Legilimens

| Eighteen |

3rd December 1998

Days had turned into weeks, which had then turned into months. Months, hidden away in the Tonks' house, surrounded by friends but alone. Kept in the dark. Josephine and the others knew the members of the Order were preparing something, something big to finally try and win the upper hand against evil, but no one would bother telling them what was going on. Not even the Weasleys. Every time Molly and Arthur had visited the hideout, worry hidden in their irises, the young witches and wizards had probed them with questions, demanding to be let in the plan, but still they knew nothing.

Josephine's anxiety was growing every passing minute. Ever since Draco's warning about the stone, she hadn't heard a thing from him. And it had been months. Draco was as silent as her visions were blank. Dry. Not even she could be of any help to the war, without her visions and her inner source. The first few days after seeing the word burned on her finger had been hell, spent pacing in her room and trying to clear her head from the voices that wouldn't leave. Days to finally be able to hold her friends' glare, and look them in the eyes without showing guilt at keeping secrets. Without showing that she feared the end was near, and that they wouldn't be on the winning side. She didn't try and contact Draco. Both because she didn't know if the charm worked the other way around, and because she didn't want prying eyes figuring out the Dark Lord's favourite pet was a spy and a traitor. When she could no longer stand the silence of the ring, and the silence of her mind now that the voices' echoes had stopped ringing in her ears, she finally left the sanctuary of her room and joined the others in their preparations for the confrontation between good and bad.

Harry had convinced the others to practice duelling, daily. Similar to the sessions held in the Room of Requirement during the DA's days, Harry lead his friends, and taught them the proper wand movements and spells to help them all survive. Even Andromeda joined from time to time, when Teddy was asleep in his crib, or busy with Josephine. She really had bonded with the child, and found that he brought her peace and soothed her anxious mind.

In the middle of the morning, Kingsley Shacklebolt apparated at the edge of the protective charms around the field and walked to the house. Finally, the Order had a plan ready and were confident enough in it to assign a role to each of them. He sat on the stiff couch, surrounded by Harry, Ron, Hermione, Josephine, Ginny, Luna, George and Neville, who were all listening closely to the man's words.

"The Order of the Phoenix has planned an attack on both Hogwarts and Gringotts in one week's time. We need resources, ingredients, potions, galleons. Anything really. Most of our supplies were destroyed in the attacks and we need to feed and heal our people if we want to win this war. And since we cannot show our face in Diagon Alley and purchase what we need, we have to be a bit more... creative. All you need to know for now is that your group, alongside members of the Order, will raid Hogwarts. Try and grab anything you can find, anything that could be useful in anyway. We need you there, you know the grounds well, and you fight brilliantly. We need strong allies on this mission." He paused, looking them all after the other. "We know for a fact Dementors are guarding the castle, but we don't know what's hiding in the ruins of the school."

He stared at Harry.

"You, son, will be in charge of this group." He said, motioning around the room, pointing the friends standing around. "All of you, don't act foolish and follow orders. Have I been clear?"

The group nodded.

"Alright then. I will be back in a few days with the whole plan and details. For now, practice. And practice hard." He said before walking into the fire and leaving through Floo transport.

The room stayed in a deep silence for a few minutes, then Harry spoke up.

"Let's get back to work, all. We need to be ready." He announced as he walked out the front door, his wand in his hand.

***

Days flew by, and the lot were practicing duelling harder then ever, sometimes practicing two-or-three-on-one, due to the odds of such duelling happening against death eaters. After many struggles, some of them achieved wordless magic. Even Harry, who'd always been quick and instinctive in battling had trouble with more than basic spells at first. But Josephine, who had been given advice by her boyfriend after You-know-who and Bellatrix had helped him close his mind and hide his intentions to his opponents, did the same to her friends, and helped them practice stronger spells on her, always casting up a protection spell beforehand.

On a particularly warm afternoon a few days before Christmas, Josie was standing in the snow-covered field, ten or so feet away from a frowning Neville. Neville was talented, but he still struggled with his wordless magic. They had been standing there for a good ten minutes, not speaking, Neville's concentration printed on his face, brows furrowed and jaw clenched tight. Josephine took a look around her. Hermione and Ginny were a little bit on her left, also practicing, while the boys were busy trying to win their snowball fight. Josephine couldn't stop the smile from stretching her lips, and briefly asked herself where Luna was when something hit her hard in the chest and she went flying, landing with a crash a few feet away. Someone shrieked, but she bas too busy trying to catch her breath to assure she was alright. Pain like electric shock ran through her spine, and Josie knew without a doubt she would have a nasty headache. Her eyes shut tight, she heard running footsteps crunching in the snow.

"I am so sorry, Josie. I thought you would have a shield on."

She chuckled.

"It's alright, Neville. I should've paid attention. But hey, that was pretty good, I'm proud of you!"

She opened her eyes, blinded by the sun.

"Are you okay?" Asked Ginny, worry in her eyes, but a small smile on the corner of her lips.

"Not really. I'll stay here for a while and... enjoy the view."

George chuckled and left, throwing a snowball at his brother's head, resuming their fight.

She stayed on the cold ground for a few minutes, until the pain subsided, then got back up, faced Neville once more and took the time to put a protective charm around her, in the hopes her friend would be as successful this time around.

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So, here it is, a bit later than expected, but well what do you want me to say? I'm sorry, I suck at respecting deadlines.

Gabrielle xx