From the playlist:

Never Going Back Again - Fleetwood Mac (continued)

Northern Lights - Ola Gjeilo, VOCES8

Ch. 18 - The White Phoenix

The real Order meeting arrived just one week later on the evening of November nineteenth. Emmeline and Remus walked to the Potters' house, anxious to hear Dumbledore's thoughts on the previous week's incident.

"Do you think we'll have to move out of Godric's Hollow?" Emmeline asked along their way.

"We'll see what Albus has to say about it."

When they arrived, they were greeted by James at the door.

"What did my mum get you for Christmas last year?"

"A copy of 'Middlemarch' and a package of butterscotches." Remus stepped towards the door, but it remained only half-opened.

"I've got to ask Emmie, too."

She raised an eyebrow. "Do your worst, Potter."

When he had his question, James's face lit up. "Fifth year. I lit your notes on fire in Charms. What'd you do to get back at me?"

Remus chuckled beside her. He knew the answer to this one.

"You were 'accidentally' hit in the gut by a stray bludger at Quidditch practice that weekend, and justice was served."

"I haven't forgiven you for that," James jested as he opened the door. "We're still waiting on Dung and Ed."

Remus and Emmeline entered together and drew the eyes of others in the Order. Dorcas and Alice made their way to Emmeline to welcome her back, while others asked Remus and Sirius about the attack the previous week. Peter gave them an awkward congratulations before Dorcas took Emmeline's arm and led her over to Benjy. Remus could not deny that he was proud to watch everybody welcome Emmeline back - she seemed happy to be there. When Edgar arrived and Mundungus trickled in a short while later, Alastor sent Gideon and Sturgis out to cast the protective spells.

But...where was Dumbledore? One by one, people began to notice that he was not present.

Suddenly, everyone was startled when a translucent, silvery whisp darted clean through the glass of the window and into the center of the room. The phantasm of a phoenix spread its wings and began to speak in Dumbledore's voice:

"Due to a troubling instance of fraud which occurred in the last week, The Order of the Phoenix will now be implementing a new method of communication that cannot be traced or forged." After it had spoken, the phoenix dissipated into the air.

"Was that a Patronus?" Lily asked, clutching her husband's arm.

"It was indeed, Mrs. Potter," replied Albus, who had just silently apparated in. People made way for him as he walked through the room to stand next to Alastor. "How many here have learned how to produce a Patronus charm?"

Alice and Frank, Elphias, Edgar, Dedalus, and the Prewetts raised their hands. The younger witches and wizards in the room looked around at each other, disheartened. It wasn't exactly a spell they learned for their N.E.W.T.s.

"But they're for Dementors, aren't they?" asked Benjy.

"Indeed they are; but as you have just seen, they can be used for more than warding off dark creatures."

"I can produce one, but it's never taken the shape of a phoenix," said Fabian, looking sideways at his brother.

"Nor would it," Albus explained. "Each corporeal Patronus takes the shape of a creature specific to the witch or wizard who conjures it."

Elphias leaned over to Sturgis. "Mine's an iguana."

"But how did you get it to speak?" asked Dedalus, pointing at the spot the phoenix had been moments ago. "I've never seen that before."

"Ah, that is something of my own invention that I have been working on for quite some time." Dumbeldore raised the wand and began moving his arm in a circular motion. "You must first master the ability to conjure the spell, then learn to produce it nonverbally." A thread of white light began to emerge. "Once you have done this, you must speak your message whilst you are casting the Patronus, keeping in mind the person you would like it to appear to." The phoenix flew gracefully from the wand and repeated the words Albus had just said.

"And it will only show itself to the person we wish to send the message to?"

"Precisely, Mr. Lupin. I have been successful in sending mine to two or more places at once, but that may take a bit of time to perfect. Patronuses are nearly impossible to produce if you harbor hatred in your heart, so I suspect no Death Eater will ever be able to replicate one, thus ensuring security. From here on out, this is how we will communicate with one another."

"How do we learn?" asked Marlene, hungry for the capability.

"Your Ravenclaw is showing," Sirius whispered in her ear.

"Prat."

"Smart arse."

"Tomorrow," Alastor bellowed as he stepped in front of the group. "The Dark Forest to the east of Hogwarts castle. Twenty-one hundred hours, sharp - come earlier than that if you've already got a hang of the charm. You can apparate to the Hog's Head, and Aberforth will point you in the right direction. A Patronus will guide you from the edge of the forest to the rendezvous point. From then on, you'll be able to apparate to the location directly, since it's far enough away from the school grounds. I apologize in advance for the highland cold, but we can't risk this activity being seen by any of Voldemort's sympathizers. Don't be late."

The room buzzed with excitement. Amid the enthusiasm, Remus felt something brush past his leg and looked down. "…Lily, when did you get another cat?" He knew they had a squash-faced orange one, but had never seen a gray tabby in the house.

Lily turned from her conversation with Alice and puzzled at him. "We only have Barnaby…"

"Now, we have one more matter to address," continued Albus. "Minerva, if you would."

The gray tabby which had crossed to the corner of the room morphed into none other than Professor McGonagall.

"That's no cat mate," Sirius gushed, ever holding McGonagall's animagus capabilities in high regard.

"For those of you who don't know," began Alastor, "seven days ago, Lupin and Black received what they thought were letters from Albus at their home addresses. These false letters led straight into a trap."

"It has become clear that Voldemort has a spy in the Ministry of Magic with access to all of your records," McGonagall informed the group. "I suspect there may be more than one."

"Minerva has been aiding the Department of Magical Law Enforcement's covert operations for some years now," Albus interjected.

"Wicked," whispered Lily.

"It is for this reason that I have made arrangements for all of your records to be modified. Any personal information that the Ministry possesses pertaining to members of the Order of the Phoenix is fictitious, and should remain so until further notice. For Mr. Lupin and Mr. Black, I have arranged for completed address change forms to be on file for the both of you. For all anybody in the Ministry of Magic knows, Black has moved to Manchester and Lupin has moved to Stockport. Your owls will still arrive without issue."

"Isn't that illegal?" James posed the question under his breath to Peter.

"Quite illegal, Mr. Potter, thank you for pointing that out. Seven years of your shenanigans in my classroom have tuned my ears to your mutterings," she snapped with a satisfied smile.

"Sorry Professor," he mumbled, seeming to take pleasure in the familiar scolding.

"Should any of you receive another letter, or discover evidence that Voldemort's followers possess additional knowledge about you or your colleagues, do not hesitate to tell Albus or Alastor, and they shall alert me."

"Thank you, Minerva. Your swift action on this matter was most helpful," Albus praised her fondly.

Professor McGonagall nodded a "you're welcome," then gave James a teasing wink before transfiguring back into her feline form and heading for the front door to resume her surveillance. Sirius opened the door for her, bowing.