Harry Potter and the Kid and the Tiger
Chapter Four-The Phoenix Underground
Ron immediately awoke and grabbed Harry. The Grangers rushed in looking worried, and seemed to have a sincere concern for Harry. Hermione rushed in looking paler and more worried then anyone else, and this gave Harry some comfort.
"Harry, Harry, are you OK?"
Smiling through the piercing pain in his scar, Harry nodded, "Yeah, I'm fine 'Mione. Bad dream."
This didn't calm Hermione down much, if anything, it made her more nervous, as she knew the subject of Harry's "bad dreams".
"Should you write to Sirius?"
Again, Harry nodded and choked out, "Voldemort,"
Ron gasped, while Hermione and the Grangers nodded. Harry continued, "He's going to attack Fudge at Beauxbatons, weaken the Ministry."
Ron and Hermione paled. The Grangers were confused.
"Harry," Hermione said quietly, still in shock. "I'll write to Dumbledore. You stay here and rest." She turned to her mother, "Mum, get Harry a damp cloth. For Heaven's sake, Ron, let go of him and let him get back to sleep!"
And with that, she rushed upstairs.
Ron let go of Harry, and he sank back down onto the couch. Mrs. Granger ran back with a wet cloth where she placed on his head. The pain in Harry's scar abated after awhile, and Hermione came back down to tell Harry that she had sent her letter to Dumbledore with Hedwig. Soon enough, everyone was back to sleep and Harry dreamt only pleasant dreams the rest of the night.
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Harry's answer from Dumbledore came the next day and to Harry, Ron, and Hermione's great surprise was not sent by owl post, but by phoenix post. Fawkes, Dumbledore's faithful and beautiful phoenix came through the Granger diningroom window. They had just eaten a hearty breakfast, which Harry was had thoroughly enjoyed, as he had virtually nothing to eat that summer with the Dursleys. The Grangers had already gone to work.
Hermione was the first to reach Fawkes as she was sitting closest to the window, next to Harry. She quickly stroked Fawkes a few times, and handed the letter to Harry. "Read it."
Harry nodded, opened the letter, and read aloud.
"Dear Harry and Hermione,
I was afraid of this. Lord Voldemort doesn't want to stay quiet this time for long. I've warned Minister Fudge, but Cornelius won't listen. He still believes Rita Skeeter, despite the fact that she's gone missing." Hermione grinned guiltily, it had been Hermione who had figured out that Rita Skeeter was a beetle Animagus, and had taught her a lesson by keeping her in a glass jar for awhile before letting her go. Harry continued, "I've warned as many people as I could, but so far only Ludo Bagman has agreed to refuse to go. I doubt Cornelius would have let him go anyway. I'll have some of my allies there to help them, we should stop Voldemort. For now. Hagrid and Madam Maxime have been visiting the giants, but things aren't looking good. Meanwhile, the dementor situation at Azkaban is getting worse.
Due to this, I am asking you two to join the Phoenix Underground."
Harry looked at Hermione and saw that she was shocked, and Ron seemed outraged. Apparently, Harry had missed yet another normal wizarding thing that was normal knowledge for every other witch and wizard.
"What is it?"
Ron turned away disgusted and marched straight out of the room. Hermione sighed.
"Well, Harry," Hermione began, "The Phoenix Underground was formed in 1697, during the rein of the Dark wizard Drowan L'Kurse in France. The Underground was founded by Wilson Maxime, Yorty Moody, and two British sorcerers James Arrow, and Shawton Dumbledore," Harry was momentarily stunned, Dumbledore? Hermione continued, "L'Kurse was an extremely powerful wizard, and he managed to capture a good portion of Western Europe until he was defeated by the Underground using a new weapon, the Order of the Phoenix.
"No one willing to tell knows what the Order was, all that is known is that Arrow and Dumbledore created it, and the Underground Four were able to destroy L'Kurse because of it. The Underground eventually had several members added to it and helped defeat the many Dark wizards of the late 1700's. It is now suspected that there could be as many as fifty members. Some of the known members of the Underground are: Albus Dumbledore, who defeated Grindelwald in 1945, Minerva McGonagall, Alastor "Mad-Eye" Moody, Olympe Maxime, Arabella Figg, Mundungus Fletcher and another man named Arrow, although only his name is known nothing about his age or nationality, or powers.
"The Underground can be called in at anytime, usually for the reason of the rise of a new Dark wizard. During You-Know-You's last rein, Dumbledore and Fletcher were reportedly working on re-creating the Order of the Phoenix. However, Harry, you stopped all work on the Order, when you defeated He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named."
Harry was bewildered, the Order of the Phoenix? The Underground? But why...?
"Hermione, why is he asking us to join?"
Hermione looked him in the eye, "I expect because you...you...have that scar," Hermione reached out and touched his forehead, and seemed a little bewildered, "Harry, your scar...it's...it's..." Hermione shook her head, and stared again, "Harry, your scar's gone"
"What?" Harry was bewildered, and he grabbed his scar, it felt like the lightening-bolt that was always there. "Herms, it's still there."
Hermione blinked. "So it is. It faded in and out for awhile. Then, it was gone. But it's back. I must have imagined it. Anyway, Dumbledore probably asked us 'cause you defeated You-Know-Who once, and," here Hermione blushed, embarrassed. "My overall average at Hogwarts is a 124%." She looked away, her face red.
Harry smiled, "Hermi," Hermione turned to look at Harry, "Why was Ron so mad?"
Hermione sighed deeply, "Well, Harry, it's like this. Do you know what Ron's going through?"
Harry shook his head.
"Well, Harry, I'm not surprised Ron didn't tell you, but ever since 1708, all of the Weasleys have been members in the Phoenix Underground. However, Bill, Charlie, Percy, Fred and George haven't been asked to join, and joining the Underground would make him shine above his brothers. Instead, he sees his two best friends be asked to join."
"Oh," this startled Harry a little, and made him feel more sympathetic towards Ron.
"Well," Hermione said, "You do want to join, right?"
Harry nodded, still a little shocked about the news from Ron.
Hermione flipped over the letter Dumbledore had written them, and wrote their acceptance of the posts in the Underground. After sending Fawkes off, they walked out of the kitchen. They both knew what they were going to do. Try to talk to Ron.
They found Ron upstairs in Hermione's room on the computer. He was in a chat room titled "HogwartsChat". Ron, in his attempts to concentrate on using the computer didn't hear Hermione and Harry come up, and they looked at the screen on which Ron was typing, under Hermione's screen name: Hermi745 :
OnlineHost: Anti-Muggle Charm has been turned on. Only witches and wizards going to Hogwarts can access this chat.
Hermi745: Hello? Anyone there.
HeirOfHufflepuff: Hey Hermione.
Hermi745: I;m not Hermione.
PureBlood: Hey Mudblood! Tired of schoolwork I see.
HeirOfHufflepuff: Sure, your not.
Hermi745: right, I;m not, Shut up.
PureBlood: ::wounded:: How did you know it was me, Mudblood?
HeirOfHufflepuff: ::rolls eyes::
"Ahem." This came from Hermione, and Ron whipped around.
"Oh, it's the Phoenixes."
Hermione seemed a little irritable. "How'd you get on my screen name and password?"
Ron looked embarrassed, "I saw you type it in yesterday."
Hermione looked as though she was ready to kill Ron, and Harry held her shoulders and slightly pulled her back.
"How could you Ron?," she said, "Do you know how private that is?"
Ron looked down, "Sorry, Herms. I just had to see if I could get on-line."
Harry stared at Ron, "So, are you not mad at us anymore?"
Ron smiled sheepishly, "No, it's just the Weasley Rage, I have a short temper, and I'm really sorry. Hermione, could you teach me more about this Tinderbet?"
Laughing, Harry and Hermione reached over to help Ron.
