The Phoenix and the Serpent

Chapter V : The Summit

Albus Dumbledore created the Order of the Phoenix for the sole purpose of defending the United Kingdom from the armies of the Dark Lord. At first a civilian movement that had its roots in the Druidic scholars, it later evolved into a militia as the prospect of armed struggle became inevitable.

-- From the Journals of Remus Lupin

There were only forty of us in the beginning of the Phoenix War, and this was counting fresh recruits. But in the space of one year, our ranks swelled to many times this number as groups from all over Britain responded to Dumbledore's call. At the height of the Order's power, we had a combined strength of 800 men.

-- From the Journals of Sirius Black

Several miles north of London, there lay a mountain which for many years had remained nameless, unscaled, unmapped. There was nothing physically remarkable about that mountain--it was as tall as its neighbors and was covered by an equally dense forest. Yet every Muggle cartographer or hiker who had ever attempted to climb it suddenly realized he had left the faucet running in his kitchen, or had left his car parked in front of a fire hydrant. There were, of course, those headstrong individuals who persisted in climbing anyway. They did not get very far before being struck by near-crippling diarrhea, forcing them back to civilization for the nearest drug store and loo.

The mountain slope was steep in places and near horizontal in others. Near the summit, where the slope flattened out before rising sharply again, there stood a quiet grove of ancient oak trees, branches twined like linked arms. At the center of this grove, concealed from prying eyes, was a round patch of solid gray rock.

This grove was the one area on the mountain where a wizard could Apparate without fail, a fact known to only a few. Those privileged to be "in the know" could travel here without fear of getting splinched--that is, to get caught midway between places. And if they stood upon the stone and said the correct password, it would gently sink into the ground, carrying its passengers into a hidden compound within the mountain. This place was simply called "The Summit," formerly a secret library for ancient Druids, now the headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix.

Down a narrow corridor from the entrance, one would find a series of rooms, their stone walls and floors yellowed with age. Despite being located within a mountain, these rooms were airy and well-lit by sunlight reflected from precisely angled mirrors hung from ceiling corners. Pots of exotic plants, colorful rugs and many relics from an older time also decorated every chamber.

To the left and right of the compound lay two large rooms lined with many feather beds and personal cabinets. At the opposite end from the entrance was an even larger room, filled with mats and human-shaped wooden dummies. Many of these dummies had scorch marks on them; not a few were missing limbs.

At the center of this network of rooms lay a large circular chamber. Stout marble pillars supported its domed ceiling while thousands of books lined its walls. The windows magically showed the land surrounding the mountain from eight separate directions. Sunlight entered through an opening at the top, lighting the wide circular table at the chamber's center.

This room had one occupant at the moment: a lean man whose sandy-brown hair was streaked with iron gray, and whose faded green robes had been mended many times. His thin face frowned in concentration, but he hummed as he directed a large banner with his wand.

"Two inches to the left," he muttered. "Hmm, perhaps three."

Moments later he lowered his wand and stepped back to survey his handiwork. The banner lay perfectly suspended against the wall. The words, in black ink and in his own magnified handwriting, read:

"The people are the castle

The people are the walls

Sympathy is your ally

Enmity is your foe"

The young man nodded, smiling wearily, and put his wand away. He had just sunk into the nearest chair when a voice boomed from the hall. "Remus! Remus, where the blazes are you?"

"In here," he called.

The double doors were shoved open as another man, this one with long dark hair and gaunt features, strode into the chamber.

"Why aren't you in bed?" he demanded. "The full moon was just last night! You know you haven't fully recovered!"

"I'm fine, Sirius," Remus replied. "I didn't feel comfortable lying around all day, so I decided get some work done before the meeting this afternoon. Have a look." He motioned to the banner. "What do you think? Fits the Order, doesn't it?"

Sirius ignored the banner completely. "You think you're fine? I was in better shape after swimming the North Sea. What's wrong with you, working in that condition--"

"Padfoot, I was hanging a banner, not laying bricks."

"--and if you think for one moment you'll be joining the meeting in the state you're in--"

"I said I feel fine," Remus replied. "If there's anyone here who needs a break, it's you. You're run ragged. But most likely not as badly as the men you've been training."

This time, Sirius collapsed into a chair. "They're not ready," he groaned. "I'm way behind schedule. Damn it, we only got as far as Full Body-Bind Curses today! We're supposed to be at Wand Shielding!"

"That's because you only got this batch of recruits last week--of course you'll be behind. Besides which, you're tiring them out and putting even more pressure on yourself. It's not conducive to learning. Now, won't you relax?"

Sirius laughed harshly. "How in the world am I supposed to relax when Voldemort's got an army bigger than ours? This isn't going to be some schoolground scuffle, Moony."

"Well, Dumbledore once said there's more to an army than sheer numbers."

"Yes, yes, there's having money, weapons and well-trained troops. If we're settling for one out of three, that means Wand Shielding!" Sirius took out his wand and conjured a goblet of water, which he quickly downed. "If only Mad-Eye were here," he said, putting down the empty goblet. "He'd be able to train them twice as fast."

Remus smiled, a little guiltily. Sirius had a definite liking for the old man, because Moody was one of those who'd known all along, despite the evidence, that Sirius was not guilty of any crime. Mad-Eye simply knew guilt when he saw it.

"If he were here," Remus said, "he'd commend you for doing a great job training these men. You're as good as everyone else, perhaps better. And he knows it."

Sirius snorted as he put down his goblet. "'A convict would be more of a hindrance to the Order than a help.'"

"You weren't. Never mind what Galino said. You'd be foolish to keep thinking that way. Moody had said it was your own character that made the recruits stop feeling afraid of you. Now, not one of them believes you're a criminal. Unless of course," he added with a smile, "you actually kill one of them out of exhaustion. Take your mind off of work for now and do something else." Then he had an idea. "Have you written to Harry recently?"

Sirius's expression softened at the thought. "I haven't. It's been, what, a month?"

"Don't you think it's time he heard from his errant godfather?"

Sirius snorted again, but the faraway look never left his eyes. Remus wanted to laugh. That certainly did the trick.

"Take my advice," he added, "write him. And you can rest while you're at it."

"Oh, fine." Sirius Summoned a quill, an ink bottle and parchment from a nearby cupboard.

"I meant in the comfort of your own room, Padfoot."

Sirius spread the parchment and readied his quill. "No time. I'd better get this done now if I want to continue lessons by sundown."

Remus sighed. "Do you consider exasperating me part of your job?"

"No, but it's in my resume under 'Skills.'"

Laughter came from the entrance, followed by a slight ringing sound. Both men turned to see a golden-haired young man approaching them in slow, measured strides. In his right hand he held out his wand, a rod made of fine, durable crystal. In his left hand he carried some rolls of parchment.

"Lyle!" said Remus. "Help me convince this idiot to get some rest."

"Get yourself to bed, Mr. Black--that's an order," Lyle said, still smiling.

They had known Lyle since Hogwarts; he had been their upperclassman in Gryffindor, although they had rarely ever spoken to him. After graduating, Lyle had worked for the Ministry as an Auror. They met again when Lyle accepted Dumbledore's invitation to join the Order .

Sirius cracked a smile as he scribbled Dear Harry--. "You sound less like my officer and more like my mother. What's all that paperwork for?"

Lyle pocketed his wand, set the parchments onto the table and wiped his brow. "My reports on the Order's status. Dumbledore asked me to get an update on our overall condition. 'Know thy enemy, know thyself,' that sort of thing. And I trust you are both well? Remus, should you really be out of bed?"

"Why does everyone think I'm going to fall apart today?" wondered Remus. "I'm quite fine and capable of working, thank you. The proof is on the wall to your left."

Lyle lightly tapped his chest and murmured, "Aria?"

From his vest pocket emerged a three-inch tall elfin girl, who zipped into the air on a pair of golden dragonfly wings. Her sanguine eyes gazed at Remus's banner for a moment, then flew to Lyle's ear and whispered to him.

"Not bad," he said. "Now would you mind terribly if we move that aside when I make my report? I'll be projecting it on that particular wall."

"Your admiration of my work humbles me, sir."

"Anything for the Great Lupin." Lyle gave him a mock bow.

Remus leaned over and glared at Sirius, who was chuckling. "You're supposed to be writing your letter."

"I would be if both of you'd let me get past 'Dear Harry.'"

"You're both an hour early for the meeting, you know," Lyle said as he arranged his material. "Perhaps you should rest a bit." The little sprite leaped onto table and helped roll out the parchments.

"Don't waste your time, Lyle," replied Remus. "You might as well ask Sirius to roll over and play dead."

Sirius shrugged. "The way things are I don't see how anyone can take it easy. Least of all Dumbledore. He's been here since before dawn, overseeing things non-stop. I shouldn't do any less, as I see it." He stopped writing and looked up, suddenly excited. "Lyle! What happened with your negotiations with the centaurs? Have they said yes or no or what?"

"Definitely 'or what'. It's been the same story for the past two months--they just consult their constellation charts, shake their heads and mutter among themselves. I could have done with a few mind-reading spells." He paused, then continued, "They did say they will be giving their decision in the meeting later. A delegation is supposed to arrive."

Sirius shook his head and started writing again. "You'd think centaurs would've learned to trust someone from the Order by now, especially an Auror."

Lyle's hands briefly stopped straightening his parchments. "Ex-Auror, Sirius," he said quietly.

Sirius looked up, abashed. "I'm sorry, Lyle...I didn't mean to--"

But the other man waved him off, smiling. "Any new developments on your end? Some last minute something I can add to my report?"

Sirius paused for a minute, watching him, but his serene face betrayed nothing. "No," he finally said. "We're not even into Wand Shielding yet, I'm afraid."

Remus said, "It's the stress, I tell you. Take the night off. Let me train the recruits."

"Forget it," the Sirius retorted. "As with our previous discussion, I'm in more shape to do it than you are."

"No doubt, and you'll be in no shape for anything at all by tomorrow."

"Seeing neither of you are up to the task," Lyle interrupted, chuckling, "I hereby order you both to take a leave for the night. Let me take care of the trainees."

"I can't ask you to do that!" said Sirius.

"You aren't; I'm offering. Tell you what, I'll make you a deal. Let me train the recruits tonight. Tomorrow, one of you takes my place at the Security Review. There, what do you think?"

Remus said, "But won't they be needing you there?"

"Nonsense. All procedure, I assure you. No wonder Mad-Eye was bored out of his mind."

"Why do I get the feeling you don't particularly like your promotion?"

"Because I didn't start out in the Order wanting a desk job. So, what do you think, Sirius?"

Sirius seemed about to decline, but then he looked thoughtfully at his letter. "Well...I suppose...if you say you can do it..."

Remus stared at him. "And the Minotaur is tamed," he said.

"Excellent," said Lyle, smiling. He felt around for a chair, and eased himself into it. "I wonder, Remus," he said, "where did you get the quote for the banner? It sounded familiar."

"I'm not sure," Remus replied. "It's something I remember from Muggle Studies back at Hogwarts. I only recall the words, though, not who said them--"

"Takeda Shingen," someone intoned from the doorway. "A Muggle warlord from Japan's Warring States Period."

Sirius and Remus turned as Melvincent Galino entered the chamber. A dignified 40-year old man with graying hair and face too old for his age, Galino was once a member of the elite Hit Wizards from the Law Enforcement branch of the Ministry. He left his job shortly after Voldemort's first reign, and later became one of the Order's senior members.

"Hello, Melvincent," Lyle said, facing him. "Bit early, aren't we?" Remus nodded his greeting. Sirius, however, merely winced and slid the unfinished letter into his pocket.

"I've just finished reviewing the regular troops today," replied Galino, as if he were already making a report. "I decided to head here directly after a brief repast." He turned his attention back to the banner. "It's quite apt," he went on, "but I'm afraid he's misquoted."

"Oh?" said Remus.

"Yes. I believe it should be, 'Sympathy for your allies, enmity for your foe.'"

"I think it's fine as it is," Sirius said drily.

Galino ignored him. "Is Dumbledore about?" he asked Lyle. "I wish to speak with him awhile before the meeting begins."

"I don't know where he is now, sorry," responded Lyle.

"I do," Sirius said. "I saw him heading outside, possibly to check on the mountain's outer Security Charms. Why don't go look for him there?"

Galino turned to stare at him. "In that case, I'd rather wait for him here, if you don't mind."

"Not at all," Sirius muttered.

"Er, why don't you take a seat, Melvincent?" Lyle said, gesturing to the table. "We've a bit of a wait before the meeting begins."

Galino moved towards the table but did not sit down. "Tell me, how goes the training of our new recruits, Mr. Black?"

"Not bad, Mr. Galino," Sirius replied. "We're to continue with Wand Shielding tonight."

"Good. Very good. I'd like to stop by and check their progress, perhaps give some pointers."

Remus saw the muscles in Sirius's face clenching. Control yourself, he mouthed to him. Lyle coughed and said, "I believe Sirius will be taking--"

"--Care of the recruits tonight, not to worry," Sirius said. "No need to bother checking in."

"If you say so," said Galino, and moved to sit at the other side of the table.

Remus decided to fill in the silence that followed. "So, Lyle," he said, "who else is coming to the meeting?"

"You haven't heard since you've been out awhile," Lyle replied as he finished his preparations, "but it's going to be a big one. Everybody's coming."

"What do you mean everybody?" Remus asked.

"Everybody."

Two o'clock came and the chamber began to fill with people, most of whom were familiar to both Sirius and Remus. Dumbledore had referred to them before as "the old crowd."

Seated across from them was Arabella Figg. An elderly, benign-looking woman, Arabella was one of the sharpest minds in the Order. Dumbledore had relied on her in the past to gather intelligence on the Dark Order's movements. She had patented the strategy of using trained Kneazles, highly intelligent cat-like creatures, to infiltrate Death Eater territory using spying devices disguised as collars. Many strategies began and ended with the information she provided. She had retired years ago, but it was common knowledge that she had been watching over Harry as he stayed in Privet Drive.

At the moment she was telling Molly and Arthur Weasley stories about little Harry. The Weasleys were some of the Order's newest supporters, which was a twist of good fortune. Arthur was Dumbledore's man in the Ministry of Magic and they relied on him for news from that front. They chatted and laughed with Arabella, as if they were attending a social event rather than a meeting.

Actually, Remus reflected, it did seem like a social event. Most of the people milling about were old friends, and Dumbledore had arranged for a variety of snacks and exotic tea for everyone present.

Mundungus Fletcher, not one for restraint, was already helping himself. A thin, raspy old man with long grey whiskers and sideburns, Mundungus was a brilliant inventor and an expert on magical research, facts which hopefully balanced the fact that he was the most socially inept person Remus had ever met.

"I heard he came only because there were refreshments involved," he muttered to Sirius.

"You know Mundungus," replied Sirius, "why stop at refreshments? A minute ago he was asking me where the buffet table was." He glanced to his right and said, "Tell me something. Who's that woman over there? The one with the monstrous hat beside her?"

Remus gazed at the formidable-looking lady who was helping herself to a crumpet, and said, "That's Mrs. Longbottom. She's the grandmother of one of my former students in Hogwarts." His voiced dropped lower as he said, "I heard that she once took on ten of Grindelwald's wizards by herself and won."

Sirius gave a low whistle. "Let's hope she knows I'm with the good guys."

There were also some unfamiliar faces in the chamber. Sirius was surprised to find not one but two representatives from the centaurs, a male and a female. They were drinking goblets of sweet wine while listening to Lyle, who was telling them about the Order.

Not far from the centaurs sat Marius Haggerty. A plump, noble-looking man with a monocled right eye, Haggerty was one of the few in the Order who had actually taken active part in two wars--first against Grindelwald, and later against Voldemort. Sirius had often heard him say he had no stomach at his age to be part of a third one. He joined the Order willingly though, and apart from Dumbledore proved to be its finest strategist.

Beside Haggerty, Galino was talking in hushed tones with Amos Diggory. Sirius had long noted that Amos had been keeping company with Galino since he joined the Order. He didn't like it one bit.

"I never thought Diggory would end up chums with a war-monger like Galino," he grumbled to Remus.

Privately, Remus didn't like it either. But to lighten Sirius's mood he said, "You know what? I don't think you're ever happy anywhere unless there's one person you can truly dislike."

"What in the world are you talking about?" Sirius asked, frowning.

"Think about it. At Hogwarts it was Severus Snape. After you graduated and found a job, it was that Hollyhock fellow. Now that you're in the Order, it's Galino. Don't you think it's true?"

"Do you get paid by the hour, Moony?"

Suddenly, a chorus of greetings erupted from the crowd. Dumbledore had finally arrived.

He made his way to the area in front of Remus's banner, occasionally stopping to shake hands. He wore deep blue robes with glittering stars and a wizard hat that leaned so far back it looked more like a night cap. While his face bore faint signs of fatigue, his voice did not.

After giving his welcoming remarks, he said, "While I would like to begin the meeting with a song to put us in a cheery mood, I believe we have pressing business to attend to. First, an important announcement that simply cannot wait. May I introduce the representatives of the Centaur Communes, herald Firenze, and his wife, tribe shaman Moonglow. Please come forward, friends."

The centaurs approached Dumbledore amidst applause from the Order. They shook hands with the Headmaster, then Firenze turned to address the entire room.

"Fellows, we come to you with goodwill and peace in our hearts. We have traveled here from the forests of Hogwarts, where our Council of Elders had recently concluded a general assembly of tribes. I am proud to bear happy news from this convention."

Sirius and Remus glanced at each other. Sirius's eyes shone with excitement. Firenze good news could only be one thing.

"By popular vote, the leaders of the Centaur Communes of Britain have agreed to ally with the Order of the Phoenix in their struggle against the forces of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named..."

Firenze tried to say more, but the hurricane of applause drowned out the rest of his announcement. Everyone in the room was shouting and clapping and stamping their feet. Several wizards stood up to shake hands with the centaurs. Firenze and Moonglow seemed unused to this riotous show of camaraderie, but they smiled all the same as they shook hands.

Sirius had leaped to his feet, hands in the air. To Remus, he seemed in terrible danger of dancing for joy.

"What does it look like, Moony?" Sirius exclaimed, "How many trained fighters have we added to our side? All the Centaur Communes! And they're what, six hundred strong?"

"Don't include the women and children, Padfoot," laughed Remus.

"Fine, fine, let 's say around two-hundred fifty. Enough to give the Dark Lord a run for his money, no doubt! "

Remus turned to Lyle, who literally had his hands full as the crowd gathered to congratulate him.

"Lyle, you did it!" Remus said, grasping his hand. "And here you were saying you couldn't handle a desk job!"

Lyle's smile was strained. "Thanks," he said. "I'm sure it wasn't just me that convinced them, though."

"Shut it, you," laughed Sirius, slapping his back. "You'll be having drinks with us later. That's an order."

Dumbledore, meanwhile, was attempting to get order back to his Order.

"Settle down, everyone, settle down. Firenze, Moonglow, the rest have said this far more eloquently than I, but please accept the gratitude and goodwill of the Order of the Phoenix. The centaurs are worthy allies and steadfast friends; we shall not soon forget it. Now, " he said, turning to the rest, "please make yourselves comfortable. We have several other things we need to discuss before the day is done. "

He waited for everyone to take their seats before moving on.

"The first half our meeting will consist of reports on the general condition of the Order and other matters of import. This is so everyone is on level ground with our situation. All of you may ask questions of those presenting their reports, but I must ask you to leave your opinions and suggestions for the second half of the meeting. There we shall discuss concerns that have arisen over the past year, and decide what actions to undertake.

"May I now request Lyle Bishop to give his overview on the Order 's status. Meanwhile, Molly, will you take down the minutes of the meeting? Thank you."

Lyle snapped alert as a round of applause went up. He leaned over to Remus. "You won 't mind if I use your banner for a bit, will you? "

"Not at all. Good luck. "

He stood up and gathered his materials. His right hand took out his crystal wand and held it at waist level. On the index and middle fingers of his left hand he wore two hollow rings of tempered steel. When he brushed these fingers rapidly together, the rings produced a faint ringing sound which bounced throughout the room. The crystal wand caught the returning vibrations and magically provided him a mental sketch of his surroundings.

Lyle then walked unerringly to the front of the room, and Dumbledore made way for him. Lyle set down his parchments and little Aria flew out again and started arranging them. Meanwhile, Lyle pointed his wand at Remus 's banner and muttered a few words. It quickly Transfigured, unfurling into a large screen with the quote shrunk down to a small header at the top. Another wave of his wand and a parchment stood stiffly upright, flashing a brilliant light on the screen. Remus 's banner lit up with the contents of Lyle 's report.

Lyle 's report alone lasted for nearly an hour, and by the end of it Mundungus was snoring loudly in his seat. When Sirius turned his bleary eyes up to the banner, it was filled with the complete summary:

Order 's numerical strength : 440 + 230 (Centaur Communes)

Part-time support personnel :100

Death Eater numerical strength : 580 ? (as of May this year)

Funding for the Order :23,000 Galleons, approx. 500 a month

Lyle added, "Even with our number, the area we have to cover to maintain a solid defense is still overwhelming. Fortunately we have devised a means of rapid transportation. Bernard Frost and his team have created well over 300 Portkeys over the past two months, all connected to our forward base in Birmingham. Once we receive news of a Death Eater attack, we shall move forces from Birmingham to the nearest Portkey exit. It sounds primitive, but unlike Floo travel there's no way the Ministry can track this system. The Portkeys are ready. All that remains is to decide where to install them. "

The members nodded amongst themselves as Lyle returned to his seat and Galino took his turn. His report comprised of the training of the Order 's recruits, as well as reviews of their responses to recent Death Eater activity. His report was far shorter than Lyle 's, but at the conclusion he added:

"While we have been expeditious in our responses to Voldemort 's forays, our methods are far too reactionary. Wherever there is Death Eater movement, such as Muggle kidnappings, our practice is to send our people in to secure the area. Yet the perpetrators slink back into the shadows, only to reappear elsewhere to do more damage. Our attempts to track them down have not produced great results."

"Where in hell does he get off saying these things? " Sirius fumed to Remus. "We 're supposed to be saving our opinions for later! "

Galino went on. "The attack on Thistleberry a few days ago further drives home the point: the Order must take direct and immediate action. We have the numbers, we have the means. We know that Voldemort is based somewhere in the south, and that he will most likely move in from the sea. We are aware of areas that will eventually turn into Death Eater forward bases--if they aren 't already. The time is now. We must secure these red zone areas and from there hunt down Voldemort 's forces as soon as possible. "

"A point of order, " said Lyle, getting up. "Firstly, what we know as probable sites for Death Eater bases are simply that--'probable '. That those places are under Dark Order control is still speculation, and will remain so until our agents come up with solid evidence. Secondly, as of now, the Order has more reasons to defend than to attack. There are far too many undefended towns and villages in the south to ignore."

"That 's it Lyle, " murmured Sirius. "Give it to him straight! "

"We don't have enough manpower to cover all those areas if we remain defensive, " replied Galino. "Should we even try, our forces will be too spread out and easily overcome. I say we strike first, en masse, before Voldemort does. If we can cut him down before he gets more than a foothold in Britain then we can save more lives. Victory lies in the attack, not the defense."

There were several murmurs of both agreement and dissent. Sirius, however, bolted out of his chair and said, "We don't even know exactly what the composition of Voldemort's army is! He may or may not have the giants on his side! He may or may not have found a way to get to the Dementors! The only certainty we have is that what we do know isn't complete--you can't expect us to fight under those conditions! The consequences could be disastrous!"

Galino regarded him as if he were a petulant child. "The giants have a simple ideology: side with those who are winning. As for the Dementors, we know from our sources that Voldemort has to get past the Ministry's barriers before he can enlist them, and in the past year he hasn't made a single move to do so. No, neither giants nor Dementors are the danger--hesitation is. Won't hesitating invite an even greater disaster? Who shall take responsibility for it?"

Sirius's dark eyes blazed, but Remus spoke up before he could. "Professor Dumbledore," he said, "what do you make of the situation?"

The whole time, the headmaster had his head bowed in deep in thought. He raised his eyes and looked from man to man. He said, "All of you have your opinions and I find each one as valid as the other. I am quite certain, however, that all our views will benefit from more information, which we can attain if we allow the rest of the speakers to proceed in an orderly fashion. For now, why don't we listen before we speak? Does everyone agree?"

Remus felt his chest loosen as everyone nodded in assent. He yanked Sirius's sleeve and the other man sat down, though still glowering. Galino allowed Arabella to take the floor and returned to his place without another word. He had, after all, made his point.

Another hour passed as reports followed in quick succession.

"There is still one factor we have not accounted for, " Arabella said, "and that 's the Ministry of Magic. As of today, the Ministry is still searching for evidence that the Order is not mere hearsay, and we have been successful in eluding their investigation. This will change, though, the more we take action against the Dark Order. Inevitably we will be found out, and soon. "

Marius Haggerty went next. He conjured up a huge map of the United Kingdom onto the table and pointed out several areas he believed were in danger of being attacked first. He also noted choke points, places that were too risky to defend, and towns that they absolutely had to control. These appeared as many multi-colored dots on the illusionary map.

"What of Onyx Isle, Marius?" Remus asked. "Do we have any idea yet on its location?"

"'Onyx Isle, if that is its name," said Haggerty, "is still an enigma to us. The information we have heard is it's 'in the southern seas.' We have no solid proof that it is Voldemort's headquarters."

Finally the last report finished, and Dumbledore called for short break. Lyle walked over to Mundungus and shook him awake.

Ignoring the tea and crumpets that sprang up from the table, Sirius stood up and stretched his legs. "Well, Moony, what do you make of it all?"

Remus leaned back into his chair, putting his hands behind his head. "Well, I think even if we have the centaurs on our side, Voldemort still has the element of surprise. Haggerty didn't spell it out but his observation is correct: for now, with our limited information, all we can do is to defend key towns and meet his forces there."

"I don't know, " Sirius said. "I've a bad feeling Voldemort's up to something--why else would he wait a year before making a move?"

"He didn't wait a year," said Remus.

At Sirius 's questioning look, he elaborated, "As early as September last year we have been receiving reports of missing Muggles from all over Britain. Counting it all together, the number of these incidents is roughly equal to that we had fifteen or sixteen years before. Yet unlike those past incidents, the bodies of the current victims were never discovered. "

Sirius shrugged and said, "Perhaps they were abductions, not murders."

"I had assumed that myself. Let's think in that direction for a moment. I had noticed something common about the cases. All the victims were male, within the age range of 20 to 35, young, healthy, and with above-average physique."

Sirius's eyes narrowed. "This has to do with that dream Harry had last year, doesn't it? That hiker who vanished."

"Yes. Dumbledore's had me looking into this issue for the past few months. I've talked it over with Arabella and Mundungus, but we can't seem to fit all of the pieces together."

"Have you figured out why Voldemort's being selective about the Muggles he attacks?"

"All we have are speculations, but think for a moment: If you wanted to wage a war, why would you round up as many able-bodied men as possible?"

"If you wanted to press them into becoming slaves," Sirius grimly concluded, "or soldiers. "

Their discussion was cut short when Dumbledore reconvened the meeting. This time around, things were far livelier as everyone pitched in his or her own opinions. For a while, everyone was talking about different things. Finally, Arabella's topic became the dominant issue.

"We can expect the Ministry to be uncooperative at best, hostile at worst," she said. "As the Minister himself does not believe the Dark Lord has returned, it is to be expected that his officers will be similarly skeptical. It is possible, however, to convince more Aurors to side with us in the ensuing fight. They are experienced in the ways of Dark Wizards and should be able to read the times far better than the heads of the Ministry."

"Although not that many, " Lyle interjected. "There are Aurors who stand solidly behind the Fudge administration and will strive to maintain status quo."

"But there won't even be a status quo anymore if things keep on as they are!" cried young Aliora Syrrh. "Can 't they see it? Missing Muggles! The Dark Mark during the World Quidditch Cup! Former Death Eaters going underground! And they still don't believe he 's back? "

"People believe what they want to," Galino said. "These peaceful times have softened their heads. Besides which, you have to contend with the prevailing inertia--'Muggles don't matter '. Because they outnumber the wizarding population 800 to 1 here in England, so what if a number of them go missing? It does not directly affect them."

"That 's inhuman," Aliora said angrily.

"Nonetheless, that is how a number of wizards think. Not everyone, but a considerable number. That's what we have to contend with."

"So, what do we do? "

A short silence ensued, broken by the voice everyone had been waiting to hear.

"It is clear, " said Dumbledore, "that there are four issues requiring immediate attention."

He got up from his chair, gazing into the faces of the gathered Order. As he watched the old man before them, Remus marveled at the faith people had in him. It was a testament to this faith that when Dumbledore called on them to face Voldemort once more, they questioned neither his news nor his sanity. They simply came.

Dumbledore said, "First, there is every indication that Voldemort 's army is about to stage a large-scale attack. We must finish setting up our defenses as quickly and soundly as possible in the areas previously discussed. Marius has done an excellent job in pointing them out to us, and Lyle and Bernard have come up with a means to move into them when needed. We must use these to our advantage. Our company leaders will take their positions, secure the Front, and await the Dark Army's arrival. "

Sirius and Remus nodded in unison. Being leaders of Company A, they knew they would find themselves in the thick of things soon enough.

"Second, we must be aware of what surprises Voldemort may have in store for us. Our intelligence over the past year has been effective, yet there are still many questions that need answering. What is Voldemort planning to do with the Muggles he has abducted? What other allies does he have here and abroad? What other strategies will he employ in his attacks? We must put our efforts to finding out more. Arabella, please see to these as soon as possible. "

Arabella was already scribbling notes onto her parchment as he spoke.

"Meanwhile, Mundungus, are your Golems ready for any unorthodox threat we may face?"

Mundungus steepled his fingers and smirked. "Readier than a red-cheeked maiden, if you get me meanin'."

Remus rolled his eyes.

"Third," Dumbledore went on, "while our numbers have increased with new members and our alliance with the Centaurs, we must not remain complacent. We cannot win this war without public support. While I have sent Hagrid and Madam Maxime to convince the giants to at least stay neutral, this seems no longer viable. Thus, we must continue our efforts into making as many people as we can aware of the Dark Lord 's return. Aliora, we 'll need your connections to sway more people, Muggles or wizards, to our cause. Keep it low-key, of course, as this will put us in direct opposition with the Ministry. Still, if worse comes to worst and we cannot hide our existence from them, Bernard and his men will give them a jolly good time trying to find us. "

Aliora and Bernard nodded grimly as they took notes themselves.

"And fourth...the fourth issue is something I have been considering for many months now. Indeed, I may have been considering it since the Order's inception."

He paused, a look of utter seriousness in his eyes. Immediately, everyone stopped writing and looked up.

He said, "I have decided it is time to pass on leadership of the Order of the Phoenix to another member of this gathering."

The quill dropped from Molly's hand, leaving a large inkblot on her parchment. Sirius 's eyes grew to the size of saucers. Remus felt his mouth go dry. At that moment, even the most ardent and outspoken members of the Order sat stunned in their seats, leaving it to a bewildered Mundungus ask, "Eh, this a joke? "

Dumbledore smiled, but the gravity never left his eyes. "No, I am afraid not, Mundungus. "

"I...I must have misheard you, Professor, " said Aliora, "I can't believe I heard you say you 're quitting your duties to the Order. "

"It seems you did mishear me, my dear," said the Headmaster. "I did not say I was quitting my duties to the Order. I merely said I was relinquishing my leadership of it."

Arabella spoke up next. "Professor...with all due respect...I don't think that changing the leadership of the Order at this stage of preparations is a good idea."

"Quite the contrary, dear Arabella, changing the leadership is the best idea I've had in a while. Let me tell you why.

"Firstly, you have correctly pointed out that the Ministry will soon become certain of the Order 's existence. Naturally, I will be the first person they will suspect as ring leader. Meaning I shall be investigated, perhaps even detained. If I remain at Hogwarts, by all appearances being a 'law-abiding citizen' performing his duties as headmaster of a school, any action they may take against me will not jeopardize the Order."

"They will take action against you if they perceive you as the leader, sir, and it will affect the Order one way or another."

"We cannot foretell the future, Arabella, but whatever happens to me, the Order should continue its function beneath a strong and able leader. This is what I am aiming for.

"Listen, my friends. How do you perceive the Order? If you see it as an extension of myself, my way of countering Voldermort, then it is a false vision, doomed to failure were it true. My view of the Order is a group of people of different skills and backgrounds, banding together for a common cause. This is not my fight, it is ours. I helped bring all of you together. Now, the Order must operate autonomously from its creator.

"My second reason is far more pragmatic. Simply put, times have changed. The character of this war is different from the first one in both scale and substance. The situation entails that the leaders of both sides adopt an appropriate stance."

Haggerty raised his hand. "Forgive me, sir, but I do not see the difference. You were very much part of the struggle against Voldemort then. You fought alongside everyone else. Why should now be any different?"

"True enough," Dumbledore replied, "I joined the struggle then along with everyone else. But my words are no mere rhetoric.

"We know from our sources that Voldemort is not inclined to directly deal with matters when his army can handle them. He has learned not to be personally involved, a fault which contributed to his previous downfall. Furthermore, the Dark Order is different from what we remember of it. Very different. Arabella tells us that Voldemort has founded a set of unquestionably loyal officers to command a large, disciplined, efficient army. In the face of this, our old tactics will no longer serve us. Our previous "wars " had more in common with duels than actual wars. To counter this new Dark Order, we need to create something similar to it, and more than that. We need to improve. We need to innovate," he smiled, eyes twinkling, "and we need another person be our 'Chief Crazyhorse.'"

Diggory raised his hand, his face full of misgiving. "Yet...forgive me, Professor, but it is true that you're the only wizard whom...whom You-Know-Who fears." He swallowed, suddenly looking ashamed. "If you were not to...deal with things directly..."

"I will join the fight if necessary, Amos, if that is your worry. We fight where we must, if we must. The same is true for me as it is for all.

"Yet for the most part I will content myself with the position of adviser. What we need is a general. It goes without saying that we need someone experienced in fighting the Dark Order, yet we also need someone well-versed in military affairs. Someone who can adapt faster to changes in a volatile situation. Someone possessing a strong character, willing enough to take up the burdens of the Order and uphold its principles. And, while not vital," he gave a small smile, "someone younger than I would be quite a bonus."

Aliora asked the next inevitable question, "Sir, if I may, who do you have in mind for your replacement?"

"That," Dumbledore said, gesturing to them with open palms, "is not for me to decide, but for all of you to decide.

"We shall put the leadership of the Order to a vote, nominating those we believe worthy of the post--excluding myself, of course. Keep in mind that the one you nominate may become your Commander. While I shall stand as adviser, the Commander will make the final decisions on the Order 's actions. Therefore, it behooves us all to choose with care.

"But I am getting ahead of myself. Naturally, my decision to change the leadership cannot be done without your support. I have presented my thoughts to you, and I hope you found it sensible. Now I must listen to what more you have to say. Tell me, do you accept my proposal?"

Once again, silence fell upon the assembly. The seconds ticked by as each person looked from one to the next, waiting for the scales to tip one way or the other.

That someone turned out to be Bernard Frost. Normally a solemn man who talked rarely and quietly, his tone became strong and certain as he got up to speak.

"If I may address the gathering, " he said. "Allow me to share this with you.

"Nearly twenty years ago I was a simple, ordinary citizen, content in my work as a grocer and shoemaker. My wife and I lived a life free of troubles, until the year the Dark Lord descended upon Britain. As you know, I was witness to a murder committed by the Death Eaters, one of whom happened to be a ranking Ministry official. To protect themselves, they tried to kill me. My family and I had to run. There was nothing I could do, no one I could turn to.

"But friends told me to go to Professor Dumbledore for help. He hid us from the Death Eaters until I could expose the masked scoundrel in the Ministry.

"Today I have a good life, my children have families of their own. All this has been because of him. His wisdom and foresight have saved many more lives besides mine. Thus, if he says the wisest choice is to pass on leadership of the Order, I will support him. I know that he has thought this through. I have never before met a man humble enough to say he is not the best choice for a crucial task, and I am proud to be his ally. He knows that those gathered here are wise enough to choose a worthy leader. As he trusts in us, let us trust in him and in ourselves. "

He took his seat amidst resounding applause. People nodded to themselves in agreement. Perhaps the change could be done. In fact, maybe Dumbledore was right--perhaps it should be done.

Sirius suddenly leaned towards Remus. "Moony?"

"Yes?"

"You will not nominate me. If that thought's crossed your mind, you'd better get rid of it. Or else, full moon or not, I swear I'll drag you outside and thrash the living daylights out of you."

Remus grinned. "Nominate you? What a splendid idea! Thanks for broaching the idea, Padfoot."

Sirius scowled. "Fine. One good turn deserves another. I'll nominate you as well. Then I'll beat you up."

Galino had stood up to address the group. "I agree with Bernard, " he said. "I too am proud to be in the service of the Order of the Phoenix. It is the least I can do after all Professor Dumbledore has done for the wizarding world. Therefore, I call on everyone present to choose only the person they deem most worthy of succeeding its former leader. While there is no doubt that no one here can truly equal Professor Dumbledore, I am certain a number of us are worthy enough to lead. May victory go with the Order! "

His words were met with cheers and much private discussion on who to nominate. Sirius, however, merely watched with narrowed eyes as Galino took his seat. Galino 's face betrayed no emotion. He calmly watched as everyone started choosing their candidates.

"If that smug son-of-a-snorkack thinks he's going to get elected, he's got another thought coming, " Sirius grumbled.

"Well, " said Remus, "he's a prime contender. Got some backing, as you well know. He also has the experience Dumbledore was talking about. Even you have to grant him that."

"Who's side are you on, anyway?"

"Not to worry. All we need is another strong candidate to back up. I mean, well, there's always you."

"Not another word, Moony. Not. Another. Word."

His eyes suddenly went wide with epiphany.

"Remus! We can get-- "

"I'm way ahead of you, Sirius. "

The nominations went quickly and orderly enough. Dumbledore cleared the screen with his wand for the listing, and one by one, the members stood up to proclaim their nominees.

Loric Thistlemoat went first. "I respectfully nominate Marius Haggerty as Commander of the Order of the Phoenix."

Marius looked thoroughly shocked by this, yet he did not rise to object. At least, not directly. He got to his feet and said, "I...I nominate Arabella Figg for the position of Commander."

Arabella looked as if he had just played a ruthless prank on her. But she said nothing.

Amos Diggory followed. "I respectfully nominate Melvincent Galino as our Commander."

"Well," muttered Sirius, "didn't faint in surprise now, did I?"

Remus, however, stood and spoke in a loud clear voice. "I respectfully nominate Lionel Bishop as Commander of the Order."

Many gazes turned to Lyle, whose own sightless gaze turned to Remus. Before, the only expressions Remus had seen on Lyle 's face were either unflappable calm or mild amusement. Now he looked like a man who'd been shown his arrest warrant. Yet like Marius, he gave no objection.

Two more candidates were named before Mundungus, filled with sudden inspiration, bolted out of his chair and cried, "In the interest of the Order, I nominate myself as Commander!" This was met with peals of much-needed laughter, followed by another round of applause. Mundungus took his time bowing to everyone in the room before sitting down.

He was, as it turned out, the last of the candidates. Dumbledore then conjured up a large fish bowl on the table, after which he created small pieces of paper that floated over the heads of the assembly. Everyone snatched them up.

"Please write your votes on the ballots," Dumbledore said. "Afterwards you may put them in the bowl."

Soon the whole assembly had Banished their ballots into the fishbowl. When the last vote was cast, Dumbledore called on Molly Weasley to read them aloud and both Firenze and Moonglow to audit. Dumbledore himself wrote the results on the banner with his wand.

In the end, the results were as thus:

Lyle Bishop -- 14

Melvincent Galino -- 8

Arabella Figg -- 6

Marius Haggerty -- 4

Horace Underwood -- 3

Roma Robertson -- 3

Mundungus Fletcher -- 1

Everyone started talking at the same time as the winner became apparent. In the midst of it all, some heard Mundungus mumble, "Well, it was worth a try."

"Very well,' announced Dumbledore. "Lyle Bishop has been elected Commander of the Order of the Phoenix by popular vote of its members. If anyone objects, let them raise their hands and state their case."

He looked around at the gathering. Nobody moved. Lyle looked as if he had been caught in a Full-Body Bind.

"With that," Dumbledore went on, "I call on Lionel Bishop to accept the post of Commander. Lyle, would you please approach?"

All eyes were on Lyle as he stood up, moving as if he were underwater. He groped around the table for his wand. Bernard stood up and took him by the arm. Only when they began walking towards Dumbledore did the applause come--a trickle at first, then more and more, until finally everyone was on their feet clapping for the new Commander. The tally on the screen vanished and was replaced by these words:

Lionel W. Bishop -- 'Chief Crazyhorse'

The applause died down as Lyle stood before Dumbledore. They shook hands, then he turned, very stiffly, to face the entire Order. His scarred blue eyes stared blankly. He looked very pale and very young.

But his voice was steady when he spoke.

"Fellow members, allies, friends, I am at once honored...and deeply humbled to have been chosen as leader of our Order."

His hand tightened around a wand that wasn't there, then relaxed.

"I have never envisioned things would turn out this way...not in a thousand ages would I have imagined I would stand here before you...trying to sew together my incoherent thoughts to make some semblance of a speech... "

His listeners chuckled. Lyle smiled wryly, then a spark of his old confidence lit up his face.

"However...I know one thing for certain. Though the leadership changes, the Order of the Phoenix remains the same. We will fulfill the same goals we started out with, on the same path we had decided to follow. We will continue our struggle for the same dream--a world free from the Dark Lord, a world we envisioned for our friends and families. This we shall never change. This we shall never surrender.

"I accept this role in good faith, because you trust me. I will fulfill this role as best I can. I only ask as your Commander, and as your friend, that you do the same."

He turned from one side to another. He could not see what was in the faces of the people gathered around him, but he felt the weight of their stares. In the years he spent in darkness, he had learned to sense the emotion in a person's gaze, the intention from the way one breathes. And at that moment he felt only solemn determination from all around him. He was not going to stand alone. They would fight for this dream together.

He cried, "May the Phoenix rise victorious!"

Everyone rose to their feet and shouted it with him. Dumbledore watched them, contentment in his smile. As with all the choices he had made this year, he was well satisfied with this one.

Evening came, and the chilly breeze carried with it the soft rustling of leaves and the hooting of distant owls. Overhead the pallid moon slipped through a sea of stars, casting its glow into Dumbledore 's room in the Order 's Headquarters.

Lyle stood by the window, breathing in the cool evening air. "When I was young, I once believed that the figure on the moon is actually a wise rabbit, and all day he makes rice cakes that allow men to live forever. "

"There are other legends, " said Dumbledore behind him, "one says the figure up there is Pan Twerdowski, singing hymns to the earth while he sits waiting for the end of time. " The Headmaster reclined into his comfortable chair by the fire and nursed the mug of hot chocolate in his hands. A small smile crossed Lyle's face as he imagined Dumbledore wearing his favorite pair of woolen socks.

"But you didn't come here to exchange folk tales with me, " Dumbledore mused.

"No, I didn't," Lyle replied, turning to the sound of the old man's voice.

"It must be important, if you were able to resist Sirius and Remus 's attempts to kidnap you for a drinking session. " The old man took a sip from his mug.

With his wand, Lyle guided himself to the chair opposite Dumbledore's. "There are some things I want to know. "

"So it seems. Is something troubling you? "

Lyle laughed. "Oh, nothing much, I suppose. It's just that the greatest wizard of my time has just gone into semi-retirement, and I've been chosen to lead his Order to victory over the Dark Army. And I'm not even half his age, wisdom, or power. That's what's troubling me."

"If it makes you feel better, " replied Dumbledore. "I am not unhappy with the Order 's choice for my replacement. Nor, I take it, are most of the members."

"Thank you, but that hardly helps." Lyle put his wand away and braced his elbows on his knees. "Won't you tell me your reason for doing this? Because there is another, a deeper one, isn't there."

Dumbledore smiled indulgently. "Perceptive, as always. " He sighed and allowed himself to sink deeper into his chair. "It 's nothing that could possibly comfort you. My other reason, I 'm ashamed to say, is somewhat selfish.

"Hogwarts is my home, Lyle. Hogwarts is my heart. I wish to remain there if I can. People may say I have a responsibility to the world, but what the world needs changes from season to season. Hogwarts will always need teachers. That is my work, no...that is my calling.

"I believe it is my duty to remain at the school, to use all my power into making it a sanctuary. Should our world start to crumble, the people can be assured that at least their children are safe. This, I hope, would give them the courage to fight.

"Yet even if it did not, this will remain the one duty I cherish most, one I do not wish to surrender. I call that selfish, of course. But then, I believe it would be good for a man to have one duty he could be selfish about. " He gazed at Lyle. "Perhaps you understand, since you did not refuse your nomination. "

Lyle merely smiled in return.

"So we both acted out of sentimentality, " Dumbledore said. "The fate of the world has been decided on more foolish things. "

As the old man sipped his chocolate, Lyle reflected that he had known Dumbledore practically all his life, but he had never heard the old man speak so frankly. It dawned on him that, at that moment, Dumbledore considered him as his equal.

"But why me? " Lyle asked. "Why am I right for this task? "

Dumbledore 's eyes twinkled. "I should have known you would not be satisfied simply by popular opinion. "

"That's because I know others did greater things outside of the limelight," Lyle responded hotly. "Arabella Figg's intelligence allowed us to at least keep up with the Death Eaters. Marius Haggerty outlined many of our strategies and almost single-handedly created our chain of command. Melvincent Galino trained more men in four months than I could ever train in a year. Bernard Frost has made certain the Ministry hasn't the barest whiff of our movements. Sirius Black and Remus Lupin risked life and limb chasing Voldemort's agents all across Britain. All these people are capable and deserving enough to be the leader, yet I get put before all of them. I get chosen to lead them.

"So I feel I need to ask: why is this so?"

Dumbledore took one last sip from his chocolate before putting the mug down on the table beside him. He relaxed, laid his hands on his lap and said, "Let me tell you a story.

"Once there was a little boy from a rich, upstanding wizard family. Like many boys his age, he was one day asked, 'What do you want to be when you grow up?' He had a ready answer: 'I want to be an Auror. '

"At this, his family laughed and ruffled his hair, saying, 'You can be whatever you want.'

"Soon his family sent him to a prestigious school for wizards and witches. There, many came to admire him--he was very smart, very brave, and most of all he knew what he wanted. While his friends wanted to be Medi-wizards or bankers or such, he said, 'I want to be an Auror.'

"By this time his family took him more seriously, because Defense Against the Dark Arts turned out to be his best subject. They said, 'An Auror 's life is full of hardship and the rewards are next to nothing! Be practical--you'll want a good-paying job, won't you? You'll want to earn enough to support a family, won't you? ' And they began talking about how much more suited he was to be a lawyer, a banker, a politician.

"The boy considered all this and shrugged. When he graduated, the headmaster, a kindly if rather befuddled old man, asked him what line of work he would be interested in. The boy asked him how one goes about being an Auror.

"'Why do you want to be an Auror? ' the old headmaster asked.

" 'Because I think that 's what I 'm meant to be doing, '" the boy said. "'No one keeps a candle in a well-lit room, when it shines brightest in the dark. '"

"He said this knowing full well that treacherous times were afoot, that an evil wizard was rising to power in Britain. He was not deterred. So the old headmaster put him in touch with a friend of his, an experienced Auror. When his family found out, they were alarmed and tried to stop them. Naturally, the old headmaster found himself in very hot water. But nothing could stop the boy. In no time at all he found himself studying Defense Against the Dark Arts, only this time in the Ministry of Magic. He worked harder than he had at school. Three years later he emerged a first-class, full-fledged Auror.

"By then the Dark Lord was at the height of his powers. Britain was in the grip of fear. The boy threw himself into his work, chasing after the Dark Lord 's followers, earning their everlasting enmity. He did very well and this did not go unnoticed. He was made captain. Later on he was awarded medals for his work. He made his superiors very proud.

"Then one day, the Head of Magical Law Enforcement issued without any fanfare Directive 4055. This directive allowed the Aurors free reign on the use of Unforgivable Curses against those suspected to be followers of the Dark Lord.

"When the young Auror received this Directive, he refused to follow it. He had been able to catch Dark Wizards without resorting to Dark Magic and murder, and he wanted to continue as such. But a number of other Aurors did not share this view. They embraced their new authority, their power. Many atrocities were committed during those fell years, on both sides of the conflict.

"One day, the young Auror responded to a call for help from a sister team. He and his men rushed to the scene, only to find that the Aurors were already victorious--and were summarily executing the captured Dark Wizards. In single horrible second, five more bodies lay cold on the dusty street. The young man would never forget that sight.

"Enraged, he arrested those Aurors and reported the incident to the Ministry Head. He wanted them put on trial. But his efforts were blocked by the wall that was Directive 4055. His superiors told him to keep quiet. Others said he was damaging the organization's morale. And even when he went he took his story to the papers, hardly anyone raised an outcry. The victims were, after all, Dark Wizards. No one wanted to hear about the rights of killers. Days later, the accused Aurors walked free.

"After this, the young Auror 's star began to fade. His superiors said he lacked the stomach to fight the Dark Side, and many of his peers forgot how often he risked his life out in the field with them. Life became difficult, but the young Auror kept to his duties even if he often had to work alone.

"But one can only do so many things alone.

"It happened one day, his fellows rushed to an emergency call. They found the young Auror lying amidst a web of shattered glass. He had been caught in a Death Eater ambush, shot through a window and fallen two stories. The young man somehow survived, but he lost his sight forever.

"Finally, finally the Dark Lord's power was broken. His followers were sent on the run and the world began to rebuild itself. Hardly anyone remembered the atrocities committed during the war. But the young Auror did. He would never forget it."

The firelight played on Dumbledore's glasses as he gazed at Lyle. The young man was completely silent.

"You know," Dumbledore said, "the story doesn't end there.

"Some years later, quite by chance, the young man met the befuddled old Headmaster again. After some pleasantries, the old man asked him about his job.

"'I'm no longer an Auror,' said the young man. And he told the Headmaster what had happened to him.

"'Well,' said the old man, 'why don't you come with me? There are some folks I'd like you to meet. We're starting a group of our own, and we need people like you.'

"At first, the young man 's handicap made him reluctant. But the old man persisted. He said, 'No one keeps a candle in a well-lit room. It shines brightest in the dark.'

"So the young man did join them, and the rest, as they say, is history."

Dumbledore leaned forward, hands on the arms of his chair.

"Lyle, the Order has picked the right person to be its caretaker--a man committed to walking the path his heart had forged. I have seen this for myself. Why doubt the good others see in you? "

Lyle sat still for a moment. Then he drew a deep breath and said, "Do you have any more chocolate?"

Dumbledore smiled. "Of course. You like yours cold, right? " He Summoned a mug from a cabinet, conjured some ice cubes, and poured him some chocolate from his pitcher. They sat together in silence, drinking and staring at the fire.

Finally, Lyle said, "Are you always so sure of your actions?"

Dumbledore smoothed his beard and said, "People make me sure of my actions. I just take my cue from them." He leaned forward again, "So tell me, what do you plan for tomorrow?"

Lyle sat up. His demeanor became serious, business-like. "Tomorrow, more meetings. We've a lot of work ahead of us. And I still have more questions for you, you know," he added, frowning. "Something tells me you've been up to a lot of other things, without telling us."

"Oh, I've been very good, let me assure you," said Dumbledore, palms up in a placating gesture.

Then they got up and shook hands. "I thank you sir, " said Lyle, "for putting your faith in me. "

"I have very good reasons for it, don't you think?"

Lyle smiled again, then began to leave. At the doorway he stopped and turned around. "There is one thing. "

"What is it? "

"It 's not a question. More of a request really. "

Dumbledore eyed him quizzically.

"Could we please not refer to me as 'Chief Crazyhorse?'"

The old headmaster chuckled.

To be continued.