CHAPTER FOUR
❛I will be fine, don't worry.❜
The arrival of Harry Potter changed 12 Grimmauld Place more than anyone knew. It divided the teenagers from one another, as Hope Lupin-Black couldn't bare to look in direction without imaging her best friend's lifeless body. One that stuck directly by Hope was Ginny Weasley, who also wasn't the most fond of the Potter boy.
Hope Lupin-Black and Ginny Weasley sat outside of the dining hall, throwing numerous amounts of dungbombs from Fred and George's supply. The two hoped it would break the magical barrier keeping noise inside, but they were without luck.
"It isn't going to open, Gin." commented Hope with a shake of her head, throwing another dungbomb at the door. "George and Fred have tried this already."
"It's worth a try." Ginny shrugged her shoulders, rubbing her dirty hands onto her denim jeans. "Have you heard anything from Draco this summer?"
Hope's grey eyes went wide at the mention of his name, slightly taken off guard by the question. "Uh, no. Haven't you?"
Ginny Weasley only shook her head sadly, biting her bottom lip anxiously. "No-- You don't think I did anything wrong, do you?"
"Of course not," Hope shook her head, not meeting Ginny's dark eyes. "He's probably stressed--"
The expression of the Weasley girl's face was one that the Lupin-Black girl had never saw before, she looked heartbroken. Her normally light eyes were filled with a dark cloud of anxious thoughts, and her smile faltered every time she forgot to keep her false one in place.
"It can't be." she denied, running a hand through her long ginger hair nervously. "What if he found another girl? A pureblood?"
"You're a pureblood--"
Her words made Ginny scoff, throwing the dungbomb at the floor instead of the door. "Hardly, you know this. I'm not a pureblood that Draco's family would be accepting of."
"I know Draco very well, Ginny," said Hope, looking the girl she saw as a sister dead in the eyes. "And what I know is that he is in love with you. Whether you like it or not."
"In-- In love?"
The Lupin-Black girl cocked an eyebrow, smirking ever so slightly. "Don't you believe in true love, Weasley? Because if I remember correctly--"
"No, no." Ginny raised her hand with her eyes narrowed at her brother's girlfriend. "You are not doing what I did to you last year. No way."
"Don't like it, do you?"
"I hate you."
Hope only laughed, leaning her head onto Ginny's shoulder. "No you don't. You wish you hated me."
All of a sudden, Ginny sat up taller with her eyes widened. "J, is that Tonks and Charlie?"
Outside of the doorway that lead to the kitchen, Nymphadora Tonks and Charles Weasley stood talking to each other. Tonks' hair was an obvious shade of blush pink and Charlie stood way too close for the two of them to be anything but friends.
"Your scars are, uh, cool, Charlie." commented Tonks, feeling her tanned hand up the Weasley man's scarred arm before her brown eyes went wide. "Oh, you have muscles. That's, uh, neat."
"Your saying you didn't notice?" he teased, putting a stray piece of hair behind her pierced ear. "I could've been fooled by the way you intently looked at me."
Nymphadora Tonks' cheeks soon matched the pink shade of her hair. "No, no, I noticed-- Not that I was staring, because I wasn't."
Charlie only laughed, like he had known the girl his entire life. "I like your hair pink, it fits you."
"Pink is for pansies." she stated before changing her hair to a vibrant shade of violet which made her smile. "Now, purple? Purple is for badasses."
"You always did know how to take compliments, Nymphie."
The nickname made the Tonks woman hair turn back to a shade of pink, and trip over thin air, which wasn't uncommon for her in the slightest. "You haven't called me that in years, Weasley."
He shrugged his shoulders, his own cheeks turning a bright shade of pink. "I haven't seen you in years, Tonks."
Not being able to take their spying of the two any longer, Hope and Ginny turned the corner with smirks on their faces. The sight of the two trouble-making girls made the two twenty-two year olds to jump in fright.
"What is going on here, you two?" asked Ginny, raising her eyebrows at her older brother. "An odd place for talking, isn't it?"
Tonks' face quickly heated up and her hair changed a couple of different colors before she managed to stutter out. "Wh-- What?"
"Don't get so flustered, Dora." snickered Hope, placing a hand on her older cousin's shoulder playfully. "It's just a question, don't act so suspicious."
"Now, explain yourselves."
Charlie Weasley only pinched the bridge of his nose as he let out a laugh. "The younger version of Fred and George, I see. Who would've thought, Hope and Ginny."
Hope only cocked an eyebrow, unphased by his joke while Ginny struggled to keep in a laugh. "Subject changing, I see. An odd thing to do, Charles."
"Charlie and I dated back when we attended Hogwarts," admitted Tonks, her hair going back to a normal purple color which she liked it at. "It's not a big deal--"
Ginny's eyes went wide and her jaw dropped. "What? You never told me."
"You two? You are perfect for each other--"
The Weasley man only shook his head, forcing a tight smile onto his face. "We aren't together anymore, girls. We're just friends now."
"And why not?"
Nymphadora and Charlie shared a look, like they were talking without words, like they were reliving all past memories. The two looked at each other like they were trying to find a reason why they weren't together and why they were alone.
"Oh," Tonks spoke up, like she had to think of a reason. "Charlie left to study Dragons, I didn't want to hold him back."
"And Nymphie was on her way to becoming an Auror." he added, fumbling with the ring that laid on his middle finger. "It's a crazy amount of training and all."
"It's in the past anyways."
"Yeah, the past."
Ginny and Hope only shared a look before the latter raised her blonde eyebrows as she spoke. "Sure, Dora. You know, you can't hide your relationship forever."
Tonks looked at her cousin as she burst out laughing. "You're one to talk, Hope. You and George ring a bell?"
The look on Charlie Weasley's face read complete shock as the words left Nymphadora Tonks' mouth. Obviously oblivious to the fact that his younger brother was in a relationship. While Ginny Weasley burst out laughing, standing back to see what happened next, as she usually did.
"What?"
"Nymphadora Andromeda Tonks!"
Charlie began to clap his hands, looking thrilled beyond words. "Bill owes me three Galleons! I bloody knew it, there was no way you two were just friends."
"Sucker," muttered his younger sister, rolling her eyes playfully. "I earned five."
"What? How?"
Hope only shrugged her pale shoulders, smiling ever so slightly at the memories of prior years. "I didn't think it would happen, but it did. Fred and Ginny both made bets on us, and I can only imagine who else."
Her words only made the older brother of her boyfriend look more confused than before. "Wait, how long has this been going on?"
"Off and on since the end of her second year," Ginny said before narrowing her eyes at her close friend. "They can't seem to make up their minds."
"We just had some issues, Ginny." explained Hope, crossing her arms across her chest. "We never truly broke each other's hearts or anything."
"Sure."
The Lupin-Black girl quickly narrowed her eyes at her elder cousin. "Seems like you and Charlie broke each other's hearts surely."
"Shut up, Hope."
A tap on the shoulder of Hope Lupin-Black made her turn around to come face to face with her father. Remus stood with raised eyebrow and a slight smile upon his face, while his daughter looked more than mortified that he had heard what she said.
"You and George, hm?"
"Holy Merlin," Hope manged to breath out, her grey eyes wide in complete utter surprise. "Papa, I thought you were in the meeting."
Suddenly, Fred Weasley turned the corner, completely oblivious to the conversation beginning to unfold. "Dinner's done, Remus. Mum wants you in the kitchen, so you can help."
Remus only stared at Fred, attempting to figure out which twin he was before looking to his daughter. "Which one is he?"
"That's Fred," answered Hope, without a second thought. "He and George look completely different. Besides, Fred has a bigger nose--"
"Watch what you say, Lupin." warned Fred, raising his ginger eyebrows. "I know all around here."
Hope only rolled her grey eyes playfully before looking around. "Right, as if you scare me, Weasley. Now, where's that brother of yours--"
The sound of a pop rang throughout the air and the other Weasley twin appeared behind his girlfriend, not seeing her father standing right beside her. "You called, lov-- Mister Lupin, I did not see you there."
Remus only pinched the bridge of his nose, as if trying not to laugh at the expression on George's face. "I figured, George. Now, Fred, go tell your mother I'll only be a minute."
"Does he know--"
"Blame Charlie and Dora," interrupted Hope, shaking her head slowly. "Not me."
The Lupin man only raised his eyebrows at his daughter and her boyfriend. "Now, how long was it again? I had a feeling here for awhile, but wasn't quite sure."
"Since my fifth year, sir. Her third."
Remus nodded slowly before turning to his daughter. "Why didn't you tell me, sweetheart?"
Hope looked even more nervous than before, not quite knowing the reason why they told no one. And as she began to think about it, there was none. The two loved each other and hadn't told their families, and neither knew why.
"I don't know." she answered truthfully, looking a tad bit guilty. "It just never came around, I guess."
"I've had a hunch for awhile now." he responded, shrugging his shoulders as he eyed the two teenagers. "Call it father's instinct, if you will."
George looked around anxiously before suddenly confessing. "I do quite like, even love, your daughter, Mister Lupin."
"I know, George--"
The Weasley boy only continued to rant on, ignoring Remus' words. "And I would never hurt her, at least not on purpose. But I make mistakes, which I'm not proud for. But I'd take a killing curse for her."
"Just know, George, I'm a werewolf." Remus said slowly, attempting to seem threatening. "I'm dating an ex-Azkaban prisoner who is her other father. I also taught Defense Against the Dark Arts, I know plenty of curses--"
"I know sir."
The words about Sirius and Remus' rekindling went unnoticed as he continued to talk. "If you ever hurt my daughter, I will personally hunt you down. Which won't be difficult."
"Papa, please--"
"This girl is part of my entire world, she is my daughter." Remus told his young daughter's boyfriend with a stern look on his face before smiling wide. "Now, if that's all, I'm very hungry--"
As Remus Lupin turned to walk away, George and Hope shared a confused look. Before Hope grabbed her father by the arm. "Are you going to tell Dad?"
"And deal with his hissy fit?" the father of two joked, finding the mortified looks on the young couple's faces slightly humorous. "No, no. I'll leave that to you and George. Just warn me beforehand, I'll need to see the look on his face."
"Us?"
The Lupin man only nodded before looking at the Weasley boy. "Do your parents know George?"
"No sir," George answered quickly, imagining the face of his mother after being told from anyone other than himself. "We'll tell them on our time."
"All right." replied Remus before laughing to himself, which was a rare sight in the days they were in. "Just wanted to make sure before I gossiped with your mother by accident."
"Thank you, Mister--"
Remus only held out his hand, a fatherly smile on his face as he placed a hand on George's shoulder. "Call me Remus, it's easier. Now, you two best get washed up before dinner."
Once the Lupin man was out of earshot, Ginny Weasley burst out laughing. While the young couple glared their eyes at her, not finding the conversation funny in the slightest. But that didn't stop his younger sister from doubling over unable to control her laughter.
"Oi, Georgie, you hurt her again, I'll be the one to hurt you." Ginny joked, punching her brother playfully in the shoulder. "I'd prefer to have nieces and nephews in the future."
"Ginny! Not for a very long time--"
In that moment, Tonks had tripped over the rope keeping the curtain over a certain portrait making the curtains swing open. On the portrait there was a woman with curly blonde hair and piercing grey eyes, from first glance someone could think it was an older version of Hope herself.
"Oh no--"
"Filth! Scum!" screamed the woman in the portrait, earning the attention of all. "By-products of dirt and vileness! Half-breeds, mutants, freaks begone from this place! How dare you befoul the house of my fathers--"
Hope looked slightly embarrassed as she approached the portrait of her grandmother slowly. "Grandmother, please--"
"Not another word from you, Hope!"
"Yes, ma'am."
A loud voice came from the kitchen, followed by booming footsteps. "You will not speak to my daughter you ever--"
"Dad--"
Sirius Black continued to angrily march forward, causing his daughter to take many steps backward. "Shut up! Shut up! You horrible old hag!"
Walburga Black only looked at her son with the hatred, while others stood in the doorway watching the scene unfold. Harry Potter held a slightly terrified expression on his face while everyone else seemed unphased.
"I have got this, Dad--" Hope told her father quietly, walking forward to look at her grandmother. "Grandmother, I'm going to close your curtains for you. Just so you don't have to look at any one."
"Thank you, the only one to get my good looks." Walburga muttered, glaring her eyes at her only living son. "It's a shame what you have for a father!"
As Hope Lupin-Black closed the curtains that covered her grandmother, Sirius let out a breath before turning to his godson. The expression on his face instantly changed as he held out his arms.
"Hello, Harry." Sirius said to his godson, embracing him in a fatherly hug. "I've seen you met my mother."
"Here comes the favoritism."
The dining room of 12 Grimmauld Place was more often than not dark and dusty, as Kreacher hated to clean, and Remus had been busy with the order. Many different members and children of members of the Order sat around the wooden table.
Hope Lupin-Black sat next to the Weasley twins, her boyfriend sitting extra close as they waited for the food to come out of the kitchen. All three of them cracked jokes and talked about what awaited their fifth and seventh years.
As Sirius Black and Harry Potter walked into the dining room, the Black man's arm slumped around his godson, the widest smile on his face. And once Arthur and Bill Weasley saw the Potter boy, they jumped from their seats to greet him, as most did.
"Harry!" greeted Arthur Weasley, placing his glasses down onto the table. "It's good to see you!"
The eldest Weasley brother nodded along, shaking the hand of the Potter boy, the same way he had the summer prior. "Journey all right, Harry?"
Charlie Weasley entered the dining room, Nymphadora following, and smirked as soon as he made eye contact with his older brother. "Oh, William, you owe me three galleons. You can hand it over whenever's best for you."
Bill looked to his younger brother with furrowed eyebrows, slightly trying to remember if he really did owe him that amount of money. "I do not owe you anything, Charles. Check your facts again."
"Bet? It's not ringing a bell--"
"Boys, this can be discussed later, Merlin." said Molly Weasley, before smiling at the Potter boy she considered a son. "Harry, dear, sit down. Right next to Ron here."
Harry's green eyes widened before he smiled a tight smile. "Oh, thank you--"
"You've med Mundungus, haven't you?"
Mundungus Fletcher was a man with long-straggly ginger hair who smelled strong of tobacco, his snores often filled the dining room where he preferred to nap. And as Molly tapped his shoulder ever so slightly, he jerked away, gripping his wand in his pocket.
"Did someone say my name?" he asked slightly alarmed before he realized it was just the Weasley woman. "Oh, I agree with Sirius--"
Sirius Black let out a bark-like laugh, patting the man's shoulder slightly. "The meeting's over, Dung. Harry's arrived."
"Eh? Blimey, so he had." Mundungus spoke in surprise before turning to be face to face with Harry. "Yeah-- You all right, Harry?"
Ginny Weasley only raised her eyebrows before mumbling. "Someone is either on illegal potions or needs to take another nap--"
"Ginevra Molly," the mother of seven called out, squinting her eyes in the direction of her only biological daughter. "Your comments are not needed."
Soon after the man was awake, he pulled out a black pipe. Lighting the end with his wand, he took in a deep breath, and then a type of green smoke surrounded him. The sight of it made Hope's eyes go wide with curiosity.
"Woah--" she breathed out, admiring the detailing on the side of the pipe silently. "What kind is that? Menthol?"
Mundungus let out a laugh, shaking his head quickly as he showed the teenage girl. "Not that Muggle crap. It's much better--"
"We do not smoke or whatever that is in this dining room, Mundungus." Remus suddenly spoke up, narrowing his eyes at his daughter for even thinking about it. "There are children around and we are just about to eat."
"I think it's neat." Hope told the Fletcher man with a small smile. "I've never seen one of those before--"
Remus furrowed his eyebrows at his only daughter. "Of course you have. Your grandfather never let his out of his hand for years. Surely you saw--"
Alfie's green eyes shot up at the mention of his grandfather. "Grandpa Lyall? No, are you sure?"
"That man needs to teach me how to keep it a secret--"
Molly Weasley peaked her head out from the kitchen, a stern motherly look on her face as she called out. "If you all want dinner before midnight, I'll need a hand."
Everyone quickly stood up, most starving for any type of food. Especially the teenagers, who hadn't had anything since lunch. And then Harry Potter slightly looked around before standing up slowly, until Molly Weasley narrowed her eyes at him.
"Not you, Harry dear." she told him with a smile, gesturing for the others to get into the kitchen. "You've had a long journey."
Tonks walked up to the door next to Charlie, who had begun poking at the newest burn on his arm. "What can I do, Molly?"
"Er, no, it's all right, Tonks." Molly managed to say, eyeing the friend of her son's with widened eyes. "You have a rest, too. You've had a long day."
Hope managed to stifle a laugh as she leaned onto George's arm, unable to reach his shoulder due to his height. "That's code for her clumsiness--"
"No, no," Tonks quickly said, knocking over two chairs as she stood up taller. Charlie quickly turning to pick them up while his mother looked slightly mortified at the thought of her carrying anything shatterable. "I want to help."
"C'mon, Nymph," Charlie spoke up, grabbing her by the hand. "You can help me carry forks--"
The Weasley woman's eyes went wide once more as she took in a tight breath. "Yes, yes. Sharp side down, sweetheart. Hold the tongs in your--"
"We got it, Mum."
In the kitchen, Hope went to grab the heavy wooden breadboard with a sharp knife on top of it. And as soon as she picked it up off the counter top, it almost slipped from her hands. George Weasley quickly rushed over, keeping anything from falling over.
"Careful there, darling." George managed to say, keeping the breadboard steady. "Hasn't anyone told you to be careful? These things are heavy."
"I've got it, George, really--" she paused, the knife almost cutting open her hand which caused Fred to quickly grab it from the board. "That was close, huh? But I've got--"
Fred shook his head and patted her head teasingly, smirking ever so slight. "Clearly you don't, Lupin."
"Shut it, Fred. I'll get it into the dining room just fine--"
"Before or after the knife flies into your face and everything goes everywhere?"
Hope only narrowed her grey eyes playfully at her boyfriend's twin brother, who seemed to be their labelled third wheel along with Ginny. "Are you always this dramatic?"
"Never fear, love, we'll take it from here." George told his girlfriend, placing a secret kiss onto her forehead. "How about you just grab a few plates? No knives."
Fred Weasley held a hand to his heart dramatically, pretending to let out a choked sob. "I remember when I used to be called love."
"Yeah, well," Hope looked up, thinking of her next choice of words. "I'm his love now, Freddie. I stole him fair and square."
"Fight me, Lupin." joked Fred, attempting not to burst out laughing.
"You want to go, Weasley?"
The Weasley boy raised his hands in defense, before shrugging his shoulders. "Give me a time and place, I will be there."
"Enough, you two," George told his brother and girlfriend, laughing at their brother-sister friendship they had formed. "Help me here, Fred--"
The two Weasley twins casted a spell over the three heaviest items that had yet to be carried. And for a couple of seconds, the levitating charm had been working quite well. That was, until Molly Weasley had caught sight of her two sons.
"Fred, George--" Molly exclaimed, marching over to her sons and honorary daughter. "No! Just carry them!"
Just as her yell echoed through the house, the stew and butterbeer had began to spill over the table, and the breadboard fell directly in front of Sirius. The knife just barely missing his hand by an inch.
"Oh, no--"
"For heaven's sake! There was no need--" the mother of seven screamed at the top of her lungs. "I've had enough of this-- Just because you're allowed to use magic now, you don't have to whip your wands out for every tiny little thing!"
Fred looked around guiltily. "We were just trying to save a bit of time!"
George nodded along, placing a hand on his girlfriend's shoulder as he defended himself and his brother. "And Hope was trying to carry the breadboard alone. Excuse us for being gentlemen--"
"Gentlemen? Is that it?" she asked in a scarily low voice, that slightly scared Harry who sat next to Mundungus. "You almost took Sirius' hand off!"
"Sorry Sirius, mate. Didn't mean to--"
Sirius only shook his head, unable to keep his laughter contained. Hope looked at her boyfriend with guilty eyes before approaching her mother figure. "Mum, it's my fault, really--"
Molly's face went from angry to apologetic as she faced the girl she saw as a daughter. "Don't you worry sweetheart. I don't blame you for these two. None of their brothers ever caused this much trouble."
"Our brothers aren't nearly as fun--"
"Bill didn't feel the need to Apparate every few feet! Charlie didn't Charm everything he met!" and the next name, that had gone unspoken during the stay at 12 Grimmauld Place, rolled off her tongue. "And Percy--"
"Let's eat."
The mention of Percy Weasley made everyone take their seats, Hope looking to her boyfriend with sympathetic eyes, knowing that what his brother was doing hit him hard, too. She only grabbed his hand beneath the table for support, giving him a tight smile.
"Touchy subject, eh?" George rolled his brown eyes, gripping her hand tight. "He's an idiot, no brother of mine."
"I've debated going to the Ministry every chance I've gotten." she muttered, poking at the stew in front of her, a feeling of no hunger filling her body. "Just to give him a nice punch in the face."
George only looked at his girlfriend with a smile on his face, almost forgetting his elder brother just by the sight of her. "You're kind of cute when you're angry--"
Hope quickly turned towards her boyfriend, whose hand had began resting on her thigh. "Eat your stew, George."
"I'll talk like this to you later then--"
"This stew is amazing, Mum." Hope announced from down the table, ignoring her boyfriend's hand which rested on her inner thigh. "Can we have it again when we come back for Christmas? For my birthday?"
Moly looked touched by the girl's words as her eyes teared up. "Of course we can. As well as that pie you like. Which colour of sweater would you like? Oh, a cream orange would be darling on you--"
"This stew really is amazing, Molly." Remus interrupted with a smile. "As well as the sweaters you make, those are nice. You'll have to teach me your skills."
As everyone ate, there wasn't much talk throughout the table. That was until Molly Weasley turned to Sirius Black. "Sirius, I've been meaning to tell you. I think there is a Boggart in that drawing room. I thought we ought to ask Alastor to have a look at it before we let it out--"
"Whatever you want."
Tonks had begun changing her face in different ways to entertain Hermione and Ginny, while Charlie looked at her like she was the most beautiful girl in the world. While the Weasley twins began to crack jokes and discuss ideas with Hope Lupin-Black.
"You think if I gave Mundus a Ton-tongue toffee," Hope paused, before smiling wide. "Do you think Mum and Papa would be mad?"
The older Weasley twin looked at her with furrowed eyebrows. "Is it asking dumb questions day?"
"Yes, now answer it."
George looked at his girlfriend and shrugged his shoulders, eating a few bites of the pie in front of him. "I mean, it depends. Can we get away with it?"
"Possibly." she told him, stroking an imaginary beard on her pale chin. "Pick someone to blame."
"Ron--"
"Dora--"
"Bill--"
The younger Weasley twin only burst out laughing and shook his head slowly. "We are so not on the same page with that."
Hope began to tap her fingers on the wood table, her eyes darting to the pipe that laid on the table. "I need more butterbeer and one of those things Dung's got."
"Love, that habit is awful." George told her, tapping his own fingers on her uncovered knee. "I'm still cursing Lettie for getting you hooked onto it again."
With a slight glance to the clock above the doorway, Molly Weasley rose from her seat next to her husband with a slight glance over to Remus Lupin. "Nearly time for bed, I think--"
"Not just yet, Molly." Sirius interrupted the mother of seven, turning to his godson. "You know, Harry, I'm surprised at you. I thought the first thing you'd do when you got here would be to start asking questions about Voldemort."
The room went silent, many of the teenagers surprised that it was being brought up in front of them. While Remus let out a slightly annoyed breath, knowing that Sirius knew that he wanted kids left out of the war. And Molly just looked furious.
"Siri--"
"I did!" exclaimed Harry, sitting up in his chair at the table. "I asked Ron and Hermione but they said we're nit allowed in the Order, so--"
"And they're quite right." Molly snapped, glaring her eyes at the Black man who sat at the head of the table. "You're too young--"
Sirius rolled his grey eyes at the woman's words. "Since when did someone have to be in the Order of the Phoenix to ask questions? Harry's been trapped in that Muggle house for a month. He's got the right to know--"
Hope's jaw dropped as she looked at her two fathers. "This is not fair! How come I haven't been allowed?"
"Uh--"
"I'm literally your daughter! He's not even your real son!" Hope exclaimed, knowing she didn't mean the words she said but was too mad to care. "I've been asking for months and no one has told me anything!"
George only nodded along, being supportive of his girlfriend. "How come Harry always gets his questions answered?"
"Stupid favoritism." mumbled Alfie, rolling his green eyes.
"Uh, well, Remus help me out her." Sirius called out to his now boyfriend, who stood at the end of the table. "You're the one who told them no--"
Remus Lupin raised his hands in defense, grabbing his goblet of wine slowly, taking a small sip. "You know bloody well how I feel about this, Sirius. You know why I told them no. Harry is your godson, if you want to be unfair, go for it--"
"Thank you--"
"However, imagine what Lily would have said about you dragging her son into the center of this. Think about Lily, Padfoot." Remus looked at him with a knowing look in his eyes, knowing that name hit deep. "That's all I'm going to say."
Molly crossed her arms as she shook her head. "It's not down to you, Sirius, what to decide what's good for Harry! He doesn't need to know more than he needs to. Dumbledore said so."
Sirius snarled his top lip in annoyance. "I don't intend on telling him more than he needs to know. But he was the one who saw Voldemort come back--"
"He's not a member of the order, he's only fifteen--"
"And he's dealth with as much as most, and more--"
"There's no denying. But he's still--"
"He's not a child--"
"He's not an adult either! He's not James, Sirius."
The tension was so thick in the dining room that it could be cut with a knife, that was until Hope slammed her hands on the wooden table, slightly making Fred jump from beside her while George attempted to grab her hand.
Hope began to breathe heavily, laughing ever so slightly, proving how upset she truly was. "I just want to know why you never stood up for Alfie or I knowing. Cedric was only my best friend."
"Your father--"
"Don't I have two?" she asked aloud, George unable to keep her back any longer. "It seems like the only parents I have are Mum and Papa. Your only child is Harry--"
Sirius began to grow annoyed at her words, and slightly hurt that she thought of it like that. "You know that is not what I meant, Hope James--"
"Then what is?" questioned Hope, crossing her arms across her chest. "The way I see it, you think of Harry as your best friend now, and just forget that you have two other children. Why? Because he reminds you of Uncle James?"
"Hope James Lupin," Remus said aloud, looking at his daughter with wide eyes, never truly hearing her speak like that to Sirius ever. As Sirius and Hope had grown closer over the past almost two years. "Let's not do this at the table."
"I'm his guardian." Sirius muttered to himself, before turning to his godson whose eyes never left Hope once. "Harry, stay here. I'm explaining things to you and your friends."
Hope only shook her head in anger before looking over to her boyfriend, letting out a shaky breath, trying to keep herself from crying. "Geo--George, you'll tell me what they talk about later, yeah?"
"'Course," he said, looking concerned for the girl he loved. "Are you okay? Do you need me to go with you--"
"No, you can stay." she forced a smile onto her face. "I will be fine, don't worry."
Her words telling him not to worry, only caused George to worry more and more. "I'll come by later, love."
As the Lupin-Black girl turned to leave, Sirius looked confused, while Remus just shook his head slowly. "Where are you going, sweetheart? Don't you want to know?"
"If you weren't willing to tell me before, like you are Harry," she paused, looking her father dead in the eyes. "Why bother, right?"
Remus could tell his daughter was one step, one word, one breath away from crying and tried to get over to her before she did so. "Sweetheart--"
"No. My best friend is dead." snapped Hope, tears falling from her grey eyes, which were darker than they usually were. "I have been lost, wanting to be dead like Cedric, and you never cared about me like this once."
The words of Hope wanting to be dead like Cedric Diggory, were surprising to all but two. George Weasley only blinked his eyes a few times in shock, while a few tears managed to slip the green eyes of Remus Lupin. Who couldn't ever imagining losing the daughter he loved.
"But, Harry--"
"You think I've never gone through things, Dad?" she screamed, which was a rare thing that happened. "Let me remind you. I was with Harry in first year, right before he faced Voldemort. And I was in the chamber second year, and was almost killed by Tom Riddle--"
Sirius only looked speechless, not knowing of the times his daughter had almost died. "I didn't know--"
"I'm not even finished! When Harry had found out he had a godfather, I was too busy wondering if my own dad was going to murder me. And I was the last to see Cedric before he was murdered. I lost my best friend."
Molly Weasley had reached Hope, taking her into her arms, which only made Sirius despise her more. "I didn't know, Hope--"
"It's because you don't care." she finally said, pulling herself out of her motherly figure's arms. "You care about Harry. Some dad you are, huh?"
Remus glared his eyes at the other father of his children. "Sirius, aren't you going to deny anything? Hope, sweetheart, your dad does care about you--"
"I'll be in my room figuring out what's going on with me." she said, not even glancing back at her fathers one time. "Because I've got a fuck ton on my plate."
Sirius Black looked at his daughter as if she had stomped on his heart, while Remus walked over to George Weasley to figure out what she had said. As Hope began to mutter things about a prophecy and Milo Bishop, Tonks quickly stood up.
"I'll be with her-- Sorry."
hey guys! i am so sorry for the lack of updates, i've been very busy! but i'm gonna go all in and start updating a lot more! my birthday is actually today! haha, which is kind of super cool. i'm super excited to be sixteen and all of my plans for writing are coming through.
sorry if the chapter is kind of boring, and if hope is making you kind of upset. i know a big part of grieving is that you see things differently and anger at others and yourself and such is a big part of it. there will be more george and hope next chapter too! i'm so so excited!
i have big big plans for upcoming stories as well! my biggest one right now, i think, is Aurors, Sisterly Shadows, and Pureblood. As well as my own story called Ineffable which follows the life of a diabetic dancer by the name of Emilia Cutler, I have big big plans for that!
happy reading guys!