✔️ 𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐓𝐄𝐆𝐎 → ℎ. 𝑝𝑜𝑡𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑡𝑤𝑖𝑛 𝑠𝑡𝑜𝑟𝑦

02 | A R R I V A L

I really fucked up this time,
      didn't I my dear?

   "I UNDERSTAND", EMBER said, her voice shaky. "But you have to understand as well, Remus! Almost everyone I love is out there tonight, and you want me to hide here at the Burrow like a coward."

   "You're a target as well, Emmie", said Remus with his forehead wrinkled. "Even if we were sure your control won't crumble in all those stress, we can't take you there. It's dangerous enough to get Harry." He weakly smiled and stroke his hand over her head. "Stay here with Molly and Ginny. It'll be alright and we'll be back in no time."

   There was no way she could not accept it, even though Ember wasn't pleased with that decision. So when the evening neared, she sat down in the backyard, fleeing the chaos of the organisation of Harry's rescue mission. The sun was slowly lowering behind the soft hills surrounding the Burrow, and so did her heart sink merciless.

   "You look like you don't know what to wear at our welcome back party later."

   Though he was speaking with a soft voice, it thundered in Ember's ears, causing her to flinch.

   "Oh, I have a nice dress, you know? But someone once stained it with ferret blood", she replied, the corners of her mouth lifting in a sad attempt to smile.

   "You should slap this bloke", Ron snorted, sinking down into the grass next to Ember.

   "Maybe I will", she smirked, not looking at him. "Are you nervous?"

   "The only thing I fear is Harry's mood when he finds out about the plan with the seven Potters." She felt his eyes on her, refusing to look back, what wasn't that easy at all, and her cheeks grew warm.

   "Oh, he'll be delighted ...", Ember muttered, absentmindedly running her fingers through her hair.

   "You need to calm down", Ron said. "Moody got this. We have three Aurors with us, and Bill and Fleur are pretty badass as well. Not to mention Remus!"

   "Yeah, and don't forget about Mundungus! He's the true hero in this story!"

   "That's the spirit", Ron snickered, but Ember frowned, finally looking at her friend's freckled face. "Don't you worry, Emmie, we'll bring him here in the blink of an eye."

   "Make sure to bring back the rest of you lots, too", she quietly said. "Including you ..."

   Ron didn't answer, but his ears turned fiery red, and so did Ember's cheeks. As they gazed at each other, the distance between them grew smaller, and cotton wool and apple pie tingled in Ember's nose, spreading a warmth through the whole of her body like she hadn't felt it for a long time. As their noses almost touched, she closed her eyes, and there was an angry growl thundering deep in her insides, as the darkness always reacted towards Ron. Unlike back then, now Ember knew what it meant, and it scared her more than the darkness itself. But with no strength to fight it, she leaned in, lips brushing against Ron's, and it felt like being sat on fire —

   "Ron! It's time!"

   Bill's voice yelling out of one of the windows got them burst apart faster than a lightning bolt. With his ears still burning crimson, Ron got up and stretched out his hand to pull Ember to her feet. In silence they entered the house, and Ember's hand found Ron's, quickly squeezing it, whispering, "Be careful, okay?"

·

   "Harry! Harry, no!"

   Ginny was running towards them, Harry and Ember, the latter been harshly grabbed by her shoulder, her brother's fingers painfully digging into her flesh, his wand raised and pointed into her face.

   "She's okay! She's herself! Let go of her!"

   But despite Ginny's command, Harry didn't.

   "We've been attacked", he hissed, eyes narrowed at his sister. "Someone betrayed us. They must have known about the plan."

   "I haven't — Harry, I swear I haven't!"

   "Oi! Enough o' that!"

   Like he was nothing but a toy soldier, Harry was lifted off the ground by Hagrid, who turned around and sat Harry back onto the lawn, so the half-giant was now standing between them.

   "It's ya sister!", Hagrid scolded Harry. "If ya won' trust her, who could you?"

   "Harry, she's okay", Ginny whispered, stepping closer to Harry. "She's got the control. Ember didn't betray you. She was here all the time, there was always someone having an eye on her, there's no way she could have given the plan away!"

   Hagrid stepped aside, revealing Ember the view on Harry; the boy was panting heavily, his face an icy mask.

   "Well, I know our last meeting is probably not your happiest memory —"

   "Oh no, it was fun!", Harry growled. "Don't know what I enjoyed most. You attacking me or that you wanted to sell me to Voldemort."

   "Not the brightest of my moments", Ember whispered. "Harry, c'mon, that wasn't really me! You know that this wasn't me! I would have never — Harry, I would die for you without thinking twice, you can't really think I would sell you to Voldemort!"

   With her heart hammering in her throat, she waited for Harry to say something, but he didn't. An uncomfortable silence fell over the Burrow's garden. Hagrid's eyes flickered from Ember to Harry, Mrs Weasley looked like she was about to burst into tears, while Ginny seemed more than ready to hold Harry back in case he would lose his temper and attack Ember — and by the look upon his face, he was truly considering it.

   A blue light had appeared in the darkness: It grew larger and brighter, and Lupin and George appeared, spinning and then falling. Ember knew immediately that there was something wrong: Remus was supporting George, who was unconscious and whose face was covered in blood.

   Harry ran forward and seized George's legs. Together, he and Remus carried George into the house.

   Suddenly Ember found herself alone in the night, unable to move, her brain incapable of realising what had just happened.

   Four of them back, one injured, and not a trace of the rest of her friends ... Ember wrapped her arms around herself, shivering in this warm summer night, staring into the sky, and her heart started to crumble.

—