Real or Not Real {Harry Potter}

Twenty Two

-Summer Child-

-you don't love the sun it drives you wild-

-you're lying summer child-

Bria and Moody arrive on the doorstep of what seems to be a Muggle styles house, which surprises Bria. Moody does a series of patterned knocks, and the door opens for them. Beside the door is Professor Lupin, whom Bria has not seen since he was fired from the Defense position.

"Bria!" He says happily.

"Professor Lupin!" She hadn't expected him to be there.

"I'm going to fetch Potter now, Remus. I better be off," Moody gruffs.

Professor Lupin nods his head. "Best be off, Alastor."

Professor Moody just nods his head, and disapparates once more.

"Please Bria, come in."

"Thanks, Professor."

"I'm not your Professor anymore, Bria. No need to say that."

"I'm sorry Professor, it's a force of habit."

She drags in her trunk with her left hand, and flinches when Professor Lupin grabs her right hand to assist her inside.

Professor Lupin halts, and looks down at her hand. "Bria, what happened?"

She shrugs. "Nothing. It was an accident."

He looks at her, his eyes telling her that he knows better, but he doesn't comment on her white lie. "Let's get Molly to check it out then."

He leads her into the house, and Bria can tell immediately that while it may seem like a Muggle home, the inside is strictly magic. Heads of house elves line up along the banister, in honor of their service serving the family.

She can tell by the furniture that this must be a family of the Sacred Twenty-Eight, due to the sleek black furniture that only wealthy families could afford.

She just wonders how Dumbledore was able to acquire a house of the Sacred Twenty-Eight, since many of them are supporters of You-Know-Who.

When they enter the kitchen, Bria sees that it's Mrs. Weasley and Sirius Black are in the room, alongside a middle-aged redhead, who Bria presumes is Ron's father.

"Hello, dear."

"Hello."

"I don't know who you are," Mr. Weasley says, tilting his head at her.

"I'm Bria. Dumbledore asked me to come."

Mr. Weasley hums, but Bria doesn't think it's supposed to be a dismissal. It seems that Mr. Weasley is not as nosy as Mrs. Weasley, and is perfectly fine with taking things at face value.

"Molly, can you fetch the healing kit? Bria has a nasty burn on her hand," Professor Lupin says.

"How did you get it?" Sirius Black asks her.

She glances at him, and sees that Sirius is looking at her much too closely for her liking. He's looking at her as if he knows that no matter what her excuse may be, he won't believe her.

It's not like anybody really believes her lies anyway. Everybody knows how her mother is. The shopkeepers on Dragon Alley, the teachers at Hogwarts, her friends. But all of them know that the Melbourne kids would rather not talk about it at all than draw attention to the situation.

But that is not how Sirius looks. She can tell that he will not dismiss her claims like everyone else before him. He looks like he's about to call her out, even before the excuse rolls off her tongue.