"This is the worst," Dahlia whined as she and Harry lay listlessly in the living room for the fifth straight day. "Three straight summers with canceled holiday plans."
Indeed, James and Lily had been planning another family trip to the Canary Islands for the start of the summer. And yet again, those plans were dashed by current events: first by Peter Pettigrew's escape from Azkaban, then by the Death Eater attack at the World Cup, and now by Lord Voldemort's return.
"It's for good reason, Dahlia," Harry reminded her, as he absentmindedly tossed a toy Snitch up in the air from his back. "We're in danger as long as Voldemort's out there. Our family is near the top of his hit list."
"Can't we at least go down to the creek?" Dahlia begged, leaping from the couch to hover anxiously over him. "I'm so pale from being cooped up in that frozen castle all year."
"Mum and Dad said no," said Harry flatly. "It's not safe."
"C'mon, you can come with me!" Dahlia insisted. "Neville told me you haven't got the Trace on you...bring your wand, and you can protect me if anything happens!"
"Too risky," Harry shook his head. "Not gonna happen."
"Fine," Dahlia huffed. "I'll just go by myself then. Try and stop me."
Dahlia marched dramatically towards the back door, but Harry hit her with a Freezing Charm, causing her to stand in place like a statue.
"I won't let you," he said adamantly. "Don't make me keep you frozen like this until Mum gets home."
Dahlia pouted as soon as he released her from the charm. "I'll tell her you've been doing underage magic on me," she threatened. "The Ministry can't punish you, but she can."
"You do that," Harry shrugged. "And I'll tell her exactly why I did it. I think she'll see things my way."
"Ugh, you suck!" Dahlia groaned, and stomped petulantly up the stairs. Harry let her go, almost daring her to try sneaking out an upstairs window. He knew for a fact that his father had placed Caterwauling Charms on all of them, and that might provide some small entertainment on a painfully-boring day.
Harry certainly wished to keep his sister safe, but he also had ulterior motives for playing prison guard. He was determined to get into the Order of the Phoenix meetings this summer, and that would never happen if his parents were cross with him. He had to play good citizen for a while and be on his best behavior...sneaking off to the creek with Dahlia would certainly do him no favors if they were caught.
It was difficult to get James and Lily together at one time to ask them, however. Both were dreadfully busy at the moment – James was doing double-duty at the Auror Office and playing lobbyist with the politicians in the Wizengamot. He was determined to get the house-elf legislation passed now more than ever, knowing how pivotal the creatures were in carrying out ignoble deeds for their Death Eater masters.
Lily, meanwhile, was hard at work getting her new business off the ground, along with Remus and Alessia. According to her, she was zeroing in on a potion recipe that could cure lycanthropy, and was hoping to secure grant funding for the expensive ingredients necessary to mass-produce it. She worked all day (and sometimes all night) at Remus' new home in her makeshift lab, testing and re-testing with different ingredients and dosages. "If we can get to the werewolves before You-Know-Who does, we can make this war far safer for everyone," she explained over dinner one evening.
Harry busied himself by staying in touch with everyone he'd promised to write to over the summer. Fleur and Krum were both giving him regular updates; the former had just completed the move to London to begin her work at Gringotts, while the latter was reaching out to his contacts back home to gauge the international temperature on Voldemort. Hermione informed him that she would be leaving home soon to stay with the Weasleys at an 'undisclosed location', while Saul Croaker delivered the good news that his department was no longer under investigation and they could meet in person again in a couple of weeks.
It was frustrating to not know exactly what was happening out in the world, as once again the Daily Prophet provided few answers. After the initial hysteria surrounding Voldemort's return had died down, they went right back to their old standby of criticizing James Potter and Albus Dumbledore for their various failures.
The one curious thing about the Prophet's coverage was its positive spin on Neville Longbottom. Rather than ridicule him like they had done to Harry in his last timeline, they upheld the Boy-Who-Lived as a symbol of purity and courage in the face of dark times. They praised him for his heroic duel against Voldemort in the graveyard, whose details were muddied but always depicted with the conclusion that Neville had held his own.
Harry wondered if Fudge still held out hope for earning Neville's favor (and endorsement) to salvage his crumbling political career. The man was taking it in the shins from the public, even if the Prophet reported otherwise. James often told him that nobody respected Fudge at the Ministry and they all believed it was a 'matter of time' before he was either sacked or resigned.
Harry followed the case of the captured Death Eaters with interest, but it was clear that they would eventually be released with only minimal charges of criminal mischief. Lockhart was sent to Azkaban for his murder of Trelawney, but zero mention was made about his motives or involvement in the Triwizard plot. Lucius Malfoy clearly had his hooks deep in the Ministry (and the Prophet), and Voldemort was clearly winning the information war thus far.
One bit of good news did come in mid-July, buried several pages deep into an inconsequential day of news: the House-Elf Liberation Program (H.E.L.P.) had passed in the Wizengamot, by the narrowest of margins. It prompted a rare family celebration that evening, as both James and Lily returned home before dusk to enjoy dinner and drinks with their children.
"Cheers to small victories!" James said, somewhat sardonically, raising his glass of Firewhiskey into the air. Lily half-hiccuped, half-giggled as she did the same, downing her glass as Harry and Dahlia sipped on their own Butterbeer.
"What will this actually change, Dad?" asked Harry after his parents both finished belching fire.
"Not – hic – too much," said James. "Full freedom would have never passed, so we had to compromise. Now, owners are required to offer them meager pay and vacation time if they want it."
"They'll never ask for that," Harry frowned. "Working for free has been ingrained into their culture for centuries."
"Yes, well, one step at a time," James sighed. "We can also compel them to speak against their masters if there is a warrant for their arrest, and they can earn their freedom if their master is convicted."
"Like Barty Crouch?"
"In theory, yes. Though the Ministry has bigger fish to fry right now. I'm sure it'll come up at the next Order meeting."
"Sweetheart, not in front of the children," Lily muttered. Harry figured this was as good a time as any to make his move.
"Actually, Dad, I would like to be in that meeting," said Harry. "I want to join the Order of the Phoenix."
"I don't think that would be wise," James muttered. "You're underage, and you're still in school—"
"Cedric's still in school, and he's joined; he told me in a letter yesterday," Harry pointed out. "And he hasn't seen half of what I have. I've already fought Voldemort three times, just like you. Don't I deserve to know what's going on?"
"I don't like it, dear," Lily fretted. "You should be focusing on your studies, not fighting wars."
"I haven't been able to focus on my studies at all lately," Harry pointed out. "Either I'm involved in a murder-kidnapping plot, or some Dark wizard is trying to kill me or my sister. It would be easier to just tell me what's happening so I can stay prepared, isn't it?"
Lily prepared to shut his argument down, but James rested a calming hand on her arm. "Actually, Harry has a point," he said. "He's known about this war coming for years, and we didn't listen to him. Last month he nearly died because of it. I think we owe him some answers."
"But he's just a child!" Lily groaned. "He has no business getting involved!"
"We were practically children when we joined the Order," James pointed out. "He's not much younger than we were, and he's far more mature and responsible than either of us were back then. If he finds himself in danger again in the future, don't you want him as prepared as possible to survive?"
Lily didn't look happy about this argument. "I thought this was all over fourteen years ago," she muttered as she took another deep swill of Firewhiskey. "Fine. You can attend, Harry, but if you even think about joining the fight again before you're of-age, you can forget about all of it."
That was the best Harry could hope for. Under his father's warning glare, he remained silent for the rest of the evening, and excused himself to bed soon after. He'd gotten the answer he was looking for – no use in poking the bear further.
The following week passed by more quickly, now that he finally had something to look forward to. Harry could occasionally hear his parents bickering downstairs or in their bedroom late at night, perhaps reconsidering their decision to let him join the Order. But when the day came, neither of them told him otherwise, and he wisely remained silent, assuming that the argument had resulted in his favor.
The family ate a quick early dinner that Saturday evening before moving towards the fireplace to travel to their destination. "Where is the meeting being held?" asked Harry.
"Grimmauld Place," James grimaced. "Dumbledore asked Sirius if they could use his manor, but he didn't want people coming and going there, so he offered up his spare townhouse instead."
"He doesn't mind other people 'coming and going' at his place…" Lily muttered under her breath.
"Hey, we agreed not to judge Padfoot for his...eccentric love life," James lightly chided her, winking at Harry lecherously. "Ready to go, gang?"
"Can I come?" Dahlia asked.
"Yes, but not to the meeting," said Lily firmly. "You'll be upstairs with Ginny and the other children."
"But Harry's allowed in!" Dahlia protested.
"He's already fought the Dark Lord and lived to tell the tale," James said grimly. "He's earned that privilege." Dahlia pouted about this, and from the look on Lily's face, Harry's mother clearly still didn't agree with the decision either.
The family stepped through the Floo minutes later and emerged within the familiar dark and grungy walls of Grimmauld Place. Harry heard voices wafting down the hall – clearly many other Order members had arrived already.
"Ah, there's the Potters!" smiled Molly Weasley, shuffling into the living room to greet them. "And you brought the children, how wonderful! My youngest are upstairs with Hermione; they'll be glad to see you both while the meeting is going on."
"Actually, Mrs. Weasley, I'll be in the meeting," Harry corrected her.
"What? No, certainly not," Molly tutted. "You're far too young—"
"Too young to fight Voldemort?" said Harry, causing her to flinch. "I've got more experience fighting dark wizards than half the Order."
"He's right, Molly," said James lightly. "It's my decision, and I've allowed it."
Molly clearly didn't like this answer, but she merely huffed and shuffled out of the room. Lily ushered Dahlia towards the stairwell as the other Potters made their way towards the main meeting room.
Inside was a long conference table, with members standing casually around it in conversation. Harry recognized nearly everyone in attendance: Sirius, Remus, the Weasleys, Tonks, Kingsley, Moody, and just about every other member of the Order in his past timeline. There were two new welcome additions in the form of Cedric Diggory and his father, and Harry made his way over to the former.
"Hey, Ced," he greeted the Hufflepuff. "How's your summer been so far?"
"Rather dull, to be honest," Cedric shrugged. "I had plans to holiday on the coast with my folks, but things have changed now, what with everything else going on."
"Understandable," Harry nodded...it was an uncertain time for everybody. "What about Cho? Got plans to see her?"
"Er...actually, we split up," Cedric grimaced. "I overheard her at the Closing Feast making fun of your dad with her friend Marietta. I confronted her about it, and when she tried to walk back what she said, I told her I'd had enough."
"Blimey, I'm sorry," said Harry. "You didn't have to do that for us."
"Wasn't for you, really," Cedric grinned. "Truthfully, it opened my eyes to the kind of person she really is. Says all the right things to your face, but stirs up drama behind your back. I don't want to be with someone like that."
"Fair enough," Harry nodded. His reasoning was much the same as Harry's for deciding not to pursue things further with Cho – she still had a lot of maturing to do.
"Ah, Mr. Diggory!" said James, walking up to the pair. "How are you, young man?"
"I'm good, Profess—I mean, Auror Potter," said Cedric with a sheepish grin. "Congratulations on your promotion."
"Thank you," James inclined his head. "Looking forward to your final year at Hogwarts? Any idea what you'd like to do after?"
"Dunno yet," Cedric muttered. "My dad wants me to go into politics, but I'm not sure it's for me. I thought about becoming an Auror, but I didn't have the grades to get into Snape's N.E.W.T. Potions class, so that's out of the question now."
"Don't be so sure," James shrugged. "Dark days are ahead of us, and the Ministry might need to relax their recruiting standards to match the rising threat of Voldemort. The force would be honored to have a bright young wizard of your caliber in it."
"Oh...I appreciate that, sir," Cedric said humbly. James gave him a reassuring pat on the shoulder before moving on to mingle with other guests.
"Wotcher, Harry!" a cheery voice sang out as Tonks approached from across the room. "They let you into this circus?"
"Fighting a Dark Lord and surviving tends to open doors for you," Harry quipped, accepting her hug. "Tonks, this is Cedric Diggory."
"Blimey, is it really?" Tonks whistled, standing back to survey the tall and handsome young man. "Last we met, you were just a scrawny second-year."
"You two know each other?" Harry asked, surprised.
"We were in Hufflepuff together for a couple years," Cedric grinned. "Looking punk-rock as ever, Tonks. You dated Charlie Weasley back then, didn't you?"
"Ugh, don't remind me," Tonks groaned, rolling her eyes. "That boy only had eyes for the creatures in Kettleburn's class. I threw myself at him for seven years and he was oblivious the whole time."
"I did my best to steer him your direction," Bill Weasley chuckled as he approached the group. "But my brother just never showed interest in pretty witches that way."
"Hey, Bill," said Harry, shaking the man's hand. "How's the curse-breaking life?"
"Quiet, as of late," Bill sighed. "Gringotts recalled me back to the London branch while they deal with some international regulations. I'll be training new recruits for the foreseeable future."
"Hey, more opportunity to meet people, right?" said Cedric. "Bet your dating prospects weren't so hot out in Egypt."
"Yeah, turns out the profession doesn't tend to attract the pretty witches," Bill grinned. "Something about the constant risk of death and dismemberment, I guess."
"Hey, don't threaten me with a good time," Tonks snorted. "Sounds like a quiet day at the Auror Office. Maybe I've been barking up the wrong Weasley tree all these years!"
"I'm sure Bill will meet someone soon," Harry smiled. He remembered visiting the Burrow during his original fifth year and hearing word that Bill and Fleur had become an item. He knew she intended to work at Gringotts in this timeline as well – perhaps as a curse-breaker, even – so it was possible such a pairing would come to fruition once more.
A hush suddenly fell over the room. Harry turned; Dumbledore had walked in, striding towards his seat as everyone somberly fell into place around him. Harry sat between his parents, Sirius and Remus as everyone took their seats, Dumbledore at the head of the table with James and Snape on either side of him.
"Thank you all for coming," Dumbledore said once everyone was settled. "I recognize many of you from the last war, and appreciate you joining the cause once more. For those who are new, we are the Order of the Phoenix, an organization designed to counteract Lord Voldemort's schemes in Britain and beyond. We have a few prominent members of the Ministry of Magic here—" Dumbledore motioned to James, Arthur and Amos, "—but I would urge you all not to advertise your membership in public, lest we attract negative attention from Fudge and his ilk."
"Are we doing something illegal by being here?" Hestia Jones asked nervously.
"Not necessarily," Dumbledore said carefully. "The Ministry frowns upon vigilance justice, but that is not our primary aim. That said, some of our covert operations may lead to situations where violence is unavoidable."
"That might pose an issue for some of us, sir," spoke up Tonks. "I can't afford to lose my job in the Auror Office for this."
"I can protect you from some of the fallout if it comes to that," James reassured her. "Amelia Bones is a reasonable witch who knows the true threat that's out there. It's Fudge and the administrators we have to watch out for."
"They've been going after you hard in the Prophet lately," Kingsley commiserated. "Same with you, Albus."
"Fudge has long considered me a threat to his power," Dumbledore explained. "Less so now that I've been at Hogwarts for so long. Auror Potter is the one he truly fears at the moment, however. He is concerned that James has enough respect and influence to get Fudge sacked so that he can take his place."
"I have no aspirations to be Minister of Magic," James sighed. "Not that Fudge cares or believes it. As long as I'm influential within the Ministry, he'll seek to strike me down."
"And he has powerful allies aiding him in that," Dumbledore added. "Lucius Malfoy has been rallying support against you, possibly on Voldemort's orders. They have much to gain from limiting the power you have to enact change within the Ministry."
"Passing the house-elf legislation frightened them, I think," James muttered. "A lot of the Death Eaters have house-elves who know things that could potentially incriminate them."
"This was discussed in the last meeting with the Dark Lord," Snape added. "Several of them, including Malfoy, had their elves killed in order to protect their secrets."
Harry felt a dull blow to his stomach at this news. Dobby's dead? he thought, dismayed. How tragic that the elf who so badly desired freedom would lose his life as a direct result of gaining it.
"Does that mean we can arrest Crouch now?" Tonks asked James.
"We know where he is hiding thanks to Winky, but he's no longer a priority for us at the moment," said James. "The DMLE has too much on their plate as it is. Besides, he may prove useful to us in the future."
"Useful? How?" asked Kingsley.
"Setting aside the treachery with his son," said James, "he hates dark wizards more than anyone I know, and has an uncanny knack for catching them. He also has connections overseas that we might need, given his long tenure as head of the Department of International Cooperation."
"That may well be important in the months to come," Dumbledore mused. "I have reached out to my colleagues in the International Confederation of Warlocks, but they do not wish to get their countries involved in our 'civil war', as they call it."
"Sebastian Delacour might be willing to help," Harry piped up. "He owes me a favor from the Triwizard Tournament."
"The Delacours are indeed influential within the French Ministry, though I do not think they will wish to work with me directly," said Dumbledore. "Do not squander that relationship, Harry. Keep a line of communication open, and perhaps something fruitful can come of it later."
Harry nodded thoughtfully at this. It was one of the unfortunate downsides of the Order of the Phoenix: Dumbledore was in charge, and as he was coming to learn, the number of people who distrusted the man was growing by the day.
"Alastor, do you have anything to report from the Longbottom residence?" asked Dumbledore, turning to Moody.
"All quiet so far," Moody said gruffly. "The lad doesn't appear happy to be cooped up in that little house with Augusta, but he looks healthy enough."
"He spotted me hiding in his back garden a couple of days ago," Tonks admitted. "Asked me to relay the message that he wants to leave and be with his friends."
"Neville needs to stay with his grandmother for a while longer," said Dumbledore. "The blood wards need time to recharge whenever he returns home, in order to keep him safe from Voldemort."
At least his grandmother doesn't abuse him, Harry thought bitterly. He suddenly remembered Damian Dursley, stuck at home on Privet Drive, and resolved to send him a letter as soon as possible (the Muggle way, of course, lest he piss off Uncle Vernon with an owl).
"Now, I wish to turn the floor over to Severus Snape," said Dumbledore, turning to the potion master seated to his right. "He has ingratiated himself within the Death Eaters as a spy. What can you tell us, Severus?"
"The Dark Lord called a meeting of his most faithful last week," said Snape. "To discuss their plans for the future."
"Could you identify any of the other members?" asked Kingsley.
"I can make educated guesses," said Snape, "but masks are mandatory during such meetings. The only one I can say with certainly is Malfoy, as the Dark Lord has taken residence in his manor."
"We know where he is?" piped up Tonks. "Let's go trap the bastard!"
"A great many things must be done before we can take the fight to Voldemort," said Dumbledore patiently. "For now, it is useful enough to know where he is. Scaring him out of hiding would only expose Severus' treachery, and send him elsewhere to hide far from our surveillance."
Tonks didn't look happy with this, nor did Kingsley or James. Clearly the Aurors preferred direct action to playing defense.
"But why is Malfoy not in jail?" piped up Harry. "He was at the graveyard, and now we know he's harboring Voldemort!"
"No one besides yourself and Neville saw him at that graveyard," James said sadly. "And unfortunately, memories taken from underage wizards are not admissible as evidence in court. Nor can we prove he is harboring Voldemort, as he would be long gone by the time we got anywhere near the Manor."
"But I don't understand," muttered Amos Diggory. "The Prophet has been saying You-Know-Who fled to the continent, perhaps for Albania. How can that be, if we know he is still in the country?"
"This is a fiction invented by Lucius Malfoy," said Snape. "The Dark Lord does not wish to create panic or cause the Ministry to mobilize against him. This gives Minister Fudge plausible deniability to ignore the threat at his doorstep, and to convince the public that there is no immediate danger. Thus giving the Dark Lord time to plan his next moves."
"It also gives us time to prepare," Dumbledore pointed out. "Voldemort would not dare move out of the shadows within Britain now, or else give away the fact that he remains on the Isles. It also may prove to be a strategic misstep for him, if we play our cards right."
"In what way?" asked Sirius.
"By faking his exile to the continent, he risks inviting other nations into the fight against him," said Dumbledore. "If we can convince the international community that Voldemort poses a threat to them, we may be able to recruit allies from abroad to join the fight."
"Viktor Krum alluded to that the last time I spoke to him," Harry added. "Bulgaria was ravaged by Grindelwald and will not respond well to another Dark Lord on the continent. Maybe he can help us."
A few adults looked at him thoughtfully after this comment. Not all were as impressed, however.
"Must we rely on the fleeting friendships of teenagers?" Dedalus Diggle scoffed. "I don't feel comfortable relying on the whims of a fourteen-year-old."
Harry opened his mouth to retort, but to his surprise, Moody beat him to the punch.
"You underestimate young Potter at your own peril, Diggle," Moody chastised the man. "There are only four people at this table who have fought the Dark Lord one-on-one and lived to tell the tale, and he is one of them. Can you say the same?"
Dedalus looked suitably cowed by this rebuke and retreated back into his chair without further comment. Several other adults who had been eyeing Harry suspiciously now seemed to view him with newfound respect.
"Severus, do we know what Voldemort plans to do next?" James asked Snape.
"Yes," said Snape. "The Dark Lord remains wary of Longbottom, as well as your own son. He wishes to retrieve a prophecy from the Department of Mysteries, in order to determine what threat they might pose to him."
"Wait, I'm sorry," Lily jumped in with a frown. "What's this about a prophecy? And what does it have to do with Harry?"
Snape suddenly looked supremely guilty. What does he know about the prophecy? Harry briefly wondered, before Dumbledore chimed in.
"Do you remember, Mrs. Potter, when I warned you and James about a potential threat against your lives at the end of the last war?" said Dumbledore. When Lily nodded he continued, "I made the same warning to Frank and Alice Longbottom before their deaths. The truth is that I witnessed a prophecy, shortly before your son was born, that spoke of the impending birth of a boy with the power to defeat the Dark Lord."
"It must have meant Neville, then," James surmised, also looking surprised by the information.
"So Voldemort assumed as well," said Dumbledore. "Which is why he targeted the Longbottoms instead of you. However, he now has reason to believe it may have referred to Harry."
All eyes at the table turned to Harry, incredulous. "But why?" Lily stammered, instinctively grabbing her son's hand protectively.
"Voldemort only heard part of the prophecy, the first part I just described to you," explained Dumbledore. "The second part makes it unambiguous which of the two boys the prophecy referred to."
"Well, who is it, then?" demanded Sirius.
"That, I cannot share with you all," Dumbledore sighed, glancing surreptitiously towards Snape. "We cannot risk that information trickling out of this meeting. For now, we must keep the ambiguity intact."
Snape looked irked to not be allowed to know the full truth, but he held his tongue, casting a fleeting glance at Harry before returning his attention to the Headmaster.
"So You-Know-Who wants this prophecy," said Arthur Weasley slowly, still processing along with everyone else at the table, "in order to know for certain which of the two boys is a greater threat to him?"
"That is correct," said Snape. "He has already begun plans to infiltrate the Department of Mysteries, although it will take much time and resources to pull off, even for someone as well-connected as Malfoy."
"And we must have measures in place to stop him," Dumbledore nodded. "I propose a guard rotation, stationed at the entrance to the Department of Mysteries. If anyone attempts to break in, we'll have people there to stop them."
"I don't understand," James muttered. "Why is guarding this prophecy so important? What does Voldemort actually gain by obtaining it?"
"Information," said Dumbledore simply. "Voldemort does not like being in the dark, and he will not wish to begin his takeover of Britain until he knows precisely what he's up against."
"But doesn't that put a bigger target on both Harry's and Neville's backs?" James frowned. "If this prophecy makes it clear which one of them it refers to, why not give Voldemort the prophecy directly, so that the other boy won't be in unnecessary danger?"
"Because this provides a valuable distraction," said Dumbledore. "So long as he is fixated on this prophecy, we have a window of opportunity to recruit allies and set up our defenses. If he moves out into the open now, Britain will not be prepared. Right now what we need is time."
"But you're putting two boys' lives at risk for no reason!" Lily protested. "If Harry isn't the one, he shouldn't be wrapped up in all this, and the same goes for Neville!"
"Harry and Neville will be perfectly safe," Dumbledore assured her. "Voldemort will not dare move against Hogwarts so long as I am there. I propose that a handful of Order members remain stationed at the school at all times. And James, I hope that you would see fit to dispatch a number of Aurors to the school as well."
"I'm of a greater mind to just send my children abroad," James scoffed. "Send Harry and Dahlia to Beauxbatons or Ilvermorny, far from this madness!"
"Voldemort may likely interpret that as an attempt to flee from him," said Dumbledore. "Thus putting your family in even greater danger, and making it more difficult for the Order to protect you."
"I'm not leaving Hogwarts, Dad," Harry said firmly to his father before he could retort. James eyed him warily, but bit back his next remark.
"So, it's settled then," Dumbledore said. "Kingsley, can I leave you in charge with drawing up a guard rotation schedule?"
"Very well," Kingsley bowed. The tension in the air was palpable; Harry could feel his parents' silent frustration with the Headmaster's decision. He too disagreed with the plan. Why put lives in danger for something that doesn't actually matter? he wondered. He remembered Arthur Weasley's gruesome injuries from Nagini in the previous timeline, and hoped to avoid such accidents this time around.
"Pardon me, sir," said Harry, "but what good would guards do in stopping Voldemort if he decides to breach the Department?"
"And what makes you believe the Dark Lord would do so himself?" Snape scoffed at him. "He has many lieutenants who would be happy to retrieve it for him."
"But they won't be able to," said Harry. "It can only be accessed by—"
"Be quiet, Harry," Dumbledore said with surprising urgency.
"It sounded like he was about to say something important, Albus," James frowned, looking from Harry to Dumbledore. Snape also eyed Harry curiously.
"Yes, he was," Dumbledore agreed. "And it mustn't reach Voldemort's ears."
"Don't you trust Professor Snape not to pass it along then, sir?" Harry asked innocently.
"It is not a matter of trust," Dumbledore sighed. "It is imperative that as few people understand how the Hall of Prophecy functions, lest that information trickle back to Voldemort."
"That does sound like a matter of trust to me, Albus," James pointed out. "Do you not trust everybody at this table?"
"Hey, what'chu lookin' at me for?" protested Mundungus Fletcher, as a few of the Aurors had given him pointed looks at this statement. "I ain't said a bleedin' thing to anybody!"
"Discretion and trust are different things," said Dumbledore. "We all have different roles to play in this war, and knowing too much can distract from the task at hand."
"So you're keeping us in the dark intentionally," Lily huffed. "I thought the point of these meetings was to stay informed."
"The point is to stop Voldemort in his tracks," Dumbledore corrected her. "And might I remind you that your own friend Peter Pettigrew turned against the Order? Even those you might trust the most can be swayed under the right circumstances."
"How dare you throw that in our faces?" Remus demanded, as Sirius nodded angrily alongside him. "Are you suggesting that another one of us will rat you out?"
"I dearly hope that not to be the case," Dumbledore said placatingly. "I merely wish to rectify the mistakes I made in the last war. Information is key in a shadow war such as this, and it mustn't be treated frivolously."
A few people grumbled unhappily at this answer, but nobody argued the point. Snape in particular looked disgruntled to be left in the dark yet again.
"I believe that will be all for tonight," Dumbledore concluded. "I urge you all to keep your eyes and ears open for anything happening behind the scenes. Meeting adjourned."
Hushed conversations resumed as everyone stood from the table and broke off into smaller groups to discuss the new developments. Harry made to slip out of the room undetected, but he was intercepted at the door.
"A quick word, Harry?" said Dumbledore. Harry felt his heart skip a beat, but he schooled his features and simply nodded, allowing the Headmaster to follow him into the next room.
"I appreciate you heeding my warning and keeping what you know about the prophecy to yourself," Dumbledore said. "I know you disagree with my methods, but I assure you, controlling the flow of information could very well be the thing that wins us this war."
"If you say so," Harry shrugged, keeping his face and voice as impassive as possible.
"I'm afraid I have more to ask of you," said the Headmaster. "I am certain that your friends upstairs will wish to know what was discussed at the meeting. I must urge you not to tell them everything you know, as it might complicate matters for us in the future."
"In what way, sir?" Harry asked innocently.
"I assume you are aware of the unique bond that Neville shares with Lord Voldemort through his scar," said Dumbledore. "It is my fear that Voldemort may attempt to access Neville's mind via this connection, and obtain secrets we desperately wish to keep from him. Surely you understand how dangerous that would be?"
"I suppose it would," Harry shrugged. "But isn't it also dangerous to leave Neville in the dark? I mean, we saw how that played out in the maze last month."
"That was different," Dumbledore sighed. "Voldemort did not have a corporeal form then. Now that he possesses a body and a mind, he may become aware of his connection with Neville and use it to his advantage."
"In that case, shouldn't Neville be aware of that connection himself?" Harry argued. "So that he can learn to recognize it and fight back against it?"
"We will cross that bridge when we get to it, Harry," said Dumbledore. "For now, we will merely observe Neville and see if he behaves abnormally under these new conditions. Spare him the horrors of knowing what that connection might enable Voldemort to do to him."
"I understand your point, sir," Harry nodded. "Will that be all?"
Dumbledore studied Harry for a moment in silence. "It will," he nodded. "I will see you at Hogwarts for the start of term in September...unless we meet at another Order meeting before then." And the Headmaster swept from the room, heading for the exit.
Harry walked back into the conference room, spotting Bill Weasley sipping a cocktail in a corner by himself. "Bill, d'you have a moment?" Harry asked as he approached the redhead.
"Sure," Bill shrugged, and he followed Harry out of the living room and into an empty side parlor, eyeing the teen curiously.
"Last summer you asked me to keep you in the loop on what's going on," Harry said in a hushed tone.
"I did," Bill nodded. "What of it?"
"There's more to all this than I've let on," said Harry. "To Dumbledore, to my parents, or anybody. Can I trust you?"
Bill frowned. "Why me, before any of them?" he asked.
"I can't explain here," Harry said, glancing over his shoulder. "Can you meet me at the Ministry next Friday?"
"I...suppose I could," Bill said, slightly bewildered. "But why?"
"I really can't tell you," Harry said apologetically. "But I swear to you I'll tell you everything there. Can you promise not to tell anyone else we're meeting?"
Bill looked even more perplexed now than ever. "I don't feel that comfortable sneaking around behind Dumbledore's back," he muttered. "But I suppose I can hear you out this once."
"Great," Harry nodded. "And we won't be alone. There's someone else you need to meet."
"Someone else?"
"Can't explain here," Harry muttered again as he turned to leave. "See you on Friday in the Atrium?"
"Alright," Bill sighed. Harry left him to consider this in silence, hoping he would heed Harry's request for silence. Having to explain his sneaking around to his parents would only attract more questions he couldn't answer.
Harry wandered into the living room and mingled with the other attendees for a bit. Eventually he saw his parents extricating themselves from a discussion with Amos Diggory, and made his way over to them.
"I'm getting tired," Lily said with a yawn. "I'll go find Dahlia so we can head home."
"I'll get her," Harry offered. "I'd like to say hello to Hermione and the Weasleys."
Harry headed up the stairs in search of the other teens in the house. He heard muted voices wafting down the third floor hallway towards him, which quickly fell silent with whispered "shh's" as he approached. He saw light flooding underneath a closed doorway, and knocked before entering the room.
Hermione, Ginny and Dahlia sat atop the bed, looking anxiously at him; Ron, Fred and George stood leaning against the far wall, the latter two casually hiding something behind their backs. Extendable Ears, Harry figured.
"Hey, everyone," he greeted the room. "The meeting's over."
"You're lucky you get to attend," Ron moped. "We all want to know what they're talking about."
"Don't suppose you can let us in on any secrets?" Fred said, half-jokingly and half-eagerly.
"Dumbledore thinks it's best that you don't know," Harry shrugged. At once he saw the crestfallen looks on the others' faces, the desperation to not be left in the dark. A feeling he knew all too well. "Luckily for you, I don't give a shit what Dumbledore thinks is best."
The six teens' faces lit up as Harry shut the door behind him and cast a Muffling Charm on it. "Wicked!" said George, as the three boys came forward eagerly to hear what he had to say.
"Do we know what You-Know-Who is up to?" Hermione asked him anxiously. "Or where he's hiding?"
"He's at Malfoy Manor," said Harry, drawing gasps of surprise. "He's only pretending to be on the continent so that people aren't alarmed and Fudge can play dumb."
"I knew it!" Ron said triumphantly. "Er, well, I mean Neville did. He insisted that You-Know-Who wouldn't leave Britain until he got what he wanted here."
"But what is he after?" Hermione pressed. "Why stay in the country if he can't make himself known?"
"I suppose Neville told you two about the prophecy?" said Harry, looking to Ron and Hermione for confirmation. They looked briefly stricken at its mention, but they nodded. "Voldemort wants to get it. He's planning to break into the Department of Mysteries to steal it from their records."
"What prophecy?" asked Fred, as George, Ginny and Dahlia looked on curiously as well.
"It's...complicated," Harry muttered. "But there was a prophecy made before Neville was born that suggested he could have the power to destroy Voldemort. And Voldemort only heard half of it, so he wants to hear the other half to figure out what he's missing."
"But Neville said…" Ron muttered, gears turning in his head. "Neville said the prophecy could have been referring to you." Dahlia's eyes widened with fear at this revelation.
"And that's the whole point," Harry sighed. "Voldemort isn't sure which one of us is the bigger threat to him. So he wants to hear it to be sure. And the Order are placing guards in the Ministry to stop him from getting to it."
"They think You-Know-Who will try to break into the Ministry?" Hermione gasped.
"Not him directly," Harry corrected. "He's trying to lie low and pretend he doesn't exist for a while. He'll send followers into the Department after the prophecy, but they won't be able to get it. Only the subject or witness of a prophecy can retrieve it from the shelves."
"So that means…" said Ron slowly, "that only Neville, Dumbledore, or You-Know-Who can get it?"
"Correct," Harry nodded. "And Neville needs to know that, d'you understand? Voldemort might try to lure him into the Ministry to pick up the prophecy for him. Under no circumstances can Neville be allowed to do that. He has to be aware of any attempts Voldemort makes to manipulate him into going."
"B-but Dumbledore told us not to tell Neville anything," Hermione protested. "He's been sending us letters demanding to know what's going on, but we aren't allowed to tell him."
"Let me, then," Harry grumbled, feeling angrier with Dumbledore by the minute. "Leaving Neville in the dark is the worst thing we can do right now. I'll make sure he's prepared for what is to come."
Just then, there was a loud knock on the door, causing all of the teens to flinch. "Harry? Dahlia?" called out James. "It's time to go."
Harry quickly canceled his Muffling Charm and opened the door. "Coming, Dad," he said, beckoning for Dahlia to follow. She tentatively slid off the bed and followed her brother out of the room, casting a last furtive glance back at the others before shutting the door behind them.
"You'll have a chance to see your friends again soon," James reassured his children, assuming that was the cause of their silence. "We'll be back here for the next meeting before the summer is over."
As soon as he got back to his bedroom in Godric's Hollow, Harry began composing a letter to Neville. He knew exactly how Neville felt: cooped up at home, left out of the loop, desperately wishing to know what the hell was going on. To hell with Dumbledore...the kid deserved answers! It was a cathartic experience, writing the letter that Harry wished he could have gotten in his original timeline. It was well past midnight by the time he completed his multi-page explanation and sent it off with Bandit into the cool night.
Harry considered all that had occurred in the past few hours. It felt good to be included in strategy talks for once, though he could not help but feel frustrated with Dumbledore's passive behavior. It was as if the man expected everything to fall into place of its own accord, and for everyone to play their parts dutifully without asking questions. Harry knew that wasn't how people worked – when backed into a corner with incomplete information, they tended to make mistakes. The truth was the safest option for everyone.
He also thought ahead to his upcoming meeting with Saul and Bill. Bringing the eldest Weasley into the fold came with its risks, but his expertise might prove invaluable. It had been a year now since he and Saul realized the existence of Horcruxes, and they had yet to identify, locate or destroy a single one. Harry was itching to begin the laborious process of un-tethering Voldemort's soul from this reality, piece by piece.
Should he tell anybody else his secret? Would it be beneficial for his father to know the truth? It might make things easier in some respects, but also more difficult in others. Harry finally felt loved and respected within his own household, and was deathly afraid of disrupting the new balance he'd struck. Would his parents look at him differently if they knew he was not truly their son? Would they resent him for erasing the existence of the boy they'd lovingly raised for eleven years? He couldn't bear to take that risk.
Dumbledore wasn't the only person who saw the value in discretion.
A/N: Please don't hurt me for killing Dobby! I tried to find a way around it, and it wasn't even in my original plans, but there's no way Lucius Malfoy would risk his secrets getting out after the new law passed. Yet another reminder that every change to the timeline will have unexpected consequences...luckily, some more positive consequences from the new law are soon to come in the next few chapters!