Chapter Eleven- Parley

"Any of his allies do not bode well for us."

The mood remained somber in the headmaster's office as he and Harry discussed the occurrences of the day before. And as they reviewed the events twice more. Neither had any more insight, at least any that they volunteered. Harry knew that Dumbledore may well have knowledge that he was keeping close to the chest, but he wasn't overly concerned. He would figure out what he needed on his own, just as always. At least the man had explained that he had slightly modified both Sirius' and Remus' memories regarding the fight, so Harry had no worries about his abilities. While not altogether ethical, Harry overlooked it, thinking that he wasn't really one to talk about scruples.

Finally deciding not to continue their pointless reiterations, he changed topics.

"Headmaster, I had a couple of questions regarding the Order of the Phoenix. The others would only tell me so much, not that I expected more."

Albus smiled and capped off their tea cups. "Of course, what do you want to know?"

Harry fought an urge to raise an eyebrow at the easy tone of the older wizard. He thought for a moment about how to proceed, lifting his tea to his lips and drinking. After a moment, he put the cup back down on its saucer and leaned forward.

"I've been told what the Order does, the basics at any rate. What I would like to know, is what has it been doing? What has occurred? You never had the chance to say, earlier."

"Well, yes." The headmaster leaned back in his seat with a nod of his head. "These past two years have been rather busy. You see, we, as in the Order, had already reconvened by the time you disappeared. In fact, we met soon after your Third Task in the Triwizard Tournament."

Harry smiled grimly. "Yes, I remember you saying something about 'the old crowd'. I suppose this is what you meant." It wasn't really a question.

Albus nodded. "Soon as possible, we met and began working against Voldemort's advances. You can guess what we did- organizing informants, informing the public of his return (as much as was possible), trying to usurp any position he gained, acquiring new recruits to the Order. Nothing spectacular in the beginning. We worked that summer, and also kept a watch over you. I assume you remember how that turned out."

"Oh, yes. Beautifully." Harry rolled his eyes with a wry grin. "I did always love dementors."

Albus chuckled. "Yes, well, the aurors that removed you from Privet Drive were Order members. I felt it better at the time to keep you away from the movement." The headmaster ignored the tightening of Harry's lips. "So, as you remember, you went to the Burrow. Your hearing passed without major issue, and you were with your friends, in general safety."

"And in the presence of at least two Order members, right? Mr. and Mrs. Weasley are no doubt a part?"

"Yes, they both were, as well as the two eldest of the children," Dumbledore answered.

Harry sat up straight. "Wait . . . Were? What do you mean?" he questioned quickly.

Albus glanced down into his tea, before raising his eyes to Harry's concerned ones. "I am afraid Arthur Weasley was killed just before the Christmas after you disappeared. Molly is still well, and is still part of the Order."

Harry let out a slightly shaky breath. "How?"

"He was guarding something at the Ministry one night. The record of the Prophecy, actually. We had found out that Voldemort was after it," said Albus carefully. "Voldemort sent a snake into the passageway, attempting to get through the doors into the lower levels, and the serpent attacked Arthur. The wound was bad and the corridor deserted; he wasn't found until the morning."

Harry left his seat and moved to a window, gazing unseeingly across the grounds. "I imagine the other Weasleys didn't take it well."

"No, they were very upset. It was a hard time for everyone. And the Ministry claimed it was a loose animal from the Magical Creature division."

"Was he the first casualty in the Order?"

"Yes."

Sighing, Harry walked back to his chair and sat down. When he looked at the headmaster, no emotion was seen in his eyes. Briefly, guilt ran through Harry's thoughts, but he quickly let reason replace it. It was a trick he'd learned by necessity.

"What else?" The question encompassed a great many things, all which Harry had to brace himself to hear.

"We have lost others, but the amount is less than the number we have taken down," stated Dumbledore. A leader can always note the big picture and disregard the small, Harry thought. Why am I so upset that I do the same thing?

The headmaster went on, "For a year the Ministry maintained that Voldemort had not risen, making our job that much harder. But at least the Death Eaters kept damage to a minimum. Voldemort finally grew impatient, and in June of that next year, sent his followers to retrieve the Prophecy. He eventually came after them to get it when they couldn't, and an alarm went off. The Order confronted them, catching some significant members, and a duel took place in the Atrium. Quite destroyed that foolish fountain, I'm sure you remember it?"

Harry nodded, staring to the left of the headmaster. Albus ignored his apparent distraction, instinctively knowing that the boy was listening intently. "Well, of course that was when the Ministry workers arrived, including Cornelius Fudge, and upon seeing Voldemort, they could no longer say he wasn't back. Caused quite a panic, but Voldemort held off for a while before attacking openly. Wanted things to be to his advantage. In that time, the Order was working against him, with the Ministry's support." Albus cleared his throat. "Yes, well, we also had our own edge. We had captured some of his highest standing men. I would guess that you recall Peter Pettigrew?" He didn't need to wait for an answer. "With him, Sirius was granted a full pardon, though he wasn't given compensation because of his 'crimes' of escaping and remaining free. Fudge was rather proud of that decision, wouldn't listen to a word against it."

Shaking his head, Harry snorted to himself. Someone really needs to do something about that asinine fool. He finally spoke up. "So Sirius was pardoned. I had figured as much, given that he was out and about, but hadn't a chance to ask how. Is Wormtail in Azkaban? And the others that you had caught?"

Shifting in his seat, the headmaster narrowed his eyes angrily. "No, the Ministry failed to remove the Dementors as guards. It took little for them to revolt, allowing the prisoners to escape. Pettigrew and others, including Nott, MacNair, Malfoy." The names the headmaster said were almost just to himself, seemingly in rage that such men could be free.

Harry tensed at them, his jaw taut as he resisted a shudder. He fought the memories and leaned hard against the back of his chair. His act was good enough that Dumbledore seemed not to notice, but it took a moment for Harry to force himself back into composure. Shifting his shoulders slightly, he concentrated once more on the headmaster's voice.

"After all of that, attacks started occurring in various locations around England. The Order has been doing what we can to combat them. Last year, on the winter solstice, an entire village in Devon was destroyed. And other assaults have generated terrible, if not as devastating, results." The headmaster sighed, rubbing a hand down his beard. "As of now, we have little idea as to Voldemort's current agenda. Our sources haven't been able to gather much, just that something major is in the works. Not exactly what you were hoping to hear, was it?"

Sighing as well, Harry shook his head. "No, but all in all, what I expected. I had heard of attacks, just not the extent." He ran a hand through his hair, pushing it away from his face. "I know that Tom has started in on various creatures. Trying to get allies and such. Heard it from some Jumpers. Apparently, he has had mixed results. Some are worried about his pure-blooded wizard stance, thinking he won't give them the proper respect. He underestimates non-humans, doesn't realize just what they can do. Gives us a chance, if we can step in, but with the Ministry as it is . . ." Harry broke off with a slight shrug.

Nodding, the headmaster looked at the younger wizard. Harry merely returned the gaze with a solemn smile. They had sat in their own thoughts for a long minute when Harry suddenly glanced towards the office door. Albus blinked, before he felt the pulse of the office wards alerting him to someone alighting the spiral staircase. After a moment, the two wizards heard raised voices coming closer.

". . . dare you do that, you blasted Slytherin! What a low move, even for a snake!" Sirius' voice was furious, and Harry suspected, could be heard through the castle.

"Go back to your doghouse, mutt." The sneering growl confirmed Harry's suspicions of who his godfather was angry at. "Don't you have a stick to fetch or something? Perhaps a need to walk your pet wolf, or should I say your bit . . ."

A loud thump echoed into the office as something solid struck the door. Harry grimaced slightly as he stood, realizing that it was definitely a body. Sounds of a scuffle were muffled through the solid wood, but were easily identifiable.

"Get off of me, you demented canine!" Snape's snarl was cut off before he could continue by a sharp crack. Harry recognized the sound of a punch.

Quickly crossing the office, with the headmaster on his heels, Harry pulled out his wand. Flicking it at the entrance, the latch clicked open and the door swung inward, hard. Two figures fell into the room, struggling against each other. Harry fought an outright laugh at the sight, instead glancing at Dumbledore, who also had his wand out.

He nodded at the elder wizard, who leveled his wand at the men, as Harry did the same. With a sharply incanted spell, the men flew into the air. Both the headmaster and Harry waved their wands, catching the other wizards in the air as they were propelled away from one another.

"What a wonderful surprise! Two members of my staff, grappling at my door." Albus leveled a sharp glare at the two men, though his lips quirked slightly.

Harry turned to the headmaster, letting Sirius fall toward the floor from a considerable height as his concentration waned. An alarmed yell had Harry waving his wand up again, taking his godfather back into the air.

Before either floating man could speak, Harry addressed his companion intercessor. "What do you mean 'two of your staff', Headmaster?"

Albus turned to him, letting Snape slip slightly as well before catching him, though the Potions master only tensed instead of crying out. "Oh, yes. Sirius is Hogwarts newest Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor, along with Remus Lupin."