Into The Light (Golden Trio Era) {2}

Tension Rises

"We've got to go to St. Mungo's," Ginny exclaimed, she stood up and looked at them, expecting them to second the idea. "Sirius, can you lend us cloaks or anything-?"  "Hang on, you can't go tearing off to St. Mungo's!" Sirius protested. "'Course we can go to St. Mungo's if we want," Fred said, looking offended. "he's our dad!"  "And how are you going to explain how you know Arthur was attacked before the hospital even let his wife know?"  "What does it matter?" George fumed.  "He has a point, George," Mikayla said quietly. "Especially with Harry's reputation, we don't want to bring attention to how he's seeing these... terrible... things happen hundreds of miles away. It'll look suspicious. Umbridge is already on our tails." Mikayla said truthfully, although she also really needed to see Arthur, make sure he was okay.

"D'you have any idea what the Ministry would try to do to him if they knew this." Sirius continued on Mikayla's thought. Fred and George did not react. For once, Harry's reputation was not something they cared to protect. Ginny spoke up, "Somebody else could have told us... we could have heard it somewhere other than Harry..." "Like who?" Sirius scoffed. "Listen, your dad's been hurt while on duty for the Order and the circumstances are fishy enough without his children knowing about it seconds after it happened, you could seriously damage the Order's-"  "We don't care about the dumb Order!" Fred shouted, his face growing red.  "It's our dad dying we're talking about!" yelled George.  "Your father knew what he was getting into, and he won't thank you for messing things up for the Order!" Sirius fumed. "This is how it is- this is why you're not in the Order- you don't understand- there are things worth dying for." "Easy for you to say, stuck here!" Fred protested, standing up and knocking his chair back. "I don't see you risking your neck!" Sirius looked as if he was going to hit Fred for claiming he wasn't doing all he could. "Dad, maybe we could find a loophole. If it was me and you, I'd do the same. The Order would definitely let me see you." Mikayla turned to him, his eyes were moving back and forth between Fred and Mikayla. "I know it's hard, but we've all got to act as though we don't know anything yet. We've got to stay put, at least until we hear from your mother, all right?"

Fred and George looked like they were going to tear the room apart. Ginny, however, looked emotionally drained, she rested her face in her hands, Mikayla got up from her seat and began to comfort the girl. Fred fixed his hair and he sat back down on the opposite side of Ginny, whilst George went over to Ron, losing their anger to be there for their younger siblings. "That's right," Sirius clapped his hands together and spoke encouragingly. "Come on, let's all... let's all have a drink while we're waiting. Accio Butterbeer!" He raised his wand, spoke, then seven bottles burst out of the kitchen pantry. They flew and then skidded toward them on the table, stopping in front of each of them. Mikayla sipped at the bottle and she was glad that no one else felt like conversing. The only noise was the crackling of the fire and the soft thuds of glass bottles on the table. When a bottle was placed on the table with excessive force causing it to spill a swallow's worth on the table. Mikayla looked up and saw Harry retracting this hand from the bottle, looking frightened but also angry. She went to nudge him with her foot but a large and sudden burst of flames mid-air above the table grabbed all of their attention. Surprised and or frightened, they watched as a roll of parchment fell onto the table accompanied by a golden phoenix feather which was undoubtedly from Fawkes. "Fawkes!" Sirius exclaimed he grabbed the parchment before anyone else could. "That's not Dumbledore's writing- it must be a message from your mother,- here-" He handed the letter to George, who was closest, and he began to tear open the letter. "Dad is still alive. I am setting out for St. Mungo's now. Stay where you are. I will send news as soon as I can. Mum." "Blunt." Mikayla breathed, glad he was fine for now but not at all relieved. "Still alive..." George said slowly. "But that makes it sound..." he didn't finish, they all knew how it sounded.
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Molly arrives the next morning, her kids rising to suffocate her with hugs. "Breakfast!" Sirius said cheerfully, clapping his hands together once. "Where's that accursed house-elf? Kreacher! KREACHER!" he called, but Kreacher did not answer. "Oh, forget it, then," he huffed, then began to count the people in the room. "So it's breakfast for- let's see- nice.... Bacon and eggs, I think, and some tea, and toast-"  "Molly..." Mikayla said, stepping forward when her children let go. She looked at Mikayla and opened both her arms wide. Mikayla wrapped her arms around her and held her tight, her vision clouded up with tears. "Did you speak to him, how is he really doing."  "You don't need to be worrying about that, dear. All that matters is they found him in time. And that's all thanks to you and Harry. Speaking of the boy-" she patted her shoulder, signalling for her to let go, and walked over to him. She took the plates he had grabbed out of his hands and pulled him into a hug as well, rocking him from side to side in a very motherly fashion.  While she thanked him, Mikayla set out the plates Harry had meant to at each spot at the table.  "Oh, Sirius, I'm so grateful..." Molly addressed Mikayla's dad, letting go of Harry and letting him breathe. "They think he'll be there a little while and it would be wonderful to be nearer... Of course, that might mean we're here for Christmas..."  "The more the merrier!" Sirius grinned, ecstatic that he was going to have friends and family this Christmas. Molly beamed back and put on an apron, glad to help. Mikayla smiled to herself, glad she'd be seeing her dad and the Weasleys this holiday.

Mikayla collected the butterbeer bottles off the table and floor, looking back up, she watched Harry pull Sirius aside, say something, then be led away out of the kitchen. Molly had already got the bacon started by the time she turned to Mikayla, "Dear, I don't know where a thing is in this house, can you go ask your Sirius where they keep spare cups?" She said sweetly. "Yea, I'll be right back." Mikayla nodded and went out the way Sirius and Harry did a few minutes earlier. "-just feel so angry all the time. And... what if, after everything I've been through, something's gone wrong inside me?" She heard Harry's voice. She started to walk slower and softer, not wanting to intrude on a conversation that now does seem important. "What if I'm becoming bad?" he continued. "I want you to listen to me very carefully, Harry," Sirius said, his voice sounding urgent. "You're not a bad person. You're a very good person, who bad things happened to. You understand." Mikayla stopped outside the open door, not showing them she was there. There was no audible response. "Besides," he continued. "the world isn't split into good people and Death Eaters. We've all both light and dark inside us. What matters is the part we choose to act on. That's who we really are." Mikayla could hear Harry sniffling. She quietly clearing her voice, she stepped into the door frame. "Molly wants to know where we keep extra cups?" Mikayla said, getting their attention. "I'll get them for her, come here." Sirius waved her toward him. "You've seen the tapestry before, haven't you?" He asked. "Only for a moment." "Well, I made a new addition." He smiled, gesturing to the small photo pinned to the wall beside his name and ruined portrait. "I've never been one for embroidery." he chuckled. "It's great," She smiled, looking closer to the photo of her grinning and waving, her name printed beneath it.

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