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"If there are no further issues that need discussed, we can adjourn-"
"Moody," Bill called from the back of the room. "We haven't talked about Eleanora yet."
Moody let out of a deep sigh and shuffled some papers at the front of the room. "As you all know, we're working on the Eleanora... situation."
"Situation?" Bill cried. "She's been missing for months now! What exactly are you doing about it?"
The rest of the Order stared expectantly at Moody. Most of them didn't know Eleanora very well, but the disappearance had hit those who did very hard. Moody looked uncharacteristically helpless.
"We've been sending out search parties every week, you all know that. We have people looking everywhere."
"Then where is she?" Bill said through gritted teeth. He knew it wasn't fair to blame Moody for Eleanora's disappearance, but he was the closest he would get. "You're the one who sent her on the mission, you know the plan better than anyone else here-"
"The plan was for her to come back two months ago. The plan was supposed to be safe enough for her to be able to handle it-"
"You know her!" Bill said loudly. "You know how she gets. I'll bet you any amount of money she got herself into some dangerous situation thinking she would be fine-"
"Then that's on her," Moody growled.
He and Bill stared daggers at each other, leaving the rest of the Order to sit in the nervous tension.
Lupin stood up. "I think this is an issue that can be resolved on our own time," he said calmly to the rest of the room. "Meeting adjourned, I think."
As the room emptied, Bill made his way to the front to talk to Moody and Lupin. They'd been having the same discussion at every meeting for months now. Nobody knew exactly what to do.
"We're trying our hardest," Moody said in a defeated voice before Bill could start. "We've told you every bit of information we could. There's not much left to do now."
"We need to think of more places she could've gone."
"Like where?" said Lupin. "We've thought of everything."
"What if they took her hostage? Where would they keep her?" Moody and Lupin exchanged dark looks. "What?" said Bill.
"If they managed to capture her, I don't think they would have the decency to hold her captive," Moody said slowly. "I think... if they caught up to her... there's a good chance..."
Anger surged in Bill's chest. "No, no! She's alive, she's got to be alive. I thought you said she had an advantage, being Cillian's daughter and all."
"We thought she might have an advantage," Lupin said. "But even if she did, I don't think they would spare her this long. The minute she refuses to give them information, they'll..." Lupin trailed off, not wanting to finish his statement.
Bill raked his fingers through is hair in frustration. Moody cleared his throat. "Unless she gives in," he said quietly.
"What?"
"Unless she gives in and hands them the information."
"She wouldn't do that," Bill said quickly. "I can absolutely promise you she'd never do that."
"Well, then..." Moody shrugged and Bill felt tears pricking his eyes. He hated feeling this helpless.
"Bill-" Lupin started, but Bill had already turned on his heel and stalked out of the room. He passed Sirius on his way to the stairs, but didn't say anything. When he reached the landing and knocked on Daisy's door, she opened it almost immediately.
"How did the meeting go?" Daisy asked, eyes full of hope.
Bill didn't say anything, but it was enough of an answer. Daisy's face fell and she stepped aside, letting Bill into the room. "We're working on it, Dais. I promise." He cringed at how much he sounded like Moody, but he just wanted to reassure her everything would be okay. He didn't want to put Daisy under any more stress.
"When's she coming home, then?"
Bill sighed and sat down on her bed. "I dunno. I really don't." When he looked down at Daisy, he saw that there were silent tears running down her face. "Oh, come on, mate," he said softly, trying to force down the growing lump in his throat. "She's going to be okay. She will be."
"You don't know that," Daisy sobbed, and buried her face in her hands.
Bill patted her shoulder awkwardly and wiped a few tears out of his own eyes. He didn't know what to say, so he didn't say anything at all. There was nothing he could do to reassure her because he didn't know how to reassure himself.
When Bill and Daisy had both gotten themselves under control, they sat bleakly on the bed, staring off into the distance. They hung out all the time since Daisy knew Bill the most out of anyone in the Order, but lately there hadn't been anything new to say. All either of them wanted was Eleanora to be around again.
"What do you want to do for your birthday?" Bill asked finally.
"What?"
"Your birthday. It's coming up, isn't it?"
"How do you know that?" Daisy asked, distracted for a second.
"El used to mention it every year. She was always sad she had to miss it since she was in school."
"Guess this year won't be much different," Daisy sniffled. "I don't want to do anything."
"Oh, come on, Daisy," Bill said. "We've got to do something." Daisy shook her head.
"I just want El to come home."
"Me too, but just- listen, my mum's going to make a cake no matter what. We could just have a nice dinner. Sirius will be there of course, and we can invite Lupin and whoever else you want."
"Moody?" Daisy asked, looking up at Bill hopefully.
He smiled a little. "Yeah, Moody'll be there. Who else?"
"Kingsley?"
"You make the weirdest friends." Bill laughed and lay back on Daisy's bed. "I'll invite Kingsley, if you want, but I'm not sure he'll show up. He's busy, you know."
"He'll show up," Daisy said with a quiet sort of confidence. "He likes me. What about Tonks?"
"Yeah, Tonks'll be there." Daisy nodded and rested her chin in her hand, staring at the wall.
