"Molly it's so nice to see you," Clarice hugged her friend as her, Severus, and Elio made their way in to Grimmauld Place for the meeting. She greeted the Order members that sat at the table and sat down along with them with Elio on her lap.
"Where's Harry?" She asked Hermione who sat next to Ron. Dinner was about to be served.
"Not here yet." She said. "Dumbledore said something about August."
"August?" Clarice sighed. "Bullshit. Sorry dear, excuse my language. Is Albus coming tonight?" She asked Remus who shook his head no. "Figures."
Once they finished dinner Clarice excused herself and gave Severus Elio.
"Fill them in on what we found out please. I'll be right back." She said while following Hermione and the other children up the stairs.
"Professor? What are you?" Hermione started.
"Shh!" Clarice pushed her and Ron into the nearest room.
"I'm going to get Harry." Clarice said.
"Can we come?" Ron asked and Clarice thought about it.
"Don't tell your mother, alright?" She told them before grabbing their arms and apparating outside of Harry's home.
"Do you reckon I should knock?"
"They're scum people I think you should blow down the door." Ron muttered.
"Tempting..." Clarice spoke before knocking on their door, but no one answered. "Well, I tried. Hang on."
She grabbed them and apparated into Harry's bedroom.
"Bloody hell!" Harry nearly fell off his bed.
"Shh! Merlin do you want them to hear you? Get your shit together Potter." Clarice said while grabbing Hedwig's cage and her other necessities.
"What are you doing here?"
"Just dropping in for a visit." Clarice said while checking the time. "You really should have been packed already. You know we always randomly break you out of here."
"Almost done..." Harry muttered.
"We'll replace anything you forgot." Clarice said. "Ready?"
And with another blink of an eye they were back at Grimmauld place in the bedroom.
"If anyone asks, just say Dumbledore brought you. Alright?" Clarice told him.
"Where even are we?" Harry asked.
"The Order of the Phoenix. It's where Sirius lives pretty much. It's Headquarters." Hermione filled him in on everything she knew.
"What's the Order?" Harry asked and Clarice left Hermione to answer his other questions and padded back down towards the dining room. As Remus was entering a new topic of discussion, Clarice sat down quietly next to Severus who handed Elio back over to his mom. He reached out to hug her tightly.
On the other side of her was Sirius who was listening intently to what Remus was saying.
"I know we have gathered as many allies as we can, but we need more. Albus has asked me once again to remind you all how important it is to try and persuade anyone and their mother. Whether it be at the grocery store, Diagon Alley, the bars, you name it." He rambled on.
"You told them about Elio's adventure?"
"Correct."
"And about the Dark Lord?"
"Of course."
"And about-"
"Christ Claire. Yes I told them everything." He spoke.
"I was just making sure Sev. No need to raise your voice." She gave him a weird look. Once Remus finished his talk and announced the meeting over, Severus excused himself and walked out of the room. Clarice quickly followed suit.
"What's wrong?" She asked him when she caught him in the hallway, Elio perched on her hip uncomfortably.
"I'm heading home. Are you staying?" He asked her abruptly.
"I'd like to hang around if that's alright. Catch up with everyone."
"Do you want me to take Eli?"
"That's fine with me." She handed him over and kissed Elio's forehead before pecking Severus on the cheek. "I'll see you later."
"Bye," He spoke before apparating. Clarice knew something was up, but she truly didn't want to try and pry it out of him and make a scene in front of everyone. Instead she plastered a smile on her face and made her way into the dining room.
"Severus leave?" Molly asked her as she sat down next to her on the couch.
"Yeah Elio has to go to bed shortly. He told me I could hang around longer. I missed you all." Clarice spoke.
"He was probably just looking to get out of here." She heard Sirius say.
"Shut it Sirius." Remus snapped at him.
"What do you mean?" Clarice furrowed her brows at Sirius. "Did you two get in an argument?"
"You can't hide anything from her mate. I told you." Remus said while sipping a glass of brown liquor.
"We only had a slight disagreement." Sirius coughed.
"About?"
"It was nothing important." Sirius took a sip of his drink.
"Must I pry Sirius?" She squinted at the man.
"Just tell her Sirius," Remus said.
"Tell me what?" She smirked.
"We just got into a little fuss is all." He said nonchalant.
"About?" She pressed on.
"About his... loyalty."
"Hm," Clarice pressed her lips together. "And dear tell me, where his loyalty lie?"
"Er." He stuttered.
"And if you question his, do you dare question mine?" She asked back. She noticed Molly sit back with a hidden smirk.
"You guys went to dinner with the Malfoys! What are we supposed to suspect? You guys are buddies with them, friends even perhaps." Sirius said and she heard Molly suck in a breath of air sharply.
"We aren't "buddies" with them Sirius. He's acting under Dumbledore's order to spy on them. In order to do that, he has to be friendly with them. I know how it looks to an outsider, but I'll be the first to say we are anything but Deatheaters." Clarice said calmly although she could feel her face getting hot and red with anger.
Sirius said nothing for a moment after Remus spoke up about behaving and acting right.
"Could have fooled me," Clarice heard Sirius say under his breath. Thinking only Remus had heard him, Sirius sat back and looked up and all eyes were on him.
"You better watch that mouth of yours, Sirius." Molly spoke up.
"Sorry, but he's out getting all of this new information about the return and being productive, whilst you're doing what exactly?" Clarice put the attention back on Sirius.
"How can we trust a man who so easily switches sides is all I'm saying." Sirius sipped his drink and Clarice furrowed her brows.
"Ironic of you to say that."
"How so?"
"Seeing as... didn't your best friend?" She started while staring daggers at the man sitting across from her. "You know Peter, right?"
"Didn't he switch sides also? And ultimately killed your other best friends?" She hesitated to say the last part. Unfortunately, she had to say it. Sirius was way out of line. The room felt eerily silent; no one dared clear their throat, shuffle in their seat, or even sip from their drink. Clarice didn't say another word the rest of the evening.
Eventually discussions were picked back up, Clarice however had zoned out. She knew she should have never brought up Lily and James in front of Sirius, but especially Remus who had excused himself the second someone mustered up the courage to change the subject. She knew she had to defend the man she loved though, especially since he wasn't present. In fact, she's glad Severus wasn't there. He would have bluntly told him as it was. That's why your friend is dead, he would have said.
It wasn't until Molly nudged her where she brought back from her trance.
"Hm?"
"Tea?" She offered.
"Please." Clarice accepted and followed her into the kitchen where Remus sat. Molly handed her the cup and went back into the living area.
"Remus," Clarice started. "I apologize for my behavior. I'm sorry for bringing that up."
"No Claire, it's alright. Sirius needed to hear that. Him and Severus got into a rather ugly debate during the meeting while you were out." Remus replied.
"That bad?" She asked.
"Severus had to hand Elio to Molly."
"Oh," Was all she said. "I thought they were finally getting along."
"As was I. It is what is. Can't force them to be best friends."
"No, but they should at least be decent towards one another. Ya know?" She sat down in the seat next to him.
"Yeah I know." Remus sighed.
"Are you alright?" Clarice asked him.
"Doing alright. Just feeling tired is all." He replied.
"The full moon is next week." She reminded him.
"I'm well aware."
"Have you ever thought about mixing around with the wolfsbane potion?"
"How so?"
"I dunno, just trying something new. Experimenting?" She asked.
"I'm not very good with potions. I can't even brew it myself." He added.
"Do you trust me?" She asked.
"Of course I trust you."
"I'm going to make your potion for you this week. It will be a trial and error, but I think I have a few ideas."
"Claire, you don't have to."
"I want to." She noticed how glum he looked and how run down he had been. She placed a hand on his slouched back and rubbed gently.
"How do you plan on doing this?" He asked.
"Well... If wolfsbane helps keep your mind... I reckon we can find a way to keep your body too. Like I said, it's going to take some trial and error." She said. "Let me play around and get back to you. Would you like to come for dinner and help me out tomorrow?"
"That would be nice. Thank you." He smiled to her.
"I best be going now." Clarice stood up. I'll see you tomorrow." She squeezed his shoulder and said goodbye to everyone in the living area. She apparated up stairs to where the children were spying on their conversations.
"Behaving?" She said scaring them all.
"Never." Fred and George said at the same time.
"Some things never change." She smiled. "I'm leaving. I'll see you all next month. If you want to drop in any time that's fine by me, just let your parents know, send me an owl, or whatever."
"You want to have us over?" Fred asked.
"If you would like to I wouldn't say no." She laughed.
"Can we all come for supper one day?"
"I could host a party with everyone." Clarice thought.
"No no no no," George shook his head. "Just us kids yeah?"
"Oh well, we'll have to see about that."
"That could be fun." Hermione piped up.
"Dinner with Professor Snape?" Ron scoffed. Hermione smacked him.
"You could learn a thing or two from him Ronald." She said and Clarice giggled.
"Yeah like how to get a date while looking like a- Nevermind." Fred quickly shut his mouth when Clarice shot him a look.
"Behave!" Clarice reminded them before hugging them and apparating back to her home.
"Sev? I'm home."
"In here," He called from the family room.
"Elio isn't asleep yet?" She asked.
"Wanted his mum." Severus said with his nose in a book and his glasses perched on his nose.
"Oh alright," She scooped Elio up. "We gotta get you to sleep. Uncle Remus is coming over tomorrow."
"Uncle Remus?" Severus snorted.
"He's practically family. Right? Close enough." Clarice smirked.
"Why is he coming over?"
"Messing around with Wolfsbane. When was the last time a wizard tried something new for werewolves?" Clarice asked.
"Probably centuries ago? No one uh messes with that stuff."
"Right, I forgot werewolves are terrible people and deserve to be punished." Clarice rolled her eyes.
"So what? You're gonna tinker with it?"
"Yeah, what's the worst that could happen?" She shrugged her shoulders.
"Well you could kill him for one. That potion is dangerous. One wrong stir he's done for it."
"Well I won't mess up." She smiled at him.
"How can you be so sure?"
"Uhh because I can see the future? Duh." She showed off her necklace and winked.