The Squib and the Werewolf (book 2)

42. Order Headquarters

Raya stayed with Harry for the whole day after Cedric's death. And even though she wanted to stay longer, she knew that she had to return home. Sophia was waiting for her, as was Sirius.
The three of them and Remus spent the next month together, rallying old Order members to rejoin the cause.
All of the members apologised profusely to Raya for how they had treated her. But Raya wasn't really in the mood to accept their apologies, for they had turned their backs on her when she was at her lowest, so she didn't feel that they deserved to be forgiven.

On the evening before the end of term, there was a knock on the Potter Manor, and Raya found Dumbledore standing outside her house.
"Dumbledore, this is late even for you" sighed Raya, as she reluctantly led him into the house.
He followed her towards the sitting room, where Sirius was waiting.
"Is Remus not here?" Asked Dumbledore as he sat down.
"No, he's still recovering from last nights full moon, at the Lupin house, which is where he goes to transform" answered Sirius.
"Very well, I will speak to him tomorrow then" replied Dumbledore.

"Well, to what do we owe the pleasure of your company?" Questioned Raya, as she sat down beside Sirius.
"There are several things I need to discuss with you, the first issue I need to bring up is regarding Sirius's living arrangements" informed Dumbledore.
Raya frowned, "I don't think it is any of your business where Sirius sleeps in this house".
"No, it is not, but I don't think Sirius should remain here any longer, for it is just too dangerous" admitted Dumbledore.
"We have discussed the issue as a family, and agreed that it is worth the risk, to have Sirius here with us".

"Keeping Sirius alive is a top priority of mine, which is why I cannot allow him to stay here anymore" announced Dumbledore.
"Where Sirius lives is not your concern. He doesn't need your permission to do something. I think he can decide for himself where he wants to hide, as he is a grown man" replied Raya.
"It is my job to keep my Order members alive. And since Fudge doesn't believe Voldemort has returned, all of Voldemort's future crimes will be blamed on Sirius. Which means that the Ministry are likely to raid your house a lot in the future. And that is why Sirius cannot stay here. I am doing my best to look after you all, so please let me" begged Dumbledore.

"Where will he go if he cannot stay here?" Asked Raya.
"I was thinking he could move back into 12 Grimmauld Place, since it belongs to him" answered Dumbledore.
"What! Please tell me that you are joking. You can't send him back there" insisted Raya.
"The house is large, and protected by powerful magic, so Sirius will be safe there. I was also planning on placing the Fidelius Charm around the building and making myself the secret keeper, to ensure the safety of those inside"
"Oh, because using that spell in the past worked out so well for us all"
"This time I will be the secret keeper, so no one can betray us to Voldemort".

"But sending Sirius back to 12 Grimmauld Place will be like sending him to hell. He was tortured in that place. You can't seriously expect him to stay there indefinitely" said Raya.
"It is the safest place for him. I was also planning on making it the headquarters for the Order, with your permission Sirius" revealed Dumbledore.
"Do it. I'd be happy to let the Order use it" admitted Sirius.
"Good. I will place the Fidelius Charm on the house tonight, and inform all those that need to know where it is, tomorrow, including you two" replied Dumbledore.

"So, you want us all to move into dreary Grimmauld Place?" Asked Raya.
"I'm afraid not. Sirius will have to go alone, and you and your children will have to stay here" answered Dumbledore.
"Why are you so intent to keep us apart?" Demanded Raya.
"Because if the Ministry come here and find the place empty and not lived in, they will assume that you are with Sirius. Which will put everyone you love in danger. You can still visit Sirius during Order meetings, but you cannot live permanently in 12 Grimmauld Place, as it's too risky. You will also be able to communicate via owls, and the floo network, so you will not be apart"
"Since I have no other choice, I must agree to this".

"I also need to remind you that Harry cannot come to live here during the holidays. Now that Voldemort is back, it is more imperative than ever, that he stays near Petunia" reminded Dumbledore.
"I had a feeling you were going to say that" sighed Raya.
"He doesn't need to stay there the whole summer. So, you can have him over in the last few weeks of the holidays if you like" suggested Dumbledore.
"I have a hunch that he would rather be with the Weasleys"
"Which is why I was going to have the Weasleys move into Grimmauld Place, so that Harry can be with both of you"
"So, you don't see any potential problems with me and Molly spending lots of time together?"
"No, I expect you all to behave like adults when around each other. Especially when you are around Severus"
"You overestimate our ability to act maturely".

"I trust you all, which is why you must all work together from now on... I have one more thing I need to say, regarding Harry. He cannot know about the Order or anything we are getting up to. Now that Voldemort has a body again, the connection between him and Harry will be stronger than ever. If Voldemort looks into Harry's mind and sees that the two of us are close, he might try and use Harry against me. Which is why I am going to try and distance myself from him this year" revealed Dumbledore.
"I like the sound of you staying away from Harry. But I don't like the idea of keeping him in the dark" admitted Raya.
"She's right. Harry deserves to know what is going on" added Sirius.

"Harry is a child, whom we need to protect. We can't have him charging off to fight Voldemort or running into the Hall of Prophecy. The Order will handle everything, and Harry is not in the Order" said Dumbledore.
"I don't keep secrets from people, not anymore. I've seen how badly things can go, when certain people are kept in the dark. And after everything Harry has been through, he deserves to be told what Voldemort is up to" insisted Raya.
"So, you want him to know about the prophecy then?" Questioned Dumbledore.
"Yes, it is about time he heard it. He is old enough and wise enough to understand it now".

"Maybe you are right. Harry is growing up before our eyes, and is no longer the baby I left at Privet Drive. But we need to wait for the right moment before telling him. The poor boy has just watched Cedric die, and he is distraught. This is not the right time to be revealing life altering prophecies to him" sighed Dumbledore.
"There will never be a right time for you, which is why you kept me out of Harry's life for so long. You never believe that Harry is ready. You always try and make decisions for him" replied Raya.
"I am an adult, and he is just a child. It is my job to keep him safe, which includes protecting him from information that would harm him" informed Dumbledore.
"We are his godparents. Me and Sirius. It is up to us to decide what is best for him, not you" snapped Raya.

"Raya, maybe Dumbledore is right" Sirius said quietly.
"Why would you side with him, after everything he's done?" Frowned Raya.
"He's kept Harry alive so far" pointed out Sirius.
"Harry has kept himself alive, it had nothing to do with Dumbledore"
"Look, I am Harry's godparent, just as much as you are, so I get a say in his upbringing too. And I say that for now, we should do as Dumbledore says"
"Alright fine, since I'm out numbered I will have to agree to this. I won't tell Harry about what is going on. But, if asks me a direct question, I will not lie to him. For lying and keeping secrets never worked out well for anyone in my family".