✦•······················•✦•······················•✦

Harry's P.O.V. 

"Sirius!" Harry exclaimed, his face cracking into a smile. He strode forward, and the dark-haired man wrapped the boy in a hug. 

Harry buried his face into Sirius' shoulder, happy to see his godfather after so long. The two parted, and Sirius gave Harry a firm pat on the back. 

"Hello, Harry," said Sirius with a grin, "Seems like my mother greeted you before I could." 

Harry raised his brows. "That's your-?" 

"Good old mum, yeah," Sirius said with a shake of his head, while Remus barked a laugh from behind him. "We've been trying to get her down for a month, but we think she put a Permanent Sticking Charm on the back of the canvas. Let's get downstairs, quick, before they all wake up again." 

"But what's a portrait of your mother doing here?" Harry asked, bewildered, as they went through the door from the hall and led the way down a flight of narrow stone steps, the others just behind them, and Y/N just beside him, with her hand in his. 

Y/N sighed, and Sirius raised a brow. "Has nobody told you yet?" he asked, looking from Ron, to Hermione, to Y/N. "This was my parents' house," he explained. "Since I'm the last Black left, it's mine. I offered it to Dumbledore, we're using it as Headquarters. It's about the only useful thing I've been able to do so far," he said, a bitter tone in his voice during the last sentence. 

Harry frowned, noting the tone in Sirius' voice, but the man said nothing more and kept walking. The kitchen, in the basement, was a cavernous room with rough stone walls. A fire at the far end of the room provided ample light, and a haze of pipe smile hung in the air. Iron pots and pans hung from the ceiling, and many, many chairs had been crammed around the dining table to accommodate for the meeting.

The table was littered with goblets, empty wine bottles, rolls of parchment and quills, and what seemed to be a pile of rags. Mister Weasley and Bill were talking quietly at the end of the table. 

Missus Weasley cleared her throat, and her husband jumped, startled, his eyes landing on Harry. "Harry! We've been waiting for you! Good to see you," he said, shaking Harry's free had vigorously. Harry saw Y/N smile in his peripherals. 

"Journey okay, Harry?" Bill asked, rolling up some parchment at the end of the table. He still wore his hair in that low ponytail that Harry knew Missus Weasley hated. "Mad-Eye didn't make you come 'round Greenland, did he?" 

Tonks snorted and moved forward to help Bill, "He tried - oh, sorry!"

She had knocked over a candle, of which's wax was now spilling onto the table, and onto pieces of parchment. Missus Weasley sighed, while Hermione, Ron and Y/N giggled. With a wave of Missus Weasley's wand, she repaired the parchment, and beckoned everybody to sit down. Ginny had entered the kitchen as well, and taken a seat next to Ron.

Sirius and Remus took their seats beside each other at the head of the table, and as Y/N gave her uncle a kiss on the cheek and sat down on the length of the table beside him, Sirius said, "Harry - you haven't met Mundungus yet, have you?"

The thing that Harry had previously assumed to be a pile of rags shifted, gave a grunting snore, then jerked awake across the table. 

"Di' someone...di' someone call me?" Mundungus mumbled sleepily, "I agree wi'h Sirius..."

Remus sighed, putting a hand on top of Sirius', who had bristled with annoyance. "Harry is here now, Mundungus. Would be wonderful if you'd be present." 

Mundungus rubbed his eyes, then gave Harry a crooked smile. "Blimey...so he is. You all right, Harry?" 

"Yeah," said Harry. Mundungus fumbled nervously in his pockets, still staring at Harry, and pulled out a grimy black pipe. He stuck it in his mouth, ignited the end of it with his wand, and took a deep pull on it. Great billowing clouds of greenish smoke obscured him in seconds. 

Everyone around him coughed at the fumes, and Y/N shot him a very dirty look. "Dungo, could you not? The smell of smoke is gonna hang around."

Harry gave an involuntary smile - hearing Y/N nickname people so flawlessly was something he desperately missed.

"Owe you a 'pology, Harry," grunted a voice from the middle of the smelly cloud.

For the last time, Mundungus," called Missus Weasley, "will you please not smoke that thing in the kitchen, especially not when we're about to eat!" 

"Ah," said Mundungus. "Righ', sorry"

Mundungus stowed his pipe away with a scowl, but the putrid smell still lingered. 

"And if you want dinner before midnight I'll need a hand," Missus Weasley said to the room at large. There was creaks of chair legs against the floor as Ron, Hermione and Y/N got up immediately. 

Harry knew Ron just wanted food, and Hermione and Y/N probably wanted to help out as much as possible. 

Y/N gave him a peck on the cheek as she got up, leaving him wanting more, and more. They had been apart for so long that he just wanted his hands on her, their lips together. 

Harry attempted to follow suit, but Missus Weasley pointed her ladle at him sharply. "No, you can stay where you are, Harry dear, you've had a long journey -"

"I can help!" Tonks said immediately, rising from her chair, and knocking it over by accident. Missus Weasley breathed very deeply through her nose. 

Reluctantly, she sighed again, and said, "Alright...dear. You can help Ginny with the cutlery..." and Tonks happily bounded over to the young redhead, and the chaos of preparing dinner began before Harry's eyes. 

Y/N's P.O.V.

Soon a series of heavy knives were chopping meat and vegetables of their own accord, supervised by Mister Weasley, while Missus Weasley stirred a cauldron dangling over the fire and the others took out plates, more goblets, and food from the pantry. Harry was left at the table with Sirius and Mundungus, who was still blinking mournfully at him. 

Y/N, while stirring a cauldron of...well, she didn't ask, she just did as she was told and stirred it, was listening to the conversation happening at the table. It was hard, to concentrate on one single thing anymore. She desired, even chased, constant brain stimuli to distract from thoughts of Cedric. How his death had affected so many; Amos, Rosetta, Liana, Mathew, Cho...Y/N. 

Every time she tried to point a blaming finger, Harry wasn't even an option in her mind. It all came down to Peter Pettigrew, to Voldemort. To strange happenings. 

She tuned in to Harry's conversation. 

"Seen old Figgy since?" Mundungus asked Harry. And Y/N froze.

"No, Missus Figg didn't say anything after," said Harry, "I haven't seen anyone."  

"I'm sorry, you know," said Mundungus, "I didn't mean to leave...er...just a big business deal came up! Say thanks to Arabella for me sometime, for picking up the job." 

Arabella Figg. 

Harry had seen Arabella Figg? 

The woman who kept appearing with that damn book. Your Own Hostiles. 

Y/N took a glance at the clock, and realized she had stirred the substance for enough time, and asked Missus Weasley if she could sit back down. Keep in mind, Y/N had chopped vegetables, helped Ginny and Tonks set the table, spiced the...mixture and stirred it, and had also started setting aside meal prep for the next day. 

She needed to know more. How did Harry know Arabella Figg?

Missus Weasley, like the angel she is, waved her wand at the dining table. The chair beside Harry was pulled out, and kitchen utensils thwacked Y/N's head, guiding her to the seat. The only people at the table were Sirius, Harry and Mundungus Fletcher.  

She arrived just in time to hear Harry ask, "What cleaning?" and for Sirius to chuckle when she glared at him. 

"The cleaning we've been doing, and which you will also be doing," she said grudgingly. They'd done so much tidying that she was probably immune to dust and dirt. 

Harry looked at her, giving a dry laugh. "I'd rather clean than be at the Dursley's, so I'm fine with anything." 

"Sirius?" said Mundungus, who did not appear to have paid any attention to this conversation, but had been minutely examining an empty goblet. "This solid silver, mate?" 

"Yes," said Sirius, barely giving him a glance. "Finest fifteenth century goblin-wrought silver, embossed with the Black family crest." 

"That'd come off, though," muttered Mundungus, polishing it with his cuff. Y/N squinted her eyes at him, the scrounge, she thought.  

"Harry," she whispered, nudging him. "How do you know Arabel-" 

"Fred - George - NO, JUST CARRY THEM!" Missus Weasley yelled. 

Y/N, Harry, Sirius, and Mundungus looked around and, a split second later, dived away from the table. 

Fred and George had bewitched the large cauldron of stew, an flagon of butterbeer, and a heavy wooden breadboard, complete with knife, to hurtle through the air toward them. The stew skidded the length of the table and came to a halt just before the end, leaving a long black burn on the wooden surface. The flagon of butterbeer fell with a crash, spilling its contents everywhere, and the bread knife slipped off the board and landed - point down and quivering ominously, exactly where Sirius's right hand had been seconds before. 

"Watch it, you idiots! I just made that stew!" Y/N shrieked, "You could've severed Sirius' hand off!" 

"Yeah, ouch," Fred winced. 

George nodded, "Sorry, mate." 

"FOR HEAVEN'S SAKE!" screamed Missus Weasley. "THERE WAS NO NEED - I'VE HAD ENOUGH OF THIS - JUST BECAUSE YOU'RE ALLOWED TO USE MAGIC NOW YOUDON'T HAVE TO WHIP YOUR WANDS OUT FOR EVERY TINY LITTLE THING!" 

Y/N nodded along and Molly was disgruntled, but jerked her chin at the girl. "At least one of you is sensible. Thank you, Y/N, for putting so much effort into that stew," the woman said, then stalked off to harass whoever else she could. 

When she was out of earshot, Y/N said, "Exactly, boys," in a very fake, disdainful voice, "there is no need to whip it out all the time, you'll get tired." 

Sirius barked a laugh, to which Remus rolled his eyes. The twins stuck out their tongues and sat down, and dinner was served. 

"So, Harry!" said Sirius, "how was your summer?" 

"Shit," muttered Harry, "you all know what happened anyway. It was terrible." 

Y/N's hand found his under the table. She had missed him warmth, and she knew there was still anger bubbling beneath the surface. 

Sirius grinned, "Now, I don't know what you're complaining about! I'd rather be attacked by dementors than in this house, a struggle for my soul is better than rotting in this house for a month." 

Harry frowned, and Y/N had always found it cute, the way his lips dipped and his eyebrows curved down. "How come?" 

"The Ministry is still after him, Harry," said Hermione. 

Remus nodded along, "They'll know all about him being an Animagus now, thanks to Pete...Wormtail." 

Sirius shrugged in a way that was meant to be nonchalant, "There's not much I can do for the Order of the Phoenix...or so Dumbledore feels." 

Harry's expression softened, and so did his voice. "At least you're in the loop, and know about whats going on," he said bracingly. 

Y/N snorted, "Yeah, listening to Snape's reports," she took a sip of stew. 

When Missus Weasley finally sat down to eat, she was still muttering about Fred and George, and giving them nasty looks. "None of the other's caused this kind of trouble," she mumbled under her breath, "Bill didn't feel the need to Apparate every few feet, Charlie didn't need to charm everything he met, Percy-" 

Every conversation at the table fell silent. 

"The chicken is really good, Mum, have a bite," Bill said quickly. 

Conversation resumed. 

Missus Weasley turned to Sirius and said, "I've been meaning to tell you, there's something trapped in that writing desk in the drawing room, it keeps rattling and shaking. Of course, it could just be a boggart, but I thought we ought to ask Alastor to have a look at it before we let it out." 

"Whatever you like," said Sirius indifferently. 

"The curtains in there are full of doxies too," Mrs. Weasley went on. "I thought we might try and tackle them tomorrow." 

"I look forward to it," said Sirius. Y/N heard the sarcasm in his voice, but she was not sure that anyone else did. Opposite her, Tonks was entertaining Hermione and Ginny by transforming her nose between mouthfuls, and it swelled to a beaklike protuberance like Snape's. 

The adult's conversation devolved into Order talk, of goblins and house elves, their allegiances and freedoms. What Voldemort could offer. The kids listened to Mundungus tell stories of shifty business deals, and roared with laughter at the end of each - If Y/N were to judge, they were all made up, but funny nonetheless. 

After rhubarb custard for dinner (Y/N had two helpings, and nicked some from Harry's plate when she was too lazy to get more), Missus Weasley yawned and announced, "Nearly time for bed, I think." 

"Not just yet, Molly," said Sirius, pushing away his empty plate and turning to look at Harry. "You know, I'm surprised at you. I thought the first thing you'd do when you got here would be to start asking questions about Voldemort." 

The atmosphere in the room changed. Where seconds before it had been sleepily relaxed, it was now alert, even tense. A frisson had gone around the table at the mention of Voldemort's name. Remus, who had been about to take a sip of wine, lowered his goblet slowly, looking wary, but rather pleased.

"I did!" said Harry indignantly. "I asked Y/N and Ron and Hermione but they said we're not allowed in the Order, so —" 

"And they're quite right," said Mrs. Weasley. "You're too young." She was sitting bolt upright in her chair, her fists clenched upon its arms, every trace of drowsiness gone 

"When did questions have an age limit?" asked Y/N. "We want to know too!" Ron, Hermione, Ginny and the twins nodded along with this. 

"Don't you lot start, now," Molly scowled. 

Sirius glared at Molly, "Harry's been trapped in that Muggle house for a month. He's got the right to know what's been happening—"

"How come he gets to know?" George said indignantly. 

"Yeah! We've been trying to get stuff out of you for a month and you haven't told us a single stinking thing!" said Fred." 

'You're too young, you're not in the Order,' " said George, in a high pitched voice that sounded uncannily like his mother's. "Harry's not even of age!"

"It's not my fault you haven't been told what the Order's doing," said Sirius calmly. "That's your parents' decision. Harry, on the other hand —" 

"It's not down to you to decide what's good for Harry!" said Missus Weasley sharply. Her normally kindly face looked dangerous. "You haven't forgotten what Dumbledore said, I suppose?" 

"Which bit?" Sirius asked politely, but with the air of a man readying himself for a fight.

"The bit about not telling Harry more than he needs to know," she said, placing a heavy emphasis on the last three words. 

Y/N took a very deep sigh and pinched the bridge of her nose. She loved Molly, but what the fuck? Sirius looked so, so angry, almost on the verge of tears, and Remus looked concerned. "Missus Weasley," said Y/N, "Harry's permission lay under that of his Godfather. He is the closest thing to family Sirius has. Stop being foolish." 

Every head at the table turned to face Y/N, shocked. 

"He's not a member of the Order of the Phoenix!" said Missus Weasley, harshly. "He's only fifteen and —" 

"— and he's dealt with as much as most in the Order," said Sirius," and more than some —""

No one's denying what he's done!" said Missus Weasley, her voice rising, her fists trembling on the arms of her chair. "But he's still —" 

"He's not a child!" said Sirius impatiently.

He's not an adult either!" she shrieked, the color rising in her cheeks. "He's not James, Sirius!" 

Remus flinched so hard that he knocked his goblet of wine onto the floor, and muttered a spell to clean it up.

"I'm perfectly clear who he is, thanks, Molly," said Sirius coldly. 

"I'm not sure you are!" said Mrs. Weasley. "Sometimes, the way you talk about him, it's as though you think you've got your best friend back!" 

"What's wrong with that?" said Harry, bristled. Ron slung an arm around his shoulder, Hermione patted his arm, and Y/N squeezed his hand tighter. 

"What's wrong, Harry, is that you are not your father, however much you might look like him!" said Missus Weasley, her eyes still boring into Sirius. "You are still at school and adults that are responsible for you should not forget it!" 

"Meaning I'm an irresponsible godfather?" demanded Sirius, his voice rising. 

"Meaning you've been known to act rashly, Sirius, which is why Dumbledore keeps reminding you to stay at home and —" 

"We'll leave my instructions from Dumbledore out of this, if you please!" said Sirius loudly. 

"Arthur!" said Mrs. Weasley, rounding on her husband. "Arthur, back me up!" Mister Weasley did not speak at once. Y/N wished she could snort, but she felt she had already pissed off Molly enough.

 He took off his glasses and cleaned them slowly on his robes, not looking at his wife. Only when he had replaced them carefully on his nose did he say, "Dumbledore knows the position has changed, Molly. He accepts that Harry will have to be filled in to a certain extent now that he is staying at headquarters —" 

"Yes, but there's a difference between that and inviting him to ask whatever he likes!"

 "Personally," said Remus quietly,  wrenching his eyes away from Sirius at last, as Missus Weasley turned quickly to him, hopeful that finally she was about to get an ally, "I think it better that Harry gets the facts — almost all of them. It's better coming from us than a garbled version...from...others," he ended with a glance at Y/N. She gave a bright grin, but she knew that Remus knew about the Extendable Ears somehow. 

Molly turned very, very red in the face. She puffed, sat back down in her chair like a toddler throwing a tantrum, and said, "Well, go on then. I'll just say this: Dumbledore must have had his reasons for not wanting Harry to know too much, and speaking as someone who has got Harry's best interests at heart —" 

"He's not your son," said Sirius quietly. 

"He's as good as," said Missus Weasley fiercely. "Who else has he got?" 

"He's got me!"

"Yes," said Missus Weasley, her lip curling. "The thing is, it's been rather difficult for you to look after him while you've been locked up in Azkaban, hasn't it?" 

The whole side of their table (the quartet, Remus and Sirius) bristled. 

Sirius started to rise from his chair. 

"Molly, you're not the only person at this table who cares about Harry," said Remus sharply. He put a hand on the man's lower back, "Sirius, sit down." 

Y/N found a moment to speak; "Harry is the last remaining part of Lily and James. He and Sirius are bound, Godfather and Godson. Sirius is his rightful guardian. You need to respect that, Missus Weasley. 

Mrs. Weasley's lower lip was trembling. Sirius sank slowly back into his chair, his face white.

"I think Harry ought to be allowed a say in this," Remus continued. "He's old enough to decide for himself." 

"I want to know what's been going on," Harry said at once.

And so it was.

✦•······················•✦•······················•✦

After a long information session, Missus Weasley had enough, and sent them straight to bed. Surprisingly, when Harry had pleaded his induction into the order, it was Y/N's uncle who had outright denied - and for good reason. The Order of the Phoenix was comprised of overage wizards who had left school, and legally were able to sign contracts with the knowledge of the dangers. 

Everyone was asleep. Or, everyone was cooped up in their rooms when Y/N trudged up the stairs to the second-highest floor, with the room that Sirius had made his own. He refused to sleep in the master bedroom, and instead kept Buckbeak there. 

She creaked open the door to find Sirius in front of the mirror, brushing his hair and tying it into a low ponytail. 

"Hey," he said, "Remus is in the bathroom, he'll be out in a moment." 

Y/N nodded and sat down on one of the two beds. It was perfectly neat and pristine, and when she sat down, particles of dust floated up, as though it wasn't in use. All of Remus's things had shifted to Sirius' side of room, and Y/N very loudly cleared her throat. 

"Dad's taken a liking to your personal space," she said casually. "All his trunks and stuff is on this side." 

Sirius stilled. "It's the side with the attached bathroom," he said hastily. "Easier to access." 

"Yeah, I know what's easy to access," Y/N mumbled. 

"What's going on?" Remus asked, coming out from the bathroom with pajama pants and a loose, linen shirt on. "Oh, hey, stupid," he said, ruffling Y/N's hair. He folded his clothes and threw them in the trunk while Sirius put his own clothes away in his closet. Y/N spotted some of Remus' newer tee-shirts in there as well. 

"Just here to say goodnight to you two!" Y/N said cheerily, hugging her uncle, then going to hug Sirius. She walked to the door, blew them both kisses, and trekked back down the stairs to the Girl's Room. 

The Quartet and the twins had already had a debriefing session, and Y/N and Hermione were going to fill Ginny in on the information, as Missus Weasley had sent her upstairs immediately. 

"Well, they didn't tell us much we couldn't have guessed, did they?" Ron had said, thinking of all that had been said downstairs. 

Harry nodded, "I mean, all they've really said is that the Order's trying to stop people joining Vol —" 

There was a sharp intake of breath from Ron. 

"— demort," said Harry firmly. "When are you going to start using his name? Sirius and Remus do." 

Ron ignored this last comment. "Yeah, you're right," he said. "We already knew nearly everything they told us, from using the Extendable Ears. The only new bit was —" 

Crack. 

"FUCK!" cursed Y/N.

 "Keep your voice down, Trouble, or Mum'll be back up here." 

"You two just Apparated on my knees!" 

"Yeah, well, it's harder in the dark —"

Y/N saw the blurred outlines of Fred and George leaping down from Ron's bed. There was a groan of bedsprings and Harry's mattress descended a few inches as George sat down near his feet and Y/N shifted closer to Hermione to get comfortable.

 "So, got there yet?" said George eagerly. 

"The weapon Sirius mentioned?" said Harry. 

"Let slip, more like," said Hermione, sitting next to Ron. "We didn't hear about that on the  Extendables, did we?" 

"What d'you reckon it is?" said Harry. 

"Could be anything," said Fred."But there can't be anything worse than the Avada Kedavra curse,can there?" said Ron. "What's worse than death?" 

"Pain," Hermione mused. "A pain that makes you wish you were dead instead."

"He's got the Cruciatus Curse for causing pain," said Harry. "He doesn't need anything more efficient than that." 

After a small conversation, Fred and George apparated back to their Room, and Hermione and Y/N snuck to theirs. 

Now, Y/N was sneaking back, and bumped into somebody, who was on the way back from the bathroom. 

"Shit," a male voice cursed when she felt shoe-less toes beneath her trainers. 

"Your fault for not wearing shoes, Goldie," she teased. "...Is Ron asleep?" 

Harry nodded. 

Y/N grabbed his hand and dragged him downstairs, while he questioned, "What about Hermione and Ginny?" 

She shrugged, passing another landing and many severed House Elf heads, "They have each other. When I don't come to bed, Hermione will write to me," said Y/N, tapping her after it notified her of a change in the Herms and Trouble Scrapbook. "See?" she asked with the enlarged book in her hand, Hermione's neat scrawl on a fresh page; 

Where are you? With Harry, but are you okay? 

"Just one second," Y/N said, and she scribbled down confirmation, miniaturized the book again, and let it dangle from the chain around her neck which also contained Cedric's shield pendant. 

She saw Harry's eyes fix on the shield, flickering between her face, her bracelets, and her neck, as they sat on a mound of pillows and blankets on the floor of the living room. A couple dying embers burned in the fireplace, and Number Twelve Grimmauld Place was engulfed in the silence of the night. 

Y/N didn't know where the question came from, "Do you see him? In your dreams?" 

Harry wrapped an arm around her lower back, and his answer wasn't complicated. "Yes." 

"It isn't fair, Harry," she said softly. "Not to me, or his parents, or to him. His life had only just begun. I just want him back." She felt the molten silver on his cheeks, it's glower brighter than the dying hearth. In shame, she grabbed the front of Harry's burgundy tee-shirt and buried her face in the fabric. 

Soft circles were thumbed on her back, "I know." 

He didn't add, "if Cedric were here..." or "but he would want you to be strong..." No. He let her feel what she needed, what she couldn't during the day without being coddled and fussed over. Harry pressed a kiss to her temple. 

She liked this - they were exclusive in a way, but...labels made it feel real. Was this wrong? To think of her predicament of love when someone as close as a brother had passed away? 

Labels would stress them out. Between renovating this hellhole, Cedric's death, Harry's ministry hearing, her parents being hospitalized and Y/N's curse, that was one thing they didn't want to think about. 

Being there was enough. Knowing they loved each other was enough. 

Y/N lifted her face from Harry's chest to find him already staring at her, his green eyes flaked with gold, glasses fallen to the tip of his nose. She nudged them up, and kissed him deeply. 

It was an apology, for dancing around the truths Dumbledore made them swear secrecy on, for not being official, for anything and everything she put him through last year. An apology and a greeting, after so much time apart. 

Harry reciprocated, his hand sliding downward around her waist, the other coming up to loosely cup her jaw and brush her hair away. Their kiss broke as Y/N got drowsier and drowsier, and so did Harry. 

One last kiss, and Y/N fell asleep curled into Harry's side, not caring about the repercussions of being found tomorrow morning. Molly could yell, and shout, and scream and it wouldn't matter because the person who made Y/N see stars was back in her arms.

─── ☆: *.⋆˖⁺‧₊☽◯☾₊‧⁺˖⋆ .* :☆ ───

surprise!! 

very dialogue heavy chapter, that's my bad 

i missed you guys a lot, i hope this updating schedule stays frequent, but realistically, it wont :c 

i hope u enjoyed this chapter after almost a year

mb for typos its like 1 am 

no emojis cuz im sosososo tired

i love you troublemakers!!!!

-dizzy