Disclaimer: J. K. Rowling owns all of the many useful characters in this story and particularly this chapter.
A/N: No guarantees about any more chapters until winter break, but I'll try. I hope you like this one!
"Boys! Lily!" Mrs. Potter's voice boomed through the house, clearly the result of a Sonorus charm. "I've just gotten a Patronus from Albus! We've got to get to the Order!"
Teenagers burst out of doors and even, in Peter's case, out of a cabinet. Running footfalls filled the house for several moments, but quickly it was over and everyone was standing, panting, excited, and secretly afraid, in the Potters' front hall.
"What's happened, Mum?"
Mrs. Potter took a shaky breath, tears already running down her face. "It's . . . Fabian and Gideon . . . the Prewetts, you know—they're . . ."
"Ah," said Remus before Mrs. Potter forced herself to finish the sentence. "Where are we Apparating to, again?"
"Ted and Andromeda's. The Tonks'." Mrs. Potter spun around and was gone with a loud CRACK.
"They're my aunt and uncle!" Sirius exclaimed. "Grab my arm and I'll get you there."
"Sirius, two things," Remus burst out before Sirius could disappear. "First, you can only take two people at a time—we can't all grab your arm. So you'll need to come back for us. Second, your relatives house the headquarters of the Order?"
"Aunt Andromeda got disowned. It's really Uncle Ted who's involved, but Aunt Andromeda's on our side enough to get herself kicked out of the family for marrying him. Now come on! We've got to get to the Order!" Sirius grabbed Remus and Peter and suddenly all three of them were gone, leaving James and Lily.
"Well," said James.
"The Prewetts," Lily murmured. "Fabian was Head Boy our first year, wasn't he?"
James shrugged. "I don't know. Something like that. He played Quidditch, too, didn't he? Keeper?"
"And he's dead."
"And his brother."
"I hate the Death Eaters."
James had just clenched his fists when Sirius reappeared. Luckily, Sirius was just the sort of oblivious boy to grab his two friends and drag them through space without noticing the looks on their faces.
After an unpleasant bout of compression, twisting, and stretching that constituted Apparation, the three arrived in a brightly lit, bustling house full of crying people. Lily recognized many of them from previous graduating classes of Gryffindor as well as many from Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw. Others, she remembered vaguely, had been at Mr. Potter's funeral.
Lily took James's hand as they wandered from the entrance hall to the main room, a spacious dining room packed with people sitting, standing, and leaning on one another. Albus Dumbledore was at the head of the room.
"Your attention, please," he said, and, though his voice was quiet, his command was obeyed.
"Tonight, the Prewett brothers were murdered. They were conducting surveillance for the Order on suspected Death Eater activity and were ambushed by five Death Eaters. Even now, one of those Death Eaters is being taken to Azkaban to await a hearing.
"It is a tragic loss for the Order as well as for the Prewett family. Fabian and Gideon are survived by their sister, Molly, who could surely use help from any of you who can spare it in the coming months." Dumbledore paused for a long moment, and, from her vantage point near the door to the kitchen, Lily wondered if the brightness in the headmaster's eyes was caused by tears.
"However," Dumbledore continued heavily several moments later, "we will fight on. At the moment, we need two more surveillance volunteers to take the place of the Prewett brothers, though in a slightly different and hopefully safer location. We also could use a few Aurors to track down the Death Eaters who killed the Prewetts and have not yet been caught. The rest of you may stay here, and we'll try to have a decent meeting, after we've dispatched those who are going out tonight to fight.
"So. Volunteers!" For a moment, Dumbledore looked as he did at the beginning-of-the-year feast, hopeful and excited for the futures of the people before him. Then the moment passed and his look of heavy responsibility returned.
"I'll go!" shouted about 20 voices at once.
"Wood, you will not; your wife's pregnant. Seventh years, all of you, you're still in school; you don't have the experience. Alastor, yes, it will be good to have you on the case. Dearborn—"
"Professor, why did you let us join if you weren't going to let us fight?" James shouted over Dumbledore.
"Yeah, what do you mean we can't go? We're not children!" Sirius added.
"And this is exactly why you can't. You don't know boundaries," Dumbledore responded quietly.
"We'll be careful!" Sirius protested.
"Professor—" Remus began.
"Alastor, Dearborn, take the Prewetts' place. Dodge, Bones, Fenwick, find the Death Eaters who killed the Prewetts any way you can and get them to Azkaban if possible. Go."
The cacophony of five Apparations filled the air, and then there was silence.
"Now," said Dumbledore, "I see all of the students I invited have arrived. We have new members to welcome to the Order. Everyone, this is James Potter, son of Virginia Potter and the late Charlus Potter. Sirius Black—yes, one of them—who takes after his aunt and uncle much more than he takes after his parents. Remus Lupin, their friend and the brains of the group. Peter Pettigrew, another friend of theirs. Lily Evans, the Muggle-born genius. Mary McDonald, another Gryffindor of note from their year. Frank Longbottom, son of Augusta Longbottom. Alice Rivers, daughter of Alexandra and Henry Rivers. Marlene McKinnon, Gryffindor of note."
There was a round of applause, and Lily had the distinct feeling that she was being looked up and down by several pairs of eyes.
"We're thrilled to have our ranks swelled so considerably—I do believe these are all of the seventh-year Gryffindors currently enrolled at Hogwarts.
"Now, we have planning to do. We know that there are at least three Death Eaters at work in the Ministry, one employed as an Auror and two in the Department of Mysteries. We do not know who they are, though we have a good idea of who they are not. Those of you who work at the Ministry or have connections there would be good to seek out these individuals, ascertain whether they are acting of their own volition or under an Imperius Curse, and alert the Order with any information you have so that we can determine how to proceed.
"Those of you at Hogwarts, teachers and students alike"—Lily looked around and was surprised to notice Professors McGonagall and Flitwick in attendance—"have perhaps both the hardest and simplest role. Under no circumstances are you to isolate Slytherins. Recruit those you can from Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, and Ravenclaw—seventh years only, please—but take care also to give no Slytherins who have not already defected reason to do so.
"Those of you out of school and particularly those of you without children, please consider joining our regular patrol force if you have not already. What we have, we'll share, if it will enable you to stop working and fight the Death Eaters full time.
"Aurors, continue doing your jobs. We need representation at the Ministry if we're ever going to get the Death Eaters into Azkaban.
"Everyone, use all of the protection and concealment charms you know. Protect your family, your neighbors, and as many Muggles as you can. Simple actions can save lives if you just take the time to help.
"Please support Molly Weasley and her family in the coming months as she mourns her brothers. She and Arthur have three young children and could use childcare, food, and help with chores to maintain their peace of mind in this challenging time.
"Those of you with information about whereabouts or identities of Death Eaters, speak now."
"My whole family," said Sirius immediately. "Except for Aunt Andromeda and Uncle Ted, obviously. But my brother's gone, too, even though he's just in sixth year. Number 12 Grimmauld Place should be crawling with Death Eaters by now, unless the motherf—"
"Thank you, Sirius. We knew about your family, though not your brother specifically. You're sure?" Dumbledore asked.
"Yeah. And I can get you to any house owned by my relatives."
"Thank you. Anyone else?"
"Wilkes is confirmed," someone offered.
"And where is he?" Dumbledore asked.
"He was at the Ministry two weeks ago, complaining about—"
"Where is he now?"
"I don't know, Sir."
"Anyone else?"
"Evan Rosier is confirmed. Hiding out in Derbyshire somewhere."
"Thank you. Anyone else?"
There was silence.
"Very well. That should be all, except—oh, Mr. Lupin, I'd like to speak to you."
Chatter broke out around the room, as well as renewed sobbing, while Lily and James looked at one another and shrugged. Remus made his way past them, fighting the crowd all the way as he tried to get to Dumbledore. "I can get back to the house," he said. "You guys go ahead."
James and Lily attempted to thread their way through the crowd but decided it was more interesting to listen. They were a part of the Order! Everywhere, people were talking about Death Eaters they'd fought, protection charms they'd placed, and jobs they'd done for Dumbledore.
Then Sirius was beside the couple. "We should go, Prongs."
"Back to the house? Are you kidding, Padfoot? We're here with the Order! We can't just leave."
"Not to the house, you dolt—to find the Death Eaters who killed the Prewetts!"
"But Dumbledore said—"
Sirius rolled his eyes. "You can stay, Lily. But nobody's going to win this war by sitting tight every time someone says so."
"So where are we going?" James asked.
"The Prewetts lived in Norfolk. We could start there."
"Who's coming?"
"You guys aren't seriously thinking of going!"
"Of course we are."
"I thought you and I could go, Prongs."
"We should get Moony."
"He's talking to Dumbledore."
"He deserves to know where we are. And Dumbledore's right—he's the brains of the group."
"Hey!"
"C'mon, Padfoot, we need him."
"And I suppose neither of you thought of asking me?"
"Lily, it's too dangerous," James objected at the same time as Sirius said, "You're the one who said we shouldn't go at all."
"If you guys are going, I'm going," Lily insisted, crossing her arms and spreading her feet wide.
"Well, I'm not arguing with the redhead," Sirius said. "You want a go at it, Prongs?"
"Lily, you—"
"I'm the reason Snape didn't succeed in killing you."
"We're wasting time. Lily, come if you want."
"We're not going without Moony," James argued.
"Fine," Sirius gave in.
"What happens if we don't find anybody?" Lily asked.
"We go home." Sirius shrugged.
"But first we check the Ministry," said James. "Anyone hanging out there this time of night is suspicious."
Remus appeared beside them, took one look at the three, and said, "So I suppose we're not bringing Wormtail."
"Right," Sirius and James said as one.
"And I suppose there's no talking you two out of going. You're coming, Lily?"
"Yep," Lily affirmed.
"Black, Potter, Evans, Lupin, you didn't really think I couldn't hear you, did you?" Professor McGonagall seemed to have snuck up on the group. "You heard the headmaster. You don't have the experience to—"
There was a crack as Sirius Disapparated.
"Well, I suppose now we're all going," McGonagall said. "And yes, you are bringing me. You need someone with experience. Now, on the count of three. One, two . . ."
And then there was nothing but blackness as they all Disapparated from the Tonks' house together.
A/N: Thanks for those of you who reviewed last time to give me ideas! I would very much appreciate more of the same from you and all of my readers!