Brontide

Chapter Seventeen

This one took a while for me to finish, but I'm glad I got to it (: enjoy!

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"No! No, no, no, are you out of your bloody mind? Do you have any idea just how dangerous this will be?" This was the third time Fred and I were having this argument and we still couldn't see eye to eye.

"Of course I know it'll be dangerous! Why else do you think I've been practicing so much?!" I yelled back, my wand shooting sparks. It was clenched tightly in my hand.

Fred looked severely distressed, his hair sticking out in several directions as he pinched the bridge of his nose. "Blimey, you'll make me start balding early like my dad."

It was July 27th, the day of a very important Order mission. We were to assist in moving Harry from his aunt and uncle's house to the safety of The Burrow, acting as bodyguards against whatever Death Eaters might be out there. As his magical protection would end when he turned seventeen, Mad-Eye decided to move him a few days beforehand, assuming Voldemort would think we were moving him the day before Harry's birthday. However, several members of the Order would be involved in this mission, the four of us included. Fred wasn't happy about my involvement, even though Rae and I had been practicing defensive and offensive incantations day and night.

My arms were folded up against my chest. "I'm going, so stop treating me like a ruddy child."

"I'm not trying to treat you like a child, I just don't want anything bad to happen again, that's all," he insisted, his eyes glancing down to my leg that'd been injured.

"I'm more than prepared for whatever's out there, you don't need to worry so much," I shot back. "What if I told you I didn't want you going?"

"What? Are you mad? Of course I'm going!" he said in disbelief.

"Then so am I! So get over it, you're worse than my mother!" I shouted, storming off into the kitchen.

Tensions had been high ever since Dumbledore's funeral, and even though I knew he wouldn't want us dealing with things so poorly I couldn't help it. I was so stressed out I was sure it would put me in an early grave. I tried to keep in touch with my parents as much as I could, making sure they were still safe and somewhat sound. The Order was stretched so thin I didn't know when Remus or Kingsley had checked up on them last. According to their most recent letter, they were doing just fine but were scared for me and everyone else. Devon was doing just about the same, though he worried about everyone's safety and wished he could do more.

The shop was closed for the day so Rae and George were sitting in the kitchen, focused on eating their respective meals. I'd heard them arguing earlier in the day, having a similar conversation like the one I'd just had with Fred. The tension everywhere was just thick and awkward and I hated it.

The moment I walked into the room George turned his attention to me, a glimmer of hope in his eyes. "Cassie, please tell Rae here that the idea of her doing something so dangerous is completely ludicrous."

My best friend turned to me with a look that could kill. "Cassie," Rae said through gritted teeth, her fork gripped tightly in her hand, "please tell dearest George that I frankly don't give a damn what he thinks and will do whatever I please."

I stared blankly back and forth between them. "Well, I – George, she can do whatever she wants...though, I really would rather if she didn't go, to be completely honest," I added quietly, looking away from Rae.

I could feel her glare. "Really, Cassie? Really? Have I just been practicing with you for nothing? What the hell was even the point of it if you're going to have me just sitting here to be completely fucking useless? You of all people, didn't we say we were both in this until the end? Didn't we say we'd join the Order together and put an end to all the horse shit that's been going on? Were those all lies?" she spat, pushing her chair back and standing up.