It would be so much simpler if she could just attend the meetings, but Albus thought it safe and more prudent if she wasn’t directly connected to the Order. Her friendship with Lily in school played the perfect cover for her to visit Lily often.
She grabbed jeans and a t-shirt to put on and changed quickly. Running a brush through her long hair, she was ready to go. Grabbing her wand off the bed, she turned and Apparated to the woods next to the cottage in Godric’s Hollow.
She knew the information she had overheard today could be important. She hoped James’ friend, Sirius Black, was not here. She didn’t want to talk of this with him around.
Perhaps that was the easy way out. Perhaps the right choice would be for him to hear this from her instead of second-hand from Albus. She hoped she didn’t have to make that choice.
She didn’t know why but Sirius Black always intimidated her. She got along fine with Remus and Peter, even enjoyed their company if they were here when she was. But even in school, Sirius made her nervous. She tended to stutter and do stupid things around him.
Well, they weren’t in school anymore. They were adults now and since Sirius was James’ best friend, she knew she would probably come in contact with him quite often. She had been lucky so far in that he wasn’t here when she had visited before. She only hoped her luck wouldn’t run out.
Abby walked to the front of the cottage and opened the gate. As she approached she saw off to the side, a motorbike. Her luck had just run out. Sirius was here. She stopped walking and thought about the choice before her.
She could just wait for Albus to show up and then talk to him in private, or she could do the right thing, the hard thing, and tell Sirius his brother was missing and presumed dead. She didn’t know which option to go with.
Abby knew the decision was not one she would even have to make. She knew what the right choice was and she always made the right choice. She would have to tell Sirius her news.
Decision made, she knocked on the door, praying it was Lily or James who answered.
James and Lily were sitting talking quietly in the kitchen of their home when they heard the front door open then slam shut.
“Lily, come here, quick,” James said as he slid his chair back from the table.
Without questioning, Lily rushed over to his side. James pulled her down on his lap and quickly unbuttoned the top two buttons of her shirt. Sliding it off one shoulder, he pushed her head down into the crook of his neck.
“Just go along with me, okay?” James whispered in her ear as Sirius burst into the kitchen. He left his head down and began to kiss her shoulder.
“I can’t believe she would think I would have any idea!” Sirius shouted. “I mean, like I would have a clue as to…” Sirius’ voice trailed off as sitting down at the table, he took in the sight before him.
James raised his head from Lily’s shoulder just enough to turn it to look at Sirius. “I would have to agree with you there, you have no clue. How about coming back in an hour… or two?” James asked.
“Is that the only thing you two do? Every minute of every day, is that all you think about?” Sirius asked his voice betraying not only his anger but something James thought sounded like jealousy.
“Look, I don’t have time for this. No, I can’t come back. I need to talk to you now,” Sirius said.
James could feel Lily’s laughter as she kept her face buried in his neck. He knew she would not be able to hold it in much longer. Knowing he only had a few more seconds to tease his best friend, he tried again.
“Look, I get that. I am only asking for an hour. Come on, Padfoot, have a heart.” James tried to make his voice sound pleading.
“Fine, I’ll leave. Just because I need you right now…”
“Sorry, mate, you’re not my type,” James said with a perfectly straight face.
“You know what I mean. When you have time for me-”
“Oh, Sirius, that’s enough,” Lily said as she sat up. She stood and fixed her blouse as she walked over to the chair she had vacated so quickly a few moments ago. Sitting down, she said, “If you bothered to pay attention, my cup of tea is sitting right here. Until you stormed into the house, James and I were sitting here talking.” At the look on Sirius’ face, she burst out laughing. She was soon joined in her laughter by James.
Sirius looked from Lily to James and back to her. “You set all this up?” he asked.
“I did. I thought maybe you needed a lesson in manners,” James replied smiling.
Lily knew from Sirius’ face, he was not happy about being set up. Quickly she asked, “Now, Sirius, what were you saying when you came in? Who thought what?”
Sirius took a deep breath before beginning his story. “My mother sent me an owl this morning asking me if I knew where Regulus was. Apparently, he hasn’t been home in several days. Like I would know where that Death Eater is,” Sirius said coldly.
“Regulus is missing? This can’t be good,” James said.
Lily stood and walked over to make Sirius a cup of tea. As she was getting the cup out of the cupboard, Sirius realised what she was doing.
“I’d rather have a Firewhisky,” he said, flashing her his most charming smile.
“Not in this house, not at this time of day,” Lily told him as she placed the cup of tea in front of him.
Before Lily could sit back down, there was a knock on the front door. “That will be Abby,” she said as she walked out of the kitchen.
“Abby?” Sirius questioned.
“Abigail Sampson, one of Lily’s closest friends. You remember her, she was in most of our classes.”
Sirius thought for a moment. “Long black straight hair, light blue eyes, tiny?”
“Yeah,” James answered.
“Barely remember her,” Sirius said smiling broadly.
When Lily and Abby entered the kitchen, both men were still chuckling.
“Sirius, you remember Abby, don’t you?” Lily asked.
“Yeah. Hi, Abby, great to see you again,” Sirius said barely containing his laughter.
“Hi, Abby. What’s up?” James asked as Abby sat down.
“I have some news. Well, rumours really, but there seems to be some substance to them,” Abby began.
“Abby works for the Minister as an assistant,” Lily explained to Sirius. “Go on, Abby, what are the rumours?”
Abby glanced quickly at Sirius. “We have been hearing rumours about Death Eaters who are disappearing.” Again, she glanced at Sirius. “The latest being-”
“My brother,” Sirius said finishing her sentence.
“Well…yes. We started hearing about him not being seen about two weeks ago. Then two days ago, his mother… your mother,” she said looking at Sirius, “came in demanding to see the Minister. She wanted to know what we were doing to find her son.”
“My mother came to see the Minister?” Sirius questioned.
“Yes, she was quite insistent. She told the Minister that Regulus would never have stayed away from her this long. She said something had to be wrong.” Abby looked at Sirius, sympathy shining in her eyes.
“If he hasn’t been seen for two weeks-” James was cut off by Sirius.
“He’s dead,” Sirius said in a flat emotionless voice.
Lily reached over and taking his hand in hers, squeezed it softly. “Sirius, you can’t know that.”
“I know. I know because, one, he never would have been out of contact with my mother for this long, and two, because…” Sirius’ voice trailed off. “Because he is my brother and I can just feel it in here that he is dead.” Sirius’ free hand thumped his chest as he spoke.
James looked at his best friend. “Maybe he is just in hiding.” He tried to sound like he actually believed this, for Sirius’ sake.
Sirius just shook his head.
“Abby, what is the Ministry saying about it?” James asked.
“Two Death Eaters were arrested and brought in by Alastair Moody last night. They claim they don’t know his whereabouts. However, when they said this, they both laughed. The Minister believes he is dead,” Abby said the last word quietly.
Lily gave Sirius’ hand another tight squeeze and let go of it as she stood and walked to the cupboard. She took out four glasses as well as the bottle of Firewhisky, James kept in there. She poured only a small amount in two of the glasses, the other two she filled half way. She turned and put the half filled glasses in front of James and Sirius. The glasses containing the smaller amounts, she carried to the table and handed one to Abby, keeping one for herself.
Sirius gave her a quizzical look. Shrugging her shoulders, she gave him a brief smile. Lifting her glass, she drank the liquid down quickly. The other three occupants of the table followed suit.
There was another knock on the front door. James stood and said, “I’ll get it. Lily, come with me?”
Though she didn’t understand why he wanted her to go with him, Lily followed James into the living room. As they walked toward the front door, James said to her, “I think we should try to get Sirius to stay here tonight. Maybe you could suggest it. If I do, he may balk at the idea.”
“Why would he listen to me? I would think he would be more likely to think I was mothering him and leave because of that,” she said in a hurried whisper.
“Trust me, just turn those green eyes on him and he will agree to anything. I know I do.” James smiled at her.
“James-” Her words were cut off by another knock on the door. Opening the door, James was only slightly surprised to see Albus Dumbledore standing there. He had a feeling Albus and Abby had planned to meet her here, even though she didn’t say anything about it.
“Albus, come in. Can I ask why you are here?” James asked him.
“Abigail didn’t inform you I was stopping by, did she?” Albus smiled. “No, I can tell by your surprise she didn’t.” Albus smiled at Lily before asking, “I am wrong to assume Sirius is here?”
“He’s in the kitchen with Abby. She already told us about Regulus. Sirius got an owl from his mum this morning asking him if he knew where Regulus was,” Lily informed Dumbledore.
“He is convinced he is dead,” James said in a sad voice. While he was not in the least upset there was possibly one less Death Eater in the world, he did feel sorry for Sirius. Even though he hated what his brother had become, deep down, Sirius loved his little brother.
“As am I,” Albus said gravely. “Shall we join them?”