fifteen : SIRIUS-LY

chapter xv : sirius-ly

"dumbledore's orders, no questions!

THE CAR ENGINE FADED INTO THE HUMID STILLNESS OF PRIVET DRIVE. The silence that descended was heavy, almost suffocating, but beneath it, a sliver of relief unfurled in her chest. She waited a moment longer, then, with a cautious glance at the dark, slipped out the front door. Draco Malfoy was exactly where she had told him to be, crouching ingloriously behind bushes. His usually impeccable blonde hair had a few leaves caught in it, and a smudge of dirt marred his cheek, making her want to laugh.

Valerie Potter launched herself into his arms, burying her face in his shoulder. He held her tight, his hand stroking her hair. "Still cold?" He murmured, pulling back just enough to look at her. She nodded, a shiver running through her.

"Come on," She said, pulling him gently towards the house. "Harry's upstairs."

Draco followed her, stepping over the threshold he had been forbidden to cross, into the silent, sterile living room. Valerie led him directly upstairs. The door to their bedroom was still slightly ajar after his furious exit. She pushed it open to find Harry sprawled on his single bed, still dressed, his face buried in his pillow.

He was fast asleep, utterly drained.

"He's out cold," Valerie whispered, looking at Draco, a soft, worried expression on her face. "It's been a lot."

Draco just nodded, his gaze sweeping over the cramped, surprisingly personal space. His eyes lingered on the right side wall, adorned with pictures of his girlfriend and her friends – bright, candid smiles alongside more serious, posed shots. He spotted selfies of him and her, their faces close, captured moments of stolen joy. His gaze then drifted to the worn-out nightstand between the two single beds, where a simple picture frame held a faded photograph of a young couple, unmistakably their parents, smiling down at two tiny babies, with black hair.

Hours bled into the quiet night.

Eventually, exhaustion claimed Valerie too. She slipped into her own single bed, pulling on her Hello Kitty pajamas that Ginny Weasley had gifted her, a strange comfort in the whimsical pattern after the day's horrors. Draco, ever watchful, followed, easing himself onto the bed beside her. It was a tight squeeze for two teenagers in a single bed, but neither of them complained.

Valerie put on a soft dark green Slytherin hoodie, that smelled distinctly of him—her favourite. She snuggled against him and closed her eyes.

Draco held her close, his chin resting on her head, still observing the quiet room and the silent presence of Harry in the next bed.

The house remained eerily still, save for the distant hum of the refrigerator.

Valerie drifted, half-asleep, nestled into Draco's side, when a sudden, muffled commotion downstairs pierced the quiet. Faint footsteps shuffled, accompanied by low, urgent whispers.

Valerie's brown eyes snapped open. She felt Draco tense beside her, his arm tightening around her waist. They both sat bolt upright in the small bed, their hearts hammering. "Oh no," Valerie breathed, her voice barely a whisper. "Could it be the Dursleys?"

She scrambled out of bed, careful not to wake Harry, and crept to the window.

Peeking through a gap in the curtains, she scanned the street.

No.

There was no car in the driveway.

The realisation sent a fresh wave of unease through her.

The whispers grew louder, clearer, definitely coming from the base of the stairs.

Draco was already out of bed, pulling his own wand, its familiar weight a small comfort in the oppressive silence. Valerie grabbed hers from the nightstand. She reached over to Harry's bed, gently nudging him awake. His eyes fluttered open, still groggy. Valerie quietly pressed his glasses into his hand, a silent signal of danger.

Harry blinked, then seemed to understand, grabbing his own wand from under his pillow.

Just as Harry sat up, his wand gripped tightly, the bedroom door burst open with a sudden, jarring crash.

A rush of wind swept into the room, carrying with it a blinding, bright white light. Silhouetted against the intense glow, two figures stood in the doorway, their forms distorted by the brilliance. As the light dimmed slightly, the imposing, heavily cloaked figure of Alastor "Mad-Eye" Moody was revealed, his magical eye whirling, alongside the vibrant, ever-shifting hair of Nymphadora Tonks, and the calm face of Kingsley Shacklebolt. Their arrival was abrupt, unmistakable, and undeniably magical.

"—Very clean these Muggles."

"Tonks, for Godric's sake!" Moody growled, his voice like gravel.

Draco, hearing the name, felt a strange jolt of recognition. Tonks... his aunt had married a Muggle-born named Ted Tonks.

"Professor Moody, what are you doing here?" The twins said in unison.

"Rescuing the two of you, of course," Moody replied gruffly. He and his group began to move, descending the stairs with purposeful strides.

"We have no time, get ready to move!" Moody and his group began to move and go downstairs.

The three teens, still standing in the bedroom, didn't know what exactly was happening. Draco hugged Valerie, saying, "I guess this is goodbye for now? Don't worry, I'll contact Blaise to come and get me."

"Malfoy! You're coming with us too!" Moody's voice bellowed from downstairs.

The three teens were confused, but began heading down the steps.

"Dumbledore's orders, no questions!" Moody announced. They were now all outside.

"Where are we going? The letter said I've been expelled from Hogwarts?" Harry asked Moody.

While Moody and Harry were talking, Tonks handed Draco a sleek, fast-looking broom. He took the opportunity to talk to her. "Did you say your name was Tonks?" He asked curiously.

She replied, "Yes, I'm your cousin," confirming his suspicion before minding her own business. Valerie, who was standing close by, had heard Draco mention in 4th year of having only one cousin, but had never met her before. Draco looked like he wanted to continue speaking to Tonks, but no words had come out.

Everyone lined up with a broom, except Valerie.

She hated flying and was going to ride behind Draco. The two of them mounted his broom, Valerie's arms wrapping tightly around his waist.

"Stay in formation, everyone," Kingsley said calmly.

The journey was long and silent, the wind whipping past their faces. The only sound was the distant murmur of the city below and the rush of their brooms.

After what felt like an eternity, a street came into view that was unlike any they had ever seen. The houses were tall and thin, with soot-stained walls. As they flew closer, Harry, Valerie, and Draco could make out the numbers on the doors. Number 11 was next to Number 13, a gaping hole between them where a house should have been.

"Number 12," Moody said, his voice a low growl. "Grimmauld Place. Headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix." As he spoke, the space between 11 and 13 rippled, and a house, thin and tall, seemed to squeeze its way out of the shadows, its bricks a dark, foreboding black. They descended, and Moody led them to the front door. He knocked once, twice, and then a third time, the sound echoing ominously in the still night.

The heavy front door of Number 12, Grimmauld Place, swung open to a chorus of clicks and clacks. It wasn't a warm welcome. The air inside was thick and stale, smelling of dust, and something else—a faint, sour scent that reminded Valerie of old, rotting secrets.

They stood in a long, dark hallway. A large, ornate chandelier hung precariously from the ceiling, its candles unlit, casting long, dancing shadows. On one wall, a tapestry depicted the sprawling family tree of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black, with several faces burned off where family members had been disowned.

Valerie and Draco, their hands still intertwined, were the last to enter, with Harry following behind.

Valerie was still in her bright pink Hello Kitty pajamas, with Draco's dark green Slytherin hoodie, a stark contrast to her whimsical attire.The hoodie, which hung loosely on her frame, smelled faintly of him—of expensive cologne.

Draco, tall and lean, looked out of place, still in his picnic clothes of a crisp white shirt and dark trousers, a glinting silver chain around his neck.

As the other Order members—Moody, Tonks, and Kingsley—hurried past them into a dimly lit dining room, the three teens were left standing awkwardly in the hallway with Mrs. Weasley.

"Heavens, you three are alright," Molly Weasley exclaimed, her voice thick with genuine relief. She immediately engulfed Harry and Valerie in a fierce, comforting hug, pulling them into her soft, warm embrace. When she finally broke away, she turned, to their surprise, and hugged the blond too.

Draco, rigid with shock, stood completely still, his arms pinned to his sides.

He was so stunned by her kindness, so unexpected from a woman he had been taught to despise, that no words came out.

Mrs. Weasley, seeing his shock, smiled gently.

She had heard from her children about how Draco and Valerie truly loved each other, and while she had initially been hesitant about having a Malfoy in their midst, her heart had softened. After all, the boy was here on Dumbledore's strict orders, and he was important to Valerie.

Suddenly, two figures Apparated with a loud CRACK! right behind Molly, making her jump.

"OH! JUST BECAUSE YOU'RE ALLOWED TO USE MAGIC NOW DOESN'T MEAN YOU CAN WHIP YOUR WANDS OUT FOR EVERYTHING!" She yelled, her hand raised as if to smack them. The twins, Fred and George, let out identical whoops of laughter and ran towards the stairs, with their mother in hot pursuit.

Just as the twins vanished upstairs, Ginny ran down the steps. She immediately hugged Valerie. "Thank goodness you're okay," She said, her voice full of concern. She then pulled away, a big smile on her face. "Aww, you're wearing the pajamas I gifted you," She beamed, glancing between Harry and Valerie, before blushing and giving a brief, shy glance at Harry, before scurrying into the dining room.

Following Ginny down the stairs were Hermione and Ron. Hermione immediately rushed to them, throwing her arms around both the twins. "Are you two okay?!?" She asked, her voice high with concern. When she broke away, she looked at Draco. "What about you?"

He gave her a reassuring nod.

"They can't expel you, Harry. It's completely unfair," Ron said, putting a hand on Harry's shoulder.

Harry, however, was a storm of conflicting emotions. He was overjoyed to see his best friends, but a simmering anger at their long, baffling silence still festered beneath the surface. He wanted to scream, to lash out at them for leaving him in the dark. Before he could say anything, a familiar figure stepped out from the dining room.

"Harry and Valerie," His voice a low rumble.

It was Sirius Black.

The Potters hugged him at the same time, their bodies fitting perfectly into his tall frame. Sirius hugged them back just as fiercely, his face buried in their hair, a look of pure relief and happiness on his face. This was their godfather, their father figure, and the sight of him made the reality of their situation a little less frightening.

Draco, watching this tender reunion, felt a new wave of nerves. He knew how much Sirius meant to his girlfriend. What would this man, think of him, a Malfoy? He took a nervous breath, his hands clenching at his sides. He was used to being in control, to being confident, but here, in this house filled with people who knew and loved Valerie and Harry, he felt small and out of place.

The twins finally broke apart from Sirius, both smiling brightly. Valerie, her brown eyes shining, took a step back and pulled Draco forward.

"Sirius," Her voice full of pride and happiness. "This is my boyfriend that I've been telling you about."

Draco, still a bit stiff, formally introduced himself. "Draco Malfoy, sir," He held out a hand.

Sirius looked at him, his smile widening.

He shook Draco's hand, then surprised him by patting his shoulder warmly. "Welcome to the family," His voice a low rumble. "—Well, technically, you are family, aren't you, nephew?"

Draco's stiff demeanour finally broke, and a genuine smile lit up his face. He nodded, feeling a strange warmth spread through him. They all headed into the dining room, a silent understanding passing between them. The room was bustling with Order members, all of them looking at the three teens with a mixture of concern and curiosity.

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THE DINING ROOM WAS A STARK CONTRAST to the grim hallway. A long, mahogany table, scuffed and chipped, dominated the room. It was laden with a hearty, comforting feast: roast chicken, mashed potatoes, and a large bowl of steaming vegetables. Molly Weasley, her face flushed with the heat of the kitchen, bustled around the table, serving large helpings of food to everyone. Ginny was giggling as Tonks changed her nose into different animal shapes. It was a dog's snout one minute, a pig's the next.

Valerie was seated between Harry and Draco. Harry was engaged in a deep conversation with Sirius.

Valerie and Draco were talking to Remus Lupin, who was seated opposite them.

This was an awkward situation for the blond.

He had had Lupin as his professor for Defense Against the Dark Arts in his third year, and he had been less than respectful, even outright rude. He had a sudden wave of guilt as he looked at the kind, tired man who was Valerie's godfather.

"Professor Lupin," Draco began, his voice low and a little stiff. "I... I'm sorry for how I acted in your class. It was uncalled for."

          Remus smiled, a gentle, understanding smile that reached his weary eyes. "It's all right, Draco," He replied softly. "I understand. Let's start fresh, shall we?"

Draco nodded, a small wave of relief washing over him. Remus then turned his attention to Valerie, his expression growing serious. "Valerie, my dear," He began, "Hermione and Ron told us you've been having some trouble. How are you coping with your Seer ability?"

Valerie frowned, her eyes clouding over. "It's been... difficult," She said, her voice quiet. "For the first time, I had a seizure-like experience this morning." She looked at Draco, who looked at her with worry. They hadn't had a chance to talk about it since today's chaos. "It was really painful. I just fell, lying on the floor shaking, and Harry said my eyes were rolling back."

Remus's face tightened with concern, but before he could answer, Harry's voice cut through the room, suddenly loud and full of anger.

"What does the Ministry of Magic have against me?" He asked Sirius, his voice trembling.

The whole room fell silent. All eyes were on Harry. The adults, including Sirius, looked at each other, a shared look of reluctance passing between them.

"Show him," Moody's gruff voice broke the silence. "He'll find out soon enough."

"Very well," Mrs. Weasley declared, "Ginny - Ron - Hermione, I want you out of this kitchen, now."

There was a sudden uproar.

"But mum!—" Ginny wailed.

Ron complained, "If Harry's allowed, why can't I?? He's going to tell me and Hermione everything you say anyway! Won't you, Harry???" He begged.

For a split second, Harry was actually considering telling Ron that he wouldn't tell him a single word. He could try a taste of being kept in the dark and see how he liked it. However, the nasty impulse vanished when they glanced at each other. "Of course I will."

Ron and Hermione smiled.

"Fine!" Mrs. Weasley yelled. "Ginny, go to bed!" She did not leave the room quietly. Everyone could hear her raging all the way up the stairs.

Sirius spoke, "Alright, Harry, what do you want to know?"

"Where's Voldemort?" Harry asked as he ignored the renewed shudders and winces at the name. "What's he doing?"

"Harry's been trying to watch the Muggle news," Valerie added, "and there hasn't been anything that looks like him yet, no funny deaths or anything."

"That's because there haven't been any funny deaths yet," Sirius replied. "Not as far as we know, anyway... and we know quite a lot."

Valerie questioned, "How come he's stopped killing people?" She and her brother knew Voldemort had murdered more than once in the last year alone.

              "Because he doesn't want to draw attention to himself," said Sirius. "It would be dangerous for him. His comeback didn't come off quite the way he wanted it to, you see. He messed it up."

Lupin had a satisfied smile. "Or rather, you Harry, messed it up for him."

"How?" Harry asked, perplexed.

                   "You weren't supposed to survive!" Sirius dictated. "Nobody apart from his Death Eaters was supposed to know he'd come back. But you survived to bear witness."

                 "And the very last person he wanted alerted to his return the moment he got back was Dumbledore," Lupin added. "And you made sure Dumbledore knew at once."

"—How has that helped?"

"Are you kidding?" Bill asked with surprise. "Dumbledore was the only one You-Know-Who was ever scared of!"

               "Thanks to you, Dumbledore was able to recall the Order of the Phoenix about an hour after Voldemort returned," Sirius acknowledged.

Valerie became curious, "What do you think Voldemort is planning?"

"Well, firstly, he wants to build up his army again," Sirius claimed. "In the old days he had huge numbers at his command: witches and wizards he'd bullied or bewitched into following him, his faithful Death Eaters, a great variety of Dark creatures. You heard him planning to recruit the giants: well, they'll be just one of the groups after. He's certainly not going to try and take on the Ministry of Magic with only a dozen Death Eaters."

Harry and Valerie spoke in unison, "So you're trying to stop him getting more followers?"

Lupin responded, "We're doing our best."

"Why has Cornelius Fudge been acting so stupid?" Valerie remarked with frustration. "He's supposed to be our leader of the Wizarding World."

                "Fudge is frightened of what Dumbledore is up to," Mr. Weasley finally spoke. "Fudge thinks Dumbledore's plotting to overthrow him. He thinks Dumbledore wants to be Minister for Magic."

"But Dumbledore doesn't want—" The Potters spoke in unison.

                "Of course he doesn't," Mr. Weasley continued. "He never wanted the Minister's job, even though a lot of people wanted him to take it. When Millicent Bagnold retired, Fudge came to power instead, but he's never quite forgotten how much popular support Dumbledore had, even though Dumbledore never even applied for the job."

             "Deep down, Fudge knows Dumbledore's much smarter, a much more powerful wizard and in the early days of his Ministry he was forever asking Dumbledore for help and advice," Lupin indicated. "But it seems he's become fond of power and much more confident. He loves being Minister for Magic and he's managed to convince himself that he's the clever one and Dumbledore's simply stirring up trouble for the sake of it."

"Well, that's a load of rubbish," Valerie said, sipping her cup of water.

"How can he think that?" Harry exclaimed angrily. "How can he think Dumbledore would just make it all up - that I'd make it all up?"

           "Because accepting that Voldemort's back would mean trouble like the Ministry hasn't had to cope with for nearly fourteen years," Sirius remarked bitterly. "Fudge just can't bring himself to face it. It's so much more comfortable to convince himself Dumbledore's lying to destabilise him."

Valerie and Harry asked desperately, "But if Voldemort's trying to recruit more Death Eaters, it's bound to get out that he's come back, isn't it?"

             "Voldemort doesn't march up to people's houses and bang on their front doors, Harry and Val," Sirius claimed. "He tricks, jinxes and blackmails them. He's well-practiced at operating in secret. In any case, gathering followers is only one thing he's interested in. He's got other plans too, plans he can put into operation very quietly indeed, and he's concentrating on those for the moment."

"What's he after apart from followers?" Harry asked swiftly, while Lupin and Sirius exchanged looks before his Godfather answered.

"Stuff he can only get by stealth," Sirius continued. "Like a weapon. Something he didn't have last time."

"When he was powerful before?" Valerie questioned.

"Yes."

"What kind of weapon?" Harry added. "Something worse than the Avada Kedavra?"

"That's enough!" Mrs. Weasley screeched. Her arms were crossed and she seemed furious. "I want you in bed, now. All of you."

"You can't boss us—" Fred began, which he instantly regretted as his mother shot a glare straight at him.

          "Watch me," snarled Mrs. Weasley, before staring at Sirius. "You've given Harry and Valerie plenty of information. Any more and you might just as well induct them into the Order straightaway."

"Why not?" Harry answered. "I'll join, I want to join, I want to fight."

Valerie had her mouth half open. She was lost for words.

Lupin responded, "The Order is comprised only of overage wizards. Wizards who have left school." He added, while Fred and George opened their mouths, "There are dangers involved of which you can have no idea, any of you... I think Molly's right, Sirius. We've said enough."

Sirius did not argue. He knew Molly's temper when it was roused.

"Very well," Mrs. Weasley said, her voice now dangerously low. "I think that's enough for one night. Off to bed, all of you."

The teens stood up from the table. The silence was palpable. Harry still had a storm brewing behind his eyes, while Valerie was lost in thought, her mind replaying the conversation. Draco, for his part, was unusually pale and quiet, his jaw tight. He avoided eye contact with everyone, especially Remus, whose words about Voldemort's followers had hit a little too close to home.

As they headed out of the dining room, Ron muttered to Draco, "You'll be sharing rooms with Harry, the twins and I."

Draco simply nodded.

"Thanks for the dinner, Mrs. Weasley," Valerie said politely, her voice quiet.

Molly just gave a strained smile and began to clear the table, her movements sharp and angry.

The three teens, along with Ron, Hermione, and Ginny, made their way up the dusty staircase. The hallway felt even more oppressive now, the silence a heavy blanket over them all.

Before they separated, Valerie turned to Draco, and they shared a quiet, knowing look.

They both knew they needed a moment alone.

The chaos of the day, the near-death experience, and the shocking revelations had left them reeling, and they needed to just... exist together for a moment.

As the others vanished into the rooms, Valerie and Draco lingered in the hallway. They were alone, for the first time all day. Valerie walked up to him, her hand going to his cheek. He leaned into her touch, his eyes closing for a moment as if in quiet desperation.

"Are you okay?" She whispered, her thumb stroking his cheekbone.

Draco opened his eyes, a profound sadness in them. "I'm a Malfoy," The words heavy with shame. "I'm one of them."

"No, you're not," Valerie said fiercely, her hand cupping his face. "You're with me. You're here. That's all that matters."

He leaned in, his lips finding hers in a soft, chaste kiss. It wasn't a passionate kiss, but a kiss of comfort, a promise of shared burdens. It was a silent conversation, a promise that they would get through this together.

They pulled apart, the unspoken words hanging in the air between them. "Goodnight," Valerie whispered, her voice thick with emotion.

"Goodnight my love," He replied, his voice just as quiet.

Valerie slipped into the shared room with Hermione and Ginny. Leaving Draco alone in the dark hallway. He stood there for a moment. The weight of his family, his past, and his uncertain future pressed in on him.

He then made his way to the room he was now sharing with the Weasley twins, Harry and Ron. He opened the door, a heavy sigh escaping him. The silence of the house was a sharp contrast to the chaotic discussion they just had, and a long, dangerous summer stretched out before them.

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THANK YOU ALL FOR THE SUPPORT i appreciate how readers are enjoying the story, please keep commenting because it makes me smile & encourages me to write 🥹 i love you all sooooooo much *kiss kiss* 💋

i know this chapter maybe felt not as drama or juicy/spicy packed as some of the others.

honestly, i found it a little less thrilling to write.

— it was mostly about setting the stage and getting our characters where they need to be —

the real fun, the real drama, is just around the corner!! *wink wink*

because this one felt a little slow . . .

i have decided to post the next chapter right alongside it! >ᴗ<

thank you for sticking with me.

LETS DIVE INTO CHAPTER SIXTEEN YAYYY !!

🥳

( authors personal notes ) published — 8:20am august 16th 2025current amount of reads — 57.2kword count — 4,203