Chapter Title: The Order of the Phoenix

Author: Sam

Story: Harry Potter and Dumbledore's Army: 05 / ?

Chapter Setting: Tuesday, August 31, 1995: 12 Grimmuld Place, London

Chapter Summary: The last night before school and Harry discovers a secret or two about the Order.

Feedback: Please? I love comments.

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"Prefect . . . congratulations!" boomed Kingsley Shacklebolt in his distinguishable bass voice, patting Ron on the shoulder as he smiled politely at the red-haired boy.

Harry lifted his butterbeer to his lips and sipped, trying to drown his jealousy for Ron's distinction. A moment later the jealousy lifted as Sirius told Tonks "Lupin was the good boy, he got the badge."

Remus made a comment about trying to control his friends but Harry's attention drifted to the twins with Mundungus. He joined that small group, inadvertently aiding the Weasley twins in acquiring an illegal substance at half price. Again Harry got distracted, this time by Shacklebolt questioning why Harry hadn't gotten prefect to combat the nasty rumors circulating. Ron's bragging about his new broom barely registered before Moody thrust a photograph at Harry.

"Original Order of the Phoenix," the former auror reported.

Interest sparked and Harry pushed away all the other conversations and distractions to take the old tattered photograph and study it. There stood at least three rows of smiling people, arms around one another, laughing, drinking, making side comments, and generally enjoying their photo shoot.

Moody began listing those in the front row and immediately Harry's curiosity turned to horror at the descriptions of death and torture those innocently smiling figures went through. The grizzled, mutilated ex-auror pointed to a couple standing just next to the doomed Longbottoms.

"There's Dunraven and his wife Willow."

The photographic Jonathan Dunraven wasn't scarred, and he was smiling at something his wife said across him to the woman on the other side. She straightened, long auburn curls swaying as she turned and slipped her arm through Alice Longbttom's.

Moody sighed. "She was attacked by Death Eaters in the park with her little girl. Lucky Dunraven showed up to meet her. He got the baby and ran for safety while those bastards ripped Willow to pieces behind him. The muggles reported that a lion had escaped from the zoo, but we know better. Within hours Dunraven was on a boat to the States." Moody grunted "didn't even stay to get that face wound tended. He's the last of his line, and his mother-in-law insisted he get her granddaughter out of Europe to a safe place. I hear he went to Salem and continued as an auror there, only they call it 'secret service'."

Harry put a hand to his stomach and searched the room for the tall solemn figure of Jonathan. The man was talking to Remus and Stephen, Sirius glaring at the pair with his old friend. Did Sirius know Dunraven's reasons for leaving? Harry had to assume he did; Sirius had been part of the Order from the start.

"And that's Emmeline Vance . . ." Moody interrupted Harry's thoughts, drawing the teen back to the picture. The man relayed more deaths and mutilations till he got to the third row and pointed out Sirius, short-haired and standing beside a rather pretty dark-haired witch in a form-fitting knee length dress. Her near black eyes were half-lidded and her hair looked like she'd only climbed out of bed five minutes before.

Swallowing at the inadvertent imagery, Harry startled when Moody's rusty laugh sounded.

"Yeah, she had that effect on everyone. That's Mary Elizabeth. She disappeared about a year before you were born, Harry." The tiny images of Sirius and Mary Elizabeth exchanged semi-hostile glares and the woman turned to speak to Lily on her other side.

"Disappeared?" Harry asked, wondering why Sirius hadn't liked the woman beside him. His answer came unexpectedly without prodding.

"Yeah. Some say she scarpered. Others say she got herself killed. There's even some, like Sirius, who're convinced she joined the other side." Moody bent closer to study the photograph more minutely, his magical eye swiveling to check out something on the far side of the room.

Shocked, Harry asked "joined Voldemort? Why?"

With a shrug, Moody straightened, his eye centering more or less on Harry once more. "She was dating Severus Snape and he was a Death Eater then." He pointed to the picture, "but that's what I thought you'd want to see, Harry."

Snape's girlfriend? Harry tried and couldn't imagine anyone dating Snape . . . especially someone as attractive as Mary Elizabeth. A Death Eater . . . when she had been in the Order of the Phoenix? Reluctantly, Harry turned his attention to the tiny images of his parents with Peter Pettigrew, the man who betrayed them to Voldemort . . . his parents' murderer.

Suddenly feeling sick, Harry stammered something about forgetting to pack for the next day's trip to school. He was relieved to escape, leaving Sirius checking out the photograph. Feeling nauseous at the many losses, the ignorant joy on those little faces, Harry headed for the door. He wanted nothing more than to leave the party and the upheavals of the day.

Unfortunately, he was stopped before he reached his goal. Stephen stepped up beside him and softly asked "what's Moody showing about? Looks like it's turned your stomach." Genuine concern weighed the Scot's accent. Stephen took Harry's arm and pulled him against the wall and down to sit on the floor.

Harry didn't protest. He merely said "picture of the Order." His voice sounded weak even to his own ears. "It's the stories he's telling about how the Death Eaters slaughtered them that's got me . . ." he didn't finish that thought, gulping back a sob as he said "and there he was sitting and smiling with them! And a couple years later he helped Voldemort kill them!"

Stephen surprised Harry by slipping an arm around the teen and squeezing his shoulders. "Yeah . . . real ass that one. Is he still around so I can have a go at him?"

Harry looked sharply at the man with the eyes as eerie a blue as Moody's magical one. "Do you even know who I'm talking about?" He wondered briefly if he should be mad at Stephen for pretending to have a clue but gave it up as stupid next to all those deaths.

"James and Lily . . ." Stephen's voice dropped even softer. "And whoever betrayed them since it couldn't be Sirius as I've heard." Turning fully to Harry, Stephen asked gently "it was Peter Pettigrew, wasn't it?"

Green eyes widening incredulously, Harry turned to look at Stephen's round face. "How'd you know? Who told you?"

Sighing, Stephen shook his head, voice bitter. "I should have told James what a bullying prat Peter was the first time he pushed me from my broom. I held back since James liked him so much, but I should have told him." Stephen slipped his face onto his bent arm, which rested on his knees.

Suddenly Harry felt an affinity for Stephen. It was like looking at Neville Longbottom . . . only blonder. "So, my dad didn't see him push you? Weren't you a second year when Dad graduated?"

"Yeah," Stephen lifted his face, voice still soft, sad. "I would have been wouldn't I? When I was first year, I visited the Quidditch pitch to watch James practice. He was a diva on a broom . . . a real show off." He smiled at Harry who smiled back.

This was more like it – not stories of death but stories of how they lived.

"James was in the air and Remus was off sick . . . he got sick a lot." The man looked over at the werewolf across the room. "Now I know why. Sirius was in the stands flirting with some girls. I decided to practice flying. You know, low to the ground. I wasn't very good because I don't like brooms much." The look of shock on Harry's face made Stephen laugh and correct himself, "yeah, I was petrified of them actually. So, Peter said he'd show me a trick where I wouldn't even feel the broom."

"Uh oh . . ." Harry could picture Draco Malfoy or even his own cousin Dudley Dursley saying something like that to a little first year.

Stephen nodded. "I took off with him on a broom beside me, and next I knew, I hit the ground. Peter apologized, said he bumped me by accident, but I'm not that dumb." He sighed.

After a long moment of silence, each lost in his own thoughts, Stephen said "you know, I have a picture of your dad at school." He met Harry's surprised eyes and smiled. "Of course, we're all in costume. Mary Elizabeth started a Thespian Club her first year and bullied everyone she knew into joining. Nora and I even got to perform and we were mere 'ickle firsties'." He turned another smile on Harry but the smile dropped when he noticed the severe frown. "What?"

"Mary Elizabeth? Snape's old girlfriend?" Harry couldn't keep the disgust from his voice.

Confusion lit in Stephen's electric eyes. "Well, James was dating Lily so she wasn't free."

"What!" Harry jumped to his feet, not sure if he was more horrified or disgusted by Stephen's comment.

Stephen pulled him back down and shushed him. "Sorry, shouldn't have said that, only everyone knew Severus and Lily were friends from first year."

Harry turned an incredulous look on the man. "They were friends?" He didn't think he believed Stephen.

"Yeah," Stephen responded with a smile. "Apparently they met before even James met her. On the train I think, maybe before. But there's nothing wrong with his dating Mary Elizabeth . . . it's not like anyone minded."

Still shocked, almost uncomprehending, Harry shook his head and said, "but Snape's a Death Eater . . . or he was before he switched to join the Order. Moody says she probably switched to Voldemort's side."

Bringing a lean hand up, Stephen began toying with his wristband. "No . . . more likely she was killed." His voice was filled with regret. "Between her and Lily, I'm not surprised Severus would switch sides. Even as sixth years those girls could talk a body 'round to anything." He glanced around the room then back to the teen beside him. "Uh, Harry?" he sounded worried.

Harry looked at him with a frown. "What?"

Blue eyes met green and Stephen rushed to ask "you're familiar with some of the Order names, right?" A nod convinced Stephen to continue. "Then you might know what happened to Nora . . ."

"Hey, Harry, what're you doing sitting in the corner?" Ron interrupted the pair, carrying his brand new broom over to them.

Harry sighed and stood then turned to Stephen. "If she's not in the Order now, she probably died. I'm sorry, Stephen," and he was. The guy seemed lost.

Ron grimaced as he realized what kind of conversation he'd walked in on.

Rising slowly to his feet, a look of intense sorrow on his face, Stephen nodded. "Thanks, Harry." He smiled absently at Ron then seemed to shake himself. Touching the shiny scarlet and gold badge on the tall boy's chest, Stephen said "nice, Ron. I never got a chance at that. Means you've got a lot of responsibility now." He sighed and stretched his back while Ron proudly straightened.

The blond man looked towards the door next to them. "Well, I guess I should get some sleep. We've got a long train ride ahead of us."

Shock coursed through both boys and they stared incredulously at Stephen, almost unawares that Sirius and Remus approached.

"You're coming with us, Stephen?" Ron managed to ask.

Sirius sneered but Stephen smiled and nodded. "Yes. I'm to be an assistant professor to anyone who needs help . . . say if someone's out sick or called away."

"Oh, that will be an adventure, Stevie!" Sirius growled out. "But hey, whatever will you do if it's the brooms teacher that's out?"

Stephen went pale and Harry felt shock at the cruel comment. It had been obvious over the last weeks that Sirius didn't approve of Stephen . . . maybe even disliked him, but Sirius had never shown outright cruelty before.

"Sirius, enough." Remus's voice sounded sharp and disapproving. "It's not Stevie's fault he was sent into hiding instead of the Order. He was far too young."

A low growl signaled Sirius' opinion on the matter and Stephen touched Remus's arm. "It's okay, Remus. Sirius lost his best friends. He has a right to his anger. Once we're ready for an open attack, who hid and who fought before won't be important."

"Don't you patronize me, Stephen James!" Sirius stressed the name as if it disgusted him. "Run along back to your muggle school. We don't need you fouling things up with your false support and your love of Slytherins! You should never have been a Gryffindor!"

Silence descended like a thunderclap at Sirius' loud tirade. Without a word, Stephen turned to the group at large and bowed low, his Scots burr slurring to near incomprehensibility in his heightened emotions. "Congratulations to the new prefects. Good night." And he turned smartly on his heel and strode quickly from the room.

Remus whirled on Sirius. "Well done, Sirius! You know Stevie lost his entire family, too. And he's only just found out practically everyone he expected to come home to is gone . . ."

"Don't you preach at me, Remus!" Sirius glared at his friend. "He should've stayed in hiding." Only Harry and Remus were close enough to hear as Sirius added "James would've wanted the kid to stay safe, not run into death head on."

The party never resumed its jolly atmosphere after Sirius' outburst and soon everyone left for their own homes or beds. Harry's mind raced as he settled down to sleep, but he had too many thoughts swirling around to allow him rest. Chief on his mind was the question as to whether Sirius acted nasty to Stephen because he hated the younger man . . . or cared for him. The confusing idea slid into the ever present dream of searching down a long dark corridor.

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To be continued in Chapter Six: A Curious Journey