Hermione and Ron walked into the house the next day to find a group of people sitting around the dining room table. They recognized Dumbledore immediately. Also sitting at the table were Lupin, and Sirius. Lupin looked much younger and Sirius was as good-looking as ever. There was also a witch and wizard that Ron and Hermione did not immediately recognize.
They did not look to much older than Ron and Hermione. The witch had long silky red hair and big sparkling green eyes. The wizard looked almost exactly like Harry. These were Harry's parents. And little Harry was sitting in the witch's lap contentedly sticking wizard animal crackers in his mouth. There was a box full of animal crackers roaring and hissing inside it. Harry would take one struggling cracker out break it in half and scream in delight as a small exploding sound was heard. He would stuff the crackers in his mouth then.
Ron and Hermione sat down, unseen, in two empty seats at the table just as Dumbledore cleared his throat.
"The others are coming in later from London. We'll have to start the meeting." James spoke up at that moment.
"Our last meeting place has been discovered by a Deatheater. Moody saw a figure a few rooms away and said it was a spy. We can't use that location anymore."
"I just don't understand it," said Lily, "It seems as if they always find out where we are. But I haven't noticed anyone following us."
"Perhaps it's someone in the Order," Lupin said, "We've accepted many members already. It would explain how You-Know-Who's supporters are able to track us down." Sirius slammed his hands down on the table and stood up.
"It has to be Snape!" Sirius said. "I told you we should not have let him join the Order!" Lily stood up with her eyes blazing and Harry in her arms, who watched inquisitively as a cracker fell on the floor.
"I can't believe you are still being so immature about this!" she yelled across the table. "Snape was nothing but a childhood archenemy! He never did anything to you. It was always you who was torturing him, Sirius!
"Lily, you can't expect to trust someone who used to be one of You-Know-Who's top Deatheaters!"
"Snape has remained loyal to us."
"Loyal?! He doesn't talk to anyone but Dumbledore unless it's some snide remark. As much as you like being friendly with everyone, Lily, not everyone is willing to be nice. And he was from Slytherin!"
"What in the world does this have to do with how nice people are? It's true that Snape is not the friendliest member of the Order, but it's not like he was any friendlier before. And Slytherin is nothing but a house at Hogwarts! You should be beyond that now. And right now, in the middle of the war, the most important thing is getting to know wizards who were in different houses and making friends with them!"
"No it isn't!" shouted Sirius. "It's about winning the war!"
"Lily, Sirius, please sit down," Dumbledore said not angrily but in a tired tone, "Whether or not to keep Snape in the Order is up to me, so there should not be any arguing over him. Now, is there any real business?" Sirius and Lily sat down, still glaring at each other.
"From what I found out," Lupin said, "You-Know-Who's troops are now tracking down Lily and James."
"First the Longbottoms now this," Sirius said, "I don't think I can stand it if that happened again." He scowled down at the table."
"But why are they after us?" James asked Dumbledore.
"Same reason that Voldemort went the Longbottoms."Dumbledore said," You've killed too many of his most faithful followers. Voldemort may be merciless but he will avenge for those who were loyal to him. I also think he may find you two as being threats."
Lily laughed nervously, bouncing a gurgling Harry on her knee, "Threats? To You-Know?"
"Yes," Dumbledore said, looking at her seriously, "I advise you two to be careful. With this spy of his around, Voldemort might easily find this place. We might even consider putting you in a safer place."
James shook his head, "But we aren't even fighting now. We won't for a while either since we now have Harry." He picked up Harry and looked lovingly down at him, who was crumbling up crackers on James's shirt.
"Voldemort does not consider such things, James." Dumbledore said, "He lives on showing no mercy no matter what the conditions are." That was when the door slammed open and Peter Pettigrew flew in. He looked just the same as ever just perhaps a bit healthier.
"Professor!" He said excitedly."There has been a new sighting of You-Know-Who! He's currently in Poland and heading east."
"That's good news," James said happily, "Now we can stay here."
"No, I still think it would be a good idea for you to hide," Dumbledore said, "Voldemort might turn his course anytime. Remember, if Voldemort wants something, he'll get it as soon as he can."
"Hiding?" Pettigrew questioned.
"You-Know-Who is tracking James and Lily down," Sirius told him.
"But there is no need to hide!" Pettigrew was anxious, "He's hundreds of miles away!"
"If you say so, Professor," Lily said. She looked at James, "Should we, James?" James stared into her green eyes for a second with concern in his face.
"If it's the best for Harry," he said.
"But where will you go?" Pettigrew asked looking fretful.
"Oh, don't worry, Peter," Sirius said to him,"We'll find you a place to hide as well."
"Perhaps you should also have a Secret-Keeper," Dumbledore added. Lupin spoke up.
"Is this really necessary, Professor?" he asked.
"You can never be too careful when Voldemort is hunting you, Remus." Dumbledore said. And with those words of advice, he faded away. So did everything else at the meetin, down to the last crumb of wizard animal crackers.
Ron and Hermione sat where they were, quiet with astonishment.
"I guess we should go back to the Inn now," Ron said.
"We'll come back tomorrow. Ron, I don't think I can leave this place. There's too much now that I want to know." Hermione said.
"We came here to get away from the war, Hermione, but now all we are doing is reliving it again, but alright, we'll come back." Ron said.
They walked towards the Inn with the afternoon sun turning over to the evening. Hermione was thinking something, when she stopped and laughed.
"What?" Ron questioned.
"I don't know," Hermione said, not being able to resist smiling, "It's just that Sirius reminds me of you." Ron smirked.
"It's my good looks, isn't it?" he said. Hermione rolled her eyes.
"No, that isn't what I meant, Ron Weasley. I meant that you act just like him, making stupid conclusions without thinking."
"Well, you act just like Harry's mother!" Ron said. Then quoting in a high voice, "This whole tournament's supposed to be about getting to know foreign wizards and making friends with them!"
"No it isn't!" Hermione quoted in a low dopey voice, "It's about winning!"
"Well, if I'm like Sirius and you are like Lily then Harry is obviously like James. You would have married Harry!" Ron said. Hermione slapped his arm. They were both laughing by that time. It was almost as if something had come and lifted their hearts. They felt light and tickled with happiness. They walked all the way home,laughing, with Ron coming up with another stupid theory, and Hermione slapping him more than once. They stayed in good spirits until they said goodbye and went to their separate rooms for the night.
They did not look to much older than Ron and Hermione. The witch had long silky red hair and big sparkling green eyes. The wizard looked almost exactly like Harry. These were Harry's parents. And little Harry was sitting in the witch's lap contentedly sticking wizard animal crackers in his mouth. There was a box full of animal crackers roaring and hissing inside it. Harry would take one struggling cracker out break it in half and scream in delight as a small exploding sound was heard. He would stuff the crackers in his mouth then.
Ron and Hermione sat down, unseen, in two empty seats at the table just as Dumbledore cleared his throat.
"The others are coming in later from London. We'll have to start the meeting." James spoke up at that moment.
"Our last meeting place has been discovered by a Deatheater. Moody saw a figure a few rooms away and said it was a spy. We can't use that location anymore."
"I just don't understand it," said Lily, "It seems as if they always find out where we are. But I haven't noticed anyone following us."
"Perhaps it's someone in the Order," Lupin said, "We've accepted many members already. It would explain how You-Know-Who's supporters are able to track us down." Sirius slammed his hands down on the table and stood up.
"It has to be Snape!" Sirius said. "I told you we should not have let him join the Order!" Lily stood up with her eyes blazing and Harry in her arms, who watched inquisitively as a cracker fell on the floor.
"I can't believe you are still being so immature about this!" she yelled across the table. "Snape was nothing but a childhood archenemy! He never did anything to you. It was always you who was torturing him, Sirius!
"Lily, you can't expect to trust someone who used to be one of You-Know-Who's top Deatheaters!"
"Snape has remained loyal to us."
"Loyal?! He doesn't talk to anyone but Dumbledore unless it's some snide remark. As much as you like being friendly with everyone, Lily, not everyone is willing to be nice. And he was from Slytherin!"
"What in the world does this have to do with how nice people are? It's true that Snape is not the friendliest member of the Order, but it's not like he was any friendlier before. And Slytherin is nothing but a house at Hogwarts! You should be beyond that now. And right now, in the middle of the war, the most important thing is getting to know wizards who were in different houses and making friends with them!"
"No it isn't!" shouted Sirius. "It's about winning the war!"
"Lily, Sirius, please sit down," Dumbledore said not angrily but in a tired tone, "Whether or not to keep Snape in the Order is up to me, so there should not be any arguing over him. Now, is there any real business?" Sirius and Lily sat down, still glaring at each other.
"From what I found out," Lupin said, "You-Know-Who's troops are now tracking down Lily and James."
"First the Longbottoms now this," Sirius said, "I don't think I can stand it if that happened again." He scowled down at the table."
"But why are they after us?" James asked Dumbledore.
"Same reason that Voldemort went the Longbottoms."Dumbledore said," You've killed too many of his most faithful followers. Voldemort may be merciless but he will avenge for those who were loyal to him. I also think he may find you two as being threats."
Lily laughed nervously, bouncing a gurgling Harry on her knee, "Threats? To You-Know?"
"Yes," Dumbledore said, looking at her seriously, "I advise you two to be careful. With this spy of his around, Voldemort might easily find this place. We might even consider putting you in a safer place."
James shook his head, "But we aren't even fighting now. We won't for a while either since we now have Harry." He picked up Harry and looked lovingly down at him, who was crumbling up crackers on James's shirt.
"Voldemort does not consider such things, James." Dumbledore said, "He lives on showing no mercy no matter what the conditions are." That was when the door slammed open and Peter Pettigrew flew in. He looked just the same as ever just perhaps a bit healthier.
"Professor!" He said excitedly."There has been a new sighting of You-Know-Who! He's currently in Poland and heading east."
"That's good news," James said happily, "Now we can stay here."
"No, I still think it would be a good idea for you to hide," Dumbledore said, "Voldemort might turn his course anytime. Remember, if Voldemort wants something, he'll get it as soon as he can."
"Hiding?" Pettigrew questioned.
"You-Know-Who is tracking James and Lily down," Sirius told him.
"But there is no need to hide!" Pettigrew was anxious, "He's hundreds of miles away!"
"If you say so, Professor," Lily said. She looked at James, "Should we, James?" James stared into her green eyes for a second with concern in his face.
"If it's the best for Harry," he said.
"But where will you go?" Pettigrew asked looking fretful.
"Oh, don't worry, Peter," Sirius said to him,"We'll find you a place to hide as well."
"Perhaps you should also have a Secret-Keeper," Dumbledore added. Lupin spoke up.
"Is this really necessary, Professor?" he asked.
"You can never be too careful when Voldemort is hunting you, Remus." Dumbledore said. And with those words of advice, he faded away. So did everything else at the meetin, down to the last crumb of wizard animal crackers.
Ron and Hermione sat where they were, quiet with astonishment.
"I guess we should go back to the Inn now," Ron said.
"We'll come back tomorrow. Ron, I don't think I can leave this place. There's too much now that I want to know." Hermione said.
"We came here to get away from the war, Hermione, but now all we are doing is reliving it again, but alright, we'll come back." Ron said.
They walked towards the Inn with the afternoon sun turning over to the evening. Hermione was thinking something, when she stopped and laughed.
"What?" Ron questioned.
"I don't know," Hermione said, not being able to resist smiling, "It's just that Sirius reminds me of you." Ron smirked.
"It's my good looks, isn't it?" he said. Hermione rolled her eyes.
"No, that isn't what I meant, Ron Weasley. I meant that you act just like him, making stupid conclusions without thinking."
"Well, you act just like Harry's mother!" Ron said. Then quoting in a high voice, "This whole tournament's supposed to be about getting to know foreign wizards and making friends with them!"
"No it isn't!" Hermione quoted in a low dopey voice, "It's about winning!"
"Well, if I'm like Sirius and you are like Lily then Harry is obviously like James. You would have married Harry!" Ron said. Hermione slapped his arm. They were both laughing by that time. It was almost as if something had come and lifted their hearts. They felt light and tickled with happiness. They walked all the way home,laughing, with Ron coming up with another stupid theory, and Hermione slapping him more than once. They stayed in good spirits until they said goodbye and went to their separate rooms for the night.