Chapter 4
Celebration
"Put yourself in a state of mind where you say to yourself, 'Here is an opportunity for you to celebrate like never before, my own power, my own
ability to get myself to do whatever is necessary.'"
-Anthony Robbins
As Harry descended the stairs, he held in a sharp intake of breath.
In front of him was every one in the Order. Hagrid was in the back, towering above every body and smiling. Next to him was Dumbledore, looking at Harry with ever present Dumbledore-smile. The whole Weasley family sat in the front, beaming with pride for their youngest son and his friends.
Every one I care about is in this room, Harry thought happily. His heart welled with emotion, and he smiled broadly. I must look like an idiot.
Lupin led them to a small platform in the front of the room. Harry looked around, wondering how they managed to fit everyone in such a limited area. He stepped up next to Lupin, followed by Hermione and Ron.
"Today, we honor three people, by allowing them to join The Order of the Phoenix," Lupin said. Harry had never really thought about it, but apparently Lupin had quite a booming voice, since it seemed to echo loudly off the walls.
"These three standing next to me are no normal people," he rang out again, catching Harry attention once more. "They have fought bravely, more bravely than some of you before them, for many years. They have come face to face with death, and even worse, Voldemort." A visible shudder passed through the audience. "And every time, they have come back, very much alive, as you can see. They have lost loved ones in this battle of good versus evil, and still they go on. They have more heart than most I've ever met, and it would be my great pleasure to fight by their sides."
Applause rang through the hall. Lupin let it go for a moment, turning and beaming at Harry, Hermione and Ron. They grinned back at him. He lifted his arms and silence washed over the small crowd.
"Now, to show our trust and gratitude for these fine young people, let us in duct them into the Order!" Again, applause filled Harry's ears. "Please, bring out the Holding." The crowd parted, and Dumbledore stood at the other end, holding a large wooden box. He walked silently across to the platform, and held the box out to Lupin of if it were an offering. Lupin took it and nodded to him. Dumbledore nodded back, winked at the three of them, then turned and walked back to his place.
Lupin placed the box on the table and lightly tapped. It opened with a soft hiss of compressed air. He lifted the lid, and pulled out a crimson parchment. A barely audible gasp rippled through the crowd. He placed it gently on the table, then turned around again. "The Induction will now commence." He pulled a golden-brown quill, which Harry immediately recognized as a phoenix feather. "Harry," Lupin said quietly, holding out the quill. "You're first."
With a trembling hand, Harry took the quill and bent over the table. He looked over the other names already on the parchment. One of the first names on it was "James Potter", in handwriting remarkably similar to his own; underneath it was "Lily Potter." And, squeezed in next to them in small letters, was "Sirius Black." Blinking back the tears that stung his eyelids, Harry found the last name on the parchment and quickly signed his own.
He suddenly had a memory of his fifth year, when he was in charge of the D.A. He handed the quill to Hermione. As he let her pass he said, "Bring back any memories," just loud enough for her and Ron to hear. Both smiled at the resemblance of that moment and this one.
After Ron handed back the quill, Lupin gathered up the parchment and placed it back in the box. He closed the lid and tapped it with his wand again. It shut tightly with a small whoosh of air. Picking up the box, he turned to the audience. "I present to you new members Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, and Ronald Weasley. The Induction is complete. Let the festivities begin!"
The room burst into cheers, and Harry wondered if the muggles next door could hear it.
-
Harry sat at the table between Hermione and Ron, eating and laughing, and accepting the occasional welcome handshake. People were bustling around them; patting them on the shoulder, exclaiming who happy they were for them. Mrs. Weasley had grabbed them all into a large hug, and sobbed uncontrollably on Hermione's shoulder, saying how proud she was of the three of them. They had managed to pass her to Mr. Weasley before she soaked their robes.
Dumbledore came over and sat across from them. "So, how does it feel?"
"It feels great," replied Ron, still shoveling food into his mouth. He'd gotten quite good at eating and talking distinctly. Lots of practice. "The best day of my life, no doubt."
"You seemed nervous at first," Dumbledore said, eyes twinkling.
"Me? No; I've got nerves of steel."
Hermione snorted into her pudding. "You must be joking! A flobber worm had more backbone than you tonight!"
The tips of Ron's ears turned red, and he said nothing and concentrated on his fifth helping of pie.
"I thought it would be much more than this," Harry said, looking at Dumbledore. "I mean, it was just signing a parchment. I always imagined it would be bigger."
"Oh, it was big," Dumbledore replied. "When the Order first began, we had the Signing in secret. But this was amazingly larger than even I had expected. It seem as though every one in the order is here.
"And it wasn't just signing a parchment, Harry. The Order is based very much on trust; we trust each other with our lives. And, you signed with a phoenix feather quill; the bird symbolically tied to loyalty. There are a few charms on the parchment as well, but alas, none that cause severe cases of acne." He chuckled and looked at Hermione, who blushed worse than Ron.
"Now," he said, rising, "I must go. My mission awaits."
"You're not staying?" Ron asked, reaching for the pudding.
"No, I'm afraid that it is a more pressing matter than eating food with my friends. Happy Birthday, Harry. And now, I must find Arthur and thank him for having me." He smiled, and walked away in search of Mr. Weasley.
"I'd almost forgotten." Harry reached into his pocket and pulled out the silver pocket watch that Dumbledore gave him. He opened it and handed it to Hermione. "Can you translate this for me; you're better at runes than I am."
"Not to mention a dozen other things," she replied, taking the watch from him. She turned it from side to side, trying to find the best light. "It says, 'Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer.'" She closed it and handed it back to Harry.
"Are you sure that's what it says?" Ron asked, finally setting down his fork. She shot him a dirty look. "Oh, right. My mistake."
"That's an odd thing to put down," Harry wondered out loud.
"Not really," she replied. "It's rather intelligent."
"How do you mean?"
Before she could answer him, Mrs. Weasley came over to them. "Your birthday party is about to start, Harry dear. As soon as everyone else leaves." "You mean it won't be this large?" he asked, visibly relived.
"Of course," she replied, laughing. "I wouldn't throw you a huge party like this. I know you don't like things like that. But please help clean up, you three; there'll be a lot of rubbish to clean up, and I can't do it alone. Mundungus, what do you think you are doing?!? Sorry, dears." She bustled around the table to Mundungus, who they had all overheard attempting to sell a shipment of broomsticks that had "fallen off the back." Smiling, they turned back around.
"He's in for it now," Ron said, standing and picking up his glass and plate. "Let's go before she starts to get on a roll."
Harry and Hermione quickly picked up there own plates just as Mrs. Weasley's voice started to rise. They were at the kitchen door when they heard, "YOU ARE A MEMBER OF THE ORDER, AT INDUCTION, TRYING TO PAWN OFF USELESS MERCHINDISE!" Grinning, they started to clean up the kitchen.
-
A few hours later, they all sat in Harry's room, talking and laughing with Fred, George and Ginny, all with full stomachs and happy hearts. After a little while, Ginny stood up and yawned.
"It's getting pretty late. And I've got to go to Diagon Alley tomorrow with Mum to buy school supplies. I'll see you in the morning." She stretched and walked out of the room.
George stood up as well, "We better get to bed, too. Those jokes don't sell themselves, you know. C'mon, Fred." The twins left and Harry, Ron, and Hermione were the only ones left. Then Hermione stood up as well. "I'd best be off, as well."
"You're not staying here?" Ron asked. "Mum's already made up a bed for you in a spare room."
"My parent's are meeting me at the Leaky Cauldron in the morning; I have a room there."
"You know, they could just meet you here in the morning," Harry said.
"How're they supposed to find it?"
"Oh, yeah."
"I'll go tell Mum you're not staying, and then I'm going to bed. G'night you two."
He stood and stretched, then left the room.
"I'd better get going, too," Hermione said, standing.
"What time will you be back tomorrow?"
"Probably a little after lunchtime. Why?"
"Then Ron and I will pick you up then. And we can go and get Kreacher back."
"You can't be serious about that. We can't just go and get him back; we'll be smashed into a pulp."
"Why not? He belongs to me."
"No, Harry, he doesn't; he belongs to the blood relatives of the Malfoys. And you aren't blood related to Sirius."
Harry had nothing to say to that, so he just sat on the bed, silent.
Hermione sighed and sat down next to him. "Listen Harry, I don't think we'll be able to get him back, since he serves the Malfoys. But we can try, okay?"
"I know that he doesn't belong to me, and won't listen to me; that's what killed Sirius in the first place," Harry said quietly.
"Don't say that; no one blames you for it."
"Well, they should. It's my fault. And if I mess things up for the Order again, I don't know what to do."
"Don't worry, we'll get Kreacher back. I have to go, but I'll see you tomorrow at around one o'clock; I'll come here. Now go to bed and get some rest; you look like you need it."
She gave him a small kiss on the cheek, and the walked out the room, closing the door behind her.
Harry lay down on the bed and stared at the ceiling. I am not going to screw up again, he thought. It was his last thought before he drifted to sleep.
Celebration
"Put yourself in a state of mind where you say to yourself, 'Here is an opportunity for you to celebrate like never before, my own power, my own
ability to get myself to do whatever is necessary.'"
-Anthony Robbins
As Harry descended the stairs, he held in a sharp intake of breath.
In front of him was every one in the Order. Hagrid was in the back, towering above every body and smiling. Next to him was Dumbledore, looking at Harry with ever present Dumbledore-smile. The whole Weasley family sat in the front, beaming with pride for their youngest son and his friends.
Every one I care about is in this room, Harry thought happily. His heart welled with emotion, and he smiled broadly. I must look like an idiot.
Lupin led them to a small platform in the front of the room. Harry looked around, wondering how they managed to fit everyone in such a limited area. He stepped up next to Lupin, followed by Hermione and Ron.
"Today, we honor three people, by allowing them to join The Order of the Phoenix," Lupin said. Harry had never really thought about it, but apparently Lupin had quite a booming voice, since it seemed to echo loudly off the walls.
"These three standing next to me are no normal people," he rang out again, catching Harry attention once more. "They have fought bravely, more bravely than some of you before them, for many years. They have come face to face with death, and even worse, Voldemort." A visible shudder passed through the audience. "And every time, they have come back, very much alive, as you can see. They have lost loved ones in this battle of good versus evil, and still they go on. They have more heart than most I've ever met, and it would be my great pleasure to fight by their sides."
Applause rang through the hall. Lupin let it go for a moment, turning and beaming at Harry, Hermione and Ron. They grinned back at him. He lifted his arms and silence washed over the small crowd.
"Now, to show our trust and gratitude for these fine young people, let us in duct them into the Order!" Again, applause filled Harry's ears. "Please, bring out the Holding." The crowd parted, and Dumbledore stood at the other end, holding a large wooden box. He walked silently across to the platform, and held the box out to Lupin of if it were an offering. Lupin took it and nodded to him. Dumbledore nodded back, winked at the three of them, then turned and walked back to his place.
Lupin placed the box on the table and lightly tapped. It opened with a soft hiss of compressed air. He lifted the lid, and pulled out a crimson parchment. A barely audible gasp rippled through the crowd. He placed it gently on the table, then turned around again. "The Induction will now commence." He pulled a golden-brown quill, which Harry immediately recognized as a phoenix feather. "Harry," Lupin said quietly, holding out the quill. "You're first."
With a trembling hand, Harry took the quill and bent over the table. He looked over the other names already on the parchment. One of the first names on it was "James Potter", in handwriting remarkably similar to his own; underneath it was "Lily Potter." And, squeezed in next to them in small letters, was "Sirius Black." Blinking back the tears that stung his eyelids, Harry found the last name on the parchment and quickly signed his own.
He suddenly had a memory of his fifth year, when he was in charge of the D.A. He handed the quill to Hermione. As he let her pass he said, "Bring back any memories," just loud enough for her and Ron to hear. Both smiled at the resemblance of that moment and this one.
After Ron handed back the quill, Lupin gathered up the parchment and placed it back in the box. He closed the lid and tapped it with his wand again. It shut tightly with a small whoosh of air. Picking up the box, he turned to the audience. "I present to you new members Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, and Ronald Weasley. The Induction is complete. Let the festivities begin!"
The room burst into cheers, and Harry wondered if the muggles next door could hear it.
-
Harry sat at the table between Hermione and Ron, eating and laughing, and accepting the occasional welcome handshake. People were bustling around them; patting them on the shoulder, exclaiming who happy they were for them. Mrs. Weasley had grabbed them all into a large hug, and sobbed uncontrollably on Hermione's shoulder, saying how proud she was of the three of them. They had managed to pass her to Mr. Weasley before she soaked their robes.
Dumbledore came over and sat across from them. "So, how does it feel?"
"It feels great," replied Ron, still shoveling food into his mouth. He'd gotten quite good at eating and talking distinctly. Lots of practice. "The best day of my life, no doubt."
"You seemed nervous at first," Dumbledore said, eyes twinkling.
"Me? No; I've got nerves of steel."
Hermione snorted into her pudding. "You must be joking! A flobber worm had more backbone than you tonight!"
The tips of Ron's ears turned red, and he said nothing and concentrated on his fifth helping of pie.
"I thought it would be much more than this," Harry said, looking at Dumbledore. "I mean, it was just signing a parchment. I always imagined it would be bigger."
"Oh, it was big," Dumbledore replied. "When the Order first began, we had the Signing in secret. But this was amazingly larger than even I had expected. It seem as though every one in the order is here.
"And it wasn't just signing a parchment, Harry. The Order is based very much on trust; we trust each other with our lives. And, you signed with a phoenix feather quill; the bird symbolically tied to loyalty. There are a few charms on the parchment as well, but alas, none that cause severe cases of acne." He chuckled and looked at Hermione, who blushed worse than Ron.
"Now," he said, rising, "I must go. My mission awaits."
"You're not staying?" Ron asked, reaching for the pudding.
"No, I'm afraid that it is a more pressing matter than eating food with my friends. Happy Birthday, Harry. And now, I must find Arthur and thank him for having me." He smiled, and walked away in search of Mr. Weasley.
"I'd almost forgotten." Harry reached into his pocket and pulled out the silver pocket watch that Dumbledore gave him. He opened it and handed it to Hermione. "Can you translate this for me; you're better at runes than I am."
"Not to mention a dozen other things," she replied, taking the watch from him. She turned it from side to side, trying to find the best light. "It says, 'Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer.'" She closed it and handed it back to Harry.
"Are you sure that's what it says?" Ron asked, finally setting down his fork. She shot him a dirty look. "Oh, right. My mistake."
"That's an odd thing to put down," Harry wondered out loud.
"Not really," she replied. "It's rather intelligent."
"How do you mean?"
Before she could answer him, Mrs. Weasley came over to them. "Your birthday party is about to start, Harry dear. As soon as everyone else leaves." "You mean it won't be this large?" he asked, visibly relived.
"Of course," she replied, laughing. "I wouldn't throw you a huge party like this. I know you don't like things like that. But please help clean up, you three; there'll be a lot of rubbish to clean up, and I can't do it alone. Mundungus, what do you think you are doing?!? Sorry, dears." She bustled around the table to Mundungus, who they had all overheard attempting to sell a shipment of broomsticks that had "fallen off the back." Smiling, they turned back around.
"He's in for it now," Ron said, standing and picking up his glass and plate. "Let's go before she starts to get on a roll."
Harry and Hermione quickly picked up there own plates just as Mrs. Weasley's voice started to rise. They were at the kitchen door when they heard, "YOU ARE A MEMBER OF THE ORDER, AT INDUCTION, TRYING TO PAWN OFF USELESS MERCHINDISE!" Grinning, they started to clean up the kitchen.
-
A few hours later, they all sat in Harry's room, talking and laughing with Fred, George and Ginny, all with full stomachs and happy hearts. After a little while, Ginny stood up and yawned.
"It's getting pretty late. And I've got to go to Diagon Alley tomorrow with Mum to buy school supplies. I'll see you in the morning." She stretched and walked out of the room.
George stood up as well, "We better get to bed, too. Those jokes don't sell themselves, you know. C'mon, Fred." The twins left and Harry, Ron, and Hermione were the only ones left. Then Hermione stood up as well. "I'd best be off, as well."
"You're not staying here?" Ron asked. "Mum's already made up a bed for you in a spare room."
"My parent's are meeting me at the Leaky Cauldron in the morning; I have a room there."
"You know, they could just meet you here in the morning," Harry said.
"How're they supposed to find it?"
"Oh, yeah."
"I'll go tell Mum you're not staying, and then I'm going to bed. G'night you two."
He stood and stretched, then left the room.
"I'd better get going, too," Hermione said, standing.
"What time will you be back tomorrow?"
"Probably a little after lunchtime. Why?"
"Then Ron and I will pick you up then. And we can go and get Kreacher back."
"You can't be serious about that. We can't just go and get him back; we'll be smashed into a pulp."
"Why not? He belongs to me."
"No, Harry, he doesn't; he belongs to the blood relatives of the Malfoys. And you aren't blood related to Sirius."
Harry had nothing to say to that, so he just sat on the bed, silent.
Hermione sighed and sat down next to him. "Listen Harry, I don't think we'll be able to get him back, since he serves the Malfoys. But we can try, okay?"
"I know that he doesn't belong to me, and won't listen to me; that's what killed Sirius in the first place," Harry said quietly.
"Don't say that; no one blames you for it."
"Well, they should. It's my fault. And if I mess things up for the Order again, I don't know what to do."
"Don't worry, we'll get Kreacher back. I have to go, but I'll see you tomorrow at around one o'clock; I'll come here. Now go to bed and get some rest; you look like you need it."
She gave him a small kiss on the cheek, and the walked out the room, closing the door behind her.
Harry lay down on the bed and stared at the ceiling. I am not going to screw up again, he thought. It was his last thought before he drifted to sleep.