Questions and Breaking Plates

Friday morning, Siria performed the usual ritual with her peers. No one had spoken to her since her outburst in the kitchen the previous afternoon. Though Hermione and Ron kept by her side as much as possible. Cassius left a Calming Draught on Siria's bedside, but she did not take it.

POP! POP! POP! POP!

Siria threw herself to the ground when she entered the kitchen. She'd no sooner stepped in when bursts of micro explosions attacked her. Hermione gasped and knelt beside Siria. Siria could not press her hands hard enough to her ears. She had been too slow again, just like in the maze. Siria pressed her head to the kitchen floor, but it made her heart hammer faster, made her breathe faster, made the world spin faster, made everything—

Warm and firm, a hand yanked her up by her arm. She kept her hands over her ears. Siria squeezed her eyes shut tighter. Another hand fell on her other shoulder. It was warm and familiar. She cracked her eyes open and the face before her came into focus. A very familiar freckled face came into focus, though she was used to seeing double. George's face was inches from Siria's. He was so close she could smell the bacon on his breath.

"You're in the kitchen," George spoke slowly and softly. Under the green of the maze was the soft brown, sponge paint of the kitchen walls. "At home," George continued and Siria saw her father's face behind the yellow flash that zipped in rhythm. "In Number Twelve, London," George said. Siria nodded. Bacon and eggs carried over the smell of grass and Stargazer explosion. The warmth of the kitchen overpowered the cool, crisp air of the maze. This was the electric lighting of her home, not of the low, magic lighting in the maze. She nodded again and glanced over her shoulder. Hermione was here. Ron was here. She was here.

"Um," Siria peered around George, who stepped to the side, with a hand still on her shoulder. "Sorry," she said to the collection of worried faces that looked at her. Her fingers trailed along where Wormtail had cut her face in the graveyard, though Siria didn't notice, some of the others did.

"Don't be," said Sirius. "I'm sorry," he held out a trash pin for everyone to drop their popper in. "They make a terrible mess, and all this smoke is rubbish." Siria nodded.

"Presents," Maddy pointed to the center of the table, with a bin of gifts, as she forced a smile. "You've got so much to open. There are more, but," Maddy looked to Patricia, "they'll be here later." Hermione held Siria's hand. She gave her best friend her bravest smile, but Siria only nodded in reply. They sat her at the head of the table, where Hermione crammed a chair next to Siria's.

Kreacher brought Siria a small plate with a piece of toast and jam, a sliced banana, white rice, a few pieces of chocolate. She forced a smile at it. Despite the hollow weight in her stomach, she didn't feel like eating. Siria picked at the plate while she opened the gifts.

One of her gifts was a decorative jewelry box, which Siria used to keep the cards that came with the gifts. She didn't know how else to remember who they all came from. It was like she was Dudley for a day.

"A goldenrod," said Siria as Dennis handed her another box. The flower had been pressed then fixed to the top of the box, under a silver ribbon. Siria wrapped the ribbon around her wrist as she slid it open. Little sugar crystals of white and green sat in the top half, with red and yellow filling the bottom. It smelt like apples.

"There isn't a card, but it's fine," said Mrs. Weasley. She didn't look convinced.

"I know," said Siria. She placed the box beside the other gifts.

Once everything had been opened, Chloe asked "Now, what would you like to do today?" Overnight, she had dyed her hair electric blue. The bags under her eyes were almost gone and her makeup was back to its usual bright self.

"Overthrow the Ministry of Magic and make the Wizarding World public," said Siria, not that anyone was able to hear it all. Groans and shouts of disapproval started at the very first word.

After Mrs. Weasley and Sirius had finished scolding her, which Siria sat through quietly, she sighed. "Well," said Siria, "I suppose if what I want for my birthday is really so out of questions, perhaps you'd be willing to grant something else?"

"One thing," said Sirius. "Nothing to do with overthrowing or making anything public."

"I suppose that's fair," Siria pretended to think. "Guess I've got to think small… oh!" She smiled and perked up. "Let me joinTheOrderofThePhoenix." Sirius pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Absolutely not!" cried Mrs. Weasley. "You're far too young."

"That's what you said when I was fourteen," said Siria. "If you continue to keep me out, I'll..." Siria glanced to Hermione and Ron, then to Fred and George, Alice and Cassius, Maddy and Patricia, and to Cedric. Siria sat up in her chair. "I'll form my own Order."

"You'll do not such thing," said Mrs. Weasley.

Siria stood up. "Of the people in this room, only two have been face-to-face with Voldemort," she ignored the shudders at the name, "and neither of us are allowed in— despite one of us being of legal age."

"Cassius will be allowed when he finishes school," said Remus.

"Then I'll test out," said Siria. "Exceptions to take O.W.L.s and N.E.W.T.s early can be granted."

"Siria," said Sirius. "What do you actually want?"

"To fight… fine," Siria sighed and sat back down. "I want to know everything."

"You already do" Sirius said, but she knew this was a lie.

"I don't know what you're guarding, what the prophecy Barty Crouch, Jr. mentioned says, who I can trust at school, what Voldemort is up to— don't give me that look" she told Sirius. "He has to be up to more than getting the 'like weapon' and recruiting people. I'd believe those two things can keep Voldemort busy when I stop being able to walk, talk, and chew gum."

"Fine."

"No!" Mrs. Weasley told them. "Dumbledore has already said you may have told her too much. He insisted that she only be told what she needs to know" (B5, 89-90).

"Who is Dumbledore to decide what I need to know?" cried Siria.

"Molly, you are not her mother," said Sirius.

"I am as good as!" Mrs. Weasley argued and Siria's face flushed (B5, 90).

"You aren't the only one with Siria's best interest at heart," Remus reminded Mrs. Weasley (B5, 90).

"They're too young," said Mrs. Weasley.

"Mrs. Weasley, I don't want to argue with you, but I cannot agree," said Siria.

Hermione placed her hand on the table and Siria held it. Courage filled Siria. Conviction filled her. She nodded and gave Hermione's hand a squeeze.

"Voldemort didn't care when I was one or eleven. He didn't care when he tried to kill Colin with a basilisk when Colin was eleven or that I was twelve. Voldemort didn't care that I was fourteen in that graveyard or that Cassius was still in school. He didn't care and he could not care any less now," said Siria. "If you insist on keeping us out of the Order of the Phoenix, we'll make our own."

"Here, here" said Fred and George chorused.

"You will not!" said Mrs. Weasley.

"They will," Chloe said and was surprised when Mrs. Weasley, Remus, and Sirius looked at her. "I mean, If you tell her 'no' she's going to do it even if she didn't want to in the first place. I told her 'don't use that color' and she wore it for a week."

"She gets that from you," Mrs. Weasley told Sirius. Sirius scanned the eager faces in the room until his kind grey eyes rested on his daughter.

"The prophecy is over and done with," Sirius said. "It's completed, so hearing it won't change anything. We are guarding what Voldemort wants, and he wants something that can't help him at this point."

"Then why are you guarding it?" Siria asked.

"Well, it's fun to stop people getting what they want," Sirius said. Siria and Hermione exchanged a look.

Hermione's face read "this is going nowhere," and Siria agreed. If they could just read his mind or talk telepathically to form a strategy. Siria tightened her grip on Hermione's hand. Hermione gave a single, small nod.

"I know you're guarding the prophecy," Siria guessed with all the confidence she could muster.

"That's it!" Mrs. Weasley shouted, not to Siria, but to Fred and George. "Hand them over," and she stuck out her hand. "Clearly some of your ears escaped the raid."

"Mrs. Weasley," Siria said, "you can take them, but I'll give Fred and George more money."

"You will not," Sirius told her. Siria cocked her head up.

"I will. You've made me learn about finance and investments— well, I've chosen to invest in Fred and George."

"If the prophecy has been completed, why does," Hermione swallowed, "why does Voldemort still want it?"

"He doesn't," Mrs. Weasley lied.

"So it hasn't been completed," Siria glared over her glasses, at Sirius.

"Okay," Chloe got to her feet. "Siria, dear, clearly they can't tell you and you don't want to be lied to. Next question?"

"Who can we trust at Hogwarts? There's Hagrid, McGonagall, and Dumbledore," Siria listed.

"And Snape," said Remus, but Siria rolled her eyes.

"But what about Flitwick and Sprout?" asked Siria.

"They aren't officially in the Order, but you can trust them if you need help," said Sirius.

"Why not?" Ron asked.

"Dumbledore can't have every teacher in Hogwarts as part of the Order," Remus explained. "What would happen if someone was tortured for names or actually a double agent?"

"Like Snape?" Siria asked.

"Professor Snape is on our side," said Mrs. Weasley.

"I'll believe that about as much as I'd believe Draco Malfoy is," said Siria. "Dumbledore is welcome to do as he pleases and believe who he will, but I am too." Mrs. Weasley sighed.

"What's wrong with Snape?" Chloe asked. "Isn't he the bloke that made my Draught?"

"He what?" Siria asked and looked to Chloe then Sirius. Sirius grimaced like he would bite off his tongue and gave a single, short nod. "Okay…" Siria clicked her tongue. "Well," she thought, "well, one good deed doesn't make him not a huge," and Siria swore as Chloe had the day before.

When Mrs. Weasley finished her outburst at Siria's language, Hermione pointed out it was two good deeds. "The counterjinx on your broom, in the first year."

"Which didn't even work. Really it was your good deed of setting him on fire," said Siria.

"Hermione," gasped Mrs. Weasley. Hermione blushed furiously and Siria gave her hand another squeeze.

"It was to protect me. More importantly, I still don't know where Hagrid is," she said. "Not really."

"That's for the best," Remus assured her. "Now, Chloe actually planned a day out for you— plate breaking and cafes. We made a lot of arrangements to get us all here, so why don't you get ready?" Sirius nodded and Siria knew that was really the end of it.

When they were upstairs, Fred and George sat down on the first bunk, which was Hermione's. "Didn't really learn anything new," George said.

"Except for what they're guarding," said Fred as the others filtered in. Hermione closed the door behind her. She pressed herself against and gulped at the twelve faces that watched her.

"I," Hermione's voice cracked. "I think we should keep up our practices!"

"What else are we going to do?" Maddy asked.

"No. I mean, when school starts back up," said Hermione. "I think we should continue, like with the Triwizard Tournament."

"What else would we do?" Maddy repeated as she leaned against Patricia.

"Really?" Colin asked. "Can we come?" He bounced as she sat on Ginny's bunk.

"Please!" Dennis added. They looked to Siria.

"Of course." Siria told them.

Ron and Siria exchanged a speaking glance and looked to Hermione. "Hermione," said Ron, "what are you getting at?" Hermione clicked her tongue quietly.

"I just think that, maybe, we ought to share our knowledge," she said. "Like we do with Lumos."

"You want to mail out education flyers?" asked George as he sat beside Fred.

"You already write too much," said Fred.

"No. I mean that…" Hermione examined Siria's face then Cassius's.

"Hermione, who is going to want to learn from 'The Girl Who Lied and her Slytherin Senior student'?" Cassius asked.

"You're still on that?" Ron and Siria asked.

"No one is going to want me or Cassius to teach them," said Siria.

"What about all those gifts?" Hermione asked. "People believe you. We got your interviews out in time to combat the Ministry and the Daily Prophet before they could even make a statement. The Stargazer showed people the truth. Only people too scared to accept it are against you." Hermione extended her hand, which had been absently drawing circles on the door.

Ron looked to Siria with a face that read "you don't have to." Hermione fixed her determined round eyes on Siria. Siria peered over her shoulder, to Cassius. He shrugged.

"You said that you'd form your own Order if you couldn't join," said Hermione. "We wouldn't be overthrowing the Ministry or running off to fight Voldemort," she stiffened at the name, even though she was the one that said it, "but we would be ready to face him." Siria rolled her head back and sighed. "It's what the Sunday study group started as," Hermione reminded her. "You— just, just think about it, okay?" Hermione requested.

"Fine," Siria groaned and clapped her hand into Hermione's. "I'll think about it."

There was a magenta haired stranger with a heart shaped face in the entryway when they came downstairs. Remus introduced her as Nymphadora Tonks, but she immediately requested to be called Tonks. "You would too if your fool of a mother named you Nymphadora," she said (B5, 49).

"I know you," Siria told the stranger beside Tonks. She had seen the man before, but couldn't quite place him.

"Dedalus Diggle," he said and dropped his top hat in his excitement (B5, 49).

"They're here to be part of your guard," said Sirius, "on Dumbledore's orders."

"Are you saying any time Siria or I want to go outside, we need a small army?" Cassius asked.

"Until you're back at school," his father told him. Cassius and Siria eyed each other.

"Let's go!" Chloe urged and ushered Siria toward the door. "You're going to hate this," Chloe winked at Siria. "I know how much you love to preserve things and keep them tidy."

"Thanks," Siria said as they stepped out.

"Thank you," said Chloe. She combed Siria's bangs with her fingers. "Siria, you've got good intentions and they'll come through."

"Hermione'll totally become Minister of Magic when we grow up, and I'll go public," Siria promised. Chloe gave her a gentle smile.

"For now, just be a teenager— go break some stuff and fall in love," Chloe told her.

They walked a few blocks to a little hole in the wall. With the boarded up windows and muck filled mortar, no one guessed it was the place, or even in business. Chloe thrust her shoulder against the door to get it open. The lot of them loaded into the room, where only half the lights were on.

"Been awhile," a woman with long, dark braids past her back smiled at them. "Good to see you, Chloe."

"Becca, you beautiful boss," Chloe kissed Becca's cheeks, but Becca rolled her eyes.

"Rooms sixteen to twenty, all the way at the end," Becca said.

"Thank you," Chloe smiled and waved for them to follow her down a dark hallway that led to the back. "Washroom," Chloe pointed to a door halfway down the hall. "Five to a room, if we can, and try to take turns," she said.

Ginny, Maddy, and Patricia took the first room with Remus and Tonks. Alice, Cassius, and Cedric went into the second with Dedalus Diggle and Mr. Warrington. Hermione, Ron, and Siria in the third with Chloe and Sirius. Mrs. Weasley took the twins and Creevey brothers to the final room.

Each room had a counter a few steps into the room. There were safety goggles, ear protection, and gloves under the counters. Beside the counters, each room had a bin of glass plates, cups, bowls and trinkets.

Chloe double checked Siria's safety gear then handed her a plate. Siria chucked the plate as hard as she could. She couldn't help the smile that grew with each shatter. For a moment, Siria forgot about the maze and the graveyard. She was just a girl, breaking things with her friends.

Siria plopped down beside Hermione, who pretended to pay Siria no mind. Hermione turned the page of her book. Siria eyed the page as she snuggled to rest her head on Hermione's arm. "So," Siria started as Hermione began as well. The two stared in silence.

"Have you given it any thought?" Hermione finally asked.

"Muggle studies?" Siria asked at the picture in the book. "Hard pass. I want less classes, not more." Hermione closed the book and rested it on her chest.

"Teaching," said Hermione. Siria shrugged.

"I mean, if Cassius is cool with it, I'm down to help, but I'm not really teaching material."

"You're absolutely teaching material," Hermione did not mean to sit up, so she eased herself back down quickly.

"Doped up on a Calming Draught or Cheering Charm, maybe. Did you forget what happened in the kitchen?" Siria asked. "I'd be a wreck in a class of noise like that."

Hermione leaned her head against Siria's. "Well," said Hermione, more to herself than Siria, "there are… but I suppose…" Siria let out a small giggle, as Hermione continued to think aloud. "I mean, that really might work," Hermione said. She tapped Siria's shoulder, hopped out of bed, and hurried out of the room. Siria sighed and climbed into her own bunk.

"You know," said Alice, "I've noticed that she does that a lot, doesn't she?"

"It's the surest sign that Hermione's really onto something," said Siria. "She was like that with the Chamber of Secrets and Rita Skeeter."

"Would you really teach people, if Cassius agreed too?" Alice asked. Siria shrugged and plopped down on her bunk.

"Even if he didn't, if that's what Hermione or Ron really want me to do, I would."

"You must really love them," Alice smiled and Siria couldn't tell if she was being teased or not.

"You can't not love them— we beat a troll together at eleven, Ron sacrificed himself the same year, and Hermione saved our lives. Then Ron went into the Chamber of Secrets with me; Hermione figured out the real Heir of Slytherin and that there was a basilisk. Next year, they protected me from Peter Pettigrew, known murderer. To say I 'love' them feels like a huge understatement," Siria confessed.

There were countless other reasons she felt it was too small a word. Ron stayed behind for Christmas and Easter Holiday, so Siria wouldn't be alone at Hogwarts. He snuck her toast when he thought she missed breakfast. Hermione made sure Siria ate somewhat balanced meals and always offered to share her bed. They could ask her for anything and she would find a way to give it to them.