Author's Note: Ok, this is the first story I've written. I've had the idea for a long time now and would appreciate the reviews. Hope you like it!

Disclaimer: You don't think I could come up with such brilliant characters do you? Nope, its all Jo Rowling's work. Except Althea - SHE'S MINE! Er, moving on...

Chapter 1 - Not Just Cold

It was a cold December afternoon. In fact, it was not just cold, it was bloody freezing. Althea pulled the scarf more tightly around her neck as she knocked on the door of 12 Grimmauld Place.

"Ah, Miss Navarra, do come in," greeted a wizened old face, and two stunningly blue eyes. "My, it is cold, is it not?"

For a moment, Althea had the mad urge to disagree, but she refrained from doing so and stepped into the warmth of the house. "Headmaster, wonderful to see you, as always," she said politely. Dumbledore simply smiled and began to lead her through the corridor.

Althea had wanted to join the Order as soon as she had found out of its existence, some 14 years ago. However, she had been unable to do so, having taken the Healer's Oath, an Unbreakable Vow which prevented her from intentionally causing harm to another human being or even being an adversary. So, she had enlisted Dumbledore's help in finding a loophole in her agreement.

She had stopped her search after that night when Harry Potter had defeated Voldemort, but it seemed that Dumbledore had always known Voldemort would return. He must have continued the search for loopholes, because as soon as the need had arisen for him to reform the Order, he had let her know saying that he had found the necessary exception to her Oath. It so abviously stated "unless [...] it is for the good of society" that she was almost surprised that she hadn't found it sooner. Morbid as it may seem, she had rather jumped with joy at the opportunity to join the fight against Voldemort, and so here she was.

As they came to the door of, what she assumed, must be a dining room, Dumbledore stopped and turned to address her. "Althea, within this room are members of the Order, many of whom you may be acquainted with already, and some new faces. However, there is at least one person within this room whom you will immediately be inclined to attack, based on a misconception. So to make sure that you do not do something you later regret, I would like to keep your wand in my possession, please."

Truth be told, Althea trusted Dumbledore blindly, and had no objection to handing over her wand. However, she did not want him to think that she was so easily influenced, and so she held it out to him, and said with a reluctant look "Alright, but only if I can have it back as soon as you're satisfied..."

"Naturally," Dumbledore said simply, and then opened the door, gesturing for her to follow him in. "Ladies and gentlemen," he began, "I would like to introduce the newest member of the Order, Miss Althea Navarra."

And then she was surrounded. Dumbledore was right. She did know most of them, like Nymphadora Tonks and Moody, who looked at her with both eyes for a split second, nodded and then resumed scanning the room with his magical eye.

She also immediately recognised Molly Weasley, having even dated her younger brother Fabian for some time. The redheads all introduced themselves as a Weasley, and the twins Fred and George reminded her so much of their uncles that she immediately felt ingratiated into their family. Others she did not know introduced themselves, such as Kingsley Shacklebolt, quite possibly the origin of the phrase "tall, dark and handsome".

And of course there was Harry Potter. Well, who did not know him, or at least of him? How remarkably he looked like James, except his eyes, they were Lily's. And she did not hesitate to tell him this. And although he must have heard it a billion times, his face still lit up at the discovery that she had known his parents.

Remus Lupin was there, of course, standing at the back of the room, looking as frail as ever. It was, after all, the week before the full moon, and she knew he didn't wish to make a big deal of it. The least she could do was respect his wishes. He had been one of her best friends since school, and these past few years, they had been there for each other. So she just smiled at him and continued greeting the other members.

Yes, it was cold outside. In fact, it was not just cold. It was bloody freezing. But Althea couldn't have been warmer. She didn't know why Dumbledore had felt the need to take her wand away, until she saw him, and paled. In some small part of her sub-conscience, she had known this was coming the moment Dumbledore had revealed the location of the meeting. However, she could not stop the exclamation that escaped her lips.

"Merlin help me, Sirius Black!"

SO how did you guys like that? Please review.

Sirius: Yeah please do! And then you can find out about Al's reaction to me!

Al: There. Even Sirius wants you to review :)