Albus Dumbledore gazed around pensively as the last members of the Order of the Phoenix filed into the crowded kitchen of #12 Grimmauld Place. He knew that they would be woefully outmatched if Tom was able to regain his old army but they were loyal to him, and that's what mattered. Most of them at least. Sirius' behavior was concerning him lately. First whisking Harry away from the safety of his relative's home with nary a word, now this business with a new house elf. As if they did not have enough security risks as it was. He had been pleasantly surprised when the boy joined up with James Potter during the first war but he never trusted him fully. Any boy who could use one of his supposed best friends as an instrument to kill needed watching.

Now James Potter was gone and Sirius Black was an unknown to him. Twelve years in Azkaban had changed him, Albus could see that the largely lighthearted boy who floated through life as if the world was his to claim was gone. In his place was a reserved and calculating man. One who looked at him with malice. Albus sighed slightly, he could remove Sirius Black from the equation with one stroke if he chose and the man knew it. He only hoped it would be enough to keep him in line. As Severus Snape walked into the room and took the seat at Albus' right he released a flare to call the meeting to attention.

"Now that we are all gathered I would like to call this meeting to attention. Alastor could you seal the door please." The grizzled veteran auror tapped the door twice with his wand, it glowed blue for a moment then regained its normal appearance. "It's impenetrable Dumbledore." He bit out. "Very well, on the first order of business I would like to make everyone else aware that Master Black has brought it upon himself to bring a new house-elf into the employ of this residence. While Eliza's presence will no doubt make the stay for those who are using Grimmauld Place as a boarding house more comfortable I would like to remind all members once again to refrain from casual conversations concerning the Order even within headquarters."

"Really, I don't see why the elf was necessary. She is certainly more delightful than her counterpart to be sure but I think we were getting along just fine without an elf" Molly Weasley sniffled.

Sirius scowled. "Unlike that insult to all living beings that you insist I leave alive Dumbledore, Eliza is not so blinded by favoritism that she would dare betray her head of house. If Bellatrix Lestrange herself walked into this room, she wouldn't get so much as a crumpet from that elf without my say so."

Dumbledore smiled. "If I may remind you Sirius, you hold the singular record for being able to break out of Azkaban. Your talented cousin is still held securely within her walls. Moreso now than ever."

"For now." Sirius replied. "Voldemort remembers those who are loyal to him. You heard Harry, he's going to go get them as soon as possible for him."

"Regardless of what the boy may have heard in that Graveyard, I do not believe the Dark Lord has any immediate plans to remove his more ardent followers from Azkaban." Snape broke in silkily.

"Of course you've always been more than willing to share all of the pertinent details of the Dark Lord's plan with us Snivellus. Rather bold of you, I admit."

"It's no surprise to me that you would find useful occupation a foreign concept Black"

"Sirius, have you any news from Remus?" Dumbledore asked to interrupt their tete a tete. Honestly, he was tired of the sniping between Severus and Sirius.

"No, the only news I've had is that he found a more recent lead on that female were who defected from Greyback's pack."

"But that was over a month ago. Are you sure he's alright?" Nymphadora Tonks broke in.

Sirius shrugged as if Remus' welfare was of no particular concern to him.

"Remus is a capable wizard. However our plans to defect the werewolves to our side may have hit an unexpected snag. I expect to lose the position of Chief Warlock any day now and Cornelius' senior undersecretary is positioning Pius Thicknesse as my potential replacement. Apparently they want to use a piece of legislation mandating the registration of all so called 'Dark Creatures' to draw support to him."

"Is this Thicknesse fellow a Death Eater?" Nymphadora asked.

"I do not believe so. They fled to Italia before the Ministry put in a blanket ban to prevent citizens from entering and leaving Britain during the last year of the war. At any rate I do have a potential solution to this little problem though those of us who are also professors at Hogwarts may find it particularly unpleasant. As you well know we are in need once again of a Defense Against the Dark Arts professor. I've decided that the senior undersecretary should be persuaded to take the position."

"Dumbledore you cannot be serious! Mcgonnagall interjected. "It's bad enough that we have not had a student complete a mastery in the subject since the war. We will lose accreditation from the ICW if another class completely fails their OWLs and NEWTs."

"It cannot be helped Minerva. At least at Hogwarts she can be contained. Do your best not to provoke her, depending on the results of this Ministry inquest Hogwarts may need you more than ever."

"Speaking of which, Sirius could you continue your endeavors to discover where Harry was able to gain knowledge of such malevolent spellcraft? I dare not consider the possibilities if he did not seek it out himself"

"Certainly Albus." Sirius said, staring down at his goblet. "But I hesitate to overreact to such mild experimentation. The hearing was enough to scare him silly, I'm not going to belabor the point."

"Sirius surely you have suffered enough losses at the hands of the dark arts to be well versed in their dangers. Harry is young, he can still be tempted. He must be guided."

"The losses I have suffered were the result of bad faith and my brother's foolish choices. Not any branch of magic. I have enough faith in Harry to trust that "temptation" will not lead to him becoming the next Lord Voldemort, if that's what you were after." Sirius said coldly.

"I trust Harry implicitly my boy, but you must understand I counsel caution in these matters for…

"The Greater Good?" Sirius interrupted him. With that Black stood up and left the meeting.

"Honestly how rude." Molly Weasley said to his back.

"If you're looking for the boy's instructor in the Dark Arts Albus, I believe he just left." Alastor Moody quipped.

Dumbledore looked forlornly up the stairs where Sirius had disappeared. "I fear you may be right Alastor", he said sadly.

"I call this meeting of the Order of the Phoenix to a close." He intoned and left to return to Hogwarts. Madame Maxmine had yet to reply to letter of inquiry regarding her testimony in the inquest. Thankfully, Tom had decided that Karkaroff was treacherous and removed him entirely so that was one less voice against him.

Amos Diggory wanted a head on a pike for the death of his son. Albus was starting to fear that it would indeed be his.