3. Trust

They sat back to back; Siria watching the steps into the cellar and Remy staring up at the small window. Harriet's arms were draped around Remy's neck and she snored softly. Soon she would be awake again - and hungry. She had not been impressed by the edible leaves and berries Siria had found in the apothecary's stores.

"Anything new?" Siria whispered.

"No, same patrols - still every ten minutes. Less people out there now. You?"

"No sign of shopkeeper. I reckon you were right - that noise must have been him locking up."

Remy sighed, slumping back. Her head rested on Siria's shoulder for only a second before she straightened.

"Why don't we just go out, Siria? You didn't do anything-"

"No!" Siria swivelled on the tiled floor to shake her head vehemently at Remy. "They won't believe me - and why would they, with my family? It's better that we go straight to the Order. They know me beyond my surname."

She rolled her eyes in disdain. All trust in the Ministry had vanished when they had brushed aside Regina's disappearance. She knew what they thought of her family, of other families like hers. And fair enough, a lot of it had good cause, but they couldn't comprehend the idea of someone falling far from the tree. Not just far - on the other side of the planet. She could almost hear them now, talking about how of course it would be her who was the traitor.

Remy frowned at her, squinting. Siria tensed. She recognised that look. It was the same look Remy had always given Siria and Jane when they had lied about pulling their latest prank.

"Why were you at their house last night?"

Suspicion laced her tone. Not once since Siria had turned up on her doorstep last night had Remy questioned her intentions so far - but they had been rather busy until now, keeping Harriet quiet and running from hit wizards.

"Don't you trust me? I saved Harriet."

"Like you trusted me?"

Siria couldn't meet Remy's eyes. They had never spoken of it before. Siria had given excuses at first for why she couldn't attend Remy's Sunday roasts or meet up for a pint or a game of wizarding chess. She had closed herself off, not letting herself be around Remy to keep her resolve firm. Just until the war was over and she could shake that terrible thought that one of her best friends might be a traitor. Petra's chubby, smiling face meandered through her vision and she clenched her fists. Remy misunderstood.

"Are you angry with me now? For talking about it? I need to know I can trust you, Siria - I want to, of course I do. Just like I know you wanted to trust me, but you couldn't let yourself because Jane was in danger. It's okay, I understand why you did it. It's why I never doubted you - I knew you were loyal to Jane above everything and that was the only reason you'd stop coming round. But now, for Harriet, I need to know. Is she safe with you?"

Siria reached out a hand to tuck one finger among Harriet's curls and twirl it out slowly. A smile ghosted her lips and in that moment she saw Jane again, smiling as she talked to Liam. That particular smile had always been reserved for Liam.

"I went to their house because I was visiting Petra," Siria replied slowly. She brushed around the memories carefully as she spoke, not letting herself comprehend them fully. "I visited every week, just to check up on her in case she was attacked. But the safehouse was empty. I thought she'd probably just gone out for a walk, so I waited, but she didn't come back. Then I thought she'd gone to visit someone, maybe her family, but I went to see Jane and Liam just in case."

The end of the story hung in the air. Siria hadn't given any details of what she had found and Remy had not asked for them. It still seemed like a dream that couldn't possibly be true; a crystal-clear nightmare she couldn't wipe from her memory.

"She's safe with me. I swear, nothing with hurt her." Siria met Remy's gaze. "Or you."

Remy layered her fingers over Siria's hand on the floor and smiled. Her thumb twitched under the hold.

"I know. I just had to hear it."

They sat in silence for a few moments, with only Harriet's sleepy mumbles breaking the quiet. Siria risked meeting Remy's gaze and regretted it immediately, her stomach twisting as unbidden feelings tumbled up. She pulled her hand away and stood.

"We need to get out of here. Sooner or later they'll start searching."

She walked over to the edge of the cellar, away from Remy, and peeked through the tiny window. Diagon Alley looked more like normal now, with people doing shopping rather than throwing fireworks. She took a breath and pushed the feelings down. She'd repressed it all for so long - now was not the time to complicate things further.

"You can transform," Remy suggested.

Siria nodded, moving away from the window to search the ingredients and potions stacked along the shelves at the edges of the cellar. She picked up a wrinkled grey root and tucked it under her arm, then unscrewed the lid of a bottle to take out a handful of beetle eyes.

"Siria, I'm not sure if we'll have time to actually brew a potion..."

Siria grinned and turned on Remy, pulling her wand out.

"Not quite what I hand in mind, Remy dear."

Thanks for reading, hope you're enjoying! Let me know what you'd like to see in this story - more toddler!Harriet antics? Remy/Siria intense talks? Encounters with other canon characters? I have the main plot worked out but it has a certain degree of flexibility.