Disclaimer: I still do not own Harry Potter.

Hi all, and thanks for the fabulous reviews! Again, I'm so glad that you liked how I portray Cedric. When I read about him in Goblet of Fire, I thought he had a lot of potential. I wanted to really flesh him out in this story.

Also, one of my reviewers asked me whether this is a rewrite, because they are having déjà vu. Indeed, it is. I posted this several years ago, then took it down to make major corrections to it.

To the reviewer who says I helped them through a week of final exams, I'm so glad! I remember final exams myself, THEY SUCK! I hope my story continues to help you through what's ahead!

To those who love the character of Severus Snape, there is a revelation about him in this chapter which may disappoint some of you, because you may think we won't see much of him in the future. I will tel you that you definitely will be seeing him, for I plan for him to do something major at the end of sixth year. He'll have a big part to play then. So he'll definitely still be in the story!

Chapter 43: The Order of the Phoenix

About two weeks passed, and Sirius and Remus did their absolute best to help Harry heal. Harry met up with the Diggorys once a week, and they helped to comfort each other. He also saw his friends during that time, and they were very loving towards him. They didn't press him about what happened; instead, they tried to take his mind off it by talking about other things.

One thing his two guardians did bring up, though, was his Triwizard winnings. They knew it would be a sore subject, so they approached it very gently. Harry grew very upset at the fact that he had still won, and told them he didn't want any of it. Over the following days, though, he remembered what his friends had said about helping him to laugh again, and whenever he thought of laughter, he thought of Fred and George. He then had an epiphany; he knew exactly what to do with the money. His guardians warned him that Molly Weasley might not approve, but warmly agreed that he should do it. So when he saw the Weasleys again, he gave the money to Fred and George for them to start their joke shop when they got out of school. The twins were very humbled by this, and pulled Harry into an embrace.

A few weeks later, the two Marauders and Harry woke up to a sunny morning. When Harry sat down for breakfast, Sirius said, "We're going on a little outing later today."

"Where are we going?" Harry asked, his curiosity piqued.

"Before we tell you that, we need to tell you why we're going there," said Remus, sitting down next to Harry. "Harry, have you ever heard of the Order of the Phoenix?"

"No," Harry answered. "What is it?"

"It's an organization that helps when it comes to fighting Voldemort and his supporters," said Sirius. Harry's face immediately grew somber.

"They were very active during the First War," said Remus. "All four of us Marauders and your mum were involved, as well as Frank and Alice Longbottom. We had meetings every so often, and we tried to stop the Death Eaters and Voldemort whenever we could."

"Dumbledore came by last night while you were asleep," Sirius explained. "He told us that he has talked to some of the old crowd that were in the Order last time. They have agreed to join again, for we don't know when Voldemort will reveal himself. As you know, the Ministry don't believe that he has returned."

Harry scowled. "What's wrong with them?" he griped angrily.

"They're just very stubborn, pup," Sirius said. "Fudge doesn't want to even mention the possibility that it might indeed be true to the wizarding community because he knows there will be an uproar."

"But they've got to be prepared!" Harry cried. "What if there's an attack and nobody knows about his return?"

"I definitely understand what you're saying," said Remus gently. "But Dumbledore informed me that those wishing to participate in the Order all believe it. There are also some new people that have joined, who weren't part of it last time."

"Who else is in the Order?" Harry asked. "And where are the meetings going to be? Can I be in the Order, too?"

"Harry, cub, I know you won't want to hear this," Remus started, "but Dumbledore thinks you're too young ..."

Harry jumped out of his seat, his mood immediately changing to fury. "I had to watch someone die! Doesn't he realize I'm not a child anymore?" he screamed.

"Harry, calm down, kiddo." Sirius rested a hand on his shoulder. "The fact is, no children are allowed to join the Order. But we know you have a right to find out what's going on with Voldemort; you have more of a right than anyone. Remus and I promise we'll tell you everything you need to know. Right now, Voldemort isn't doing anything. He and his supporters are keeping themselves hidden."

Harry took a deep breath and sat back down. At least his guardians were going to inform him of what was going on.

"As for where we're meeting," said Remus, "Sirius's old family home is our new Headquarters."

"Yes," said Sirius, looking smug. "Bet my parents are rolling over in their graves right now. I offered it to Dumbledore as Headquarters. I hated that bloody place, but at least we're using it for something good now. I'd die if I had to live there again, though. Dumbledore put a Fidelius charm over it." His eyes glazed over for a moment, remembering how the Fidelius had not worked for Lily and James. "Dumbledore is the secret keeper," he continued, wishing that his friends hadn't been so stubborn and accepted him as theirs, too.

"As for who else is in the Order," Remus said, looking at Sirius sympathetically, "Molly, Bill, and Arthur Weasley are new members. Ron, Ginny, Fred, George, and Hermione will be at the house this evening. Mad-Eye Moody was in the Order last time, but sadly, he is now dead. It's a great shame. Kingsley Shacklebolt will also be there, along with Professor McGonagall. Dumbledore will be there, too; he's the leader. Sirius's niece, Nymphadora Tonks, is coming; she's new as well. Hestia Jones, Emmeline Vance, and Sturgis Podmore will also be attending."

"And thank God, old Snivellus won't be there," Sirius said nastily. "He was in the Order last time to offer information about Voldemort's doings to our side. But God knows whether he was really helping the enemy."

"Sirius, please don't start that again," Remus sighed. "I know you're angry with him about the prophecy; I am, too. But Albus told us how remorseful he feels over it."

"Bull," Sirius shot back. "Old greaseball can't feel remorse about anything. His heart's made of stone."

"Sirius, please." Remus said quietly. "But no, he won't be there. Dumbledore told us, Harry, that Professor Snape will not be coming back next year, so you won't have to see him. Do you want to go back to Hogwarts next year at all?"

Harry looked surprised. "Of course I do!" he exclaimed. "Why would you ask me that? You know that what happened at the third task wasn't Dumbledore's fault. I'm still angry with him about Snape, but I still want to go back to Hogwarts."

"We'll discuss this more later, pup," Sirius said, looking unsure. "We want to be absolutely positive that you're comfortable with being at the school."

"I am comfortable," reassured Harry. "Please let me go back."

"We won't stop you, but we need to talk more about it," said Remus. "But about Snape, apparently, Voldemort needs a full-time potions brewer, and has informed him of such. He told Severus to tell Dumbledore, and of course, both of them think he is working for the side each belongs to; Dumbledore is positive he's working for the light, and Voldemort is sure he's working for the dark. Voldemort is positive that other people in the school will let him know what Dumbledore is up to, but if you continue with S.A.N.E, that will be a less likely prospect. Dumbledore is worried about sending him into such danger, for he knows that Severus will try to find ways in which to contact him to let him know what the Death Eaters are planning. He will have to do this in secret, for Voldemort can't suspect he is doing anything like that. If he does suspect, it will be very bad indeed for Severus."

Harry nodded, relieved that at least he wouldn't have to see him. He couldn't dig up any sympathy for Snape at the current time; all he could think about was the fact that he had informed the Dark Lord of the prophecy which had sent his parents to their deaths. "Who's going to teach Potions, then?" he asked.

"Dumbledore said he's talked to a man who used to teach at Hogwarts many years ago," Remus answered. "His name is Horace Slughorn. He was actually our Potions teacher back in the 70's."

"What's he like?" asked Harry.

"It would be better for you if you tried to avoid him," Sirius warned. "He's obsessed with famous people, and others who have famous parents."

"Oh," groaned Harry unhappily. He tried to console himself with the fact that at least this was better than having to deal with Snape.

xxx

That evening, the three apparated to the street where Grimmauld Place was located. Sirius handed Harry a piece of parchment, giving one to Remus and keeping a third for himself. In Dumbledore's handwriting, it said:

The Headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix is located at 12, Grimmauld Place. Remus told him to memorize the information, so Harry did.

At once, a house began to materialize, pushing numbers 11 and 13 out of its way. Before they knew it, 12, Grimmauld Place was standing there.

Sirius's face was a conflicting sea of emotions as he knocked on the door. His companions could tell that he was going to have a hard time with this. Mrs. Weasley answered the door, and beckoned for them to come in.

As they walked into the house, Harry heard the sound of something screaming. It was so loud that Harry had to cover his ears.

"SHAME OF MY FLESH! HOW DARE YOU BRING MUDBLOODS AND MUDBLOOD LOVERS INTO MY HOUSE! YOU ARE A DISGRACE, HOW DARE YOU RETURN! YOU ARE SCUM, YOU ARE FILTH ..."

"Mum, shut the hell up, you old hag!" Sirius snarled, pulling the curtains over an old portrait, which was the thing that was screaming.

Harry looked at Sirius in shock once the horrible noise had stopped. "That ... that's your mother?" he asked weakly.

"Yep," Sirius said ferociously. "That's her, all right."

"Wow," said Harry. "I feel bad for you."

Sirius just nodded in acknowledgment, giving another nasty look to the terrible portrait.

As Harry looked around, there was hardly any light, and the house was extremely dusty. It looked like it had been abandoned for years.

"You'll get a chance to look around later, dear," said Mrs. Weasley to Harry. "The meeting's about to start, so you need to go up to the first room on the right. Ron, Hermione, the twins, and Ginny are all there."

Harry nodded in agreement, and went up the stairs. He knocked on the door to the first room to his right, and his friends warmly told him to come in.

Hermione threw her arms around him when she saw him, as did Ginny. Fred, George, and Ron pounded him on the back, the twins sporting identical cheeky grins. "Oh hello, Harry, our humble king!" they said.

Harry sat down on the floor next to Ginny, and they all started talking about the Order of the Phoenix. Harry told them what he'd learned that day about Snape, and Ron let out a whoop of joy, the twins giving each other high-fives. Hermione looked disapprovingly at them. "Don't you understand that what he's going to do is really dangerous?" she frowned.

"Aw, come on, 'Mione," Ron coaxed. "Aren't you at least happy the greasy git's not gonna be around anymore? Serves him right that he's gonna be in danger. He deserves it!"

"Ronald!" exclaimed Hermione crossly. "You know better than to wish bad things on people you don't like!"

"I dunno if I like the sound of this Slughorn, though," said Ginny. "I don't want him to go on and on about your fame; I know you hate that."

"Thanks, Gin," said Harry. "I guess I'll just have to deal with it when the time comes."

Ginny put a reassuring hand on Harry's shoulder, squeezing it in comfort. "At least you won't have to deal with Snape," she said.

"Yeah," said Harry. Changing the subject, he asked everyone, "How are things at the Burrow, then?"

"It's funny you should ask that," said Fred.

"Yeah, things've been rather interesting," added George.

"How?" asked Harry curiously.

"Well, it involves Percy the Prat," said Ron, glaring. "It all started yesterday, you see. He came home from work and told Dad that Fudge had promoted him. He then made a nasty comment about how the Ministry are at least doing things right, and not believing the garbage the rest of the family does about You-Know-Who being back."

"Dad got really angry," Ginny took over. "He and Percy had a shouting match, and it ended with Percy leaving the house. He hasn't been back since."

Harry looked shocked and a little angry. "Where's he gone, then?"

"None of us know," said George. "Dad tried to talk to him at the Ministry today, but Percy refused the offer."

"I'm sure he'll come around," said Hermione. "I think he's just afraid."

"We'll give him "afraid,"" said the twins, balling their hands into fists. "He'll have a new definition of the word once we're through with him."

"Let's talk about something more lighthearted," George then said, taking something out of his robes pocket. "Harry, check this out, mate."

Harry looked at the things that were made out of string which the twins were holding; they were flesh-colored and looked very odd. "What are they?" he asked.

"Extendable Ears," chirped Fred happily. "George and I invented them for the joke shop. They're a way of eavesdropping on people's conversations." At this, Hermione gave him and George a glare.

"We'd show you how they work, little bro," said George, "but Mum told us Dumbledore's putting a charm on the door to make it so that no sound is able to come through. Suspicious old codger."

"I wouldn't be surprised if Mum suggested to him to do it, though," said Ron. "She knows what you two are like, because she caught you using them the other day while listening to one of her and Dad's conversations."

"She's no fun," grumbled Fred.

"You are oh, so right, dear brother," agreed George.

After the meeting was over, the children trooped into the kitchen, where Molly Weasley was busily cooking. Harry got a chance to meet some people from the Order who had decided to stay for dinner. Kingsley Shacklebolt gave him a friendly hello, while Nymphadora Tonks gave him a toothy smile and tried to make him laugh by changing her appearance all over the place. Harry found it unbelievable that people could have such magical talents. During dinner, she kept changing her nose and winking at the twins and Ginny, making them burst into uncontrollable giggles.

"We need to clean up this place," said Sirius, looking around the kitchen. "This room and the other rooms, too."

"We know," Kingsley said. "We'll work on it over the next few months. Are you willing to help us, Sirius?"

"It's my house, I suppose I'll have to," grumbled Sirius. "I hate this place. It's a foul, disgusting old dump."

At that moment, a house-elf shuffled into the kitchen. But he didn't look a thing like Dobby; he was not happy and smiling. Instead, he was scowling, and he said to Sirius, "Good evening, Master. Is there anything I can get for you?" Then he began to mutter under his breath. "My master disgusts me, bringing half-breeds and mudbloods and blood traitors into the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black. Oh my poor mistress, what would she say if she only knew what abominable filth was infesting the house of ..."

"Shut up, Kreacher, you loathsome elf," growled Sirius. "Go away."

"Yes, Master," said Kreacher, bowing so low that his entire body almost touched the floor. He then proceeded to shuffle out of the room, still muttering under his breath.

"Sorry about him," Sirius mumbled. "I've always hated that elf. He worshipped my mother, thought she was the best thing to ever grace this Earth."

"You should be nicer to him, though, Sirius," Hermione told him earnestly. "He'd probably like you more if you treated him better."

"I'm afraid that wouldn't work, Hermione," Sirius told her, shaking his head. "Kreacher will never change."

Hermione just frowned at him, and the others could tell that she highly disagreed with him.

xxx

Later that night, when Harry was tucked into bed, Sirius and Remus sat in the living room, talking quietly.

"So how do you think the Order meeting went, Rem?" Sirius asked.

Remus sighed. "It went well, but I don't like to think about what's to come," he said, worry lines creasing his face. "I don't want to think about how many we'll lose before this is over."

"Me, neither," said Sirius. "But we're more prepared than we were last time, you know? We know what Voldemort wants first; he's going to try to get the prophecy from the Department of Mysteries. He's obsessed with it, he wants to hear the full contents. Since Harry didn't know them when he saw him in the graveyard, that's the thing he wants to know first."

"Dumbledore told me I have guard duty tomorrow night," said Remus.

"I have it the night after you," said Sirius. "I know Harry's going to be really worried when we tell him what we'll be guarding. But Albus needs us to do it, and he knows we're both willing to do anything to take care of Harry."

"I worry about the poor boy," said Remus. "He's been through so much already. It's not fair that he's had to see someone he thought of as a big brother be murdered right before his very eyes."

"I know," said Sirius, breathing deeply. "I know. But we're going to do everything to make sure the ride gets easier for him."

"And he wants to go back to Hogwarts," said Remus. "I don't think we'll be able to convince him not to go."

"I realize that," Sirius sighed. After a few moments of silence, Sirius changed the subject. "You know, Moony," he said softly, "my little cousin Dora was looking at you all night."

Remus looked at his old friend. "I know," he said. "I saw it too."

"Do you think she has a little crush?" Sirius joked lightly.

"I don't know, but you know I can't pursue it, Padfoot," Remus said sadly. "Once she finds out what I am she'll run away. After what Kreacher said at dinner, she's probably already wondering which one of us is a half-breed."

"Moony, you can't think everyone would run away from you," Sirius told him gently. "After all, Prongs, Lily, Wormtail for a time, and I accepted you unconditionally."

"I know, but I can't not think of Julia," Remus said, more sadness creeping into his eyes and voice. "It may have been years, Padfoot, but I still love her. I know you told me that what she said at our last meeting was wrong, but it's hard for me to accept that."

"I know, old friend. But I'm sure that wherever she is now, she'd want you to be happy."

Remus let out a sigh. "I know."

As the two friends went to sleep that night, the day's events played over and over again in their minds. They thought about the Order, about Hogwarts, and about their adopted son Harry.

But also on Remus's mind was the revelation about how Tonks might want to pursue him. He'd seen the looks she'd cast his way, and it made him feel uncomfortable. He could never forget the disaster that ended things with his very first love, Julia Fields. Now that a second war was on its way to beginning, he couldn't help but remember a certain tragedy of the first. And when he saw the memory of James's shade telling Harry Julia was sorry, everything came rushing back. He cast his mind into the past, and began to remember...''