metanoia

Chapter Forty-four

Being back at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry was bitter sweet for the Marauders. It was their 7th year, their final year, and sooner or later they all had a decision to make. Either to make the choice to fight in this War or watch as others fought the war for them.

Of course, many students due to familial allegiances and their own moral standing had chosen their side of the War years ago but now they were free to join the fight.

The Marauders knew where they stood, they agreed that if one fights they all fight. Alex and Sirius were bound and determined to fight against Lord Voldemort. And they weren't the only ones, every single 7th year Gryffindor had chosen to join the Order of the Phoenix and fight against Lord Voldemort and his Death Eaters. Lily, the Prewetts, Lisette, Charlie, Eddie, Frank Longbottom, Alice Fortescue, Marlene McKinnon, Dorcas Meadows, Kingsley Shacklebolt and Mary MacDonald all have joined the Order of Phoenix.

What the Marauders didn't know was that Alex was already a part of the Order, being Dumbledore's only direct line to the future to come.

On Saturday evening Professor McGonagall found the Marauders after dinner as they made their way to the Gryffindor Tower, "You five; Potter, Black, Lupin, Worth, Pettigrew, Professor Dumbledore would like to speak with you. And he understands that you lot have an affinity for Chocolate Frogs."

Understanding what she meant and why they were being summoned, the five Gryffindor 7th years raced each other to the Headmaster's office and told the stone hippogriff the password before rushing into their leader's office. "Great, I was beginning to wonder if you lot would show up. So, I understand that you would like to join the Order of Phoenix," Dumbledore chuckled as they breathlessly stood in front of the old man.

They looked at each other and vigorously shook their heads to tell him that he was correct in his assumption. Peter, however, wasn't going to admit that he wasn't quite sure that they were choosing the winning side of the War. Lord Voldemort outnumbered the Order of the Phoenix with his army of Death Eaters 20 to 1 and he had every intention of setting the Wizarding World where it "should be".

"Alright then. I'll keep you posted on when the meetings will be but please be wary with who you spend your time because many people see some truth in Voldemort's cause and don't care to say it aloud," Dumbledore warns as he dismisses them, his eyes twinkling with doubt. Professor Dumbledore didn't know much about Peter Pettigrew but he knew doubt when he saw it and the young boy did not hold the same fire and passion for the cause as his four companions.

"Miss Worth, could I have a word with you?"

"Of course Professor," the only girl kindly replied before looking to her friends. "Just give me a minute, I'll be right there."

Once the four boys left the room, Dumbledore silently took her hand and watched her last two dreams: the birth of the Potter baby and the murder of Fabian and Gideon Prewett and Lisette Lightwood. Headmaster Dumbledore watched three of his new Members of the Order and his students be brutally murdered by five Death Eaters, feeling the pain that Alex must have felt while watching it for the first time.

"Could you repeat the latest prophecy?"

"The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches... Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies... and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not... and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives... The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies..." Alex monotonously repeats for the Head of the Order of the Phoenix and her Headmaster. "What does it mean, Professor? Does this mean that James and Lily's son will have to die in order for Voldemort to be defeated?"

"Yes, I do believe that if the Potter boy is born in July then the prophecy will be about him. Now go on, back to your dormitory. I'll speak to you soon about the Order," Professor Dumbledore mumbled, sending her away to meet her friends in the hall.

"Is everything all right, Al?" Remus asked, seeing the look of fear on her face despite how hard she was trying to hide it from them.

Realizing that he saw right through her, she forced herself to laugh and push the prophecy and the dreams about her best friends' murders out of her mind, "Yep. Everything's good."

"How cool is this? We're officially members of the Order of the Phoenix," James laughs, throwing his arms across Remus and Alex's shoulders as they walk back to the Tower.

"We're going to be doing some good, Voldemort needs a swift kick in the arse right about now," Alex giggles, swinging her leg up to mimic kicking him in the butt, remembering the flashes of green that draped her three best friends' bodies as the Death Eaters killed them.

"Actually, I believe that if anyone needs a swift kick in the arse that it would be you," Regulus snarls from the shadows of a suit of armor.

His white button up shirt sleeves were rolled up high enough to see the fresh Death Eater mark on his right inner forearm. Sirius immediately looks to his brother's arm, noticing the tattoo for himself. He stomped up to his little brother and pushed his sleeve past his elbows, seeing the entire Death Eaters mark fresh on his arm. "You're a Death Eater now? After everything that Mum and Dad put us through, the curses and the beatings and you choose to follow their Lord and Savior, Voldemort?"

Regulus looks away from his brother guiltily, tearing his arm out of his older brother's grasp, "My choices are none of your concern, Blood Traitor. Hanging around half-breeds and Mudbloods, you're the disgrace not me. I'm on the winning side, can't say that much about you."

Remus shrunk back when Regulus called him a half-breed, in his heart he hoped he was referring to him and Alex being Half Bloods but he knew he wasn't. He was talking about the fact that he was a werewolf.

Sirius heard enough from his brainwashed little brother, shoving him back against the wall, "We're on the winning side, Reg. And at least I'm not surrounded by monsters and bullies, I'm with my friends. But by all means, have fun with the Dark Lord but one day you'll end up dead because of him and don't say I didn't warn you."

Sirius decided to take the high road, leaving his brother without punching him or stooping to his level because he knew that he was making the right decision. Remus felt pride when his friend defended them and claimed that they weren't the monsters but those on the Dark side of this War, realizing that the only person who thought of him as a monster was himself. James felt his cousin stir under his arm, wriggling out to step to the Slytherin.

As the four Marauders began to walk back to the Gryffindor Tower and away from Sirius' Death Eater brother, Alex skipped up to the Slytherin pressed her lips close to his ear to make sure he was the only one who heard what she had to say to him, "Regulus, you're on the wrong side of the war here. I understand you're a scared kid but seriously don't get yourself killed over this because I know that your dying would really affect Sirius. Lastly if you insult one of us with your underhanded insults again, I'll make sure that you'll never see the light of day again. No one messes with my family."