Chương 1186: Addition to the Order of the Phoenix
It is dusk with the stars dimly peeking over the darkening horizon. The air is warm and barely beginning to cool despite the air. The isles had been experiencing a heat wave and it was barely starting to break.
Despite the lingering warmth of the evening, two tall, hooded figures stride through the edge of the village of Godric's Hollow. Ever handsome, Gideon Prewett whispers, "And how is Emmeline (Prewett nee Vance) faring?"
"Huge," the long-nosed Fabian Prewett unwittingly replied, before hastily adding in a panicked voice, "Don't tell her I said that!"
"What that you called her fat?"
"I am not going to repeat myself, Gid!"
Gideon winces in memory and reaches up to touch his cheek still feeling the phantom sting of a rather painful slap to the face. "My cheek still stings after I accidentally called her fat." Shaking his head, he reaches up and pats his brother on the back. "Don't worry, Fab, I won't tell a soul." He mimicked a locking motion on his mouth and tossed the key away metaphorically.
Fabian clasps his brother on the arm in gratitude, before sighing, "She's starting to nest too. Mum says it's perfectly normal."
"What is she a dragon?" Gideon shuddered dramatically in horror. "Better you than me, Fab, to fall prey to her firedrake fury, especially now since she's mere weeks away from being due."
Fabian rubbed his hand over his pale face in distress. "Frankly, I don't know how we are going to manage it, Gid."
"C'mon, Fab," Gideon reassured his brother. "Babies have been born since the dawn of time. Mum and Dad did it just fine and so will you and Emmeline.
"Right," Fabian tried to convince himself.
"That's the Spirit!" Gideon slapped his brother on the back.
The two of them fall silent as they meander down a small road and approach a two-story cottage with a small gate, and tall hedges that are hidden from both muggles and prying eyes. The powerful wards in place permit them to pass through the front gates and up the path of the Potter Cottage. The two of them pull their wands and glance at each other before tracing two runes together on the door. For those who arrived in pairs, they would be required to draw two different runes together in order to be permitted inside the Headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix, a newly added security feature.
Having walked on foot, Gideon and Fabian are the last to arrive. Seeing the gathered members of the Order, Gideon and Fabian hurriedly move over to stand next to a middle-aged Scottish Auror with wavy brown-trimmed hair. Alastor Moody's crimson auror uniform is sharp and newly pressed courtesy of his wife, Druella. He has several extensive scars along with the addition of a swiveling magical round blue eye.
With the members of the Auror gathered, Albus Dumbledore steps forth in the middle of the chamber rather than taking his customary seat next to his old friend, Elphias Doge. The hunched-over bald wizard wrinkles his nose and clenches his silk hankie in hand.
Having lost twenty years, Albus Dumbledore stands taller with more energy and youthfulness in his steps. His long silver-white hair is neatly tucked into his belt. The tip of his high-heeled buckled shoes peeks out from under mulberry robes.
"Old members and new are gathered here today," Albus Dumbledore said as he turned to face the four new additions. "With Emmeline unable to participate for the foreseeable future, we have been fortunate to add four members."
The first to step forth is a dark-haired wizard with gray eyes. His hair is cut short with a prominent cut under his chin, Ronnell Weasley. "I am here to keep my family safe," he sharply said. "I have already lost a brother and I don't plan to lose another."
Alastor Moody notably nods to Ronell Weasley. He had personally recruited Ronell to the Order of the Phoenix. The Malfoy and Black family had been attacked far too many times for comfort. Moreover, with Druella notably pregnant, he knew that nothing short of tying her down would prevent her from protecting her daughters and family. He needed another pair of hands that would prioritize the safety of the Blacks other than himself.
Ronell folds his arms over his chest and solemnly studies the group. He had joined to keep Arthur and Molly safe. Moreover, knowing Arthur, he would join in a heartbeat despite having a pregnant wife at home. If he died though it would break his father's heart, he had nothing to lose. The same could not be said for Arthur.
An attractive Auror with wheat-colored hair steps up next. "Frank Longbottom," he nodded to the other Aurors in the room. "A fledging Auror."
"Alice Yates," a round-faced, gifted witch with short hair shared a grin with her fiancé, Frank Longbottom. "An Auror trainee," earning various nods from the Aurors as well.
A witch with cropped hair and a monocle with a square jaw arches her brow at her friend and rival in court, Benjy Fetwick. Her older brothers, Edgar and Jaques Bones stare daggers at their younger sister, Amelia Bones. They would certainly have a word as a family afterward.
Ignoring the scowls of her older brothers, Amelia Bones says, "A Barrister of Magical Law trained under the deceased Stephen Flint." Various members of the room gesture for the deceased to rest in peace.
"I thank you for your service as will all someday," Albus Dumbledore sincerely said, before briskly saying. "To business."
The two handsome Bones brothers, Auror Edgar Bones and Jacques Bones report first. The elder, Edgar Bones, is a Veteran Auror with a square jaw and dark brown hair. His younger brother, Jacques Bones, is employed within the International Magical Cooperation Department. The two wizards were similar looking with square jaws with the most noticeable of differences being Jacques' light brown hair.
"There are definitive indications that the Death Eaters took refuge at Gibson mansion after the attack on Hogsmeade, before departing for their stronghold," Edgar bitterly said. "Alas, we were stretched thin and occupied with the attack on Hogsmeade to spare any Aurors to investigate the triggered wards set in place to mark their return."
Grim expressions can be seen throughout the rest of the room as Auror Marlene McKinnon shakes her auburn head. "I beg to differ," she vehemently argued. "The only Aurors out of the Auror Corps available would have been the fledglings or trainees. They would have stood no chance against a swarm of Death Eaters, wounded or not."
Auror Sturgis Podmore clenched his square jaw shaking his thick straw-colored hair but kept silent. Seeing his friend's acute distress, Kingsley Shacklebolt places a comforting hand on the shorter wizard's shoulder. The tall, dark wizard with broad shoulders is gentle as he turns his shaved head to listen causing the single golden hoop earning to glint in the light.
"Aye," Alastor Moody agreed in a thick Scottish brough. "McKinnon is right. They would have been as defenseless as flobberworms."
"Thugh there are more worrisome signs," Edgar frowned nodding at the Head of Aurors, Alastor Moody who is well aware of the ongoing issues. "During the attack on Hogsmeade, several Death Eaters awaiting sentencing in the Ministry of Magic escaped among them Quilliam Arnold."
"That's right," a pretty witch with tank skin and curly hair is unusually solemn. "I was sent to guard the prisoners when I was unexpectedly attacked from behind and when I came too," Auror Dorcas Meadows genuinely lamented. "I was so stupid to let my guard down!"
"You could have done nothing, Dorcas," Strugis defended his fellow Auror. "None of us were prepared for such an attack."
"A confirmed existence of a spy in the Ministry of Magic," Elphias Doge's spotted face wrinkled with anger. "The only consolation in this blasted mess is that it couldn't be Runcorn." He spat. "I had him followed and he was nowhere near the Ministry of Magic that day."
"That still doesn't eliminate Runcorn as a potential spy," Kingsley Shacklebolt calmly pointed out. "Merely the fact that he was not the culprit at the time."
Various heads move in agreement as that is all that was proven. However, that didn't disprove the fact that there was a spy among them, but rather that there might be multiple spies instead. A most discomforting realization.
SUY NGHĨ CỦA NGƯỜI SÁNG TẠO 
EsliEsma
EsliEsma NOTICE - For the rest of June, I will only post one more time beyond today on the 20th, and in July just the 4th. My only sibling is getting married at the end of July. Needless to say with all the wedding preparations, I have severely overestimated myself. I've only written one chapter this whole time... If I wasn't able to catch up with everything, I'll let you all know in August.
Happy Father's Day! Two more chapters will go out after this!
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