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*I don't own HP*

One week after Madalina's death, I received an owl from Dumbledore, inviting me to the Hog's Head at noon. So I apparated into Hogsmeade, and walked to the pub. I remember opening the door, and being shocked to find all the faces of my peers (excluding my Slytherin classmates), along with a few people who I didn't know, staring back at me. I saw Dorcas in a corner, and slid into a seat next to her.

At the front of the deserted pub was Dumbledore. He held up his hands, and I remember everyone quieting down- just like at Hogwarts. Dumbledore looked at all of us, and said, "You are probably wondering why I brought you here. In light of, ah, certain circumstances, we are one fewer than we should be. However, this is an issue that cannot be ignored any longer."

I remember him taking a deep breath. I remember wondering- could Dumbledore be nervous?

"Lord Voldemort is a threat to our entire society. I have appealed to the ministry over and over, yet they are hopelessly lost. So I have gathered you, some of my most recent Hogwarts graduates, and some of my most trustworthy former students, to ask- if I were to give you a chance to fight Voldemort, even if it meant risking your life- would you take it?"

Lily Evans raised her hand- just as if she was in school. "Sir, I don't understand."

Dumbledore smiled at her, his bright eyes twinkling. "Lily, you do not have to call me "Sir" anymore. You are an adult now."

Lily blushed.

"Anyways. I think it is time to take action. Voldemort needs to be taken down. I am forming… an Order of sorts, and I wish you to be the members. Together, we will defeat Voldemort."

I remember it getting really quiet. We had just been invited to help take down the darkest wizard of all time. And yet, nobody wanted to make the first move.

Out of the corner of my eye, I remember seeing James Potter whisper something to his friends. They nodded, and all four of them stood up. James spoke.

"We're in."

Everyone else followed.

And just like that, the Order of the Phoenix was born.

The Order soon consumed our lives. Wake up. Work. Come home. Order meeting. Sleep. Repeat. It became our routine. The Hog's Head, owned by a member of the Order, became our meeting place. I remember the last meeting of the entire order.

"Albus, we need to start doing things. We've been planning for just under three months. It's time to take action."

"Maxwell, you need to be patient. We aren't ready yet. If I let you go of a mission, you could die. I saw we wait another month."

"But Albus-"

"Maxwell. It's too risky. Wait another month, and I promise I'll let you go on a mission."

I remember how Maxwell ran a tired hand through his close-cropped blond hair. His eyes, once bright, honey-brown, had dulled ever since the death of his girlfriend, Madalina, three months prior. When I close my eyes, I can see clearly the frustrated look on his face, the broken look in his eyes. Marlene leaned over to me and whispered,

"He's going to go, whether Albus likes it or not. Don't you see, Mary? He's given up."

I nodded. "He must have loved Madalina more than he let on."

I remember the way Maxwell slammed his palms on the table, as he rose. "Albus," he boomed, and his voice echoed across the pub, "The love of my life was taken by the Death Eaters. I will get my revenge, and I cannot wait another day."

Dumbledore looked piercingly at Maxwell. His eyes, I recall, were big and sad. He didn't want to risk any of us, but I think Dumbledore saw that Maxwell was already gone.

"Fine." The old man's voice was quiet. I remember the sadness in Dumbledore's voice, as he gave Maxwell instructions.

"The Death Eaters have been meeting at an old pub in Knockturn Alley. Tonight, I believe, they will be there, discussing their own plans. I want you to go and spy on them, gather intelligence. We cannot win this war without being a step ahead of our enemies."

I knew Maxwell wanted action. He looked as if he was about to argue, then he slumped back in his chair. "Fine. You can count on me. I'm going home to get ready."

The Order meeting ended, and that was the last time any of us saw Maxwell.

We gathered at the Hog's Head early the next morning, eager to see how the first mission had gone. I remember the confusion when neither Dumbledore nor Maxwell showed up. We waited for an hour. Then two. Three hours later, Dumbledore strode in.

"Albus, what-"

"Where's Maxwell? How-"

"Did everything go-"

"Oh, my gosh, Albus, he isn't-"

"Oh, no, Maxwell-"

Dumbledore looked at us over the top of his spectacles, and said, "Maxwell did not come back from his mission. I recovered the body this morning."

Everything went silent. No. Not another one.

I remember the grief that followed. One more friend to mourn. And we had just been recovering from Madalina.

What followed was a lot like what had happened after Madalina. Maxwell's best mate had been Charles Gutherson. We all went to Charles's house, and stayed the night. There were tears. There were words said. I think we were all happy to know that, no matter where Maxwell was now, he was with Madalina. And that was what he had really wanted.

A few things about Maxwell at school. He was in Ravenclaw; the only one who could rival James in Transfiguration. He was very much an extrovert, and would talk to anyone about anything. He was a half blood. He had a younger brother. I went on a date with him once, in fifth year. We decided to just be friends. He was a beater on the Ravenclaw Quidditch team. He held extra-help sessions for the younger kids who were struggling with Transfiguration. He loved licorice wands.

Before Madalina died, his laugh was loud and booming. He was a very tall man, the tallest in our year at 6 foot 3, and he was broad shouldered. He was our gentle giant- would never hurt a fly.

Maxwell was best mates with Charles, but he was friendly to everyone- all the Ravenclaws loved him, anyone in the school would return his smile.

What happened to him was what never got to happen to Madalina. He grew up too quickly. He stopped smiling so much. He stopped laughing.

If he had been patient, if he had waited until Dumbledore thought he was ready, would he still be alive? Maybe, but he would never be the same.

Now we were 31. James, Sirius, Peter, Remus, Lily, Marlene, Alice, Alyssa, Severus, Avery, Mulciber, Antonin, Leonna, Maxine, Natalie, Tiffany, Benjy, Edgar, Caradoc, Dedalus, Nadia, Amelia, Gracie, Edward, Jordan, Charles, Dorcas, Penelope, Tina, Emmeline, and me; Mary

To clear up some confusion, I added the names of the Slytherins to the list of the remaining people because they were part of that generation, but none of them were in the Order.

Coming up is a cannon character, though she is OC in personality.

This chapter was kind of long, because I always imagined the Order getting set up after someone died, and I needed to put it in. If you are confused, have questions, like the story, love the story, have constructive criticism for the story, please let me know by reviewing!