the eighth || harry potter

TEN

"HARRY!" Octavia yelled running over and hugging him.

"Hey Octavia" He smiled, returning the hug.

Then everyone else came out and greeted him. The Order was preparing him for his trial, he had cast a patronus, getting rid of dementors in front of his muggle cousin Dudley. They barely got anytime to talk to him before he was whisked away by the adults. The group didn't see him much leading up to his trial. But they wished him luck before he left.

"That boy" Hermione sighed.

"Tell me about it, I've known him for a year and I've saved him at least twice" Octavia laughed,"Never a dull moment."

"Imagine doing it for five" Hermione laughed back.

"He's back!" Called Fred from down the stairs.

Hermione and Octavia ran down the stairs and saw the green eyed boy standing there.

"So?"

"I can go back to Hogwarts!"

"Thank Merlin" Hermione sighed as they pulled him into a hug.

»»-------------¤-------------««

That night all of them were able to have dinner together. It felt like family. Sirius and Harry would joke, Hermione scolding Ron per usual. Molly and the rest of the adults conversing.

Octavia noticed a pair of green eyes watching her as she laughed at Ron. She turned to face him.

"Pass me the salt Harry?"

He just kept looking at her in a daze, completely zoned.

"Harry?"

He snapped out of the daze.

"Huh?" Harry turned red.

"The salt" Octavia pointed as he handed it to her.

She smiled turning back to Hermione. Octavia just caught a glance of Sirius winking. Next to her she heard Sirius whisper something to Harry. Harry then proceeded to turn bright red and say something along the lines of 'No!'. Octavia laughed to herself. Sirius was such a good father figure to Harry, more like an older brother to her.

Remus was sitting with a women Octavia had just met today, Tonks. She liked her, she didn't even hesitate to accept her into The Order. Mrs. Weasley was kind to her, but Octavia couldn't help but feel she was questioning where she came from. The twins, Fred and George were messing with Ron from underneath the table and that had Hermione in fits of laughter. Mr. Weasley, who insists Octavia call him Arthur, asked me many questions about her time in New York. He was quite interested in muggles, he was absolutely mesmerized when she told him about a microwave and the subway.

Harry just sat there, talking to Sirius occasionally and listening to Octavia's stories. They had a good time but eventually Mrs. Weasley shooed them up to bed, claiming its was "exceptionally late".

Before Octavia headed up the stairs, Sirius stopped her. He handed her a small box.

"This is for you" He said.

"What?" She raised an eyebrow.

"Open it when you get upstairs, I think you'll enjoy it.

Octavia held it as walked up the stairs to my room. She sat down on her bed and took the top of the box.

Inside was a picture. It had a group of people, who all seemed fairly young. Octavia recognized Dumbledore, Sirius and Remus immediately. She saw a man with glasses and a women with brilliant green eyes. Harry's eyes. Octavia smiled. Those must be his parents.

Behind them she saw a beautiful women with flowing dirty blonde hair and warm brown eyes. Beside her was a tall man with light brown hair and similar eyes, freckles spread across his face. Octavia glanced up at the mirror on the wall, running a hand through her hair. She looked just like them. The perfect mix of the two.

Her parents.

On the back it read...

"Order of the Phoenix"

And

"Remus Lupin, Sirius Black, Peter Pettigrew, James Potter, Lily Potter, Olympia Clarke, Ethan Clarke..."

And other names she didn't recognize.

They all looked so happy. Her parents, Harry's parents. All alive.

Octavia was beyond grateful for the photo.

»»-------------¤-------------««

The next day after breakfast Octavia headed upstairs.

"Ginny, I'm going to change" She shooed her off the bed and out of the room.

"Why can't I stay?" Ginny whined as she walked out and Octavia shut the door.

"It's my room too!" Ginny added before walking off.

Octavia didn't like people to see her change or without clothes, it was an uncomfortable subject.

As Octavia took her shirt off and laid it on the bed, the door opened.

"Hey Octavia- oh sorry!" Came a voice belonging to Harry as looked away and covered his eyes.

She jumped and tried to cover herself , She was only in her bra.

"Here, take this shirt" He handed it to her sheepishly from off the ground.

Then Octavia turned around trying to slide on her shirt as quickly as possible.

"Octavia-" He came rushing over, "What are these?" He ran his fingers across the bruises and cuts on her back. She shied away at his touch.

Octavia quickly tried to cover them, "Nothing"

"It's not nothing" he said concerned.

"It's nothing!"

"Turn around!" He demanded, his glare hardening.

Octavia slowly turned around. Harry looked appalled as he looked at her body and scraps and scars that mauled it.

"He hurt you?"

She didn't respond looking down at the floor.

"That's why you ran away"

A tear slid down her cheek.

"He's a death eater" She whispered, "I needed to escape"

Harry pulled her into hug as more tears fell.

"We will keep you safe, I promise" He whispered, "You won't have to go back, he'll never hurt you again as long as I'm around"

"You can't promise that"

"Yes I can, as long as I'm alive I will keep you safe" He tightened his hug.

"Thank you" Octavia laid her head on his chest, "Thank you"