Chapter 27 - Decision
Ava stirred awake, blinking against the soft, muted light filtering in through the tall windows. Her head felt heavy, but her body was cocooned in warmth. She shifted slightly and noticed she was lying beneath a thick, plaid down blanket in a room she didn't immediately recognize. Shelves lined every wall, books stacked high, some of them rearranging themselves with a quiet whoosh of magic. Occasionally, one soared across the room to nestle into a new spot, giving the space an air of restless intelligence.
She pushed herself up slowly, groggy but curious. The air smelled of parchment and tea, and something else, something warm and familiar.
Then she heard it: the low, rhythmic sound of breathing beside her.
Turning her head, she peeked over the edge of the bed and saw a large black dog curled up on the rug, fast asleep. Its chest rose and fell in a steady rhythm, its fur thick and slightly matted, its shape unmistakably familiar.
The same dog. The one she had seen in Lupin's office weeks ago.
Before she could wonder further, the door creaked open, and Professor Lupin stepped inside, balancing a tray of food. His expression shifted the moment their eyes met–relief, gentle concern, and something warmer beneath it all.
"Ah, you're awake," he said with a soft smile. "Good. I brought you breakfast from the Great Hall."
He crossed the room and placed the tray carefully over her lap before taking a seat in a nearby chair.
"Eat," he encouraged. "It will help."
Still disoriented, Ava nodded and reached for a piece of toast, her movements slow and deliberate. She buttered it and took a bite. The warmth of the food settled in her stomach, grounding her, though her thoughts still swirled with everything that had happened.
Lupin didn't speak again until she'd finished eating, watching her in silence, not with judgment but with quiet, fatherly vigilance. The black dog had roused, rising to its feet and padding over to Lupin's side before sitting down obediently. Lupin reached down and ran a hand along its back.
Once Ava set down her fork, Lupin rose and gently removed the tray from her lap.
"I spoke with Dumbledore," he said after a moment. "Given everything that's happened, we've decided you shouldn't be alone. Not for the time being. Your friends have already volunteered to keep a close watch, and we've arranged a schedule so someone is always nearby."
Ava swallowed, her chest tightening. "Have they found him?"
Lupin's expression darkened. He shook his head. "No. And frankly, I don't think we will. Not yet, at least. But I don't believe he'll make another move anytime soon. With the castle on alert for multiple threats," his eyes flicked briefly to the dog at his side, "now would be an unwise time for him to try anything."
Ava leaned back against the headboard, pressing her hands to her face. Her skin was still cold. Her thoughts felt like scattered fragments, none of them settling in place. The fear. The fury. The violation. It all buzzed beneath her skin.
"I don't want to endanger them," she said quietly. "Fred. Angelina. George. All of them. What if something happens because of me?"
Lupin looked at her with an unreadable expression, the thoughts churning visibly behind his tired eyes. The dog beside him made a soft huffing noise and nudged Lupin's hand with its nose. He gave it an absent stroke before sighing and meeting Ava's gaze again.
"There is another option," he said at last, the words heavy. "I don't think it will come to that… but you deserve to know."
Her heart skipped. "What is it?"
Lupin hesitated, then finally said, "Dumbledore contacted the Headmistress at Beauxbatons Academy of Magic. She's agreed to take you, should you wish to transfer. You'd be safe there, far from all of this."
Ava sat up straighter, heart lurching. "Transfer?" Her voice was thick with disbelief. "But Hogwarts is… everything. I'd lose my friends. I'd lose… everyone."
"I know." Lupin stood, his expression pained. "And I'm sorry. These are the only two options we have at the moment. Whatever you decide…" His voice softened. "I'll be there. I'll support you."
And then, quietly, he turned and left the room, leaving Ava in silence, the dog watching her with solemn, intelligent eyes, and the weight of an impossible choice settling over her chest.
Lee, Fred, and George lounged in their dormitory, half-buried under a mess of wrappers, parchment, and enchanted prototypes. Fred sat cross-legged on the floor, fidgeting silently with a half-formed Ton-Tongue Toffee while George sprawled on his bed, flipping through a notebook of scribbled plans.
George glanced at his brother and rolled his eyes. "Relax… she's with Lupin. She'll be fine."
Fred didn't answer. He kept his eyes on the toffee-like it held the secrets of the universe.
Before Lee could ask what they were whispering about, a knock sounded at the door. A moment later, Alicia, Katie, and Angelina stepped into the room like they owned the place, because, frankly, they kind of did.
Angelina dropped gracefully to the floor at the foot of Fred's bed, stretching her legs out in front of her. Alicia immediately flopped onto George's bed beside him, kicking her feet up and "accidentally" brushing his leg with hers. George blinked, turned pink, and casually repositioned his leg like it had betrayed him.
"Ava's back," said Angelina.
Fred's head snapped up so fast it was a miracle his neck didn't crack. "Where is she? I should go see her."
Angelina held up a hand, gently. "Give her a minute, alright? She said she'd come find us. She just… needs a little space right now."
Fred's brows drew together. "Is she okay?"
Angelina hesitated, glancing down. "Physically, yeah. But... she's dealing with a lot."
Fred didn't miss the flicker of something in her voice, something guarded. He opened his mouth to press but then closed it. Not yet.
Alicia, sensing the shift in tone, jumped in like a lifeline. "Did you see the look on Neville's face when he got that howler? I swear I saw his soul leave his body."
George groaned with delight. "Oh, it was beautiful. He opened it in the middle of the Great Hall! Rookie mistake."
"I felt so bad for him!" Alicia said, clutching her heart. "He looked like he wanted to crawl under the table."
George waved a hand. "Come off it. Ron got one last year and he still walks around like he owns the place. It's a howler, not a death sentence."
Alicia flushed and leaned a little closer to George without realizing it. Katie and Angelina exchanged sly glances behind her back.
Trying to rescue Alicia from deeper embarrassment, Angelina cleared her throat. "So... I have a date this weekend."
Fred raised an eyebrow. "Who's the unlucky bloke?"
Angelina smirked. "Connor Davenport."
Lee nearly choked. "Davenport? Isn't he the one who tried to hex a quill last year because he thought it was mocking him?"
Fred snorted. "Pompous git. Surprised he's in Ravenclaw. Thought his brain was more suited to... well, Hufflepuff. And I like Hufflepuff."
"We don't talk much," Angelina said smoothly, but her eyes sparkled with amusement. "It's not like I'm marrying him."
George flopped back against the headboard with an exaggerated groan. "Still. Tragic taste, Angie. Truly tragic."
Before anyone could respond, a soft knock tapped on the door. It creaked open slowly, and quietly, and Ava stepped inside.
The room changed immediately. Laughter faded. Every head turned. Fred was on his feet in an instant, reaching her before she took more than two steps and pulling her into a hug so tight she could barely breathe.
"I was so worried about you," he murmured into her hair.
"Yeah, Ava," said George, rising to his feet with a grin. "Don't worry…Lupin looped us in. We've officially formed the Ava Protection Squad. Around-the-clock surveillance. Very exclusive club."
A chorus of agreement followed. Katie nodded firmly, Alicia gave her a soft smile, and even Lee offered a goofy salute.
Ava smiled, but it didn't quite reach her eyes. Fred stepped back and brushed his knuckles across her cheek. "We love you, y'know. You mean the world to us."
Her gaze dropped to the floor, and that's when Fred knew. Something was wrong. Deeply wrong.
He looked at Angelina, only to see her glance away, jaw tight. Katie reached for Angelina's back, a subtle gesture. Fred turned his eyes back to Ava.
"What is it?"
Ava swallowed. Her voice was barely above a whisper. "I love you. All of you. I mean that." She looked up at Fred, and a tear slipped silently down her cheek. "You'd do anything for me, I know that. And I love you for it."
Fred's heart started to race. "Ava…"
"I can't keep putting you all in danger," she continued, voice cracking. "I spoke with Dumbledore. And... I've decided."
She closed her eyes. When she opened them again, she looked straight at Fred.
"I'm leaving Hogwarts. I'll be transferring to Beauxbatons at the end of the week."
The room went silent, just like that. Like all the oxygen had been sucked out at once.
Fred stared at her, stunned, blinking like he'd just been hit in the chest. "What?"
No one moved. George's mouth had dropped open. Alicia's hand froze mid-reach for her drink. Katie looked like she'd been slapped.
Ava braced herself, but it didn't make it any easier.
"I'm sorry," she whispered.
Fred took a step back, his expression unreadable.
It felt like the floor had fallen out from under them all.
