Chapter 3 - Order and Revelations

After the abrupt departure of Harry, Tonks, and Dumbledore the order was in an uproar. The only people who weren't on their feet and arguing with their neighbors were, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny. They were sitting in a shocked silence. Moody repeatedly tried to gain control, but was ineffective until he declared the Order was in full session. Silence immediately swept the room. The only sound that could be herd was Molly ushering the children out of he room, "Come on off you go. To bed with you now, don't say up late discussing-, uhhh well, just go to sleep."

The three children walked out of the room and up the winding stairs in silence. When they reached Ginny's room they all went inside. Hermione was the first to speak, "How could Harry do that, I mean that's dark magic? Isn't he going to be in trouble with the ministry." Ron seemed to be lost in thought for a moment before replying.

"I don't know 'Mione, all I know is that that retched elf deserved what he got!" replied Ron, his voice escalating.

"He didn't deserve that. Harry murdered him in cold blood."

Ginny rounded to Hermione, her face flushed, "Don't you dare say that about Harry! This is war ad Harry did what is necessary. That elf is the reason Sirius is dead, can't you see that?"

"It wasn't Kreatcher's fault. Plus Harry used dark magic."

"You know Hermione you can be pretty thick sometimes." Hermione looked slightly hurt at this statement. "Obviously Dumbledore is ok with Harry using the dark arts, or he would not have taken him away for training."

The only reply Hermione could muster was a soft "Oh."

After an uncomfortable silence Ron decided to speak. "What do you think Dumbledore meant about our training? And what are the spells that they used against Grindelwald?"

Hermione looking up, "I don't know Ron, but speculating will get us nowhere. We'll have to wait until tomorrow to find out."

They all said their goodnights and Ron left Ginny's room, returning to his own. Before falling asleep he muttered softly to him self, "Harry what have you gotten your self into?"

Most members of the order were shocked to say the least. Since the order was in full session, the members had to speak in turn. The first to speak was 'Mad Eye'. He told the order that there would be no discussion about what happened other than the children's training schedules. After deciding that an order member would train the children on combat and survival magic twice a day, the order moved onto other topics.

It turned out that Voldermort had been gathering groups of pregnant muggles. He was kidnapping only those who would not be missed, like homeless people and prostitutes. The order was dumbfounded as to what Voldermort wanted with the women and their un-born children.

That was until Snape spoke up, "The Dark Lord doesn't tell the death eaters much anymore, but I did overhear something that leads me to believe that he will be undergoing another dark transformation."

The order burst into a plethora of hushed conversation, until Arthur Weasley spoke out over the rest. "What kind of transformation?"

Snape gravely, "I have done some research on any transformation that uses un-born children. It is a potion… It will, make the Dark Lord twice as powerful and damn near immortal. He will be able to block the killing curse." At this statement Snape looked to the floor. "The recipe is only in two books, one in my office, passed down to me by my father, and the other in the Dark Lord's diary from school."

Most of the order had heard rumors about what had happened in the chamber with the diary and thought it destroyed. Responding their questioning glances 'Mad Eye' spoke,

"It is not a normal diary, Voldermort-" Everyone in the room took a sharp intake of breath. "enchanted it with an imprint of himself. That imprint has been destroyed. However I have no doubt that Voldermort will still try to access the information inside. The largest problem is that the book is at Hogwarts. On the upside only a parselmouth can access it. That means that Voldermort will have to get it himself. He has not the power to take Hogwarts now, but he is amassing his forces. More and more wizards are disappearing every day. Some are joining him, the ones who don't die. When Dumbledore returns we will discuss strengthening the wards around Hogwarts."

For the rest of the meeting all of the various spies and informants made their reports. There was only the small interruption of a drunken Mundungus Fletcher staggering into the meeting smelling of fire whisky and smoking his pipe.

After the meeting ended and the order members were filing out the doors, Molly walked up to 'Mad Eye' and asked. "What did Dumbledore mean when he told you to teach the children the magic you used against Grindelwald?"

'Mad Eye' looked at her with both his normal and his electric blue eye. "We will be teaching them ancient and dark battle magic."

Molly bristled at the mention of Dark Magic "You will be teaching them WHAT?!?"

Even the battle-hardened auror shrank slightly at the sight of the angry Weasley. "We will not teach them how to use the Dark Arts, just to defend against them. Calm down woman."

Somewhat pacified Molly mumbled a response and started levitating Kreatcher's body that had been laying against the wall forgotten about by the order, into the trash. Before Kreatcher was halfway to the garbage bin 'Mad Eye" waved his wand and with a soft pop transfigured the body into a small button.

The following morning Ron woke up to an Owl tapping at his window holding a letter in it's talons. Written in bright green ink was his name written in what was unmistakably Harry's handwriting. Opening the letter he read,

Dear Ron,

Hi it's me Harry, I know I can't explain what I did last night. I just wan you to know I am not going dark or anything like that. I can't tell you much now, but all you need to know is that I'm in training. You should be trained too, work hard and learn as much as you can because you are going to need it. Say hi to Hermione and Ginny for me.

Be Safe,

Harry

Ron quickly got dressed, stuffed the letter in his pocket and slowly descended the stairs to the kitchen. When he entered he was assaulted by the smells of the wonderful breakfast that sat on the table. He had already sat down and was about to bite into some fried ham when his chair was pulled out from under him. Landing hard on his back he looked up to see two grinning red heads. "Fred, George, what did you do that for?!"

"Well you see…" Said Fred… well the one on the left anyway.

"Good old 'Mad Eye' told us that you were in training,…" continued the other.

"And as unofficial members of the Order…"

"We decided that it is our duty-"

"Nay our privilege, to make sure that you eat healthy…"

"You are a growing boy after all."

Ron was still on the floor with a look of disbelieve written on his face. "Couldn't you have just TOLD me not to eat it?!"

"But where's the fun in that?" The twins chorused in unison, before walking away talking about some form of improved dung bomb.

Ron was about to tuck into his breakfast anyway when 'Man Eye' walked in. "They are right. Your training will be difficult and we need you to have a proper diet. Go wake up Hermione and Ginny and bring them down here. I will then brief you on your training schedule."

Ron left the room grumbling about crazy old aurors who need to get a life. A few minuets later, after an embarrassing moment of walking in on Hermione and Ginny getting dressed, they were assembled in front of 'Mad Eye' waiting for him to speak.

After a few moments of silence 'Man Eye' spoke, "The war has started, and regardless of what your parents may think you are as much a part of this was as anyone else. With you three being so close to Potter you are in even more danger. I and a few other Order members will be training you in combat magic. Yu will also be taught the dark arts so you will be able to counter them, not attack with them. From now on you are in training and under my command. Any questions?"

Hermione timidly raised her hand and spoke, "How can you teach us Dark Arts, they're evil?"

Seemingly annoyed by the question 'Mad Eye' growled out a response, "The dark arts aren't evil, it's the intent of the caster. Light magic isn't all good either. If I hit you with a killing curse, you die, if I levitate you over a cliff you will also die. No magic is evil. It's what you do with it that counts. I myself was an avid practitioner of the Dark Arts until that twit Fudge banned them."

Hermione was shocked, "But you're an Auror?"

"I was, Fudge sacked me after I protested the ban on Dark Arts. Fudge thinks that if they are banned then no one will use the. Ha!, why do you think today's aurors are so inept at fighting Death Eaters?"

"Oh"

Ron and Ginny were just standing there, trying to process the new information that they had just required, when Ron spoke up, "All that talk about using Dark Magic for good reminded me." He took the crumpled letter from his pocket and handed it to Hermione and Ginny. "Look here, this is from Harry. I got it this morning."

The two read the letter and Ginny spoke for the first time that morning, "Well if Harry wants us to train, then we will train." As she said this a look of steely determination planted it's self on her face.

What could be called a smile crossed the heavily scarred man's face, "I like that, you will need to be determined and dedicated to be able to survive in these times. Now I must go, you will be trained by Kingsley for now, I will return for the more advanced magic. And remember CONSTANT VIGILENCE!"

Kingsley a tall rugged looking man in his mid-thirties. He entered the room and immediately told them to take out their wands. "I am going to assess your knowledge and ability in combat magic."

"How?…" and after a prompting look from Kingsley, "uh.. sir."

A feral smile played across his lips, "Like this!" His wand was out in a blink of an eye. "AVADA-" There was a flash of sickly green light and Hermione was knocked through the air only to land on her back. Ron and Ginny hushed to her side when Kingsley trained his wand on them.

A/N: Hmmmm cliffhanger, sorry for the short chapter, I haven't had much time. Thanks for your reviews, Read and Review!!