When Hermione finally managed to contain her amusement at the idea of Draco Malfoy pining away from afar over Harry, she settled down and assured Harry that it was surely only a phase. Harry, desperate to believe this and to shove these disturbing facts from his mind, accepted this and anytime he had to remain in the same room as the pointy-faced ferret, would avoid looking in even the general direction of the Slytherin. The keenly observant Hermione knew this and watched with amusement every time it happened, especially one morning in NEWT Potions.
"By now, you should all have drafted the recipes for your potions and completed the experimental protocol designs to test the efficacy of your developed draughts." Snape was actually making the effort to loom around the classroom this morning and must have been feeling nostalgic for the good old days of Potions classes because he was alternating between sneering at Harry and glowering over Neville. "Any requests for ingredients not kept in the Common Stocks need to be submitted to me for approval by today."
Hermione looked down at her notes and then at Blaise Zabini as he checked off the list of their required ingredients. Her group was planning on synthesizing a variation of a directed Obfusicating Concoction and its antidote. "You forgot to list the Ginger Root and Lovage," she said reading over his shoulder. Blaise nodded and dipped his quill in ink to add the two ingredients.
Hermione watched Snape, with his hands clasped behind his back, stroll about the classroom. He paused at the table where Neville and Ernie Macmillan were conspiring over a parchment while Draco Malfoy leaned against the table and disinterestedly ignored them debating the merits of using shredded snakeskin versus crushed snake fangs.
She saw Snape lazily inform the class, "There is an assortment of leftover ingredients from prior years in the back cabinet of the store room. You may wish to check this supply before drawing up your final list for ordering requests."
Hermione saw Neville and Ernie go at once to check the storeroom and she watched Malfoy as he sat down, alone. She'd been watching Malfoy an awful lot of late. She just couldn't figure him out. She saw his eyes narrow as Malfoy's silver gaze locked onto something across the laboratory. Hermione followed his line of sight and saw that it was Harry who was crossing the front of the room and heading towards the storeroom. She quickly looked back at Malfoy to assess his gaze. It was hard and cold. His eyes were narrowed and his jaw was clenched. She could see the quill he'd been twirling in his hand was now clenched so tightly the plumage was being crushed.
It doesn't fit, she thought. There are definitely strong feelings there but not amicable feelings. Hermione frowned in thought and arranged the set of brass scales in front of her then brought out the calibrating mass as she noticed Harry exit the storeroom, returning into the classroom. Her gaze swept the room and fell upon Mandy Brocklehurst, whom, according to any girl with eyes, was positively in lust with Harry. She saw Mandy staring open-mouthed at Harry's robe-draped body as he strode across the room. Mandy distractedly smoothed her hair and swallowed as she fingered her collar, making sure the top button was undone to expose the maximum allowable amount of skin. That's more like it, Hermione thought. That's how someone who lusts after a person acts. It was only then that Hermione realized she had also been smoothing back her hair. Stupid coincidence, Hermione thought as she snapped her mouth shut and crossed her legs, refocusing on the scales.
"Mandy Brocklehurst lusts after me?" Harry said, stunned.
Hermione rolled her eyes. "Not the point, Harry. Besides, half the witches here think you're a mysteriously brooding heroic Gryffindor and think you're dreamy. The point is—"
"Dreamy?"
Hermione waved away Harry's astonishment that girls might see him as fetching. "Harry, the point," she emphasized, "is that I don't think Snape and Professor Dumbledore are necessarily correct when they say he--Malfoy…you know, about you."
Harry cocked a wry grin as he said amusedly, "You know what?" His grin grew broader as Hermione flushed and twirled a strand of hair around her finger, mumbling. "What was that?"
Hermione looked around the Defense office where she and Harry were working on a Charms essay, desperate to avoid Harry's teasing. Harry drew her chin towards him, making her face him as he slyly said, "I'm not sure I know what you're talking about. You'll have to be more specific."
Hermione tried to glare in his green eyes that sparkled brightly with mischief but failed and held her held up high as she loftily said, "Pleasuring himself."
Harry snorted. "You know," he said, "That's the same term Snape used."
Hermione looked horrified for a moment and truly appreciated how awful the experience had to have been for Harry to have to discuss this topic with Snape and Dumbledore. She shuddered and then banished it from her mind. "Harry, I'm just trying to say, I think it merits more observation. I mean, he's always watching you if you're around to be seen. Not that you'd notice now though, you're positively terrified of making eye contact with him now." She smirked, as it was Harry's turn to shift uncomfortably now. "But it's always a glare when he looks at you. All of us, actually; he glares at me, Ron, Ginny—I think he's just obsessive and quite likely disturbed. Who knows what type of dysfunctional upbringing he's had to endure."
"Dysfunctional upbringing?" Harry said incredulously. "More like spoiled rotten, I bet. If anyone's had a dysfunctional upbringing, it's me and you don't see me with some weird…issue."
Hermione raised her eyebrows and looked at Harry.
"What?" he said, clueless.
Hermione's look only grew more exasperated.
"What? What do I do? What?"
"You don't have any issues?" she said with a pointed look.
Harry was completely nonplussed and searched Hermione for an answer. "What?" he demanded.
"Harry," she said imperiously, "You do happen to have one tiny little…issue…" She looked at him expectantly, waiting for him to catch on.
"Voldemort? No, I meant like weird relationship, kinky, you know, stuff," he said waving off his being targeted for death since before he was born.
Hermione rolled her eyes. "Never mind. As I was saying…it's not like I've ever seen him actually check you out."
Harry gave her a look that clearly said he severely hoped Malfoy wasn't checking him out. "Can we change the subject now, please?" Harry said in a high voice. "Dinner is in less than an hour and I'd like to be able to eat. Have you spoken with Viktor lately about joining the Order?"
Among Harry, Hermione and Dumbledore, they had decided that since Hermione knew Viktor the best, she should be the one to answer any questions Viktor might have about his pledging to join the Order. Viktor was still well connected to several friends and acquaintances among the international quidditch circuit and also had several friends remaining in and around Durmstrang. These connections were seen as an excellent opportunity for the Order to expand its network and influence.
"I sent him a note yesterday," Hermione said as she slid from her chair over to Harry's lap. "I told him I wanted to meet to go over any questions he might have. I suggested something private, though. I don't want people to see him and myself talking and start rumors, just so you know. Is that alright?" she asked tentatively.
Harry, who was leaning back into her hand that was lacing through the hair on the back of his neck, cracked opened his eyes as he asked, "Are you, Miss Granger, asking me, for permission?"
Hermione bit her lower lip and wiggled closer on his lap. "Never," she said impishly, grinning. "Just making sure you weren't going to go all…"
"Ron?" Harry suggested.
Hermione nodded. "Yes, go all Ron on me. You go all Ron on me, Harry Potter, and—arggh!" She made a face. "I don't know what I'd do."
Harry smirked. "I thought you were only with me for my body."
Hermione ran a hand through his tousled hair and smiled as she wistfully said, "And don't forget your boyish grin."
September faded quickly into the cool and brisk autumn days of October. The Gryffindor Quidditch team began practicing twice a week and Harry found the time he spent with Ron going over the management of the team to be the best time for the two of them to get along. It was something they both could do together and it usually involved Hermione being nowhere around.
"Abby and Ginny are really good, aren't they Harry?" Katie Bell remarked as the Gryffindor Quidditch team sunk into their seats for dinner in the Great Hall after an evening practice.
"They're quicker than Angelina and Alicia, that's for sure," Harry said. He had half a mind that Katie was commenting as much for Ron's sake as to make conversation. After Gryffindor's first few practices, the Chasers did indeed look promising, however, this was at the expense of their Keeper, Ron. Ron was trudging along behind Harry and Katie and looking extremely lost. Harry could see during practices that Ron was much better than he'd been at the beginning of last year but as the Chasers would start to get into a groove and really work well together, Ron would start to lose his confidence and subsequently start to lose his concentration and ability to stop even the slowest Quaffle from passing through the hoops. "I think they'll give any Keeper here a run to keep them from scoring," Harry commented, trying to make Ron feel better as he ladled beef stew into a bowl.
Harry turned then to see Ginny and Zoe Sorensen, one of the Beaters, rush into the Hall and over to the table. "Guess what we just found out!" Ginny said excitedly, nudging Ron over as she seated herself and made room for Zoe.
Zoe, with her pigtails still in braids, gushed out so fast they could barely understand her, "We were hanging back in the changing rooms, just talking, you know? And then we heard two people--I knew I knew the one voice-- come into Hooch's office and get the ball case out, saying they needed it for practice."
Ginny picked up and said, "I knew Michael's voice. Corner, that is."
Zoe nodded quickly and said, "Yeah, and I knew Chang's, too. And guess who their new Keeper is this year? That's right, you guessed it, Corner, that prat!" Zoe and Ginny exchanged high-browed looks at this for a moment and then Zoe looked up dreamily as she said, "I can't wait to send a Bludger flying at that prat's big head."
Ginny giggled at this and nudged Ron in the ribs as she said, "Won't it be nice to know we'll be humiliating some other Keeper during the games instead of you?"
Harry shot her a look and she winked innocently and then turned back to her food. Ron was looking like he did actually think this may be something to look forward to and started nodding his head as he speared a boiled potato off Ginny's plate, "Yeah, yeah it is. And we know Harry can beat Cho to the Snitch any day, right?" He started eating with gusto and then said, "You know, Harry, that Plimpton Pass they used is really tough to defend against, I bet that's one we should definitely keep as a play this year."
Harry nodded sagely and said, "Yeah, you know I think we should figure that if you have problems defending against a play then it's probably a good bet. I mean you'll know our Chasers better than anyone after practicing with them so much, so if you have trouble stopping them, then just imagine how hard it'll be for some other Keeper to go against them who isn't used to how they play." Harry hoped Ron bought this because he knew Ron keeping up his confidence throughout the year was critical to the team's success.
Sure enough, Ron was nodding along slowly, chewing on a mouthful of something chewy as he mumbled, "Mmm…mmm, hmm."
Harry then felt someone ghost a hand over his back and slide around behind him as they squeezed in beside him at the table. "Hey, how was your practice?" Hermione said giving him a warm smile and then quickly glancing across at the rest of the team.
Harry saw Ron tense up across the table and vigorously stab another potato with his fork while determinedly focusing on his food. He returned Hermione's smile and said, "Everyone is looking really good."
Ron ignored Hermione for the most part and only ever spoke to her for trivial matters such as to pass the trifle or to perhaps inquire to borrow a quill if he was in dire need. Ron wouldn't approach Harry if he was with Hermione and so, Harry had to make a conscious effort to ask Ron to join him to do homework, to engage in a game of chess or to go over more quidditch strategies. Harry had tried to bring up the possibility of Ron reconciling with Hermione so they might all be friends again, but each time, Ron would grimace and mumble about just not being ready yet.
Hermione was not the least bit put out by not having to deal with Ron. Harry was sure that if Ron would just offer up an apology soon, she would accept it and things would eventually go back to normal. However, everyday, she seemed to embrace their estrangement because of her own increasing apathy towards her former friend. If it weren't for Harry's silent pleading to just get along and give it time, Hermione would have been quite content to ban Ron from getting within ten feet of her and bid him good riddance forever.
They had both, however, joined Harry to visit Hagrid just before he left for Scandinavia. They got a picture of the three of them together, waving vigorously, from Colin and put it in a homemade going-away card to give to Hagrid. Hagrid was so moved that he had cried and nearly crushed them each with sobbing hugs. While they all missed Hagrid, even Harry couldn't deny that it wasn't somewhat nice to not have to worry about what creatures they might have to endure in their weekly Care of Magical Creatures class. Though, they did now have to spend much more time in the library for the class, doing research essays for Professor Grubbly-Plank.
Shortly after Harry's letter went out to Gringotts, Fudge reportedly backed off the Goblins amid pressure from The Wizards' Council and the Wizengamot. Days later, it was then announced in the Daily Prophet that Albus Dumbledore, Kingsley Shacklebolt and Nymphadora Tonks, all credited with the capture of eleven Death Eaters, had generously donated their thousand galleon reward for each of the Azkaban escapees captured to the Ministry's Wartime Defense Fund. It had been relayed at the Order meeting that week that they had been "notified" of their generous donations just hours before the news went out in the day's edition of the paper. It was largely seen as Fudge's retaliation for Harry and Dumbledore's refusal to help him raise money. Rumors at the Ministry stated Fudge was deeply resentful of Dumbledore because the Goblins had abandoned contact with the Ministry's Goblin Liaison Office. Fudge suspected Dumbledore had replaced the Ministry's department as the Goblins' "counsel" which had been cited as their reasons for denying the Minister's entry and access to vaults.
The Order, meanwhile, was beginning to bring forth the names and descriptions of possible new members. With this, came debates and decisions about what information would be given as public knowledge to all Order members and what information would from here forth, be kept a secret. Professor Dumbledore had explained to everyone the ramifications involved if Sirius were to be officially declared dead. It would mean any of Sirius' assets, including Grimmauld Place, would be subject to legal petitioning by Narcissa (formerly Black) Malfoy. Dumbledore and Remus confirmed that Sirius had never completed a will and even if he had, it would likely have been contested on the questionable basis of his sanity. Either way, they all knew Sirius had emptied the Black vault of its gold and moved it to Harry's well over a year ago and so, the effort to keep Sirius' death from being official was largely to avoid a skirmish over Grimmauld Place as well as to keep Kingsley free to spend time doing Order work while on the Ministry's time. Oh yes, and there was also the very remote possibility, which Dumbledore only briefly mused over once to Harry, that Narcissa, in the event Sirius was legally declared dead, might petition for legal custody of Harry. It was a long stretch but such a horrifying thought that Harry had resolved at all costs to never lament again for the truth to be known about Sirius. He reckoned Sirius would well understand.
The only exception to being kept in the dark on Sirius' whereabouts was Amelia Bones. As Head of Magical Law Enforcement and Kingsley's direct supervisor, she already suspected Kingsley's time was being spent upon something other than locating the fugitive Sirius Black. She'd postulated once on a hunch to Kingsley that perhaps Black was dead and Kingsley had neither confirmed nor denied it. She then had started dropping him hints that as long as whatever work he was doing was for Dumbledore; it was just as well to her. Apparently, she was a keen witch who missed very little.
She had also met with Dumbledore a few times, and upon deciding their aims were in alignment, they both agreed she would pledge to join the Order of the Phoenix come the end of October. Hermione had told Harry that she suspected Amelia Bones had the honor of her lost brother, Edgar Bones who had been killed during Voldemort's last reign, in mind, fueling her decision to pledge the Order.
Amelia had came to Hogwarts to meet with Dumbledore one afternoon when Harry just happened to have training scheduled with the Headmaster so he too, met with her. She told Harry that her niece, Susan had told her about all the things that Harry had taught his fellow students and that she thought his leadership was a real asset to the other students. Dumbledore also took this opportunity to explain in detail Harry's status as basically being Lead-in-Waiting for the Order and that Harry would assume this position upon his being prepared to take over the role or upon an unforeseen incapacitation of Dumbledore making him unable to fulfill the duties of the role. Amelia Bones seemed to have no reservations about this, although, it was clear she saw neither possibility as a likely occurrence in the very near future.
Snape was another member of the Order who was now to be kept a secret except to those who already knew about him. It was deemed most prudent for his role as the spy to be kept apart from the others. Amelia Bones was to be the only exception, again, in knowing the role Snape played.
Snape, meanwhile, had taken his role as spy and branched out to lurking around the corridors of the castle at all hours of the day and night in order to spy upon unsuspecting students. The twins had warned Harry with an owl that Snape had requested a vast array of their Subterfuge Specialties, as they called the items they had developed specifically for the Order's use in garnering intelligence. Harry had no doubt that the nosy git was enjoying using the items. Rumors had increased of late of Snape's recent success in ferreting out numerous young couples that had sought a quiet nook in the castle for some privacy. Ernie Macmillan and Hannah Abbott were still fuming over Hufflepuff's loss of forty points from what they claimed had been a misunderstood trip involving a changing staircase. Harry and Hermione took great care to make sure their late night wanderings to and from the Common Room involved absolute silence, the invisibility cloak and Marauder's Map at all times.
Defense Against the Dark Arts classes had calmed down considerably since they were no longer doing any group dueling. Even though they were not required to duel as groups anymore, they were still being graded on the average mark earned by each member of their groups for all assignments and tests. They had spent two weeks discussing the analysis of the duels held in class and Snape took great joy in listing error after error made by nearly all the groups. In class, he was now lecturing on the theories involved in practical situations where one would suddenly find themselves required to fend off attackers.
Today, they were learning about the difference between defense to escape a threatening situation and defense to maintain your group and ward off attack. Class was almost over and Harry checked his watch for the time. He'd already learned most of this from Kingsley and Tonks over the summer and was taking as many notes on what Snape was saying as he was on recalling things that he'd already learned.
He saw Snape glance at the clock on the wall that read 'Time to Give the Assignment' and then Snape intoned, "Your assignment for next week is to write two feet of parchment on the common Dark Detectors and Wardings used on homes. Specify the ones used in your own family homes and discuss their age and origin. Discuss the weaknesses and strengths of protections used in your own homes and propose an ideal security set up for the average wizarding home."
Harry hurried to scribble down the requirements for the assignment before the bell rang and he noticed that Hermione's quill was not writing. He saw her staring slack-jawed, with a disgusted scowl on her face at Snape who was wearing a smirk as he gathered his stuff at the front of the class.
Hermione's hand shot into the air as the bell rang and Snape looked up, ignored her and said, "Class dismissed."
"Professor!" Hermione nearly shouted, making Harry wince at her tone. Snape was dutifully ignoring her as he waved his wand to roll up all the parchments collected for the day's assignment. "Professor Snape!" she said standing up quickly. She shot a glance at Harry that made it very clear she was quite upset about something and then stormed to the front of the room. Most other students in the class had paused to watch and wondered what had Hermione in such an uproar now as she stopped just a few feet in front of Snape and angrily put her hands on her hips and shouted, "Just how is half the class supposed to discuss the magical protections on our homes? What about muggleborn students!?"
Snape looked her up and down and replied loftily, "Five points from Gryffindor, Miss Granger, for raising your voice to a professor."
Hermione harrumphed and shook her head as she refused to back down and said in a very stressed but level voice, "How, may I ask you Professor Snape, do you expect muggleborn and raised students to discuss the magical protections around their family homes?"
Snape looked coolly down at her before answering, "No, you may not ask."
"That's ridiculous!" Hermione shouted. Everyone, including Harry, was stunned that the normally perfect prefect Hermione Granger was losing her cool with the most notoriously dangerous professor with which to lose House points. Harry could just see the rubies on the Gryffindor hourglass slipping down now.
"Miss Granger," Snape said silkily, stepping around the desk and unfurling his arms like a great bat before crossing them over his chest as he appraised the seething Hermione. "Are you daring to question my authority to issue assignments to the class?" He didn't let her speak as he continued on in a rising monotone, "Do you dare to suggest that an impudent know it all such as yourself is better suited to design a curriculum for the students of this class than myself? Do you believe that special considerations and allowances should be allotted to you because of your…unfortunate background and upraising?"
Harry's jaw was clenched with the insults just thrown at Hermione and he could see her shaking with fury at Snape. He could also hear Malfoy cackling with glee. With clenched teeth, Hermione ground out, "I'm suggesting, Professor, you open your eyes and take into account the backgrounds of nearly half of the students in this class, unless, you care to admit that you know perfectly well the backgrounds of your students and simply like to be sadistic and assign work that almost half the class cannot complete, save ones with proper bloodlines!"
Not a student was moving to leave now. No one, not even Harry, had ever publicly crossed the line this far with Snape and everyone was waiting to see his reaction. And then he smiled. No, not a nice smile; Snape wouldn't know a real smile if it bit him through his graying underpants. This was a teeth-baring, hunter about to corner his prey smile that left Harry cold. "I do believe, Granger, you've bought yourself detention. A week's worth. With me. And since you are so worried about homework, you can also have an extra assignment…a complete historical account and thesis on the importance of how blood and magic are connected and the relation of blood purity with magical powers. Perhaps…twenty-six feet of parchment." The grin was almost genuine now as Snape saw Hermione's face pale with indignation and horror at the monstrous punishment. "I would hate for you to have to rush through this little extra credit project, Miss Granger, you have until Easter to complete it and your entire group shall fail the term if it is not--in my opinion--complete."
Snape looked thoroughly pleased with himself and smirked to say as much. Hermione spun on her heal and stormed back to her table she had shared with Harry and yanked her bag off the seat and threw the strap over her shoulder. Harry reached out to take her elbow as he guided her out the room. But before they could exit the room, Snape called out with glee, "Ah yes, and fifty points from Gryffindor for not knowing when to keep your mouth shut."
Harry steered the silently fuming Hermione down the hall and down a set of stairs. He knew full well that she was due for an all out rant after this little incident. But he also knew there was one place that would ensure Hermione could not even start to yell and scream and it was also the place where she would be able to clam down and begin her work on both of her new assignments straight away—the library.
He steered her in through the double doors and into the ancient library; back and around the side to an obscure table, just beyond the restricted section. Hermione slumped down into a chair at the table and, now shaking, she let her head drop forward and rest upon her folded arms on the table. Harry sat beside her, dropped his bag to the floor, and began to rub her back gently.
"I'd say he's a git, but that's rather old by now," he said softly after a few minutes. Hermione merely made a muffled sounding sob at this. "Don't worry about the points. You've earned more than your share for Gryffindor over the years; you deserve to lose a few now and then. Besides, hearing you call him sadistic was worth it to me."
Hermione wearily lifter her head to look at Harry and said, "I'm so stupid!"
Harry slid his arm around her and pulled her to his chest, stroking her hair now. "You are so not stupid, Hermione Granger."
"He's right about that," Lavender said softly as Harry turned and saw her and Parvati standing by the corner of a bookshelf.
He gave them a small smile as they then approached the table and sat across the table. He turned back to Hermione and pronounced, "See, it's official; you are not stupid."
Hermione gave him a weak withering look and then shook her head. She looked searchingly across at her dorm mates and then pushed back her hair from her face.
"Don't even say it, Hermione," said Parvati. "We all know Snape is the grease we scrape off a cruddy old, used cauldron."
Hermione clenched her fists and made a strangled noise of rage.
"Shh," Harry said. "Can't be kicked out of the library, now can we?"
"Right," Lavender said. "Especially now that we all have such a huge assignment to work on together."
"Huh?" Hermione said eloquently.
"Your assignment," Parvati said as if it was obvious. "You don't think we're going to let you suffer it all on your own do you?"
"I'll help, too," said Neville timidly, finding his way around the table. He gave Harry a half-grin and said, "I knew you'd both go to the library."
"You…you guys aren't mad at me? For losing all those points?" Hermione said incredulously. She looked to Lavender and Parvati, "For making your entire term's grade depend upon this stupid project?"
Parvati scoffed and straightened the bangles on her arm. "Are you kidding? I've never felt more confident about a grade before in my life." Lavender nodded.
Hermione looked from one to the other and then at Neville and lastly at Harry. She was blinking rapidly and Harry could tell she was trying not to cry at the generous support of her friends. He smiled and pulled her to him again and said, "So, should we look for some books to get started?" He felt Hermione nod weakly against his chest and smiled. Calming Hermione Granger was as easy as a trip to the library.
Hermione soon fell into her taskmaster role and had sent the five of them off to search different sections of the library for books on home protection and warding spells. It was obvious she felt they should get their immediate assignment done before worrying over the extra assignment. They all agreed that the part of Snape's instructions about describing the protections of their own family homes was meant to just rile up Hermione and other muggleborns. No wizard with half a brain would divulge the protections surrounding their family homes; it would be ludicrous. Harry thought Snape must have surely known this and gave the assignment in such a way as to unsettle the muggleborn students.
After working arduously for nearly two hours under Hermione's direction (although, Lavender and Pavarti seemed to be much more interested in arduously studying Harry), Neville's stomach rumbled and reminded them dinner was on in the Great Hall.
"Oh, and we have the DA this evening too, right?" Neville said as they each divided up the books to be checked out. "What are we working on tonight? I can't wait to learn to conjure those magical ropes you used in your duel, Harry. Those were just like Dumbledore used on the—well, you know." Neville shot a furtive look at the other two girls who did not know all about Neville's trip with Harry and friends to the Ministry last spring.
"Oh, that's a simple spell actually," Harry said. "The trick is the power you put into it has to be greater than the power of the one you try to bind. It's kind of like a Stunning spell or the Full Body bind in that way."
After the DA had reviewed all the stuff from last year and the new members were caught up, Harry had moved them on to learn many of the same things that he had learned over the summer. The first thing he had taught them was how to prepare to be hit with a Stunning spell and then how to break through it as well as how to break through the Full Body Bind. He actually started this as the new members were still learning how to cast these spells so the old members could be the targets and try to break the spells.
The last half hour of each DA meeting was spent with everyone practicing the Patronus Charm. Harry had gone over the basics of the charm for everyone and the new members who had never before seen his Patronus ooh'd and ahh'd over it with awe. Hermione, of course, also had a corporeal Patronus but an otter wasn't nearly as breathtaking as life-sized stag. Seamus hadn't managed to get his to take form yet, thought he still remained adamant it was something very hairy. Katie Bell was also very near to having somewhat of a substantial shape to her silver mist that rose and hovered when she tried the spell.
Harry had promised them that he would soon bring in something to help simulate a Dementor so they would be able to learn how to fight off the Dementor attack and then attempt to conjure the Patronus to chase it away. By his guess, it would only be a few weeks before he was ready to bring in a Boggart.
Professor Dumbledore had left Harry to work with the Boggart for several weeks now. Harry was very adept at maintaining a wall about his mind without conscious effort. He was also very quickly gaining skill in his ability to project forth images and thoughts. He could now make the Boggart take several different shapes such as a table or Golden Snitch. Once, he even managed to get it to take the shape of Hermione, standing under a spray of steamy water in a shower with her eyes closed and held tilted back. (Of course, this was at a time when he was sure he was very much alone and even after he managed it, he quickly let the image drop and looked around guiltily.)
Dumbledore said he still had a ways to go towards refining his ease of projection and with developing a constant projective state. Dumbledore recommended that Harry not merely be content with having a metaphorical wall around his mind to prevent external penetration of the mind, but that Harry develop a mental cloak to mask this wall that would prevent someone from knowing that their probing would meet resistance. After all, what good was it to be able to resist an attack or to be able to feed forth projected images in place of real images if the attacker knew their probe was detected or that it would fail? Dumbledore had declined to instruct Harry on just how to specifically develop this cloak; instead, he merely hinted that Harry might be able to discern how this was done if he thought about the people he knew to be masters of Occlumency. Thus far, Harry hadn't any inspirations on the subject.
"What are we supposed to be meeting for?" Hermione asked for only the twelfth time since Harry told her that they were to meet with Dumbledore and some other Order members that evening. It was the middle of the week and only a week and half before Halloween.
"I told you, you'll find out when it's explained to the others," Harry said as he made sure they had everything before leaving the library.
"I'm supposed to be in detention though—you're sure Professor Dumbledore said I should not go to the dungeons?"
Harry grinned at her. So far, she'd spent one night milking leeches, another scouring the first years' cauldrons and the previous night, scrubbing the floor of the potions classrooms. "I would think you wouldn't be so eager to endure another of that git's detentions," he said with amusement. "Dumbledore specifically told me to make sure you attended and that the meeting would count as time spent in detention. Although, I can't say I'm positive that Snape knows about that or agreed to it."
"But you obviously know what this is all about. Who's all going to be there?" asked Hermione, undeterred by his vagueness.
Harry couldn't help but roll his eyes. Hermione wasn't one to be put off. (The bruise on his ankle from a fallen mop handle that attacked him after she kidnapped him into a broom closet between Transfiguration and Potions was evidence of that. He smirked at the memory of Snape taking points from Gryffindor for Harry's inane grin throughout class.)
"Hermione, I told you, it's about the Order. Just wait, Dumbledore will explain it all better than I can." Harry stared back at a pair of gawking first year Hufflepuffs, one of whom was openly pointing at his forehead.
"Okay then, tell me why Ron was giving you glowering looks today during Transfiguration?"
Harry frowned. "Oh, that." He had made a mistake of leaving a letter from the twins out on his bedside table the prior evening and Ron, upon recognizing the handwriting, had read it. "He saw the letter from the twins this morning. He read it while I was in the shower." The letter had two things that had greatly seemed to anger Ron; first it was a monthly statement of the profit earnings for Weasley Wizard Wheezes and detailed the percentage that was forwarded to Harry's account and secondly, it had been signed 'see you in a few days'. Ron seemed to have been doubly pained about the money; seeing how much the twins were making as well as seeing how much Harry was making just for being an investor. But it was the closing that had seemed to give Ron the most ammunition to question Harry.
"What, about their profits?" Hermione asked.
"Yeah, but he saw how it was signed and kept asking me why they would be seeing me this weekend," Harry explained with a heavy sigh.
"You mean they're coming to Friday's meeting?"
"I imagine that's what they meant," Harry said. "I told him I had no idea what it meant. Tried to get him to think maybe it meant they were going to sneak back and set off some more Whizbangs. But if you say he was glaring at me, then I guess he didn't buy it."
"Hmm," was all Hermione said as she bit her lip thoughtfully until they arrived at the antechamber off the Great Hall.
Snape was also arriving at the room just as Harry and Hermione. He graced them with a disdainful sneer before sweeping ahead and leaving them in the wake of his billowing robes.
"Git," Harry mumbled under his breath. He knew the lack of an admonishing look from Hermione was proof that she too was still harboring ill will towards him for her week's worth of detentions. (He secretly thought she was actually enjoying the 'extra' assignment.)
"Severus!" McGonagall said shrilly as she stormed over to the Slytherin Head of House. "Would you care to enlighten me as to why Alastor discovered a pair of those Enhancing Eyes with a Transmission Charm on them in the Quidditch Team Rooms?" McGonagall's nostrils flared as she spoke and Harry hadn't seen her this irate since the time Seamus had "accidentally" shrunk Lavender's skirt.
Snape merely looked annoyed at her inquisition and shot Harry another sneer as he passed by before answering, "So many people here have been insistent upon my monitoring certain students at the school for so long. Now that I've taken steps to do this, you are accusing me of…what, exactly?"
McGonagall puffed herself up and said, "Monitoring your Slytherins does not mean you have to monitor all the quidditch teams when they meet!"
Snape still seemed unconcerned. "Several of the students you yourself have expressed concern over are on the Slytherin Quidditch Team. I thought it best to monitor them in places conducive to meetings and discussions."
"So you conveniently decided to monitor the room where all teams go before practices to meet?" McGonagall said disbelieving. Harry felt Hermione pull him along to the other side of the room where Moody and Remus were watching the two Heads of House with amusement. Harry could just imagine Snape watching in on Gryffindor's team meeting where they showed the diagrams for plays and outlined their team strategies. Sure Snape would never imagine say…passing on this information to his own House team, now would he, Harry thought sarcastically.
"Surely you can't say only Slytherins merit observance, can you?" Snape said silkily.
"An excellent point, Severus," Dumbledore said as he silently swept into the room, securing the door with a spell before turning to face the smirking Snape and thin-lipped McGonagall. "I see, Minerva, that Alastor has already recounted his findings from the latest survey of the grounds and castle." He went on before she could protest Snape's actions. "I do believe it is correct that students of all houses are at risk to be lured by the promises of the dark arts. Therefore, I think all four Heads of House shall be informed about the monitoring devices that Severus has placed around the grounds and shall be made privy to the transmissions."
Dumbledore smiled benignly at the two. McGonagall pursed her lips and only smirked triumphantly after hearing Snape grumble something.
"Now," Dumbledore said, clapping his hands, "We are all here, let's get to business." He gestured to the large circular table now in the room and they each seated themselves. Harry sat between Hermione and Remus, who gave Harry an inquiring look; thus far, only Harry and Dumbledore knew the point of the meeting.
Dumbledore smiled at each of them gathered around the table. "We have called this meeting to participate in a discussion about the operation of the soon to be expanding Order of the Phoenix. All of you present here tonight have been consulted about the various people who have been suggested for induction into the Order. Next week we plan to hold these inductions and expand the membership of the Order. I just wanted to bring the seven of us together, the inner circle of the Order, if you will, to make sure we are all in alignment with the expected changes in the Order's operations.
"Now, as I think you are already aware, current Order members, upon wishing to sponsor someone for induction, have written up descriptions of the possible inductee, summarizing their family, friends and job. This information been disseminated to Remus, Alastor, Hestia Jones, Mundungus Fletcher, Deadalus Diggle and Elphias Doge who have all been doing a different sort of background check on the person and their associates. New members have been considered based upon the estimated strength of their commitment to opposing Voldemort, supporting Harry and the Order's aim, and the intelligence that they would be able to provide based upon their associations or employment. I would like us, the seven who are aware of the prophecy and the complete purpose of the Order, to go over the final lists of possible inductees that we shall announce at this week's meeting." Dumbledore then tapped his wand upon the table and a parchment list of proposed inductees appeared before each of them.
At the beginning of October, Dumbledore had suggested to Harry that they modify the structure and operation of the Order to befit the induction of new members by creating a series of concentric hierarchical circles within the Order's members. The Inner Council of the Order of the Phoenix would consist of those that Harry had chosen to taken into his confidence: Dumbledore, Moody, McGonagall, Snape, Lupin, Hermione and, of course, Harry.
The next level within the Order was termed the Outer Council and consisted of the remaining and current members of the Order. For the most part, new members of the Order were meant to increase the information network of the Order and, in emergencies, to increase the number of resources available. It would be impractical to expect all members to attempt to meet somewhere once a week when nearly the entire Inner council resided at Hogwarts while the remaining members were spread about the country. New members would be asked to give regular reports to a current member of the Order in order to provide intelligence; mostly likely, whoever sponsored the new member, would be their contact. There were some exceptions of course, but it largely depended upon who it was. Amelia Bones, for example, would be unlikely to be able to make regular meetings, however her intelligence would be provided by way of Kingsley as well as cauldron communication with Dumbledore.
"You've left a fair number off the list, I see," McGonagall mused, perusing the list.
"Aye," Moody grunted. "That was my suggestion. There's no need to induct so many of these people officially. They can think they are part of the Order and provide contacts and resources but they'll pose less of a risk if we keep them distanced through just one or two contacts. They won't know who all the other members are then, won't be able to betray the Order as a whole."
Harry knew this was one risk of expanding the Order's member base. The last time, the Order had lost several members because of one traitor. We will not have another Wormtail, Harry thought resolutely.
"Yes," Dumbledore said, "There are also several for whom it would simply be too inconvenient to try to travel here simply for an induction. The purpose of listing all these people whom we shall count as resources here, is to ensure we are aware of just who and what those resources are."
They spent the next several hours going over the lists and asking and answering questions about this person and that. McGonagall and Dumbledore kept getting sidetracked recalling this and that about their various former students on the list. Charlie Weasley's list of various dragon keepers from around the world had Snape mumbling something about possibly being able to procure powdered Longhorn without the import tariffs.
"Amos Diggory, here," Remus mused. "He's in the Department for the Control of Magical Creatures. He's been answering a lot of questions to the press regarding the Ministry's tenuous relationship with Gringotts. Do we plan to summarize to the new members what's gone on thus far, such as with the agreement that the Goblins have with Harry?"
Dumbledore stroked his silver beard for a moment before Snape cut across the table, curtly saying, "The less anyone person knows the better."
"True, true," Dumbledore said, still musing.
"Well, everyone else already knows; we can't deny that," McGonagall said.
It was getting late, Harry ran a hand through his hair and thought that sometimes asking for other people's opinions was more trouble than it was worth, mainly because if you asked for an opinion, then they usually wanted you to follow it.
"What do you think, Harry," Dumbledore asking, twinkling over his half-moon glasses as he no doubt noticed Harry's increasing annoyance at the on going debates.
"What do I think?" he asked. "Well, I say we deal with it as it needs to be dealt with. We don't need to write up a summary of everything the Order has ever done and pass it around for light reading. If someone wants to know about the Order's contacts with Gringotts or the Goblins they're likely to ask Bill. He's the one known to work there. I suppose they might ask you, Professor, but either way, if they ask, then they probably have good reason and we can relate the truth to those that need to know." Harry finished noticing that if Dumbledore twinkled any more, he could put Fairy lights to shame.
At the end of the night, they had finally gone over each and every proposed inductee and discussed what information needed to be given to the entire Order on induction night. Only after Moody gave a most grotesque looking yawn, did they realize it was nearly midnight.
"Good heavens," McGonagall said as she noticed the time. "Are we finally done here, Albus?"
"Oh yes," said Dumbledore who seemed to be not the least bit tired. "I believe we have accomplished everything we need to tonight. Thank you all."
McGonagall, looking weary on her feet, motioned for Harry and Hermione to follow her. "I'll escort you both to the Tower. It's well past curfew."
Harry bit his lip and gave Hermione a look as he heard Snape mumble something about 'what difference does it make for Potter?' and let McGonagall usher them out of the room, bidding Remus and Moody goodnight.
That Saturday, Dumbledore announced it to be a Hogsmeade weekend. Most of the older students cheered at this but a good portion of the Gryffindor table groaned and looked at Harry sullenly; he had scheduled a double time slot for quidditch practice that afternoon.
Dumbledore then continued his announcement, saying, "And to ensure everyone gets a chance to go, you may leave as early as right now, after the end of breakfast. Be sure to return before the dinner hour. Enjoy!"
Harry breathed a sigh of relief at the relieved looks of his team. They were already complaining that the Curse of the Quidditch Captain had struck him, making him a tyrant that was ever so slyly scheduling longer and longer practices and who seemed to not want to let the practice end until they had perfected whatever play they were working on that day.
"Hey," Hermione whispered, "I think I'm going to stay. I want to get more time to research books for that extra credit project." This is what they had begun to call Snape's punishment that he'd assigned Hermione. "You should ask Ron to go; he's looking lost and forlorn. I'll even get up and leave now so he won't have to wonder if I'm going along. Later."
Harry saw Hermione try to act unconcerned as she said this, but silently, he cheered that she was showing some sign of caring about how Ron felt. Any progress was good progress.
"Hey Ron," Harry said, calling across the table. "You want to go to town now?"
The way Ron's face lit up was almost comical as he saw Hermione leave the table and heard Harry's invitation to leave. In fact, he was nearly skipping as they walked along the road into Hogsmeade.
"Hey, you reckon Fred and George somehow knew about it being a Hogsmeade weekend?" he said, kicking a stone along the gravel drive. "Remember how last year the Order had people following us around like Mundungus dressed as that witch? I bet the Order knew and Fred and George knew, eh?"
"Possible," Harry said noncommittally. "Hey, remind me to stock up owl treats; I'm all out.
The week of Halloween was marked with gloomy weather and nearly constant drizzle. Harry had actually canceled practice one evening because of the howling wind and steadily increasing rain. Harry wasn't sure whether it was the dreary conditions or something else, but he'd been sleeping poorly all week. Almost every morning he would awake feeling like the usually soothing voices in his head had been up all night arguing the same questions over and over again. It had been making him restless and jumpy.
"Harry, did you not sleep well again?" Hermione asked with concern on Friday morning as Harry rubbed an eye with the heel of his hand.
As she began to dish out eggs onto her plate and then onto Harry's, he said, "Yeah, I mean no—I'm fine." He saw Hermione frown and he began to eat breakfast before she could question him more on it. He'd planned on mentioning the change in the tone of the voices to Dumbledore this week, but somehow, he forgot. They had had plenty of reports to go over during the week, detailing a high volume of travelers into the country. It was possibly indicative of something going on or it was also possible it was just the holiday; after all, Halloween was one of the biggest holidays in the Wizarding World.
"Are you nervous about tonight?" she asked, startling him out of his thoughts.
"Huh? Oh sure, well, not really. Why? Should I be?" Harry couldn't think why he needed to be nervous about tonight. Tonight was the night of the Order's inductions, but he wasn't nervous about that.
Hermione gave up on trying to converse with the obviously sleep-deprived Harry. That morning throughout Healing, Harry noticed Firenze looking at him strangely, like he wanted to say something, but Harry figured with all the rotten weather of late, the Centaur was just bored without being able to gaze up at the stars at night. He probably had just wanted to ask whether Harry thought Mars would be bright.
The rest of the day went by quickly. The meeting was to be held in Hogsmeade in the basement of the Hog's Head. Aberforth Dumbledore had secured the area and set up an apparition point just outside the room for people to arrive without having to travel through the pub. It was also handy that one of the tunnel passages from Hogwarts led directly into the basement of the Hog's Head; this was how Dumbledore had informed Harry that everyone leaving from the school would travel.
Hermione left early down the passageway with McGonagall before the feast even started. They were going to meet Moody and Remus to help set up the wards around the room. Moody had also requested that Hermione teach him the Loyalty Jinxes that she would erect upon the entrance to the room. Harry, still feeling as restless as ever and not very hungry, decided to skip the feast altogether. He hid out in the Room of Requirement until it was time to leave. He spent the time practicing conjuring spells that McGonagall had taught him over the summer.
After he'd succeeded in getting a rapid succession of conjured arrows to shoot out of his wand and hit a target upon the wall, Harry nearly hexed the source of the voice that startled him.
"You're conjuring and control is vastly improved from the summer," Dumbledore said, smiling.
"Professor," Harry breathed out, clutching a hand to his chest. "I didn't hear you come in."
Dumbledore merely twinkled. "It's nearly time for us to leave, Harry. It's only you and I. Shall we?"
Harry nodded and paused for a moment as he picked up his bag and decided to shrink it and pocket the reduced bag. "Ready," he said and then followed Dumbledore to the passageway located behind Gregory the Smarmy.
"Unctuous," Dumbledore whispered for the password as he tapped his wand upon the statue, causing it to hinge open for them.
Harry pulled out his wand and lit it, expecting this passageway to be as dark and dusty as the one that led to Honeydukes. To his surprise though, this passageway had well-worn stairs leading down, down, down and had torches lit along the walls. A short trill of Phoenix song then preceded the sudden burst of light that was Fawkes' arrival. The Phoenix trilled again in greeting and gently flew ahead, lighting the tunnel with a soft glow.
"I believe, Harry, this passage has seen much more use than even the one you're used to," Dumbledore said conversationally.
"I see that," Harry said, noticing how clean this passage was. The fact that he'd essentially just admitted he'd used another passage to sneak out of the castle, completely escaped his mind.
Dumbledore merely twinkled as they walked along the tunnel. "I was wondering, Harry, how have you been feeling of late?"
"Why?" Harry asked, stumbling over a few loose rocks. "Why do you ask?" He tried to catch a look at Dumbledore's face in the torchlight. They started to climb steps now; he could see a trapdoor up at the far top of the stairs.
"Oh, just a feeling, Harry. Have you had any dreams lately?"
Harry noticed they had slowed in their pace and answered, "No, no dreams, sir. But…well, there has been --"
The trapdoor opened then, sending down a stream of bright light from the room above, making Fawkes trill and speed up and out of the tunnel. "There you are!" Hermione said letting Fawkes fly up. "Moody said he could see you coming up. Where's Viktor?"
"He'll be along shortly, he had to set up a student in one of the labs, he said," Dumbledore answered as he and Harry climbed the last few steps upwards. As they climbed out of the trapdoor, just like the one in Honeydukes, Dumbledore gave Harry a look that said they would talk later.
Harry was suddenly caught in a great smothering embrace. "Oh, Harry dear, how are you? You looked a bit peaked. Are you feeling all right?" Molly Weasley immediately started to look Harry over, scrutinizing him as she let go. "I should send you some meat pies soon. You look like you're not eating enough. Has Ronald apologized to you yet? If he knows what's good for him—"
"Mum, let him be," Bill said, giving Harry a sympathetic look. "Hey there, Harry. Oh look, Mum—Fred and George." Harry watched Molly spy her twins and bustle off. He then felt Bill nudge him and say, "Sorry, thought you might need some help. She can get a bit…smothering. Fleur is supposed to meet me here and I'm just hoping I can beat Mum to her. Last time she and Mum got to talking, Fleur started in on some family recipe from her grandmother with oysters as an aphrodisiac; I thought Mum was about to faint."
"Harry—there you are. Good to see you," Amelia Bones said, adjusting her monocle and extending a professional hand to Harry.
"You, too, Madame Bones," Harry said as he shook her hand.
"Ah, Madame Bones—Bill Weasley," Bill said, introducing himself and proffering his hand.
"Ah—one of Arthur's many, I presume. Did you know Harry here, took on a half dozen of his classmates with my niece in a duel in his Defense class and they won? Two against six, it was."
"Oh?" Bill said, eying Harry. "Did you know he went against a whole slew of us this summer—had to make his way across a maze while we tried to stop him and, well, he did it. But see here," Bill pointed, "this guy was the first to get taken out by Harry. Weren't you, Kingsley?"
Kingsley was leading a group of three other people and gave Bill a wry smile. "Weren't you, William, turned into a garden gnome that night?" Bill blushed a brilliant Weasley red then and Harry snickered. Kingsley turned back to Harry and said, "I wanted to introduce you to some of my fellow colleagues, Harry."
Harry just shaking Arnold Peasegood's hand, an Obliviator from the Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes, when he heard Tonks call out, "Oh, Harrikins! There you are! I was just showing these two around and introducing them." She led two women also wearing Ministry robes over. "Push up that fringe, Har, and give a good gape at that scar." She leaned over to one witch and in a mock stage whisper, said, "Too bad he's wearing his robes. He's a right fine sight on an exit."
Harry was doing his best to give Tonks a dark look but was having a hard time keeping his mouth from quirking up.
"Everyone!" Dumbledore's voice rose above the chatter. "Why don't we all take a seat and get started. We'll go around and introduce everyone."
Tonks grabbed Harry as they moved towards the chairs and whispered, "I found this new hex and I knew I had to show you--nah, better yet, I'll show Hermione and she can show you later!"
"What is it?" Harry asked as he saw Viktor Krum arrive through the trapdoor.
"Show you later," was all Tonks would say.
The majority of the chairs were in a circle with a small gap in one section where Dumbledore now stood with Fawkes perched upon his shoulder. Harry saw Hermione take a seat beside Professor McGonagall near where Dumbledore stood and headed over.
Hermione was pulling out parchment and her charmed quill as he sat beside her.
"Need something to write on?" he asked pulling his wand. She nodded and he conjured her a small square table, worthy of a nod of approval from McGonagall.
"Thanks," Hermione whispered as Dumbledore began to welcome everyone. "Moody added some extra spells to my enchantment on the door. No one apparated directly into the room, right?" Harry nodded, as far as he knew they hadn't.
"I want to welcome everyone, especially those of you here to pledge membership to the Order of the Phoenix."
Fawkes sang a high note and glided off Dumbledore's shoulder, landing upon Harry's. "Showoff," Harry muttered.
Dumbledore continued: "The Order of the Phoenix is an Order dedicated and bound to oppose the threats of the Dark Arts. It has lead the opposition against every dark lord for over a thousand years and has been recalled since the return of Lord Voldemort," gasps and a shriek made Dumbledore pause, "for well over a year now. We were a very small number this past year and struggled against the denial of the Wizarding community as much as against Lord Voldemort and his followers. It was a very big victory when we managed to rob Lord Voldemort of nearly a dozen of his most loyal servants as well as exposed the truth of our claims of his return. Since then, we've been free to work more openly and in concert with the Ministry on many fronts. Many of you being asked to join tonight are here as result of your willingness to work with the existing Order and we thank you for that.
"But we stand tonight, upon the precipice of war, waiting merely for the real battles to begin. Your presence here tonight is one battle fought and won; your decision of whether to stand up and oppose the reign of terror with which Lord Voldemort threatens our world is one battle; the presence of each of you, a victory for the Light. All of us here tonight have professed ourselves to be opposed, at any cost, to the threat of Lord Voldemort. Your convictions to this opposition, already one victory for the Light.
"The Order of the Phoenix is led by one chosen by Sight and one who embodies the spirit and strengths of the Light. For many years, I have been the one called the Lead Light. But the sword has found a new home in a hand that can wield it. It's not a secret among us here nor even among Lord Voldemort and his followers who leads us." Here comes the little bit about the prophecy, Harry thought as Fawkes preened his beak through Harry's disheveled mop.
Dumbledore then told the story of a prophecy being made over sixteen years ago and how a portion of that prophecy foretelling 'one with the power to vanquish', which he recited, was brought to the attention of Voldemort. He explained that Harry, upon his birth was a candidate for the one of the prophecy and upon the first fall of Voldemort, was confirmed as this person. Harry felt the eyes of nearly every person in the room as they listened to Dumbledore. Hermione discreetly grasped Harry's hand and held on, giving it a slight squeeze. Harry wanted to be able to meet the eyes of every person there but couldn't. (Especially after Tonks morphed her eyes into a bright green and made her hair look like a messy version of Harry's.)
"So, this is the history and the mission of the Order of the Phoenix. If anyone of you does not believe that becoming a member is the right choice for you, you may leave us now and we will not question you." No one moved. "Very well then, let us get on with some introductions."
It began first with the current Order each saying their name and what they did for a living. Then, any member who was sponsoring a new inductee was given an opportunity to make a case for their pledge. Anyone present was allowed to object if they felt the need, but no one did. It took nearly two hours to get through everyone present. The only one Harry really thought might have encountered an objection was Viktor as several people warily listened to the young Seeker-turned-Professor with the thick Bulgarian accent.
The most moving for Harry had been Mr. Weasley's pledge, Amos Diggory, who spoke, after Arthur's introduction of him, about losing his son Cedric. Diggory had tears in his eyes as he described the night he lost his son and he insisted upon getting up and shaking Harry's hand for bringing back his son's body, pledging his support to help Harry fight the one who had stolen the like of his son.
After the last person was accepted without objection into the Order, Dumbledore rose again and spoke, "Well, we are unlikely to have occasion for all of us to be gathered together at once in the near future. You have listened to one another describe their jobs and connections. The network of people and information you will all create shall be one of the most powerful weapons to oppose the forces of Lord Voldemort. I encourage you all to get to know each other a little better before you have to leave tonight. On your way out, Remus and Minerva will make sure everyone has an enchanted cauldron for exchanging communications. They will properly complete the Switching Spell on the cauldrons to personalize it for you to each receive Order Post."
Harry's stomach was growling by now after missing dinner and he realized he was rubbing his forehead as Hermione gave him a questioning look. "Is it your scar?" she asked in a low whisper.
Harry shook his head. It wasn't prickling like it had in the past nor was it aching with a sharp pain. The members of the Order were now beginning to chat and mingle amongst themselves and Harry realized their chatter was being echoed by a rising group of voices within his head. This is ridiculous, he thought to himself. He thought he might be going mad as he even imagined he heard one of the voices in his head wail in confusion, but his own confusion at this was eased as Fawkes hovered in the air above Harry and trilled out a short burst of Phoenix Song. At this, the voices in his head seemed to quiet and calm, much as the remaining members in the room did. Harry was then able to clear his mind of the voices and focus on speaking with real people who were right in front of him, it was an even greater help when Hermione choose to stand next to him and allowed him to hold her hand.
The six Inner Council members, minus Snape, were the last ones left in the basement room.
"Harry," Remus said, shaking his head with wonder, "if I hear your stomach growl one more time… Don't you know where the kitch-- er, I mean, how to eat dinner?" McGonagall shot him an appraising look at his almost mention of the kitchens.
"Sorry, Remus," Harry said sheepishly. "I wasn't hungry earlier and I didn't want to only go the feast for a half hour only to have to make an excuse to leave early." Harry was now absolutely famished.
"Why don't we head back to the castle? I believe you and I still need to talk," Dumbledore said peering intently at Harry. "I will have some leftovers from the feast brought up to my office for you."
McGonagall, Dumbledore, Hermione and Harry, with Fawkes leading the way again, lowered themselves through the trapdoor and descended the stairs to the tunnel returning to Hogwarts. Moody and Remus remained to seal to the door from unwanted intrusion, something Remus had assured Harry they did to each 'secret' passageway that led to Hogwarts. Remus claimed it was a 'matter of rodent control'.
"I'll escort you to your dormitory, Miss Granger," Professor McGonagall said as they emerged from behind the statue of Gregory the Smarmy.
Hermione gave Harry a worried look and he said, "Go on, I'm fine." She bit her lip and frowned before turning and following McGonagall towards Gryffindor Tower. Harry knew she'd be waiting up for him when he returned.
When they arrived in Dumbledore's office, a tray of food was already waiting. Harry paused only a moment before seeing Dumbledore's smile and nod before he dove in, starting with a large slice of pumpkin pie. After a few fortifying bites, he spoke, "It's the voices, sir. They've seemed…restless all week. I think…it's… I don't know what it is."
Harry took a few more bites of pie and filled a goblet with pumpkin juice as Dumbledore stood, stroking Fawkes' plumage. "My sleep's been restless and I could hear them again earlier this evening. That's not normal that I hear them without almost being about to fall asleep." Not that it's 'normal' to hear voices ever, Harry thought as he drank deeply from the goblet. "Sometimes…sometimes I feel like they are arguing…it just doesn't make sense, sir. What does it mean? Where are they coming from?"
Dumbledore walked around his circular office and seemed to be searching amongst his many silver instruments. His hand rested upon one for a moment while he tapped a long finger upon it, seeming to contemplate. "I am not sure, Harry. I am not sure."
"It's not like a Legilimency attack," Harry mused. "It just doesn't seem to be…external. It's like…" What was it like, he wondered. "It's like…coming from within. Is that even possible, Professor?"
Dumbledore sighed and paused a moment before saying, "Anything is possible, Harry. That's the thing, you see, with magic." After a few silent moments where Harry finished the slice of pie and sat back, Dumbledore pulled out his wand and seemed to be about to tap it upon a silver instrument upon a table when a knock at the heavy wooden door sounded.
"Come in," Dumbledore called. "Ah, Severus—"
"Headmaster, one of my—" Snape stopped speaking as he spotted Harry seated in a chair. "Sir, I need to speak to you alone."
As much as Harry wanted to know what was so important at nearly midnight that Snape was knocking on Dumbledore's door, he was tired and had eaten enough to stop the rumbling of his stomach. "I should be off to bed," he said, picking up a sandwich to go.
"You'll let me know, Harry, if there is anything else you remember to tell me in the morning," Dumbledore said as a way of farewell.
"Yes, sir," Harry said as he turned to leave the room. He wasn't worried about being out alone past curfew since the only one he really had to avoid now was Filch. As Harry walked back to Gryffindor Tower, finishing off his sandwich, he could well imagine the caretaker following a trail of breadcrumbs that led straight up to his dormitory.
"Intrepidus," he said to the Fat Lady who gave him a stern look at his late return to the Tower.
"Harry?" a groggy voice said from the couch before the fireplace.
Harry saw Hermione must have dozed off while waiting for him and he wearily made his way over to her. The voices were coming back, he could hear them already and they were making him just want to lie down and sleep.
"Are you alright?" she asked as Harry first sat down on the couch beside her and then lay down beside her.
"Yes, I'll tell you in the morning. It's nothing that can't wait."
"But you're okay?" she asked in a small voice as she settled in with her back pressed tight against his chest.
"I am now," he whispered as he kissed her head of bushy hair and distantly thought that holding Hermione was almost as wondrous as feeling the power of Phoenix Song.
The next thing Harry knew, he felt something prodding his shoulder. He reached to try to bring the covers up over him but felt nothing. "Ron," he grumbled, thinking Ron had stolen his covers and was trying one of his patented annoying ways to wake up a friend. "Go 'way." He gradually became aware of a warmth in front of him and tightened his arm around it, realizing it was Hermione.
"A-hem," a voice cleared itself as he felt a sharp wand tap on his arm. "Mister Potter," McGonagall's voice said in a voice so stern he could hear the frown.
Hermione gasped awake and fell off the edge of the couch at the voice of her Head of House. "Professor," she breathed out, wide-eyed.
Harry sat up quickly and rubbed an eye as he saw McGonagall indeed frowning deeply at them. "Professor Dumbledore wants to see you as soon as you are awake. You too, Miss Granger. Seeing as you are both at least dressed already, you can follow me now."
"What—what happened?" Hermione asked, standing up shakily.
McGonagall sighed and the frown remained but was accompanied by sadness as she pulled out a rolled up newspaper from her robe and handed it over to Hermione.
Harry read the headline over her shoulder: TWENTY-SIX KILLED: Over a Dozen Separate Death Eater Attacks Across the Country. And then, at the bottom of the page, Hermione pointed to: ST MUNGO'S HIT: Two Long-Term Care Patients Missing, Thought Dead.
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AN FYI: I have a Yahoo group with chapter files for times when FanFiction.net is more finicky than a dark lord. The Yahoo Group name is HP_AoF. A link to this group can be found on my ff.net profile page.