A/N: Sorry for the longer than usual wait, everybody! Life's been a bit hectic with some stupid online course and my annoying writer's block, but I'm fighting through it :) Hope you enjoy this chapter!


"It's nice, I suppose," Dorcas said, her eyes moving across all of the surfaces of the small flat.

Dorcas and Rachel were looking at their first flat in person. They had seen plenty in the newspaper, but this was the first one they had visited. It might've been small, but it had two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a small living room, and an open kitchen. It was definitely sufficient and they wouldn't be getting in each other's way.

As Rachel strolled over to the rusty fire escape, Dorcas asked the person showing them around, a middle-aged man, if they could have a minute. The man agreed and left the apartment. Dorcas walked over to Rachel.

"So?" Dorcas asked.

Rachel turned to face her and smiled. "It's nice," she replied. "And cheap. I think we should go for it."

Dorcas nodded and sighed. "I've been meaning to ask you something," she said, leaning against the wall behind her. "Why on earth aren't you moving in with Sirius?"

Rachel sighed. She had expected this question. "We haven't really reached that… stage yet, I suppose."

"You've been dating for two bloody years," Dorcas muttered.

"Okay, fine, that's not completely why we haven't really approached the topic," Rachel admitted. "It's also my parents…"

"Oh, for the love of Merlin, Rachel, you're nineteen!" Dorcas exclaimed. "So what they disagree?"

"I just don't think this is a proper time to get on my dad's case," Rachel said quietly. "I mean, my mom still sees me as a six year-old girl and if she says that I shouldn't move in with Sirius… well, dad's been really keen on keeping her around."

"Considering the times we're in, I don't want to tell you to just do whatever you want," Dorcas started. "But do whatever you want. You're an adult."

Rachel smiled. "Well, anyways, what brought this on?" she asked. "Decided you don't want to live with me anymore?"

Dorcas laughed. "No, of course not!" she answered. "But you and Sirius are like my little project and—"

"Excuse me?" Rachel interrupted, her mouth hanging open.

"Oh come on, I was the one that said you two should get together," Dorcas said dismissively. "Sixth year, Three Broomsticks. I remember it like yesterday. You got piss drunk and snogged him."

Rachel shook her head and waved her hand. "Whatever, continue."

"Well, anyways, if you want to move in with Sirius, then that's fine with me," Dorcas said. "Who's to say I don't have anyone else that can move in with me."

"Well, yeah, I'd love to move in with him," Rachel admitted. "Wait, who exactly can move in with you?"

Dorcas smirked and shrugged. "I don't know," she replied. "Do you really think you're the only one that can find a good shag?"

Rachel gaped at her friend. "No way! Who is it?"

Dorcas rolled her eyes. "I'm kidding, silly," she said. "I was talking about Mary, goodness gracious. Although that's not to say I don't have my fair share of relationships." After a pause, Dorcas added, "Look, if you really need to talk to your parents about this, I'll come with you."

"All right, fine, I'll talk to Sirius and we'll see if we can work something out," Rachel said. "But if all else fails, this flat is quite nice."

"And you basically live with Sirius anyways," Dorcas added with a smile.

"Well, yeah, if I go ahead and say that then the conversation with the parents will surely go down smoothly," Rachel replied sarcastically.


"Wow," Sirius said. "I'd never thought you'd ask."

"Wait," Rachel said as she grabbed the mug of tea Sirius offered her. "You've been thinking about me moving in?"

Sirius sat down on the coffee table in front of the armchair Rachel was sitting on. "Well, yeah," he replied.

"Why didn't you say anything?" Rachel suddenly exclaimed.

"Well, I didn't want you to say 'uh, no thanks' either so what was I supposed to do?" he answered.

Rachel rolled her eyes and sighed. "Well, we've figured it out now," she said. "The thing with the parents isn't very figured out though."

"You can still do what you want anyway," Sirius said.

"Well, yeah, I can but—" Rachel sighed and paused. She looked up at Sirius. "I don't want to leave them on a bad note, and certainly not in these times."

"It'll be fine," Sirius said reassuringly. "I'm sure you can use your incredibly persuasive powers to convince them this is a good idea in the end."

Rachel laughed lightly. "Thanks," she said quietly. Suddenly, her face formed a frown. "Wait, was that sarcasm?"

Sirius smirked and leaned forward to kiss Rachel. "Maybe," he replied once they broke apart.

Rachel rolled her eyes once more, but smiled nonetheless. "Well, I have to go home," Rachel said. "Dorcas is meeting me at my place. I'll let you know when the whole moving in matter is resolved."

"Can't wait to have you around all the time," Sirius mused. "It'll be just like usual, except without the Apparating hassle."

"I won't be around that much," Rachel reminded. "I'm not finishing four years of Auror training in two years and a half if I sit on my ass all day. This summer is fully booked on practicum shifts with Mad-Eye."

"Well, they can't completely steal you from me," Sirius added with a smile.

Rachel smiled back. It was unbelievable how lucky she was. Rachel had never been one for relationships, but Sirius definitely made it worth it. Rachel drank the last of her tea as she stood up and discarded the mug in the sink. Just as she turned to leave, she heard an odd noise that seemed to be coming from the hallway outside. Rachel frowned slightly and turned to Sirius, who was taking out his wand. Rachel grabbed her wand as well from her jean pockets and held it firmly.

Another noise was heard, this time a loud thud, followed by hushed and angry whispers. Sirius and Rachel exchanged looks of worry.

Sirius quietly walked over to the door and stood just at the side of the doorframe. Rachel went over to him and silently stretched her body to look through the peephole.

"What do you see?" Sirius whispered.

Rachel shook her head slowly. "I can just barely see someone, but it's distorted," she replied quietly. Rachel quickly moved back and out of the way of the wooden door.

Suddenly, someone knocked on the door.

"Kabel—I mean, cable company!" a gruff voice from the other side of the door shouted. Another voice hissed angrily.

Sirius gestured towards the living room with a shake of his head and mouthed, "No telly."

Brilliant, Rachel thought. An attack is exactly what I needed to start my day.

That was when the door flew off its hinges and broke into a million pieces of wood. The moment Rachel caught sight of a person strolling in she took aim and threw the most powerful hex she could muster that early in the morning. The person, cloaked in black with his face covered by a Death Eater mask, flew back and crashed into the wall.

Rachel ran over to the intruder and ripped off the mask. She grimaced. Ugh, Mulciber. She threw the mask down at his feet and looked over at Sirius to see him intensely dueling with the other man, as it seemed. Rachel took aim at the Death Eater and threw an Incancerous spell. The man was bound tightly in ropes, which caused him to lose balance and fall to the ground.

Rachel ran over to Sirius. "You all right?" she asked.

"Yeah, peachy," he replied. "This one put up a fight."

Rachel crouched down and removed the mask. Once she put a name to the face, her eyes widened in shock. She immediately looked over at Sirius.

"I can't believe…" Sirius muttered. The other attacker was his younger brother, Regulus.

"Can't believe what?" Regulus spat.

Suddenly, Rachel felt something heavy crash into her and she fell to the ground. She felt the air being knocked out of her lungs and gasped as she tried to reach back and maim her attacker. Before Rachel could push off whom she could only guess was Mulciber, she felt his weight being lifted off her. Rachel heard a thud and looked up to see Sirius binding Mulciber in ropes as well.

"I'll send a Patronus to Mad-Eye," Rachel said. "I think he'll be mighty happy about capturing these two."

"Haven't captured us yet, Fredricks," Mucliber grunted.

Rachel turned to him and raised an eyebrow. "You look pretty captured to me," she said. "By the way, congratulations on the terrible pronunciation."

"I'm not a Mudblood, how am I supposed to know?" Mulciber spat in reply.

"I think you meant 'Muggle', or possibly 'Muggle-born'," Rachel corrected.

"Don't you wanna know why we're here, Sirius?" Regulus suddenly called out.

"His great lordy-ness sent you?" Sirius guessed sarcastically.

"No, this was all me," Regulus replied. "You're a pureblood, and part of the Black family no less. He'll forgive you, Sirius!"

"Then why the bloody hell did you attack me?" Rachel exclaimed.

"Killing the Mudblood would've been a bonus," Regulus answered.

"Well you can drag your ass back to your special Dark Lord and tell him no thanks," Sirius said. "I'm quite happy where I am right now."

"You'll regret that, brother," Regulus warned.

"Wow, that's splendid, really—"

Suddenly, a bang went off and the room was clouded in grey smoke. It entered Rachel's lungs and she felt her eyes water as she tried coughing out the dusty smoke. Rachel felt someone take hold of her and just barely made out Sirius's face as she looked to her side.

And then with a pop, they had Apparated.


I think the gears in my head are finally, slowly turning againg, brushing away the rust as ideas flow to me...

ANYWAYS.
-Favourite line?
-Where do you think Sirius took Rachel?
-Erm, sorry for the shortness... I'll try and get a longer one in next time :3

Thanks for reading! :)