Torn :||: Loved Series #3

1) I Like How This Woman Thinks

Ft. Antonia Scamander

Lily's POV
Sirius made Harry and I take a day trip into Little Whinging during the first week of the holidays, which we weren't too pleased about, but it was time for a catch up with the unfortunate family. Plus, it gave time for Sirius and Emmaline to have a father-daughter day, though they got on like a house on fire. Petunia was still as nice as ever, going as far to say that she had missed the both of us, not so surprisingly Vernon was a bit more hesitant. Dudley invited all his friends round to meet me since they already knew Harry, all of them quite smitten if I do say so myself.

Petunia pulled out all the stops and supplied us with decorated cakes, sweets and freshly baked homemade biscuits. They all smelt delicious and according to Harry tasted lovely, though I didn't try any. It wasn't a very exciting day, but it got us out of the house. We returned that night and I went straight upstairs to my room, neglecting my dinner and went to bed early.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The Weasley family, with Hermione in tow, had arrived several hours earlier, along with a few other people but we had no idea who because we had been restricted to upstairs. The dining room of Grimmauld Place was being used to hold a meeting. Ron and Hermione had stormed into our living room, set up for Harry, Em and I, first giving us hugs and second demanding what was going on.

"What's this place again?" Ron asked.

"This is Sirius' house, he grew up here and we live here now. It's also the headquarters for the Order of the Phoenix." I deadpanned, flicking to the next page of one of Sirius' old books; Tales and Fantasies by a wizard named Robert Louis Stevenson. "It's a secret society Dumbledore formed back when they first fought Voldemort." Both Ron and Hermione flinched. "Don't be afraid of the name. 'Fear of a name only increases fear of the thing itself'. Isn't that right Hermione?"

She looked away from my malicious smirk. "You couldn't have put this in a letter?" Ron spoke up. "We've gone all summer without a single one!"

"We wanted to tell you, we really did." Emmaline shifted uncomfortably on the couch opposite mine. "Just Dumbledore made us swear not to tell you anything."

Both my brother and Emma glanced at me, but I ignored their stares and instead watched as everyone jumped at the loud appearance of the Weasley twins, who had just apparated into the room. "Hey Harry, Lily, Emmaline, how are your holidays going?"

"Great, now that you two are in my house." I snapped sarcastically.

The twins put on mock faces of hurt. "Ouch." George pouted.

"Right here." Fred added his hand over his heart.

I rolled my eyes, putting the book down on the coffee table and walking out. "Too late, that ship sailed long ago."

Harry's POV
Once Lily had left the room, everyone's eyes were on me, concern written all over their faces. Lily didn't know it, but Em and I had sent a few letters over the summer, telling them about her, about how she was....different. "I see what you mean." Fred nodded.

"I didn't think it would be this bad." George made his way to over to sit beside Emma.

"She hasn't cried for the whole summer, she's just shut down."

Hermione sat down beside me, wrapping an arm around my shoulder. "I'm sure after a while she'll be fine."

"No, this time I don't think she will. None of us have been able to make her snap out of it." I sighed, feeling utterly defeated. "I mean, after everything those two had been through together, he seemed to really care about her."