Chapter 113: Post Portrait Effect
"Sorry, but Professor, I don't quite get what you mean." Lily asked. Professor Dumbledore had called James and Lily to his office to tell them about some important matters.
"Let me start right from the beginning." Professor Dumbledore said in fatherly manner. "I set up this society, more like a secret society, named Order of the Phoenix. I called Phoenix because Order of Dumbledore would sound rather egotistic. So I named it after my new phoenix, Fawkes." James and Lily nodded to show that he was having their complete attention. "I set this up around three years ago since Voldemort first attack to Hogwarts students and family. Since then, I had been trying to recruit as many wizards and witches as possible. All of us share the similar view, to defeat Voldemort. Many of us are our very own Hogwarts teachers, graduated students; several from the Ministry and many were Aurors as well. We work closely together trying to stop him from raising into power and prevent massacre to those muggleborns."
"So can we join this Order to defeat Voldemort as well??" James asked frowning slightly, sounding determined.
"This is why I called both of you here for." Professor Dumbledore had a rather distant look in his eyes. "I would like both of you, with Sirius, Remus and Stefanie to be part of this order."
"What about Peter??" James asked automatically.
"What about Samantha and Joey??" Lily asked.
"As for your friends, they're more than welcome." Professor Dumbledore said. "But of course this involve high risk and danger. Defeating Voldemort is not an easy thing as it had already been proven. This order needs more than just the six of you, including Arabella, to defeat Voldemort."
"Arabella is part of the Order too??" Lily asked in surprised.
"She is already part of the Order. But I didn't allow her to participate much as she is not of age yet. I told her to wait for the five of you to graduate before joining us officially. Of course she had been present for several meetings." Professor Dumbledore smiled. "I believe when the six of you join forces, miracles can happen."
"So do you want us to inform them about it??" James asked.
"No, not yet. I want both of you to hear about it first, being the Head Boy and Girl. I'll ask them gradually within this week." Professor Dumbledore said kindly. "So tell me, what do you think about this??"
"We'll definitely join the Order to get rid of Voldemort once and for all." James said firmly.
"Definitely." Lily nodded in agreement.
"But for now, I don't want both of you to breathe a word out. Walls have ears." Professor Dumbledore warned. "This can never be discussed outside this office. As for who shall be inside this Order, we would pick only the most loyal and trustworthy."
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"Did Dumbledore ask.." Joey entered their dormitory and closed the door behind her before asking.
"Yes." Lily replied, knowing jolly well what she wanted to ask. Stefanie and Samantha nodded knowingly.
"Oh – and did you agree??" Joey asked again. She seemed to be a little shocked.
"Yes, we did." Stefanie said patiently, walking over to give Joey a hug. They exchanged a knowing look.
"Let's not talk about this." Samantha said. "Walls, ears, you know."
"Alright." Lily tried to lighten the mood. "So what are you guys going to wear for graduation??" Their Graduation Ceremony was about going to be on 4th July, and that would be a week after the day the first- to sixth-years return home for their holidays.
"That's like three weeks away." Stefanie said enthusiastically. "Perhaps we can head down to Hogsmeade to see if we can get anything??"
"So what are we waiting for??" Samantha added. "Let's go." The four girls left the dormitory, going to have a fun afternoon with the Order of the Phoenix placed at the back of their minds.
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"Soundproofed!!" James returned the wand into his back pocket of his jeans after casting the Soundproofing Charm.
"Dumbledore – h-he just asked me to j-join the – the O-Order of the P-Phoenix." Peter said breathlessly. Dumbledore had already gotten the three guys to see him in his office and now, Peter had just returned from the meeting.
"So what's your decision??" Sirius asked.
"I-I don't k-know." Peter stammered. "I can't do a-anything."
"Relax, Wormtail. It isn't that scary." James said soothingly.
"So what did you tell Dumbledore??" Remus asked kindly.
"H-he asked me to think about it." Peter looked on the floor helplessly, not really knowing what to do.
"Well, the decision is yours." James told him. "No one is forcing you to do anything you don't wish to."
"Thanks. I'll think about it." Peter avoided eye contact with any of his friends and climbed straight into his bed. The other three guys just shrugged, not knowing what to say or do.
"Wormtail, if you need any help, we'll be around." Remus told Peter and he ushered the two other guys out of their dormitory.
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"The idea of having you in, you know, kind of worries me." James was telling his worries to Lily.
"Why?? You're inside as well. Don't you think I'll be worried??" Lily said in a lighter manner.
"But it's you that I'm worried about." James frowned a little.
"Don't talk about that. What is destined to happen will happen ultimately." Lily was trying to suppress some of her fears as well.
"I just don't want anything to happen to you."
"I don't want anything to happen to you either. But we can't sit around and do nothing with all the sufferings out there." Lily explained patiently.
"I'm okay. You know those people who are against muggleborns and everything."
"I'm sure Dumbledore wouldn't put us to something that risky. Yes, I know there are risks. But think about the peace and happiness with him off all our minds when he's gone??"
"Yes, but-"
"Don't try to explain. I understand." Lily smiled and looked deep into his eyes.
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"The whole school had seen it!! Can you believe it, Uncle James??" Kate Potter told the Marauders. It was barely a week ever since the portrait was up next to the Gryffindor tower. In fact, Gryffindor tower's entrance had never been more famous.
"Don't call me-" James attempted to reply but his voice was drowned by the crowd of over-enthusiastic students.
"Everyone is talking about it." Andromeda added in excitedly. "It's like the coolest thing anyone ever done in the history of Hogwarts." The four first-years were cornering the Marauders in the common room.
"We really need to learn lots from you guys." An energized Alex was literally jumping up and down. The Marauders were practically surrounded by a swarm of Gryffindor students from first- to fourth-years.
"Can you guys just guide us on how to go about doing these pranks, and stuffs??" Ted asked eagerly.
"You are all talking at the same time." Sirius raised his hands, trying to silence the group of hyped-up crowd. "One at a time, please." The noise level reduced dramatically as all the students looked up at the Marauders since they were all at least a head taller than the rest of them.
"As we have mentioned again and again, just pay attention in classes." James told the flock of students who hung onto every word he said attentively. "And of course, you must take some initiative to do some research and extra reading."
"Can you tell us some references to start with??" A second-year asked.
"Always start with the textbooks." Remus grinned and shot a look at the rest of the Marauders. "Just branch out from there. Besides, the textbooks are thick enough without the rest of the references." The students laughed at his mild sense of humor.
"So what charm or potion or whatever you used on your portrait to make it look so three dimensional??" A third-year asked. "They looked and behave just like you guys."
"Well, we spent many months to do the research and read about a few hundred reference books." Sirius said in a slightly boastful manner. "So using our knowledge, we combined and created some new charms and potions. We just make it better."
"Wow!!"
"The Marauders are the smartest wizards in the world."
"Thanks for your compliments. But there are definitely much more intelligent wizards out there that you have yet to meet." James said modestly.
"That's so unlike you." Remus looked at James, eye brows raised in surprised.
"I agree with you." Peter added and nodded in agreement.
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"Our Caretaker, Mr. Filch had just reminded me to remind all of you once again. Do not, I repeat do not attempt to create any self-portrait and hang them along the corridors, or anywhere else for that matter." Professor Dumbledore said once again with a twinkle in his eyes. Since the appearance of the Marauders' portrait about two weeks ago, many other students had attempted to come out with their own group portrait and hung them around the corridors. "Our poor caretaker had just removed seven portraits today adding to a total number of eighty-three in the last two weeks."
Argus Filch was standing at the entrance of the Great Hall holding onto Mrs. Norris, looking very crossed indeed. He was literally shooting daggers at the Marauders, as well as all the other students who put up their portraits.
"As most of you had noticed, your portraits are way below the normal standard of how a person in the portrait should behave." Professor Dumbledore said in a rather light-hearted manner than a serious tone. Most of the students in their portraits had misbehaved so badly that it had affected the neighboring permanent portrait residents. One group of Slytherins in their portrait had run around the entire neighboring portraits doing graffiti on their background while another group of them had conjured snakes to chase the people out of the pictures. In fact, Argus Filch had spent all his time dealing with all possible problems with students in portraits for the last two weeks and had not done anything else since.
"So once again, I would like to remind all of you not to, I repeat not to, put up any self-portraits anywhere around the castle. Thank you." Professor Dumbledore resumed his seat and the food appeared magically on the plates that were aligned in front of them.
"Hogwarts should thank us for creating such educational entertainment and encouragement for the students to study so hard." James said as he helped himself with the food in front of him.
"Pince never had more students in the library in her entire career as a librarian and considering the fact that the exams are over." Lily joked. The number of students visiting the library had increased nearly ten-fold ever since the Marauders told the news of doing extra reading in the library for their wonderfully designed portrait.
"She had too much to handle. Thanks to you guys." Stefanie teased. Many older students had sneaked into the restricted section of the library while other students were around to distract her. Of course, she placed bars at the entrance to the restricted section for protective measures, which was not too helpful because.
"Look at the number of students studying in the library." Remus pointed out. "It's more than the exam seasons or N.E.W.T.s."
"Yeah, not to mention the reserve list for the popular books were so lengthy." Sirius said. "Any book and every book that got to do with Transfig., Charms and Potions."
"Porky probably never had more attentive students than before." James said and all of them laughed at their own visual image of Porky's roomful of attentive students.
"It's really hard to imagine." Lily laughed and she tried to chew her food at the same time.
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"Hey, myself!!" A familiar voice called out. "Lily dear how's your day??"
"Don't call Lily 'dear'." James told the James in the portrait.
"Hi James." Lily grinned at the three-dimensional James in front of her. The James in the portrait was slightly taller and bigger than the actual James. And besides, the Marauders seemed to have the walk-out-of-their-portrait effect.
"Why can't I call Lily 'dear'?? She is my girlfriend." The James in the portrait replied.
"She is my girlfriend and you're just my picture." James' voice seemed to carry a tinge of jealousy.
"What's the difference anyway??" Lily shook her head and laughed. "Both of you are James."
"I'm real while he is just a picture." James crossed his arms in front of his chest as he argued with the James in the portrait.
"Okay, whatever." Lily put up her hands in a surrendering manner. "Let's get into the tower." She grabbed James' hand and pulled him into the Gryffindor tower. "It seems like you've nothing better to do. Create your own portrait and start arguing with you in the picture. Rather ridiculous from an outsider point of view." Lily laughed as she talked.
"Hey James, Lily. You wanna hear something funny??" Stefanie called out to the duo that just entered the common room.
"Sure, what is it about??" Lily asked curiously.
"It's Remus. He was talking, or should I say debating, with the Remus in the portrait." Stefanie started laughing at the thought of Remus debating with himself in the picture.
"Well, this James here was arguing with himself. Which is funnier??" Both girls burst into hysterical laughter while James and Remus remained silent.
"Moony, don't you think we ought to defend ourselves or something??" James asked Remus who was sitting quietly in front of him. "They're laughing at our expense." Both girls burst into laughter again.
"I've absolutely no comments." Remus said in such a solemn tone that made the three of them laughed out loud. "I guess that was rather funny, huh." With the three of them laughing so heartily in front of him, Remus could not help but laughed as well.
"Am I missing out some good joke??" Sirius asked as he and Peter settled down in the empty couches.
"We were just laughing at James arguing with the portrait James." Lily wiped her eyes that were getting teary with all the laughing they had.
"Then I'm sure you'll think that this Sirius fighting and probably hexing with the portrait Sirius is the funniest joke of the century." Peter commented, trying to hold back his laughing. Needless more elaboration, the whole group burst into hilarious laughter.
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"Ten more days to graduation." Professor Dumbledore started. "What are your feelings right now??" The five teens, namely James, Lily, Sirius, Remus and Stefanie were called to his office for a highly confidential meeting.
"Stepping into the real world." James said without hesitation and even lesser enthusiasm.
"I'm going to miss Hogwarts." Lily said with a tinge of sadness.
"Same here. I'm going to miss the life in Hogwarts." Stefanie added. The two girls exchanged eye contact.
"The real world is waiting for Sirius Black." Sirius joked in his own sense of humor.
"I guess it's time to face reality." Remus sighed.
"Well, these are the usual feelings most of my seventh-years face just before they graduate." Professor Dumbledore was studying their expressions. "But for the few of you, there're more things to come than what you're expecting."
"Face Voldemort." James said grimly, frowning. The rest of them had the similar look of understanding.
"And defeat him once and for all." Sirius frowned with a determined look on his face.
"I'm really looking forward to the peace in our magical community with him out of our lives." Lily's eyes looked distant.
"For years, many had tried to conquer him in a way or another. Instead of defeating him, he gets more powerful." Professor Dumbledore sounded slightly pessimistic. "So far he can't do anything with me as much as he wanted to."
"Why??" Lily asked.
"Because I know more of him than anyone else. I had seen through him all the years while he was still a student in Hogwarts. He fears me more than anyone else because I knew too much about him for his liking. More than once, I had stopped him doing certain things. If not for me, he would have become stronger and more powerful earlier. But now, it's too late, he's beyond my control." Professor Dumbledore stood up and had a very distant look.