"Thank you all for coming," Dumbledore said as Mrs Weasley hurried to take her seat beside her husband and son. "Welcome to the first official meeting of the Order of the Phoenix in our new headquarters – graciously provided to us by Sirius."
So this was his house, Freddie thought, surprised. She knew the Blacks were an old pureblood family, but she hadn't made the connection. Usually old families like that lived in much bigger houses, like Gray Manor or Malfoy Manor.
Black nodded his head at the headmaster's acknowledgment but he still looked deeply unhappy.
"About the only thing I'm allowed to do," Black muttered under his breath.
"There are, of course, more members than you who sit here tonight," Dumbledore continued, seeming not to have heard his remark. "Some were unable to attend on such short notice. Others prefer to remain anonymous for the time being, known only to a select few. In time I hope our numbers will grow as we continue to make new contacts and persuade more people of the undeniable truth – Voldemort is out there and his army grows more powerful by the day."
There was a ripple around the table as the headmaster said the Dark Lord's name. Freddie flinched and beside her Tonks let out a little squeak. Even McGonagall had recoiled slightly at the word.
"You all know why we are here," he proceeded, his voice calm but powerful. "I've spoken with each of you individually and most of you have already been given jobs to do."
At his end of the table Sirius Black snorted, but he cowed under a look from Dumbledore.
"Information has recently come to light and I believe we now know what Voldemort is planning to do next," he said. Freddie glanced quickly at Snape, wondering if this information came from him. He wasn't looking at her but seemed rather smug as he looked down the table at Black who was scowling back at him.
"Is He planning an attack?" asked the deep voice of a dark-skinned man Freddie didn't recognize.
"No, Kingsley. As far as we can tell He is laying low. Harry's narrow escape from his clutches messed up His plan for His return. No one but the Death Eaters were supposed to know about it and the first thing Harry did upon his escape was inform me, the last person Voldemort wanted to know of his return. Within an hour I was able to begin rallying the original members of the Order. Fortunately for Voldemort and unfortunately for us, the Minister has chosen to ignore the news of His return. As long as He doesn't launch any outright attacks, the Ministry will continue to ignore the truth and will continue attempting to discredit me. Voldemort is aware of this. Until now He has been quietly gathering his followers, building his army, while we have been working to build ours."
"So what's his next move?" Lupin asked in his usual mild tone. "Something that will draw attention to himself?"
"If we play our cards right, it very well could be," Dumbledore answered. "I have reason to believe that Voldemort and his followers are going to attempt to steal something from the Ministry of Magic."
"From the Ministry?" repeated the man he'd called Kingsley.
"He'd never make it through the door," said another man, shaking his head.
"What is it he's planning to steal, Dumbledore?" asked Arthur Weasley. "Some sort of weapon?"
"Like a really powerful wand maybe?" Bill guessed. "Or a cursed object?"
"What department?" Tonks prodded. "Something from our office? Something the Aurors have confiscated?"
"The object He seeks is housed on the ninth floor," Dumbledore said and everyone fell silent, exchanging meaningful glances.
"What's on the ninth floor?" Freddie whispered to Tonks.
"The Department of Mysteries," she answered seriously. "No one really knows what they do there, their work is highly confidential. The people who work there are called Unspeakables."
"That is correct, Tonks," said Dumbledore, causing the young Auror to blush. "Lord Voldemort believes there is a Prophecy hidden deep within the Department of Mysteries that contains information vital to him achieving his goals."
"A Prophecy? Is that all? That's not really a weapon, is it?" asked one of the other wizards.
"Sometimes information can be more powerful than any weapon," Dumbledore said gravely and everyone fell silent again. The atmosphere of the room was tense and after a moment Lupin finally spoke up.
"So what's the plan Albus?" Lupin asked, breaking the silence.
"I want to post round the clock guards outside the Department of Mysteries," the headmaster said. "It will be easiest for those of you who already work inside the Ministry, like Kingsley and Tonks, to take these shifts, though you will have to use an Invisibility Cloak to keep from drawing attention to yourselves. I would like to post an additional guard in the lobby who can remain hidden and keep an eye on the comings and goings of everyone who passes through there – look for signs that they've been Imperiused or are under duress, anything that seems suspicious."
"I'll do it!" Black said loudly, eagerly standing up from the table.
"That's a fine idea," Snape snorted, speaking for the first time since the meeting had started. "The most wanted criminal in Britain waltzing right into the Ministry of Magic?"
"I am not a criminal," Black fired back, pounding his fist on the table. "I don't see you volunteering!"
To his credit Snape showed little sign of the anger Freddie knew he had to be feeling. Only the cold glittering of his black eyes gave him away.
"I already have a job," Snape said coolly. "An important one. I don't have the luxury of-"
"Listen here, Snivellus-"
"Enough!" Dumbledore said forcefully and Black glowered at Snape as he sank back into his seat beside Lupin. "Severus is right, Sirius. The Ministry is still looking for you and Pettigrew's betrayal means your Animagus disguise is no longer sufficient to ensure you won't be recognized. It isn't safe for you to leave the house right now, much less guard the lobby of the Ministry of Magic."
"I'll do it," Freddie said quietly and everyone looked to her. Displeasure flickered across Snape's face, but only for a moment. "I can go there on my days off and probably spend a few hours there each evening after I leave work at 7 or else before I go in in the mornings."
"Thank you, Miss Gray," Dumbledore said with a smile. "For those of you who don't know, Miss Gray is one of the newest members of the Order. She works at St Mungo's Hospital."
"You look a little young to be a Healer," Arthur Weasley commented, though she didn't think he meant it in an unkind way.
"I'm not," Freddie said, shaking her head. "I brew potions."
"She's the assistant Potions Master," Lupin said on her behalf, giving her a quick smile. "Don't sell yourself short, Freddie."
She inclined her head in thanks.
"I could probably take a few daytime shifts in the lobby," Mrs Weasley offered. "It'll take some of the pressure off of Miss Gray and maybe give Arthur and I a chance to have lunch together on occasion."
"Thank you, Molly," Dumbledore said to her as her husband patted her hand. "Anyone else?"
Most of the next hour was spent figuring out a schedule for guard duty, both in the lobby and outside the Ministry of Magic. Freddie agreed to take the first shift in the lobby as soon as the meeting was over. Tonks offered to show her to the lobby and then she'd take the first shift down in the Department of Mysteries.
"I'll have to find my spare invisibility cloak for you, Gray," Moody said, his voice coming out in a rough growl. "Everyone can take turns, swap the cloak when you swap shifts."
"I can do a Disillusionment Charm," Freddie informed him.
"Not good enough," he growled back. "Not when you're going to have highly-trained Aurors walking past you."
"He's right," Kingsley agreed. "Even the best Disillusionment Charm isn't as good as an invisibility cloak."
"Or Miss Gray can use an Invisibility Potion," Snape drawled, still looking bored by the proceedings. "After all she is the one who invented the antidote for it."
A few of the older wizards around the table seemed impressed.
"Oh yeah, will that work?" Freddie asked, directing her question to Moody. "I always keep some in my bag just in case."
"What don't you keep in that bag?" Charlie teased from across the table.
"That'll work," Moody said, his magical eye flicking to the bag at her side. "As long as you don't forget to take the next dose before it wears off."
"I think I can manage," Freddie said coolly. "I have enough for four hours and I have to leave at midnight to tend to a potion in my office."
"I'll relieve you then," Lupin said with a nod. "I have my own Invisibility Cloak."
"It is vital that Voldemort does not get his hands on that Prophecy," Dumbledore said after they had hammered out the details of guard duty and they each had a copy of the schedule they'd written. "If we catch him in the act we'll be able to prove to Fudge once and for all that what we've been telling him is true. The Wizarding World is in danger and for now at least we're the only ones fighting back."