The breakfast table was quiet in the morning. Kreacher cooked and you sat eating porridge while waiting for the others to get ready. You had gotten up before them so you were fully dressed already. Padfoot's bowl of food was on the table as well instead of the floor. Upstairs, the sound of a shower finally stopped. You almost dropped your spoon of porridge when your friends came running into the kitchen.
"That room upstairs, R.A.B., it's the same initials as the letter that was in the fake locket."
"Upstairs? Oh, Dad's brother. Regulus Arcturus Black. He was a Death Eater, we don't talk about that or go into his room."
Kreacher jumped onto the table, grabbing the fake locket out of Harry's hands. You were all in a bit of shock at that. Kreacher never behaved that way after he and Sirius got on friendly terms. The elf was just staring at the locket like it was a baby. It took three calls of you yelling his name to snap him out of it.
"When I took Master Malfoy home, Kreacher made a mistake," he said. "Left Mundungus."
"What was Mundungus Fletcher doing in our house? I said to never let him in after Dad died."
"Master Lupin said he was an Order member and they needed his help to fight at Hogwarts, said to—"
"Never mind, Kreacher. I'm not mad at you. I'll be speaking with Uncle Remus."
Harry took the locket. "What did Mundungus do? What mistake did you make?"
"Stole the locket, Master Regulus' things! Tried to take Mistress (Y/N)'s things, stole your journal! Kreacher failed Master Regulus' orders!"
You quickly scooped him up before he could reach for one of the heavy cast iron skillets in the kitchen. That was something you and Sirius never quite learned how to stop Kreacher from hurting himself if he felt like he failed orders— you weren't even sure why house-eleves did that. When Kreacher finally froze up, you set him down. He wiped his nose on his shirt and told you all the story of how Regulus got the locket in the first place.
"Dobby!" Harry called out. "Bring us Mundungus Fletcher."
Kreacher willingly went with Dobby, feeling like he needed to make up for something. There was nothing to do but wait for the elves to come back which you thought would have taken a few hours out most. But night fell and neither Dobby or Kreacher were back. And then the next night fell and the same thing happened. Ron passed by the window to see two hooded men standing outside. He called you all over.
"Death Eaters."
"They can't see us but this means we can't leave."
The thought didn't bring you much comfort. Everyone retreated to the living room, feeling better once away from the front of the house. Waiting made you all antsy. It also turned into Ron having a habit of clicking the lights on and off as he played with the deluminator. That led to constant fighting between him and Hermione who was trying to read anything and everything that could help against Voldemort. You got up first, not being able to handle the arguments after another night of the house-elves not showing up. Harry followed quickly after.
He had seen your room a few times but that was back in fifth year. No one came to Grimmauld the entire sixth year because they thought you needed time. Harry found your room to have a calming effect. It was the same feeling he had whenever he was just near you. He came up behind you and wrapped his arms around you. You both moved to the large beanbag in the corner of your room.
"Harry?"
"Yes?"
"What do you want to do when this is over?"
"Be an Auror," he said definitively.
"Really? You don't want to sit down?"
"It won't stop with Voldemort. There's always dark wizards, I want none of them to ever think they can get as big as Voldemort. What do you want?"
"Run my store, I was thinking of making it a cafe. I might take McGonagall's offer to teach alchemy for real, this year is another test run. I just want a quiet life."
"Quiet," Harry muttered.
"Is that not what you want?"
"It's different."
Different tended to mean bad. You didn't realize that Harry was still dead set on being an Auror. You thought after Dumbledore that he wouldn't. Last year made you realize a lot of things. Actually, Sirius' death did. Running around wasn't your style. Especially as a banshee. You didn't want to constantly be worried about people. You didn't want to feel chills or hear whispers. Easy and quiet. That was the dream.
"What are you thinking about?" Harry asked.
You shook your head and just relaxed against him. Harry poked at your cheeks, prodding you to tell him. When you didn't say anything, he tilted your head back. You bit your lip as you smiled. Harry thought you would tell him but you stayed quiet. He pressed a bunch of kisses all over your face, telling you to tell him in between every single one. He gave up and just kissed you when he realized that he wasn't going to get a word out of you. You let him keep kissing you despite your head being in a mildly uncomfortable angle. This was worth it, you thought. You could handle Harry always leaving if it meant he came home and you could just lay in his arms and kiss him. Or you could learn to. But could you handle him always being in danger? Would he give it up if you two wanted kids one day? You and Harry were usually on the same page about things but not this time.
"Do you want food?"
"Sure."
The two of you got up, walking past Hermione and Ron who were still arguing. You heard the clicking of metal, making you both move a bit faster. Harry pulled out his wand— his arm held back to make sure you were behind him. The door to your house slowly opened.
"Don't move," Harry commanded as he pointed his wand.
"Hold your fire. It's Remus!" The voice said quickly.
Remus stepped out of the shadows.
"What's my patronus?" Harry asked.
Remus chuckled. "That's a good one, not many people know. It was a stag and now it's a badger."
Harry lowered his wand and you ran to Remus.
"Where's Tonks, Andromeda? Are you—"
"We're okay. They went back to Andromeda's old house, you need to be there too. This isn't safe. They're watching Grimmauld, I had to apparate with no mistakes."
"We know. We saw them yesterday."
You all left the front room and entered the living room. Ron and Hermione stopped arguing but only because they were so happy to see another face that wasn't you or Harry. Remus handed out a few butterbeers. Everyone was safe but the Ministry was gone. Voldemort, the Ministry of Magic, and Death Eaters all meant the same thing. A puppet named Pius Thicknesse was the acting Minister of Magic— he was under the Imperius Curse. Even the Daily Prophet was now under Voldemort's control. There weren't deaths amongst wizard families yet but it was a matter of time. You all got lucky at the wedding. You wouldn't get lucky again. Remus pulled out the latest Daily Prophet. The headline was loud and clear.
Ron scoffed. "They can't seriously be accusing Harry of killing Dumbledore."
Remus nodded. "If (Y/N) wasn't a banshee or squib they would've accused her too. As far as anyone knows, you two were the only ones who saw Dumbledore before he died. They won't print if anyone else was there."
"They want to discredit Harry," Hermione said. "Make everyone question if he's on the right side."
"That's not it." Remus flipped the page.
You gasped reading it. The Ministry was saying that muggleborns somehow stole magic and needed to be punished. Those that couldn't prove close relatives as witches or wizards were going to be taken into the Ministry and questioned. Those that registered themselves to a Muggleborn Registration Commission would be let off without punishment. You knew that lie wouldn't last very long.
"He's making schooling mandatory," Remus said. "They're going to weed out the muggleborns that way because all students have to confirm blood status before attending... they want the squibs there too."
"I'm not staying away from Hogwarts, Uncle Remus."
"Merlin's Beard, you are just like Sirius. (Y/N), please. Go to Andromeda and stay with us."
"They won't touch me. Voldemort won't let them. I'll stay as long as Voldemort thinks we're still connected."
"Thinks you're still connected? But why wouldn't... who are you..."
You jumped as Remus practically shot out of his chair. He grabbed Harry by his shirt collar— the younger man didn't protest.
"Did you use the Cruciatus Curse on my daughter? Did you hurt her?!" A growl left his throat.
You didn't miss the way that Remus didn't say goddaughter. If she was there, you were sure that Tonks would have the biggest grin on her face because she would be right about Remus' parenting. You put a hand on Remus' arm.
"I asked him to. It was better than Voldemort, Harry would have never done it if I didn't ask."
Remus slowly let go of Harry, still fuming a bit. Kreacher appeared in front of you.
"Dobby has the traitor in the kitchen."
You nodded at Harry, Ron, and Hermione. Fletcher and the horcruxes was their mission. You stayed with Remus in the living room. He looked at you before moving to the couch. Remus inspected your neck as if one cut would make him set off on Harry again.
"Is Hogwarts necessary, (Y/N)?" he asked. "If Voldemort finds out you aren't connected, he might have them kill you."
"I don't know where else I can help. I'm a squib but I'm also the only known banshee, I can't just sit back. I don't get to."
"I don't like the thought of you going back. You should be with us at Andromeda's house."
"And let Voldemort try to destroy the protection charms to get his banshee back?"
"I guess I can't force you."
"I'll be an adult in a month, even if you want me to come with you. I'll just leave after."
Remus nodded solemnly. He left shortly after to go take care of Tonks and Andromeda. You went to the kitchen just as Kreacher left with Mundungus. Harry confirmed that they had the information that they needed. They just needed a good time to finally leave Grimmauld.
That time didn't come quickly. Death Eaters were still watching the place. Kreacher and Dobby had been getting all the food so you wouldn't use any that had been in Hermione's purse. The trio practiced spells and made plans while you felt mildly useless. Multiple times they said that wasn't true. After all, they wouldn't be in Grimmauld if it wasn't for you. They had taken a short break from working. Harry went downstairs to find you after you left an hour ago. You were in the kitchen. It was a bit silly but he knocked on the open door anyway. You told him to come in and he did, closing the door behind him. As he got closer, he could see you were playing with the Resurrection Stone while looking at the Daily Prophet. Snape was made Headmaster— you had expected such. You were going to Hogwarts soon and the other three were going to be attempting to steal a locket from the Ministry of Magic. You got up to dig around the refrigerator. You held up some cherry syrup.
"I learned how to make my own Shirley Temple," you said, shaking the cherry syrup bottle.
Harry chuckled as you made two drinks. You both decided to stay sat in the kitchen. Harry knocked on the table wood.
"I like eating in here more than the dining room."
"Me too, everyone seems closer together in the kitchen. It'll be nice when Tonks gives birth. I think Grimmauld would seem happier with a baby around."
"Do you know when she's due?"
"Well we found out almost right away so it's only been a month or two. She's due in spring, either March or April. They were going to tell everyone the day after the wedding. Then everything went to shit."
"We'll stop Voldemort. He won't get away with this for much longer... shouldn't you be leaving for Hogwarts now? Where's your stuff?"
"Already at the school, I'm not taking the train. Kreacher and I are just going to apparate, I wish I could do it on my own. I want to go with you."
"You know I want that too. It's only because you're a squib, nothing else, I wish you could come with us too."
You gave Harry a small nod before downing the rest of your drink.
Harry pulled you to him. "I love when you taste like Shirley Temple."
"Then kiss me."
His hands pressed on your backside until you were on him. It was the same as a few nights ago. Sweet kisses were gone and replaced with ones of desperation. You pulled apart and rested your foreheads against each other. Your eyes crossed as you tried to look at Harry.
"Harry?"
"Yes?"
"This'll be the last time I see you for a while," you whispered. "You're gone after I leave Grimmauld, I'm going to miss you. I love you."
"I love you, too."
"Harry?"
"Yes?" He asked, amused that you constantly said his name.
"This feels like a farewell."
"It's not, just a goodbye," Harry said with assurance.
Kreacher met you in the kitchen— Ron and Hermione were behind him. You stood up, not ready to leave. You gave your friends a little wave of goodbye. Ron and Hermione hugged you. You didn't catch the last word they said before you and Kreacher were standing outside the gates of Hogwarts. You walked through and into the castle. There was almost no sign of life and you knew the students hadn't arrived yet. You didn't know what else to do but knock on Professor Sprout's office door.
"(Y/N)," she said cheerfully and pulled you into a hug. "Do you want tea?"
"I'm alright, thank you. Professor—"
"It's Pomona, you're faculty now."
"I'm technically in seventh year still."
"You didn't get the letter? Flitwick passed you for finishing Charms. Snape said you've completed Defense Against the Dark Arts as well. I signed it myself."
"But I still had this year to go, I'm no—"
"The Carrows are taking certain classes. Defense Against the Dark Arts doesn't exist anymore. It's the Dark Arts. Minerva and I pleaded for you to be taken out before they try something... it is good to have you here but please keep your head down."
"I understand."
"Good."
"Um, Profe— Pomona, Dumbledore's will said that I get his office?"
"Yes! Severus was livid but honored the will. It's yours to use. You need to set a password. Just go tell the statue and it'll change."
"Okay, if I'm no longer a seventh year, where do I sleep?"
"The Headmaster's office is connected to a sleeping chamber. Your stuff should already be there, your house-elf dropped it off in your old prefect's room but we fixed that right away."
"Oh. Well, I guess I'll just go then."
"(Y/N)," Sprout lowered her voice. "If anything happens or if you get any word from Mr. Potter, tell me and Minerva or even Hagrid. We've received Dumbledore's final letters. We know to wait."
"I will, Professor."
"Pomona."
"Right, I'll remember that."
You left Sprout's office to go up to Dumbledore's office which was now yours. You weren't dumb. Dumbledore wanted no one in his office to find whatever he had hidden in there. There were going to be things you probably had to find or use. Maybe he knew how to stop Voldemort without any more killings. You pushed that thought out of your head because you knew it wasn't correct. You froze when you saw Snape standing in front of the statue that led to Dumbledore's office. Some of the Death Eaters were with him. You felt like a piece of meat as they stared.
"Headmaster," you said quietly.
"I don't know why Dumbledore left you this."
"I don't either."
"You'll do well to mind your business while at Hogwarts this year," Snape sneered.
"I plan on it."
He grabbed your arm. "And even think of speaking to Harr—"
"We broke up, I don't even know where he is."
Snape blinked. "You don't?"
You squeezed your eyes shut and sniffled. "Right before Bill's wedding. I had to go alone! H-he said he couldn't be with a banshee, n-not in the real world."
The Death Eaters laughed. "Potter doesn't realize the power he would've had. Let's go, the students should be here soon. Time to see whose muggleborn."
Snape let go of you and went with the rest of them. You whispered a new password into the statue and raced up the stairs leading to the office. You only breathed when you were in safety. The lie might have given you some distance and you were glad you thought of it quickly. You began to think maybe this was why Dumbledore left you his office. You were going to need a place to hide and this was not going to be an easy time.