Brightest ✯ Sirius Black

✯sixty✯

1980

All was quiet in the safe house as the order of the phoenix laid low and patiently awaited their next moves. It was a peaceful evening, the snow outside gently falling as the burning fireplace reflected off the window. Cleo sat in a large leather chair, flipping through pages of a large, leather-bound charms book, her wand's lit up tip illuminating her lap as she read. The others were in similar positions littered across the living room. Peter sat in the corner writing something, his quill moving at a ferocious speed. Marlene lay on the ground by the fireplace, her legs up in the air behind her as she held her chin up with one hand and looked through a magazine with the other. Sirius and Remus sat across from one another on the ground, playing a game of wizard's chess, and Luna was also reading, her legs on either side of Remus as he sat against the couch she was on top of. Other members of the order were up in the multiple levels of the house, each one minding their own.

It was quiet. So quiet, that everyone was able to hear the loud crack come from out in the yard. All heads snapped up, eyes alert, and Sirius was the first one on his feet. He pulled his wand from the back pocket of his dark jeans and looked around the room. Cleo was up only a second after him, wand in hand already. The floorboards squeaked, and they turned to find Moody creeping down the stairs. He met their gazes and brought one finger up to his lips to signal them all to be as silent as possible. Cleo's mind was racing as he came down to the final step, and everyone stood in suspense, breaths labored and hearts pounding. 

Another crack sounded from the kitchen, followed shortly by the sound of clattering and the breaking of dishes. A disgruntled yell of pain was released then, and Moody went flying to the kitchen, with a gaggle of young adults hot on his heels.

What awaited them in the kitchen was nothing short of a surprise. Benjy Fenwick, a Ravenclaw who graduated a few years before Cleo and the group and a member of the Order, lay face down on the kitchen floor, rolling and moaning ever so faintly. He had knocked the table sideways on his way down, presumably, and all of the dishes that were sitting atop it were scattered in pieces across the floor. Moody bent down low and rolled Benjy over, and he shuddered and gasped in pain.

"The Bridge!" He gasped, breathless, his shaking fingers clutching onto the front of Mad-Eye Moody's robes tightly. "He's dead, they're coming! The Bridge!" he repeated a few more times before he shuddered and shook, and the poor man heaved one last heavy sigh before the color drained from his face, and he moaned no more. His face, once handsome and dark, was ashen, eyes lightless, but what was worse, was the stricken spiderwebs of what looked to be burn marks stretching across his skin.

All was silent for a moment. Luna gasped and covered her mouth, turning to bury her head in Remus' chest as he held her close.

"I think I'm gonna be sick," Marlene muttered, and turned from the room quickly.

"Lupin, go call the others," Moody grumbled, still down on the floor, examining Benjy's lifeless body. Luna sat up as Remus kissed her head quickly and turned away to follow orders.

"The Bridge? What Bridge was he talking about?" Sirius asked, and Moody only shook his head. It appeared even he did not have an answer at the moment.

Only a short time passed when people were apparating into the house, Dumbledore being one of the first. He and Moody went away to discuss things more, and asked that everyone steer clear of the kitchen for now. The Prewitt twins arrived shortly after, and brought at least a little bit of light into the otherwise dismal house. More people from the Ministry of Magic, aurors, and a few other professors from Hogwarts appeared, including Professor Slughorn. James and Lily came hand in hand, embracing everyone quickly and tightly, this being the first time since the wedding nearly 12 months prior that they had seen anyone. Even Alice Longbottom, who once was Alice Fortesque, and her husband, Frank, came quickly at the call. Cleo had never known Alice well, but nonetheless went to hug her upon their arrival.