Act I: I Can't Believe I'm Doing This

Part 21

"Give me your wand, 'Mione." Andromeda holds her hand out expectantly, an annoyed furrow to her brow. I look over at Cissa, who is sitting next to me, but she just gestures from me to her sister. I guess old habits die hard.

After several moments of silence, I reluctantly place my wand in Andromeda's hand. "To be perfectly clear, I don't appreciate being treated like a misbehaving child."

"I'm only taking your wand because I'm putting you on a strict no-magic regiment for a week, then you'll have it back. I'll also be popping in to check you with a diagnostic charm every morning." She hums, a more serious look on her face now. "Whatever that thing was, we can't be sure it didn't cause any lasting damage, and this is the simplest way to keep an eye on it."

I'm half sure she's just annoyed we got into danger again, but I won't fault her logic. I feel fine, but then, I felt fine a day or so after the tree incident. "Why am I always the one getting magic restrictions?"

"Perhaps because you are prone to charging in head first, darling." Cissa pats my hand - when had she taken it? - and looks over to her sister. "I'll take over from here, if you don't mind?"

Andromeda waves her hand in dismissal, "I should go home anyway, it's quite late." She takes a few steps back and draws her wand, but pauses and looks each of us over carefully. "I'm glad the two of you are okay." She Disapparates before either of us can respond.

"She seemed like she was trying very hard not to outright scold us." I say, leaning back into the couch.

"She was. I am quite sure I will receive an owl in the morning detailing precisely how idiotic she thinks we were." I can't help but laugh at Cissa's tone, which can only be described as fond exasperation.

"But I won't?"

"She will be here to do so in person, no?" I pull her closer to me, feel her rest her head on my shoulder. Tomorrow. I won't do it today, can't do it today, but... tomorrow.

Of course, even the choice to do something about my feelings in the immediate future threatens to send my already-frayed nerves into meltdown, but I swallow back the rush of anxiety. "Cissa?"

She responds with a quiet, "Hm?"

"May I borrow your time tomorrow evening?"

"Of course, darling, but whatever for?"

"I'd like to visit a favorite place of mine, and your company is always pleasant." It's not the entire truth, but it's all true. I think a small lie by omission can be forgiven in this instance.

"Consider my schedule cleared."

I let the silence settle around us. Today was bad, we deserve a moment to ourselves. Cissa darkens the room with a few gentle waves of her hand, then settles back against me. It is a reassurance we both needed, I think. We survived, we are whole. We will have to go back into the fire again, eventually, but for now we can take the time to just be. For the first time in weeks.

"Take this message to Ginny Weasley when she's alone. I'm invoking 'best friend law' again. I know you have practice this afternoon, but it won't take too long, I promise." It always feels odd to use best friend law. It's a relic of our past - a necessity when struggling through our last year of Hogwarts together - but just as important between us today. The memories of late nights sneaking about when the nightmares were too real, of confiding our deepest fears in each other, of clawing ourselves back together in the wake of a war... they are strong, dangerous memories. Even thinking of best friend law brings them bubbling up once more.

I shake my head to help bring myself back to the present. While I wait on Ginny, I may as well distract myself for a bit. Inevitably, my mind wanders to Cissa, and I remember something from the evening at Grimmauld. Ginny mentioned that the bracelet was 'important'... but how?