Chapter 2: Joining the Order of the Phoenix
Lily knocked nervously on the Headmaster's door. A pleasant "Enter," came from the other side. Slowly she pushed the door open and smiled when she saw the bright blue eyes of Albus Dumbledore staring back at her. He seemed too have aged quite a bit in the past few hours and suddenly looked like an old man. So different from the man she meant seven years ago.
"Lily!" Dumbledore said smileing back at her. "What brings you back here so quickly?"
"Well Sir it's not just me," Lily said stepping aside to let her friends pass.
"Hello Headmaster," Remus said.
"Hi Dumbledore!" Karen said.
"Hello Professor," James said.
"It feels werid to walk in here without being in trouble," Sirius said. Dumbledore chuckled at Sirius' comment. Karen, Lily, and Remus rolled their eyes.
"So what is it that brings you here?" he asked the young group of friends.
"We want to fight Sir," James said.
"Yeah," Karen said. "All of us know about the Order anyway."
"The what?" Lily asked confused.
"The Order of the Phoenix, Lily," Dumbledore explained to her. "A secret society I created to fight against Lord Voldemort." Lily shivered when she heard the name.
"Lily, fear of a name only increases fear of the thing itself," Dumbledore told her. She simply nodded.
"So how do all of you know about the Order?" she asked. Karen, James, Sirius, and Remus all looked down at the ground.
"Our parents are in it," Karen said pointing to James and herself. Of course Karen and James know, Lily thought. They both come from pureblood families that don't support him.
"Of course, James told Sirius and Remus," Karen said, "but he wouldn't let me tell you."
"And that stopped you?" Lily asked.
"We didn't want to put you in danger, Lily," James said.
Lily rolled her eyes. "Anyways, Professor we came here because we want to fight against Vol...Voldemort."
"I guessed you would want to," Dumbledore sighed. "Well I suppose you could join. You are of age, after all. You want to become Aurors, I am right?" He directed the question at James, Sirius, and Karen.
"Yes," they all answered at the same time.
"Well you must know that there are spies in the Ministry," Dumbledore explained. "You must be careful that you don't mention the Order to anyone at all if you join."
"Yes Sir," they all said.
"Please, call me Albus," he said. "You are adults now."
"What do you mean if?" Lily asked.
"You are still young," he said. "I don't know if you could handle this."
"If you're talking about Remus being a werewolf it won't hinder him," Lily said. "He were always top of the year."
"You told her about it?" Sirius whispered to James. "You promised."
"I didn't tell her anything," James said.
"You're a werewolf?!" Karen asked. "So that's where Mooney comes from."
"Yes Karen that's where Moony comes from," Sirius said sarcastically. Karen glared at him.
"You're not mad right?" Remus asked Karen looking at the ground.
"Mad? Why would I be mad?" she asked. "You're still my friend no matter what. Werewolf or not."
"I don't think Remus' condition hinders him at all," Dumbledore said. "If anything it makes him stronger. Besides why would when he has friends who can help him through it."
"Oh," Lily blushed. "Well what were you talking about?"
"You are just out of Hogwarts, don't you think you need time to get over your parents deaths?" Dumbledore asked James. James looked down and didn't say anything.
"Sirius, you would have to fight against your brother and maybe even kill him, could you do that?" Sirius looked angrily out the window. He didn't say anything.
"Remus, you would probably have to tell everyone one in the Order about you, could you handle what they might say?" Remus looked terrified. His face paled making his sandy hair look darker.
"Karen, could you learn to trust those around you and put your life in their hands?" Karen looked around at the others skeptically. Her aunt had joined Voldemort's army last year and since then she hadn't trusted anyone but Lily.
"Lily, would you be able to leave your family for extended periods of time without any contact?"
"To save them, yes," Lily answered immediately. She wasn't afraid. If she had to leave her family to help them stay alive then she would do so.
"Yes," Karen said. "I know I can trust them. Even if I don't get along with them all the time." Karen smiled at the three boys to her right remembering all the fights they had gotten into.
"If I had to tell everyone what I am to stop Voldemort then I would," Remus said. He's not in Gryffindor for nothing, Lily thought.
"I would go up against my brother if I had to," Sirius said. "I could never avoid it anyway. He cut all ties to me when he joined Voldemort."
"Yes," James said quietly. "I would do it for them." Lily moved quickly to James' side and grabbed his hand. He smiled up at her.
"All of you are very brave," Dumbledore said. "All of you are willing to do what it takes to defeat Lord Voldemort. Even if it means dying. We are lucky to have you on our side. Welcome to the Order of the Phoenix."