Chapter Twelve
Saturday morning, I woke up and began to prepare for the long string of secret meetings that I had arranged the previous day. I had gotten a variety of messages in the evening mail asking for meetings and now had a whole day’s worth of covert meetings.
Dobby, helpful as always, brought a tray of black tea and crumpets to the Room of Requirement, which had turned into a fashionable office with a large desk.
First up was Theodore Nott.
“Theo, good morning. Tea?” I asked.
“Please, two sugars,” Theo replied. I handed him the cup of tea and then held up a vial of silvery liquid.
“Honestuserum. The drinker can only tell the truth, but is not forced to speak. I’d like to put some in both of our drinks so we both know the other is being honest. Nothing personal,” I said.
“Sounds fair,” Theo replied, holding out his cup.
I poured half a vial in both our cups of tea and we both drank the tea.
“Was everything you said to me the during Sirius’ ball true?” I asked.
“Yes.”
“You didn’t reach out to me on anyone’s orders?” I checked.
“No.”
“Alright then, are you sure you want to be a spy for me? You’ve thought it over?” I asked him.
“I have. I want to do this,” Theo said.
“How good is your Occlumency?” I asked.
“Very good. All pureblood heirs are trained in Occlumency and my grandfather has very high standards. I can keep out all but the most experienced Legilimens,” Theo replied.
“What about hiding stuff while letting someone in? If Voldemort searched your mind, could you hide your association with me and convince him that you are loyal to the Death Eaters?” I asked.
“Yes. I’ll need to meditate and hide it now before I even meet the Dark Lord, but I can do it,” Theo said.
“Do you have any questions for me?” I asked.
“Assuming we win the war, will you publically say that I was a spy so I won't go to Azkaban?” Theo asked.
“Of course!”
“Okay then,”Theo said.
“I don’t want you doing any spying until you turn fifteen. We’ve decided to draw a hard line at 15 when it comes to being child soldiers,” I said.
“My birthday is in December, so that’s easy,” Theo said. “Although I would like to point out that it is very hypocritical considering you, Potter, Granger and Weasley have been fighting the Dark Lord since you were eleven.”
“I’m aware,” I said with a small smile as I withdrew one of the mailing boxes and handed it to him. “Now, I’ve created secret mailing systems disguised as writing sets. You can link it to your magical signature so that only you can open it. Underneath the writing supplies, is this secret area. The left is the inbox. Any messages I sent to you with my own mailing box will appear here. You read them and burn them right away. The right is the outbox. Any letter you put in there will go to my inbox. Understand?”
“The letters disappear after they are placed in the outbox?”
“And reappear in my inbox,” I confirmed, handing him the mailing box.
“Does the quill, ink and blank paper do anything?” Theo asked.
“No, that’s just for appearances sake although it is a perfectly functional writing set.”
“If you want to stop spying at any time, you can just let me know and I can prepare alternative accommodations or if this is over summer break, get you out of your house,” I said.
“What about my mother?” Theo asked.
“If she genuinely wants to help the fight against Voldemort, she is welcome to join. If you just want her out of harm’s way, I would recommend she retire to the french countryside or something similar,” I said.
“She’ll probably want to stay neutral and not join you. We have some properties in Europa she could move to or she might go stay with Contessa Zabini in Italy,” Theo said thoughtfully.
“That’s good. In the meantime, we shouldn’t have any more public contact which will include the defense group we’re going to create. Maybe join in with Draco if he whines about me or whatever, but don’t suddenly start to hate me when you’ve been pretty ambivalent about me,” I advised.
“Got it. Thanks Zo,” Theo said.
Next was Christina Dolohov, who downed the Honestuserum, stated that she was here of her own accord and not working for Voldemort or the Death Eaters then got right to the point.
“There is likely to be an Azkaban breakout within the year. My father will likely come and find my sister and I, who have been living on our own since my grandmother passed away a year ago. I can tell you’re a decent person, so my sister and I want to join up with you,” Christina said.
“Your sister is Emily Dolohov who is a first year?” I asked in confusion, remembering the little girl who got sorted two days ago and doing the mental math.
“My parents evaded capture for around a year after the Dark Lord fell while my grandmother took in my brother and I. Once they were arrested, my mother was kept in the Ministry holding cells until she gave birth to Emily and was then transferred to Azkaban. Between the childbirth and the dementors, she died a few days later” Christina said bluntly.
“I’m sorry,” I said, very uncomfortable.
“Don’t be. So, can we join?” Christina asked.
“Yes. So there are several options. The Order of the Phoenix doesn’t officially recruit kids who haven’t graduated Hogwarts yet. Instead I’ve been given unofficial permission to create a Hogwarts Defense Group, the name is still a work in progress, and I’m planning on talking Dumbledore into some sort of summer internship for those who want to join the Order but are still in school,” I explained.
“This Defense Group, would it be similar to the fake armies in the prank war you had with the Weasley Twins?” Christina asked.
“Not exactly. This would be more like a study group for DADA where we teach people to defend themselves both in practice and theory for all ages,” I said.
“Got it.”
“Then over the summer, you and Emily could stay in one of several safehouses that I have bought to house students like you who don’t want to go home but are too young to join the Order,” I explained.
“So, what would I actually be doing?” Christina asked.
“Well if you want you could help the Order over the summer assuming Dumbledore agrees. Then once you turn seventeen and are an adult, you would join the Order and help in some capacity although not necessarily a combat role. That could be anything from actually fighting to helping babysit pre-Hogwarts aged kids. Although you would be legally an adult and could just go buy an apartment in Diagon Alley if you wanted,” I said.
“You’re essentially helping me for free?” she asked in astonishment.
“It’s not free. Once you turn seventeen and are legally an adult, you would have to help in some capacity. Before then, you are a kid and I’m not going to charge a kid rent in wartime,” I explained.
“I’m a year older than you,” Christina pointed out.
“Only technically,” I replied. I was mentally eighteen and a fully grown adult in both the muggle and magical world.
“Okay, I’m in,” Christina said. I jotted her and her sister’s names down on a notepad.
“When everyone else is going home on the Hogwarts Express at the end of the year, those who are going to be going to the safehouses will take a Portkey out of the castle and to the safehouse. On September 1st, everyone will Portkey to the Platform. Given your family are convicted Death Eaters, they won’t exactly show up at Hogwarts to try to claim custody or throw a fit. When we get closer to summer break, I’ll give you more information,” I explained.
“Thank you,” Christina said.
“Of course.”
Pansy Parkinson wanted to spy for the Order. Huxley, Marcus and Oakley Flint, who had graduated last year but met me in Hogsmeade, wanted to join the Order of the Phoenix and happily took me up on my offer of free housing for them and their younger cousin, Stanley Flint. Harvey Bulstrode, who was graduating and likely becoming a Death Eater this summer, wanted to become a spy. Gemma Farley wanted to join the Order in a non-combat capacity and she accepted my offer of being “in charge” of one of the safehouses and helping with strategy.
A surprisingly large number of students from non Death Eater families told me that they wanted to join the Order. I carefully explained that with few exceptions, underage students were not allowed to join the Order but that there would be a Hogwarts Army Defense Club for students.
At exactly 2:00, Daphne showed up to the Room of Requirement, sitting down and accepting my offer of tea.
“I talked to the Youth Priestess. She said that I could explain to you the Old Ways, but then you will either have to swear a Oath of Silence, agree to be obliviated or decide to join the Old Ways,” Daphne said.
“Alright,” I agreed. An Oath of Silence was different from an Unbreakable Vow in that the person physically could not tell the secret instead of dying if they did.
“The Old Ways, or what you would Anglo-Saxon Paganism, have been practiced for as far back as we have records. Several centuries ago, they began to fall out of favor as the wixen world modernized. The Wizengamot outlawed what they considered ‘Dark Rituals’ in the 16th century, which included most Pagan celebrations and sacrificial offerings. So the Old Ways continued on in secret, mainly among the old pureblood families but we recruit those who are interested in joining such as yourself,” Daphne said.
“When you say sacrificial offerings, what do you mean?” I asked.
“Mainly burning food. Occasionally animals, but that’s not during the Hogwarts rituals, only the adult ones. Not sacrificing people if that is what you are worried about,” Daphne said.
I nodded.
“Now given you recognized Mabon, I assume you are familiar with the eight holidays. Imbolc, Ostara, Beltane, Litha, Lughnasa, Mabon, Samhain and Yule which take place throughout the year. Each holiday has different celebrations although a bonfire, an altar and eating some sort of food happens at every holiday along with different colors that tend to be associated with that holiday corresponding to the time of the year. The followers of the Old Ways are guided by the three priestesses of the Triple Goddess, Magic herself” Daphne explained.
“The first priestess is the Priestess of the Maiden, or the Youth Priestess. She is always a seventh year and leads the celebrations that take place at Hogwarts. It’s a year long position and the Youth Priestess is always training a sixth year as her replacement for the next year. This year’s Youth Priestess is Primrose Parkinson. My mother was a Youth Priestess in her seventh year. It’s a great honour for young witches. At the Mabon ritual which is the first of the school year, the Youth Priestess will nominate her successor and everyone will vote to approve the Priestess in Training. It’s usually a formality, but occasionally the next Priestess doesn’t get approved in which case there is either politicking until she gets enough votes or the Priestess nominates another successor. The Priestess of the Maiden wears white robes embroidered with the color that represents that holiday”
“Next is the Priestess of the Mother, or the High Priestess. She presides over the adult holidays and is the leader of the Old Ways. The High Priestess must be a mother herself and is typically but not always a former Youth Priestess. The current High Priestess is Lady Odellia Fawley. The High Priestess typically serves in that role for at least a decade, but not life. She will then either step down, die or become the next Priestess of the Crone. The High Priestess is nominated by the previous High Priestess or in the event that the previous High Priestess dies, the Elder Priestess. All of the adults vote the same as with the Youth Priestess. The Priestess of the Mother wears gray and silver robes embroidered with the color of the given holiday.”
“Finally is the Priestess of the Crone, or the Elder Priestess. She is always a former High Priestess and is the spiritual leader of the community. She serves as the Elder Priestess until her death. Many will seek her out for advice and guidance. During the holiday festivals, the Elder Priestess will care for the children under eleven along with other old women and teach the children about the Old Ways. The current Priestess of the Crone is Lady Charis Crouch nee Black. She has been the Elder Priestess for at least as long as I have been alive and was the one who taught me the Old Ways when I was a child. She wears black robes embroidered with the holiday’s color.”
“On Litha, the summer solstice, all three Priestesses will lead the rituals. The young children are allowed to be there as well. Then once the rituals are over, the Elder Priestess and the little children will leave and everyone else will celebrate into the night,” Daphne said.
“Where do the celebrations take place?” I asked.
“The youth celebrations take place in the Forbidden Forest. There is an established clearing that all the creatures respect as ours. The adult celebrations take place in a location of the High Priestess’ choosing. It’s typically a forest clearing, although I’ve heard there have been some on mountaintops or empty plains. The young children go to the Elder Priestess’ home to learn the Old Ways,” Daphne said.
“What do the actual holidays themselves entail?” I asked.
“Like I said, it varies between the holidays and even varies a little from year to year. Mabon has roots in harvest festivals. So there are lots of dishes with bread, corn, gourds and spiced cider and pumpkin juice. The youth priestess will lead rituals in front of an altar. We have a very informal feast. There is an altar with candles, burned incense, that sort of stuff.”
“Samhain is the time where the veil between life and afterlife is thinnest. There is a big bonfire and everyone wears masks. In folk tales, sometimes the departed come back through and dance with the living, hence the masks so we can’t tell. Although you generally know who is who, it’s just tradition. At first everyone holds hands and chants around the bonfire, gives our regards to the departed. Then sometimes the castle ghosts will decide that it is time for them to cross over and do so, although that hasn’t happened in a few years. After that, everyone dances with each other around the bonfire.”
“The rituals strengthen our magical ability and connect our souls to the Triple Goddess. In addition to the rituals, there’s a certain feeling that I can’t quite describe until you take part in your first ritual. You feel connected, you understand, magic makes sense in a way it never did before. It is as if magic itself is embracing you,” Daphne said, hesitating as she tried to find the right words.
“Is this cult like or can you leave at any time?” I asked.
“Of course you can leave. Due to the secrecy involved, you have to agree to be obliviated or swear an Oath of Silence. It’s uncommon for people to leave the Old Ways, and most who do leave make that decision before reaching adulthood. For example Sirius Black was raised in the Old Ways but left the Old Ways as a student.”
“However that was in part due to the fact that most of the more Light families and some of the neutral ones either left the Old Ways or celebrated on their own during the last war, as did the marked Death Eaters. Most adults won’t speak of it, so I don’t know a lot but there was some incident between the Darker families who were affiliated with the Dark Lord and the Lighter families that were affiliated with the Order of the Phoenix. Violence is strictly banned from the rituals and it was a whole scandal. After the war ended, the Elder Priestess worked to get everyone to return to the rituals.”
“How many students at Hogwarts are part of the Old Ways?” I asked.
“I’m not sure of the exact number, but around 30%. There are 12 students, myself included, which isn't a lot, but out year is really small.”
“You said violence is banned, but that there was an incident in the last war. How much do the increasing tensions relating to the war bleed over to the Old Ways?”
“We’re supposed to put all rivalries and disagreements aside during the celebrations. That’s easier for the youth celebrations than the adult celebrations. The Death Eaters are frowned upon by the Old Ways, but are not banned unless they instigate violence. I’m honestly not sure what will happen if there is an Azkaban breakout, but convicted Death Eaters will likely be forbidden from attendance.”
“How frequently do those who were not raised in the Old Ways join?” I asked.
“It’s rare, but more common among Hogwarts students. Those who are interested in learning more about magical traditions are typically approached subtly about the Old Ways. Tracey Davis is one such person, who joined halfway through our first year. The process to join is more informal as students. Adults who are joining typically join when they marry someone who follows the Old Ways or they have to go through a whole initiation ritual. Around ten percent of the followers of the Old Ways at Hogwarts weren’t raised in the Old Ways, but some of them were already vaguely aware of the existence of the Old Ways.”
“What does joining as a student entail?” I asked.
“You would have a meeting with the Youth Priestess. You’ll have to take a truth serum or let her into your mind so we can be certain you are genuine. Then you will be assigned a guide to mentor you in the Old Ways, help you and answer any questions you have. There’s not an official joining ceremony like there is with the adults. The Youth Priestess makes the decision on whether or not to let you join after you meet with her.”
“I want to join the Old Ways,” I decided.
“Excellent!” Daphne beamed. “I’ll arrange a meeting with the Priestess. For new people, their guide is often the person who introduced you to the Old Ways or a trusted peer. If you would like, I would be honored to be your guide. However if you want somebody else, I totally understand,” Daphne said.
“I’d like you to be my guide,” I said. I trusted Daphne as much as I trusted anybody outside of my immediate friends and I could tell she was pleased that I had decided to join the Old Ways.
“I won’t let you down. We don’t often get new people wanting to join the Old Ways,” Daphne said, more happy than I had ever seen her.
“So what happens now?” I asked.
“I’ll talk to Primrose, she’ll meet with you when she can, likely after Mabon happen. Then, I’ll give you a more in depth education of the Old Ways. A summary of what everyone else learns during childhood. Your first holiday will likely be Samhain and I’ll stick by your side for that,” Daphne assured me.
“Sounds great,” I said.
“I’ll let you know when I get a meeting for you scheduled with Primrose,” Daphne said, standing up and surprising me with a quick hug.
When I entered the Ravenclaw Common Room, Hermione immediately waved me over to where she was sitting with Harry and Ron.
“I think that we need to schedule a sort of introductory meeting for our Defense Club soon, to figure out how many people will be interested and how it will work,” Hermione said.
“Definitely, a lot of people have been talking to me about joining the Order and I’ve been telling people that we’re going to be starting a defense organization,” I said.
“We do need to keep this secret,” Ron said.
“Only secret enough that Dumbledore will have plausible deniability, which means just not starting an official club. He’ll obviously know all about it which means likely so will Professors McGonagall, Lupin and probably Moody too,” Hermione said.
“Is this going to take place in the Room of Requirement?” Harry asked.
“That’s probably best. Most people are familiar with it by now given the Prank War,” Ron said.
“How about scheduling a meeting for next weekend? We’ll have plenty of time to get the word out,” I suggested.
“Next Saturday at 2:00?” Hermione proposed.
“Harry and I can work on making pieces of paper with the date and time to pass out while you girls can work on the planning and stuff,” Ron said.
“I think for now, we have a large study group with the four of us as tutors. We can divide everyone into four groups based on age and skill level and rotate who is teaching who. Then next year, we can keep the same setup for the junior group and have different groups similar to the prank army of around ten to twelve people,” Hermione said.
“That’s good. I think having the four different groups is good for actual fighting, but for theory stuff, wards, learning about magical creatures, it would be best to do that as a whole,” I said.
“Good point. I know that this is technically secret, but we could probably get Lupin to come in as a guest speaker for magical creatures. He’s an expert and he was part of the Order in the last war,” Hermione said.
“Yeah, focusing on dementors, inferi, giants, other creatures who were allied with Voldemort in the last war and how to fight them. Moody would also be a good person, depending on how the first lesson goes,” I said.
“Moody is technically a Ministry employee,” Hermione pointed out.
“Who is loyal to Dumbledore before Fudge,” I pointed out.
“Let’s wait and see for Moody. Maybe we could get some other veterans to guest lecture if we do go down that route. Or maybe we save that for next year,” Hermione suggested.
“Okay. I have some plans for next year. Color coded teams instead of astrology teams. Plus a few to focus on specific qualities. A team that primarily works on broomsticks, a team that primarily works on healing, a team that primarily works on spying or black ops stuff,” I suggested.
“That’s good. Are you planning on having us lead teams or continue to be teachers?” Hermione asked.
“I was imagining all of us as the head of a color coded team with others who are talented wixen as heads. Then it might help to have a leadership team working on organizing everything. That could be all the team heads,” I suggested.
“Or make that a separate team. Throw politics and liasoning with the Order into the mix and make it a special focus team like flying and healing. You could lead that team. Harry would be good for the flying team. Ron and I could do regular color teams. Then we have a council made up of all of the team heads,” Hermione suggested.
“And having other people on the council would lay the groundwork for if we end up not being at Hogwarts during seventh year and someone else has to take over,” I said, nodding.
“Besides, we don’t need to figure all of this out. We have a whole year and this year, when it’s just a study group, will be easier. We have our first meeting, gauge interest, figure out what our name is going to be, get a list of who is interested in joining,” Hermione said.
“I imagine we will have lots of interest, especially after last year’s prank war,” I said.
“One problem we may run into is our youth. Some of the upperclassmen might not want to defer to a bunch of fourteen year olds,” Hermione pointed out.
“Well then they don’t have to join. We’ve proven ourselves, we’ve fought Voldemort in first and second year. Nearly the whole school was involved in the prank war. If they want to join, then they have to accept that we’ll be in charge,” I pointed out.
“Fair enough. So for the first meeting, get a general estimate of the size of those interested, brainstorm and maybe vote on names, perhaps begin to figure out everyone’s skill level and sort them into groups and figure out a good time for everyone?” Hermione checked, scribbling down notes.
“Sounds good!” I said.