Chapter 2- The Order
Lily's two week vacation had gone by quickly, and she found herself back in class with Professor Carrie Fullton nearly six weeks later. "You never know when a Death Eater might be around the corner, so you must make sure your area of treatment is clear first," Carrie warned. Lord Voldemort had been causing a lot of chaos lately, but no one knew how he could have gotten his operations underway so quickly after his first attacks. His followers seemed to be everywhere, and their work was, unfortunately, very apparent. Lily worried a bit for her family, since things were very much directed at Muggles and Muggle-born citizens of the Wizarding community.
Lily stood over her 'victim', a life like image of an injured person. The spell would effect the image the same way it would a real human. This time it was a little girl that had been hexed in front of Lily. The little girl was around ten in age, and tears were streaming down her face. They could let us do it without the emotion first, Lily thought, wishing she could put her arms around the poor fake little girl, but all she could do to help right now was to fix it. Distracted by her pity for the child, Lily said the wrong spell, causing blood to spill out faster. Lily started to panic until Carrie made the image disappear. Lily was on the verge of tears.
"You need to concentrate and not let emotions get in the way of what you have to do," Alice said pointedly, but with patience. Lily had been in her class for almost a month and had never fixed a situation on the first try. It wasn't because Lily was incompetent, because Alice had seen her in the basic defense classes that all students at St. Mungo's were required to take. Lily just couldn't put aside her own concern and compassion for others to complete the tasks here. Lily nodded her head, and took a deep breath, ready to start again.
Lily had it by the end of class, but was still being hard on herself for giving into her emotions again. While the rest of the class left, Lily waited to talk to the Professor. "Yes Ms. Evans?" the lady in her late forties asked, not looking up from putting papers into her briefcase.
"I… I just wanted to apologize for-"
"There's no need for an apology, Ms. Evans, I just hope that you don't have to go through every situation once first," she said, then looked up. "Oh don't look so upset, I'm sure you'll get the hang of this. I wasn't very good when I started either."
"Really?"
"No, I actually was the top of my class, but that doesn't mean you won't pick up on it," Carrie said honestly.
"I just can't help wanting to make the person happy first," Lily said, trying to simplify what the internal struggle was.
"Well, Ms. Evans, sometimes Mediwitches and wizards will be put into teams, and they like to have someone like you around to comfort the people they're dealing with amid the chaos. I'm sure you'll be useful, I wouldn't worry about that at all, but just try to figure out how to work the other side of it for now all right?" Carrie finished with an encouraging smile. Lily nodded with a sigh, hoping Carrie was right. "Now, I have a meeting to go to, so if you'll excuse me," Carrie said.
"Of course, thank you," Lily said, holding out her hand and shaking Carrie's.
"Just remember it will get better," Carrie left Lily with on their way out the door.
"Thanks," Lily said, her mind wandering as she made her way down the hall. As she tuned the corner someone caught her attention.
"Lily Evans," a voice said, and Lily turned to see who it was.
"Alice! How are you?" Lily said, embracing her friend. Alice had been Lily's predecessor for both Prefect and Headgirl at Hogwarts, and Alice had given Lily advice on both positions.
"Good, I'm doing good," Alice answered, a smile spread across her face.
"What are you doing here? I thought you had become an Auror," Lily said.
"I did, but I'm here to see you."
"Me? Why?"
"Dumbledore requests your attendance at a meeting tonight," Alice said, slipping a small piece of paper into Lily's hands. Lily opened it up.
28 Green Terrace Way
Lily looked back up at Alice. "What's this?" she asked.
"Just a place you need to be at," Alice said casually. "The meeting starts at 8:00."
"I was supposed to meet James at 7:30 th-"
"Don't worry, I'm pretty sure he'll be there too," Alice said.
"Okay, should I ask what this is?"
"Not here, not now. You'll find out if you come there. Oh, and don't let anyone get a hold of that paper." With that Alice turned and left the hallway.
Lily put the paper into her pocket and went to her afternoon class.
8:00 that Evening
James had still met Lily at 7:30, and they decided to each a small dinner at Lily's home, then go to the meeting together. "What do you think it's about?" Lily asked.
"Maybe Dumbledore wants to take us all to Bermuda with him," James suggested.
"Right, Bermuda," Lily said, rolling her eyes.
They got to the large house hand in hand, not knowing what to expect, and knocked on the door. A man about seven or eight years older than James and Lily opened the door. "We got two more here," he shouted behind him, then turned back. "My name is Gideon Prewitt." Gideon took Lily's hand first, "and who could this Angel be that landed on our doorstep?"
Lily blushed a bit, "Lily Evans," she answered. Gideon raised her hand to his lips and kissed it very gently.
"And I'm, James Potter," James said, grabbing Gideon's hand from Lily's. "I'm her boy friend."
"Ahh… well nothings final then, right?" Gideon pointed out before opening the door a little more. "This way then," he said.
"This way then," James mimicked under his breath.
"Be nice," Lily said, nudging James in his side.
They entered a large dining room, with nearly all the seats filled. Gideon led the two to their chairs, and started to pull Lily's out for her until James took the job over. Gideon then went to the other side of the table and sat down right in front of Lily. James saw him wink at her.
James was about to jump across the table and beat the you-know-what out of Gideon when Dumbledore, who sat at the head of the table, stood up and began to talk. "Good evening, it's good to see everyone here, both old and new," he said, looking at James and Lily. There was a knock at the door and Gideon got up to get it. Everyone sat in silence.
"Sorry we're late, we took a bit of a detour," Sirius Black said, holding a helmet in his hand.
"I don't know why we couldn't have just apparated," Remus said to him as they were being led to their seats. He was about to continue his reprimanding, but Sirius started to completely ignore him as he saw some other people.
"James!" he said, waving to his friend who sat at the other end of the table.
James, instead of waving, nodded his head toward the speaker, hinting at Sirius to shut his trap. "As I was saying welcome to every here. I will begin by explaining what you are doing here, as I'm sure some of you are wondering. This is a group of people selected to help fight the dark days that have been creeping into our midst, and to help others that cannot help themselves. Today you are to become a member of The Order of the Phoenix, if you so choose to be accepted a member.
"Voldemort has been growing steadily in power and control, and it has become our job to work as a force against him. If we work together and have faith in one another we can defeat him. This is a secret society, and I'm certain you will all understand what that means," Dumbledore looked at James at this point. "Tonight I'd like for you all to just meet. Those of you who know what you need to do in the mean time, well, I don't think I need to reiterate the importance of your individual missions. I believe Alice has cooked for everyone. With that, I'd also like to say that if you feel there is anyone that is not here that might be of some use to use, please let me know."
It took people a few minutes to start getting up and walking around to talk to others. Gideon didn't waste any time to talk with Lily. James stayed very close but was occupied by Frank Longbottom. "How are you doing?"
"Good," James said, keeping an eye on the tall blonde-haired Prewett.
"So, did you have any questions?" Frank asked. Frank and James were on good terms, since Frank had been the Auror James had to shadow for time to time to get field time in.
"I don't know, this sounds a lot like their doing the Ministry's job," James said.
"Sort of. This is something the Ministry should be doing. They've been trying to pretend some of what's going on isn't really happening, but it really doesn't help to ignore it. You can't change what you won't acknowledge right?"
"Right," James said, hearing Lily laugh at something Gideon said.
"So, we're just trying to help. Besides, some of the people here aren't from the Ministry, so it gives us a better chance to spy and find out what's going on. Too many times the Ministry has tried to send one of their own, and it's failed because You-Know-Who's followers know who's with the Ministry. We know they must have their spies within their own ranks, but the Ministry doesn't. With the Order, at least there's someone that knows what's going on."
"Right," James said, understanding what was going on. "What about you? Or me? You work for the Ministry and so will I, hopefully."
"I'm sure you'll be working there soon enough, but we don't just have Ministry workers here. Alice and I, yes, and a few others, but we also have some people who know some people in lower places. It's easy to find people in high ones, but we've found the information from the lower ones to be of more use." Frank and James had made their way over to the food.
"That makes sense," James said nodding. He had almost forgotten that he left Lily alone with Gideon. "Er- could you excuse me?" James said.
"No problem," Frank said, piling food onto his plate.
James made his way back to where Lily and Gideon had been standing, but they were no longer there. James's breathing got heavier and his face started to go red until someone tapped him on the shoulder. "Are you okay?" Lily asked.
James turned around, relieved that she hadn't run off with the stupid blonde… James couldn't finish the insult in his head, but he would later. "Yeah, I'm fine."
"All right, you just looked like you were about to blow a gasket," Lily said, then left to talk to the one she had been looking for.
James let her, but waited to see where she was going. He saw her approach Dumbledore, and went on to meet some other people there.
"Ah, Ms. Evans, how are you?"
"Worried, a bit," Lily said.
"Are you going to join?"
"I'm a target already, so I suppose that I might as well," Lily pointed out. Dumbledore nodded. "I just wanted to ask you something though."
"Anything," Dumbledore said.
"I just noticed that everyone here is an Auror or in some line to fulfill some of what's going on. Why me?" Lily asked.
"Every Phoenix needs its tears," Dumbledore said, the sparkle in his eye growing brighter.
"But I'm not even a Healer yet," Lily said. "And I haven't been doing too well lately. I don't know if I can be of any help if I can't-" Lily was stopped by Dumbledore holding up his hand.
"You'll do fine in whatever you do, I'm sure. You were always a good student, even if you didn't get it right the first time. Sometimes all it takes is whatever you can give it. I don't pick just anyone to join this Order, keep that in mind."
"Yes, but what if I end up-"
"I've said all I'm going to say on the subject of you being here. You'll do great things here, and you will soon find that out."
"Thank you, sir," Lily said, wishing she had as much confidence in herself as Dumbledore had in her. Dumbledore was about to turn away, "sir, I have a couple of ideas of others that might join," Lily said quickly.
"Who may that be?" Dumbledore asked.
"Peter Pettigrew and Samantha Scott," Lily said.
"Good, I'll see what we can do to get them on board," Dumbledore said.
Lily watched Dumbledore leaving, hoping that he was right, when James came from behind her. "I was able to push back our reservations to nine, if you still wanted to go," he said, putting his arms around her waist."
"Sure," Lily answered smiling.
"Let me just go say bye to Padfoot," James whispered in her ear then kissed her cheek. Lily went back to where she had been sitting and grabbed her purse.
"So, beautiful maybe we should do something sometime," Gideon said putting his hand on top of Lily's.
"Sorry, but I'm sort of taken," Lily said removing her hand confidently.
Gideon leaned in and whispered. "Between you and me, I know that. Alice told me, but I like to make other guys jealous."
"I'm betting Alice told you not to do that as well," Lily said giving him a look of reprimand for his behavior.
"Maybe she did mention something of the sort," Gideon said, looking up thoughtfully. "Oh, yeah, I've been meaning to also mention that my real name is Fabian. My brother Gideon is over there," he said pointing a young man about the same age as himself with slightly darker hair and blue eyes instead of a grayish-green. "He's really shy, so I try to liven his life up a bit."
"By pretending to be him and making people not liking him?" Lily asked.
"You don't like me?" Fabian asked, with a rather large pout.
"Oh, come off it," Lily said. "Now you don't mind if I tell James of your dastardly deeds so he won't try to hurt your brother, right?"
"I suppose," Fabian said with a shrug. "Good to meet you," he added, then walked off to terrorize someone else.
James came by just as Fabian left. He didn't say a word, though, until they were out of the house. "What did he say to you?" he asked, hoping it wasn't what he thought it was.
"Oh, nothing out of the ordinary. He just wanted me to dump you and run off with him to Paris," Lily said, trying to keep a straight face.
Lily could have been laughing out right and James would have taken it as bad news. "That… that….Son of a-"
"James, I'm kidding. He was just talking to me to make you jealous, and it looks like it worked," Lily said.
"Well, of course it worked! I don't want you to be swayed by some smooth talking guy!"
"Unless it's you?"
"Yes…I mean, no. I mean… I love you?" James said, uncertain if he could avoid Lily's temper on this or not. All Lily did was laugh.
"Don't think that I can be swayed so easily. I mean look how long it took you to get me to go on even one date," she pointed out.
"That's because I didn't turn on the Potter charm," he said, pretending to examine his finger nails.
"No, it's because I hadn't let down the Evans Shield," Lily said clearly.
"Let's go to dinner," James said, entangling Lily's fingers in his own.
"Fine," Lily said, "but don't think you won just because you changed the topic.
A/N: Okay, chapter 2's done… what do you all think??? Tell me…Please???