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don't say i didn't say i didn't warn you
✦
Celeste couldn't remember to breathe. Even when she heard his voice through the door. Her whole body had frozen. Her hand hovered over the doorknob, unmoving.
Lily whispered, "Go on."
Releasing a shuddering breath, she turned it - and pushed the heavy door open. All at once, nearly a dozen heads turned at the noise.
Marlene gasped, and shouting and laughing, sprang forward, slamming into Celeste with a tight hug.
James following promptly. "Move over, Marlene!" He pushed the girl aside and wrapped a tighter hug around Celeste. He lowered his voice. "Are you alright?"
Celeste felt her eyes become glassy. "I'm right as I can be."
He broke away and studied her, reading her expression. James shook his head. "You'll be okay."
A tired smile was all Celeste could return, when she realized the room had gone silent.
Sirius didn't dare to move. His eyes were wild with disbelief, but were frozen on her. Her name was on the tip of his tongue. But as usual, she beat him to it.
"Sirius," she whispered.
Ebony met silver, and in a frenzy of limbs and laughs, their bodies collided. Celeste felt her knees go weak, but his arms refused to let her fall.
"I hate to break the reunion," someone coughed. "But I'm afraid this has to put to a hold."
Sirius studied her face, soaking in her appearance before releasing his embrace. They stood side by side, fingers brushing each other.
Professor Dumbledore quizzically eyed the two. "Miss Evans, you were called to come with yourself. Why did you invite Miss Malfoy?"
Lily tilted up her chin. "Celeste can be trusted. She's as good as any of us. I wanted her to see what we're doing."
The old man looked unimpressed. "Unfortunately, that's a claim that remains to be justified. You were sworn to secrecy, Miss Evans. I'll have to erase Miss Malfoy's memory of this meeting."
"No!" Celeste protested.
Everyone turned to her direction.
She flushed pink, but stood her ground. "I want to be apart of this. I'll help."
An unfamiliar man stepped forward, dressed in worn grey robes. One of his eyes was brown, the other blue. The blue blinked and swivelled on its own before staring down Celeste. "How exactly will you be a benefit to our cause? You have quite the reputation. If I'm correct, which I am, you were homeschooled most of your life. Secluded. Protected. That makes you unexperienced."
Celeste felt her fingers curl. But she wasn't embarrassed. "That's true. But I have experienced in other fields."
"Such as?"
She opened to mouth to retort when Dumbledore cut in. "Alastor, perhaps we shouldn't excuse Miss Malfoy so quickly." He turned to look at her. "I'm informed that you are engaged to Evan Rosier."
Celeste stole a glance at Sirius. "As of now... that's correct."
A wary murmur rose in the room.
"Are you aware that Mr. Rosier is among the list of highly suspected deatheaters?"
All the blood drained from her face.
Celeste looked around the room in disbelief, searching for any hint of untruth. "No," she stammered. "I wasn't aware."
"Perhaps," Dumbledore announced, speaking to the entire room. "Miss Malfoy can be a far more useful asset than we think."
"No," Sirius snapped. "There's no way you can make her do that."
"It is Miss Malfoy's decision," Dumbledore reasoned, carefully.
The pieces locked into place.
Celeste blinked. "You want me to spy for you."
The old man smiled, and gestured to the table. "Let's all have a seat. I expect this conversation will use more time."
After an awkward shuffling and pulling of chairs, everyone sat, warily studying Celeste or Dumbledore.
"This could end disastrously," James decided to start, beginning with the worst topic. "What if we're doing more harm than good? We'd be placing Celeste in the center of all the danger. This is more risky than any mission we've ever been sent on."
"Mr. Potter, while I appreciate your sense of judgement, we'd set boundaries and limits. Miss Malfoy wouldn't be required to seek out information, but gather what knowledge she can easily attain. Her living environment is already a great advantage."
Sirius leaned over to whisper to Celeste. "Please don't tell me you're considering this."
He understood her answer when she met his eyes.
"And," continued Dumbledore, "when she is wed, if our predictions are accurate, she will be living in a direct point of perception."
"But she won't," Sirius snapped. "Celeste isn't marrying that bastard."
Alastor raised an eyebrow. "Why not?"
Celeste straightened her back. "We have personal issues. But if he's really a deatheater, then it's clear that I should get away from him as soon as I can."
"Quite the contrary," Dumbledore frowned. "You might be our best chance at winning this war."
Celeste's blood ran cold. It was clear that she wasn't the only one.
"So it's true?" a ginger haired man asked, tension written all over his face.
An identical twin, seated at his left finished his words. "It's begun?"
Alastor didn't seem reluctant to the truth. "There's no point denying it. It's a war alright, whether the people accept it or not."
Marlene, seated beside Celeste, closed her eyes and muttered a quiet prayer under her breath. "Merlin save us all."
Celeste tried not to look horrified.
"Which is why," Dumbledore said, seizing the spreading fear. "Miss Malfoy is so crucial at this time. Sacrifices must be made, all for the greater good." He directed his gaze into her eyes, as if he were issuing a command. "I respect your personal life, but in this time of need, it must be resolved later. Miss Malfoy, will you accept this assignment?"
The pounding of her heart surged. The moment seemed all too similar to the one on her birthday, where her life would be sealed with a single word.
But this time, she was surround by her friends, and some strangers. Good people.
Celeste Malfoy exhaled, and took Sirius' hand under the table. "Yes."
