It was three days previously that Harry had unexpectedly received a magically sealed yellowish envelope delivered by a very small screech owl. Upon opening it, he had been confused to read the small, carefully printed figures, which read simply
12-13-14
He had puzzled this for quite sometime, until he noticed that when he held the parchment up to the light, the crest of the Order of the Phoenix was visible. When Hermione arrived, she confirmed his theory that he was invited to an official Order of the Phoenix meeting, which was to be held at 12, Grimmauld Place, on the 13th of the month, at 2pm.
"They're keeping the same Headquarters?" Harry had asked, astounded. "What if he shows up? What if he's told Voldemort where it is?"
Hermione sighed. "Honestly Harry, don't you think the Order has thought of that? Snape won't show up, we'd kill him before he could get through the door. Furthermore, Grimmauld Place is protected by a Secret Keeper. Only that person can tell anyone where the headquarters are, and that person certainly isn't Snape. Lastly, I think the house has a personal preference charm on it." At Harry's puzzled look, she continued, "Which means that nobody can enter unless the house owner has agreed to it it. Since you've offered the house as Order headquarters, anyone who is a member of the Order can enter. In fact, unless you've invited anyone else in, then only the Order can enter."
"Have you been asked to join the Order, too?" Harry asked her.
"Yes," Hermione replied, "and so has Ron." With this news, Harry had decided that Ron should also join his regular sessions with Hermione, so that they could discuss matters of the Order. At this first such meeting, held on 12th August, a Friday, each of them spent the first five minutes checking and strengthening the various charms surrounding Lupin's house to ensure their safety and privacy. Ron, like Harry, was very excited about finally being allowed to join the Order.
"Finally we'll actually know what's going on," voiced Harry.
"Yeah, no more playing around with Extendable Ears and grasping bits and pieces here and there," Ron agreed.
Hermione looked amused. "Ironically," she said, "we will actually know a lot more about what's going on than the Order." Harry had already told them that no one, without exception, was to be told about the Horcrux theory. Dumbledore had not ever given Harry permission to discuss this with anyone except Ron and Hermione, and Harry had no intention of doing so, at least until Voldermort was definitely, undoubtedly, dead. "You have to tell them something Harry. They'll know that you had private lessons with Dumbledore, and we all know you were out with him the night he was murdered. If we can't tell them about the Horcruxes, what do you think we should say?"
"I can't say anything about the Horcruxes, because there are only four people that know, which includes us and Voldemort, and he doesn't know that we know." Ron looked confused, so Harry explained further, "If Voldemort finds out that we know about the Horcruxes, I'm sure it will be much harder to destroy them. As it is, he won't know they've been destroyed until it's too late. I can't risk telling anyone, even the Order, in case it leaks back to Voldemort."
"Imagine if Dumbledore had told the Order." Ron looked horrified. "I mean, Snape would have gone straight to V-v-vold-d-demort" (Hermione looked proud) "and we would have lost our only gain on him."
"Precisely," said Harry. "I think I'll just tell them that we've been researching Voldemort's past to see if we can find any clues about how to weaken or even destroy him. So far we've been unsuccessful." Harry's hand went instinctively to the fake Horcrux he now wore around his neck as a constant reminder of how much there was still to be done.
When Harry arrived for his first Order meeting, it was Kingsley Shacklebolt who granted him entry. Harry shivered in the ancient, unwelcoming House of Black. He was forcibly reminded of how Sirius had hated being stuck in here, not allowed out in case he was sighted. Harry's insides ached with all sorts of emotions, including guilt and loneliness, mingled with a fierce hatred directed jointly at Snape and Voldemort. Harry pushed these thoughts aside as he took a seat in the familiar dining room between Charlie Weasley and a short witch with very long chestnut coloured hair. He peered around the table to find Moody, Tonks, six assorted Weasleys, Hermione, McGonagall, several more witches and wizards he recognised, and some that he did not know. When everyone had arrived and was seated, Harry counted 21 people including himself. It was suddenly very quiet, as though each person had been struck by silencio. All eyes moved to Alastor 'Mad-Eye' Moody as he rose from his chair to address the assembled Order.
"One or two things before we get started. The Head of the Order of the Phoenix was Albus Dumbledore. As you would imagine, he's not quite capable of the position anymore. I'll be doing it for now, but should any of you wish to recommend yourselves as more competent than me, I assure you there will be no hard feelings." Nobody spoke as Moody cleared his throat and continued, "You will have noticed, I'm sure, that we have allowed some younger wizards into the Order." His magical eye flickered round the table and sought out Ron, Harry and Hermione, as did the eyes of the other occupants of the room. "This is at the request of Albus Dumbledore, who indicated that should he be irreversibly injured or impaired in any way that would render him useless to the Order, Mr Potter and his associates should be invited to join the Order if they were not already members. It is out of Harry's generosity that we are able to use this house as headquarters. Now then, unless anybody has any urgent issues that cannot wait, we will commence with the agenda."
Harry sat in an attentive silence while Moody and others talked about recruiting more witches and wizards to the Order, about geographical patterns in Dementor attacks, the names and addresses of known Death Eaters, and the likelihood that the Goblins were going to join forces with Voldemort. Tonks and Arthur Weasley were able to divulge some Ministry plans, including mention of Ministry intervention at Hogwarts, which Harry sincerely wished would not be as disastrous as the Umbridge fiasco. The witch beside Harry, whose name was Betina Briarthorn, told of rumours that workers at St Mungo's were being approached by Death Eaters to either turn sides or be killed. This news was alarming, as two hospital workers had been found dead in the past two days, and Healers were becoming increasingly in demand, for obvious reasons.
Finally, McGonagall related plans regarding the protection of Hogwarts. She began by hinting that it would be useful to have members of the Order inside the school, but it wasn't until she had been speaking for some time that Harry realised she meant him, Ron and Hermione. With a sinking feeling, Harry realised he couldn't indicate that she might have to think of something else, so when McGonagall asked
"Can I count on you three to patrol and report without getting found out?"
Harry replied with a stiff nod. Ron and Hermione followed his lead, both answering that they would do as she suggested. This was followed by a discussion about the new staff at Hogwarts. It became apparent that Flitwick had not returned from his mysterious disappearance, so Professor Sprout would be occupying the post of Deputy Headmistress, and McGonagall had asked whether Fleur would be prepared to teach charms, as she had excelled in the subject at her own school, Beauxbatons. Harry could imagine how revolted Ginny would be when she found out. Slughorn was to remain and teach potions, but a Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher had not yet been found to replace Snape, and McGonagall was having to ask overseas wizards for their assistance. Harry's insides squirmed uncomfortably at the mention of his former potions master but he managed to maintain a calm exterior.
Not much later, the meeting had ended. There was much shuffling as chairs were pushed out and people took their leave. Harry remained seated and was soon joined by Ron and Hermione.
"Turned out it's not that interesting after all," Ron observed. Hermione hissed at him.
"I thought it was very interesting. But what on earth are we going to do about McGonagall?" Hermione looked distraught. She'd never disobeyed a direct order from a teacher, let alone lied about it.
"We'll just get Ginny, Neville and Luna to do it." Harry was confident that this was a good plan, but he caught the other two exchanging concerned looks, so he said, "Look, we can't do it, and those three can take care of themselves. We'll discuss it later," he told them, nodding in the direction of Mrs Weasley, who was coming over to them.
"We thought it might be nice if we had a meal here together, Harry, so you can get a bit of company. What do you think?" Mrs Weasley smiled kindly at Harry as he looked around, and realised that all the Weasleys and Tonks were still there.
"Sure," he said. Mrs Weasley bustled off to start cooking and the twins appeared behind Ron. "Hi" Harry greeted them, and thought aloud "How come Bill's not here?"
"He's at home, looking after Ginny," said Fred.
"She's livid," said George, "but she thinks you'll tell her everything anyway, Harry."
"Yeah, I probably will," Harry agreed, "if I ever get to see her again."
Mrs Weasley called the twins over to help. As Fred and George skulked off, Ron said, "She misses you, Harry." Harry grinned despite himself and absent-mindedly played with the locket around his neck. Suddenly he froze. Hermione had opened her mouth to ask what was wrong, but Harry had already jumped up, knocking his chair over in his haste, and ran out of the room. "Harry!" Ron called, as he and Hermione deserted their seats and chased after him. Harry ran on legs that felt like jelly to the living room, and stopped abruptly at the large, faded and defaced tapestry that was stuck irrevocably to the wall. It was with watering eyes and a tight chest that Harry glanced over the Blacks' family tree, until he found the charred hole that would have been Sirius' name near the bottom. Ron and Hermione had arrived behind him.
"Harry, what…" Hermione began, then stopped as she saw Harry's finger, tracing the name on the board. "R.A.B" she whispered. Ron leant forward and pulled Harry's hand aside to read what was written there – Regulus Axbram Black. Harry gulped down a lot of stale air and remembered what Sirius had said about his brother: He joined the Death Eaters… he was murdered…on Voldemort's orders… "Do you think it was him?" Hermione asked in a voice most unlike her own, and so quiet it was barely audible.
Harry was moving again. He went out into the hall, turned sharply and hurried up the steep staircase, being careful not to wake the portrait of old Mrs Black. He ran right to the end of the corridor, to the boiler room, and yanked open the door. The large cupboard still stank of Kreacher and, Harry was thankful, still contained all the items he had saved from Sirius' clearout two years previously. Harry dropped to his knees and began frantically rummaging around through the house-elf's collection. His hand spurted blood as it caught on a shard of glass from a broken photo frame but Harry didn't notice. His heart was thumping wildly, threatening to break through his rib cage when Harry's hand closed around something metallic. Hardly daring to breathe, he brought it closer to him, and studied the heavy locket. The intricate engraving of a serpent twisted to form the letter S was unmistakably the mark of Salazar Slytherin. Harry heard footsteps approaching behind him. Still kneeling, he turned his head to see Ron and Hermione standing a couple of feet away. Harry raised an eyebrow.
"It's all right," he said, "it won't hurt you." He held up the Horcrux for them to see. Ron looked like he was going to vomit and Hermione burst into tears. Despite feeling elated that the locket had been located, Harry felt a huge chasm tear through him. It had been here, the whole time. They needn't have gone to the cave to collect the false Horcrux. Harry knew that if they hadn't gone then Dumbledore would still be alive. He'd died for nothing. It had been here all the time. Harry felt as though the floor moved beneath him. He took a deep, steadying breath and stood to face the other two.
"Well," he said, and his voice was much steadier than he would have imagined, "we still have to check that it is a Horcrux. It might not be, we were only guessing…" he trailed off as Hermione and Ron turned whiter still. Harry concealed Slytherin's locket safely in his robes. "Come on," he took Hermione's hand and held Ron just above his elbow. "Dinner, remember?" He lead them back downstairs, finding himself suddenly calmed, which apparently reassured his friends as the colour returned to their faces. As they all settled down to eat, Harry resolved himself yet again that he would find the remaining Horcruxes, and kill Voldemort as soon as was humanly possible.
By the time Harry had finished eating, his mood had improved substantially. Fred and George were constantly joking, and told anyone and everyone who would listen about new products they were developing. "Barnet bonbons will be an enormous success," George exclaimed. "Pop them in your mouth and they'll turn your hair the most amazing colours!"
"Not that you'd need them," Harry heard Fred saying to Tonks, "but how do you think the rest of the auror office would respond?" Harry was still intent on becoming an auror, but it was difficult for him to gauge the likelihood of his success where considering his present situation. Surely if Harry were able to defeat Voldemort, he would meet the requirements of a Ministry division that dealt with apprehending dark wizards. On the other hand, if application to the auror training programme was as strict and inflexible as Harry imagined it to be, he would be at a disadvantage to all those students who would be taking their NEWTs at the end of the year, as they would all have formal qualifications. Curious to find out more, Harry pulled Tonks aside after dinner.
"Hey, Tonks. I was wondering, what do you need to get into auror training? Do you need specific qualifications, or is it mainly based on interviews and stuff?"
"You thinking of becoming an auror, Harry?" she asked.
"Well, yeah," Harry said, seeing no harm in telling the truth. "I think I'd be good at it," he said, raising an eyebrow to demonstrate that he was aware of the irony of being trained by the Ministry to do a job he was already capable of, particularly for a wizard of his age.
"Well it's a combination of lots of things really," Tonks replied. "Firstly, you do need at least a good pass in your defence against the dark arts, potions and transfiguration NEWTs, as well as passing two other subjects, preferably charms and herbology, but there is a bit of leeway. Then once you've got your grades, a copy will also have been sent to the auror office if you apply before you take your NEWTs, which I'd recommend. If you've passed well, they'll invite you to a series of interviews, which aren't too bad overall. If you're impressive in these interviews, you then have to go on a sort of camp for about three days, where, to be perfectly honest, they really do try and break you. If you come out of that okay then they'll take you on as a trainee auror. After ten months you get an examination, which is tough. Only if you pass this can you continue the training, which will last another 26 months. Then if you pass another set of horrific tests you'll become an official auror." By this point, Harry looked less interested and more dispirited. Tonks laughed at his disheartened expression. "The Ministry have about 50 applicants every year, out of which about three usually complete the training. Don't worry, Harry, if I can do it, you can. Merlin knows I've never fought You-Know-Who." Harry thanked her for the compliment, but he was now more confused than he was before.
Harry returned home alone, his mind buzzing. He took Slytherin's relic from his pocket and wished he knew how to tell if it was really a Horcrux, and how to destroy part of a soul when it was located. Hermione had not been able to find any books on the subject, and Harry couldn't safely go round making enquiries. Horcruxes were a banned subject at Hogwarts, so most people were unlikely to have heard of them, and those that had, such as Professor Slughorn, refused to talk about them. Harry looked down at the ancient locket and wondered what he should do with it now. He placed it on the desk and, taking his wand out, transfigured it into a teapot. Astounded that this had actually worked, Harry placed the lime green teapot in the bottom kitchen cupboard. He pushed it all the way to the back and fixed it with a sticking charm. He wanted to protect it but didn't want to attract attention to it by using too much magic, so Harry covered the teapot with a particularly grubby tea towel and closed the cupboard door. He suddenly felt drained, as if hiding the teapot has exerted him to his fullest extent. Harry trudged back into the bedroom and slumped onto the bed. It was still early – it wasn't even dark outside – but Harry's eyes drooped, and soon he was fast asleep.
It was with a jolt that Harry awoke some hours later. The room was dark and cold; Harry's face hurt where his glasses had pressed into his skin as he'd slept. He removed them and rubbed his eyes. He retrieved his wand and aimed it at the rusty grate, where a fire leapt into life. Harry smiled, knowing that there were now several spells he could successfully cast non-verbally. With the flickering orange glow now illuminating the room it was difficult for Harry to remember his dream. It had been very confusing, like he was dreaming three different dreams all at once. Harry closed the faded blue curtains, got undressed and climbed under the faded blue bed covers. He'd been angry in the dream but he couldn't think why. As he turned over, he saw the three locations again – a large house with many rooms, a smaller house at the end of a street, and a tiny house in the middle of nowhere… perhaps by the ocean. Harry closed his eyes and drifted this time into a peaceful sleep, where he dreamed of sailing a boat through Hogwarts castle on a river of liquid gold.
