End of the Line

Chapter 9

– CHAPTER NINE –

Orderly Progression

The Order of the Phoenix. Such an innocuous name for an organisation, especially considering

it was pretty much the only thing standing between Voldemort, the most evil, powerful Dark Lord in

history, and the destruction of the world.

Harry had joined, and been passed a staggering amount of information from Dumbledore.

Status reports, efficiency ratings, after-action reports, suspects lists. Just thinking about it made

Harry's eyes cross.

The Headquarters of the Order was Grimmauld Place. Harry's house. Now his home. It had

been a mere two days since the 'coming out' of the Trio, and Harry had yet to hear from Molly

Weasley. Not that he was particularly looking forward to it... okay, so he was. Like any 17-year old

male, he was spoiling for a rumble.

The group assembled in the kitchen, most of them marginally surprised to see Harry sitting at

the far end of the table, engrossed in a thick hardback book.

Tonks sat next to him, looking at what he was reading. "Good book?" She asked after a

moment.

Harry looked up. "Mnyha." He looked back down.

"What is it?" Tonks asked.

"Great Expectations." Harry replied.

"Is it any good?" Lupin asked, coming and sitting next to Tonks.

"Ah... it's not everything I'd hoped for." Harry replied casually, not looking up. His hand

groped forward, grabbing his mug of tea, before taking a loud slurp.

Molly looked up, an odd expression on her face. "Harry, dear?" She asked sweetly.

Harry looked up. "Yes, Mrs. Weasley?"

She looked indulgently at him. "Shouldn't you be getting upstairs, Harry? We're about to have

an Order meeting."

"Oh." Harry said, looking up and seeing the rest of the Order watching. "No." He replied,

looking back at his book.

"You can't stay in here, Harry." Molly said patronisingly. "This is for the adults. You're just a

boy."

You keep saying that. Harry thought idly, not looking up at her. This is why your children rebel.

You can't bear the thought that they're letting go of the apron strings.

"Sorry, Mrs. Weasley." Harry said in mock-deference. "But, I want to stay in the kitchen."

Molly's voice became stricter. "We don't always get what we want, Harry." She said firmly.

"Now, upstairs. I'll come and get you when the meeting's finished."

Does she actually expect me to just go upstairs and crack one off while they're discussing the

war that I need to fight? She truly is delusional... On top of that, she still expects me to date the bike

that is her daughter. If it wasn't so laughably tragic, I'd cry.