Secrets Only Trouble Knows - George Weasley

00 - 1979

PROLOGUE

The clock had just struck 9:00 on Halloween night, 1979.

Twenty-one-year-old Sebastian Pierce was sitting at his kitchen table with his beautiful wife, Petra, in their little cottage they shared together in Castle Combe, England.

Not long ago, the pair had put down their three-year-old twin children, Jasper and Nova, for bedtime after spending the evening out trick-or-treating as a family. Now, they were enjoying a hot cup of tea together before planning to head off to sleep soon themselves.

Sebastian was looking over their copy of the Daily Prophet newsletter he didn't have the chance to read that morning. Petra was reading one of her many new books she'd picked up at the local bookstore down the street on her most recent day off from work at St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries. In the background, their kitchen radio was going, softly playing classic muggle tunes of the late fifties that Petra loved so dearly.

It was very peaceful, until it wasn't.

Suddenly, something large and silver came falling through the overhead ceiling, appearing seemingly out of nowhere. Graceful and gleaming, a wispy, majestic phoenix landed lightly on the table in front of Sebastian and Petra.

Sebastian realized at once that it was a Patronus—a sort of magical spirit guardian all witches and wizards uniquely possessed—coming to deliver an important message to them. Specifically, however, he recognized it to be Albus Dumbledore's Patronus. Dumbledore was Sebastian and his wife's former headmaster at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, where they'd spent seven years between the ages of thirteen and twenty receiving their magical education. He was also the leader of The Order of the Phoenix, the hidden society the pair had recently joined upon graduating from school that sought to bring down the powerful dark wizard Lord Voldemort, who had been trying to take control of the Wizarding World for many years now.

A grave, uneasy feeling spread into Sebastian. He knew Dumbledore was not just sending his Patronus—a complex, difficult-to-perform piece of magic—to wish him and his family a happy Halloween. He could have done so in a letter. Whatever he had to say right now was surely something important and, judging by how dangerous it was every day to be a part of The Order and what it stood for, probably something bad.

The Patronus's mouth opened wide and, sure enough, it spoke in the somber, deep, slow voice of Dumbledore.

"We have been compromised. There's been an attack on Godric's Hollow by none other than Lord Voldemort himself. James and Lily Potter were found murdered in their home, which had its top completely blown off by what we think was a curse rebounding, but Harry was miraculously discovered still alive amidst the rubble. Remain on-guard, and keep a watchful eye on the horizon. We cannot be sure what's still yet to come. I will be in touch."

When it was done relaying its message, the phoenix spread its wings and leapt off the table, flying back through the roof in the direction it had originally come. Once it had disappeared, Sebastian and Petra sat there, immovable in their seats, for several moments, their breath hitched in their throats. Sebastian felt like he'd just been hit by a train moving at full speed, and judging by the look Petra was giving him with her blue eyes that were beginning to gloss over with big tears, he knew she felt the same.

They'd quite possibly just received the worst news of their entire lives. Beyond just fellow Order members, James and Lily Potter had been two of the Pierces' closest friends since their time spent together at Hogwarts. Over the last decade they'd known each other, the memories they'd shared and everything they'd been through together had been simply indescribable. Their friendship hadn't been ordinary. It was the kind you really ought to count your lucky stars if you were able to have.