With Darkness There'll Be Light

Five - The Fellowship

The following day, eight wizards and witches congregated at Harry's flat in London. They will now be refereed to as 'The Fellowship' when addressed as a group. The name of their group had come from Draco who read a Muggle book entitled The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring and loved it. It was the only Muggle book he'd ever read and actually enjoyed.

Draco placed a tattered copy of J.R.R Tolkein's classic in the middle of the table as he sat down. The book was very old and dog-eared…but cared for none the less. They would use it for guidance when they needed help on their quest.

"We need a plan," stated Harry, sitting at the head of his large dining room table.

Ron, Draco, George, Fred, Justin, Seamus and Gemma all exchanged glances. No one seemed to want to speak.

"We can't just go out there…we need to be prepared," continued Harry, looking at everyone sternly.

"If we waste too much time, it'll be too late," said Draco, his voice very serious.

"We need time to train, though," argued Ron. "We're very rusty with normal magic."

"We don't have time to train," snapped Harry tiredly. "We should Apparate to Sirius' hideout by tomorrow afternoon. That only gives us enough time to discuss tactics and gather equipment."

"How much are we going to need?" Gemma Moon asked timidly. She threw her long golden hair into a ponytail as she talked. "Equipment, that is." She was easily one of the better looking girls at school, probably only second to Hermione, thought Draco. She had an innocence about her that was intriguing and also a bit daunting, because it made her seem much younger than she was. At nineteen, Gemma was, of course, fully grown; but when she smiled, a dimple appeared near her mouth that made her look like she was five.

"Just our wands, obviously. Knives would be helpful, though not imperative. I don't know what they use in combat besides wands…so…" Harry sighed. "…I'm afraid we don't have much knowledge. But we don't have time to research."

"Knives will be needed," chipped in Draco. "They'll resort to anything to kill you." He cast his eyes downward, feeling very tired and weary.

"What else?" Ron asked him.

Draco shrugged, "Anything, really. We'll need food, also, Harry."

"Right," replied Harry, motioning for Ron to put that on their list. "One bag per person holding all that you can carry. Don't go overboard because we don't know what sort of terrain we'll be on."

Gemma looked very pale all of a sudden, seemingly doubting her role in this dangerous mission. She became an Auror because there was nothing else that seemed fitting to her, though she had no idea how dangerous the job would really be. All the boys knew, of course, except Fred and George who never wanted to work for the Ministry.

"Do we KNOW where we're going?" Fred asked.

Harry turned towards him. "Romania."

"More specifically, please," replied George.

"Siruis's hideout," laughed Ron. "That's as far as we've gotten. We have to play it by ear. Once we're there, we'll scout out some spots…you know, the regular. Ask locals, tracking devices placed on a Death Eater will be helpful."

"We placed a tracking device?" George said, sounding impressed. "And ARE there locals in the middle of nowhere?"

"We haven't placed a tracking device yet," answered Seamus, "Soon, though."

Draco cleared his throat, "There are no locals…we have no one to ask but Sirius and he should be of some help."

"Anyone else joining us?" Gemma asked, almost hopefully.

Ron cleared his throat, "Parvati and Padma aren't…obviously. They were just finishing Auror classes when they--"

Draco looked at him, his eyes sorrowful. "When they were presumed dead?"

Ron nodded, "I never heard back from Lavender." They weren't sure whether that meant she was awfully busy…or deceased. No one dared to ask.

Harry cleared his throat and everyone looked at him, "Okay. Well…I don't want to say this, but…say goodbye to your families tonight. Do any unfinished things that need to be done in case you don't…in case you don't make it."

George Weasley, now twenty-one years old, six feet tall, brown eyes, red hair and a few freckles, sat on his bed with an empty bag beside him.

His twin brother, who looked exactly like him incidentally (and was the same age), entered the room carrying a large backpack. "Ready?" Fred asked, in his best 'I'm scared but pretending not to be' voice.

George chuckled and looked at his bag, "Nope."

"We've got an hour, get a move on. You know how Harry is. Quite the stickler for time."

"Did you make all the arrangements for the Joke Shop?" George asked his brother, standing up and crossing to his closet.

Fred sat on the edge of the bed, "Yeah, Lee's really excited to be taking care of it for a while."


George nodded squarely, "We might not make it back."

"No," agreed Fred, "We might not. If that's the case, we've got our wills and all that taken care of."

George stuffed a few t-shirts into his bag, "How can you be so nonchalant abut it?"


"Everything in life is a risk, George, and I don't intend to waste my life not taking them. Our sister is in trouble…and our friend. We need to help find them."

Sighing, George stuffed a few more articles of clothing into the bag. "I'm scared."

Fred was taken aback by this statement. Neither of the twins were very up-front about their emotions. He stood up next to his brother. "We'll be together. You're not alone."

"Thanks," replied George, a small smile on his lips. "Did you bring any canary creams?"

Fred grinned mysteriously, "Of course. Who do you think I am? Ron?"

Gemma Moon was pacing her flat in a cantankerous mess. Her bag was packed and she was ready to go, but she wasn't sure she actually wanted to go. She'd be turning twenty in a month and she had intended to spend it in style by going on a week's vacation to see her family in Canada. That didn't seem possible now.

Her job as an Auror was always challenging and always dangerous. But this was the Holy Grail of all her missions. This one would put, not only herselfm but seven of her Fellowship, her partner and a girl she'd only met once in grave danger. She was prepared, because she always was. But she was scared for the first time in her Auror life. She had this nagging feeling that someone wasn't going to make it out alive. And she thought that someone would probably be her.

Gemma's blue eyes gave her flat one more swift look before she swept up her bag and rushed out the door. If she hadn't left then, she wouldn't have at all.


Always cool, always calm and always collected Harry Potter shoved a pair of socks into his backpack and looked around his London flat once more. He hoped it wouldn't be the last time he saw it. He slumped into a big comfy chair awaiting his fellows.

Ron Weasley munched on a peanut butter sandwich as he double checked his flat, making sure he hadn't forgotten anything. He may not have been nervous or scared now, but he would be later. And he knew it.

Seamus Finnigan wanted nothing more than to become an Executive Auror and he figured this was his big chance. That was why he wasn't worried about dying. He was excited about this mission and anxious to get it underway. He was the first person to arrive at Harry's.

Justin Finch-Fletchley was saying goodbye to his goldfish, Chudley, with his bag at his feet. He was not scared about this mission. He just wanted to know if his family was alive. That was all he cared about. He arrived at Harry's a split second after Seamus.

Draco Malfoy's heart was beating so fast that he feared it would pop out of his chest. He wasn't scared of what lie ahead but he was scared to see Hermione again after two years. Even though they were both Aurors, he never saw her at the office and he never saw her outside the office either. He figured that's the way she wanted it, so he didn't try to find her. Now he would get his chance. He would save her and she would fall into his arms, suddenly madly in love with him. That's what he hoped, anyway. But that seemed like a fairy tale; a cliched ending to a bad romance film. Draco knew his hopes were high, but he also knew they weren't TOO high.

"Okay, Fellowship," Harry's strong voice carried to everyone in the small foyer. The eight of them were awaiting last instructions before Apparating. "This is it. There's no turning back once we get there, so if you're going to bag out, then please do it now."

No one moved.

"Good," smiled Harry, "Let's go."

Small pops announced the eight members of the Fellowship's departure from London.

They will laugh together, cry together and battle together. One of them will die, leaving the Fellowship at seven and one of them will betray, thus leaving the Fellowship at six. Sparks, curses and accusations will fly. The Fellowship will break, but not be broken. Darkness will threaten to overcome, but light will shine through.

Don't say I didn't warn you.