The air smelt sweet, a light breeze brushed past her, the auburn sky looked like a painting, as the birds above played a song in harmony. She brushed her hair from her face as someone sat down next to her, they hadn't aged a day.
"Where've you been?"
"I've been here the whole time, Star." he smiled softly.
She leant her head against his shoulder. "I miss you."
He kissed her temple.
The birds began to crow as a roar of thunder hit the sky which twisted into a black darkness.
"What's happening?" she asked, but when she looked beside her he was gone. "Peter? Pete?" She spun around, by the trees she saw his silhouette with his back to her. "What are you doing?"
As she walked towards him she noticed his wand was pointed at his forearm. "Pete? Peter, what did you do?"
He looked up, his eyes glossy. "I'm sorry," he whispered.
She stared down, the dark mark on his arm visible. Shaking her head she backed away. "No, no."
"I'm sorry, Star."
☽☆☾
Aries jolted awake, her chest heavy as she sat up.
Leo turned over and stroked her arm. "You okay?" he asked, sleepily.
"Yeah, just a bad dream." she shook her head, she swung her legs over the side of the bed. "I'm gonna get a glass of water."
He murmured okay, and she got up, heading down to the kitchen.
She grabbed a cup and ran it under the tap. She had been having the same dream ever since her visit.
She rubbed her eyes, looking at her reflection in the window. Aries took a large deep breath before downing the water.
She went back to bed hoping the bad dream wouldn't come back.
☽☆☾
"So, your brother just turns up out of the blue and tells you that your ex boyfriend killed everyone you know? And not only that but he's not actually been dead this whole time, he's actually alive?" Angelika asked. The two were sitting in the living room and Aries was telling her about what had happened a few nights ago.
Aries nodded, her knees to her chest while hugging her mug. "Yeah,"
"Not being funny Aries, but Peter didn't seem like the type to... you know murder people."
"I know."
"So you don't believe them?"
"I don't believe Sirius. But Remus... I don't think Remus would lie to me." she said, staring at the tea, she hadn't even touched it.
"Have you told Leo yet?"
"Told him last night, I wasn't going to but he noticed I hadn't been sleeping or eating properly so I told him after Dais went to bed."
Angelika nodded. "If Peter had... you know... done everything that they said he did, wouldn't you have known?"
Aries shrugged. "Remus said he obliviated me. I don't even know what to believe, Angie." she let out a sigh. "And if it's true, then Sirius has been in Azkaban this whole time for something he didn't even do."
"Azkaban is the prison, right?"
Aries nodded. "It's a horrible place, I remember my uncle telling me about it."
"It's probably not even true, Air, don't beat yourself up about it." Angelika said, looking down at her cup. "Another tea?"
"Nah, you're alright." Aries said, setting her cup on the side. Angelika walked out into the kitchen.
Aries leant back on the sofa, closing her eyes. She was tired. She'd not had a full night's sleep since the visit. A knock on the door pulled her out of her trance.
"I'll get it." she called out, walking towards the front door. As she opened the door she rolled her eyes.
In front of her stood Alastor Moody and Kingsley Shacklebolt.
"Black." Moody grunted a hello.
"It's Anderson." she said, sharply. "And I don't want to hear what you have to say."
She half closed the door when she heard an unfamiliar voice, "What about me?" Behind the two aurors was a young blonde girl, she looked like a child compared to them.
Aries shook her head, trying to remember who the girl was but she didn't recognise her. "Look I'm sorry, you came all this way but... I'm not interested-"
"It's Chloe."
Aries paused, taking another look at the young girl, she was no longer the gappy seven year old she once knew, she had to be in her twenties by now, "Chlo?"
Chloe nodded pushing through Moody and Kingsley. "Yeah, it's me."
Aries let out a breath. "You're so old."
"You can talk." Chloe grinned as they hugged, when Aries pulled away her eyes were glassy.
"The stuff they're saying," She whispered. "About Peter... is it true?"
Chloe took a hold of her hand, squeezing it lightly. "Yes. It's true."
Her heart dropped, she bit down hard on her lip. The whole time. The whole time he'd been alive. He'd let Sirius go down for his crimes, he'd hurt everyone she ever loved, he'd left her all alone.
"I'm so sorry, Aries."
"I need to see Sirius."
Moody grunted. "Not just yet. Can we come in now?"
Aries pulled open the door, letting them through into the living room.
"I know Black and Lupin were here a few nights ago. They told you about the Order reforming?"
"Uh, yeah. I heard about it-"
A loud crash cut her off, all their eyes turned towards the doorway where Angelika stood, the mug in shards by her feet.
Kingsley widened his eyes. "Angelika?"
She looked as though she could kill someone, but before she said anything she stormed off.
"I should-" Kingsley pointed, following her out.
Aries remembered that they had been on a few dates years ago, and Kingsley had stopped all contact after a while with no explanation. She knew how upset Angelika had been.
Moments later they heard her shouting from the hallway. Aries was silently glad she wasn't Kingsley. Chloe gave a look to Moody before performing a silencing charm on the door.
"Much better." he said, putting his walking stick down beside him.
Aries sat in front of them, her stomach churned, still the news hadn't settled in yet.
"The Order is reforming, we've already got a few people, and they're setting up headquarters as we speak." Moody said.
She nodded. "What do you need me to do?"
"Well... for starters we're going to need more people, seeing as the old Order..." he didn't finish his sentence.
Aries put her head down, remembering all her friends that hadn't made it through the first war, she missed them all dearly.
"I haven't done defensive spells in years." she said.
Chloe shrugged. "It's alright, I can help."
"Maxwells here has already received her auror qualifications, and her specialties are defensive spells." Moody said, he didn't look it but Aries could tell he was proud.
An unsure look touched Aries' face.
"We need all the people we can get, Aries." Chloe said, her young eyes full of encouragement. "We need to bring You-Know-Who down, and everyone else with him."
Aries thought of Peter, he had been on Voldemort's side, he was someone she would fear.
"We know your daughter is muggle-born." Moody gruffed, he kept his eyes on her, making her feel uneasy. "And you know what they'll do when they find out, they'll target her, and your husband."
"If I join you they'll be targeted as well."
"But we can offer them protection, they can stay at headquarters as well as you." he said.
Aries swallowed hard, Daisy had been so excited to go to Hogwarts, and Aries knew how hard it would be for her to be accepted by others as a Muggle-born, but if she joined the Order, she could make the wizarding world a better and safer place for her daughter.
Aries then nodded. "Okay. Where is the headquarters set up?"
Chloe gave a shifty look. "Sirius told us you're not going to like it."
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I've been rereading previous chapters and I got up to the betrayal one 😭😭😭 I really wish my brain wouldn't come up with plot lines that make me cry as well 😭😭
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Hope you enjoyed this chapter