AN: Harry Potter is not mine :(
Chapter 2 - Enlightening Information
Students had been back at Hogwarts for a few weeks when Professor McGonagall asked Harry, Ron and Hermione to stay behind after Transfiguration.
"Professor Dumbledore would like to see you tonight, but this has to be done with a certain degree of secrecy." McGonagall explained. "Mr Potter and Mr Weasley if you could make your way from the common room using Mr Potter's invisibility cloak. Ms Granger, if you could head to the library and I will meet you there."
The three left McGonagall's classroom slightly confused.
"Why do you think he wants to see us?" Harry asked.
"More importantly why can't we tell anyone" Ron questioned.
"Well its obviously something to do with the Order" Hermione whispered, "and they don't want certain students to see that we are meeting with Dumbledore. Its not exactly like we have done anything wrong yet this year".
Later that evening, Hermione headed to the library, which nobody found odd, while Harry and Ron played wizard's chess by the fire. By 9.30pm most students had headed to bed and those left in the common room were well absorbed in finishing what ever homework was due for the next day.
Harry ran up to the dormitory and grabbed his invisibility cloak and the Marauders Map, then he and Ron headed out, muttering something about going to find Hermione, just in case anyone was listening. Once they reached the third floor, they checked to see that no one was around, Harry pulled out the map, muttering "I solemnly swear I am up to no good" and checked that the route to Dumbledore's office was clear. Seeing that there was no one in their way, or anywhere near them, they pulled out the invisibility cloak and set off for Dumbledore's office.
Hermione was sitting in the library, totally engrossed in a book on Ancient Runes she was using for her homework. Professor McGonagall approached the table.
"Ms Granger, would you please be so kind as to accompany me, I need a prefect's assistance" she said.
"Certainly, Professor" Hermione answered, packing up her stuff.
Together Hermione and McGonagall walked to the Headmaster's office.
"Pear Drops" McGonagall said as they reached the phoenix statue, and it moved into life, allowing them to climbed the stairs to the Headmaster's office.
Once they reached the office, they saw that Harry and Ron were already there. Hermione took a seat next to Harry and Ron.
"Welcome" Dumbledore started "I'm guessing you are wondering why you are here, so I'm going to explain. I ask that you listen to my explanation and then I will answer any questions that you have".
The three nodded, each wondering what Dumbledore was about to tell them.
"At the start of the school year some information came to light about Lord Voldemort's plans and the Order has been using this information to form a plan of our own. It is now time to start putting that plan into action, and informing you is part of that".
The three were slightly stunned. They had all realised at some point in time during this year, that they would have to deal with the impending war, and maybe even argue again for inclusion in the Order of the Phoenix. Yet here was Dumbledore volunteering information and including them in a plan.
"So what's the plan?" Harry asked, at the same time Hermione said "What information?"
Dumbledore smiled, he knew they were desperate to be involved in the Order and fight to protect the world from Lord Voldemort, and had hated the way that the Order had kept them on the outside. He remembered the heated discussion around the table over whether they should be involved, as they were only children. Yet they were children who had faced more in their short lives than most other wizards. It had become apparent to the Order that they needed to be included, involved, and consulted, especially following the information they had received about Lord Voldemort's plans.
It was time to tell them, and Dumbledore decided to get straight to the point, "during the summer holiday's Draco Malfoy was given a mission by the Lord Voldemort, and that mission was to kill me".
The three gasped. Everyone knew that the one wizard Voldemort feared was Dumbledore, and that he would want Dumbledore dead, but none of them had comprehended anything happening to Dumbledore before the final battle. But it wasn't just the threat to Dumbledore, it was that Draco Malfoy had been given the task. He was their age. How could you ask a teenager to kill someone?
"Upon arrival at Hogwarts Draco confided in his Godfather, and together they came to see me. Draco is now part of the Order and we will be doing everything to protect him" Dumbledore continued.
"But..." Ron started
"Let me finish Mr Weasley" Dumbledore stated "The Order has decided to use this information to develop a plan which will hopefully end this war before it can get out of hand. And yes Mr Weasley we do believe him, and we do believe the information is genuine. Professor Snape has helped confirm this."
Ron shut his mouth and went bright red, wondering how exactly Dumbledore knew exactly what he was thinking.
"How does this effect us Professor?" Hermione asked, still trying to comprehend all of the information that was being given to them.
"Well the mission to kill me will involve luring death eaters to Hogwarts to assist with my murder. The Order will be waiting and Lord Voldemort will be summons. We are hoping to catch him off guard, and end the war before it can really begin. As you know Harry you will be needed for the final battle, as will Ron and Hermione. This is why we are sharing this information with you now".
Harry nodded, swallowing hard. He always knew this day would come, but he still didn't feel anywhere near ready, but then he realised that it was also something that he figured he would never be totally ready for. He had survived Voldemort once before, he had the most powerful protection of his mother's love, he just had to remember that and stay strong.
"The Order is having a meeting on Saturday. The rest of the school will be on a Hogsmeade visit, so it should not be too hard to sneak you out to the meeting. I ask that you discuss this with no one else at this time, including at Mrs Weasley's request Ginny, and use the next few days to think over the information you have been given."
The trio nodded, and were then dismissed from the headmaster's office.
Once outside McGonagall escorted them back the the Gryffindor tower. The Common Room was empty so they sat down in front of the fire with a stunned silence engulfing them, each of them independently digesting the information they had received and slowly coming to terms with the fact that the war was going to happen, and it was going to happen sooner than they had anticipated.
Again thanks to dmlainey.
Pls review, and if you know a good beta please let me know...