A/N: It was brought to my attention that Harry's charge of "Accidental Murder" makes no sense, since murder is usually meant as "intentional." I plan to go back and change this charge to involuntary manslaughter. Regardless, we're now past that. Sorry I haven't written in so long, the holidays have been very busy. This is a shorter chapter, but it should explain a lot of things from the last few chapters. With that, I am working on another story about a younger Harry and Sirius, just because I've been interested in writing about that for a while. Go check it out on my author's page and review it, as well as this one! Thanks, enjoy!

A few mornings later, the group was eating breakfast in the kitchen of Grimmauld Place, when the floo turned green and the headmaster stepped through.

"Professor Dumbledore!" Molly exclaimed, standing up. "Please, do come in."

"Ah, that won't be necessary, Molly, but thank you. I'm here to deliver some very good news, and request that the children join us for a spontaneous Order meeting. I'm sorry for the lack of notice." Dumbledore said kindly, motioning for her to sit back down.

Molly eyed the children wearily, but sat down nonetheless. Dumbledore strode to the front of the kitchen, where every eye was now watching him carefully.

"Fudge is no longer the Minister for Magic," Dumbledore said, almost reverently.

The effect was instantaneous: Remus and Sirius both looked ecstatic, Molly shocked, and the children, knowing what he had done to Harry, were grinning excitedly.

"Once Harry was acquitted, Kingsley was able to use his memories of Harry's imprisonment to show Fudge as both cruel and daft. Both Umbridge and him will spend a lifetime in Azkaban prison for their terrible and inhumane treatment of Harry." With this last statement, Dumbledore's eyes lost their twinkle, and his expression turned forlorn. "I will discuss what this means for the Order and the war in a moment, but for now, I must address Harry." Dumbledore moved around the table so he was directly in front of Harry, and pierced him with a blue stare. "I would like to apologize profusely for what I allowed you to go through a few weeks ago. I allowed you to be locked up and tortured everyday for the sake of…" Dumbledore paused and closed his eyes before speaking again. "For… the sake of the greater good. I knew that you had to go through the trial with veritaserum in order for the public to believe that Voldemort had returned, but I had no idea that Fudge would go to such lengths to detain and harm you. If I had realized the Ministry was coming to get you a week before the trial, I would have sent you to Grimmauld Place and escorted you myself on the day of the trial. Even when we discovered what they were doing to you, I allowed them to continue, hoping that your abundant strength and courage would persevere long enough for the trial to occur and us to get justice. I know my apologies aren't nearly enough to satisfy the pain and humiliation you have gone through, but I hope one day, you can forgive an old man's mistakes. Your father and Remus have… expressed their distaste with my choice, and I myself found it hard to face you after the trial knowing all that I have put you through during your short life. With that, I want you to know that I admire your abundant courage and feel very confidant in your abilities for the future… and I am so sorry. "

Harry's head was spinning at all the new information, and a newfound anger towards the headmaster was bubbling up; he had been played for the Order's uses. Despite this, he nodded at him so that the meeting could continue. He knew Dumbledore's reasoning was important and knew that he felt remorseful for the way the trial had turned out; however, looking over at Sirius, Harry saw that his father too felt the same anger and resentment towards the headmaster. He would need to keep an eye on Sirius for a few weeks to make sure his dad didn't do anything reckless towards the headmaster, despite whether Harry thought it might be deserved - although a purple beard surely wouldn't do too much damage.

"I am sure you all are wondering what this means for us - it means that we can recruit more wizards for the Order, we will have the Ministry backing us with support and aurors, and we can send out information to wizarding families across Europe about how to avoid the darkness that is arising. I have new tasks for each of you, including our students here." Dumbledore paused and looked at Harry again. "I will give each of you your assignments before we leave here so that you can go ahead and get started. Harry, I would like you, along with your friends, to create a defense club at Hogwarts. You have shown a strong aptitude for the subject, and I think other houses will be able to learn a lot from you. It would also encourage inter-house cooperation at Hogwarts, which is something we haven't seen since the founders started the school. Do you accept?"

Harry nodded and felt Sirius clap his shoulder. He looked to his right and saw the pride on his father and Remus's faces, and couldn't help but smile back at them.

"Good," Dumbledore said, the twinkle returning to his eyes. "I will allow you to get to planning then, I am sure Mrs. Granger and the Weasley children will help you abundantly. Now, for the rest of you, I will be owling out your missions for the remaining part of the holidays." Dumbledore made to leave, but then stopped right before the floo and looked back. "Also, Remus, now that Umbridge won't be coming to Hogwarts after all, I request that you return with Sirius and teach your old post, if you will?"

Harry beamed at Remus and Remus nodded. "Of course, Dumbledore. Thank you."

With one more nod, Dumbledore flooed out of Grimmauld Place and left everyone to consider the meaning of the news he brought.

"Wow mate, can you believe it?" Ron exclaimed towards Harry, eyes lighting up with excitement. "Our first Order mission."

"Yeah," Harry said, still bewildered. "Yeah, pretty cool."

"Oh, Harry, come on!" Hermione said, grabbing Harry's hand and pulling him out of his seat. "We need to start planning ways to announce the club at Hogwarts, and you need to decide what you want the first lesson to be. Let's go!"

Harry and the rest of the Weasley children followed Hermione out of the kitchen to begin planning their mission.


"Do you really have to go, Moony?" Sirius asked sadly, looking up at his old friend.

"You know we need all the allies we can get, and if I'm returning to Hogwarts after all, I need to do this mission now." Remus said, sounding resigned.

Sirius sighed and stood once Remus had finished packing his things. "Don't let those werewolves get the best of you - you're a good man, you hear me? A man, not a monster." Remus hugged his friend gratefully. "Come back to Harry and me, we can't fight this war without you."

"I will," Remus promised. "You have the most important job, though. Keep Harry safe while I'm gone. I'm going to go say goodbye to him. See you soon."

With that, Remus let go of Sirius and walked out his bedroom, leaving Sirius more alone than he had felt in a long time. They had both gotten their missions this morning and, though Sirius was ecstatic to see that his mission was advising and keeping his son safe, he was sad to see their small family had to be split apart with Remus's assignment.

Dumbledore had requested that Remus visit a few werewolf colonies to try and convince them to join and fight on the side of the light; though Remus was one of the strongest people he had ever met, Sirius was still worried for his school friend. Remus was bad about believing himself to be a monster, and Sirius was afraid that if Remus were to spend too much time with other werewolves, he would convince himself that he was one. He knew the werewolf colonies could be barbaric in their behaviors, since they felt that the wizarding world had turned against them. Remus had refused to join a colony after Hogwarts, so the other werewolves might view him as a traitor. Sirius was worried Dumbledore was setting his friend up for failure.

Sirius had still not forgiven Dumbledore for what he had allowed to happen with Harry, but he knew that he was their best leader and that he had the wizarding world's best intentions at heart. Without the headmaster, the Order would be lost, so Sirius reluctantly allowed his family to be given their missions and part ways. The summer holidays were going to be long for them, but hopefully Voldemort would be vanquished due to their efforts soon, and Harry wouldn't have to meet his fate the prophecy had lined out for him.