"We're going to need all the help we can get."
Remus stood tall at the head of the dusty table stationed in the dimly-lit room of 12 Grimmauld Place. His fingers tightly latched onto the back of the chair he was standing behind.
"And where do you ex...
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J U N E 1996, G R I M M A U L D P L A C E
"I didn't even hear her leave the house." Molly whispered softly to Charlie, glancing around her son's arm to take a quick peak at Adelaide, who was still lying unconscious on the bed she had once shared with Sirius. "This is all my fault. She's hurt because of me. I should have kept a closer eye on her. I should have known she would do something like this. She's gotten more brazen with age, this one has."
Charlie couldn't help but let out a soft laugh. He glanced over at his mum, a small smile appearing on his lips before he moved over to sit on the edge of the bed. "Don't blame yourself, Mum. Addy has certainly gotten more confident in the past few years. You would have had to hold her against her will to stop her from going."
"A woman in love will do crazy things, Molly." Tonks now spoke up. She had been stretched out beside Adelaide on the bed, sitting with her back against the headboard and her hand gently brushing through her best friend's hair in a calming manner, almost motherly.
Charlie nodded silently. "She should wake up soon. I gave her a small dose of dreamless sleep to make sure she didn't want up in hysterics."
"I'll go put some tea on the stove. Your father just finished packing up all our things. Remus thinks it'll be best if we go back to The Burrow before night fall." Molly rested her hand on Charlie's shoulder for a moment before leaning down to kiss his cheek.
Once Molly left the room, Tonks looked up at Charlie with a sad smile.
"How are you holding up?" she asked, glancing down at Adelaide when she felt the girl shift, luckily still deep in sleep with the help of magic.
"Me?" Charlie scoffed, shaking his head. He reached over to gently rest his hand over Adelaide's, running his thumb along the smooth skin on the back of her hand. "It doesn't matter how I'm feeling. It's Adelaide that matters...only her."
Charlie sighed again. "And you... Sirius was your cousin. Have you told your mum yet?"
Tonks nodded solemnly. "Yes. Sent a patronus once we brought Addy back here."
Charlie brought his hand back to his lap, his head bent back as he stared up at the ceiling. "T-This is only the beginning, Tonks. I'm not sure I understood that this was what I signed up for."
Tonks moved off the bed, now walking around to the other side before pulling Charlie up in a hug. This had been the most she had ever been intimate with him. She hugged him fiercely. "You're a powerful wizard, Charlie Weasley. The Order needs you... Adelaide needs you. I need you, too, though if you tell anyone I said that I'll have to hurt you." She chuckled softly and pulled back, glancing up at her friend.
Charlie hugged Tonks back just as fierce. He was nervous about how Adelaide would be after losing Sirius. If she would be able to handle this kind of loss. After all, the initial shock sent her chasing after a Death Eater alongside a fourteen-year-old boy. Of all the years Charlie knew her, he would have never guessed she'd do something like that.
