In the Burrow they all had finished their meal and waited for dessert. Fred, George, Mrs. Weasley, Bree and Ron were in the kitchen and the twins were playing with something from their shop.
Bree was helping Mrs. Weasley and we're very very often glancing at Fred who were sometime himself looking at her seeing if he made her laugh and sometimes winked and flirted with her. Jokingly or not.
Harry was sitting in the living room with Tonks, Remus and Mr. Weasley and talking.
"Voldemort has chosen Draco Malfoy for a mission?" Remus asked Harry.
"I know it sounds mad"
"Has it occurred to you Harry, that Snape was simply pretending to offer Draco help so he could find out what he was up to?"
"That's not what it sounded like"
"Perhaps Harry's right, Remus. To make an Unbreakable Vow, it's-"
Remus interrupted Tonks. "It comes down to whether or not you trust Dumbledore's judgment. Dumbledore trusts Snape, therefore do I"
"Dumbledore can make mistakes, he said so hims-"
"You're blinded by hatred"
"I'm not"
"Yes you are. People are disappearing, Harry, daily. We place our trust in a handful of people, if we start fighting amongst ourselves, we're doomed"
Tonks made a signal for Harry not saying anymore, and then stood up and left.
Remus also stood up and left.
Ginny came with a plate of cakes, sitting beside Harry and that made Mr. Weasley take the clue to leave himself.
"Open up, you. Don't you trust me?"
Harry took a bite from the cake in Ginny's hand. "It's good".
Ron came into the living room with a plate of other cakes and sat in between Harry and Ginny. "Yeah. I'll just... get.. yeah".
Suddenly it git extremely awkward between them all. "Pie?"
"Not for me, no"
Ron took a pie himself and ate it.
*
In the kitchen only Fred and Bree was left. Mrs. Weasley and the other adults did something and George were going to get something.
"So, how's school going?" Fred asked leaning a bit closer over the counter towards Bree.
"Well. It's boring now when you and George left school. Nothing is happening, really" she shrugged and tried to sound normal.
"Yeah? Of course it is. But how's life going then? Any guy you like?" He asked and waited for her answer on his last question more anxiously.
"Life's good.. for now" she mumbled the last part. "And, there's no good guy in school. Because he left last year"
"Who is the lucky guy then?"
Bree's heart picked up even more now that she saw that he leaned even closer to her and his eyes flickering down to her lips.
"Well, the guy is... handsome. Very. He's funny, and he really doesn't want to get outside my head. Always, succeeding in making me laugh" she said in a low voice.
"Mhm. And his name is...?"
They leaned in even closer, really not noticing it themselves and they leaned in so close to their noses almost touched. Getting butterflies down their stomachs.
They nearly leaned in more but they heard footsteps behind Fred and immediately backed away from each other looking rather disappointed.
Harry stood there confused in the kitchens entrance and Bree cleared her throat awkwardly and ate a pie.
Fred excused himself and walked away from the kitchen.
"Did I miss something? I mean, it looked like you two kissed"
"Oh, no. We didn't kiss. I wish though" she said the last part with a cough making it hard for Harry to catch up.
"Brilliant. Uhm.. well then"
"You've known me your entire life. Stop being so awkward with me"
"Brilliant"
"Ugh"
**
Harry and Mr. Weasley we're walking out together out to the barn and got inside.
"You'll have to forgive Remus. It takes its toll, his condition"
"Are you alright Mr. Weasley?"
"We're being followed, all of us. Most days, Molly doesn't leave the hose. It's not been easy"
"Did you get my owl?"
"Yes, I did. If Dumbledore's traveling, then that's news to the Ministry but perhaps that's the way Dumbledore wants it. As for Draco Malfoy I know a bit more"
"Go on"
"I sent an agent to Borgin and Burkes. I think, from the way you described what you, Ron and Bree saw in the summer the object that Draco is so interested in is a vanishing cabinet"
"A vanishing cabinet?"
"They we're all the rage when Voldemort first rose to power. You can see the appeal. Should Death Eaters come knocking, one simply had to slip inside and disappear for an hour or two. They can transport you anywhere. Tricky contraptions though, very temperamental"
"What happened to it? The one at Borgin and Burkes?"
"Nothing. It's still there"
**
Remus and Tonks were on their way to leave the house. Remus looked at the wheat bushes as if someone was there while Tonks spoke to Mrs. Weasley. "It was delicious, Molly, really"
"Are you sure you won't stay?"
"No, we should go. The first night of the cycle's always the worst" Tonks whispered the last sentence.
"Remus?" Mr. Weasley asked.
"Sweetheart"
Thy saw absolutely nothing out there and he tried to listen if he heard anybody.
Bree was sitting alone in the living room reading some news. And she had this terrible feeling that something were going to happen.
Harry were looking out if the window on the stairs and Ginny walked upstairs to him.
When he saw her, he stood up.
"Has Ron fine to bed?"
"Uhm.. not yet. No"
"Shoelace" Ginny said and went down tying Harry's shoelace.
She stood up now very close to Harry. "Merry Christmas, Harry"
"Merry Christmas"
They leaned closer to each other but pulled away when they saw fire surrounding the house outside.
Bree saw what was happening and ran over to the door. The adults looked with wide eyes and then Bellatrix apparated in.
Tonks and Remus took out their wands and Harry ran downstairs.
Bellatrix ran away and Bree already at the door followed after her. "Ambree! No! Come back"
Harry also ran out after her. "Harry, no!"
"Remus!" Tonks said and ran after him.
Harry ran out from the fire out to the field.
Tonks and Remus were trying to separate the fire.
Ginny were also running out. "Ginny!"
She jumped over the separated fire before it closed itself after Mr. Weasley ran after her.
"I killed Sirius Black! I killed Sirius Black" Bellatrix shouted while the twins ran after her in anger. "You coming to get me? Harry, Ambree, can you get me? You coming to get me?"
Bree were still running when Harry stopped and looked around when he didn't hear anything.
Then he continued to run, also so nothing would happen to Bree alone.
Ginny were standing alone in an open circular place and heard someone coming toward her.
"Harry? Bree?"
But it was none other than Fenrir Greyback slowly walking towards her smirking while she backed away.
Then Harry and Bree came behind her that moment. Harry went infront of Ginny.
"Stupefy"
He blocked the spell and apparated away.
They held out their wands and turned around at every single sound they heard.
"Harry! Ambree!" They heads and Bellatrix also looked to who it was.
Spells were sent towards the trio of teenagers who stood back to back against each other and blocked the spells that were sent to them.
"Ginny!"
Remus and Tonks found them fighting against the spells and stood prepared themselves but a the spells stopped but they still stood prepared.
Mr. Weasley also joined to stand prepared for anything.
But soon enough, the Death Eaters apparated away and attacked the burrow.
They all looked towards the Burrow. "Molly"
Mr. Weasley said and they all ran back towards the Burrow.
When they got back, the entire family stood outside and looked at their Burrow burning down.
**
Back in school, Hermione and the twins were walking in the corridor and Hermione looking down to the Daily Prophet.
Ministry disappearances continue.
And a picture of Amelia Bones.
"It's so easy for them to get to you. You're bloody lucky you weren't killed. You have to realize who you are. Both of you"
Bree didn't bother to answer.
"I know who I am, Hermione, alright?" He said annoyed and in kind of rude tone. "Sorry"
They accidentally approached Ron and Lavender sitting at a window. "Lav, come on. Of course I'll wear it"
"That's my Won Won" she said and hugged him.
Harry looked out of the window next to them and Bree looked with raised eyebrows down to the floor.
"Excuse me, I have to go and vomit" Hermione said and walked away.
Harry nodded an 'hi' to Ron who looked after help towards him and Lavender jumped on his back and laughed while thy walked away from them.
"It's starting to get really awkward. It's painful to watch"
"Oh? You're telling me?" Harry said sighing. "By the way, since the Burrow incident I really don't want you to go outside unless it's necessary. Not without me at least"
Bree frowned. "There are protective charms around the school's ground. Nothing will happen to me, ever"
"Can you just.. not do it. It really wouldn't help of the only person keeping me absolutely sane would disappear. I just don't want to lose anymore family, alright?"
"Alright"
"Thank you"
She rolled her eyes and let out a snoring sound which sounded more like a pig.
**
Once again, Dumbledore called over the twins to look at a memory. And this time it was Slughorn's memory with Tom Riddle.
They dived into the pensieve and saw Slughorn sitting with young boys around the table. One of them being young Tom Riddle.
"I'd like to know where you get your information. More knowledge than half the staff, you are"
The students laughed and one of them loked curiously at Slughorn. "Sir, is it true that Professor Merrythoght is retiring?"
"Now, Tom. I couldn't tell you if i knew, could I? By the way, thank you for the pineapple. You're quite right, it is my favorite. But how did you know?"
"Intuition"
"Gracious. Is it that time already? Off you go boys, or Professor Dippet will have us all in detention"
All of the boys walked away, and Tom being the only one left hit the hourglass with his finger making it ring.
"Look sharp, Tom. Don't want to be caught out of bed after hours. Is something on your mind, Tom?"
"Yes, sir. You see, I couldn't think of anyone else to go to. The other professors. Well, there not like you. They might misunderstand"
"Go on"
"I was in the library the other night, in the Restricted section and I read something rather odd. About a bit of rare magic. And I thought perhaps you could illuminate me. It's called as I understand it..."
The last thing he said were muffled so you couldn't hear what the word Tom said was, but it seemed to be bad because Slughorn's eyes widened and he looked mad. "I beg your pardon? I don't know anything about such things, and if I did, I wouldn't tell you! Now, get out of here at once and don't let me ever catch you mentioning it again!"
The twins got out of the pensive.
"Confused? I'd be surprised if you weren't"
"Well, I don't understand. What happened?"
"This is perhaps the most important memory I've collected. It is also a lie. This memory had been tampered with by that same person whose memory it is, our old friend, Professor Slughorn"
"But why would he tamper with his own memory?"
"I suspect he's ashamed of it"
"Why?"
"Why, indeed? I asked you two to get to know Professor Slughorn, and you have done so. Now, I want you to persuade him to divulge his true memory any way you can"
"We don't know him that well, sir"
"This memory is everything. Without it, we are blind. Without it, we leave the fate of our world to chance. You have no choice. You must not fail"
They nodded.
When they walked away from the Gargoyle leading to Dumbledore's office, Bree spoke to Harry. "I really understand his desperation. But why would he put such a large thing on our shoulders to bear? Manipulating. Is he that lazy so he can't do it himself?"
"Stop complaining about him. He's trying to help you know, and complaining won't change a thing"
"Of course not. It's not that you're blinded by manipulation from him saying that we have no choice to persuade him to get his memory when he can do that himself and not some school students who's trying to have at least one single peaceful year"
"Blinded by manipulation? You're being delusional, Bree. Do you want to save this world or not?"
"Of course I do. But doing one thing himself won't harm him. Through the years we've always done things for him. And you know Snape? He cleared his name whilst he wasn't being innocent. But Sirius when he knew he was innocent? Didn't even try. Fourth year? Putting you through a dangerous Tournament. Last year? Ignoring you because he thought we'd be safe. So yeah. Your blinded by manipulation"
"He made mistakes. Everyone makes mistakes, Bree. How brilliant you think you are, you also make mistakes"
"I never said I don't. But everyone can see how big his mistakes are and he's doing it over and over again. Those are going to get him killed. And he won't be here to protect us will he? And once again the Death Eaters are gonna be going after us"
"If you're gonna complain about this, then let me do it yourself" He said with a more raised voice.
"Fine then" she said and left.
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