Chapter 16:

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Harry awoke the next morning to a pillow being thrown into his face.

"Wha?" he asked groggily. "Go 'way… I'm sleeping…"

"Very funny, Harry," came the strict voice of Hermione. "Come on! We only have two hours before we leave! You need to find all of your school things!" Harry rolled over and she sighed exasperatedly. "As much as I don't want to do this…" she said hurriedly.

Suddenly a cup of ice cold water splashed into Harry's face. He suddenly bolted up from his bed, soaking wet. "HERMIONE!" He then hurled a pillow towards her as she retreated from the room, running. Harry stood up out of his bed, very annoyed, and hopped into the shower. When he got out, Ron was pounding on the door.

"Hurry, Harry! Come on! Pick up the pace a little, for the love of Merlin!" Harry exited the bathroom feeling slightly refreshed but still grumpy. On the way back to his room to grab his trunk, he ran into Ginny. He brightened once more.

"Hey, Gin"

"Hey, Harry," smiled Ginny, as she passed him, climbing up to the fourth floor. She looked really pretty, Harry noticed. Her curls were wet and silky, and they spiraled neatly down her back. She was wearing the same outfit she'd worn to Harry's party, only with a Jean skirt instead of pants.

When Harry entered his room, he was very dismayed to find his belongings scattered all over. He began loading things into his trunk and then figuring out what was missing. "Hmmm…" he thought out loud. Suddenly he remembered that his invisibility cloak was in the basement and his Portable Places Kit, a new item he'd bought from Fred and George's shop, was upstairs. He decided to go upstairs first, and then to get his cloak after breakfast.

On his way upstairs, he nearly bumped into someone wearing a black robe. He paused for a short moment. "Oh, sorry, Professor S-" he was up two more stairs before he turned around for a double take. His least favorite teacher stood on the stairs, accompanied by no other than Harry's archenemy. Harry whirled around. "Snape? Malfoy? What the bloody hell are you doing here?"

"Do not speak to me with such disrespect, Mr. Potter," said Snape silkily. Draco just smirked at Harry's dumbfounded expression.

"We're not in school yet, I can talk to anybody however I please," said Harry defiantly. He then grabbed the two-way mirror he'd received from Lenore out of his pocket. "Lenore!" A moment later, Lenore's head popped into the mirror.

"Hey, Harry. When will you be down for breakfast?"

"In a minute, Lenore. But is Lupin there right now?"

"Hang on a sec," said Lenore.

Snape then curled his lip. "Just like your father, more arrogant every year-"

"I am NOT arrogant!" yelled Harry.

"I KNOW you're not, Harry! I never said that!" came Lenore's voice from the background of the mirror.

"An American?" smirked Draco. "Fancy that; dreadful accents, they have. Your company just gets worse and worse, doesn't it, Potty?"

"Shut up, Malfoy, you scum. Snape, how could you bring him in here? He's a spy for Voldemort, I bet anything-"

"Potter," growled Snape. "First of all, do not threaten other students! Second, learn your place. Do- not- say- the- name! And no Order members are spies for the Dark Lord, I can tell you now. If I ever witness you accusing someone on such false pretenses of your arrogant mind-"

"Harry?" interrupted Lupin's voice, coming from the mirror. "What is it?"

"Moony," rushed Harry, "Malfoy's here! We need to erase his memory or something; take him to Azkaban; he's a spy for Voldemort, and-"

"Lucius is here?" broke in Lupin sharply.

"No, no; Draco Malfoy, and-"
"Harry," sighed Lupin wearily, "Relax. I know it seems like… well, under the circumstances, I see where you're coming from, but Draco is… in the Order."

"WHAT?" asked Harry, enraged, as Malfoy watched with sustain.

"Bye, Potter," he said smugly as he turned to follow Snape downstairs.

"Moony! Draco will be a death eater! Everyone knows that!"

"Harry, calm down. Draco, I assure you, will be no death eater. He has chosen to be loyal to Dumbledore and join the Order." Harry gaped at the reflection of his old Professor. His sandy hair was limp and there were bags under his eyes. Harry realized that another full moon had just passed.

"Wait," said Harry suspiciously. "Even if he did join our side, which I highly doubt, he's not even of age! Why can't I join the Order?"

Lupin sighed. "Harry, he will become a member! He isn't yet, but he will when you and Ron and Hermione and Lenore and Ginny join!"

"We have to wait until Ginny's of age?" asked Harry, annoyed at his day so far.

"No, Harry! Listen! Ginny will join early. Just calm down. Everything is fair! We're doing the things we're doing for good reason! Now, come downstairs and eat breakfast. We're leaving in forty minutes."

Harry was about to argue, but he decided against it. "All right," he sighed, defeated. Lupin smiled tiredly.

"See you in a minute, then."

"Yeah," replied Harry, climbing the stairs unhappily. Draco, a member of the Order? What was the world coming to? He hurried upstairs and grabbed his box of Portable Places, reading it, bemused, as he descended to the ground floor.

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Harry laughed. So like Fred and George. As soon as Harry reached the living room, he ran into Ron and Hermione, who were talking to each other. "Ron, Hermione-" started Harry hurriedly.

"We know," said Hermione shortly. "Just saw the-"

"Bastard," finished Ron. "How did they trust him?" Harry nodded, and even Hermione seemed to have her doubts in Dumbledore's judgment.

"Yeah," agreed Hermione quietly. "But let's talk about it later. I'm starving- Lenore's already eaten, and so has Neville. Loony- I mean Luna- is eating right now."

"Okay," said Ron with a longing look on his face. "I just am not sitting by her." Hermione and Harry laughed; Ron wouldn't ever refuse food. The three made their way into the kitchen hurriedly, all of them grumbling about Malfoy and having no time to pack and Ron swearing that he'd seen a chimera in the basement that morning. Mrs. Weasley laughed at that, and even Harry thought it was pretty funny that his friend thought he'd seen a chimera in a house.

"You're sure you weren't dreaming?" asked Hermione.

"Yes, I'm sure; it was there!"

Mrs. Weasley then spoke up. "Darling, that's crazy, even Mundungus wouldn't…" Her voice trailed off and she suddenly stood up again. "Mundungus Fletcher… Excuse me, children, I will be back in a few minutes." Harry snorted into his breakfast while Ron looked triumphant and Hermione doubtful. Luna looked at Ron with admiration.

"I, for one, believe that there was a chimera downstairs, Ronald." She flushed proudly, then giving Hermione a dirty look. "Of course, some people have to have everything shoved under their noses to believe it…" Hermione bit her lip, losing patience.

"So, Luna, catch any Snorky-crumped things?" she asked in mock concern.

"No, we did not," said Luna restricting her own patience, "But we saw tons of them, mind you…" Hermione snorted, earning an evil glare from the Ravenclaw, who calmly walked out of the kitchen reading The Quibbler. Ron rolled his eyes.

"Honestly," he said.

"Well, kids," spoke up Mr. Weasley from behind his newspaper, "I, personally, believe that you should be nice to her. I know her beliefs are a bit… far-fetched, but… Oh, never mind." Harry exchanged glances with his best friend.

Half an hour later, a large group of people stood outside number 12, Grimmauld Place, getting ready to go to King's Cross. Neville and Lupin were talking about Herbology. Snape and Malfoy stood on the far side of the group of people, speaking quietly to each other. Harry noticed uncomfortably that Malfoy kept looking at Lenore, seemingly entranced, and Lenore looked back several times, giggling with Ginny. If he didn't know better, Harry would say that they fancied each other. An odd shiver ran through Harry at that awful thought. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were talking to Fleur and Bill, who were getting married the upcoming weekend. Harry was invited to the wedding, of course, and he, Ron, Hermione, Lenore, and Ginny would get to leave school for the weekend to attend. Mad-Eye Moody was whispering with Kingsley, Evelyn, and Calista, and when Tonks showed up with the three portkeys they'd be taking, they left. Harry grabbed onto a portkey with Lenore, Evelyn, Calista, and Lupin.

He felt the familiar, tugging sensation from the back of his navel as the portkey took off. When Harry landed, he found himself inside Platform 9 and ¾. Calista and Evelyn hugged Remus good-bye and then followed Snape to the Professor's compartment of the Express. After saying good-byes to all of the Order members who had escorted them, Harry, Ginny, Neville, Lenore, and Luna found an empty compartment and saved seats for Ron and Hermione, who were in the Prefect's section.

At eleven O'clock, the train took off. The beautiful scenery fascinated Lenore. She finally turned away from the window to face Harry.

"I'm so nervous!" she said. "What if nobody likes me or if I'm not a Gryffindor?" Harry smiled reassuringly.

"Listen, Lenore. Don't be worried! You will do great! Everyone will like you; you already know a lot of Order member juniors, anyway. And you'll get into a good house, even if it's not Gryffindor!"

"Thanks, Harry," smiled Lenore. "But I can't believe I have to be sorted in front of the whole school!"

Ginny grinned. "It's okay Lenore… it only hurts a little."

"WHAT?"

"Just kidding, just kidding; it doesn't hurt at all!"

Lenore sighed, relieved. After about forty minutes, Hermione and Ron returned to the compartment, and the seven teenagers chatted happily for about and hour, until a succession of visitors entered the compartment. The first person was Dennis Creevey.

"Hiya, Harry," he said, opening the door. He nodded to everyone else.

"Hey, Dennis," replied Harry, emerging from a conversation with Ron about the Chudley Cannons. "What's up?"

"Oh, nothing, I was just wondering if we'd be doing the DA again?"

"Actually," said Harry, "I think we are."

"Good!" squeaked Dennis. "I'll go tell all the others, if you want…"

"That'd be great, Dennis. Thanks." With that, Dennis scampered off.

The next to intrude into the room was Malfoy and Crabbe and Goyle.

"What do you want?" asked Hermione seeing them come in.

"Nothing, mudblood. I just don't believe I've been introduced to this lovely young woman," said Malfoy silkily, pointing to Lenore. Harry's defensive-relative skills kicked in as Lenore smiled and Malfoy kissed her hand.

"Malfoy, get out, now," said Harry angrily.

"Why should I? Do you fancy the new girl?" he smirked. Harry suddenly remembered that people couldn't know that he and Lenore were cousins.

Harry was about to take out his wand when Hermione did. She sent hexes at each Slytherin angrily, causing them to be temporarily knocked out. "Oh, well," she said idly, kicking the Slytherins into the corridor.

A/N: New chap. Should be in next day or two, please review! Thanks, Jinglez*