and I stand with you

eight

I was panicked when I woke up, as I woke in a dark room that I didn't recognize. My head throbbed, and my arms and legs felt heavy and tired. I blinked away the pain and sat up from the bed as best I could, trying to make sense of my surroundings. Before I knew what was happening, in rushed Molly Weasley with a full glass of water and some food.
"Oh! Splendid! You're awake! She's awake!" She called behind her, and my father walked into frame.
"Dad?" I rushed to him and pulled him into a hug.
"Via, it's so good to see you." He pulled me close to him.
"What happened?" I questioned.
"I told you to not just write "brace yourself"!" Molly slapped his arm, setting down her things on a dresser.
"I know you can't aparate yet, so I sent an enchanted letter to transport you here. It will also take you back, if you have it." He smiled, pulling me in for one more hug.
"I dropped it, I think." I frowned, pushing my hair behind my ears.
"Nevermind that, dear, Sirius will show you how to aparate successfully." Molly pinched my cheeks.
"What am I doing here, dad?" I questioned, following them to the kitchen.
"Have any of your friends seen you disappear?" He ignored my question and I have a quick head shake.
"Wonderful." He opened the kitchen door, showing a couple of people sitting around the table. They were mostly bickering, and I could pick out the words "incapable", "child", and the phrase "this is ridiculous". I felt as if they were talking about me, and my suspicions were confirmed when they all shut up upon seeing me.
"Can we really trust a child?" Someone spoke, but was shut up by my father.
"My daughter is the most trustworthy and honest child I've ever met." He pulled a chair out for me and they all started talking at eachother again.
"I'm sorry-" I interrupted the arguing, "-but what am I doing here?"
"Dear, the order needs your help." Molly grabbed my hand as she sat across from me.
"My help with what?" I worried.
"Infiltrating the dark order." Spoke a stranger near me, before they all went back to arguing.
"I need air." I choked out, pulling away from Molly and rushing outside. I was met with a quiet street, and I pulled my sleeves down around my hands to keep my warmth.
"Dear.." I heard Molly speak as she sat on the steps next to me.
"Hi, Mrs. Weasley." I looked at her.
"I know this is all very sudden, but your help will help the order win in the end." She rubbed my back just how Fred does.
"I know." I sighed, taking her hand as she led me back in.
"I'm ready." I said, sitting down with the rest of them and letting them fill me in.

"And when you receive your invitation from your aunt Narcissa, you have to go and stay with them." Dad said a couple hours later, explaining I would be staying with the Malfoys for summer.
"What will I be doing when I am there?" I question, sipping from the tea that Molly had prepared.
"Snooping."
"Will it be dangerous?" I asked.
"Just keep your guard up, and it shouldn't be. They wouldn't hurt their niece." They assured me, though I knew how they treated their own son.
"Okay." I said, and let them continue to speak.

Later that night, Tonks had informed me that since they had filed a license to aparate for me, she would be able to teach me.
"Destination, determination, and deliberation. Remember them. You need to focus, clear your mind, and be one with your surroundings. If you do this wrong, you could injury yourself greatly." She explained. I took a deep breath and focused on getting inside of the house. I pictured the kitchen table, I remembered the smell, and I thought about how it felt to touch the wood. A crack rang through my ears and I tried to keep my footing as I aparated into the room. When I got there in one piece, I shouted with glee.
"You did it!" Tonks high-fived me when she ran inside.

At least there was one thing I could feel good about.

They kept me there until the Triwizard Tournaments final event. I hadn't seen Fred in week, months even. I missed him dearly, but the last time we talked I had told him I gave them a bad potion. I wonder if they had even noticed my absence.
"Are you ready?" My dad asked, pulling me in for a final hug.
"I think so." I pulled my satchel over my shoulder that he had given me, full of potions I would use in my defense. He kissed my forehead before I backed away from all of them and disappeared with a crack.

The sight I appeared to was a screaming crowd, and Cedric Diggory lay dead in the center of the arena. I searched the crowd frantically for Fred, almost fainting when I couldn't see him. Cedrics father cried over his body and I was stuck in place out of fear. A couple tears slipped out of my eye as I watched in bewilderment when they took his body away.
"Via!" Draco ran to me, pulling me in his arms to my surprise.
"He's dead." I stuttered, clutching on to Draco for dear life as we all made our way back to the castle.
"I didn't see Fred, he is okay?" I pulled away from him, realizing he could be hurt.
"He's fine." He assured me, actually seeming to caring about me breaking down.
"Where have you been? You've been gone for ages." He asked, and I shoved it off with a dumb excuse.
"I was visiting family, I have to go." I pushed away from him, running through the crowd to try to find any sort of tall red head. When I spotted one without the other, I ran to them as fast as I could.
"Via, youre back!" It was George, and he gave me a small hug, seeing the panic in my face.
"Freddie!" He called in front of him and then I saw him. We both rushed to him, and I threw myself into his chest.
"Octavia. You're okay." He sighed, hugging me as tight as he could.
"He's dead, Fred. He's dead." I cried into his chest as he hugged me.
"It was Voldemort." He whispered down, and it sent chills through my entire body. This is why I was being prepped to be sent to the manor.

Voldemort was back.

I was going to be the one to sneak my way into the dark order.