"Were we really this annoying with magic when we turned seventeen?" George questioned as he pulled on his suit jacket while coming out of the hallway.

"Yes. Still are," Sophia shrugged and ignored the offended look the twins threw at her. "Have a good day at work!"

---

Sophia hadn't read the Daily Prophet at all since living with Fred and George. She always found that the news always contained depressing disappearances and freak 'accidents' that are now the norm in the Wizarding world. Plus, she hated seeing her picture constantly moving somewhere within the pages with the same caption of 'MISSING' over the top. Not only did it remind her that everyone was under the impression that she was dead, but the picture was awful. Even though Fred constantly insisted it was a cute photograph, Sophia hated how awkwardly she smiled for the photographer on school picture day.

But this particular morning was different. As soon as Sophia woke up, something didn't quite feel right. She sat up in bed to find that Fred had already left and was most likely downstairs in the shop, so she had no one to ask about today's oddness. She sat up on her knees and peaked behind the curtains that covered the window looking on to Diagon Alley. They always kept the curtains shut in case somehow someone got a peak of Sophia. But none the less, she looked out on to the street and found it deserted. It was usually similar to this everyday because of the looming fear of the disappearances and accidents, but you would at least see children coming in and out of the only shop open. And that was Weasley Wizard Wheezes. This confused Sophia, so she decided to finally act upon her curiosity.

She rolled out of bed and made her way towards the door, surprised to walk out into the hallway and hear the unmistakable voices of Fred and George in the kitchen. She followed the conversation and appeared in the archway that opened into the kitchen, spotting the twins dressed in their usual brown suits and standing at the kitchen counter. The two stopped their talking when they noticed Sophia's entrance and looked up quickly, their faces showing no sign of anything other than concern and despair. She silently looked between the two with a confused expression before looking down to the counter, seeing the Daily Prophet open and pictures moving on the page as they usually did.

"What is it?" she finally asked in a quiet voice.

Fred and George said nothing but stood up straight from their hunched over positions in order to back away from the counter. Sophia saw that she wasn't going to get any answers so she decided to look for herself, taking long strides towards the counter and slipping in front of Fred and George to study the newspaper.

Her eyes immediately went to the picture that showed a photo of Albus Dumbledore standing with his kind smile in what could only be his office at Hogwarts. He smiled warmly at the camera and occasionally blinked, ever so slightly fidgeting and swaying as he posed for the photo. The title that was displayed across the top of the picture was what really made Sophia's heart drop.

'Albus Dumbledore found dead. Death Eaters have taken Hogwarts'.

The article went on to describe what the Daily Prophet thought they knew about one of the greatest of Wizards of time. It explained how he was found laying in the courtyard after being killed from the killing curse, presumably from one of You Know Who's most trusted followers. Hogwarts was now deemed unsafe as its new Headmaster was Severus Snape, who is now deemed as a traitor to the Wizarding world. The article then went on to describe Dumbledore's legacy and his contribution to the imprisonment of Gellert Grindelwald.

Sophia took a shaky step back from the counter and felt Fred and George's presence behind her. She let out an unrelieving breath and felt her vision turn black for a split second, as if she had stood up too fast after a deep sleep. Her vision cleared immediately but the article was still there and Dumbledore continued to smile up at her as if reassuring her. But she didn't feel reassured. She felt cold and exposed.

Hogwarts, the place that everyone believed their children would be completely safe from the Dark Arts, was now being run by the very thing it was supposed to protect them from. First, Death Eaters had been able to somehow get through the barrier that surrounded the Burrow. And now they had somehow gotten into the very walls of the enchanted school. Sophia felt herself begin to think of her friends that were at Hogwarts right now. If they hadn't been secretly evacuated by the Order or the Ministry, people like Harry, Ron, Hermione, Neville, Luna and Ginny could be in extreme danger. She trusted the Order enough to believe that they had gotten most of the students out of Hogwarts, but she couldn't be fully reassured until she saw them in person.

"The barrier around The Burrow has been restored," Fred's voice made Sophia jump, but she calmed herself when she saw his face appear over her shoulder. "We're closing the shop for now. It's safer to live back at home."

"B-But... the Death Eaters' know I'm not dead," Sophia found herself speaking her mind without consent. "T-They'll force me to go back to Hogwarts like everyone else. They'll come looking at The Burrow and-"

"They won't be able to get through," George interrupted softly, and making her whip her head in his direction. "You haven't got the Trace on you anymore now that you're seventeen. When the Ministry does get taken, and it will, they won't be able to find you."

Sophia gulped and shook her head as if rid her mind of the thoughts that doubted everything that George said. This was a sign that the war had officially started. There was no more hopeful thinking or 'what if's anymore. Only the battle ahead that everyone was going to have to fight in.

The three didn't like packing all their things that day. They didn't want to leave the home that they had grown accustomed to. They didn't even know if the shop and the flat would still be standing by the time it would be safe enough to come back. Sophia especially hated the process. She always seemed to be moving between places. She barely remembered what her real home looked or felt like. The Lupin residence probably hadn't changed at all yet she yearned to see it again. Even in all its dusty and wobbly glory.

They held a trunk each and met back in the living room, all looking equally as reluctant to exit the flat and down into Diagon Alley where they would apparate away. Fred took hold of Sophia's hand that wasn't holding the handle of her trunk and threaded his fingers through her's, making her gaze turn to meet his eyes. The two looked each other with the same thought and Fred felt the cold band that was on her ring finger, bringing him a sense of hope that he thought would be impossible to find in a time like this. He stroked his finger over the silvery material and Sophia displayed the smallest of smile, warming his heart just enough to make him momentarily content.

Arriving at The Burrow was the whirlwind that they expected. The house was filled to the brim with people seeking safety as well as the Order that had decided that they needed a meeting. Sophia had immediately embraced Hermione when she had seen her safe and did the same to Harry, Ron and Ginny. Harry and Hermione stated they wouldn't be staying at The Burrow for the whole Summer, but would be back for Bill and Fleur's wedding. They sounded reluctant to leave but didn't complain. It wasn't right to complain about anything at the moment.

Remus was relieved to see his daughter walk through The Burrow's front door and embraced her when she was free from everyone's greetings. He had seen her a couple times since her move to the twins' flat but he still fantasised about having her back at the Lupin residence. He had a mini heart attack when he spotted the thin silver on Sophia's finger but was quickly eased by the words 'promise ring' and the fact that it was on her left hand, not her right.

"It's a bad way to go," Mad-Eye shook his head glumly as they all sat at the dining table.

"But at least 'e was in the place 'e loved," Hagrid sniffled, making his first appearance at an Order meeting. Sophia heard that his hut on the grounds had been completely set a light by none other than Bellatrix Lestrange. He blew into his polka-dot handkerchief that was big enough to be a table cloth before excusing himself from the table to walk outside for a moment of air. Bill had stood up from table and grabbed various shapes of glasses out from the cupboards, placing one in front of everyone. Even Ginny was given one and filled to the brim with Firewhiskey. Sophia did notice the bandage that was wrapped around Bill's face that she definitely hadn't seen before, but chose to not say anything as everyone didn't seem to acknowledge it at this time.

"To Albus," Bill cheered and everyone repeated it, downing the drink in respect for the fallen Order member. Sophia grimaced at the taste and barely swallowed, putting the glass down immediately next to Fred's one that was completely empty.

Later that night, when most of the Order members had left, Sophia decided to sit out on the front porch steps. Even though the new barrier surrounded the house, she could still feel the breeze and hear the rustling of the field. The light from the inside of The Burrow allowed her to see the front of the field while the distance sat in darkness. The moon was also high and bright tonight, giving everything a silvery hue. Sophia found herself glancing up at the night sky and seeing the thousands of stars that she hadn't dared look up at in a long time. She had always been too afraid to look back up into the sky where she would hear about the things she couldn't stop. Her Sky map had apparently been sitting in Dumbledore's office ever since her capture, but she didn't want to look at it anyway. Every time she even thought of that map, she would imagine Bellatrix's voice screaming at her for its whereabouts.

"You're not waiting for Fred and George to come home from work are you?" Sophia turned at the voice and spotted Hermione standing in the door with an amused smile on her face.

"No," Sophia laughed lightly and turned back to face the field, Hermione sitting down beside her on the porch steps to do the same. "I usually wait in the living room of the flat for them to come home now."

"I can imagine," Hermione retorted and glanced at Sophia's side profile, her position of having her arms propped up on her knees allowing her to see the subtle ring that sat on Sophia's finger. "I heard that that gave you quite a shock on your birthday."

Sophia looked at her confused for her moment before following her gaze to her hand and smiling lightly at the sight of the silver. No one other than her father had mentioned it since she had gotten to The Burrow but she doubted that no one noticed it. She was sure that Molly had half-successfully kept herself composed when she had handed her a cup of tea at the meeting and seen her left hand.

"I'm not sure what I was supposed to think if I'm honest," Sophia shrugged as she used her forefinger and thumb to screw the ring from side to side. "I'm also not sure when he's planning to follow through with it either."

"I would assume after... you know," Hermione found it hard to say the word and let her small silence say it for her. Sophia wasn't thick and knew what she was referring to, making her bite her lip anxiously.

"Will he though?" Sophia questioned aimlessly. "What if he's like Bill and wants to get it done with? Or he doesn't ask until we're thirty?"

"What's wrong with either of those things?" Hermione asked in curiosity.

"Nothing... I guess."

"You don't want to get married..." Hermione stated and Sophia visibly grimaced.

"It's not that. I love Fred. I do. I couldn't imagine myself with anyone else other than him," Sophia truthfully admitted and Hermione thankfully believed her because of her stern tone.

"You're afraid that one of you won't be there for it to happen huh?"

Sophia hated how spot on Hermione was. And hearing it out loud almost confirmed that it was exactly what she was afraid of. If she were to be faced with a Boggart, she knew it would take the form of either herself or Fred standing alone at what was supposed to be their wedding service. She didn't want to be negative but it was out of her control. She definitely didn't want to leave Fred alone during the war and the one thing she dreaded the most in the world, was Fred leaving her. No matter how much reassurance he gave her of always being there, she would always have that evil thought in her head that stopped her from being positive.

"Everyone's afraid, Sophia," Hermione spoke up again. "But I can see that Fred wants a life with you. It's like the coming... war... is second to him. You've gotta take it as it comes."