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Disclaimer: This fan fiction was based on the Harry Potter books by J.K. Rowling. I do not claim ownership on any character created by J.K. Rowling, and no money is collected from this story. This is one way I show appreciation to J.K. Rowling's works. Other names or places on this story are fictional. Any similarity to actual name is purely coincidental.




Chapter 15: Unfortunate Events pt. 3

Soon, they all stood crowded in front of Harry's bedroom door. Without bothering to knock, Hermione pushed the door wide open. They gaped at the mess on floor. Then, they saw the backs of Neville and Ron. They were standing close together as if looking at something. Hermione quietly led the others inside while carefully avoiding the mess on the floor.

"Neville! Ron! What are you doing here?" Hermione asked in a loud voice. The two boys jumped in surprise. They nervously turned around. At first, the girls were taken aback at their appearance. And then, Hermione, Ginny, Susan, and Luna burst with laughter. Neville and Ron, in embarrassment, scowled at the girls. The expression on their ink-black faces only made the girls laughed even harder.

"Ha, ha, ha... It's not that funny, you know. Now, stopped it." The girls continued to laugh. "Okay, you had your fun... If you don't stop, we won't tell you what we've found." That got the girls attention. As much as they liked a good prank, they loved adventure and mystery even more.

"Alright Neville, what did you find?" Ginny asked excitedly.

Ron snatched the letter from Neville's hand and waved it in front of the girls. "We found this." He smiled like he just ate a canary.

"What is that?" Ginny asked again, confused.

"I think it's a letter," Luna said flippantly.

Ginny lightly glared at Luna. "I know that. What I meant was what is it about?"

Luna opened her mouth to answer, but Susan covered it with her hand. Hermione shook her head at her friends' antics. "Neville, what are you doing with Harry's letter? And before you asked, I presumed it belonged to Harry because we are in his bedroom."

Neville looked defiantly at Hermione. "So what if it is? We have to know why he is sending Snape a letter. He could be passing vital information to that Death Eater."

Hermione just rolled her eyes. Neville was sharp as a tack most of the time. But, when it concerned Harry, he was no different from Ron. They seemed to just turn into Trolls. "Neville, Snape is on our side now. Besides, Professor Dumbledore trusts him."

"Yeah, well, I don't. And, I say Evans is in league with him." Neville took the letter from Ron. "This letter contains that proof. I say we open it." He looked at the others one at a time. He saw hesitation on their faces.

"You will do no such thing." Hermione objected strongly. "That letter doesn't belong to you. How would you feel if Harry opens your letter to Cho."

"She's right, you know," Ginny agreed quietly. She usually avoided annoying Neville. But, in this case, he was wrong.

"Think about it for a moment. Before Harry came here, he thought he was a squib. Do you think You-Know-Who would accept him into his rank of pureblooded Death Eaters?" Hermione could see Neville thinking hard.

Ron grabbed the letter from Neville. "If you won't open it, I will." He proceeded to break the wax seal.

"Don't be an idiot, Ron. Give it here." They now struggled to take possession of the letter. Ron jumped on the bed and down to the other side, waving the open letter like a Quidditch Cup. Neville followed and chased Ron around the room.

Finally, after several laps, Neville managed to corner Ron. They were both breathing hard from the exertion. "Look, mate... I know you want to read this letter as much as I do. Forget, Hermione. You know how she is," Ron said gasping for breath. "Let's just read it, and then reseal it after we're done. I'm sure Evans wouldn't notice anything. Well mate... What do you say?"

Neville considered Ron's suggestion. He quickly glanced at Hermione who was glaring at Ron. Her eyes were blazing with righteous anger. "Okay, mate... You girls stay right there. If anyone gets blame for this, it'll be just us." Ron gave him a disbelieving look.


Ron and Neville held the letter together and slowly read it. Everyone thought the letter contained bad news because they grimaced. Then, their lips rounded, opened wide, and clamped shut without making a sound. It seemed like they were having some sort of internal struggle. Their faces ran into different range of expressions that were comical to say the least. Then suddenly, to everyone's surprise, they started to sing, and moved their body to the beat of the song. Softly at first, then, it grew louder.

Being a muggle-born witch, Hermione vaguely recognized the tune. It sounded nice, or so she thought. Their voices rose in crescendo when Hermione remembered the tune. It was from an American baseball song /"Take me out to the ball game"/.


Take me out to the Quidditch match

Take me out with the House

Buy me some butterbeers and chocolate frogs

I don't care if I watch here all day.

Let me hoot, hoot, hoot for the House team

If they don't win it's been jinxed

For if you catch that snitch then we win

At the old Quidditch match


They sang the song twice before they could stop. Luna clapped enthusiastically. Susan and Ginny laughed at their performance. Hermione smiled with a laugh. She realized the letter was the parchment she charmed a week ago. Harry didn't tell her what he wrote on it. He just said it was a surprise. Now, she knew the surprise.

Ginny purposely strode across the room to her brother. She snatched the letter from Ron's hand and went back to the other girls. With Susan, Ginny, and Luna holding the letter together, they eagerly read it. Like Ron and Neville, they started singing and swaying to the tune of the song. Unlike Ron and Neville, they sang with gusto. This brought out the upbeat and the fun side of the song. When they're done, they cheered and laughed out loud.

"Give that back." Neville had walked up to them, and grabbed the letter again. He carefully folded it. "Evans wanted to give this to Snape. Well then, who are we to stop him? Right, Ron?" Ron agreed vigorously. "I'll personally deliver this if I have too."

"Don't forget to cross out Fred and George's names. Snape has to know the letter came from Evans, and not from my brothers," Ron reminded Neville.

"I will. We'll owl post it tonight," Neville reassured confidently. He noticed Hermione was looking at him disapprovingly. "Oh, come on, Hermione. He would have sent it to Snape, anyway. We're just prodding it along a little bit."


A popping sound interrupted their conversation. Dobby had appeared in Harry's bedroom. He informed them dinner was ready. Ron was the first one out of the door, followed by Neville. They rushed to their bedroom for a quick change of clothes. Then, they quickly headed to the dueling room to remove the evidence of their misfortune. To their consternation, the black ink on their faces and spiky hairs couldn't be removed. They would have to ask Hermione, or worse, Madam Pomfrey, to fix it.

They were waiting for the girls in the first floor landing in the main hall, when Charlie and Hestia walked in. Neville saw them quirked their eyebrows. There was a big smile on their faces threatening to burst into a gale of laughter. Neville had the presence of mind to forestall the oncoming teasing. "Don't ask. Don't laughed either. We had enough of that from the girls." Charlie made a zipping gesture across his mouth, but their amusement was very much evident.

"Have you found Harry?" a worried voice asked. Neville and Ron turned around and saw Hermione, Susan, Luna, Ginny, and Cho standing on the last two steps. They also had a change of clothes. The girls joined the two boys and gathered in a half-circle around Charlie and Hestia.

The two Order members shook their heads. "I gather he hasn't arrived yet?" Charlie asked carefully. Hermione as well as the others shook their head. "This is bad. Something must have happened to him." At seeing Hermione's worried expression, Charlie comfortingly added, "But don't you worry. Anyone who can fight Greyback sure knows how to defend himself."

"Listen, why don't we all go to the kitchen and eat dinner. Charlie is going to report the situation to Professor Dumbledore. Maybe, he can help." Hestia diplomatically told the group. "He'll let us know as soon as they find Harry." Hermione looked dubiously at them. She would have asked more questions, if her friends didn't pull her along with them.


Earlier that same day at Hogwarts, Albus Dumbledore was sitting tensely in his office waiting for the arrival of several Order members. It was an unplanned meeting. Voldemort was clearly behind the deaths and disappearances of several witches and wizards. He had to do something. And for that, he needed information to plan his best course of action. His other concern was Neville Longbottom. From the result of Neville's OWL, he failed Severus' cut-off mark. This would not do. The boy dreamed of becoming an auror like his parents.

Dumbledore momentarily looked at the clock. It was almost three thirty in the afternoon. He went back to his musing. He tried to think of a way he could get Neville in Severus' class without offending his Potions Master. After a while, his eyes gleamed with mischief. "I will just give him what he wants," he said, thinking out loud. For a moment, he considered his plan from all angles looking for flaws. He smiled proudly. It was perfect.

He reached for his lemon drop candies and picked one. He relaxed on his chair while taking off the candy wrapper. He smiled at Fawkes, his phoenix. With twinkling eyes, he said, "This will be an interesting year, my friend. If everything goes as I envisioned, I shall, as the muggles were fond of saying, 'kill two phoenixes with one stone'." Fawkes, which was preening his feathers, suddenly stopped. He glared at the headmaster and squawked angrily. "It was just a figure of speech Fawkes... just a figure of speech." Dumbledore laughed heartily.

No sooner after that, three knocks sounded on his door. Disregarding his phoenix's belligerent attitude, Dumbledore allowed the visitors entrance. First group of Order members entered. They were Professors McGonagall, Flitwick, Snape and Hagrid. James and Lily Potter with Remus, and Tonks arrived next. Last to arrive comprised of Mrs. Weasley, Bill, Shacklebolt, Mad Eye, and Dung. They went through a bookshelf along the side wall. When activated, the bookshelf served as a portal much like the one at platform nine and three quarter. It led to the headmaster's adjoining meeting chamber.


When everyone found their seats, Dumbledore stood up and began his greeting. "Thank you all for coming here. The three hundred forty-seven meeting of the Order of the Phoenix is now in session." Dumbledore paused to acknowledge each member. "As you know, Voldemort has been openly attacking muggle, and muggle-born families. For some weeks now, Ministry officials as well as shop owners from Diagon Alley have been targeted also. I called you all here to formulate a plan to stop these senseless killings." Dumbledore looked intently at each of the Order members' faces. He sat down and turned to the Potions Master on his left. "Severus, do you have anything to report?"

"I am sorry, headmaster." Snape lowered his head as if in embarrassment. "The Dark Lord suspected there are spies among his Death Eaters. He conducts his meetings on a one to one basis."

"So, what you're telling us is you're useless?" Mad Eye retorted harshly. "Maybe, we should just throw you out the window since you can't earn your keep."

Snape snidely answered, "You talked, of course, from experience. Was it comfortable sleeping in an old school trunk? We did not hear anything from you for a whole year."

Mad Eye sinisterly glared at the Potions Master. "I don't trust you, Snape. When you show your true color, it will give me great pleasure to dispose of you," Mad Eye growled threateningly. Snape glared back at him with hatred.

"Moody! Professor Snape! Squabbling amongst ourselves is not helping." Professor McGonagall intervened sternly. "I suggest we set aside our differences and focus on how to stop You-Know-Who."

"Thank you, Minerva." Dumbledore looked disappointedly at Severus and Mad Eye. "What about among his rank of Death Eaters? Have you heard anything from them?"

Snape was silent for a moment. "If there is something you want to tell us, now is the good time to do it. Not after the killing was done," Mad Eye said looking hard at him. Snape still didn't answer. "Snape! Answer me, damn it!"

"Alastor, have patience please." Dumbledore turned to his Potions Master. "Severus, have you heard something?" He studied the Potions Master's face but he couldn't divine anything from his deadpan expression.

"Nobody knows exactly what the Dark Lord is planning. Any information was exclusively reserved to his most trusted Death Eaters," Severus said softly. Everyone waited patiently for Snape to continue. "However, several Death Eaters have hinted that the Dark Lord shall personally eliminate a serious threat to his existence. No one knows the identity of this said threat only that he is a Hogwarts professor."

Everyone turned their heads to Professor Dumbledore. "Me? It is a big possibility," the headmaster commented logically.

"Of course, it's not you, professor!" Tonks exclaimed, rejecting the idea. She saw James rolled his eyes. He probably thought it was a waste of time. Snape's report seemed like a leaking cauldron which couldn't hold any potion. Tonks, nevertheless, continued unperturbed, "I mean, everyone knows you are a threat to Voldemort, so why would his Death Eaters even talk about it. It doesn't make any sense."

"Maybe, he finally found a way to kill the headmaster," Bill voiced thoughtfully. The incongruity of what he said escaped him.

"Maybe..." Tonks answered absent-mindedly. But, she wasn't convinced. "...Or, maybe, he was referring to another Hogwarts professor." Her eyes traveled to the Potions Master.

Everyone turned their heads to Snape. He looked back at them in surprise and disbelief. "Me? Why would the Dark Lord kill me? I am no threat to him," he spluttered.

"I wouldn't be too sure," Mad Eye said grinning wickedly. "Obviously, Voldemort is getting suspicious of your double dealing and he wanted to nip it in the bud."

"What? That is preposterous!" Snape looked outrage. "If the Dark Lord wanted to kill me, he would have done it without the need for a plan. Besides, I am not the only male professor of this school." He frowningly looked at the diminutive Charms professor.

Everyone turned their heads to Professor Flitwick. His body barely cleared the tabletop. There was a surprise look on his face. "Me?" he peeped. He couldn't for the life of him understand why the most evil wizard alive would be interested in him. He started to fidget on his seat at the attention he was receiving. "I know I am an elite duelist, but my skill is nothing compared to Albus or Voldemort. I am definitely sure he is referring to you Severus." Professor Flickwick stared hard at Snape daring him to deny it.


Dumbledore intervened at that point. It seemed the discussion was veering away from the goal of this meeting. "I believe, whoever this professor, Voldemort targeted, will be revealed in the future. For the meantime, let us set it aside and proceed to other matters." Dumbledore waited for any objection. When none was forthcoming, he continued, "Mundungus, have you heard anything from your associates?"

"No one is talking, headmaster," Dung reported sadly. "You-Know-Who got everyone spooked. Not surprising, shop owners kept disappearing left and right. All believed You-Know-Who is behind these disappearances."

Dumbledore nodded thinking hard. "James, what about Chief Robards? Has he done anything about these disappearances?"

"He ordered every available auror he could spare to patrol Diagon Alley and Knockturn Alley," James said tiredly. He had been pulling double shift from lack of manpower. "Investigators assigned to the disappearances drew blank. Chief Robards has started recruitment for more auror. But, it will take sometime before they will be ready for duty."

"Dumbledore, what about the minister? Has he asked for foreign support?" Mad Eye asked in a grouchy voice. Mad Eye's question sparked a round of debate. It took more than an hour on the Order meeting's agenda. Everyone felt the Ministry was procrastinating. And no amount of pressure seemed to budge the minister. What started as a strong front against You-Know-Who somehow fizzled out along the way.

Dumbledore sighed heavily. "I was in the minister's office earlier today. He is very much aware of the threat, having lived through it years ago. But, like Fudge, he does not want to alarm the public unduly." He had urged the minister to step up the campaign against Voldemort. It seemed he was more interested with The-Boy-Who-Lived, if his constant owl to Neville was any indication. "There may be few of us. But, I believe we can..." Whatever he was going to say was cut short by a loud voice emanating from his office.


"Professor Dumbledore! Professor Dumbledore! Are you there? This is Charlie." The voice of the dragon-keeper reverberated inside the headmaster's office.

Without being asked, Mrs. Weasley stood up and walked through the wall to the headmaster's office. She effortlessly kneeled in front of the fireplace. "Charlie, Professor Dumbledore couldn't talk to you right now. We're having a meeting. Did something happen at the Headquarter?" she asked in a worried voice.

"Yes." When he heard his mother gasped of surprise, he quickly added, "Ron and Ginny, as well as their friends, are all fine. Could you tell Professor Dumbledore to let me floo in, mum? You and the others can listen when I tell my report to the headmaster."

Lily and James couldn't believe what they were hearing. Harry was missing and possibly in danger. Ever since he was reintroduced to the magical world, he was involved in one form of scuffle or another. They didn't know if this usually happened to him before. But, it seemed fate was trying to test Harry's mettle. If his life would be constantly in danger, Lily and James thought it would have been better if he never developed his magical power. At least, he would be safe and unaware of the danger in the wizarding world.