Chapter 12: The Summoning of the Old Crowd
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A/n: I just realized that earlier in the story I said that McGonagall was the Headmistress, and it didn't really seem right. So, just pretend that Dumbledore is still the Headmaster of Hogwarts.
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Leaving the older children and Ron in charge, the Potter adults plus Isabelle and Evan apparated outside of the Hogwarts grounds, and walked up to the castle. When they reached the indoors, the first person they met was Professor Snape. He scowled when he saw his two least favorite colleagues, and they glared back. Snape said to Harry,
"What are you doing here Potter?"
"We need to speak with Dumbledore."
"Why?"
"We just do, alright?" Snape's gaze traveled from Harry to Hermione, to their children and daughter-in-law, to Isabelle and Evan. He sneered and said,
"And you brought the whole family posse I see." Hermione said, with a very forced calm voice,
"What we have to tell Dumbledore concerns them too." Snape looked at Isabelle and Evan, and said,
"Why are these two here? They aren't members of your family." Hermione, tone rising, along with her temper, said,
"I don't see why we have to explain all this to you, Severus, it's really none of your business." With one last sneer at Hermione, Snape left without another word. Once he was out of earshot, Blake muttered,
"Greasy git." The six of them made their way to Dumbledore's office. They stopped at the stone gargoyle, said the password, (Chocolate Frog), and climbed the stairs to see the Headmaster. They found Dumbledore at his desk, poring over rolls of parchment. Without looking up, he said,
"Welcome, Potters." He looked up at all of them, and said,
"To what do we owe this visit?" Hermione said to Blake,
"Well, tell him."
"Professor, for the past few years, I've been teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts at Durmstrang. It's a worthless class to teach, but that's not the point. I've been hearing things about old Death Eaters who have claimed to have reformed, recruiting witches and wizards to rise up against the Light, and take over Voldemort's work where he left off. And their first target is our family." Hermione said,
"And we want to know what we can do to protect all of us." Harry added,
"Also, to see what the spies have heard or what kind of information they can get." When they all had finished, Dumbledore looked thoughtful. He said,
"You wish to summon the Order?" The adults all nodded. Harry said,
"But I don't know if we need everybody. There's no point of summoning people who don't need to be." Dumbledore nodded and pulled out a list of all the members of the Order of the Phoenix. He said to Harry,
"Who do you wish to summon?" He turned the parchment to his former student and he and his wife looked it over. Harry said,
"Send the summons to…Ron, Draco, Remus, Snape, McGonagall, Flitwick, Moody, and Dung." Dumbledore nodded and took the list back. He marked all the names that Harry mentioned and waved his wand at the list and a flash of red light and a boom sounded as the summons went out, sending Phoenix feathers to the members. While they were waiting, Hermione glanced at Isabelle and Evan and said,
"I think you two should go wait out in the hall." Lily said,
"But Mum, they're both seventeen. They're old enough to be in the Order if they wish." Isabelle said,
"Yeah, we'll join." Harry said,
"No. You're still in school, so you can't join." Isabelle and Evan's shoulders sagged in defeat. They turned to leave, and as they did, Blake sneakily handed them a pair of Extendable Ears. They smiled at him, and he smiled back and they left the office. Soon the Order members arrived at Dumbledore's office. There were many questions going around asking Dumbledore why they were there, and Dumbledore said,
"Blake Potter is the one to answer that question." He nodded to Blake and Blake told the members about what he had learned over at Durmstrang. When he had finished, Draco, with raised eyebrows said to Harry,
"You let your son teach over at Durmstrang, Harry? I never would've expected the son of a Potter to teach at a school for the Dark Arts."
"I had no say in the matter, Draco, he's thirty-six, he can do whatever he wants." Hermione said,
"Though I'm glad he does teach there, Draco, cuz' if he didn't, we wouldn't know ahead of time what was going on." Dumbledore said,
"Severus, Draco, do you still have ways of contacting the old Death Eaters?" Draco and Snape nodded.
"Then you must do so, to see what kind of things are going on over there at the school. Professor Flitwick, you should help the Potters perform the Fidelius Charm until things get sorted out. Mundungus, anything you hear down in Knockturn Ally, the Wizarding Black Market, or anywhere, would be helpful. Mad-Eye, Ron, we need you to help check about finding these Death Eaters, rounding up Aurors to send to the school. These four will help also." He nodded at Harry, Hermione, Julia and Lily. Everyone nodded.
"Lupin, Minerva, we need to inform the old crowd. The rest of the Order needs to be informed of all this. You'll help me with that." Lupin and McGonagall nodded.
"We'll have a full Order meeting in two weeks, so everyone can report back with their information. You all may go, except for Professor Flitwick and the Potters." In a split second, everyone was gone, except for the Potters and Flitwick. Dumbledore said,
"You must choose a secret keeper for the charm, and make sure it is someone you can trust." Hermione said,
"Profess…sorry, Albus, do Julia and I have to be placed under the charm, as we aren't of Potter blood?"
"I think it would be safest for you to be, Hermione."
"Maybe we should place separate charms on each person, or family at least, because if for some reason the Death Eaters find out one or two of our whereabouts, it won't be the whole family."
"Good point, Hermione. I agree with you. Who will be the secret keeper for you and Harry?" Harry and Hermione looked at each other and Harry said,
"I think we'll be the secret keeper for each other, have two separate charms placed on us. Because we trust each other." Dumbledore looked skeptical, but after a while he said,
"I see. I agree, I don't see one of you betraying the other." Lily added,
"There's too much love there for that to happen."
"What about you and your husband and daughters?"
"I would like to not include my husband in this. He's not concerned with our welfare anymore, so I'm not concerned with protecting him."
"Alright. Who will be your secret keeper then?"
"Isabelle Peterson." Harry said,
"Lily, are you sure you can trust her? You don't know her that well…" Lily interrupted him and said,
"Believe me, Dad, we can trust her. We can trust her brother and their friend. Just take my word for it."
"Lily…" Hermione tried to protest.
"Mum, trust me." Dumbledore said,
"Blake? What about you and Julia?"
"Evan Peterson will be our secret keeper." Julia said,
"Um…can I be separate from him?" Dumbledore said,
"Very well, but your children will be under your husband's charm, not yours." Julia sighed.
"If that's what's best."
"Who will be your secret keeper then?"
"Lily." Dumbledore nodded.
"Are you sure you can trust these people? Absolutely sure?" They all nodded.
"Alright. Send in Mr. and Miss Peterson, and Professor Flitwick, we can begin." Once Evan and Isabelle came back into the office, Professor Flitwick explained what the Fidelius charm was, how it was performed, and everything else they needed to know.
"Since you all are under separate charms, I shall make allowances in the charm so that you all can contact each other and see each other whenever you wish. If that's everything, and you have no questions, Harry, Hermione, you first, please." Hand in hand, Harry and Hermione stepped forward in front of Flitwick. Flitwick conjured up a stool for him to stand on so he was eye level with everyone.
"You remember how this is done, don't you?" The husband and wife nodded, and Flitwick placed his left hand on Harry's head and took his wand in his hand and pointed it at Hermione. They closed their eyes and Flitwick squeaked out,
"Fidelia!" A golden light transferred from Harry's head at Flitwick's hand and went through to his wand, into Hermione's head. He switched hands so that his wand was in his left hand, and he placed his right hand on Hermione's head, and his wand tip on Harry's head. He said again,
"Fidelia!" And the same golden light went from Harry's head to Hermione's. Once that was done, Flitwick said,
"Ok, Miss Peterson, Lily, come forward please." He did the same process to Lily and Isabelle, and then said,
"Alright, Blake, Mr. Peterson." Flitwick did the same to Evan and Blake as soon as they came forward, and then to Lily and Julia. After that was all done, Flitwick gave Lily and Blake instructions to include their children in the charm, and soon after, everyone left Dumbledore's office. On the way back, Isabelle muttered to Lily,
"Why did you and Blake pick us for your secret keeper?"
"Because I knew you wouldn't betray yourself, and give yourself away."
"How long must we stay, now that this charm is in place?"
"I don't know. I have a feeling the Death Eaters will attack soon. It's in the way Blake talks, it makes me feel that it is soon."
"We'll fight to the death, Lily."
"You'd probably not, because if you, Blake or Julia die, so do we." Isabelle bit her lip in worry. She said to Lily,
"Wait a minute, Blake and I have to do something. We'll be along in a minute." She called Evan back over, and they went back to the castle.
"Fidelia!" A golden light passed from Evan's head to Isabelle's, then Flitwick traded wand hands and said again,
"Fidelia!" The golden light passed from Isabelle's head to Evan's.
A/n: Hey hey! Here's chapter 12 for y'all! Ok, bear with me on this one, don't flame me or anything for the way the Fidelius charm works, I have no idea how that is performed. I basically just had an idea in my head and ran with it; hopefully it's a good one. Please review!
Husker-fan-2006