APPEAR WEAK WHEN YOU ARE STRONG,
AND STRONG WHEN YOU ARE WEAK
SUN TZU, THE ART OF WAR

SILENCE MAY have been a virtue, but there was something eery about the solitude that circled the cottage the evening of the first of May. Night had fallen, and each member of the household had crept away to their own private corners, nursing the fatigues and aches of too much time spent cooped up together. They'd eaten as one, reenacting the same old arguments over the television, and by nine o'clock, they'd tired of each other's presence. Solitary confinement was obviously getting to them.

For Aspen, hiding had left her feeling more lethargic than ever lately. There seemed little enjoyment in her days when she could not live as vivaciously as she pleased, and her lack of energy was aided not a bit by the fact that she was yet to meet her godson, Teddy, who's very existence had left her itching with baby fever. As the others settled cosily around their own segments of the home, she headed instead to bed, stopping first at the bathroom before laying herself to much needed rest.

She'd been locked in there for no more than five minutes when the heavy bang of fists against thin wood panel startled her back into reality. She ripped herself away from the bathroom counter and tore open the door, eyes wide with perturbed concern. Alessia was in the doorway, palm outstretched and face wild with unplaceable emotion.

"My coin is burning," Alessia blurted, and then at the sight of Aspen's confusion, "My Dumbledore's Army coin. It's happening."

Aspen's stomach dropped, and a wave of nausea rocked through her in an instant. Alessia held out her hand, and Aspen leant forward to inspect the golden circle, engraved May 1st 1998. Now. With her already shaking hands, she took it, feeling the gold burn steadily into her clammy palm.

There was a commotion in the hallway, and Fred and George appeared in an instant, two ginger heads poking over the shoulder of the house's youngest. The four stood in a silence much different to what they had known in recent days. Now, instead of mundane exhaustion, the air was thick with a palpable tension that left them sticky with anticipation.

"What do we now?" Alessia offered limply, fidgeting from foot to foot as she peered around expectantly at her family.

"We ought to let the Order know," Fred said, and as if the words alone had whipped him into shape, turned on his heel and hurtled towards the stairs. "C'mon, you lot!"

George and Alessia were hot on his heels, the heavy thud of feet on carpeted wood ricocheting, a chaotic symphony in Aspen's ears. She was slow to the chase, fearful that running would knock her sideways with the dizzy nerves that were twisting in her nauseous stomach. Cradling herself in her own arms, she followed, taking each stair underfoot cautiously until she was face to face with the impatient trio at the bottom.

"Patronuses will be quickest, right?" George suggested thoughtfully, sliding his wand out of his back pocket as he spoke. "I'll take Aunt Muriel's house. Fred — Shell Cottage? Can you think of anyone else?"

There was no mention of Verity, Aspen noted, but did not think now was the time to pry. Instead, she let her mind run only on instinct.

"Tonks and Remus," she said at once, and slowly finding the spirit that seemed to have already infected her companions, grasped her own wand in her hand and sidled off to the side of the room to muster up the strength to formulate a cohesive sentence.

Alessia wrapped herself in a hug, leaning restlessly against the back of the couch as the others murmured their newfound information into the tips of their wands. The living room, once cosy and drenched in golden firelight, erupted into violent blue, wisps of wings and paws dancing across the walls in loyal ardency. Once their messages were complete, the trio of animals shot out of the room, straight through the dusty windowpane and out into the quiet dead of night.

Just as the quiet was starting to overwhelm them, a monstrous thud against the front door shook the room. Aspen's fingers tightened around the thin stick of ebony, but it was all for nought as the lock twisted on its own accord and a sheet of shining ginger hair stumbled over the threshold. Ginny Weasley stood before them, breathless and hurried, but grinning nonetheless.

"Alright?" she asked, twirling her wand between her finger tips as they all stood, weapons pointed and absolutely dumbfounded by her surprise entrance. "Ginevra, last born of the Weasley clan and the only one who knows Alessia keeps her stash of pre-menstrual chocolate under the loose floorboard in our dorm room."

Alessia turned beetroot, and looking sheepish, supplied a hurried nod. "It's her." Then, hoping to deter the attention away from herself, she darted across the room, practically vaulting over the sofa to engulf Ginny in the tightest embrace Aspen had ever laid eyes on — she was pleasantly surprised the newcomer's eyes didn't soar out of their sockets from the pressure.

"Sorry for the last-minute visit. I figured you lot are my only ticket to Hogwarts," Ginny said through a mouthful of Alessia' curls.

Aspen's whines of reluctance were entirely deafened by the overwhelming cheers of support from the twins, and so despite the wrath she knew Molly Weasley would unleash on them upon the other side, she relented. There was simply no point fighting a losing battle when there was a real war to be won elsewhere.

"What now?" Aspen asked. She had never fought in proper combat before, unless she counted the brief stint at the Astronomy Tower all those months ago. That hadn't even felt real, a sick nightmare she was certain to this day she had dreamt up in a panicked fit, but then again, this very first evening of May felt much the same.

"Hogsmeade," Alessia insisted sharply, lurching back forwards towards the rest of the group. There was a determined smile growing on her lips that terrified Aspen, but there was hardly any time to dwell. "It's the closest point of apparition."

"I'm not in the Order. Or Dumbledore's Army," Aspen said hollowly, staring at the scuffed toes of her trainers. "Maybe I should stay with Tonks and Teddy."

Fred eyed her softly then, an almost imperceptible pity swimming in those pools of molten honey. The other three were already discussing tactics and relaying spells from their old D.A. days, and he took the moment to offer a slice of reflective advice.

"Do you really want Alessia going herself? There's no stopping her, love. She's of age now."

Aspen could feel the turmoil working behind her skull, brain practically pulsing with terror and indecision. If she could have it her way, she'd crawl back under her childhood duvet, tucking her little sister in beside her, and sleep placidly until the year was over and war was a distant memory. But life was never fair, and Aspen found more than ever lately that she rarely had it her way, so she succumbed quickly to the inevitable.

"Right. Of course not," Aspen said, swallowing down a thick lump of slimy bile that was rising painfully in her throat. "Let's go."

George, Ginny and Alessia perked up at the sound of confirmation from their most stubborn member's lips, and they lit up, gunpowder to a flame, three pairs of eyes sparkling with unflinching anticipation. They reconvened in an imperfect circle, soles digging into the pillowy, pea green carpet. This was the last time Aspen would feel at home before life changed as she knew it, and she relished every second, trying her hardest to take in her surroundings as a faultless memory.

"Hogsmeade," Fred confirmed, teeth glinting in the low light as he nodded and stuck his hand into the centre.

The others joined, hands gripping together in a mass of fingers and determination. Aspen could feel her own perspiration sinking into George's smooth palms, although she doubted he'd noticed given the adrenaline coursing through his veins had top priority at the minute.

"Ready?" he asked, and with a verifying nod, they were gone, whizzing through time and space until Aspen's head was reeling and she thought she might vomit.

They landed solidly on the cobblestones outside of The Three Broomsticks mere moments later. For the briefest of moments, they savoured their surroundings, the first change of scenery after many months of hideous monotony. Then, with the sound of echoing voices down the street, they jolted back into action, stumbling after the movement of familiar figures.

The Hog's Head was teeming with people, all past and present members of the Order or Dumbledore's Army. Aspen had never seen such a crowd practically vibrating with ferocity, but too late to turn back, she embraced it, and filed into the queue of strangers that was trundling inside of the dingy pub like a well-oiled machine, cogs twirling in perfect harmony.

Aspen was quickly hauled into conversation with a group of faces she only vaguely recognised, either grown up versions of students in the years below from her Hogwarts days, or collages of features she remembered faintly from photographs. The boys had thrown themselves around a tall, athletic girl who greeted them with equal enthusiasm, and of course, Lee Jordan, who was bouncing eagerly on the balls of his feet.

"Pen, this is Angelina! We've told you about her before," Fred said, ushering her closer for an introduction Aspen couldn't help but feel was ill-timed.

"All good things, I hope," Angelina quipped, nudging the elder twin in the ribs playfully.

Aspen couldn't muster up the courage to feign such warmth, and pressed her palm against her nauseous stomach, hoping they'd be moving towards Hogwarts sooner than later. The waiting was killing her, sucking her soul from her skeleton until she was squeezed empty like a juice carton, lifeless and crumpled on the pavement.

Regardless, Angelina seemed pleased to meet her, and stuck out a slender hand for her to shake, which she did, albeit rather loosely.

"Dumbledore's brother, Aberforth, he's got a secret passage inside the pub. Leads straight to Hogwarts, we'll be inside in no time," Angelina informed them collectively, and as if on cue, the line of waiting warriors began to move quickly, slinking inside like an oil spill.

Aspen had visited The Hog's Head only a minimal number of times in her seven year at Hogwarts, and this was for good reason. The pub was sombre, dismally lit and damp from years of failed upkeep at the hands of its seemingly singular employee, Aberforth. Despite the raging war that was impending on the other end of the passageway, Aspen found herself hurrying to escape the place, which was expediting her anxiety tenfold just with its ambience alone.

The journey was short. Aspen appeared on the other side, grateful, in a room she had never seen before. She wondered if this were what it was like to be a Gryffindor after all. The walls were windowless, encompassing them in cosy wood panelling from ceiling to floor. Brilliant hammocks of red, yellow and blue were strung from the roof like clouds, and vibrant tapestries representative of each house (although Slytherin remained absent) were proudly strung from the rafters. It was comforting, more reminiscent of a childhood sleepover than a space for wartime preparations.

"The Room of Requirement," Alessia said, appearing at her elbow. Aspen supposed she'd seen the confusion etched on her features from a mile away, and she was thankful for the information, as if her sister had become her own personal tour guide of a Hogwarts she'd never known.

"I've never seen it in person before," Aspen said, and then tugging her eyes away from her surroundings, glanced down at her sister curiously. "Why aren't you with Ginny and the others?"

Aspen had noted that the Weasleys had thrown themselves into the action with fervour as always, and were conversing avidly with the crowd of students that had already formed in large swathes. Alessia's eyes were trained to a certain ginger, but she only had eyes for Harry Potter, who was looking distressed but remarkably well, all things considered.

"Can't a girl keep her sister company?" Alessia asked, almost defensive as she twirled her wand between her fingers, fidgeting wildly. "You need me more than the rest of them, you loner."

That statement would only hold true for so long, however, as moments later, a stream of familiar faces spilled from the wall, darting in towards the centre of the room. It was the Order of the Phoenix, this Aspen knew for sure, and she suddenly felt more at home, surrounded not only by current students and ex-Quidditch players from years just merely passed. Amongst them, Kingsley Shacklebolt, Remus Lupin and a vast onslaught of the remaining Weasleys had finally made their arrival.

"Harry, what's happening?" Remus asked as he rushed into the room, meeting Harry at the foot of the stairs.

"Voldemort's on his way, they're barricading the school — Snape's run for it — What are you doing here? How did you know?"

"We sent messages to the rest of Dumbledore's Army," Fred explained. "You couldn't expect everyone to miss the fun, Harry, and the D.A. let the Order of the Phoenix know, and it all kind of snowballed."

Aspen listened more purposefully now that Fred had joined in. She often found herself more intent in observing when he was speaking, although she would never admit this aloud for fear of George taunting her perpetually.

"What first, Harry?" called George. "What's going on?"

"They're evacuating the younger kids and everyone's meeting in the Great Hall to get organized," Harry said. "We're fighting."

Aspen's legs grew weak in an instant, and she clutched onto Alessia, as if she were a sturdy railing or crutch, not a petite teenager in adrenaline-tainted shock herself. The pair had to press themselves back against the wall, feeling splinters from the rough oak walls through their shirts as D.A. and Order members alike surged past, through the door and out into the castle hallways, wands raised in preparation. Only now had she noticed how large the room was, how empty it felt without its inhabitants.

Despite the dazed state of uncertainty Aspen found herself unable to shake, it seemed not everyone else felt the same. Ginny Weasley had been hauled into a corner by her furious mother, who seemed to be hoping a glare deadly enough would glue her to the stone-slabbed floor. Reluctantly, the Andrews sisters approached too, gulping back fear — in a rage, Molly Weasley was almost as terrifying as Voldemort himself.

"You're underage!" Molly shouted at her daughter, and Aspen felt her stomach flip, the altercation failing to soothe her nerves; she couldn't help but feel Ginny's attendance was partially her fault. "I won't permit it! The boys, yes, but you, you've got to go home!"

"I won't!"

Ginny's hair flew as she pulled her arm out of her mother's grip. "I'm in Dumbledore's Army—"

"A teenagers' gang!"

"A teenagers' gang that's about to take him on, which no one else has dared to do!" said Fred, and Aspen resisted the urge to jab him in the back with her wand. Arguably, he was not helping.

"She's sixteen!" shouted Molly. "She's not old enough! What you lot were thinking bringing her with you—"

Aspen shot the twins an 'I-told-you-so' glare, and the pair sagged with shame.

"Mum's right, Ginny," said Bill gently. "You can't do this. Everyone underage will have to leave, it's only right."

"I can't go home!" Ginny shouted, angry tears sparkling in her eyes. "My whole family's here, I can't stand waiting there alone and not knowing and—"

Aspen withheld a breath as she stared yearningly at Harry. Alessia's eyes fell to the floor, suddenly more interested in the dirty laces of her trainers. The atmosphere was choking them and, like a hot meal left untouched, congealing around them in nauseating, cold lumps.

"Fine," she said, staring at the entrance to the tunnel back to the Hog's Head. "I'll say goodbye now, then, and—"

There was a calamity at the tunnel's mouth, and expelling from the entrance like a violent cough, a figure flew through the air and landed on the floor. Horn-rimmed glasses askew, Percy Weasley hauled himself up, his palms pressed flat against the seat of the nearest chair as he breathed heavily, over-exerted from the rush.

"Am I too late? Has it started? I only just found out, so I— I—"

Percy's stuttering gave way to silence. Perhaps he had not expected to run face first into this knot of family, as he was glancing around like a spinning top, head restless as he drank in the sight. There was a long moment of astonishment, broken by Fleur turning to Remus and saying, in a wildly transparent attempt to break the tension, "So — how is little Teddy?"

Remus blinked at Fleur, startled. The atmosphere between the Weasley clan was so tense, Aspen swore things could fracture into disarray with very little effort, the shattering of ice with the tap of a steel-toed boot.

"I — oh yes — he's fine!" Lupin said loudly. "Yes, Tonks is with him — at her mother's, of course."

"Have you got a picture, Remus?" Aspen asked, finding the discomfort unbearable. She needed to fill the void with speech, whether her brain thought it was a good idea or not. "I can't wait to meet him."

Remus delved inside his jacket pocket, producing a blurred moving photograph to show to Fleur, Harry and the two Andrews sisters. Teddy was sitting there in all his glory, bouncing steadily in his grandmother's lap, fat fists waving and hair shining turquoise blue.

"I was a fool!" Percy roared, so loudly that Alessia jumped almost a foot into the air. "I was an idiot, I was a pompous prat, I was a— a—"

"Ministry-loving, family-disowning, power-hungry moron," said Fred.

Percy swallowed thickly, his Adam's apple bobbing buoyantly behind the fleshy cage of his neck.

"Yes, I was!"

"Well, you can't say fairer than that," said Fred, holding his hand out to Percy.

Molly burst into tears. She ran forward, pushed Fred aside, and pulled Percy into a suffocating hug, while he patted her on the back, eyeing his father over her shoulder. Aspen felt relief wash over her like a cold shower, and she felt the relaxed slump of Alessia's highly-strung shoulders beside her.

"I'm sorry, Dad," Percy said.

Arthur blinked momentarily, thoughtful, then rushed over to engulf his son in a hug of his own.

"What made you see sense, Perce?" inquired George.

"It's been coming on for a while," said Percy, using his cloak to swipe the threatening tears away from under the rim of his specs. "But I had to find a way out and it's not so easy at the Ministry, they're imprisoning traitors all the time. I managed to make contact with Aberforth and he tipped me off ten minutes ago that Hogwarts was going to make a fight of it, so here I am."

"Well, we do look to our prefects to take a lead at times such as these," said George in a good imitation of Percy's most pompous manner. "Now let's get upstairs and fight, or all the good Death Eaters'll be taken."

"So, you're my sister in-law now?" said Percy, thrusting a hand out for Fleur to shake as they all descended towards the staircase. Aspen, who was falling behind, swore she heard the mentioning of her name from the boy's lips too, followed by a hoot of amused laughter from George's mouth and a terribly vivid blush on Fred's cheeks, but chose to ignore this in favour of accompanying her sister.

Behind, Ginny seemed to be in more trouble yet again, trying desperately to sneak away under the distraction of reconciliation.

"Molly, how about this," said Remus. "Why doesn't Ginny stay here, then at least she'll be on the scene and know what's going on, but she won't be in the middle of the fighting?"

The Weasley parents hesitated, considering the advantages of the proposition.

"It'd be dangerous to send her back on her own now anyway," Aspen intruded, at risk of placing herself under the fiery reign of Molly Weasley.

"It's a good idea," agreed Arthur firmly, despite the reluctance on his wife's face, "Ginny, you stay in this room, you hear me?"

Ginny huffed a heavy sigh, enough to blow the dust off the nearest hanging tapestry, but she relented under her father's stern gaze. As Molly, Arthur and Remus followed the others out of the room, Alessia hurried over, draping her best friend in a hurried embrace.

"You be safe now, Ginny," Aspen said, although there was no severity, only care. She forced a smile onto her face, if only for Ginny's sake, and with that, headed off, assuming her sister needed only a moment alone before joining her in the hallway.

In fact, Alessia rounded the corner only seconds later, chin wobbling despite the brave face she was sporting. The two girls had nothing to say, and so Aspen reached out, hauling her sister closer with an arm around her shoulder as they walked hastily to the Great Hall.

This was it, Aspen supposed, as she took in the corridors of her adolescence. Holding  her sister tight to her side, feeling the curve of her waist snugly against her hip, she was sure of only one thing. Win or lose, live or die, the following night of her life was inevitable. The past was withering now, life as she knew it as a mere speck in the rear-view mirror. All they had to live for was the here and now.

wow. a potterblacks return after 8 months. unheard of! i was initially planning on releasing the final three chapters all at once, but i felt i'd blue-balled you all long enough, so here is a slightly mediocre beginning to the end! hopefully more to follow soon <3