A Harry Potter Spin-Off - The Dark days

Chapter 19: Truth be told...

Landing in the hallway of my home by the stairs, i manage to miscalculate a step and nearly go tumbling but as luck would have George grabbed my waist yanking me to him to steady my feet and head rush from apparating.

"What is it that you wanted to talk / show me, Jess?" George asked. Turning away from him and stepping away also I was deciding how to introduce the subject when Winky, Fauna and Hubert came crashing through the living room doors into my legs grabbing my hands shaking them vigouriously and hugging me also. "House elves?!" George gasped seriously confused now. The three house elves stopped and looked at George. I spoke then, "George, these are my house elves, well just elves. They're here to help me run this house for Dumbledores usage." George was calculating...and I didn't like the silence til Winky spoke, "Miss Griffins and Mr Weasy want some tea, maybe tea will help with talkings." We followed the house elves into the kitchen sitting down at the table next to George whilst the elves made us tea and then sit down opposite us at the table. I looked at George who was looking at me trying to figure out what I was going to tell him, I then looked at Winky who patted my hand encouraging me to speak.

Taking a breath i began, "George, you know those letters I had been getting from the start of our fourth year? They were from Dumbledore trusting me with a sort of mission, I suppose to help Harry in the long term fight against Voldemort. He wanted me well asked then wanted me to take on the task of housing students outside of Hogwarts, preparing them and protecting them for when Voldemort rises eternal. So all those boxes we took down to the basement for me? that was to make room for the students that would stay under my care as well as my muggle neighbours and the house elves." I paused looking directly at George now hoping he understood and was keeping up. He didn't answer just looked back at me plainly...as if i wasnt there. I continued, "You knew if I could tell you I would of dont you? didnt you? And now i'm telling you because alot of things have happened to me in this past year, away from everyone, away from you. I couldnt write to you to let you know i was ok or anything because owls carrying messages were being intercepted by the ministry and Voldemorts followers for clues on Harry and Dumbledore. I was to abide Dumbledores orders til further notice but until this recent few months I have heard very little. The last I had any contact with someone outside was christmas at the burrow..but even then I was risking it.-" I was cut off by George then,"Yh, Dad told us, told me you were there when Bellatrix and Greyback attacked and burnt it down. He said you were on edge, said you werent how you usually were..and that I'd have to have hope that you'd come back...from all this. And you have." George placed his hand on mine and looked directly at me. He believed and wasnt alittle mad. I breathed before continuing, "I..thanks Georgie..but i cant help but feel like i've lied to you about everything...because if you could see what i've seen you'd weep."

I didnt want to press on but he had to know i had to show him not before Fauna spoke, "Mr Weasey, Ms Griffins was following orders from Dumbledore, helping the Order and houseing orphans in her home. We as house elves help too. The reason behind this secrecy was to protect you, Ms Griffins wants to protect you, protect Harry Potter, protect everyone. Ms Griffins has been away for a long time with Ms Zelda searching for clues that will help Harry against the Dark lord...it almost cost her her life but..- Miss Griffins wheres Ms Zelda?" Not liking the flash of images that flooded my head but i looked at Faunas big brown eyes and waited for the words to tremble from my lips. "Zelda's dead, I couldnt save her, she got splinched badly.." The colours were vivid and i felt sick. George stroked my hand, "is that how you got your cuts and bruises when you came to me last night.? what happened?" I breathed before i felt the urge to cry, "we were patrolling trails that might lead us to information on Voldemort, his whereabouts, his plans. we ran across a group of deatheaters and snatchers when being outnumbered hell broke those. whilst i was fighting off most of the deatheaters, Zelda was caught by one and she told me to run, to escape, then she was gone. I buried her body somewhere safe away from the coldness of the world. Then I came to you George..I was upset, confused, feeling more lost than anything..i had to go where my heart was and it led me to you..- I need to show you the extent of it."

Taking George's hand I led him upstairs whilst the house elves led upfront to the second floor, they began opening doors for us letting George see inside whilst I admired the look of awe on his face. That look only grew as we went to the attic and he saw the decorations. The starlit ceilings, the spiral stairs leading upto them, the warmth colours along the floorboards, the forrestry dipicting the walls, the lovatating shelves and lights. Georges eyes grew with wonder as he looked back at me before sayng, "this is wonderful Jess? Why didnt you say something sooner? I really cant believe all this..its beautiful. I know the ravenclaws would want the nest huh?" I chuckled exactly what I said. Deciding to go back downstairs into the kitchen for refreshments, George noticed the door on the left of him was different from the rest. Noticing he wasnt behind me I turned and saw him examining the handle of Cedrics old room. "This was his room George, this was Cedrics room, Dumbledore knew that i'd want to keep a piece of him with me and so he gave me this." Brushing the handle with my fingertips as if it was fade away from me, George placed his hand ontop of mine standing behind me with his head resting in the crook of my neck hugging me to him. " You know he'd be proud of you, of what your doing. We both are. And i think that if he was here he'd be saying the same thing..your doing a good thing..and its difficult but you'll know that hes always here with you and he's never left." Feeling a hand slip into my right one I looked down at Winky who had little tears dotting her eyes, "Mr Weasy is right...now isnt to the time for sadness..now is the time to fight. But first we need to eat something yes before work?" Nodding i let Winky lead me by the hand down the stairs with George at my side.

The evening drew on quickly as the house elves ran around preparing food for us and whenever I went to get up one of them would say "no miss, sit down you need to rest." Before I knew it the cat flap swung open as Binks came shooting through as the door opened showing Susie and Darren coming dropping off post I'm sure Hubert had run off earlier to tell them I had returned home. "Binks! Sues, Darren how did you know I was back?" Getting up and giving them a hug whilst Binks fawned at my legs before jumping onto my shoulder sliding into my arms. I didn't get an answer as they ran to me pulling me into a bone crushing hug as Binks was in my arms with his arm draped on my shoulder hugging me also. Being hugged Susie and Darren were whispering to me, we've missed you, thank god your ok, your safe, your home, we've been worried sick..oh Jessica, you're home..we've missed you so much sweetheart. I felt loved soo loved with people who weren't my blood family...they were still family...it may be a little broken but this is my family.

*cough cough* breaking apart at someone coughing I step back to see George with a look admiration and adoration at the display of unity within the breaking world around us. Giving my hand to him George took it and came over to us, "um, Susie Darren this is George..George Weasley..my boyfriend." With that said Darren patted George's shoulder dragging him into a hug with me and Susie also. Feeling little shuffles around our feet I knew the house elves were hugging us also.

After the hug, we all sat down at the table and talked, talked about the good times and the bad, updating the missing pieces from each other's lives before we had dinner together and listened to the house elves banter..I admit I missed their voices whilst on my travels. For once I had a feeling of happiness and calming spread through me like the warmth of the sun.

This is my family, like I said it may exceedingly dysfunctional but it's family and I'm home....that was until a silver whisp bounced into the kitchen morphing into a silver lynx, Kingslys patronus spoke, "Order recruiting..meeting at Half-way house home of Jessica Griffins..at 17:00 hours."

This peacefulness was short lived...everything had fallen...and I went down with it.