You had only just turned away from the horrible screaming portrait of Mrs Black when another shrill, but far more welcoming and familiar voice called out from ahead of you. Molly Weasley was walking quickly towards you, "Arthur dear, you're back!" she intercepted him and threw her arms around his shoulders lovingly. She then turned to you and Hermione with a huge fond smile, "oh my girls! I'm glad you got here safely," she pulled you both into a tight, motherly hug and then led you into the room at the end of the corridor.
The small drawing room was filled with unfamiliar faces, but right across from you, seated at the table was Sirius, who smiled kindly at you, and next to him sat Professor Remus Lupin, who you had as your DADA teacher in your Fifth Year. He was the only teacher who hadn't threatened to separate you from the Weasley twins when your group disrupted class, his light chiding was typically followed by a wistful look, as though your antics reminded him of something in his past.
"Hello girls, good to see you both," Sirius said brightly as you walked up to the table, and Remus nodded in greeting as his eyes sparkled warmly.
You looked around for your friends, and Molly, who was flitting around behind you, noticed, "don't worry dear, the others will be back soon. Fred and George have brought Ron and Ginny to Diagon Alley for some school supplies."
Then she stepped up beside you and pulled you into a whisper, "Y/N dear, I am just delighted for you and Freddie, I predicted it years ago and a mother knows these things! I'll talk to you more about it later," she winked at you and you flushed but grinned at her happily.
She walked around to the table and sat down, then pulled out two chairs next to her, inviting you both to sit down. You shared a look with Hermione, unsure who a lot of these new people around you were, but you obliged and sat.
As soon as you'd sat down you almost jumped from your chair again as Mad-Eye Moody burst in loudly from another room, his magical blue eye swivelled and landed on you and Hermione and he scowled, "relax yourselves, girls. I'm actually my pleasant old self this time, luckily for you." He huffed and moved around the table towards another wizard who stood behind Remus' chair, and then scolded the young woman who sat in the chair next to you about something.
The woman, who couldn't be more than five years older than you, noticed you looking and turned to you with a grin that was so mischievous that it reminded you of the twins. "Hi there! I'm Nymphadora Tonks, but just call me Tonks or I'll jinx you," she winked and stuck out her hand to you and Hermione who introduced yourselves to her in turn. She nodded in recognition, "yeah sorry to cut your relaxing summer short, but we agreed that as Muggleborns you'd be safer here at Headquarters."
"Headquarters?" You repeated in bewilderment.
"Nymphadora!" Moody hissed at her irritably from where he stood talking to the tall, dark-skinned man in striking blue and purple robes who stood behind Remus.
She turned to him with a glare and her lilac hair turned dark red which made you do a double take, "Mad-Eye, for the last bloody time, it's Tonks. Tonks. T-O-N-K-S," she spelled out and he rolled both of his different eyes and turned back to his conversation with the man beside him.
Tonks turned back to you and her hair changed to bright bubblegum pink, and upon seeing your confused face, she explained, "I'm a Metamorphmagus, I've been able to change my features since the day my dear mum dragged me into this world," and as if to further iterate her point, she changed the shape of her nose until it was large and hooked.
"Look, who am I? Potions is an artform, it is not merely a school subject you imbeciles," she imitated the all-too-familiar Severus Snape's voice, making you and Hermione laugh hysterically.
"Charming as always, Nymphadora," the deep, monotonous voice of the man in question spoke from the doorway behind you. You hadn't even heard him enter the building and you watched curiously as he made his way to the top of the table to stand beside the man Moody had been talking to.
"You're not exactly a breath of fresh air yourself, Severus," Sirius said with a sneer.
"I know of a number of creatures who would eagerly welcome your company, Sirius," Snape replied, clearly referring to the Dementors of Azkaban. Sirius narrowed his eyes and opened his mouth to say something else before Moody interrupted, "Okay, enough of the schoolboy squabbling, can we please make a start on this meeting before I die of old age."
Molly rose from her chair and stood behind you and Hermione, resting her hands on the backs of your chairs almost in a protective stance, "shall we tell them now then?"
"Tell us what?" Hermione asked, looking over her shoulder at Mrs Weasley.
Professor Lupin, Remus, you reminded yourself, stepped forward and spoke for the first time since you arrived, "we think it's time you learned about the Order of the Phoenix."
He went on to tell you about the origins of this secret group, passing you an old photograph of a group of young men and women who stood facing the camera. You recognised a few familiar, albeit far younger, faces. Remus explained how the Order had reassembled on Dumbledore's orders following the events of the Third Task, he admitted that they couldn't tell you everything for your own safety, but that you should be aware of the group's existence and purpose.
The organisation was originally established during Voldemort's first reign of terror and upon his rebirth, it regrouped in an attempt to monitor the situation. Remus explained that their numbers had dwindled since the wizarding war, the members having died in combat or had been captured and killed. He pointed out James and Lily Potter, who you recognised from Harry's photograph of them holding him as a baby, then he pointed to another young couple who's bright and cheerful faces were oddly familiar to you, "the Longbottoms currently reside in St Mungo's, having been tortured to insanity by a Death Eater named Bellatrix Lestrange," Lupin tells you sadly.
"Longbottom? As in...Neville Longbottom?" you asked him and he nodded, "yes, those are his parents." Hermione let out a breath of despair, "I had no idea, poor Neville."
Once Remus had finished explaining the history and purpose of the Order, he introduced you to the other members, allowing you to finally put names to the unfamiliar faces around the room. Kingsley Shacklebolt was the tall dark-skinned man in the blue robes beside Moody and the two witches who stood in the far corner were named Hestia Jones and Emmeline Vance. Beside them was a wizard with a tall hat who was introduced as Dedalus Diggle, who tipped his hat politely at you both, and sitting down on a chair near Arthur Weasley was an elderly wizard named Elphias Doge. Peering into a cabinet in another corner was a small, greasy man, who upon the mention of his name, Mundungus Fletcher, turned around and feigned innocence, and nodded at both of you.
"Harry will be glad to hear that there's at least some people who will take him seriously," Hermione said as you both smiled politely at the older witches and wizards in the room.
"Ah, but I'm afraid Miss Granger that Mr Potter is not to be made aware of any of this," a calm voice said from behind you. You both turned in your chairs to see your headmaster, Albus Dumbledore standing quietly in the doorway to the drawing room.
"Why not, Professor?" you asked him, baffled.
"It would be safer for everyone, in this room and outside it, if the existence of the Order, along with its members and activities, is kept strictly confidential. Which means no details are to be shared with anyone who is not present, including Mr Potter."
"But Professor!" Hermione protested, "Harry needs to know about this! To know that people believe him and are paying attention to what's going on out there!"
"He has a right to know, sir!" you seconded, careful to remain polite in front of the Headmaster.
Dumbledore nodded understandingly, "while I understand your frustration Miss Granger and Miss Y/L/N, communication of any sort to Mr Potter regarding the Order or anything else of a sensitive nature, for that matter, is prohibited. My decision is final." He then moved into the room where he and the other adults began having quiet discussions that you couldn't hear.
Molly patted your shoulders from where she stood behind your chairs, "come on dears, the meeting is about to begin so you should go upstairs and unpack your things. Ginny's room is the far left one on the first floor."
"Can't we listen in to the meeting as well, Mrs Weasley?" Hermione pleaded with the older witch, who shook her head sympathetically as she ushered you out of the room, "I'm afraid not, the meetings are strictly for members only."
"So then why can't we join?" you asked her as you paused in the doorway, your voice slightly louder than intended which attracted the attention of Sirius and Remus.
Molly shook her head again and began leading you both towards the stairs in the hallway, "no, you're too young," and then Sirius joined you in the doorway.
"Molly, if I'm correct, Y/N is of age," he turned to look at you and you nod in confirmation, "if she wants to join, you can't stop her."
Hermione shared a look with you and once she saw the change in Molly's expression, she quietly excused herself and headed upstairs, pulling her trunk up with her.
Molly was indignant, "no Sirius, because if Y/N joins then Fred and George will demand they be allowed to as well, and I simply won't allow it."
As you began to protest she cut you off, "Y/N, you are still in school and therefore still under the responsibility of adults, and as someone who has loved you like a second daughter since you were barely twelve-years-old, I forbid it." She gently pushed you towards the stairs and then walked around Sirius and back into the drawing room.
Sirius shrugged in defeat when you looked back at him, "I'll join as soon as I finish school," you told him quietly and he smirked and his eyes glinted with something like pride as he turned back into the room, shutting the door behind him.
You followed Hermione up the stairs, noticing with a shudder the preserved heads of House-Elves that lined the walls. As you made your way up the staircase, your trunk floating up behind you, you heard angry muttering from a nearby room, "Mudbloods, werewolves, traitors, thieves...If my poor Mistress knew the scum they let into her house..." you peeked into a room and saw an elderly House-Elf polishing the nameplate of a large portrait on the wall.
His milky grey eyes turned narrowed at you, "dirty-blooded girl...no place in the House of Black." You glared back at him and turned out of the room, "horrid thing," you muttered to yourself as you walked into the bedroom, where Hermione was already unpacking her trunk.
"I gather you met that rude old elf," she said as she noted your expression, and you nodded and set down your trunk on the floor, and then flopped down onto the empty bed in the corner under the window, the third one had Ginny's clothes laid out on it already.
After resting your eyes for a bit you decided you'd unpack later, instead letting curiosity get the better of you and leaving the bedroom to explore the rest of the house while Hermione happily reorganised her belongings and hummed to herself.
You walked into the house's living room which was situated down the hallway from your bedroom. The couch was covered in a white sheet, as were the other pieces of furniture. The fireplace was unlit and covered in ash and the curtains were half closed, leaving a small crack of sunlight to shine through which showed the dust that was floating around the room. You heard a dull banging noise coming from the corner, you walked over slowly and pulled the sheet off, revealing a small writing desk. You were about to open it when you heard loud popping noises coming from downstairs, followed by an agitated complaint of "bloody hell, I don't think I'll ever get used to that." You smiled as you recognised Ron's voice, and smiled even wider when you heard the twins poking fun at their younger brother.
You heard another two popping noises from even closer, only down the hall from where you were, and then Hermione squeaked, "Fred! George! You scared me!" You walked out of the living room and saw the twins standing in the doorway of your bedroom, joking with Hermione.
"I thought I smelled trouble," you said with a smirk, and the twins' heads shot around at the sound of your voice. Fred's face lit up in pure and unfiltered joy making your heart flutter in your chest, "Y/N! You're here!"
You both half ran down the corridor to each other and he immediately scooped you up in his arms in a firm hug and you laughed joyfully as he spun you around and you wrapped your arms around his neck. He buried his face in your neck and you almost shivered as his hot breath tickled your sensitive skin. He finally set you down on your feet, "no one told us you were coming!"
He smoothed your hair with his hand and you looked up at him properly and then gasped, "your hair! You cut it!" he combed his fingers through his now short hair and blushed, "do you like it?"
You grinned at him, "I love it," which you really, really did. You reached up and combed your own fingers through it, "you look very handsome."
His ears, which you could see for once, turned red and then he leaned in and pressed a gentle yet eager kiss to your mouth. You'd missed the feeling of his lips on yours and just when you went to kiss him back, hard, George loudly cleared his throat. You'd forgotten that he and Hermione were there, and Ron and Ginny had come up the stairs too, you blushed and hid your face in Fred's chest. He chuckled and wrapped his arms around you and leaned down to whisper so only you could hear, "later, love. We've got some catching up to do."
But before you could even think of a response you were interrupted again, "Fred, please let me hug my best mate, you can snog her later."
"Oh I will Georgie, don't doubt it."
George tackled you in a massive hug and lifted you off the ground. "George...can't breathe." He loosened his grip but left his hands on your shoulders as he pulled back, "sorry, just missed you Y/N."
"I missed you too, George," you told him, and then you reached up to touch his hair which was also short now.
"It's okay, Y/N, I'll wait while you tell me how handsome I am, too," George winked at you cheekily.
Fred laughed from where he leaned against the wall behind George, "I'm the better-looking twin though, I think that's quite obvious." George turned from you to swat at his brother but he missed as Fred Apparated and reappeared behind George, slapping the back of his head. They continued like that around the house and you rolled your eyes and turned to Ron and Ginny who were watching the whole scene unfold with amused expressions. You pulled them both into a tight hug and then you and the girls walked Ron to your bedroom to catch up.
Ron lay back on Hermione's neat bed and kicked off his shoes, folding his arms behind his head and crossing his ankles over each other. Hermione sighed and nudged his feet until he moved them and gave her space to sit cross-legged at the end of the bed. Ginny put down her bag of shopping from Diagon Alley on her own bed and sat down, pulling off her shoes and you sat down on the edge of yours.
"So," Ron started as he yawned loudly, "how's everyone's summer going?"
"Ronald, Y/N and I were just taken out of our homes out of the blue, brought to this house that doesn't exist unless you cast a spell to make it reveal itself, learned about a secret organisation that exists to fight against You-Know-Who, all in one evening, and you're asking how our summer is going?" Hermione looked at him incredulously.
Ron raised his eyebrows at her and studied her as if trying to figure out if that was a trick question, "um, yes?"
She sighed, "my summer is going fine, thank you. How is yours going, Ron?"
"Good, yeah. Thanks," Ron replied and then looked at you, "how about you, Y/N? Are you doing alright after...everything?"
You smile at him as you watch him attempt to phrase his question sensitively, "I'm doing okay Ron, thank you."
A casual conversation took over the room then and you were asking Ginny about her subject choices for school, and then a loud pop echoed and the twins were suddenly sitting on either side of you on your bed, making you almost jump out of your skin in fright.
"Merlin's Beard, you two! I know we can use magic and Apparate now, but you can still use your legs to walk across the bloody hall!" They shared a look over your head as you clutched your chest in fright.
"But where's the fun in that Y/N?" Fred asked you teasingly.
"It's a more efficient way to travel!" George said immediately after.
You rolled your eyes good-naturedly, "at least take me along with you next time," they laughed loudly at that, and then you all discussed whatever vague details you'd been told about the Order.
Ron told you that he'd also been instructed not to say anything to Harry, in fact, he'd essentially been told not to write to him at all since he has trouble keeping his mouth shut. You were surprised that Harry wasn't being brought along with you and Hermione, but apparently Dumbledore wanted to leave him out of the Order's business for as long as possible which completely bewildered you.
It was in the early hours of the morning before you knew it, and you all prepared to settle down for bed. Fred pecked your lips as you walked them out and George and Ron groaned dramatically in disgust, earning them both slaps on the back of the head from Fred as he caught up with them.
"Well I think it's sweet that you're finally together around his family," Hermione said as you settled into bed.
Ginny huffed a laugh and agreed, "it is sweet, just as long as I don't have to see you sticking your tongues down each other's throats I don't care."
"Sod off, Ginny," you said as you flung a cushion across the room in her general direction, and a burst of shocked laughter told you that you'd hit your target. The three of you cracked up and you ended up chatting quietly amongst yourselves until you fell into a peaceful sleep.