Dumbledore read the article very slowly. He looked up at her and smiled.

"I knew you would be fantastic, Miss O'Shea."

Gwendolyn was filled with pride. "Thank you, sir."

"However, I severely doubt this article will be published."

It was 4 am, the day after the Tournament and Gwendolyn secretly wished that her boredom would have lasted the entire night. Cedric Diggory's death was an absolute tragedy and the return of Lord Voldemort was absolutely devastating. She remembered the first war, the constant fear and darkness. Nobody wanted a second war, but she believed Harry Potter and Albus Dumbledore in their claims. She had seen the Dark Mark on Snape's arm. Molly Weasley and Bill also had no doubt that Voldemort had returned. She was a reporter, and she knew how to face reality, no matter how awful.

"Why not?"

Dumbledore sighed and stood up from his desk. He slowly walked to the window and gazed over the grounds. "The Ministry refuses to believe that Voldemort has returned."

Gwendolyn looked at him dumbfounded. "What do you mean? Then how do they think Cedric died?"

"A tragic accident, they have dubbed it," he explained. "The Prophet has always been under severe Ministry influence so such an article will probably be denied."

"But it's the truth!"

"And newspapers do not often write the truth, as you must know by now, my dear." Gwendolyn grew frustrated. She wanted to scream. What she had witnessed last night was pure insanity and she wrote it as honestly as she could.

"So… what do I do?"

He turned to her and smiled sadly. "You have worked hard, my dear. Perhaps try and submit it. The worst your editor can say is he won't accept it."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"We won't accept this."

Gwendolyn groaned. "Why not, Mr. Cuffe?"

Barnabus Cuffe looked at her as though she was insane. "You cannot tell the wizarding world that You-Know-Who is back!"

"Why not?" she argued. "He is back! I saw Cedric's dead body!"

"Did you see You-Know-Who?" countered Cuffe.

She paused. "Well, no. But Harry Pott-"

"He's a lunatic," he dismissed, handing her back the article. "Give your notes to someone else and have them write me a real article."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The rest of the week was just as awful. She was given little stories and assignments, nothing like the enormous task of the TriWizard Tournament. Rita was back from wherever. She spent the whole week at her desk, writing irrelevant stories that nobody would read. People only wanted front page stuff and she wouldn't be writing anything of the sort for a while, she was sure.

But on Friday, Betty Braithwaite, her closest friend at the Hogsmeade office, came to her desk. "Gwennie," she cooed as she approached her little cubicle. "There's a man at the front desk asking for you."

Gwen perked up. "A man? What kind of a man?"

"What do you mean?" Betty squealed, hitting Gwen's arm with a paper she was holding. "A maaaaaan! Definitely hotter than Andy. I've never seen him around before! He's got red hair."

Bill… Gwen grinned from ear to ear and leapt up. She dashed down the stairs to the main lobby and there he was, at the front desk. He hadn't noticed her yet, so she fixed herself quickly, then strode over to him. "Hi, Bill," she said sweetly. "What a surprise to see you here!"

"Hi, Gwen," he greeted with the charming smile she had fallen in love with years ago. "I hope you had a good week."

"I did, thank you," she said with a false confidence. "So, what can I do for you?"

"I need to talk to you. Are you free to go to lunch now?"

"Sure! Let me just, uh, get my purse! I'll only be a minute." She hurried up the stairs back to her cubicle, where Betty still was. "Guess who's going on a date?" she said smugly.

"No way! Who is he?"

Gwendolyn grabbed her purse and looked at the curly brown locks in the mirror she had in her cubicle. "His name is Bill Weasley. I knew him at Hogwarts and he's just come from Egypt. I saw him last week at the school." She grinned at Betty. "I'll be back in an hour."

"Have fun! Get it, girl, I'm so excited for you!" Betty winked at her and walked away giggling. Betty had been pushing Gwen to try with Andy again, but whenever someone else showed interest, suddenly he was better. Gwen went back to join Bill and the two went to the Three Broomsticks. It was crowded, but a table was open.

"Now, listen Gwen. This is extremely important." She nodded enthusiastically, expecting loving words, declarations of hidden emotions, maybe even apologies. "Do you believe You-Know-Who is back?"

Her excitement immediately faded, but she was intrigued by the question. "Yes. Of course I do. They wouldn't publish my story on it, though."

"I heard from Dumbledore. I'm sorry, Gwen."

"It's fine," she said, waving it off as though she didn't care. Bill loved adventure, Bill loved care-freeness. She had always brushed things off as though they were nothing in front of him. Maybe he caught on. Who knew?

"Do you believe that Harry and Dumbledore are crazy?" He continued. She raised an eyebrow.

"Of course not. Bill, what is this all about?"

"What do you say about helping stop You-Know-Who?"

"You mean… like fighting?" She asked, absolutely shocked at his line of questioning.

"Remember when we were dating, I told you about the Order of the Phoenix? The group my parents joined in the First War?" She nodded, wondering if things were so bad they were now in a Second War. "Well, it's back together. Everything is very secretive right now and we aren't openly fighting, but Dumbledore has regrouped everyone and added new people. He wants someone in every branch of work and well, he wants you, Gwen."

Gwendolyn blinked. "Me? Why?"

"You're in publicity. We don't have anyone there yet. You're clever, brave, he trusts and likes you. We voted on it last night and everyone was fine with it. He wants you to join. I do too."

A group to fight You-Know-Who? Gwendolyn had never been one for dangerous things. Though she was a Gryffindor and she had always longed for adventure, she had never done something like this. But she didn't want him to win! But was she ready to do something so risky?

"What would I have to do?" she inquired. Bill passed her a slip of paper.

"Here are the terms and conditions," he murmured. "Turn it to ash when you're done and do not lose it any cost. When you've made up your mind, go to Dumbledore."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"I've made up my mind," she said to Dumbledore in his office two days later. "I want to do it."

"The Headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix is Number 12, Grimmauld Place, London."