"Thank you everyone for joining us," Dumbledore spoke, "if you're here, that means you are an official member of the order of the phoenix."
Spencer looked around at the people in Sirius' kitchen.
Trying to memorize faces.
"In times of darkness, unity becomes our greatest strength. Remember, it is our choices that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities" he continued. "The Order shall become more than an alliance; we will be a family bound by the strongest ties—those of loyalty, trust, and unwavering support. In this family, we find strength, solace, and the resilience to face the darkest of days. Together, we shall overcome, for family endures when all else falters."
"Think this is a cult?" Andrew whispered to Spencer.
She snorted, then tried to hide it with a cough.
Alastor Moody kept looking at her, as if she couldn't tell he was staring.
Or he did and he simply just didn't care.
She crossed her arms over her chest.
"As we all know, the ministry's plan is to deny the rise of Voldemort. Which is why the orders' operations must stay a secret. No one outside of this room should know what goes on" Moody spoke. "Speaking of secrets, we all have our own. In hard times, you will fight one another. You will get angry. You will use those very secrets against one another. This is a promise" he made sure to look around the room. "All I can say is, remember who the real enemy is, and why you're here in the first place."
He took a deep breath.
"Some of you will be targeted, some of will have to go into hiding. I'll go as far as to say some of you will spy... do things you're not proud of" he nodded. "We all know loss, and if you don't, prepare yourself... that is war."
"Very optimistic" Sirius nodded, giving him a thumbs up.
Moody ignored him, "this is our headquarters- no one outside of here knows the address. The only way for someone outside of here to come in is through Black, Dumbledore, or me. Meaning if you are bringing in new members we have to screen them first."
"We're still figuring out assignments, in the meantime Kingsley and Remus will be hosting defense lessons. Moody will pop in and out when he's not busy and on occasion have his own classes" Dumbledore added. "Please take as many as you can, we want to be prepared."
He took a look around the room, "if you're interested in healing, Severus will also hold his own sessions- Andromeda, though she is not an official member, will also host her own sessions to those interested."
A moment passed before he spoke again, "you're all free to go, or converse" he nodded.
People stood in a line and wrote down their names for the sessions Kingsley and Remus were offering.
Spencer turned to Andrew, "are you signing up?"
"Probably Kingsley's... you?"
"Sev offered to teach me himself" she shook her head.
"I'll be back" he nodded before walking up to the line.
She smiled at him as he walked away, she stared at the people around her.
The room was full, she wondered who they all were.
What they thought.
If they were scared.
"I didn't see you sign up" Moody went up to Spencer.
"Severus will be teaching me" she put her hair up, tying it back.
"He isn't an auror or a defense teacher."
"He's qualified" she replied.
His magical eye turned and looked at her forearm, the glamored one.
She put her arms behind her, weirded out.
"I'd like you to sign up with Kingsley or Lupin."
"What, don't trust him?" she asked.
"Kingsley or Lupin" he said before walking away from her.
She stared at his back, then felt someone staring at her.
She knew it was Remus, "Andy?" she walked up to him.
"Yeah?" he asked, stopping his conversation with Sirius.
"Home?"
"Hey- no- I barely get to see you now that-" Sirius stopped his sentence. He cleared his throat, "you never come over anymore" he stated.
"Miss me?"
"Very much so" he nodded. "Besides, you're the only one that has the time to visit."
"Hey!" she shoved his shoulder.
Andrew chuckled, Spencer gave him a sharp look.
"What! It's true" he shrugged.
She rolled her eyes, "I can't come over, besides you have a roommate now. He'll keep you company" she smiled.
She knew Remus was hearing this.
"You should still come have dinner with me, like you used to" he reached for her arms.
"I don't know... Andrew's become a better cook now" she shrugged.
"Then Andrew can come too" he smiled.
"Andrew's my friend, not yours" she shook her head.
"I can share" he smirked.
"Ew do not make me imagine a naked Spencer right now for the love of Merlin" Andrew shut his eyes in disgust.
"I didn't say anything" Sirius shrugged.
"Andrew is mine."
"Not for long" he winked at him.
Andrew blushed slightly.
"Down boy" she pointed at Sirius. "Come on, let's leave" she told Andrew. "I told Max I could cover for him tonight."
"Thought you and Mason were heading to the festival?" Andrew asked, getting his coat.
"Yeah we were, but we'll probably go tomorrow or something."
"Blah blah blah- you're coming to dinner on Saturday, understood? And I'm throwing a late birthday party for Remus- you're also coming to that too- both of you. It'll be an order get together, you know, an opportunity to bond."
"Is Sev coming?"
"No" he rolled his eyes.
"Then it's not an order get together" she replied.
"Can you please come?"
They looked at one another, both smirking once they realized the second meaning the sentence had.
"Gross, I'll wait outside" Andrew left the two alone.
"Please?" Sirius asked.
She took a deep breath, "I don't like parties."
"The security guard at the bar in Mexico knew you by name, I'm sure this will be fine."
"Yes but-"
"I don't think you'll be taking your shirt off and getting on a table-"
"Hey!" she looked around, making sure no one else heard him. "Shut up" she muttered.
"What? You have nice tits, there's no shame in showing them off" he smirked.
Suddenly a glass broke, everyone turned to look at it.
"Sorry guys! My magic is still a bit... funky" Sirius told everyone.
Everyone went back to their conversation, but Spencer knew it wasn't him.
"You didn't break that glass" Spencer spoke.
He looked back at Spencer, "Oh! Really? Then why don't we just tell everyone who really broke it and why" he smiled.
Remus walked up to them, then placed his hand on Sirius' shoulder.
"Remus! How wonderful of you to join us" he faced him. "I was just telling Spencer about the party I'm throwing you."
"I know."
"Right, well I have to go" Spencer turned around and walked to the door.
Sirius walked to her, turning her around and hugging her.
He kissed her head as she and Remus stared at one another.
"I love you" Sirius told her.
"I love you too" she replied, staring into Remus' eyes.
She held onto Sirius and kissed his cheek, "I love you" she repeated with closed eyes- wanting him to believe it.
She also wanted to show Remus that he didn't have her love.
He lost it.
"Come to the party. I'm not asking" he let her go.
"Ok" she nodded. "I'll come."
He chuckled lightly.
"Shut up" she shoved him softly before walking to the door.
"Hey" Remus called out from behind her.
Spencer turned around, awkwardly looking at the walls.
"Are you going to sign up for any of my lessons?"
She shrugged.
He nodded, staring at her for a few moments.
"I should go" she whispered.
"Yeah" he cleared his throat. "Bye."
She turned around and walked out of the door, grabbing Andrew's hand as they walked to the apparation point.
"He kept looking at you" Andrew spoke.
"I know, I could feel him looking" she nodded. "I look different" she shrugged.
"You also act different" he added. "No longer lovesick."
"Yeah... that too."
"You doing okay?"
"He's back" she answered. "I never thought he'd be back."
Andrew nodded.
"I just... I have to get used to him being back" she shrugged.
"Are we going to his party?"
"Of course we are" she rolled her eyes. "For Sirius."
"For Sirius" he nodded. "But we don't have to go if you don't want to."
"I know... but this is the reality. He's here and- we are just bound to be in each other's presence. There's no point in denying it."
──────⊱⁜⊰──────
Spencer rang the doorbell to Severus' home.
It was a quiet neighborhood, it looked sad and grey.
He opened the door.
"How did you get my address?" he asked, shocked at seeing her.
"Hi" she smiled. "Can I come in?" she asked before stepping inside.
"How did you know I was here?" he looked around the neighborhood before stepping back inside.
She looked around, "pretty" she complimented.
"Spencer-"
"I never thought about what your house might look like" she admitted. "Very homey... undungeon like" she joked.
"Who gave you my address?"
"Hi Spencer, how are you? What brings you about the neighborhood? Oh nothing, just thought it would be nice to visit" she smiled.
"I'm busy."
"You can multitask."
He walked out of the living room and went to his basement, she followed.
He had 8 pots brewing, she couldn't tell what.
"What do you need?"
"You're so mean- whatever happened to chit chat."
She got in her toes, her head hovering over one of the pots.
"I don't do chit chat" he pulled her back. "Don't do that."
She rolled her eyes, "Yes you do, with me, now ask."
He looked up at her, biting his tongue.
She smiled.
"What's... new" he said through his teeth.
"Hmm, piano lessons are going great" she replied. "And Mason gave me a camera he doesn't use anymore, he's going to teach me how to professionally take a photo."
He nodded lightly.
"... you don't like him" she noted.
"I haven't met him" he shrugged.
"Why don't you like him?"
He turned to look at her, sighing.
"Whenever I talk about him you're so uninterested, don't you care to find out what kind of man I'm hanging out with?"
He rested his hands on the table.
"Spencer, he has a child."
"She's not mine I can tell you that" she joked.
"You should not be in that situation."
"I like him-"
"You two are in different worlds" he shook his head.
"If Remus had a kid-"
"If" he noted. "He does not- the reason why I don't like Lupin is different than why I don't like Mason."
"So Remus or Mason?"
"What?"
"One or the other, Remus or Mason. Who is the man for me?"
"I thought you weren't going to get back together with Lupin after what he did."
"In this hypothetical world where they are the last two standing."
"I'm not doing this."
"Because you'd pick Remus?"
"Not doing this" he walked to the opposite side of the room and opened up his cabinet.
She chuckled.
"Why are you really here?" he asked.
"Moody wants me to sign up for training."
"I thought I told you to tell him it was going to be with me."
"I did..."
"And?"
"He repeated what he said and walked away from me. He doesn't trust you."
"I know that" he rolled his eyes.
"Why?" Spencer asked.
Severus looked up at her, it was almost as if he was stopping himself from speaking.
"A lot of people don't" he shrugged. "Someone once said I'm weird and off putting."
"My god, who said that" she acted fake shocked.
"This dumb twat, she's unimportant now."
"Hey! I am not dumb or a twat!"
He shrugged.