The Tale of Jamie Devereaux

Will You?

Chapter Thirty-Nine: Will You?

Without the children taking up space and talking too loudly in Grimmauld place, the Black residence was decidedly quiet and dull. The order still had frequent meetings, but Loren Bruce was no longer a part of them. The muggle woman had gone back to her shop and her quiet house, a fact that worried a few members of the order. Some more than others. That September morning, the order was discussing Loren Bruce and whether or not her safety should be taken into consideration. "The fact of the matter is," Arthur Weasley spoke, "that Loren is a muggle and the mother of a rumored half-breed. If You-know-who is after Jamie, as Dumbledore believes, then Loren is a target."

"Voldemort has not been active since the tournament." Kingsley Shacklebolt stated. There was obvious discomfort at his use of the dark Lord's name. "Loren is not in danger right now. We need to focus our resources on Hogwarts and Umbridge. Minerva sent me a message about Dolores's view on punishment at the school."

Molly Weasley's anger was palpable to everyone at the table. Alastor Moody hit his flask on the table in an aggressive manor, "We need to be prepared for the worst case scenario. Jamie is a ticking time-bomb."

"Excuse me! She is a teenager who just lost her best friend." Molly Weasley said defensively. "She has a right to be distraught."

Moody rolled his eyes, "Yes. I know. She's a ticking time-bomb. If something were to happen to her mother, she'll be a lost cause." Molly scoffed in disgust at the phrasing. "We should have check-ins with the muggle and place protective spells on her shop and house to avoid anything happening."

"I'll do it!" Tonks said cheerfully from across from Moody. The young woman quite liked Loren Bruce and wouldn't mind an excuse to hang out with her every now and then.

"No." Kingsley interrupted Tonks's excited mind. "If Tonks goes they won't get anything done and just watch movies on the muggle television."

Tonks's mouth opened indignantly, "I would put a protective spell or two on there before we watched!"

Arthur sighed, "Why don't you go then, Shacklebolt."

Kingsley balked, "No thank you."

"I can go." Lupin offered.

Kingsley stood up abruptly from the table, "Fine. I'll do it." Tonks giggled under her breath and shared a look with Molly Weasley as Kingsley Shacklebolt left the room.

--

Loren Bruce was sitting cross legged on her kitchen counter, mixing a bowl of frosting and watching her television from the other room. Despite it being September, she was watching a Christmas movie. Whenever she particularly missed Jamie Devereaux she would play a holiday movie and bake for the store or for her daughter's bi-monthly care-packages. There was a firm knock on her front door and the muggle woman turned down the volume of her television. "Come in!" She called, her front door unlocked as it usually was. She expected Mrs. Whitter, her elderly neighbor, who often came by to borrow baking materials or to share neighborhood gossip with Loren. Loren suspected that Mrs. Whitter felt pity for the young woman who had an empty house and was often alone.

"Come in?" Kingsley Shacklebolt asked, opening the door, "Do you not value your life at all?"

"That depends," Loren started, a growing smile on her face at the sound of the frustrated wizard, "how much do you think I might be worth?"

His heavy footsteps traveled father into her house, stopping short when he saw her sitting on the counter. Loren Bruce looked incredibly at ease in her own kitchen. Her curly black hair was in a large bun at the top of her head and she was wearing Christmas pajamas of all things. "Keep your door locked."