Junoesque ✿George Weasley✿

35.

"Why would Dumbledore ever want to build an army?" Harry questioned once Ginny had disappeared and Molly had left the room with her hair frazzled and a stomp in her step. Bill had followed after her in order to try and calm her down. Sirius was left with his godson, Blair, Fred, George, Ron and Hermione who hung on to every last word that were set to leave his mouth. They were finally getting some answers for the questions they've had since the start of the school holidays.

"Because we think that You Know Who is planning to build up his followers again," Sirius answered. "The followers he had before his downfall haven't stopped believing in their values. Most would return to him at the drop of a hat. They've been waiting for this moment for years. And he'll succeed in his mission if we don't try to do the same."

"But if the Ministry's not going to listen..." Hermione trailed off and Sirius's hard look answered her unfinished question. They had no chance of matching up to the huge following that You Know Who most likely already had in his company. Followers that would also kill for him when given the chance.

"May I ask a question?" Blair spoke up and Sirius turned to her, his eyebrows raised. "Why was I really brought here? I understand Harry and everyone else, but I don't really have anything to do with all this... right?"

"I'm... not sure if Dumbledore would like me telling you that," Sirius stared down into his glass of wine.

"But he's not here," she tried to reason and desperately wanted to know why she had finally been taken away from her childhood 'home'. She was grateful for Professor Dumbledore's actions but knowing that he had done it not from the kindness of his own heart, but for something that was apparently endangering her was uncomfortable. If the Order was discussing whether she had been approached by someone or not, Blair knew that if she had stayed at the orphanage for the summer, things may have been going differently for her.

Sirius sighed and looked to the girl that was giving him pleading eyes. He understood her frustration but even his rebellious nature wasn't big enough to cover his better judgement. He didn't want to scare the girl but she was now an adult and would have to face things that no young adult should have to face. The same was with Harry and he cared deeply for Harry. And he found himself slowly starting to care for Blair too, considering she had no family and had no parental guidance when growing up. He sympathised for her and wanted to give her the answers she needed.

"I don't want to upset you again, but you obviously know about your family's values and belief in blood purity," he started and Blair nodded, willing to listen and accept her past regardless of its sour taste that it left in her mouth.

"Well since you're young and what You Know Who would say as 'manipulatable', they would assume that you'd also want to... join him," Sirius continued and the others at the tables let out a small gasp. The thought of the quiet girl next to them joining the Death Eaters was something that had once occurred to them before they had really gotten to know her. The rumours always went around that anyone whose parents were Death Eaters, would follow the same fate.

"Is that why I'm here then? To stop me from being tempted?" she didn't mean for her tone to be patronising and offended, but Sirius visibly flinched at the end of the table. George looked concerned and made the effort to put his hand on her knee, but Blair was too immersed in the conversation to notice.

"We don't believe that you'd ever do such a thing," Sirius tried with his hands out in front of him. "But Death Eaters are unpredictable. Trust me, I know. If they knew that they couldn't get through to you and convince you, they'd kill you on the spot. They want purebloods on their side. And they don't want 'powerful' witches and wizards on the opposite side."

Blair wasn't aware of how valuable she was because of her family's reputation. She should have guessed that once You Know Who returned, that he'd ask not only his followers to return, but also the new generation that also believed in the same values of bloody purity.