Mafalda Hopkirk felt the bedsprings release his weight as he crawled out of their bed at two that morning, and though her eyes were firmly shut, she was not asleep.

Who could sleep in times like these?

Niether of them could, that was for sure. He had gone into their bathroom, though no sounds admitted from within except footsteps walking back and forth. Back and forth.

Forth and back. Back and forth.

Sighing to herself, she pushed herself out of bed, sweeping across the carpet quickly, and knocked on the door. A scruffy man's head poked through after a second, etched with tough sorrow. Standing there, the examined each other silently; May reached up and brushed a piece of mid-jaw length hair out of his face, then gently cupping the side of his face with her hand, bringing his lips to hers softly.

"Everyone's falling apart." He murmered after kissing her lightly, pulling away, and she nodded as tears filled her stressed azure eyes.

"We'll make it, Sirius . . ."

"Will we?" Silence lingered, amplifying in their ears as thoughts of their friend entered their heads. "What if you or I are next? What about James and Lily?"

"I dunno, Sirius. But you cannot just sit here and wait for it!" A solitary tear managed to escape, running down her tan cheek, which he wiped off slowly. Her eyes fluttered closed at his touch, yet she kept talking, "What happened to us, Sirius? We've become so different from who we were, and I'm sc-scared!"

He enveloped her in a hug as she released heart wrenching sobs.

"May . . ."

DING! The doorbell rang from the front of their flat. Sirius paled as May drew back, letting out an involuntary scream. "Siriu . . ."

"Shhh . . . where's our wands?" May scuttled to her bedside table, producing both quickly, and rubbing her tears away. Sirius led their small party into the living room, across through the kitchen and to the door.

"Who is it?" He barked, as May nervously gripped the back of his t-shirt.

"Professor Dumbledore." Someone stated very clearly from the other side.

May and Sirius glanced at each other. "Oh, then how many detentions did I receive while I attended Hogwarts?" May frowned agitatedly, tense.

"963."

Both relaxing, Sirius unbolted the door and opened it. Needless to say, they were not ready for Dumbledore's traveling companion.

"DIA?" May screamed, shocked, as Sirius' jaw dropped open. Albus Dumbledore looked about uncertainly.

"Miss Hopkirk, stand aside. We shall not continue this in the hallway."

Seemingly having heard him, a dumbstruck Mafalda Hopkirk let them pass into their home. Sirius shut the door silently, his jaw still three inches down from where it normally was.

"What are you both staring at?" Dia asked awkwardly, frowning. "Alright, so I faked my death. That's absolutely normal!" There was a long silence as they both stood there, dumbstruck.

"WHAT?!" Sirius reacted a few seconds later, causing both girls to jump. "DO YOU KNOW HOW HARD REMUS TOOK IT? You did that to him ON PURPOSE?!" Clearly seething, Sirius ran a frustrated hand through his hair. Dia rolled her eyes, clearly undaunted by his diatribe. "James should be here." Sirius stated, nodding at Dumbledore and glancing at May before apparating out. The Professor and Dia turned to May.

"That may have been the stupidest thing you've ever pulled." The blonde stated quite simply, though an unidentifiable emotion played into her small voice, before walking over to the couch and sitting down uneasily. Dia sighed, looking about the room. The couch the frail blonde was sitting on had been theirs when they had been flat mates; she remembered picking it out and arguing over the color.

"You're not the one whose whole family was killed. It was a rash decision, I know, but I was scared . . ." May let out a growl, turning her head to stare menacingly at her "late" friend.

"And I'm not?" Passion rose into her voice, "Being frightened is no reason to run. Your whole family was not dead. What about me, Sirius, James, Lily, and especially Remus? He wouldn't eat for weeks; he was a complete wreck because of you. In fact, he stills has nightmares about that attack! How are you going to announce that you're back? Just waltz up to his doorstep, and expect him to welcome you back completely? That is utter crap, Dia, and you know it." Dia nodded, as if knowing that this had been coming.

"James won't be happy, will he?" May snorted, and shook her head, looking away from her disappointedly to the Professor.

"Professor Dumbledore?" The old man locked eyes with another set of blue irises, "Did you know about this?"

The wise man nodded, sighing. "I have seen Dia every month since then. She has been doing spy work for me, and I in turn hide her." May looked at him agitatedly, then got up, going to the kitchen. Silence between the two ensued, left alone.

"Maybe this was a mistake?" She tried, but Dumbledore shook his head gravely at her.

"No. The Order of the Phoenix needs you here." Dia opened her mouth once more, but he cut her off, "And as you. You know your blood, and now you must choose to do something with it."

She remained silent until she heard three resounding POPS!