A/N: Here's another chapter. I hope you enjoyed the last one.
Shortly after breakfast the next morning, Cadance and Charlie rounded up Fred, George, Harry, Ron, Hermione, Jen, and Ginny and sat them down in the Gryffindor Common Room.
"Whatever it is I didn't do it! I haven't pulled a prank in a while," said Jen, who had recently discovered that pranking Slytherins was the ultimate joy in life. "Okay, it was two hours ago when I set off some filibuster fireworks in the third floor corridor."
"Can we keep your detention?" asked Fred.
"Yeah, sure," said Jen looking at them like they were psychos. She would rather not get caught for pulling the pranks.
"Yes!" exclaimed Fred.
"All right, that's enough. I'm trying to do damage control here," said Cadance.
"Sorry. We're shutting up," said George.
"Okay. Get comfortable. This might take a while," began Cadance. "First off, we have to stay completely honest. No more lies…"
"All right! We confess! We were the ones who wrote 'Lather, Rinse, Repeat' on Snape's chalkboard!" exclaimed George.
"That was you? That was a good one," said Cadance. "But that's not what I'm talking about. First off, did Ron and Hermione explain about Sirius in full?" Ginny, Fred, and George nodded. "Good. I don't want to relive the past and explain that. Now what's left is…"
"The Order of the Phoenix. Established by Merlin. Reinstated by Godric Gryffindor. Active through to the downfall of Voldemort… er… You-Know-Who," recited Jen. Cadance glared daggers at her for saying You-Know-Who. (SEE PREVIOUS CHAPTER FOR "BETTY" CONVERSATION) "All right. Betty. Happy? Anyway, active until the downfall of Betty where it was discontinued then reinstated again this summer."
"Book of Light?" asked Cadance.
"Yes," said Jen.
"Well it doesn't give the whole story. This summer, when the Order was reinstated, it was reinstated by our uncle. And, well, to be perfectly honest, Charlie and I are members," said Cadance.
"So is Remus, McGonagall, Snape, and Sirius," added Charlie. "And Dumbledore is the head."
"If we're going to be perfectly honest," said Harry. "Then I'd better tell you. I'm the Heir of Gryffindor."
"You told him?" exclaimed Charlie to Cadance.
"Uhh, let's think. Can I keep a secret? I believe the answer to that question is a very emphatic no," said Cadance.
After this, Harry told them about his dream. He told them about Snape being a spy. He told them everything he knew. Then he told them (those who didn't already know at least) about the Crystal of Gryffindor. He was wearing it around his neck tucked under his robes.
All right, since we're all being honest," said Charlie. "Cadance. It was me who hid your Lord of the Rings books when you were nine."
"Charlie. You're an idiot," said Cadance.
"Ginny," said Fred. "I was the one who hid your doll when you were five. I just couldn't stand it anymore! That thing was just freaky looking! And no matter where I went it was looking at me!"
"You're all nutters," said Ginny shaking her head.
"All right, Cadance. You're turn. Bring up something from the past," said Charlie.
"My past is going to stay in the past," said Cadance. "I have secrets that I couldn't tell you even if I was force-fed Veritaserum."
"What? Did you get arrested?" asked Jen.
"No," said Cadance. "I'm a model citizen."
"Let me remind you about those many time when you knocked the legs off his chairs causing him to fall out of them," said Charlie.
"Hey!" said Cadance defensively. "They can't prove anything!"
"Well, I'll tell you something from Cadance's past," said Charlie. "She kicked my butt in sword fighting."
"That's not my past that's my present," said Cadance.
"Where did you learn to sword fight?" asked Jen.
The expression on Cadance's face was hard to read. It could have been anger. "Charlie and I both learned it from Peter Pettigrew."
"Pettigrew?" asked Harry.
"Oh yes," replied a voice from back by the portrait hole. Sirius had come in unnoticed in his animagus form and transformed. "While Peter was hopeless with a wand, he was good with a sword. While we were in school, he would fight the suits of armor and win."
"Are the suits of armor any good?" asked Jen.
"Yes," said Cadance, Charlie, and Sirius in unison.
"You know the painting of the crazy knight in the third floor?" asked Cadance.
"Sir Codagan? We've met," said Harry.
"Pettigrew gave him some sword fighting tips and then the painting of Sir Reginald the Level-Headed became a painting of Sir Reginald the No-Headed," said Cadance.
"Nearly-Headless Nick was so upset when they let Reginald join the Headless Hunt that he joined Moaning Myrtle in her bathroom for a good cry," said Charlie.
Days passed and the students returned. Throughout the next few weeks, while the students were studying in their Common Rooms without a care in the world (except maybe for the seventh years who's whole future depended on their N.E.W.T.s) the Order of the Phoenix was sitting at the circular table in the meeting room night after night.
Snape apparated into the Order of the Phoenix Meeting Room. His face was grim and he looked worried. "Voldemort's angry," said Snape. "One of the other Death Eaters has spoken out against him."
"Then he is on our side. He is helping us," said Nicholas Flamel.
"It doesn't do us any good," said Snape. "He's dead."
"Did he use an Unforgivable Curse on him?" asked Sirius thinking of the painful connection between Harry and the Dark Lord.
"He had Pettigrew do it. One swift motion of his sword and his head went rolling," said Snape.
"Ew," said Cadance.
"Any more bad news Severus?" asked Dumbledore.
"All the demons in hell are on Voldemort's side, he's got control of every dementor on the planet, and he wants all of you dead," said Snape before taking his seat.
"Is that all?" asked Cadance.
Snape thought for a minute. "He's coming up with a plan to get the Book of Shadows back from you."
"He won't get it. It's hidden and he'll never find it," said Cadance.
"It's under your mattress isn't it?" asked Charlie.
"Where else would it be?" asked Cadance.
"Have you looked through it recently, Cadance?" asked Dumbledore.
"Yeah. Most of it is completely useless to us. It's all evil. You would never guess that it was created by the good guys," said Cadance.
"It was created to undo any mistakes that the Book of Light might cause," said Dumbledore.
"I still don't like it," said Cadance. "Can we burn it?"
"No," said Dumbledore.
"Are you sure?"
"Positive."
Throughout the next few meetings, the Order discussed two things: Protection of Hogwarts/Harry and what to do about Fudge. Nothing was decided about the latter of the two although many suggestions were made (most of them were bad).
Then, one meeting, Dumbledore made a discovery that could potentially save Harry's life.
Snape wasn't there for the meeting. He was with Voldemort. And Bill Weasley couldn't take off work. So here they were, short two members and working hard, looking through the Book of Light and the Book of Shadows and any other book for anything that might help them.
They had been searching for two hours and had found out nothing useful. Everyone was tired. Cadance was practically falling asleep over an old book of forgotten spells. Charlie kept nudging her to wake her up but it was no use. McGonagall, Arabella, and she had not slept the previous night because of Death Eater attacks and were all kind of spaced out.
It was then that Dumbledore said, "I think I've found something."
Sirius, who was sitting next to him looked over. Dumbledore was looking through the Book of Light. Sirius read the title of the page. "The Timponium Charm?"
"A particularly difficult charm. Protects an underage wizard or witch until he or she is no longer underage. Involves a spell and a potion and both can be done without the aforementioned underaged wizard or witch even knowing it," said Cadance sleepily with her head down on the table.
"Someone's been studying their book," said Minerva, whose head was also down.
"How will that help us?" asked Sirius.
"Not us. Harry," said Dumbledore. "Cadance, if we cast this spell what would happen?"
"Hogwarts would explode," said Cadance.
"Be serious," said Dumbledore.
"I don't want to be Sirius; he's a fugitive from justice," said Cadance.
"Sometimes I worry about you," said Dumbledore.
Cadance sighed. "The Timponium Charm… hmmmm… It's like the Fidelius Charm. You need a Secret-Keeper. Only the one you're trying to hide from can still find you. But as long as your Secret‑Keeper is alive he can't hurt you," said Cadance. Her head was still down on the table.
"I'll be his Secret-Keeper," said Sirius. "I'm his godfather."
"No. You're a fugitive. What happens if you get caught again?" asked Minerva.
"I'll break him out again," said Cadance.
"I forbid you from ever setting foot inside of Azkaban again," said Dumbledore.
"What if I became a fugitive?" asked Cadance.
"I forbid you from becoming a fugitive," said Dumbledore.
"This is more entertaining than Free Hat Night at Quidditch games," said Mundungus Fletcher.
"Listen. If I can't be Harry's Secret-Keeper, and I'll admit Minerva's got a point, somebody has to," said Sirius.
"I'll do it," said Dumbledore.
"So let's get this straight," said Cadance, finally picking up her head. "As long as you stay alive, Harry will be safe from Voldemort until after he graduates from Hogwarts?"
"Sound right," said Dumbledore.
"You just eliminated all of the excitement from his life," said Cadance.
"We'll risk it," said Remus.
So it was decided that Dumbledore would become the Secret-Keeper. The Charm was performed right then in there. Cadance, who was not as good as Snape, mixed the potion. By the next morning, Harry was protected from Voldemort, and it was decided that he would never be told unless in extreme circumstances. They were all sworn to secrecy (especially Cadance).
But there was one thing that they did not know. There was a little rat under the table. Literally. Pettigrew was hidden in his Animagus form. He scurried off and exited the castle and went to Hogsmeade. In Hogsmeade he went in a dark corner and transformed then apparated. He would have much information for Voldemort tonight.
