Book One: The Birth of the Order

Chapter IV: Secret Meetings

Music Theme: Come Together - The Beatles

Hogsmede - September 1979...

The sun had almost vanished from the horizon and the chill from the autumn night was getting stronger through Hogsmede. Sirius and Marlene appeared a little ways away from the Pub. "Are we the first ones then?" Marlene asked. Sirius responded by holding up his finger, signaling them to wait. Peter appeared beside him a second later, clutching his stomach as if sick. His eyes swayed from side to side. "Can we please take a portkey next time?" Sirius smacked Peter on the back and gave them a nod. "Right then. We are the first so let's head to the pub." Peter groaned as the other two began to move. "Can't we just stand still for a moment until the world stops spinning?" Receiving no response, he moaned once more before following. Marlene entered the pub first. Rather than finding the meeting place or waiting for the others, she headed straight for the bar. "Want something?" She asked the others as she sat down. "Why not?" Sirius said with a shrug as he joined her. He ordered two firewhiskies for them. After taking a long sip, he turned to her. "This place brings back memories doesn't it?"

"I thought you don't remember what happened here... or are you ready to apologize?" She grumbled.

Sirius swirled the ice in his glass around and stared at it thinking of how to change the subject. "So what were you looking for in the newspaper?"

"Same as you. The undesirable list."

"You think I check that?"

"Don't you?"

"My family is all probably listed at the very top."

"Not all of them. Just a few. Your cousins. Surprised I didn't see Regulus there yet."

Sirius grunted. "I expect Mum and Dad to have paid someone off to save face. Or maybe they finally found a diplomatic way to skirt around the political climate."

"Do you ever go back to the house to see them?"

"No. I'll never go back. They'll probably leave the house to my cousins before they leave anything to me. Speaking of, I expect you mean Narcissa and Bellatrix were listed in the Prophet."

"Bellatrix for sure, batty woman. Not Narcissa yet but neither was that new husband of hers."

"Malfoy," Peter finally piped up and then slurped his drink

"What other cousin then?" Sirius asked while visualizing his family tree. "There are plenty to pick from."

"Andromeda." Marlene said softly.

"What?I That makes no sense," He looked practically offended.

"That's the thing. I think someone is corrupting that list. Someone on the inside."

Lily and James entered just then. "Hey you lot. Find everyone else?" They shook their heads. And James released Lily's hand to approach the bartender. He whispered something to him and the bartender pointed towards the stairs. "Right then," he said matter-of-factly with a nod. He looked at the stairs the way a groom looks at chapel doors before the wedding, or a performer at the stage. "Let's go. Where is Moony?" Just as he asked, Remus entered with Tabitha in tow. "Here, James. I saw the curtains drawn on the top floor. That must be where we are…" He didn't dare finish, knowing there could be unfriendly wizards listening in the bar.

"That's it Moony. You ready?"

"If you are."

James smiled and led the way up the stair case and to the end of the hall. They entered a small room with a fireplace, one window, and an old dusty table with familiar faces filling the chairs around it. At the head of the table, sitting pleasantly and almost regal was Dumbledore. He smiled kindly to all of them as they entered, as if they're meeting to discuss how their lives have been since Hogwarts, not to start a war group. The room buzzed with whispers from everyone. There was Alestor Moody, Frank Longbottom and his wife Alice, Edgar Bones and Benjy Fenwick who was in deep conversation with both Fabion and Gideon Prewitt. A few more also filled the room. Friends of Dumbledore's but not well-known the younger members. "Ah James," Dumbledore said, "Welcome."

"Thank you, sir." James grinned back at him, but the room quickly fell quiet. All eyes fell on him. Sirius and Remus stood on either side of him and the girls entered behind them. James stood still and Sirius noticed. "You alright mate?" James didn't answer. Some of these people were his age, some even a bit younger, who went to school alongside him. To them, he was the star Quidditch player, captain of the team, and Head Boy. But others, some of the older lot, to them he was still a child. Peter staggered in and broke the silence. "Why is everyone so quiet?" Some kept their serious expressions, but one of the few who didn't was Frank Longbottom who stood and grinned. "Lads, welcome. Come inside, won't you?"

"Thank you Frank," Lily said as she gave James a gentle shove towards the table. James puffed out his chest, determined to look as tall and mature as he could and took a seat near Dumbledore with Lily by his side. "Oh!" muttered a man on the other side of Dumbledore. "You must be Fleamont's little boy then?" He asked cheerfully but James just sunk in his chair at the phrase 'little boy.' Nevertheless, the man tipped his funny-looking hat. "Elphias Dodge. Pleased to meet you, son. You've got his same taste in glasses as your dad," he chuckled.

Dumbledore cleared his throat to silence the room as he stood. "Welcome, all" he smiled kindly, meeting each and everyone's eyes as they finished taking their seats. "I am sorry that we must meet under these conditions, but times are changing. The world we know we will be changed forever, if we do not take a stand. Fear is a powerful thing. But hope, is stronger. I have faith, in each and every one of you. No matter what house you claimed during your time at Hogwarts, nor the status of your blood matters here. We are all here to protect our world and others. I'm sure many of you have noticed how severe things are getting."

Tabitha leaned forward to be seen by Dumbledore "Sir. I've been traveling for months through Europe. The muggle world is being targeted as well. Anyone with potential blood impurity is being killed. Squibs and muggleborns. If these threats have already expanded passed our world's borders, then how can we stop it?"

"Miss Delaney, this will be difficult, but how can we expect it to stop if we do not do anything to hinder it? We must take a stand, or we all shall fall."

"Forgive me, but I only know as much as the prophet has told me." She hesitated. "Do we have any way of knowing who is an enemy or not other than the undesirable's listed in the prophet like Fenrir Greyback or Lucious Malfoy? I think I also saw some others that I never expected."

Marlene leaned forward to look down the table to Tabitha. "Tabs, you can't trust everything in the Prophet."

"Why not? It's never been wrong before."

"That you know of," Lily added. "We don't even know if the people listed as undesirables are as bad as they say."

"Like Dromeda," Sirius spoke up. "She was in there today. And I know she'd be here now if it weren't for that printed rubbish."

"But I wouldn't dare take chances," Peter said to him with a hint of fear in his voice. Dumbledore nodded to them. "There is a way to identify followers of Voldemort, or 'Death Eaters' as they call themselves. They are marked upon joining with a "dark mark." A skull on the forearm with a snake wrapping around it and protruding from the mouth. This is their link to the Dark Lord. With that dark mark comes many powers. They can disparate a great distance and fly without the air of a broom or a spell. Their dark curses and hexes are amplified and rarely miss their mark. It's also their way to call to Voldemort." The room quieted for a moment at the mention of the name. "I know his name brings about fear and I know many of you wonder if he is even myth or truth. Let me assure you, he is very real and very powerful. Let me also encourage you to use that name, in defiance of the fear it precedes."

"So we trot about asking people to roll up their sleeves?" Gideon asked with a chuckle.

"Laugh all you want, Mr. Prewitt," Dumbledore said. "Sometimes it is the only way to tell the good apart from the bad."

Sirius leaned forwards a bit "Sir, speaking of enemies. We saw Greyback in Diagon Alley."

Remus spoke up, "Greyback was in Diagon Alley while we were there? This day just keeps getting better and better." He clasped his hands together and rested his chin on them, but stroked his scar with his thumb as if checking to see if it was still there. Suddenly he realized, "Wait... Greyback has a criminal record. If You-know-who has recruited him without fear of the Ministry keeping tabs on a werewolf then it could mean that they have some kind of control in the ministry. You know, someone destroying or hiding records of creatures to cover their tracks and hide in plain sight."

"Hmmm," Frank Longbottom scratched his head. "Not comforting to think the Ministry of Magic could be infiltrated."

"Didn't you and Alice just start working there?" Lily asked him.

"Aye. And the thought of working along-side a follower of Voldemort isn't a pleasant idea." He said as Alice rested her hand on his, proud of him for showing no fear at the name.

"I hate to be the glass-half-empty bloke, but the truth is that we've been working alongside followers of Voldemort for a long time," Elphias dodge said as he removed his hat and rubbed the back of his head. "Even before Voldemort's conception."

"How can that be?" Lily asked.

"Voldemort may be new to the game in recent years, but his root cause, the source of all this hate and evil, it's been going on since the dawn of magic. The fight for good and evil will always be present. It's just recently that it has grown to this size," Elphias said, "Why when I was a young man, there was one man so determined to snuff out the muggles that all of MACUSA-"

"They've taken their History of Magic, Elphias," Dumbledore said calmly as he rested a hand on his friends shoulder.

"They could be using house elves too," Marlene suggested, reverting back to the topic of magical creatures. "They can come and go from anywhere and have no choice but to obey their masters."

"Perhaps." Dumbledore nodded knowingly. "Also, I have been notified by another order member that Regulus Black was also spotted in Diagon Alley." Everyone instantly looked to Sirius who looked up and shrugged. "Am I my brother's keeper?" He said with an apathetic look. Still it was strange to hear Dumbledore refer to Regulus as if he was a stranger. "Would it be safe to assume they are up to something in Diagon Alley?" Remus asked.

"I would assume so, yes. More than likely my guess is that they were going towards Knockturn Alley. It is quite possible Regulus Black was running an errand for Voldemort. But the question is, what did he go to attain?"

"Perhaps he didn't go there to shop," Alestor said. "As far as I see it, the band of rascals need a place to congregate. It could be that Regulus was sent to negotiate a meeting place at one of the shops."

"Even so," James added as he nodded to greet Moody. "What are they meeting about? There meetings would be ones of action I would think, seeing as how they all already know who they are fighting for. Perhaps they are after something specific as Dumbledore suggested."

Peter spoke up. "So what? We send spies to Knockturn Alley? And what about the Ministry, if it is corrupt like Frank says."

"We will need more people in the ministry. There are some I have secured in our company," Dumbledore said nodding to Frank and Alice.

Edgar Bones spoke up at this, "And those ministry offices are riddled with my family. You know you can trust them. Why Remus, my oldest sister even worked with your old man for a while. She can help."

"I remember," He nodded with a soft smile and looked to Alestor, "And Moody. You know the Minister very well don't you?"

"Aye, but being discrete isn't a particularly good trait of mine. I'd defer to Arthur Weasley on that one. Where is he anyway?"

"Twins have started walking," was the only explanation Fabian gave about his brother-in-laws whereabouts.

"God help us all," Alestor replied.

James nodded, now feeling his confidence restored. He sat up straight and spoke clearly, "I think we should stay within groups and cover different areas of the wizarding world. Maybe a few of us could even keep an eye on the muggles."

"You can count on me to lead a group, Potter," Frank said with a smile. Alice nodded beside him and asked, "Where will we meet though? We will need a place to practice our defense spells." James then looked to Dumbledore who already wears a knowing grin. "I'm sure the right place will reveal itself to you. You just need to look. In the meantime, I cannot say I have very much to be done. This will be partly a waiting game. We must try to find out what Voldemort has planned and if need be, stop it. Any lead we can get will be useful. But as I stated before, caution is important. Do not take this lightly. The reality is that this war has been going on for some time in the shadows. Many of us in this room have tried to prevent it. Now we are seeing it emerge from the darkness stronger than ever. If you wish to get out now, this is the time to do so. Once you have committed to the order, you must not leave for your own safety." He stood. "I'll adjourn, with this. Happiness can be found, even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light. I encourage you all to keep as much joy and happiness in your life as you can. It is the only way to prove to the others that they have not won and will not." The fireplace crackled and Dumbledore smiled cheerfully before making his way to the door. "Please await my owl. I'll have assignments for your groups soon." With that, he disappears down the hall.

Ten long minutes later, the room had returned to a multitude of whispers. The fire had died down and a few people had taken their leave. The handful that remained looked to James. "Well, Potter? Are you in?"

"In what?" James said in confusion to Alestor's inquiry. "This order," the other man replied. "Are you all in. Dumbledore just said once you are, there is no backing out."

"Of course I am!" He said with a proud nod, almost offended that he had to ask. Lily put her hand on his shoulder. "I am too, of course."

Sirius let out a chuckle, "Because of what we are fighting for or because James is in?"

"Both, Sirius," Lily said. "And I resent that implication. What about you?"

"I could use some excitement. Besides, you lot will need me to come to your rescue when four-eyes here messes things up," he said with a laugh as he nudged James. He looked to Remus but didn't even have to ask before Remus answered, "Yes. I'm in."

"Even with Greyback on the other side?" Peter asked quietly. Remus gave a firm nod. "Especially with him on the other side. What about you Peter?"

"W-well… I already told you I would fight. Just as long as we all stay together."

"Well isn't that fine and dandy," Alestor Moody said. "Alright. Shall I gather a team then? Benjy, Edgar, you're with me." The Prewitt boys whispered to one another and nodded. "Longbottom, we will tag along with you," Fabian said.

Marlene stood, "Tabs and I can start by keeping an eye on the muggle world, that is… well, I know you haven't really chosen to officially join yet, Tabitha. I just thought with all you've seen..."

"Oh... I-" Tabitha started but James interrupted.

"Brilliant," James said clasping his hands together. "Then we are all agreed?"

"Agreed is one word for it," Peter said, "Fecking crazy is another. But yes. We're agreed."

The room began to clear, everyone making sure they staggered their departure, some by foot and others by floo. Before long it was down to the mauraders and the girls again, all departing through the front door. James pulled Lily aside gently once they were outside under the stars, interrupting her conversation with Tabitha. "Can we talk?" He asked. She smirked at him, "You're actually asking permission to talk? That's unlike you." Her grin forced one on him as well. She glanced back to the Irish girl who nodded, "Go on. We can finish talking later." Lily smiled and turned back to her boyfriend who led her up the street.

Sirius shuffled up behind Tabitha. "Where are they going?"

"To 'talk'." She said bluntly.

Sirius heard her tone and looked at her. "So you disapprove of talking now?"

"Well, If I did, tonight would certainly be reason enough for it."

Sirius tried to unencrypt her words but shook his head to spare looking like a fool should he misunderstand. He looked up the street to Lily and James walking hand and hand. "Well… I guess he really is hers now, huh?"

"Black," Tabitha looked at him. "He was hers long before they started dating. They just didn't know it. That's how love works."

"How would you know how love works?."

She didn't answer, but looked back to her best friend walking beside James. The two of them walking hand-in-hand, a sight Sirius and Tabitha both thought would never be for either one of them. They realized their best friends were not theirs any longer and it saddened them greatly. Little did they know then, this wouldn't be the first time their hearts were broken during the war.

Meanwhile, the meeting in Knockturn alley was coming to a close. Regulus Black sat near the end of the table. He couldn't focus. He kept tapping his fingers against the tiny wooden table in the back room of Borgin and Burkes. Potter couldn't have been telling him the truth. No way was that arrogant prat really offering him a chance to join their side, not that he wanted to anyhow. To James Potter and Sirius Black, Regulus would always be an enemy. Brother against brother. Regulus' thoughts came to a halt when a strong grip grabbed his wrist. He hardly reacted beyond blinking and looked at the hairy knuckles and long nails of the hand enclosed around his wrist. "Tell me, Regulus," a deep voice said above him. "Were you this distracted during your school days? We can certainly send you back to your life of acquiring points for Slytherin if that suits you better." Regulus looked up and met eyes with Fenrir Greyback. His sharp features and tall stature were enough to intimidate anyone. The stubble on his jaw couldn't hide the scars left by the fingernails of his victims. Yes, he was a murderer. In the worst way, he was a killer. Greyback was a werewolf, a reject of society, an outcast of the Wizarding World. He accepted the title, though. After years of resenting his maker, he finally embraced who he was. He loved the power he had gained from becoming a werewolf. He grew to hate Wizards, despite being one himself, for how they treated him. He didn't answer to anyone. Not even Voldemort. Still, he accepted his role as assassin for the Death Eaters. The affiliation was a small sacrifice he had to make for the power he gained. Now, looking at Regulus Black and seeing slight fear in the boys eyes brought him satisfaction. "Well, Black? What is it that you have on your mind?"

Regulus yanked his wrist away and rubbed it. "Nothing."

"Well it seemed very distracting to be nothing."

"I said nothing, alright? Now if you are quite finished then can we adjourn this meeting?"

"Tisk tisk. Impatience will get you nowhere, little boy."

"Leave him alone," Narcissa Malfoy interjected from the corner, but a look from Greyback and she was quiet again. Greyback glanced to the head of the table where Severus Snape sat. "As I was saying," Snape said. "Voldemort's recruiters have almost finished their time away from us. We expect they will be back with more members for Voldemort's cause. Any questions?" Without giving anyone an opportunity to answer, the door to the back room opened. Everyone jumped up with wands ready, but lowered them hearing a familiar chuckle from the shadowed entryway.

"Will you look at the little babies with their wands. Going to zap me are you?"

"Bellatrix," Greyback said with a grin as he leaned against the wall. "So nice of you to show up as the meeting finishes."

"And nice of you to show up at all," she said as she walked in. Bellatrix looked around. "Where is he?" she hissed. "Where is the Dark Lord?"

"He didn't come," Snape said. "And since Greyback declined to lead the meeting then I took over."

"Declined to lead?" She said with a sideways glance to the werewolf. "What's wrong, Fen? Are we not good enough to be your pack?" She received a huffed chuckle from Greyback and an eyeroll. Walking towards the table, she patted Regulus on the head. "I'm sure you will forgive my tardiness, given the knowledge that I acquired." The young woman had a well-kept appearance, but there was something about her face that nobody could label. Was it insanity? Was it passion? Nobody dared to get close enough to guess. She was mad. She loved being mad. She was proud to be one of Voldemort's most trusted followers and now she was at a point in her life where she was beginning to let the madness take her over. Bellatrix sat on the edge of the table beside Regulus, her younger cousin, and fiddled with the ring on her finger. "Met myself a little ministry worker. Very charming. At first I thought I would go easy on him because he seemed quite Cissy's type,"

"I have a husband," He little sister mumbled and Bellatrix just rolled her eyes. "Oh yes, that pathetic little Malfoy. Mousey thing. Where is he anyway."

"I know you can see me here, Bellatrix," Lucious groaned, "Now can you make your point," He seemed to annoy Bellatrix who stared at him before hopping off the table and walking towards the front of the room.

"The ministry worker had just received an order via owl. I myself was quite confused when I saw it. Why would a ministry worker be receiving mail at the owlery during working hours? Unless, of course, it was a secret message."

"And was it?" Snape asked impatiently.

Bellatrix nodded to him. "It was a message from Albus Dumbledore stating that the meeting was concluded."

"That's all it said?" Lucious asked and she nodded. "If what Bellatrix is saying is the truth, then Dumbledore already is recruiting people."

Bellatrix said, "I put a tracking spell on the little owl and sent it back. Any Volunteers want to go after it?"

"Pointless, It's obviously going back to Hogwarts," Severus said. Everyone looked down in disappointment and Narcissa said, "We would never get passed the front gate. Not without the dark Lord, that is."

"Keep your chin up, cousin," Regulus said with a nod to her. "It won't be long before our ranks are strongest." An off-tune grandfather clock chimed in Borgin and Burkes and Greyback pushed himself off the wall and stormed out.

"Well," Snape said. "I suppose he didn't want to be kept longer than he was forced to."

"Neither do I," Regulus announced as he stood. The others followed. Some stayed and talked in a low murmur but Regulus walked out quickly to get away from his batty cousins. He had hardly made it to the edge of the Alley when he heard rubbish bins rattle behind him. Turning, he saw Severus Snape putting the cans upright after obviously running out the back door into them. "Snape?" They both made eye contact, but Severus turned and started up the street without a word. Regulus followed quickly. "What are you doing."

"I'm going after the owl."

"We know where it's going – Hogwarts."

"Albus Dumbledore uses a phoenix to deliver his letters. If he used an owl then it's because he wasn't at the school."

"Then we should go back and tell them."

"No," he shook his head and took long strides out of the alley. "That would be a massacre. I need to go alone."

"Don't tell me you think they can be, 'reasoned with.'"

"James Potter and his friends 'reasoned with'? Please."

"Then why?"

"Why does it matter?"

"Fine. I'm coming with you then."

"No you're not."

"Then I'm going back and getting the others."

Snape stopped and looked Regulus in the eye. "Just... if he is there... leave Potter to me." Regulus nodded and the two of them quickly walked to the Owlery.