Secrets

Remus Lupin might not consider what he and his friends did to be grand, but Mali sure did. Or she would, when she fully understood what had happened. He and his group had saved them from being extinguished in a dim, dirty room at the hands of horrible people with wicked ideals. It literally meant everything to Mali, they were the reason that she was able to sit on the floor, curled up in a protective ball with her hands over her ears and forehead pressed into her knees. Mali's eyes were squeezed shut as if it would help dampen the sound. The woman shrieked and screamed, using words like 'mudblood' 'blood traitor' and... fleas? If she hadn't been so preoccupied with not disintegrating into a puddle of tears on the carpet she would have found it funny. It felt like the rant grew louder and more aggressive, almost like the woman was about to crawl right out of her portrait and loom over her. "Shut up!" she said through gritted teeth. "Shut up! Shut it!"

Although Lupin's hand on her shoulder made her heart skip three beats as it jumped into her throat, it also managed to drag her back from the edge of madness she was teetering on. The witch tensed under his hand, relaxing when she realized that he was smiling.. Although she couldn't manage a smile back it felt safe and she eased out of her ball. He'd come from the kitchen, she thought she'd heard friendly voices from it before. Mali made it to her feet and moved off in the direction of the kitchen, glancing over her shoulder as Mister Lupin squared off with the painting. One wouldn't think that would be something to find impressive but with the way he stood and spoke, it commanded respect. He was a powerful man, no doubt about that. Weak and unskilled people don't go charging into a death eater's lair to rescue others.

She reached for the kitchen door, about to push it open when her gaze fell on her own hand. The bruising reminded her that her hands were tender and for a moment Mali wasn't standing just outside an unfamiliar kitchen but in that suffocatingly small room beating against the door 'til she fractured bones in her palms and knuckles, shrieking her frustration and begging to be let out, to go home. Hearing Mister Lupin's voice behind her, Mali flexed her fingers and turned to face him. She had so many questions and wanted very much for him to explain things. "I'm fine." She wasn't, not by a long shot, but there were far more important things, questions that couldn't wait for Mister Lupin to get around to explaining for answers "Where's Theo? And Draco. Him too. Where is he? Where are we now?"

Draco was awake, but Merlin, did he wish he wasn't.

Grimmauld Place didn't inspire relief in him, but dread. He woke up to a clean (well, clean-er) room and a soft bed, and as his consciousness filtered back in (bruises, breaks, memories and all), he was first aware that they were safe, and then that he was completely and utterly lost. It had taken days to push through his armor, something he'd been so sure wasn't possible, and in the aftermath Draco felt... exposed. Lost, vulnerable, like an abandoned stray in a winter field, with nowhere to go. It was terrifying, and when Draco heard footsteps coming up the stairs he bolted, past a confused Order member and into a bathroom, where he locked the door, sunk to the floor, and just...

...just burst, like water from a dam, his face pressed into his knees and his Marked forearm held at an awkward angle away from his body as he let go of broken, awful sobs.

The last thing he wanted, (some corner of his mind that was still essentially Draco knew), was for someone to hear him and come see, and so he tried to keep it in. His chest shaking, bottom lip clamped in his teeth, face screwed up against the feeling that his chest was going to burst (or collapse, he wasn't sure), he shook against the cold tile of the bathroom, uncertain why he'd started crying or how he was going to stop, only that it wasn't making him feel better. The entire situation was terrifying him. What had happened, what he'd done, what he was doing now all were tangled in a massive knot, and he worked through these things in a loop, getting more and more panicked as he went, unable to stop crying, thinking, or making some truly terrible sounds.

After a few moments, Draco managed to go silent, taking deep, shuddering breaths of air and clinging to that natural metronome as something to hold him together. He leaned his head back on the door with a muffled thump, and felt even more miserable at his loss of control, wiping furiously at the damp tracks on his face. Merlin, he was pathetic, Draco told himself, and pressed the heels of his hands into his eyes as if that would make it all go away.

Even worse than the maelstrom of awful swirling in his chest was the knowledge that he was going to have to stand up soon and go rejoin reality as if nothing had happened at all. At this point, Draco thought tiredly, he didn't know what was worse. For now, though, he didn't think he could face the people downstairs, particularly not Mali and Theo, definitely not Potter. He didn't have the energy to run, though, so he remained where he was, sprawled on the cold bathroom floor and wishing he was anywhere else.

Mali most certainly was not fine, he could tell; and he wouldn't expect her to be, not one bit. Remus knew all about not being fine right now; he just wanted to make sure she was okay enough to want to bother with him or other people right now. That, she did seem to be. She asked after Theo and Draco and Remus resumed his gentle smile, putting his hand back on her shoulder to guide her through into the kitchen. This kitchen always put him in, at the very very least, an okay mood. He was sure it worked the same way for others.

Before they got there, though, the door opened the other way and out popped Luna. Remus' face fell just a bit at the presence of the two women in the hallway, awkward moments of eavesdropping in the recent past bubbling back up to the surface of his brain. Luna went on her merry way soon enough, though, and Remus guided Mali into the kitchen, nudging her over to a chair around the table where a couple of other Order members sat. He went to the stove to, of course, put on the kettle.

"Upstairs, the both of them. I'm quite sure they're awake now." He grinned slightly in Mali's direction, turning to lean against the kitchen counter as he waited for the water. "Welcome to Harry's house, Mali." That's all she needed to know for now. "I keep making promises. But I assure you this will all make more sense in just a few minutes." That remained to be seen, really. Not everyone could immediately wrap their heads around the concept of a secret society. Mali was clever enough, though, he thought.

The sound of thumping footsteps signaled that Luna had taken up her charge and was returning with him - sounds in this house tended to echo all over. Remus busied himself with making tea, a cup for himself and a cup for Mali because she needed it, what couldn't tea fix? He settled himself next to her after doling out their cups.

Mister Lupin didn't immediately answer her question, instead he guided her towards the kitchen door. It annoyed her, but Mali was honestly surprised she had the capacity to feel anything other than exhaustion and confusion. She was just so tired of feeling so helpless and confused and unprepared. They were met by Luna, who floated through with smiles and offers to go get Theo. Under any other circumstances she would have something to say about it, but the hand on her shoulder helped to quell her temper. Instead of an objection she simply nodded and muttered a 'Thank you' before moving on with Mister Lupin.

On the other side of the door Mali froze up. There were quite a few people in the room, some familiar and some now, but they were all looking back at her as she looked at them. It was uncomfortable and awkward so when Remus urged her towards a chair she hurried over to it with her head down and without a word. Mali took care not to look at anyone or anything, just her hands on the table. And then a spot just to the right of her hands when the bruises bothered her.

She nodded at his joke. If she were in a better mood she might tell him that the entire city was probably awake after that, but instead she only nodded. Mali was in a weird sort of place where she didn't necessarily want to interact with people but she didn't want to be alone either. Casual conversation felt very strange.

Mali looked up when Remus told her it was Harry's house. He might feel like that was all she needed to know, but Mali didn't agree. "I don't understand why or how I'm here." But of course, he would explain later. Everything would make sense in a few minutes. But for the minutes until then, Mali would stew in her annoyance. It was unfair to feel that way, but a lot of things had been unfair lately.

She felt guilty for her annoyance when Remus brought tea. Even so, she accepted it gladly with a "Thank you." Her throat was sore, both from thirst and having been screamed and shouted raw and the tea would do wonders for it. Mali had just taken a sip when the kitchen door opened again and she watched over the rim of the cup as Theo and Luna appeared in the doorway.

Seeing Theo with her own eyes, knowing that he was safe, not just being told that he was okay, lifted an immense weight off of Mali's shoulders and eased the tightness in her chest. Relief let her breathe easier and she felt much better, even managing a tired smile for him. She watched as Luna took her seat, eyes going immediately back to Theo to watch him, unsure how receptive he and others would be if she went to him. She wanted to touch him, to solidify that he was really there and not just some hallucination.

Finally she decided that she didn't care what anyone else thought. Last night she thought she was going to die. Life was too short. Mali set down her tea and stood up, hurrying over to Theo to wrap him up in her arms and hold him close and try not to cry with her face buried in her chest. He was here, warm and solid and there. "Merlin." Her voice cracked with emotion. "You're here. You're really here. I don't know where here is but I don't care because I thought we were all going to die in that room."

While the rescue mission made the others feel good, Aje felt terrible. He didn't like to know that the darkness was coming back and that people were suffering, it made his heart feel heavy in his chest. They might have done a sliver of good but what about those they weren't able to help? Surely these three were not the Death Eaters only victims this time around. He felt like he failed those nameless victims, that his retirement from the auror office was more of a desertion than anything else. Perhaps it was a little self important, but Aje felt like maybe if he stayed he could have made a difference. He felt like he never should have left, not with things in their current state.

That was exactly why he left, though. He could not keep fighting in every aspect of his life. At work, at the Order. He was a simple man and as good as he was at fighting sometimes he just got tired of it. For his own sake he needed a job where he wasn't constantly chasing after bad guys and what better than to teach children how to defend themselves? Defense Against The Dark Arts prepared them for dark creatures, dark magic, but not against dark witches and wizards in the way that his class would. He worked on their reflexes, on staying calm in the heat of battle and his students were all doing wonderfully. That made the feelings he felt now worth it, in the long run.

As always, Aje didn't have much to say. He'd grown closer with many of the Order members, thanks to his students managing to pull him out of his shy shell. It gave him the confidence and motivation to branch out and be social. He didn't have to be strong and silent all the time. But now, he was. He listened as they spoke, concentrating to make sure he clearly understood as they ran through their post mission routine. Talking, planning, drinking coffee. Eventually they were interrupted by the shrieking of the portrait that he didn't care for and then two members were off to settle everything down. Miss Meadows seemed to share his disdain for the portrait and he nodded his agreement as he leaned back in his chair, tilting it back onto two legs. "Maybe we can her mouth to have a gag." he offered thoughtfully. "Or cut the wall down." At this point he was willing to blow the wall up.

Soon Remus returned with the girl that they rescued, who looked like she might bolt from the room or be sick. Or both. Remus joked with her and he cracked a grin. Soon Luna brought the oldest one in and dropped by his seat to whisper something in his ear. Draco Malfoy, upstairs. Check on him. He nodded along as he listened and then rose up. He intended to leave without much fanfare but he looked to Crystal when she offered to retrieve him. "I think I should just go see if he is okay. He will come down in his own time."

Once out of the kitchen, he headed up the stairs. He didn't know what to say and quite frankly Draco Malfoy was known for being well spoken and very sarcastic. It intimidated him, Aje didn't like to be made to feel stupid. He managed the bathroom door with a wandless unlocking charm before phasing into badger form. Draco Malfoy was not in a good place and sometimes all someone needed was to know that someone was there. Aje could do that, and he didn't need his imposing frame to do it.

The badger rubbed up against the blonde's back, much like a large cat and wound around to his front. He rested his head on Draco's leg, settling in on the floor. Nothing he could say would make the boy's plight any better, but at least Malfoy would know that if there was something on his mind, that if he needed to talk, there was someone that would listen.

Mali wasn't happy with his vagueness. Again, not that he could blame her. Waking up in another strange house, full of more strangers, after what she'd been through couldn't leave one with many happy thoughts at all. His promises and jokes weren't exactly working, but they seemed to placate her well enough. That and the tea, of course. Remus sipped at his own mug and listened to the low murmurs in the room as he waited for Luna to get back.

And then there she was, tall man in tow. No Draco in sight yet, he noted with a peek out in the hallway before the door swung shut again, but Luna apparently had that handled too. She whispered something to Aje and off the man went, presumably to find Draco. The former Slytherin was more familiar with this narrative than their other guests, so Remus thought it fine to get started without him. After another long sip of tea, he pushed out of his chair and went back to the kettle as Theo and Mali reunited - mostly to hide the grin growing on his face. That's what the Order did all this for, that right there. He fixed Theo a cup of tea as well and brought it to him once the pair was seated.

"As promised, your answers," he nodded at Mali and leaned against the end of the table, crossing his arms with tea back in hand. "This," he waved the cup around the room at the people gathered there. "Is the Order of the Phoenix. We brought you to Harry's house because this is our headquarters. We're a sort of...organization. Created as an alternative war effort in the First Wizarding War. We do what the Ministry can't, or won't." He took another sip of tea, eyes glittering over the rim of his cup at the copious number of Ministry employees in the kitchen. And the Ministry thought they had a Death Eater infiltration problem...

Remus' attention turned back to Mali and Theo, waiting a few seconds for them to process. It wasn't much information, in the grand scheme of things, but there was only so much he could say for now. "For the sake of security, we're highly secretive. I won't be able to answer all your questions, at least not right now. That said, I hope to do everything I can to help you understand. And to feel comfortable. You are safe here; that's first and foremost."