The house was already filling up with people. The entire weasley family was there, save Percy--who had still not made up with his family after the Voldemort debacle over two years ago. Harry nodded across the room to Tonks and Moody who headed over to him. �So, you�ve read the file! I think I know what you are going to have to say tonight� Moody chuckled, his magical eye spinning to seemingly look right through Harry.
Harry gritted his teeth slightly, �yes, I have several things to say,� he shook his head in slight disgust of the entire situation. Then it dawned on him; moody and dumbledore seemed to think this was almost funny, that Harry was this predictable. �They are probably thinking of Sirius,� he thought bitterly. His eyes widened slightly, �Ginny, I will be right back!� he ran up the stairs to Sirius�s bedroom. �I will not let Ginny fall victim to Voldemort because of my stupidity. I still have my mirror, broken as it may be. I will give her Sirius�s!� he smiled broadly at his brilliance and headed back down the stairs where the meeting was about to start.
Harry walked into a room divided. �Mother, I am STAYING! I need to know what is going on! I�m his next target!� Ginny and her mother were nose to nose, both yelling at the top of their lungs and crying. The rest of the order members seemed to be of mixed mind, as well. Ginny�s brothers, Hermione, Tonks and Moody--as well as most of the younger people in the room seemed to be on Ginny�s side. While the older ones were shaking their heads and mumbling to each other. Only dumbledore seemed perfectly neutral, willing to let the argument play it�s course.
Harry stuck the mirror in his pocket and stepped off the bottom stair. �Stop! Stop this both of you!� he said as he strode quickly over to them, placing a hand on either of their shoulders. �Mrs. Weasley, please don�t get angry with me, you�re the closest thing to a mother I have. But, I think she should stay. She needs to know what is going on if she is do defend herself. I think we all know what happens when secrets are kept regarding possible deadly information or traps.� He let his eyes travel around the room, finally resting on dumbledore who nodded sadly.
�Molly, I do believe he is right,� Mr. Weasley stepped to his wife, placing his arm around her shoulder. She blotted her tears and nodded slightly.
�Fine, but she will NOT be going on any missions or other shenanigans! She�s here for informational purposes ONLY!� she held up her hands, �as she is still a minor that is my call to make.� everyone, including Ginny agreed that this was fine.
The meeting began. It was pretty mundane, really, mostly reports on continuing defenses and filling anyone who missed the afternoon�s emergency meeting, a wrap up of the day�s events. �But why go after Figg? Everyone knows she was a squib!� a balding wizard in hunter green robes spoke up from the back.
�We don�t know, for sure, at this time but, we think it may have been in an attempt to take her place as to get closer to Harry. She lived near his home and was trusted by both him and his aunt and uncle. They must have realized that Harry wasn�t there and planned to call the whole thing off. However, having already entering her home, they had to stop her from raising the call to us as soon as they left. So, they killed her--non magically.� Kingsley grimaced at the memory of the scene as he finished up the report.
Many people stared at him, open mouthed at this. �Non magical murder, that�s just barbaric!� someone mumbled from the back of the room. After a few moments, Dumbledore stood, everyone immediately turned their attention to him.
�We also had a disturbance, of sorts, right here this afternoon,� he said amid gasps from those who were not at the earlier meeting. �Voldemort has, once again, broken through young Mr. Potter�s defenses. He has given us reason to believe that Ginny weasley will be the next target for attack.�
�And what reason is that?� someone scoffed from the back.
�Because he broke into my head and I FELT IT.� Harry replied, angrily, standing up from his seat. �Why must you people always argue amongst yourselves? Don�t you understand, that is exactly what he wants! He sows detrition everywhere he can by using fear.� he began slightly pacing the room as he made his speech.
�Today, I spent most of the day reading the Voldemort file and I am appalled! Not at the sheer number of crimes he has committed against individuals and society, though that was quite horrific in it�s own right, but at the fact that the order seems to know where he is and has not HUNTED HIM DOWN! Even in the muggle world, which is quite uncivilized at times, takes action against their criminals! If they have a known killer, they stop at nothing�NOTHING�to bring them to justice! When are you going to stop taking the defensive and actually FIGHT this war I keep hearing about? The time has come! We need to stop waiting for him to pick us off one by one! I am tired of it! I have lost my whole family and am afraid to care for anyone as they will surely be his next target! Now that I have let myself feel again, the person I care about is now in trouble! And I am sick of it! I�m sick of being scared and sick of losing those I love. But mostly im sick of HIDING like a COWARD! I am no coward and I�m not going to hide anymore! I am going after him.�
He paused slightly as the whole of the room burst into a mix of gasps and cheers. �Anyone who wants to join me is welcome, though I am willing to do this on my own. I will not sit idly by while he kills everyone important to me. He is coming for her, I can feel it, but he will not have her�not while I�m alive!�
At those words, the entire room burst into both protests and acclaim. Then they began arguing with each other. �I don�t even know why I bother sometimes,� Harry mumbled to himself, �you can tell they really took that �stop arguing� bit to heart.� He frowned and sat back down in his seat between Ron and Ginny. She tentatively took his hand and stroked it softly, smiling at him.
�That was a very powerful speech,� she kissed him lightly on the cheek. Fred and George, who were sitting behind them, leaned forward and clapped Harry on the back.
Dumbledore finally stood, thus ceasing all conversation. �I understand both sides of this argument. Open war means more immediate losses. But, on the other hand, those people who we lose, would have chosen to fight�they would not be innocent bystanders. War is dangerous but, in the long term, it seems more dangerous to wait for him to pounce on us. Harry is set in his mind at this however, I do not want him going it alone. So, I say we put it to a vote. All those in favor, raise your wands.� several wands immediately shot into the air, slowly followed by more tentative members. Finally nearly all of the people assembled had their wand raised proudly!
Harry looked around in amazement! It had worked! They were finally going to fight back! Harry spent the rest of the meeting, which did not last long as it was getting late, in a daze. They had listened�to him�a 17 year old boy! He was pondering why when the meeting came to a close, the members agreeing to meet again the next day at 12 noon.
Moody came over to him. �Well, Mr. Potter, I hope you are pleased with yourself�I know I am,� he growled appreciatively, �I have been trying to get this council off their butts for months. It just took you, who has lost more than anyone--but is still not afraid, to give them the confidence booster shot in the hind-end that they needed!� He jovially whacked Harry on the shoulder and left, laughing to himself.
***
It didn�t take very long for most of the order members to leave and soon it was only Harry, Dumbledore, Hermione and the Weasley�s left. They headed down to the kitchen where Winky had made them supper. They ate in relative silence, except Fred and George�s talk of the store. It was Dumbledore who broke the revelry.
�Tomorrow, after the meeting, I will take Harry and Ginny to the safe house I am setting up. Then, after the meeting, the fidelis charm will be performed.� he looked at the family, who all suddenly looked frightened.
It was Harry who spoke next. �I don�t want any of you involved in the fighting of this war.� they all began protesting but he held his hand up to stop them. �You can help plan all you want, help run supplies but I want you all kept safe.� this time he looked directly at Ginny who had turned red in anger.
�Why? Why do you feel that you have to fight this alone? Why don�t you understand? We are all here and can fight with you!� she stormed out of the room. Harry stood to follow her but was stopped by Hermione.
�Yes, Harry, why is that?� she caught his eye. �Why is Voldemort always after YOU, aside from the obvious, of course,� she narrowed her eyes, studying her best friend. Most of the Weasleys were now also staring at him.
He glanced first at Dumbledore, who only nodded and left the room, then at Mr. weasley who gave him a sad sort of smile. They had a right to know as their lives were now in serious danger. Harry took a deep breath, not really sure why he was so scared to tell them.�There�s something I never told you, any of you. The prophecy,� he took a steadying breath, �I know what the prophecy said.� they all gasped, except Mr. Weasley who, knowing this information, had retreated into the corner.
�After Sirius died, Dumbledore sent me from the ministry back to his office, then joined me after he cleared things up. It was then that he showed me what the prophecy said. He was there when it was made�by professor Treelawny�and he pulled up the memory out of his pensive.� His voice cracked in emotion, but no one moved, they just stared at him wide-eyed. �It said: the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches. Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies. The Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not. Either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives.�
�But, Harry, that means�� Ron was interrupted by his father.
�Yes, that means that only Harry can kill Voldemort. And that it is kill or be killed.�
�Arthur! You knew about this?� Mrs. Weasley, who had started to cry, rounded on him. �You knew and didn�t tell me? This is Harry! Who we treat as if he was our own son!�
Hermione, who thus far was the only person in the room to have stayed silent, finally spoke. �Why didn�t you tell us, Harry? We could have helped you cope with it! We are supposed to be your best friends! You bottled this up for two years not telling anyo�Ginny! You told Ginny!� she literally slapped herself on the forehead. �That explains so much! The secretive way you both are always together and here I thought�wait, but she told me that she did lo�Oh!� she realized she was thinking out loud and covered her mouth. Then she jumped up, �you have to go! Go! Now! And find her!� she began pushing him from the room.
�Wait!� everyone in the room froze as Harry spoke, �you all have to promise not to go into the actual battles. No�no arguments! She will not stay here if a single one of you are going. Plus, I cant stand to lose another member of my family. If any of you are there, I know he will kill you, in front of me, just to torture me. I know, better than most, how his mind works in relation to me. So promise me this ok?� he looked at each of them in turn and they shook their heads, agreeing to his terms. �Thank you,� he said as he turned and ran from the room.
Previous Page
Next Page
Main Stories