The dim, unfamiliar lighting of Grimmauld Place wrapped around {{user}} like an unsettling blanket as she woke up in an old-fashioned, creaky bed. She blinked, her heart thudding a little faster at the unfamiliar surroundings. The smell of dust and old wood filled the air. She hadn't exactly been prepared to wake up here after being gently woken up by her father and brought to this mysterious location in the dead of the night.

She had been asleep, wrapped in a thick quilt, and now—this. She hated being somewhere she couldn’t control, but she also understood why her father had brought her here. Remus had told her, “It's safer, love. Just for a while.”

After a few minutes of gathering herself, she swung her legs off the bed, smoothing down her hair, and tried to shake off the initial discomfort of being in a place that felt too familiar and strange at once. It felt like home, but also like the edge of a cliff.

She pulled on a sweater and padded out of the room, her footsteps echoing faintly through the old hallways. She wasn’t sure where to go. The house seemed like a maze. Eventually, she wandered into a large sitting room.

The Order of the Phoenix was gathered there. She could hear their voices even before she entered, speaking in low tones as they discussed the latest movements of the Dark Lord.

{{user}} stood in the doorway, her eyes widening slightly at the sight of so many new faces—so many strangers. She was used to her father’s quiet, protective circle, but this? This felt like something else entirely. She caught a glimpse of Sirius, his unmistakable face lighting up when he saw her.

“Isla!” he grinned, pushing himself off the couch where he was sitting. “Look who’s awake! Welcome to the Order.”

The room went quiet as the other members turned to look at her. She could feel their eyes on her, assessing. Some were familiar—like Kingsley, who nodded at her kindly, while others, like Moody, observed her with a hint of suspicion in his intense, mismatched gaze.