ivy | s. black ✓

37 | NOT PRETTY

IF YOU'RE GOING TO FIGHT, THEN SO AM I.

FOR THE FIRST TIME IN A LONG TIME, Sirius wasn't there when Ivy woke up in their bed. In fact, his side of the bed was getting cold, meaning he'd been up for a while. So, she put on her slippers — they were pink bunny rabbits — and sought him out.

Sirius was in the kitchen, but he wasn't alone. Ivy heard the familiar voice of Dumbledore before she saw him, coming around the corner. And the Headmaster immediately silenced himself upon her arrival.

"Ah, Miss Arora," he greeted, nodding to her. "We're nearly done."

"No, we aren't," Sirius said, clenching his jaw. "I'm not letting you use this place for the meetings. It's Harry's home and he doesn't need the Order darkening the doorstep."

"What Order?" Ivy asked, moving to Sirius' side. And he instantly wrapped his arm around her waist, drawing her close.

"The Order of the Phoenix. I'll explain it all to you later," Sirius promised. "It's looking for a meeting place — somewhere safe where the members can stay. But it won't be here."

"Very well," Dumbledore said, understanding his reasoning. "And what about your childhood home?"

Sirius raised an eyebrow. "I've no idea the state it's in. It's been abandoned for ages."

"But it's an option," he stated, earning a nod from Sirius. "Very well. I'll write to you when the time comes. Be ready."

"Fine," Sirius said, dread washing over him. "I'll let Remus know if you contact the others."

After a few more exchanges that made very little sense to Ivy, her old Headmaster was Disapparating away, leaving them alone in the kitchen. So, she looked at Sirius expectantly.

"What was Dumbledore doing here so early? And what's this Order of the Phoenix?" she asked, getting a bit worried. Dumbledore didn't just make house calls for fun.

Sirius sighed and took a seat, pulling her onto his lap. "You know that many lives were lost taking down Voldemort — more than just the Aurors going after him. That's because we were all members of the Order. It was a secret society dedicated to defeating Voldemort and his followers. And given that his followers are still scurrying about—"

"Dumbledore wants to revive it," she realized.

"If the Ministry won't do anything, then we shall," he said, shaking his head. "But don't worry — I'll keep it far away from you and Harry."

Ivy frowned at that. "I don't want to be kept away," she said. "If you're going to fight, then so am I."

Sirius scoffed at that. "I won't let you, Bunny."

"You don't tell me what to do," she said defiantly. "Maybe - maybe I'm not the best duelist but I was the smartest in my year. I can help."

"But what if you get hurt?" he asked, sounding nearly in pain.