The Marauders Rise (II)

Dumbledore's Army

August 17, 1973

Inside the Hog's Head in the late afternoon, several patrons are gathered near the back. The front door opens, revealing ALBUS and MINERVA.

ALBUS: Good afternoon, friends.

Immediately, the patrons stand up respectfully and raise their glasses. A younger, red-headed couple approaches the two professors.

MOLLY: Professor Dumbledore, so good to see you again.

ALBUS: Molly, a pleasure as always. (He hugs her).

ARTHUR: Professor McGonagall, how are you?

MINERVA: (giving ARTHUR a firm hug) I get along fine. You and Molly are well?

MOLLY: (locking her arm around her husband's) We're here to help in any way we can.

ALBUS: Where are your boys?

MOLLY: They're with Fabian. Gideon came with us- (she gestures to another red-headed man seated in the back)- We came as soon as we got your Patronus.

MINERVA: Very well. Let's set ourselves down, I'll order some drinks.

MINERVA goes over to the bar, where ABERFORTH is cleaning mugs with a filthy rag. ALBUS and ABERFORTH meet each other's gaze, and the two brothers nod curtly.

HESTIA: (bowing slightly) Professor Dumbledore, sir.

ALBUS: (shaking her hand) Hestia, thank you for coming.

DEDALUS: (removing his hat) An honor it is that our paths cross again, sir.

ALBUS: An honor it certainly is, my good Dedalus. Please, everyone, take your seats once more. This is only a meeting amongst friends.

MINERVA returns with a pitcher of butterbeer, which begins to pour itself into glasses, which distribute themselves to the guests. Everyone sits around a few tables pushed together, with ALBUS at the head.

ALBUS: I want to thank you all for coming here today. I apologize that I could not reach out to you sooner, but at the present time, let us consider this our first official meeting.

DEDALUS: Hear, hear!

ALBUS: (smiling) As you are all aware, for the past year, our organization has been at its inception. Our mission is clear: To protect the wizarding population from the looming rise of the Dark Arts, in ways that our government is not presently able carry out.

HESTIA: Pardon me, professor, but why must we be kept apart from the Ministry? It seems that our goals are very much the same.

ALBUS: They would indeed, Hestia. But I am afraid that the Ministry is not quite ready to accept what a huge threat the Dark Arts pose to our society. Especially its center proponent: Voldemort.

At the mention of the name, everyone gathered appears visibly uncomfortable and a palpable silence is held among them.

ALBUS: We all knew Tom Riddle, as he was. We all thought that he was destined for great things, myself included. But he proves that even the best of us can turn away from the light. One year ago, his forces infiltrated the Castle and put the future generation of wizards in grave peril. I cannot let that happen again. We must prepare for retaliation.

GIDEON: Whatever you need us to do, Professor. Give us the word.

MINERVA: (standing up) We have called you all here because each of you will have important positions in our regime. Hestia and Dedalus, you will be responsible for communicating our cause to families and powerful wizards who have resisted the Dark Arts in the past. Gideon, Arthur, Molly, we need people inside the Ministry to give us inside information on actions and legislations that will be enforced in the near future, concerning You-Know-Who. Mundungus- where is that thieving-

MUNDUNGUS: (raising a pudgy hand from near the back) 'ere, ma'am. An' if I could just express my gra'itude fo' bein' invited to your secre' society-

MINERVA: Nip it, Mundungus. If it were up to me, you wouldn't be caught nine miles from this village. However, some people believe your connections in the underground black markets will prove useful in the future. Keep your eyes peeled for any suspicious activity in Knockturn Alley, you understand?

MUNDUNGUS: Indeed, ma'am.

ALBUS: Very well. This is what we must do, in order to protect our society as we know it. With luck, our numbers will grow and perhaps one day the Ministry will stand with us. But until then, we work in the shadows. From here on, we will be known as the Order of the Phoenix.