Chapter 8: The Order
Harry woke up from the first dream in years in which his scar had burned. He put his hand to his scar, feeling the beads of perspiration on his forehead. There had been a tall figure, robed, likely Lord Voldemort, and an assistant was present, likely Wormtail. He had heard the malicious, high-pitched laugh from the Dark Lord, and then he had noticed the dusty stone walls that surrounded the chamber. Outside the window, he could just make out the view; they were hundreds of feet in the air, Harry estimated, and there were dry, rocky crags and the tiny specks of thick forests that he could just make out in the distance. They were in a remote castle, he guessed, and there was a forest of some kind nearby.
He had a habit of not relaying these nightmares, despite their consistently prophetic nature, but today he would make an exception. Cho was different; she was his girlfriend, and she feared for him. She would demand to know every detail, even if he had mentioned it in passing.
It was the first day of a Hogsmeade weekend, and it was early March. The best time to talk to Cho would be at breakfast.
He approached her in the Great Hall. "Hey Cho," he said.
"Hi Harry," she said cheerily. "Are you okay?"
"Can we go to the library?"
"Sure," she said.
He told her everything there in whispers, giving her the few details he had. As expected, she told him to go to Professor Dumbledore.
"But I don't want to go on another adventure," said Harry. "I want to stay here and get to know you and--"
"--There will be time for that. Harry, I'm not going to argue anymore, because I know how your sense of duty works. I know you'll see him."
Of course, she was right.
***
"Harry, how are you?" said Professor Dumbledore.
Harry awkwardly moved into the Headmaster's office. "Fine, Professor."
"Good. How can I help you?"
He told the Headmaster about the dream.
Professor Dumbledore nodded gravely. "Harry, I was planning to talk to you in the near future anyway."
He took a deep breath. "I have serious news for you, Harry. The ministry continues to ignore the signs, but we have worked against Voldemort for nearly a year now. Rubeus and Madame Maxime convinced a large number of giants and half-giants to side with the humans against Voldemort. Sirius, Remus, and their old friends investigated certain leads related to Dark wizard activity.
But most importantly, Severus Snape, since being "welcomed back", so to speak, by the Death Eaters, has been spying for us, and he has determined the location of a major stronghold for the Dark Wizards--a castle, deep in South America.
I've of late been thinking over you Finite Incantatem feat at the end of last year. Do you remember why it worked?"
"Yes, sir," said Harry. "It's because the core of my wand is the same as Voldemort's."
"Yes. And while you two are the only ones to have wand cores from this very phoenix, others with wand cores from different phoenixes should have almost the same efficiency as yours should they battle Voldemort. So I'm suggesting that you go with our allies among these said wandbearers as they venture to this castle. I'm afraid there's no Ministry support on this one--especially considering that they don't officially recognize Voldemort's return."
Dumbledore went on. "Now, here's why it's urgent. Your friend, Remus Lupin, was captured as a werewolf two months ago, and is now believed to be a prisoner at the complex. Fortunately, we don't think they know his significance. That is, unless Wormtail has seen him. In any case, he is as loyal to the Cause as any, and with even the slight chance that he's alive . . . the Order of the Phoenix must try to rescue him."
Harry didn't like the idea much. As he had told Cho before, he wanted to spend time with her. He most certainly didn't want to risk his life again. However, they might need his wand specifically in order to save Remus, one of Harry's closest friends. There might be another solution. "Can't somebody more experienced borrow my wand for this mission?"
"I'm afraid not, Harry," said the Headmaster. "The wand chooses the owner, and not the other way around. Its power would be dramatically weakened."
And so Harry learned of the order. Or rather, he heard the pitch. With a heavy heart, and with more to lose now than before, he said that he would have a decision by the morning; he had to talk to his friends first.
"Of course," said Dumbledore." I'm sure you'll make the right choice.
***