Being a Greengrass after all should sound pretty serene.
But being a part of "the Emeralds" should not, especially when hearts become entangled with the infamous Regulus Black.
Goodness, lawfulness, or evilness. Which path will they tread in the ti...
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July 31st, 1980
Avery's wand spun midair before snapping back into her hand. The Auror trainee stood in a narrow Ministry corridor, sweat beading at her temples, her breath steady but sharp. She had just landed a non-verbal Stunning Spell on a dummy target and was ready to be praised by Callum Rowle—or corrected—when a soft but familiar sound echoed from behind the training room door.
"Psst!"
Her brow furrowed. She glanced around. The other trainees were busy. Rowle was currently dismantling someone's confidence one observation at a time. Avery returned her attention to the dummy.
"Pssssst." More insistent this time.
Okay, that definitely wasn't her imagination. And there was exactly one person she knew capable of making a hiss sound carry that much urgency, mischief, and complete disregard for authority. She turned toward the door and caught a glimpse through the narrow crack in the door—there it was, unmistakable: a flash of unruly dark curls, a grin she could practically hear, and a dark eye sparkling with unspoken chaos.
"What are you doing here??" Avery mouthed, barely containing her exasperation as she glanced back toward the training mat.
Rowle was still distracted, thankfully, lecturing another trainee about wand grip. Avery took two silent steps backward, slipping to the door with the grace of someone who'd dodged detection more times than she could count. She opened it just enough to slide through.
The moment she did, Dorcas grabbed her hand and pulled her down the corridor with a gleeful sort of urgency.
"What are you doing?" Avery repeated, half-laughing, half-worried. "I'm going to be hexed into next week if Rowle finds out I ditched."
Dorcas glanced over her shoulder, practically vibrating with excitement. "Worth it. Trust me."
Avery arched a brow. "Oh, I do trust you. That's why I'm worried."
They ducked into an alcove near the Ministry lift. Dorcas looked like she was about to explode.
"Marlene sent word," she said, eyes glowing. "She's at St. Mungo's. Lily's in labor."
Avery's eyes widened. "What? Right now?"
"Right now!" Dorcas said, already pulling her toward the lift. "Your nephew is about to make his grand entrance into the world, and we're not missing it."
Avery's breath caught in her throat, a slow grin spreading across her face.
"Well, what are we waiting for?" she said cheerfully, eyes gleaming. "Let's go meet him." But then, practicality kicked in. "Wait—just give me thirty seconds."
