Author's Note: My apologies for the prolonged absence. I was indeed able to sell my house and was subsequently kicked out of it ASAP by terms of the contract, so I have been moving furniture and finding a new temporary place to live until I can move to the next state. Thus my computer has been in storage and my mind has been mushy and ineffectual. But moving on...
Thanks to the new alerts by Lady Beatle and TheMissingGryff09 (I believe you're the new ones).
catwalking.owl - I'm quite glad that I haven't disappointed so far. We all know Dumbledore has the ability to predict just what people need and I fear in a rather sneaky way knows how to make them a tad bit grateful and willing to do what he asks. Thanks for the wishes on the house. They worked! Wolviesfan - I think Remus is quite overlooked. There's much evidence that he's a much more powerful wizard than he is often taken for and I have my own pet theory behind that that I hope to get into in the story. Thus, the evidence of strong wandless magic even at a younger age. Don't fear, I do not intend to make Remus perfect because that would be against JK Rowling's intentions for the character and besides, perfect characters are plastic and boring.
SiriusHarryPotter - Glad you're enjoying. Yes, I'm a bit of a stickler on grammar. I don't use a beta and I often write late at night so I am prone to some careless errors now and again, but they irk me when I find them. In another life, I'm sure I was someones most hated english professor lecturing about the intricacies of the usage of commas.
Maliani - Yes, still writing and trying to forge on. Everyone knows that Remus is poor and why and that is part of his character, but I aim to avoid the "woe is me I'm a poor pitiful werewolf" that I sometimes read. He knows he's poor and he knows its not his fault, what makes him uncomfortable is the thought of being pitied, so if you see my slipping him into poor, pitiful Remus, yell at me! :) The house selling went relatively smooth if overly fast and tiring. I live in the US as well and yes, the housing market is tough, so I have been very lucky.
Chapter 2 - Dumbledore's Plans (Part 2)
The three wizards stood. Sirius faced the headmaster. Remus retrieved his wand and held it over the other men's hands as they clasped them together.
"The headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix is located at number 12 Grimmauld Place, London," Sirius said.
Remus waved his wand and said, "Fidelis secretum." A blue glow shone softly between the palms of the two before fading.
"Nicely done, I think, but to test it," he nodded at Sirius.
"The headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix is located at…" Sirius appeared to struggle for a moment.
"Well, I think that answers that," Dumbledore smiled standing. "I would like to convene the first meeting as soon as possible. If I could impose upon the two of you to see that the new headquarters is serviceable by Monday?"
"Monday?!" Sirius started, "Albus that house has been vacant since my mother was finally pulled screeching into the afterlife seven years ago."
"Oh I don't expect it to be ready to show for sale. One room will do nicely," Dumbledore said pleasantly, "Afterwards, I think Molly Weasley will be of valuable assistance getting the rest of the house into shape."
"Cleaning and packing lunches," Sirius grumbled, "Oh what jolly fun this will be."
"Want to go back to Azkaban?" Remus inquired. Sirius shot him a dirty look.
"Well then, I expect the two of you have much to be getting on with. I shall leave you for now. I intend to hold the meeting at nine o'clock Monday evening if you think that will give you enough time?" He said.
Sirius nodded, "We will at least have the kitchen ready by then. Any other place might have wards on them. We'll have to go through the rest of the house more carefully, but no one except the house elves were ever in the kitchen."
"The kitchen it is then. Send me a message if you need anything. I would avoid the owl post if I were you. I suspect things are about to get quite complicated with the Ministry. Neither of your patronuses has changed its form, has it?"
Remus shook his head. Sirius shrugged, "I haven't got a wand."
"Here," Remus said, handing his over. "You've been able to use mine in the past."
"Ah yes," Sirius took the wand, running one hand over it, "Twelve inches, eucalyptus and dragon horn from a rather majestic elderly Highland razorback, strong but flexible, excellent for defense," he recited. Remus rolled his eyes. Sirius closed his eyes for a fraction and waved the wand, "Expecto patronum!"
A massive creature erupted from the tip of the wand, bounding out on mighty paws. The lion leapt a few paces before turning and shaking its mane, its tail swishing. Its mouth opened in a silent roar before the patronus slowly dissipated into mist and was gone.
Dumbledore nodded, "I shall contact Mr. Ollivander immediately. Be prepared to go to Diagon Alley as Padfoot tonight and meet him behind the Leaky Cauldron. You need a new wand."
"Merlin forbid I should have to scrub the floors by hand," Sirius groused.
"Sirius, there is nothing I can do at the moment to change the situation," Dumbledore said, "The time will come when the truth shall be known. You are a valuable member of the Order and your talents in the field will be missed, but there is much you can do at headquarters that will be just as important. If you cannot accept that, then please consider keeping yourself safe for Harry."
"I want to fight for Harry," Sirius leaned forward.
"The time will come when all of us will be engaged in battle. The Ministry will cease to be of consequence. It will come down to those who support Voldemort and those who oppose him. You will have your day to fight," Dumbledore said. "Harry is of vital importance to the outcome of this war, Sirius. He has faced Lord Voldemort four times, four times Lord Voldemort tried to kill him, and four times he has escaped virtually unharmed. No one else has accomplished such a feat. It is critical that we do everything that we can to ensure his well-being, and that includes seeing to it that he does not lose another that he loves."
"Don't try to guilt me into submission," Sirius growled, "I've loved Harry from the moment he was born, but I refuse to sit on the sidelines when it's his future that's at stake. Remus and I both put our hands on his head when his hair was still wet and swore to protect him."
"And you will, Sirius," Remus interrupted, "The time will come when we will all have to step forward. All Albus is asking is the same he asks of any of us, to not put ourselves at unnecessary risk. Right now, you're the most wanted wizard in the world. Everyone knows your face…"
"But…"
"And the Death Eaters will know your animagus form," Remus continued over his protest.
"What does that matter?" Sirius growled, "With Peter in their ranks, the Death Eaters will know everyone from the old Order."
"Yes, but the Death Eaters aren't likely to receive an Order of Merlin for turning the rest of us in," Remus shot back, "And wouldn't that be smashing to see Avery or Malfoy or the lovely dangerous creature executor MacNair commended for your capture."
"Fine," Sirius huffed, crossing his arms over his chest.
"Sirius, just please use your reason," Remus said.
"I'll use my reason," Sirius glared, "but I won't swear to sit by while everyone else works."
"I would never ask that of you," Dumbledore assured him, "There will be much to do. Remember tonight at midnight, I should think. Mr. Ollivander will be expecting you behind the Leaky Cauldron."
"Tonight at midnight," Remus nodded, seeing the headmaster to the door.
Sirius was still executing a successful pout when he returned, "You know I really think your animagus form should be a mule you stubborn idiot."
"What do you expect?" Sirius flung his arms into the air as he stood, knocking his chair over, and began to pace, "Voldemort's risen, the Order's reforming, and I get told that I have to stay safe at headquarters and let everyone else do the work."
Remus leaned calmly against the door frame, letting his friend get out every frustration he'd bottled while Dumbledore was there.
"I have to sit by and watch everyone come and go from missions, gathering information and fighting and all the while I'll be polishing the silver!"
"Just try not to leave it out where I might step on it," Remus replied.
"Sure, joke about it. Who's supposed to watch your back while you're out there? We were always a team before. James and Lily would take their missions, and you and I would take ours."
"Yes, I know," Remus said, "I sometimes wonder if that's where Peter began to stray."
"He said he was fined teamed with Mundungus," Sirius scoffed.
"Peter never wanted to rock the boat and Mundungus probably abandoned him more often than not, but that's history," Remus sighed, "You think I don't want you out there too?"
"Moony, you're putting a downer on my rant here."
Remus grinned, "I apologize. Please, continue."
"No, it's ruined now." Sirius crossed his arms in front of him.
Remus crossed the room, standing in front of his old friend and put his hands on the other's shoulders, "You are not useless and you will not be useless. It's just going to take some time. Until then, we'll plan ways to corrupt Harry. He spends too much time getting in trouble and not enough time creating it like his father."
Sirius smiled fondly, then started, "Blast, we forgot to ask Dumbledore about letting him come stay."
"We'll ask him at the meeting Monday," Remus assured him, "Now what do you say we see what else Tinky put in that basket."
Late that night, a shabby figure and a large, scruffy black dog silhouetted through the street lamps of a seldom traveled London street. The dog stopped often to sniff, the man seeming impatient as he did, but his eyes shifted back and forth, taking in everything. The two approached a small door way, a wrought iron sign with a witch stirring a cauldron overhead. A whimper gathered the man's attention and he paused before pushing the door open. The dog circled back to the end of the building and lifted his leg on the corner before joining the man who gave him a disapproving look.
Inside, the chairs were already on top of the tables; a mop soared around the room, shooting back and forth underneath the tables. Behind the bar, Tom spat into a mug and wiped it with a towel. He glanced up as the bell over the door tinkled and man and dog walked in. Tom nodded, then tilted his head towards the door to the back alley. Remus nodded in return, moving quickly past the bar. The dog trot after him, glancing wistfully over the counter. They went through the door that led to a small, brick-enclosed back alley. Waiting there was a small, silver-haired man with overly-large lamp-like eyes. Neither man spoke, but merely nodded, the smaller man also nodding at the dog before tapping the brick wall with his wand. The bricks rearranged themselves, opening into an empty moonlit alley. They walked in silence the short distance to the shop, entering silently and unobserved. Once the door was locked behind them, the little man smiled.
"Remus Lupin," he said delightedly, "Such a pleasure to see you again. I remember you well, a rare eucalyptus wand, twelve inches with a dragon horn from a rather majestic elderly Highland razorback, strong but flexible, excellent for defense."
Remus nodded, pulling his wand out for Mr. Ollivander's inspection.
"Ah yes, I see you've taken excellent care of it," he nodded approvingly, handing it back and turning to his other guest, "And Sirius Black."
The dog morphed and Sirius held out a hand, "Mr. Ollivander."
"Yes, dogwood and unicorn hair, thirteen inches, pliable, particularly useful for charms."
"That it was," Sirius nodded,
"I was quite unhappy to see it snapped. I never would have believed it would perform the curse they claimed it had. I was delighted when Professor Dumbledore explained the circumstances to me. I'm sure I will be able to find you a suitable replacement. In fact…" he disappeared down the aisles of his shop and returned shortly with a dusty cylinder with a tasseled end, "Try this one, ash and a hair from the same unicorn as your first wand."
Sirius took it eagerly and flicked the wand. A jet of air blew the papers from Mr. Ollivander's desk.
"Hmm," Ollivander frowned throughtfully, "typically replacement wands with the same core work quite well. Curious." He disappeared again, this time a bit longer. Sirius sighed and sat down at the desk. Remus leaned against the wall. Finally, Ollivander returned, several boxes stacked in his arms.
Sirius tried all of those wands, and then more, and then more until a pile of wands, boxes, and pieces of Mr. Ollivander's shop surrounded him at the desk.
"I give up!" Sirius growled as Remus repaired the light fixture, "We'll just share yours, Remus. You cast a spell, then I'll cast a spell." He crossed his arms and huffed.
"You're able to use Mr. Lupin's wand?" Mr. Ollivander's moonish eyes gazed between them, "Well why didn't you say so," he disappeared again, mumbling. He returned quickly, coughing and waving away a cloud of dust, "Try this one."
Sirius took the wand, immediately feeling its warmth. He waved it and a shower of rose petals fell onto his head.
"Curious, everything about you has changed," he said, taking the wand and wrapping it up.
"What do you mean?" Sirius asked.
"Well, you know the wand chooses the wizard, but usually if a replacement is needed, the wood and cores do not tend to vary drastically. At the most, a wizard will stay within the same family of properties. Your original wand was best at powerful bursts of magic, strong spells and results. That usually does not vary. This wand, however, is strong, but focused. It is the brother wand to Mr. Lupin's. Bamboo and dragon horn, inflexible, twelve and a quarter inches, best for defense."
"I still don't understand what that means," Sirius said.
"Nothing bad," Mr. Ollivander smiled, "Simply that you've changed. If you'll forgive me saying, twelve years in Azkaban is enough to alter the way any wizard's magic works. You're not damaged," Ollivander said hurriedly at the concerned look on Sirius's face, "Your magic has simply become more concentrated. I think you'll find that wand will suit you well.
"It's wonderful to see you both again," Ollivander escorted them towards the door, "Professor Dumbledore has kept me updated on your career, Mr. Lupin. I've been delighted to see how you've grown."
Remus paused, "I don't understand."
"Well, a werewolf has never been trained to fully qualified wizardry before. Trained wizards have become werewolves, but never the reverse. Werewolves have their own kind of magic just as any other magical creature, as I'm sure you know. I was merely curious to see how the two types of magic would mesh. I'm delighted to see that they result in something special."
Remus wasn't sure how to respond, but was saved as Sirius again thanked Mr. Ollivander for his wand before becoming Padfoot again. The two silently made their way back to the Leaky Cauldron.