Crookshanks | 𝘚𝘪𝘳𝘪𝘶𝘴 𝘉𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘬

Chapter 87

Jenna stared up at the man as he looked back at her with hopeful eyes. It took her a moment to remember him, mostly because he looked so much more different than fifteen years ago.

Jenna could remember all those times in the first Order meetings, when Sturgis Podmore used to come up to her for a chat, and every single time Sirius would feel jealous and protective about it.

    "Oh, right! Sturgis!" she finally smiled. "How are you?"

     "Good, good," he said delightfully. "I'm so glad to see you. You have no idea! It was surprising to hear that you were one of the Death Eaters and a spy for them, back at the end of the first war... I never believed it myself, to be honest. But when Dumbledore told me a few days ago how you — how you're here and not — dead... Well, let's just say I'm happy to see you again."

     But before Jenna could respond to him, Sturgis caught her off guard when he brought her into a rather friendly hug. Jenna hugged him back so she wouldn't come off as rude, but she quickly pulled away.

     "Where have you been all these years, anyway?" Sturgis asked, still smiling. "What have you been up to?"

     "It's a long story, actually —" Jenna was saying, but she was cut off when someone cleared their throat behind them.

    She didn't even have to turn around to know that it was Sirius. Even all those years back, he always used to show up like this to interrupt her conversations with Podmore.

     "Ah, Sirius! How are you, mate?" Sturgis grinned at him. "It was a shock, hearing you were innocent," he joked, laughing. But Sirius only gave him a forced half-smile.

      "Still single, are you?" Sirius asked, suppressing a grin as he wrapped an arm around Jenna's waist. "Now that's not a shock."

     Podmore looked rather offended, but kept on smiling all the same. "Glad to know you still haven't lost your wit after twelve years in Azkaban."

     "That's not the only thing I haven't lost, including good looks; which obviously not everyone has managed to keep because of bad aging," Sirius joked, letting out a laughter which sounded like a bark.

     "Funny," Sturgis said with a blank face and a fake smile, before turning his head back on Jenna. "It was nice seeing you again."

      And so, with one last polite nod at the two, he went to greet Aberforth. Although as Sirius was watching Podmore walk off, he tightened his grip around Jenna's waist automatically, so tight that it made her wince.

     At that, he finally got back to his senses and without another word he took his arm off her and walked off, leaving Jenna's side.

     Jenna glared at the back of his head, her blood boiling out of anger. He was driving her frustrated, and Jenna had finally had enough of his stubbornness and his silence treatments.

     So an evil idea making its way through her head, she put on a sweet smile on her face before going forward and taking a seat beside Sturgis, moving her chair slightly closer to him to strike up a conversation with him.

If you're going to act like a child, then two can play at this game, Jenna thought to herself grimly.

     She then tried to hold back a triumphant grin as she could feel Sirius's dangerous eyes on her from across the room, knowing that he was burning from jealousy.

      Molly was kind enough to bring everyone butterbeer, placing the bottles before them on the dining table. The room was filled with chatters and everyone was talking with one another, mostly about the return of Voldemort, or how the Ministry was still in denial.

     There were so many old faces that Jenna already knew, and some were completely new to her. Snape was present in the meeting as well, but not many seemed too happy about this, most of them all Sirius.

     Although they all fell silent, and those who were standing took their seats once Dumbledore walked inside the dining room, clearing his throat.

      "Welcome, everyone, and thank you for joining us this evening," he said, taking his seat at the far end of the long table. "As you know, these are horrible times, for Wizards and Muggles."

      "And let's not forget witches," said a young woman with purple hair, smiling brightly.

     Jenna grinned at her in amusement, and Dumbledore chuckled. "Yes, and witches of course," he said. "But it is time for us to take the right actions. Our work may be harder with the Ministry against us every day, but with the help of you, and each one of us doing our part, we can make a difference."

     Everyone around the room nodded encouragingly and murmured in agreement.

     "Now, before we start off," Dumbledore continued, "it is time for us to get to know our new brave members." With that, he gestured at the Weasleys. "Let me introduce you to Molly, Arthur, and their son, Bill."

     The three Weasleys nodded at the rest.

     "You must all already be familiar with Minerva McGonagall. But we've also been lucky to have members from the Ministry as well," said Dumbledore. "Kingsley Shacklebolt, Hestia Jones, and Nymphedora Tonks."

     "Please, just call me Tonks," said the young woman with purple hair.

But when she raised her hand to wave at the crowd, she accidentally hit the bottle of butterbeer in front of her and dropped it, spilling it all over the table. "Shoot! Sorry!"

     Mrs. Weasley got to her feet quickly, moving forward to clean up the mess. "Not to worry, dear. I've got this."

Just then, to Jenna's astonishment, Tonks's hair suddenly turned pink in embarrassment. And that was when she knew that Tonks was a Metamorphmagus, just like her.

     "Well, let us waste no more time, and get straight to the more important matters," Dumbledore started once more. "Near the end of the first war, I was informed by Miss Potter that Voldemort had been planning to recruit dark creatures and bring them to his side. And I'm positive that this will be one of his first priorities."

     Jenna glanced down at the empty bottle before her, her horrible memories of being undercover flooding back to her mind.

     "I've already warned the Ministry about the dementors, but Fudge would not listen. So I decided to take the matters in my own hands and deal with the giants first. Hargid and Madam Maxime are currently seeing to that, which is why they're missing at this meeting and aren't among us," Dumbledore went on. "But there are a few things we must get in order before moving on to other missions."

     Dumbledore then turned to face Kingsley, saying,

"I'm aware that you're working in the Auror Office. I want you to tip the Ministry off by giving them false information about Sirius's whereabouts. Tell them that he's been sighted out of the country, far away from here."

     "Will do." Kingsley nodded firmly.

     "Now... in the matter of Harry," said Dumbledore, "he'll need to be looked after over summer. I'll have to put a few of you on the job, to take shifts on patrolling Privet Drive. Mundugus, Dedalus, Elphias, Emmeline, Hestia... I want you to watch over Harry. Do not leave your posts. And Do not be seen."

     They all nodded in response.

     "Again," Dumbledore started once more, "it is most unfortunate and yet a known fact that Voldemort has returned stronger than before, with the advantage of the Ministry denying his return, and indeed, he has more people on his side than we do. But there's something we have on our side that can help us greatly to defeat them. Or rather... someone."

     They all shared curious looks, until Mundugus finally asked with furrowed brows, "Who are you talkin' about?"

      "A Muggle girl named Lexi Hooper," Dumbledore answered.