✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*
one: funerals and introductions
✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*

The golden snitch sat beneath all her unfolded pyjamas, in the bottom of her dresser.

She hadn't touched it since that night.

The blood and mud was still smeared throughout the sides, she was sure. With that being said she didn't even know if it was still in the drawers, she didn't get out of bed within the last two, almost three months.

Two months, two full months and she still hadn't gotten over anything. She was just starting to come around the term of her mothers death...

... but then today happened.

And today was the three month memorial anniversary of Sarah Kale.

She was gone, and she was never coming back, these were the words that kept Dawn awake for the last few months.

Along with the tiny voice in the back of her head that said, its all your fault.

Which is was.

It's all your fault. It's all your fault.

When she would wake up she would immediately be cold in the face and wouldn't go back asleep.

Dawn brushes her hair out and straightened the slight-curls out. She hated the messy hair she had. She absolutely hated it at the moment. She wanted to do something crazy, like dye her hair blonde which she tried to do but couldn't bring herself around to doing.

She just didn't want to look like him.

Since the day she found out. She knew why everyone had complimented about her eyes. They were exactly like his, big and brown.

And then there was her bloody tangled messy hair, which she literally couldn't do anything about.

Then there was the personality, which she didn't even want to think about.

Dawn reaches forward opening her jewelry box and pulling out a pair of silver earrings. She clips them into her ears. She sighs out as she glances up, she attempts to ignore the bags under her eyes.

"Have you thought anymore about Florida?"

Dawn turns around to be met with Dave.

Florida, since her mother died, it was just her and Dave, her and Dave along in the apartment twenty four seven. They were both left with a home full of memories, the walls were plastered with picture frames of Sarah and Dawn in the house, and right now there was nothing more than Dawn wanted to do than rip them down.

A month after her mothers death, Dave got a promotion, it wasn't a promotion of sort, The Ministry felt bad after what happened to her mother, then pulled a few strings and got him a highly paid job in Florida, it was there, if he wanted it.

But the problem was Dawn.

She still didn't even know if she wanted to go back to Hogwarts let alone move to Florida.

As in, she was conflicted, she knew she didn't have anyone or anything left to stay for but she couldn't leave, this was her home but it didn't feel like home anymore.

Although Dawn hadn't replied to any of her friends letters, they tried to come see her but she didn't want to see anyone currently, she still didn't want to just up and leave.

Colleen and Drew had been the only people she felt as though she could trust.

Dave had wanted to move more than anything, and it was obvious. He was upset constantly, he lost the love of his life, and being in the house was bringing back memories he didn't want to have.

"Right now, the only thing I'm thinking about is getting through the Mass," Dawn responds with a trembling voice. She grabbed her jacket and she swings it over her shoulder, "Are we going now?"

Dave nods, with a pitiful smile towards her. "Yeah, Dawn have you answered any of your friends letters, their worried? I know you said you would."

Dawn pauses and looks across the room towards the pile of unread letters, she shrugs and shakes her head bringing a frown to Dave's lips.

"You need to respond to them Dawn," he suggests, "They miss you and it's been months since you've spoke to them, Dawn you, Colleen and Drew are inseparable, I don't think I've ever seen you three spend more than a week apart-"

"Yeah," Dawn cuts off bitterly, flinching at the names of her friends, "people become separable."

"What about that boy who kept mailing here? He's send about a dozen letters so far. Have you replied to him, yet?"

She walks out of the room ignoring what he had just said.

The mass itself had gone fine but once again, it felt like the funereal that happened three months, it had been her first time ever being a funereal, when she thought about going to a funereal she didn't expect it to be her mothers.

She didn't expect it to happen ever, she thought her mother would be with her when she graduated, got her first real boyfriend, got married, and knowing she wouldn't be there for any of that made every nerve in Dawn's body pain.

"I'll be right back," Dave says once the mass ended, he stands up and presses a small kiss to Dawn's forehead, "I think I saw one of your mothers friends outside, will you be alright in here?"

Dawn with her eyes strained on the picture of her mother at the top of the aisle, numbly nodded.

Dawn closes her eyes momentarily;

"Dawn?" she turns slightly to see Lily Potter behind her. She doesn't pay attention to her but when she sees the pitiful eyes of the women her face falls downwards.

" I know you don't want to let go, and that's okay. You take as long as you want." she softly whispers.
" You take all the time you need. And when your ready to let go, you let go. And it doesn't mean your letting go of her, she'll always be with you Dawn."

Her hands unwrapped from her mothers fingers abruptly as she moves back slightly. She blinks as the tears continue to come out like fireworks.

Dawn wipes the fallen tears from under her eyes as she stands up slowly and wipes her hands against her jeans.

When she turns she realises she hadn't been alone, there had been three unfamiliar people standing a few feet away from her.

The first two people had been a couple, and when she sees a wedding ring on the woman's finger she knew she was correct, the man had been a shaggy brown haired man with blue, pretty eyes, the woman beside him had been a shorter, nervous looking brunette with blue eyes. The man in-front had been a tall, lanky man with one large scar across his neck, Dawn recgonised him from somewhere but couldn't put her finger on it.

She goes to walk past them, only for both men to nudge the pixie looking brunette, who suddenly called out, "Dawn! Ah, Dawn Kale!"

She stops walking as she looks at the three expectantly.

"I know you don't know who any of us are, but I'm Alice Longbottom and this is my husband Frank," Alice Longbottom introduces herself politely, " You are in the same class as our son. I'm not sure if you know him-"

"Neville," Dawn finishes, almost forgetting the name. "Neville Longbottom, he's good at Herbology."

Frank Longbottom smiled proudly.

"Yeah, yeah that's him. We're sorry about what happened to your mother."

Dawn nods, and looks around.

"We're not just here to offer our condolences," suddenly says the scar faced man, "I'm Remus Lupin, I'm friends with James-"

" Sorry I don't know who that is," Dawn turns away after giving him a withering glare.

Once she was outside the church she hears them following her.

"Please Dawn. We need to talk to you."

"No, I'm not talking about him-"

"You don't have to talk about him," Remus Lupin replies, "It's not why we're here. We're here to bring you to the order."

Dawn would have walked away by now if it wasn't for the fact she was interested by this. "The Order?"

"The order." Alice whispers.

"Since the return of Voldemort, as I'm sure you've seen there has been nothing but mayhem. Especially regarding the Potters, and although you might not like to hear this, Dawn, you're a Potter." Frank shrugs as if his words meant no big deal."

"Wasn't aware of that?"

"What I'm trying to say to say is that you're in just as much danger as Harry, if not more Voldemort knows how valuable you are and considering your both Harry and James' weakness, he's going to try and use that against them."

Dawn had to laugh. "James' weakness, are you serious?"

"You and Harry are, of course. Did you not get James' letter?" Alice suddenly questions.

"I did, the night my mother died. I burnt it." she glares, "I'd rather not read his tale of lies."

"James gave a replica of the letter to Dave." Remus mentions with furrows eyebrows, "He thought you might end up burning it or doing something else. He made another copy just incase."

Dawn was quick to wonder why Dave had never given her the letter.

Not that she would have read it but how come he never even informed her about it?

Speak of the man, he comes over. "What are you all doing here? Do you have any idea what day it is today?"

"You didn't give her the letter?" Lupin questions. "James, wrote that letter for months! You should have given it to her! She would have understood his point of view."

"He doesn't have a point of view," Dave cuts Lupin off with a glare. "I don't see him caring about her at all. He cares about himself-"

"That's not true and you know it." Frank cuts him off.

"Why didn't you tell me about this letter?" Dawn spoke up loudly. Her first had been demanding and strong for the first time in a long time.

Dave turns to her with confusion. "Wait you want to see the letter?"

Dawn responded quicker than anyone could react, "No. I just want to know why."

"Are you going to talk to him again-"

"Never."

"Then I just wanted to save you the heartbreak. You've spent enough time being sad over what happened and James isn't good for you. He's nothing but a bad person and I don't want that for you. You've been though enough."

"Well sorry to break it to you," Remus sounded sarcastic. "Dawn needs to come with us tomorrow morning to the Order. Voldemort is after her, we've been tracking his Death Eaters movements for the last month and there has been a suspicious amount of attacks near your area and it's because there trying to find Dawn."

Dawn face falls down when she sees Dave looking worried at the past part.

"Who cares? He has a wand, if anything goes bad he can just fight a few Death Eaters off-"

"Not if there's ten at once."

"It's for her own safety. You can come too although situation wise it might not be best for some. Dave, we're not doing this to be an ass, were doing it for her own safety." Alice mentions. " I know what happened may seem like the end of the world but at the moment all we want including James, is for Dawn to be safe."

Dawn ignores what she said.

Dave and Dawn exchanged looks.

After the long, dull conversation between the adults about Dawn's ' safety,' Dave had to leave for some errands to the Ministry. This is when Lupin and Longbottom had offered to take Dawn out for a bite to eat, sadly as much as she wanted to say no Dave suggested it would be good if she got out for a while. Alice had gone home because she said something about not wanting to leave Neville along for too long.

Dawn didn't want to be out. But she did agree to go because for the sheer reason Dave was annoying.

Mostly, Dawn hates the fact that Dave was even considering making her go to the Order of Phoenix. Once again, James was out to ruin her life. Although currently she didn't even feel like she had a life.

Dawn sat across from Lupin eating what he had called a happy meal.

" Well this sucks," Dawn had broken the silence by sipping on the end of her coke, " I don't feel any happier than I did earlier."

Frank then holds up a plastic toy and leaves it in his palm.

" Do I look five years old?" she scoffed and he went to retrieve it only for her to reach out and take it from his grip, " I can add it to my collection."

Remus stiffened a laugh; he found her sense of humor very similar to James. The way they both made jokes when they were awkward or silence. The lace of usual sarcasm that laced their words was also uncannily between herself and Harry.

" What do you work as?" Dawn questioned Frank.

" I'm a lawyer." Frank explains. " I work for the ministry. I deal with cases such as child abuse, divorcing parents, parents trying to take custody of a child."

Dawn nods not interested.

Remus shifted in his position and Dawn could practically tell he was about to ask her.

" Have you spoken to Harry, this summer?"

" No." her tone was full of anger. " I haven't spoke to Harold because I'm not sure if you remember, I mean how could you when you weren't around last year but him and I are sort-of related, not fully related. We're not even really-anything for that's matter. He means nothing to me."

" He's your brother," Remus stats softly.

" I'd prefer not to think of him as my brother. God that's so embarrassing. And he's not my brother, we're only half related."

" Don't say that," before she could even say anything else Lupin inputs, " Let alone if James wasn't your father and you still had the relationship you used to have with Harry, he would still be like a brother figure to you because from what I heard you two were already acting like brother and sister way before either of you knew about the other-"

Dawn sends a distasteful look towards him.

" Also, just because you don't share the same mother doesn't mean that you two aren't brother and sister, you are both the pure embodiment of your father and that's enough. And although Harry may appear like he doesn't care, he does."

Dawn glares at him and Frank before standing up and leaving the diner. She feels the cold night brimming at her skin as she walks down the stairs to the park. She hears footsteps behind her.

" If I wanted a therapist Remus. I would have gotten one when my mother died." she bellows still walking. She turns on a bend only a couple minutes away from her house. She could feel her blood boiling against her skin-

Before Dawn could react suddenly an unknown arm had grabbed her.

It had been a masked figures with sharp fingernails that dug into her wrist, it immediately brought a sharp yelp from her lips.

Thankfully before the masked figure could even lay a spell on her Lupin had intervened as he pointed his wand at the man. " Crucio."

The man dropped to the ground immediately shriveling in pain. Lupin quickly pulls Dawn away, who was in shock, beside him. " Are you alright? Did he do anything?"

" No, no I'm fine." Dawn whispers. It was the first time she left the house in months and this happened. Although she wouldn't admit it, maybe she was in danger.

Frank held Dawn with one arm whilst suspiciously pointing his wand around the area. " Come on, we should be getting you home. He was obviously waiting for you."

Dawn doesn't agree or disagree she simply follows Remus and Frank, who much to her surprise somehow knew where she lived. Something told her that they may have been sent to watch her over the summer. She shivers as she walks along the path.

She glances down at her wrist which tingled in pain, similar to the night that she encountered lord Voldemort. She was sure that was going leave a nasty bruise in the morning.

" Is your wrist alright?" Frank inquires softly.

" What happened?" Lupin asks turning around.

" The Death Eater grabbed her wrist pretty hard. Definitely going to leave some bruising."

" I'm sorry." Remus looks at her then at her wrist. " We should hurry back."

Once Lupin and Longbottom had brought her home Dave had already been standing outside the front door as if expecting her to be home any moment. Remus immediately went into explaining what happened.

" I think Lupin is right." Dave sighs out in defeat. Remus stood beside him with his arms folded across his chest. " I think your going to have to stay in the order until we decide what we're doing."

Dawn noticed the puzzled look across Remus' face. " No I don't want to go. No hold on a moment let me rephrase that, I'm not going."

Frank eyes widened. Lupin sighs.

" It's for your own safety. . Dawn please don't be difficult this one time." Dave pleaded. His eyes swarming with sympathy. " Please, Dawn it won't be as bad as it sounds."

" No," she bellows out. Frank and Remus both jumped in their spots. " I understand what happened tonight but no I am not going to see him. Or be in that order. I don't want to see him. You can't make me."

Dave frowns. " Dawn I know I can't tell you what to do and it's hurts me to say this but, you are going to stay in the order. It's for your own safety."

Frank and Remus both exchanged looks at the withering glare that Dawn had given Dave. Instead of nodding she shakes her head.

" If you think I'm going you're going to have to drag me there."

Dawn enters the house no bothering to say goodbye to any of the individuals standing outside the front door. Her mind swarming with anger at the thought of seeing anyone. James. Her mind spat out, god she hated him.

As she enters the living room Dawn spots a picture of her mother, it was enough to make her calm down.

She hears the front door shut. It was quiet for a moment before Dawn heard Dave opening some drawers in the kitchen. She turns around to see him coming back in holding an envelope in his hands.

" What is this-"

" It's the letter." Dave explains swiftly, " I still don't think you should read it but since your not going to the order you should know what he said. James gave this to me right before you went into the maze, and as much as it annoys me to say this, he was going to tell you Dawn."

Dawn holds the letter as if glass. Dave once again goes. " Are you positive you want to read this?"

Dawn shakes her head. " No, I want to read it. Lupin said that he wrote his point across. I find that remarkable. I want to know."

" Alright," Dave sighs out. " Just don't be disappointed when you read it. I'll go make dinner, I'll call you when it's ready."

Dawn nods and enters her bedroom, she sits down in the bay window.

Dawn hesitantly reaches forward and opens the letter. Instantly she could see it was a long written letter and seemed written at different stages. She could also see a vary of inked stained marks across the page.

She tore her eyes away from the letter unsure whether she should read it or not. It's not like she would forgive him, she wouldn't. She didn't want to, he had left her. She grew up without a father and that was his fault, not hers, she didn't owe him anything.

But with that being said, by reading the letter nothing would change her mind. She glances down and starts reading.

Dawn

It's only been a couple weeks since I met you at the train station and already I firmly believe that you've captured my heart.

If your reading this letter it's mean you found out about the fact I'm your father, yeah I know, your father. It came as a massive shock to me as well. Just to clarify, I didn't know about you, hadn't a clue. Yes, I slept with your mum, then left the following morning. It was childish. I was an immature child with no concept of what could have happened that night. I'm sorry, that was a mistake on my behalf. I shouldn't have done that to your mum. She's a good person and didn't deserve to have to raise you by herself, and you didn't deserve to be raised without a father.

Although it's only November, I feel as though I've known you forever. Within the couple months I've gotten to know you, I still can't believe the fact that I was blessed with a second child.

I'm not sure if you know, but after myself and Lily were hit with the killing curse, although we survived, the spell caused us to not able to have any more children. The doctors said it was impossible, it seemed as though after the spell Lily's body have reflected everything. At first, me and Lily found that maybe it was best, another child would mean more danger for that child. Another child who would be in just as much danger as the first one. Then after a couple weeks, we realized it wasn't. I always wanted two kids, a boy and a girl, and as did Lily. We always talked about it. Even when we first started dating, we always talked about what it would be like to have a daughter and a son.

My parents, your grandparents, everyone even Lily has always told me that I wouldn't be able to handle a girl. And in many cases I haven't, I mean yesterday after the first task you ( much of my surprise ) came to dinner with me, Sirius and Harry and when that older guy sent you a drink, I mean I thought I could kill him right there and then. Suppose I did later that night. . .

I didn't believe I could handle a girl either until you, little you, I didn't think that the moment I saw this scurrying brunette drop a book that she would be my daughter.

This parchment can't express how sorry i am you had to find out. I never knew about you, and although the relationship between your mother and I wasn't long-lasting I want you to know that I don't regret any minute of it as it gave me one of the most wonder person. You.

Please don't be mad at Harry, if he knows it's because he found it himself, my plan was not to tell him until I told you and if he knows then he figured it out on himself. I realized I didn't exactly make it discrete these last few months. . . .

Dawn thought the letter was over until she saw more writing at the end:

Your mother asked me whether or no I loved you and I said I don't know.

Yeah I said l don't know. . came as a shock to me as well. It didn't make sense, I mean since I've met you I didn't think I could care for someone within just a few weeks as much as I did for you. I tried to explain this the night we last spoke but it didn't come out right. It didn't come out right at all. I was too scared of loosing you to actually think before I spoke.

I realized I said I didn't know because it wasn't because I didn't know whether I loved you or not, it was because I was scared of letting another person who I love more than anything into my life. I don't want anything bad to happen to you. The thought of anything harming you makes me want to curl up in a bawl and die. I would do anything to make you happy. And when I saw you crying that night, knowing I was the one who made that happen made me realize I did fail my job as a father.

And by me writing this letter I'm not asking you to forgive me, I'm not telling you that you have to, I'm not about to say take all the time you need.

By me writing this letter, I want you to know that I'm so sorry Dawn. I am so sorry. I never wanted any of this for you. All I've ever wanted is for you to be happy and if not seeing me is that then I promise that I'll leave you alone.
But if you ever need me I'll be here.

I love you, Dawn.
James.

And with the final words making the tears in her eyes stop dropping she softly folded the letter back down and left it on her desk. She glances down. She sighs and lets a small frown emit from her lips.

In the doorway stands Dave who had been watching her reaction to reading the letter.

" Pack your bags, your going to twelve Grimmwauld tomorrow morning."

▪▪▪▪▪

WELCOME BACK ITS BEEN TOO LONG. CAN I JUST START OFF BY SAYING HOW MUCH JAMES' LETTER MADE ME CRY. AND YOU CAN SEE HOW DAWN IS STARTING TO LET HER EMOTIONS SHOW AGAIN AFTER ALL THESE MANY MONTHS. I LOVE THIS GIRL, SHE'S THE CUTEST <3

ALSO I KNOW FRANK IS ORIGINALLY AN AUROR BUT HE'S BEEN CHANGED TO A LAWYER FOR A NEW REASON THAT WILL BE EXPLAINED LATER. ALSO FRANK/REMUS WITH DAWN IS SO CUTE.

OH GOD BUT JAMES' LETTER ACTUALLY MADE ME CRY EVERTIME I WROTE IT, BUT IT WAS A BIT OF A BAD MOVE THAT DAVE CHOOSE NOT TO GIVE DAWN THE LETTER EVEN THOUGH JAMES HAD MADE TWO COPIES OF IT. BUT HE HAD GOOD REASON. I LOVE JAMES POTTER SO MUCH BTW.

IVE ALSO NOTICED THAT SOME PEOPLE HAVE BEEN THROWING LOADS OF HATE AT JAMES AND LETS REMEMBER THAT HE DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT DAWN! AND YOU CAN CLEARLY SEE HOW MUCH HE CARES FOR HER. ITS ALSO OBVIOUS THAT HE NEVER INTENDED TO HURT HER THE NIGHT OF HER MOTHERS DEATH BUT HE WAS JUST IN SHOCK AND IT ALL CAME OUT WRONG.

PLEASE CONSIDER LEAVING A VOTE OR COMMENT FOR MOTIVATION : )