Chapter 23
The Return of the Phoenix

A/N: All right, this story just became more than just a romance tale. It has gotten much more serious than that. I have decided to make it a little more interesting and I hope you will still enjoy it. Oh, and if you are confused about the title of this chapter, I will give you a clue. It has nothing to do with Fawkes! Anyway, I am talking too much... read on and enjoy!

Romeo looked like he was about to faint. Jamie helped him over to the nearest bench and sat down beside him.

"Dead?" Romeo asked in a tone that Jamie had never heard from him.

"I am sorry, Romeo," Harry said again.

"Who did it?" Romeo said, "It was my father, wasn't it?"

"We don't know yet," Harry said.

"Dad?" said a voice behind Harry.

Harry and Jamie looked up. James was standing with Richie, Jane and Joseph.

"What is going on?" James said.

"Romeo's mother was found murdered this morning," Harry said, "The Dark Mark was found above Malfoy Mansion."

James and Richie both opened their mouths in shock. Jane covered her mouth with her hands, her eyes shining with tears.

"The Dark Mark?" Joseph asked, "But... that hasn't been seen for..."

"Nearly eighteen years," Harry said, "That's right."

"Dad?" James said, "People are starting to stare."

Jamie looked around. James was right. People were stopping in their tracks to see what was going on.

"Yeah," Harry said, "All right, we need to get out of here. We are all going to go to the Ministry of Magic. Jane, Richie, Joseph, you are going to come with us. I was supposed to pick you up anyway. Your parents will meet us at the Ministry. All right, you lot... follow me. A couple of Aurors will take care of your trunks. Romeo... do you need help?"

"N-no, sir," Romeo said, his voice shaking.

Jamie helped Romeo up and everyone followed Harry out to the front of the train station. Three Ministry cars were waiting for them. Jamie, Romeo and Harry took the front car. When the drivers in the other two cars gave a sign, the cars took off.

Jamie looked over at Romeo, who was staring out the window. He had a blank stare on his face, but was showing no sign of crying. Jamie couldn't help but think of what Romeo told her on the train. Jamie knew that Romeo's father was most likely the one who murdered Pansy Malfoy. For all Jamie knew, Draco was the only one alive who could cast the Dark Mark.

"Dad?" Jamie asked, "Why would Dra... someone... cast the Dark Mark if Voldemort is gone?"

"The Dark Mark wasn't just Voldemort's mark, Jamie," Harry said, "It was the sign of the Death Eater as well. There were Dark Marks in the sky months after Voldemort was gone. Everyone who respected Voldemort, and still believed in the Dark Arts, would cast the Dark Mark in the sky after they killed someone."

"So, does that mean that it was my father who did it?" Romeo said, "He is the only Death Eater still alive, isn't he?"

"We don't really know, Romeo," said Harry, "Your father is the only Death Eater reported to still be alive... but it doesn't mean there aren't others. At least that is what some of the Aurors believe."

"But you don't think there are more Death Eaters out there, Dad," Jamie said, "Do you?"

"I don't know," said Harry, "I hope not."

Jamie looked back at Romeo. Even though the situation had gotten much worse, Jamie was still thinking about her relationship with Romeo. Would he want to keep this relationship with her, now that his life had turned upside down?

Jamie then looked at her father. Her own father didn't even know about Jamie's relationship with Romeo. But could she tell him about it? What would he say? Nearly twenty-four hours ago, Jamie had been thinking inside that when the time had come to tell her father, that she would be able to tell him and was sure he would be happy. But now it seemed like everything was falling apart. Jamie's father may not have been saying it, but she was sure he was thinking that Romeo was in serious danger. Jamie was sure that she wouldn't be able to see Romeo anymore if she told her father about them. He might even do something crazy to make sure it didn't happen. But Jamie couldn't let that happen. She cared too much for Romeo to be taken out of his life. And now it seemed like that could happen any moment now.

Jamie couldn't believe this was happening. It seemed like the Yule Ball had happened a month ago, when it had only happened the night before. Jamie remembered how she had been having the best night of her life in the Great Hall, and all the time she, and nearly everyone else in the world, was clueless of the events that would be taking place later that night. Inside, this made her feel guilty. She could just imagine what had happened in Malfoy Mansion that previous night... the life of someone being taken away from them with two simple words. It might have been Romeo's mother who had been killed, but inside, Jamie felt as if it was someone close to her.

-----------------------------------------

Twenty minutes later, the cars came to a halt at the secret entrance to the Ministry of Magic. Four at a time, everyone made their way into the Ministry of Magic using the broken-down telephone booth. Jamie had visited the Ministry of Magic twice in her life: once to go to her grandfather's innauguration as Minister of Magic, and another time to take her Apparition Test (the latter just this past summer). But this was the first time she had ever seen the Attrium so busy. The news about the return of the Dark Mark looked as if it had reached everyone in the Ministry. Aurors and Ministry workers were walking back and forth, hands full of stacks of paper. Others were chatting in whispers amongst their fellow workers.

"All right, you lot," Harry said, "We need to go to check-in before we head up to the Auror Headquarters. Follow me."

As Jamie followed her father to the security desk, she noticed that some of the Ministry workers was looking at her. Then it came to her that she wasn't the object of their attention. It was easy to recognize Romeo as who he was, because he had looked a lot like his father. Jamie looked over at Romeo who was keeping his eye-sight on the ground in front of him, the blank stare still etched on his face.

Jamie and the others checked in their wands quickly and followed Harry into the lifts. When the lifts reached the seventh floor, it stopped. Everyone walked out and headed into the Auror Headquarters office. When they arrived, Ginny, as well as Ron and Hermione Weasley, Arthur Weasley, and Tonks were waiting for them.

"Oh, thank goodness!" Ginny said, hugging her husband, Jamie and James, "We were worried about you."

"We are fine, Ginny," said Harry.

"Mr. Malfoy," Arthur said as he walked over to Romeo, "Let me be the first to say that I am deeply sorry for what happened to your mother. As Minister of Magic, I will make sure we find out who is responsible."

"Thanks, sir," Romeo said, in a hoarse voice.

"Arthur, have you been thinking about what I asked of you last night?" Harry said.

"Of course, Harry," said Arthur, turning to Harry, "And I must say that your request has turned out to work very well."

"What's going on?" Ginny said, looking from her father to Harry, "Harry, you didn't tell me..."

"It is all right, Ginny," Arthur said, "Harry and I have decided that the Order of the Phoenix is back in action as of right now."

"The Order of the Phoenix!" James said, "Really? Wow..."

"But, Minister," Tonks said, "I thought we all agreed that..."

"It was the Order of the Phoenix who got the wizarding world through the Second War eighteen years ago, Tonks," said Arthur, "I have no choice but to reform the Order."

"The Wizengamot isn't going to approve, Dad," Ron said, "If you don't remember, it was the Wizengamot who..."

"That was when Rufus Scrimgeour was Minister of Magic, Ron," Arthur said, "And as the Minister of Magic right now, I am the one who has the final say. And I say that the Order of the Phoenix is back. I am not going to sit in my office and twiddle my thumbs while this is happening. The whole world is in danger right now. I promised the Prime Minister when I met him two years ago that nothing was going to happen to the Muggles again, and I am keeping that promise."

When no one spoke up, Arthur continued.

"Now, I have already sent owls to the remaining members of the Order," he said, "I have already gotten replies from Bill and Fleur, as well as Charlie, Fred and George. They all have agreed with our decision. I am still waiting for replies from the others."

"Dad will definitely be pleased with the return of the Order," Joseph said.

"I am sure Minerva and Hagrid will accept as well, Arthur," Harry said, "I am not sure about some of the others."

"There aren't many left," Tonks said, "Moody would have accepted, but as he is no longer with us..."

Mad-Eye Moody had died three years ago from old age. But everyone knew he would have wanted to go fighting.

"I am not so sure about Dung, Dad," said Ron, "He is still mad about being sent to prison all those years ago. I mean... it was his fault... but..."

"I am sure Kingsley would accept," said Harry, "His kids are all grown up, and he's been telling me he wished he hadn't retired. I can't say that Neville would help us though."

"Hey, how is Mrs. Longbottom?" Jamie asked, "I heard last night that she had gone into labor."

"Oh, she's fine, Jamie," Hermione said, "I went and visited her last night. She had a baby boy. They named him Frank, after Neville's father."

"Well, at least there is some good news right now," Arthur said.

Jamie looked over at Romeo, who looked back at her. When Jamie smiled at him, he walked over to a chair and sat down.

"What do you think we should do about him?" Harry whispered, nodding to Romeo.

"As of right now?" Arthur whispered, "I have no idea. He is of legal age. The Wizengamot would say that Malfoy Mansion is his."

"The boy can't go back there, Arthur. Not with...," Tonks said. She paused, then continued, "Not with the Aurors investigating, I mean."

"That place is Romeo's home, Tonks," Arthur said.

"He could go back to Hogwarts," Ron said.

"And what will happen after he graduates?" Tonks asked, "His mother is dead. We can only assume Romeo is marked for death as well."

"He could always live with us in Grimmauld Place," Harry said, "It would at least keep him safe. He would be under the watch of the Order."

"Now, I like that idea," Arthur said.

"He would be welcome to come to the house," Ginny said, "We all know Grimmauld Place is big enough."

"I will go discuss it with some of the members of the Wizengamot," Arthur said, "I was going to call a quick meeting anyway. Harry, if the members of the Order come by, tell them I will talk to them in a while."

"Of course, Arthur," Harry said.

Arthur walked over to Romeo, said something to him that Jamie couldn't hear, then walked off.

"This means I am going to have to stay here for a while, Ginny," Harry told his wife.

"I can take the kids back to Grimmauld Place," said Ginny, "I will set up the guest room for Romeo."

"Ron, Hermione, Tonks," Harry said, looking at his friends, "You and your children are all welcome to Grimmauld Place if you want to go."

"I guess we should go," Ron said, "I mean... if the Order of the Phoenix is getting back together tonight... we will have to be there."

"I agree with Ron," Hermione said.

"It's fine with me as well," Tonks said.

"All right," said Harry, "I will see you later, honey."

Harry kissed his wife, then turned to his kids.

"Are you guys okay?" he asked them.

"I'm fine, Dad," said Jamie.

"Yeah, me too," James said.

"Good," said Harry. He walked over to Romeo and sat in the chair next to him. "Romeo, I want you to go with my wife. You are invited to stay with my family for as long as you want. I need to tell you, though, that you cannot return to your house right now. It is too dangerous."

Romeo nodded, but kept silent.

"All right," said Ginny, "Let's get going. We don't need to intrude on Ministry business anyway. Oh, that reminds me... Hermione, what are we going to do about the S.P.E.W Headquarters?"

"Don't worry, Ginny," said Hermione, "I will talk to Parvati. She can probably handle everything today."

"All right," said Ginny, "We'll see you all later, then."

"We should be at your place in a couple of hours," Hermione said, "We need to get some stuff done."

"That goes for me and Joseph as well," Tonks said, "We will wait for Remus and meet you at your house then."

"We'll be waiting, then," said Ginny, turning to Jamie, James and Romeo, "Well, come on, you lot."

Jamie helped Romeo get up, they followed Ginny and James out of the Auror Headquarters. Ten minutes later, they were on their way through the grates back to Grimmauld Place.

-----------------------------------------