A/N: Okay, so I made you wait a week for this chapter. I'm sorry! Just as a
heads up, I'm not sure that I'll be able to update more than once a week
until the school year ends. Even my weekends are really busy this month –
granted, that's with parties, but those take up time, too! So, I'm sorry,
and I hope you'll stick with me!
Also, a note on the bridesmaids – yeah, Lily stiffed Laura to ask Petunia. But remember how upset Petunia got in OotP when she realized that the person who had killed her sister was back? I think that although they were always fighting, but they really did love one another – and this was a way for Lily to show that she still loved Petunia. As for Dana and Olivia – I looked back over the Hogwarts portion of the story, and Dana was Lily's chief confidante during the period when she struggled with her feelings for James, so it makes sense for her to be the maid of honor. Whew! I hope that answers some of your questions. Now, on with the show!
I don't own the Harry Potter universe.
The Order of the Phoenix
"Tell me again why we thought this was a good idea?"
"Sirius wants to do this for us," James grinned as he and Lily walked up the stairs to his flat. "It should be fun!"
Lily shook her head. "I've never thought of Sirius as an engagement party planner."
"Well, Remus, Peter, Dana, Olivia, and Laura have been helping him. In fact, they're the ones who kicked me out so they could get everything ready."
Lily giggled. "It's better this way. Now we can arrive together."
"Yeah, that's true." James grinned at her, and kissed her hand. "Are you ready?"
"Let's do it."
James opened the door to the flat, revealing the party scene. Sirius, who had been watching the door, grinned at the sight of them.
"Oy! Our guests of honor are here!"
A cheer went through the crowd, and people surged forward to greet James and Lily. They were both amazed by the number of people who had come to celebrate their engagement. Their parents were there, as well as friends from Hogwarts, some of their professors, and even Dumbledore, Hagrid, Moody, and Longbottom were there. James noticed a woman holding onto Frank's arm, laughing at a joke that someone had told. He looked at Lily.
"Who's that woman with Longbottom?"
Lily's eyes swept across the room. "I've never met her."
"That's his wife, Alice," said Sirius, who was standing near enough to hear the exchange. "I still can't believe that he's married."
James grinned. "Yeah, he and Moody seem rather married to their work."
"Well, Moody is," Sirius affirmed. "But both Longbottoms are Aurors. I guess that makes it easier – you know, working together and all. Mrs. Longbottom is really nice. See how she's laughing now? That's how she is all the time. She's always happy. She's very friendly. I think she's the reason Frank isn't like Moody." He grinned. "Do you want to meet her?"
"Sure," James said. "She's at our party, after all – I think we should say hello to everyone, don't you, Lil?"
"Yeah," Lily agreed. "Will you introduce us, Sirius?"
"Sure. Let's go."
They crossed the room together. Frank's eyes lit up when he saw them.
"James! Lily!" He held out his hand to shake theirs. "Congratulations on your engagement."
"Thanks," James grinned. He had to admit that there might be something to what Sirius said – Frank seemed far more pleasant in the company of his wife.
"This is my wife, Alice. Alice, this is James Potter, and this is Lily Evans. They're both in training to join the Order."
"Oh, it's wonderful to finally meet you!" she exclaimed, shaking both their hands. "Frank talks about his new recruits all the time. He thinks very highly of all of you. We can't wait to welcome you to the Order."
Lily smiled. "We're very honored to be considered for membership. It's been wonderful working with your husband."
Alice waved her hand. "Don't try to flatter him. I know that he works you to the point of exhaustion." She sighed. "I wish I could say that he works you too hard, but I'm afraid he doesn't. It's going to be the same once you start with the Order – it's going to be the same until this war ends." She shook her head, a smile taking over her features once more. "But we're not here to talk about the war or the Order. We're here to celebrate your engagement! Do you have a wedding date yet?"
"We're thinking of December," Lily said, thankful that she and James had made that decision the previous day.
"Oh, that will be lovely," Alice smiled. "You'll have the snow on the ground, and everyone will be in a festive mood for Christmas." She made a face. "Frank and I were married in March. It's a horribly contrary month – one day there's sunshine, the next it's snowing without pause." She looked at her husband fondly. "The only good thing about the month is our anniversary."
Frank grinned, and took her hand. "Well, at least now there's something to celebrate in March."
"How long have you been married?" Lily asked curiously.
"Five years," Frank replied. "Moody about had a coronary when we told him we were engaged. We were a little older than you, but it was right after we finished our training. He doesn't think that Aurors should be allowed to marry – but we pointed to your father, James. He's one of the best Aurors we have, and he has a family. Moody wasn't happy about it until the past two years. I think he's finally realized that we haven't let our personal life get in the way of our profession life."
"You two can do it, too," Alice said, her eyes twinkling at them. "Are you the two who are in the Auror Academy?"
"No, I work for the Ministry," James said. "I'm in the Department of International Magical Cooperation."
"Oh, you're the one who Dumbledore . . . Right," she smiled. "And you, Lily?"
"I work for the Daily Prophet," Lily said with a slight smile.
"It's about time someone with half a brain started writing for them," Alice muttered.
Lily's eyes widened slightly. "Well, I only work for the sports section."
"That will change," Alice predicted. She smiled. "I don't mean to speak ill of your coworkers, but the rubbish that the Daily Prophet is printing about the war makes me sick. Our lives would be a hundred times easier if they would do what they're supposed to, and investigate their stories before they print them."
Lily opened her mouth to reply, but was cut off by the pair of arms that were thrown around her shoulders from behind. She jumped, and turned around.
"Congratulations!"
Lily gasped. "Minnie?" she asked incredulously.
"It's me!" Minnie exclaimed. "I can't believe how long it's been since we last saw you!" She pulled back to look at Lily. "You've grown up so much, Lily. I just – I can't believe it!"
"Minnie?"
"James!" Minnie released Lily, and hugged James. "I still can't believe that Dumbledore made you Head Boy!"
"You heard about that, huh?" James laughed.
"Sirius told us when he invited us to the party."
"Is Adam here, then?"
"Of course!" She glanced around the room, and spotted him talking to Peter and Remus. "Come on, I'll take you to him."
"Excuse us," James said to the Longbottoms.
"Oh, no, you need to socialize at your own party," Frank smiled. "We'll have a chance to talk later, I'm sure."
Minnie whisked James and Lily across the room, stopping where the three boys were talking. She grinned, and tapped Adam's shoulder.
"Can you guess who these two are?"
Adam turned, and a grin spread across his face. "James Potter and Lily Evans! Well, look at you. You're all grown up!" He pulled Lily into a hug, then shook James' hand. "I can't believe it! I never thought that the two of you would get married."
"Well, thanks for that vote of confidence," James laughed.
"No, I didn't mean it that way," Adam laughed. "It's just that you were both so young when we graduated – it's weird to think of you as adults, I guess."
Lily looked from Adam to Minnie. "Are you two still together, then?"
"Actually, we're engaged, too," Minnie grinned.
"Congratulations!" Lily squealed, throwing her arms around Minnie. "When's the wedding?"
"October," Minnie replied. "Let me give you some advice. If you haven't started planning everything, start now. It's more work than I ever dreamed!"
Lily laughed. "We'll get started tomorrow."
"Good girl."
"So what else are you two doing with your lives?" Adam asked. "Where are you working?"
"I work for the Ministry," James replied.
"Really?" Adam asked. "What department?"
"International Magical Cooperation."
"I'm in Magical Games and Sports."
"Hey, that's right! I completely forgot!" James exclaimed.
"I wish I had known that you started – I would have been over to visit you." He grinned. "And that's a sacrifice for me – I'd have to see Fudge in action."
"Oh, isn't he horrible?" James asked with a grimace.
"I'm impressed you're able to work with him," Adam said. "You do escape for lunch, right?"
"Yeah. Usually I go out with Laura for lunch – Remus' girlfriend. Have you met her? She works in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement."
"No, I haven't met her yet," Adam said, giving Remus a look.
"I'll take that as a hint to go find her for an introduction," Remus laughed. "Peter, do you know where she is?"
Peter shook his head. "Need help finding her?"
"If you don't mind."
"Not at all."
"What about you, Lily? Where do you work?" Adam asked as Remus and Peter walked off.
"The Daily Prophet."
"So do I!" Minnie exclaimed. She frowned slightly. "What section?"
Lily glanced at Adam. "Sports."
Adam grinned. "I love this girl."
Minnie laughed. "I'm an investigative writer. If you need any help, or just want to talk, please come and find me. My office is on the fifth floor."
"Thanks," Lily replied with a grin.
Remus and Peter reappeared with Laura, who was given her introduction to Adam and Minnie. While the others were engaged in conversation, James grabbed Peter's sleeve.
"Hey," he said.
"Are you having fun?" Peter asked. "Sirius said you were concerned about his party-planning skills, but I think everything is going well."
"The party's great," James grinned. "Sirius did a great job – and I know that you guys helped a fair amount."
Peter shrugged. "You'd do the same for me."
"You bet." James paused, looking at his friend critically. "Are you all right, Peter? We hardly ever hear from you anymore. Is your dad getting worse?"
Peter gave a harsh laugh. "Actually, he's getting better. I always knew he'd pull through just to spite me."
James flinched at the harsh tone his friend was using. "And everything else?"
"It's tough, James," Peter admitted, his face falling slightly. "I'm so glad to be here with you guys, even if it's only for a little while – it makes me feel normal again."
James nodded, even though he had no idea what Peter meant by "normal."
Peter sighed, and ran his hands over his face. When he looked at James again, his eyes were full of pain. "My mum's sick, James."
James' eyes widened. Peter's mother was the most important person to him. If something happened to her . . . "She's seeing a Healer, right?"
"Of course," Peter said. "They just aren't really sure what's wrong with her at this point."
"Oh, man, Peter, I'm sorry. If there's anything I can do, any way I can help . . ."
"I'll let you know," Peter promised. "Just – just keep her in your prayers, all right?"
"Done," James replied without hesitation.
"Hey, Potter, are you in for lunch with Laura and I tomorrow?"
James pulled his eyes away from Peter's face, and looked over at Adam. "Sure," he replied with a smile he didn't really feel. "Anything to get away from Fudge!"
Adam laughed heartily. "If you ever get bored, all you have to do is come up to my office – there's always something going on up there!"
"May I have your attention, please?"
All conversations stopped, and all eyes turned to the center of the room. Sirius pointed his wand at his throat, removing the charm that had magnified his voice.
"Thanks," he said a bit hoarsely. "I want to take this opportunity to thank everyone for attending this party on behalf of James and Lily. And, I also wanted to present them with their engagement gift from Remus, Peter, Olivia, Dana, Laura, and I."
James and Lily moved forward a bit apprehensively. What had their friends done? James was sure that Remus would have made sure it wasn't anything too wild, but still . . .
"Well, it's actually outside, but you can see it from the balcony," Sirius said. "So, if you'll please step this way, we can get a look at it."
"Do you know anything about this?" Lily muttered.
"Not a thing," James replied.
They made it out onto the balcony, where Sirius gave them a triumphant grin. He held his lit wand up like a spotlight, and pointed it down on a car.
"Behold!" he exclaimed.
"You got us a car?" Lily gasped.
"That we did! We figured you'd want to visit your parents from time to time, and that borrowing James' parents' car wouldn't always be easy, so . . . Laura and Dana picked it out. They know more about cars than the rest of us put together. I really hope you like it."
James looked at Lily. Tears shone in her eyes as she threw her arms around Sirius. Her happiness was enough for him. He grinned, and clapped Sirius' shoulder.
"Thanks, mate."
"Sirius, this is the most wonderful thing you've ever done for us!" Lily exclaimed.
Sirius chucked her under the chin. "Anything for James' princess."
***
Lily walked into the Three Broomsticks rather nervously. She was meeting Ludo Bagman for their first interview, and was more than a little concerned. She had been practicing interviews all week with her coworkers, so that wasn't the part that worried her – it was talking to Mr. Bagman that made her knees shake. Talking to an international Quidditch star in and of itself was a bit intimidating, but the fact that he was a Beater only added to her nerves. Although she had never admitted it to anyone, she had always been a bit afraid of the Beaters on the House teams at Hogwarts. She clutched her portfolio tightly as she looked around the bar. Madam Rosmerta noticed her, and crossed to greet her.
"Hi, honey," she smiled. "Where are the boys today?"
"Oh, I'm here on business," Lily replied. "I'm doing an interview for the Daily Prophet."
"Really?" Madam Rosmerta asked, her eyebrows slightly raised. "Who are you meeting?"
"Ludo Bagman."
Madam Rosmerta grinned. "Well, pick a table. I'd certainly know if he was already here. He always has a crowd around him asking for autographs. I can't complain though – they usually buy drinks while they're waiting to talk to him." She winked a Lily. "You find a seat, honey, and I'll send him over to you as soon as he walks in."
"Thanks," Lily said with a feeble attempt at a smile. She looked around, and chose and empty table. Once she was seated, she placed her quill and parchment on the table.
She had only waited about five minutes when the door opened, and Ludo Bagman himself entered the bar. People immediately approached him for autographs, but Madam Rosmerta chased them away. She pointed Lily out, and Ludo nodded briefly, then crossed the bar to join her. Lily smiled, and rose from her seat to greet him.
"Hello, hello!" Ludo said cheerfully. "You must be Miss Evans!"
"Hello, Mr. Bagman," Lily said with a smile. Perhaps he wouldn't be as intimidating as she had feared. He had a little boy-ish quality about him that was rather endearing.
"Please, none of that! Call me Ludo."
Her nerves melted away. "If you prefer."
"I do," he grinned. "Sit down, sit down. I'm sure you have plenty of questions that we need to get through."
"I do," Lily replied, the advice of her editor at the top of her thoughts. "But first, I have to tell you that my fiancé and one of my best friends are huge fans of yours – when we're done with the interview, do you think you could give me autographs to give to them? I think that if I go home empty-handed, they'll throw me out of their lives forever!"
"Well, we can't have that!" Ludo laughed. "Sure, I'd love to give them autographs. They're Quidditch fans?"
"They were both on the Gryffindor team," Lily replied promptly. "My friend, Olivia, was the captain during sixth and seventh year."
"Well, good for them! Are they still playing?"
"No, James works for the Ministry, and Olivia's working on becoming an Auror. For now, they have to settle for watching you play."
Ludo grinned. "Well, I try to make it interesting for them."
"And you do an excellent job," Lily replied. She tapped her quill with her wand and placed it on the parchment to take notes while they talked. "May I begin by asking why you chose to play Quidditch?"
"Oh, that's a great story!" Ludo said enthusiastically.
***
Two hours later, the interview ended. Lily smiled at Ludo as she tucked her quill and several sheets of parchment into her portfolio.
"It's been great talking with you, Ludo," she said. "Thank you so much for agreeing to meet with me today."
"This has been a great interview," Ludo replied with a smile of his own. "If you ever want to do this again, let me know."
"Really?" Lily could already imagine the reactions she was going to get from James and Olivia when she told them that Ludo Bagman was willing to grant her another interview.
"Definitely," Ludo affirmed. He took two pictures from his portfolio, and signed them with flourish. "Here, these are for your fiancé and your friend." He paused, and smiled again. "I've really enjoyed talking with you, Lily, and I'm sure that you'll write this into a great story."
Lily smiled. "I'll send you a copy as soon as it's done."
"Thanks!" Ludo glanced at his watch. "Ugh, I'm going to be late for practice. Tell your fiancé and your friend that I said hello! I'll be waiting for your owl with the story!"
With that, he Dispparated, leaving Lily alone at the table. Madam Rosmerta crossed to talk to her.
"Well! How did it go with Ludo?"
"Very well," Lily replied.
"I thought that it must be, for as long as he was here with you." She glanced down at the autographed pictures on the table. "Are those for James?"
"One's for him, and the other's for Olivia."
Madam Rosmerta grinned. "Good to see that you've gotten on Ludo's good side, Lily."
Lily grinned. "I've got to get back to work, Madam Rosmerta. I'll see you next time."
"You'd just better have all your interviews with Ludo here!" Madam Rosmerta called as Lily prepared to Disapparate. "I like the business it brings!"
Lily was still laughing when she arrived in her office. Elaine looked at her in surprise.
"Well! What are you laughing about?"
"The conversation I just had with Madam Rosmerta at the Three Broomsticks."
"There had better have been a conversation with Ludo Bagman at the Three Broomsticks, or we're going to have words."
"Oh, there was," Lily said quickly. She put her portfolio on her desk, and pulled out the parchment she had used for the interview. She passed it over to Elaine. "And there's the evidence of said conversation."
Elaine's eyes widened as she leafed through the sheets. "I've never seen anyone get so much from Ludo."
Lily shrugged. "I took your advice. I told him all about James and Olivia's obsession with him upfront. He was thrilled to talk about himself."
Elaine laughed. "Well, Lily, I think I can officially call you a natural. I'll expect your story by the end of the day tomorrow."
"No problem," Lily grinned. She was sure that Ludo, James, and Olivia, would expect it even sooner. "Is it all right with you if I run upstairs for a moment before I begin?"
"As long as it gets done, anything's fine by me."
Lily grinned. "Thanks, Elaine. I'll be back in a minute."
"Just make sure you get the story done!"
Lily nodded, and hurried out of the office. She reached the lift, and took it to the fifth floor. She walked slowly down the hall, peering into the offices. Ever since their conversation at her engagement party, Lily had been sure that Minnie would be the one to help her with what was becoming her personal mission. Now, she needed to find her.
"Lily?"
She turned quickly, a smile spreading across her face. "Minnie! I was looking for you!"
"So I assumed," Minnie giggled. "Here, my office is this way."
The two girls went inside, and sat down together. Lily looked around the office, smiling at the many pictures of Minnie and Adam.
"So, what's on your mind?" Minnie asked.
"Well, I think I may need some of your expertise."
"I don't know much about sports," Minnie replied with a smile. "But if you want me to get you in touch with Adam –"
"No, it's not about sports," Lily cut in. "It's about investigation."
"What do you need to investigate?" Minnie asked with a slight frown.
Lily took a deep breath. "Did you know that Dana's dad was killed by Death Eaters?"
"Yeah, I heard about it," Minnie replied. "I wasn't involved in writing the story – it fell under local news, not investigation."
"But it should have been in your department," Lily contradicted. "I think there's more to it than a random act of violence."
Minnie nodded slowly. "One thing I've learned is that the Death Eaters never commit random acts of violence. There's always a method to what they do. But the paper's editors don't necessarily agree. They think there's enough panic, and that enough people think that they're targets without us adding to it."
Lily shook her head. "Minnie, I'm a Muggle-born. I'm in more danger than the average wizard. The thing is, so was Dana's dad. Now, do you think the Death Eaters just happened to attack the area of Diagon Alley were he worked?"
"I see your point, Lil," Minnie said. "Believe me, I've thought the same thing. But the editors don't want –"
"They don't want the truth reported?"
"Not if it makes them look bad."
"But how could it? How could uncovering the truth be a bad thing?"
Minnie smiled. "All right, Lily, I can see where you're going with this. Do you want me to help you find out why Dana's dad was targeted?"
"I just want to find out more about what happened."
Minnie nodded. "All right. I'll put you in touch with some of my contacts, and I'll help you all I can. I just don't know if the paper's going to like it."
"Well, for now, it can be my personal research."
"Fair enough. But if I get called in over this, I'm dragging you down with me."
Lily grinned. "Fair enough," she echoed.
***
"I can't believe it! LUDO BAGMAN wants you to interview him again!" Olivia exclaimed.
Lily laughed. "He was really nice. A bit over the top, but a nice guy."
"I still can't believe you got autographs for us," James grinned. "You're the best, Lil."
"It wasn't hard," Lily smiled. "I just told him that you guys were fans, and he opened right up! He'd probably give me his bank information if I asked. He doesn't seem all that . . ." she trailed off, trying to come up with the right word.
"Intelligent?" Sirius laughed.
All eight Order recruits were at Headquarters, waiting for their trainers to appear. It was the first time they had been late in the month of training, but no one had realized it with the intensity of the conversation that was going on around them. Everyone was now laughing at Sirius' estimation of Ludo Bagman's mental skill.
"Hey, now! That's Ludo Bagman you're talking about!" James exclaimed.
"Yeah, but he's a Beater! I'm sure he's taken a few shots to the head!"
"Probably, but that doesn't make him an idiot," Olivia replied.
"If you say so, love," Sirius said. He glanced at his watch. "Er – have Moody and Longbottom ever been late before?"
"No," Remus said at once. A concerned look crossed his face.
"Do you think something happened?" Peter asked. "Or is in the process of happening?"
"Wouldn't Dumbledore or someone have gotten word to us?" Dana asked.
"I don't –"Olivia's words were cut off as she crumpled to the ground.
"Liv!" Sirius yelled. How had they not heard the spell? Someone had to have said the incantation!
He bent down over Olivia's form, checking for a pulse and to be sure that she was breathing. The others jumped to their feet, wands drawn. They formed a tight cluster, keeping their backs together as they had been taught. They circled around slightly, eyes flitting between the walls, entrances, and ceiling.
"What happened to her?" James muttered.
"Is she all right, Sirius?" Lily asked, her eyes scanning the entrances.
"I don't know," Sirius said. "She's still breathing, but I'm not sure what hit her." He, too, stood to his full height, pulling out his wand. "But whoever did this to her is still here."
"How could they get into Headquarters?" Peter asked. "It has to be someone in the Order. Only they would know how to get here."
"Are you suggesting there's a traitor in the Order?" James asked in shock.
Peter shrugged his shoulders. "It's a possibility, isn't it?"
"No," Remus muttered. "No, it can't be . . ."
Shadowy figures began to appear around the edges of the room, their wands directed at the small cluster of people in the center. They were dressed in dark robes, with masks over their faces.
"Shit," Sirius muttered. "Those are Death Eaters."
"What should we do?" Dana whispered.
"Stun as many as you can," Remus said quietly. "If they start cursing us, fight back with all you have."
"This is it," Sirius muttered. "On three, everyone shoot stunners. Ready?"
"Ready."
"One. Two. THREE!"
He bellowed the last word, and the seven recruits screamed "STUPIFY!" in unison, their spells flying through the air. Their opponents began to fall as the stunners hit them. The remaining Death Eaters advanced rapidly, throwing curses back at them. They were forced to break their clustered formation to fight back. Spells flew through the air to the point where James wasn't sure whom he was hexing. All he knew was that these people had hurt Olivia badly, and they had to defend both her and themselves. It was painfully obvious that they were alone – they had to protect the Order's Headquarters. The Death Eaters were swarming everywhere, their magical ability amazing. How long could they hold out? How long could they fight back? How long before they were all on the ground in crumpled heaps like Olivia?
James was suddenly aware of a bellowing spell cutting through the air. He didn't know who had yelled the incantation, or what spell it was, but everything came to a complete standstill. He was frozen in place.
Slowly, everyone began to move. The recruits tried to scramble to the feet, clutching their wands to continue the battle. But the Death Eaters weren't taking up the fight again. They were removing their robes, and looking at the recruits with approving smiles.
"Good show!"
James blinked as he looked into Moody's face. It was then that it hit him. This had been a test – a test to determine whether they were ready to join the Order. They had been attacked by Order members. They had never been in any real danger. James glanced over at Olivia. She, too, was climbing slowly to her feet.
"That is exactly the response I wanted to see from you," Moody growled. "You worked together, you formed a plan before you acted, and you defended your territory. You lived up to our expectations. You all passed your final test – with flying colors."
"Welcome," Dumbledore beamed, "to the Order of the Phoenix. We are going to introduce you to our members now. Once you have met more people than you will ever remember tonight, you will come with me to sign your official membership documents."
He called each recruit forward to be recognized. Once they had been introduced to the membership, he called the "Death Eaters" forward, introducing them to the new members. Naturally, James recognized his parents, Hagrid, Professor McGonagall, and several others, but most were new faces. He expected that he would learn their names and personalities in time, once he started working closely with them.
James, Sirius, and Remus were all shocked to learn that Dedalus Diggle was a member of the Order. He grinned at them, and waved. His excitement about showing them the flat, and his comment about Dumbledore being happy when they decided to take it suddenly made sense. It was as though the pieces of their lives were suddenly coming together to form a whole picture.
Once the introductions were over, Dumbledore took the recruits to sign their membership documents. He led them to a room off to the side, and looked at all of them with his penetrating stare.
"I want you all to understand that this is not something you may take lightly," he said. "You have more than survived your training – you have excelled, and come out with our shining approval. But now you must do the same in your lives. Now you must risk everything for our cause. Are you prepared to do that?"
Each person in the small room nodded. He looked at each of them in turn, holding their eyes, looking into their thoughts. Finally, he nodded.
"All right, then. When you sign this parchment, you are signing a magical contract that binds you as a member of the Order of the Phoenix. I welcome you all into our ranks."
They signed one by one. As Lily straightened up after signing her name, Dumbledore looked at her closely.
"Miss Evans, it has come to my attention that you have made some interesting connections at the Daily Prophet."
Lily started. "What?"
"Interviews with Ludo Bagman, friends in the investigative section of the paper . . . I would like you use you as I am using Mr. Potter and Miss Bond. I would like for you to do Order work as a part of your job, if you are willing."
Lily smiled. "I'll do anything I can to help the Order, sir."
"Excellent," Dumbledore beamed. "We'll discuss the details later. For now, I believe we have a welcoming party to attend."
Also, a note on the bridesmaids – yeah, Lily stiffed Laura to ask Petunia. But remember how upset Petunia got in OotP when she realized that the person who had killed her sister was back? I think that although they were always fighting, but they really did love one another – and this was a way for Lily to show that she still loved Petunia. As for Dana and Olivia – I looked back over the Hogwarts portion of the story, and Dana was Lily's chief confidante during the period when she struggled with her feelings for James, so it makes sense for her to be the maid of honor. Whew! I hope that answers some of your questions. Now, on with the show!
I don't own the Harry Potter universe.
The Order of the Phoenix
"Tell me again why we thought this was a good idea?"
"Sirius wants to do this for us," James grinned as he and Lily walked up the stairs to his flat. "It should be fun!"
Lily shook her head. "I've never thought of Sirius as an engagement party planner."
"Well, Remus, Peter, Dana, Olivia, and Laura have been helping him. In fact, they're the ones who kicked me out so they could get everything ready."
Lily giggled. "It's better this way. Now we can arrive together."
"Yeah, that's true." James grinned at her, and kissed her hand. "Are you ready?"
"Let's do it."
James opened the door to the flat, revealing the party scene. Sirius, who had been watching the door, grinned at the sight of them.
"Oy! Our guests of honor are here!"
A cheer went through the crowd, and people surged forward to greet James and Lily. They were both amazed by the number of people who had come to celebrate their engagement. Their parents were there, as well as friends from Hogwarts, some of their professors, and even Dumbledore, Hagrid, Moody, and Longbottom were there. James noticed a woman holding onto Frank's arm, laughing at a joke that someone had told. He looked at Lily.
"Who's that woman with Longbottom?"
Lily's eyes swept across the room. "I've never met her."
"That's his wife, Alice," said Sirius, who was standing near enough to hear the exchange. "I still can't believe that he's married."
James grinned. "Yeah, he and Moody seem rather married to their work."
"Well, Moody is," Sirius affirmed. "But both Longbottoms are Aurors. I guess that makes it easier – you know, working together and all. Mrs. Longbottom is really nice. See how she's laughing now? That's how she is all the time. She's always happy. She's very friendly. I think she's the reason Frank isn't like Moody." He grinned. "Do you want to meet her?"
"Sure," James said. "She's at our party, after all – I think we should say hello to everyone, don't you, Lil?"
"Yeah," Lily agreed. "Will you introduce us, Sirius?"
"Sure. Let's go."
They crossed the room together. Frank's eyes lit up when he saw them.
"James! Lily!" He held out his hand to shake theirs. "Congratulations on your engagement."
"Thanks," James grinned. He had to admit that there might be something to what Sirius said – Frank seemed far more pleasant in the company of his wife.
"This is my wife, Alice. Alice, this is James Potter, and this is Lily Evans. They're both in training to join the Order."
"Oh, it's wonderful to finally meet you!" she exclaimed, shaking both their hands. "Frank talks about his new recruits all the time. He thinks very highly of all of you. We can't wait to welcome you to the Order."
Lily smiled. "We're very honored to be considered for membership. It's been wonderful working with your husband."
Alice waved her hand. "Don't try to flatter him. I know that he works you to the point of exhaustion." She sighed. "I wish I could say that he works you too hard, but I'm afraid he doesn't. It's going to be the same once you start with the Order – it's going to be the same until this war ends." She shook her head, a smile taking over her features once more. "But we're not here to talk about the war or the Order. We're here to celebrate your engagement! Do you have a wedding date yet?"
"We're thinking of December," Lily said, thankful that she and James had made that decision the previous day.
"Oh, that will be lovely," Alice smiled. "You'll have the snow on the ground, and everyone will be in a festive mood for Christmas." She made a face. "Frank and I were married in March. It's a horribly contrary month – one day there's sunshine, the next it's snowing without pause." She looked at her husband fondly. "The only good thing about the month is our anniversary."
Frank grinned, and took her hand. "Well, at least now there's something to celebrate in March."
"How long have you been married?" Lily asked curiously.
"Five years," Frank replied. "Moody about had a coronary when we told him we were engaged. We were a little older than you, but it was right after we finished our training. He doesn't think that Aurors should be allowed to marry – but we pointed to your father, James. He's one of the best Aurors we have, and he has a family. Moody wasn't happy about it until the past two years. I think he's finally realized that we haven't let our personal life get in the way of our profession life."
"You two can do it, too," Alice said, her eyes twinkling at them. "Are you the two who are in the Auror Academy?"
"No, I work for the Ministry," James said. "I'm in the Department of International Magical Cooperation."
"Oh, you're the one who Dumbledore . . . Right," she smiled. "And you, Lily?"
"I work for the Daily Prophet," Lily said with a slight smile.
"It's about time someone with half a brain started writing for them," Alice muttered.
Lily's eyes widened slightly. "Well, I only work for the sports section."
"That will change," Alice predicted. She smiled. "I don't mean to speak ill of your coworkers, but the rubbish that the Daily Prophet is printing about the war makes me sick. Our lives would be a hundred times easier if they would do what they're supposed to, and investigate their stories before they print them."
Lily opened her mouth to reply, but was cut off by the pair of arms that were thrown around her shoulders from behind. She jumped, and turned around.
"Congratulations!"
Lily gasped. "Minnie?" she asked incredulously.
"It's me!" Minnie exclaimed. "I can't believe how long it's been since we last saw you!" She pulled back to look at Lily. "You've grown up so much, Lily. I just – I can't believe it!"
"Minnie?"
"James!" Minnie released Lily, and hugged James. "I still can't believe that Dumbledore made you Head Boy!"
"You heard about that, huh?" James laughed.
"Sirius told us when he invited us to the party."
"Is Adam here, then?"
"Of course!" She glanced around the room, and spotted him talking to Peter and Remus. "Come on, I'll take you to him."
"Excuse us," James said to the Longbottoms.
"Oh, no, you need to socialize at your own party," Frank smiled. "We'll have a chance to talk later, I'm sure."
Minnie whisked James and Lily across the room, stopping where the three boys were talking. She grinned, and tapped Adam's shoulder.
"Can you guess who these two are?"
Adam turned, and a grin spread across his face. "James Potter and Lily Evans! Well, look at you. You're all grown up!" He pulled Lily into a hug, then shook James' hand. "I can't believe it! I never thought that the two of you would get married."
"Well, thanks for that vote of confidence," James laughed.
"No, I didn't mean it that way," Adam laughed. "It's just that you were both so young when we graduated – it's weird to think of you as adults, I guess."
Lily looked from Adam to Minnie. "Are you two still together, then?"
"Actually, we're engaged, too," Minnie grinned.
"Congratulations!" Lily squealed, throwing her arms around Minnie. "When's the wedding?"
"October," Minnie replied. "Let me give you some advice. If you haven't started planning everything, start now. It's more work than I ever dreamed!"
Lily laughed. "We'll get started tomorrow."
"Good girl."
"So what else are you two doing with your lives?" Adam asked. "Where are you working?"
"I work for the Ministry," James replied.
"Really?" Adam asked. "What department?"
"International Magical Cooperation."
"I'm in Magical Games and Sports."
"Hey, that's right! I completely forgot!" James exclaimed.
"I wish I had known that you started – I would have been over to visit you." He grinned. "And that's a sacrifice for me – I'd have to see Fudge in action."
"Oh, isn't he horrible?" James asked with a grimace.
"I'm impressed you're able to work with him," Adam said. "You do escape for lunch, right?"
"Yeah. Usually I go out with Laura for lunch – Remus' girlfriend. Have you met her? She works in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement."
"No, I haven't met her yet," Adam said, giving Remus a look.
"I'll take that as a hint to go find her for an introduction," Remus laughed. "Peter, do you know where she is?"
Peter shook his head. "Need help finding her?"
"If you don't mind."
"Not at all."
"What about you, Lily? Where do you work?" Adam asked as Remus and Peter walked off.
"The Daily Prophet."
"So do I!" Minnie exclaimed. She frowned slightly. "What section?"
Lily glanced at Adam. "Sports."
Adam grinned. "I love this girl."
Minnie laughed. "I'm an investigative writer. If you need any help, or just want to talk, please come and find me. My office is on the fifth floor."
"Thanks," Lily replied with a grin.
Remus and Peter reappeared with Laura, who was given her introduction to Adam and Minnie. While the others were engaged in conversation, James grabbed Peter's sleeve.
"Hey," he said.
"Are you having fun?" Peter asked. "Sirius said you were concerned about his party-planning skills, but I think everything is going well."
"The party's great," James grinned. "Sirius did a great job – and I know that you guys helped a fair amount."
Peter shrugged. "You'd do the same for me."
"You bet." James paused, looking at his friend critically. "Are you all right, Peter? We hardly ever hear from you anymore. Is your dad getting worse?"
Peter gave a harsh laugh. "Actually, he's getting better. I always knew he'd pull through just to spite me."
James flinched at the harsh tone his friend was using. "And everything else?"
"It's tough, James," Peter admitted, his face falling slightly. "I'm so glad to be here with you guys, even if it's only for a little while – it makes me feel normal again."
James nodded, even though he had no idea what Peter meant by "normal."
Peter sighed, and ran his hands over his face. When he looked at James again, his eyes were full of pain. "My mum's sick, James."
James' eyes widened. Peter's mother was the most important person to him. If something happened to her . . . "She's seeing a Healer, right?"
"Of course," Peter said. "They just aren't really sure what's wrong with her at this point."
"Oh, man, Peter, I'm sorry. If there's anything I can do, any way I can help . . ."
"I'll let you know," Peter promised. "Just – just keep her in your prayers, all right?"
"Done," James replied without hesitation.
"Hey, Potter, are you in for lunch with Laura and I tomorrow?"
James pulled his eyes away from Peter's face, and looked over at Adam. "Sure," he replied with a smile he didn't really feel. "Anything to get away from Fudge!"
Adam laughed heartily. "If you ever get bored, all you have to do is come up to my office – there's always something going on up there!"
"May I have your attention, please?"
All conversations stopped, and all eyes turned to the center of the room. Sirius pointed his wand at his throat, removing the charm that had magnified his voice.
"Thanks," he said a bit hoarsely. "I want to take this opportunity to thank everyone for attending this party on behalf of James and Lily. And, I also wanted to present them with their engagement gift from Remus, Peter, Olivia, Dana, Laura, and I."
James and Lily moved forward a bit apprehensively. What had their friends done? James was sure that Remus would have made sure it wasn't anything too wild, but still . . .
"Well, it's actually outside, but you can see it from the balcony," Sirius said. "So, if you'll please step this way, we can get a look at it."
"Do you know anything about this?" Lily muttered.
"Not a thing," James replied.
They made it out onto the balcony, where Sirius gave them a triumphant grin. He held his lit wand up like a spotlight, and pointed it down on a car.
"Behold!" he exclaimed.
"You got us a car?" Lily gasped.
"That we did! We figured you'd want to visit your parents from time to time, and that borrowing James' parents' car wouldn't always be easy, so . . . Laura and Dana picked it out. They know more about cars than the rest of us put together. I really hope you like it."
James looked at Lily. Tears shone in her eyes as she threw her arms around Sirius. Her happiness was enough for him. He grinned, and clapped Sirius' shoulder.
"Thanks, mate."
"Sirius, this is the most wonderful thing you've ever done for us!" Lily exclaimed.
Sirius chucked her under the chin. "Anything for James' princess."
***
Lily walked into the Three Broomsticks rather nervously. She was meeting Ludo Bagman for their first interview, and was more than a little concerned. She had been practicing interviews all week with her coworkers, so that wasn't the part that worried her – it was talking to Mr. Bagman that made her knees shake. Talking to an international Quidditch star in and of itself was a bit intimidating, but the fact that he was a Beater only added to her nerves. Although she had never admitted it to anyone, she had always been a bit afraid of the Beaters on the House teams at Hogwarts. She clutched her portfolio tightly as she looked around the bar. Madam Rosmerta noticed her, and crossed to greet her.
"Hi, honey," she smiled. "Where are the boys today?"
"Oh, I'm here on business," Lily replied. "I'm doing an interview for the Daily Prophet."
"Really?" Madam Rosmerta asked, her eyebrows slightly raised. "Who are you meeting?"
"Ludo Bagman."
Madam Rosmerta grinned. "Well, pick a table. I'd certainly know if he was already here. He always has a crowd around him asking for autographs. I can't complain though – they usually buy drinks while they're waiting to talk to him." She winked a Lily. "You find a seat, honey, and I'll send him over to you as soon as he walks in."
"Thanks," Lily said with a feeble attempt at a smile. She looked around, and chose and empty table. Once she was seated, she placed her quill and parchment on the table.
She had only waited about five minutes when the door opened, and Ludo Bagman himself entered the bar. People immediately approached him for autographs, but Madam Rosmerta chased them away. She pointed Lily out, and Ludo nodded briefly, then crossed the bar to join her. Lily smiled, and rose from her seat to greet him.
"Hello, hello!" Ludo said cheerfully. "You must be Miss Evans!"
"Hello, Mr. Bagman," Lily said with a smile. Perhaps he wouldn't be as intimidating as she had feared. He had a little boy-ish quality about him that was rather endearing.
"Please, none of that! Call me Ludo."
Her nerves melted away. "If you prefer."
"I do," he grinned. "Sit down, sit down. I'm sure you have plenty of questions that we need to get through."
"I do," Lily replied, the advice of her editor at the top of her thoughts. "But first, I have to tell you that my fiancé and one of my best friends are huge fans of yours – when we're done with the interview, do you think you could give me autographs to give to them? I think that if I go home empty-handed, they'll throw me out of their lives forever!"
"Well, we can't have that!" Ludo laughed. "Sure, I'd love to give them autographs. They're Quidditch fans?"
"They were both on the Gryffindor team," Lily replied promptly. "My friend, Olivia, was the captain during sixth and seventh year."
"Well, good for them! Are they still playing?"
"No, James works for the Ministry, and Olivia's working on becoming an Auror. For now, they have to settle for watching you play."
Ludo grinned. "Well, I try to make it interesting for them."
"And you do an excellent job," Lily replied. She tapped her quill with her wand and placed it on the parchment to take notes while they talked. "May I begin by asking why you chose to play Quidditch?"
"Oh, that's a great story!" Ludo said enthusiastically.
***
Two hours later, the interview ended. Lily smiled at Ludo as she tucked her quill and several sheets of parchment into her portfolio.
"It's been great talking with you, Ludo," she said. "Thank you so much for agreeing to meet with me today."
"This has been a great interview," Ludo replied with a smile of his own. "If you ever want to do this again, let me know."
"Really?" Lily could already imagine the reactions she was going to get from James and Olivia when she told them that Ludo Bagman was willing to grant her another interview.
"Definitely," Ludo affirmed. He took two pictures from his portfolio, and signed them with flourish. "Here, these are for your fiancé and your friend." He paused, and smiled again. "I've really enjoyed talking with you, Lily, and I'm sure that you'll write this into a great story."
Lily smiled. "I'll send you a copy as soon as it's done."
"Thanks!" Ludo glanced at his watch. "Ugh, I'm going to be late for practice. Tell your fiancé and your friend that I said hello! I'll be waiting for your owl with the story!"
With that, he Dispparated, leaving Lily alone at the table. Madam Rosmerta crossed to talk to her.
"Well! How did it go with Ludo?"
"Very well," Lily replied.
"I thought that it must be, for as long as he was here with you." She glanced down at the autographed pictures on the table. "Are those for James?"
"One's for him, and the other's for Olivia."
Madam Rosmerta grinned. "Good to see that you've gotten on Ludo's good side, Lily."
Lily grinned. "I've got to get back to work, Madam Rosmerta. I'll see you next time."
"You'd just better have all your interviews with Ludo here!" Madam Rosmerta called as Lily prepared to Disapparate. "I like the business it brings!"
Lily was still laughing when she arrived in her office. Elaine looked at her in surprise.
"Well! What are you laughing about?"
"The conversation I just had with Madam Rosmerta at the Three Broomsticks."
"There had better have been a conversation with Ludo Bagman at the Three Broomsticks, or we're going to have words."
"Oh, there was," Lily said quickly. She put her portfolio on her desk, and pulled out the parchment she had used for the interview. She passed it over to Elaine. "And there's the evidence of said conversation."
Elaine's eyes widened as she leafed through the sheets. "I've never seen anyone get so much from Ludo."
Lily shrugged. "I took your advice. I told him all about James and Olivia's obsession with him upfront. He was thrilled to talk about himself."
Elaine laughed. "Well, Lily, I think I can officially call you a natural. I'll expect your story by the end of the day tomorrow."
"No problem," Lily grinned. She was sure that Ludo, James, and Olivia, would expect it even sooner. "Is it all right with you if I run upstairs for a moment before I begin?"
"As long as it gets done, anything's fine by me."
Lily grinned. "Thanks, Elaine. I'll be back in a minute."
"Just make sure you get the story done!"
Lily nodded, and hurried out of the office. She reached the lift, and took it to the fifth floor. She walked slowly down the hall, peering into the offices. Ever since their conversation at her engagement party, Lily had been sure that Minnie would be the one to help her with what was becoming her personal mission. Now, she needed to find her.
"Lily?"
She turned quickly, a smile spreading across her face. "Minnie! I was looking for you!"
"So I assumed," Minnie giggled. "Here, my office is this way."
The two girls went inside, and sat down together. Lily looked around the office, smiling at the many pictures of Minnie and Adam.
"So, what's on your mind?" Minnie asked.
"Well, I think I may need some of your expertise."
"I don't know much about sports," Minnie replied with a smile. "But if you want me to get you in touch with Adam –"
"No, it's not about sports," Lily cut in. "It's about investigation."
"What do you need to investigate?" Minnie asked with a slight frown.
Lily took a deep breath. "Did you know that Dana's dad was killed by Death Eaters?"
"Yeah, I heard about it," Minnie replied. "I wasn't involved in writing the story – it fell under local news, not investigation."
"But it should have been in your department," Lily contradicted. "I think there's more to it than a random act of violence."
Minnie nodded slowly. "One thing I've learned is that the Death Eaters never commit random acts of violence. There's always a method to what they do. But the paper's editors don't necessarily agree. They think there's enough panic, and that enough people think that they're targets without us adding to it."
Lily shook her head. "Minnie, I'm a Muggle-born. I'm in more danger than the average wizard. The thing is, so was Dana's dad. Now, do you think the Death Eaters just happened to attack the area of Diagon Alley were he worked?"
"I see your point, Lil," Minnie said. "Believe me, I've thought the same thing. But the editors don't want –"
"They don't want the truth reported?"
"Not if it makes them look bad."
"But how could it? How could uncovering the truth be a bad thing?"
Minnie smiled. "All right, Lily, I can see where you're going with this. Do you want me to help you find out why Dana's dad was targeted?"
"I just want to find out more about what happened."
Minnie nodded. "All right. I'll put you in touch with some of my contacts, and I'll help you all I can. I just don't know if the paper's going to like it."
"Well, for now, it can be my personal research."
"Fair enough. But if I get called in over this, I'm dragging you down with me."
Lily grinned. "Fair enough," she echoed.
***
"I can't believe it! LUDO BAGMAN wants you to interview him again!" Olivia exclaimed.
Lily laughed. "He was really nice. A bit over the top, but a nice guy."
"I still can't believe you got autographs for us," James grinned. "You're the best, Lil."
"It wasn't hard," Lily smiled. "I just told him that you guys were fans, and he opened right up! He'd probably give me his bank information if I asked. He doesn't seem all that . . ." she trailed off, trying to come up with the right word.
"Intelligent?" Sirius laughed.
All eight Order recruits were at Headquarters, waiting for their trainers to appear. It was the first time they had been late in the month of training, but no one had realized it with the intensity of the conversation that was going on around them. Everyone was now laughing at Sirius' estimation of Ludo Bagman's mental skill.
"Hey, now! That's Ludo Bagman you're talking about!" James exclaimed.
"Yeah, but he's a Beater! I'm sure he's taken a few shots to the head!"
"Probably, but that doesn't make him an idiot," Olivia replied.
"If you say so, love," Sirius said. He glanced at his watch. "Er – have Moody and Longbottom ever been late before?"
"No," Remus said at once. A concerned look crossed his face.
"Do you think something happened?" Peter asked. "Or is in the process of happening?"
"Wouldn't Dumbledore or someone have gotten word to us?" Dana asked.
"I don't –"Olivia's words were cut off as she crumpled to the ground.
"Liv!" Sirius yelled. How had they not heard the spell? Someone had to have said the incantation!
He bent down over Olivia's form, checking for a pulse and to be sure that she was breathing. The others jumped to their feet, wands drawn. They formed a tight cluster, keeping their backs together as they had been taught. They circled around slightly, eyes flitting between the walls, entrances, and ceiling.
"What happened to her?" James muttered.
"Is she all right, Sirius?" Lily asked, her eyes scanning the entrances.
"I don't know," Sirius said. "She's still breathing, but I'm not sure what hit her." He, too, stood to his full height, pulling out his wand. "But whoever did this to her is still here."
"How could they get into Headquarters?" Peter asked. "It has to be someone in the Order. Only they would know how to get here."
"Are you suggesting there's a traitor in the Order?" James asked in shock.
Peter shrugged his shoulders. "It's a possibility, isn't it?"
"No," Remus muttered. "No, it can't be . . ."
Shadowy figures began to appear around the edges of the room, their wands directed at the small cluster of people in the center. They were dressed in dark robes, with masks over their faces.
"Shit," Sirius muttered. "Those are Death Eaters."
"What should we do?" Dana whispered.
"Stun as many as you can," Remus said quietly. "If they start cursing us, fight back with all you have."
"This is it," Sirius muttered. "On three, everyone shoot stunners. Ready?"
"Ready."
"One. Two. THREE!"
He bellowed the last word, and the seven recruits screamed "STUPIFY!" in unison, their spells flying through the air. Their opponents began to fall as the stunners hit them. The remaining Death Eaters advanced rapidly, throwing curses back at them. They were forced to break their clustered formation to fight back. Spells flew through the air to the point where James wasn't sure whom he was hexing. All he knew was that these people had hurt Olivia badly, and they had to defend both her and themselves. It was painfully obvious that they were alone – they had to protect the Order's Headquarters. The Death Eaters were swarming everywhere, their magical ability amazing. How long could they hold out? How long could they fight back? How long before they were all on the ground in crumpled heaps like Olivia?
James was suddenly aware of a bellowing spell cutting through the air. He didn't know who had yelled the incantation, or what spell it was, but everything came to a complete standstill. He was frozen in place.
Slowly, everyone began to move. The recruits tried to scramble to the feet, clutching their wands to continue the battle. But the Death Eaters weren't taking up the fight again. They were removing their robes, and looking at the recruits with approving smiles.
"Good show!"
James blinked as he looked into Moody's face. It was then that it hit him. This had been a test – a test to determine whether they were ready to join the Order. They had been attacked by Order members. They had never been in any real danger. James glanced over at Olivia. She, too, was climbing slowly to her feet.
"That is exactly the response I wanted to see from you," Moody growled. "You worked together, you formed a plan before you acted, and you defended your territory. You lived up to our expectations. You all passed your final test – with flying colors."
"Welcome," Dumbledore beamed, "to the Order of the Phoenix. We are going to introduce you to our members now. Once you have met more people than you will ever remember tonight, you will come with me to sign your official membership documents."
He called each recruit forward to be recognized. Once they had been introduced to the membership, he called the "Death Eaters" forward, introducing them to the new members. Naturally, James recognized his parents, Hagrid, Professor McGonagall, and several others, but most were new faces. He expected that he would learn their names and personalities in time, once he started working closely with them.
James, Sirius, and Remus were all shocked to learn that Dedalus Diggle was a member of the Order. He grinned at them, and waved. His excitement about showing them the flat, and his comment about Dumbledore being happy when they decided to take it suddenly made sense. It was as though the pieces of their lives were suddenly coming together to form a whole picture.
Once the introductions were over, Dumbledore took the recruits to sign their membership documents. He led them to a room off to the side, and looked at all of them with his penetrating stare.
"I want you all to understand that this is not something you may take lightly," he said. "You have more than survived your training – you have excelled, and come out with our shining approval. But now you must do the same in your lives. Now you must risk everything for our cause. Are you prepared to do that?"
Each person in the small room nodded. He looked at each of them in turn, holding their eyes, looking into their thoughts. Finally, he nodded.
"All right, then. When you sign this parchment, you are signing a magical contract that binds you as a member of the Order of the Phoenix. I welcome you all into our ranks."
They signed one by one. As Lily straightened up after signing her name, Dumbledore looked at her closely.
"Miss Evans, it has come to my attention that you have made some interesting connections at the Daily Prophet."
Lily started. "What?"
"Interviews with Ludo Bagman, friends in the investigative section of the paper . . . I would like you use you as I am using Mr. Potter and Miss Bond. I would like for you to do Order work as a part of your job, if you are willing."
Lily smiled. "I'll do anything I can to help the Order, sir."
"Excellent," Dumbledore beamed. "We'll discuss the details later. For now, I believe we have a welcoming party to attend."