The Last Lieutenant

Diagon Alley

You know better than this, is what she is thinking, when she lays her hand against the chill of the glass door to the twin's shops in Diagon alley.  Haven't you learned anything from Clary and Emmeline?

She had, and that warning was still ringing in her ears, but so were Dumbledore's words about how maybe it was worth taking the chance.  That some things were worth a little risk.  And anyways, she thought, pushing the door forward so quick that the bell overhead barely even made a sound, I'm not Emmeline.  I won't just roll over and take what punishment they decide to hand out.

It isn't much of a comfort, and the idea of being caught still makes a knot of anxiety form in her stomach, but now that she is standing in the shop, the pull is too strong for her to pull away.  After all the work she had poured into the twin's dream, she had never had the chance to really look around and see it in all its glory, and now the sight of it makes her breath catch in her throat.

It's beautiful.

That's the only word she can think of as she walks through the rows of brightly covered products, the love potions she designed piled up in an overwhelming cauldron and bottled a garish shade of pink, the fireworks whizzing harmlessly in a glass display case, the cage of rambunctious fluffy animals that she thinks George must be breeding himself.  It was, for the first time, all right at her fingertips and Audra does not want to miss a moment of it.  This shop was built partially by her, even if she hadn't been around to see it through.

Audra's not sure how long she stands there in the darkness, but eventually she winds her way past the cash register and up the creaky stairs to their flat, wand raised just in case George decides to hex before looking as she pounds on the door.

It crashes open.  They clearly weren't expecting anyone, but still, even now it was obvious that they assumed the face on the other side of the door would be a friendly one.  From the looks of it, Fred hadn't even brought his wand.

"Audra?"  His face split into a grin, but George's entire face tightens and he brushes past her, their shoulders knocking together so hard she falls back against the wall.  "What are you doing here?"

"I came to see you."  The knot that had formed in her sotmach had traveled up to her throat, making it hard to get the words out.  "I went to the tree house but you weren't there and you wouldn't know to show up, so I came here, I had to tell you that I was wrong, Fred.  I was wrong.  This is worth everything to me, too."

It has all the makings of a pretty nice reunion, had it not been for the fact that George barreled his way back up the stairs, pushing between them to grab Audra by the shoulders and shake her.  "Did anyone see you?"  She doesn't answer at first, so he shakes her again.  It's only surprise that keeps her from throwing him off.  "Think Audra.  Was anyone on the street?"

He must have heard about Clary.  Fred probably told him.  Audra doesn't blame him for being worried.  If their situations were reversed, Audra probably wouldn't want to risk it all for her brother's love story, either.

"There was no one in the street."  She bats his hands away and rolls her eyes even as the weight of how stupid she had been settles down around her.  "Merlin, George, don't you know me at all?"

"Yeah."  He tries for a smile but it just comes across as weak kneed relief, and when his hand returns to squeeze her shoulder, this time it has the comforting feel of coming home.  "Yeah, I do."

It's clear that she's not the only one who can only think of how many dangers are looking around them.  Audra's almost glad she's not the only one only thinking of the bad things.  In her experience, it was really the only was to survive.