A/N:
Well aren't you guys just THE BEST? I didn't think this story will get hundreds of votes within days, but look here! Thank you so much.

Now, as promised.

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start of war

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July 16th, 1996

WELL. IT WASN'T that they didn't like her, not exactly.

It was just the way that she spoke, like she was above everything and everyone else. And how low, how insignificant the Weasleys and the Burrow seemed to her. The way she walked like floating and barging into rooms without warning like she owned the whole place —no, the whole world. How she talked to them like they were toddlers. The way she sprayed phlegm whenever she speak broken Eenglish. Blunt, unable to recognize fake pleasantry, and—

Okay, fine, they didn't like her.

If Daisy wasn't staying at Devon, the twins wouldn't visit the Burrow just to avoid Fleur.

His girlfriend —Fred was proud to finally be able to call her that, though he could only do it in secret— did point out that Fleur and her had a lot of things in common, but they were different.

Daisy embraced them. She never said the Burrow was small and boring. On the contrary, she said it was the biggest corner of her world.

When Bill brought Fleur to meet the other young adults last month, they didn't think that he was going all serious with her. There were signs, of course, but they thought, you know, it was probably a fling. Just spending a good, youthful time together, right?

No.

Not right.

Five days after the Battle, Bill came in the Burrow with Fleur in tow announcing their impending marriage.

Anyway, Daisy had mentioned about tea with her Muggle friends, which would definitely stretch onto dinner, so the Weasley twins decided to skip that day's visit.

It was nearly two in the morning when an unexpected guest Apparated into George's room. George pulled his blanket up to his chin and instinctively reached for his wand under the pillow.

"It's alright, it's just me!"

"Bill?" George raised an eyebrow curiously, "Er— Right, the safety question— What's the color of Daisy's teddy bear from her late mother?"

"Purple. When Mum was pregnant with Ginny, what did you say to her?"

"Hang on, that's your question with Fred."

"Isn't this Fred's room?" Bill asked.

"Are we really your brothers?" George said, shaking his head. He jumped off his bed and walked ahead of Bill towards his twin's room, who was snoring so loudly in an angled position. He called out, "Fred, we've got visitor!"

"Hu— Huh?" Fred sat up, still dazed. "What time is it?"

"I won't bother with the safety questions, listen you two," Bill walked in. "Something's happened, and I thought you two would jinx us to oblivion if we don't let you know right now."

His serious and careful tone woke the twins up for sure.

"What's wrong?"

"Daisy and her Muggle neighbors were attacked by Death Eaters yesterday evening."

"Wh—"

"She's fine," Bill quickly added, "She had her Spell-watch on, proved to be useful. Just some bruises, cuts, and a sprained ankle... But they killed a Muggle boy named Dominic and burnt his house down. We didn't know if it was a coincidence, a miscalculation, or if it was deliberate— but he was exactly her age... And his initial was also DJA. She seemed to know him well."

"She did," George said, to which Fred added, "She talked about him from time to time. He's... He's really dead?"

"Yeah, unfortunately... You two should come. Dee couldn't stop crying."

"Where's she now?" Fred said in a haste.

"Our house —We made her Father and Muggle housemates think she's fast asleep. C'mon."

The three Weasleys immediately Apparated to the Burrow and, ignoring the thick, black smoke billowing up above the trees, barged into their house to see their family crowding in the living room.

There were Tonks and Remus, engaged in a tense conversation with Mr. Weasley at the dining table. Sirius was standing next to Harry, watching Mrs. Weasley bombarding Daisy with Episkey and magical ointments intensely.

She had a lot of minor cuts from being showered by broken glass, some bruises on her back, her cheek, and she kept on caressing the one she had on her collarbone. Her left ankle was swollen, littered by terrifying blotches of purple, red, and blue.

Her cheeks and eyes were puffy and red from too much crying.

Fred's expression turned grim in an instant. Fury and fear ran throughout his veins, boiling hot, especially since the last time she was in a state like this, she nearly died.

George wasn't happy either, obviously.

"Did they catch the Death Eaters?" he asked, walking towards the girls.

Hermione merely shook her head.

Fred kneeled down in front of the girl and took her limp hands in his. He ran his thumbs near her bruised knuckles... It was the first time he saw a sign of her fighting back.

Daisy's unfocused gaze seemed to collect as she turned to face him.

"Fred..." Her voice cracked, "It's Dom... It was the Killing Curse, I'm sure of it. I'm sure... It's Dom..."

"I'm sorry, Dee."

Crying once more, Daisy stretched out both of her arms at him, wailing like a little child.

Fred sat down next to her and pulled her into his chest. He let her emptied whatever pain and grief she was feeling, patting her back and murmuring sweet nothings into her ear.

Dominic was about to turn eighteen and head off to find a lover in university.

Write another fairytale.

Meet his destined soulmate.

It was... unfortunate. Heartbreaking.

The Weasleys and their guests moved to another room and stayed silent, feeling her anguish struck deep into their bones as her painful cries seeped through the thin wall.

The first casualty of the second wizarding war that struck close to home.

In loving memory, Dominic James Addison.

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July 19th, 1996

EXACTLY ONE MONTH ago, the Battle of Department of Mysteries' fighters returned to 12 Grimmauld Place with tears falling down their cheeks.

Even Moody, who usually remained stoic and unwavering, had tears brimming in his one normal eye.

Daisy couldn't help but think that something bad had happened. She followed the stream of Order members running out into the hallway, stood on her tip toes, and tried to look over their shoulders.

Mrs. Weasley was the first to speak, "Wh— Why— Where's Tonks?"

"Kingsley's taking her to St. Mungo's," Mad-Eye growled, blinking and wiping the fallen tears off his marred cheek roughly. "Got hit by 'couple of spells at once, probably gonna need to stay there for a few days..."

"What happened?"

"Is Potter safe?"

"Did you get You-Know-Who?" George quipped from the back of the room.

"Of course not. It's not that easy!"

Remus said, "We did round up twelve of his Death Eaters, all except Bellatrix Lestrange—"

He sniffled.

"—Fudge and a lot of Ministry workers came just in time to saw You-Know-Who escape. They won't be able to wiggle their way out of the truth now."

Breaths of relief filled the room.

"So they're admitting they're wrong?"

"It's beginning, isn't it? A second war?"

"What's the Ministry gonna do? D'you know?"

"Did Dumbledore show up?"

"How— how are the kids?" Mrs. Weasley asked.

Remus looked at her forlornly, "I believe they're in the Hospital Wing, Molly. Hermione suffered worst, but it's nothing Pomfrey can't handle. They're all alive and will be as good as new before the term ends."

"Dumbledore came alright," Moody explained, "Saved us all at the very last minute, battled You-Know-Who and destroyed the Ministry's fancy fountain."

"Wh— what about Sirius?" Daisy asked with a small voice, "Where is he?"

For a little while there, the only sound around was Remus' sniffles.

But then he smiled, despite wearily.

"He's following Tonks as Padfoot," He patted her golden hair affectionately, "He almost died, Daisy, but he's saved. Because of you."

Apparently, the millisecond Sirius realized he was toppling backwards after being hit by Bella's Expelliarmus, he tried to reach for Daisy's Protego-watch. He did turn it on, praise good reflexes, right as a homemade tear gas bottle fell out of his coat onto the floor and broke, causing mass crying sensation on all parties in the room.

It was the bottle he confiscated from Daisy after she infused Grimmauld Place with spicy mist for days. He forgot he had it in his coat pocket the whole time.

Yes, that was why Remus and Moody came back crying.

Curiously, the energy field formed by her Protego-watch flashed white when it came in contact with the darkness beyond the veil.

Sirius could feel the suffocation.

He could see what was waiting for him there, the visual manifestation of death —clouds, black, thick, and there he could imagine James.

True, it was probably a trick of the eye, but James was there holding hand with Lily, mouthing something... Maybe if he strained his ears enough, Sirius could hear what he was saying... And there was also Regulus...

He even had a chance to convince himself, it's okay to die, I guess. I won't be alone.

Everything played in a really, really slow motion.

But curiously, Sirius stopped halfway by the archway's door. He felt the air repelling the watch's energy force, and he was spit out of the veil.

Literally vomited out.

He saw the back of Harry's hair, running after Bellatrix Lestrange madly out of the Department of Mysteries, followed by Remus and Moody. They must had thought he was dead since they only saw him stumbling in, and the tear gas smoke was obstructing the view of him getting out.

"Black!" Kingsley ran over, skidding to a stop next to him. "Can you hear me? Are you alright? How do you feel?"

"Grand," Sirius coughed, feeling his lungs' full capacity once more.

His whole body ached mysteriously, above all his wrist, and when he lifted it, he saw that the Protego-watch was dead. It was electrocuted, somehow, and the metallic tube left a linear burn mark on his hand.

He could do nothing but lay flat on the ground, breathing. Living.

"Merlin! I thought you died," Kingsley said, slapping his shoulder. Coughing, he asked, "What in Merlin's beard is this mist?!"

The rest was played out in their favor.

Voldemort's attempt to make Dumbledore kill Harry by possessing him backfired, and the Order emerged victorious.

Every remaining Death Eater was flushed out by Daisy's tear gas, right into the band of Aurors standing by.

Aside from official Order members, only Harry, the Weasleys, and Hermione knew about Sirius' survival. He was once more confined in his old home, though no longer wanted. The world knew him to be dead.

They let him crown himself as the Order's secret weapon, ready to be unleashed whenever he's needed.

When the man came back home that late afternoon, he was immediately engulfed by Daisy's tight hug.

"Whoa there—" he chuckled, then patted her back slowly, "Thanks, Flower. For the last minute Protego-watch."

"Thank you, for surviving." Daisy felt tears falling down her cheeks, and not because of the tear gas residue on Sirius' shirt.

"Did you keep my tea warm?"

She grinned through her tears, "So warm, nearly all evaporated."

"And here I thought you're a smart little kid."

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July 19th, 1996

THE WORLD WASN'T the same, after that day.

Even the weather felt dismal. All this chill, right in the middle of July.

Fear gripped the entire wizarding community. Private security measures were placed here and there in case Imperius curse or Polyjuice Potion was used. Crowded places like Diagon Alley became much more deserted.

Daisy learned from her previous experience seeing Sirius on Muggle news and connected the dots together: the engineering failure of Brockdale Bridge, the hurricane in the West County, the murder of Bones and Vance —both powerful witches with powerful positions within the Ministry, Muggle home invasions like Dominic's, the chilly mist... They were the works of Death Eaters, giants, and dementors.

Mrs. Weasley's special clock's nine hands kept pointing at 'mortal peril' ever since the Dark Lord's return was made public.

Bill proposed to Fleur, driven by the uncertainty of You-Know-Who coming back.

Meanwhile, Daisy, Fred, and George kept on tinkering.

The Weasley twins had squeezed their brains dry of teenage-related stuffs (love potions, Patented Daydream Charms, Skiving Snackboxes of course, Spell-Checking and Smart-Answer quills, real life hangman games), then jokes about You-Know-Who and his row of supporters (U-No-Poo, Edible Dark Marks that made people sick). They even put in a section of Muggle magic tricks for Muggle-lovers like their father.

Daisy began developing a better and steadier form of Protego-watch, with an extra usage of firing bolts of energy powerful enough to knock the opponent backwards —kind of like a Muggle-made Stupefy, or a superhero's blaster. Offense and defense in one mechanism, she said, calling it the Spell-watch.

Terrible name, but whatever.

She made papers after papers about protective gears using nanoparticles and vacuum materials to annul forces and energies.

Then, inspired by her, the twins began developing a more serious line. They made Shield Hats, thinking it could be protective yet a bit of a laugh, but the Ministry bought five hundred for all its support staff, and they were still getting massive orders. So they expanded into a range of Shield Cloaks, Shield Gloves, imported Instant Darkness Powder from Peru, made Decoy Detonators...

The kids hadn't been able to see those curiosities for themselves, though, because Mrs. Weasley refused to let them leave the house without proper security. Perhaps later, she promised.

One curiosity they managed to witness, instead, was Daisy having a fight with Fred.

"Isn't it unfair, that you're walking around fearing nothing while the world is descending into chaos?"

"Stop the theatricalities, Frederick. That's too much."

"No, it's not! Okay, maybe just a little bit. But—"

"You and George are walking around, building your business. Bill and your Father keep going to work—"

"Yes, that's true, but we're all trained and we always have each other's back. But you!"

"—so why is it unfair that I'm also living my life?"

"—Visiting neighbors everyday, random restaurants, shopping in London with Marisol, going to Cambridge! And they can't defend themselves if anything happen, can they?"

"Is there a problem with that? If I'm just one of those other Muggles, oblivious to the situation—"

"Cambridge is, what, 300 miles from here! And we won't be there to help, none of us!"

"—isn't that exactly what I would do? Fred, what's 300 miles if you could Apparate in the blink of an eye? We've discussed this—"

"Look, Daisy, I know that you're brave, confident, and able, but you must not go looking for trouble—"

"—and what's the point of hiding? They know me, they attacked me in my friend's home. Trouble comes without us looking—"

"—and add the chance of you getting hurt!"

"—and I don't need others' protection anymore!"

Daisy paused, taking a deep breath. She usually wasn't this outspoken, but then again, Fred usually wasn't this possessive either.

"We're straying very far from the point here," she said.

"What's the point again?"

"I want to see your store when it's open along with the kids when they get their book list."

Ron burst out laughing from behind the staircase. "That's what they've been arguing about?"

"Twelve years, and I've never seen her like this before," Ginny commented with an amused grin.

"I heard she's been learning self defense from Tonks," Hermione whispered, "I never pegged her as the physical kind."

"She wasn't," Ginny replied.

The lovers' argument continued.

Fred was nodding, "Uh-uh, and the visit there will be—"

"Accompanied by security measures, as your Mother has said, in a crowded yet controlled place owned by you and George, full of your family, Order members, and in public. Isn't that what you're trying to say?" Daisy said in a soft, questioning tone, almost pleading.

Ginny snorted, "She's too kind. I would've hexed him away from his empty arguments."

"Aren't you worried?" Harry asked, squatting next to the youngest Weasley. "She did get attacked few days ago."

Ginny paused to ponder for a bit. "She's right, though. What's the point of cowering in fear?"

Fred seemed to be speechless. But then he saw Daisy's bare wrist and found another topic to be mad about. "Where's your Spell-watch?"

"I... forgot to put them on. It's in my house."

"I told you to wear it at all time! You know how dangerous it is now!"

"I'm sorry!"

"How could you forget something so crucial? Never let it off, you hear me?"

"Okay, I hear you."

"Okay," Fred huffed. "Okay. Now, are you sure you don't want anyone coming with you to the funeral?"

"I'm going with a lot of people, Fred. Father, Lucy... Even Vincent is flying in today."

"George and I can tail you. You won't even notice we're there."

"I'll have my Spell-watch on, darling, it will be fine."

"Did you hear her call him darling? Darling?!" Ginny yelped, "This is too cute! Are we sure they're not dating already?"

"How is endlessly having an argument cute?" Ron frowned, "They're cute back when they're all huggy and kissy and lovey-dovey."

"Come on, see carefully, Ron," Hermione shook her head, also smiling, "How are you not seeing that?"

"See what?" Harry said foolishly.