Rising Darkness

Nothing happens in this chapter, I just let you know what everyone has done since leaving Hogwarts.  Yes, this is more or less set in the same universe as “Their Seventh Year”.  OC’s from that story will probably play some part, though I’m not sure how much.

Chapter 3- The Side of the Light

Summer at Hogwarts seemed strange, an eerie silence hung over the usually busy hallways.  A few teachers remained, and the Headmaster, when he was not away on other business.  Dumbledore preferred Hogwart’s with students, and he could not help but wonder how many would not come back that fall- how many parents would keep their children home, not realizing that Hogwarts was the safest place for them.  And there were a few, he had heard, who had not survived the summer, and he knew before September first there would be more.  Death Eaters showed no mercy to children.

But tonight Hogwarts was not empty.  It would look that way, but deep in the castle in a heavily warded room, a group of people sat around an old, scarred wooden table.  It was no small task coming to Hogwarts for these meetings, it required them to apparate to somewhere outside the grounds and then walk to the castle, but they didn’t mind, Hogwarts was where Dumbledore was, and where they believed he should be.  Many witches and wizards wanted him to take the place of Bagnold as Minister of Magic, but he refused.  Albus Dumbledore had no desire for fame and power, though ironically he had both, and he knew he would never leave Hogwart’s.  He knew that if the entire wizarding world fell to darkness, Hogwarts would be the last place of refuge.  Hogwarts was protected by ancient and powerful magic set by its founders and strengthened over its thousand year history.  It would be the last fortress to fall, if it came to that, and Hogwart’s would not fall while Albus Dumbledore lived.  He knew also that after the final battle, someone had to rebuild their world, and that would very likely be the children in this school, and so he would train and protect them for that day.

He sat at the head of the table by an unspoken understanding among all of them.  Next to him sat James Potter.  He had grown up in the few short years since leaving Hogwarts.  No longer the quidditch-obsessed prankster, the boy had been replaced by a man who, while still quick to smile, had another side that was deadly serious.  There was a streak of steely determination in him that had solidified when he learned of the threat to his son.  He was an Auror, one of the best, so he knew what he was up against, and he was facing it head on.

Across from him, a man whose attitude and posture spoke of carelessness and confidence.  The most dangerous and rebellious of the four boys who were so inseparable, he was also the one who had worried Dumbledore the most during their school years.  With his dark edginess and under the influence of his family, there was a time when Dumbledore had thought he could have gone either way.  Now, Sirius Black had made his choice, and Dumbledore knew that once decided, he would not waver from it.  There was a darker side to him, but his loyalty to his friends was absolute.

Both he and James had risen quickly through the ranks of the Aurors, showing a single-minded dedication their former Headmaster would have liked to have seen from them at school.  They worked seamlessly as a team, with an uncanny sense of what the other would do before it happened that had kept one or both of them alive on many occasions.  Sadly, after only a year, they had lasted longer than many Aurors.

Next to James, a hand resting gently on his arm in a probably unconscious but nonetheless telling gesture, Lily Potter had a beauty that hid the powerful magic she was capable of.  Dumbledore had seen her potential, from the first moment the red-haired muggle-born girl had set foot in Hogwart’s.  Dark smudges under her eyes now testified to a lack of sleep and feedings, but she had wanted to be here for this meeting.

There were those in the wizarding world who thought it a shame that someone as clever and powerful as Lily would “waste” her talent by choosing not to work after she had married.  It was not as though she had not had offers.  Top scores on all her NEWTS and a well-known talent for the most complex and intricate charms had brought job offers from everywhere from the Ministry to Gringott’s, but she had declined them all.  Of course, what most people didn’t know was that Lily was only decent with cleaning spells and appallingly bad with cooking spells, and that was certainly not what she spent her days doing.  Working in secret for the Order of the , Lily was attempting, and succeeding, with charms that were years beyond anything the Ministry would imagine.

On Lily’s other side sat Remus Lupin.  He was, at heart, a scholar.  Indeed, his quiet manner and keen intellect made it seem unlikely that he would be drawn to the likes of James Potter and Sirius Black, but Dumbledore had good reason to believe that he had been the mastermind behind some of their more brilliant pranks in Hogwarts days.  The Headmaster knew him to have a gift for dry humor and fierce loyalty, and his sometimes unnatural calm was his way of dealing with and controlling the wolf.

Across from Dumbledore, Alastor Moody waited impatiently for them to begin.  He was a legend, but also a trusted friend.  He raised paranoia to an art, of course, but that was only to be expected considering the things he had done and seen.  He had also trained both Potter and Black, and while he would never say so, he had thought highly of their potential.  He had said as much only to Dumbledore, since he thought the two young men had big enough heads already.

Next to Moody sat Minerva McGonagall, and though she looked as stern and inflexible as ever, Dumbledore could not suppress a fond smile.  Once one of his most talented students, and now his right hand, he could not have run Hogwart’s without her, and he could not have run the Order without her.  No matter how uncertain or dark the world got, she would not lose her head, and he knew it was one thing he could count on.

Rounding out the group was Frank Longbottom.  Another Auror, he was likeable and quiet generally, but could command a room with a single glance.  Like the Potters, he had a new baby and would rather be at home, but he knew the importance of these meetings.  His wife Alice would have been there as well but that Neville had, he explained with a smile, been fussy all day and she didn’t like to leave him.  Everyone understood.

They were not the entire Order of The Phoenix, nowhere near it.  The Order was large enough and spread out enough that full meetings would never happen.  Dumbledore might appear just the kindly old headmaster of a school, but he had known the last Great War against Grindelwald, he knew battle, and he knew the rules of war.  He knew you could not be forced to tell what you didn’t know.  This is why the Order operated the way it did, in separate, autonomous groups.  These were the members closest to Dumbledore, and he hoped, the ones who would carry on should anything happen to him.  In an organization like theirs, it would be only too easy to have leaks, but the people in this room knew more than any others.  He had chosen them carefully, long before they had learned of such a thing, many of them while they had still been in school.  While they might not have paused to think about it, it was an honor to be among those who Dumbledore trusted implicitly.

Dumbledore cleared his throat and small individual conversations ceased.  “How bad were the latest attacks?”

It was asked in general to the Aurors in the room, but it was James who responded.  “Two families, both witches who had married muggles.  No survivors among them.”

“Do you know who it was?”

“We think Rosier and Wilkes, but that’s on the testimony of muggle neighbors.”

Dumbledore nodded shortly.  “And there was no warning?”

James sighed and ran a hand through his hair.  “None.  I don’t know of the attacks were ordered by Voldemort, they may have been just acting on their own.  We need someone inside.  We need a spy.”

“Impossible.”  Moody said.  “Voldemort would see through them in a second.  And turning someone who’s already inside is out of the question, we could never trust them.”

Part of the war was never knowing who to trust.  There were spies in the Ministry, spies at Hogwart’s, spies among the people they considered friends.

“We do have information that Voldemort is concentrating on Azkaban at the moment.  On breaking through the wards.  Obviously, to free his supporters who are in there.  Worrying, of course, because the Dementors would go to his side of he can get close enough to make them the offer.”  Sirius remarked.

“The wards around Azkaban are secure.  I’m sure of it.  Bones and I inspected them thoroughly a few weeks ago when we delivered Erikson out there.”  Frank answered.

“Nonetheless, we may want to discuss strengthening them.  There are dangerous people in there who would do anything to return to his side.”

Frank nodded slightly.  “Of course.”

“Well, I believe Lily has some good news?”  Dumbledore prompted, smiling at her.

“I think we’ve come up with a charm that reveals invisibility cloaks.  One that can be placed around rooms that will reveal the wearer as soon as they walk in.”

“Did you get that to work then?”  James asked with interest.  “The other night when you had Peter walking in and out of the kitchen in my cloak it wasn’t working.”

She shrugged.  “I had a thought while you were at work today.”

He smiled at her.  “Brilliant.”

Across the table, Sirius rolled his eyes.  James made a rude gesture in his direction.  Lily gave him a look and a sharp elbow in the side, and Dumbledore cleared his throat to bring their attention back.  “That will be excellent, especially at the Ministry.  Well done Lily.”  She flushed, smiling.

He gave a serious look at them then, and to Frank.  “And the children?”

“Harry is fine, no sign of trouble since that first attack two weeks ago.”  James replied promptly.  “My Mum is watching him tonight, she loves doing it.”  She was also the only person he and Lily would trust, apart from those present, to take care of him.

Frank nodded as well.  “Neville is fine, he was just a little fussy today and wanted to stay with him.”

“Good.”  The Headmaster nodded.  “So long as they are safe.”