Deleted Scenes

Joining the Order

When: 27 March, 1979 - Dumbledore

Why: As with many of these, this felt out of character for Lavinia. She's not a fighter, at least not in the literal sense. And I felt that her moral objections wouldn't be overridden by the 'greater good' argument because Lavinia wouldn't be able to set aside her knowledge of the other side that fast. I felt that this was a choice that needed to be drawn out and which she had to come to because of some more immediate reasons.

Also, let's be real, I'm lazy and if she was in the Order, then I'd have to write Order meetings and logistics and... oof.

What:

"I want you to join the Order of the Phoenix."

Lavinia blinked, shocked. And that shock was, really, the only reason she hesitated before saying, "No." No of course not. She wasn't going to fight. She wasn't going to turn her wand on old friends. Just... no.

"Please consider it, Miss Selwyn," Dumbledore pressed. "We need fighters. Regardless of your ties to those on the other side, I hope you can recognize that Lord Voldemort must be stopped."

And now Lavinia was scowling slightly. That was obvious to the point of being insulting. Not that Dumbledore much seemed to notice.

"We need wands. All we can get. You know how to heal. You could do us a great service. You could save lives. You could help your friends."

"Some of my friends," Lavinia corrected, but she knew she was just stalling. Playing for time. Because the truth was that he had a point. She was standing here doing nothing. Doing nothing while her friends jumped headfirst into danger and she might hate the idea of truly fighting, but by doing nothing, she was helping no one. And she had the chance to help at least some of them.

And whether Dumbledore could read this in her eyes or her thoughts or simply knew that this was where her head would go, his next words were, "Some is better than none."

And Lavinia told herself that this was the only reason she said, "yes."