The Light

Chapter 87- The Cup

AN: Sorry about the delay again. I was super excited about writing this and I wrote so much before I accidentally overwrote it on my iCloud. To cut a long story short, I was really really upset at how stupid I was and every time I tried to rewrite it, it came out so much worse than how I'd done it the first time round which made me really annoyed with myself again. In the end, I had to just push through it which is why this chapter is so crap. Sorry guys!

Chapter 87- The Cup

"No," said Sirius immediately. His arms were tight across his chest, his lips a stern line. Hermione rolled her eyes. "He's not coming."

Avery scoffed, but he didn't look overly offended at this denial. Hermione closed her eyes and breathed in, trying to calm herself so she didn't slap the ignorance out of him.

"He is coming," she told Sirius patiently, and he let out a sound of indignation. Avery's lips curled ever so slightly but the smirk dropped almost as quickly as it had formed at the glare Hermione shot him.

He said instead, "Yeah, so suck it up Black. I'm on your side."

"Really? Then what's that thing on your arm, huh?" Sirius demanded, eyes flaming and furious. Remus watched him carefully, seemingly on the verge of intercepting should his boyfriend pounce.

Avery averted his eyes to the floor, and he tugged the sleeve of his cloak further down his arm.

"It's proof that he's saved us and tipped us off more times than I can remember!" Hermione said, and her voice strained with poorly concealed fury. James' hand was warm and firm on her arm, and she deflated.

He said, eyes fixed on Sirius, "He's proved himself before. He saved Hermione. That thing on his arm is what's given us the edge in every fight against Voldemort." Sirius let out a huff of air through his nose, turning away. James continued, "You need to let go of your school-aged stigma and grow up, Sirius."

There was a moment of silence. The main room of Headquarters was empty as all the other groups had apparated away to their chosen destination. This final group, the one responsible for retrieving the cup, contrived of Hermione, Avery, Sirius, Remus, James and Peter, had stalled when Sirius had both physically and verbally protested against Avery joining them.

"Hermione's right," Peter said quietly and they all looked at him. He didn't shy away from their attention, like he might've done last year. His hardened eyes flicked to and from each of their faces. "Avery's helped with too much for us to just give up on him now. We need him."

Sirius shook his head, but he kept his mouth shut. Instead of arguing, he cut his eyes to Remus, challenging him to say something.

"Even with Avery, are there enough of us?" Remus asked, frowning and his eyes flitted to each of their group. Sirius' jaw clenched at the change of subject, and he seemed to realise that Remus had come to terms with Avery's inclusion.

"No," Avery replied, arms folded tight across his chest. Hermione glared at him. "Don't look at me like that. There's not. As soon as they start destroying the horcruxes, he'll know. And then he'll send Death Eaters to fight us, a whole army of them!"

She stared at him stonily. He raised his eyebrows. "There are six of us," he pointed out.

"And that will be enough," Hermione said. Her eyes lingered on him, before she dragged them to everyone else. Avery scoffed. Remus was standing quietly in the corner, watching her. "By the time we get the cup, it won't matter. We'll give the signal and the others will destroy the horcruxes they have. Voldemort will be too weak to properly control them. We will all meet back at Headquarters before the Death Eaters have even assembled their army."