Harry smiled inwardly and thought hard.
The headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix may be found at number twelve, Grimmauld Place, London… But as soon as Harry thoughts reached the part about number twelve, the house appeared out of nowhere.
Sirius's house.
Yet another unexpected, unwanted tear trickled down Harry's face, but he hurriedly brushed it away, embarrassed, hoping that nobody had seen it.
But Tonks saw it, and it made her want to cry too. When she looked at Harry now, the melancholy teenager that looked back at her seemed so different than the younger, carefree Harry of whose things she had magically levitated in to a suitcase only a year before. Tonks sighed. She hadn't been close to Sirius like Harry, but she knew how it felt to lose someone very special. And it felt like a part of you was missing.
Harry took a deep breath and pushed open the heavy oak door.
"I'm home!" Harry called out pushing depressing thoughts out of his mind, at least for the time being.
And he truly felt home. As he looked into the hallway of the freshly cleaned house, and saw almost all of the most important people in his life he knew that there was no other place where he truly belonged more.
As Ginny eagerly bounded toward Harry, and planted a kiss on his cheek, Harry blushed and saw Ron staring awkwardly at them. Harry pulled away quickly, realizing that he had enjoyed the embrace.
"Harry!" Hermione called, rushing to give him a friendly hug. "I've missed you so much! How did you do on your O.W.L.S.?"
Seeing Harry's face fall, Ron quickly spoke up, "Hermione you git! Don't be so thick! He just arrived and you're spoiling the moment by bringing up test scores!"
"No Ron," Harry said dejectedly. "It's okay. I just didn't do as well as I had hoped. Not well enough to be and auror, anyway."
"What?" Lupin broke in. "What happened?"
"Potions. I only got an Exceeds Expectations…how did you do Hermione? Perfect as usual?"
"Well…yes," Hermione blushed. "But don't worry about Potions Harry. I'm sure that you can talk to Professor Dumbledore—I'm sure that if you really tried, then—"
"It's fine Hermione,'' Harry broke in. "Really. How'd you do Ron?"
"Um…well…let's just say that I didn't do to well in some classes either."
"What'd ya get in Divination?"
"Troll. But I did pretty well in all of my other classes. I mean I got Outstanding in Herbology, Transfiguration, and Defense Against the Dark Arts," said Ron, casting a quick glance at Hermione.
"Well now, we can talk about test scores later, but I think that the most important thing is how Harry is feeling right now." Said a voice behind Harry.
Harry whirled around. "Professor Dumbledore!"
Dumbledore smiled. "Hello Harry. How are you feeling…after the…er…terrible ordeal you faced last semester?"
"I'm finding ways to deal with it," replied Harry coolly.
The headmaster's smile seemed to vanish. "Harry, could you please step into the kitchen with me? I need to talk to you privately."
Harry did so and he and Dumbledore sat across from each other at the kitchen table.
"Yes?" Harry asked. "Are you finally going to tell me everything I need to know about my life!" He then bit his lip, not meaning to sound so rude.
Dumbledore sighed a long, sad sigh. "I can tell that you still don't fully trust me Harry, but I do wish that you would believe me when I tell you that I only waited until you were older to tell you about the prophecy because I thought it was best. You need to understand that the reason that I didn't tell you that I suspected that Voldemort would try to spy on me through you was because I was protecting you Harry. I was trying to protect you. Please believe me."
Harry was silent for a moment. He thought about all of the times that Dumbledore had come through for him, had saved him from Voldemort.
"I believe you."
Dumbledore smiled, "I'm glad. Now Harry, there's something very important I have to discuss with you.
"It has to do with Sirius."
Harry felt a wave of sadness roll over him.
"What about Sirius?"
"Well, Harry, this may come as a surprise to you, but Sirius knew that he was in danger and that there was a possibility that he could die."
Harry just stared at Dumbledore silently.
"He left this Harry. It's his will. I want you to read it."
My Last Will and Testament, Sirius Black:
I, Sirius Black, hereby leave my house of number twelve Grimmauld Place and all of its possessions to my godchild, Mr. Harry James Potter after he graduates from the school of Hogwarts. Until then, I leave this house into the trust of Albus Dumbledore, headmaster of Hogwarts. He is instructed give the house and all of its possessions to Harry after his last semester at the school.
Sirius BlackHarry was speechless. "Wow," he muttered to himself. How could Sirius know that he was thinking about not attending Hogwarts this year because he didn't want to endanger his friends with Voldemort constantly lurking around him.
Dumbledore looked hard at Harry, and, after what seemed like hours but was only seconds, asked him what was the matter.
"It's just that—Well—I don't want—"
Dumbledore waited patiently.
"Well, I was just considering not going to Hogwarts this year because I don't want to put my friends in danger. If Voldemort finds another way to come to Hogwarts to attack me…I just don't want to be responsible for someone else's death."
"Harry," Dumbledore said sharply. "How many times do I have to tell you? You are NOT responsible for Sirius's death!"
Harry just sighed.
"Furthermore," Dumbledore continued, "If you want to eventually vanquish Voldemort, then it is essential that you get fully educated."
Just the Mrs. Weasley burst in the door. "Harry! How are you? It is so good to—"
She stopped suddenly looking from Harry to Dumbledore.
"I—I'm sorry. Was I interrupting anything?"
"No!" Harry yelped, a bit too loudly, glad to have an excuse to end the conversation. "Nothing at all."
"Well, I was just thinking you might want some lunch, Harry. Ron, Hermione, and Ginny are in the living room eating some sandwiches."
"Okay," Harry replied quickly.
Harry went into the living room and ate lunch with Ron and Hermione. They were just beginning to put away their dishes when Fred and George came bounding in.
"Harry, darling! So lovely to see you!" Fred called out.
"Yes darling! We've missed you oh so much!" George said loudly.
Ginny shook her head and rolled her eyes.
"What? Just greeting an old friend," Fred laughed after seeing Ginny.
Harry laughed along with them. "Lovely to see you too. Come to think of it, I haven't heard a joke from you two since your dramatic exit from Hogwarts last semester."
"Well, we didn't want to be forgotten," Fred grinned.
"Trust me, you won't be," Hermione came up behind them. Even she usually followed every single rule, she could not help but agree that last year's temporary Headmistress, the cruel Professor Umbridge, had deserved it.
"So," said Harry. "What have you and Fred been doing now that you're out of school?"
"Well…" George answered, "Our Joke Shop is up and running."
"And it's VERY successful…business is booming" continued Fred. "It's in Diagon Alley, so maybe when we go to get your school supplies, we can show it to you."
"As long as we're not too busy with our assignment for the Order," George smirked.
"What!" Harry yelped. He liked Fred and George a lot, but he could not believe that two jokesters such as themselves would be allowed in the Order.
"I know it's hard to believe," Ginny said. "But get used to it. They been doing 'top secret' missions all summer."
"Like what?" asked Harry.
"Don't bother," muttered Ron. "They won't tell"
"Of course we'll tell!" said Fred.
"Really?" Hermione and Ginny asked unanimously.
"Sure," said George. "We'll tell Harry."
"Tell Harry what?" asked Mrs. Weasley, stepping into room.
"Er…nothing," Fred answered quickly.
"They were just about to tell Harry about the things they do in the Order," muttered Ron darkly.
"Excuse me? I hope this isn't true," said Mrs. Weasley, staring angrily at the twins. "Because this is the final straw! YOU TWO ABSOLUTLEY DO NOT TAKE YOUR JOBS SERIOUSLY! MOREOVER, THEY ARE VERY IMPORTANT, CONFIDENTIAL JOBS! YOU DO NOT GIVE AWAY THE ORDER'S SECRETS THIS EASILY TO JUST ANYONE! DO YOU UNDERSTAND?"
"But Mum!" protested Fred. "Harry isn't just anyone! Just because me and George aren't as serious as Percy—"
Fred stopped, knowing he had gone too far.
"DON'T YOU BRING PERCY INTO THIS!" Mrs. Weasley looked angry, frustrated, and sad all at the same time.
"You'd better watch it!" she snarled.
She whirled around a walked off. "Just wait until your father hears about this…"
"Now you've really done it!" George muttered angrily, glaring at Ron.
"I was just—…"
"Save it," snapped Fred. "C'mon George, let's go upstairs."
Harry sighed. Why did Ron have to open his big mouth? He glared at him and
trudged upstairs.
He knocked on the door of the twins' room, and when he didn't receive an answer, he went in.
"Oh hi, Harry. Come on in," Fred and George were sprawled out on their beds.
"Hi."
"Look Harry, about telling you…"
"No wait. Don't tell me about it. I don't want to get you guys in any more trouble."
"It wasn't you. It was our blabbermouth little brother," said George frowning.
"But listen Harry," said Fred, suddenly serious. " There…There's a reason the Mom doesn't want you to know."
"Yeah, I know," said Harry. "Because I'm under age."
"No…" said George "Not because of that. It's because well… there's this prophecy…I mean…well you see…Voldemort…"
"What?" Harry sat up, suddenly alert. "Tell me. Now."
"I don't know," said George.
"I have an idea!" Fred announced. "There's an Order meeting tonight, and I'm sure we're going to discuss it. Why don't we lend you some Extendable Ears? That way you can hear what we're saying without us telling you."
"Okay."
Harry was thoughtful. A prophecy that had to do with Voldemort? Was it the same prophecy he had found out about last year? Why hadn't Professor Dumbledore told him about this? Unless he didn't know of course… But he had to have known! How else would everyone else known about it? Maybe he had been wrong to trust Dumbledore again….
"Lunch!" Mrs. Weasley called from downstairs.
"See you later Harry," said George.
"And, please, don't tell Ron," said Fred. "We know he's your best mate and all, but he's also a big fat blabbermouth!"
Lunch and dinner passed quickly, as Harry spent most of his afternoon re-acquainting with members of the Order. It seemed to him that Lupin, Hermione, Mrs. Weasley, and Moody wanted to bring up the subject of Sirius, but Harry didn't feel like discussing it. Every time that one of them would start to get close to talking about it, Harry would abruptly change the subject, which seemed to worry Mrs. Weasley.
Finally, Mr. Weasley announced that the Order of the Phoenix was almost ready to have its meeting, so could Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny please go to bed. The others protested, but Harry did not. He went upstairs without a complaint, winking at Fred and George.
About twenty minutes after they were in bed, the meeting started. Luckily for Harry, Ron went to sleep surprisingly fast. As soon as he heard him snoring, he crept downstairs, only missing about the first five minutes. He attached his Extendable Ears and listened.
"Listen," said Kingsley. "I've really got to get going, so can we talk about…the prophecy now?"
"Yes Dumbledore," said Lupin. "Why don't you tell your story?"
"Okay," replied Dumbledore. "Well, if I remember right, I informed all of you about the prophecy that I had told Harry about last June."
"Yes, y-you did," said Mrs. Weasley in a shaky voice.
Harry gasped. He couldn't believe that Dumbledore had just told everyone about it without asking him; He hadn't even told Ron and Hermione yet.
"What was that?" asked Tonks. "I thought I heard something."
"No-no," said Fred. "I didn't hear anything."
"Anyway," Dumbledore continued, "there was another prophecy I heard that night that I did not tell Harry about. I believe that it contained directions to a specific way that Voldemort is to be vanquished. From what I understand, Voldemort knows nothing of this prophecy."
Harry could not help but gasp.
"Okay, this time I know I heard something!" Tonks said.
Harry had had enough. He was furious. He burst unrepentantly into the meeting.
"YOU DID HEAR SOMETHING!" he yelled. "YOU HEARD ME! I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT YOU GUYS JUST DISCUSS ME AND NOT EVEN TELL ME ABOUT HOW I COULD VANQUISH THE GUY THAT I AM EVENTUALLY GOING TO HAVE TO VANQUISH!" He looked at Dumbledore. "AND YOU! HOW DARE YOU TELL EVERYONE ABOUT THE SECRET PROPHACY IN WHICH I HAVEN'T EVEN TOLD MY FRIENDS ABOUT!" He knew he was becoming hysterical now but he didn't care. "HOW COULD YOU GUYS? I'VE BEEN THROUGH MORE THAN MOST OF YOU AND YOU JUST SIT THERE AND ACT LIKE I COULDN'T HANDLE IT!"
"Are you done now Harry?" asked Lupin. He had asked the question calmly, but he couldn't disguise the fact from Harry that he was very angry.
Harry nodded, not at all regretting what he'd done.
"How did you hear everything we said Harry?" asked Moody. "I thought that Arthur had put a spell on the door that could only be broken with-"
"EXTENDABLE EARS!" boomed Mrs. Weasley. "And let's see… who would be the only ones who had them to give to Harry?" she asked, her voice eerily calm.
"Aww…Mum. Come off it. We just believed that Harry was old enough to hear about the prophecy. We care about him." Fred pleaded.
"Are you trying to say that I don't?" said Mrs. Weasley, her eyes flashing. "It wasn't my idea not to tell him. It was Dumbledore's!"
This piece of information visibly surprised Fred and George as mush as it did Harry.
"What?" Harry whispered. Then, his voice growing louder as he spoke, he said
"Professor Dumbledore. I-I thought that you were completely honest with me last June when you said you told me everything you knew!"
"What's going on?"
Everyone turned around and saw Ron, Ginny, and Hermione.
"I thought you three were asleep!" Mrs. Weasley said.
"Well it's kind of hard to sleep with Harry yelling."
Harry looked at the ground as Mrs. Weasley began to speak.
"Harry here," she said in a shaky forced-calm voice, "used an Extendable Ear to have a listen in on what tonight's Order meeting was about."
Their eyes widened.
"What was it about!" Ron asked Harry.
Harry shook his head.
Mrs. Weasley began to speak again, "Ronald, Ginny, Hermione, I want you all upstairs now. Harry dear, what you have just heard, we will discuss another time. But now is not that time. I want all of you upstairs and in bed, now." Mrs. Weasley added the "now" forcefully.
They all went upstairs in a melancholy manner, except for Harry who had an aggressive, angered look on his breath, while muttering angrily under his breath.