Disclaimer: well, this time I can change that standard thing of "not mine", since I did invent some of
the characters in this chapter. Except that it doesn't matter, the only one I care about is Sirius and he
(like most others) is not mine, never will be and please don't sue me!
Author's notes at the end.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Harry Potter and the Order of Phoenix
Chapter III: "Fides obligat fidem"
Harry walked to the group of people gathered near the quidditch field. Most were wearing simple black
robes and in the approaching darkness they all looked similar to each other. Apart from Dumbledore,
Lupin and Arabella he didn't recognise any of them. All of them, though, seemed to know him very
well. Remarks were coming from every direction about what a great honour it was to meet him and
what a wonderful talent for Quidditch he had. He had to go through a forest of hands, each one waiting
to shake his. The list of names was interminable. "Morgan Donnelly" was a corpulent wizard with red
cheeks and a pipe in the mouth filled with something that smelled like a Stinking Potion mixed with
Bubotuber pus. "Gary Olivander" was a young wizard who Harry guessed had to be related to the
famous wands-maker. One name jumped in his memory when "Mungunus Fletcher" introduced
himself. Percy had mentioned that he tried to sue the Ministry for the loss of an expensive tent he never
actually possessed after the disaster at the World Quidditch Cup last year. Harry had to look away to
hide the smile on his face. Mungunus Fletcher resulted to be a little man with a very high voice and
robes that needed a good cleaning.
"You did great, Harry," said a quiet voice at his side. Professor Lupin smiled at him through the
multitude of heads. "A Wronski Feint like I didn't see in some time. You are quite a player, better than
your father I dare say." For Harry it was the best of all possible praises.
"Was my… could my dad do that?"
"James ways liked the crazy way of flying. I guess he would have mastered it if he tried. He never
really liked it, though. Said he would never trick an opponent into smashing on the ground just to win a
match. Always a noble heart, he was." Harry felt his own heart travel through his stomach down to the
heels and stay there. Lupin's smile, however, didn't disappear from his face and his voice didn't hold
any hint of reproach.
"One thing is to be able to do it, Harry. Another quite different is to choose whether to do it or not. You
are a wonderful Seeker, with or without that Feint. You are perfectly able to choose what tactics to
use." Harry nodded. He remembered Cho Chang and the game he played against Ravenclaw in his
third year. The idea of fooling her with a Wronski Feint made him sick. He was glad that of all the
people it was Lupin who made him understand that.
"I'll save it specially for Draco Malfoy." He decided. Lupin's expression told him he had no objections
to the idea.
"Have you heard the latest news?" Sirius had materialised behind their backs and gave Harry a silent
thumb-up before entering the conversation. "Lucius Malfoy and the Death Eaters have their own
private club from now on. The Society for the Promotion of Wizard Traditions."
"Let me guess. The traditions they promote don't appear in any respectable History of Magic book,
right?"
"They put a notice in today's Daily Prophet. Three month after Voldemort's return and they are already
in the open. Most of the readers saw right through it, and Arthur Weasley even talked to some people to
try and get it banned but they are screaming all kind of things about discrimination and free speech.
The Ministry wants to sooth the whole story before the scandal breaks out. Fudge is afraid of publicity
more than anything else and between Weasley and Malfoy … Well, you can guess who will get the
blame." Seeing Sirius and Lupin together made Harry realise even better how much both of them
changed over the summer. For the first time since Professor Lupin came to teach at Hogwarts he didn't
look sick and tired. In fact he looked perfectly happy and quite strong. Moony and Padfoot spending
some time together worked better than any medicine. Harry had serious doubts that either of them had
followed Dumbledore's orders about lying low.
"They say everyone is welcome. I wonder what would they do if someone with "impure" lineage tries
to enter. Curse him?"
"No self-respecting wizard will ever step on the club grounds." Arabella joined in. Of all the people
gathered around Harry she was the only girl, and she alone looked like a warrior. She had changed her
black robe for a dark green tunic crossed by a wide belt and trousers of the same colour. Her long, fair
hair was made up in a heavy plait that reached her waist. It occurred to Harry that the only thing she
needed was a bow with arrows. She made an impressive view standing next to Sirius, who still wore
Muggle street clothes. Harry himself had completely forgot to change.
Night was coming and he was starting to shiver under the cool evening breeze. Everyone headed for
the castle. The conversation was tuning around the events of the morning and Harry found himself
eavesdropping the bits of conversation around him, eager to fill in the summer lack of news from the
wizarding world.
"Fudge can't keep denying it after today."
"Everyone will have to pass the Veritaserum test."
"Weasley would be a great asset, pity all the Ministry employees are under vigilance until the security
leak is found."
"I heard they have brought in a new detector. Reads the traces of aura that are left after the spell. The
guy who invented it claims it can pick up the print hours after the spell is made and also detects what
kind of wand produced it. They hope to identify the person who did it that way."
"It's incredible how quick the technology is advancing. A little more and we'll have a machine for
everything just like the Muggles do. The good old wands will be forgotten."
"Don't be such a cynic, Gary."
"If they really pick up the traces of the wand they'll find out Black was there."
"He'll never prove his innocence, and if somebody finds out that he's in the Order Dumbledore will
have a lot to explain." Harry instantly decided that he didn't like Mungunus Fletcher at all. The other
wizard, the young Olivander, lowered his voice.
"Shut up! Imagine it happened to you. Dementors have to be the worst thing right after Voldemort, if
you ask me."
"Than get Voldemort and the Dementors together and think of the result. He will try to get them on his
side, remember my words." Harry looked around to see if Sirius had overheard the conversation but his
godfather was talking to Remus. The two wizards didn't take notice of him and went on discussing
ministerial gossip.
"I heard they saw Avery not far from the house. Is that true?" The question was directed to Arabella.
She only shrugged her shoulders.
"What difference would that make? Nobody was able to prove anything against him before. It won't be
different now."
"I don't know." Morgan Donnelly, still with the pipe in his mouth, answered. "I always wondered
about it, you see. Tried to understand how could it happen. I knew him before and he was a fine man,
Avery, I'm not afraid to say it. If he really was there means he had served the Dark Lord willingly after
all."
"It was Avery all right, believe me." Sirius had obviously heard the last part.
"If Sirius Black says so it must be true. Voldemort's right hand can't be mistaken."
"Low and not funny, Arabella. Exactly the kind of thing I would expect from you. Should have seen
how he jumped when I recognised him. Low, dirty traitor. They do their job with great care, ha! I hope
he's got his share of punishment from his master."
"Don't even say that." Lupin's voice was very quiet but it succeeded in making Sirius look uneasy.
"Am I supposed to feel sorry for him after he tried to kill Harry?"
"Who is he?" asked Harry. He remembered very well the shaking man begging for forgiveness at
Voldemort's feet and the cold indifference of the inhuman punishment of his master. He couldn't avoid
agreeing with Lupin. The memory alone was a nightmare.
"German Avery was the Assistant Director of the Protection Division back in the old days when
Voldemort's name was only beginning to surface. He was very popular than and for a good reason. He
and his agents did a great job, discovering Dark Rings, fighting the smuggling of tools for dark arts and
growing of forbidden plants. Than there was an attack on his house. He had a nice family, kids and
wife and they all were killed. He himself was badly injured, spent a long time in St. Mungo and than
returned to his job more determined to fight the crime than ever. Said nothing could ever change his
mind." Sirius paused for a moment, remembering.
"There were even more raids and detentions than before, except that some of the arrested people,
well… It was established later that they were innocent, but the damage was done, it was too late. And
people started to die, aurors and agents of the department. Some walked into set-ups, more houses were
attacked, many families died. Nobody suspected Avery; he was the hero, the first to be attacked after
all. Until something clicked and somebody realised the he was the only common factor in all the
failures."
"Did he go on trial?"
"Yeah." It could be Harry's imagination but Sirius' voice has sounded a little different.
"He kept saying he was under Imperius Curse all the time but I doubt there was a one person in whole
London who believed him. Powerful wizards can break the Controlling curse and it gets much easier
with the time. Anyway, there was no proof of anything and he stuck to his version; the judges had no
other chose than to let him go. It was before Barty Crouch came to the Ministry, you see, and good part
of the reason he got such a huge support. The only thing that happened to Avery was that he lost his job
and the rests of his good name. He simply disappeared after the trial. Joined Voldemort, no doubt. No
idea what he had been doing during all those years."
Avery's shaking figure was still in front of Harry's eyes. He chose to keep quiet, but the idea of a fine
man broken by the perversity of the man with red eyes, loosing everything he ever had and loved and
than forced to serve the same dark force that did that to him was difficult to get rid of. He felt a hand on
his shoulder and turned his head. Lupin looked at him with a strange expression, as if he knew what
was going on in Harry's head. Harry avoided his eyes. He felt stupid feeling sorry for a Death Eater
that had tried to kill him only that morning.
"It's always very difficult to understand." Harry would rather not discus the subject, but Lupin's hand
still gripped his shoulder.
"Many brave people give in when they come face to face with Voldemort, and it doesn't mean they are
monsters. A moment comes when there is too much fear, too much pain. And they think…. They think
they'll give in only once, just to win a moment of rest and get their strength back and than face him.
They never succeed. Once you say yes you are lost forever. Nobody knows what happened to Avery,
except that it had to be terrible. It doesn't matter why he said yes for the first time. Once you start
working for Voldemort there is no way back. You can't do him a favour and go on with your life. Once
Avery accepted he had no other choice than keep doing his dirty work, and he feared his ex-friends
even more than he feared Voldemort because he knew very well the consequences of his actions. His
betrayal led the people who worked under his orders and the ones he had to protect to the same torture
he was trying to avoid."
Lupin's words, far from helping Harry to get rid of the depressing thoughts, made them worse. The
image of the man screaming on the ground kept playing in front of his eyes, his screams echoing in his
ears. The more he learned about Voldemort the darker, dirtier and more evil he resulted, and there was
no end for his perversity. Could something like that happen to him? Would he betray his friends if
Voldemort used all his power to make him to? What would have happened if he had given in and
begged for the pain to stop when the Dark Lord told him to?
Lupin let go of Harry's shoulder and hurried toward the castle. They went through the big doors,
crossed the Great Hall and finally stopped in front of the gargoyle that guarded the entrance to the
Dumbledore's office. The door opened without any password.
But I didn't, Harry reminded himself while he went up the stairs not with pride but with a feeling of
relieve. I didn't and I won't give in. And my parents didn't, they chose to die and it's thousand times
better than living the life of traitors.
The secret door was also opened this time, and he followed the crowd into the same room he
discovered some hours ago. It was already full of people. The feeling of solemnity and peace filled
Harry again as he stepped inside. Silence reigned in the room. All the conversations died as soon as the
people entered the place. The mysterious light coming from the stone surface in the middle illuminated
their faces.
"Fides obligat fidem," A voice said softly in Harry's ear, "means the trust obliges to the trust."
Dumbledore was staying behind Harry, holding a very old heavy book with thick leather cover and
uneven yellowish pages. "Every year we have a discussion on whether or not should our students learn
Latin, and every time we decide to leave it until the next year. You could understand lots of spells
much better if you knew what they mean." He placed the book on the stone surface and Harry saw that
it carried a matching inscription in silver letters with an image of the Phoenix in the centre.
"We shall begin."
The crowd opened around him and everyone took his place along the wall. Harry went to stay at
Sirius's side. Now that everybody was present he could see more familiar faces. Most of his teachers
were there. Professors Flitwick, McGonagall and Sprout came in after Dumbledore and took their
places in the circle. Much to his disgust Snape was also there, looking as ill humoured and unfriendly
as ever. He stood slightly apart from the circle of wizards, with his arms crossed and a defying look on
his face. Harry wondered if any of the present knew about the Dark Mark on his arm and his past as a
Death Eater. Of all the people gathered in the room he was the one who should be the most worried
about the ceremony. To Harry's surprise, he seemed completely at ease. In fact, someone else at his
side was beginning to get nervous.
"Relax, Moony!" Sirius flustered to Remus Lupin over Harry's head. "It may even turn out to be fun."
"I don't consider that having twenty people digging in your private life could be described as fun," a
terse voice answered. The realisation downed at Harry.
"They can't ask about something they don't know about."
"They know. Snape must have told everyone by now." Sirius muttered something that Harry was sure
he wasn't intended to hear. "And don't think I worry about myself. It's you he is after."
"That grease ball doesn't have the cleanest of pasts himself. I tell you, I'll need to ask him a lot of
questions before I allow him to as much as wave his wand in my presence."
Dumbledore's words covered the rest of the conversation.
"I thank you all for coming at such a short notice. We all know what has happened today and had been
happening for some time now. We know what is at stake. We know what has to be done. But… only
you yourself know whether you are prepared to take part in the Order of Phoenix. Now it is time for the
rest of us to find out." He opened the book with a wave of his wand. Suddenly the invisible fire that
danced on the pedestal became visible and real. The red flames jumped on the paper and licked the
ancient pages of the book without destroying them.
"All the people who touch the Book of Phoenix are bounded together by its flames. During the
ceremony of Bounding you heart opens itself to the Phoenix and all your thoughts and feelings become
visible." Dumbledore waived his wand once again and turned the page. A wave of light went through
the room and the flames turned deep green.
"Those are the colours of your soul." He pronounced. "Green means peace." Another page turned and a
wave of blue lit his glasses.
"Trust." Yet another page.
"Fear."
"Happiness." Happiness was yellowish.
"Anger." It was red.
The pages continued to turn themselves until one of them shone with the impartiality of white light.
"It's a powerful knowledge, and must be treated with extreme wisdom. Remember it." Dumbledore
took a step back into the darkness and became part of the circle of silent figures.
Nobody moved for a long time, and Harry had the impression that everyone was slightly intimidated by
the sight. Finally there was a movement at his side and Arabella stepped inside the circle.
"Ladies first," she said rather nervously and went directly to the book. She held her hands in front of
the fire, letting the flames touch her skin. Nothing happened. She placed the tips of her fingers on the
pages of the book as carefully as she would touch the surface of an iron. The fire answered to her touch
with a wave of light that penetrated into the darkest corners of the room. The flames enveloped her
whole figure, touched her skin, her robes and her hair and than withdraw back to the book of Phoenix.
The expression of her face during the time she stood enveloped in fire was solemn. It changed back to
her nervous smile when the Bounding was over. A bright blue light danced now on the walls
accompanied by shades of yellow, orange and thousand other colours.
Still nobody said a word. It was impossible to define the individual emotions, but the whole picture was
just too beautiful to suspect any dark thoughts. Arabella waited patiently for the questions to be asked
but there were none. The hurricane of colours calmed down and was beginning to change into
something Harry guessed was boredom.
"Looks like nobody doubts your integrity, Bella. You are as clean as the sky." Arabella smiled at
Remus Lupin who had turned red under her look. She took her hands from the book and went back to
her place.
The indecision was broken. Professor McGonagall took Arabella's place in front of the pedestal and
touched the pages. Again a wave of light announced that the Phoenix accepted another member in his
Order. Her colour was the orange of resolve. Again nobody except an old Auror whose name Harry had
forgotten dared to ask her a question, and the only thing he wanted to know was what had she been
doing before coming to teach at Hogwarts. It turned out she went to the School of Magical Pedagogic
in Scotland and came to Hogwarts shortly afterwards at the age of twenty-two.
"We were her very first year." Harry heard Lupin's voice of amazement. "I never knew… She looked
so much older."
"I always thought she practised first in a high security school for problematical kids somewhere…"
Sirius added. The same old Auror who had questioned McGonagall was now staying in front of the
fire.
"That explains a lot of things about her." Arabella returned quietly.
"Like what?"
"Do you realise how many future generations of students you made suffer through your stupid jokes on
her?"
"She was already like that when we came. Can you believe she gave me a detention before the Sorting?
Said that if I ended up in Gryffindor she would make it two." Sirius argued.
"And you had nothing to do with the fact that the Sorting had to be postponed two hours while all the
teachers searched for the Head Boy and Girl who were hiding in the bathrooms after somebody cast a
Kissing Charm on them?"
"Me? The only thing I did was to voice the idea. James…"
"Hhhh!" Several wizards at their side were throwing angry looks in their direction. Sirius and Arabella
shut up and Harry turned his attention back to the ceremony.
Wizards he didn't know came one by one to the centre of the room and became members of the Order.
The questions they answered were beginning to get boring. He would rather hear some more about the
things Sirius and his father did at Hogwarts but was forced to listen to explanations about why Mr.
Donnelly was seen in Knockturn Alley last Easter and whether Mr.. Fletcher's job in the Gringotts
brought him enough money to buy the last model of a familiar-size Space Expander that allowed him to
double the number of rooms inside his house (Mungunus Fletcher screamed that he had worked hard
for many years to earn his money to be accused now of illegal deals and bathed the room in deep red
light).
Harry's thoughts began to wander. He remembered the time when Dumbledore decided to call all those
people together. The old crowd… Mungunus Fletcher… Arabella Figg… It hadn't escaped him that
Arabella Figg sounded very close to Mrs. Figg, the old and crazy lady who lived near the Dursleys at
Privet Drive. It occurred him that morning already, when she came storming into Dumbledore's office.
From her reaction time Arabella was certainly somewhere near him when the attack took place. The
only thing that didn't add up to the scheme was the fact that Mrs. Figg was at least seventy years old,
but in the wizarding world an Aging Potion couldn't be too difficult to get.
"A question of extraordinary importance. We all will sleep much better tonight knowing that all the
members of the team punctually pay their taxes." Sirius could certainly lower his voice a little, but this
time nobody seemed to care. Mungunus Fletcher's money problems of appeared to interest only a few.
It was a perfect opportunity to talk to Arabella, but Harry didn't know how to start a conversation.
Suddenly inspiration came.
"Ms. Figg, do you like cats?" He asked in a whisper. If the question seemed strange to her she didn't let
it show.
"Not really." She whispered back. It was the only answer. Harry looked at her and realized that she
stared back at him with a naughty sparkle in her eyes, clearly realising the reason of the questioning
and waiting to see what would come next. She's laughing at me, understood Harry. He had no idea how
to go on.
"Would you believe me if I told you that my mum lives right near your house at Privet Drive?" She
broke the uncomfortable silence after a long pause.
"No." Harry answered somewhat brusquely.
"Well, it's true."
Harry groaned mentally and turned away. If they were going to treat him like a small child, denying
something that was really obvious and laughing in his eyes, he didn't have to play along.
"She's a sweetheart and loves cats very much. And she's the biggest Muggle I know, right after your
relatives. After all those years she still begs me to explain the secrets of my tricks. And… She loves to
spend the summer on Mallorca every year." Harry turned back.
"After you found out you were a wizard some people thought you needed special protection, and I got
the job. It's perfect. I've got to look after the house and the cats. I even get paid for it, nor that I
wouldn't do it for free. The only problem is that you get no tan under all this make-up." Harry was
having hard time deciding whether to believe her or not, and supposing he did whether or not to get
angry at this invasion of his private life.
His reflections ended when he saw Lupin move forward and extend his arms to the fire. Harry was
startled to realise that apart from Dumbledore it was only he, Sirius and Snape left. It was now when all
the trouble was about to start. It was clear right away that Lupin was right in being worried. Snape had
done his task very well.
Uncomfortable silence filled the room. Many pairs of eyes stared at him with a mixture of pity and
uneasiness. Others were avoiding his gaze. One single question was on everybody's minds but nobody
wanted to be the one to ask it.
"Your condition is nobody's business, Lupin," somebody started to say, "but we have to know if
you…, you know, if something… had happened…"
Lupin winced as if the man had slapped him, not looking up from the book in front of him.
"I have never bit anyone." He said hoarsely. Harry knew for sure that the purple light filling the room
was the colour of tension.
"Are you sure?" Harry was shocked to realise that the mockingly concerned voice belonged to Sirius.
"The first year at Hogwarts? You were doing homework in the library with Lily and than she came
calling for help and saying the Slytherins were hitting you for punching Malfoy for calling her
Mudblood… Remember? Because when we came it was quite the opposite and when Mc… Professor
McGonagall asked Crabbe and Goyle what happened they both said you bit their fingers off…" On
Lupin's taunted face appeared a shadow of a smile. Everyone else except Snape laughed. The image of
the normally very quiet Remus wildly attacking Crabbe and Goyle Seniors was hilarious. In one
moment the tension was gone and the mood in the room was back in normal.
Lupin went back and Snape and Sirius both made a step forward. Snape was a little quicker and he was
the one to take his position in front of the pedestal. He didn't seem worried at all. Quite on the contrary,
his face wore an oily smile that was a perfect match to his greasy hair. He stared at the rest of wizards
around him with the air of mocking superiority. His smile became even more twisted as he found Sirius
in the crowd and locked his gaze with him. Sirius' expression matched his own.
The silent exchange of stares didn't escape anybody in the room, nor was it a surprise for the most of
the present. All the eyes went from Snape to Sirius and back to the Potions teacher. Snape stretched his
hands and touched the book. For one moment Harry expected that the flames that enveloped the person
who bonded with the Phoenix would burn him or the Dark Mark on his arm, or at least don't appear at
all. Nothing of that happened. The Bonding went on as always, and his face wore the same expression
of unbelievable wonder all others had. Harry found himself regretting it couldn't be the mask of fear of
a discovered Death Eater.
"Any questions?" Snape's voice sounded as greasy as his smile was, mocking the people around him
with his politeness when his entire attitude spoke of disdain. His eyes never left Sirius' face.
But Sirius wasn't looking at Snape anymore. Harry followed the direction of his gaze and found
himself staring at the moonlike glasses of Albus Dumbledore. The headmaster was looking back at
Sirius with peculiar intensity in his eyes. Next thing Harry knew, he shook his head slightly. Harry
blinked and watched again. There could be no mistake. Dumbledore shook his head again and turned
away like nothing had happened.
Nobody else had witnessed the quick exchange of looks between the two wizards. Everybody was still
waiting for the cross-examination to begin. Harry could see the confused look at Sirius' face as he
searched Dumbledore's eyes once more, but the headmaster suddenly became fascinated with the
curtains on the walls of the room.
"Any questions?" Snape repeated once more. His insolence became suddenly a whole new meaning
and his voice sounded even oilier if possible to Harry. The protection Dumbledore had granted him
over the years extended obviously to the solemn Bonding ceremony as well. Under his shelter Snape
was sure nobody would dare to question his past.
Harry was astonished at the unfairness of it. Had any other person tried to prevent someone from
finding out the truth about a future member of the Order after so many talking about honesty and trust
he would immediately define him as dishonest, but Albus Dumbledore was the last person in the whole
world Harry could accuse of lack of honour. There had to be an explanation for what had happened,
and Harry hoped it was a very good one.
"Why would anyone want to question you, Snape? We all know you are as innocent as Arabella here."
Sirius was unable to keep the anger out of his voice. Snape didn't bat an eyelid. He surveyed the people
in the room from the impunity of his position.
"As you wish. In that case it's about time we heard some explanation from you, Black." He answered
coldly and gestured at the pedestal, inviting Sirius to change positions.
Harry suddenly found himself searching the faces around him, trying to catch the look of Professor
Dumbledore again. The moment his godfather took a step forward he realised how right the headmaster
had been in not letting this ceremony become a battle of mutual accusations and sharp remarks between
the members. He could never forget Sirius pleading with him to believe that he didn't betray his
parents, when he himself believed him to be a cold-blooded murderer with no soul. He hadn't realised
how afraid he was that the painful story of friendship and betrayal would have to be repeated in front of
all those people.
Sirius walked decisively to the centre of the room. He wasn't smiling. He placed the hands on the
surface, clearly wanting to get it done as soon as possible. The fire closed around him for an instant.
Harry couldn't say if it was his anxiety or the flames clung to him much longer than to the other
people. He breathed freely only when they let go of his body.
It cost Sirius great effort to look up at the circle of wizards and make his voice sound as calm as
possible.
"I am sure you all know the official version about the deaths of Peter Pettigrew and all those Muggles.
Some may have even heard the part about James and Lily Potter and the Fidelius Charm. I understand
you need some answers before deciding whether to accept me or not. If you have any doubt about my
actions, I'm ready to answer."
"It's not necessary, Black. If we had had any doubt about your loyalties you wouldn't have make it past
this door. We all trust Albus, and if he says you were framed it must be true." Many of the present
nodded. Harry couldn't say who was more relieved, his godfather or he himself. He found no pleasure
in digging in the past; there was nothing but pain and betrayal there. Now he could even understand
Snape in a way. He could have been as innocent as Sirius, but it didn't mean he was eager to relate his
story to the first stranger.
"All right than. If there is a person here we all agree to put out trust in, it's Albus Dumbledore."
Snape's conciliatory words didn't match the tone of hatred with which he spoke. He obviously didn't
want to let go of this opportunity easily.
"We accept his word that all you pretended was to help your friends. But that doesn't change the fact
that they are dead only and exclusively because you wanted to mess with the established plan and they
trusted you enough to agree to it. You'll understand if some of us think twice before doing the same,
seeing the way the Potters ended."
A curious sound filled Harry's ears. His throat collapsed and breathing became difficult. Rage blinded
him and mixed his thoughts. One thing was Arabella's friendly teasing and quite another a direct
accusation. How dared he to blame Sirius of something he surely celebrated it in his dirty heart? Harry
himself was the only one who had the right of voice in this matter. And never since the day he met his
godfather did he ever considered him responsible for the death of his parents. Pettigrew was the guilty
one. And not even him. Every time he thought of Wormtail he remembered not the man he saw in the
Howling Hut, but the crying man on the ground of the graveyard. And this time he remembered Avery
as well. It all came back to Voldemort. Not all the people serving him were monsters.
"You are sick." Arabella's words came out barely above a whisper but they were clearly audible in the
silence that followed.
"Don't worry about friend's betrayal, Snape. It will never happen to you, since you don't have any."
Harry wished he were the one to say that, but his mind seemed paralysed. The Potions teacher ignored
Lupin's words and made one step to the centre. The fire on the pages of the Book of Phoenix turned
nearly black and the light in the room died. Sirius took his hands away with a shudder, as if the dark
fire suddenly started to burn his flesh. The impersonal white colour filled the room once again.
"The truth hurts, doesn't it, Black?"
"It does." Sirius' eyes were as dark as the fire was before the magical bond was broken. "Great that you
have figured it out. Now you'll be telling it much more often, right?"
Harry wished his godfather sounded a little stronger, or at least felt as strong as he sounded. Snape's
words had struck very close to home. No matter how innocent in front of the law Sirius was he would
always carry the guilt of Harry's parent's death on his shoulders. He found himself avoiding Sirius'
eyes. He knew what he would see there: the dead empty look that he had hoped was gone forever.
"Enough!" One word from Dumbledore was enough to make every head turn in his direction. "Severus,
I'm very disappointed with you. The last thing I would expect from any of you is to turn this ceremony
in a private vengeance. Taking advantage of the Bonding is worse that hitting a fallen enemy, and there
are no adversaries among us, it should be clear to everyone."
Dumbledore had spoke in the same quiet manner he always did but the effect his words made was
stronger than any punishment. It made Harry hope he never did something bad enough to warrant as
little as a tiny reproach from the headmaster. Watching Snape turn white was an enjoyable experience,
but it was not enough to erase the impression his accusation has made.
"We have a common enemy," Dumbledore went on, "an enemy who does things that horrify every
decent person. Now you have the weapon that can stand up to that evil. You can save innocent lives,
lives that are lost while you talk here, pointlessly accusing each other of wrongs nobody even believes
in. You came here today to recreate the Order of Phoenix and choose the worthiest of you to pronounce
the Enchantment. The first part is done. Now it's time to choose your leader."
Now not only Snape, but also the rest of the crowd looked ashamed. Dumbledore has managed to make
everyone feel like schoolboys that spent their time playing tricks on each other instead of studying for
the exams and now had to answer before their headmaster. Harry certainly felt that way, though he had
nothing to do with the Order of Phoenix directly. Dumbledore's accusing words made him wish he had
paid more attention to the ceremony.
"But what about you, Headmaster?" Professor Flitwick struggled to get forward and make himself
hear. It proved to be easier than somebody could expect from a man of his height. Everyone was
suddenly very interested in what he had to say. Harry remembered that the only time he got really
furious at somebody was, according to his words during the Bonding, the time when a student cast a
Shrinking Charm on him by mistake.
"What about me?"
"You haven't made the Bond. You aren't a member of the Order."
"It is only due to the fact that I wasn't planning on becoming one."
"But you can't make the Phoenix Enchantment without being a…"
"…part of the Order of Phoenix? You are right. And the reason I am not taking part in it is precisely
that I don't want to be the one to make the Enchantment. All of you who had expected to take the easy
way out and choose me will have to find yourself another Phoenix, I'm afraid."
"But why?" "How?" "Why?" A choir of voices asking the same question filled the room.
The news came as a total surprise to everybody or, better said, as an unwelcome nightmare. Harry was
sure Dumbledore himself wasn't expecting the effect his announcement made on all the present.
Him leaving the Order of Phoenix it to its fate after creating it was the last thing everybody in the room
expected. Even the teachers were as bewildered as the rest. The only one who didn't seem surprised
was Remus Lupin. He shook his head sadly, as if Dumbledore's announcement was a gesture of
unavoidable necessity.
"Believe me, I wouldn't do it if I didn't think it was the right thing to do. I will always be ready to help
where I can, of course." It sounded very much like a doctor trying to sweeten a bitter pill.
"But you are the only one who can have a chance to win against Voldemort! Not to mention that we all
came here at your call. If we all have anything in common it's that we all are ready to follow you, Sir."
"I would like to hope that you all have something more in common, a determination to fight Voldemort
for one. Haven't you understood the meaning of the Phoenix yet, Sirius? One person can fall, but it will
be replaced by another, and yet another. The Phoenix is immortal as long as there are people who keep
feeding its flames with their faith. The power of one person means very little, exactly as it will mean
little who makes the Enchantment at the end. The power of the union is what will make Voldemort fear
you."
"It does matter who! Not everyone can make the main spell right, and the preparatory ones have to be
very clean and quick."
"If all the members of the Order put their trust in you the least you should do is to trust yourself to
stand up to their expectations."
"I don't want anybody to put his trust in me." Harry heard Sirius answer but the words were so low he
couldn't swear he was right.
"Than why can't you be the one?" Gary Olivander said stubbornly.
"If it can't be you, it will be nobody." Mungunus Fletcher joined in. Many seemed to be of the same
opinion.
"Than another chance to fight Voldemort will be lost. And we aren't going to have many more.
Harry?"
Harry was sure that everybody had forgotten about his presence and jumped at the mention of his
name.
"I think it will be better if we left them alone to take the decision." With that Dumbledore went to the
door and out of the room, leaving the newly proclaimed members of the Order of Phoenix alone and
speechless. Harry had no choice other than follow him through the secret door.
``
Author's notes: once again, thanks for the huge support and specially constructive criticism (Anna, you
are right, the Weasley twins are in 7, I corrected it already, thanks. I just got confused because all that
story of a joke shop made it sound like they were in their last year.)
Just one thing: does anybody know what Sirius' wand is made of? Many think it's Grim hair but that is
a little, well… When somebody gets a wand with Grim hair in it he wouldn't be very happy, right? And
he transforms in a dog, not a Grim. Anyway, I was thinking about something nicer, something to do
with the stars. If you have any ideas please let me know.
PLEASE REVIEW
the characters in this chapter. Except that it doesn't matter, the only one I care about is Sirius and he
(like most others) is not mine, never will be and please don't sue me!
Author's notes at the end.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Harry Potter and the Order of Phoenix
Chapter III: "Fides obligat fidem"
Harry walked to the group of people gathered near the quidditch field. Most were wearing simple black
robes and in the approaching darkness they all looked similar to each other. Apart from Dumbledore,
Lupin and Arabella he didn't recognise any of them. All of them, though, seemed to know him very
well. Remarks were coming from every direction about what a great honour it was to meet him and
what a wonderful talent for Quidditch he had. He had to go through a forest of hands, each one waiting
to shake his. The list of names was interminable. "Morgan Donnelly" was a corpulent wizard with red
cheeks and a pipe in the mouth filled with something that smelled like a Stinking Potion mixed with
Bubotuber pus. "Gary Olivander" was a young wizard who Harry guessed had to be related to the
famous wands-maker. One name jumped in his memory when "Mungunus Fletcher" introduced
himself. Percy had mentioned that he tried to sue the Ministry for the loss of an expensive tent he never
actually possessed after the disaster at the World Quidditch Cup last year. Harry had to look away to
hide the smile on his face. Mungunus Fletcher resulted to be a little man with a very high voice and
robes that needed a good cleaning.
"You did great, Harry," said a quiet voice at his side. Professor Lupin smiled at him through the
multitude of heads. "A Wronski Feint like I didn't see in some time. You are quite a player, better than
your father I dare say." For Harry it was the best of all possible praises.
"Was my… could my dad do that?"
"James ways liked the crazy way of flying. I guess he would have mastered it if he tried. He never
really liked it, though. Said he would never trick an opponent into smashing on the ground just to win a
match. Always a noble heart, he was." Harry felt his own heart travel through his stomach down to the
heels and stay there. Lupin's smile, however, didn't disappear from his face and his voice didn't hold
any hint of reproach.
"One thing is to be able to do it, Harry. Another quite different is to choose whether to do it or not. You
are a wonderful Seeker, with or without that Feint. You are perfectly able to choose what tactics to
use." Harry nodded. He remembered Cho Chang and the game he played against Ravenclaw in his
third year. The idea of fooling her with a Wronski Feint made him sick. He was glad that of all the
people it was Lupin who made him understand that.
"I'll save it specially for Draco Malfoy." He decided. Lupin's expression told him he had no objections
to the idea.
"Have you heard the latest news?" Sirius had materialised behind their backs and gave Harry a silent
thumb-up before entering the conversation. "Lucius Malfoy and the Death Eaters have their own
private club from now on. The Society for the Promotion of Wizard Traditions."
"Let me guess. The traditions they promote don't appear in any respectable History of Magic book,
right?"
"They put a notice in today's Daily Prophet. Three month after Voldemort's return and they are already
in the open. Most of the readers saw right through it, and Arthur Weasley even talked to some people to
try and get it banned but they are screaming all kind of things about discrimination and free speech.
The Ministry wants to sooth the whole story before the scandal breaks out. Fudge is afraid of publicity
more than anything else and between Weasley and Malfoy … Well, you can guess who will get the
blame." Seeing Sirius and Lupin together made Harry realise even better how much both of them
changed over the summer. For the first time since Professor Lupin came to teach at Hogwarts he didn't
look sick and tired. In fact he looked perfectly happy and quite strong. Moony and Padfoot spending
some time together worked better than any medicine. Harry had serious doubts that either of them had
followed Dumbledore's orders about lying low.
"They say everyone is welcome. I wonder what would they do if someone with "impure" lineage tries
to enter. Curse him?"
"No self-respecting wizard will ever step on the club grounds." Arabella joined in. Of all the people
gathered around Harry she was the only girl, and she alone looked like a warrior. She had changed her
black robe for a dark green tunic crossed by a wide belt and trousers of the same colour. Her long, fair
hair was made up in a heavy plait that reached her waist. It occurred to Harry that the only thing she
needed was a bow with arrows. She made an impressive view standing next to Sirius, who still wore
Muggle street clothes. Harry himself had completely forgot to change.
Night was coming and he was starting to shiver under the cool evening breeze. Everyone headed for
the castle. The conversation was tuning around the events of the morning and Harry found himself
eavesdropping the bits of conversation around him, eager to fill in the summer lack of news from the
wizarding world.
"Fudge can't keep denying it after today."
"Everyone will have to pass the Veritaserum test."
"Weasley would be a great asset, pity all the Ministry employees are under vigilance until the security
leak is found."
"I heard they have brought in a new detector. Reads the traces of aura that are left after the spell. The
guy who invented it claims it can pick up the print hours after the spell is made and also detects what
kind of wand produced it. They hope to identify the person who did it that way."
"It's incredible how quick the technology is advancing. A little more and we'll have a machine for
everything just like the Muggles do. The good old wands will be forgotten."
"Don't be such a cynic, Gary."
"If they really pick up the traces of the wand they'll find out Black was there."
"He'll never prove his innocence, and if somebody finds out that he's in the Order Dumbledore will
have a lot to explain." Harry instantly decided that he didn't like Mungunus Fletcher at all. The other
wizard, the young Olivander, lowered his voice.
"Shut up! Imagine it happened to you. Dementors have to be the worst thing right after Voldemort, if
you ask me."
"Than get Voldemort and the Dementors together and think of the result. He will try to get them on his
side, remember my words." Harry looked around to see if Sirius had overheard the conversation but his
godfather was talking to Remus. The two wizards didn't take notice of him and went on discussing
ministerial gossip.
"I heard they saw Avery not far from the house. Is that true?" The question was directed to Arabella.
She only shrugged her shoulders.
"What difference would that make? Nobody was able to prove anything against him before. It won't be
different now."
"I don't know." Morgan Donnelly, still with the pipe in his mouth, answered. "I always wondered
about it, you see. Tried to understand how could it happen. I knew him before and he was a fine man,
Avery, I'm not afraid to say it. If he really was there means he had served the Dark Lord willingly after
all."
"It was Avery all right, believe me." Sirius had obviously heard the last part.
"If Sirius Black says so it must be true. Voldemort's right hand can't be mistaken."
"Low and not funny, Arabella. Exactly the kind of thing I would expect from you. Should have seen
how he jumped when I recognised him. Low, dirty traitor. They do their job with great care, ha! I hope
he's got his share of punishment from his master."
"Don't even say that." Lupin's voice was very quiet but it succeeded in making Sirius look uneasy.
"Am I supposed to feel sorry for him after he tried to kill Harry?"
"Who is he?" asked Harry. He remembered very well the shaking man begging for forgiveness at
Voldemort's feet and the cold indifference of the inhuman punishment of his master. He couldn't avoid
agreeing with Lupin. The memory alone was a nightmare.
"German Avery was the Assistant Director of the Protection Division back in the old days when
Voldemort's name was only beginning to surface. He was very popular than and for a good reason. He
and his agents did a great job, discovering Dark Rings, fighting the smuggling of tools for dark arts and
growing of forbidden plants. Than there was an attack on his house. He had a nice family, kids and
wife and they all were killed. He himself was badly injured, spent a long time in St. Mungo and than
returned to his job more determined to fight the crime than ever. Said nothing could ever change his
mind." Sirius paused for a moment, remembering.
"There were even more raids and detentions than before, except that some of the arrested people,
well… It was established later that they were innocent, but the damage was done, it was too late. And
people started to die, aurors and agents of the department. Some walked into set-ups, more houses were
attacked, many families died. Nobody suspected Avery; he was the hero, the first to be attacked after
all. Until something clicked and somebody realised the he was the only common factor in all the
failures."
"Did he go on trial?"
"Yeah." It could be Harry's imagination but Sirius' voice has sounded a little different.
"He kept saying he was under Imperius Curse all the time but I doubt there was a one person in whole
London who believed him. Powerful wizards can break the Controlling curse and it gets much easier
with the time. Anyway, there was no proof of anything and he stuck to his version; the judges had no
other chose than to let him go. It was before Barty Crouch came to the Ministry, you see, and good part
of the reason he got such a huge support. The only thing that happened to Avery was that he lost his job
and the rests of his good name. He simply disappeared after the trial. Joined Voldemort, no doubt. No
idea what he had been doing during all those years."
Avery's shaking figure was still in front of Harry's eyes. He chose to keep quiet, but the idea of a fine
man broken by the perversity of the man with red eyes, loosing everything he ever had and loved and
than forced to serve the same dark force that did that to him was difficult to get rid of. He felt a hand on
his shoulder and turned his head. Lupin looked at him with a strange expression, as if he knew what
was going on in Harry's head. Harry avoided his eyes. He felt stupid feeling sorry for a Death Eater
that had tried to kill him only that morning.
"It's always very difficult to understand." Harry would rather not discus the subject, but Lupin's hand
still gripped his shoulder.
"Many brave people give in when they come face to face with Voldemort, and it doesn't mean they are
monsters. A moment comes when there is too much fear, too much pain. And they think…. They think
they'll give in only once, just to win a moment of rest and get their strength back and than face him.
They never succeed. Once you say yes you are lost forever. Nobody knows what happened to Avery,
except that it had to be terrible. It doesn't matter why he said yes for the first time. Once you start
working for Voldemort there is no way back. You can't do him a favour and go on with your life. Once
Avery accepted he had no other choice than keep doing his dirty work, and he feared his ex-friends
even more than he feared Voldemort because he knew very well the consequences of his actions. His
betrayal led the people who worked under his orders and the ones he had to protect to the same torture
he was trying to avoid."
Lupin's words, far from helping Harry to get rid of the depressing thoughts, made them worse. The
image of the man screaming on the ground kept playing in front of his eyes, his screams echoing in his
ears. The more he learned about Voldemort the darker, dirtier and more evil he resulted, and there was
no end for his perversity. Could something like that happen to him? Would he betray his friends if
Voldemort used all his power to make him to? What would have happened if he had given in and
begged for the pain to stop when the Dark Lord told him to?
Lupin let go of Harry's shoulder and hurried toward the castle. They went through the big doors,
crossed the Great Hall and finally stopped in front of the gargoyle that guarded the entrance to the
Dumbledore's office. The door opened without any password.
But I didn't, Harry reminded himself while he went up the stairs not with pride but with a feeling of
relieve. I didn't and I won't give in. And my parents didn't, they chose to die and it's thousand times
better than living the life of traitors.
The secret door was also opened this time, and he followed the crowd into the same room he
discovered some hours ago. It was already full of people. The feeling of solemnity and peace filled
Harry again as he stepped inside. Silence reigned in the room. All the conversations died as soon as the
people entered the place. The mysterious light coming from the stone surface in the middle illuminated
their faces.
"Fides obligat fidem," A voice said softly in Harry's ear, "means the trust obliges to the trust."
Dumbledore was staying behind Harry, holding a very old heavy book with thick leather cover and
uneven yellowish pages. "Every year we have a discussion on whether or not should our students learn
Latin, and every time we decide to leave it until the next year. You could understand lots of spells
much better if you knew what they mean." He placed the book on the stone surface and Harry saw that
it carried a matching inscription in silver letters with an image of the Phoenix in the centre.
"We shall begin."
The crowd opened around him and everyone took his place along the wall. Harry went to stay at
Sirius's side. Now that everybody was present he could see more familiar faces. Most of his teachers
were there. Professors Flitwick, McGonagall and Sprout came in after Dumbledore and took their
places in the circle. Much to his disgust Snape was also there, looking as ill humoured and unfriendly
as ever. He stood slightly apart from the circle of wizards, with his arms crossed and a defying look on
his face. Harry wondered if any of the present knew about the Dark Mark on his arm and his past as a
Death Eater. Of all the people gathered in the room he was the one who should be the most worried
about the ceremony. To Harry's surprise, he seemed completely at ease. In fact, someone else at his
side was beginning to get nervous.
"Relax, Moony!" Sirius flustered to Remus Lupin over Harry's head. "It may even turn out to be fun."
"I don't consider that having twenty people digging in your private life could be described as fun," a
terse voice answered. The realisation downed at Harry.
"They can't ask about something they don't know about."
"They know. Snape must have told everyone by now." Sirius muttered something that Harry was sure
he wasn't intended to hear. "And don't think I worry about myself. It's you he is after."
"That grease ball doesn't have the cleanest of pasts himself. I tell you, I'll need to ask him a lot of
questions before I allow him to as much as wave his wand in my presence."
Dumbledore's words covered the rest of the conversation.
"I thank you all for coming at such a short notice. We all know what has happened today and had been
happening for some time now. We know what is at stake. We know what has to be done. But… only
you yourself know whether you are prepared to take part in the Order of Phoenix. Now it is time for the
rest of us to find out." He opened the book with a wave of his wand. Suddenly the invisible fire that
danced on the pedestal became visible and real. The red flames jumped on the paper and licked the
ancient pages of the book without destroying them.
"All the people who touch the Book of Phoenix are bounded together by its flames. During the
ceremony of Bounding you heart opens itself to the Phoenix and all your thoughts and feelings become
visible." Dumbledore waived his wand once again and turned the page. A wave of light went through
the room and the flames turned deep green.
"Those are the colours of your soul." He pronounced. "Green means peace." Another page turned and a
wave of blue lit his glasses.
"Trust." Yet another page.
"Fear."
"Happiness." Happiness was yellowish.
"Anger." It was red.
The pages continued to turn themselves until one of them shone with the impartiality of white light.
"It's a powerful knowledge, and must be treated with extreme wisdom. Remember it." Dumbledore
took a step back into the darkness and became part of the circle of silent figures.
Nobody moved for a long time, and Harry had the impression that everyone was slightly intimidated by
the sight. Finally there was a movement at his side and Arabella stepped inside the circle.
"Ladies first," she said rather nervously and went directly to the book. She held her hands in front of
the fire, letting the flames touch her skin. Nothing happened. She placed the tips of her fingers on the
pages of the book as carefully as she would touch the surface of an iron. The fire answered to her touch
with a wave of light that penetrated into the darkest corners of the room. The flames enveloped her
whole figure, touched her skin, her robes and her hair and than withdraw back to the book of Phoenix.
The expression of her face during the time she stood enveloped in fire was solemn. It changed back to
her nervous smile when the Bounding was over. A bright blue light danced now on the walls
accompanied by shades of yellow, orange and thousand other colours.
Still nobody said a word. It was impossible to define the individual emotions, but the whole picture was
just too beautiful to suspect any dark thoughts. Arabella waited patiently for the questions to be asked
but there were none. The hurricane of colours calmed down and was beginning to change into
something Harry guessed was boredom.
"Looks like nobody doubts your integrity, Bella. You are as clean as the sky." Arabella smiled at
Remus Lupin who had turned red under her look. She took her hands from the book and went back to
her place.
The indecision was broken. Professor McGonagall took Arabella's place in front of the pedestal and
touched the pages. Again a wave of light announced that the Phoenix accepted another member in his
Order. Her colour was the orange of resolve. Again nobody except an old Auror whose name Harry had
forgotten dared to ask her a question, and the only thing he wanted to know was what had she been
doing before coming to teach at Hogwarts. It turned out she went to the School of Magical Pedagogic
in Scotland and came to Hogwarts shortly afterwards at the age of twenty-two.
"We were her very first year." Harry heard Lupin's voice of amazement. "I never knew… She looked
so much older."
"I always thought she practised first in a high security school for problematical kids somewhere…"
Sirius added. The same old Auror who had questioned McGonagall was now staying in front of the
fire.
"That explains a lot of things about her." Arabella returned quietly.
"Like what?"
"Do you realise how many future generations of students you made suffer through your stupid jokes on
her?"
"She was already like that when we came. Can you believe she gave me a detention before the Sorting?
Said that if I ended up in Gryffindor she would make it two." Sirius argued.
"And you had nothing to do with the fact that the Sorting had to be postponed two hours while all the
teachers searched for the Head Boy and Girl who were hiding in the bathrooms after somebody cast a
Kissing Charm on them?"
"Me? The only thing I did was to voice the idea. James…"
"Hhhh!" Several wizards at their side were throwing angry looks in their direction. Sirius and Arabella
shut up and Harry turned his attention back to the ceremony.
Wizards he didn't know came one by one to the centre of the room and became members of the Order.
The questions they answered were beginning to get boring. He would rather hear some more about the
things Sirius and his father did at Hogwarts but was forced to listen to explanations about why Mr.
Donnelly was seen in Knockturn Alley last Easter and whether Mr.. Fletcher's job in the Gringotts
brought him enough money to buy the last model of a familiar-size Space Expander that allowed him to
double the number of rooms inside his house (Mungunus Fletcher screamed that he had worked hard
for many years to earn his money to be accused now of illegal deals and bathed the room in deep red
light).
Harry's thoughts began to wander. He remembered the time when Dumbledore decided to call all those
people together. The old crowd… Mungunus Fletcher… Arabella Figg… It hadn't escaped him that
Arabella Figg sounded very close to Mrs. Figg, the old and crazy lady who lived near the Dursleys at
Privet Drive. It occurred him that morning already, when she came storming into Dumbledore's office.
From her reaction time Arabella was certainly somewhere near him when the attack took place. The
only thing that didn't add up to the scheme was the fact that Mrs. Figg was at least seventy years old,
but in the wizarding world an Aging Potion couldn't be too difficult to get.
"A question of extraordinary importance. We all will sleep much better tonight knowing that all the
members of the team punctually pay their taxes." Sirius could certainly lower his voice a little, but this
time nobody seemed to care. Mungunus Fletcher's money problems of appeared to interest only a few.
It was a perfect opportunity to talk to Arabella, but Harry didn't know how to start a conversation.
Suddenly inspiration came.
"Ms. Figg, do you like cats?" He asked in a whisper. If the question seemed strange to her she didn't let
it show.
"Not really." She whispered back. It was the only answer. Harry looked at her and realized that she
stared back at him with a naughty sparkle in her eyes, clearly realising the reason of the questioning
and waiting to see what would come next. She's laughing at me, understood Harry. He had no idea how
to go on.
"Would you believe me if I told you that my mum lives right near your house at Privet Drive?" She
broke the uncomfortable silence after a long pause.
"No." Harry answered somewhat brusquely.
"Well, it's true."
Harry groaned mentally and turned away. If they were going to treat him like a small child, denying
something that was really obvious and laughing in his eyes, he didn't have to play along.
"She's a sweetheart and loves cats very much. And she's the biggest Muggle I know, right after your
relatives. After all those years she still begs me to explain the secrets of my tricks. And… She loves to
spend the summer on Mallorca every year." Harry turned back.
"After you found out you were a wizard some people thought you needed special protection, and I got
the job. It's perfect. I've got to look after the house and the cats. I even get paid for it, nor that I
wouldn't do it for free. The only problem is that you get no tan under all this make-up." Harry was
having hard time deciding whether to believe her or not, and supposing he did whether or not to get
angry at this invasion of his private life.
His reflections ended when he saw Lupin move forward and extend his arms to the fire. Harry was
startled to realise that apart from Dumbledore it was only he, Sirius and Snape left. It was now when all
the trouble was about to start. It was clear right away that Lupin was right in being worried. Snape had
done his task very well.
Uncomfortable silence filled the room. Many pairs of eyes stared at him with a mixture of pity and
uneasiness. Others were avoiding his gaze. One single question was on everybody's minds but nobody
wanted to be the one to ask it.
"Your condition is nobody's business, Lupin," somebody started to say, "but we have to know if
you…, you know, if something… had happened…"
Lupin winced as if the man had slapped him, not looking up from the book in front of him.
"I have never bit anyone." He said hoarsely. Harry knew for sure that the purple light filling the room
was the colour of tension.
"Are you sure?" Harry was shocked to realise that the mockingly concerned voice belonged to Sirius.
"The first year at Hogwarts? You were doing homework in the library with Lily and than she came
calling for help and saying the Slytherins were hitting you for punching Malfoy for calling her
Mudblood… Remember? Because when we came it was quite the opposite and when Mc… Professor
McGonagall asked Crabbe and Goyle what happened they both said you bit their fingers off…" On
Lupin's taunted face appeared a shadow of a smile. Everyone else except Snape laughed. The image of
the normally very quiet Remus wildly attacking Crabbe and Goyle Seniors was hilarious. In one
moment the tension was gone and the mood in the room was back in normal.
Lupin went back and Snape and Sirius both made a step forward. Snape was a little quicker and he was
the one to take his position in front of the pedestal. He didn't seem worried at all. Quite on the contrary,
his face wore an oily smile that was a perfect match to his greasy hair. He stared at the rest of wizards
around him with the air of mocking superiority. His smile became even more twisted as he found Sirius
in the crowd and locked his gaze with him. Sirius' expression matched his own.
The silent exchange of stares didn't escape anybody in the room, nor was it a surprise for the most of
the present. All the eyes went from Snape to Sirius and back to the Potions teacher. Snape stretched his
hands and touched the book. For one moment Harry expected that the flames that enveloped the person
who bonded with the Phoenix would burn him or the Dark Mark on his arm, or at least don't appear at
all. Nothing of that happened. The Bonding went on as always, and his face wore the same expression
of unbelievable wonder all others had. Harry found himself regretting it couldn't be the mask of fear of
a discovered Death Eater.
"Any questions?" Snape's voice sounded as greasy as his smile was, mocking the people around him
with his politeness when his entire attitude spoke of disdain. His eyes never left Sirius' face.
But Sirius wasn't looking at Snape anymore. Harry followed the direction of his gaze and found
himself staring at the moonlike glasses of Albus Dumbledore. The headmaster was looking back at
Sirius with peculiar intensity in his eyes. Next thing Harry knew, he shook his head slightly. Harry
blinked and watched again. There could be no mistake. Dumbledore shook his head again and turned
away like nothing had happened.
Nobody else had witnessed the quick exchange of looks between the two wizards. Everybody was still
waiting for the cross-examination to begin. Harry could see the confused look at Sirius' face as he
searched Dumbledore's eyes once more, but the headmaster suddenly became fascinated with the
curtains on the walls of the room.
"Any questions?" Snape repeated once more. His insolence became suddenly a whole new meaning
and his voice sounded even oilier if possible to Harry. The protection Dumbledore had granted him
over the years extended obviously to the solemn Bonding ceremony as well. Under his shelter Snape
was sure nobody would dare to question his past.
Harry was astonished at the unfairness of it. Had any other person tried to prevent someone from
finding out the truth about a future member of the Order after so many talking about honesty and trust
he would immediately define him as dishonest, but Albus Dumbledore was the last person in the whole
world Harry could accuse of lack of honour. There had to be an explanation for what had happened,
and Harry hoped it was a very good one.
"Why would anyone want to question you, Snape? We all know you are as innocent as Arabella here."
Sirius was unable to keep the anger out of his voice. Snape didn't bat an eyelid. He surveyed the people
in the room from the impunity of his position.
"As you wish. In that case it's about time we heard some explanation from you, Black." He answered
coldly and gestured at the pedestal, inviting Sirius to change positions.
Harry suddenly found himself searching the faces around him, trying to catch the look of Professor
Dumbledore again. The moment his godfather took a step forward he realised how right the headmaster
had been in not letting this ceremony become a battle of mutual accusations and sharp remarks between
the members. He could never forget Sirius pleading with him to believe that he didn't betray his
parents, when he himself believed him to be a cold-blooded murderer with no soul. He hadn't realised
how afraid he was that the painful story of friendship and betrayal would have to be repeated in front of
all those people.
Sirius walked decisively to the centre of the room. He wasn't smiling. He placed the hands on the
surface, clearly wanting to get it done as soon as possible. The fire closed around him for an instant.
Harry couldn't say if it was his anxiety or the flames clung to him much longer than to the other
people. He breathed freely only when they let go of his body.
It cost Sirius great effort to look up at the circle of wizards and make his voice sound as calm as
possible.
"I am sure you all know the official version about the deaths of Peter Pettigrew and all those Muggles.
Some may have even heard the part about James and Lily Potter and the Fidelius Charm. I understand
you need some answers before deciding whether to accept me or not. If you have any doubt about my
actions, I'm ready to answer."
"It's not necessary, Black. If we had had any doubt about your loyalties you wouldn't have make it past
this door. We all trust Albus, and if he says you were framed it must be true." Many of the present
nodded. Harry couldn't say who was more relieved, his godfather or he himself. He found no pleasure
in digging in the past; there was nothing but pain and betrayal there. Now he could even understand
Snape in a way. He could have been as innocent as Sirius, but it didn't mean he was eager to relate his
story to the first stranger.
"All right than. If there is a person here we all agree to put out trust in, it's Albus Dumbledore."
Snape's conciliatory words didn't match the tone of hatred with which he spoke. He obviously didn't
want to let go of this opportunity easily.
"We accept his word that all you pretended was to help your friends. But that doesn't change the fact
that they are dead only and exclusively because you wanted to mess with the established plan and they
trusted you enough to agree to it. You'll understand if some of us think twice before doing the same,
seeing the way the Potters ended."
A curious sound filled Harry's ears. His throat collapsed and breathing became difficult. Rage blinded
him and mixed his thoughts. One thing was Arabella's friendly teasing and quite another a direct
accusation. How dared he to blame Sirius of something he surely celebrated it in his dirty heart? Harry
himself was the only one who had the right of voice in this matter. And never since the day he met his
godfather did he ever considered him responsible for the death of his parents. Pettigrew was the guilty
one. And not even him. Every time he thought of Wormtail he remembered not the man he saw in the
Howling Hut, but the crying man on the ground of the graveyard. And this time he remembered Avery
as well. It all came back to Voldemort. Not all the people serving him were monsters.
"You are sick." Arabella's words came out barely above a whisper but they were clearly audible in the
silence that followed.
"Don't worry about friend's betrayal, Snape. It will never happen to you, since you don't have any."
Harry wished he were the one to say that, but his mind seemed paralysed. The Potions teacher ignored
Lupin's words and made one step to the centre. The fire on the pages of the Book of Phoenix turned
nearly black and the light in the room died. Sirius took his hands away with a shudder, as if the dark
fire suddenly started to burn his flesh. The impersonal white colour filled the room once again.
"The truth hurts, doesn't it, Black?"
"It does." Sirius' eyes were as dark as the fire was before the magical bond was broken. "Great that you
have figured it out. Now you'll be telling it much more often, right?"
Harry wished his godfather sounded a little stronger, or at least felt as strong as he sounded. Snape's
words had struck very close to home. No matter how innocent in front of the law Sirius was he would
always carry the guilt of Harry's parent's death on his shoulders. He found himself avoiding Sirius'
eyes. He knew what he would see there: the dead empty look that he had hoped was gone forever.
"Enough!" One word from Dumbledore was enough to make every head turn in his direction. "Severus,
I'm very disappointed with you. The last thing I would expect from any of you is to turn this ceremony
in a private vengeance. Taking advantage of the Bonding is worse that hitting a fallen enemy, and there
are no adversaries among us, it should be clear to everyone."
Dumbledore had spoke in the same quiet manner he always did but the effect his words made was
stronger than any punishment. It made Harry hope he never did something bad enough to warrant as
little as a tiny reproach from the headmaster. Watching Snape turn white was an enjoyable experience,
but it was not enough to erase the impression his accusation has made.
"We have a common enemy," Dumbledore went on, "an enemy who does things that horrify every
decent person. Now you have the weapon that can stand up to that evil. You can save innocent lives,
lives that are lost while you talk here, pointlessly accusing each other of wrongs nobody even believes
in. You came here today to recreate the Order of Phoenix and choose the worthiest of you to pronounce
the Enchantment. The first part is done. Now it's time to choose your leader."
Now not only Snape, but also the rest of the crowd looked ashamed. Dumbledore has managed to make
everyone feel like schoolboys that spent their time playing tricks on each other instead of studying for
the exams and now had to answer before their headmaster. Harry certainly felt that way, though he had
nothing to do with the Order of Phoenix directly. Dumbledore's accusing words made him wish he had
paid more attention to the ceremony.
"But what about you, Headmaster?" Professor Flitwick struggled to get forward and make himself
hear. It proved to be easier than somebody could expect from a man of his height. Everyone was
suddenly very interested in what he had to say. Harry remembered that the only time he got really
furious at somebody was, according to his words during the Bonding, the time when a student cast a
Shrinking Charm on him by mistake.
"What about me?"
"You haven't made the Bond. You aren't a member of the Order."
"It is only due to the fact that I wasn't planning on becoming one."
"But you can't make the Phoenix Enchantment without being a…"
"…part of the Order of Phoenix? You are right. And the reason I am not taking part in it is precisely
that I don't want to be the one to make the Enchantment. All of you who had expected to take the easy
way out and choose me will have to find yourself another Phoenix, I'm afraid."
"But why?" "How?" "Why?" A choir of voices asking the same question filled the room.
The news came as a total surprise to everybody or, better said, as an unwelcome nightmare. Harry was
sure Dumbledore himself wasn't expecting the effect his announcement made on all the present.
Him leaving the Order of Phoenix it to its fate after creating it was the last thing everybody in the room
expected. Even the teachers were as bewildered as the rest. The only one who didn't seem surprised
was Remus Lupin. He shook his head sadly, as if Dumbledore's announcement was a gesture of
unavoidable necessity.
"Believe me, I wouldn't do it if I didn't think it was the right thing to do. I will always be ready to help
where I can, of course." It sounded very much like a doctor trying to sweeten a bitter pill.
"But you are the only one who can have a chance to win against Voldemort! Not to mention that we all
came here at your call. If we all have anything in common it's that we all are ready to follow you, Sir."
"I would like to hope that you all have something more in common, a determination to fight Voldemort
for one. Haven't you understood the meaning of the Phoenix yet, Sirius? One person can fall, but it will
be replaced by another, and yet another. The Phoenix is immortal as long as there are people who keep
feeding its flames with their faith. The power of one person means very little, exactly as it will mean
little who makes the Enchantment at the end. The power of the union is what will make Voldemort fear
you."
"It does matter who! Not everyone can make the main spell right, and the preparatory ones have to be
very clean and quick."
"If all the members of the Order put their trust in you the least you should do is to trust yourself to
stand up to their expectations."
"I don't want anybody to put his trust in me." Harry heard Sirius answer but the words were so low he
couldn't swear he was right.
"Than why can't you be the one?" Gary Olivander said stubbornly.
"If it can't be you, it will be nobody." Mungunus Fletcher joined in. Many seemed to be of the same
opinion.
"Than another chance to fight Voldemort will be lost. And we aren't going to have many more.
Harry?"
Harry was sure that everybody had forgotten about his presence and jumped at the mention of his
name.
"I think it will be better if we left them alone to take the decision." With that Dumbledore went to the
door and out of the room, leaving the newly proclaimed members of the Order of Phoenix alone and
speechless. Harry had no choice other than follow him through the secret door.
``
Author's notes: once again, thanks for the huge support and specially constructive criticism (Anna, you
are right, the Weasley twins are in 7, I corrected it already, thanks. I just got confused because all that
story of a joke shop made it sound like they were in their last year.)
Just one thing: does anybody know what Sirius' wand is made of? Many think it's Grim hair but that is
a little, well… When somebody gets a wand with Grim hair in it he wouldn't be very happy, right? And
he transforms in a dog, not a Grim. Anyway, I was thinking about something nicer, something to do
with the stars. If you have any ideas please let me know.
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