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2. Headquarters
Harry looked out of the window. Had something happened? Why were they so anxious to get him elsewhere? "You, boy! Come down here!" Harry jumped. Were they here? He rushed down the stairs. There they were— Lupin, looking a lot healthier and beaming at Harry; Mad-eye Moody, his normal eyes fixed on Uncle Vernon and his magical one zooming around; Tonks, smiling brightly, her hair bright red; and Mrs. Weasly. Mrs. Weasly let out a squeal of relief when Harry entered the room. "Oh, Harry! You're alive! You're alive!" Harry frowned. "What the—?" "Oh, Harry! I'm just...being silly..." she sobbed. Aunt Petunia was eyeing at them disdainfully. "We've come to take him away, Mrs. Dursly, on Dumbledore's orders," Lupin said mildly. "T-take h-h-him a-away?" she faltered. "Yes, because it's become—er—dangerous for him to live in a house where no one can protect him." "I'll get your trunks, Harry," said Mrs. Weasly. "We received no notices of this!" Uncle Vernon barked. "You told us you wouldn't turn up unless—" "These are perilous times we're living in," said Moody, shaking his head. "All sorts of emergencies—never sure what will happen tomorrow, where we'll be, or who to trust." Mrs. Weasly was back with Harry's trunk. "I've packed everything, I think, do you want to take another look to check?" "Sure." Harry sprinted up the stairs and took a quick look. He was in a hurry to see everyone again. His heart did a summersault. "Thanks, Mrs. Weasly," he said joyfully. "Can we go now?" "Yes, yes. And the Ministry's provided cars," Tonks said happily. "To headquarters? But the secret—" He stared at them. "The car belongs to us now," Lupin said, smiling boadly. "Dumbledore bewitched it so it's sort of like a broom now. It can understand what we're saying. And it drives itself!" He looked thrilled. "Er—" Uncle Vernon seemed to be picturing the scene in his head, the wheel turning vigorously when no one sat at the front seat... "Well, what are we waiting for?" growled Moody.
The ride was very enjoyable. Lupin kept on laughing about how good the car was, while Mrs. Weasly watched disapprovingly. "Really, any more talk of this Muggle car and he'll be as crazy about Muggle stuff as Arthur!" "How's Ron and Hermoine?" "Oh, they're fine. We were so worried about you, Harry." "What? What happened?" "You-Know-Who just—" She shuddered. "He managed an attack on St. Mungle's. You know, of course, that the Death Eaters Dumbledore helped capture escaped?" Harry shook his head. "I haven't been getting the Daily Prophet." Mrs. Weasly sighed. "Well—It's been an awful afternoon, we were so worried that he'd attack you." "Did anyone die in St. Mungle's?" "No, thank goodness." Harry suddenly remembered something that Dumbledore thold him long ago. "Aren't I safe as long as I'm in Aunt Petunia's house?" "Not anymore, Harry. Not anymore. You-Know-Who has your blood in his veins now. We were stupid enough to forget about that." Harry slumped back and leaned on the back of his seat. He wasn't at all afraid of death. "But you're all in danger, aren't you, in headquarters?" "Not anymore." Mrs. Weasly was smiling again. "We have a secret weapon now. You'll get to meet her." "Your secret weapon is actually a witch?" he asked, stunned. Mrs. Weasly put a finger to her lips. "You'll see."
Grimmauld place was as dark as ever when they entered the house. "Walk quietly, Harry, we still haven't gotten rid of Mrs. Black." She paused, and Harry knew she was thinking of Sirius. Harry followed them down the hall quietly, and into the dining room. As he entered, the room, which had been bubbling, became silent as a tomb. And then— "Harry!" Hermoine squeaked, and burst into tears. "Good to see you, mate!" Ron said, clapping him on the back. "Wait till you meet—" Harry grinned at them, but before Ron had finished his sentence, Mrs. Weasly shoved him away, telling him to go wash the dishes, and Charlie, Bill, Percy, Fred and George, and Ginny took turns coming up to him to say hi. Percy looked a bit flushed, perhaps because he remembered the letter he had written to Ron telling him to "severe ties" with Harry. Otherwise, he looked perfectly like his old self. Bill looked really excited and he whispered in Harry's ear, "Guess what, I got Fleur Delacour to join the Order!" Harry congratulated him, trying hard not to snigger as he caught Fred's and George's eyes. "Thanks, mate, for the money," Fred muttered. "We've decided to donate half of our earnings to the Order," said George. "Can't you see Lupin's been fed up a bit now?" Snape, however, sat scowling in his seat. Suddenly a side door, which led to the kitchen, swung open. There was no mistaking that long, shining beard. Albus Dumbledore stepped into the room, smiling serenely, his eyes twinkling again, an image quite unlike the one Harry had seen at the end of fifth year. "Welcome, Harry. I'd like you to meet two members of the Order that you haven't seen before." He stepped forward. Harry looked past him, and his eyes widened. Standing behind him was the most beautiful lady he had ever seen. She had hair like the night sky, dark but shining, and skin as pale as milk. Her eyes were large and sharp, standing out from the light background of her skin. She was very tall, just a bit shorter than Dumbledore, wearing dark red robes and a black cloak that trailed to the ground. "Good evening," she said pleasantly, surveying Harry with her falcon-like eyes. "Hi," Harry said awkwardly. Dumbledor beamed. "Harry, I'd like you to meet Eleanor, our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher." She nodded courteously and Harry was strongly reminded of royalty. She wasn't solemn like Percy, though. There was something about her that suggested she had this manner by blood. "And I would like for you to meet Elizabeth, her sister, who will be attending Hogwarts." Eleanor moved to the right and revealed a younger version of her, just as lovely but shorter. She didn't have that sharp look in her eyes, though. She was smiling very sweetly. Harry could hardly speak. Their beauty wasn't like the veelas'. They looked more human, but still more beautiful than anything he had ever seen, yes, including his Firebolt. "Well, you can go up to your rooms now. Elizabeth, go with them. You can catch up on the meeting later," said Dumbledore. Elizabeth stepped towards Harry and smiled. "Well, let's go." The twins, Ginny, Ron, Hermoine, Harry, and Elizabeth trooped up the stairs. "Let's go to the boys' room," suggested Ginny. "It's bigger." They filed into the room and each found a place to sit. "It's not fair," Fred grumbled. "How come you get to join the Order? You're only sixteen!" "Wow!" said Harry. "You're in the Order?" Elizabeth nodded. Harry thought he heard Hermoine mutter something under her breath. He turned to Ron, who he found looking at Elizabeth with a pure look of adoration on his face.
2. Headquarters
Harry looked out of the window. Had something happened? Why were they so anxious to get him elsewhere? "You, boy! Come down here!" Harry jumped. Were they here? He rushed down the stairs. There they were— Lupin, looking a lot healthier and beaming at Harry; Mad-eye Moody, his normal eyes fixed on Uncle Vernon and his magical one zooming around; Tonks, smiling brightly, her hair bright red; and Mrs. Weasly. Mrs. Weasly let out a squeal of relief when Harry entered the room. "Oh, Harry! You're alive! You're alive!" Harry frowned. "What the—?" "Oh, Harry! I'm just...being silly..." she sobbed. Aunt Petunia was eyeing at them disdainfully. "We've come to take him away, Mrs. Dursly, on Dumbledore's orders," Lupin said mildly. "T-take h-h-him a-away?" she faltered. "Yes, because it's become—er—dangerous for him to live in a house where no one can protect him." "I'll get your trunks, Harry," said Mrs. Weasly. "We received no notices of this!" Uncle Vernon barked. "You told us you wouldn't turn up unless—" "These are perilous times we're living in," said Moody, shaking his head. "All sorts of emergencies—never sure what will happen tomorrow, where we'll be, or who to trust." Mrs. Weasly was back with Harry's trunk. "I've packed everything, I think, do you want to take another look to check?" "Sure." Harry sprinted up the stairs and took a quick look. He was in a hurry to see everyone again. His heart did a summersault. "Thanks, Mrs. Weasly," he said joyfully. "Can we go now?" "Yes, yes. And the Ministry's provided cars," Tonks said happily. "To headquarters? But the secret—" He stared at them. "The car belongs to us now," Lupin said, smiling boadly. "Dumbledore bewitched it so it's sort of like a broom now. It can understand what we're saying. And it drives itself!" He looked thrilled. "Er—" Uncle Vernon seemed to be picturing the scene in his head, the wheel turning vigorously when no one sat at the front seat... "Well, what are we waiting for?" growled Moody.
The ride was very enjoyable. Lupin kept on laughing about how good the car was, while Mrs. Weasly watched disapprovingly. "Really, any more talk of this Muggle car and he'll be as crazy about Muggle stuff as Arthur!" "How's Ron and Hermoine?" "Oh, they're fine. We were so worried about you, Harry." "What? What happened?" "You-Know-Who just—" She shuddered. "He managed an attack on St. Mungle's. You know, of course, that the Death Eaters Dumbledore helped capture escaped?" Harry shook his head. "I haven't been getting the Daily Prophet." Mrs. Weasly sighed. "Well—It's been an awful afternoon, we were so worried that he'd attack you." "Did anyone die in St. Mungle's?" "No, thank goodness." Harry suddenly remembered something that Dumbledore thold him long ago. "Aren't I safe as long as I'm in Aunt Petunia's house?" "Not anymore, Harry. Not anymore. You-Know-Who has your blood in his veins now. We were stupid enough to forget about that." Harry slumped back and leaned on the back of his seat. He wasn't at all afraid of death. "But you're all in danger, aren't you, in headquarters?" "Not anymore." Mrs. Weasly was smiling again. "We have a secret weapon now. You'll get to meet her." "Your secret weapon is actually a witch?" he asked, stunned. Mrs. Weasly put a finger to her lips. "You'll see."
Grimmauld place was as dark as ever when they entered the house. "Walk quietly, Harry, we still haven't gotten rid of Mrs. Black." She paused, and Harry knew she was thinking of Sirius. Harry followed them down the hall quietly, and into the dining room. As he entered, the room, which had been bubbling, became silent as a tomb. And then— "Harry!" Hermoine squeaked, and burst into tears. "Good to see you, mate!" Ron said, clapping him on the back. "Wait till you meet—" Harry grinned at them, but before Ron had finished his sentence, Mrs. Weasly shoved him away, telling him to go wash the dishes, and Charlie, Bill, Percy, Fred and George, and Ginny took turns coming up to him to say hi. Percy looked a bit flushed, perhaps because he remembered the letter he had written to Ron telling him to "severe ties" with Harry. Otherwise, he looked perfectly like his old self. Bill looked really excited and he whispered in Harry's ear, "Guess what, I got Fleur Delacour to join the Order!" Harry congratulated him, trying hard not to snigger as he caught Fred's and George's eyes. "Thanks, mate, for the money," Fred muttered. "We've decided to donate half of our earnings to the Order," said George. "Can't you see Lupin's been fed up a bit now?" Snape, however, sat scowling in his seat. Suddenly a side door, which led to the kitchen, swung open. There was no mistaking that long, shining beard. Albus Dumbledore stepped into the room, smiling serenely, his eyes twinkling again, an image quite unlike the one Harry had seen at the end of fifth year. "Welcome, Harry. I'd like you to meet two members of the Order that you haven't seen before." He stepped forward. Harry looked past him, and his eyes widened. Standing behind him was the most beautiful lady he had ever seen. She had hair like the night sky, dark but shining, and skin as pale as milk. Her eyes were large and sharp, standing out from the light background of her skin. She was very tall, just a bit shorter than Dumbledore, wearing dark red robes and a black cloak that trailed to the ground. "Good evening," she said pleasantly, surveying Harry with her falcon-like eyes. "Hi," Harry said awkwardly. Dumbledor beamed. "Harry, I'd like you to meet Eleanor, our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher." She nodded courteously and Harry was strongly reminded of royalty. She wasn't solemn like Percy, though. There was something about her that suggested she had this manner by blood. "And I would like for you to meet Elizabeth, her sister, who will be attending Hogwarts." Eleanor moved to the right and revealed a younger version of her, just as lovely but shorter. She didn't have that sharp look in her eyes, though. She was smiling very sweetly. Harry could hardly speak. Their beauty wasn't like the veelas'. They looked more human, but still more beautiful than anything he had ever seen, yes, including his Firebolt. "Well, you can go up to your rooms now. Elizabeth, go with them. You can catch up on the meeting later," said Dumbledore. Elizabeth stepped towards Harry and smiled. "Well, let's go." The twins, Ginny, Ron, Hermoine, Harry, and Elizabeth trooped up the stairs. "Let's go to the boys' room," suggested Ginny. "It's bigger." They filed into the room and each found a place to sit. "It's not fair," Fred grumbled. "How come you get to join the Order? You're only sixteen!" "Wow!" said Harry. "You're in the Order?" Elizabeth nodded. Harry thought he heard Hermoine mutter something under her breath. He turned to Ron, who he found looking at Elizabeth with a pure look of adoration on his face.