~
Early the next morning, Lupin stood in the kitchen of Headquarters with Sirius and Moody. Most of the Order was gathered in the dining room, preparing for a last minute meeting. Moody had been the one to throw it all together, telling everyone they needed to discuss the information Eleanora had gathered. Those who had been there when Eleanora had reappeared had had their own mini meeting that morning, but most of the others had gone to mingle with the rest of the order. Bill hadn't shown up all morning.
"Where's he gotten off to, anyway?" Lupin asked when Moody mentioned that they would need Bill to translate the notebook.
"Eleanora's room," a small voice said from the doorway. Lupin jumped and turned around to see Daisy entering the kitchen, rubbing her eyes.
"Isn't it a little early for you to be up?" Lupin said. Daisy never woke up until it was almost afternoon. Like her sister, she was a night owl.
"I wanted to make sure it wasn't all a dream." Daisy took a seat at the kitchen table and rested her chin in her hand. Lupin gave her a gentle smile.
"What d'you want for breakfast, Dais?" Sirius asked, opening up the cupboard. "We had Tonks go out and get that cereal you said you liked from a muggle grocery store-"
"I'll have that."
Sirius nodded and pulled down a bowl. Daisy wasn't used to people always being around to help her get meals and to pay attention to how much sleep she was getting, but she didn't mind. She missed her parents, but could almost forget it when she had nearly the entire Order around to take care of her.
"So, Bill's in Eleanora's room?" Lupin said, amused. "I think we can safely assume there's something going on there." It had been an ongoing debate since the beginning of that summer. Everyone around the two could feel the tension, but Bill and Eleanora never explicitly said there was something happening.
"Listen, I'm still in shock from hearing Snape's her godfather," Sirius said, setting a bowl of cereal in front of Daisy and sitting down across from her. "I don't need any more news."
"That's not news," said Moody. "We've all known since she was born." Sirius and Lupin both whipped around to look at him.
"You knew?" they said in unison.
"You didn't?" Moody snorted. "Cillian told me the day after she was born."
"So you had eighteen years to tell us and you just didn't?" Lupin said, incredulous.
Sirius leaned across the table to squint at Daisy. "Snivellus isn't your godfather too, is he? 'Cause I can forgive a mistake the first time but..."
"I dunno who mine is," Daisy said, staring back at Sirius with wide eyes. "Do you?" She looked at Moody, who shrugged and put his hands up.
"Dunno," he grunted. "Your mum had sort of disconnected herself from the wizarding world by the time you were born."
Lupin looked down into his cup of coffee and shuffled his feet. "So, what's the consensus on Bill and Eleanora?" he said, quickly changing the subject.
"Definitely together," Daisy said. "They're cuddling in Eleanora's bed as we speak." She made a disgusted face and Sirius threw his head back laughing.
"Well, it's confirmed then," said Moody, setting his coffee mug in the sink and striding out of the room.
"I'm happy for them," Remus murmured. "God knows that girl needs something happy in her life."
~
"Mmmm, wait," Eleanora mumbled, pulling Bill back into bed. "Stay here."
Bill settled himself back on the bed and brushed Eleanora's hair out of her face. He hated what he was about to say. All he wanted just then was to give Eleanora whatever she wanted now that she was home. "There's an Order meeting in, like, five minutes, El. I'll come right back when it's over." He wanted to leave Eleanora's bed about as badly as he wanted her to go on another mission, but he knew he needed to translate what she'd written. Even if only to get Moody to stop bothering him.
"There's an Order meeting?" Eleanora asked, her eyes still closed. "Why wasn't I invited?" Bill laughed softly and sank further into the blankets, pulling Eleanora closer.
"Might have something to do with the fact that you can't walk," he said, toying with the hem of her t-shirt.
"You could just carry me," said Eleanora.
"You need to rest."
"I've got stuff to tell them." Eleanora tried to push herself into a sitting position, but winced and fell back onto the pillows. It hurt to move. Bill immediately propped himself up on one elbow and adjusted the pillows so Eleanora would be more comfortable. He looked down at her, worry suddenly flooding over him again. What if she was more injured than they thought? What if there was something they hadn't done? What if he lost her again?
"You're not going anywhere," he said, more firmly than he meant to. "Just rest for a few weeks, alright? I'll tell you everything that happens at the meeting."
"I want to be there."
"I'll bring you some food after."
"Bill-" She gave him a pleading look.
"El, my mum would kill both of us if you showed up. You won't be missing much, I promise. And anyways, the only reason we're having the meeting is so I can read them your notes. You would just have to sit there and listen to your own experiences again."
"Fine," Eleanora said, shifting and wincing again. "Just- you'll bring me some of whatever Molly makes for lunch?"
"Yes."
"And you'll come right back?"
"Absolutely."
"And you'll tell me everything that happens?"
"Every detail." Bill started to get out of bed, but Eleanora grabbed his arm and pulled him back. "What's up?" Bill asked, concerned.
"I love you."
His face broke into a smile and he leaned down to kiss Eleanora. "I love you too."
~
Eleanora fell back asleep almost as soon as Bill left the room. She felt alright when he was around to distract her, but the pain and exhaustion hadn't gotten much better since the night before. She told herself it would take time to heal, but she wanted more than anything to be where the action was.
She only woke up when Bill came into her room and sat on the bed again, this time holding a plate of food Molly had gotten together. "Hey," he said softly, not sure whether or not to wake Eleanora up. Her eyes fluttered open and she smiled up at him.
"Hey. How was the meeting?"
Bill didn't answer. He helped Eleanora into a sitting position and handed her the plate of food. He crossed his legs and leaned against the headboard, staring at the wall as Eleanora dug into her food. They were both silent for a minute, and then she paused mid-bite and looked over at him. "What's up? You're all quiet."
Bill took a deep breath and looked down at her. "Are you... okay?" he said in a more serious tone than he'd used all morning.
"'Course I am- I'm back, right?
"El, what they did to you..." Bill trailed off, his eyes growing misty. "I just- God, I can't believe they did that to you."
Eleanora set the plate on the mattress next to her and turned to Bill, her face settling into a frown. "What do you mean?"
"I mean I'm going to kill Malfoy next time I see him." Bill scowled down at his hands. "In fact, I'm about ready to break in there myself and-"
"Bill," Eleanora said softly, "I already tried that." Her mouth twitched into a small smile. "But really, I'm okay. I'm here."
"You say that a lot. That you're alright- I mean."
"I am."
"I don't think you are." Bill took one of Eleanora's hands. "For the last year it's just been one thing after another for you, and I can tell you're not okay but I'm not sure what to do-"
"Just be here," Eleanora interrupted. Her smile had fallen and her eyes were brighter than usual. "Just be here, and I'll be okay."
"I will be," Bill said in a strangled voice. "I always will be."
Eleanora let out a choked laugh and wiped at her eyes. "Did you- uh- did you read the part where I was given a house?"
Bill's face broke into a grin. "I did. Right on the beach, too."
"Oh, you should see it. It's beautiful, seriously. You'd love it."
"We'll visit when you're feeling better."
"I can't wait."
if I write a sirius black fic after this one, would any of you read it?