Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of its characters. Just borrowing them for a story and my own imagination.

Chapter 12

The cottage was eerily quiet, a heavy weight of silence pressing down on the small group. Mia, Harry, Sirius, and Remus sat together in the dimly lit sitting room, the glow from a fire in the hearth casting long shadows across the room. They had been waiting for what felt like an eternity, but they had no way of knowing if the message would come through soon or if they were going to be left hanging in the dark.

Mia sat stiffly on the edge of her seat, her fingers anxiously tapping against the arm of the chair, glancing from the clock to the two-way mirror that lay silently on the table in front of her. She stole a quick glance at Harry, who was leaning against the wall, his arms crossed tightly over his chest. He hadn't said much since they'd arrived, but his restless energy was palpable. His eyes darted to the mirror every few moments, as if willing it to come to life.

Sirius sat across from him, his face unusually drawn, his usual grin nowhere to be seen. Instead, his lips were set in a thin line, his gaze focused but distant, watching Harry as if expecting something to happen, something to give them the answers they all desperately needed.

"I hate this," Harry muttered, his voice sharp, breaking the silence. "Not knowing. It's killing me."

Sirius's gaze flickered to him, his expression softening with sympathy, but Harry didn't seem to notice. The room was thick with unspoken words, each of them feeling the same sense of dread, of helplessness. The Burrow was out there, their friends and loved ones in danger, and they were powerless to do anything but wait.

Remus, who had been quietly watching them, shifted in his seat, speaking softly. "We'll hear soon enough. We just have to hold on a little longer."

Harry's jaw clenched, but he didn't respond. Instead, he stood up, pacing toward the window and back again. His agitation was becoming more apparent by the second, and Mia's heart ached for him. She could feel the weight of everything he was carrying—the guilt, the pressure, the sense of responsibility that came with being "the chosen one." But what she hated the most was that she couldn't take it away from him.

"Ron's been gone for hours," Harry muttered, his tone dark with frustration. "Why is this taking so long?"

Mia felt a stab of worry for Ron, knowing that he must have been running himself ragged trying to get the news back to them. She had no doubt that he, too, was feeling the weight of everything. The fear. The uncertainty.

Before anyone could respond, the two-way mirror on the table began to hum softly, its surface rippling as if it were coming to life. Mia's heart leapt in her chest. She leaned forward, her breath catching in her throat.

"Ron?" she called out, her voice low, her eyes fixed on the mirror.

The face that appeared was Ron's, though it looked tired and strained. His hair was tousled, and there was a faint cut across his cheek, but despite the exhaustion, he gave them a weary smile.

"Hey guys," he said, his voice rough but still carrying that familiar warmth. "We're safe. Everyone's okay."

Mia felt the weight in her chest lift just a little. She wasn't sure whether to laugh or cry with relief. "Ron, what happened? What's going on at the Burrow?"

Ron hesitated for a moment, his face becoming more serious. "There were Ministry officials. They showed up looking for Harry, barging in, searching everywhere. It was chaos. The Delacours stayed behind to try and keep things under control, and McGonagall and Hagrid were there too. But most of the guests had already Apparated out of there by the time the Ministry arrived. We were already one step ahead."

Mia's eyes closed briefly, a sigh escaping her lips as she pictured the scene. She could feel the tension in Ron's words, the worry in his eyes. But the fact that they'd been able to evacuate most of the guests early made her feel a bit better.

"What about you guys?" Harry asked, his voice tight. "Is everyone okay?"

Ron nodded, though the weariness in his eyes didn't fade. "Yeah. We're all fine. Bill and Fleur left for Shell Cottage with the Delacours. McGonagall and Hagrid went back to Hogwarts to keep things quiet. We cleaned up some, but honestly, the place is a wreck. You won't recognize it. I'll keep you updated. Just… stay safe."

Mia could see the tension in Harry's shoulders loosen, but it didn't vanish. The relief was palpable, but there was still that flicker of frustration, of guilt.

"I should've been there," Harry muttered under his breath, looking down at his hands. "I should've gone with them. I could've stopped it."

Mia's heart clenched, and she opened her mouth to say something, but before she could, Ron's image in the mirror flickered one last time. "I've gotta go. I'll talk to you soon. Goodnight."

"Stay safe, Ron," Mia called after him as his face vanished. The silence that followed felt heavy and oppressive. Harry's words still hung in the air.

Sirius sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Harry, you know that you being there wouldn't have helped. It would have just made everything so much worse. It's better that you're here now, safe and protected."

But Harry wasn't listening. He walked away from the group, fists clenched at his sides, his movements stiff with anger. Mia watched him go, her stomach twisting with sympathy. She knew this wasn't over. Not for him. Not yet.

Sirius stood up and followed him, leaving Mia and Remus alone in the quiet room. The weight of the conversation, of the day's events, seemed to settle over them.

They sat together for a moment, the silence stretching on, each of them lost in their thoughts. Remus's voice broke through first, calm and steady. "He'll be okay. Just give him time. He's been through so much. You've all been through so much."

Mia nodded, though the tightness in her chest didn't go away. "I know… I just wish I could do more. For him."

Remus placed a gentle hand on her shoulder, his touch warm and grounding. "He'll find his way. But right now, he needs time. We all do."

Mia closed her eyes, letting the moment wash over her. The fear, the tension—it had been building for so long. The events of the day were still fresh in her mind, the feeling of danger so real that it felt like it was still lingering in the room with them.

She was surprised when Remus pulled her into a tight hug, but she was grateful. Nestled in the wolf's arms, Mia finally let her emotions out. She cried for what felt like hours, when in reality it was only a few minutes, and Remus held her through it all, letting his shirt soak up her tears and murmuring soft reassurances until her sobs subsided. They stayed like that for a bit, taking in the comfort provided.

Suddenly, the door opened, and Harry and Sirius returned. Harry looked angrier than ever, but at least he was back in one piece.

"I don't want to talk about it," Harry said flatly as he entered, and the others nodded understandingly.

They all gathered around the small table where food had been prepared, but the meal was subdued, everyone lost in their thoughts. Sirius cleared his throat, breaking the silence. "We need to start making plans," he said, his voice steady, though there was an undercurrent of urgency. "There's only so much we can do right now, but we can start preparing. I think it's time we started training."

Mia raised an eyebrow. "Training?"

Sirius grinned, his old spark of mischief returning, but it was tempered by a seriousness that hadn't been there before. "Animagery. We need it. You've seen how useful it can be. I'm the walking example of how it could save our lives."

Mia looked at Remus for confirmation, and he nodded. "And Occlumency," he added softly. "We'll need that too. It'll help protect Harry and strengthen the work he did with Dumbledore. Keep the Dark Lord out for as long as we can. But it'll also help us deal with the block in Mia's mind."

Mia's heart skipped at the mention of the block. She hadn't even realized how much she'd been holding back. But the idea of learning Occlumency, of possibly uncovering what was buried in her mind… it both terrified and intrigued her.

"I think that's a good idea," Mia said quietly, her voice determined. "Let's do it. We need all the help we can get."

They agreed to begin their training the following day, knowing that there was no time to waste. As they finished their meal, the exhaustion of the day began to settle over them like a heavy blanket.

Later that night, as Mia lay in her bed, the events of the day replayed in her mind. She debated taking the Dreamless Sleep Potion to escape the turmoil of her thoughts, but something held her back. For the first time in what felt like forever, she wanted to remember her dreams. She silently hoped that they might give her something new to think about—something outside the war. Something that wasn't so heavy.

With a deep breath, she closed her eyes and let sleep come, hoping for a few hours of peace in a world that was anything but.

Author's note: Okay, so that's it from me for a bit. I want to say I'll have the next chapter out soon, but based on the chaos that is currently my life, I can't promise anything and I don't want to give anyone false hope. I will try and not go quite so long between updates this time, and I'm sorry again for the long wait. Please enjoy these 3 chapters for now, and let me know what you think. Thank you everyone!