Harry walked into the Headmasters office. It had been a long day full of questions, and the day was only about to get longer. This was the part he was least looking forward to, but Dumbledore had deemed it necessary to move forward. The only consolation was seeing Sirius and Remus.
Word had quickly spread through the school about his first words with Draco and the implication behind them. Ron had gladly explained to everyone he could what Harry meant by his words. Draco hadn't so much as looked at him since potions class and he didn't expect the 'prince' to do so until his father had further instructed him. It was clear Lucius had been behind their first meeting, but Draco didn't have the wit to mince words with him. Coming from such a hard place, condemning his father and mother in a single sentence was a bad start and Harry wasn't going to allow him off the hook.
Hermione had been the most curious to learn where he was coming, in regards to Lucius. She had of course heard old rumors about the Malfoy's and their ties to Voldemort and his Death Eaters, but she had always chalked them up as just rumors. Lucius was never convicted of anything after the end of the last war, and that had been enough evidence for her. But after she had learned from Harry that Sirius might not be guilty like the ministry was saying, she was more open to the idea that Lucius was not so innocent like he was saying. It was interesting to watch the wheels in her head turn, Harry found.
What wasn't so interesting was the Daily Prophet article that had come out about him in the evening, just in time for dinner in the Great Hall. Owls had flooded into the hall, dropping packages and letters, and newspapers. Rita Skeeter had taken full advantage of the answers he gave her in the interview this morning, much to his annoyance. It was to be expected, but it didn't stop him from disliking the reporter even more.
"Are you ready, Harry?" Dumbledore asked him from across the room. He was standing in front of a roaring green fire, wearing bright purple robes that shimmered with each movement.
Harry walked over to the fireplace. His eyes caught a glance of the Daily Prophet on the Headmaster's desk, the headline running, "A Hero Returns!". He scrunched his nose at it and turned back to Dumbledore who watched him carefully.
"Ready." Harry said after taking a breath.
Dumbledore nodded his head and stepped into the flames. "12 Grimmauld Place." He said calmly. A quick flash of green fire and Dumbledore disappeared completely.
Fawkes trilled from his perch and Harry looked at the magnificent bird. "Sometimes, Fawkes." Harry breathed out, shaking his head. He stepped into the green flames. "12 Grimmauld Place." His vision began to blur and twist and shift. He was being pulled through space at a magnificent rate. His stomach lurched and tumbled with each movement and it felt like he was falling through time itself.
Suddenly, a room materialized and Harry took a confident step forward onto hardwood flooring. He looked around and found himself in an old, dusty room filled with cobwebs. It was barely lit, only a few gas lamps barely hanging on the walls provided any light. The walls themselves were half-eaten by termites and looked ready to collapse at any moment.
"Harry!" He turned to see Sirius walking up to him. They embraced one another warmly. It was good to see him again, though it had only been a few days, they were the first few days he had ever spent apart from his godfather.
"How has school been?" Sirius asked, stepping backwards. He looked Harry up and down as if he hadn't seen him in a great many years.
"It's been a single day of classes, Sirius." Harry said, a smile stretching on his face. "It's hardly worth talking about since I didn't even attend one of them."
"I saw the article." Sirius said. "An interesting read to say the least. She really does love to run with her quotes."
Harry felt a strong pair of hands grasp his shoulders. Harry turned to see Remus behind him. The two embraced as warmly as Harry had with Sirius. It felt good to be with them again. They were the most abnormal family imaginable, but they were family and they made it work. Harry couldn't think of a better way to grow up.
"I don't think she captured my cheerful persona all that well." Harry said with a grin. Rita had referred to him as an 'Icey god' who kept a calm demeanor no matter what questions were thrown at him. She said 'he talked to her with the grace and courage of the greatest of wizards'. Harry didn't think that part of the article was too bad, though he was unsure what an 'Icey god' would look like.
Sirius and Remus laughed. "No, I don't think so either." Remus said.
Dumbledore was standing off to the side, watching them with a small smile. He had two options when Harry was just a baby. To leave him alone with the only blood family he had left, muggles who hated all things magic, or to allow Sirius to take him and raise him in a loving environment. In the end, the decision was easy for Dumbledore and he never looked back. There were many things he regretted in his long life, but when it came to Harry's childhood, he regretted none of it.
"Are they here?" Dumbledore asked Sirius and Remus.
"They're all here. Even Snivellus." Sirius said with mild disgust. The two of them had to tolerate one another over the years. It was like pulling teeth for the two, but they rose above their hate for one another when it came to Harry's future. Though they continued to hate one another, there was a mutual respect between them that had formed over time.
"Shall we then?" Dumbledore asked. Harry nodded his head, ready to get this over with. He had been answering questions all day and only had to suffer through a little more, this time from Dumbledore's Order.
Dumbledore then moved to the door on the far side of the living room they currently stood in and pressed it open. Harry could hear a great deal of voices coming from the room now. The voices stopped at once when they recognized Dumbledore had opened the door.
Dumbledore walked into the dining room where a large gathered group of people were sitting. Some were standing off to the side, there being too few seats for everyone to sit. Sirius and Remus followed the Headmaster while Harry walked in last after taking a deep breath to calm a flutter that ran through his stomach.
"You lied to us Dumbledore." A red-headed woman accused the Headmaster immediately. She was already out of her seat. Harry recognized her to be Molly Weasley. Next to her sat her husband, Arthur, who was much calmer but didn't even try and stop his wife from rising from her seat. Next to him was another redhead. He sported odd earing's and wore a dragonscale jacket. Harry could make out a tattoo which was barely covered by his jacket sleeve.
Harry's eyes went passed him and to the beautiful woman who sat next to him. Her long silver hair and bright blue eyes were impossible to mistake for any other woman. A soft glow danced around her which Harry knew to be her allure trying to draw him in. His eyes fell on hers for a moment and he was happy to see they widened in recognition of who he was. She remembered their first meeting in the south of France. The thought sent another flutter through his stomach, this time for a completely different reason. He knew she would be here, but he hardly expected her to recognize him.
His eyes broke away from hers as they continued to look around the table. He knew several of the members already. Moody stood in the corner of the room, glowering as usual. Kingsley stood next to him, smiling kindly at Harry as he always did, even when he was putting Harry on the floor during their dueling lessons. He continued on until he saw a young woman with bright pink hair. She was looking at him in a mischievous way, similar to how Sirius would look at him while in the middle of a prank. He could immediately sense a hint of danger from her.
"I didn't lie." Dumbledore said. He opened his mouth to continue but was cut off.
"Bah." This time it was Bill who spoke out. Harry's glance naturally went to him, but he found his eyes venturing back to Fleur who continued to stare at him with curiosity. The sight of her eyes on him sent a shiver down his spine.
"You may not have lied, but you definitely didn't tell the truth." Bill said, standing up with his mother.
"Who cares?" Moody spoke up. "Let's just get on with it." Forever the grumpy auror Harry laughed to himself.
"I care." A weasel of a man stood up. Harry immediately disliked the character of the man and wondered why he was even here. "How can we trust you if you don't share things as important as Potter being alive?"
There were several murmurings of approval from other members of the Order Harry didn't recognize. McGonagall and Flitwick sat next to one another. They were ignoring the conversation altogether and instead talking quietly to themselves.
"A fair question, Mundungus." Dumbledore said. "Harry's safety was paramount above all things. To ensure his safety, I was careful in letting anyone know his whereabouts."
"By how many people seem unsurprised by Harry's presence, you were quite liberal in telling of Harry's health." Molly Weasley said.
"I only told those that were necessary for Harry's safety." Dumbledore answered calmly. He was well prepared for the onslaught of questions this evening.
"And you felt it wasn't necessary for all of us to know?" Bill asked.
"Sit down, boy." Moody said. He was clearly annoyed at the moment. "You were just a boy that Halloween night. You only joined the Order a year ago and have no say in what you are told and aren't told." Bill sat down as Moody began to grill him. Luckily for the Weasley, Moody turned his wrath on everyone at the table. "Potter's life was more important than your feelings."
"Did anyone outside this room know of Harry?" Arthur asked. It was a fair question Harry thought and it did much to pacify the entire room. Moody went back to his corner, glaring at everyone.
"Two others, though I won't say their names." Dumbledore said. Harry knew who they were. Sebastien Delacour and Amelia Bones. They had worked hard to keep him off any ministry records and slow the pace in which Death Eaters tried to find his whereabouts. He owed them his life for the work they put in to keep him safe over the years.
Harry stayed quiet as he listened to the conversations continue on. Those who were mad at Dumbledore for never once disclosing that he was still alive, were the ones most adamant about being left in the dark. Now that he had come back from the dead, and was in the room with them, they chose to continue to argue rather than even talk to him. They simply ignored him, which Harry was fine with. It was better than being questioned himself.
"This is every meeting." Sirius whispered to him. "They just bicker over everything and nothing gets done."
"At least they're here." Harry responded. His eyes travelled around the table again, watching closely the people who were here. Bill was entrenched in an argument with Moody over the 'boy' comment from earlier. Snape looked ready to leave at any moment, and the other two professors simply sat quiet. Arthur sat in his chair, listening to Molly as she talked his ear off, pressuring him to stand up more. Remus was bobbing his head back and forth as he whistled a calming tune to himself.
His eyes then came to Fleur. She was still looking at him. Their eyes met and at once the both of them looked away. Harry felt the slightest tinge of heat in his cheeks. Harry then looked to Dumbledore who had grown quiet to let everyone else bicker and fight one another. He smiled softly at Harry.
"He should have grown up with a family, not been half-way around the world with…with him." Molly said, her words cutting over everyone else's. The entire room tensed up.
"I have a family." Harry said. Everyone's eyes turned to him. He didn't notice that Moody and Dumbledore shared a brief look with one another.
"I know you did dear." Molly said quickly. Harry caught the past tensed of her words.
"My family might not have my blood or my name, but they are still my family." Harry continued, his eyes focusing in on Molly. Everyone else began to feel a small hint of static electricity fill the room. "And neither are you my blood, if you were hinting that I should have grown up in your family." Harry paused for a moment before speaking again. "My family is unconventional; my childhood was scattered and abnormal, but that wasn't the fault of my parents, nor the fault of my godfather."
"I-I'm not say-" Molly began, trying to cut across him.
"I had a good upbringing and couldn't have asked for anything more. I am where I am now because of how I was raised. Do not question it, or those who raised me." Harry finished. Molly stared at him with wide eyes for a moment as silence fell over the room.
"It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Harry." The woman with bright pink hair leaned over and held out her hand. "Tonks, at your service." Harry shook her hand and bowed his head slightly. Her gesture did much to alleviate the tension that had built up in the room.
"Well." Dumbledore said, once more making himself known. "Now that that is out of the way, I think we can begin."
Molly had finally recovered from her dazed state and looked bewildered once more at Dumbledore. "Why is he here? Isn't it a school night? And he is much too young to be part of the Order I think, Dumbledore." Harry gritted his teeth and let Dumbledore answer the string of questions. He had heard a lot about Molly Weasley and how she could be overbearing at times.
Dumbledore sat patiently for a moment. He never seemed fazed in these kinds of situations which always amazed Harry. "Potter is trained better than you lot." It was Moody that spoke up, catching everyone by surprise. It was rare for the grizzled auror to ever compliment anyone, but Harry had quickly become his most prized student. He saw Harry as his protégé, much the same way Dumbledore saw him as well. "He also has just as much right to be here as every one of you."
Molly made to open her mouth, but Arthur put a hand on her arm and slowly shook his head. "Anyways." Dumbledore began, a patient smile on his face. He drew the attention back towards him and away from Moody who went back to glaring in the corner. "It is time we stop guarding the object within the Department of Mysteries." Harry knew what the object was, the actual prophecy that described him as the destroyer of Voldemort. Only he could do it, not that he put much faith in prophecies anyways, but Riddle clearly did.
"Why now? We've been guarding some object in there for years?" Dedalus Diggle asked.
"The object that is hidden with the Department of Mysteries is no longer of use to us." Dumbledore answered him. In truth, Dumbledore wanted the object to be taken by Voldemort. Albus wanted him to know the entire prophecy to force him into action now that it was known to the world that Harry was still alive. He was hoping to bring Riddle from the shadows he had been hiding in.
"We also need to be putting our ears to the ground and figuring out any information we can on the Death Eaters that are beginning to form once more." Dumbledore said. Over the last several months, more and more Death Eaters had been sighted. They weren't attacking, simply showing their bone masks and throwing spells around until apparating away. The ministry had labeled them as pranks, but Dumbledore knew better. The Death Eaters were testing the populace, and trying to scare them again. Voldemort was once more coming into his power.
Several years ago, Harry had first learned that Voldemort had received a new body through a complex ritual. Nothing had happened for a year after hearing the news, but on Halloween night of all nights, the dark mark showed in England. Below the mark were two aurors who had had their souls sucked out of them by dementors. As far as Harry knew, the only person with any control over dementors was Voldemort. And two of them being so far south from Azkaban by themselves was out of the question. Ever since then, Harry's training had picked up in pace.
"Severus, I would like to speak with you." Snape was of course the most valuable member of the Order. He had confirmed that Voldemort was back, with a body no less, but he was weak. Harry continued to have his doubts as to what side Snape played for, but he kept his tongue and trusted Dumbledore's faith in the man.
The meeting quickly broke a part as Dumbledore and Snape left through the far door. Everyone else stood up and began to talk amongst themselves. "What exactly do the Order even do?" Harry asked. He had expected a lot more than just 'keeping one's ears to the ground.'
Both Remus and Sirius laughed. "That is all they do. That is all they can do." He then jerked his head towards the room. "Do they look like fighters to you?" Harry looked over the room, and he had to admit, Sirius was right. Only a small few in the group could be useful in a fight. Most were too old, others only knew what they had learned from school and nothing more. That wouldn't cut it with many of the Death Eaters who took great pleasure in learning darker, more advanced magic to torment their enemies with.
"You should get back to school, it is late." Remus said.
Harry rolled his eyes at the responsible parent in his life, but he nodded in agreement. "I'm sure it won't be long until I see you two again." Harry said with a small grin.
Sirius pulled Harry into a hug and Remus followed after. "Nope. You can't stay away from us for long." Harry chuckled as he walked out of the dining room and into the living room where green fire still danced, waiting to take him back to Hogwarts. Harry turned back around to say goodbye once more to Sirius and Remus, but neither had walked into the room with him. Instead, Fleur was walking through the door. Harry felt a wave of panic and butterflies through his stomach, but he did everything in his power to not let any of it show.
Harry couldn't think of anything else other than how beautiful she was. The green fire danced on her hair and in her eyes. Her lips were upturned slightly in a small smile, and she swayed gracefully into the room in an angelic way. The veela allure that surrounded her wasn't what drew him in. It was the way in which she looked at him. There was a playfulness in them, as if she had known him his entire life and they were longtime friends.
"You lied to me." Those were not the first words Harry imagined her saying to him. He was taken aback for a moment and she continued. "At ze gala."
Harry's mind eventually clicked as he remembered what she was referring to. It was difficult to think clearly with her around, and the way her blue eyes bored into him made things even more difficult. "I technically didn't lie. My godfather did." Her small smile widened, which caused a large one to form on his. "Did you honestly believe my name was Boris Namitsky?"
Fleur laughed, the sound of it like cheerful music which sent even more flutters through his stomach. "Non, I suppose not. I like 'Arry Potter more. Eet fits you." The door opened again and Bill walked into the room and both their smiles faded. He gave Harry an odd look before slipping his arm around Fleur's waist. "Eet was good to see you again, 'Arry."
She gave him a softer smile, a look he knew would be ingrained into his mind for many years to come. He smiled back, "It was good to see you as well, Fleur." He then turned and walked into the green fire. His world began to swirl and churn once more until his feet landed on solid ground. He walked out of the fireplace with a bounce in his step.