A/N: oke doke well this chapter took me for-ever to get out! I'm soooooooo sorry! I've been having super duper majorly bad writer's block! And I'm in desperate need of a beta-reader! I must have one! If anyone is willing to be a beta-reader for me I swear to god I would love you forever and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever (you get the picture)! Well here is the next part and personally I think it's kind of an important chapter so read up!
Harry Potter and the Sunfire Ring
Chapter 7: Meetings
For the next week Ron was ecstatic. He was beaming 24/7 and he always had a spring in his step. Harry thought it was great. He hadn't seen Ron this happy in ages. Hermione was really happy for Ron but she didn't neglect to give him a "now don't forget your studies" lecture, which of course Ron laughed off.
Monday morning Harry, Ron, and Hermione were just coming out of a particularly unnerving DADA class. Bell had just given them a list of statistics about the attacks during Voldemort's last reign. They were heading to lunch all a bit shaken when someone called out to Harry.
He turned and Annette was heading towards them. "Harry! Hold up a second," she called.
"Hey Annette!" Ron said turning too.
"Hi Ron, Hermione. Um Harry. I wanted you to be the 1st person I spoke with. So why don't you come have lunch in my office?"
"Umm, well I really just wanted to go eat in the Hall with everyone else," Harry said.
"Nonsense!" Hermione piped up. "It'll be good for you, Harry, you should go."
"Great! He'll meet you two later!" Annette shooed Ron and Hermione off. "Okay Harry my office is this way."
Annette turned and started off in the opposite direction. An uneasy feeling settled in the pit off Harry's stomach as he reluctantly followed after he.
Ten minutes later Harry was sitting in a green squashy chair in the middle of a circular room. Pictures of smiling people waved down at Harry from their frames on the off-white walls. Harry could only assume they were pictures of Annette and Charlie Weasley perched atop. The door was behind him. Another squashy green chair sat directly across from Harry, Annette was sitting in it staring intently at him. "Harry?" she asked suddenly snapping him back to reality. "How are you?"
Harry looked up at her, "Er . . . I'm fine," he replied uncomfortably. "Um, how are you?"
"I'm peachy!" she replied still staring intently at Harry, like she was trying to read him. "Well I'm positive you don't wanna relive everything for me. So I'm not going to ask you to."
Harry was quite relieved. The last thing he wanted to do was explain to her what had happened at the end of last year. "Not really," he said.
"So why don't you just ell me how your summer was?"
"Okay well, I was with the Dursleys, they're who I live with over the summer. My aunt was my mum's sister so I got stuck living with them. They're the biggest group of muggles you could ever find," Harry started.
"Sounds like fun!" Annette said sarcastically. "Tell me more about them would you?"
"Sure. Well, my aunt and uncle have a son and he's, well, basically a whale. They all hate magic and everything about it including me."
"I'm sure they don't hate you, Harry!" Annette interrupted.
"Oh believe me they do. They used to make me sleep in a cupboard under the stairs. But now they basically ignore me. So I had a relatively quiet summer. I guess that's really about it," he finished.
"Okay, then you went to the Burrow and spent time there, but you don't need to go over that cuz yeah, I was there!" Annette smiled at Harry and he shifted uncomfortably. Noticing that, Annette's expression changed to serious rather quickly. "Harry, I know this isn't exactly where you want to be, but you know you can trust me, I'm sworn to a confidentiality code!"
Harry looked back at her and tried to smile. "I know," he said, "It's just that I really don't need another person to talk to. I mean I've got Ron and Hermione, they help me with everything. And I've Professor Dumbledore if I ever need advice and . . . stuff." He deliberately left out Sirius. He wasn't sure if Dumbledore had told Annette about Sirius. If he hadn't, Harry mentioning something could cause a problem.
"Okay Harry. I still want to hear if you have a problem." Annette looked a bit disappointed. "Here, eat." She handed Harry a plate of sandwiches.
"Actually I think I'll just go downstairs. They're probably still serving lunch," Harry said standing up.
"Okay then," Annette said and with a flick of her wand the plate vanished. "Have a nice day Harry."
"You too," Harry said as he left the room.
Well that was great fun, he thought as he headed down the marble staircase into the entrance hall he walked into the Great Hall and ran into something solid.
"Ow!" squealed a small voice from the floor. "You might want to watch where you are going! It'll be good for you!" the voice said sarcastically.
"Oh I'm sorry!" Harry said straightening his glasses and looking down at the person he'd just run into. Right now all he could see was a mess of blonde curls atop a set of black robes. "I wasn't really expecting anyone to come out yet," he said as he held out his hand to the girl.
She ignored his hand and stood up herself. When she looked up Harry saw that her eyes were a shocking blue. "You're Harry Potter right?" she asked and Harry noticed she didn't even glance at his scar.
"Yeah," Harry replied. Suddenly he recognized her. "You're Angel, from quidditch trials! You did amazing on Saturday," he said.
"Um thanks," she replied, her pale cheeks turning slightly pink. "Um I kind of need to go," she said.
"Oh right," Harry moved out of the doorway. "See you at practice Wednesday!" he said as she stepped past him. He turned back towards the Gryffindor table but stopped suddenly noticing a bracelet on the floor. Angel must have dropped it. Harry picked it up and called after her. "Angel!" he called. "Angel you dropped your bracelet," he called turning it over in his hands. It was a small silver chain with little clouds hung on it like charms. But the clouds seemed to be real. They were churning and moving like clouds in the sky do.
"Thanks!" Angel said turning up next to Harry once again. "I'd be in so much trouble if I lost that. My parents would kill me!" she said strapping the bracelet back onto her wrist. "Bye Harry!" she called as she ran off towards the library.
Harry hurried over to the Gryffindor table and took a seat next to Neville.
"Hullo Harry!" Neville said cheerily.
"Hi," Harry said to everyone.
"Hey Harry, Hagrid wants us to come and visit him tonight after dinner. For tea of something like that," Hermione said not even looking up from her book.
"Alrighty," Harry replied while helping himself to some potatoes.
* * *
"At 8:00 3 figures could be seen walking across the sloping lawn. A small wooden house seemed to be their destination. When they reached the house the middle figure knocked on the door. When the door opened a few seconds later a huge man stood just inside. He was well over 8 feet tall and had a mess of tangled black hair and beard. He was presumably Hagrid, the gamekeeper. His face split into a large toothy grin at the sight of the 3 students. 'Hullo!' Hagrid said cheerfully.
" 'Hi Hagrid!' the girl said.
" 'Sorry we haven't visited before! I really don't know why we haven't!'
" 'S alright c'mon in!' Hagrid said stepping aside.
"They closed the door behind them so I crept closer for a better vantage point. Because I was transformed they had no idea I was there my Lord. Their conversation turned quickly to their summers. The children droned on about their boring family lives. Finally the Weasley kid asked Hagrid about his summer. Hagrid was hesitant but finally he spoke of a mission Dumbledore had sent him on.
"He set off on the 10th of July, five days before your messenger was sent. He arrived in Horate, Germany, a Giant community. Morgana, the queen giantess, welcomed Hagrid into her community. He struck up the proposal Dumbledore had outlined for him. He extended the hand of friendship to the Giant community saying that the Dark Lord had risen again and would try to sway them to his side. Morgana consulted with the council of elders for the Giant community. For 3 days Hagrid waited there. On the 4th day Morgana told Hagrid his offer had been accepted and they would not resume their fighting with the Dark Lord.
"The children left the house at 10:30.
"Dumbledore's envoy, that Hagrid, is the on that kept Morgana from renewing the contract he mother made with you 20 years ago."
"Yes thank you Wormtail. You've been very informative to me. Go away now."
* * *
9 people sat around a small room. They all seemed anxious like they were waiting for something. A fire glowed in the hearth casting an eerie glow over their faces. Suddenly the soft orange glow turned bright green. Everyone in the room looked expectantly at the fire. A moment later a tall man with long silver hair stepped out of the flames. This man was obviously what the people had been waiting for because the tension in the room lifted a bit. "Thank you all for coming. This meeting of the Order of the Phoenix is now in session. Pans any word from the Dark side?"
"No sir. The Dark Lord is just gathering information at this time."
"Good then I think this is a good time to get our numbers back up."
"I'm confused, sir, what are you talking about?" a plump, brunette woman asked.
"Dolls we need 3 new members. 13 is a magical number. We lost 3 very important people and we need people to continue in their footsteps."
"Doors who have you decided on?" a tall man with black hair asked.
"Ahh, Padfoot. Two of our number, that are no longer with us, bless their souls, had a fine and very powerful son. He and his two best friends are very capable . . ."
"NO, that's my son!" Dolls cried out.
"Shh dear. Please, sir, continue," said a tall man with a few bright red hairs left.
"They are very capable people. And I believe they would be excellent assets to the Order."
"Doors, sir?" asked a short man with Sandy hair and tired blue eyes.
"Yes Moony?" Doors answered him.
"I'm sure H- er I mean Flower and Prongs' son can handle it, especially after last year. But the other two . . . I'm not to sure about them."
"Moony you know damn well he won't do anything without his two best friends and he'd never keep something this big form them." Padfoot answered.
"Dolls, Plugs if you give your permission?" Doors said.
"Yes it's alright. It'll be good for them, I know they can handle it and that they can do it. Plus they're on the winning side!"
"Alright then. Then induction ceremony is to be held in two weeks. I'll talk to our new members. And I'll be in contact with you all," Doors replied. "Meeting adjourned."
A/N: Ok that's chapter 7! I hope you liked it. I basically know where this story is going but I'm totally open to suggestions. I'd love for people to give me more ideas and who knows maybe I'll use yours. Thanks a bunch and I'm not gonna beg but please write a review if you have the time. They really make me feel good about my writing even if they are bad reviews! Thanks a bunch!
~Laura a.k.a. ***StarliteStarbrite***
P.S. It's just a hundred bazillion times easier to sign my author's notes with my real name so that's what I'm gonna do from now on!