𝘋𝘈𝘕𝘊𝘐𝘕𝘎 𝘞𝘐𝘛𝘏 𝘖𝘜𝘙 𝘏𝘈𝘕𝘋𝘚 𝘛𝘐𝘌𝘋/𝘵𝘰𝘮 𝘳𝘪𝘥𝘥𝘭𝘦 (English version)

Chapter 45

Sarah arrived at the Burrow even earlier than Hermione.
When the two were finally together, they shared a long hug; no words were needed.
The house was bustling with members of the Order of the Phoenix; for some time, they had been preparing a plan to safely bring Harry to them, spending days and nights whispering in the kitchen.

Sarah had been strictly forbidden—especially by Remus—to help, and so, on the evening of the mission, she found herself sitting on the kitchen armchair with Ginny by her side, while Molly, despite the summer heat, was preparing a warm minestrone.
The three were immersed in a reverent silence, as the young Black girl nervously gnawed at her nails in tension.
No one had returned yet, and there had been no news.

Sarah glanced nervously at the clock on the wall.
"They've been gone too long! They said they'd be back by ten at the latest!"
Molly set the ladle down on the counter, turned to look at her, and gave a reassuring smile.
"Dear, things don't always go as planned. They've probably been delayed."
"That's exactly the problem! Where on earth are they? When Remus gets back, he'll hear from me! Forbidding me to help... What nonsense."
She got up from the couch and walked toward the window; outside, everything was dark.
Molly watched her apprehensively. "To pass the time, why don't you two set the table? At least everything will be ready when they return."
The girls nodded and began placing cutlery and napkins.
However, Sarah froze as soon as she heard a loud noise coming from outside.
She ran to the door and opened it: someone, in the distance, was walking toward them.
"There's someone there," she said, alarmed. Grabbing her wand, she stepped outside, followed by the two women.
As the figures drew closer, she relaxed.
"Harry, Hagrid," she exclaimed, running toward her friend. She hugged him tightly, finally feeling a bit calmer.
"What happened? Where are the others?" Molly asked the giant with visible concern.
"Hasn't anyone else arrived?" Harry asked, pulling away from Sarah's hug.
"They were on us from the start; we didn't stand a chance."
Molly nodded. "Thank goodness you two are safe."

A sudden light, however, made them turn: Remus was walking toward them, dragging something... or someone.
"Here! Quick, into the house!" he shouted urgently.
Sarah followed them in fright and hurriedly cleared the couch of its cushions so they could lay George down.
"Oh, my dear boy..." Molly murmured in a trembling voice as she approached to help him.

Suddenly, Remus turned toward Harry, pointing his wand at him with a fierce expression.
"What creature was in the corner the first time Harry Potter entered my office at Hogwarts?"
"W-what? Are you crazy?!" the boy protested , but the man shouted, moving closer with his wand raised.
"WHAT CREATURE?!"
"A grindylow," Harry finally replied, short of breath.

Only then did Remus lower his wand, taking a step back and shaking his head.
"We've been betrayed," he said gravely. "Voldemort knew about your transfer; I had to make sure you weren't an impostor."

Sarah brought some bandages to Molly, allowing her to cover George's wound, who kept making jokes about his missing ear.
Shortly after, another loud noise from outside the Burrow forced them to leave the house again.
Remus raised his wand, pointing it at what appeared to be Kingsley Shacklebolt, who did the same.
"The last words Dumbledore spoke to both of us," Remus said firmly.
"Harry is our best hope; trust him,"  Kingsley replied without hesitation.

It wasn't long before the others returned, including Ron and Tonks.
Hermione ran to Ron and threw her arms around his neck. Sarah approached Harry with a broad smile.
"The lovebirds together—still waiting for a romantic love confession."
Harry chuckled softly, then took Sarah's hand and joined the other two. The four shared a long hug, finding comfort in each other.
They returned to the house, where Fred now sat next to Molly, leaning over George.
"How are you feeling?" he asked.
"Holy," George replied with a tired smile.
"What did you say?"
"Holy, like the hole. Get it, Fred? The hole!" he said, pointing to his injured ear.

Fred shook his head, feigning exasperation.
"There's a world of ear jokes, and you go with 'holy.' Pathetic."
"I'm still better-looking than you," George retorted with a grin.
Their banter was interrupted by Bill, who walked in heavily, with Fleur by his side.
"Moody is dead," he said. "Mundungus... as soon as he saw Voldemort, he Disapparated."
A heavy silence fell over the room. No one dared speak, unable to find the right words. Slowly, the group began to disperse throughout the Burrow, each seeking a moment of peace.

~~~~~~~

Not long after, they all gathered at the table, except George, who had been taken upstairs to rest due to his injury.
No one was in the mood for conversation.
They exchanged only quick, perfunctory words, while the atmosphere in the room remained tense and oppressive.
Sarah idly moved her food around her plate with a fork, never bringing a bite to her mouth. Her mind wandered elsewhere: thoughts of her parents, Sirius, the Slytherins.
She hadn't yet had time to process everything that had happened, and her head throbbed with the crowding of too many thoughts.
Hermione, noticing her distraction, gently placed a hand on her shoulder.
Startled, Sarah nearly jumped out of her chair, drawing a loud laugh from Ron, who sat across from her.
"Don't laugh!" Sarah snapped, grabbing a piece of bread and throwing it at him. She hit him squarely, which made him laugh even harder.

"Knock it off, you two," Molly intervened, trying to sound stern but with a smile on her face, as she ladled more soup from the pot into their bowls.
The Gryffindor looked around the table before clearing her throat to draw attention to herself.

"I... I have something to say, actually."
All eyes turned to her.
Sarah felt a weight grow in her chest and immediately regretted speaking up.
"I've thought a lot during this time at Hogwarts... about the fact that I'd probably have to leave, even though it's the place that shaped me into the girl I am today. When Ginny confirmed she'd be returning, I felt more convinced about the choice I made."
Remus, seated beside her, placed a hand on her arm to encourage her.
"Well?"
"I'm going back to school," the girl finally declared.
Everyone fell silent, the boys exchanging incredulous looks, struck by Sarah's determination. The idea of her returning to Hogwarts seemed unthinkable.
Lupin, however, began shaking his head decisively.
"No way," he said firmly.
"What?"
"I said no, Sarah," he repeated, his gaze stern. "It's too dangerous."
A short, bitter laugh escaped her lips.
"Oh, of course, because staying here, or even pretending to be sick to avoid going back to school, is the easiest choice, right?"
Remus stared at her grimly as his tone grew even graver.
"You'll be far too exposed. That school will fall into Voldemort's hands, and you think he won't seize the opportunity? He'll take you, torture you for information. Remember who you are, Sarah: you're a Black. And your family has a certain reputation."
"But I've made my decision, Remus, fully aware of the consequences. I won't leave the others alone, like Ginny or Neville! I want to stay close to them."
"I'm telling you again, Sarah," Remus said sternly. "You're a Black. Don't you think they could force you to become one of them?"
"But I've decided and—" she tried to argue but couldn't finish.
Remus abruptly stood from his chair, his face red with anger.
"I'm your godfather, and for now, since your parents are no longer able to, you're under my supervision!"
"I'll turn seventeen in September, Remus," Sarah replied firmly, standing as well.
"I'll officially be of age and have every right to choose for myself!"
"I SAID NO, AND IT STAYS NO!" Remus thundered. "At this point, I'd rather you stay here, where we can keep an eye on you."

Sarah stared at him with a determined look, her eyes blazing with resolve.
"I don't need to be watched over. I've always handled everything on my own, and I'll continue to do so. Thanks for your concern, but if this is your way of being a father... you're failing."
The atmosphere turned icy.
Hermione, beside Sarah, gently took her hand, a silent gesture urging her to calm down. Meanwhile, Molly rose to approach Remus and led him out of the Burrow, likely to help him cool off.

Sarah felt everyone's eyes on her. She said nothing, casting one last look around the room before heading upstairs to the bedroom she would share with Hermione and Ginny.
As soon as she entered, she collapsed onto the soft bed. The weight of her emotions was unbearable, and her eyes once again filled with hot tears, as they often had in recent months. Unable to hold back any longer, she let out a liberating cry. Every single sob contained the frustration, sadness, and helplessness that had accompanied her for far too long.

But despite it all, one thing was clear in her mind: she had made her decision. She would return to Hogwarts, she would follow Ginny and the others. She wouldn't accept any objections, not even from Remus.