Chapter Six:
Sarah tumbled out of the fire place of the house at 12 Grimmauld Place, a location that Dumbledore had only then disclosed to her and Alanna. She turned as the red head tumbled from the fire place behind her, holding her stomach as she moaned. "Why does everything feel like travelling on a boat…" Sarah grinned.
Dumbledore stepped regally out of the fireplace, adjusting his robes even as Sarah glared. "How is it that you can just step out of the fireplace, but we end up flying out of it like ragdolls?"
His smile reached his eyes as he replied succinctly, "Practice."
Before the two women could respond with various sarcastic remarks a hideous screaming filled the air. Alanna and Sarah both dropped into defensive stances but relaxed as Dumbledore simply sighed. "It appears we have woken Mrs Black."
Sarah and Alanna shared confused looks. The younger woman asked, "Who's Mrs Black?"
Before Dumbledore could reply a harrowed looking middle aged man rushed past them and threw a blanket over the portrait, effectively muting the screaming. Turning to Dumbledore he said, "The blanket has a silencing charm on it, but it has to be taken off every few hours so it can be renewed."
The old man nodded and gestured to his two accomplices. "Remus, I'd like to introduce you to Sir Alanna of Trebond, Olau and Pirate's Swoop, and Sir Sarah of Greenstone."
Sarah choked on her breath at being introduced by her formal title; she gave Dumbledore a reproachful glare before stalking over to the other man with her hand outstretched. "Sarah Gibson, pleased to meet you, Remus…?"
"Lupin. Remus Lupin." He gave her hand a firm pump before shaking Alanna's hand. "Do you have a last name too, or are you just Sir Alanna?"
Alanna rolled her eyes. "Alanna is fine." He nodded as he led them towards the kitchens.
"Come, Molly is just finishing dinner now. Have you eaten?"
Dumbledore's eyes twinkled. "Yes, but I always save room for Molly's cooking. Sarah and Alanna lack a decent meal as well."
Sarah rolled her eyes. She decided she needed to stop being surprised by Dumbledore's observant tendencies. Alanna elbowed her lightly; she entered a room so full of delicious aromas that her mouth watered.
Remus made the introductions. "Molly, this is Sir Sarah Gibson of Greenstone and Sir Alanna of Trebond, Olau and Pirate's Swoop."
Sarah shook her hand with a grin on her face. "Drop the Lady and the 'of Greenstone' and that'll be just about right. How do you do?"
Molly returned the hand shake with a curious expression. "You wouldn't happen to be the 'awesome Professor Trebond and incredible Sarah Gibson' that I've heard so much about, would you?"
Sarah blinked, then noticed the other woman's fiery red hair. "You wouldn't happen to be Ron and Ginny Weasley's mother, would you?" At her nod she continued, suspicious. "Now which one of your children was writing that codswallop about us?"
She was interrupted by a call from the door that led outside, to the entrance way. "Mu-um, we're hungry." A voice called out.
Another, near identical voice added, "Yeah, when's dinner? You said seven-"
"O'clock, and it's seven oh five." The first voice interrupted the second. When the culprits entered the room Sarah couldn't help but grin. They must be Ron's older brothers… Fred and George are legends around Hogwarts…
They stopped in their tracks, looking her up and down. One of them, the one with an 'F' on his sweater, whistled lowly. "You could have told us we had such lovely company-"
The one with a 'G' on his sweater interrupted. "We would have dressed up. Here-" He pulled a flower from seemingly no where and offered it to Sarah, who was blushing at that point.
Fred, Sarah assumed, picked up where his brother left off. "A beautiful flower for a beautiful lady." Sarah reached out to take the offered red blossom when Remus laughed, amused.
"I wouldn't. Do you want 'kiss me' tattooed on your forehead for the rest of the evening? They're in the business of practical jokes; I wouldn't take anything from them, especially candy." Sarah nodded, aware and amused.
"You live up to your reputation, Fred, George." She addressed them with a nod.
Fred gaped. "How did you-"
"Know which one-"
"Of us-"
"Was which?" George finished the question.
Sarah smirked. "Your sweaters gave me a hint…"
Molly waved a wooden spoon at the twins, a reproachful look on her face. "Now you two, don't go trying to pull jokes on guests of Dumbledore. This is Sarah Gibson, the one you're brother has written so much about, and her teacher Professor Trebond."
Their eyebrows shot up simultaneously. "So you're Sarah-"
"The one who-"
"Humiliates Malfoy every-"
"Other day, and teaches-"
"Ronnikins to fight without-"
"A wand?" This time it was Fred to finish speaking.
Sarah narrowed her eyes. "No, I'm Sarah, the one who helps Professor Trebond to teach Ron- what did you call him? Ronnikins? Oh I bet he loves that… would you mind if I used that every now and then?"
Fred smirked. "Not at all-"
George took her hand. "My fair lady. It would be-"
"An honour if you would-"
"Annoy Ronnikins-"
"In our place."
Sarah smirked, but was interrupted by dishes whirling around the table, setting themselves for dinner. Molly gestured them to a seat, which Sarah and Alanna gladly took. With her guilt assuaded somewhat by Alanna, Sarah's appetite had returned with a vengeance, and she was certain everyone could hear her stomach growling. Molly Weasley rang a bell and was met with a chorus of 'coming!' that sounded like they were coming from an upper level.
Three more people wandered into the kitchen, only to stop short as they noticed their three guests. "Professor Dumbledore! How are you?" A man who could only be Arthur Weasley greeted them with a smile.
A woman with pink hair and a snub of a nose met Sarah and Alanna's presence with open suspicion, but that was nothing compared to the look the short man with an electric blue eye gave them. "Who are you?" He barked.
Sarah chocked on the glass of water she was taking a sip from. "Hello to you too." She muttered to Alanna as Dumbledore made the introductions.
"Alaster, Nymphadora, this is Sir Sarah Gibson of Greenstone and Sir Alanna of Trebond, Olau and Pirate's Swoop. Alanna, Sarah, this is Alaster Moody and Nymphadora Tonks."
Sarah stretched out her hand to the woman with pink hair; she greeted them now with an easy smile. "Wotcher, Sir Sarah of Greenstone. Call me Tonks; what kind of a mother calls her kid Nymphadora anyway?"
Sarah returned her smile. "Only if you call me Sarah, Nymphadora." The other woman scowled, but nodded. When Sarah turned to greet Moody he glared. "Hi. How are you?" She tried.
He didn't take her offered hand, instead turning to Dumbledore, saying, "Why are they here?"
Sarah exchanged a glance with Alanna. He's not the best on social skills, is he?
Dumbledore cleared his throat gingerly. "They are here to help deal with a certain problem we have. They are here to help Harry defeat Voldemort."
Everyone, baring Sarah, Alanna and Dumbledore, flinched at the name. Moody seemed unbelieving. "Them? She is barely more than a child herself, and the other one doesn't look like she could use a wand if her life depended on it!"
Sarah coughed lightly into her hand, resting the other one on Alanna's shoulder, to stop her from rising and challenging the man then and there. Sarah shook her head, Not now. The red head growled but stayed put. Instead, Sarah turned coolly to Moody. "Don't trust appearances; they are often misleading. You heard us addressed as 'Sir'. That's because we are both Knights of our realm, and mages to boot. We don't need wands to defend ourselves."
Dumbledore nodded and added, "In fact, Sarah has recently survived the killing curse…" The table fell silent and Sarah glared daggers at Dumbledore.
"You just had to bring that up, didn't you? I just get over all of the stares from the other students, and you just had to mention it to people who didn't already know…"
He smiled and said, "My dear, everyone has heard the rumours that another person has recently survived the killing curse; this just enabled them to put a face to the rumour."
Sarah sighed and sat back down, facing her plate but not the stares she received. She noticed two places still empty. "Who are we waiting for?" She enquired curiously.
Molly answered her. "Professor McGonagall and Professor Snape."
Sarah gaped openmouthed at Dumbledore. "They're in this little band of merry men you've gathered?"
Alanna smirked; Moody scowled. Dumbledore nodded in response. "Yes, Minerva is one of my oldest friends and Severus is a valuable asset."
Sarah nodded, even as they heard a clatter from outside, in the entrance. A moment later Minerva McGonagall and Severus Snape walked into the kitchen. The prim older woman apologised, "Sorry we're late, there was a fight between Gryffindor and Slytherin students in the entrance hall."
Sarah's ears perked up. "Really, who? And what kind of fight, wands, fists…" She trailed off as Snape glared at her. Must've been good. She thought with grim satisfaction.
McGonagall looked amused. "I might as well tell you, you'll find out the minute you get back anyway. Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger were attacked by Malfoy and his friends-"
"So they say." Severus interrupted firmly.
McGonagall ignored him and continued. "With wands. The Gryffindor students defended themselves with only their fists. It seems that your lessons are working well, Sarah."
"I knew they had it in them!" Sarah crowed, even as Molly glowered.
Fred and George joined in Sarah's grin as they exclaimed, in unison, "Ronnikins won a fight!"
Alanna looked amused, but throughout the rejoicing Molly Weasley was becoming more and more agitated. Eventually she snapped, "Fred, George, be quiet. Professor, how many points were taken? And were any detentions given? And were the other boys injured?" Her voice held the dangerous quality of a mother who knew harsh discipline.
Snape answered, satisfaction evident in his voice. "Each of them received twenty points off for brawling like muggles in the corridors." Sarah narrowed her eyes at his choice of words, but kept quiet. "They also received two detentions each, to be served cleaning cauldrons in the dungeons this Hogsmeade weekend. No one was injured worse than a blackened eye."
"So they get detention to stop themselves being hexed? What did the Slytherins get, a pat on the back for being good little Death Eaters?" Sarah snapped.
Snape's eyes narrowed. "They received the same punishment, and I won't accept rudeness from a student!"
"We aren't at school, Professor." Sarcasm dripped from her words.
"I will not accept your insolence!" He snapped.
She jabbed a finger into his chest. "Deal with it! You do nothing but ride me and the other Gryffindors; we do nothing wrong! You treat your little Slytherins like the sun shines from their-"
Dumbledore cleared his throat, when Sarah looked at him his eyes were sharp. "What?" She asked. "This is the only opportunity I get to tell the prat how I feel without him giving me detentions. The punishment given to Harry, Ron and Hermione was completely unreasonable; they were only defending themselves so they weren't hexed!"
She turned to Molly Weasley and said, in defence of her son, "To be perfectly honest, Mrs Weasley, Ron could have, and probably should have broken Malfoy's arm with what I've taught him. The fact that they only blackened an eye or split a lip shows incredible restraint. Don't punish him for something that is not his fault."
Dumbledore looked on, interested. Sarah turned to him. "Perhaps it is not the student that should be punished for their teacher's shortcomings- maybe it should be me to serve their detentions?"
He smiled, amused, but shook his head. "No, the punishment is fair as far as Mr Potter, Mr Weasley and Miss Granger are concerned. But-" He added, looking to Snape, "It is not fair to make them sit the punishment on a Hogsmeade weekend when they can sit it tomorrow evening instead. Two consecutive hours of punishment must surely be worse than a split sentence?"
He looked about ready to refuse, but nodded his head sullenly. "Yes headmaster."
Dumbledore continued. "And as for Mr's Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle, I believe that an additional twenty points, each, should be taken for instituting the fight, don't you agree?"
Severus started angrily, "Headmaster, that is completely-"
He was cut off by a shake of the head from Dumbledore. "Now, shall we eat?"
Sarah dug in hungrily, aware that both Snape and Moody watched her throughout the dinner, the former with contempt, the latter with suspicion. When she was finished the roast chicken, mashed potatoes and steamed vegetables, she turned to Mrs Weasley and said, "That was thoroughly enjoyable. Your children never told me what a great cook you were, but Harry led on that your cooking was not something to be missed."
She beamed in response to Sarah's compliment. When Sarah glanced around the table, she did a double take as her gaze passed Tonks. "Hang on… wasn't your hair pink earlier?"
The woman nodded her now purple head. "Yeah, I'm a metamorphagus. I can change almost everything about myself."
Sarah nodded, although she was still confused. She resolved to research the term when she got back to Hogwarts. When everyone else had finished their dinner, Dumbledore cleared his throat and gestured with an arm. "Sarah, Alanna, welcome to the Order of the Phoenix."
Sarah shared a glance with Alanna. "Ahuh… do you have club badges too? Or blazers?" Everyone, Alanna included, seemed confused by her quip. She groaned and buried her face in her hands. "Argh, I'm surrounded by people who don't understand my sense of humour! It's like being in Tortall all over again!"
Moody snapped. "This isn't a moment to be making jokes. You've been trusted with valuable information, if it were to fall into Voldemort's hands it could prove the death of all of us!"
Sarah nodded. "Well it can't fall into Voldy's hands now can it?" Alanna snorted on her pumpkin juice at Sarah's name for him, even as some of the others winced.
Moody turned to Dumbledore again. "Albus, you still haven't explained why they are here. A couple of Knights won't stand a chance against Voldemort-"
Dumbledore interrupted with a raised hand. "A couple of Knights, no. A couple of mages, probably not either. But Sarah is the chosen Messenger for the Gods." Sarah winced as once again all eyes turned to her.
Remus looked confused. "But the Gods are a myth told to children-"
"Ah!" Sarah interrupted. "Don't say that. Mithros will probably strike you down where you sit; he's incredibly vain. You'll hurt his feelings." The staring intensified. Sarah rolled her eyes, even as Alanna snickered beside her. "Stop staring, really. I am so sick of it."
One by one their gazes all turned back to Dumbledore. McGonagall looked mildly amused at the situation; Snape just looked bored. Dumbledore continued. "Sarah has been sent by Mithros to help Harry defeat Voldemort. She has already survived the killing curse once."
Moody still seemed sceptical, and Sarah threw up her hands in annoyance. "Hey, look. If I were going to kill anyone, I really would have by now. I'm not entirely patient; if my quarry is in sight then I'll hunt it down then and there."
He fixed her with his electric blue eye. "And what is your quarry?"
She met his gaze evenly, although his eye somewhat perturbed her. "Voldemort."
He narrowed his eyes. "I would like a demonstration of your apparent skills." Without further word he pulled out his wand and pointed it straight at Sarah.
She was halfway to standing when Dumbledore's voice cut through the tension like a knife. "That is quite enough, Alaster."
Sarah settled back down into her seat. "If you want a demonstration, I'm more than happy to oblige." She murmured in a low voice.
He glared. "How do you intend to demonstrate your abilities?"
Alanna coughed lightly into her hand, trying to get Sarah's attention. Sarah ignored her, too busy with her staring contest with the one eyed auror. Once again it was Dumbledore who broke the silence. "Perhaps, the Room of Requirement? This weekend. You have been using it to train, have you not, Sarah?"
She glanced at him. "This weekend?" She sighed, disappointed. "Fine… I had wanted to go on the first Hogsmeade weekend, but if I have to spend it showing Mr I-need-to-loosen-up that I have the skills required for this mission, I guess I'll have to."
This was too much for Moody. "If you are who you say you are then you are here to protect Harry, not visit Hogsmeade!"
"And where do you think Harry will be this weekend?" She shot back. He glared, but offered no further comment.
When the matter was settled Molly set about cleaning up the dishes, leaving Fred and George to drag Sarah away. "We want to-"
"Get to know-"
"Ronnikins friend-"
"A little better." Fred completed the disjointed sentence while dragging her out of the kitchen. Sarah sent pleading glances at Alann, but the red head ignored them with a smirk. Sarah found herself being dragged upstairs by two of the greatest legends at Hogwarts.
PAGE BREAK!!!
Sarah walked through the door, laughing. "Poor Ron, you two need to leave him alone…" She grinned at Fred and George, who were bowing unashamedly.
Mrs Weasley glared. "Are you two telling her of the time you tricked Ron into eating that purple colouring agent, and it turned his face, hair and hands purple?"
Alanna choked on her glass of butterbeer, an amused look on her face. Sarah stared in open eyed mirth. "No, but that's a good one too. I'll have to bring that one up when we get back to Hogwarts too."
The older woman groaned in frustration, but had no chance to speak further as a clatter sounded from the hallway. Before anyone could investigate, a rumpled and dishevelled man stumbled into the kitchen. "Death Eaters! In Diagon Alley… a lot of them!"
Dumbledore walked through the door, his eyes sharp. "Kingsley, calm down. What happened?"
Sarah had stopped listening; she was already looking for the pot of floo powder she knew had to be there somewhere. She turned around in frustration and shrugged to Alanna; no luck. In the mean time 'Kingsley' was telling Dumbledore of an ambush of at least fifteen Death Eaters; they had already killed two innocent witches and were making their way slowly to the entrance of muggle London.
The other members of the Order had all rushed into the room by this stage, and Kingsley was gulping down his glass of water like a man dying of thirst. Sarah stepped forward. "What are we waiting for? Where's the floo powder?"
Dumbledore fixed her with an even stare. "My dear, you are still recovering from your last tangle with the killing curse. It will be too dangerous for you."
Sarah glared at the old man. "I'm fine. I can help, and I need to prove myself to Moody over there anyway."
"But now is not the time to prove yourself. Do not tell me you don't get dizzy during the day." Sarah's eyes narrowed at his assessment.
"You need all the hands you can get. They already outnumber us twelve to fifteen; you can't afford to make that eleven to fifteen." Sarah's look dared him to challenge that.
He coughed lightly into his hand. "The odds are considerably worse than that. Molly, I am assuming you will not let Fred and George participate?"
Above the two boys groaning she answered, "That's right. These two are staying home, with me."
Sarah stared at Dumbledore. "So you think that seven versus fifteen are good odds?"
He sighed, and Sarah grinned triumphantly. He showed them the floo pot, which was cleverly disguised in a jar labelled 'coffee', I should have guessed; these guys don't drink coffee… And led everyone to the fire. He was the first through, followed by Sarah, Alanna and the rest of the Order.
Sarah rolled out of the fireplace and waited for Alanna to do the same. The went to join Dumbledore as he stood off to one side, waiting.
When they were all assembled and about to advance, Sarah heard a hiss at her ear. She turned to find Moody staring at her, he hissed again. "Wands at the ready!"
She shook her head with a little smirk, glancing at Alanna. The red head was grinning too. Before Moody could press the issue they heard a scream, and the sick laughter of Death Eaters. The ragtag band of combatants leapt out from around the corner; Sarah launched into a flying side kick that sent a Death Eater reeling. Sarah was sure she heard a crack when the blow landed on his chest.
Before her first victim could recover she had his wand in her hand, snapped, and was kicking the legs out from beneath him. He lay stunned on the flagstones, even as Sarah swung into a hammer fisted blow that sent another Death Eater into unconsciousness as it connected with his chin.
She rolled forward to dodge a curse, and heard a cry of 'Crucio!' She felt agonizing pain rip into her body and staggered, but recovered quickly enough to fix the Death Eater who had fired the curse with a dangerous leer. He tried to hit her again with the cruciatus curse; Sarah was too quick. She dodged and rolled forward in a somersault, coming up right in front of the cloaked figure. She drew her fist back, as though she was going to hit him in the face, and he brought his hand up to block the blow. Instead she launched a punch to his gut, and he doubled over in pain. As he sunk to the ground she snatched his wand off of him and snapped it in one fluid motion.
At one stage during the fight she found herself back to back with Moody, and she asked, "Is this proof enough for you?"
"For now." Was the grunted reply, and Sarah dodged away from another blast, and clapped her hands over the ears of a Death Eater that was trying to sneak up on Alanna. He sunk to the ground with a groan; the concussion already taking effect.
Sarah grinned at Alanna, who returned the expression, and they swapped places, each attacking a Death Eater that was about to attack the other. Sarah broke her target's leg with a well placed kick, and snapped his wand on the way down as he howled in pain.
Ministry Aurors chose that moment to appear, and Dumbledore, McGonagall and Snape pulled Sarah and Alanna out of the fraying, yelling that they need to disappear before the Ministry saw them. They were led back to the fireplace, where they each grabbed a handful of floo powder and enunciated clearly as they stepped into the flames, "Hogwarts; headmaster's office."
When Sarah tumbled out of the fireplace, she grinned at Alanna. "That was fun." She wiped a smudge of soot across her brow with her finger, trying to fix her appearance. Dumbledore, who had again stepped gracefully from the fireplace, fixed her with a 'scourgify' and sent her back to her dorms.
As she left the office he said, "It seems you'll be going to Hogsmeade this weekend after all." Sarah grinned.
