Annabelle stepped out of the shadows, glancing back and forth across the street before crossing and hurrying up the front steps. She knocked firmly a few times before stepping back, pulling her cloak hood further over her face. She waited anxiously for several moments before she heard the familiar click of a lock and the door slowly creaked open.
Anna slipped inside and closed the door closely behind her. She looked up slightly at the familiar face behind the long, white beard, crooked nose, and blue eyes.
"Thank you for coming." Dumbledore told her, already heading for the dining room. "This way, please."
Anna followed him after hesitating for a moment, slowly pulling her hood down and following him into the room. He sat at the head of the dining room table and Anna sat at the seat next to him.
"Are we the only ones here?" she asked, glancing around nervously for any sign of someone else in 12 Grimmauld Place.
"Yes. We are alone." Dumbledore assured her. "I'd prefer to keep this mission quiet until later, if you don't mind. Just to be safe."
Anna nodded silently. Just that morning, she'd received a letter from Dumbledore that he wanted to speak with her at headquarters after dinner. She'd had to come up with an excuse to her parents and Harry, saying she was meeting a few friends from school before Apparating away. The letter had little information about what the meeting was actually about.
"So, you have a mission for me?" Anna guessed quietly, unable to look at his face in case the anxiety and fear she was feeling showed in her eyes.
"I do. I was hoping there'd be more than one of you to be able to do it, but it seems Tonks is…struggling to change lately." Dumbledore admitted.
Anna's head snapped up and she stared at him. She knew from experience that emotions, particularly depression, had an effect on a Metamorphmagus's ability to change. But that wasn't the only thing on her mind, now. "Is this a dangerous mission? Is that why you wanted both of us?"
Dumbledore hummed, folding his hands together atop the table. "Only if you don't take the necessary precautions. You'll need to disguise yourself completely, both your looks and your character, and you should be fine. Of course, you'll have your wand on you for protection, and if the situation becomes too risky, Apparate yourself out of there."
Anna nodded slowly, taking a deep breath through her nose to calm her nerves. "Okay. And what is this mission?"
Dumbledore looked her right in the eyes, his blue searching her gray for several moments before he spoke. "I need you to go into Knockturn Alley to see if you can find something."
Anna stared at him for a moment. "What kind of something?" she asked.
"Well, that's hard to say, really. You may find nothing. This mission may turn out to be a waste of time, but I'd rather cover all my bases." Dumbledore told her. "What I'd need you to look for are…objects." he stated slowly. "These objects may be crucial to defeating Voldemort."
"What are they? The objects?" Anna asked curiously, leaning forward now in her seat.
"I'm not positive." Dumbledore admitted. "But they would have to be…something of interest to Voldemort. I've deduced they would have to be something of incredible value, and connected either to one of Hogwarts' founders or a pureblood family heirloom."
Anna nodded slowly, her eyes narrowed in thought. "So,…it'd have to be something…either from Gryffindor, Slytherin, Hufflepuff, or Ravenclaw. Or from a pureblood family?"
Dumbledore nodded once. "Yes. Especially something that belonged in the Slytherin or Gaunt families."
"Gaunt?" Anna repeated, having never heard the name before.
Dumbledore nodded once. "A family descended of Salazar Slytherin, of which Voldemort is a descendant. The line has nearly died out. So if you can find an heirloom that once belonged to either the Slytherin or Gaunt families, there's a high chance it's what we're looking for."
"So, I'm looking for something valuable that either came from a Hogwarts founder or the Slytherin or Gaunt families." Anna deduced slowly, nodding a couple times.
"Yes." Dumbledore nodded once. "Of course, I've already found something from the Gaunt family, but there's always a chance he used another one."
"What did he use them for?" Anna asked curiously.
"The less you know, the better, I'm afraid." Dumbledore told her. "Just know that it's necessary to defeating him."
Anna nodded in understanding. "Okay. And you want me to look in Knockturn Alley for these things?"
"Yes. If there's anything there to be found, it will most likely be Borgin and Burkes, but try checking a few of the other stores, as well, if you can."
Anna nodded, trying to think through everything she'd need to do to see if she had any questions. "And what happens if I do end up finding something? Do I buy it or contact you or what?"
"I will provide you with funds sufficient to purchase anything you may end up finding." Dumbledore assured her. "And remember, you'll need to create a disguise."
"Do you have any suggestions on how I should disguise myself?" Anna asked hesitantly. "I mean,…should I be a random old lady or something?"
"I'd be careful with that." Dumbledore said thoughtfully. "A shop owner may try to overcharge you if they think they can get away with it. I'd aim for a look that doesn't attract too much attention at first glance. But if you need to speak with someone, like the shop owner, make sure you exude an air of confidence, almost of pureblood arrogance. Perhaps aim for a middle-aged woman with expensive tastes, yet well-educated. A shop owner will be more likely to cater to your needs if there's a chance you'll spend a large sum of money in his shop.
"If the opportunity arises, give a pureblood name that may earn you some extra respect. Not one that gets too much attention, like Black or Malfoy. One that doesn't attract as much attention, yet is recognizable. I'd recommend Bulstrode or Macmillan. But be subtle, don't make it a big deal."
Anna nodded slowly. "Okay. So disguise as a middle-aged, pureblood woman. Look in Knockturn Alley shops for valuable objects from Hogwarts' founders or pureblood families. If I find one, I buy it. Anything else?"
Dumbledore smiled slightly with a shake of his head. "Just remember all of that. You should do it this Saturday, preferably during the day when it's not as dangerous or suspicious. We've got a small Order meeting scheduled for that evening. Bring me any objects or news then." Reaching his hand into his robe, Dumbledore pulled out a small bag that he dropped onto the tabletop. Coins clinked and jingled from inside as it hit the wooden surface. "Any questions?"
Anna shook her head. "No, sir."
XXX
Anna appeared with a pop in Diagon Alley, though to passersby, she didn't look like Annabelle Black. She was taller, almost six foot, with long, blonde hair, a diamond-shaped face with sharp cheekbones, and dark eyes. She was dressed in dark robes with a black, hooded traveling cloak wrapped around her shoulders.
Glancing around briefly, Anna turned off Diagon Alley and entered a small back alley. She traveled between a few buildings, making a couple twists and turns, before she reached a much darker place that looked similar to the place she just left.
Knockturn Alley was a dark, eerie place. She'd never been there before. The twins had always been curious about it when they were younger, but not Anna. Just seeing the kinds of shops she was walking past and the people who passed her or leered from shop windows made her skin crawl. But she kept her composure, reminding herself that she wasn't Annabelle Black at the moment. She was a confident, young, rich woman, and she forced herself to walk as such, keeping her chin high and face blank even as she clutched her wand in her cloak.
Soon, a shabby sign hanging from a nearby shop caught Anna's eye and she headed for the shop door underneath it.
The door to Borgin and Burkes creaked eerily as she stepped over the threshold, entering the shop slowly and looking around. There were a few other people in the shop, though Anna paid them no mind and headed for the nearest shelf.
The shop was so creepy. The dusty and cracked windows let in hardly any light, leaving the shop to be a dim, eerie looking place. There was a withered hand on a cushion in a nearby glass case, a pack of cards stained with blood, and human bones scattered on a nearby counter.
She passed a battered old cabinet before coming to another glass display. Seeing a beautiful, fancy necklace made of turquoise opals, she paused and leaned down to get a closer look. It looked like something that may have belonged to a pureblood family or something. There was a label with it that read;
'Do not touch! Cursed.
Has claimed the lives of nineteen Muggle owners to date.'
Anna barely refrained from wrinkling her nose in disgust. That label sounded more like it was bragging than warning. Still, that sounded like something Voldemort and his crew would be interested in, right?
"May I help you, ma'am?"
Anna stood straight and turned to see a stooping man with hair as oily as Snape's. She guessed this was the shop owner, Borgin.
Forcing herself to remain calm and not stutter or make a fool of herself, Anna glanced coolly down at the necklace. "Yes, I was wondering what you could tell me about the history of this necklace."
"Ah, you have expensive tastes, my dear." Borgin said gleefully. "Unfortunately, that particular piece has already been purchased and is currently on hold. Is there anything else you'd be interested in?"
Anna thought for a moment, letting her eyes scan the shop while she thought about what to say next. "Do you have any…valuable heirlooms? Particularly from the families Slytherin or Gaunt? I'm looking for a gift for my aunt, and something like those would make her day." she explained, hoping she wasn't making a mistake.
"Ah, family heirlooms, perhaps?" Borgin guessed with a gleam in his eye. Anna guessed he'd come to the conclusion she came from a rich pureblood family, like she'd been hoping he would. "I'm afraid not at this moment, but we do have other things of value. Just over here we've got a few items that were owned by some very famous witches and wizards."
He showed Anna dozens of valuable objects, but Anna saw nothing that seemed like something Voldemort would want. After almost half an hour of searching, Anna came up with an excuse to leave the dreary shop without making a purchase. She could tell Borgin was pissed, but she didn't care.
She checked a couple other shops like Cobb and Webb's, The Coffin House, and Ye Olde Curiosity Shop, but those came up empty, as well. So, after being in Knockturn Alley for almost two hours, Anna left the dreary place behind and returned to Diagon Alley, which honestly wasn't much better in terms of dreariness. But she still took a deep breath of relief.
Glancing around, Anna found her gaze drawn in the direction of the twins' shop. She'd owled Fred a couple days ago to let him know she wouldn't be able to work at the shop that Saturday and that she'd see him at the meeting later that night,…but now she wanted nothing more than to go to Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes. The cheerful and boisterous atmosphere, the Pygmy Puffs, the twins…it sounded like just what she needed after being in eerie Knockturn Alley.
Before she'd even completely decided, her feet were already carrying her down the alley toward number 93. Seeing how packed the shop was, and knowing she didn't exactly look like herself, Anna moved around the shop to the back door. Pulling out her key, she unlocked the door and slipped into the backroom.
It was empty, which wasn't too surprising given how busy it was out front. But the Pygmy Puffs started squeaking like crazy as soon as they saw her. Anna wasn't sure if they knew it was her, or if they just loved everyone, but she pulled down her hood, closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and changed her appearance back to her normal self.
Sighing in relief, Anna pulled off her cloak and hung it on the rack by the door. Stepping over the small fence of the Puffs' pen, she was careful not to step on the swarming pile of puffballs as she entered the pen and sat on a bare space of floor. Instantly, the baby Pygmy Puffs swarmed her, climbing over her legs and up her arms and chest to her shoulders. Anna couldn't help laughing quietly, the pink and purple fuzz tickling her skin. She picked up a Puff at random and cuddled it to her chest, nuzzling her face into the soft fur. She instantly felt relaxed and at ease, her mission temporarily gone from her mind.
She wasn't sure how long she sat there. It may have been five minutes or an hour. But eventually the familiar sound of the door to the backroom swung open and closed with a click.
"Anna?"
Looking up from a face full of Pygmy Puff fur, Anna saw Fred halfway between the door and the work table, staring at her in surprise.
"Hi." she whispered simply, looking back down at the Pygmy Puffs, several of which had fallen asleep on her lap or around her legs.
"What are you doing here? I thought you couldn't come in today." Fred asked, approaching the pen and kneeling on the ground next to it.
Anna shrugged. "Well,…I had a mission from Dumbledore today." she admitted. "I just finished and, well,…I just needed to come here."
Fred rested his arms on the top of the pen and tilted his head. "That's what you were doing today? You had an Order mission? What did you have to do?"
"Nothing too bad. I just had to go to Knockturn Alley." Anna admitted.
"You got to go to Knockturn Alley?" Fred repeated eagerly, then his expression changed to worry. "You went to Knockturn Alley alone?"
"Relax. I was in disguise and I had my wand. I wasn't in any danger." Anna told him.
Fred nodded slowly, his eyes distractedly staring at the pile of fluff on her lap. "So, what did you have to do?"
"He wanted me to see if I could find any pureblood family heirlooms, or Hogwarts founder family heirlooms, that Voldemort might be interested in. But I couldn't find anything. Dumbledore figured I wouldn't, but he wanted to cover all his bases."
Fred hummed thoughtfully, nodding his head. "So, I'm guessing you went to Borgin and Burkes?"
"Yeah, and a few other shops, but I didn't find anything."
"Well, you tried." Fred stood up and leaned down over the pen to kiss the top of Anna's head, which made her smile. "I've gotta get to work on some stuff. We're almost out of Skiving Snackboxes, so I've gotta start making a few batches."
"I could help, if you want." Anna offered, carefully moving the baby Pygmy Puffs off her lap so she could stand up without dropping them or stepping on them. "It looked pretty busy out there. I may as well help since I'm here."
"You sure?" Fred asked, already sitting at the table and pulling the necessary ingredients toward him from around the messy worktable.
"Absolutely." Anna nodded, standing and stepping over the pen to join him.
XXX
"You better not have got him a joke product." Anna said as soon as she opened the front door to reveal Fred and George, the older twin holding a wrapped box.
"Why not?" Fred and George asked, pretending to be offended as Anna stepped back and waved them into the house.
"Because most of your products aren't exactly safe for a one year old." she answered.
"Fair enough." George agreed.
"But this one is." Fred added, lifting the box slightly. "It's a Happy Bubble Box."
Anna tilted her head slightly in thought. The Happy Bubble Box was a joke product, but it was just a box that, when opened, released colorful bubbles. That would be safe enough, and Aslan would love it.
"Alright, that's fine." she decided, leading them toward the living room. "You can put the present on the coffee table, and everyone's outside in the garden. Ooh! You wanna see my room?" she asked excitedly. Despite being friends since they were eleven, the twins had never been over to her house, or seen her bedroom.
"Isn't it yours and Harry's room, now?" George pointed out as Fred placed the present on the pile.
"Well,…yes, sort of. Technically." she consented. "While he's here. But anyway, come on and see it!" she ordered, grabbing both the twins' hands and dragging them toward the stairs.
"Are you sure you want me up there?" George asked teasingly. "I'd think you'd prefer to just show Fred your room."
Anna released George's hand to smack him behind the head. "Pervert." she muttered, turning and leading the way up the stairs without holding their hands. She made it up the stairs and hurried down the hall to her bedroom door, which she pushed open to step into the room.
The twins followed her in and looked around curiously.
"Ah, there's the spoiled owl." George commented, looking to his right, where Ariel was perched on her tree. Hedwig was perched a few branches higher up. The two owls got along rather well, which Anna was relieved about.
Ariel narrowed her dark eyes at George, her feathers fluffing up indignantly.
George instantly stepped around Fred, leaving his twin as a barrier between him and the angry owl. Anna and Fred laughed.
"I wouldn't insult her like that, George." Anna told him lightly. "Last time you were lucky she only nipped you."
"Yeah, yeah, shut up." George grumbled.
"So, you got an extra bed for Harry?" Fred moved the conversation along.
"Yep. We shrunk my bed and created a second one. And my dad Transfigured that second dresser for Harry."
"Does your room feel too crowded after having it to yourself for so long?" Fred asked curiously.
Anna hummed thoughtfully. "Not really. It feels…cozy. Comfortable. I actually kinda like it." she admitted.
"You always were a weird one." George teased, looking around the room.
"Shut up." Anna laughed. "Anyway, that's pretty much it. You guys wanna head outside and join everyone?"
The twins agreed, and the three headed back downstairs and out the backdoor into the garden outside.
Molly, Arthur, Ron, and Ginny were there already, along with Hermione. Harry was talking with his two best friends at the other end of the garden. Sirius was talking with Anna's grandpa Winthrop and Remus, who was holding Aslan and smiling despite looking worn and grayer than before. Dora had been invited, but claimed she couldn't make it. Anna suspected she didn't want to come when Remus was there, probably to avoid making it awkward.
Wren and Grandma Ethel walked out the backdoor behind Anna and the twins, following a few dishes of food that floated in front of them. They placed them on the large table next to a pile of plates.
Eating was fairly casual. Everyone just took platefuls of food and ate while standing and moving around among themselves in the sunny garden, chatting and catching up.
"Oh, Anna, sweetie, why don't you introduce me to your friends?" Ethel suggested, beaming at Anna as she glanced between her granddaughter and the two redheads she was talking with.
Anna blushed, glancing down at her plate. "Um, well,…this is George." she stated, gesturing to the twin on her right. "And this is his twin Fred…my boyfriend."
"Ah, so you're the young gentleman my daughter has told me so much about." Ethel nodded to Fred after shaking George's hand.
"Grandma!" Anna whined, hiding her blushing face behind her hand.
"Well, you certainly don't tell me things." Ethel told her granddaughter. "I have to hear these things from someone. And once I get Wren talking about your boyfriend, she simply won't shut up."
Fred chuckled, holding his hand out for Ethel's. "It's lovely to meet you, Ma'am." And like a perfect gentleman, Fred kissed the back of Ethel's hand.
"Oh, handsome and charming." Ethel noted as Fred released her hand and wrapped an arm around Anna's waist. She grinned at Anna, who was still blushing. "You have excellent taste in men, dear."
"Don't feed his ego." she whined, while Fred and George laughed.
After eating a couple plates worth of the delicious dinner her mum had made, Anna took Aslan off Remus's hands. Whenever his godfather was around, Aslan rarely wanted to let the man out of his sight. He obviously adored his godfather as much as he loved the rest of his family, but Remus wasn't around as much due to his missions with the werewolf pack. And Remus clearly loved spending time with his godson, but Anna suspected he got tired of holding the now-22.5 pound toddler for hours on end.
"Alright, everyone!" Wren called from the backdoor. Everyone turned to see Wren walking into the garden, her wand pointed in front of her and a small, round, green cake floating in front of her. Molly was following with her own wand pointed in front of her and Aslan's small stack of presents floating in front of her.
Anna moved closer to the table, holding Aslan on her hip. "Look at that." she told him, pointing at the cake. He giggled and clapped his hands together.
"Dij! Dij!" he squealed.
"That's right." Sirius agreed with a grin, appearing at Anna's shoulder. "It's Quidditch."
Sure enough, Aslan's birthday cake looked like a Quidditch pitch. It was a medium-sized round cake, decorated with green and white frosting like a Quidditch pitch. There were also three hoops on one side, like the goals on a real pitch. And there were a couple little people flying around the cake on broomsticks.
"Merlin, Wren, you outdid yourself." Remus noted, his tone impressed as Wren placed the cake on the now-empty table.
"Well, I can't take all the credit." Wren pointed out. "It was Sirius's idea, and Molly helped me bake and decorate it."
"Well, it came out even better than I thought it would." Sirius stated, grinning at the cake. "Not that I'm saying you're a bad cook, love." he added quickly, seeming to realize how his statement might sound.
"Mhm." Wren raised an eyebrow at him with pursed lips, but she then shook her head before turning back to the cake. She waved her wand, and the middle goal hoop on the cake lit on fire like a candle.
Molly, having placed the presents on the other end of the table, lead the group in singing 'Happy Birthday'. She was also holding up an old camera and was snapping pictures around of everyone gathered around the table.
When they finished singing, Anna leaned down so Aslan was somewhat closer to the cake without being able to grab it or burn himself. "Blow out the candle, Aslan. Like this." Anna blew at the candle. Aslan tried copying her, but he was blowing more spit and bubbles then air. So Anna just blew a bit harder to put the candle out.
Everyone clapped and cheered as Anna stood up straight again. Aslan laughed and shrieked, clapping his little hands together joyously.
Molly cut the cake and started passing out pieces starting with Aslan. Anna passed her brother to her mum so she could grab her own plate, sitting between Fred and her mother, who sat with Aslan on her lap and tried to help him eat his slice of cake. Aslan, of course, had his own ideas. Within seconds, both fists were closed tightly around clumps of cake, green icing squishing out from between his fingers, and his mouth, cheeks, and nose were covered in cake and icing. And then he decided to share, ending up leaning over to his dad on Wren's other side and smearing some of his cake across Sirius's face. The whole table roared with laughter.
Fred found himself smiling to his right about fifteen minutes later. Anna had taken Aslan off her mother's hands again and was holding him on her lap. She was laughing and letting the birthday boy continue smashing his cake in his tiny hands, stuffing it in his mouth and smearing it all over his face. Aslan even turned and smeared the green muck across Anna's mouth, the smear spanning from one cheek to the other under her nose. Anna jerked her head back in surprise, scolding Aslan even as she laughed.
An elbow bumped Fred's, making him look to his left where his twin was sitting. George was smirking knowingly at him, his eyebrows jumped once before he glanced past Fred at Anna before looking back again.
Fred glared lightly at his twin, bumping his elbow in return. Words weren't needed. George could see the thoughts in Fred's eyes and expression as if they were his own. He knew what Fred was imagining, seeing Anna with a baby as he so frequently did. Imagining a future that was much simpler and happier than the looming war allowed.
XXX
'Dear Anna,
We just finished Quidditch tryouts this afternoon. I got Chaser with Katie and a girl named Demelza Robins, she's great at dodging bludgers. Our new Beaters are Ritchie Coote and Jimmy Peakes. They're no Fred and George, but they'll do.
Anyway, that's all I've got since last I wrote. Have a good weekend.
Love, Ginny'
Anna folded up Ginny's latest letter before changing into her clothes for the day to head to work. It was about halfway through September, and Ginny had already written a couple times.
Because of work, Anna wasn't able to go to Kings Cross to say goodbye to everyone on September 1st. But she wished Harry a good year at breakfast before they left, and was keeping in touch with Hermione, Ginny, and Tonks, who was stationed frequently at Hogsmeade for extra protection with a few other Order members.
In her last letter, Ginny told Anna that several kids hadn't gone to Hogwarts this year, because parents were pulling them out of school to be safe.
Anna had also heard from Hermione that Hagrid was feeling depressed because hardly anyone was taking his class. Anna figured her not being there to visit Hagrid also left him with a lot of alone time, which just made her feel guilty.
When Anna got to work that morning, it was much the same as it had been lately. Most of her cases were typical cases. Helping the Aurors track down the occasional witch or wizard who's on the run for some reason or another, and helping make a case for or against the person in question.
"Hi."
Anna looked up from her simple lunch of a turkey sandwich in the break room. Audrey entered and sat at the same table as her, red-brown hair in a low bun.
"Hi. How's it going?" Anna returned the greeting before taking a bite of her sandwich.
"Busy, as usual." Audrey admitted, pulling out a salad. "I swear the number of cases I get a day has nearly doubled in the past month."
"I know, it's crazy." Anna agreed, tempted to say more, but deciding to keep her personal thoughts to herself. If Audrey was anything like Percy, she would have a very different opinion from Anna on many of their cases.
"I think the Minister is sort of grasping at straws, to be frank." Audrey admitted, poking her salad with her fork.
Anna froze, her sandwich halfway to her mouth. Audrey had, basically, taken the words right out of her mouth.
"Really?" Anna asked in shock.
Audrey eyed her from across the table. "You don't think so?"
"No, I actually do think that." Anna agreed. "I'm just kinda shocked that you, well…" Anna trailed off, feeling awkward.
Audrey smiled slightly. "That I actually disagree with what the Ministry is doing?" she guessed.
"Yeah." Anna admitted sheepishly.
"Well, I do think they need to crack down on tracking down Dark wizards and anyone who may be supporting You-Know-Who, and it's hard to always tell who's really a Death Eater and who's being Imperiused, but there are some people being arrested or charged for things that they very obviously didn't do or were obviously Imperiused into doing. I think the Minister just wants to prove he's doing more than Fudge did."
Anna nodded slowly. "Yeah, I agree." Anna hesitated for a moment before bravely asking, "What does your boyfriend think of that?"
Audrey glanced up at Anna before looking back down at her salad. When she spoke, it was in a quiet voice Anna could barely hear. "Percy doesn't always like to talk about his feelings, but…he used to be very opinionated. That's one of the things I always liked about him. But lately…I think some of his opinions have changed lately, but he doesn't want to admit it for fear of embarrassing himself, or getting in trouble. He really supported the Minister when Fudge was denying that You-Know-Who was back, but now that he's obviously been proven wrong…He doesn't know what to do or think about all that, so he's just throwing himself into work and trying to ignore it all, I think. He'll barely talk to me about any of it."
Anna nodded slowly, cautious curiosity bubbling up inside her. Was it possible that, after everything he did to pull himself away from his family, Percy might be regretting whose side he chose?