Harry walked into the living room and stopped dead. It appeared that
the several others Dumbledore had been referring to had arrived, and they
were not what Harry had expected. Sitting on an overstuffed (and very
large) chesterfield were Hagrid and Madame Maxime, Mr Ollivander, from the
wand shop. Next to them a tipsy little witch Harry recognised as Doris
Crockford, Professor Flitwick, and, sitting slightly away from everyone
else, the last person Harry ever would have expected to see here (except,
perhaps, Voldemort) Severus Snape.
"Ah, Harry, back at last, I see. Come sit down."
Harry went and sat on the chair Dumbledore had indicated, nodding at Hagrid in greeting.
"Now, I think, it is time to explain what we are doing here." Dumbledore smiled at Harry and the other occupants of the room.
"During the period of Lord Voldemort's rise to power thirteen witches and wizards decided to form, well, not quite a police force, that's the aurors job, but rather, a resistance, of sorts. The group became known as The Order Of The Phoenix. You are looking at the remaining seven members," Dumbledore looked around at the odd assortment and smiled, "and then some."
Lupin picked up where Dumbledore had left off. "The original thirteen were Mundungus Fletcher, Mr and Mrs Frank Longbottom, Arabella Figg, Professors Dumbledore and Flitwick, Doris Crockford, Peter Pettigrew," Harry noticed Lupin grimace when he came to Pettigrew's name, "Sirius Black, myself, and of course, your parents."
Harry thought that the number of names didn't quite fit the number of people Dumbledore had mentioned, but he pushed the thought out of his mind when Sirius continued.
"Our aim was to discuss how to get rid of Voldemort and the death- eaters, and to incorporate international magical understanding." Sirius began. "We had hoped to get more than thirteen members, but, people were scared, I don't blame them. Very few people wanted the death-eaters to have reason to go after them, and our group, such as it was, stood out. We did have another couple at one point in time, but they left when the woman found out she was expecting a child. Once-"
"Who was the other couple?" Harry interrupted.
Sirius choked. "My wife and I."
Harry stared hard at Sirius. "What?"
"I was married at one time, shortly after your parents. My wife, Julia, was killed by death-eaters when she was seven months pregnant."
Harry balked, "don't lie to me."
"I'm not lying, Harry. Julia was home by herself; I was out doing some errand. When I came back the Dark Mark was hovering over the house. That's why I got so little sympathy when Crouch sent me to Azkaban without a trial. Most people thought that I had arranged it all." He shook his head sadly.
"Now back to what I was saying." Harry made a move to ask another question but Lupin shook his head.
Sirius continued speaking but Harry didn't hear a word of it. Why hadn't Sirius told him before? Harry knew full well that it wasn't his business but still, why hadn't any one told him? Who was Julia? What did Sirius do after she was killed? Did this happen before or after Harry was born? There were questions he was burning to ask but Sirius made it clear that the topic was off limits. For now, at least.
"Harry, come into the kitchen for a moment. There's something we need to discuss. We can't be in here right now anyway, Dumbledore needs to talk to Snape alone about some such thing." Lupin turned away and Harry got up to follow him. Everyone but Mrs Figg, Dumbledore, Mundungus and Snape had already left the room.
Harry went into the kitchen and sat down. Lupin was fidgeting in one of the kitchen chairs. He did not seem to want to be sitting there.
Lupin sucked in deeply and began, "I'm sorry, Harry, for the nasty shock we've given you. Especially with so much, already afoot," he shifted nervously in the chair, stroking his chin so roughly Harry worried he would tear the skin. "Now where should I begin? With Julia I suppose? Brace yourself Harry," Lupin said, smiling weakly. "Julia was your fathers sister, his twin sister in fact." Harry gaped at him.
"She and your mother were the best of friends, actually. In fact, it was she who paired up your mother and father." Lupin smiled. "I remember Lily being absolutely appalled at the idea of going out with one of us, we were immature, conceited and, at times, down right rude. Lily was probably the only person in the entire school who had better marks than James and Sirius." Lupin smiled vaguely at the memory. "We teased James relentlessly for the first few weeks. I don't know when we stopped; it might have been when James threatened to beat us up if we tried to poison Lily's pumpkin juice one more time but most likely it was when Peter decided he was in love with Julia." Sirius got it into his head that he had to save her, and so he asked her out one day. Bad move, Lily mocked him something awful and James prepared a list of almost ninety rules he had to abide by if he was to go out with her. I think Julia went for a butterbeer with Sirius just to spite James," he smiled, "She and Lily were like that."
Lupin paused, probably thinking have were to go on from there. "I don't think Peter ever really forgave Sirius for taking Julia, although I can understand why he did it." He smiled at Harry's questioning look and clarified, "Peter was the most dull-witted of all of us. He was slow and ignorant; he didn't really have a mind of his own, Peter. I don't know why we didn't see it before, it all fits." He shook his head mournfully.
"What fits?" Harry asked.
"Supporters of You-Know-Who fell in one of two categories, the first, Lucius Malfoy as an example, were power hungry and manipulative. The second group, Peter as an example, wanted protection. They didn't care about power, they just wanted someone else to watch their backs." He gave a short, rueful laugh and continued with what he had been saying before.
"Lily and James married a year and a half after we left Hogwarts, Sirius and Julia wed one year later. Lily and Julia were expecting a child around the same time, Julia was afraid that death-eaters would track them if they remained as members of the group so she and Sirius left. Lily and James felt that there was just as much danger staying in the group as there was outside of it. How mistaken we all were."
"How did the death-eaters end up at Julia and Sirius'?" Harry asked.
"A useful tip-off from someone who made a career of ratting on people." Lupin replied bitterly.
"When we found out, Lily and James were devastated, Julia and James had been very close as children. If they had had a girl your name would have been Julia."
"When did my parents decide they needed a secret-keeper?" Harry asked.
"Shortly after Julia was killed. There was a particular reason James and Lily were so hotly pursued but the only people who knew what it was, besides themselves of course, were Dumbledore and Sirius."
"And I refuse to tell you what it is as of now." Said Dumbledore as he entered the room, "And I do not expect that you will be able to weasel it out of Sirius either, Mr Potter." Dumbledore said, peering at Harry from over the top of his half-moon spectacles.
"How far have you gotten, Remus?" Dumbledore asked, his gaze now directed at Lupin.
"Far enough, I think, Professor, but I think more explaining will be needed in the near future, Sirius is possibly the only one who can provide it."
"Yes, I quite understand, Harry, do not badger Sirius for an explanation, he will give it when he is ready. That may take a while."
"Yes Professor." Harry replied."
"Good, now go get your school trunk and meet me back here. I have something I need to discuss with Hagrid."
Harry went back into the now vacated sitting room and grabbed his trunk. He looked around for a moment and then said softly. "See you in about a month."
He returned to the kitchen.
"You've got everything then Harry?" Sirius asked. "Caves are short on amenities."
"For the THIRD time. I have EVERYTHING I need!"
Sirius blushed slightly. "Alright then, well, the portkey is in the back yard. There's a rusted out lorry tucked right in the far corner, open the driver's side door and you'll find a small porcelain cat. It's the portkey. When you get to the cave there's a small fissure in the rock, take your trunk and step inside of it. Stay there. DON"T LEAVE! That is the most important rule. I'll be along with some food in about an hour."
"Alright, bye everyone. Mr Fletcher, Hagrid, Professor Dumbledore." Harry nodded at everyone and shook a couple hands and left the house. He opened the door to the lorry and found the cat were he was told it would be.
He picked it up and felt the now familiar jerk behind his navel.
Harry Potter was on his way.
"Ah, Harry, back at last, I see. Come sit down."
Harry went and sat on the chair Dumbledore had indicated, nodding at Hagrid in greeting.
"Now, I think, it is time to explain what we are doing here." Dumbledore smiled at Harry and the other occupants of the room.
"During the period of Lord Voldemort's rise to power thirteen witches and wizards decided to form, well, not quite a police force, that's the aurors job, but rather, a resistance, of sorts. The group became known as The Order Of The Phoenix. You are looking at the remaining seven members," Dumbledore looked around at the odd assortment and smiled, "and then some."
Lupin picked up where Dumbledore had left off. "The original thirteen were Mundungus Fletcher, Mr and Mrs Frank Longbottom, Arabella Figg, Professors Dumbledore and Flitwick, Doris Crockford, Peter Pettigrew," Harry noticed Lupin grimace when he came to Pettigrew's name, "Sirius Black, myself, and of course, your parents."
Harry thought that the number of names didn't quite fit the number of people Dumbledore had mentioned, but he pushed the thought out of his mind when Sirius continued.
"Our aim was to discuss how to get rid of Voldemort and the death- eaters, and to incorporate international magical understanding." Sirius began. "We had hoped to get more than thirteen members, but, people were scared, I don't blame them. Very few people wanted the death-eaters to have reason to go after them, and our group, such as it was, stood out. We did have another couple at one point in time, but they left when the woman found out she was expecting a child. Once-"
"Who was the other couple?" Harry interrupted.
Sirius choked. "My wife and I."
Harry stared hard at Sirius. "What?"
"I was married at one time, shortly after your parents. My wife, Julia, was killed by death-eaters when she was seven months pregnant."
Harry balked, "don't lie to me."
"I'm not lying, Harry. Julia was home by herself; I was out doing some errand. When I came back the Dark Mark was hovering over the house. That's why I got so little sympathy when Crouch sent me to Azkaban without a trial. Most people thought that I had arranged it all." He shook his head sadly.
"Now back to what I was saying." Harry made a move to ask another question but Lupin shook his head.
Sirius continued speaking but Harry didn't hear a word of it. Why hadn't Sirius told him before? Harry knew full well that it wasn't his business but still, why hadn't any one told him? Who was Julia? What did Sirius do after she was killed? Did this happen before or after Harry was born? There were questions he was burning to ask but Sirius made it clear that the topic was off limits. For now, at least.
"Harry, come into the kitchen for a moment. There's something we need to discuss. We can't be in here right now anyway, Dumbledore needs to talk to Snape alone about some such thing." Lupin turned away and Harry got up to follow him. Everyone but Mrs Figg, Dumbledore, Mundungus and Snape had already left the room.
Harry went into the kitchen and sat down. Lupin was fidgeting in one of the kitchen chairs. He did not seem to want to be sitting there.
Lupin sucked in deeply and began, "I'm sorry, Harry, for the nasty shock we've given you. Especially with so much, already afoot," he shifted nervously in the chair, stroking his chin so roughly Harry worried he would tear the skin. "Now where should I begin? With Julia I suppose? Brace yourself Harry," Lupin said, smiling weakly. "Julia was your fathers sister, his twin sister in fact." Harry gaped at him.
"She and your mother were the best of friends, actually. In fact, it was she who paired up your mother and father." Lupin smiled. "I remember Lily being absolutely appalled at the idea of going out with one of us, we were immature, conceited and, at times, down right rude. Lily was probably the only person in the entire school who had better marks than James and Sirius." Lupin smiled vaguely at the memory. "We teased James relentlessly for the first few weeks. I don't know when we stopped; it might have been when James threatened to beat us up if we tried to poison Lily's pumpkin juice one more time but most likely it was when Peter decided he was in love with Julia." Sirius got it into his head that he had to save her, and so he asked her out one day. Bad move, Lily mocked him something awful and James prepared a list of almost ninety rules he had to abide by if he was to go out with her. I think Julia went for a butterbeer with Sirius just to spite James," he smiled, "She and Lily were like that."
Lupin paused, probably thinking have were to go on from there. "I don't think Peter ever really forgave Sirius for taking Julia, although I can understand why he did it." He smiled at Harry's questioning look and clarified, "Peter was the most dull-witted of all of us. He was slow and ignorant; he didn't really have a mind of his own, Peter. I don't know why we didn't see it before, it all fits." He shook his head mournfully.
"What fits?" Harry asked.
"Supporters of You-Know-Who fell in one of two categories, the first, Lucius Malfoy as an example, were power hungry and manipulative. The second group, Peter as an example, wanted protection. They didn't care about power, they just wanted someone else to watch their backs." He gave a short, rueful laugh and continued with what he had been saying before.
"Lily and James married a year and a half after we left Hogwarts, Sirius and Julia wed one year later. Lily and Julia were expecting a child around the same time, Julia was afraid that death-eaters would track them if they remained as members of the group so she and Sirius left. Lily and James felt that there was just as much danger staying in the group as there was outside of it. How mistaken we all were."
"How did the death-eaters end up at Julia and Sirius'?" Harry asked.
"A useful tip-off from someone who made a career of ratting on people." Lupin replied bitterly.
"When we found out, Lily and James were devastated, Julia and James had been very close as children. If they had had a girl your name would have been Julia."
"When did my parents decide they needed a secret-keeper?" Harry asked.
"Shortly after Julia was killed. There was a particular reason James and Lily were so hotly pursued but the only people who knew what it was, besides themselves of course, were Dumbledore and Sirius."
"And I refuse to tell you what it is as of now." Said Dumbledore as he entered the room, "And I do not expect that you will be able to weasel it out of Sirius either, Mr Potter." Dumbledore said, peering at Harry from over the top of his half-moon spectacles.
"How far have you gotten, Remus?" Dumbledore asked, his gaze now directed at Lupin.
"Far enough, I think, Professor, but I think more explaining will be needed in the near future, Sirius is possibly the only one who can provide it."
"Yes, I quite understand, Harry, do not badger Sirius for an explanation, he will give it when he is ready. That may take a while."
"Yes Professor." Harry replied."
"Good, now go get your school trunk and meet me back here. I have something I need to discuss with Hagrid."
Harry went back into the now vacated sitting room and grabbed his trunk. He looked around for a moment and then said softly. "See you in about a month."
He returned to the kitchen.
"You've got everything then Harry?" Sirius asked. "Caves are short on amenities."
"For the THIRD time. I have EVERYTHING I need!"
Sirius blushed slightly. "Alright then, well, the portkey is in the back yard. There's a rusted out lorry tucked right in the far corner, open the driver's side door and you'll find a small porcelain cat. It's the portkey. When you get to the cave there's a small fissure in the rock, take your trunk and step inside of it. Stay there. DON"T LEAVE! That is the most important rule. I'll be along with some food in about an hour."
"Alright, bye everyone. Mr Fletcher, Hagrid, Professor Dumbledore." Harry nodded at everyone and shook a couple hands and left the house. He opened the door to the lorry and found the cat were he was told it would be.
He picked it up and felt the now familiar jerk behind his navel.
Harry Potter was on his way.