WHO: Albus Dumbledore, James Potter, and Lily Evans
WHAT: Discussing plans for the Order of the Phoenix
WHERE: Dumbledore's office, corridors
WHEN: Saturday
“So, Mister Potter, Miss Evans, would you care to explain your need for a meeting with me today, a day when you’re allowed out of the school for some carefree fun? You both look far too nervous for a pair of prefects asking to skip a day of rounds. But, if you’re here to help me form a secret society to start an underground revolution to stop Voldemort and his followers, then, well. You have a reason to be nervous.”
James opened his mouth to agree with the Headmaster, and then froze. Had he? Oh. Oh. He’d already thought of it. James felt a huge wave of relief rush through him---he wasn’t---he and Lily weren’t mad for thinking about this. They absolutely didn’t have the fleshed out plans James assumed Dumbledore did, but—the idea was there.
“Oh. Yes, that’s exactly it.” James turned to Lily, just a bit shocked.
“Miss. Evans, what is your opinion on this?”
Lily hardly knew what to say, but despite her shock, she at least managed not to allow her mouth to gape open unflatteringly. She nodded a bit numbly and gave a quick glance to James before turning her attention back to Dumbledore.
"Uh, well, the same as--wait, you've been expecting something like this?" she asked increduously, unable to help herself. She knew of course that the headmaster was a brilliant mind who seemed almost omniscient at times, but he had nailed the reason for their visit so spot on that it had to make her wonder at least a little.
James watched as Dumbledore nodded, a small grin flitting onto his face.
“Actually, Professor McGonagall and I had just finalized our list of students that I believe will—well, let’s just say that I do not think that their opinions on the war will not differ greatly from yours. They are all of legal age,” James watched the headmaster’s eyes as they clouded over slightly, “It pains me to even thnk of asking someone to end their childhood, but with the regulations the Ministry is placing upon us, I feel I have no choice. No one is required to accept the invitation, but I want you two to make sure no invitation is wasted.”
Dumbledore waved his hand and a dressed behind him opened and he pulled out a roll of parchment, leaning over his desk and handing the roll to James.
“For your behalf, I do not believe that…details need to be given at this moment. I trust your opininon, and I do trust that, you will keep this between yourself and your most trusted.”
Otto Bagman
Sirius Black
Edgar Bones
Caradoc Dearborn
Lily Evans
Elizabeth Fortescue
Alice Goodsmith
Galvin Gudgeon
Frank Longbottom
Remus Lupin
Marissa MacFusty
Dorcas Meadows
Marlene McKinnon
James Potter
Fabian Prewett
Gideon Prewett
Agatha Timms
Emmeline VanceLily leaned over a bit to read over--fine, to the side of--James' shoulder at the list.
It surprised her slightly that she wasn't shocked by any of Dumbledore's and McGonagall's choices. She smiled a little while, scrolling down, she came across Liz's name--that was a good choice, she thought, and not just because she was biased towards her best friend. Down and down and there were scrawled Sirius Black and Remus Lupin, but then...
There was no Peter on the list. Lily furrowed her brow and tried not to look up at James. She wondered if he'd say anything about it.
James had noticed it right away and was staring hard at the spot where Peter’s name should be, but knew he couldn’t bring up the fact to Dumbledore at this moment. If he and McGonagall had actually discussed and gone over this list, then…they didn’t think Peter could do it. He had to change their opinion at some point, he’d have to get Peter to prove himself, because James knew how loyal and devoted of a friend, of a person, Peter could be, and that was more valuable to their agenda than sheer ability.
“I trust that by the New Year we will be discussing these plans in full,” Dumbledore said, placing his clasped hands on his desk. James tried to look natural, but something in the way Dumbledore looked at him told him that he was acknowledging his worries. “Is that all? I hope I’m not interrupting any plans you two might have for the weekend.”
Dumbledore grinned and James flushed, standing. “No, I---I think that’s it.”
Lily nodded, slightly--totally, rather--perlexed as to why James hadn't said anything about Peter's absence on the list to Dumbledore. It could have been, she thought, that he hadn't noticed it, but--no, that was impossible. He and Sirius might have ignored Peter at times in the past when pretending not to be associated with him, but they were still best friends and she knew James had to have noticed it there. So then why...
"Thank you for your time, Professor," Lily said, giving him a half-smile. She took James' arm and nudged him towards the door, the names on the list still running through her head. Yes, Marlene was good--and Frank and Dorcas and the Prewetts, of course. But Alice? She was good, but Lily sometimes worried at the girl's flakiness. And she was slightly worried about Emmeline Vance too--she was only a sixth year, after all. Huh.
James nodded at the headmaster and started down the escalator like stairwell that led back into the corridors. He rode the stairs in silence, looking quite thoughtful as there were thousands of things running through his mind. They’d barely said a word, but suddenly their lives were ready to change forever. How was that even possible? James had imagined that the idea of starting a group like this would be startling, but---
“So, it’s actually happening,” James said, stepping out into the corridor after the gargoyle jumped away. “And—he’s got…Peter’s not on there, did you see?” he asked her, his worry showing immediately now that they were out of the Headmaster’s office.
Yes, she knew he couldn't have just not noticed, and she had been right. Lily couldn't help but pat herself on the back a bit for having been able to anticipate it--it meant that she was beginning to know him relatively well.
Her victory didn't last long, though, as the concern for the absense of his friend's name showed through his visage. "I saw," she said quietly. Of course she understood why Dumbledore and McGonagall would not include Pettigrew--after all, he wasn't much of a Gryffindor as far as the bravery went--but that didn't mean she knew what to say to James about it. "Maybe they just overlooked him. I mean, I'm sure if you brought it up with Dumbledore--he knows how much you trust Peter."
He was eternally grateful that Lily hadn’t defended Dumbledore and McGonagall’s decision, because he might have said some things he would definitely regret. Lily could tell that this was bothering him greatly and James appreciated her ability to read him so well. Well, he had blurted his concerns, but she still could have picked a fight.
“I suppose,” he answered quietly, though James knew better. If only Dumbledore and McGonagall knew that Peter was an animagus---that would surely clear any doubts of his friend’s magical abilities. James knew that Peter could be an amazing wizard when he put his mind to it and not think about. “It’s a good group of people, even though I can’t stand Gideon. And oh look---your other boyfriend is here too.”
James shook his head holding back a grin as he slung an arm around Lily’s shoulders, feeling a bit tired now.
Lily rolled her eyes, albeit not out of any genuine annoyance. "Oh good, I'll have something pretty to look at during meetings," she retorted with a smirk.
The Gryffindor knew better than to think that James had just totally let go the whole thing with Peter, but she ascertained that for now, it was probably best to leave it lie. They still had time before New Years and she was certain that James would be using the time until then to persuade Dumbledore that Peter would be a good addition to this little group. Lily herself still didn't know whether or not that was true, but it wasn't like she had anything against Peter, so she would keep her mouth shut about it.
James had to let out a laugh at that, pressing his face against the top of her head. Even though his head was spinning with ‘what-ifs’ and ‘what now?’ he felt a bit relieved. He’d decided on approaching Dumbledore about this because of Lily, and now that something he could be apart of was getting done to help fight Voldemort…damn, it was a good, refreshing feeling.
It was probably one of the last days he could feel so calm about the war, now that he and Lily had absolutely (he believed) signed up for it, but James decided to appreciate it as they walked back toward Gryffindor Tower. He liked how empty the corridors were because of the Hogsmeade weekend, only the random first thru third year running around.
“Do you have any ideas on how to…” James scrunched his nose, “make sure everyone should be on the list?” He held it tightly in his hand, greatly understanding its importance.
Lily sighed. "I don't know. I'm sure we could come up with something--like, a charm or whatever--I don't know--but it's going to take some brainstorming," she said, sounding thoughtful. "Whatever method we use to validate everyone, it'd have to be something surreptitious and indirect. Just asking questions for most people just won't work--it's too easy for people to lie, and that's what we don't want..."
She was surprised she was getting so in thoughtful about this whole thing already, but it deserved a lot of thought, didn't it? It was a potentially life-altering decision to even propose this idea, and now they were committed (well, in a sense) to it. It did deserve to be dwelled on at least a bit.
James nodded, thinking of his discussion with Remus. He’d told his friend that he was interested in fighting his own way against Voldemort, but the fact that Dumbledore had things already planned would remain a secret for the moment. Though, James knew he could trust the Marauders with anything, so he wasn’t really bothered that Remus might have an idea of what was going on. It was good, to know that he and Lily weren’t the only two people in the world with an inkling about this.
“A charm… you know, I’m sure I’ve come across something like that in my years as a pureveyor of magical mischief,” James said thoughtfully, looking up at the high ceilings of the castle. “With a little research we can find something, I’m sure.”
Though, James was quite sure at this moment that he wasn’t going to charm any of the boys (maybe even Frank) about this; that felt almost like a betrayal of sorts, even though it was really precautionary. Sometimes he wished that he wasn’t so loyal, but bloody hell, he was a Gryffindor.
Lily nodded in response, offhandedly muttering the password to the Tower to the Fat Lady as they approached her portrait hole. If they needed to make up a charm, she was sure that she could do that, but--yes, finding a pre-made charm would definitely be a lot less stressful and a lot less work.
Although there were already people she knew she didn't want to use it on. Liz, for one. She had known the girl for forever and as unsafe as it sounded, she felt like (no, she knew;) she knew her well enough to judge her character as good without a questioning. And then... well, there was Marlie.
As much as they had hated each other just months before, Lily felt like in the little time in which they had overcome their feud, she had gotten enough of a feel for the girl to tell her that she was not a bad person. Really, even when they were fighting, it would have been a difficult thing for Lily to say that Marlene was a morally evil person (and in fact, it was more she herself that had been the morally evil one, she thought, cringing a bit).
"We can start looking tomorrow. For today... well, I'm looking forward to relaxing a bit."
