Weaselgirl19: LOL. I'm glad you liked it :)

DollFace080: Thanks very much! Yeah, I believe Lana scored quite some bonus points there…

Darklady5289: Thanks a lot! Here's the next chapter.

MsPadfootVerona: (hands tissue) I'm very happy you liked it. I haven't planned the length. I do have the whole story in my head, which sometimes makes me feel really guilty when I read the reviews, but I don't know how long it'll take me to get to the end. Tom as Sirius! I hadn't thought about that one myself yet, but I like it. I can't really picture a specific actor as Sirius, though I have been wondering who they'll cast as young Sirius in the Pensieve… It just has to be in the OotP movie! Anyway, though Gary Oldman was not how I had pictured Sirius in my head, he did convince me. I loved the Shrieking Shack scene and I think we should've had more of it. But he does not match the Sirius in my head.

Hpandfriendsruletheworld: Here's the update! It was pretty emotional to write. I got angry myself and went downstairs to get some of my cure for everything: chocolate, and my sister was like: "gee, what's wrong with you?" LOL

Wendela400: Thanks! It's so nice to hear from a new reviewer :). Yeah, after I've finished Niamh's part, I'm going back to Harry to finish the story.


Meeting

The next morning I stretched my arms lazily above my head, chuckling as I recalled the past night. I had probably had no more than three hours of sleep, but I felt immensely relaxed, except for a few very sore muscles.

Sunlight was peeking through the curtains. It was warm in the bedroom, so I kicked off the sheets to let the morning air cool my body. A door opened and Sirius entered the room, wearing nothing but his underwear. The door revealed a bathroom. Sirius eyed me up and down and gave me a naughty grin. "Well, aren't you a sight for sore eyes," he said and advanced on me like a predator.

I snorted loudly. "Sore eyes! You've got to be kidding me. My eyes are the only parts of me that aren't sore!"

Sirius burst out laughing. "Serves you right. My back is a bloody mess, thanks to you." He took a little sprint and landed on top of me, knocking the wind out of me.

I coughed and wheezed, "Merlin, man, how much do you weigh?"

Offended, Sirius stopped kissing my neck and lifted his head to glare at me. "If I had asked you that question, you would have cursed me into oblivion," he sputtered.

"It's different for a girl," I said seriously and wove a hand in his jet black hair.

"Whatever happened to emancipation?" he mumbled, lowering his head to my neck again.

"Stop trying to impress me with your Muggle knowledge," I chuckled and pushed Sirius on his back so I could straddle him. I grabbed his wrists and pinned them over his head.

Sirius raised an eyebrow. "This is not emancipation. This is just your wish to dominate."

"Who cares?" I shrugged. "As long as I have fun." I bowed my head and flicked my tongue over his nipple. Sirius groaned and tried to free his wrists. I squeezed harder and he relented.

"And this is just plain evil," he said.

"I know," I smiled and moved my hips over his. He groaned again and bucked his hips up to mine. I leaned forward and began to tease his lips with my tongue.

It didn't take long for me to give up my teasing and kiss him more passionately. I didn't hear the male voice calling for Sirius until the bedroom door flew open and James Potter burst in, yelling, "Padfoot! Where the hell are you? Why aren't you -- whoa, shit!"

Giving a loud scream I rolled off Sirius and off the bed, crashing rather violently into the wooden floor. "BLEEDIN' HIPPOGRIFFS!" I shouted.

"Er… Padfoot?" James asked his friend, who was howling with laughter on his bed. I snatched a sheet from the bed and wrapped it around me before I got to my feet.

"One word, Sirius," I grunted and rubbed my forehead, "carpet." Sirius took one look at me and burst into another fit.

"Bastard," I muttered.

James looked in confusion from me to his friend and back to me. "Can someone please explain what is going on?" he shouted.

Sirius wiped the tears from his eyes, but did not change his sprawled out position on the bed. "Niamh and I made up," he hiccoughed.

James snorted and raised an eyebrow. "Really? I would not have guessed seeing her sit on top of you stark-bloody-naked. Thank Merlin you were wearing something or I would've have had traumas for life."

I glared at both of them and tightened my improvised toga a little more. More footsteps headed up the stairs and Remus and Lily Evans and three more people I didn't know stuck their heads around the door.

Oh, fabulous. This is getting better and better.

Lily's eyes widened in shock when she saw me. "Carden?" she asked confused.

"Hello, Niamh," Remus said calmly. "I take it you talked things through?"

"I don't think 'talk' is the correct word here, Moony," James grinned wickedly. Lily's mouth opened and closed, without a sound coming from her. James came to his girlfriend's aid. "They've been seeing each other since Christmas," he explained, "until she engaged herself to Rosier. Are you going to explain that, by the way?"

I shrugged. Why not? I shot a nasty look at the still sniggering Sirius and began explaining what had happened.

After I had finished Lily looked at me in horror. "Surely they would never do such a thing!"

"Welcome to the pure-blood world," I told her cynically.

James gave me a careful look. "So now what? Are you going to leave your family?"

I straightened myself to my full five foot and three inches. "Yes, I am."

"And you're staying with Sirius?"

"If he promises to get some carpet for his bedroom, I will," I said and glowered at the inflexible floor.

Sirius chuckled. "I promise." He jumped from his bed and ushered all the people out. "If you don't mind, we'll just get dressed now and then you can explain why half the Order is invading my house." He closed the door and turned to me. "Shall we take a shower together?" he asked with an inviting smile.

"Is that door locked?" I retorted with raised eyebrows.

"Definitely."

I dropped my sheet and we hurried to the bathroom. Twenty minutes later we made our way to the living room, where the others were waiting. Remus invited me to sit with him and I gingerly sat myself next to him, feeling uncomfortable under the scrutinizing gazes of the others. Sirius plonked next to me and brought his mouth close to my ear. "You don't have to do that," he whispered.

I knew what he meant and relaxed a bit, dropping the walls I had instantly pulled up around me. He gave me a crooked smile, before he turned his attention to the people in the room. "Is anyone going to tell me what you're all doing here?"

"Are you going to tell us what she is doing here? Or have you forgotten that we have a meeting this morning?" one of the unknown men, who looked like he was in his late twenties, asked.

"Damn it," Sirius muttered, "I forgot. Benjy, this is my girlfriend."

Benjy snorted. "Isn't your girlfriend engaged to Evan Rosier? It was all over the papers."

"I was engaged to Evan Rosier," I said sharply.

"And she's coming to the meeting," Sirius said.

"What meeting?" I asked him under my breath.

"I'll explain later," Sirius answered.

"You want to bring a Death Eater along?" Benjy sputtered indignantly.

"She's no more a Death Eater than I am, Benjy. Unless you think you can judge us by our families," Sirius growled. I suddenly felt very warm inside.

"She's different from you," Benjy protested.

"I'm not," I said calmly. "It just took me longer to cut my ties."

"I believe her," Remus's quiet voice interjected, causing another stream of protests from Benjy's mouth.

"Look," the other unknown man cut him off, "let's just leave her here until Dumbledore arrives, and let him decide what to do." There was a murmur of agreement from the others. "I'm Caradoc, by the way. That's Benjy and this is Emmeline."

"Niamh Carden. Pleasure to meet you."

"It's almost noon. The rest should be arriving soon," Caradoc said in general and indeed, three people Apparated in the room.

"Oh God, I hate Apparating," a blonde woman groaned and shook her head to get rid of some dizziness. She looked around. "Hello, darlings," she grinned and then her eyes rested on me. "What's this? A new member?" Her eyes narrowed. "Wait a minute, aren't you -- "

"Yes, Marlene, that's Niamh Carden," Caradoc said dryly. "Niamh, this is Marlene McKinnon. Marlene, we'll explain later."

Marlene cast a last perturbed look at me and found herself a seat. Sirius pointed at the other two, who were twins. "Gideon and Fabian Prewett." I nodded at the two tall men with flaming red hair.

"Is your husband coming?" Sirius asked Marlene.

"No," she chuckled, "I made him baby-sit the kids. They're driving my mother crazy, so I gave her a week off."

Frank Longbottom, a Gryffindor from my year, Apparated and cast me a look similar to the one Marlene had given me. Caradoc, Sirius and Remus simultaneously said, "Later."

Four more people Apparated shortly after another. Elphias Doge, Dorcas Meadowes, Edgar Bones, and Peter Pettigrew, who took a seat farthest away from me. He had been extremely guarded around me, ever since I had hexed him into the infirmary.

Sirius took his wand from his pocket, right when one of the most famous Aurors Apparated into the room. "Black!" Alastor Moody barked. "Are you still keeping that wand in your trousers? You'll blow something off you'll need later on!"

"Hello, Alastor," Sirius grinned and conjured a table with tea cups and a plate with sandwiches. "You don't have to worry. I've got more than enough to compensate if I do."

Oh, please! I turned my head to give him an incredulous look. "If you say so…" I muttered.

Sirius's jaw dropped. "What's that supposed to mean?" he asked indignantly. The others sniggered and Moody's magical eye stopped spinning and fixed itself on me.

"A Carden?" he inquired in a low voice.

"Yes," I said, "a Carden."

He looked at me for a long time as if he was examining me and then his face turned a little less grumpy. "There's a first time for everything."

Benjy made a derisive sound. Lily jerked her head towards him and snapped, "Shut up!"

Dumbledore Apparated with the one person I never expected so see here. Dumbledore took his hat off and sighed. "Minerva can't join us today. We're too busy preparing for the new year at Hogwarts."

I stared open-mouthed at the other person. "P -- professor Morton?"

Corbin Morton, Head of Slytherin House and childhood friend of my father, turned his head to me in surprise and shock. "Niamh?"

"Ah," Dumbledore said, "Miss Carden. What a pleasure to see you. I'm sure you have a wonderful story to tell us about you and Mr. Black."

"How did you know, sir?" I asked surprised.

Dumbledore smiled. "There aren't many things that escape my notice at Hogwarts, dear child."

I had a distinct feeling my face was turning brightly red. I noticed Sirius's face was having the same problem. James sniggered.

Dumbledore continued, "For example, the fact that you seemed to distance yourself from certain views that have been particularly persistent the past years. Although I must confess, I am not entirely sure what made you accept Mr. Rosier's proposal." He leaned back in his chair and gave me an expectant look.

"It was safer," I said, "for me and Sirius."

"But since you are here now, in Mr. Black's house, I take it that you have chosen to... set other priorities?"

"I have," I smiled. I didn't know why that made me so happy, I was, after all, putting my life on the line.

"Do you know why we are here today?" Dumbledore asked.

"I have no idea," I admitted, looking at the odd assembly of people.

"A few years ago, when the shadow of Voldemort loomed darker and darker, Alastor and I decided to gather some people around us to help us thwart him. In time this became the Order of the Phoenix. The people that are here today are some of its members."

"You're not Ministry-based, are you?" I asked.

"No, we are independent," Dumbledore answered.

"We join forces with the Aurors from time to time, though," Remus said.

"But since we can't be completely sure there aren't any spies for You-Know-Who among them, we rather work alone," Emmeline said.

I was quiet for a while. I looked at Dumbledore and Morton. I felt Sirius's warmth next to me, his arm languorously around my shoulder. He had seized the first opportunity to fight for what was right. Slowly I turned my head and looked at Remus. Whereas Sirius looked more mature, Remus looked older. There were lines in his face and his eyes were sad. I knew what was right too.

"I want in," I growled. "It has got to end."

A small smile appeared on Dumbledore's face. "You do not disappoint me, Miss Carden."

Sirius gave my shoulder a soft squeeze. Dumbledore's face turned serious again. "Do you realize that you may come face to face with your own brother?"

Rowan!

"I do," I said slowly and swallowed. "He's made his choice. I have to make my own."

Dumbledore nodded. "Then it is my pleasure to welcome you into the Order."


Author's note: A little lighter than the previous chapters, I hope you liked it . Let me know.