The following morning I flooed to my parents with Sage and Nora following with a Disaludment charms on. We got there and I was surprised no alarm went off. Martin walked in and I nodded. He bowed his head.
"Follow me," I followed him nervously. I could feel Nora and Sage clinging to my robes. I put on the only robes I owned, I knew I needed to appease my parents at least until I could fight. With luck, I wouldn't have to see them. The dream was to leave upon entry to my old room. Martin opened the door to my room and I shuddered walking in. He closed it and I fell to my knees as memories slipped into my mind.
Years of abuse, trauma, and neglect. Every hour fighting to get to the next day. I held my head and shook. Nora squeezed my arm. I shook my head and drew my wand on her. Her blue eyes widened and she lifted her hands. Sage snapped her fingers in my face and I shook my head. Being aware that Sage and Nora were visible made me jump, fearing they would be seen. I cast many protective wards and charms on the area. When I was satisfied we made our plan.
"Okay, appareation. You two take my arms," I took my wand in my hand and took another breath.
"Are you ready?"
"Yup," "Do it," I smiled and closed my eyes. I thought of Hogsmeade and pop. Our feet landed and immediately alarms sounded. I looked around when an older man came out of the Hog's Head and pulled us in. He looked at me and sighed.
"Hello Kaitlyn," I smiled.
"Hey Aberforth. You okay?" He nodded.
"I assume you need into Hogwarts?" I grinned.
"What was your clue?" I asked. He laughed softly. I used to visit the Hogsheads with Charlie all the time because I hated crowds. Bill, Charlie, and I almost every weekend.
"The four kids who just came in," I tilted my head.
"Harry," I said. My mind went back to that little boy hiding behind Hagrid. I got a letter mentioning he, Ron, Hermione, and another left to kill Voldemort. He nodded.
"Through you go. These two?" He asked pointing to Nora and Sage.
"They're my friends from America. They refused to let me come alone," I said. He nodded at them.
"Friends to keep, go get," I went first with Sage then Nora following. I walked for a while until I opened a portrait. All eyes turned to me as I stepped down from the portrait opening. I froze at all the eyes.
"Hello, I'm-"
"Kait," Ginny ran to hug me. Ron walked forward to assist Nora and Sage down from the portrait. "Everyone this is Kaitlyn Forest she's here to help," I smiled and waved.
"Hi,"
"Who are they?" A boy with short brown hair asked. I smiled.
"My best friends, they refused to let me come fight without them," I turned to Ginny and Ron. "I got the Order's letter, it's a good thing you got to me," Ginny hugged me again. Harry shook his head.
"Kaitlyn," Harry said. I nodded and looked at him.
"What can I do?" He smiled.
"Okay, come here," I followed him off to the side while Sage and Nora met Ginny and Ron. "I need information, Mrs. Weasley says you know wands," I nodded.
"I do, what do you need to know?" He swallowed.
"The Elder Wand," I sucked in a breath at the name. He looked somewhat victorious. "You know it's real," my head ached as stories, books, and tales rushed to my mind. I nodded, taking a deep breath.
"It is very real, wizards have fought over that wand for years. Harry, what about it?" he gulped.
"How do you obtain it? Killing?" I shook my head once. "It's disarming, isn't it?" I nodded and hesitated.
"Voldemort doesn't-"
"No," Harry said quickly. "I-I do," I nodded slowly.
"Are you sure?" I asked desperately. Harry had to be right. He nodded.
"Draco disarmed Dumbledore, and I disarmed Draco," I hadn't a clue who Draco was but I knew it was good Harry had The Elder Wand.
"Does he think he has it?" Harry nodded. I was grasping at straws to be helpful, then I remembered a letter from George and Fred. It was coded but I recaled something important. "What are you looking for?" He smiled.
"Horcrux," I tilted my head.
"Okay, I can't really help with that," he looked around.
"No, don't bother. Actually," he stopped and licked his lips. "Are there any secret passages inside the castle to other places?" I nodded.
"One or two, from what I know they've been closed off, have been since the cursed vaults. Do you need them open?" He nodded.
"I need to get the Order of the Phoenix to the great hall undetected. Many young students also need to be hidden., the passages might be helpful," I nodded, thinking far back into my memory. Around nine years ago. I nodded as my memory resurfaced.
"Okay, I've got a way. They just need to get here," Harry nodded slight satisfaction on his face, like the puzzle was coming together.
"Brilliant, does anyone else know how?" he asked. I nodded, fighting the emotion from showing in my voice.
"Charlie and Bill should. Any other past student around our age," Harry grinned.
"Wonderful," he started to walk off.
"Harry," he turned. "Will my dad be here?" Harry's face dropped. He walked back over but I already knew. "He's dead, isn't he?" I asked and Harry's sad eyes confirmed. I sighed and looked outside. "Let's avenge him," Harry clapped my shoulder and handed me a parchment.
"He'd be proud," I nodded. "Use this to not get caught," he said. I smiled and took the parchment, observing enough to know what it was--a map. We walked back over. I stood my Nora and Sage. They smiled at me, turning away from the sandy blonde boy and the brunette with a long face. I smiled and hugged my friends. Sage and Nora held me tightly.
"We're gonna be okay," Nora whispered in my ear.
"Everything will work," Sage said. She pulled back and smiled at me. "Your home and family is ours to protect as well," I nodded and a tear rolled down my face. They both had on leggings and long short-sleeved tops. I still had robes on. I looked to a corner and walked over. I unclipped and removed my cover top and then ripped the sleeves. I cast a cutting spell on my skirt and over half of it fell. I stepped out and kicked away the fabric.
I shrugged and called it better and walked back to my friends. Sage and Nora shook their heads. My tights were uncomfortable, I hated my black cut-up dress, and my shoes were restricting but I knew it would have to do. This was it and there wasn't time to stress about clothes. I looked over Nora's shoulder at a sudden movement. A girl with black hair and green eyes approached me.
"Hello," she said. "Are you with the Order?" she asked. I nodded.
"Yes, Kaitlyn," I said holding out a hand. She shook it.
"Estella," her accent was an odd British and French mix. "You ready?" I shook my head laughing.
"No, but that doesn't matter does it," she smirked and pulled a pair of trainers from her bag.
"These might help," I took them and vanished my boots with a wave of my wand. I slipped on the shoes and felt better. I looked up and saw the students about to leave. Harry threw on a robe and followed the others to the great hall. He stepped out and turning back, he winked at Ginny who smirked.
"Thank you," I said refocusing on Estella. She smiled.
"You're welcome," she said as the portrait opened. I smiled knowing we were in a rush.
"Where's Kaitlyn?" Mrs. Weasley's voice cut in. She came and hugged me tightly. I smiled and hugged back. I pulled away.
"I'm here, and we need to go now," they all nodded. I noticed Bill and smiled then I saw Charlie and my heart stopped. I quickly looked away before checking Harry's map and nodding. "Let's go," I led them out and to a small corridor and inside.
I found the patch of concrete and raised my hand. "Apertum pro transitu opus," the cement opened and I led them through a dark wet tunnel with Nora and Sage by my sides. There was no sound as I made it to the end. I checked the map and nodded. "Meum iter est," I muttered touching the wall. It slid open and we rushed to the great hall that was just around the corner. I heard Harry on the other side. "Square up," I said.
"You still have a bit of a security problem Professor," I waved my wand and the doors burst open. I stood next to Kingsley, Ron, and Hermione. I honestly wasn't sure how many we had but it was enough to make Snape scarce. I hated that man. Even as my Head of House, he was bitter toward me. Harry yelled at the professor and I was applauding internally. I saw Nora and Sage standing in the back by Bill. I was thankful they were with him for the meantime.
Snape drew his wand and I raised mine. We needed Harry. My mouth dropped as McGonagall stepped in front of him. I smiled as McGonagall dueled him. Snape fled and McGonagall took the role I think she always deserved, headmistress. A raspy voice banged on my head. I pushed at him but he wouldn't budge. Bring me, Harry Potter.
"What are waiting for someone grab him," a Slytherin girl said. I rolled my eyes. Ginny stepped in front of him, then Estella, then Ron, Hermione, and the rest of the Order including me, Sage, and Nora. Filtch gave me a heart attack as he ran into the hall.
"Students out of bed, Students out of bed!" He yelled. McGonagall looked on her last nerve.
"They are supposed to be out of bed you blithering idiot," she said. The girl next to me and I smirked. I looked over and saw almost a carbon copy of myself, but shorter. She looked me up and down.
"Kaitlyn?" She asked. I nodded.
"Lyra," I recalled. She nodded and jumped at me. I hugged her tightly. My sister. I was hugging my SISTER. "I missed you," I muttered letting her go.
"I've missed you too. Oh hey, I'm engaged," she said lifting her hand to show a small plastic orange and purple ring. I smiled at her. She had striking green eyes with dark lashes. Her smile was lovely and infectious.
"Oh, that's lovely. To whom?" I asked, vaguely aware that Nora and Sage were behind me. A red blush rushed to her cheeks and neck.
"Fred Weasley, I-I love him," she said, happily. It broke my heart a little. I've missed so much.
"That's perfect, I loved a Weasley once," she smiled at me. This smile was different than the one before. Almost a smirk, but it was filled with joy.
"It's possible to stop?" she asked. My eyes wandered until they settled on my Weasley. My eyes settled on Charlie. He was speaking with Bill and a few of Ron's friends. His eyes glittered.
"No, I suppose it's not," that statement hurt me more than I let on. I loved Weasley C. "If I was lucky I might be engaged to a Weasley too," Lyra smiled.
"They don't give up so easily. You just have to show you love them," my most recent letter hit me like a truck. I could only hope I hadn't messed up. "Have you met Estella?" I looked at her shocked.
"Is she?" I asked, mouth open.
"The one and the same," she said. She looked around. "Taurus," she called a boy who looked just like Sirius, gray eyes and all. He walked away from the twins. "Estella," the girl from earlier walked away from Harry, Hermione, and Ron. "This is our eldest sister, Kaitlyn," The siblings finally reunited and hugged tightly as tears seeped through their closed eyes.
"I've missed you all," I said as memories of the time before resurfaced. "I promise, I'll stick around when this is over," I muttered. They pulled away and we smiled at each other. Lyra and I were probably identical to our mom. Taurus was just like Sirius and Estella was a mix. A beautiful mix of both. Ginny, Bill, and the Twins all came to us.
"Come on," Ginny said.
"He's coming," Bill muttered.
"We stationed on the far side," Fred said.
"You two are with us," George finished. Lyra and Taurus hugged us one more time before they turned and followed the twins. I cast them a look that said, I just got them don't lose them. The Weasleys smiled and nodded. I noticed Fred interlace his hand with Lyra's and I smiled as they ran off. Estella looked up at me with confusion or challenge.
"I love you but I don't know you yet. So you know, make sure I get the chance," she said before following Ginny. I turned to Bill with my eyes rimmed red. He hugged me tightly and I burrowed my head in his protection.
"You'll do great," he said, pulling away. He seemed to know just what I was thinking. "No older sibling is perfect. Just love, respect, and care and you'll be fine," I smiled and nodded.
"Thanks, Bill. I've always admired how you take care of everyone. You make each sibling feel special, I know you do," he nodded with a new glint in his eyes.
"Thanks, Kait. I needed that," he turned and ran with Charlie. I watched Charlie retreat and felt lost. He still held by heart whether he knew it or not. Thankfully Nora and Sage pulled me out of my thoughts.
"Come on. The danger is coming, we'll see them soon," I nodded and led Nora and Sage to the back entrance where an army of Death Eaters were waiting. I gripped my wand tightly. Sage sucked in a breath and Nora tilted her head up to the sky.
"What are you doing?" I asked. She smiled, and let out a ragged laugh.
"I thought I'd give your praying a try," she said. I laughed.
"Just so you know, there's a plan. Someone has a plan up there. Even if it's not the one we want," Sage nodded.
"Right, whatever happens, it's for the best," Nora and I nodded as students I didn't recognize ran to stand behind us. I shook my head, erasing my doubts.
"Let's all say a prayer," I said as the protective dome broke. The Death Eaters seemed reluctantly to step through first.
"Amen," a familiar voice said. My eyes watered. I didn't move scared to lose focus.
"Sophia Ray, are you with me?" A soft hand rested on my shoulder.
"Till forever," she said as if it was obvious. I laughed softly as fear took me. The Death Eaters stepped through. Hogwarts was no longer safe.