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The house was silent when Regina arrived home. She turned on the lights and called out, but received no reply from her son or Emma. With a frown, she moved through the hall and into the parlour, even more perturbed when she saw the comic Henry had been reading before she left lying discarded on the sofa.
Beginning to panic, the witch was starting to think about going to visit one of Emma's friends in order to find out whether the blonde had taken her son to see any of them, when the front door opened and the sound of laughter met her ears. Letting out a breath she hadn't completely been aware she was holding, Regina rushed out into the hall and did her best to seem nonchalant.
Taking one look at her expression, Emma and Henry both froze. Regina painted a bright smile on her face, but it didn't fool them for a second. Henry shifted nervously from one foot to the other, looking between the two women quickly.
"Oh, God, Gina… we thought we'd be back before you." Emma gushed, stepping forward and reaching out for her girlfriend. "I knew you'd worry if we weren't here when we got back."
"It's fine, dear." Regina assured her with a soft smile, looking past her to meet Henry's eyes. "Where did you go?"
"We went to The Burrow." Henry told her excitedly. "Tonks was there and she told us that–"
He was stopped abruptly as Emma grabbed him and put her hand over his mouth. "Hey, shhh, kid! Let Tonks tell your mum herself."
Raising an eyebrow at the younger woman, Regina smirked. She could guess what it was that her niece had to tell her and she smiled, pleased that someone had some good news in these dark times.
Emma let go of Henry, who frowned at her reproachfully, before darting into the parlour to collect his comic before rushing up the stairs to his bedroom. There were a couple of dull thuds and then a slamming, which indicated that Henry had reached his destination. The two women exchanged a look and then, wordlessly, headed into the parlour. Regina collapsed onto the sofa, one hand draped dramatically over her eyes, while Emma settled herself beside her, pulling her girlfriend's feet into her lap and removing her shoes.
Regina let out a low moan as Emma started rubbing her aching feet, letting her hand drop onto the seat beside her and closing her eyes. They sat in silence for a while, both enjoying their closeness.
"So, what happened?" Emma asked softly. "Was your mother there? Did she say anything?"
"She was and no she didn't." Regina informed her. "She didn't get the chance. You-Know-Who had called some kind of Death Eater meeting and Malfoy Manor was full of them."
"What did they discuss in this meeting?"
"Potter… they know he's being moved on Saturday." Regina sighed.
Emma stopped rubbing her feet at once, staring at her open-mouthed. "What?" She pushed Regina's legs off her and springing to her feet. "We've got to inform the Order."
"No, Em. We can't do that… if they think Sev was wrong…"
"What, Snape? You want to risk Potter's life for the man who murdered Dumbledore?" Emma demanded.
"He's my best friend, Emma. You know why he did it. He had no choice; Dumbledore made him go through with it."
Glaring at her for a moment, the blonde shook her head. Then she sighed and ran her hand through her hair several times. "So what do you suggest, Gina?"
"We tell them, obviously, but we convince them not to rearrange it. They can prepare themselves for attack."
"You think they'll agree to that?" Emma scoffed.
"No." Regina admitted grudgingly. "But what's the alternative? If they suddenly change their plans, who's going to be the first person they question?"
"You…"
"Exactly, Em."
They sat in contemplative silence for a while, going over all the possible, and impossible, options they could think of. Then Regina shook her head and stood up, her face set in a determined expression.
"Stay here with Henry." She ordered, striding through the door and into the hall.
Emma frowned and unfolded her legs from underneath her, almost tripping in her haste to follow the older woman. "Babe… where are you going? What are you going to do?"
"I'm going to the Burrow. I'm guessing there are lots of people around for the wedding?"
"Well, yeah." Emma agreed, looking confused. "But what–?"
"I'm going to tell them what the meeting was about." Regina informed her firmly, disappearing out into the hallway and taking her cloak off the peg beside the front door. She glanced up, guessing that Emma had followed her, proved right when her eyes landed on the blonde lounging against the doorframe she had walked through moments earlier. "They need to know as soon as possible, Emma. If it doesn't come from me… that's not going to help matters, is it? If I delay in passing on this news then the Order are going to believe that I'm keeping things from them."
"They wouldn't–" Emma tried to argue, but she was cut off by a disbelieving look from her girlfriend.
"You and I both know they would. They're looking for any excuse to say that they were justified in not trusting me."
"Not all of them…" The blonde muttered petulantly. She crossed the hallway and reached out, letting her hand settle on Regina's hip and squeezing softly. "Not everyone believes you're untrustworthy, Regina. Most of the Order would put their faith in you and are doing so. You have to believe that."
"I do, dear." She sighed deeply. "I do."
Shaking her head, the blonde stepped backwards. "No, you don't. You don't trust yourself."
"Really?" Regina arched an eyebrow. "You'd better hope, for all our sakes, that I have more faith in myself than you believe or we're all in danger."
Turning on her heels, the witch strode through the front door and down the gravel driveway. As soon as she passed the invisible boundary that marked the edge of her land she Disapparated in a swirl of black smoke. Seconds later she appeared in the middle of a field. Unperturbed by the familiar surroundings, so different from those she had left behind, the woman strode confidently towards the house, her mind full of the information she need to relay.
"Regina!"
She was barely in earshot of the building when she heard her name being called. Standing in the open doorway, silhouetted against the light coming from inside, was a familiar figure. She didn't need to be able to see the woman's face to know that Molly Weasley had spotted her approaching and, no doubt, had put the kettle on the stove immediately.
"Molly." Regina greeted her warmly, allowing herself to be pulled into a tight hug. Despite the fact that there were only about ten years between them, there was something maternal about Molly that made Regina want to cling to her as though she was still a child.
Ushering her into the house, Mrs Weasley ran an appraising eye over the younger woman, muttering about Regina not taking care of herself. She ignored all protests that were sent her way, claiming that she doubted the brunette had eaten a decent meal in days. Putting her hands on Regina's shoulders, Molly applied enough pressure to cause her to sit heavily on one of the chairs at the kitchen table. There was no time to protest before a steaming cup of tea was pressed into one hand and a still-warm Cauldron Cake was deposited on the table in front of her.
"Mol–"
"I'm trying to perfect the recipe before Fleur's family arrive for the wedding." The older woman told her, moving away and picking up the mixing bowl she had abandoned on the side when the alert had gone off to say someone had Apparated in the vicinity. "What do you think? A dash more cinnamon?"
"No, it's good." Regina told her, almost choking as she swallowed her mouthful to reply. "Really good. But I need to–"
"Are you sure? They need to be perfect. Have another, just to be sure."
Not having much choice in the matter, the brunette accepted the second cake with a smile. It was no mystery to her why Henry was eager to visit The Burrow whenever he was given the option. As Molly continued to chat away happily, filling her in on the latest arrangements and dramas surrounding her eldest son's upcoming wedding, Regina did her best to break in and pass on her own information.
"Ahhh! Regina! Lovely to see you, as always." Arthur's arrival in the kitchen momentarily broke his wife's monologue and she frowned at him, irritated by the interruption. "What brings you to our humble abode?"
"Mum! Bill said that–" One of the twins, Regina was never sure which was which, burst through the back door and stopped abruptly at the sight of the woman at the table. "Oh, sorry…"
"It's quite alright." Regina assured him with a warm smile that apparently worried him more than her presence in his home. "I have information; important information." When both adult Weasleys fixed her with a curious gaze and neither attempted to interrupt, she continued. "I've just returned from a meeting that You-Know-Who called at Malfoy Manor. They know about the Order's plan to move Potter on Saturday."
"How?" Molly breathed.
Her husband held up a hand. "George, go and get Remus and Tonks."
As the young man vanished back out through the kitchen door, his father turned a serious eye on the brunette. She shifted slightly uneasily under his gaze, uncrossing and re-crossing her legs in an attempt to hide her nervousness.
"Molly, Arthur, I–"
The older woman smiled at her, settling herself in the chair beside Regina's and reaching out to pat her hand. "We know, dear. Believe me, this time last year you are one of the last people I would have expected to say this to, but I trust you. You're taking a huge risk playing both sides of this war and I know that you've got just as much to lose as the rest of us."
"Thank you." Regina murmured softly, genuine gratitude shining through her expression.
None of them said anything else, simply exchanging reassuring smiles, until the door opened once more and Remus and Tonks almost crashed through with Ruby Lucas and her Grandmother on their heels. The young Metamorphmagus all but fell on her aunt, wrapping her in a tight hug and pressing a kiss to the side of her head. As Tonks opened her mouth to speak, her husband cut across her.
"Regina, you have news for us?"
"Yes." She nodded, leaning forwards and resting her elbows on the surface of the table. "The Death Eaters have managed to infiltrate the Ministry. They know about the plan to move Potter on Saturday and they're aware that the Order intends to keep him at the home of someone in their ranks, but they don't know that it will be here."
"But Dawlish–"
"They guessed that he had been subjected to the Confundus Charm and didn't take his information seriously. It is well known that he is susceptible." Regina said with a shrug. "Apparently they have a more reliable source."
"And this source is…?"
"I don't know."
"And who passed on the information from this reliablesource?"
She sighed. "Remus…"
"Was it Severus?"
"He's not–"
"I know you want to believe he's trustworthy, Aunt Gi, but he's proved otherwise." Tonks pointed out gently. "He killed Dumbledore. He betrayed us all."
Knowing that there was no point arguing with them, Regina simply bit her lips together and said nothing. She nodded slowly as the other six launched into a discussion about what to do for the best. She could understand their reluctance to see past the outward appearances of what had happened that night, but it was physically painful to her to hear them being so dismissive and negative about her best friend, especially when she was the only one who really knew the whole truth.
"Maybe we should change the plan completely?" Molly suggested looking between the members of the Order who were assembled in her kitchen. "Perhaps Harry should stay at Regina's? That's the last place they'd expect to find him."
"What?" The woman in question choked out, unable to believe what she'd heard. "I don't think–"
"No." Remus shook his head. "We've got things in place now. With all the protection we're focusing here he'll be perfectly safe as soon as he crosses the perimeter."
"Besides, it's not out of the question that someone might turn up at Aunt Gina's house; Cora or Bellatrix, maybe." Tonks added seriously.
Relieved, her aunt nodded. "They're right."
"No, we have to focus our energies on getting Harry here safely." Remus continued, rubbing his chin. "We have the advantage of knowing that they know when we plan to move him, we can work with that."
"I agree with Remus." Mrs Lucas nodded her head in her grandson's direction. "We need to concentrate on protecting the boy during the journey. We know that this place will be like a fortress by the time he arrives."
"So what do we do?" Molly asked, looking between them worriedly. "Do we change the day?"
"I'll call a meeting… Kingsley and Mad Eye should be involved in this discussion."
Standing quickly, Regina smiled around. "I should be going. I just wanted to let you know as soon as possible"
"Thank you."
"You are coming to the wedding, aren't you?" Molly questioned her sharply, looking as though there was no way she'd take no for an answer.
"Of course. Emma and Henry are incredibly excited." She laughed softly, her fondness for the pair shining through her expression.
"Aunt Gi?" Tonks called, rushing after the woman as she headed out into the cool evening air, intending to cross the boundary and Apparate away. "I… I've got some news."
"Yes, dear?"
The young woman beamed. "I'm pregnant."
Regina wrapped her in a tight hug. "Congratulations, my darling. I'm so pleased for you."
"Really?"
"Of course?" She looked confused. "Why wouldn't I be?"
Tonks shrugged, wrapping her arms around herself. "It's just… most people are so worried about what might be happening that they think… they think we should have waited. It's not as if I planned–"
Smiling wryly, her aunt gripped her biceps and gave them a reassuring squeeze. "Listen to me, Tonks. In times like these everyone needs something good to look forward to. What could be better than the birth of a child? Besides, dear, this means that you will have to be more careful than you usually are which sets my mind, not to mention everyone else's, at ease."
"Are you calling me reckless, Aunt Gi?" The younger woman joked weakly.
"Of course not!" Regina replied sarcastically. Then she smiled softly. "I do worry about you, you know, dear."
With a growl, her niece stamped her foot, taking Regina back at least fifteen years. Her hair turned a flaming shade of red, matching the scowl on her face. "Why don't you let anyone else see this side of you?" She demanded. "You're one of the kindest, loyalist, bravest witches I know and yet it's a constant battle for me to make people trust you!"
"It suits me this way." The brunette informed her calmly, running her hand affectionately through the flaming red locks in front of her, almost surprised that they weren't hot to the touch. "Keeping people at arm's length… it's safer for them. If I have to convince my mother and Bella that I'm working on the same side as them… I refuse to drag more people into this mess with me. You, Henry and Emma… you're being put in danger just by the fact you trust me implicitly. Everyone else… they're wise to remain cautious."
"But–"
"Perhaps one day, once all of this is over, things will be different." Regina reasoned. "Perhaps there will be a time when you and I can stroll down Diagon Alley together and not worry about who is watching us. But now is not that time, Tonks. These are difficult and dangerous times and we, all of us, need to accept our roles for the time being." She smiled. "Don't defend me too ardently, dear. While I appreciate it, I would rather you concentrate on your own safety for now."
