The Doe

Diamonds

"Can we just all stop and think rationally for a second?" Sirius asked, running his hand through his hair as he watched Marlene pace around the common room.

"What is there to think about Sirius?" she snapped, turning to face him, "that he's growing stronger and stronger? Or that us being part of the Order will make us a bigger target?"

Their voices grew distant as I watched Stella purr softly in her sleep, James drawing patterns on my leg with his finger as he sat beside me. I felt his eyes on me as he leaned his chin on my shoulder, placing a kiss against my collarbone before he settled his head.

"What's going through that mind?" he whispered to me.

"I'm just worried about everything," I sighed, "I realise that's not much to go off."

"I know you are and I wish I could take that worry from you," he replied, a sadness in his tone.

I smiled weakly.

"Oh Sirius, come off it!" Marlene huffed, throwing her hands up as I zoned back in.

The portrait opened to Gryffindor common room, all of our heads twisting to face the entrance.

"I assumed you would be panicked," sighed Professor McGonagall as she entered the common room.

I watched as her dark red coat billowed around her as she perched on the end of a couch, her face weary and her eyes bloodshot.

"What happens with us?" I asked after several moments of silence.

Several more commenced until the Professor looked up into the fire place and sighed.

"The Order of the Phoenix was formed to make you feel safer. To make you feel as though you could protect yourselves and others. We did not predict that his threat would increase as drastically as it has in such a short time."

She gulped slowly and sat up straighter before delivering her next sentence.

"We will not allow our students to fight in this battle."

"You must be joking?" Marlene cried as she stood up and threw her arms around.

"Excuse me, Miss McKinnon, but I would appreciate if you remembered who you are talking to."

After a roll of the eyes and a huff, Marlene sat back, crossed her legs and folded her arms.

"We can not... I, can not, all you to sacrifice your lives for a cause that you are not yet ready to fight. I will not. And that is final."

Our eyes followed our professor as she made her way out of the common room. My emotions welled up to a breaking point, forcing me to stand and follow her out.

"Professor," I started as the portrait shut behind me.

The corridors were eerily quiet, distant screeches of owls and our footsteps being the only sound around. She turned to face me and sent a sad smile, almost as if she had expected this conversation.

"What was the point in all of this if I'm not going to fight? Why send me to Caldwell to expand my use of magic? Why let me be registered as an official descendant of Merlin? Why induct me into the Order if we are expected to wait here like sitting ducks until Voldemort decides he has killed enough muggleborns to make his point?"

Tears began to run down my cheeks as I spoke, my eyes glowing their newly found golden colour.

"I understand that you can't ask us to risk our lives, but you aren't asking, we are offering. You didn't see the sadness in Lily's eyes when she read that article this morning. How she was forced to think about the danger that, not only her and her friends are in, but that her parents are in just for being her family. Who would I be, with the power I have, if I didn't do something?"