Defend

Chapter Seventeen More Brothers

 "I don't think I fancy Harry anymore." Ginny tells me.

 I'm surprised. "Really?" It's been years, by now I thought it was a permanent fixture in her heart.

 "Yep."

 "So who is it now, then?" I raise my eyebrows.

 "Not really anyone in particular."

 "Hmm, alright." I say, going over the possible candidates in my head.

 "Girls, Harry's here!" Mrs. Weasley calls from downstairs.

 "Coming!" We run down the old stairs of Grimmauld Place.

 "Muggles! Blood-traitors! Filth! In my house!" Mrs. Black's portrait comes uncovered and starts screaming.

 "Shut up, you old hag!" Sirius yells from downstairs.

 "Harry!" We run up to him and hug him breathless.

 "Hi, Ginny. Hi, Eliza."

 Ginny pulls away and runs to the kitchen to help Mrs. Weasley, leaving me alone with Harry.

 "Harry, are you alright?"

 "Fine, you?" Harry asks.

 "I guess I just have to stay strong."

 "Don't we all." Harry agrees.

 I walk into the kitchen where a familiar face is sitting at the little table.

 "Professor Lupin?!"

 "Hello Eliza."

 "What are you doing here?" I look hopeful. "Are you coming back as the Defence Against the Dark Arts professor?"

 "Sadly, no. But I am part of the Order. You'll be seeing me a lot more often."

 I hug him. "That's good. You were the best professor we've ever had. Not including the fact it wasn't really you last year." I say, pointing at Mad-Eye.

 "Can't be offended by that." Mad-eye grunts.

 Mrs. Weasley clangs a spoon against a pot. "Dinner!"

 Ginny and I sit down and Hermione takes a seat next to me. "You alright?" she asks.

 I smile. "I am."

 How could I not be, I was surrounded by people I loved, people that supported me through the worst time in my life. Although I'm still not used to Cedric being gone, staying at the Burrow and now being at Grimmauld place has helped.

 I've sent letters to my parents, and we talk several times a week about anything other than my brother. I know as soon as I see them I'll cry again. I love my parents so much, but I think we both need to time to process what happened. 

 After dinner, quite a stressful dinner indeed, with the adults keeping so many secrets from us, Lupin pulls me aside.

 "You understand that you must not tell anyone what is said within these walls, correct?"

 "Yes, but Professor—" 

 "I'm not your professor anymore, call me Remus."

 "Yes, but Remus," I correct myself, "what about my parents?"

 "Your dad works for the Ministry, and we already told them how you can't tell them anything about Grimmauld place."

 "So you don't trust them."

 "It's not that, it's that the Order and everything about it must be kept a secret."

 "Oh. Alright, that makes sense."

 "Alright, now run upstairs," he smiles at me and gently pushes me towards the stairs.

 I walk up the creaky staircase and two loud pops come from behind me.

 I almost jump a mile, and would have fallen down the stairs if they hadn't caught me. George and Fred stand me up on my feet. "Sorry, Eliza."

"Can you two NOT apparate every two feet!" I yell at the twins, barely mustering to keep my smile off my face.

 "It gets kind of fun when you're used to it." Fred smiles.

 "Yeah, but it's not funny," I huff.

 They lead me into the room they're sharing. They sit me on the bed and close the door.

 "We have a question for you." Fred interrogates.

 I glare suspiciously. What do they want?

 "I'm not planting dungbombs in the Slytherin common room. I have to be in there too, you see."

 "That's not what we were going to ask." George says, but he and Fred share a glance.

 "But that would be totally wicked and we'd let you stay in the Gryffindor common room if you did that." Fred winks.

 I have to smile. "Maybe."

 Fred sits down next to me and attempts a serious face. "There's rumours you and Malfoy are going out. PLEASE tell us they're not true," Fred pleads.

 Of course that's what they want to know.

 "What I'm about to tell you, only Ginny knows. Not Harry, not Ron, not even Hermione."

 George sits down on the other side of me. "Well, spit it out."

 "Yes, the rumours are true."

 Fred smacks his head into his hands. "No!"

 "Such a good girl going to waste!" George says.

 "Okay, okay! I get it. It's not ideal. We have our differences, but we work it out. I constantly tell him not to bully my friends, and I do my best to stop him from offending people. If he insults Harry, or Ginny or anyone, I tell him to shut it. And he listens. I think I'm changing him for the better. He could be worse, but I think it will work."

 They look at me like I said I never want to do another prank with them ever again.

 "Blimey."

 "Well," Fred begins.

 "Bloody hell Eliza, this is our last year at Hogwarts. We will be making sure you're safe. We will prank him to death if needed."

 "Believe me, when you start up your store, I'll be pranking on a daily basis."

 "But we will protect you if needed, and kill him if he hurts you. You're like our little sister."

 I tear up a little. "That's what Cedric told me when he saw us kissing under the mistletoe in Hogsmeade," I whisper.

 They look pitiful and wrap me in a hug.