Chapter 10: Chaos in the Order

Meanwhile, after being forcefully removed from their former headquarters at Grimauld Place, the Order was in disarray.

Eventually, Dumbledore managed to calm everyone enough to instruct them to reassemble in the Great Hall at Hogwarts and hand out portkeys to take people there.

When everyone was settled, 20 minutes later, at a round table conjured in the middle of the hall, Dumbledore began again.

"My friends, you have just seen exactly why it is unsafe for us to allow Harry to continue independently…he is unsafe, unstable and uncontrolled. We need to bring him back under our control immediately, but frankly I am somewhat at a loss. Suggestions?" he asked hopefully.

At this point, Moody spoke up, "Actually Albus, before we get to that there's a couple of questions I wouldn't mind getting answered and I'm sure a fair few others have similar thoughts." He began, "Just how much of what the Potter boy said back there was true?"

Looking somewhat uncomfortable with the turn of events, Dumbledore looked around for support but among many of the faces there was an obviously strong desire to hear the answer. He also knew that if he lied, the old auror would see straight through it and probably call him on it in front of the others.

"Well…I admit that the basic facts are all true, however his interpretation of events was sorely mistaken." He said carefully. "Everything I have done has been for the greater good, Harry needs to be moulded into the right sort of person and that is what I was doing. I fear he has now strayed from that path and may be turning against us."

At this point there was an outburst of shouted questions and insults flying in all directions. Many in the Order had previously seen it as the only way to do good and fight against evil, and they had seen Dumbledore as a shining beacon of hope and all things right in the world.

In the past hour, Harry Potter had destroyed that illusion of the seemingly omnipotent old man and revealed him as little more than a manipulative fraud. Several were now unsure they wanted anything to do with the Order as it stood. And many were remembering and seriously considering Harry's offer to join with him and actually do something about Voldemort and his death eaters as opposed to Dumbledore who seemed to exist to have meetings and preach about how they needed to convince them to abandon their wicked ways. In comparison, Harry's offer was looking very tempting, and many decided early on that they would be contacting him once they left here to get more information.

When most people had shouted themselves out (including Molly Weasley, who had only just had her voice reinstated…much to several people's amusement as they had often wanted to do just that to her), Kingsley Shacklebolt asked a question that was on many people's minds.

"If this prophecy said that Potter is the only one who can stop Voldemort, then what exactly can we accomplish, considering he's made it quite plain that he won't work with us? And also Albus, I think you should know that if you attempt to do anything to interfere with his legal standing and freedom, I will be forced to report you. We should be helping him, not trying to control him."

When he had finished, Ron Weasley spoke up for the first time, and what he said shocked those who didn't know that he had been bribed into being friends with Harry. "He's just an attention seeking bastard, that one. Lock him away and take his money to use against you-know-who. When we're ready to end it and if he wasn't lying about the prophesy then drag him back out and make him fight…he claims to be able to do it, and personally I'd love to see him try."

Several people around the table nodded in agreement with this, while others looked appalled at the mere notion of the idea.

Flitwick spoke up next, "What is your opinion on this matter Albus?" asked the tiny professor, managing to keep all emotion from his features, while inside wanting to curse the red-headed boy into the middle of next year for even suggesting it.

Dumbledore replied casually, assuming that he had found another source of support in the matter. "Well Fillius," he began "while I do not agree with Mr. Weasley's choice of language, I do agree with his sentiment…Harry has to remain safe and should be confined to that end until he is needed to fight against Tom. I do not believe he needs any special training as I do not believe that he will defeat him using magic as we know it, I believe that the source of his power lies in his emotions not his knowledge of spells." He concluded with a benign smile.

Looking livid with his boss, the minuscule man stood from his seat and looked at Dumbledore before saying, "If that is the official position of the Order of the Phoenix, then I no longer wish to be a part of it. I'm sorry, Albus, I truly am, but I cannot support you in this matter and I hereby officially inform you that I am terminating my membership in the Order. I wish you the best of luck in your goals. Good day." He finished before walking out of the door.

There was a moment of silence while everyone considered this turn of events.

Then, Moody stood up "Albus, you're my friend, I respect you, but I can't play these games anymore…I've done some damn distasteful things in my life, but I will not be a part of this. I'll be contacting Potter and asking where I can sign up with him…seems he's the only one that actually has a chance of winning this thing and he also seems like a hell of a lot better leader and person than you are. I urge the rest of you to do the same." He said before limping from the room with a dull thud marking every other step.

Over the next few minutes, Hagrid, Shacklebolt, Pomfrey, Sprout, the Weasley twins and Dung Fletcher all decided to part ways with the rest of the order, all deciding to contact Harry and try to continue the fight in the right way.

Dumbledore knew that the order was now in ruins…those that had left had been key members, including some of his best fighters. He could probably salvage it given time, but for now the order was severely reduced in its functionality, and as loath as he was to admit it, he knew that when word spread through the general ranks of the order, others would likely follow suit.

Trying to save face, Dumbledore rose to his feet and said, "Well, I thank those of you who remain for standing by me and doing what is ultimately for the best. We will have a full order meeting tomorrow afternoon here. Until then, I think I speak for all of us when I say it has been a very long day and we should take a break.

Within half an hour, two sets of owls carrying encoded messages had been dispatched to all the members of the order of the phoenix, one telling them about the meeting the next day and the other informing them about Dumbledore's actions and plans, as well as urging them to contact Harry and offer their support.

Within two hours of that being accomplished, there were many owls flying from all parts of the country carrying letters to Dumbledore stating that they wanted nothing more to do with him or the order (as well as some rather colourful statements, many addressing the issue of his questionable parentage). There were an equal number of owls also heading to Potter Manor, offering assistance to Harry, offering to join with him and asking how they could help.

The Order had been brought to chaos, its ranks decimated and reduced to approximately a third of its original size.

Harry had gained much support and many allies, though he didn't know it yet, he had truly become a force to be reckoned with in the wizarding world.