What shouldn't have been

3.2

I stayed upstairs with the Weasleys, Hermione and Lila until I heard the door open again.

I walked downstairs and walked in the dining room, where the Orders' meeting was held.

Tonks, Mad-eye, Kingsley Shacklebolt and a few others walked into the room with me.

Everyone was speaking, well arguing. I stood behind Sirius, listening to their conversation. He stopped talking. I looked at him. He was looking at something.

I followed Sirius's gaze. I saw Harry standing in the hallway.

Molly stood in the way. She closed the door behind her.

"Good way to ruin the moment", I said. Sirius and Remus looked at me. "What?"

"Hayles", Tonks said.

She offered me a Bertie Botts bean. I took it and popped it into my mouth.

"Liver. Don't ask why, but that one's my favorite", I said.

"So I learned a new muggle word called...shorty. No, I think it was shady. Wait. No", Tonks said.

"Shaggy?" I asked.

"No".

"Shady".

"I just said that".

"Well, how can you say you learned a word if you can't-"

"It was just in my mind. Shabby. Shocky".

"I believe it's pronounced shawty", Dumbledore said.

"Yes, that's it", Tonks said.

"Ah, shawty. That sounds fun to say", I said.

"Everyone please sit down", Dumbledore said. I sat down beside Sirius. Tonks sat next to me. "I'd like to thank you all for coming. You all know why we're here".

I looked at the Daily Prophet newspaper on the table. I pulled it closer to me.

"'The boy who lied'", I read.

"Cornelius Fudge is using his power to smear anyone who believes Voldemort has returned", Dumbledore said.

"Does Potter know this is happening?" I asked.

"No. He doesn't and he doesn't need to know", Molly said.

"You don't think he has a right to know?" I asked.

"Of course not. He's too young", Molly said.

"If anyone has the right to know, it's Harry. If it wasn't for him, we wouldn't know Voldemort was back. He's not a child, Molly", Sirius said.

"He's not an adult either", Molly said. "He's not James, Sirius".

"He's not your son".

"He's as good as. Who else has he got?"

"He's got me".

"How touching, Black. Perhaps Potter would grow up to be a felon just like his godfather", Father said.

Here we go again.

I gave my father a look. "You stay out of this, Snivellous", Sirius said. I gave Sirius the same look.

"I don't think he should know until he is ready", Dumbledore said.

"Well, he'll find out soon enough", Tonks said.

"Yeah, you can't hide the truth from him forever", I said.

I grabbed a handful of beans from Tonks' box. I poured them into my mouth. There were bad and good flavors mixed together.

My face became pale and full of disgust. Tonks laughed.

"Nymphadora! Haylie!" Mad-eye shouted. Me and Tonks looked at him. "Haylie, go spit those out before I make you spit them out".

I got up as the meeting continued. I spit the beans into the trash. I presumed at my seat.

"You two will be the death of me", Mad-eye said.

"Probably", Tonks said.

"Old news", I said. He has told us this a lot already.

"One day, I'm going to fire you both", Mad-eye said.

"You told us that yesterday. And 2 days ago. And 3 weeks ago", I said.

"You told us that a lot of times", Tonks said. I nodded in agreement.

"Also, I believe it would be best if Haylie stayed here with Sirius", Dumbledore said.

"Really? Wait, why?" I asked.

"So Sirius could have company and so you'll be here in case of missions. You are alright with her staying here, right, Sirius?" Dumbledore asked.

"Of course. Haylie is always welcomed here", Sirius said.

"And you two already seem comfortable with each other. I believe you two have a friendship, yes?" Dumbledore asked.

Me and Sirius nodded.

"Wait, wait. How did you two meet?" Arthur Weasley asked me and Sirius.

Me and Sirius looked at each other. We looked at Arthur. "It's a long story, but the shorter version of the story is...kidnapping", I said.

Everyone looked at us in shock. My father looked at Sirius, furiously.

"She kept hitting me", Sirius said as if that were a defense for his actions.

"I thought he was a murderer", I said. "And yes, it was fun slapping him in the face".

"You are horrifying", Tonks said.

"Thank you".

"Well, it's nice to see you and Sirius are getting along. Sort of", Dumbledore said.

The meeting went on. Finally, it had ended. My father left quickly with Lila.

I stayed in the room Sirius was letting me sleep in. I didn't go to dinner. I was thinking about him. About Cedric. I had known him since he was 11. Now he's gone.