Chapter 6: To be alone in a crowded house

Disclaimer: I am just a mere visitor in the sublime world constructed by J.K Rowling. Anything that rings a bell is hers.

Chapter 6

I bit down hard and whimpered, hurting my teeth on bone.

"Why are you so damn skinny Potter?"

"And why are you so barbaric Thornton."

I made to kick him in the nads, and he grabbed my leg before I could, "Ah uh…that's not happening again." I growled; I didn't have time for this.

"Put me DOWN, Scarhead."

The next second, I went crashing to the floor, my butt hitting the cold tiles harshly, "Slytherin's Snake! What the hell Potter!"

"I only did what my lady asked." He looked at me, a mocking dapper look on his face. I ignored the sudden warmth across my face and stood up quickly. I turned back to the door to find Len there.

"Don't. Stay. I mean it." He turned and left. I went for the door anyway; a soft feminine hand stopped me,

"You really should listen to your brothers." I looked to the side, staring into familiar chocolate orbs. How long had it been? Six weeks…I pulled her into a tight hug, burying my face in her bushy locks.

"You seem awfully happy for someone who didn't reply to any of my letters."

I smiled at her, "Letters Shmetters, you don't need it in ink to know how much I miss you Mi."

"Oh gosh do you have to be such a girl." I looked at the familiar red-haired boy, who looked more lanky than usual; I hooked my hand in his and smiled up at him,

"I am a girl Ronald, what's your excuse?"

"Haha very funny."

"Princess!" I looked at the twins and launched onto their necks, hanging in the middle. They laughed,

"We hear you stirred up quite the cauldron of calamity-"

"and it bubbles with trouble."

"Start from the beginning, leave out no part,"

"If you do, on your face we shall-"

"BOYS!" Mrs Weasley scolded as she came down the stairs.

"What mother…I was going to say draw art. Whatever are you thinking?"

"Oh, that's just filthy mum, get your mind out of the sewer."

She shook her head and gave me a light hug, then looked down at me disapprovingly, "I'm happy to see you Ky, even if the circumstances are…well, anyway, you lot get back upstairs, the meeting will take a tidy bit longer than I had hoped. I don't know when they expect me to cook, really-"She walked off, muttering to herself.

"First dementors and now werewolves…remind me never to take a stroll in your neighbourhood Harry."

Mi sighed at Ron, the four of us sat in the room Harry was sharing with Ron. The twins left after I explained how I got here, finding the explosions in their bedroom more exciting.

"Honestly Ronald, be more serious, it's not Harry's neighbourhood that is dangerous, it's Harry."

"Thanks a lot Hermione."

She blushed at him, "You know what I mean. Look we know that the dementors were sent to try and get you expelled, that's what you said Dumbledore was insinuating in your trial-"

"I still can't believe you got expelled. And they nearly locked you up. I miss all the fun parts."

"Yeah, it was a right laugh," He shook his head at me, Mi continued,

"So, this Fenrir Greyback was sent to what…attack Harry. I doubt he would be able to get to you, there's protection on your house. He wouldn't be able to get in."

"I thought this was just one of Harry's unlucky coincidences, you said this Fenrir had no mark."

"Voldemort wouldn't give a werewolf his mark Ron. It's not his style. Neither is it his style to send a werewolf to do Harry in. He wouldn't want to accredit their race with such an achievement." I fidgeted with my fingers as Mi spoke,

"Still doesn't explain why they would even try. Werewolf or wizard, they wouldn't have gotten in."

Harry and I glanced at each other. A mere hour and a half before the attack we weren't in the house. If Fenrir wasn't distracted by Eddy, he might have gotten to us in time. We left Eddy with Nessie's friends Mary and Richard. He was a homeless kid, an orphan. When we took him to the station to enquire about orphanages, good ones, he, and Richard just clicked. Eddy was smart, and after Nessie got Tom the Barman to do a simple memory charm on him, he was good to go. It seems Mary couldn't have kids and they were thinking about adoption. Eddy helped them make their decision with his sweet smile and happy disposition. Harry sighed,

"I guess that's that then. It was a coincidence."

"Or he was trying to win Voldemort's favour by offing you for him. He did smell slightly of stale whiskey. Maybe he had a little bit of liquid courage and decided to do something stupid."

"That could be true." Mi agreed with me, "Anyway, all's well in the end. Harry didn't get expelled." She beamed at him.

"And he didn't get his soul sucked by dementors or his head bitten off by a werewolf." Ron added.

"Yes." She said simply. "But more importantly, he didn't get expelled."

Ron looked at me and I burst out laughing. Harry and I made eye contact. I didn't know how he knew that I didn't want anybody but us knowing about that day. I guess they wouldn't understand. They'd make it seem like something that it was not. I didn't feel like explaining. The door creaked open, and a layer of red hair flowed out.

"Mum's calling you lot for supper." She lingered on me for a second, offered me a small smile, and then turned around and exited.

"Nessie!" I walked towards the head of blonde quickly, "I would hug you, but my brain might shut down out of shock at the reaction. I see Linus finally came around."

She shook her head sadly, and then made a small smile, "I am part of the Order now though."

Mad Eye's voice grumbled from the table, "Absolute madness. Dumbledore is barking."

"He is right though Mad Eye." The sandy haired man said, "It's just as good as death eaters to discriminate against muggles. We can't be too picky on help."

"Plus, she is his family." The pink haired chick added.

"And it's not like she is going to go on missions. And it's her neck to stick out." The tall black man boomed from his place next to Mad Eye.

I smiled at Nessie. Spending a week with this new Nessie was eye opening. It was like watching a deer learn to walk or a baby bird fly. She had asked loads of question, I answered what I could. What I couldn't she would read up more in books she purchased from the Alley. She grinned back, "I'm going to be shadowing Molly for now. And I have a few contacts through my father, so I'll keep my ear out for things that normal muggles won't find useful."

"And learning some much needed self-defence from the master himself." I looked over at Len as he walked in. "We can't have you using rusty moves, Wolf Slayer." He lost his smirk when our eyes met, he nodded at the door, and I walked out with him.

"Len-"

"Don't. I'll respect you less for the fake apology…. how can you be so irresponsible, Ky? I know you like to fool around, but never at something as serious as this. What were you thinking; you know how dangerous times are."

"I took precautions-"

"Changing your hair colour isn't taking precautions Ky." He looked down at me, "And involving Agnes in this."

"I didn't involve her, she wanted to help. She's family."

He looked at me slightly confused, "You were helping by staying in New York, where Li and I wouldn't have to worry about you. So, we could have our heads in the game here. You had no right to-"

"I had every right to. This is my fight as much as yours Len. Family sticks together. I'm not a little girl anymore."

"I know that. I do…yet you still act like one. Look what this stunt has caused, Kinky almost died and Li has called off the engagement."

I looked down quickly, I knew all of this. I was ashamed, but couldn't they see that my place was here.

"Look…I have to go find Linus. And no, you can't come. Just stay here, OK?"I nodded, my eyes averted from the stench of disappointment reeking of him. I felt a teardrop on my hand, and I wiped it off quickly.

I heard footsteps on the staircase and wiped my face quickly, it was Sirius Black. He stopped when he saw me, looking awkwardly at me. He was old. Not as old as Mr Weasley but not as young as Linus, he must be in his mid-thirties, yet something about him just didn't seem…. mature. He looked at the door to the kitchen quickly, as if hoping it would open up and pull him in. He hovered; I saved him the trouble and turned to head back to the kitchen.

"It's not your fault."

I stopped, he waited a while and then continued, "I overheard what Lenzo said, it's not your fault Linus called off his engagement."

I knew what he was trying to do, "I got Nessie involved."

"That fiancé of his was involved once she agreed to marry him. His blaming you because it's much harder than the alternative. Much harder than the truth."

"And that is?"

"To blame himself." I turned around, looking at him. Avoiding the eyes…they were too familiar. It looked like his eyes. I looked at his hair instead. It was chin length and had a slight wave to it and very dark, very aristocratic.

"You don't like your house elf."

He chuckled darkly at this, the simple gesture exposing his boyish features hidden under all the pain and wrinkles, "What gave me away?"

"He is a right lunatic. I don't blame you. Kinky isn't like him."

He shrugged, "Doesn't matter, I'll use her about as much as I use Kreature. Mind you, she'd probably do more work than Kreature around here." I nodded; I was still coming to terms with Kinks not being around back home. He walked forward and opened the door, he hovered awkwardly, waiting for me to go through first. I didn't so he walked on. I waited in the corridor. I didn't feel like faking happiness right now. I was so tired of faking happiness. The front door opened, I spotted the oily hair before I saw the black eyes, I turned for the kitchen, I'd take fake happiness over seeing his face right now.

"Wait."

I turned around, my fists clenched, I was so angry. "How could you…."

I stared at him, he looked older. Much older than his years. He had lost weight, and his face was lined. He returned the anger, "How could I Bane, how could you?"

"I didn't try killing a friend."

He didn't apologise, he didn't even look sorry, "It was necessary at the time. She was a great liability. She could have brought anybody in here."

"Did you forget who she is? What she did for me? She saved my life…she brought me back when I never thought it was even an option."

"I am aware of that fact Bane. And it is irrelevant. As I said before, she was a liability."

I shook my head at him, how could he be so cruel. He sighed, "I came to tell you your grandfather is gone. So are your brothers. Their doing work for the Order. You're to stay. It doesn't really matter what I say though does it. I could tell you not to leave, to not wander, to be good, it all doesn't matter. So, I won't." He turned around,

"Are you going too?"

"Yes."

"Ok." I said it quietly, he didn't turn around again and just walked out of the house. The kitchen door creaked open, and a mass of curls peeked out, "Ky?"

I took a deep breath and painted a smile on my face, this is what I wanted after all. To be here. To help the Order. It didn't matter that everyone was angry. It was irrelevant. I turned and walked in after Mi into the room full of people, feeling utterly alone.

A/N: Hope you enjoyed the chapter, please review.

Kalina