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As soon as Eleanora landed at Grimmauld Place, she collapsed on the side of the road. There was a newspaper rack next to her and she reached a shaking hand up, pulling herself up and leaning on it entirely for support. She looked down at the date on one of the papers and her heart skipped a beat. November twenty-fifth. It was Daisy's birthday. She stared at the row of houses in front of her. There was one that hadn't been there when she first arrived.
Number 12.
She'd made it. Eleanora hobbled across the street and pulled herself up the front steps, raising a shaking hand to knock on the door.
~
Mrs. Weasley, Bill, Daisy, and a few other order members sat at the dining room table in Headquarters. Mrs. Weasley had just served Daisy's birthday cake, but the mood was anything but happy. Bill was trying his hardest to be festive, but kept zoning out from fatigue. Moody, Lupin, and Kingsley Shackelbolt were having a hard time keeping the conversation off of confidential matters involving the Order. Daisy wasn't even trying to celebrate. She thanked Mrs. Weasley profusely for dinner, but kept a decided frown on her face the whole time. Next to her, Tonks kept trying to amuse Daisy by changing her hair into different vibrant colors, but it didn't get much of a reaction. Bill kept casting furtive glances to the other side of the table where Sirius, Lupin, Moody, and Kingsley were talking in low voices. Mrs. Weasley made a disapproving noise and they all looked up.
"How many times do I have to tell you?" she said in an annoyed voice. "This is a party, stop talking business or I'll kick all of you out, I swear I will."
"I own the place," Sirius muttered, too quietly for Molly to hear.
Just then, there was a knock on the door. Everyone made a move to get up, but Lupin was the first to the doorway. He turned to the rest of the room.
"I don't think all of us need to be there to open the door," he said with a small smile.
Everyone sat down rather reluctantly. Lupin turned and disappeared into the entrance hall. Before he opened the door, he called through the keyhole, "Identify yourself."
"It's me," a small, raspy voice said. "It's Eleanora."
Remus knew he was supposed to ask for further identification, but he didn't have it in him. He flung the door open to see Eleanora leaning against the frame. She'd lost so much weight in the time she'd been gone she was nearly unrecognizable. Her face was gaunt and covered completely in mud. In fact, there wasn't any part of her that wasn't covered in it. Her eyes were bloodshot and Remus noticed that she wasn't putting any pressure on her left leg. She tripped on her way in the doorway and Remus caught her, pulling her into a tight embrace.
~
Eleanora's legs gave out the minute Remus hugged her. Relief and exhaustion flooded her body and she let out a shaky half sob. She was too tired to cry, too tired to do anything but close her eyes and let Remus support her.
