"It's been a very long time since I've had my own room. I'd almost forgotten what it feels like."

Harry was very much enjoying showing his friends around his new home, not just because he hated any time he was forced to spend away from them. As fun as the summer holidays were, they almost meant that he wasn't with them and his recent experiences had only served to remind him to make the most of them whilst he could. Other than that, their presence was also distracting him from the front door constantly opening and closing, various people entering Grimmauld Place. Sirius was, up to that point, proving to be frustratingly tight-lipped about the reason, so Harry was basically using his friends to occupy his mind for the time being. Then again, Matthew and Hermione had shown themselves to be just as curious as him, meaning they were all just waiting until one of them broached the topic.

The pair of them had arrived only a short while ago, eagerly wanting to get a good look at Harry's new accommodation. They'd already said that it was a vast improvement on what he'd had at the Dursleys', no matter how neat and tidy his Aunt Petunia had tried to keep it. Hermione, in particular, had been rendered awestruck by the sight of the building moving to reveal itself, asking Sirius a whole host of questions about how it worked. Harry had even ventured outside to watch it happen himself, knowing that it would never get old. In his eyes, nothing would ever beat magic.

Spending time with his godfather had been brilliant, but having his friends by his side once again made everything feel perfect . Hermione's parents had allowed her to stay for a week, stating that they also wouldn't mind a visit themselves. At the proposal, Sirius had gone rather ashen-faced, later remarking that it would be his first time hosting as a proper adult . He'd faced the Dark Lord himself down, and yet this was what terrified him. Matthew, on the other hand…well he was always more of an unknown variable, given the option to stay for the entire summer since he was on his own. Harry sometimes got the sense that such a commitment would get in the way of the exploring he could do in the Tardis, with Matthew growing more brazen with where he took the blue box ever since he'd divulged his secret to the pair of them. With Skeeter out of the picture, there was also less fear on that account to keep it hidden.

Hermione looked sadly at Matthew after his comment, even though his gaze was still enthusiastic as he admired his new bedroom. It wasn't much but, when he rarely mentioned anything about the darker side of his life, she had learnt to cling onto any information provided. It was a crack in his defences, admitting that he'd been without something that most people took for granted. Her boys, suffering distressing childhoods that neither of them deserved, making them more appreciative of the smaller things in life. Matthew never liked to admit that certain events still haunted him. At times, such remarks would make him sound much older than he truly was. Yet now, with his wide-eyed excitement, he truly resembled a kid again.

"Don't you have a room in the Tardis?" she asked.

Matthew pulled a face. "It's not the same. For some reason, I've never been able to pick just one room. There's so many, you see. It'd feel as if I was somehow missing out by committing myself to a singular space." He grabbed her hands, hoping to make her realise through his infectious giddiness, spinning her around slightly. "Don't you see? There are so many possibilities in the Tardis! Imagine picking a bed and never changing it!"

"Okay, okay!" Hermione yelled through her laughter, needing it to stop before her lunch revisited her. "You can't be tied down by one bedroom, I understand!"

The boy smiled once more as he took in the new surroundings. "But this is different. This is…permanent. The Tardis comes and goes, never staying in one spot. This is…well, it's not something I've had in a while, let's put it like that." He turned to Harry. "Do you think I should get something for Sirius as a thank you? Do you know what he likes?"

The question stumped Harry. "You know…I don't really have a clue what his hobbies are…or anything really that doesn't concern what happened with my parents. Don't you think that's a bit weird?"

Hermione placed a hand on his shoulder. "It's normal, actually. The smaller details are the things you pick up gradually over time, and that'll come with the years you're going to spend with him now. For instance…did you know what my favourite book was when we first met? Did you know what Matthew's preferred biscuit was when you bumped into him at King's Cross?"

"I'm incredibly partial to a chocolate hobnob," Matthew commented, as if they needed to know the answer.

"I wasn't living with you though," Harry reminded them.

"Well, you technically were. Unless you've forgotten that I've been sleeping in the bunk right next to you for four years."

Harry glared at his friend's playful and exuberant nature. "That's not the point and you know it."

"You're not having doubts, are you?" Hermione asked worriedly. "About living with Sirius?" She lowered her voice to a soft hush, suddenly worried that the man in question would overhear them.

"No! No!" He was quick to assure them that that couldn't have been further from the truth. "Of course not! I can't describe how nice it's been since we got here. It feels as if I've been here forever, which isn't a bad thing in the slightest. But sometimes…I remind myself that we're still strangers. I've committed to this now. What if…what if he grows to know who I am…and he doesn't like it? What if he tells me to leave?"

Hermione looked fit to burst with tears. She enveloped him in a fierce hug, trying to convey her support without actually saying it. She knew what he was like when she tried to talk about these things, and felt like doing this was saving him from a ton of embarrassment. Then again, she wasn't seeing the pleading look Harry was sending Matthew, as if the other boy would be able to save him from her grasp. It wasn't as if Harry wasn't enjoying the embrace (he was, perhaps, liking it a bit too much). It was just that he never enjoyed getting sympathy when he wasn't looking for it.

"No one is ever going to tell you that," Hermione whispered fiercely into his ear. "No one. Not us. Not Sirius. No one. Remember that, Harry."

In the end, he hadn't realised just how much he'd needed to hear that, the doubts having been eating him up pretty much since his godfather had first offered to look after him. That was a long time to have his insecurities bottled up, a bad habit that he had learnt over the years. Even after all the time at Hogwarts, Harry was still affected in some ways by his childhood with the Dursleys. That was something else he didn't like being evident, but his friends had always been able to work their way through his defences.

"Thanks, 'Mione," he said in return, keeping his head down so that they wouldn't be able to see how red his eyes had become.

"She's right," Matthew added, gingerly standing by the doorway. "As much as we want to keep you to ourselves, Sirius has already shown how much he cares about you. Look at everything he's done here! He didn't have to give me and Hermione rooms as well, but he wants to embrace every part of your life."

"You've got a blank canvas here," Hermione added. "There's no pressure. You can explore who you are. Who you really are. I know you've always found it difficult with the attention you normally get from people. I think you've got a great opportunity to be your true self this summer. And the many people that care about you are going to love being around him."

"Speaking of blank canvases…have you started decorating your room yet?" Matthew would always be on hand to lighten the mood, sensing that the discussion had become too mushy for all their liking.

"I…put a few things in, yeah," Harry said sheepishly. "Mainly for Hedwig. We went and bought her a larger stand, free from her cage."

"So nothing for yourself?"

"Well, there was already everything that I needed! A bed, a duvet, and a desk. What more goes into a room?"

"That's the best thing about having one though! You can put anything inside! Anything and everything that you enjoy."

"I wouldn't know the first thing about decorating a bedroom. The issue is that Sirius doesn't either, so we're both as lost as each other."

Matthew hummed in thought, turning to look in his room once again. "You're overthinking it, Harry. You've got magic at your fingertips! More than anything, that means, if you mess up, you can have a second go at it."

He produced his wand with a flourish, casting a careful eye over the blank space before them. With a simple wave, the grey curtains turned a soft maroon with golden swirls lining the edges. The wardrobe grew plumper, the bed more grand. Two of the walls became dominated by shelves, all wilting under the weight of the many books now present. The desk vanished, replaced with a work bench that was accompanied with a needlessly fancy chair with wheels. A few photos popped up with individual flicks of Matthew's wand, along with posters of his favourite movies (namely Jurassic Park and Pulp Fiction, an eclectic mix summing up his tastes). And, in the corner, a neon sign grew from the floor, bearing the words 'Tardis Parking Zone'.

Matthew looked at the improvements and nodded his head in satisfaction, only to find Hermione glaring at him, aghast. "What?"

"There are people downstairs!" she reminded him in a shrill voice. "Just think of the noise you must have made! We're not supposed to perform magic outside of Hogwarts!"

He waved a hand. "Those rules don't apply to me. My magic won't be detected. Once you've honed your powers, neither will yours. Though, by the time you've truly mastered the old form of magic, you'll likely have gone past the age limitations anyway."

"That's not the point! What if someone had come up to see what was going on? What if it was someone from the Ministry? They wouldn't know you're exempt, and you certainly wouldn't be able to explain how you'd done it."

"Don't you think the room looks good?"

Hermione folded her arms. "That's completely irrelevant! You were just showing off!"

"Successfully, I imagine."

"If Ministry officials suddenly appear to take you away, I'm going to enjoy saying I told you so."

"Will you at least come and visit me in Azkaban if I get locked away?"

The smallest of smirks appeared on her lips. "You're insufferable at times."

"And yet you've suffered through my presence for over four years now! How have you managed to cope?"

"Mainly through writing my grievances in letters to my parents so that I'm not bottling away my frustrations."

"I always knew that you were writing about me."

Harry chuckled. "Are you going to teach me how you just did that? Otherwise the display is going to be pointless."

"I'd also like to learn that," Hermione admitted.

Matthew arched an eyebrow. "You're unbelievable, I hope you know that."

"I'm going to take that as a compliment."

He wasn't going to give her the satisfaction of telling her that was the case, even if they all knew he felt that way. "As for teaching you…what do you think I've been doing in your training? At some point, you'll be able to control your magic just as easily. And then you can show off just as unabashedly as I do. Let me tell you, it's a lot of fun."

"But that's going to take forever!" Harry argued. "And I'd like to decorate my room before I've finished school."

"I could always do it for you. Or…you could have a go at creating your own stuff in the Tardis. The Ministry won't be able to detect anything in there."

Harry's eyes lit up. "Are you sure about that?"

"There's only one way to find out. You're reaching the stage where practical methods are better to develop your skills rather than theory."

"But there will still be theory, right?" Hermione asked worriedly, gnawing at her lip.

Matthew laughed, and wrapped an arm around her. "Don't ever change."

The front door went again, more people entering the house. Harry frowned, no longer able or willing to ignore the strange goings-on. He glanced at his friends, who appeared just as curious as him, and they moved to the edge of the stairs, looking right down to the bottom floor. Harry caught a glimpse of a cloak moving out of sight but missed who it actually belonged to. The three of them heard a door quickly close and then shut again, blocking out anything decipherable from the growing group hidden away from view.

"What on Earth is Sirius up to?" Harry wondered, never liking it when he was left out of the loop. It had happened far too often throughout his life. The one person who had vowed not to lie to him was Sirius, and he hated the fact that it seemed that the promise was already being broken.

"Perhaps he's hosting a party that we weren't invited to," Matthew suggested, semi-seriously. "Jokes on them because my skills on the dance floor are legendary."

"Yes, we saw that during the Yule Ball," Hermione remarked.

"I can't tell whether you're happy or sad about that."

She shrugged, giving him a sickly sweet smile. "Whichever one doesn't damage your ego."

"I'm going to see what they're doing," Harry said, moving towards the stairs.

"Do you think that's a good idea? They obviously have a reason for being so secretive. If they wanted to involve us, then they would have said so."

"Sirius said that this is my house just as much as his now. Surely that means I get to know what's going on all the time."

"I, for one, agree with Harry," Matthew said, following his friend. "Something obviously interesting is happening right under our noses and when have we ever ignored that temptation?"

"Which normally puts us in very serious danger. Unless you've forgotten that little tidbit."

"Does that mean you're staying up here? All alone? It'd be a shame for me and Harry to have all the fun."

"Well…I think if we make a united effort, they'll be less likely to turn us away," she said slowly, already inching towards the staircase.

"That's the Hermione we know and love."

The three of them hurried down the stairs, but quietly enough so as not to be detected. At one point, one of the steps creaked loudly and they froze, fearing that they'd been given away. But the chatter of the group must have been sufficient enough to drown out their progress, giving them free rein to close the distance. Whoever was there, they were residing in the kitchen. Harry wondered whether Remus was cooking again and had simply invited people over to revel in his skills with a frying pan. The most noticeable thing, whilst standing on the wrong side of the door, was that there were a myriad of voices, all trying to be heard over the other. It made for a horrendous cacophony of noise that was barely intelligible.

The door opened all of a sudden and Sirius was standing in front of them, skidding to a quick halt when he realised they were standing there. His eyes seemed to widen at their presence, clutching his chest after the unexpected surprise, as if they'd been ghosts waiting to scare him. Hermione had the good grace to look apologetic for snooping. Matthew didn't seem remotely bothered about being caught in the act. Harry also refused to back down, attempting to look inside the room to see who was there.

Once he'd recovered from the momentary shock, Sirius smirked. "I should have known that I wouldn't be able to keep you away for long. I'm actually stunned that it took you this long to come and have a nosey."

"Yeah, well…we wouldn't have to sneak around if you weren't hiding something from us," Harry pointed out. "What's going on? Is it a surprise party? I know it's getting close to my birthday so I'll pretend to act really shocked so I don't ruin your plans."

"It's not a surprise party, no. It's something much more serious than that, which is why we've been forced to be secretive."

"So you're going to carry on keeping us in the dark."

"I was just about to come and get you, actually…which is why I opened the door."

"Oh." Harry's mouth hung open, feeling that he'd made a right fool of himself. "How about that?"

"I told him to give you the benefit of the doubt," Matthew murmured, before Hermione lightly hit him on the arm.

"No you didn't!" Harry complained.

"Worth a try."

"Do you want to come in or not?" Sirius asked, trying to hide his amusement at their behaviour.

"We can join in?" Harry's frustrations had quickly dissipated at the prospect.

"You don't even know what it's about. It could be extremely boring, for all you know."

"Is it?"

"Not in the slightest. You could probably tell that from all the shouting."

Sirius moved out of the way, giving them the room to walk through the door. They entered the kitchen, discovering that the long table that dominated the space was occupied by a large collection of people, as they'd figured out. Most of the contingent were recognisable to the trio. Lupin stood in the corner, which didn't come as a surprise. It was comforting to see that Dumbledore was at the head of the table, smiling serenely at them. McGonagall was also there, sitting opposite to Snape. If Harry had been asked to name anyone who'd been there, he never would have guessed that it would include the Potion's Master. Hagrid had been forced to tie two chairs together to accommodate his gigantic frame. Moody loitered around the table, prowling with his customary wooden thump. It was nice to see the Weasleys, though Molly didn't seem as pleased to see them.

Then there were the people that Harry hadn't seen before. A large man with dark skin, wearing an unreadable expression as they made themselves known. A young woman with vibrant pink hair, making her stand out amongst the crowd. There was a figure who was apparently sleeping, a bundle of rags and cloaks with his head resting against the table. It was a dizzying array of characters, leading Harry to wonder what would bring such a collective together. Any outsider would think that they didn't have anything in common.

Dumbledore stood up from his chair. "Harry…Hermione…Matthew…it's good to see that you've finally joined us." It was weird to hear the headmaster using all their first names but they supposed he was more relaxed when it was the summer holidays and they were in a private setting.

"What's going on?" Harry asked, it becoming quickly evident that he now had more questions than ever.

"Come on, Sirius," Moody growled. "I thought you would have at least done some of the explaining by now."

"I decided it would probably be easier if I just showed them," the other man argued. "Try describing this just with words, especially to people who have no idea about it."

"Perhaps we should avoid any further needless bickering," Dumbledore suggested. "After all, we have had enough heated discussion to last us this meeting."

"You can't put this many people in a room and expect them to always get along , Albus," Moody said.

"You know that our mission is more important than creating friendships, Alastor. Even if we have been lucky enough to forge a great deal of them over the years."

Harry's ears perked up. "A mission? What sort of mission?"

"We should probably tell you what this group is before we charge forward into the extra details." He looked at Sirius, who nodded his head and put a hand on Harry's shoulder.

"Harry…Grimmauld Place isn't just our home. It's also been the headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix."

The boy looked nonplussed. "Am I supposed to know what that means?"

"I thought it might have cropped up when you've gone through old photos of your folks." Sirius sighed. "Never mind. Maybe it's best that you're coming at this from a fresh perspective."

"The Order was created in the darkest days of the last war," Dumbledore continued, picking up the explanation. "A group of witches and wizards all committed to taking down Lord Voldemort…" Harry noticed that a few members still flinched at the name, particularly Molly Weasley. "...and working in the shadows to defy his progression to power."

"Sirius mentioned my parents…does that mean that they were involved in this back then too?"

"Precisely. They were some of our bravest partners."

"With Voldemort's return, we thought it best to reinstate the Order," Sirius added. "We have to try and stay one step ahead of him at all times, otherwise we won't stand a chance."

"Which is why I've been building the organisation back up well before his plan was successful."

"Does the Ministry know that you're doing this?" Hermione asked.

"I'm sure that the headmaster made it abundantly clear that the Order is a secret organisation," Snape commented drily. "And I thought you were supposed to be the sharpest of the bunch."

Hermione bristled, but not as much as Matthew. It was only through Sirius' timely intervention that nothing more serious started. "Try keeping your comments to yourself, you miserable bat. You'll do well to remember that this is my house and I'll have you kicked onto the street before you can say 'cauldron' if you carry on."

Snape's mouth twisted into an impression of a smile. "Then I suppose it's a good thing that this hovel won't be the headquarters for much longer."

Harry was, once again, curious about what was being said. "What does he mean?"

"Well, I agreed to let the Order use Grimmauld Place as a base for their efforts, mainly whilst you were still at school, because it's one of the most secure locations we have access to. But now that you're here…I told you that this is going to be a home for the two of us…" He paused when Lupin coughed loudly into his hand. "...for the three of us. That isn't going to work if we have people constantly coming in and out all the time."

"I'd hate to be a bother for everyone…"

"Why change now?" Snape sniped bitterly.

"Severus," Dumbledore said in warning. "I'll ask you to leave myself if you can't put aside your petty grievances with the boy." He waited for a response that wasn't forthcoming. "It truly isn't a big problem, Harry. I felt like I was taking advantage of Sirius' hospitality enough as it was, and Hogwarts has plenty of secreted spaces for our activities to continue unaffected. A lot of us spend most of our time there anyway. It'll certainly mean that I get to avoid the rush hour traffic in London."

Harry leaned forward, resting his hands on the table. "So…what were you talking about today? What are you planning?" He was more than eager to get involved with anything that could stop Voldemort.

"It's funny that you should say that." The headmaster's eyes were twinkling even more than usual. "Before you arrived, we were trying to decide on a delicate matter. We were discussing whether to induct you and your friends into the Order."

Harry was taken aback by the comment. "Really?"

"Really. Since I first met you, Harry, all of my efforts have been designed to preserve the innocence of your childhood. Some of my choices have backfired, and I have apologised whenever that has happened. But the Order's primary goal is to rid the world of Lord Voldemort and none of us can ignore the fact that you are firmly involved in that narrative."

"Not to mention the fact that I'd never hear the end of it if you found out and weren't allowed to be a part of it," Sirius said with a smirk.

"And, I must say, the three of you have access to certain resources that even we can't fathom." It was pretty clear to tell what Dumbledore was talking about, their thoughts turning to the blue box that was currently standing on the street outside. A few of the Order members still didn't know about that and it seemed that the headmaster was sharing their same perspective: that it was best that it stayed that way.

"I don't know what to say," Harry admitted. All he wanted to do now was to get stuck in, whilst still trying to process this new information.

"Would you at least take some time to think about it?" Molly pleaded desperately.

"Why?"

"Because you're just children! You've got other things to worry about, like school! It's not as if I'm allowing my Ron anywhere near this group. I'm afraid I'm the reason why it's taken so long for us to agree on this."

"If we were just children, I wouldn't have had to fight him four times already," Harry argued. "We shouldn't be underestimated because of our age."

"We're not underestimating you, dear. I just…I just want you to realise how serious this is."

"I've known that for years sadly. This doesn't change anything. It's easy to say that we should focus on other things, but what's more important than staying alive?"

"So you're decided…" Dumbledore said, looking at him keenly.

"As long as Matthew and Hermione also want to do this."

"Of course I do," Matthew answered. "Joining a secret organisation? That's something I can tick off the bucket list."

"I'm always going to support you, Harry," Hermione concurred. "No matter what. We already knew that we're in this fight. Surely it's better for us to know what's going on at all times, as well as fighting as part of a group."

Harry grinned. "Then what are we waiting for? What's the first plan of action? How do we find Voldemort and get rid of him."

"Ah, ah, ah." Sirius was quick to dilute his eagerness. "As much as I like your enthusiasm, you're not going to be involved straight away."

"But…"

"I told you that I want you to enjoy this summer and I meant it. No. The Order will reconvene at Hogwarts, giving you the space to be a kid for a short while longer. Make the most of it. Because, after that…that's when the tough work really starts."