"Harry!" the red haired women exclaims with a smile. "And you must be Isabelle."
"Yes ma'am," I respond, looking around. The house is just as dreary as I remember.
"No time to explain, straight upstairs. First door to the left…oh, Isabelle, Snape would like a word with you after the meeting," the women says, pointing to the stairs.
"Of course," I answer before going to catch up with Harry who is waiting for me at the foot of the stairs.
Harry looks confused, "Why does Snape want a word with you?" he asks as we make our way up to the second floor.
"I haven't the slightest idea," I lie as Harry stops on the landing, looking over at a gangly looking house elf muttering to itself.
"Well, here we are," I announce allowing Harry to open the door.
Seconds after Hermione Granger, a girl I had met last term due to our similar class schedule, rushes over to Harry, pulling him into a tight hug. "Harry," she exclaims, "are you alright?"
"Let the man breath, Hermione," a red haired boy says coming up behind her…I assume he is Ron.
"And this hearing at the Ministry…it's just outrageous. I've looked it up, they simply can't expel you, it's completely unfair." Hermione goes on.
So this Hermione girl does her research, but what is the use of doing it if no one really seems to care. Maybe things are different around Hogwarts but the' know it all thing' gets old.
"Yeah; there is a lot of that going around at the moment," Harry starts. "What is this place?"
"It's Headquarters…." Ron starts but is cut off by Hermione who I'm beginning to think has to always have the proper facts.
"Of the Order of the Phoenix, it's a secret society, Dumbledore found it back when they first fought you – know – who," she explains.
"You mean Voldemort," I say tired of people being so completely terrified to say his name.
Ron gives me a quizzical look but I shrug it off. It doesn't matter if you say Lord Voldemort's name or not he is still coming for people. So say the name.
"You couldn't have put any of this in a letter I supposed? I've gone all summer without a scrap of news, they only person I was able to talk to was Isabelle and I only met her about four days ago," Harry explodes.
"We really wanted to writer, really we did only…" Ron trails off looking to Hermione for help.
"Only what?" questions Harry, the anger still clinging to his words.
"Only Dumbledore made us swear not to tell you anything," Hermione finishes, glancing at the floor.
"Dumbledore said that? But why would he want to keep me in the dark? Maybe I could help. After all I am the one who saw Voldemort return, I'm the one who fought him, I'm the one who saw Cedric Diggory get killed," Harry replies his voice raising with each word.
Suddenly there is a pop and two more red haired boys appear in the room, both of them clearly older than Ron. How many of these people are there running about this house? So far I've seen four and I assume there is a fifth, most likely the father but could there be more?
"Hey Harry," they both say in unison.
"Who's she?" the brother on the left asks, looking towards me.
"Isabelle, she was in my potions class last year," Harry replies.
"Isabelle, right, smart witch but you get yourself in more trouble than anyone else we've ever met," the twins say each taking a tern at saying something.
"What's it to you how many times I get myself into trouble?" I challenge.
The brothers look between each other before changing the topic, "Look, we can stay up here and chat or we could go listen to something a little more interesting."
"I'll go," I answer quickly; "they didn't offer for me to join in this meeting, something at least on of the members does, I wanna know why."
Yes of course I've just exposed myself as being a member of the Order and will now be asked a million questions but I'm curious. What is it about this meeting that I am not allowed to hear?
"I'm Fred Weasley and this is George," Fred says as we all stop at the top of the stairs.
"Pleasure," I reply whilst watching Fred allow a little ear to descend downwards.
I can hear Sirius talking about Harry and me, he wants both of us in the Order, the others argue saying Harry should stay out and I should be discharged.
"Wait, you're part of the Order?" Harry, who obviously didn't hear me earlier, questions in a hushed voice.
"Only by chance, I walked in on one of their meetings. Sirius convinced them to let me join, said they could use me as a spy. Most people don't suspect kids," I answer as another girl joins us.
Yet another one of these red headed children, than makes five, not including the father I've assumed is somewhere in this large house. Just as Snape begins to speech a ginger cat with orange stripes walks up to the ear, batting at it with a left paw, stupid cat cannot it see that the ear is not a toy.
"Crookshanks stop it," Hermione hisses down towards the cat but it is too late, the ear is already detached…we can hear no more.
Hermione, I hate your cat," Ron says before walking away.
"Bad Crookshanks," Hermione says.
So much for hearing what they were talking about at the meeting, I suppose next time I will have to invite myself in.
"Come along children," Mrs. Weasley calls. "We will be eating down in the kitchen." she continues as everyone follows Harry down the stairs, all except Fred and George who apparate, reappearing on either side of their mother.
I let out a laugh as she reprimands them, "Just because you're allowed to use magic does not mean you have to whip your wands out for everything." she hollers after them as the Weasley twins disappear down the hall.
Snape stands in the doorway of the meeting room, dark eyes fixed on me, "Isabelle, a word."
"Of course," I respond, allowing everyone to pass by me.
Snape walks slowly towards me, "So what did he say?" I question eagerly.
"He is your father, how could he possibly say no. Draco will tell you the rest, it is unsafe to say more here," responds Snape.
I smile, happy with myself for being worthy; something I know has nothing to do with who my father is. If he did not think I would be able to perform what is needed he wouldn't said no, even if I am related to him. After a few seconds I walk towards the kitchen, making up a lie as to why Snape wanted to talk to me.
Bursting through the door I glare angrily at the potions master, "No Snape, I will not take extra potions, my marks are high enough."
"There is no need to shout, besides, I thought I made it quite clear that it is not up for discussion," Snape replies, playing along.
Glaring at Snape a second longer I turn to Sirius, my entire mood changing, "Hello, Sirius."
"Come here Isabelle," Sirius says, holding his arms open.
Walking over to him I allow the first person I ever truly trusted to pull me into a hug, "It's been much too long." I say once he lets go of me.
"Indeed," Sirius replies.
"You know Sirius?" Harry questions as I sit down between Fred and George.
Sirius winks at me before turning to Harry, "Of course she does, Harry. I'm the reason why she is in the Order. Isabelle is a bright girl, clever too. We need more people like her in the Order."
Naturally, I am not allowed to speak. Why? Because Sirius is afraid I'll slip up, tell the truth for once…they all are. But why would I? I've wanted for so long to just be normal, not that what I am about to become it normal but for just a few years in my live I didn't want people to know who I really am. Why would I screw that up?
"So, Isabelle, do you have a boyfriend?" George asks.
"Yes, I do," I respond before taking a sip of my butter beer.
"Odd," states Fred, "I've never seen you with anyone."
"He's not in our house," I respond bluntly wishing they would stop assaulting me with questions.
"What house is he in?" George questions.
"God! Why does it even matter?" I ask my words loud and harsh.
"Isabelle, is everything alright?" Tonks, who is sitting a few people down form me, says.
"Fred and George won't leave her alone about her boy friend," Harry explains, over the top of his butter beer mug.
"Leave the poor girl alone. If you must know he's in Slytherin," Tonks says before returning to her meal.
I look to Harry who is looking at a copy of the Daily Prophet; clearly I had missed something while I was answering the twin's questions.
"He's been attacking Dumbledore as well," Lupin explains.
"Fudge is using all his power including his influence on the Daily Prophet to smear anyone that claims the Dark Lord has returned," Sirius says.
"The Minister thinks Dumbledore is after his job," communicates Lupin.
"But that's insane. No one in their right mind would believe that Dumbledore…." Harry starts to upset with this strange idea to finish.
"Exactly the point, Fudge isn't in his right mind," says Lupin, taking a drink.
"It's been twisted and warped by fear…. Fudge is a cowardly man, one who refuses to see what is right in front of his very nose," I but in unable to stop myself.
Why be afraid to speak the truth? People should know the truth about what is going on. Voldemort is really back; this is a fact everyone should know.
"Now, fear makes people do terrible things, Harry. Last time Voldemort gained power he almost destroyed everything we hold most dear. Now in these times the Minister will do almost everything to keep from facing the terrifying truth," explains Lupin.
"We think Voldemort want to build up his army. Fourteen years ago he had huge numbers at his command, and not just witches and wizards but all matter of dark creatures. He's been recruiting heavily and we've been attempting to do the same, but gathering followers isn't all we think he's interested in. We believe Voldemort might be after something, something he didn't have last time," Sirius renders.
At his words I exchange a glace with Harry, how could the Order possibly know of what Voldemort is after…it is simply not possible.
"You mean like a weapon?" Harry asks.
"No!" exclaims Mrs. Weasley from her spot at the head of the table. "Enough, he's just a boy…its bad enough you brought that the poor girl into this mess. You say much more and you might as well induct him into the Order as well."
"Good, I want to join, if Voldemort's raising an army then I want to fight," Harry says.
"If Harry wants to join I say let him. It would be nice to have another my age in the Order. Listening to you argue all of you argue all the time is rather drab," I announce putting in my opinion. "Besides most of the time you don't listen to what I have to say anyway."
"No more! Children up to bed, you too Fred, George," Mrs. Weasley says clearly upset with the whole idea.
"Not to be a hassle Mrs. Weasley, but where am I going to stay?" I question.
"Hermione, Ginny…Isabelle will sleep in your room. Please show her where it is," Mrs. Weasley instructs.
"Of course mum," Ginny replies before turning to smile at me.
"My brother Ron talks about you sometimes," Ginny announces later that night as we sit on the three beds in the small upper room.
"Your brother Ronald is rather charming," I respond.
"Ginny's eyes light up, "You think so?"
"In his own way, yes," I answer, this of course is true. I had liked Ron a number of years ago before I had hooked up with a member of the Slytherin house.
"It's a shame you already have a boyfriend," Ginny says, the light in her eyes fading.
"Yes, very sad, now let's go to bed," Hermione states before shutting off the light.