The Ice Queen [s.b.]

Recovery Time is Indefinite - 52

November 18th.

"You look like a murderous puppy, Lee, dear. Adorable, don't get me wrong. But downright frightening," is what Andromeda says when the sound of the crying infant startles the blonde awake.

Anna glares, "Good morning to you, too, Andy."

"Are you ready for your first day of school?" Ted asks enthusiastically.

Dumbledore apparates in. "It's time, Anna. Let's go."

Anna hugs each of the Tonks one-by-one before grabbing Dumbledore's arm in side-along apparition.

In Hogwarts, however, Lily, Marlene, Dorcas, Alice, Ginger, Remus, Peter, James, and Sirius had been taken aside to be told of the news.

Ginger plays her part well.

Lily and Marlene are the first to start sobbing. Peter is dumbstruck. James gasps and start pacing. Remus starts crying, holding himself close. The girls start comforting each other.

They would all break down a multitude of times in the following days.

Sirius, not thinking, stupidly blurts out, "She still has my jacket. Had."

Lily looks up at him, her eyes nothing more than bloodshot spears as she spits, "Annalee is dead and all you care about is your bloody jacket?! It's a wonder she ever dated you in the first place. You never deserved her, you stupid, ignorant, prejudiced boy. I bet you're happy she's gone."

"Lily!" Ginger hisses.

"Don't talk to him like that!" James roars, leaping to his best friend's defense, even at the expense of the approval of the girl he loves so dearly. "He loves her just as much as you, Evans. He's in bloody shock!"

"He's right," Ginger agrees, an unseen look of warning sent to Sirius. "He's just in shock. Cut him some slack."

Marlene looks scared when Lily rounds on Ginger, "You're one to talk! You've known her for three months barely and you think you feel this like the rest of us? Think again. Don't bother talking to me again."

Marlene mouths to Ginger, I'm sorry, as she gently says to Lily, "We're all grieving, Lils. Let's just get back to the dorm. Girls?"

The girls minus Ginger trudge off.

McGonagall, the bearer of the news, looks pityingly on the remaining five then trots off.

Remus just takes Ginger in his arms, hugging her tightly.

James stifles a broken sob as he says to Sirius, "Are-are you alright, Pads?"

"I'm fine, Prongs," Sirius responds loftily. Had he been honest, James would've been more suspicious had he been upset. Sirius had never been one to face his emotions head-on. His eyes pass over to Remus and Ginger and he asks in a sudden burst of confusion, "Moony?"

"We're dating, by the way," Remus supplies, brushing his fingers through Ginger's hair.

Ginger hiccups and lets out another cry.

"Sullivan, if you want to be with us for a while, that's cool, you know," James says awkwardly after a moment of silence.

She nods, "Thank you. I'm not sure I have any friends any more."

"Do you think you could... tell us how it happened?" Prongs persists.

"I was with Annie. When it happened, I mean. I-I woke her up because she was shaking in her sleep and she was still wearing Sirius's jacket but she was, like, super sweaty. And when I took her to the Hospital Wing, she told me about the D.A. and explained that Voldemort had threatened her the previous night. That was why she was so nervous. A couple weeks ago, he'd originally threatened her, saying she had to join him or die. But I already knew that. I was freaking out, but she kept telling me that it was going to be okay. Poppy couldn't help, though. And, Remus, I told her about us. Her exact words were, 'If he ruins it, then I'll ruin him'," Ginger lets out a light chuckle, the others following suit. "And she told me to tell everyone that she loves them very much. Then Sirius came knocking on the door - I have no idea how you knew we were there, by the way - and she said that she couldn't bear to say goodbye to him. Then she made me promise not to let anyone do anything stupid. And, Sirius, she made me promise to tell you that she loves you more than the stars in the sky, water in the ocean, more than Orion loved Merope, and more than Romeo loved Juliet. Also that she's sorry. The last thing she said was that the jacket's hers now."