[A/N]: Ach! I'm so sorry I couldn't update sooner but alas, I had some problems with the direction the way the story was going and some plot problems…but I've got it nearly figured out…I hope some of you questions will be answered…read, relax and enjoy!
DISCLAIMER: I've said it before and I'll say it again…I own nothing…J.K. Rowling has that illustrious honor
This chapter goes out to my 100th reviewer ja4578…I can't believe I have this many!!! You guys are amazing! J
-------------CHAPTER 10: The new Order of things----------
Draco turned the time-turner once to go back a half-hour, as Harry had suggested, lest anyone be suspicious that he, Po-no, Harry and Ginny all be missing at the same time; though he doubted that anyone would make the connection besides Granger or Dumbledore. That brought a new thought to Draco's tricky mind, where were Granger and Weasley in this anyway? The two of them are practically Harry's left and right arms…oh well…something to ponder on a rainy day. He had the feeling no amount of deception could get the reason out of Harry unless Harry wanted to tell it.
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
The next day, three o'clock as stated in the letter Blaise, Cho, Neville and Susan met each other outside the Drunk Monk portrait.
"You all received a letter too?" Blaise looked at the letter in her hand while the others pulled theirs out too.
"I guess" Cho looked down the halls for anyone else, "I guess we're it, how do we get in? Is there a password or something? There's nothing on the letter"
The others looked at there own letters, all coming up with no solution. Several minutes passed as did dozens of failed attempts at a password. Everyone was getting restless and cranky.
Blaise, certain that the letter was a joke, and quite annoyed, stood up from her position floor, her back against the wall,
"I'm leaving, this is some stupid joke" The others nodded in agreement, and those who were also sitting stood and stretched. Grabbing her bag from where she sat, she turned to go down the hall towards the common room. She swung the bag over her shoulder, and with a flip of her brown hair, found herself inches away from Draco Malfoy's face.
"Going so soon, Blaise?," A smirk playing across his face, "The meeting hasn't even started yet"
*-*-*-*-*-*
Draco Malfoy loved attention, and he found himself in the middle of a sea of four or so gaping faces, oh the fun. Surprisingly, it was Neville, the Cowardly Lion of Gryffindor as he was known even to some of the teachers, who voiced the others' thoughts.
"Did you send the letters?" Draco turned his gaze towards Neville who coward momentarily before straightening himself to meet Draco's gaze.
"So there is a little Gryffindor in you, eh Longbottom?" Ignoring Neville's attempt at trying to figure out if Malfoy had just complimented him or not, Draco walked towards the portrait and put his hand on the spot he had punched the previous day in anger. Once again, the green laser scanned his aura and the portrait swung open much to the annoyance of the Monk whose mutterings were unintelligible. Draco held the portrait open and with a dramatic, sweeping bow gestured for the others to enter. Hesitantly, all four of them did so. Grinning like a Cheshire cat, Draco closed the portrait.
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
Looking in awe around the large, spacious room which were tastefully decorated in all the house colors, they neglected to notice Harry and Ginny conversing quietly in two of the several large, comfortable chairs set in a circle in the center of the multi-coloured common room. Shelves of ancient, dusty volumes of long-forgotten books lined the walls. Several doors, at least ten, were all around the room. Harry, who had finished talking to Ginny, and who now sat in the largest of the chairs, Ginny on his left, Draco his right, cleared his throat.
Heads snapped towards him, despite his cool exterior, he was nervous. If they didn't accept his offer for the Order, (which still needs a name he thought absently) he really didn't want to memory charm one of his peers. Ginny sensing this put a hand on top of his. Draco nudged him in the side to snap him out of his thoughts and gazing into Ginny's eyes.
Snapping back into reality, he gave his companions a small smile before getting into business.
"Now," Harry started, "Take a seat and get comfortable, all questions, as it is a long story and I'm likely to get side-tracked, please wait until the end" Harry locked eyes with each of the people in the room. Each of them met his look with a nod, albeit hesitant ones. "Good. Now, the history of this Order, which name is to be decided later, begins with Merlin, King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. [A/N: I know the next part isn't true, but for the purposes of my story they are, alright?] When Arthur created the Round Table, it was to help protect the Light from the forces of the Dark. Merlin, being the wise guy that he is, created a small group of people to help maintain the group and to assist it more quietly, because without this assistance, the knowledge, true purpose and honor of the Table would be corrupted. The Knights of the Round Tables' name has changed over the years, but thanks to Merlin's order, has essentially remained the same. It is currently called the Order of the Phoenix", Harry looked around the room. All of the people in the room, excluding himself and Ginny, including Draco, were looking more than slightly stunned, "Now, back to our focus, Merlin's order. Merlin's order doesn't show up as often as Arthur's, merely because for the Order to get started, it needs a person with what is known as the Warrior's Spirit to manage it. Someone with the Warrior Spirit only shows up when in great need." Harry looked to Ginny who gave him a smile that urged him to go on, "You can see that it all intertwines. Voldemort is a disaster, so the Order of the Phoenix has arisen. So has Merlin's order, therefore, there is a Warrior Spirit," Harry's breath got caught in his throat for a moment, the Laws of the Order states he must have no secrets from this group, and they from him. This was Harry's biggest secret. Oh well, here goes nothing, "That person with the Warrior's Spirit is me."
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
Had anyone known what the details of having the Warrior Spirit meant, their reactions would be much more impressive. For now, it was only a slightly stunned silence.
"So," Cho ventured forward, "You run Merlin's Order, correct?" Her question was met with a nod, "and Dumbledore runs the Order of the Phoenix, Arthur's Round Table?" Another nod, "Are we here to be part of Merlin's Order?" Harry looked around the room. Some, like Neville looked nervous, Cho seemed to be taking it in stride, as was Draco; and Blaise looked extremely interested.
"Yes, you are. Before you go jumping up to join, you need to know the details. First of all, you have no secrets with me as I do with you; secondly, no one can know you are part of the Order, not even your parents, best friend, no one outside this room. You will have to study, as much as it pains me to do so, and you will master your talents, you all know what they are, and will be taught and teaching other members. You will do all of this here. Now, I'm sure you all have questions so let 'em rip"
Hesitantly, hands rose. Deciding to go in a circle, he started with Neville who was beside Ginny whose hand was up.
"I think I know why you chose me," Neville went scarlet, "But what about the others? I don't know much about them" Susan's hand went down; apparently she had been thinking the same thing.
"Good question, I chose you, Neville because you're top of our year in herbology, even above Hermione; I selected Susan because of her work in Care of Magical Creatures, Blaise because of potions, Cho is a black belt in karate, and Draco has a fair share of knowledge about the Dark Arts, he has also been so brave as to become a spy for us" The circle blushed scarlet because of the praise, Susan spoke up, "What about Ginny? Why did you choose her?" Harry looked to Ginny who sighed in defeat. They were to find out anyway.
"Ginny is a true seer" [A/N: How many saw THAT baby coming? Hehe] Wary looks were directed towards Ginny, who sighed and began to explain.
"I am not like Trelawney, thank you. My true power as a Seer only awakened a few weeks ago" The answer satisfied the circle and Harry moved on the Cho.
"Cho? You have a question?" Cho nodded her head,
"Yes, how are we going to do all this? We have classes and most of you," She gestured to the fifth years, "Have OWLs this year, not to mention Dumbledore would get suspicious if we disappear for larger periods of time and return at the same time?"
Harry shook his head in agreement, as looked to Draco, "Draco? Would you please show the others that…gift… from yesterday?" Draco looked to him and pulled out the long gold chain from underneath his robes, the tiny hourglass hanging from the end.
Cho gasped, "A time-turner! Where on earth did you get this?" The new Order looked to him and he shrugged,
"Made it," ignoring the stunned looks he continued, "I have one for each of you, you can use it to attend your classes and then use it to come here and train while you are also in class. There are charms on them to stop Dumbledore and the Ministry from detecting it" Cho and the others looked apprehensively at the home-made time-turner. Harry rolled his eyes,
"Don't worry! Draco used it yesterday and he's alright!" Rolling his eyes again, he moved on to Blaise, "Blaise, your question is?"
Blaise snapped out of her reverie with the time-turner, and looked to him, "What exactly will we do if we join the Order? I mean besides baby the Order of the Phoenix?"
"Good question, if the Order of the Phoenix needs help, we give it discreetly; they have no idea we exist or the fact they are really an extension of Arthur's Order, its just one of the Laws of the Orders of the Light. Dumbledore, as a type of Arthur, had the idea of the Order implanted in his head, again by the Laws; we are essentially the Keepers of the Laws. We will also protect those the Order can't. Right now, Voldemort," Harry didn't even pause while the others shivered when Voldemort's name was mentioned, "Has too much of a hold and fear in the Wizarding World…that includes saying You-Know-Who, when in the Order you will call him Tom Riddle, the name given to him by his MUGGLE father or Voldemort. Hell, even Moldy Voldie if you like!" Nervous chuckles met this statement, "Anymore questions?" Draco spoke up,
"What exactly are the Laws of the Orders of the Light?" Harry looked about the room; this is it, decision time.
"That I cannot tell you unless you join the Order, if you decide not too, I'll have to Obliviate you" The others looked at each other, it was a commitment, but Harry and Ginny knew they had chosen right, they wouldn't back out, "Any last-minute questions?" Once again, Draco spoke up,
"What about Weasley and Granger? Why don't you have them join?" Harry sighed and looked down, while the Laws were unbreakable unless Merlin, through Harry, broke them, they were also a big liability to his friendship with Ron and Hermione.
"They joined the Order of the Phoenix; you cannot be part of both, once again, the Laws of the Orders' work"
"But why didn't Dumbledore ask you to join? I mean, you're the Boy-Who -Lived?"
"Fawkes, Dumbledore's phoenix, knew what I was and in order
to preserve the Laws, implanted the idea in Dumbledore's head that in order to
protect me, I shouldn't be in the Order.
Phoenixes are almost like the policemen of the Laws, they preserve the
balance also. That makes them Light
creatures, not the fact that they don't go near Dark
Wizards, or that their song is helpful to light wizards and painful to dark,
but because of their unwavering devotion to the Laws and the Balance of Light
and Dark"
During Harry's brief speech, all the room's contents went quiet, lost in their own minds contemplating what the Balance meant. Harry hated to break such positive contemplations, but it was necessary.
"It's time, would you like to join the Order, or will you not?" With that, everyone in the room closed their eyes and looked into themselves. Wondering if they could do what Harry and The Order asked. The answer was the same for each of them, they could and would. They all stood; the Laws, infallible and powerful willed them up, together and in unison, they went to the center of the circle. Behind them, their chairs moved back against the walls, a ball of shifting, gold and silver light formed, drawn to its energy, and in a trance like state, all of them put a finger to the light, and Harry chanted the words to connect them as the Order. In what seemed like hours, but was only seconds, they connected. They were brothers and sisters, a pain to one was a pain to them all, everything that made up one of them, made up them all. They were the Order; they would together protect the Laws, Balance and Arthur's Order.
The chant ended, and around the room, eyes fluttered open, and seemed for the first time, aware of what just happened. Blaise voiced it all for them,
"Wow"
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
Sitting down in the circle, Harry watched in amusement as they got used to the feeling of being connected to each other, feeling as though Draco's memories were their own, it was like that for all of them. It was an intense, though warm, feeling of belonging and comfort. Harry, having the Warrior Spirit, wasn't even expecting this.
'You aren't all knowing Harry' Lily's true purpose, the thing that Harry felt she and Merlin had been hiding from him was that she wasn't just a guide for him, but for the Order.
As such, Lily could speak to all of them, but only through Harry's mental connection. Harry, who had been thinking for the past few minutes hadn't realized that the others had went back to their seats and were looking at him, silly grins on their faces. Draco, who with his new knowledge of Harry's life, decided to have a little fun.
"So, you and Ginny are soul mates, huh?" Harry glared at Draco when he draped his arm over Harry's shoulders, "That's why her Seer ability woke when your Spirit did?"
Susan, who was a relatively quiet person, but couldn't help but burst out laughing before all the others when Harry used his wandless magic to turn Draco's skin purple with green spots.
"All those abilities of yours are a good thing, but are a pain in the arse when directed to you" Draco said this more to himself than to the others.
"Yeah," Cho joined in, putting on a fake, high, dramatic voice, "Oh my hero Mr. Gryffindor!" A slight downside to having a bond like this is that, like the Knights of the Round Table, they were all equally informed of everything that the Order did, they decided things together; but Harry made the decisions, he was the focal point. As such, they all now knew that Harry was the mysterious savior of Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade.
"Cho," he growled, "Please refrain from doing that again or you will find yourself on the receiving end of War Havik'arta" Cho backed off immediately. They all knew what Harry was capable of, and they didn't want to be on the receiving end of it. Blaise and Ginny were talking through the connection to Lily, trying to learn more about her experience having the Warrior Spirit, she was one of the few women to have it.
"Yes, I was; but my access to the power was limited, the Spirit was more dormant and I wasn't able to get to it to start the Order. Speaking of the Order, every new Order decides together a new name for it, for example, Gryffindor called it the Order of the Spirit, I suppose as a sort of homage to the Spirit that allowed him to defend the light. You know, Godric only had three other members in it, the other founders. Oh! Well, here I am babbling and you need to get started on that name'
By now, all the others had settled down in the circle. Harry, being the leader, took the initiative, "So, as mum said, we need a name, any suggestions?"
"Order of Hogwarts?
"Order of the Laws?"
"Order of the Light?"
While all of the suggestions were great, none of them seemed right. Suggestions kept coming until Neville, who had remained silent through the entire brainstorming until now, timidly put forth a suggestion, "How about the Order of the Soul?" Everyone fell silent, it sounded …right.
"Why 'Order of the Soul' Neville?" Harry took an interest in Neville's opinion; Nev's opinion didn't always get heard.
"Well, the soul is the basis of every human being and animal, it makes us who we are, good and evil; there needs to be light souls and dark souls for there to be a balance, and we help defend that balance with the Order of the Phoenix, right?" Harry smiled gently, it was perfect.
"Well, it is my duty to call to close the Order of the Soul. Please use the time-turners Ginny is handing out and turn it about five times, and go and get what ever you need done. I'll use the connection to notify you of another meeting," Harry clapped his hands together happily, "This meeting is done!"
----------END CHAPTER 10----------
AUTHORS NOTE: IMPORTANT: I know the chapter doesn't go with previous chapters, but this is the way it evolved when I was writing it. I plan on editing the previous chapters some time during the break so don't fear or flame…I also plan on writing a side-piece explaining what the Laws of the Orders are and the history in more detail…that will be out whenever I have time…once again, sorry about the inconsistency and tell what you think about the direction its going in. Remember…I'm editing the previous chapters to be more consistent with this chapter.
Thank you's go out to BlackDragon, a-fan, Betta-in-Blue, anonymous, Luna Rose and Phoenix Child, CatRXn, anonymous, Steve the Bearded Lady, Sweet Misery123, Lucky and Charms, The Red Dragons Order, Lucy, brady2003us, Beldin325, Rah, Heather, Cynical Slytherin
And finally my 100th reviewer, who has a hug, cookies, and a shrine, not to mention this chapter in their name!!!...
ja4578!!!!
REVIEW!!!