𝖠𝖱𝖱𝖠𝖭𝖦𝖤𝖣 | 𝖥𝖱𝖤𝖣 𝖶𝖤𝖠𝖲𝖫𝖤𝖸

𝐋𝐕

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐎𝐑𝐃𝐄𝐑 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐏𝐇𝐎𝐄𝐍𝐈𝐗

A/N: long-ass chapter besties. enjoy.

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Things are not always the way they seem, that's a fact. Fred knew it - his 20 years of life had gifted him with that sort of advice before - but even being aware of this, he couldn't but feel how his mouth opened involuntarily.

Lilith, his wife, the woman he thought to be pure evil since she had betrayed Remus Lupin, immediately started running in the man's direction, leaving Fred completely flabbergasted.

She fused in a tight and warm hug with Lupin, her heart about to leave her chest because of how hard it was beating and a low whistle installing in her ears because of the emotion. Goosebumps covered her body once she felt the man's arms covering her and how he hid his face in the curls of her hair. Remus took a deep breath, pressing Lilith against him and with that paternal protection taking over him now that his daughter was safe between his arms.

He waited a long time for this moment. A long, long time.

"You are now safe, my dear," he whispered in a tone that resembled a lullaby. He noticed how her eyes watered and how she trembled in his arms.

"I made it, dad," she murmured back, voice trembling and throat closed. "I saved the fucking day."

"I am so proud of you, Lilith," his own voice failed him, a knot forming in his vocal cords at the sole reminder of how hard this past year had been for the girl. "So, so proud. You can't even imagine, my dear." 

She took a step back, looking into that pair of warm brown eyes that brought her the biggest comfort she could ever feel. That kind of protection and love she had always sought but had never achieved to taste before Remus arrived in her life.

Lilith ran the back of her hand through her eyes, wiping off the tears that threatened to escape.

"Now it's my turn to protect you. I don't want you to risk yourself anymore. I won't allow it," Remus spoke softly but firmly. It had been torture, pure and evil torture to leave Lilith every time he had done it, knowing that she was at those bastards' mercy and that he couldn't do anything about it. Firstly, because of the girl's stubbornness, and secondly, because of how necessary her information and position in the Death Eater world were for the Order. "You have already done enough. From now on, you'll stay in the Headquarters until we have the perfect plan to take that son of a bitch out of his throne."

"Is Liv here?" she asked, nervous. The words came out of her mouth without control. "Pauline, Theo, Draco...are they here? I can't leave them alone. Remus, I-"

He shook his head, interrupting her.

"Don't worry. Sirius is already taking care of them. They will be here soon. Neville and Pansy are being watched as well, just in case, they need our help. Now, do not worry, alright? I'll take you to see the leader and you will take a rest and recover, d'you hear me?"

She nodded, unable to wipe off the smile from her face.

Fred blinked astonished. His eyebrows furrowed and his breath was out of control.

What the actual fuck?

His mind was working too fast for his own good, his eyes couldn't believe what they were seeing and, for a moment, he thought he was hallucinating.

Remus Lupin, talking to Lilith as if the war hadn't happened. As if those two years since Fred saw the man for the last time, hugging the girl, hadn't passed.