The Tales of Lyla Everglade: Book 2: The Order

Chapter 5: Harry Arrives

You spent two days in bed. Molly let you stay there. She seemed unsure of what to do. She wanted to help. She didn't know how. So she'd bring you tea and food. Fred was forced to leave your side because they needed help with the house. You weren't really talking anyway. Hermione and Ginny would tell you what is going outside your room. They told you about the dementor attack on Harry and his muggle cousin, about how the ministry tried to expel him, and now he had to go to trial. He was supposed to arrive soon.

You aren't sure how many days passed when Harry shows up. All the kids who aren't allowed in the order are sent up stairs because there's a meeting. You hear shouting above you. You get up and go up the stairs to investigate. You don't know why this is the thing that motivates you to get up. You open the door to Ron's room and find Harry screaming at Ron and Hermione. He going on about how it was unfair that he'd been kept at Privet Drive for so long. They all turned when the door hit the wall.

"Lyla..." Hermione said jumping up.

"I'm sorry did we disturb you?" Ron asked his eyes sad.

"What is going on? Where were you?" Harry asked nonplussed.

"I was laying in bed in a deep depression because my mother just died, but a great prat decided to yell like a maniac about how unfair his life is. Look Harry. I know your aunt and uncle are the worst. They are terrible, awful people. I haven't been able to properly write my father since my mother died. So that I can protect the location of this place. So I'm sorry if the updates from these two haven't been great. I am going to ask you to shut the fuck up because honestly everyone here is worried about your fucking safety so much, they are basically sick over it. So stop being ungrateful twat." You say whirling away and going upstairs to Fred's room.

He wasn't there. You went down to the first landing. You weren't sure how they'd missed you or how you'd miss them. Fred, George, and Ginny were using extendable ears that the twins invented to try to listen to the meeting. You went up behind Fred and grabbed him.

"Oye. Oh hey, love. You are up." He said hugging you.

"I may have just called Harry Potter, an ungrateful twat." You say blandly.

George immediately starts to snicker. Ginny's mouth is wide open. Fred smiles down at you.

"Was he being one?" Fred asked.

"Yes." You say.

"Then don't worry about it." Fred states shrugging.

You hear them coming down the stairs. You don't turn to look at them.

"Lyla, I'm sorry about your mom. You're right I haven't been thinking of the risks that everyone is taking for me." Harry says.

"It's alright, Harry. I'm sorry I called you names." You say.

"I deserved it." He said.

Everyone went back to listening on the extendable ears. You went and hopped in the shower. You dressed and braided your hair. You left the bathroom to find Fred waiting for you at the stairs.

"Hey." You say.

"Feel better?" He asked.

"No, but I feel more human." You say taking his hand and going down the stairs.

You went down to the kitchen. When you entered several order members eating, laughing, and carrying on Fred went to go sit down with his twin and Mundungus Fletcher, a thief the order used for information on criminal activity. You didn't like him. He smelled funny and he was constantly trying to sell Fred and George things they shouldn't have. During your depressive state there had been a discovery of joke shop things by Molly and she'd purged their room. You knew they were trying to make more.

"Hey, sis? Feeling ok?" George said reaching for your hand and giving it a squeeze.

He'd been calling you sis. Since he'd heard you say he was like a brother. You didn't mind it so much.

"I'm ok. Not great but ok." You said bravely.

"That's good." He said allowing you to sit between him and Fred.

He'd also recently been helping Fred look after you. You figured it was a sign of how worried Fred was for you.

There were conversations happening all around as you ate. You saw Tonks changing her facial features to entertain Hermione and Ginny. The conversation turned heated when Harry began to ask questions about the order. You'd heard most of what was said and honestly you really couldn't bring yourself to get to worked up over anything yet.

There was outrage from the others because they'd never gotten their questions answered. Sirius and Molly began to yell about who had Harry's best interest at heart. You'd had enough of the shouting.

"Can I be excused?" You say quietly.

This suddenly silences everyone. Everyone turns to look at you. Everyone softens.

"Yes, dear." Molly said, "did you you get enough to eat?"

"Yes, Mrs. Weasley." You say rising from the table.

"Ok." She said her voice small.

Fred tried to rise with you. You put a hand on his shoulder and smiled.

"You stay." You say kissing his cheek.

"You sure, love?" He said watching you like you'd break.

"Yeah." You said with a little smile.

"Ok." He said.

You went up the stairs and closed your bedroom door. You sunk to the floor. You heard Salem hoot at you. You heard him take flight and land on your knee. He snuggled into you. You loved this crazy bird. There was a tap, tap at the window. You saw Filbert, you Pops's Great Horned Owl. You gently let Salem fly to his perch. You let the huge owl in. He flew in and dropped a letter on your bed. He joined Salem on his perch. Salem looked incredulously at the huge bird. Filbert didn't give a horse's ass.

You went to the letter. You suddenly dreaded the contents. You feared any letter from home was a bad one. You forced yourself to open it. You found your Pops's handwriting. Also you found a key.

Kiddo,
Hey. I know you aren't able to write. It still doesn't stop this old man from missing you. You're with good people though. That's good. I hope this Fred, knows that I will shoot him if he ever hurts my June Bug. Anyway, we know that term is coming and your father is still not doing good. I imagine you're not either. I thought you should know that our family kept an account over in joy old England. It's been building up some interest. There is enough, so you can live comfortably. You can get school things and even a place of your own when you're ready. I moved everything into your name. It's yours. Please keep your head up and try to smile, June Bug.

Love you to the moon and back,

Pops

You sat there staring at the key. You put it in your purse. You changed into pajamas and curled up into your bed. You drifted off to sleep dreaming of Georgia summers.