Elsie and Sirius walked into Dumbledore's office quietly, listening to the conversation being had by the headmaster and Professor McGonagall.
"Albus, they are too young to get involved in this. All three of them are just kids!" The woman sternly spoke out while pointing at the older man in front of her.
"This is just as much their fight as it is ours, Minerva. I greatly trust in who I have chosen to be here and believe they would be more than willing to place their loyalty in the right hands," Dumbledore calmly answered the frustrated woman before looking over towards the two students who just walked in, "Come in, sit down."
Elsie and Sirius looked at each other curiously before following their headmaster's instructions. There were three chairs placed in front of his desk. Sirius took the leftmost one while Elsie sat down directly next to him, wondering who the third chair was for.
"We are waiting on one more person and then I must talk about something deeply important to me with you two," Dumbledore explained to his students as McGonagall crossed her arms in annoyance and begrudgingly stayed quiet.
As if on cue, the door to his office had opened and a boy had hesitantly walked in, "Professor Dumbledore, you wanted to speak with me?"
"Yes, Mr. Fenwick. Please, have a seat," the headmaster said while gesturing to the open seat next to Elsie.
As the boy made his way to the seat, he glanced over at Elsie and sent a friendly smile. Elsie returned the gesture while studying the boy next to her. He was tall with olive skin and perfectly curly brown hair that flopped off of his forehead. She could tell right away that the boy was built, yet not overly muscular. His jawline was sharp, but his facial features were soft and inviting. Quite handsome if you ask me...
Elsie's thoughts were interrupted when she felt an elbow nudge her side. She looked over to a smirking Sirius as he mouthed to her, "Stop drooling."
She playfully rolled her eyes as Dumbledore began speaking from in front of the three, "Thank you for coming, I have a very important question to ask of you three."
He paused when McGonagall grumbled under her breath, "They're just kids."
Elsie looked up at the headmaster with a raised eyebrow as he started to explain himself, "As you all know, dark times are upon us. Attacks have become more frequent and a dark wizard known as Voldemort has managed to grow an army, the Death Eaters."
He stood up and began pacing the floor of his office while continuing, "Voldemort has his Death Eaters, and in retaliation, I have started an organization to shed light unto the dark times ahead. I have been gathering trustworthy people to start fighting back."
Sirius reached over and grabbed Elsie's hand at the next words that came out of Dumbledore's mouth, "A war is upon us, and unfortunately, we must all face the choice between what is right and what is easy. It would be a honor to have you three join my cause, to join the Order of the Phoenix."
"You want us to fight with you?" The unfamiliar boy asked curiously from his seat, "Why us? Why me?"
"Well, Mr. Fenwick, you were one of the top in your class and I know exactly where your loyalty lies. You took in a family you were not acquainted with because they were left homeless by the Death Easters. Isn't that right?" Dumbledore spoke out confident in his choice of people he had in front of him.
The boy nodded his head as he began pondering the offer Dumbledore had given them. Next to speak was Elsie.
"And, why us?" Elsie asked while gesturing between her and Sirius.
"It's not everyday that you find two students so willing to protect each other and their friends that they make a pact to fight in a war, Ms. Figg," the headmaster said while giving her a pointed look, referencing to the deal she and Sirius had made with each other in the Great Hall a few months ago, "Unity like that is what will help us to overcome this darkness."
Sirius and Elsie locked eyes with each other and let out small smiles, knowing they were both thinking the exact same thing.
Elsie felt her hand being squeezed reassuringly as Sirius mouthed to her, reminding them both of the pact they had made that one morning, "Protect each other at all costs. Fight, win, and then happily ever after."
She nodded with a smile as they both turned to Dumbledore and confidently stated, "We'll fight. We want to join the Order of the Phoenix."
Dumbledore let out a small chuckle, "I admire your charisma, but this is not a decision of a small size. I would like you to think it over for some time, and if your answer remains the same, then you will begin training and attending meetings in the summer."
All three shook their heads in understanding at the headmaster, before being lectured on how important it was that they tell absolutely no one about the Order. After they were dismissed, Elsie and Sirius walked back to Gryffindor tower talking about the events that just took place.
"You sure you want to fight, Els?" Sirius asked while looking down at her.
"Are you sure?" Elsie replied while wiggling her finger in front of his face.
"I've never been more sure about anything," he softly admitted as a pained expression flashed over his eyes, "I didn't get disowned by my parents for no reason...I want to fight, I have to."
Elsie looked up admirably at Sirius while taking his hand in hers, "If you're sure, I'm sure. Like I said, I'd follow you anywhere, Sirius Black."
"It's a honor to have the Elsie Figg following me around everywhere," he teased while nudging her with his elbow, lightening the intense mood from their chat with Dumbledore.
"Git," Elsie laughed at her friend as they reached their destination, "You go on, I'm going to walk around for a little and think about everything."
"You sure?" Sirius asked her while placing a hand on her shoulder.
She nodded in response and softly reassured him, "I'll be okay, just need some time to think. I'll see you later."
Sirius waved goodbye and walked into the Gryffindor common room as Elsie went in the opposite direction. She found herself making her way towards the Astronomy Tower. No better place to think than somewhere that has a clear view of the beautiful night sky...
She hiked up the stairs to the tower and made her way to the overlook, leaning against the railing and looking out at the stars.
Her mind wandered off to the one thing she had been pushing off thinking about: James. She hadn't spoken to him in 2 days, and feelings aside, Elsie missed her best friend. She missed talking to him, laughing at his corny jokes, teasing him when he was being a git. Elsie missed James, but she was still scared to bring up what happened. If she brought it up, he might ask her who she meant when she said she loved someone. And, if he did, she wouldn't know what to say. She couldn't lie to her best friend, but she also couldn't tell the truth. So for now, she would wait it out and hope he forgets all about everything she said.
Although she deeply missed her best friend, Elsie also remembered what Remus had told her. That maybe to be happy she would have to get over James, and right now she agreed with him. James loved Lily and that's just something she had to get over. She couldn't spend her entire life chasing after someone who was untouchable, not if she wanted a chance to be happy. So, from here on out Elsie would begin trying to get over her love for James Potter.
The silence of the cold night was cut through by the sound of a door opening and shutting. Elsie looked towards the door that connected the Astronomy classroom with the overlook to see the boy from earlier today walking out of it.
"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't think anyone else would be up here," the boy softly said as he locked eyes Elsie, "I could go if you'd like."
"No, it's okay," Elsie warmly smiled at him, tilting her head and gesturing for him to join her.
He smiled in return and walked over to Elsie, standing directly next to her and copying her stance. He clasped his hands together and leaned his forearms against the metal railing of the over look. She sneakily glanced over at him through the corner of her eyes, and began taking him in. He was wearing a navy blue jumper and a pair of beige khakis that perfectly clung to his body. His hair fell slightly over the right side of his forehead and curled off onto the side of his face. He had a warm smile and an inviting air that just made Elsie want to talk to him for hours on end. And, it didn't hurt that he was extremely attractive, as if he was sculpted by Merlin himself.
"I used to come up here all the time when I was at Hogwarts. It was my favorite place to just be alone and think," he softly whispered into the night air, interrupting Elsie's train of thought.
"You went to Hogwarts?" She asked with a raised eyebrow, trying her best not to let her eyes linger on him for too long.
He looked over at her and smiled, "I graduated last year. It feels like forever ago, though. I barely remembered how to get to Dumbledore's office."
Elsie chuckled and locked eyes with the handsome boy, "Wow, already losing your memory after only one year...Definitely could not have been a Ravenclaw."
"For your information, I was a Ravenclaw," he genuinely laughed out at her comment while pointing at her, before holding out the bottom of his shirt and fluttering his eyelashes, "Can't you tell from how well the color blue suits me?"
The small, brunette girl laughed at his joke as she slyly responded, "Ahhh so you're a smart arse?"
"And you're impulsive with a hero complex?" He teased back at her while gesturing to the Gryffindor tie wrapped around her white button-up collar.
"Touché," she giggled while nudging him with her elbow, "You're not too bad, Ravenclaw."
"I'll take that as a compliment," he chuckled and put his hand out in the air for her to shake, "I'm Benjy Fenwick."
"Elsie Figg," she smiled warmly, taking his strong hand in hers snd shaking it. A tingle ran through her fingertips as her hand met his, making a shiver run down her spine.
"Now I know I'm a Ravenclaw, but it doesn't take a genius to realize that you're cold after that shiver," Benjy laughed while beginning to take off his blue jumper, "Here."
"I can't take this from you! You don't even have sleeves on your shirt that you're wearing under it!" She pointed out, gesturing to the sleeveless white tank top he was wearing under his jumper.
"Relax, Gryffindor," he threw the jumper at her, forcing her to take it in her hands in order for it not to drop on the floor, and winked, "I'll survive."
Elsie's eyes couldn't help but find their way over to his revealed arms. The way his olive skin perfectly dipped into the muscles that made up his upper arms practically had her drooling. She had to stop herself from suddenly running her small hands up and down his strong arms. Godric, he's bloody hot.
After she was done ogling his revealed body, Elsie and Benjy stayed up in the tower for another hour. They talked about their experience at Hogwarts and about the future to come, while learning more and more about each other. To say Elsie was intrigued by the boy was an understatement, something about him kept her wanting more. And, he felt the exact same way.
"Well, Elsie, I should probably get going, but I really enjoyed meeting you," Benjy smiled warmly at her while placing his hands into the pockets of his khakis.
"Me too. I guess Ravenclaw's aren't as boring as they seem," Elsie jokingly teased while wrapping her arms around her torso that was covered by his jumper she was wearing.
"Yeah, you're not as egotistical as I thought," he teased her back while beginning to head towards the door to leave the overlook.
He turned around to face her while walking backwards and blew a kiss at her, "Until next time, Gryffindor."
"See you then, Ravenclaw," she giggled while pretending to catch the kiss he blew her., watching as Benjy disappeared through the door.
A few moments later, she exited the overlook and found herself walking back to the Gryffindor common room with a content smile on her face. Elsie had genuinely enjoyed her time with Benjy, and only hoped that she'd see him again soon.
She slipped through the Portrait entrance and walked towards the couches by the fireplace where she saw her friends sitting.
Elsie slumped down in the armchair on top of Remus, not noticing the sad look in James' eye.
"And where exactly have you been?" Remus asked with a chuckle at the girl who was making herself comfortable on top of him.
"Just talking with someone," she smiled up at him, snuggling her head into his chest.
"Would that someone happen to be the boy you were drooling over in Dumbledore's office?" Sirius teased while smirking at Elsie, trying to spark a reaction from James and get his two friends talking again.
"That's none of your bloody business," Elsie giggled and pointed at him playfully.
James sat there in silence not saying a word, but his expression said enough. His eyes were trained onto the ground as a combination of hurt and sadness flashed through his eyes. He didn't understand why he was so upset about Elsie talking to some other guy, especially now that he knew she was in love with Remus. He thought that she was probably just doing that to make Remus jealous and catch his attention. James knew that there was no way he could act on his feelings for Elsie out of fear of hurting her, but he couldn't help himself from missing her.
With that in mind, James knew he had to apologize to her even if it was embarrassing. He owed it to Elsie to make things right again. She was his best friend and he didn't want to lose her, so he decided that tomorrow after Remus' transformation he would pull Elsie aside and beg for the forgiveness he didn't deserve.
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AUTHORS NOTE:
Did I just write this entire chapter at 4 in the morning? Yes.
Do I regret it whatsoever? No.
The new character is young Benjy Fenwick!!! I updated the face claims and decided that he'll be played by Diego Boneta. Let's see what he has in store for Elsie...
Don't worry, I promise I didn't forget about Rory;)
YOU GUYS ARE THE BEST READERS EVER AND YOUR COMMENTS MAKE ME LAUGH SO HARD I LOVE U GUYS