Moody sent out word that he wanted to have a last-minute briefing before the mission so we are gathering in the Headquarters 3 hours beforehand. We're doing a big raid so nearly all of the Order is involved. Even the healers are asked to be onsite just in case. Did Arthur or Molly tell you about this?"

"No, it was Fabian actually. He told me about it a few days ago," Bryn replied, recalling the conversation they had.

"What?" Bryn gasped, sitting up from her relaxed position against the oak tree, turning to face him. "A raid?"

Fabian straightened up as well, meeting her alarmed gaze calmly.

"We're going to be infiltrating one of the known Death Eater's homes, a guy named Terrence Nott. We know that the Nott Manor is storing crucial knowledge about the Death Eaters and we've managed to acquire the floor plan. Moody plans to raid the place on 11 August and almost everyone is involved."

Bryn swallowed the tightness that settled in her throat, her stomach becoming an anxious pit. She knew that they were fighting a war but to hear it, to hear what they were doing – it scared her sometimes. She didn't like the thought of her new friends possibly getting hurt. "Sounds dangerous," her voice came out strained as she played with the ends of her blouse.

Fabian grasped her hands gently, the feel of his calloused palms comforting her slightly.

"It is," he admitted, his thumb running across her knuckles. "But I didn't tell this to scare you, Bryn. I just wanted to let you know what was happening so as to not worry you."

Bryn would have snorted if her mind wasn't currently plagued with worry. "Fat chance about that. I think I might be more worried now that I know."

She exhaled quietly, trying to clear her worrisome thoughts while she glanced down at their entwined hands. When did this become so natural, she had to wonder. She seeking him out every time he and Gideon dropped by for dinner at the Burrow (which was almost every day). Them spending their evenings together under the oak tree before dinner, talking or simply enjoying each other's company. Him bringing her new books without a second thought to feed her ever-growing curiosity. Him watching her with a warm, affectionate gaze while she enthusiastically discussed a new topic she found fascinating.

The initial attraction between them was blossoming into something more which both scared and enthralled her at the same time. And it was definitely not going unnoticed judging from the knowing smirks directed their way by Molly, Gideon and her own family. Whether she realised it or not, he was becoming someone important to her and she was unsure if she was ready to address those feelings just yet. But what she did know was he was feeling the same way as her.

The hidden message behind Fabian telling her of the raid was clear to her.

'You've become someone important to me so I didn't want to hide it from you.'

She dragged her eyes to meet his striking blue eyes. "Stay safe okay?" She pleaded, gripping his hands tighter. "I don't want to save my saviour for him to only get hurt again."

Fabian cracked a smile, drawing closer to press their foreheads together. "I promise," he murmured, the tips of their noses brushing against each other. The softness in his eyes conveyed that he knew what she wasn't saying in her words.

'You're important to me too so come back to me safely.'

"Remember, you told me you only make promises that you plan on keeping. So don't you dare start breaking them to me now," she warned, her eyes narrowed threateningly.

He chuckled, one of his hands coming to tuck a loose strand of hair behind her ear. His fingers lingered near her jaw, the light touch raising small goosebumps in its wake.

"To you, angel? I would never dream of it."

"Huh, so Fabian told you about it?" Alice muttered thoughtfully, bringing Bryn back to the present. "I didn't know the two of you were close."

"We did save each other's lives and all. Kind of brings people together," Bryn joked, avoiding her friends' perceptive eyes. The last thing she needed was them to get wind of whatever was going on between her and Fabian when she hadn't even figured it out yet.

Lily hummed, her green eyes gleaming suspiciously.

"I better get going," she cleared her throat, starting to feel a touch uncomfortable under the two witches' discerning gazes. She hastily grabbed a handful of the Floo powder but before she tossed it into the flames, she paused, looking over her shoulder at Lily and Alice, "Good luck and be safe, both of you."

Alice grinned, fearless and confident. "We will. See you soon, Bryn."

Bryn managed to return her smile before she stepped into the glowing green fire.

"Fabian and Bryn, huh?" Lily said once Bryn disappeared, turning to Alice with a small smirk playing on her lips. "I can see that happening to be honest."

"They suit each other well," Alice mused, "And thinking back, he was very attentive and sweet towards her when she visited the manor for the first time."

Lily cautiously eyed the growing smirk on Alice's lips as she bounced giggling Harry in her arms. "Oh no, you've got that look on your face."

"Do you know how long I have been waiting for this moment?" Alice demanded, her brown eyes shining brilliantly with purpose. "For the day that I can play matchmaker to Fabian and Gideon the same way they have done to me?"

"Uh, not sure about Gideon and didn't it work out well for you?" Lily pointed out, gesturing to Neville in Alice's lap.

"That's not the point," Alice insisted stubbornly, "The point is that I need to make sure that my dear friend lands up with the girl of his dreams."

Lily shook her head, an exasperated smile tugging the corner of her lips. "Okay, slow down. How about we see how those two interact first before you start interfering? For all we know, they could be progressing quite nicely and don't even need our help."

"Fine," Alice conceded reluctantly, "But I'm still going to corner him about this later."

"I wouldn't expect anything less," Lily said soothingly as they prepared to Floo to Augusta Longbottom's house.

༻⸻⸻⸻⸻༺

As soon as Bryn entered the Burrow, both her legs were tackled by Fred and Geroge, mischievous grins on their faces.

"Bryn!" They shouted as a form of greeting.

"George! Fred! Let the poor woman go!" Molly chided, looking up from her knitting with a glare.

George and Fred shook their heads stubbornly and refused to relinquish their hold. Bryn only laughed and ambled around the living room, careful not to bump into any furniture. Fred and George shrieked happily as if they were on the most exciting carnival ride they ever experienced.

"Alright, kids! Who's ready for some Quidditch-Rounders?" Chris bounded down the stairs, dressed in a faded blue shirt and trousers. Mia came down shortly after, her hair tied up in a high ponytail, donning her faded Beatles graphic t-shirt.

"Me!" Everyone under the age of 12 jumped up excitedly running over to Chris and Mia as they headed out to the small field. Diana grabbed Ron who was toddling towards her and followed the rest of the group.

"You and your family are truly a blessing, Bryn," Molly declared with a tired sigh. "I love spending time with my boys but I've been so tired as of late. Arthur just left for the mission briefing so the boys were getting antsy."

"No worries, Molly. We'll just burn off all that energy so that they will knock out once their heads hit the pillow," Bryn said, "Do you need help going up to your bedroom?"

Molly flashed Bryn a rueful smile. "No, it's fine. I would be fretting over Arthur too much to get any sleep. I'll just stay here and continue with my knitting. It helps with my nerves."

Bryn smiled understandingly as she gave Molly's shoulder a comforting squeeze. "Fair enough. See you later, Molls."

She strolled to the paddock, her own mind drifting to Fabian.

He's going to be alright, Bryn. He's trained Auror. Trust him, he will be fine.

She repeated this in her head, willing for her to believe it. The game was already well underway when she arrived, sounds of the Weasley shrieking with delight filled the air as they ran around the field. Bryn threw herself into the game to distract herself as well as the kids. She teamed up with Fred, George and Bill against Mia, Chris, Charlie and Percy while Diana and Ron watched from the sidelines, cheering for whichever team was in the lead.

They played for a few hours, ending the game once the sun was low in the horizon, the skies tinged orange and pink. The group of them was still chattering excitedly about their scores and moves during the match when they returned to the Burrow.

"Mum! We're back!" Charlie called out, barely shucking off his muddy trainers before he raced into the house to find Molly.

Bryn was slowly untying her shoes when she snapped up in shock hearing Charlie's panicked cries.

"Help! There is something wrong with Mum!"

Bryn reacted instantly, running into the kitchen. There she found Molly curled up on the floor, clutching her protruding belly with her face twisted in agony. Charlie was stroking his mother's arm, desperately trying to soothe her pain.

"Mum!" Fred exclaimed fearfully from behind her. The children were about to run towards their mother but Mia and Chris held them back, allowing Bryn to have some space.

"What happened?" Bryn asked, kneeling next to Molly.

"I don't know!" Charlie cried. "I came into the kitchen and she was already like this!"

"Molly? Molly, when did the pain start?" Bryn probed, scanning her body for any visible injuries. She was relieved to find none.

"A…few…minutes…before…you…came…in," Molly panted as another wave of pain hit her.

Bryn shifted closer and her hand came into contact with a puddle pooling underneath Molly. Bryn lifted Molly's dress slightly to find the back of her dress and her knickers wet.

Her water burst.

"I know…that…they don't…come on…the due date…but…I'm…still a few weeks…early," Molly grunted, barely managing to bite down a scream of pain. "This never happened…with the others…before."

"Charlie, sweetie, I need you to stand with your brothers. I need to check your mother," Bryn urged gently to Charlie who was still sitting next to Molly, his eyes wide with fear.

"But – "

"I'll be…okay…Charlie. Bryn…will take…care…of me," Molly reassured, gathering her wits enough to give him a smile.

Charlie listened to his mother and ran to Mia, hugging her tightly, his face peeking out enough to look at his mother lying on the ground.

"I'm going to check you out, alright Molly?" Bryn asked.

Molly nodded weakly and Bryn lifted her dress. She sucked in a sharp breath when she examined the opening.

This is not good.

"What is it, Bryn?" Her mother questioned.

"She might be having an umbilical cord prolapse."

Diana's gaze sharpened at hearing the pregnancy complication, "Will we be able to get her to a hospital in time?"

"No, the water bag has broken and I can already feel the umbilical cord descending through the vagina. It wouldn't be safe to move her over long distances and if we wait any longer, it could be dangerous for the baby."

"So, what can you do, Bryn?" Chris questioned as calmly as he could to not scare the children any further.

"I would need to do a C-section. Best solution to save the baby and the mother but I don't have any tools or anaesthesia or anything."

"I'll go to headquarters, ask for help," Mia offered. "Hopefully, there is someone there or maybe they've already returned from their mission."

"Go," Bryn urged and Mia was off, Floo-ing to headquarters.

"Chris, could you carry Molly to her bedroom? Carefully."

Chris scooped Molly into his arms at once and brought her up to the master bedroom. Bryn was about to follow behind them when she felt a small tug on the edge of her shirt.

"Will mum and the baby be okay?" Percy stared up at her, teary-eyed and frightened. The younger children crowded in front of her, wearing similar expressions,

Bryn kneeled down, resting a hand on Percy's shoulder, her lips pulled into a comforting smile. "I'll do everything I can to make sure your mother and the baby are safe, I promise."

It didn't fully abate the fear from the eyes, but they bobbed their heads, allowing themselves to trust Bryn.

"Come on, let's go to the living room. Bryn needs to go and help mum," Bill ordered quietly. Bryn spotted his bottom lip wobbling, briefly betraying his own emotions. However, he hardened his expression, fully taking the mantle as the eldest brother while he herded them towards the couches.

"Bill, could you hold Ron for a while? Chris will be down soon to take him. I'm going to help Bryn," Diana asked and at his nod, she placed a sleeping Ron into his arms before he joined his brothers.

"Hopefully, Mia can find someone in the Headquarters," Diana murmured as they climbed up the stairs, two steps at a time. "If not, we're going to have to get creative to save Molly and the baby."