magnolia ~ h. potter

thirty-six

[CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX] 

FACE THE MUSIC

[ But now I'm lost, 

so lost ]

______________________________

OCTOBER IN HOGSMEADE had been dull and cold. Emily, Kate, and Violetta had sat, holed up in the house for an entire two months, eventually falling into a routine. They had brewed a batch of Polyjuice potion early on, which they took turns taking in order to keep the bakery out front running. It had taken them nearly the same amount of time as brewing the potion to negotiate even opening the bakery in the first place with the order.

Arthur and Molly Weasley had vociferously protested, saying it was too risky and that opening the shop would make them much too visible. However, in the end, after the idea was suggested that they use polyjuice potion to disguise appearances, the conclusion was drawn that opening the bakery would make them blend in rather than stand out, which is exactly what the order needed them to do.

Emily didn't mind. The baking gave her things to do other than twiddle her thumbs and worry, staring out her window at the dimly lit turrets of Hogwarts castle in the distance. The errands they had to run for the order were less and less numerous, and the only visits they got were from members or occasionally a refugee hiding from the ministry. Every first Monday of the month and last Friday, Fred, George and Lee Jordan ran their radio broadcast Potterwatch from the back room – a different location every day, to avoid getting caught. Fred had visited more frequently in the last month, always under the guise of Order business, but Emily strongly suspected it was to see Violetta.

The evening of October 22nd, Emily had just closed the bakery and was halfway up the staircase when there was a hasty knocking on their door. The hairs on Emily's neck stood up, and Kate appeared at the top of the stairs, eyes wide. They had no scheduled visits this week, and unplanned visits usually meant one of two things: something had gone terribly wrong, or they had been found out.

Another set of knocks shook Emily out of her stupor, and she hastily made her way down the stairs, Kate hot on her heels.

"Emily," Kate hissed as she put her hand on the doorknob, "It could be anyone,"

"Or somebody could need help," Emily shot back, turning the knob, and Kate pointed her wand at the large mahogany door.

"If we get murdered I am going to haunt you so bad," Kate said, shaking her head, before nodding to indicate she was ready.

Emily flung the door open in one go, and both her and Kate's wands illuminated the figures standing on the doorstep.

"Aberforth?"

Emily stared at the scene in front of her, mouth falling open. Aberforth Dumbledore, with his familiar white hair and beard, was holding up the broken form of Ginny Weasley.

"She needs help, and I've run out of supplies," he panted, "Please tell me the order stocked you up,"

Emily still said nothing, staring at Ginny, whose head was slumped on her chest, hair covering her face, the baby-blue sweater knitted by her mother last Christmas covered in bloodstains. Emily could feel the panic rise in her stomach