Chapter One Hundred Forty-Nine
Red Letters
So you wanna play with magic
Boy, you should know what you're falling for
Baby do you dare to do this?
Cause I'm coming at you like a dark horse
Are you ready for, ready for
A perfect storm, perfect storm
Cause once you're mine, once you're mine
There's no going back
(Dark Horse - Katy Perry)February 14th, 1999Despite Mia's desire to never return to Grimmauld Place, the transition was slower
than she had hoped. They had to make sure every item that left number twelve was not
cursed or possessing any lingering Dark Magic. In addition to settling back into Potter
Manor, Grimmauld Place needed to be secured so no one ever accidentally stumbled upon
it. Remus, Bill, and Sirius set to work on protective wards, permanent Muggle-Repelling
Charms, and making the site unplottable. By the time they were done, the location of the
place that had tried to swallow Sirius whole was only known to himself—a secret he swore
he would carry to his grave.
They left Walburga's portrait in the basement.
When Valentine's Day rolled around, Harry seemed prepared to be miserable.
Inclement weather, in addition to repairs still being made in Hogsmeade, meant that the
students at Hogwarts were confined to the castle for the holiday, and Harry would not be
able to see Ginny. Draco, likewise, was prevented from visiting Astoria but, being
adequately prepared for a pureblood courtship, he was not as affected as Harry clearly was.
Mia, due to the boys' loneliness and her own distaste for the holiday, decided to
have a small housewarming party at the manor. She invited everyone over for an early
lunch, giving them all a chance to visit with one another while still leaving time for the
couples to go out later that night. She insisted that she and Sirius had no plans and were
more than happy to help Harry look after Teddy so that Remus and Tonks could have a
night out on the town.