I reuploaded as the previous time on the 20th, has a problem and didn't send out notifications along with not updating views.
Harry and Ron had just finished recounting the details James had shared over the two-way mirror to Hermione. The crackling fire in the Gryffindor common room cast a warm glow, but it did little to ease the unease that had settled in Harry's chest.
Aurora swooped in with hardly a sound, landing gracefully on the armrest of Hermione's chair. Hermione retrieved the letter from her beak, glancing at it briefly before setting it aside. "It's from my parents," she said with a brief smile before her expression turned serious. "So, this dark artifacts gala has a Gryffindor medallion that your dad thinks might be linked to the Gryffindor Stone?"
"Yeah," Harry replied. "He's sure. Whether or not there's a connection between both heirlooms beyond belonging to Gryffindor, he thinks the thief would still be after it just in case."
Aurora stretched her wings slightly, feathers ruffling before she settled back down. Her silver plumage caught the firelight, and her red beak gleamed as she maintained a still, watchful presence. The low hum of their conversation blended with the soft crackling of the fire.
Ron fidgeted with a piece of parchment, eyes focused. "Makes sense. I just hope they figure out how to get in and catch whoever's behind this."
Hermione's face turned pale. "If the medallion is linked to the stone, I can't even imagine what could happen if someone gets their hands on it."
They exchanged apprehensive looks as Hermione's words hung in the air, the fire crackling softly beneath the weight of the conversation. Harry felt an urge to reach out to Hermione's hand and tell her everything will be alright but refrained.
"I hope they haven't already gotten hold of the Stone." His voice cut through the heavy quiet.
Ron and Hermione nodded in agreement. "Did your father mention having a plan to get in?" asked Hermione.
"So far, they're still working on it," said Harry. "They're prepared to break in if they don't get invites."
Aurora adjusted her footing on the armrest, wings twitching before she stilled again, her gaze sweeping across the room.
Ron's brows furrowed as he absently twisted a corner of parchment. "Do you think they can manage it? The security at these events is bound to be tight."
"Yeah, but I have full faith in the breaking-in skills of my dad and his friends." Harry met Ron's concerned gaze with a firm nod and what he hoped was a reassuring look.
Hermione frowned thoughtfully. "I should look into anything related to this. Although, I doubt I'll find anything more than what's in Grimmauld Place's library. I'm sure your dad and his friends are covering all their bases there."
Aurora tilted her head slightly, a brief movement of her wings before she settled into her perch again. Her eyes reflected the flickering firelight as the room fell into a quiet lull. The conversation continued, the urgency of their discussion mingling with the calm of the evening.
James sat with Sirius, Remus, and Regulus around the low table in Potter Manor's informal living room. The fire crackled in the hearth, casting shadows over the map of The Obscura Hall sprawled across the table. Scribbles and annotations covered it, marking off each potential entry point. They had all been ruled out. Too many enchantments, too many guards, or simply impossible.
"We still don't have a clear plan," James said, leaning backin frustration. "Every entrance is either locked up tighter than Azkaban or crawling with security."
Sirius, lounging in his usual careless way, tapped his fingers against the edge of the table. "We need more than a plan. We need a miracle or at least a distraction big enough to give us a shot."
Regulusfurrowed his brows."What about the underground passageways? They were used during the war by some high-ranking wizards. If they're still intact, we could slip through undetected."
James looked over at him, considering it. "It's an option, but I'm not sure if it'll get us far enough inside."
Remus nodded thoughtfully as he leaned forward, studying the map. "If we can find one that hasn't collapsed, it could work. But we'd need to be sure there are no lingering curses or protections left over from the war. The last thing we want is to trip an alarm."
Sirius grinned, half-joking, "Oh, come on, Moony, what's a mission without a little danger?"
"We've had enough 'little danger' to last a lifetime, Padfoot. I'd rather not add to that list," Remus said dryly.
Before anyone could respond, a soft knock interrupted them. Alfred, Potter Manor's butlerappeared at the door.
"Mr. Potter," Alfred began, "AMs. Veronica Delcroix is at the gate. She claims urgent business. Shall I send her away?"
James last person they needed in the middle of this. He and Veronica had casually snogged a few times back in 5thyear. Sirius and her were involved in 7thyear but Sirius was more emotionally invested and had his heart broken as Veronica used and threw him. He glanced at his best friendwhose entire posture stiffened at the mention of her name. Remus exchanged a knowing glance with James, the tension in the room palpable.
"Let her in," James said after a moment. "But keep an eye on her, Alfred. I don't trust her."
Alfred nodded and disappeared, leaving a thick silence behind.
Sirius grumbled, still staring at the map. "I can't believe we're letting her in. She's always got an agenda."
James shrugged. "Better to know what she wants than be left guessing."
Remus leaned back in his chair, arms folded as he considered the situation. "Whatever she's after, she won't make it easy. Veronica never does anything without a game in mind."
A few minutes later, the door swung open, and Veronica swept in, exuding her usual confidence. Her dark hair fell in perfect waves, her smile was practiced, but her eyes were calculated and assessing.
"James. Sirius. Remus. Regulus," she greeted them, her voice dripping with familiarity. "I hear you're planning something rather daring involving The Obscura Hall."
James looked up, barely acknowledging her."Veronica, you must be lost. The party for people wedon't trust is at Malfoy Manor."
"Ah, but what's a party without a little intrigue? I thought you'd appreciate the thrill," Veronica quipped flirtatiously.
"Veronica, if we wanted a thrill, we'd go broomstick racing in a lightning storm, not get tangled in your schemes."Sirius scoffed in growing frustration.
Her smile widened, amusement flickering in her eyes. "Straight to the point, as always, Sirius. But I'm here to help, believe it or not."She let her gaze linger on the perfect-haired Marauder as her smile turned coy. "And offer… assistance."
James raised an eyebrow, leaning back in his chair as he crossed his arms. "Right, and I'm the King of England." He'd known Veronica long enough to understand that nothing came without strings attached. "Why are you really here?"
Veronica let out a light, musical laugh and took a step closer to the table. Her perfume, a familiar, overwhelming scent drifted toward him. "You wound me, James. I heard you were trying to get into the gala and thought I might offer my assistance. By the way, did you know that place used to be a home for the mentally disturbed?"She scrunched her nose at the last two words.
"You musthave had your own wing," said James.
Her lips twitched in amusement, though she didn't falter. "Touché, James. Always quick with a comeback." She turned her attention to Sirius. His gaze was stony, unreadable, but the tension in his shoulders spoke volumes. "But jokes aside, why are you trying to get in? Dark Arts is hardly your specialty."
Before James could respond, the door to the living room swung open again. Jenny and Miranda stepped in, both dressed warmly from their outing, unaware of the tense atmosphere they were walking into. Jenny's bright blue eyes darted towards James in confusion as she noticed Vernoica.
Mirandawho had been pushing the twins in a stroller raised her eyebrows. "Sorry, are we interrupting something?"
Veronica's smile didn't waver, but the arrival of the women clearly threw her off balance for a moment. "Oh, no interruption at all. We were just discussing a little… heist," she said lightly, though the tension simmered beneath her words.
Sirius finally looked up."You're not interrupting. Veronica was just about to tell us what she really wants."
Veronica's eyes lingered on Sirius for a beat too long, her smile turning predatory. "It's still hard to believe, you know," she began, her voice dripping with mock sincerity. "Sirius Black, the heartthrob of Hogwarts, now playing house. With twins, no less."
Sirius's jaw tightened, but before he could respond, Veronica turned to Miranda, her smile sharpening. "I still remember how madly in lovewith mehe was back then. Everyone could see it. Sirius, the untamable rebel, completely smitten. We had something so... intense," she purred, her eyes flicking to Miranda's, gauging her reaction. "But alas I let this one go due to the the folly of youth. After me, I honestly didn't think anyone could tie him down."
James, sensing the growing discomfort, intervened. "People grow up, Veronica," he saidfirmly."Sirius has, and he's happy. You might want to accept that."
Miranda's grip on the stroller tightened slightly, her expression unreadable, but the tension in the air was palpable.
Veronica continued, her words like venom wrapped in honey. "I suppose people change. I just hope Sirius isn't settling because he couldn't have me."
James felt the air shift immediately. Sirius was staring at Veronica, his mouth slightly open as if to respond, but for once, words failed him. His usual sharp tongue was stilled, and it took James by surprise. He glanced at Miranda, who stood rigid beside him, her grip on the baby tightening. Her face was no longer calm. It was stormyand her eyes were blazing with fury. She looked like she wanted nothing more than to slap the smug smile off Veronica's face. The tension rolled off her in waves, her jaw clenched so tightly James wouldn't have been surprised if she cracked a tooth.
Jenny stood next to Miranda, arms folded tightly across her chest, mirroring her friend's irritation. James could sense the storm brewing between them, a shared frustration that crackled in the air like electricity. Before anyone else could speak, he stepped in.
"Sirius has moved on, Veronica. So we'll thank you to leave the past where it belongs and get to the point of why you're here," said James.
"Fine" Veronicapulled a sleek envelope from her bag and held it out, her movements slowand deliberate. "I've brought these," she said, her voice dripping with false sweetness. "Tickets toThe Obscura Hall Gala. You'll need them to get in. I'm sure it'll be... illuminating."
The rest of them exchanged confused looks.
"What's the catch?" Sirius narrowed his eyes.
"Yeah, why are you helping us?" asked James.
Veronica's lips curved into a knowing smile. "Oh, James. I don't do anything easily. But let's just say I have no love for dark arts gatherings, but keeping certain... connections alive might be useful in the future."
Sirius scoffed, folding his arms over his chest. "Connections, huh? You've burned enough of those already, haven't you?"
Veronica's eyes flickered with a brief flash of irritation before she regained her composure, her smile sharpening.
"Oh, I'm well aware of the bridges I've burned, Sirius. But let's be honest, you're all stuck here fumbling through plans that are leading nowhere. With these tickets, you won't have to go through the trouble of figuring out how to get in. I'm offering you a straightforward solution to your problem. You get access, and I get to watch the chaos unfold from a distance."
"We should take it. I mean, it's not like we have a better option right now. We might as well use the tickets and see what we can uncover," said Regulus.
"I agree. Sometimes, it's worth taking a risk if it means we can gather information we desperately need. We can't afford to let this chance slip away," added Remus.
James met Sirius's gaze, both of them exchanging a long, silent look. Sirius's lips twitched, his expression hard to read but clearly torn between frustration and reluctant agreement. James clenched his jaw, feeling the weight of the decision pressing on them. It wasn't ideal, but it was the best option they had.
With a subtle shift of his shoulders, James gave a slight nod, and Sirius, after a moment's hesitation, mirrored it. "Fine" they said simultaneously as they turned around to face Veronica.
"Wise choice" Veronica's eyes gleamed with satisfaction as she handed the tickets over. But as Sirius reached for them, her fingers lingered just a second too long, brushing against his hand. She made it look effortless, a casual gesture, but James didn't miss the way her gaze flickered to Sirius's wedding band, her touch a whisper of something more than just business.
James glanced at Miranda who looked like she wanted to tear Veronica's eyes out. Beside her, Jenny rested a firm hand on Miranda's arm, her eyes blazing with shared fury.
James cleared his throat, breaking the tense silence. "Right. We've got what we need," he said, his eyes flicking to the tickets now in Sirius's hand. "We'll figure out the rest from here."
Veronica's smile remained, but she took a step back, clearly satisfied with her parting blow. "I'm sure you will. Keep in touch, Sirius," she winked at him. She cast one last lingering glance at them before turning on her heel and sweeping out of the room, her heels clicking sharply against the floor.
The room stayed quiet for a moment after she left, tension still hanging in the air like smoke. Sirius finally exhaled through his nose, his grip tightening around the tickets. "That woman hasn't changed a bit."
James nodded but said nothing, his eyes drifting to Miranda, who hadn't taken her eyes off the door Veronica had just exited.
"Let's just focus on the plan," Regulus said, breaking the silence, his voice firm. "We've got work to do."
With that, they all leaned back over the map, but the unsettled energy still lingered, a reminder that nothing with Veronica ever came without strings.
=to be continued=