A/N:
Thank you to cookiesncream and HisLordFluffiness for your kind comments and feedback. My classes have been getting busier so it's been tough to find time to write but it's your reviews have really encouraged me to keep going!
Just want to let everyone know I've actually outlined the rest of this story to the very end. My goal is to finish it, but my pace may be a little slower than it was before I started working/going to school.
Hope you all enjoy this new chapter!
Last Time on Death by a Thousand Cuts…
I pursed my lips. The way Regulus spoke made me feel as if he were removing my layers with his words. I felt transparent and vulnerable. Two things I despised.
And yet, I felt intoxicated as his gaze locked with mine, as if we were the only two people in the world at that moment.
"Slughorn's party, come with me," said Regulus, breaking the silence.
Perplexed, I recoiled, "I beg your pardon?"
Regulus grinned, "I'd be honored if you, Clair Ward, would accompany me to Slughorn's Christmas party this Friday. What do you say?"
Speechless, my mouth hung open momentarily until I came to my senses.
"Black, I don't–…"
Just then, a chilling howl pierced the night air, scattering the birds in the upper canopy of the trees.
Looking up, Regulus stood abruptly, knocking his chair over in his haste. A luminous full moon appeared overhead from behind a cluster of dark clouds. His dark eyes narrowed in recognition.
Multiple other howls began to sound from other canines in the forest.
Startled, the thestrals sprang up in a frenzy, running wildly about the clearing. I reached into my pocket to pull out my wand.
Just as my hand touched the wooden handle I heard a loud whinny as the mother of the foal reared onto its hind quarters, extending its large bat-like wings to their full span. I watched in horror as its dark plate-like hooves flailed wildly above my head as if in slow motion. As the hooves arched down, I braced myself for the worst.
Just then a great force collided with me as Regulus tackled me out of the thestral's path of destruction. We crashed into the ground, my head a foot away from where the creature's hooves landed.
For a moment our eyes met as Regulus' firm body pressed against mine. I could feel his lungs expanding and contracting wildly through his thick winter's cloak before he rolled over and sprang up.
With the confidence that came with experience, Regulus then held an open hand out as the thestral approached:
"Whoa there!" he shouted sternly, looking the creature in its great white pupil-less eyes.
Then with nonverbal magic, he conjured a bridle onto the thestral and grabbed the reigns in a smooth practiced manner before pulling down and stroking its mane.
"Sh… it's alright darling… Come here … That's it…" he whispered to the thestral more gently than I've ever heard him speak to another human being.
I watched in awe as he continued calming the creature into a docile state. After, he went around rounding up the others and led them back into their stables. Assuring all thestrals were accounted for, he set up a particularly complicated-looking set of protective shields around them.
When all was done, Regulus exhaled deeply before turning his attention back to me.
"Apologies for knocking you earlier. Are you alright?"
I nodded quickly, not knowing what to say.
When Kettleburn first mentioned Black wanted to be a Magizoologist I thought it was a joke or something Regulus told him to get extra credit. But after seeing him in action, I realized I'd never met someone so adept and natural with wild creatures in my life.
"I heard rumors about werewolves in the Forbidden Forest. Do you reckon they're true?" I asked, trying not to sound nervous.
Regulus paused and looked pensive for a moment. He made no attempt to reply to my question. Rather he reached over and plucked a leaf from my hair. I felt my heart beat faster as his hand lingered for a moment. In the commotion I hadn't thought about what I looked like after rolling on the floor. I gazed up into his dark eyes.
But just as I saw Regulus' lips part about to speak, another howl sounded in the distance.
"We should get back," said Regulus briskly, "I ought to check on Hagrid's pup."
I couldn't help but feel slightly disappointed for I was curious about what he had been about to say. But he was right, it was late and there were all kinds of creatures in the forest more dangerous than thestrals tonight.
It was night time in the Forbidden Forest so we made our way back in silence. Any sort of noise would have been unwise, but I was secretly glad that it bought me time to think over my answer to his earlier question.
As flattered as I felt, why in the world would Regulus Black invite me to Slughorn's party– especially when he was planning to be branded with the Dark Mark right after? This question kept swirling around my mind as we carefully made our way through the woods, crossing various hills and streams.
I couldn't imagine what benefit I could possibly bring him. Many members of affluent high society tended to search one another out, but I didn't take him to be so superficial with his actions; there must be something else at stake, I figured.
And yet…
As I looked at his lithe figure leading the way through the forest, I always thought Regulus Black to be a true enigma. After all, he was famous at school for his perfect grades, prowess in sports and the fabulous wealth and influence that came with being a Black. There was nary a time when he was not surrounded by other pureblood housemates.
In addition, Regulus' collected and civilized manner made him extremely popular among the witches despite being a Slytherin. But unlike his brother, there were never rumors of him dating around or snogging witches in broom closets. He was untouchable, from his hair perfectly slicked back hair to his expertly shined boots.
But for all the fanfare and fame, part of me felt sorry for him whenever we'd pass in the halls. Because as perfect as Regulus Black seemed, he always looked awfully lonely to me.
How ironic, I thought, that he labeled me curious when he was the bigger mystery, running around the woods for Professor Kettleburn and taking care of magical creatures. After all, Magizoology wasn't exactly a staple of high society.
I sighed. I didn't have time to mull on those kinds of thoughts. I needed to think of a way to talk to Remus or the Prewetts before making any decisions.
We reached Kettleburn's Hut on the edge of the Forest before long. Fang, Hagrid's puppy, was already tall enough to be seen standing on its hindlegs through the amber glass of the windows. He was whining and scratching the door anticipating Regulus' return with a slobbery kiss. Just then an idea came to my mind.
As we reached the front door, I hung back on the base of the steps.
"Black, would you mind if I head back first?" I asked abruptly.
Regulus turned, "I'll walk you back–"
"That's quite alright," I said stopping him, "I think Fang needs you more than I do right now."
The poor dog began whimpering as if on cue.
"Thank you for pushing me out of the way earlier… If it weren't for you I don't know what state I'd be in now…" I began.
For a moment I paused. Then I leaned in quickly to give him a peck on the cheek.
Regulus' eyes widened in surprise momentarily, and I saw the faintest blush on his pale cheek illuminated by the light of the full moon.
"…For helping me with the thestrals. Besides, I would still be knee-deep in dung right now if you hadn't come along," I said, trying my best to keep my voice cool and steady.
Regulus, still flushed, nodded stiffly. Clearly startled he seemed like he'd run out of words, which had been my aim exactly. Seeing my chance, I gave him a quick wave before turning tail and heading back towards the castle as quickly as I could.
My path back across the Hogwarts grounds was lit by the peculiar portent glow of the full moon. I'd unintentionally taken the long way past the Whomping Willow in my flustered state, but I didn't mind as I welcomed the extra time to myself to recover from my embarrassment.
The night was cold, but I wasn't shuddering from the temperature but rather my own mortification as I replayed the kiss in my mind's eye. It had been the only thing I could think of to get away without giving a definitive answer, I justified within my internal narrative– no different than greeting the French Minister for Magic.
And yet I felt myself heat up remembering his look of surprise, so uncharacteristic to his usual range of emotions. I wondered how many others witches had ever seen him with that expression on his face before.
Lost in thought, I began meandering slowly through the tall grass taking in the silhouette of the Whomping Willow's powerful branches against the lights of Hogwarts castle. The wind whistled through the branches, causing them to sway against the night sky in the moonlight. I rubbed my arms, trying to get warm.
Just then I heard a sound.
I turned toward it and to my surprise, I saw bounding across the grounds a large creature with branching horns.
I stifled a scream, not wanting to agitate it. But as it came closer, I realized it merely a large stag. I breathed a sigh of relief, and put away my wand that I had taken out without thinking. I felt silly. After all, werewolves weren't common and if there were any at Hogwarts, there would have been more restrictions placed by now.
I watched the stag with its majestic horns gallop past the Willow, heading towards the Forbidden Forest. I tried to get closer for a better look. I'd never seen such a large stag before. But as it crossed my path, the creature suddenly stopped mid-leap and looked me in the eye.
Puzzled, I froze like a deer in headlights. While beautiful, I'd forgotten that stags could also become extremely aggressive during their rutting season. The stag's beautiful horns suddenly began to look terribly sharp. I bit my lip, wondering if it would charge at me, unsure whether to stay still or run.
But as I pondered, I failed to notice the quiet muffled steps of an even larger creature approaching me from behind. Suddenly a snarl sounded from my back. I froze. The reverberation of the guttural noise indicated that it came from something much bigger and more dangerous than the stag before me.
I turned slowly, careful to not make any sudden movement, and then my heart dropped.
Circling me from behind was an enormous grey wolf, much larger than any wolf I'd ever seen in my life. It watched me with its great brown eyes and slit pupils as it growled, baring its ivory fangs.
I felt my breath catch in my throat as I observed its size, tufted tail and shortened snout.
My legs went numb as I began to shake.
This was no ordinary wolf, but a werewolf on the night of a full moon.
The wolf continued circling.
Every inch of my body was on red-alert as the wolf bared its teeth, snarling in anticipation for the meal I was about to become.
I wracked my mind for information regarding werewolves, but all I could think of were homework assignments about how to spot them – nothing actually useful for facing one during a full moon.
For a moment, I wondered if I could hold it off long enough to get back to Kettleburn's hut. There were probably protective spells around it, especially since he was the Care for Magical Creatures professor. But looking down the grassy hill, I knew there was no way I'd get there before the wolf got to me.
No, the castle was closer.
My hands began to sweat as I came to terms with the reality of the situation. My only choice was to fight– fight and run. Shaking, I slowly reached my hand into my cloak and took a deep breath.
Three, two, one–
"Impedimenta!" I shouted drawing my wand from my cloak in one swift motion.
A jet of red light shot out and hit the werewolf square between the eyes. It reeled back momentarily, but I didn't stick around to see if it worked. Immediately I took off as fast as my legs could carry me, sprinting up the series of small staired hills leading to the courtyard gates.
The air felt sharp as it cut into my lungs, but I could already hear the sound of canine panting and paws coming up behind me. When I knew I could no longer outrun the beast, I dug my feet into the ground and pivoted sharply, ready to meet my maker.
But to my surprise, there were no claws or sharp fangs tearing into my skin. Rather, at my heels was the large black dog I had encountered after Herbology the other day.
"What are you doing here?" I asked it incredulously.
The dog looked at me and gestured behind us.
I looked down the path I'd come up from, towards the Whomping Willow. To my surprise, the large stag from earlier was effectively blocking the werewolf's path, holding it off with its large majestic antlers and knocking it down with its hooves.
In my confusion I had stopped running to watch the strange scene. But then the dog nipped at my ankles, reminding me to keep going. Strengthened by its familiar presence, I raced up the steps faster than before.
Finally there was only one flight of stairs remaining between myself and the castle. My heart leaped with hope. Was it possible that I would survive this?
Just then, the werewolf broke past the stag's defense and began bounding up the stairs. Panicked, I tried to climb faster but in my haste I missed the next stone step and fell hard.
Unwittingly, I cried out in pain. Hearing my cry, the large black dog ran back to me.
"No, don't come back! Run!" I shouted to the dog trying to shoo it away, but it came to my side regardless, nudging me to get up.
I looked at my leg. The denim of my overalls had ripped open. A sharp shooting sensation went up and down my leg, radiating from my knee. I tried to stand but dropped to the floor, my leg buckling under me.
It was too late, the wolf had reached the landing.
"Stupefy!" I shouted, "Stupefy! STUPEFY!"
Streams of red light burst from my wand but merely bounced off the werewolf's thick hide in great showers of sparks. I tried using my arms to get back on my feet, but the pain in my knee and leg made me see bright spots instead.
Rooted where I had fallen, I lifted my wand once more:
"Reducto! Petrificus Totalus! Tarantallegra!" I shouted, casting any curse I could think of but nothing seemed to work.
Just as I saw the werewolf's muzzle open wide to close around my throat, the large black dog sprang into the air and met the werewolf's fangs with its own. Claws flashed as they pawed one another and landed on opposite sides, circling one another.
The werewolf faced the half-crouching dog, emitting low growls of warning. The two canines observed each other for a time in that way. For a moment, the werewolf's eyes seemed lucid and it began to retreat and the dog began slinking away towards me.
But suddenly the werewolf rushed forward again and lunged at the dog's left flank. The dog swung around, and snapped defensively at the werewolf, but was thrown down onto the ground. The dog howled in pain as I heard a crack. The werewolf snapped it's jaws from above the dog, but the dog rose just in time and lunged back despite its bleeding leg.
Suddenly I heard the sound of galloping hooves. The great stag had caught up and charged at the werewolf. Its horns gored into the werewolf's flesh, drawing dark streams of blood.
The dog limped to my side, and nudged me with its wet nose to get up. Gripping its thick fur, I pulled myself onto my feet and started running once more, ignoring the shooting pains in my leg.
Finally we rounded the last corner and the arching filigree iron of the courtyard gates came into view.
"Aperporta!" I cried out and the gates swung open.
I crossed the threshold and shut the heavy gates behind me.
Realizing that we were safe now, I collapsed onto the floor in relief. The dog crumpled into a heap of shaggy black fur beside me.
As we lay there catching our breath, I reached out and patted its big warm head. As I stroked its fur, it sneezed unexpectedly. I laughed and scratched it behind the ears.
"You know, when I was seven I brought home a stray that looked just like you. Called him Snuffles. It was supposed to be a secret, but my brother Nate found out almost immediately. I could never keep secrets from him," I laughed bitterly.
"Instead of ratting me out, he tried his best to help me hide the thing though. But I suppose hiding a stray dog in my room was doomed since the beginning. You see, my father was a Legilimens."
"You know, most people can't tell when a Legilimens or Occlumens is practicing, but I'll tell you a secret– it's in the eyes," I whispered with a smile. "You wouldn't happen to be a Legilimens would you?"
I looked the dog in the eye, half expecting a foreign voice to speak directly into my mind, but it merely barked in reply.
"I guess not. That'd be too good to be true," I said with a sigh, and continued patting it on the head.
I wasn't sure why I was telling the dog these things. I was sure the creature couldn't understand what I was saying, but there was something sentient about the way it looked me in the eye, as if encouraging me to continue.
"Would have been nice to have another friend to talk to. It's been... lonely..."
The dog looked at me pitifully.
I felt a bit nutty, talking to a dog and pretending like it understood. Nate had always been my confidante, but after the incident with Sirius and Putridge, I didn't trust myself around Nate– not if I wanted to protect him from the truth of what I'd seen.
With Nate, all my walls came down and everything would pour out, and we'd talk through solutions or he'd remind me of what our parents would say or what Ms. Matilda would do. He'd always been my compass, pointing me to what was right and keeping me from getting into too much trouble.
And ever since we'd come to Hogwarts I felt like we were drifting further and further apart. First we were sorted into different houses, then he began dating that dreadful Putridge tramp, and now I couldn't even look him in the eye without feeling like I'd swallowed a bucket of gulping plimplies. Without him I felt lost, unsure of my decisions and second guessing my steps.
I continued scratching the dog's head fondly, letting it distract me from my own thoughts. Now I understood why they called them man's best friend.
"You're a brave one aren't you? I wonder who your owner is," I said aloud.
I tried to look for a tag but found none before giving it a belly rub. As lonely as I felt, I had to admit it was quite nice in that moment to be sitting in the courtyard playing with the big shaggy dog after we'd just spent the past five minutes running for our lives.
In the moment I'd been terrified, but looking back I almost wanted to laugh at how ridiculous the entire situation had been. Who would have thought a stag would fight a werewolf on my behalf. It'd been such a bizarre night the moment Regulus Black showed up in Kettleburn's hut, but this took the cake.
After a few more moments, I got to my feet and opened the gate just wide enough for the dog to slip through.
"Thank you, Snuffles, for everything," I said with a grin before planting an affectionate kiss on the dog's head.
The newly dubbed Snuffles barked excitedly and licked my face. I hoped that meant it liked its new name. I watched as its furry form disappeared down the stone steps back to the Forbidden Forest and out of sight.
In shock, I could barely believe that I had just faced a werewolf and lived to tell the tale. I wanted to tell Nate right away, but I figured I could let him know the next day since it was late. In addition, I was extremely tired.
As I dragged my aching body up seven flights of stairs back to Gryffindor Tower, I distracted myself by considering adopting Snuffles next time I ran into it. After all, pet owls, cats, bats, snakes and all kinds of creatures wandered the school grounds and common rooms every day.
And yet there was something about the big black dog that made me feel like I'd be breaking school rules if I did. Perhaps it was its size or the intelligent knowing look in its eye, but I couldn't help but feel like Snuffles wasn't an ordinary dog, much less the type to be put on a leash.
Upon entering the Common Room I was surprised to find it devoid of any of the Marauders. They usually stayed up late wreaking havoc or plotting their newest diversion, but they were nowhere to be found– not even in their dorm. I had hoped to find them so I could share the madness of what had just occurred and hear their responses. As upset as I was at Sirius, I still wanted to see the look on his face when I told him I'd just faced a werewolf.
I sighed, giving up on finding them. As I walked up to the girls dorm, there was a small voice in my mind that kept telling me no matter how close I got to the Marauders, I would always be the odd one out. If anything I was their pity project, James' tragic childhood friend, the poor orphan girl– a stray dog of sorts .
There was a part of me that just wanted to go back to my room and call it a day, but I knew my thoughts would just get worse if I was by myself. And as nice as Lily and Marlene were, I always felt a bit like a downer compared to them when I was in my moods; as if I would taint their light with my brooding if I told them how I was really feeling. I cared about what they thought of me too much to want to give the wrong impression. In addition, they'd been best friends for years and while they never meant to, sometimes I felt a bit left out.
I raked my fingers through my hair. No, the only way I could get my mind off of things was to stay busy. Besides, the run-in with the werewolf had instilled a sense of urgency within me about the more important matter at hand – how to reply to Regulus Black's invitation.
I took a quick shower and applied a healing salve to my shredded knee before heading out to find the Prewetts. Wearing my nightgown, slippers and a thick dressing-gown, I slipped out of the portrait hole and made my way down to the Prewetts' sleeping quarters adjacent to the Defense Classroom.
I spotted the bust of Chauncy Oldridge and tapped its long nose with my wand.
"Dragon Pox!" I whispered.
The wall behind the bust turned to reveal a narrow set of stairs spiraling upward that led to a large wooden door. I knocked three times, hoping the Prewetts were inside. I picked at my nails anxiously, waiting for the door to open.
Finally I heard the sound of footsteps coming from behind the door. Relieved, I took a deep breath and began worrying about how to bring up the topic in a way that didn't make me sound like a silly teenage girl.
But when the door opened, I breathed in sharply. Standing– no leaning against the doorframe was Gideon Prewett, shirt unbuttoned, tie askew, and smelling of firewhiskey. I could tell it was Gideon because he wore cologne while Fabian did not.
"Mr. Prewett?" I said disbelievingly, "Are you alright sir?"
"Clair Ward? Watchyou doing here at this time of night?" he asked with a heavy slur before sliding down, right off the doorframe.
I caught him before he hit the ground, but then collapsed under his weight. After all, he was heavy and I was spent. From under him, I looked down the hall to see if Fabian was anywhere close by. But with no one in sight, I exhaled sharply with frustration.
"Mobilicorpus!" I whispered, and levitated Gideon's body before me, and invited myself into their quarters.
The hall led to a landing with three doors. The first led to an office, the second a sitting room, and the third was a bedroom.
I moved Gideon through the third door and set him down on the large four poster bed in the middle of the room. The bedchamber reminded me of the Gryffindor dorms, covered in crimson tapestries with a large blazing fireplace along the wall by the foot of the bed.
Clearly drunk, Gideon was in no state to answer any questions. Yet it was against my conscience to leave him there in that state.
He reminded me of when Nate would come home drunk during his experimental phase. But this time was a little different. Nate had always been slim and easy to maneuver, but Gideon's well-trained Auror body was solid and wrapped in muscle. In other words, he was extremely heavy.
Finally I managed to lift Gideon's feet to remove his shoes before pulling the sheets from under him and covering him with his duvet. By the time I finished, I was breathing hard from exertion. I took a seat in the plush armchair beside his bed to catch my breath. As I sat there, I heard a sound coming from under the blankets.
Quickly Gideon sat up and vomited into the rubbish bin next to the bed. Then he slumped back into his pillows. That's when I realized Gideon Prewett was crying.
Awkwardly, my eyes looked to the side. I hadn't meant to walk in on my teacher in such a vulnerable state. I stood up to leave, but a strong hand reached out and clung to the sleeve of my dressing-gown.
Suddenly, I realized how inappropriate it was for me to be in a teacher's bedroom in my dressing-gown so late at night. The Prewetts were young in comparison to the other teachers. If anyone walked in this would look extremely improper. I tried to pull away, but his grip was too strong and my robe slipped off my shoulder pulling my nightgown along with it.
"Don't go…" Gideon muttered as he sat up in bed.
"Mister Prewett–"
"Gideon, jus' call me Gideon..." he slurred.
"Er– Gideon, I think you've had a long night. I'll come back tomorrow morning, when you're feeling better," I said, trying to pull my sleeve back up.
"Don't leave me Cora, don't go…," he continued muttering, holding tight to my sleeve.
My mouth opened. I wondered who Cora was– a sister or lover perhaps? I pressed my lips together in a thin line as I observed the way his tears gathered at the corners of his dark blue eyes before spilling over. I pitied him.
It must have been recent, whatever it was that hurt him. Looking around the room for a clue, I noticed a freshly opened letter sitting on the bedstand with an ominous black waxen seal. It lay beside an almost empty bottle of Ogden's Finest Firewhiskey. The letter's ink had been smudged with tears, but was still legible.
Urgent Letter to Messrs. Fabian and Gideon Prewett, Hogwarts
Messrs. Fabian and Gideon Prewett,
I hope this letter finds you well within the safety of Hogwarts' castle walls.
It is with a heavy heart that I must inform you that Order of the Phoenix member Coraline Jenkins was taken from us in the prime of her youth yesterday evening during a Death Eater raid on her sister Eugenia's house.
As you know, Cora had been living with her sister Eugenia Jenkins, the former Minister for Magic, under the protection of a Secret Keeper for the past eight months. We are unsure of Secret Keeper Parker Jones' current whereabouts, but rest assured she will be found and made accountable to face justice. Eugenia escaped via apparition to the Order Headquarters where I happened to be at the time of her flight. Unfortunately, we were too late to save her sister.
I am aware you had a special connection with Cora within your past few years as a member of the Order. If it brings you any comfort, she did not suffer but passed peacefully in her sleep.
Cora Jenkins was brave as she was beautiful and kind. She will be remembered through the courage displayed by those spurred to greatness from her sacrifice.
Let us not let her passing be in vain and be all the more strengthened in our resolve to see our mission through to the very end.
Yours sincerely,
Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore
I looked up from the letter. Tears pricking the back of my own eyes as a stray escaped and fell down my cheek. Gideon had fallen asleep and looked almost peaceful with his eyes closed. I lay the letter down in my lap.
Just then the door opened. Fabian stood surprised, holding a tray of tea and digestives.
"Clair?"
I looked up. Gideon was still holding the edge of my robes. With tears running down my face and a bare shoulder exposed, I knew this would be bad.
"Good heavens," Fabian muttered, setting the tray aside and taking both my hands into his. "Clair Ward, are you alright? My brother didn't do anything untoward to you did he? You must understand, he's beside himself with grief."
My throat was thick with tears. I shook my head shakily.
"I'm alright sir. I'm just… sad," I took a shuddering breath to calm myself, "I didn't mean to pry but I have to ask…what's the Order of the Phoenix?"
Fabian's eyes widened in alarm. His eyes darted downward and spotted the letter with the black seal in my lap.
He sighed deeply before pursing his lips and withdrawing to his full height, pacing before the fire. Finally he motioned for me to follow him to their office.
As we entered the next room over, I felt anxious anticipating the impending mortifying talk about forbidden teacher-student relationships… especially coming from Fabian Prewett.
While Fabian and Gideon were identical physically, I'd definitely noticed over time that Fabian was indeed the elder brother. As much as they loved to joke and laugh, he was the one who made sure there was a clear line and that Gideon never crossed it. Tonight, that line had been crossed– or at least it looked like it had.
He motioned for me to take a seat as he started a fire in the hearth with his wand and stoked it until it was large enough to warm the room. Then he took a seat behind the desk and placed the letter between us on the table.
"Clair Ward, I want to clarify something. Did you read this letter in part, or in its entirety tonight?"
Confused and slightly intimidated, I nodded before blurting out, "I'm sorry sir, I won't tell anyone I promise!"
Fabian sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose, closing his eyes briefly.
"I thought so," he said to himself.
Opening his eyes, he stood and took a handful of Floo Powder from a jar above the hearth and threw the glittering powder into the fire. Immediately the flames stoked a bright emerald green.
My imagination began to run away from me as I anxiously began picking at the edge of my robes. I knew it was pretty bad to be caught in a teacher's bedroom so late at night, but all I'd done was tuck Gideon into bed. I could attest to it under Veritaserum if necessary.
"Moody? Alastor Moody, are you there?" Fabian called out into the fire.
My eyes shot open.
Alastor Moody was the most famous dark wizard catcher in Western Europe. I'd heard news about his daring raids and missions every Saturday during the Witching Station's Newshour. Why on earth would Fabian be calling him unless I was about to be deported to Azkaban, or worse, expelled?
Suddenly, a gray grizzled head appeared in the fire as if it were floating. His face looked like it had been carved from wood, rough and covered in scars. He had a single dark beady eye, the other was covered with a thick layer of bandages and gauze. He looked around the room suspiciously.
"What is it Prewett? Can't you see I'm busy? There's press swarming all over the Jenkins case and that damn Putridge has barely lifted a finger to help," Moody growled.
He had a gruff, gravelly voice that matched his weathered face.
"Moody are you by yourself?" Fabian asked abruptly, "Order business."
Moody's head pivoted side to side, showing even more of his considerable scars as he checked his surroundings, invisible to us.
"Coast is clear," he replied. "Can't believe those bloody Death Eaters took my eye. Can't even look around a room without twisting my neck now."
"Sorry 'bout that mate, but I'm in a bit of a twist. Do you remember the Ward girl I mentioned to you?"
"The Yank?"
"Precisely. She was in our quarters today and saw Dumbledore's letter to Gideon about Cora. She's asking what the Order is."
Moody was silent in thought.
"How old is she now?"
"Sixteen," I replied out of reflex.
Moody startled. "Blimey Prewett, is she there with you?"
"Yes, she is."
"Well… sixteen is a bit young, but from what I hear the Dark Lord's makin' Eaters out of first-years nowadays. Only fair if we level the playing field with some of our own."
Confused, I looked between Moody and Prewett wishing that they would stop speaking as if I wasn't in the room.
"I'm sorry, but would someone please tell me what's going on?" I exclaimed standing up. "What does my age have to do with anything? And I'll have you both know that nothing happened between Gideon and I! I came tonight to let you know that Regulus Black asked me to accompany him to Professor Slughorn's Christmas party tomorrow. I was wondering what the best course of action would be since you and your brother asked for my help in breaking up the Death Eater meeting afterwards. I never meant to get involved in whatever this 'Order' business is!"
Fabian and Moody looked at me, not saying a word.
I felt my face turn red from my emotional outburst. Their silence made the embarrassment even worse, but at this point I figured I had nothing left to lose if they thought I was some sort of loose underage tramp preying on drunk teachers at school.
"Ms. Ward," said Fabian, "No one is accusing you of anything inappropriate."
I breathed a sigh of relief.
"Then what is it? Why all the secrecy? And why call Alastor Moody if you're not planning on sending me to Azkaban?"
Suddenly, Moody began to laugh. At least, I thought the harsh grinding sound coming from his mouth was a laugh.
"Girl, you've got a lot to learn if you think we'd send someone to Azkaban for sneaking around a professor's quarters at night. Prewett, are you sure about this one?"
I huffed, feeling insulted.
"Positive Moody," replied Fabian, "She's the brightest witch in her year. Mastered a corporeal Patronus in a week."
Moody whistled low, "Blimey, that's impressive. What's its form?"
"A lion," I replied proudly, folding my arms.
"Interesting… very interesting…" Moody muttered to himself, "Very well, if you think she's ready."
"Ready for what?" I said, holding back my frustration.
Just then, Fabian pointed his wand to the door and locked it, followed by various sound-proofing spells.
"Clair Ward, you must promise that what I'm about to share with you will never be spoken of to anyone outside of this room including your brother, the other students or even any of the professors except Albus Dumbledore. It is of the utmost importance."
Suddenly I felt scared, but curious at the same time. I nodded in agreement.
"The Order of the Phoenix," Fabian began, "is a secret society founded by Professor Dumbledore himself for the purpose of maintaining the peace and safety of non-magic and magic users alike by opposing the threat to wizarding society and the world that is He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named."
I felt my breath catch in my throat.
"When He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named was abroad, there had already been talks of his mission; a pure-blooded wizarding society, free from any muggleborn witches or wizards; A society where blood purity alone would be the right to magic and power. The Ministry had no idea how far his radical ideology would go until he returned to England. Now there is rumor that You-Know-Who is planning on taking over the Ministry itself from the inside out. The Ministry has been compromised, hence the secrecy of the Order.
"Though we function independently, we do our best to work together with the Ministry to ensure everything is done according to the Law. Let me impress upon you that we are not vigilantes. There is due process in all of our movements, and consent from the Ministry whenever possible.
You see Clair, the reason I'm telling you all this is because I was wondering if you would be interested in joining the Order of the Phoenix?"
I sat down and took a moment to let the information sink in. They wanted me to be a member of the Order of the Phoenix?
"I must warn you that being a part of the Order is not without its risks. Each time we enter the field, we do so willing to pay the ultimate price for the goal of the mission to be accomplished. This is the level at which the Order of the Phoenix functions and operates. It is not for the weak of heart."
"In addition," said Moody cutting into Fabian's dialogue, "Since you are not of age, you will not be a formal member of the Order–"
"Yet," added Fabian.
"Dumbledore insists that all Order members must be of age and out of school before being properly inducted," continued Moody. "Hence, you will not attend meetings or join missions off campus."
"But," said Fabian, "after seeing your natural prowess in defense and tactical arts, I may have mentioned to Dumbledore and a few of the others that I believe you'll be perfect candidate to join the Order– when you become of age that is. Until then, I was hoping we could rely on your help to keep your ears to the ground and pass on information from the student body at Hogwarts."
I sat there wordlessly, trying to process everything that was happening. My knee ached reminding me that an hour ago, I was facing a werewolf and running for my life. Now a life-altering decision and opportunity was being handed to me on a silver platter.
"Ms. Ward, Prewett here told me your dream is to become an Auror, is that still true?" asked Moody.
"Yes sir," I answered promptly, snapping out of my stupor.
"Well, suppose you could consider this Auror Training for the time being. 'Til you get to the big leagues that is."
I turned from Moody. Fabian caught my eye. I wondered if he saw how nervous and scared I felt because immediately after he added:
"Ms. Ward, I know it's a lot to take in right now. Just promise me you'll think about it. You don't need to give an answer right away, but I think you'd be a great asset."
I took a deep breath.
This had not been what I was expecting when I came to the Prewett's quarters tonight. I looked down at my hands feeling overwhelmed. I wanted to go back to my room with my books and a cup of tea and sleep for a week to recharge.
And yet I knew I wouldn't be satisfied unless I received some answers about the reason I had come.
Clenching my fists, I mustered my strength and spoke up:
"Sir?" I asked.
"Yes Clair?"
"Regulus Black's invitation for tomorrow, what should I do about it?" I said.
Fabian took a deep breath, and then looked to Moody whose head still floated bodiless in the emerald green flames.
After a few moments of contemplative silence, Moody turned to me.
"Are you close to the Black boy?"
Surprised, I didn't know how to respond.
"I'm, er… not sure," I said, trying my best not to blush.
"I see," said Fabian.
He steepled his fingers in deep thought, but it was Moody who spoke first.
"It's a trap, willing to bet my other eye on it," he stated confidently.
"Yes, but the question is what to do. Is there some way we could use this to our advantage? Or is it safer to keep Ward and Black separated" replied Fabian.
My heart dropped when he mentioned separating me from Regulus. That wasn't what I wanted, and yet who was I to speak up against two full-fledged Aurors and members of the Order of the Phoenix?
Finally Moody broke the silence.
"I believe it would be in our best interest if the girl goes with Black," he stated. "We will have the upper hand because the Death Eaters won't know that we know. Put a tracker on the girl, not a spell, but a physical one so its effects can't be blocked by shields or wards. When they take her, we can use the trace to come in with a team. If we're lucky we can get some good intelligence from it– maybe give the Dementors some new inmates to play with too."
"I see," Fabian said acknowledging Moody's statement with a nod.
"Do you still have the ring Prewett?"
Fabian looked at Moody and sighed. He then opened his desk and pulled out a black velvet box and slid it to me across the table. I picked it up curiously. Inside was an old-fashioned ring, 18th century by the looks of the gold filigree. A large cabochon opal was set in the middle; the pale blue stone with its iridescent play-of-color glimmered curiously in the green light of the Floo fire.
"18th century, goblin-wrought… Boris Baumstark gave it to Gideon as thanks for saving his daughter from a Death Eater attack last month. He was planning on giving Cora... But I think you need it more than she does right now," Fabian explained.
"I– I'll be sure to return it," I replied quickly, "I couldn't possibly –…"
"It's fine Ms. Ward."
I took the ring out of the box and slipped it on my finger hesitantly.
"How does it work?" I asked.
"Ancient charmed jewelry like that all work the same," said Fabian, "The ring comes in a pair. Gideon and I have the other. All you have to do is tap the stone with your wand and say 'Invenient', and the one wearing the other ring, in this case me, will be able to find you. If you are lost, tap the stone twice and it will guide you to the location of the other ring. It also works to transmit messages. To send a message, tap the stone thrice, speak your message and blow on the stone. You will know if you've received a new message if the ring gets hot. In that case, tap it and say, 'Revelio' to retrieve the dispatch."
After another hour of testing the rings and making sure I knew the incantations by heart, Fabian and Moody sent me back to my dormitory with a signed note in case I ran into any trouble with Filch or any other professor wandering the halls.
I came back to my room exhausted. It must have been the small hours of the morning but I was too exhausted to check my clock. Lily, Marlene and Saoirse were all sound asleep.
Sitting on the edge of my bed, I slipped off the medallion and examined it closely.
When Fabian explained how the rings worked, I couldn't help but wonder if the same could be said about the Chain of Gryffindor. I tried tapping the medallion with my wand. For a moment I thought it grew hot, but I realized it was just my imagination. Frowning, I put it back around my neck.
As I turned off the lights, my thoughts wandered to Regulus Black and the way he would look down and peer up through his dark eyelashes whenever he smiled. I thought about Snuffles and its friend the stag fighting off the werewolf. Then I remembered the way Gideon Prewett looked holding onto my sleeve later that evening, tears clinging to his auburn eyelashes as he called out for Cora Jenkins before Fabian entered the room and introduced me to the famous Alastor Moody and the Order of the Phoenix.
It had been an exceptionally eventful evening filled with unforeseen discoveries and encounters. But through it all, I thought of my family and what they would say if they knew the kind of night that I had. I missed my parents dearly, and wondered if the hole in my chest would ever go away.
Just then I heard a tapping on the window. Saoirse's owl Juniper had returned. Tied to its leg was an envelope addressed in beautiful looped handwriting–
To: Miss Claire Marie Ward
From: Miss Matilda Camille Wright