JP: Hiya! I'm Jaken's Protector and I'm here to bring you my first-ever Harry Potter fan fiction! It's titled Harry Potter and the Gate of Shadows. The gate has already been seen in the books, but not properly identified. I'm giving it my own name and interpretation of its use. If you can't find it, or are a bit lazy, reread chapter 35 of the Order of the Phoenix. Anyway...Harry Potter and all characters, locations, etc. are owned by J. K. Rowling, not me. I /I own Professor Durren Meyer, however. He's mine. So get over it.

BChapter 1: An Order Meeting/B

"Damn it, Albus, I know it's delicate, but something's got to be done to warn the boy! That bumbling fool Fudge has put a Phasing Barrier around the Department of Mysteries that I doubt even you could break, and to make matters worse, /I gone and disappeared. They're scrambling to find someone to fill his boots, yet you're the only one they've not approached!"

Albus Dumbledore, headmaster of the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, was calmly sitting at the head of a large conference table in the staff lounge. Assembled as well were Minerva McGonagall, Alastor Moody, Nymphadora Tonks, Mundungus Fletcher, Remus Lupin, and Severus Snape, who was irate, having finished his outburst. The headmaster raised a hand as though to placate the Potions Master and pronounced his reply slowly and clearly.

"Now, Severus, I understand your concern as to the problem of the missing Minister. I assure you, I am perfectly happy and content at being headmaster of this school; true, I believe I could do far more good here than at the head of our government regardless. Now, indeed, it would be wise to attempt to contact Harry, but we must be subtle. Voldemort could very well sense a potential Order member if we were to send them in without proper warding. Nor would it be prudent to let Harry know we had a full- fledged Order member following him around.

"The Department of Mysteries must wait. A Phasing Barrier is much too volatile to tamper with, and, while we may not be able to access the full resources of the area, neither can Voldemort." He cleared his throat a moment before continuing. "Now, the matter of instructors for the coming year. Remus, will you accept the post of Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher?"

Lupin nodded solemnly. "Of course, Albus." Dumbledore gave a grateful nod and turned his gaze to Snape. "Severus...you are the wizard I feel is most suited to staying with Harry, albeit in a more inconspicuous guise. It would also shield you from Voldemort. Do you object?" The Potions Master seemed frozen. His eyes narrowed dangerously for a moment, but finally he shook his head slowly. "Excellent," Dumbledore said, "In which case I already have a Potions Master ready for your temporary replacement. May I introduce Durren Meyer?"

The old wizard raised a hand and snapped his fingers. An extra chair shimmered into being next to Lupin, and a second snap opened the door into the hallway, from where a man entered. He was tall, thin yet wiry, and nearing the same age as Severus himself. A pair of thin spectacles rested on his sharp nose, slightly magnifying his bright brown eyes, and his long dark-brown hair was swept back into a neat ponytail. Meyer gave a polite bow to those present before taking his seat next to Lupin.

"Albus, are you sure that this is necessary? Why can't you just keep an eye on Harry during term, here at Hogwarts?" Tonks spoke up, brushing a strand of her shoulder-length, electric-blue hair back. "Wouldn't that be easier than sending /I to watch Harry?" She jabbed a thumb at Snape's direction, who looked both extremely angry with Tonks, and yet slightly inquisitive himself. Moody seemed to agree with this wholeheartedly, as both his eyes, even his seemingly never-still magical one, were focused on the headmaster.

Dumbledore raised an eyebrow. "I thought I had explained this already. If Voldemort has a link into Harry's mind, then there is nothing to hide the fact that we are indeed watching Harry and trying to protect him. If we send Professor Snape in a disguise, Voldemort will neither become suspicious nor try to take over Harry's mind again." As Moody and Tonks opened their mouths to dispute this selection, he added, "Also, Severus is sufficiently skilled in Occlumency to protect himself and Harry as well from Voldemort burrowing too far into their thoughts."

The headmaster stood. "Very well, if there are no further matters to discuss, I shall send an owl to Harry straightaway. This meeting is adjourned. Severus, please wait in my office; Minerva, please show Professor Meyer his quarters and office. Mundungus, Nymphadora, and Alastor, I need you three to go to London and gather the items I've requested." Various nods and affirmatives met his orders, and quite soon the staff room was empty, with no sign of the peculiar meeting.

JP: Woo! Secret meeting! Wow! And...Harry's not in the first chapter at all! GASP! Anyway...read and review! (I'll keep writing whether you do or not...but I'd really rather you did!)