scars || sirius black

45 - Grimmauld Place

Emmy and Remus tumbled out of the fireplace into the Potters' sitting room as the clock struck midnight.

It was quiet in the house but they could hear tense voices coming from the kitchen. Candle light flickered against the walls as they rushed down to the large cobbled room in the basement.

"Remus! Emmy, come in!" called James, standing up to greet them. The others went quiet and Euphemia bustled over to take their coats.

"Now I don't want you two to worry, we're going to sort this all out."

The words didn't bring much comfort, but she appreciated the effort. She smiled gratefully and gave Euphemia a fast hug.

There were about fifteen people in the room and as the conversation began to start up again, Emmy looked around to gather her bearings.

Fleamont was sitting at the table beside a man she recognised as Edgar Bones. He'd been in the papers a lot recently as the acting-head of the Muggle Liaison Office; his predecessor had been killed in an attack a fortnight ago. James, Peter and Remus were standing nearby talking to a couple of frowning aurors, in fact, most people in the room were from the Ministry and they all looked extremely on edge.

To her surprise, as she looked down the table she spotted Professor Dumbledore sitting at the far end, conversing intently with another man. He looked up feeling her eyes on him and cracked a small smile. He gestured for her to come over and nudged the chair out next to him for her to sit down.

"Hello, Professor," she said, suddenly feeling out of place next to the politicians and burly aurors.

"Miss Lupin, how're you doing?"

"Fine, thank you," she replied distractedly. "What's happened?"

"Well, as you know the situation with Mr Black isn't looking too good..." he started with a sigh.

"Och, don't scare the poor girl, Albus," came a voice from behind them. Emmy spun around at the familiar sound and saw Professor McGonagall leaning against the wall with her arms folded. A heavily-scarred man stood next to her, his one eye seeming to bore right through Emmy's soul. She shivered and looked back to Dumbledore.

"Don't you worry yourself, Minerva. Anyway she deserves to know the truth."

It was unnerving to say the least, seeing them in this setting, and they seemed to know each other very well.

"Will we be starting now then?" the man said gruffly.

Dumbledore nodded, "Yes I suppose we better had do, Alastor."

He stood up and asked everyone to gather round.

"Well firstly, I'd like to thank you all for coming. Does anyone have anything to report since the last meeting?"

Emmy frowned in confusion.

"This is the Order of the Phoenix," Euphemia murmured. "Dumbledore set it up a few years ago to combat Voldemort's forces. But we work in secrecy so you absolutely cannot tell anyone. Do you promise me?"

"Of course," she nodded fervently.

Edgar Bones was speaking, "I have good intel that the attack in Bristol last Thursday was coordinated by Walden Macnair. He also plans to attack again in the next fortnight. We've narrowed it down to three possible locations. I'll need a team to look into it."

"Good work, Bones. Take Dedalus and make contact with Benjy Fenwick to see if he can help."

He nodded his thanks to Dumbledore and clapped the small older man, Dedalus, on the arm.