Order Meeting: On the Escalating Violence

[Albus Dumbledore]

Albus Dumbledore was a very troubled man. War was pretty much inevitable at this point, and it saddened him greatly. He had prevented a war once, in defeating his friend Gellert Grindelwald, but this time, Dumbledore was fairly certain that the new war was already taking place. And, if he was honest, the wrong people seemed to be winning.

People were dying. Katie Lawrence had been murdered on school grounds. Young children and innocent civilians had been slaughtered at Hogsmeade. Now there seemed to be not one but two brutal killers on the loose. It had not yet been determined whether the first killer was connected with Lord Voldemort, but it was pretty certain that the second one was. Even the kidnapping of Danica Krizova seemed to be connected in some way. And something had to be done, before things got worse.

So he called a meeting of the Order of the Phoenix. He arrived early at the headquarters and began preparing for the meeting.

[Fabian Prewett]

It was about time for something else to happen. Things had gotten a little too quiet after the Hogsmeade attack but then all of a sudden there was an appearance of chaos again. One murderer who was extremely odd, then there was this other killer now. The more recent one had to be connected with the Deatheaters. Of course, this was just going to be a scratch on the surface, like the Hogsmeade attack. Soon, Fabian feared that the Deatheaters were going to dig their heels in hard. He only hoped they were all going to be ready to fight.

Leaving his apartment early and hearing the information from the Auror's meeting already, he arrived at the meeting place of the Order. Seeing that he was the only one there, he greeted Dumbledore and took his seat.

[Ted Tonks]

Ted was always a calm, relaxed man. He was the epitome of level headed, so when something happened, it was easy for him to start taking the lead and giving orders. It could also make him look like he didn't really care. He was leaning against the back of the couch in his Andi's apartment, arms crossed over his chest while he waited for her. And there he was, standing calm and collected.

But his mind was spinning, watching when Andromeda walked by him. He wanted her away from all of this, her and their unborn child. He wanted to stop her from being in the order, to stop her from being an Auror. But he knew he couldn't do that. Andi was stubborn enough that she wouldn't listen, and he didn't want to fight with her.

When she was ready, he put his arms around her, quietly kissing her forehead, which would have given her some clue as to what was going through his head, and he apparated the both of them to the meeting, nodding to Dumbledore and Fabian, the only other occupants of the room.

[Gideon Prewett]

Gideon was making a habit of escorting his sister to work these days, and had just dropped her off before he made his way to the meeting. He would be damned if Molly was hurt in this whole mess, and he knew Fabian felt the same.

Parting ways with her, making sure she got safely inside, he made his way to the Order meeting, sliding into a seat next to his twin as he nodded at Dumbledore.

"Hey Fab," he said, his voice low and serious, which was rare for him. "Everything all right?" He was just checking, and you couldn't fault him for that.

[Jadon Burke]

Jadon slipped in quietly and without much ado, his eyes on the floor as he took a seat near the back. He felt out of place here, like he didn't belong, like they would all turn on him stone him or hex him or something. Maybe Dumbledore hadn't even told anyone what he had done, or that he'd been involved in the Hogsmeade attack at all.

But he was nervous for other reasons. What if he got caught doing this? The mark on his arm meant he had sworn loyalty to Lord Voldemort, and here he was, breaking that oath. If he ever got caught, he knew his death would be slow and painful. But he had to do something... he had to help. Right?

[Fabian Prewett]

Fabian glanced to his brother. He didn't even greet him with a smile, just a nod which was rare as well. "Hey Gid." He replied back to his twin in the same low serious voice, "With me, things are okay, but with everything else, no." Things were not going to be the same and these sudden murders were proof of that.

"Things are stirring up again." Naturally, Fabian would be one of the ones ready to go on the frontline without a compliant. He knew that when he signed up that his job was going to end up becoming extremely dangerous one day. He was going to fight for however long he could and how ever hard he could, right along side his brother. As long as Molly was safe, Fabian was fine. If anything ever happened to his sister, well he wouldn't be the same.

[Gideon Prewett]

Gideon nodded. He understood, and he knew things were changing. He refused to bring everyone down though, and would keep a smile on his face as long as he needed to. It was just one small victory over the enemy- life needed to go on without everyone living in fear.

"Yeah, I know. We'll stop it." Though he wasn't an Auror, Gideon would be on the frontlines, too, if that's where Fabian was. He fought by his brother's side no matter what. Someone had to watch out for the git, right?

"I saw Molly off at work," he added, just so they could both be at ease, knowing she was safe.

[Fabian Prewett]

"Of course we will," Fabian responded. To be honest, there was no one else that Fabian would want to fight beside more than his brother. They were usually in sync with each other and they didn't have to really think twice. Of course, if he had to openly admit to this and he was in his usual mood, he would jokingly say that someone had to watch and make sure that Gideon didn't do anything too stupid.

"Good. Now that Molly is off at work, I hope everything works out well with her and Arthur. I actually like the bloke." Fabian gave a grin to his brother. He didn't want too much down feeling at the current moment because he knew everything would turn back to solemn once the meeting started.

[Andromeda Tonks]

(I'm going to assume that this meeting is taking place after the Auror meeting.)

Andi's hormones were particularly fragile today, and they were made worse by the auror meeting they'd had yesterday. Although she was rather good at covering it up, she had actually cried in the shower that morning. When he noticed later that she seemed a bit off, she had only to claim pregnancy hormones as an excuse, and he let it drop. But it was really much more than that.

The time was probably coming for Ted and Andi to have a talk. If she had known what Ted was thinking, she might have been more ready to bring it up with him, but she didn't want to appear weak. She also wanted to make sure that she was thinking with her head and not her hormones.

The truth was, she was thinking of quitting. In 6 months, she would be a mother, and she wanted to make sure at least one of them would be there for the baby. Yes, her job was important to her... but lately, it was just getting too hard. Too scary. She was assigned to find the death eater that was working at Hogwarts, and so far, her best suspect was her own sister. And that was nothing compared to what was going on outside of Hogwarts. Little girls being kidnapped, young women being mutliated, middle aged women being... Andi didn't even want to think about it. But if these things could happen to complete innocents, what would happen to her, a blood traitor married to a muggleborn and working as an auror? What could happen to Ted, or to their baby?

Maybe it was selfish. Andi felt guilty for even thinking it. But she had a right to want her family to be safe, didn't she?

She didn't say any of this to Ted. Instead, she dutifully walked with him to the Order meeting, a feeling of dread gnawing at her.

[Isabella Rothschild]

It had been quite a while since the last meeting of the Order of the Phoenix. Things had been quiet lately, but Isabella knew better than to assume that Voldemort had given up. She had once worked for him, after all, and she knew him well enough to know that when things were quiet, it was simply because he was lying in wait, planning some new tactics.

So it was not surprising when she received the message that there was to be a meeting of the Order of the Phoenix. Whatever Voldemort was planning, they needed to try and be ready for it.

Voltaire opted to stay with Conor, so Isabella went by herself, walking to the edge of the school grounds, then apparating to just outside the Order headquarters. It was hidden with the Fidelius Charm, with Dumbledore as the secret-keeper, so she simply concentrated on the words in the note Dumbledore had given her when she joined the Order, then the building appeared. At the door, she gave the secret knock, and then gave the password before she was able to enter the building.

Inside, only a few members had arrived. Other than Dumbledore, the only one Isabella really knew was Andromeda Tonks, who was working at the school, and who had previously interviewed for the position of her assistant, which was now held by her sister Bellatrix.

Isabella nodded at the girl, and took a seat at the table.

[Kingsley Shacklebolt]

Kingsley nervously pulled on his leather jacket, focusing on the address Dumbledore had given him before apparting to the front of the building that the meeting was to take place in. He had been speaking with Dumbledore for ages about becoming more involved in the efforts against the Dark Lord, but until recently the Big Man's response always sounded something like, "Just focus on your studies," or "There's plenty of time for you to get involved after leaving Hogwarts." That's why he was so nervous - for Dumbledore to call upon him before his time meant that something must be very, very wrong.

Still, Kinglsey never let his emotions out of check. He was great at hiding his true feelings, but as he walked up the front door and knocked, he had to swallow back a sudden light wave of nausea that hit him. If he went to this meeting there was no way he'd be able to go back to just being Kingsley, rowdy Gryffindor wanna be Auror. For a second he considered turning around and apparating before anyone saw, but the thought was pushed aside alomst as soon as he thought it. He did the secret knock and walked in.

He walked down the hall, pushed open the door to the meeting room and looked around. He felt a bit relieved when he saw Dumbledore, nodded in his direction, then looked around as he took a seat. He was surprised to see so many people he knew, his teachers as part of the Order. He nodded his greeting at each of them, then silently looked around and memorized the faces of everyone else. His face remained passive and calm, but his heart was beating so hard he was afraid the man sitting next to him would hear it.

[Marlene McKinnon]

Marlene had also decided to join with the Order, but had opted not to tell her friends about it. The way Dumbledore had put it, it sounded like a great secret that needed to be protected at all costs. And even though she trusted her friends with her life, she didn't want to get in trouble for telling anyone she wasn't supposed to.

So she set off in time for the meeting, feeling a nervous rumble in her stomach. Most people who didn't know her thought of Marlene as being a very quiet, careful, and conservative sort of girl. Many people had wondered why she wasn't placed in Ravenclaw instead of Gryffindor. She certainly seemed to fit there more, and at times, even Marlene wondered why the hat had put her in Gryffindor.

But the truth was, even though Marlene might have seemed quiet and responsible and studious, she had a rebellious streak as strong as any other Gryffindor. And what really set her off was seeing injustice and violence in the world around her. These so-called Death Eaters... they were killing people. People like the kids in Hogsmeade... like Katie Lawrence and Gia Campbell. And as far as Marlene was concerned, there was no justification in that. Killing innocents all in the name of instilling fear... it was wrong and it was evil, and Marlene wanted to do whatever she could to stop it.

And so she was here, staring down at the piece of paper that Professor Dumbledore had given her. She took a deep breath, then destroyed the paper, concentrating on the words that had been written on it. And then the building appeared before her eyes.

Marlene bit her lip, staring at the building for another moment. No one would fault her if she didn't go in. No one would even know. But she would know... and she didn't think she could live with herself if she didn't try to do something about the violence going on around her.

So there wasn't even really a question. Marlene walked toward the building, did the secret knock and gave the password. A few minutes later, she was walking into the meeting room and saw a familiar face.

"Kingsley?"

[Alastor Moody]

Moody stumped into the room, magical eye scanning the room even as he opened the door, putting names to familiar faces and noting unfamiliar ones. Nodding a greeting to Dumbledore, he made his way around the table to sit on the opposite side from his old friend, the closest seats occupied by a pair of teenagers, in their last year of Hogwarts from the look of them. Tapping his cane on the ground to activate the charm that would allow it to stand unsupported, Alastor pulled out a seat, careful not to aggravate his leg, and sat down to take a more in-depth look at the room.

The Prewett brothers were huddled together in conversation, not at all an unfamiliar sight, and the Tonkses sat next to each other, though their body language suggested that they were both somewhat distracted. Moody stared hard at Isabella Rotschild for a moment, and then turned away, her status as a former Death Eater causing his vengeful instincts to briefly surge, as per usual.

The feeling only grew stronger when his eye continued moving and fixed on a young man with a vaguely familiar face, with the familiar shape of a Dark Mark visible through the arm of a jacket. To distract himself from the paranoid prickling on the back of his neck that was a souvenir of many battles fought and survived, Alastor pulled his silver hip-flask out of the inner pocket of his leather jacket. Raising it to his lips, he took a short swig of the strong tea inside, the bitter taste helping him to clear his mind.

Looking at the two Hogwarts student sitting nearest to him, he couldn't help the question that sprang from his lips in an attempt to confirm his first impression of them.

"Not even out of school and already members of the Order, eh? From your looks at least one of you wants to be an auror..." Alastor flashed them a quick smile, though he knew it probably looked quite unnatural on his much-scarred face, "The two of you wouldn't happen to be Gryffindors, would you?"

[Marlene McKinnon]

Marlene was still reacting to the fact that Kingsley was sitting here in the meeting when she heard a gruff-sounding voice address the two of them.

She blushed lightly when she recognized the speaker. Her uncle had worked with Alastor Moody in the Ministry years ago, and although she had never met him personally until this very moment, she had seen pictures and heard thrilling tales of his exploits and adventures when she was growing up. She knew he was an eccentric man, some might even say odd.... but he was also an honorable man. A hero. And she had always admired him and aspired to be like him one day.

Now, here he was, talking to her and Kingsley. It would have been impossible not to blush. "Yes, sir," she said. "We're both seventh year Gryffindors. We'll be graduating in a little under two months."

[Alastor Moody]

The girl blushed, and Moody had a sneaking suspicion it was because she recognized him. Quite possibly she was one of those folk with relatives in the Ministry who had heard the exaggerated tales of his many captures that had passed into office gossip over the years. He took a moment to consider her answer, and then asked another question.

"So, a member of the Order and a Gryffindor as well. Should I be expecting to see you lining up for a job as an Auror in a few months?" Alastor gave a dry chuckle, "Or have my advancing years robbed me of my ability to know quality-Auror material when I see it?"

Taking another look around the room, he guessed that the meeting wouldn't start for a while, and so he turned back to his conversation with the Gryffindor.

"Terribly sorry, lass," Moody said, "But I appear to have forgotten my manners. I'm Alastor Moody, as you may have guessed. And you are...?"

He offered her his right hand to shake, but not after a reflexive scan to make sure she wasn't carrying any concealed weapons.

[Marlene McKinnon]

He was just as she had been told he was, although perhaps a little more friendly than she had expected. She would have expected that a girl as young as herself would have been beneath the notice of a man like Alastor Moody. Yet here he was, talking to her. It was quite an honor to be singled out by him.

"Yes, sir," she nodded. "I've been planning to be an Auror since my fifth year, and I'm looking forward to graduation, so I can sign up. It sort of runs in my family."

She knew of his mannerisms and wariness, so she did not take offense at the personal scan he performed before holding out his hand to her. Truthfully, in this day and age, one most certainly could not be too careful.

Taking his hand in a firm grip, she replied, "I'm Marlene McKinnon. You worked with my Uncle Mason about ten years ago on a mission near the Isle of Wight."

[Alastor Moody]

As she confirmed his suspicions, and offered the fact that other members of her family had been Aurors as well, Alastor's mind raced, whirling through the faces of everyone he had worked with to try and find a family resemblance.

"Well, from what little I know of you already, I suspect you'll be a fine addition to the team."

He shook her hand briskly, impressed by the strength of her grip and glad that she had taken no offence at his ingrained instincts for paranoia. The name of her uncle provoked a smile from Moody, as he remembered the thoroughly competent Auror who had worked beside him tracking a necromancer around the Isle of Wight.

"I remember your uncle fondly lass," Alastor said with a smile, "He was a man who I was glad to fight beside. Do half as well as he did and you'll have done your family proud. So, how is Mason going these days?"

Moody then pulled a small Foe Glass out of his pocket and set it up on the table in front of him. He removed another one from a hidden pocket, lifted the Shrinking Charm on it and hung the dinnerplate-sized mirror above the door of the room. Retrieving a small dagger and a crystal goblet, he placed the goblet on the table and balanced the knife on its pommel before pricking himself on its upthrust blade.

Healing his hand with a wordless charm, he turned back to Marlene, his paranoia now calmed by the precautions he'd taken. Looking past her to the other Gryffindor who sat beside her, he asked; "Who's your friend? Is he another Gryffindor Auror-to-be, or are you the only one?"

[Kingsley Shacklebolt]

Kingsley beamed at Marlene and was about to answer when the presence of a rather frightening-looking man caught him off guard. His smile quickly dropped and was replaced by a calm, though wary, expression as the man sat near himself and Marlene. Kingsley had a feeling that he'd seen this man before but couldn't remember having ever been introduced.

It wasn't until halfway through their conversation that it clicked. Alastor Moody. The name had been all over the press the last few weeks, and several years before he remembered his father showing him articles in the Prophet with this man's picture scowling back up at him. The guy was a living legend... a bit creepy, yes, but a legend none the less.

Kingsley was so deep in his thoughts that it took a moment for him to realize that Moody had been speaking to him. He cleared his throat lightly before offering his hand. "Yes, sir. Kingsley Shacklebolt, seventh year Gryffindor. I've already sent in my application to the Auror Department."