Things Worth Dying For

Prologue: Laying Down Our Lives
June 1978

Dear Miss Evans,

If it is not inconvenient to you, I would like to request your presence in my office for a sensitive and top-secret matter. Kindly come along to my office at eight o'clock tonight. Speak of this note to no one.

Yours sincerely,
Albus Dumbledore

Lily Evans stared hard at the note she received. Why would Dumbledore want to see her on the second last day of school? And what did he mean by "sensitive and top-secret matter"? She didn't do anything wrong in her whole term of office as the Head Girl, did she? Or was it something to do with the terror climaxing in the magical world outside Hogwarts? Speak of this note to no one, the note said. Does this possibly include…

Her emerald eyes involuntarily strayed onto her boyfriend sitting next to her. James Potter appeared to be reading his own letter a little too intently. He reread it for a few times, looking grim, before folding and pocketing it. He turned and found Lily's eyes staring straight at him. He smiled at her as he continued to tuck into his breakfast.

"Are you all right? You look a bit… tensed." Lily said hesitantly.

James swallowed the bit of food in his mouth before answering, "Nothing, Lily… I'm fine… Don't worry about me… Why would I be tensed? N.E.W.T.s are over. You look a bit tensed yourself, as a matter of fact."

"Huh? Oh… err… it's nothing…" Lily stammered out.

"Still worried about the results?" James gave Lily a disbelieving look. "Come on, Lily. We've finished our exams. Relax. Even Remus isn't studying." He coaxed. Remus Lupin, one of his best friends and co-Marauder, who overheard this, grinned in their direction.

"Yeah, and that's saying something, believe me, my dear Lily. We're talking about Remus Lupin, the only person in the whole of Hogwarts who managed to out-study the lovely Lily Evans." Sirius Black drawled out, with his trademark mischievous face. Remus pretended to be offended: "Hey! I resent that!" James, however, gave him a murderous look. "James! Don't give me that look. I'm just complimenting your girl. No idea of moving on her! I swear!" Sirius pretended to shriek in frustration. He and James were like brothers, and between the both of them they were widely known as the leaders of the Marauders. James grinned and said, "Just joking!" before turning back to his breakfast. Lily detected a slight difference in their manners of speech, though she couldn't quite put her finger to it.

Only Peter Pettigrew, the fourth member of the infamous Marauders, was sitting down quietly and eating his breakfast. He wasn't participating in the Marauders' conversation. But then, he had always been a part of the wall decoration when the other three Marauders were present. This silence was rather taken for granted by the rest.

Lily laughed lightly and switched her attention back to her breakfast, but her mind was still on that little note she received, now lying innocently in her pocket. I hope it's nothing serious… she thought.

At five to eight, Lily reached the stone gargoyle that guarded the Headmaster's office. To her surprise, she found Peter lounging near there, apparently unsure what to do.

"Lily!" he squeaked, a little frightened. "Do you know the password to Dumbledore's office? He asked me to meet him at eight and…"

"What? You too?" Lily was caught off guard and stared at Peter. Peter nodded timidly; Lily had always intimidated him.

"Wonder who else had been called up…" She mused as she gave the password ("Ice Mice") and the stone gargoyle sprang to life, revealing the all-too-familiar spiral staircase.

"Do you know what Dumbledore wants us for? I hope it's not to punish us for the prank we played last week…" Peter was gabbling to himself. "But he never does… Does it mean he's going to punish us for all the pranks we've played these seven years?" His face wore an extremely horrified expression. Lily could not but laugh.

"Relax, Peter. If this is Marauder business then he won't have called me as well." Lily soothed him. Peter looked distinctly relieved.

They reached the oaken door and Lily, now well used to coming to the Headmaster's study fortnightly for Heads' meeting with James, knocked the door with the griffin knocker. A voice called, "Enter."

She pushed the door open and came face to face with not one, but three familiar faces. "Oh my God! James? Sirius?"

"Lily! Peter! What are you doing here?" James's expression was identical to hers, shock mingled with pleasant surprise.

"Nearly all here, I see. We only have to wait for… Ah, I'm sure this is he. Enter." His voice rose at the last word, enabling the person on the other side of the door to hear. That somebody turned out to be… Remus. "Close the door behind you, Remus." He did as he was told and advanced to the awaiting party.

Mystified now at all this secrecy, the five students turned their attention on the most able Headmaster of Hogwarts.

"You are, I suppose, wondering why I summoned the five of you under such secrecy that I forbade you to tell anyone of today's meeting. It is only the first test of trustworthiness. You have all passed. I see that none of you had told anyone, not even your closest friends, about this. I am extremely pleased. Take a seat, all of you."

He gave his wand a flick. Instantly, five comfortable chintz armchairs appeared behind the five students, which they sank into gratefully.

"Now, I am sure that you all know about Lord Voldemort." Only Peter squeaked uncomfortably at the mention of the name of the most powerful Dark Lord of the century. "He has been terrorising the magical world… and the Muggle world for the past seven to eight years. Though the Ministry of Magic is doing all they can to bring Voldemort down, I am sorry to say that, owing to the guidance of Bartemius Crouch, wrong people are being thrown into prison every day. Voldemort is also sure to have spies in various departments of the Ministry, making his power-seizing mission easier with all the information that is leaking out. Thirdly, due to the fear instilled into the Ministry workers, many are already unwilling to step into his path and stand up to him, making his job easier. Lastly, many of the Death Eaters are still disguised as prominent members of the magical society, making them the last people the Ministry would suspect of being involved in Death Eater business."

"Seeing this, I have organised a secret society, kept secret even from the Ministry, whose main aim would be to lead an active fight against Voldemort and his Death Eaters. The reason I ask you here tonight is to invite you to join this secret Order. The five of you are the most brilliant, loyal and bravest students in your year. I have not asked you before this because the Order of the Phoenix comprises only of wizards and witches who are of age and had left school. The reason being that we do not think anyone below that age would be able to appreciate the horrors that lie before them if they did join. You are effectively placing yourself and your family in danger by joining the Order, as Voldemort often targets people whom his enemies are close to. I ask you to consider and think of joining the Order. But firstly, please bear in mind of all the dangers that it might invoke. Think of all the harm Voldemort had caused, and consider if you're able to handle whatever secret missions the Order might ask of you to join in. I shall elaborate more on these secret missions once you are officially a member of the Order. In the mean time, you are given one day to think about it. I would like your answer back before the Hogwarts Express leaves for London."

"I don't think I need to think about it, Professor." It was James. "I'll join. I'll fight. Both my parents are dead, and all I have in the world is Lily. I would do anything to protect her."

"Seconded." Barked Sirius. "My family are all too engrossed in their pure-blooded mania to care about me. My true family are the Marauders. I would fight for them, or side-by-side with them. This is something worth dying for!"

"I won't be anywhere without you, Professor, or without you all, my friends. I will join." Remus chimed in. He was proud to be fighting evil, although he was considered by many to be a dangerous creature.

"Petunia won't give a damn if I live or die. I love James. I want to fight beside him, for us." Lily's green eyes sparkled with unusual brightness. She was ready.

Peter didn't say anything. He just nodded. He won't be anywhere without his friends. And anyway, under Dumbledore's wing, he would be protected, instead of him protecting others. It was a win-win situation.

"That is very generous of you, but again, I must ask you to think it over. Perhaps the five of you may want to talk about it among yourselves. A decision should not be made hastily. I'll be expecting your answers day after tomorrow. You are dismissed." As one, they stood up at Dumbledore's words. He flicked his wand again, vanishing the armchairs. The five handpicked students bid Dumbledore goodnight as they filed out of the office.

Two days later, five messages reached Dumbledore's office. They all read:

I am ready. I will join.

He smiled in satisfaction. They have really grown up.

– To Be Continued –