PRINCESS † PERCY WEASLEY

o. faux battlefields

"TODAY WE HAVE MARCO WITH US!"

"You don't have to pretend to be excited, I know you think I'm such a dull old hag." Ivy laughed, eying the boys playfully. "Anyway, I'm here to relay details on Luke Humphreys, he's been missing for a while now. Tall, brown hair and brown eyes. I know, he's very generic. If anyone has any information at all, good or bad, the folks here at Potterwatch would love to know."

"He's good at hiding in the shadows so don't be too disappointed if you don't have anything." Lee, or River, said charmingly. "Well go on Marco, we want to know how life is in hiding."

"I bet you do River, it's boring." Ivy replied. "I'm off doing other business with Romulus a lot though so am I really in hiding? I hate how cold the world is becoming, most people don't dare go outside."

_____________

Darian did not listen to Ivy, at all. She supposed it was a family trait. Ivy saw him at the table with Leo and frowned.

"Dar, I specifically told you don't come back to England!" Ivy said exasperatedly.

"Remus told you the same thing and look vhere you are." He smirked. "I vasn't going to leave you here, vhen you're in trouble."

Ivy gripped his hand. "You being here puts you in danger,"

"Nikol is out there every day in danger. I vasn't going to sit still in another country knowing she vas here. I may have lost her, I am not losing you too."

"He does have a point Ives." Leo quipped.

Ivy took a step back and forcibly swallowed her own fears. There was a pregnant pause, as Ivy considered the options she had.

"I suppose I'm sharing with you then Leo, I'm not taking the couch." Ivy sighed. "And I'm certainly not sharing with this oaf."

"Hey!"

"And Leo, we still have to talk about..."

Leo snapped. "I know, we will." His hands grazed over his shirt collar where the string was hidden underneath.

__________

"Hit me with your best shot Leo!" Ivy yelled, shooting him with another small jinx. "I know you can work quicker than this. Stupefy!"

"Damnit!" Leo groaned, losing his balance. "They'll be shooting cutting curses at us and Unforgivables. How are we supposed to fight them if we get hit with something we don't want to be hit with? What if you get hit with a killing curse?"

"Then I die." Ivy replied simply. "War gets messy Leo and we can't expect to make it out unscathed. We are going to get hurt and there will be casualties that we'll know so stop fighting me like you don't mean it. We have to be prepared. We have healing potions and spell books in the back anyway, so hit me the hardest you can."

"You're right as always!" Leo smirked, murmuring a laughing jinx, hoping it would hit her.

Ivy jumped out of the way to dodge it. "You cheeky bugger!"

____________

"So, you're saying soon then?" Ivy asked, glancing at the other members at the table. "Have we still not got any information on the whereabouts of Harry and the others?"

"We think they're going to show up soon. We don't know where and we don't know when but things are reaching a climax." Arthur replied.

"Tensions are rising and we have to be prepared to get up and fight at any time." Remus added. "We will win, we have Harry Potter after all."

The Order glanced around to look at each other for what felt like the final time.

"Gather anything you can because the final battle is approaching, we can all feel it."

"We're going to win."

"We have no other option."