CHAPTER 2

AUTHOR'S NOTE: This may be a slow build but this is my first story so I encourage any criticism. And I don't own any characters. All The characters belong to JKR.

Thanks to Jui(FGHermione) for her wonderful beta work.

The next morning saw Hermione waking up to the sounds of London. On the other bed, she could see Ginny snoring lightly. Those Weasleys can sleep like a log, she thought amusedly. She could hear Mrs Weasley bustling downstairs, probably preparing breakfast.

Her thoughts drifted to the previous night. She shouldn't have been surprised that the Order had tried to give them very little information, something they could have deduced themselves if they tried, as Harry had said.

Harry. She still couldn't quite understand him.

She had found him numerous times in the library at Hogwarts; reading some or the other book and jotting down notes. But his marks had never- as far as she know- been particularly great. Now that she tried to remember, he had never seemed to struggle in classes.

He was clever, there was no doubt about it, especially after yesterday's events. As for his class marks, Hermione had to admit not everyone cared about marks; like Ron, who would delay all his work as late as possible.

Her thoughts turned involuntarily to Ron. She couldn't believe how insufferable he was. But she still couldn't help smiling. He did care; she knew that. He just didn't have the tact with which he should approach things. Well, she couldn't have everything, she mused. In a strictly platonic way, of course, she thought.

Oh, who was she kidding. She couldn't help it, though, with that cute, freckled, oblivious face he had. And his deep blue eyes… she could sink into those-

"Mind out of the gutter Hermione," Ginny said from her bed, grinning knowingly.

Hermione gave a start and blushed. She hadn't heard Ginny wake.

" I don't know what you mean Ginny," Hermione denied.

"I don't know why, but only my brother can put that silly smile on your face", she said, that smug smile still plastered across her face.

"Oh, shut it".

Hermione knew it was no use hiding this from her and went into the bathroom to get ready for today's battle with the house.

Harry woke up early in the morning, bathed in sweat and breathing raggedly. Sleep didn't favor him as it did with others. At least not since that day...

"Avada Kedavra"

A flash of green light, and Sirius was no more. His eyes staring into eternity. His gaunt face, which always lit up with a certain joy when he saw him now lifeless.

He could still remember that day as clearly as yesterday, of what he had done and how he had killed Sirius with his own hand and wand...

His first kill... his mind supplied traitorously.

No, Harry thought to himself, he didn't want to go down that dark treacherous path.

He focused on yesterday's discussion; he hadn't really given much thought to it.

Why had Voldemort gone after Neville? And how did the Order know there was a prophecy? Was it Snape; was he even on their side by then? Or had someone else from the Order heard the prophecy?

His mind immediately wandered to the prophecy he had heard from none other than Trelawney in his third year, the one about Voldemort's escaping and coming back, which had come to fruition.

He remembered Dumbledore telling him that this was her second prophecy.

So, Trelawney must have been the one who had foretold the prophecy; and that's why Dumbledore must have hired her: to protect her.

Definitely not because of her inner eye, he mused.

He should ask Remus more about Trelawney, Harry thought. See if he is willing to give some answers.

He stood up and stretched and went to the bathroom to wash not just himself, but his thoughts too, if possible.

Mrs Weasley announced at breakfast that she has some work to do in Diagon Alley, and everyone should complete the work they had been assigned by the time she returned. Harry thought that the chores seemed to be a bit more than usual, and everyone had been assigned to different rooms.

Looking at the others, Harry could tell that they thought the same.

Must be so that no one tries any more 'detective' work to find out what is happening in the Order, and especially about the prophecy, Harry reckoned.

He understood her reservations; all the Weasleys were blood traitors and half of her family was fighting against Voldemort. She would definitely want to shield them from the war as long as she could, but Harry wasn't sure how long that would be.

Remus would be the only one remaining here, then, Harry reflected as all the adults left for their respective work. Remus had lost his previous job and had been unsuccessful in finding a new one till now.

Bloody bigoted society, Harry thought scornfully.

After Mrs Weasley had left for her errand, leaving Remus to supervise everyone and help them if magic was needed; Harry realized that this was the perfect time to find some answers and therefore asked Remus to meet him in the other room.

He could tell that the others would also appreciate a bit freedom to discuss whatever they wanted without the presence of Remus.

Ron Weasley was bursting with the questions he hadn't been able to ask the previous day.

"Where do they keep the prophecies?" he asked, directing the question to Hermione.

"Department of Mysteries," was the prompt reply from Hermione.

"So that's where the Order must be guarding it, but…"

"Only the Unspeakables know their way around there," finished Ginny.

"So, they will have to guard the entrance.."

"... probably in the night..."

"... with an invisibility cloak..."

"...reckon Mad-eye's got two...", said Fred and George in their usual manner, completing each other's sentences.

They didn't have any more information to work on and fell into a deep silence as their brains tried to work something out or remember anything useful.

Fred and George looked deep in thought, Hermione was frowning slightly in contemplation, and Ginny looked like she was in an entirely different world, and her eyes kept flickering to the door of the room where Harry and Remus were.

They still had to clean the rooms, which if you ask Ron was a waste of time, as the house had a dark, dingy aura that would probably never leave it.

He wasn't very sure that he would remain sane here much longer with all the cleaning and the not knowing, though they knew much more than what they had known a day before.