Pan hated the front hall, it was always kept dark and when the Order had missions going on booby-traps were set up for when Death Eaters found the location of the Headquarters, so they couldn't touch anything and the young witch really needed to lean against one of the dusty walls. But, in a matter of seconds everyone had finally piled into the entry hall, Molly appeared at the end of the hall coming out of the kitchen beaming at everyone.
"Oh, Harry," Molly whispered as soon as she was close enough to be heard and pulling Harry into one of her bone crushing hugs. "It's lovely to see you." And then she pulled him at arm's length and gave him a once over. "You're looking peaky; you need feeding up, but you'll have to wait a bit for dinner, I'm afraid." At that she looked over Harry's shoulder and addressed everyone in the Advanced Guard. "He's just arrived, the meeting's started."
Dumbledore was here! Pan felt her eyes widening along with everyone's little noises, exclamations, making sure not to let them be loud enough for the portraits to wake up and the older witches and wizards made their way to the kitchen. Pan stayed behind Harry and watched as he made a move to follow her Godfather only to have Molly put a hand on his shoulder and stop him, nodding at Pan to go ahead with the others. She felt Harry's eyes boring a hole at the back of her head as she made her way to the meeting.
As she walked away, Pan felt Harry's frustration starting to bubbled over the edge and he was ready to explode. It was just a matter of being locked up in a room with the wrong people and he was going to set off like a rocket.
The kitchen was silent and a slight tense atmosphere was building. Like always, the kids were nowhere seen. Pan concentrated and she could feel them shifting around above her head.
"Is everyone in their rooms, Pan?"
Albus Dumbledore sat at the head of the long table and was looking at the young witch over his half-moon spectacles.
"Harry's going up the stairs now; Molly's making sure of that, sir."
Hogwarts headmaster gave Pan a nod before returning his attention to his own faithful followers.
"Voldemort is targeting Muggles now, sir… and his gathering more followers as we speak." Kingsley informed Dumbledore and the Order. "We need to guard the Ministry more at night, there are too many Death Eaters working there. I'm afraid it will only be a matter "
"But, for that we need more members Shacklebolt." And the shadow Pan had thought that was in one of the corners of the kitchen came to life and took the shape of Severus Snape.
Pan took a quick look at her father and saw the tightness on his face.
"But of course because of the ineptness of some we are short-handed on men." And on that comment Snape stared at her father straight in the eye, making his statement obvious who it was to.
"And what have you been doing lately, Snape? Playing Death Eater? Playing as a snitch? What honor does that have in your mighty morals, professor, to always criticize my father every chance you get?" And like she hadn't said anything, Pan turned to Dumbledore and Shacklebolt. "Right now, I believe we should talk about Harry, sir. He's not stable-"
"You're too young to have a say in this, Ms. Halliwell-"
"Sir, if you're right then the link between Voldemort and Harry is strong than the more vulnerable Harry is emotionally than the easier it is for Voldemort to know what's going on. We should tell him something, warn him of his link and act fast to block it." The hisses that almost swallowed the end of her sentence, Pan hadn't even noticed how many times had she said the V word.
"He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named is rather powerful, lass, you don't seem to understand just how fast his working." Elphias said from his seat further down the table.
"We have the Charmed Ones and one of the most powerful wizards of all time on our side! We have the power to do it this very second. Keeping Harry in the dark won't help, he'll become the weak link. We can't afford that." Sirius put a hand on her shoulder trying to keep her from leaning further into the table.
"Put a leash on that pup, Black." Severus drawled from his corner in the kitchen.
"That's my daughter you're reffering too, Snevelus." Sirius growled.
"This is a meeting for the active members of the Order, not for those who sit behind closed doors or children who can't control their powers who think are important enough to have a say in this."
Pan had tried so hard to ignore the pulsing sensation that had been nagging at her from the back of her brain, but it suddenly pushed out making the cabinets shake with some of their plates most likely exploding, including the cup with tea that Tonks had been nursing cracked and broke on its plate, its content seeping into the wood of the table. The power she accidentally released had left Pan breathless and shaking beside her father.
"Pan, I believe it's better if you just skipped this one out." Bill broke the tense silence that had formed in kitchen.
Said young witch clenched and unclenched her fist, trying to control her breathing so that nothing else broke or that she didn't shift into her Animagus form and bite Snape's ankles.
"Little Bird, Bill's right, go and… calm down a bit. I'll tell you what happens tonight." Sirius said as he shared a look with Molly.
Pan was biting her lip so hard that the small burst of blood that hit her taste buds didn't surprise her nor did the prickling behind her eyes as she fought up the tears that were welling in her eyes.
She needed Fred.
Sirius stood up and took her by the shoulders, guiding her to the kitchen door. She didn't dare look at Sirius, he wasn't feeling anything overly emotional but she couldn't help and feel like she had embarrassed him by trying to fight his own battles when he was feeling useless and depressed being locked up in Grimmauld Place.
The door closed behind her and Pan stayed there for a minute until the prickling behind her eyes stopped. She was an idiot.
Behind her, someone put back up the Imperturbable Char. With a sigh and feeling worn out and tired, she went up the stairs to the main level and the snores of her grandmother vibrated around her and slowly. Before going up the stairs, she waved her hands over her combat boots and watched as the laces undid themselves so it could be easier for her to step out of her boots and stay in her black socks. The young Halliwell went up the stairs, leaving her boots neatly beside the stairs. She didn't stop going up the stairs as she passed the shouts of somebody letting out months of pent-up frustration. Pan was in autopilot when she finally reached her room, barely registrating Fred on her bed with a book levitating above his head.
"Hey." She quietly said leaning against the threshold to her room.
"Well, hey there, love." Fred grinned and pushed himself up to his elbows before noticing something wrong with the raven haired girl who had him captivated since the second she walked into The Burrow. "What's wrong, love?" It didn't take him three seconds to jump off her bed and stride across the room to get to her and engulf the petite with in his arms. "Everything alright?"
"Nothing," Pan responded as she didn't waste anytime to return the hug. "I'm just tired."
They stayed like that for a while, completely ignoring the screaming that was traveling up to her room.
"How can his lungs take it? He's been at it since he got into Ron's room." Fred commented against her hair, casting a look down the stairs.
"He's just confused. He needs to let it all out." Pan said as she buried her face into Fred's chest.
She didn't see it but Fred roll his eyes at her. "Of course you would know."
Pan pushed herself away a bit and opened her mouth to say a cheeky comment only to have George pop into her room and interrupt her.
"Well, if it isn't our favorite witch," George smiled wide at his brother and her. "Any news for us from the Order?"
Pan stepped around Fred to go to her drawers, rolling her eyes at George on her way. "You know I'm sworn to secrecy, you don't need me to find out what's going on in the Order; you've got your Extendable Ears to eavesdrop on everything." At that she gave them a pointed look.
"Oh c'mon Rouge," Fred couldn't help and have a teasing smile spread across his lips as he watched her get some black sweatpants out and shed her motorcycle jacket. "But, the meeting's already in session, right?"
Again, the youngest Black rolled her eyes at her boyfriend as she made her way her bathroom to chance, "Yes, Fred, it already started."
"You really don't want to share any juicy details about it?"
Pan heard Fred from through her bathroom door.
"Fred, I'm serious I can't tell you if you're not in the Order. Stop asking."
Said twin shoved his hands into his pockets and stared at George glumly.
"Maybe we should go rescue our little brother from his best mate, shouldn't we Fred?"
"I think we should, George." Fred smirked and shared a look with George who chuckled under his breath before standing up and following Fred to Pan's bathroom door.
"She'll hurt you, don't you know that?"
Pan was going to say something when she opened the door, but her words were cut off when Fred swung her around and before she could get her bearings he Apparated and that awful feeling of something tugging at her bellybutton and the sensation of being sucked into a vacuum brought her to what use to be just Ron's room and was now cramped with almost all the Weasley siblings now.
Fred put her down, a big grin on his face and he was ready to apologize to Pan when the little witch punched him in the stomach. He doubled over and groan a bit as he tried and get the air back into his lungs. For being so tiny, his gitlfriend could sure pack a punch.
Pan was looking a bit green as she put a hand on her stomach. "I hate Apparating." She mumbled as the nausea slightly got bad.
George was laughing and pointing at his slightly puffing brother. "I told you she would hurt you."
"Stop doing that." Hermione said softly, her face showing how tired and she was.
"Hello Harry!" George greeted, still chuckling as Fred tried to hug Pan, who swatted him away. "We thought we heard your dulcet tones."
"You don't want to bottle your anger like that, Harry, let it all out." Fred was saying as he finally got around Pan, hugging her from behind so he could pin her arms to her side and plant a sloppy kiss on her cheek. "There might be a couple of people fifty miles away who didn't hear you." Fred beamed at the green-eyed wizard who was staring at his girlfriend.
"You two passed your Apparation test, then?" Harry asked, his anger still lingering around him in a muggy cloud.
"With distinction," Fred answered as he let go of Pan, but only to wrap an arm around her shoulders so he could get the tan-colored cord of the Extendable Ears out of his pocket.
"It would have taken you about thirty seconds longer to walk down the stairs." Ron said, narrowing his eyes at his brothers.
"Five actually," Pan said, rolling her eyes at Fred, "They were in my room."
"Time is Galleons, little brother and my precious little girlfriend." At that, he looked at Harry and pulled Pan more into his side. Why was he feeling a tad jelous, he had no idea."Anyway, Harry, you're interfering with reception. Extendable Ears." He held up the string so Harry could see it better and soon enough his green eyes followed the rest of the string out to the landing from the gap under the door. "We're trying to hear what's going on downstairs."
"Before Pan got out of the meeting and got our little Freddy distracted." George added.
"You weren't gonna hear anything anyway." Pan said looking at Fred, narrowing her eyes, feeling something coming off from him as he kept sneaking glances at Harry.
"You want to be careful," said Ron eyeing the Extendable Ear nervously. "If Mum sees one of them again..." He trailed off, slightly gulping and going a bit pale as he imagined the wrath of his mother.
"It's worth the risk, that's a major meeting they're having." Fred said, glancing at Pan who looked away and bit the inside of her cheek.
At that moment, the door opened and Ginny popped her head in. "Oh hello, Harry! I thought I heard your voice." She smiled at him before going in all business-like on George and Fred. "It's a no go with the Extendable Ears, she's gone and put an Imperturbable Charm on the kitchen door."
George sighed, looking crest fallen, "How'd you know?"
"Tonks told me how to find out," Ginny said before explaining how the Dungbombs just soared away from the door.
Fred sighed deeply before kissing Pan's temple as she mouthed 'I told you so'. "Shame. I really fancied finding out what old Snape's been up to."
"Snape? Is he here?" Harry took a step forward, all of his defenses up and his ears wide open.
"Yeah, giving a report. Top secret." George answered as he closed the door and followed his sister into sitting on one of the beds. Fred followed suit, guiding Pan to sit on his lap.
"Git." Fred commented rubbing Pan's back.
"He's on our side now." Hermione defended, looking at Fred reprovingly.
Ron gave a loud snort and a roll of his eyes, something he catched from Pan. "Doesn't stop him from being a git. The way he looks at us when he sees us..."
"And the way he treats dad every time he's here." Pan shook her head and crunched up her nose as is she had smell something bad. "The way he treats me in the meetings it's like I shouldn't even be there."
"Well, you shouldn't." Hermione shot, "You're our age and in our year. Underage withces or wizards shouldn't be in the Order."
"She's one of the most powerful witches of our time and you can't deny it, Hermione." Fred jumped in.
"She's not even supposed to be here."
"I deserve to be here. It's my birthright." Pan frowned at her. "Stop trying to get your anger out on me. Harry had the right to be mad, you don't and specially choosing me to be your punching bag."
Hermione clenched and unclenched her fist. "Stay out of my head, Black."
Pan rolled her eyes. "I'm not a mind reader, Granger. Keep your emotions in check."
"What is your deal, Hermione? Bill doesn't like him either." Ginny said, frowning at her friend and hoping that by the mention of her older brother things would calm down between the two witches.
Pan felt like smiling at how high Ginny had Bill in a pedestal, but Hermione's mood was ruining everything.
"How are you in the Order?" Harry asked Pan, who had been glaring back at Hermione.
"They needed Charmed help to look after you and since we're the same age, Dumbledore chose me to keep an eye on you during the school year." Pan answered.
"Harry's older." Hermione said tensely.
"By two months! By the Moon, what is wrong with you?"
"You'll be babysitting me?" Harry interrupted.
"Think of me as a bodyguard, ready to take a bullet for you and in this case any kind of spell." Pan smiled at him but it was more because of Hermione starring holes on her face. "We're just taking precautions Harry, trying not to have any loopholes for your safety."
Out of nowhere, all of his energy and his anger left him tired and weary making him sink on the bed across from Pan and the others, he would've stretched out and fallen asleep but his curiosity was still ready to absorb any piece of information.
"Is Bill here? I thought he was working in Egypt."
Fred didn't miss that and smirked at Harry, "He applied for a desk job so he could come home and work for the Order. He says he misses the tombs but," at that he tickled Pan and kissed her neck while she gave a small squeal. "There are compensations."
"Merlin, you're disgusting." George said as he tried and scooch away from his brother and his giggling, embarrassed girlfriend.
Harry frowned in confusion, "What d' you mean?"
"Remember old Fleur Delacour?" George went on seeing his twin was busy tickling Pan. "She's gor a job at Gringotts to eemprove 'er Eenglish-"
"And Bill's been giving her a lot of private lessons," Fred snickered as he wagged his eyebrows at Harry and a wink at the flushed Pan, who snorted and pushed his face away.
"Charlie's in the Order too," George continued after rolling his eyes- that was contagious "But his still in Romania, Dumbledore wants as many foreign wizards brought in as possible, so Charlie's trying to make contacts on his days off."
"Couldn't Percy do that?" Pan winced at the question Harry innocently asked.
"Whatever you do, don't mention Percy in front of Mum and Dad." Ron warned Harry, his whole body tense.
"Why not?" Harry asked, some of his frustration penting up again.
Fred held Pan tightly, "Because every time Percy's name's mentioned, Dad breaks whatever he's holding and Mum starts crying.
Pan was running a hand through his red hair when Ginny said, "It's been awful."
"I think we're well shut of him," George said with an expression he only had when they spoke about Percy.
"What's happened?" Poor Harry kept asking.
"Percy and Dad had a row," Said Fred, "I've never seen Dad row with anyone like that. It's normally Mum who shouts..."
All of the Weasley kids were all feeling miserable as they told Harry what had gone on with Percy. Pan was highly aware of their pain, especially Fred's since there was physical contact. Pan sighed and kissed his temple. Fred started talking and shifted Pan so she could be sideways, across his lap, and he could lean his head against her shoulder while his siblings got down to the dirty details of Percy making it more obvious to Pan that Fred was crumbling down.
Hermione too lead after that and since the topic was off from his parents Fred started feeling better, but the Percy topic had dampened hi mood.
Minutes later, they all could hear footsteps coming up the stairs and before Pan could react, Fred gave a hard tug on the Extendable Ears and he Apparated them out of the boys' room and into her room.
Fred turned to kiss Pan, but stopped when he saw how pale Pan had gotten.
"I hate you right now." She whispered as she placed a hand on her mouth as if trying to push the nausea away.
"You don't hate me," Fred squeezed her to him and gave her a peck on the cheek. "You fancy me."
Pan snorted and flicked his nose, "Who said that?"
Fred smiled widely at her before burying his face on her neck. "Thank Merlin you came back safely."
Pan sighed and wrapped her arm around him so she could scratch his head the way the tall wizard liked it. "You can let it all out now, babe." She told him softly.
He chuckled and blew some air into her neck before pulling his head back and looking at Pan. "What are you talking about, Rogue?"
The young witch rolled her eyes at him, then placing both hands on his face, she said, "Talking about the Percy thing, it got to you more than usual."
Fred closed his eyes and it breathed out deeply. "I can't help it, he's being such a prick. You should've seen Mum's face when he slammed the door on her, Pan." He shook his head and directed Pan to in on her bed by the hand while he paced. "We've never had much, but we've been fine and happy." His voice cracked and it started to tremble after that. "He's being greedy and selfish. He doesn't want to see how much Mum and Dad have sacrificed for us, all of us." Fred stopped in front of her and dropped to his knees, Pan hadn't noticed the tears streaming down his face until he got up close to her. Out of nowhere, Fred threw his arm around her torso and buried his face in her stomach. Her black sweater catching every tear and sob. "You don't know how many times I've seen Mum cry and Dad too. All of the times Percy told George and me to grow up and become serious and responsible and all of that, but if it means being like him; turning his back on his family and hurting the people who have given the cloaks off their back to us because it was too cold, I would never be like him." Fred ranted, feeling Pan pet his hair and rub circle on his back. He needed to get it out, all of it or he was going to do something he would've regret.
Pan stayed quite as Fred let all of his emotions out and with every word it lessened. She even stayed quiet when Molly poked her head in the room and catched half of Fred's rant.
Molly sniffed, making Fred jump up from his place on the floor. "Diner's ready, darlings." And with a teary smile at the couple she retreated back down the stairs.
"How long had she been there?" Fred asked as he wiped his face with the sleeve of his own sweater.
"Since the part of you catching them crying sometimes." She answered standing up and grabbing his face again, "You can't keep all of that bottled up, Fred, trust me. It's never good. Sometimes it can make you go mad." Pan reached and gave him a soft kiss on the lips.
Fred automatically reacted and wrapped his arms around her waist. "Thank you for listening." He said after breaking the kiss.
"Anytime Gambit, let's go eat. I'm starving."
"Bet I can make it downstairs first." Fred challenged with a smirk, trying to be all happy again. Before Pan could say anything Fred Apparated away.
"Hey! That's not fair!"
Pan didn't waste anytime dashing down the stairs, taking them three at a time and right before she reached the stairs to the main level she almost took The Golden Trio down the stairs with her.
"Whoa! What are you guy doing all huddled up here?" Pan asked breathless before she catched the string of the Extendable Ears dangling in front of Harry. A peak down the banister told her some of the Order had been idling in the hallway. "Oh, spying I see."
"Snape just walked out." Ron informed her as he tried and see if someone was still in the downstairs hallway.
"Thank the Gods." Pan said with a roll of her eyes as she made her way quietly down the stairs the Trio following close behind her.
Pan tried and distance herself as much as she could from the heads lining the wall as she walked down the most hated hallway in all of the noble and most ancient house of Black. At the front door Tonks, Moony and Mrs. Weasley were waving their wands at it putting all of the locks and charms back up.
"Done?" Pan whispered to them, catching their attention.
Lupin nodded at her, pocketing his wand, "Yes, we need to discuss some other things and you can't skip out of this one." He smiled playfully had his Goddaughter before throwing his arm around her shoulders.
"The kids are at the stairs." Pan rushed to whisper as Tonks opened her mouth to tell her something, no doubt from the meeting.
At that Molly, rushed quietly to the stairs where Harry, Ron and Hermione were waiting at the bottom of it. She was just instructing Harry where to go for dinner when a crash sounded all throughout the hall.
Molly spun around to the front door where Tonks was lying flat on the floor, the thing the used for an umbrella stand tangled in between her legs. "Tonks!"
"I'm sorry!" The young witch wailed and the rest of her sentence was drowned out by the blood curling scream and the curtain that obscured Pan's grandmother from view started flying away from the enchanted portrait.
Pan and Moony didn't waste any time in trying to close the curtains to the drooling and eyerolling dead witch screaming bloody murder. Molly was right behind them when the old hag began screaming.
"FILTH! SCUM! BY-PRODUCTS OF DIRT AND VILENESS! HALF-BREEDS, MUTANTS, FREAK, BEGONE FROM THIS PLACE! HOW DARE YOU BEFOUL THE HOUSE OF MY FATHERS!" Tonks had been apoligizing repeatedly before the eyes of the portrait stopped rolling and landed on Pan who was tugging on one of the curtains. "SPAWN FROM THE DISGRACE OF MY LOINS! HOW DARE YOU STEP INTO THIS HOUSE AND OPEN THE DOORS TO BLOOD TRAITORS!"
The other portraits were waking up and Molly gave up on the curtain and started throwing stunning charms at them, Pan was pretty sure her ears were bleeding. She noticed her father coming out of the kitchen and charging down the hall.
"Shut up, you horrible old hag, SHUT UP!" How Sirius could be heard over everything was beyond her, but the anger on his face was evident as he took the curtain Molly had giving up on and started tugging with all of his might and as soon as her grandmother saw her father, the dead witch looked like she was going throw up.
"YOOOOOUUUU!" By Merlin's beard she was howling now, Pan was going lose her hearing. "BLOOD TRAITOR, ABOMINATION, SHAME OF MY FLESH!"
Lupin went infront of the portrait and took hold of both of the curtains, while Pan and Sirius kept tugging at one. With one mighty tug from Sirius, they finally managed to get the curtain closed and the silence that followed was almost just as defeaning as the screams from her grandmother
Pan was panting; some of the hair in her ponytail had become loose and were now hanging around her face. Right now, she felt like torching the damn portrait and get the memory of her wretched grandmother finally out of Grimmauld Place and out of her father's life. Sirius wouldn't say anything but all of the stuff her grandmother screeched about him, made the dark void in his heart grow more. What Sirius needed was a mother like Molly; heck someone like Grams would've been wonderful in her dad's life.
Sirius was staring at her, his lite eyes were now a stormy, dark color and his fists were clenched and shaking at his side. But the second the thought of his safe and untouched daughter standing in front of him cut through the dark thoughts in his head everything looked a lot less grim. Sirius took a step forward and hugged Pan to his chest; he was never going to be the kind of parent that treated their children like his parents did. He was going to love Pan unconditionally. In his eyes Pan could never do any wrong, his daughter was absolute perfect not damaged like his mother had seen him when she was alive.
"You alright, Little Bird?" Sirius spoke into her hair, the same shade of black as his. Over her head, he finally saw Harry. Their eyes meeting as the son of his late best friend and his Godson watched as he hugged Pan to his chest.
Over her father's shoulder, Pan caught Fred looking at her. She didn't miss the relieved smile on his face before Dissaparating away.
"Hello Harry, I see you've met my mother."
The look of confusion was obvious in the young wizard's face. "Your-?"
"My dear old mum, yeah," Sirius let Pan shift in his arms so that she would be tucked to his side and an arm draped over her shoulder. "We've been trying to get her down for a month but we think she put a Permanent Sticking Charm on the back of the canvas. Let's get downstairs, quick before they all wake up again."
Everybody started making their way to the kitchen, their footsteps quiet and their words were mere whispers.
"But what's a portrait of your mother doing here?"
"You didn't tell him?" Sirius asked Pan, who just shook her head and said, "There was no time." Sirius just rolled his eyes and kept talking, "This was my parents' house. But, since I'm the eldest Black living, it's mine now. I offered it to Dumbledore for Headquarters- about the only useful thing I've been able to do."
"Dad." Pan said in a warning tone and shooting him a matching look.
"What? It's true."
Pan could feel Harry watching their interaction, how easy everything seemed between the two last Black.
Pan was surprised to find that the kitchen still had evidently held a meeting of the Order because along the wooden table papers and plans, quills and ink still littered it. At the end of the table Bill and Arthur were talking quietly. As soon as she saw this, Molly cleared her throat and when her husband made eye-contact with her she gestured to Harry who was behind Sirius and Pan.
Arthur jumped to his feet exclaiming, "Harry!' and hurried to greet the teen. "Good to see you." He said shaking Harry's hand.
Pan saw Bill hastily gathering everything up in his arms and went to help him. The eldest Weasley kid smiled at the raven headed girl. "I was surprised when all of you got here, I thought you would go via Greenland knowing Mad-Eye."
Tonks scoffed and said, "He tried." As she made her way to help too but instead toppled a candle on the last piece of parchment that was on the table setting it on fire. "Oh no- sorry-"
A tired looking Molly came over and with a wave of her wand fixed the ruined parchment which turned out to be the Ministry of Magic's blueprints. "Here, dear." And then out of nowhere she snapped at Bill, "This sort of thing ought to be cleared away promptly at the end of meetings." While snatching the plan and stuffing it into Bill's already full arms and the marching to the dresser that held the dinner plates.
Bill struggled a bit before giving out an exasperated breath, "Pan, will you be a doll and get the wand from my back pocket?"
"Do you know you can blast one of you buttocks that way, boy?" Came Moody's remark.
Bill rolled his eyes at Pan as she handed him his wand and seconds later everything was gone.
"If I didn't know any better, I say you were flirting with my daughter, Bill."
"Pardon me, Sirius but who is flirting with your daughter, my girlfriend?" Came Fred's own remark as soon as he Apparated into the kitchen.
Bill turned a shade lighter than his hair, making Pan laugh and take a seat close to the head of the table.
"Sit down, Harry. You've met Mundungus, haven't you?" Sirius said as he walked towards Pan, who gave a startled noise as a bunch of rags snored across from her before jerking awake. She had completely forgotten about the man.
Mundungus had been sleeping throughout the whole meeting apparently because he raised his hand as if to vote and agreed with whatever her dad had to say.
Ginny giggled coming sitting down and giving Pan a look.
"The meeting's over, Dung," Her father told the laziest, sketchiest guy Dumbledore could have ever recruited into the Order. "Harry's arrived."
Pan didn't have to be an empath to see that Mundungus was nervous around Harry as the wizard that looked like a hobo peered at the Boy Who Lived through his matted hair.
"Blimey," Mundungus slightly slurred. "So 'e' as. Yeah…you all right, 'Any?'
Any?
Pan watched as Harry looked strangely at Mundungus before replying to his question with a simple 'Yeah'.
The whole kitchen was in silent and they could only hear the sound of Mundungus fumbling around in his pockets, strangely enough still staring at Harry. Finally finding what he had been looking for, Hobo Wizard got out an ugly looking black pipe and ignited it with the tip of his wand and blowing out foul smelling, green smoke that was thick enough to obscured him out of sight. And as soon as he was out of sight grunted out his apology.
Pan was glad that Molly scolded him into putting the pipe away and clearing out the smoke. Everyone knew that you had to listen to Molly as if she was your own mother.
To the whole room she said, "And if you want dinner before midnight I'll need a hand." When she saw that Harry was quick to help, she gave him a warm smile, "No, you can stay where you are, Harry dear, you've had a long journey-"
Tonks took the opportunity to stand up and offer her help and make a bit of more mayhem while the sound of chopping and banging warmed the kitchen and Mundungus went and started chatting Harry a bit.
"You okay, Andy?" Sirius asked quietly turning to her.
Pan was fixing her ponytail, putting the stray hairs back in their place. "Nothing a bit of food wouldn't fix." She smiled at him who leaned in a kissed her forhead before ruffling her hair making all of her work in vain.
Crookshanks jumped up Sirius lap and hissed at her before curling into her father's lap. Pan couldn't help but growl at the migger old cat.
"Had a good summer so far?" Sirius asked Harry as he scratched the ugly thing that was considered a cat.
"No, it's been lousy." Harry answered making something close to a grin surface on Sirius face.
Pan bit the inside of her cheek, deppression was starting to set in Sirius mind again.
"Don't know what you're complaining about, myself."
Pan rolled her eyes as she stood up and walked over to Molly and see what she could do to help only to have the mother of seven wave her off back to the table. Sirius was complaining.
"Sirius?" Mundungus interrupted the complaining. "This solid silver, mate?"
Sirius had just finished detailing the goblet in Mundungus hand when all of them heard Molly shrieking at Fred and George.
Pan could only turned her head to see the flying objects coming towards them before pushing herself away from the table to land on her back a bit dazed. Something broke and the sound of knifes hitting the table told her that everything had stopped flying. The lack of screams caused from pain never pierce the kitchen, meaning that no one had gotten hurt.
Molly started screaming at Fred and George for their overuse of magic only for Fred's excuse was that it was to earn time and then he started apoligizing to her dad.
Pan noticed that she was still staring at the gloomy ceiling and just as she was about to push herself up, Bill rushed over to her and helped her up.
"You okay, Andy?" Bill asked, concerned on his handsome face.
That and the mention of Percy by Molly was the last thing Pan heard before being pulled into a premonition.
Multiple Harrys.
Claws coming toward Bill's face.
Pain. Blood. Scars.
"Sirius! Pan's fainted!" Bill was screaming somewhere near her head.
"I'm fine." Pan was quick to say, but everyone was already rushing towards her.
"Look what you did!" Molly screamed again. "All the comotion you've caused made Pan faint. My dear, you alright?"
"Rogue? Rogue, you alright?" Fred came forward and tried to get Pan from Bill's arms but the raven haired witch was already sitting up on the floor.
"Andy? What's wrong?" Sirius rushed to his daughter, her complexion paler than usual while her eyes were a bit glassy as if she was worlds away. He took her face in his large hands so she could look into his eyes. "Little Bird?"
"I'm fine," Pan said again, putting a reassuring hand on top of Sirius'. "Just had a premonition." Maybe she shouldn't have said that, because everyone immediately became panicky. "N-Nothing happened. It was just something about an Unbreakable Vow." Pan found herself lying, letting Sirius and Bill help her to her feet and into the bench of the table. Bill's eyes were big and glassy, sneaking scared looks over at his father.
Sirius sat next to Pan, a hand still on the small of her back. Bill was going to sit next to her, but Fred Apparated in his place making his older brother roll his eyes at the younger Weasley's jelousy.
"Does this happen a lot?" Harry asked from Sirius other side.
Pan shook her head, leaning across the table so she could talk to Harry. "I don't get premonitions that often. I just started having them a couple of months ago, I'm still getting the hang of them." She smiled at the green eyed wizard before getting handed a plate of stew from Lupin.
"Want some chocolate, Andy?" The werewolf asked the young witch, making her grin.
"I'm good, Uncle Moony."
After that the only sound in the kitchen was that of people sitting down and eating. Then Molly started talking at Sirius about the cleaning. All of the kids in the table exchanged looks before sneaking some at Sirius, some didn't have to be Empaths to know that the topic annoyed Sirius to no end. If it was for him, he would let the house rot to the ground.
After that, the usual routines started happening, Tonks was changing her appearance a little bit down the table for Hermione and Ginny, some of the men were sitting talking about Gringotts' goblins and the younger half of the males in the population were howling in laughter as Mundungus told them one of his scams. Pan couldn't help but narrow her eyes as she looked around the table. The air was starting to feel tense, like a storm brewing. She could feel it in her bones. But, what was it?
Dinner and dessert went by, pretty smoothly. Maybe nothing was gonna happen, probably Pan just being on her toes too much. The young witch shook her head before standing and going to one of the cardboards that held her pretty big stash of Coca-Cola. Fred went over to her and tapped his wand on the can so the bubbly soda could be chilled. Pan smiled her thanks before hoping on the counter. A couple of yawns were passed around making Molly announce that it was time for bed. Pan could feel herself sag against Fred as the tiredness started settling on her. She was about to jump of the counter to follow Molly's orders when her dad said, "Not just yet, Molly." and turned to Harry. "You know, I'm surprised at you. I thought the first thing you'd do when you got here would be to start asking questions about Voldemort." A shiver went around the table.
There it was, the tug at the pit of her stomach that made her sense something was coming and a look at Molly could tell you what she was thinking.
"I did!" Harry said, glad that someone was understanding him in a way. "I asked Ron and Hermione but they said we're not allowed in the Order, so-"
"And they're quite right," Molly said, sitting straighter in her seat. "You're too young."
Pan flinched a bit when Harry thew her a look along with Hermione. Something that didn't go unoticed by Sirius, who clamped a hand on Harry's shoulder.
"Since when did someone have to be in the Order of the Phoenix to ask questions? Harry's been trapped in that Muggle house for a month. He's got the right to know what's been happen-"
"Hang on!" George barge into Sirius reasoning.
"How come Harry gets his questions answered?" Fred finished, startling Pan a bit since she hadn't perceived his building agitation and the fact that he moved away from her and towards his brother stung a bit.
"We've been trying to get stuff out of you for a month and you haven't told us a single stinking thing!"
" 'Your're too young, you're not in the Order.'" Fred made his voice really squeaky, trying to imitate his mother. "Harry and Pan are not even of age!"
"Hey!" How dare he? The issue wasn't even about her and he was throwing her name in there just like that?
Sirius shot her a look before turning to the twins who were now sitting across from him, "It's not my fault you haven't been told what the Order's doing. That's your parents' decision. Harry and Pan, on the other hand-"
"It's not down to you to decide what's good for Harry!" Molly interrupted, her face was becoming flush. "You haven't forgotten what Dumbledore said, I suppose?"
Her father wasn't backing down, something he had been doing with Molly for awhile, but the way he was straightening his back told everyone he was ready for a fight, even so he fought to make his voice polite, "Which bit?"
"The bit about not telling Harry more than he needs to know." Answered Molly through clenched teeth.
"Pan knows more than that! And she's younger than most!" Fred exclaimed.
"Both Pan and Harry have dealt with as much as most in the Order and more than some-" Sirius said, the fact that they kept mentioning Pan making him hold the edge of the table a bit too forcefully.
"Nobody's denying what they both have done, but Harry-"
"He's not a child, Molly!" Sirius exclaimed, his patience thinning.
"He's not an adult either! He's not James, Sirius!"
For a minute, nobody dared to say a word. Pan was starting to get a headache as the emotions in the room kept flaring and everybody was feeling too much at the same time.
"I'm perfectly clear who he is, thanks, Molly." The coldness in her father's voice and face chilled her a bit.
"The way you talk about him sometimes, it's as though you've got your best friend back!" Molly accused.
"What's wrong with that?" Harry challenged, his brow frowned.
Molly looked at Harry, a tired look on her brown eyes as she looked at the boy she considered her own, "What's wrong, Harry is that you're not your father, however much you might look like him!" Then her eyes darted back to Sirius and bore into his lighter ones trying to drill the words into one of the last Marauders. "You're still at school and adults responsible for you should not forget it or the fact that they have new responsibilities to focus on."
"Meaning I'm an irresponsible godfather? And what the bloody hell does the last bit supposed to mean?"
"It means that you are known to act rashly, Sirius, you have a daughter now, who you do not know how to raise properly when in a way you are still a boy yourself. Dumbledore has to keep reminding you to stay at home and-"
"My instructions from Dumbledore and my daughter stay out of this, if you please!" Sirius was seething. "Pan is not something to be thrown in an argument just to win it over, Molly. That's a low blow and you know it since you've been a parent much longer than I have."
Molly's face flushed, letting her eyes wander to Pan before looking away embarrassed and looking for the help of her husband. "Arthur! Arthur, back me up!"
Her husband took his time cleaning his glasses from the head of the table. Putting them back on he said, "Dumbledore knows the position has changed, Molly. He accepts that Harry will have to be filled in to a certain extent now that he is staying at headquarters-"
"Yes, but there's a difference between that and inviting him to ask whatever he likes!"
"Not necessarily, Molly," Everyone turned to Pan, her arms were crossed in front of her chest and a stony look told some she wasn't happy with what was being said, "I think Harry has grasped the idea that not all of his questions are safe, he'll understand when those won't be answered. He's smart, he'll fill the blanks eventually. We'll give him the facts he has to know, but not enough that he can be captured and interrogated making the plans of the Order futile."
"I agree with Andy," Lupin spoke up, looking at his god-daughter before addressing the table. "I think it better that Harry gets the facts- not all the facts, Molly, but the general picture- from us rather than a garbled version from others." And when he said others a quick look at the youngest people on the table gave them an idea that Lupin wasn't stupid and he was aware of the surviving Extendable Ears.
"Well," Molly said, looking around the table obvious that she was defeated, "I can see I'm going to be overruled. I'll just say this: Dumbledore must have his reasons for not wanting Harry's best interest at heart-"
"He's not your son." Sirius said quietly, if he meant Molly to hear it or not, Pan wasn't sure.
"He's as good as. Who else has he got?" Molly was thinking selfishly when she said that.
"He's got me and now Pan!"
"Yes, the thing is, Sirius, it's been difficult for you to look after both of them while you were locked up in Azkaban and Pan's mother hiding her from you, hasn't it?"
Sirius had been rising from his chair and Pan was walking towards the end of the table when Lupin was quick to grab her arm, stopping her.
"Molly, you're not the only person at this table who cares about Harry or is Pan reason to prove Sirius wrong." Lupin scolded. "Sirius, sit down." And with that he pulled his own god-daughter down beside him, across from her father. Fred didn't waste any time to sit right beside her.
Fred put his arm around her only to have her brush it off. Said twin frowned at her, he was about to say something when Pan said a quite, "Don't." She was about to get up and go back to her spot by the counter when Lupin pushed her down again.
"You're staying right at this table." Lupin said.
"Fine, but can I please sit somewhere else?" Pan said, not waiting for an answer as she stood up and switched sides and instead of being between Lupin and Fred, she was squished beside Bill and Lupin.
"What did I do?" She heard Fred asked Lupin only to have the werewolf wave him off.
"Harry ought to be allowed to have a say in this. He's old enough to decide for himself." Lupin continued, his own arm going around his god-daughter.
Harry didn't waste anytime, afraid that somehow all of the adults on his side will back out at any second. "I want to know what's been going on."
Before anything else could be said, Molly ordered the rest of her children and Hermione to go back to their rooms only to cause an uproar.
Molly wasn't having any of it until her Arthur tiredly said, "Molly, you can't stop Fred and George, they are of age-"
"Arthur! They're still at school-"
"But, they're legally adults now."
Molly was livid, "I- oh, all right then, Fred and George can stay, But Ron-"
"Ron and Hermione might as well stay," Pan said, crossing her arms again as she looked at Molly in the eye. "Harry's just going to tell them whatever's said in this room after they leave."
Molly's eyes were going to pop out of her head, Pan was sure of that as she obviously defied her.
"Fine!" The shout Molly let out made some at the table jump. "Ginny-BED!"
Ginny let everyone hear just how unfair it was, she didn't care she slammed the door to loud making the portraits wake up or that she kept yelling with them. Lupin left his seat to quiet the ruckus, leaving the kitchen with a dense silence nobody dared break.
Until Fred, slid into Lupin's empty table.
"Can you please talk to me?"
Silence.
"What did I do?"
Silence.
"Stop giving me the cold shoulder and please talk to me."
"Fred," Bill leaned over Pan. "I think you should give her space. She's not going talk any time soon."
"Would you shove off, Bill?!"
"Boys!" Sirius barked at them. "Fred, I suggest you just stay away from my daughter."
"But-"
"Get back into your seat."
Fred huffed, but didn't leave until he kissed Pan on the cheek.
Lupin finally came back down to the kitchen and sat beside her did her father speak up again.
"Okay, Harry, what do you want to know?"
"Where's Voldemort? What's he doing?" Harry was more than ready, he needed the answers.
Pan, in a way, disconnected herself from the conversation.
Her head felt like it was being stuffed with cotton and a knot on her chest started forming there. The doubts were starting to set in. She just looked at everyone's mouth move, the ones who didn't belong in the Order were all listening intently and hanging on every word.
Pan breathed in through her nose and kept staring at some random point in the table, she came here to help and have a chance to meet her dad, but everyone kept treating her like a child and expecting her to fail, not to mention that she was always being mentioned as some kind of excuse. Specially by the people she had thought valued her in some way.
"That's enough." Molly had spoken from the shadows of the kitchen door and she looked like she could murder somebody. She looked at what was left of her children that were not in the Order and at Hermione. " I want you in bed, now. All of you." She was trembling, that Pan thought it a miracle that she didn't whip her wand out and jinx Sirius to the other side of the world.
Fred immediately spoke up, "You can't boss-"
"Watch me." Molly growled. "You've given Harry plenty of information. Any more and you might as well induct him into the Order straightaway."
Harry immediately perked up at that and said to Molly, "Why not? I'll join, I want to join. I want to fight-"
"No." Everyone whipped their heads to look at Lupin. "The Order is compromised only of overage wizards, wizards who have left school," he added quickly when he saw the twins ready to jump in. "There are dangers involved of which you can have no idea, any of you... I think Molly is right, Sirius. We've said enough."
"Wait a minute," Fred said, "Pan's underage and I believe Harry's had as much experience all the years he's saved Hogwarts. What's the difference that him, George and I join the Order?"
Pan had enough, the lights in the kitchen began to flicker and the table shaking a bit. Everyone turned to Pan, the power she was letting out was catched and became something resembling static electricity, crackling all over her. Lupin didn't move away from her, but whispered, "Andy, calm down sweetheart."
"The difference, Fred, is that I'm far more experienced than the three of you combined. I was chosen to be part of the Order by Dumbledore himself, has he invited any of you to join personally? No? Then, shut up and stop picking on me for being here. You're my boyfriend, you're supposed to support me and care for me not shove your finger at my face and use me as a bloody excuse so you can complain for not being in the Order. I've had it with all of you picking on me for absolutely nothing. I don't care that you're jealous," She looked at Hermione, "I don't care if you feel emasculated," She glared back at Fred. "I should have a bit of more respect since I'm the youngest member and a Charmed One. Sure, my powers aren't quite under control but I've saved more lives with them than you can possibly imagine. I come from the most powerful line of witches, ever to have existed, that's why I'm here. Not for some favor to my dad, but because I can handle pretty much anything. I would really appreciate it if you stop using me as an excuse and start taking me seriously, because I am not a child." The table stopped shaking but by the time Pan finished her rant, she was practically emitting her own light. "I'm going to bed." And with that, she stood up kissed Lupin and Sirius goodnight and left the kitchen without another word.
Sirius had a proud smirk on his face. His daughter just left them speechless and dumbfounded. He would've gloated at everyone but Lupin shut him a look and he just had to feel satisfied with his smirk.
And Fred? Well, he couldn't feel any worse with himself after that.
He should finally come in terms that Halliwell women don't put up with anything, specially Pan.