Her Single Rose (Remus Lupin)

One-Hundred & Eleven

It was torment waiting and listening to Dumbledore explain to her friends, the very mission she had accepted and screwed up. 

It was even more frustrating when Dumbledore had given them more responsibility than she was given the first time he put her on a mission.

She had to stay in the castle wrapped up in conspiracies while the wizard told them they would be jumping right in after the year was out. Whether they stayed for their Seventh year of studies was up to them. 

There was nothing more infuriating than the thought of everything she worked so hard for being thrown into fire and having nothing to show for it. This was supposed to be her next career move. This was supposed to be the thing Aries could do.

It gave her a purpose. It gave her the ability to use her gifts for the greater good. Now, it was like none of it even mattered. Maybe she could be helpful and go undercover, but Snape and Regulus were already arms deep with a Dark Mark. How could she follow through with something like this?

How could she contribute if she couldn't do this?

"I didn't realize the war had gotten this bad." Marlene was the first to speak of the group, finding herself rather small at the sudden big scary world. Only it wasn't sudden, it was there if they'd only looked. 

Dumbledore nodded gravely, "Voldemort has grown stronger as the years and now days have progressed. I have been recruiting witches and wizards to help in any way possible." Peter and Sirius straightened at the use of the wizards name. 

"What about the Ministry? Why haven't they done anything about this by now? Don't they know?" Lily asked while James took her hand in concern.

Aries could tell this wouldn't be easy for James and Lily. It wouldn't be easy for Aries and Remus either. Anyone that's not a pureblood is at tremendous risk.

The wizard agreed with her, "The ministry should be doing something, but I'm afraid Voldemort has already infiltrated them. They'll bribe and they curse, anything to do what they believe is right. Death Eaters are following Voldemort because they want to purify the bloodline of witches and wizards. Terminating anyone they don't see fit to produce magic." 

"Why us?" Remus asked, "There are plenty of Aurors out there and many more who have trained for this." 

Aries glanced back over her shoulder to see Remus looking back at her. His eyes didn't twinkle like they had during break. Neither did hers. 

"Voldemort is plenty aware of the groups whom have attempted to sabotage or take him down. He's smart and strong and knows how we work and function. By asking you to join the Order of the Phoenix, we're gaining an element of surprise on my side. No one suspects a group of teenagers to fight in a war."

Lily shook her head at that, "Exactly, that's because that's all we are, teenagers. You said it yourself Professor, we still have a year left of school."

This time, Sirius jumped in, "We're not just teenagers, Evans. I've seen first hand the cruelties that those criminals can put people through." Aries looked to her brother, her heart aching at his sullen face, "I want to fight this more than anyone else in this room, count me in, Professor."

Lily argued, "We're hardly prepared, Sirius! Alice tell him." The girl looked to the brunette but Alice shook her head.

"I'm sorry, Lily, but Frank and I already joined. Sirius is right, its as much our battle as anyone else. We're not just fighting for us, we're fighting for the next generation too, Lils." She explained, standing beside her fiancé. 

Lily scoffed, looking to James next, but his expression said it all, "You can't be serious."

"Lily, I need to do this. Aries has been teaching me wandless magic, I haven't been more prepared for anything in my life. I'm standing with Pads for this, count me in too." James nodded to Dumbledore.