Disclaimer: JK owns all let us all bow down to her greatness.

Authors Notes: Aragorn Elessar-I put it in my authors notes in the first chapter I think (if I didn't I'm really sorry I meant to), but I like Sirius and he's one of my favorite characters so he's not dead. So the story's a bit AU now but I don't care. It's my story. Blah. Everything else from Ootp happened though. Well, just wanted to address that. Thanx.

"What do you mean Sirius? Not that I'm complaining, but I'm never allowed in the meetings," asked Harry.

"That changes tonight my boy."

The members filed in and the nine youngest took seats in the front row. The teenagers soaked in all the information they could get from the rather uneventful meeting, until the end when Albus stood on the podium to address the order. As the headmaster began to speak a dark cloaked figure entered the back of the room only noticed by the headmaster himself.

"Now that the order business is taken care of I have an announcement to make. I am very pleased to invite nine new members to our ranks. They are very young, but have all proven themselves, whether it was in the battle at the ministry (his eyes lingered on Harry), or on their own (his eye traveled to Rinoa with a bit of remorse in them). Please join me in welcoming Fred Weasley, George Weasley, Ronald Weasley, Virginia Weasley, Neville Longbottom, Luna Luvgood, Hermione Granger, Rinoa Edwards, and Harry Potter." Harry's heart stopped, he was a member of the Order of the Phoenix. He looked to his right and left, the others didn't look that surprised. He could hardly contain the grin that broke out on his face as he listened to Dumbledore continue. "These young men and women are our future, please show them the same respect as you would me or any other member. Some of these children have seen more than you or I could ever even begin to imagine."

At that there was a rather joyful applause until the headmaster held up a hand and silence filled the room.

"Severus do you have something to report?"

Snape nodded and slowly made his way up to the front. When he passed the group and they saw what kind of condition he was in there was a collective gasp. Severus Snape did not look well (understatement of the year!) He had a cut on his right brow that was bleeding down his cheek, and his complection (did i spell that right) was a stark white. He was leaning heavily on a black walking stick because his left knee was obviously badly injured, and when he started speaking it was very apparent it was difficult for him.

"Pettigrew was captured."

Everyone in the great room went deadly silent and turned to gauge Sirius' reaction. He was looking at Snape in rapt attention waiting to hear what he would say next.

"The attack on the Oak Hill Orphanage involved twelve death eaters, out of the dozen three made it back. Lucius Malfoy was one of them unfortunately. The dark lord is being careful, he knows that there is a spy in his midst and the failed attack has only made him more suspicious. He was quite upset when he found out what happened, he's been interrogating all of the death eaters one by one to see who tipped us off. Pettigrew was one of the death eaters disabled by Ms. Edwards earlier this month. We didn't know until now because the ministry obviously won't release the information that would prove their gross incompetence, and when we were at the orphanage identifying the fallen was not a major priority." He paused for a moment as if contemplating whether or not to say something else. "He's also found out what Ms. Edwards accomplished that night with the defeat of his followers and has expressed an interest in her. It would be wise to keep her within the vicinity of headquarters until the start of term."

Snape looked as if he was barely able to stay conscious through out his report. His left hand was gripping the podium while his right clutched the waking stick.

Sensing Snape's impending unconsciousness Albus intervened.

"Thank you Severus, I will floo the ministry at once to confirm this information."

Snape nodded at the head master in thanks and slowly made his way off of the stage, grudgingly accepting the help of Remus and Kingsley along the way.

"That will be all for tonight," said Albus, bringing an end to the ceremony.

As everyone headed out of the meeting hall Harry, Remus, Sirius, and Snape (still leaning heavily on the wall for support) remained. The three Gryfindors surrounded the Slytherin after everyone had left.

"Thank you Snape, for coming here and bringing the news so quickly." It seemed in the light of all that had taken place in the meeting that Sirius was willing to let go of old prejudices. "I know you can't be well right now. You're welcome to stay for the night, you do have your own room. It even has a potions lab in it," Sirius added sounding like a child trying his hardest to be convincing.

"of course he'll be staying the night."

Everyone turned to look in the doorway where Dumbledore stood with a very stern look on his face. It probably would have been easier to take him seriously if he didn't have that ridiculous twinkle in his eye.

"Come this way please Severus, I will show you which room is yours."

Snape slowly followed with a very pained expression on his abnormally pale face, it seemed like every movement was excruciating. Remus looked like he was really having trouble fighting the urge to help Snape. Shortly after Severus and Dumbledore left the room Remus turned to Sirius.

"You're free Padfoot."

"I know, I don't quite know how to respond."

"This is great!" exclaimed Harry. "You can come and go as you please. You won't be locked up in this awful house anymore!"

"I know, it's wonderful," Sirius said quietly.

The three left the room with enormous grins plastered on their faces. However the looks of glee faded a bit when they entered the kitchen to see Molly ranting at Dumbledore. They quickly took a seat at the table with the others to get a better view. Hermione was looking at Ron with a very pained expression on her face, most likely the screaming was giving her a headache. The twins and Ginny were giggling hysterically, and Rinoa looked like there was somewhere very specific that she'd rather be right then.

"I can't believe you Albus! You just let him hobble down to his rooms with no medical attention whatsoever!" yelled Molly Weasley.

"Of course not Molly, Severus will be tended to. I'm not going to let him bleed to death down there," stated Albus calmly.

Mrs. Weasley on the other hand was turning a very bright red and with a few more moments would likely match her hair.

"Then why won't you let me go tend to him. I've patched up six boys over the years, I can certainly handle this."

"No Molly, I think with the altercations Severus and yourself have had in the past it would be better if someone else went. He's not likely to receive you very well."

"Who in this house has the medical experience to deal with this situation?" yelled Molly with a very triumphant look on her face, as if she had just gotten one up on the headmaster.

"Ms. Edwards?" she looked up from the table in response. "I believe you were enrolled in the Introduction to Mediwizardry class last term?"

"Yes sir," she said quietly.

"Why don't you take what you need from the first aid cabinet and tend to Severus, the two of you seem to have come to an understanding over the last week." As he finished Rinoa stood and with a very large grin headed towards Snape's chambers. Mrs. Weasley left in a huff moments later and Albus went to floo Cornelius Fudge.
Albus returned thirty minutes later with a very sly smile on his face. "What happened?" inquired Remus.

"You'll see." The vague response was severely disappointing to say the least but it was the kind of answer that the order had come to expect from Albus Dumbledore. Everyone decided to retire a short time later, but as Harry lay in bed he couldn't get his head to clear. There were just to may things he was exited about, to many things to wonder about. He decided a glass of warm milk would do him some good and went down to the kitchen. When he got there he was very surprised to see Ginny. Her long red hair was down, and she was wearing her pajamas. Apparently he wasn't the only one who was having trouble sleeping.

"Hello," said Harry. Ginny nearly jumped five feet in the air and barely managed to hold on to her glass of tea.

"Bloody Hell, Harry, don't do that!" she said while trying to catch her breath.

"Sorry. You couldn't sleep either?"

"No." They engaged in small talk for the next hour, forgetting the time while in each other's company.

"So have you enjoyed your summer so far?" asked Harry.

"Merlin no!" she exclaimed. "Luna and Neville have been intolerable, you can't go into any room in this house with out seeing them snogging. Hermione and Ron are even worse because they have no clue they're in love with each other! They'll sit there and make moon eyes at each other for hours on end, and with Fred and George at the joke shop all the time I'm stuck alone. Well not all alone, Rinoa's here now and she's quite nice, but honestly! It's like there's something in the water here," she looked up to see him laughing at her.

"And what may I ask is so funny?"

"I do believe that that was the most you've ever said to me in the total five years that I've known you," Harry managed to say between giggles.

The two ended up staying up until three in the morning laughing about random things and enjoying each other's company.

Authors Notes: See look there was some romance. Ok not a whole lot but there was some. Ok well I am trying to get the next one up by Sunday. I have a lot of it written out already but it's in pieces and I have to put them all together. But REVIEW. It makes my small meaningless existence just a bit happier for the total five seconds it takes for me to read each one. :*) thank you.