Yes, He IS!

Dumbledore’s Office, 11:45 AM, Sunday, June 25

As Fred, George, Ron and Ginny ascended the staircase to Dumbledore’s office—having gotten the password from the nurse—they clearly heard their parents arguing. Usually, their mother, Molly, got the last word…but, apparently, not today.

”We’re telling you, Molly, he’s back…and all of our children will need to be ready!” Arthur was saying.

”Father’s right,” reiterated Charlie’s voice came from Dumbledore’s Floo, just as the door opened to admit the four youngest Weasleys.

”Albus,” a tearful Molly practically begged, “isn’t there another way…?”

Bill again hugged his mother, promising, “We’ll be fine…you’ll see!”

Finally, Molly’s shoulders sagged in defeat. Wiping her eyes, she locked eyes with Albus. “All right, then…but, if and when that time comes, I want my children who are not of age safely out of the way!! Do you hear me, Albus Dumbledore?”

Raising a hand to silence the twins—who’d been upset about not being able to enter the Triwizard Tournament in the first place (not that they hadn’t tried!)—Albus nodded his head in acceptance of their mother’s demand. “So mote it be1,” he promised her, bowing his head. A golden aura accompanied, and sealed, the vow. At that, the youngest Weasleys stilled, and became silent; even Molly relaxed…marginally.

On the other hand, Albus knew that those few gathered in the cemetery were, at present, no match for the forces of Good…and Voldemort had to know it, too. Like it or not, even he would need time to gather more support…even if he and his Death Eaters could, somehow, free their comrades in Azkaban. ”By the time that happens, Molly, there’s no telling how many of your children will be ‘of age’,” Dumbledore silently reflected. Frankly, Albus hoped he’d have the (overlooked and underestimated) talents of at least the twins added to his Order by then.

At that time, an unusually brave Arthur decided to put all of the Exploding Snap cards on the table. Facing the Floo—and knowing how his wife would again panic, once she’d pondered the situation of having another son “in harm’s way”—he boldly asked his Romanian-based Dragon-handler son, “How much time is left in your apprenticeship, Charles?” He knew that the thought of Charlie’s potential clash with the Dark Side would soon send his wife into another fit of hysterical panic.

Hearing his full first name for the first time since his Hogwarts days made Charlie blink, before he answered, somewhat vaguely, “Just a few more weeks, Father.”

Arthur suspected that he’d see his second-born well before his four youngest boarded the Hogwarts Express again on September 1st; however, since he didn’t want to spoil a possible birthday surprise—or two—he decided not to press the issue.

”We’ll talk again soon,” Molly said, a little bit of spark returning to her eyes and voice. They hadn’t heard the last of her yet, Arthur knew.

”How about letting me talk to the rest of the family before Feeding Time at this zoo?” Charlie proposed, eliciting tension-breaking chuckles from all in the room.

Ron was the first to speak up. “How’s that three-year-old Ridgeback doing? he asked Charlie, knowing that he wasn’t revealing any secrets to his parents; they’d been informed of that adventure from his First Year. “Any bullying?”

”Yes, not against it, though…but by it!” Charlie reported. “Since females are usually meaner than males2—and their gender doesn’t otherwise reveal itself for several years3—we’re 90% certain we’re going to have rename ‘Norbert’ as ‘Norberta’.” Charlie said. Ron knew Hagrid would get a laugh out of that bit of information!

”It’ll be good to see you…,” started George….

”…when you do get back here!” Fred finished…just as a BOOM!!, loud enough to be heard even through the international Floo Call, caused Charlie to jump up.

”Gotta go, everybody! Ginny…I promise we’ll talk on your birthday4!” Charlie said, before he dashed off. The flames in Dumbledore’s office then returned to those of an ordinary-looking “fireplace”.

”Let’s go, Weasley Family,” Arthur said, standing. “I’ve still got that list to do for Cornelius. Bill, I’d appreciate your help, too…and not just with the list….”

”Of course, Father,” a grinning Bill said, as the family departed, to start tentative battle plans for the now inevitable upcoming battles…whenever they might take place….

Headmaster’s Office, 1:15 PM

The first to enter Albus’s office for yet another critical meeting was Hagrid. Waving off the offer of a seat, for now, he advised his boss, “Remus and Sirius are right behind me.”

Sure enough, Remus Lupin and Sirius Black then entered and sat down. “How was Molly?” The Animagus asked.

”Highly skeptical at first, as we’d expected, even more so than the Minister,” Albus started, “but she seemed to come around, especially after I vowed to keep her underaged children out of harm’s way.”

”That gets Bill on our side,” mused Sirius.

”Charlie, too, if he gets back from Romania in time,” added his former classmate, as the door opened again.

”Here we are, as requested, Albus,” Poppy said, ushering in Harry, Hermione and Neville. Glancing at the two former Marauders, she did some quick calculating…and didn’t like the answer she’d come to. “Surely not, Headmaster…,” she moaned.

A wry chuckle escaped Dumbledore, before he confirmed, “I’m afraid so, Madam Pomfrey. We’re going to need experts in all fields, including Potions and Herbology.” Here he glanced at Neville, who squirmed under the Headmaster’s gaze.

”But, Sir…I’m just a student!” the Fourth-Year protested.

”As are Miss Granger and Mr. Potter,” conceded Albus. “However, he has already shown great promise in DADA, and she has most of the other subjects—especially Charms—well in hand. I also have the utmost confidence in your Herbology talents….”

”…as do I!” remarked Pomona Sprout, Herbology Mistress, and Hufflepuff House Head, as she and the other House Heads—Gryffindor’s Minerva McGonagall, Ravenclaw’s Filius Flitwick…and an extremely reluctant Severus Snape, Head of Slytherin House—entered.

The three students had respectfully risen upon the entrance of their elders, but everyone except Hagrid (and Snape, who was suspiciously eyeing the half-Giant…and Sirius Black) took a seat at Albus’s invitation.

”Mark my words, Albus,” crowed Pomona, pointing at Neville, “this boy’s going to be my successor!”

”Is he, now?” came a surprising voice…as the door opened to reveal Augusta Longbottom, Neville’s grandmother.

”And what’s all this talk in the Prophet, about You-Know-Who’s return?” she demanded.