Veracity - ✔️

One

"What you allow
is what will continue."
- Unknown

Grimmauld Place was not something out of a fairy tale. This was the first thing that Athene noticed when she and Charlie apparated outside of the building. The brick was crusty, the windows dirty, and the sight altogether terrifying. Charlie and Athene both stared at the horrible building with interest: this was the place that sheltered the Order of the Phoenix. It didn't look like a building that could hold a war-torn group of wizards, and it certainly didn't look like it could be a place that one would go to willingly.

Charlie Weasley pulled Athene closer to the apartment building to get out of the August heat. It was an unusually warm day in Muggle London. Her hands were sweaty, and her heart fluttered in her chest. Athene wasn't nervous; she had known that this day would come. After accepting Dumbledore's offer in June, meeting the Order had been unavoidable. She had just expected it to happen sooner.

The interior of the house was just a dirty as the outside. Dust clung to the ceiling and wallpaper curled where the walls met the floorboards. It was incredibly dark despite the sun shining through the windows and the light fixtures hanging from the ceiling. Everything was either a shade of grey or black, and it created quite a gloomy appearance.

Charlie nudged Athene, "You ready?" This was Charlie's first time in the house, too. Dumbledore had extended an invitation shortly after he had talked to Athene. Since Charlie had been in Romania for the remainder of the summer, he hadn't been properly introduced either.

"Are you?" Athene shot Charlie a grin and lightly bumped him with her hip. The two continued down the hallway side by side until they reached what Athene assumed to be the kitchen door. Athene could hear voices through the solid oak door, though she didn't recognize a single one.

When the two stumbled into the kitchen, Athene stared at the room before them. The kitchen had ample space with a table laid out in the middle. Several people - some of which Athene knew and some that she didn't - were sitting in wooden chairs and discussing something rather heatedly.

Their arrival seemed to shock everyone out of their argument, and a man that Athene recognized from the papers stood to greet them. He was a tall man who was dressed in a suit with brown hair that barely touched his shoulders. Sirius Black looked better in person than he did in the pictures that the Daily Prophet had published. "You must be Athene," Sirius smiled and offered her his hand to shake. "Molly has told us all about you."

"Oh, stop it," Molly smiled coyly from across the table, "You haven't stopped asking either."

Sirius' smile turned sad, but he turned away before Athene could tell. "Charlie," the two shook hands, "good to see you."

"Thank you, Sirius," Charlie offered a bright smile and Athene couldn't help but think that all of these smiles were hiding something much more sinister.

"Back to our conversation," a woman with bright pink hair made herself known, and Athene nearly lost her mind.

"Nymphadora?" The smile that grew on Athene's face was genuine. She hadn't seen the girl since they had graduated in 1991. "Is that really you?"

"The one and only." Athene could see the annoyance in her old school mate's eyes; she hated being called by her full name. But Athene had always made a point to call her by her full name ever since they had met in school. "I've been meaning to stop by your shop."

Athene opened her mouth to speak, but an angry-looking Mad Eye Moody beat her to it, "You can have your reunion later. Right now, we need to discuss the situation." Tonks ushered the two newcomers into seats beside her, and the argument continued. Neither Athene nor Charlie had much to offer, but they soon pieced together what had happened. A Dementor had attacked the ever troublesome Harry Potter and his cousin, and now the Ministry was seeking retribution for his use of underaged magic.

"We can't just leave him there," Sirius roared from the head of the table, "He's a sitting duck with those wretched Muggles."

"We can't interfere just yet," a man that Athene didn't know argued back. "What if Voldemort is expecting us to come to get him?"

"Then we'll have to take the risk." Athene could see the strain that was put on Sirius by this entire ordeal, and her heart reached out to him. Harry's aunt and uncle were not kind people; she had gathered as much from the interviews that he had gone through during the first task last year.

"I agree," the entire table silenced when Athene voiced her opinions. She blushed terribly with all of the attention, but she continued, "I don't know much about Harry's living conditions, but it is clear that someone orchestrated this attack while he's been left unguarded over the summer."

"But-"

"But nothing. From what I have seen, Harry is incredibly important to this cause. He defeated Voldemort once, and it seems that the Dark Lord might just be scared of him. We cannot let him be taken out just because we ignorantly believed that being in a Muggle home would keep him safe."

Sirius had the most triumphant smile on his face, and his eyes glittered with victory, "Very well said, my dear. Now that that's decided, Tonks, I want you to lead the Advanced Guard to escort Harry here." Tonks mock saluted the man. "And I want you to take Athene with you. It'll do Harry some good to see someone he recognizes."

Privet Drive was the most boorish Muggle community that Athene had ever seen. The houses were lined together in perfect symmetry; the houses were ordinary, and the white picket fences were atrocious. Athene could see why Harry enjoyed his time at Hogwarts and dreaded his return to Number Four Privet Drive. With such an ordinary place, the Advanced Guard stuck out like a sore thumb. If it hadn't been for the lack of moonlight, Athene was sure that they would be drawing attention from the Muggles that lived there.

Athene distinctly remembered Nymphadora's need for dramatics, so, when they got to Harry's bedroom door, she wasn't surprised when she unlocked the door in the most dramatic way possible. Poor Harry had his wand drawn, ready to fight whoever had decided to attack him. "Tonks, for God's sake," Moody pushed the girl into the bedroom and completely ruined her performance.

The Advanced Guard filed into the small bedroom to face a no longer terrified Harry Potter. "Professor Moody?" The boy smiled, "What are you doing here?"

"Rescuing you, of course," Moody tried to offer a kind smile, but it looked off-putting on his face. Harry gathered his belongings into a trunk, and the group of eleven was off into the night. Harry was full of questions, but there was no time to answer them standing outside.

"Don't worry, Harry," Athene offered Harry a kind pat on the shoulder, and he noticed her for the first time.

"We'll explain everything when we get back to headquarters."

Moody sent Tonks a dirty look and spoke in a hushed whisper, "Not here, Nymphadora."

"Don't call me Nymphadora," Tonks' hair changed to an angry red, but Moody paid her no mind. They were up in the air before she could protest again.

"Don't break ranks," Athene wrapped her hand around the broom in her hands, "if one of us is killed." The dangers of transporting the Chosen One wasn't lost on Athene, but as they flew through Muggle London, she couldn't help the giddy excitement that coursed through her veins. The beauty was unparalleled, and she was somewhat disappointed to land in front of Grimmauld Place. Moody made quite the show of exposing the building to Harry: even Athene was impressed. Harry watched in amazement as the building expanded to reveal the dirty looking replica of the surrounding apartments.

"Harry," Athene pulled the boy into a firm hug, "I'm not going in with you. I just wanted to see you safe."

"Thanks, Athene," the boy smiled as Athene turned to leave, and he turned to enter the building.

"Oh, I almost forgot. I'll be seeing you soon, Harry." Athene apparated away before Harry could ask another question though he hardly had time to think of it. Several hands ushered him through the doors where Athene knew his family was waiting.

Author's Note:
Athene's journey continues! If you liked this chapter and are excited to see what happens to our favorite bookstore owner, please vote or comment!