by Quicksilver » Sunday 9 March 2003 12:28:43am
really really really looong!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! italics are a flashback
Dee woke up the next morning to a loud banging. "Darn Moony, why do you have to make your locks so complicated to open?"
She opened a bleary eye at the sound of Sirius's voice. Still perched on the rafter, she observed Remus stretching out and pulling out his wand. "I made them so they can only be opened from the inside. Alohormora"
Sirius bounded through looking wide awake as usual. Dee was amazed at how different he looked. Older, more sophisticated. She never thought she'd see the day when Sirius looked sophisticated.
Remus stood up. "Are the others here yet?" Sirius pulled a face. "Yeah, DD said we had to travel by car..I'm grateful to be alive, no matter how many years Arabella's spent as a muggle she still drives like a madwoman."
Remus looked surprised. "I didn't know she had gotten her license back!"
Sirius grinned. "Who said she did? Anyway, Mundungus is in there making waffles if you want some."
He nodded vigorously. "The Wolfsbane potion doesn't exactly fulfill my hunger. At least Bella's not cooking again, eh Padfoot?"
Sirius's face had a look of mock surprise. "What, don't you like soggy lasagna and charcoaled bread?"
They laughed loudly. "You still out here?:" the old face of Mundungus Fletcher poked in. "Bella's in there chomping down waffles like water. You better get in before she scarf's em all down."
"Yeah, I need a strong cup of coffee, although last night wasn't as rough as the others. Was almost like you guys were there."
Dee shuffled out of his sight. Sirius bent his head. "Sorry Remus, I should have stayed here and.."
"And left poor Mundungus all alone with Bella?" snorted Remus."I think not!"
Sirius grinned cheekily. "Not that he'd mind being alone with OOMPH!"
Mundunus cut off his sentence by shutting the door in his face. He rubbed his nose gingerly. "That wasn't funny!"
As he walked back to the house, Dee flew after him.
She looked in through the window and saw Arabella Fig munching on a pancake. Remus walked in and Arabella jumped up."Remus! I haven't seen you since you were 25!" she said, pinching his cheek. Mundungus pinched the other. "Yeah, ickle Moony's all grown up."
Remus pushed his hand away irritably and greeted Arabella. Suddenly Sirius bounded in and started filling his plate.
"Hey Bella! I challenge you to a re-match! I bet you I can beat your pancake eating record no sweat!"
She rolled her eyes." Okay, but I already ate 2. Fletcher, put more flapjacks on the fire!"
DING
"Just a sec." Mundungus got up and went to answer the doorbell. Dee almost fell off the telephone wire when she saw who it was.
"Albus!" said Mundungus clapping him on his back. "Another I haven't seen in a while! C'mon and join us for breakfast!"
Dumbledore smiled. "As much as I'd love to, we have business to attend to. Have Arthur and Molly arrived?"
He scratched his head. "Nope. But Arthur never was much of an early morning business attender." All of a sudden he was hit in the back of the head with a pancake."
"WILL YOU THREE SETTLE DOWN!" he barked into the kitchen. "Come in headmaster."
Dee flew over and looked into the kitchen window. Arabella was covered in syrup and was throwing pancakes at Sirius, who was defending himself with a spatula.(Back! Back you evil flapjack flipper you!") Remus had taken cover under the table.
There was a whirl of green flames and Molly and Arthur Weasly showed up in the fireplace.
"Er, just in time for breakfast?" said Arthur, nimbly dodging a flying flapjack.
Arabella grinned sheepishly. "Well it's his fault I'm covered in syrup!" she complained loudly. "And he hasn't done that to me since I used to babysit him!"
Sirius stood straight and struck a pose. "I try hard to uphold my reputation." While he was preoccupied, Arabella aimed another pancake at his head. Molly shook her head, and with a wave of her wand, the kitchen was back to normal.
Mundungus smiled appreciatively. "You gotta teach me that. Aren't the others comin?"
Arthur frowned slightly. "Well, I offered them all invitations, but…"
There was a sudden clang in the fireplace and they turned to see Charlie sprawled out on the floor.
He moaned and stood up. "God, you need to clean your fireplace." HE started to dust himself off when he was landed upon by Bill. He groaned and shouted "Get off of me you needle nosed Vault scrapper!"
Bill grinned and helped him up. "Well, favorite brother of mine, maybe next time you should learn how to use floo powder before traveling halfway across the world."
"Yeah, well I still like dragon-riding better."
Everybody laughed slightly and the four Weasly's were offered some breakfast.
"No thanks. I just ate over on Percy's flat." Said Charlie, frowning. Dumbledore looked at him over his half moon spectacles. "And where is Percy?" he asked.
Charlie scowled. "I tried to persuade him but he's siding with Fudge. Didn't even finish listening to me before he dissaparated off to the Ministry."
Bill punched his arm lightly. "Eh, he'll come around once Fudge's head gets blown off. You'd think that after what happened to Crouch…."
Dumbledore cleared his throat. "Well we are here to make sure that noone gets his head blown off. Now, Severus and Rubeus are busy, so I will relay whatever news comes out of this to them. Minerva.." A tabby cat suddenly walked out from behind DD and transformed into Minerva McGonagall.
"Now all we need is…." Dumbledore stopped and looked apologetic. "Never mind."
Dee bristled her feathers. I know he's talking about me…
She swooped down and transformed. After ringing the doorbell she leaned against the doorframe. The door opened and Mundungus's face poked out. He looked startled as he caught sight of her and moved his mouth wordlessly.
"And I suppose my invitation got lost in the mail?" she said sarcastically.
Mundungus frowned and blocked the doorway. “What are you doin here?”
“In times of need the Order is reborn from the ashes as does the Phoenix. “ Dee quoted. “I’m here to attend the meeting.”
He looked confused. “How did you know…….Albus! We have an...er....visitor.” She smirked at him as Dumbledore came down the hall. He frowned slightly as he saw her.
“Ms. Summers?” he inquired. Dee smiled at him. “Hello Professor. May I come in?”
He hesitated and looked at Mundungus. “Whats going on? Whos there?” Sirius’s head poked out from underneath his arm. When his eyes fell on Dee his face got a closed look. She felt nervous for the first time. The last time she had seen that look on his face it had been in Azkaban.
Dee showed her pass to the dementors and they moved out of her way. They were disgusting reatures to say the least, but she didn’t seem to be very effected by them. She looked over to Remus. His eyes looked haunted, neither of them had slept after James and Lily had been killed. They were here to talk with Sirius.
As they walked down the filthy hallways screams and yells of people sunk in half nightmares echoed off the damp stone walls.
Dee shivered and moved closer to Remus, who had a handfull of flames. He moved away from her. According to him she wasn’t any better than the dementors for what she had done. Tears stun her eyes as she passed a cell and saw a boy no older than 17 sitting on a bench staring at his hands and muttering “I’m sorry’ over and over.
She was surprised when Remus put an arm around her shoulder as they aproached Sirius’s cell. It was guarded by at least half a dozen dementors. She felt a wave of nasuea as they passed her silently. Remus took out a key that he had been given and opened the door. Dee gasped as the stench of desperation and fear hit her. She hung back and Remus stepped in, a sort of furious energy radiated around him.
She saw Sirius look up. His face was sunken in and it looked like he hadn’t eaten in a week. Remus bared his teeth and kicked him. Dee had never seen him like this before Sirius doubled up, but didn’t do anything back. He looked just like a hurt dog. “I’m sorry Moony. I’m so sorry.” Remus’s eyes flashed menacingly. “What in the world possesed you to do that Black.”
Sirius looked stung at the sound of his last name. “It wasn’t me, I swear! It was Peter, we switched. I swear, I wouldn’t do anything to James and Lily, please believe me! Its my fault, all my fault.”
Dee felt tears slide down her face as Sirius babbled on. Remus shook his head. “Padfoot?”
He looked up, and she saw a glimmer of hope in his haunted eyes. Remus kicked him again. “I hate you.”
Sirius dropped his head and Remus stormed out, pushing past Dee. She caught a glimpse of tears in his eyes as he half ran down the hallway.
She turned and took in the terrible view on the floor. Sirius was on the ground staring back at Moony in disbelief. She bit her lip then ran in. He looked a bit startled as she wrapped her arms around him protectivly
“Please don’t hate me.” He whispered hoarsly. She buried her head in his neck and started to cry.
“I believe you Padfoot, I really do. I don’t hate you. And you don’t deserve this place.”
He pulled back and stood up. “Yes I do. I deserve to rot in here for the rest of my life.”
“No you don’t.” she said feircly. “It isn’t your fault.”
Sirius looked at her and she saw tears in his eyes. “I made James switch. I never knew……but I made them switch to Peter.”
“Sirius..” She started to say, but he waved his hand
“Leave.”
“But…”
“No, I don’t want you to stay here. Its a horrible place.”
Dee felt her heart tear into two pieces. “Padfoot……….”
“GO!”
She bent her head. “Alright. But……..don’t forget I love you.” She turned and walked out, not looking back for fear she wouldn’t be able to leave if she saw his eyes again. She heard him whisper “I love you.” Very faintly, then she broke into a run.
When she reached outside, she sank right to her knees. This is all Voldemorts fault. she thought bitterly. I swear I will kill him if I ever get the chance.
For a moment Sirius stood there staring. Then an enormus grin spread across his face. "Dee!" HE stepped forward and wrapped his arms around her. She was a bit surprised, but gratified as he hugged her. He let her go, but kept an arm on her shoulder as he turned to face Dumbledore.
"She can stay, right?" he asked, giving him a 'If you don't say yes you'll find your beard up your @$$ ' look. Dumbledore nodded, though still looking a bit suspicious.Sirius smiled and steered her into the kitchen where the other Order members were.
When they came in, Remus looked up from his newspaper, than stood abruptly. Molly and the Weasly men looked at her as well. Sirius held out a chair for her to sit on. "Would you like something to eat? Perhaps a drink?" He said, imiatating a French waiter. She grinned as he pretended to twirl his moustache. "Anything but pancakes monseiur."
For the next half an hour, Dee explained all that had happened over the last few days while enjoying the scrumptious bacon Remus had managed to make. Mundungos had left to go check on Neville and his grandmother. They had loads of fun all day as they caught up on everything that had happened over the past 13 years. (Oh my Lord, you were a teacher Remus?)
It was around 6:00 that things started to settle down . Dee Bill and Chalie were laughing over the bar incident. While Bill was telling them about a time he stayed overnight in an Italian pub, she heard Sirius Remus and Dumbledore talking about her.
"Are you sure you can trust her? I mean, I'm all for second chances, but do you believe.." started Remus.
"Hey now, she was the only one to believe me, so I'm backing her up." Sated Sirius, glaring teasingly at his guilty friend.
"So, about Harry." She started. Everyone present looked at her again and she paused.
"Yes?" prompted Dumbledore.
"Well, he's under the Safety Charm thingymabobber that I found, the one that makes it so Harry can only be captured or taken if he leaves the protection of theDursleys house, right?"
"Not exactly." Said Dumbledore placing his teacup back on the saucer. "It's an older Light spell called the Antioso charm. It stops any magic from being used on Privet Drive. Arabella had replaced the wards after the incident of the Quidditch cup."
"Yeah, thats the one they have around Azkaban." Nodded Remus.
Dee whacked her forehead and stood up, then walked quickly towards the fireplace. "Dee, whats up?" asked Sirius confusedly. She turned, her face a mask of worry.
"Don't you people study? The Antioso charm only has effects on wand magic! Voldemort teaches all his most powerful Death Eaters wandless magic! With Arabella gone from her post, they can do whatever they like! Harry's unprotected!"
Dumbledore was quiet for a moment….then “But hey don’t kow where he is, so they couldn’t….”
But hat wasn’t right. Dee suddenly remembered Malfoy sliping a piece of parchment into his pocket. It must’e been the letter with harrry’s address on it!
“No. They know. Trust me.”
Dumbledore swore badly and Dee searched for the Floo powder. As if reading her mind Mr. Weasly sdaid "Floo won't work, its a muggle fireplace."
"And we can't apparate….Arthur, is there anything you can do at the Ministry?" He shook his head. "I don't think so. Ernie's out, so theres some newbie on the Floo network."
"I have my bike." Sirius offered. Dee walked over to the window and unlocked it. "Well, I can get back here with powder right? Good. Ciao." And with that she transformed and flew out of the window leaving the others to decide how they'd get there.