Chapter 4

After disapparating to where Grimmauld place was they were greeted by a set of doors that did not quite match up. Number 12 was not there. Number 11 and 13 were present but number 12 was absent.

Clearly this building was unplottable. Snape didn't know that Black had that sort of presence of mind.

Outside the communal garden they had apparate in; the Auror that had been present during Lupin's imperius curse was standing outside. His magical blue eye spinning rapidly in every direction. It fixed on the railings and bushes that covered their arrival and he began limping forwards.

"It's about time you arrived. You're seven minutes late."

"We had things to attend to." Lily responded softly. "This is quite last minute you know."

"And being an Auror, you should live minute to minute!" Mad Eye Moody snarled and fumbled in his pockets before producing a creased, hand written address.

No sooner had Snape and Lily finished reading it, number 12 Grimmauld place had come into view. Pushing 11 and 13 out of the way.

"Come on, we're already eight minutes late." Mad Eye snarled and limped forwards. Snape looked at Lily who was hiding a sardonic smile and followed. Snape had a childish urge to mimic Mad Eye's limp but decided against it as he knew Lily was rather fond of Mad Eye.

As they ascended the stone steps. Mad eye let them inside where a rather dank looking corridor lay ahead.

The wallpaper was peeling from the walls; the carpet was wafer thin and there was a distinct smell of a place that had not been lived in for sometime.

The only thing penetrating the stench was the smell of home cooking.

"Who else is here?" Lily asked.

Mad eye replied by opening the kitchen door at the end of the corridor.

Snape peered in from behind Lily.

It looked as if the whole Weasley clan were here which would explain the cooking, Miss. Granger, Longbottom. Shacklebolt. Mad Eye Moody stood aside to let them pass as Mrs. Weasley rushed forwards to embrace Lily.

Snape stood aside, getting as close to the wall as he could as Molly's ample frame took up most of the space in the cramped kitchen.

The place looked rather dilapidated and judging on the recently clean smell that somewhat failed to subdue the damp 'unlived-in' aroma that was familiar in Spinner's end at the beginning of every summer, Snape surmised this was not Black's permanent abode.

"And Severus. How nice to see you!" Molly said, though the warmth she conveyed Lily was not quite as ardent with him.

"…Indeed, Mrs. Weasley." Snape coolly responded.

He saw the Weasley twins snicker and their younger brother nod to them and he had a good idea it was due to the fact their potions master was there…with his girlfriend.

Ah, but of course. He had all this to come.

At last years 'heroes' dinner where he, Potter and Black were briefly celebrated he had ensured that he had exchanged pleasantries with Lily, and treated her as he did all other members of staff and honoured guests.

Of course, the whole school was buzzing with the news by the next day and every time Snape limped out of his room he was beset by wolf-whistles and 'Get in there, sir'-Gryffindor were 150 points behind Ravenclaw in winning the house cup by the end of term.

Resisting the urge to slam the twin's heads together as he usually did in these circumstances; Lily guided him to sit opposite Shacklebolt who was reading a piece of parchment.

There was tenseness in the air, as if everyone was waiting on Shacklebolt to say something. But the wizard's dark eyes were focused on the parchment.

"…Well, Kingsley?" asked Arthur.

"…He'll be out of St. Mungo's tomorrow."

"Lupin?" asked Lily expectantly, shedding her fawn cardigan.

"Yes." he responded.

"About time too." Black remarked.

"It was only an imperius curse. Those things clear up within a few hours."

"Did you see what Mad Eye did to stop him from trying to kill Lily?" Potter asked. "I went to visit Moony in hospital and he was speaking out of his ear!"

The twins were laughing again.

"A slight exaggeration." Black responded. "The important thing is that he's better."

Mad eye shrugged.

"I did what needed doing, he's lucky it was all reversible. I know curses that would curl your hair!"

"…I could do with that." Lily smirked.

"I don't need it." smiled a purple haired witch from the end of the table.

Snape had a feeling he may know her, but couldn't be sure.

"Enough shop talk." Snarled Mad Eye. "Down t'business. Fact is…Voldemort is back."

Snape shivered inwardly at the mention of the name but remained focused.

"And we all know what his next port of call will be."

His gnarled hand clasped on Longbottom's shoulder.

Again, the boy looked thoroughly dejected.

"Fortunately, we have one of the greatest wizards of all time on board…and a great many more too."

"Where is Dumbledore?" asked Black.

"He's attending to some business." Mad eye responded. "Order business. The Order of the Phoenix was an army of Wizards who fought against the dark lord during the first wizarding war. Black, Potter, Weasley, Lupin, Evans, and I, including Professor Dumbledore were amongst the first…including that little squit Pettigrew. Unfortunately, we lost a lot of good people in that first war…Marlene McKinnon, the Prewetts."

Mr. Weasley grasped Molly's hand tightly. "…And Alice and Frank Longbottom…two damn fine fighters they were too, let me tell you that!"

Neville looked even more dejected.

"We all knew Voldemort would be back…and here we are."

"So…are we going to be inducted?" asked Ronald Weasley, second youngest of the Weasley clan.

"Certainly not!" shrieked Molly. "You're not even of age!"

"We will be!" declared George. "Next year."

"And I am!" said Percy indignantly, who had been hidden behind a book until this point.

A small family argument grew to which Potter watched as if it were a quidditch final.

"Tell them Arthur! Tell them its suicide for their age!"

"But you're going to fight and you have kids!" Ginny responded shrilly.

Soon, the whole table was practically fighting. Red hair was shaking and fingers were being pointed.

Just then a booming voice filled the kitchen.

"SILENCE!"

Albums Dumbledore stood in the doorway.

Silence was immediately enforced as he stepped in and casually picked up a spare flagon of pumpkin juice before downing it in one.

"…dreadful thirst, disapparated from Hogsmede."

Snape was glad to see him.

At least some sort of order would be restored.

"Glad you got here, Professor. There was almost Weasley-cide." Snape silkily replied.

"…I'm afraid those under 17 will have to adjourn elsewhere." Dumbledore began, almost reading the mood of the room. "Wizarding law is even outside of my considerable reach."

Nobody would dare argue with Dumbledore and wisely the children of the room padded upstairs leaving Percy Weasley to join where Neville had been sat.

"I am sure Alastor has given you the brief introduction of the order. Severus, Nymphadora, you are new to this, as are you Percy…"

"Nymphadora Tonks." Snape began. "Hufflepuff."

The name had just re-familiarized itself with him.

"Oh! You remember me Professor?" she asked brightly.

"Yes…" Snape began pensively. "…you destroyed 12 cauldrons in your first year."

"Nearly failed my exams." Smiled Tonks, not the least bit disturbed by Snipe's retort.

Lily sighed.

"Ignore him, he's testy because he had to use a map to disapparate."

"Is this a social chit chat? No! This is a meeting of the order of the phoenix!" Mad Eye snapped.

Dumbledore smiled benignly and sat at the head of the table before leaning forwards.

"I heard about what happened at the Quidditch World Cup, and having heard Neville's testimony of the events I have no doubt that it was death eater work. Something irks me somewhat…" he began, scratching the tip of his nose delicately. "The death eaters present that night were intended to frighten and scare-hardly the entrance Voldemort wanted-don't you think?"

There was a murmur of agreement around the table.

"In fact, it somewhat goes against what Pettigrew said, am I correct Severus?"

Snape nodded.

"It seems to me that Voldemort is using the fact Fudge is still bleating on about his recent reappearance to mock the idea that he is back and is in fact using this negative publicity as a parody."

"You mean the Wronski feint?" Potter asked, his eyes peering over his glasses.

"Precisely. He is in fact ensuring that nobody takes anything that Fudge says seriously by openly displaying death eaters at the world cup where thousands of Wizards would be…"

Snape tried to process this.

"…he is being deliberately 'active' to make people think it is all publicity and that he isn't really back-thus a scare tactic?" he asked.

"Yes. And the people have reacted as hoped." Dumbledore confirmed.

Dumbledore reached into his coat and pulled out a copy of today's Daily Prophet.

It read:

"Fear mongering Fudge behind mock Death Eater Attack:

Minister says: A shameful show"

"And people have fallen for this?" Tonks asked incredulously. "Even my dad knows something is amiss and he never reads the papers."

"A person is smart, people are stupid." Snape remarked coldly.

"Indeed." Dumbledore agreed. "Though you can't blame their desire to pretend that the greatest threat to the wizarding world is still absent."

"What is the plan, Professor?" Shacklebolt asked. "I assume you have a plan."

Dumbledore leaned forwards, his fingers meeting at their tips.

"The dark mark was cast to draw others to their cause. Cast amidst, but away from the chaos of the death eaters. It was a definitive sign that the dark lord had returned, but not to the public. Lord Voldemort is fashioning himself an army and is welcoming back old faces, recruiting new ones. By force if necessary."

Snape swallowed nervously.

"Well, they won't want me anymore. Remember? I messed up their party."

Lily put her hand on his arm.

"Indeed Severus. But he will be looking for new recruits. As you are all members of the order-it is most likely that you will be tracked and monitored."

"But Professor." began Percy, his eyebrows meeting above his horn-rimmed glasses. "They can't know, the order is secret."

"Yes, but any one of you who has links to me will be suspect. The Minister, who I suspect to have ties to Voldemort himself…"

"Surely not!" Percy gasped.

Dumbledore nodded slowly.

"I have reasons to suspect him."

"That's good enough for me." Mad Eye growled softly.

"But Mad-Eye…we work for the Ministry, and the order. Won't we be in trouble?"

Dumbledore looked to Tonks.

"You will all need to employ Occulmency." he said softly.

Snape looked to Lily.

He knew she had the skill, she had demonstrated it last year.

"Professor-I haven't-"

"I am aware of it Percy. Your father, I believe, if memory serves, studied the skill."

Arthur nodded before clasping his hand to his son's shoulder.

"I'll take care of it."

Snape looked to Dumbledore quizzically.

"…Percy joined the Ministry last year. I suggest you take 'sick leave' until you are familiar with Occulmency." Dumbledore responded.

Percy nodded.

"All that we can hope to do is to learn what Pius Thicknesse is hoping to do. At the school, we shall continue to protect the students, and educate them. With Professor Lupin as Defence against the dark arts tutor, the students will not go without magical protection and education. At the ministry, I would suggest you listen as much as you can, and tell as little as you can."

Tonks sat back in her chair. Her hair turned from purple to black. Shacklebolt looked to Black who was scratching his beard.

"…and for those of us who are neither students nor ministry officials?" Black asked.

Dumbledore surveyed him briefly.

"…I would suggest caution. You and Mr. Potter were both at Voldemort's rebirth; I would say that makes you enemies of the death eaters."

Potter laughed theatrically.

"Death eaters? They're sissies in hoods. I can take them."

Snape rolled his eyes.

"Is this before or after you've finished prancing around on your broomstick?" he asked.

Lily strengthened her grip on his arm, in warning.

Potter's eyes narrowed.

"Sorry, I didn't realize you'd be throwing yourself into battle while you were sitting behind your cauldron."

Snape leaned on the table, turning to face Potter.

"And I had no idea that puddle mere United were going to have a chaser casting curses mid match because the thought he saw a 'sissy in a hood'."

"Stop it." Lily said sharply. "This isn't the time."

"Indeed." Shacklebolt nodded.

"You are all familiar with speaking Patronuses, those who are not; please learn from someone who is not." Dumbledore began. "And let me know what you hear…please."

There were a few nods of agreement, silent acceptance.

Snape understood the silence.

It was the silence of acceptance, that Dumbledore, the only Wizard any of them truly trusted had confirmed Voldemort was back.

Though four of them had seen it with their own eyes, it took Dumbledore to announce it to make it real.

The dark lord, scourge of the wizarding world was back.