tomoyo7- Ginny is angry because Harry will not reciprocate his feelings for her. Cho doesn't feel that it's right to be with Harry because she thinks that he will want to be with her through a 'duty', (see what happened to The Little Potter I). You will find out more about all of them later. I'm glad you think this story is exciting and I hope you will keep reading.
El Permanente- I won't say what will happen, you'll just have to keep reading. : ) I think you'll find this chapter pretty interesting.
Music213- Read on for the Order meeting!
Quiddich7- You'll see A LOT of Ron and Hermione in chapters 8 or 9 (don't remember which chapter). They are so much fun to write about. And there weren't too many deaths at Diagon Alley. Just one.
Chapter 7- The Reunion of the Order
Arthur arrived at a grimy clutter of houses. Carefully looking around, he looked ahead, closed his eyes and opened them again. A large house had suddenly appeared in front of him, yet no one else seemed to notice. Two teenagers with heavy chains walked on, talking in low voices.
Arthur stepped inside the cold, damp house and silently walked through the hallway and opened a door to the right. Inside sat about a dozen grave witches and wizards around a table. They looked startled as the door opened and one of them gasped. Suddenly, Arthur found himself cornered with a dozen wands pointing at him.
"Good to see you Arthur." Dumbledore greeted. He tapped Arthur's head with his wand and the Disillusionment Charm wore off. The other wizards and witches looked relieved and sat down, wands out of sight. Dumbledore shook Arthur's hand. The others all nodded or greeted Arthur and offered him a chair.
"What's going on?" he asked, trying not to sound panicked.
"Attack at Diagon Alley…murder of a young witch, Edna Loystein." Podmore answered somberly. He shook his head. "Murder of the innocent is always the most devastating."
"Loystein?" Arthur repeated, thinking hard. Where had he heard that name before?
The door opened and Bill Weasley stepped in, followed by Ron and Hermione.
They greeted the room and were offered chairs.
"Where's your mother?" Arthur asked Bill.
"She isn't here yet?" Bill asked, surprised. "Did Tonks contact her?"
"Here I am," A male voice announced. They turned to meet the same young man that was at the Ministry. A minute later, he emerged as Tonks. "Your mother is on her way."
A few minutes later, everyone from the Order arrived except for Severus Snape and Fred and George Weasley.
Harry frowned at the absence of Snape. Where had he gone? Harry looked over at Hermione and Ron. They seemed to have read his mind. Ron shrugged and Hermione gave Harry the 'if he is not here, I'm sure he's on Dumbledore's orders' sort of look. Dumbledore cleared his throat and Harry looked up to his former headmaster.
"Does anyone know of Edna Loystein?" Dumbledore asked, surveying the room.
There was a slight murmur amongst the crowd, but no one spoke up.
"She was murdered at Diagon Alley." Dumbledore announced. Podmore shook his head sadly.
"Well, Dumbledore," Moody growled. "I think we all know why a regular pedestrian would be murdered. She knew something."
"But why would anybody tell her anything?" Ron asked.
"Could've overheard…you know, these Death Eaters are sticking together very strongly. Not like last time when the large of them pretended to be under the Imperius Curse straight away."
"Yes…" Elphias Doge noted, thinking. "Why are they sticking together so closely? Last time they were coming back left and right, swearing they were forced or bewitched…you don't think Voldemort is back?"
At this name, a few of the members shuddered.
"Not You-Know-Who!" Ron exclaimed. He shot a look at Harry. "Didn't Harry…I mean, he was defeated!"
"I'm pretty sure he is not back." Dumbledore answered seriously. "However…I do have reason to suspect that there is activity to bring him back…an ancient spell or some sort of curse for borrowing a life. I also have an assumption that they may be following a new leader."
"A new leader?" Moody said sharply. "Who could that be?"
Dumbledore sighed gravely and looked around the room.
"Malfoy." Harry muttered immediately. Ron and Hermione sighed.
"He's too inexperienced." Hermione whispered to Harry. "They would never elect him."
"He is not!" Harry whispered back. "And what about his dad?"
"The Fountain of Youth has been sought after recently." Dumbledore announced, breaking up their argument.
"The what?" Ron asked, scratching his head, but Hermione suddenly sat up very still.
"You mean there is such a thing?" Hermione gasped, her eyes widening. "I've read about it in books, but they said it was all a legend or that the Fountain dried up centuries ago!"
"There is indeed such a place. Many centuries ago, a witch conjured up an ancient spell to heal her heart. She suffered from unrequited love and thus became so angry that she thought that affections of the heart were a curse, rather than a blessing." Dumbledore paused. "She allowed everyone to drink from the Fountain in order to numb their feelings of love. But many wizards and witches were greedy. It got to be so complicated that rarely anyone could go near the Fountain again because of its protections. I've heard that the only way to reach the Fountain and to take some of its water is for one to be completely pure. Only one who is of pure heart, to cry tears of grief into the Fountain…tears of grief mourning a loss…to actually receive the water for healing."
"And whoever drinks the water receives a prolonged life and ever-lasting youth?" Moody asked suspiciously. "Sounds too good to be true."
Dumbledore nodded. "Some say it is too good to be true, that the water from the Fountain will also curse the drinker. You see, the Fountain is a reflection of worldly love. It is a symbol is beauty and youth and not of love from the heart. Therefore whoever drinks the water will not be able to feel love from their hearts again. And the Fountain cannot be contaminated by those who cry false tears or for those who are not pure of heart. In a way, the drinker exchanges their heart for worldly beauty."
"Why would anyone want that?"
"Because whoever drinks the water is also healed from the grief they suffer. The Fountain is a blessing because it makes the drinker numb from feeling emotions that are overwhelming. Few people have even tried to reach the Fountain because of the difficulty of finding it. Many doubt they are pure enough to cry tears that would enable them to have a cup full of the water."
"And what happens if someone cries false tears?" Lupin asked.
"The magic in the Fountain will cease to work. The Fountain, as opposed to making the drinker numb from feeling, emphasizes emotions so much that the drinker can die of a broken heart."
There was a very quiet silence in the room. The only sound that could be heard was from Ron, who was mindlessly tapping his chair with his foot.
Dumbledore took a deep breath. "There are other matters to be discussed. There has been an attempt to reach the Fountain recently and it wasn't successful. The pursuer never quite found it, but they were very close."
"Who was it?" Harry asked, a feeling of dread coming over him. He was thinking of the only man that would want the water. A man who wasn't even human, not near enough. A man thought to be dead…but that man was not pure…
"I do not know." Dumbledore answered truthfully. "I cannot see a connection between the murder at Diagon Alley and the pursuit of the Fountain of Youth. But meanwhile, I want everyone to be on their guard. Especially you, Harry."
"Why me?" Harry asked with a sigh. He refrained himself from saying 'Again?'
Dumbledore looked at him from behind his spectacles.
"Who else has a heart likes yours, Harry?"
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"We should find the remaining Death Eaters right away, what are we waiting for?" Ginny demanded. They were leaving the Order in twos and threes. Ginny looked around to make sure no one was watching. She and Harry walked down the street a few blocks before Disapparating.
"You can't do that!" Harry spoke disapprovingly.
Ginny frowned. "Why not? Just let the Death Eaters come and kill us all?"
"I don't think you should go searching for them, Ginny." Harry said, feeling extremely uncomfortable of the idea of Ginny Weasley marching over to a group of Death Eaters and demanding a duel.
Ginny gave Harry a glare. "Don't order me around, Harry. I'm in the Order you know. You're not the only one who wants to defeat---"
"I know that!" Harry replied angrily. "Why do you have to get so reckless about it anyway? Do you see anyone else having the idea you do? Dumbledore wants us to be careful. And even if we are going to duel, you wouldn't be first choice."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Ginny raised her voice.
"It means that not all Order members are for fighting. Auror members obviously will fight first. Being in the Order doesn't mean to duel all the time. We need people like Mundungus for spying. You too, Ginny."
Harry and Ginny stared at each other and did not speak for a long silence. Ginny was furious and Harry felt extremely upset at her energy for risk. Who's she to jump around to pick fights all the sudden?
Suddenly, Harry felt his cheek stinging in burning pain and a loud sound breaking the silence. Ginny had slapped him and then without looking back at his shocked face, she Disapparated.
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Mr. and Mrs. Weasley returned to the Burrow with Bill. Bill insisted on seeing his parents home before he returned to his apartment where Fleur was waiting. He was especially worried about his mother. ("Why is it always Harry? I thought he was safe! I thought it had ended and everyone could settle down. He's been through so much. I am concerned. What will he have to do this time? Didn't Dumbledore say you-know-who is gone?') Although he knew it was in his mother's habits to fuss over everyone, he was concerned for her health. She had been looking thinner and more tired lately. With the Burrow under prospect from the Ministry, Dad working long hours at the Ministry, the sudden attack at Diagon Alley and now Dumbledore's announcement, he was sure his mother would be constantly checking up on everyone.
"I hope Fred and George are alright," Mrs. Weasley said worriedly as she went to set the tea in a large kettle. "I'll just go and see if they're safe. It's not too late is it?"
She conjured up flames in the fireplace and stuck her head in.
"Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes!" she said clearly. "Fred? George?"
There was no response.
"Well, their shop seems fine," she called to Arthur and Bill. "Maybe they're just sleeping."
She pulled her head out of the flames and looked at Arthur for reassurance. Arthur patted her shoulder and tried to smile encouragingly. He looked at Bill.
"I'll go stop by their shop, Mum." Bill announced.
"Thank you, dear." Mrs. Weasley said, kissing Bill on the cheek before he stepped into the fireplace with some floo powder.
"Be back soon." Bill said before disappearing into the flames.
"Here Molly," Arthur said, giving her a cup of tea. "You should head back to bed. I'll wait for Bill."
"No, no," Molly shook her head. "I have to make sure they're safe." She sat down on the couch and took a sip of tea. "You put firewhiskey in this, didn't you?"
Arthur grinned sheepishly. He sat down and patted Molly's hand. "Sorry dear, but you seemed distracted and---"
"Oh never mind." Molly replied and continued drinking her tea. She rested her head against Arthur's chest and enjoyed the warmth. "Do you remember when we first bought the Burrow?"
Arthur smiled and stroked Molly's hair. "Of course, dear. And it wasn't as tall as it is now. I think I only magicked in two bedrooms at that time."
"And then we had more boys so we had to build more rooms."
"Yes, I remember the early years when none of them were at Hogwarts yet. It was like having a circus in our home."
"And Fred and George. Remember when they were toddlers? Oh, they were worse than Bill or Charlie…" Molly drifted off and tears brimmed her eyes. "I hope they're alright."
"They are. You know Fred and George, they always manage to come out of sticky situations."
Molly's voice quivered. "But those were when they got in trouble for misbehaving. If they upset a D-Death Eater. They w-won't be as lucky."
"Fred and George aren't foolish enough to do that." Arthur said firmly. He looked at the fireplace and wished Bill would emerge soon. He, too, felt very worried about Fred and George. Where could they be? Surely they couldn't have been kidnapped by Death Eaters…but why Fred and George? All they did was run a joke shop…
The flames roared emerald green and Bill Weasley stepped out of the flames looking grave.
"What is it?" Mrs. Weasley asked immediately. "What's wrong?"
Bill ran his fingers through his hair and tried to smile confidently at his mother who looked very frightened all the sudden.
"What happened to them?" she asked immediately. "Do not lie to me Bill Weasley, tell me what happened to your brothers!"
Bill sat down next to his parents and gave a sigh. He didn't speak for a moment, only looked straight ahead, wondering if he should indeed tell his mother the truth. The news would outrage her…yet she would probably find out sooner or later anyway.
"Fred and George have been…arrested." Bill said at last.
"WHAT!" Mr. and Mrs. Weasley both jumped up.
"Mum, dad," Bill said. "Please, sit and let me explain."
"Oh, what did they do this time?" Mrs. Weasley demanded.
"The Ministry thinks that they were helping Death Eaters," Bill saw his parents' horrific faces of alarm and said quickly, "They are wrong, of course. It's all Umbridge's work. She claimed that Fred and George sold products to Death Eaters on purpose. They didn't of course. They didn't know who was who that came into their store."
Mrs. Weasley's face was murderous. "I knew it…I knew that they would get in trouble for their products---"
"What now?" Mr. Weasley asked.
"They're in Azkaban awaiting their court trial.
"Azkaban?" Mrs. Weasley exclaimed, putting a hand over her heart. Her expression changed immediately. "Oh, my poor little dears!"
"But why should they be sent to prison?" Mr. Weasley frowned.
"Umbridge wanted to make sure they didn't sell any more products in the meantime. And she closed down their shop."
"We'll have to see them, Arthur!" Mrs. Weasley exclaimed, turned to her husband.
"When is their court hearing?"
"In two weeks."
"Oh, I can't bear to think of my sons locked up in that dreadful place. Could you get permission from the Ministry for a visit, Arthur?"
Mr. Weasley looked at his wife and said somberly, "I don't think you want to go there, Molly. Best thing to do is just wait until the court hearing. I think we'll be wanted at witnesses---"
"I have to go! I can't have those poor little dears all alone in prison! I'll have to bring them sweaters. You see what you can do at the Ministry. We'll go tomorrow if they allow it." Mrs. Weasley said in a firm, final tone as she got up and went to her knitting basket.
Bill and Mr. Weasley waited until Mrs. Weasley went upstairs with her knitting before they spoke again.
"What's the punishment if they don't win the case?" Mr. Weasley asked quietly.
"Could be up to twenty years in Azkaban."
Mr. Weasley's face turned pale as he thought of his twin sons, shivering in the cold of that dreadful prison. The Dementors rattled by the chambers every day and night and hard stone made no comfort in either warmth or sleep.
He knew that the twins hadn't meant any harm in their products, but nevertheless, he thought they ought to have been more careful in just what they were selling. Headless Hats were harmless, but Cursing Crimpers were another story. As were Nose-Bleeding Nougats. Merlin knew what would happen without the antidote…
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A/N: For those careful readers, you may have found several small clues in this chapter leading on to future events. As always, please review!