𝙿𝚞𝚖𝚙𝚔𝚒𝚗 𝙿𝚊𝚜𝚝𝚒𝚎𝚜 - 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝑑 𝑤𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑙𝑒𝑦 | ✔︎

Chapter 69

It was now July, and the eve of Harry's birthday. Natasha's had been a few weeks before, as well as Aurelia's and Adrian's, but they had been rather overshadowed by Mad-Eye's intricate and complex plan to get Harry to the Burrow.

Fred and Natasha had offered their home up, now fully furnished and in use by the couple on most nights, but Mad-Eye had insisted Harry be under the care of Molly, so that he could still be with his friends, with minimum transport.

Natasha had embraced Hermione with open arms after the girl had come crying to her doorstep, after sending away her parents to Australia. She and Nymphadora had become older sisters to the young witch and had stayed with her the whole time until she was ready to apparate to the Burrow.

Natasha couldn't believe Ron, whom she had known since she could remember, was finally using magic outside of school, making her finally realise that everyone was growing up. Even Ginny, who had always seemed so little to Natasha, was slightly taller than her, with rosy cheeks and an attitude only her mother could have passed down to her.

She had stayed with Fred and Natasha a few times over summer, as she detested Fleur, but Natasha and Fred didn't care, glad for the company in the large empty house. They had already placed up protection spells around the home and surrounding garden, as well as placing them around the Potter house just in case.

Natasha was the only one who knew of Harry's plans to not return to school, after catching him at the funeral fumbling with a ring she knew to be Dumbledore's. He had tried to lie to her, but one look at her eyes had him crumbling, his arms wrapped around her tightly.

For now, though, as he sat alone at Privet Drive in his bedroom for the last night, plans for his removal from the home were being fine-tuned, headed by Minerva. She was stood at the head of the table in Fred and Natasha's home, surrounded by the closet members of the Order of the Phoenix, including the newly inducted Hermione and Ron, as well as Fleur.

"So, who here is an animagus?" Minerva asked, and a few people put their hands up, including Minnie herself. She looked over to Sirius and Aurelia who were looking at everything but the witch and she sighed.

"Who here is an unregistered animagus?" Immediately Aurelia and Sirius' hands shot up, their smiles wide. Natasha was tempted to put her hand up, but one look from Minerva placed her hand back down.

"Well, since you are both unregistered Sirius and Aurelia, I believe it would be wise to have you on lookout. From what I remember from your countless endeavours, you are a dove Aurelia?"

Aurelia nodded and used her wand to transform into her animagus form, and in her spot, sat a tame white dove, who chirped before flying up to perch on Sirius' shoulder. "Woah," Ron said, and Aurelia flew over to his shoulder, nestling comfortably now on Ron.

"So, Aurelia, we shall have you stationed on flight, checking every path during the course of mission. Sirius, they'll most likely believe you to be with Harry, so you will be stationed at the Burrow, ready for any emergency wand work. No doubt the protective barriers will next patching, and your charm work is some of the best here."

Sirius pouted and slumped in his chair, but Minnie knew from experience he was going to do that, ignoring him swiftly. "Natasha, I want you with your father on standby, and Adrian will be with you to."

Natasha nodded and Adrian squeezed her hand from across the table, his bright eyes still mischievous throughout all the darkness. Remus and Tonks were behind everyone near the window, and Natasha could tell that Tonks was hiding something, her slightly reclusive behaviour an instant alarm bell.

"Right, well I believe that settles everything. Off to bed, all of you. I don't need tired aurors tomorrow night," Mad-Eye grumbled, and he banged his staff on the ground, immediately apparating to his dwellings.

Other members followed, including Kingsley Shacklebolt and a rather drunken and dishevelled Mundungus Fletcher, who looked as if he couldn't care less about Harry. Natasha had tried to hex him three times, but Fred had held a firm grip on her arm, shaking his head.

Soon, only Natasha, Fred and Minerva were left. Minerva's unusual black garments blended in with the night, and she sipped the last of the tea Natasha had made for her, smiling. "Your graciousness of offering your house to the Order a very brave thing of you to do," she said to the young couple.

They both returned her smile, Fred's hand now resting on his wife's growing stomach. "We're Gryffindors for a reason Minnie, we'd give our lives for the cause if it came down to it," he answered with no hesitation.

"Well, the Sorting Hat is rarely wrong," Minerva stated, picking up her cloak from the chair she had been sitting in.

"Rarely, Professor?" Natasha asked curiously.

Minerva paused, before turning back to the young couple. "Only a few times has that hat ever been wrong, and you are friends with one such individual. Adrian Black was never supposed to be in Slytherin, in fact, he was supposed to be a Hufflepuff from the moment the hat touched his head. But his parents bribed a teacher, whom we still are unable to identify, ensuring he would be placed into Slytherin like those who came before."

Natasha's mouth turned to a grin before she looked up to Fred. "Looks as if we've had a little Puffball in our midst after all," she laughed. Minerva nodded, adjusting her hat.

"Perhaps after this war is over, I'll allow for Mr Black to be sorted once again. If he is indeed sorted into Hufflepuff, I'll have his title changed in the Head Boy's Hall of Fame, so that it reads Hufflepuff, not Slytherin."

With that, she finally apparated back to the grounds of Hogwarts, a privilege only she and the newly instated headmaster had. Aurelia had been heartbroken once she heard news of Severus murdering Albus, and her screams had been so loud that her accidental magic had destroyed every single mirror in Grimmauld Place, as well as the mirrors inside of Severus' home.

That was when he too, felt his own heart break at the mission ahead of him.

One he knew he had no chance of surviving.