TW AND CW: light mentions of violence and death

Gideon and Fabian gestured for all of us to take a seat on the comfy couch until the rest of the Order arrived.

Over the next 5-10 minutes of chatting and joking, more people came.

McGonagall, Hagrid, Arabella Figg, and Kingsley Shacklebolt were among some of the older people in the Order.

Peter, Sturgis Podmore, Emmeline Vance, Frank Longbottom, and Dorcas Meadowes were some of the youngest. They had just graduated, like me.

Dumbledore joined us in a couple of minutes, after Fabian and Gideon had asked the 'security questions' to him. They mostly consisted of random stuff like, 'What's your favorite flavor of jam?' Which, by the way, was raspberry.

Raspberry sucks, man.

Dumbledore cleared his throat quietly, but everyone heard the authoritative tone and quieted down.

"Welcome to the first Order of the Phoenix meeting," said Dumbledore calmly. "We are gathered to fight Voldemort and his group of supporters and stop the continuation of mass murders and attacks."

Many people gasped at the sound of Voldemort's name. Dorcas Meadowes fell off of her chair with a thud.

A/n: CUE MINNIE OUR QUEEN-

McGonagall pursed her lips. "A fear of the name only increases fear of the thing itself. You can't possibly expect to fight Voldemort if you can't even say his name."

"GO MINNIE!!!" said Sirius loudly, breaking the silence.

I snorted and shoved him with my elbow, as if to say, "Shush!"

Dumbledore was amused.

McGonagall wasn't.

"Anyways," continued Dumbledore. "Today was just a general meet-up to get to know one another a little. We can't fight side by side if we don't know each other."

This lightened the air.

I saw Emmeline Vance giggling.

My reminiscent memories clouded Dumbledore's speech out.

I remembered Emmeline from school. She was a particularly smart Ravenclaw student, always helping me with my History of Magic homework when I needed the help.

We sat together in the library, giggling and immediately shutting up when Madam Pince glared at us.

Then I started thinking of Dorcas Meadowes. She was a very sweet Hufflepuff who could always put a smile on my face when I felt down.

We used to exchange snacks every week and chat about class in the kitchens.

And I hadn't known Frank Longbottom that well. But I knew he was a pretty nice guy. He would come down from the boys dormitory stairs and give anyone who was being bullied a hug.

Then he went and gave the bullies a week-long detention.

As my mind clouded over again and I started thinking about what I wanted for dinner tonight, Sirius jabbed me in the ribs.

"Ow!" I said. "Why'd you-? Oh."

Everyone was looking at me.

Dumbledore was looking at my face expectantly, as if expecting an answer to a question.

"43," I answered confidently.

"Miss McKinnon," said McGonagall with a sigh. "He was asking for you to tell us what ward your father was placed in at St. Mungos the night... you know."

My face blanched white. I couldn't see it, but I knew it had.

"Er..."

Sirius grasped my hand reassuringly.

"Spell Damage," I said quietly, not knowing how exactly to feel.

Dumbledore nodded curtly. "We were wondering if he's in a state to tell us anything about his encounter with the Death Eaters."

"Dunno," I said simply.

"If you could go to St. Mungos anytime soon and see, that would be appreciated," said Dumbledore kindly.

"Yeah, alright," I said, sucking on my teeth nervously.

They went back to their conversation. I felt a tear prick the corner of my eye. Wiping it away furiously, I took in a deep breath and went back to my musing.

I was completely allowed to visit my dad since the day he was placed in St. Mungos.

I just didn't do it.

I couldn't give myself hope again that he would live. I didn't want to make myself happy again and then... just be not happy.

Sirius was still clutching my hand, rubbing a gentle circle on it with his thumb.

I smiled weakly at him. 

"Alright!" said Gideon, standing up. "That's it for today. Same time next week, Professor?"

Dumbledore nodded. "Thank you for letting us use your home."

"Ah, anytime," said Fabian, waving it off. 

I waved at everyone and hugged Alice once before she, Remus, and Peter had to leave to their own homes.

Lily and James stayed with Sirius and I, though.

"She's decided she'll be staying with us for tonight," said James excitedly. "Lily wants to teach me how to turn on a Muggle moving box."

I raised an eyebrow. "What?"

"He means a television," Lily sighed. "And he was scared of the non-moving pictures at my house. He literally jumped away from them. Who's the Gryffindor now, Jamie?"

James snorted. "I could beat a dragon anyday."

"You once screamed because you saw a spider on my bed," I said with a smirk. "Super courageous, Prongslette."

"How come I don't have any cool nicknames?" whined Sirius.

I grinned and ruffled his hair. "You'll always be Burp Master to me."

It's funny how people can go from sobbing one minute to laughing another when they're with their friends.

Guess friendship is the greatest thing in the world.

A/n: I hope you guys liked the early chapter! I'm doing a bunch of them earlier now because even I can't wait to get to the interesting parts ahhhhh! 

Hope you guys enjoyed and thanks for all the reads! Love you all so much :)

- Jui Weasley