October 1978
The news came early in the morning, four-thirty based off the bedside clock's reading. Ellie and Sirius were woken by the sound of pounding on their front door. Hastily, they dressed, sharing worried looks with one another while doing so. The pounding continued as they approached the door. Sirius placed a hand on the knob and yanked it open, revealing a weary and downcast Remus. He looked as though he'd thrown on the nearest articles of clothing and ran out the door. Ellie motioned for him to come inside. Quietly, she took his coat before leading him to the couch. Remus sat down, Ellie in the armchair opposite him and Sirius pacing in front of the unlit fireplace.
Sirius was the first to speak, "Who is it?" he asked.
"James's parents", Ellie gasped and covered her mouth with her hands, "They were out visiting friends last night and didn't leave until well after dark. A couple of Death Eaters cornered them in an alley a few blocks from their house. They didn't stand a chance." Remus quit speaking, a dreadful silence hung around them.
"They're dead then?" Sirius asked.
Remus nodded, "Dorthea was dead instantly. Charles died at St. Mungos. James and Lily went up to the hospital, but asked that we meet up at their place around lunch."
"How do you know all of this?" Ellie inquired.
Remus shot her a sheepish glance, "I—ah, I was there when the Aurors arrived with the news."
"At four in the morning?" Sirius asked, eyebrow raised.
"I've been staying there the past few nights. I was kicked out of my flat and it's been bloody terrible trying to find another one."
"Threw a huge party?"
"Got bit by a werewolf."
Sirius winced, "Right. Sorry, Moony. Seems my brain isn't working too well this morning."
Remus shrugged, unconcerned. Silence once again engulfed the trio. After several long, uncomfortable minutes Ellie stood, heading into the kitchen for tea. Adding a splash of milk to Sirius and Remus's, sugar and honey to hers, she rejoined them in the sitting room. After giving each man their mug she settled back into the armchair. Over the next few hours they nursed their tea and carried on small conversation until sunlight began streaming in through the windows. Ellie and Sirius went back upstairs to get properly dressed and minutes later they were off to James and Lily's.
Remus, Sirius, and Ellie were let in by Lily at precisely eleven-thirty. Eyes red-rimmed, she looked just has she had a few months ago after her own parent's deaths. Without words, Ellie enveloped her friend in a tight hug as the men bypassed them and went in search of James. After holding Lily a moment longer, Ellie released her and pulled away. Lily wiped hastily at the tears falling from her eyes. Gathering herself, she attempted to give Ellie an encouraging smile.
Ellie grimaced, "Please don't," she said, "You aren't fooling me."
Lily let out a humorless chuckle, "Its James I'm trying to fool. I doubt its working though."
They crossed the threshold into the flat, Lily shutting the door behind them. She led them into the kitchen where Ellie took a seat at the table. Lily leaned up against the counter to her left.
"How is he?" Ellie asked.
Lily shook her head, "He's taking it very badly. Understandably, of course. He had such a wonderful relationship with them both. The Aurors came around three-fifty. Scared the bloody hell out of all of us." Tears filled her eyes, "Everything that's happened with Voldemort, the Death Eaters, has felt so far away, you know? For years it's all just been whispers, your neighbor's friend's sister went missing, or something. But now…in less than a year we've each lost our parents," Lily shook her head, "Instead of thinking 'this will never happen to me' I'm thinking 'when will it happen again'. And James, I don't even know how to help him, Els. Initially it was grief which I was okay with. He cried at the St. Mungos when he saw the bodies, I did too. But when we got back home he stared throwing things, broke three damn lamps. I have no clue how to deal with all of that anger."
Ellie sat silently, listening to her friend speak. Her heart went out to her, Lily and James both had known more loss in this past year than most people saw in a lifetime. James's outburst, though, was nothing new to her. Sirius had been acting similarly for a while now. He'd read something in the Daily Prophet or hear something over the radio and get in such a state Ellie would have to leave the flat for an hour or so. He never acted violently towards her, he just made it miserable to be in the same space as him for a while, "I think it's just their reaction to not having control. They feel useless. It's like you said, Lils, we were all so cut off from this war and now it's shown up on our doorsteps. None of us are prepared. Hell, I feel just as pissed as Sirius half the time."
"Oh, believe me I'm angry too. I just wish I knew how to help James," Lily said, "I—," A knock on the front door cut her off.
James's voice called from the sitting room, "If that's more Aurors tell them to SOD OFF!"
Lily rolled her eyes and left to answer the door while Ellie escaped to the sitting room to join the others. James was sitting on the couch with Sirius and Remus on either side of him. He sat with his elbows on his knees, face in his palms. The others were sharing worried looks with one another over his shoulders.
"James?" Ellie said hesitantly.
He tilted his head up to her and Ellie's heart stopped. Brow furrowed, deep lines marred his face making him looks decades older than his eighteen years. The area around his eyes was red and puffy, his eyes themselves bloodshot and dull. James looked in her direction, but she doubted her even really registered she or the others were there.
"Oh, James," she whispered.
A throat cleared from the doorway. Ellie turned and was startled to find Albus Dumbledore standing in front of her. Two other wizards were with him, both gentlemen several years older than themselves one stout with thinning blonde hair and the other as lean as a reed with a mop of salt and pepper curls. Lily also entered with them but stood a ways back from the group. Remus and Sirius rose quickly from the couch to greet their old Headmaster. Once they finished Ellie offered her own greeting as James continued to sit listlessly on the couch. Lily abandoned her position near the wall, offering Dumbledore and his companions a seat.
"Have a seat here, Headmaster," she gestured to an empty armchair, "And, um, well...," the only other place for his companions to sit was beside James.
"Allow me to introduce Edgar Bones and Caradoc Dearborn. No need to trouble yourself, Miss Evans. We'll only be a moment."
Dumbledore sat down in the proffered chair and reclined, steepling his fingers, he addressed James, "I am deeply sorry to hear of your parents passing, Mr. Potter. Charles and Dorthea were two of the greatest wizards of our time; their loss will be felt for many years."
James continued to stare at the carpet.
Undaunted, the Headmaster continued, "That being said, I've come to ask a great favor of you—of all of you."
With these words James finally looked up from the floor. Ellie, Sirius, Remus, and Lily also gave Dumbledore their undivided attention.
"Several years ago I saw Voldemort for what he was: a tyrannical genius capable of great manipulation. He had been this way since adolescence, but over the years he became more sinister. News of a 'Dark Lord' spread, muggles disappeared, were murdered. Then Muggleborns were killed, muggle sympathizers taken, and yet the Ministry did nothing. Voldemort went unchecked. I suspect the Ministry was infiltrated some years ago. So I decided to form an Order. An Order for those who would do what to Ministry wouldn't: fight Voldemort. Protect muggles and wizards alike. I've come today to ask you to join this Order."
Ellie, who stood by the window next to Remus, stole a glance at Sirius. His expression was that of a child's on Christmas morning, "We'll be able to fight?" he asked.
Face devoid of its usual mirth, Dumbledore responded, "You will be in combat, yes. You will also be assigned to missions on occasion. You're main goal is to get others to join our cause. As it stands, we are vastly outnumbered."
"When do we start?" James's asked, his voice haggard.
Edgar Bones answered, "This is something we want you to think about. The Order of the Phoenix is not some dueling club for teenagers. Death is a real possibility. You should discuss it with your loved ones, be sure this is something you can commit to."
The seriousness in the wizard's tone seemed to dampen James and Sirius's enthusiasm. Remus turned his attention to the window and Lily kept looking apprehensively at James.
Dumbledore stood from his chair. Reaching into his robes, he pulled out a piece of folded parchment and handed it to James, "If you decide to join us, be at this address on this date. We will have more information for you then."
With that said he nodded to the others and left the room, his companions trailing behind.
The sound of the front door closing seemed reverberate in the room. Remus continued to stare out the window as Lily dropped down on the couch next to James, who was staring at the parchment as if it was a gift sent from the heavens. Sirius claimed Dumbledore's abandoned chair and gestured for Ellie to come sit with him. She sat down on his lap, tucking her head under his chin as he pulled her closer. The Headmaster's offer weighed heavily on them all. Bones was right though. As badly as they all wanted to jump in wands raised and ready to fight, this was a serious proposition to consider. James and Sirius still had months to go before they were fully trained as Aurors. Becoming members of the Order would require them to draw on skills they were still developing. Lily and Ellie had even less business fighting a war. Neither they nor Remus were even Aurors, they would be relying entirely on the theoretical knowledge they'd been taught at Hogwarts. And yet, despite that, each knew already what their answer would be, because at the root of it all, they were angry, and Dumbledore had just offered them revenge on a silver platter.