II
My Trial
Later that afternoon I was playing chess against Lizzie and winning. This was surprising. I am no good at chess. Dorcas Meadowes, Moody, Frank and Leenie had gone to work, and everyone that had stayed here was napping. I wasn't sure what Dumbledore was doing—he was sitting in an overstuffed armchair staring at a book. He had not turned the page in over an hour and a half. The house seemed frozen in time, the crickets, the sun, and our chess match the only signs that time was still passing.
Emmeline Vance came downstairs carrying a letter. "Has anyone got an owl?" she asked. Her voice was quiet, as if she was afraid to disturb the afternoon silence. "Mine's elsewhere, but Dumbledore wanted me to get this out today." She glanced at me. "It's the notice about the conference in your honor, Remus."
"I haven't got an owl," I said. "I should get one…."
"You should," Lizzie agreed. "Doc's is in the barn, I think. You could borrow it." Emmeline nodded and started toward the kitchen door. "Hey—is Dumbledore asleep?"
She went to his chair and looked. She waved her hand in front of him. "I think he's daydreaming very hard." Emmy went outside, and I moved my pawn.
"Do you think I'll make it?" I asked Lizzie.
She looked sharply at me. "Do you think you will?"
I stared out the window. There was a caterpillar crawling on it. "I don't know. I'm a—well there's something—"
"We all know you're a werewolf, Remus. Dumbledore told us. It's a good thing. Well, it is if you're in the Order, I imagine."
"How could it possibly be a good thing?" I said hollowly.
"If we have you, we could have more. The werewolves' loyalties are going to come into question sooner or later. If we have you, we have someone who can speak to them on their own terms." She paused. "Voldemort would really like to have you and your kind on his side. With werewolves on his side, he could add a whole new facet to his terrorizing scheme. That's why they wanted me, Hagrid, and Emmy. I know trolls, Hagrid's a half-giant with a heart of gold, and Emmy works at the Goblin Liaisons. All of those are potential scale-tippers. Particularly the goblins because they run the banks."
"I never thought about that."
"You should have." Each of us made a move before she asked, "Do you happen to know any other werewolves?"
"Well, I know of one…but I'd say we're not really on speaking terms at this point…."
"What do you mean?"
"Never mind. I haven't met him, and I don't want to, is what I'm trying to say."
She gave me a glance that made me think that she knew exactly what I was talking about. There was no more said for the rest of the game.
The next afternoon, people began arriving for my trial—I can't think of a better word for it. Dedalus Diggle, Rubeus Hagrid (the half-giant with a heart of gold—I liked him), Sturgis Podmore, Fabian Prewett (unfortunately, his brother Gideon couldn't make it), Edgar Bones, and Elphias Doge (wearing a neon green and orange beanie). There were fifteen people, not including me. The dining room was a bit crowded at dinnertime.
After the meal, we moved into the living room. Chairs were conjured, and everyone sat in a three-quarter circle. I stood near the door, unsure whether I was supposed to go or stay.
"Remus, we will call you later," Dumbledore said. "Until then, no eavesdropping." I attempted a smile, then returned to the kitchen and shut the door. I played solitaire nervously for a very long time. I believe the conference had gone for three hours, until ten o'clock, before Dumbledore opened the door.
"We are ready for you now," he said quietly. When he had shut the door, he indicated a plain wooden chair near the door. I sat in it, trying not to fidget. I would not look like a kid with stage fright.
"Now," Dumbledore began formally, "I believe Eliza has informed you of the things we expect of you as relate to werewolves…."
I glanced at Lizzie. Eliza…. "Yes, she did." She gave no sign that she had noticed I was looking—everyone's faces were blank and stern. This felt more like a trial than ever.
"Will you be prepared, Remus, to go to Wales, Scotland, Ireland, Scandinavia possibly, to speak with the werewolves in the reserves in those countries?"
"Um...If I had to…yes, I would, Professor."
"Good. Also—"
The glass of water Doc had been balancing on his knee fell off. Nobody seemed to notice. I flicked my wand at it, and it stopped in midair.
Doc lifted it. "To you, Remus. You passed one test—ten out of ten. Wand on your person, constant vigilance—" Moody made an annoyed sound—"quick decision. Excellent."
"A test…." I hissed to myself. I looked around the circle. What other tests were there?
"Also," Dumbledore continued as if there had been no interruption, "you especially will need to be on your guard for offers and messages of any kind from Voldemort."
"I heard of that, Professor." Suddenly there was a funny feeling in my head. Everything seemed to have gone underwater. Everyone was blurry, and Dumbledore was saying something, but I couldn't quite hear what. Stop that, I said in my head.
Why don't you go to the center of the room? said another voice in my head. I started getting up, then stopped. You really ought to go…Still I hesitated. Go NOW!
"What is going on?" I snapped. Everything burst back into focus, and I fell back in my chair with a groan. I had a terrible headache all of a sudden.
"You passed the second test," Lizzie said. "I'm really sorry about that. It's illegal but unfortunately necessary."
Slowly I put two and two together. "Did…did you put the Imperius Curse on me?"
"I said I was sorry." A tear rolled down Lizzie's face. I felt, as did the people sitting near her, that she was about to explode.
"It's fine, Lizzie, it's totally fine. Just don't do it again without telling me. And try to avoid giving me a headache." She flashed a watery smile, then buried her face in her hands and sobbed. Leenie led her out of the room.
"The main duty of he Order of the Phoenix," Dumbledore said, "is to watch. We keep our eyes open and report any good signs, bad signs, potential changes in tactics or standings on either side—the ourselves, the Death Eaters, and the Ministry. Report is the important word. You are never to go off on your own and fight the forces of evil, Remus, do I make myself clear?"
"Yes, sir."
"And the Ministry is not to notice that we are doing anything as a group. Secrets have a way of finding the ears of the wrong people through the Ministry, and the Minister is concerned that I may be out of his control—which I am," he added smugly. "If he knew of this, he would think it was an army I was going to use to overthrow his system and bring in my own, and he would proceed to have me silenced. A coup d'état is not entirely out of the question, but I hope it is never a seriously considered plan."
Suddenly my headache intensified. I felt as though something were moving through my brain, looking for things. Suddenly I saw mist clearing in the seventh floor mirror, and the dog was running toward me—
No! You aren't allowed to see that! I shouted in my head. The picture went away and the headache subsided. "Is that all?" I said angrily. "Are you quite finished?"
"I'm sorry, Remus," Dumbledore said meekly. "It was the last test."
"Legilimency?"
"Yes…how did you know?" He smiled. "Of course, I am asking a Marauder. I'm sure Sirius or James ran across it somewhere."
"Peter, actually."
His eyes narrowed briefly. "That brings me to my next point. We have also been talking about your friends. It has been decided that your first mission for the Order of the Phoenix—when you join, which I assume will be within the hour—will be to recruit James, Sirius and Peter."
"What about Lily?" I asked.
"I think that would be a good idea."
"I'll do it."
"Well then." Dumbledore shifted slightly in his chair. "Do you consent, from this day—night—until the dissolution of the Order of the Phoenix, your departure from it, or your death to be constantly on your guard for any activity from Lord Voldemort or any of his followers, or any group that intends or is being used to endanger by magical means the people of the world, wizard or Muggle?"
When I had sorted through the until's, and's, and or's of that sentence and found the parts that were questionable, I answered: "I consent." To this day, I don't know why I didn't just say "yes."
Dumbledore sat down. "Benjy?"
Benjy stood up and I prepared my mind for another assault. Benjy Fenwick raised a camera and took my picture. I saw purple spots, and my headache buzzed angrily. When the picture came out of the camera, Benjy Fenwick put in a frame and put several charms on it.
"It tells us when you are in danger and where you are," he explained. "We have a picture of every member of the Order in a room here." He looked sympathetically at me. "It's a work in progress. You undoubtedly know that it doesn't always give ample warning." He picked up the picture he had taken out of the frame and gave it to me. It was a picture of my parents, and they were perfectly still.
A/N: Reviews? Anyone?
