Author's Note: Moving right along, here's the next chapter for you. Thanks once again to all those who are reviewing. I do appreciate it. Of course, thank you Charmaine for reading though these.
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
MEMBERSHIP
Once Harry and Dumbledore were back in Hogsmeade, he understood fully how hard it must have been for Hermione to Apparate with him and Ron hanging onto her. He staggered under Dumbledore's weight. Dumbledore himself seemed too tired to move.
Harry half-carried, half-dragged Dumbledore over to a wall and let him slump over there. "Sir? Sir? Are you okay?" he asked. He had never seen Dumbledore like that, pale and weak.
"Just give me a moment," Dumbledore murmured. "I'm not as robust as I used to be."
Harry stood by his side, glancing up and down the street anxiously. If Voldemort Apparated into Hogsmeade to finish the job…
"Harry! Professor Dumbledore!" he heard someone cry to his left. Looking over, he saw Ron and Hermione sprinting toward them.
"What happened? What happened once we Apparated?" Hermione asked.
"Not much," Harry told her. "He tried to kill us-"
"That's not much?" Ron said, aghast. "Blimey, Harry, the high mountain air didn't mess with your brain, did it?"
"No," Harry said irritably. "I had already Apparated with Dumbledore before he got the whole curse out of his mouth. And as you can see, we're perfectly fine."
Ron stared down at Dumbledore, who was still very pale. "Uh-huh."
"We've got to get him back to the castle," Hermione said. "Are you hurt, sir?"
"No, just winded," Dumbledore replied. "One more moment."
They waited patiently by his side. Eventually, Dumbledore summoned the strength to get up and walk with them back up to the castle. Harry, Ron, and Hermione stayed by his side in case he needed to rest again.
"Are you positive that you destroyed all of the ambrosia?" Dumbledore asked them.
"I hope so," Hermione replied. "We got a little desperate in the end, so I tried to Summon all of the other plants to me."
"I destroyed over a dozen myself," Dumbledore said. "I do not think there were any more than twenty on the mountain. It is a very rare plant."
"But what if Voldemort managed to get his hands on a plant?" Ron asked.
Harry's scar was giving him fits. He rubbed it. "I don't think he did," Harry said. "He's really angry right now. Really angry."
Dumbledore had a satisfied smile on his face. "Good."
They reached the great oak front doors of the castle. Ron rushed ahead and pulled them open.
"I must go up to my office and rest some more. I believe, however, that you haven't fully missed dinner. Go in and get something to eat. You must be hungry."
"Starving," Ron said. His stomach growled to prove the point.
"Off you go, then," Dumbledore said. "I can manage from here."
"Yes, sir," they said and departed for the Great Hall.
Before they had a chance to tuck in, though, Professor McGonagall strode over to them. "My office, now," she said.
Ron stared down at his food morosely as his stomach warbled again. Harry and Hermione got up. With one last glance down at his plate, so did he.
They followed McGonagall up the stairs to her office. Once there, she ushered them inside before slamming the door closed. Harry, Ron, and Hermione winced.
"Did you have fun?" she asked as she walked behind her desk. When the three of them only stared at her, she said, "Don't you dare think that I didn't know you left school grounds this morning."
"How?" Ron blurted. Harry and Hermione shot him a dirty look.
"Professor Lupin informed us over the summer of the secret passageway hidden by the hump-back witch. We've been using some spells to monitor the passageway and it picked up you three leaving." She glared at them over her square spectacles. "Well, what do you have to say for yourselves?"
"We had a good reason," Harry said.
"Good reason? You had a good reason to go into Hogsmeade? What were you trying to bring back to Hogwarts?" McGonagall asked.
"Nothing," Harry said.
McGonagall's lips formed the thinnest line that Harry had ever seen. "I am deeply disappointed in the three of you. I should strip you of your badges, positions, and privileges and put you in detention for a month and that's being kind. The punishment for sneaking off of Hogwarts' grounds is expulsion."
Beside Harry, Hermione had begun to tremble. He knew that all of these things were her worst fears realized.
"Professor, please," Harry said, "it's my fault that they left the grounds. I was following Dumbledore and they refused to let me go alone. If anyone should be punished, it's me."
"Following Dumbledore?" Her nostrils flared. "When Dumbledore expressly forbid you from going with him? Mr. Potter, I've heard of recklessness, but what you did was downright stupid!"
"Yet very helpful," said a voice behind them.
All four of them jumped. Standing in the now open doorway was Professor Dumbledore, looking as tired as ever.
"Albus! You look dreadful," Professor McGonagall said. "Did your trip go well?"
"Thanks to Harry, Ron, and Hermione. If it hadn't been for them, I probably would not have completed my mission. What I feared would happen did indeed happen. Voldemort showed up before I was finished."
McGonagall gasped. "But all of the ambrosia-it's destroyed, right?"
"I believe so," Dumbledore said. "Harry felt Voldemort's anger after we returned. That is a good sign that we were successful."
McGonagall frowned at Harry. "He disobeyed you and put his friends in danger."
"Yes, I know, and I am very disheartened that he didn't listen to me. However, good came out of it and I am grateful for his assistance. It was Harry who distracted Voldemort and managed to Apparate both of us back to Hogsmeade," Dumbledore told her.
"Do you want the three of them punished?" McGonagall asked.
Dumbledore stared at the three of them, who look back, shame-faced. "No. The positive counters the negative. Do nothing."
Harry, Ron, and Hermione looked at each other, amazed. Harry was sure that they were about to be flayed alive, but Dumbledore was going to let them off?
"I do want to impress upon the three of you that I am very disappointed in your actions even though what you did greatly benefited the mission," Dumbledore said. "I do have your best interests at heart."
"Yes, sir," the three of them murmured.
"Very well, you may go," he said. "Oh, and considering dinner just finished…" He waved his wand, conjuring up a plate of sandwiches. "Take those back to your common room and eat."
"Thank you, sir," each of them said.
Ron grabbed the plate and they left. "Blimey," he said, munching on a sandwich as they walked up to Gryffindor Tower, "I thought McGonagall was going to ream us."
"So did I," Hermione said, her face showing a mix of terror and relief. "I thought she really was going to expel us. I can't believe we walked away with even our badges still in place."
"It was good of Dumbledore to stick up for us like that," Ron said. "Mind you, without us, he wouldn't have succeeded. He may even be-"
"Don't say it," Harry warned.
He was having an emotional war wage inside of him. Part of him was happy that they had helped Dumbledore destroy the ambrosia while another part of him was proud that we able get the tired and weakened Dumbledore off of that mountain. Yet he was also frightened to think of what might have happened if he hadn't Apparated the two of them in time. Both of them could be dead.
Then there was that nagging feeling of guilt, knowing that he had completely disobeyed Dumbledore. The fact that the headmaster was disappointed with him only made him feel worse.
When they arrived back in the common room, they found people sitting around, studying, playing games, or chatting with their friends. No one noticed Harry, Ron, and Hermione return. Then again, they weren't even gone for a full day.
Ron grabbed another sandwich and began to eat it. "So now that we've thwarted Voldemort, what d'you want to do now?"
"I'm going to bed," Harry said, feeling too miserable to stick around.
"What about the food?" Ron asked.
"I'm not hungry," he lied. "I'll see you in the morning. Hermione, we can work on our homework together, if you'd like."
"I would." She gave him a small smile, although he could tell that she also felt very guilty and hurt by Dumbledore's words. "See you in the morning."
He walked up to his dormitory, which was-thankfully-empty, and collapsed onto his bed. It had been a long and tiring day. As he lay there, he couldn't help but wonder whether or not he had done the right thing in following Dumbledore to Greece. Two hours ago, he would have said yes easily, but now he wasn't so sure.
I can't dwell on the past though, he thought. I did what I did. It's done. There's no way I could change it. I'm still not even sure I want to.
Rolling onto his side, he knew one thing: he had to talk to Dumbledore.
*****
He waited until Tuesday to go see the headmaster because he wanted to give him ample time to recuperate from their time in Greece. He marched down the corridor to the stone gargoyle, uttered the password, and then rode up the staircase to Dumbledore's office, where he seized the griffin knocker and rapped on the door three times.
"Enter," he heard Dumbledore said and, without any hesitation, he opened the door up wide and stepped inside.
"Sir," he said in greeting.
"Harry, I was not expecting you today. Has something happened?" Dumbledore asked.
"No, sir, at least, not that I can tell," Harry replied. "May I sit down?"
"Yes, of course," Dumbledore said, conjuring up a chintz armchair.
Harry sat. "I want to apologize, sir, for disobeying and disappointing you. I'm sorry that you've lost trust in me. I have my reasons, though, for why I believe that I was in the right to join you."
"Pray, do tell," Dumbledore said, sitting back.
"Destroying all of the ambrosia before Voldemort arrived was more than a one-man job. You needed the help. Not only that, but it is my responsibility to stop Voldemort. I have to step up and be who I have to be. I can't be protected. If we want this war to end sooner or later, then I've got to take a chance and fight him. I saw this as an opportunity to do so. You may have my best interests at heart, sir, and wish to keep me here until I've finished my training, but I have to do what I can when I can to help the wizarding world. Chasing after you and helping you to destroy the ambrosia helped the wizarding world," Harry said.
"What about putting Mr. Weasley and Miss Granger in danger?" Dumbledore asked.
"That was by their choice. I wanted to go alone, but they refused. They want to protect me, too, sir," Harry said.
"Did they not warn you about not heeding my word?" Dumbledore asked.
"Of course they did, but they also recognized that something greater was in the works and that if we could, we had to help prevent something terrible from happening-which we did," Harry said. "The only thing I regret about going is your disappointment. I've spent the entire weekend battling with myself whether what I had done was wrong or right, but I believe I was in the right, sir. I disobeyed you, yes, but I also helped stop Voldemort from achieving immortality. Doesn't that count for something?"
Dumbledore frowned. "Yes, it does, as you put it, 'count for something.' I will not deny, Harry, that having you, Ron, and Hermione with me was a great asset, but I am still very wary of the fact that any of you three could have been killed. I certainly wouldn't have wanted to explain to Molly why a third member of her family had been killed, along with telling Mr. and Mrs. Granger that their only daughter would not be returning home."
"I think Mrs. Weasley understands the consequences of war, as do all her children. Four of them are in the Order, after all," Harry pointed out.
"Does that excuse putting Ron in harm's way?" Dumbledore asked.
"No, but he chose to go, just like how Bill, Charlie, Fred, and George chose to join the Order and risk their lives to stop the war. Just like how I choose to live up to the prophecy, no matter what the outcome," he said.
"I understand what you are saying, Harry, however, I still think that you should have stayed here," Dumbledore said. "I chose to undertake this task alone. I could have called upon anyone in the Order to aid me, but I did not. Please understand that."
Harry frowned. "I do, sir."
"Good. Unfortunately, Harry, I am rather busy today. If you still feel the need to chat about this, by all means come back. I am willing to listen to whatever you wish to say," Dumbledore said.
"Yes, sir," he said, getting up. This meeting didn't go nearly as well as he had hoped. When he reached the door and glanced back, Dumbledore was already working, writing notes on a long sheet of parchment. Then he left, closing the door behind him.
*****
"I still don't understand why we aren't allowed to risk our necks when everyone else is," Ron said later that day.
Harry, Ron, and Hermione were in the library working on their homework. Harry had told them about his conversation with Dumbledore, something that Ron apparently was still dwelling on.
"What makes them so special?" he finished.
"They're of age-" Hermione began.
"We're of age!" Ron said fiercely.
"-and they're out of Hogwarts," she finished.
Ron scowled. "Just because we're still in Hogwarts doesn't mean that we're rubbish. I bet I can duel better than half of the people in the Order. Harry could probably out duel the majority of them."
"It's not the matter of dueling capabilities," Hermione said. "It's being mature and being able to cope with the trials of war."
"I'm not mature? I can't cope with the trials of war?" Ron asked. "I'm the only one in my bloody family who isn't afraid to say Voldemort's name."
"Which took you all of until three months ago to do," Hermione said, scowling.
"Yeah, well, you used to be afraid of Voldemort's name, too," Ron said.
"I always thought not using his name was silly. The only reason why I didn't is because I didn't want to frighten anyone," Hermione said.
"Yeah, right. I remember how much you trembled when you first said his name," Ron said.
"I did not tremble," Hermione said indignantly.
"Yeah, you did. Stuttered and everything," Ron said. "Right, Harry?"
"Don't get me into this," he said, crossing out a sentence in his essay and rewriting it. "But for future reference, girlfriend comes before best friend. I thought you'd have learned that by now, what with having a girlfriend of your own."
"Who I need to spend some time with instead of doing these stupid essays," Ron said, throwing down his quill. "This is bloody ridiculous!"
Hermione rolled her eyes.
"Going back to the whole Order thing, I don't understand why we can't join. At least Harry should be able to," he said. "I mean, the Order is a group that is out to stop the war against Voldemort, yet the one person who is prophesized to do so isn't even in their little club. How stupid is that?"
Harry thought he had a very valid point, as did Hermione, apparently, who frowned and averted her eyes.
"We're not too shabby in a fight, either," Ron went on, gesturing to both himself and Hermione. "Look how well we did in the Department of Mysteries and we know loads more stuff now than we did then. Hermione and I can be very formidable opponents. With Hermione's brains, she'd be great for the Order." Hermione beamed at him. "As for me, well, I'm a great sidekick."
"You have your moments of brilliance, too, Ron," Hermione said, smiling at him.
"The point is, why shouldn't we be in the Order? Keeping information from us is idiotic if Harry's the one who gets to fight in the end. We support him. We should all be in the Order," Ron said.
Hermione was giving Harry a shrewd look. "Harry?"
"What?"
"I've seen that look on your face before. What are you thinking?"
He shrugged. "I was thinking that Ron's absolutely right. Why aren't we in the Order?"
"Because apparently Dumbledore doesn't want us in," Hermione said.
"Why? We're more capable than a lot of those who are in the Order, I'm sure," Harry said. "I think being in the Order would only benefit us in the long run."
"But also put us in danger, which is exactly what Dumbledore doesn't want," Hermione said reasonably.
"Oh, come on, Hermione, doesn't it make you the least bit mad that you're being excluded from an organization meant to stop Voldemort when people like Mundungus Fletcher are? Especially when we're trying to do the same thing?" Ron asked.
"Well, a little, but-"
"Don't you want to know everything you can about what Voldemort's up to so that we can fight him properly?" Ron asked.
"Yes, but-"
"Don't you think it's a bit of an insult that we're not considered worthy?" Harry said, jumping in.
"Yes, alright, yes!" she exclaimed, causing many people to glance over at them in alarm. "It makes me mad that we're not wanted in the secret society that is set upon ending the war, especially when Harry's the one who is supposed to be the one who can. I do feel insulted that they don't think we're ready. I do hate the fact that I don't have as much information as I could. But I'm sure Dumbledore has his reasons."
"Like what?" Ron asked.
"Like trying to keep us safe," she said.
"Hermione," Harry said, "no one is safe in this war. Dumbledore can try all he can, but he can't protect us. If Voldemort wants to get to me, he's going to find a way."
Hermione frowned. "Yes, I know."
"Then you understand, don't you, on why I want to join the Order?" he asked. "They've been keeping tabs on his Death Eaters. They may even have an idea of where Voldemort's at and what he's going to do next. I want to know that information in case I have to take the fight to him. In fact, that's what I want to do. I'm sick of sitting behind these walls, waiting for something to happen to me. I want to help. I want to fight. Don't you?"
"Well, yes, I'd love to end the war," Hermione said, sighing. "But I doubt very much that Dumbledore would grant us membership into the Order."
"We aren't going to know that for certain unless we ask him," Ron said.
Hermione gave him a sharp look. "What? Do you want us to just waltz right up to his office now and demand that we are allowed in?"
"No," Harry said before Ron could answer. "We'll wait until the summer term starts. You two can come with me to my next Occlumency lesson and we can ask him-together."
Hermione frowned, but said nothing.
*****
The Easter holiday ended and Harry found himself with an even heavier workload. It seemed impossible to get all of his work done along with going to prefect meetings and conducting Quidditch practice. When it came time for him to go to Dumbledore's office for Occlumency, he felt swamped.
Ron and Hermione went with him, as planned. They hopped on the rotating stairs up to Dumbledore's office and waited for Dumbledore to answer after Harry knocked.
"Come in, Harry," Dumbledore said.
Harry, Ron, and Hermione walked in. Dumbledore was busy writing something down and didn't immediately look up at them. When he did though, he let a small, "Ah."
"Professor, we were wondering if we could ask you something," Harry said, feelingly slightly nervous.
"Certainly," Dumbledore said.
"It's more of a request, really," Hermione said, glancing apprehensively at Harry.
"We would like to become official members of the Order of the Phoenix," Harry said, proud that he said it without a hint of nervousness in his voice.
Dumbledore set his quill down and sat back, placing his long fingers together. He stared at all three of them for a moment before saying, "I see."
"We don't feel it's right, sir, that any of us should risk our necks in this war against Voldemort when we're not even allowed in the Order, which is dedicated to stopping the war," Harry said.
"Especially when Harry's supposed to be the only one who can stop Voldemort," Ron piped in.
"I am not asking any of you to risk your necks," Dumbledore said.
"Respectfully, you're asking me, sir," Harry said. "By telling me that prophecy, you asked me to complete it by destroying Voldemort. If you want to end this war, then you're asking me to put my life on the line and fight."
"And if Harry's being asked to fight, we're being asked to fight," Hermione said bravely.
Dumbledore frowned. "I have had a conversation nearly like this with Harry already. I do not wish for you to be members of the Order. It is too dangerous. Therefore, my answer is no."
"But why?" Harry demanded. "You say it's too dangerous? Forgive me, sir, but I think that's bull."
Dumbledore raised an eyebrow at him.
"I'm supposed to fight him," Harry continued. "Remember that 'either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives.' I'll never be able to live my life fully if he's still alive, hunting me. I need to be more prepared."
"That is why I am training you," Dumbledore said. "I am trying to prepare you."
Before Harry could retort, there was a knock on the door. "Enter," Dumbledore said, frowning deeply.
Lupin walked in, looking as though he was just about to say something when he spotted Harry, Ron, and Hermione. "Oh. This is a bad time," he said.
"No, Remus, it is quite alright," Dumbledore said. He looked between the three of them. "You have your answer."
"I don't think it's very fair," Harry said boldly.
Lupin eyed them all. "What's going on here?"
"We've asked to become members of the Order," Harry told him, "but Professor Dumbledore won't let us, even though it is up to me to beat Voldemort. If I'm supposed to do it, it would be nice to have the information available for me to use. That's what I meant, sir, about needing to be more prepared," he added, glancing back at Dumbledore.
Lupin was quiet for a moment before saying, "He brings up a good point, sir."
"They are too young," Dumbledore said.
"We're of age!" Ron said indignantly.
"They are also not out of Hogwarts yet," Dumbledore said.
"How does that matter, really, sir? The three of us have done more than some people in the Order, I suspect," Harry said. "We've saved the Philosopher's Stone, helped an innocent man escape going back to Azkaban, and survived a battle in the Department of Mysteries!"
"Not to mention that Harry killed a basilisk and survived three dangerous tasks in the Triwizard Tournament," Hermione said.
"Again, good points," Lupin said. "Harry's an accomplished duelist, too. He's been able to defeat both Moody and myself. Hermione is a school dueling champion and Ron does extremely well in Defense Against the Dark Arts. They were even inspiration for our new way of identifying each other, were they not?"
"What?" said Harry, Ron, and Hermione in unison.
Lupin held up his right hand. On it was a fat, engraved ring with a large stone much like the ones that the three of them wore.
"Remember how I asked you about your ring, Harry?" Lupin asked.
"Yes, sir," Harry said.
"Well, it got me thinking that it was a good way for Order members to identify each other. I took the idea to Dumbledore and sent Tonks off to get them made. That's why she was here not too long ago, was it not? To deliver our rings?"
Dumbledore nodded.
"You have one, too, sir?" Harry asked.
Dumbledore held up his hand. On it was the same type of ring that Harry, Ron, Hermione, and now Lupin wore. "It was a clever idea, I thought," he said.
"It's because of Harry, Ron, and Hermione that we have these at all," Lupin said. "I understand your desire to protect them, sir, but Harry's shown time and time again that he's capable of doing great things. He's up to the task. Hermione, meanwhile, is the cleverest student in Hogwarts-no other student can match wits with her. As for Ron, his whole family save his younger sister is in the Order. He can make an excellent contribution."
"I doubt Molly would approve," Dumbledore said.
"Molly really doesn't have a choice in the matter, does she?" Lupin said. "Ron's of age and is legally allowed to do whatever he pleases."
"Please, sir," Ron said. "My dad and brother died fighting in this war. It's time for me to step up and take their place."
Dumbledore gave each of them a hard look. "You are not afraid of the danger that lies in being a member of the Order of the Phoenix? All of you are willing to risk everything to end this war?"
"Yes, sir," the three of them said, meaning it.
He rose. "Remus, would you be so kind as to assemble the Order members here in the castle and ask them to join us?"
"Yes, sir," Lupin said and left at once.
Harry, Ron, and Hermione all glanced at each other but didn't dare to say a word. Each of them was afraid that something might shatter if they did so.
When Lupin returned, McGonagall, Snape, and Hagrid walked in behind him. They gazed at Harry, Ron, and Hermione curiously before turning their attention to Professor Dumbledore.
"Thank you for coming," Dumbledore said. "It is regrettable that this cannot be done in front of the whole Order, but nonetheless, I have summoned you here because we are adding to our ranks tonight."
McGonagall, Snape, and Hagrid looked startled.
"Potter, Weasley, and Granger?" McGonagall gasped. "But they're not out of Hogwarts yet!"
"I once told Mr. Potter that the Order is here to give him all the tools he needs to face Voldemort, however, as Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley, and Miss Granger pointed out to me this evening, I am not providing them with the one thing Mr. Potter needs to defeat Voldemort-information. Classified Order information. I remembered this while Professor Lupin vouched for their membership. Therefore, I have decided to grant Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley, and Miss Granger's request for membership in the Order of the Phoenix," Dumbledore said.
Both Professor McGonagall and Hagrid looked shocked while Snape stood, stone-faced.
"They already have rings, so I need not provide those." Dumbledore stepped in front of Harry and held out
his hand. "Harry James Potter, do you swear your life and loyalty to the Order of the Phoenix in order to end the
tyranny of Lord Voldemort and his followers?"
Harry took his hand. "I do, sir."
Suddenly, a strange, reddish glow emitted from their clasped hands. It circled around them and then settled on Harry, where it disappeared.
Dumbledore moved to Hermione next and held out his hand. "Do you, Hermione Jane Granger, swear your life and loyalty to the Order of the Phoenix in order to end the tyranny of Lord Voldemort and his followers?"
"I do, sir," Hermione said and took his hand. The same reddish glow emitted from their hands, circled around them, and then settled on Hermione, where it disappeared.
Finally, Dumbledore moved to Ron and held out his hand. "And do you, Ronald Bilius Weasley, swear your life and loyalty to the Order of the Phoenix in order to end the tyranny of Lord Voldemort and his followers?"
With a look of determination on his face, Ron clasped hands with Dumbledore. "I do, sir." Yet again, the reddish glow emitted from their hands, circled around the two of them, and settled on Ron before disappearing.
"Very well, then," Dumbledore said. "The three of you are now members of the Order of the Phoenix. I should inform you that our new headquarters is in a little place called Godric's Hollow."
"Godric's Hollow?" Harry said. "Isn't that where my-"
"-parents used to live, yes," Dumbledore said. "We have built a house on the grounds of where you and your parents used to live. It, like Grimmauld Place, is Unplottable and carries many wards on it."
Harry couldn't believe what he was hearing. The Order's headquarters was where he and his parents used to live? The place where his parents had died?
"That will be all," Dumbledore said to the other Order members. "Harry, after all of this, I think we should move our lessons back a week, don't you?"
"Er-yes, sir."
"Very well, then. Good night."
"Good night, sir, and thank you."
They left. As Harry walked back up to Gryffindor Tower with Ron and Hermione at his side, he couldn't help but feel different. It was official now. He was a member of the Order of the Phoenix. Just armed with that information, he felt that he was finally ready to take on Lord Voldemort.