Cold Skin

Fifteen: Shopping with the Boy Who Lived

Gia and Fred spent most of July looking at buildings for sale near Diagon Alley. There was one inside Diagon Alley, but it was very expensive even by her standards. By the time July ended the Order of the Phoenix started having a meeting once a week. Sirius and Remus spent most of the evenings arguing. Gia wrote to James every day as things were not getting better. Things at the Ministry started to heat up and she thought it was stressing them out.

Dumbledore gave information for their meetings. Gia wasn't allowed to go on missions as she was still in school. Sirius convinced Remus that she and Alice were old enough to be in on every meeting. Fred and George didn't like that Molly refused to let them sit in even on smaller ones. Nymphadora Tonks started to come around more. She and Gia were closer than sisters. Sirius used to have Andromeda babysit whenever he, Remus, and Marleen were out on missions for the first Order.

Tonks was very much the opposite of Gia when they were at school. She was very much like Sirius in regards that she didn't care much for the rules, never followed them, and was always tripping over her own feet. Gia was very much what every Slytherin girl wanted to be and if she were a Pure-Blood, what every Slytherin boy wanted to marry. She of course could care less about blood status, one of the very minimal traits she inherited from her parents. She was a Slytherin at heart, no matter how much Sirius didn't want to admit it.

Fred was also very unsure of Gia's house placement. Everyone was positive she would have ended up in Gryffindor or Ravenclaw, but by the end of the night in her first year, she was writing home from the Slytherin common room with tears in her eyes. Fred didn't care, he just didn't see it. When she was younger she was in on every prank, let the consequences be damned. James didn't see it either, most of the time they had to drag her out of the library in London or when they would visit family.

But Gia was proper around others, like she had something to prove. The extent she went to to be perfect was absurd. First girl on the Slytherin Quidditch team, prefect, top of her class, duelling club, the list goes on. She needed to be perfect. So that maybe someone would see her.

Harry came to 12 Griumald place on the second of August looking like he could throw someone halfway across the room. They had gotten word about Harry's almost expulsion and sent the Order for him. He convinced Molly to let the twins, Ron, Hermoine, and Himself sit in on that meeting. Of course Fred, George and Hermoine knew what was going on. They constantly badgered Gia for information.

"So that's what Order meetings are like. That wasn't so bad. I don't know why mum is so upset," Fred said as they walked back up from dinner. She didn't have the heart to tell him that that was the 'Kids Version' of an Order meeting.

"Did James write me back today? Dad seemed more on edge than normal," Gia said as she opened her door to her room. She sank in the chair and opened her copy of 'Little Women' and began reading.

"When are you coming to bed? I miss you. You're so far," Fred said reaching for Gia as she sat across the room.

"I'll be back in ten. I need to talk to Harry, then change," She kissed him on the forehead and walked out.

"Please hurry!"

She walked into Harry and Ron's room. Harry was writing to James and Ron was coaxing him to ask for tickets to his first game.

"Hey Har, can we talk?" Gia said, ushering him to the door. Harry came and looked at her upset.

"You couldn't even write telling me you got engaged, or about James and Allie?" He crossed his arms over his chest and looked at her very upset.

"Harry, you know I would have written every day, and I was sick the whole rest of June. I just wanted to tell you I'm sorry," Gia wrapped her arms around his middle. He hesitated for a moment and rested his chin on her head.