Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

1

2 Chapter One: The Old Crowd Meets Again

"Albus, this isn't wise. This isn't wise at all," Professor McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts and Transfiguration teacher, said. She gazed up at the rickety house that stood on a lofty hill overlooking the small village. "It's only happened just a few weeks ago. They might still be there."

"Minerva, Minerva, don't you worry. They've inspected it for clues after Diggory's death, and couldn't find a thing." Hogwarts Headmaster Albus Dumbledore ran a hand through his long, silvery-white beard.

"But that surely doesn't mean that nobody's there."

"They're highly qualified wizards and witches, the most skillful at the Ministry. And after Fudge ran, everybody is alert. They're not going to miss something as big as this."

He had started walking up the large hill toward the house with Professor McGonagall hurrying behind.

"But we don't know if they're correct about it! You know how big of a mistake they made when they evaded the Bertha Jorkins case for months last year. We're in danger, Albus." Dumbledore was ignoring the words coming out of the prestigious teacher's mouth and getting out his wand. They had reached the top of the hill, and stood for a few moments in front of the boarded-up door. "Please don't do—"

" Alohomora!" Dumbledore interrupted McGonagall with a tremendous shout. Immediately, the boards on the door flew up. As McGonagall ducked when the nails followed after, the two could hear a faint laughing in the distance behind them.

"Albus, please listen to me. Don't do this. We don't have any idea what's behind that door. The others aren't even here yet, we wouldn't stand a chance."

"They'll be here soon." After his long period of silence, those were the only words Dumbledore had spoken. Just then, McGonagall heard the laughing again behind them, and whirled around. The laughs were becoming louder and louder now. Suddenly, over the hill came three vague figures. It was hard to see them in the darkness, but nevertheless, McGonagall gave a sigh of relief, for she could easily recognize the people.

The large one on the left had to be none other than Arabella Figg. A white-haired woman who wore her hair up in a tight bun, she was wearing a long, scraggly polka-dotted dress. Her sides stretched out for the rolls of fat on her body, and her red eyes looked strangely like those of a cat she knew.

On the right side of the three was Mundungus Fletcher, a tall and skinny man with a goatee and long, luminous red hair put in a ponytail. His arms were muscular, covered in the dark blue robes he wore. His sparkling white teeth shone when he laughed, and they easily counter-acted his dark, tan skin.

And in the middle of Mundungus and Arabella was a heavily-built man in shaggy robes. He had a full head of light brown hair with hints of gray, and looked very surly and ill, though he surely wasn't. He had dark bags under as eyes as if he hadn't been to sleep for ages. He was Remus Lupin, half-man, half-werewolf.

"Minerva, Albus! It's been so long," said Mundungus Fletcher, giving them a strong wave. "How's it been?"

"All fine, Mr. Fletcher—"

"Please, just call me Mundungus. After all, that is my name!" he snorted.

"Yes, very funny Mundungus," McGonagall snapped, following Dumbledore and the three people through the house and into the backyard. She had never been too fond of his silly, childish humor. She always wondered if he was a distant relative of Fred and George Weasley.

"Good heavens!" gasped Arabella, looking at her pocket watch. "Where on earth could the others be?"

"It's nearly time," muttered Dumbledore quietly coming to a stop. There was a short silence as everyone stared down at the obstacle in front of him. It was a group of four large gray gravestones with crosses on the tops of them. On each stone was a name engraved:

2.1 TOM RIDDLE

2.2 LILY RIDDLE

2.3 EDGAR RIDDLE

FRANK BRYCE

"Albus, I'm still confused," piped up Remus. "Why are we meeting here?"

"Why Professor Lupin! I'm surprised at you! Don't you think this is the most appropriate spot for this meeting?"

"Enough with the meeting!" shouted Mundungus. "All you've said was that it was an important event, and that we must be there? Why have you even called it?"

"You'll find out soon enough, when they get here," replied Dumbledore calmly. "And that shouldn't be too late. Actually, everyone should be arriving momentarily."

Surely enough, a few seconds after Dumbledore reassured Mundungus, wizards and witches started appearing all over the place. Some were Apparating, others were flying in on brooms.

"Dumbledore!" shouted a familiar voice from within the house. From the back door emerged Arthur Weasley, a tall and freckle-faced red-haired man, and his look-alike son, Percy. "Just traveled by Floo Powder. Lucky it wasn't boarded up like last time! Speaking of last time, are you sure you don't want the boy here? I mean, he was the lone eyewitness-"

"Mr. Weasley, please, the boy's been through enough already. He is the only person who should not have to go through tonight," Dumbledore responded briskly. He looked with his silvery eyes to Percy, who was staring at his feet on the dirty garden ground. "Percy, I'm sorry." Percy apparently was still grieving over his old boss, Mr. Crouch's, death. "We didn't mean for anything of that sort to happen."

"It's not that I'm worried about," he complained. "We at the Department of International Magical Cooperation still don't know who the new head wizard is! What if it's—erm, a Death Eater? You know, a supporter of --Volde-"

He stopped suddenly, surprised at himself. Everyone in the wizard world was terrified to say the name of Lord Voldemort. Though his power had fallen 14 years ago, he had almost risen again last year with the help of the last victim before he fell, Harry Potter. Before he fell, however, Voldemort had murdered a countless number of innocent wizards and witches, as well as former Death Eaters (supporters of him) who had betrayed the Dark Lord.

"Young Weasley, Voldemort-" Everyone except Dumbledore flinched. Dumbledore was not scared of Voldemort because he was the only wizard the Dark Lord feared. And as Dumbledore once said, "The only thing in the world to fear is fear itself." "…You-Know-Who," he corrected himself to everyone's happiness. "would never take a job at the Ministry of Magic. There are people there who know when he's around."

"Like Harry, right?" said Remus Lupin. 2 years before, when he was teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts at Hogwarts, Lupin had gave Harry personal Patronus lessons to protect him from Dementors, which reminded him of the horrible deaths of his mother and father, Lily and James (of whom Remus had been childhood friends with).

"Precisely," assured Arthur. By this time, there were more than 20 wizards and witches in the small graveyard.

"One, two, three-" counted Arabella Figg out loud. "How many of us are there? We haven't met with each other in decades!"

"I think 34 now," said McGonagall, doing some quick calculations. "Omitting Fudge, Crouch, Diggory, Bagman, Hanweld, Guildford, and Chatham."

"Exactly how many did we lose last year?" grunted Mundungus. "And didn't Hanweld, Guildford, and Chatham leave with Sirius and Severus?"

"Well, Severus left long before that," noted Arabella.

"So we should have 32, but I only count 30!" exclaimed Remus.

"But what about Dervish?" asked Dumbledore.

"He passed away with Banges." said McGonagall.

"The other two are here," said Percy over all the questioning.

"And Borgin?"

"Oh, Arthur, he left to start that store with Burke!"

"They're here," said Percy again, a bit louder this time.

"I could've sworn that I saw Welsh at the last event."

"Welsh? I thought he was eaten by that rampant Chinese Fireball."

"No, he's a teacher at Durmstrang."

"Durmstrang? But he's always been against the Dark Arts."

"Maybe Beauxbatons?"

"No, I'm sure it's Durmstrang."

"EVERYBODY!" shouted Percy suddenly, which was highly unlike the usual quiet and organized Weasley. "They're all here." he said calmly.

All 6 people wheeled around and spotted Madame Maxine, the Beauxbatons headmistress, walking over the hill with Rubeus Hagrid, the gamekeeper and Care of Magical Creatures teacher at Hogwarts.

"Oh!" exclaimed Mundungus Fletcher. "Hagrid! Of course!" He rushed up and greeted the half-giant. "How are you? I haven't seen you since the Quidditch World Cup in 1925!"

"Ah, Mundungus, yeh ole' brute. How's yer fam'ly? Oh, I fo'got ter intr'duce yer to Olympe-"

"Oh, a woman, Hagrid?" chuckled Mundungus. "Why, Hagrid, you scoundrel! Nice to meet you, ma'am. I'm Mundungus Fletcher, head of the Department of Accidental Magic Reversal Squad."

"Eet eez good to meet you too, Meester Mundoogus," Olympe Replied, attempting to curtsey. She was an unusually large woman with olive skin, large black liquid-like eyes, and a beak-shaped nose. "Ah, Dumble-dorr, eet eez good to zee yoo agen seenze ze Triwizerd Turnehmeent. And you too, Meenervah."

"Well met, Olympe," said Dumbledore kindly. "Oh dear me, look at the time. The meeting should begin now." He took out his wand, pointed it at his throat, and muttered, "Sonorus." "Everyone!" he said, his voice suddenly as loud as if a megaphone were put to it. "Please take a seat." With a wave of his wand, Dumbledore had conjured 31 elegantly-decorated chairs in the graveyard. As each wizard and witch took a seat (Arthur, Percy, Minerva, Arabella, Remus, Olympe, Hagrid, and Mundungus in the front row.)

"Welcome," he said. "to the Order of the Phoenix."