ᴅɪsᴘᴇʟ ᴍʏ ʙᴏʀᴇᴅᴏᴍ | ᴍᴀʀᴀᴅᴇᴜʀs' ᴇʀᴀ

Chapter 29: Anchor

Dumbledore paced around his office, nine pairs of troubled eyes following him steadily. Here and there, back and forth. Headmaster was silent for about ten minutes, tightly pursing his lips.

Finally, the door to the office creaked once again and James Potter rushed inside. Looking around, he opened his mouth to apologize, but stumbling upon Dumbledore's gaze, immediately slammed it shut and sat on the floor next to Marlene.

"Did he say anything?" James whispered to the girl.

"No, Mr. Potter, I was waiting for you," Dumbledore said coolly.

"I'm... there..."

"At least something in the world remains unchanged," headmaster smiled. He looked around the crowd and sighed heavily. Kids, just kids.

Marlene McKinnon anxiously fingered the folds of her torn colorful skirt. They say that if it were not for Black who pushed the girl away in time, a green flash would've cut off Marlene from this life. However, even if so, she could've taken three Death Eaters with her.

Frank Longbottom, an amazing young man with calm gray eyes. He looked at Dumbledore with no fear, ready to rush into the very hell. Trembling Alice sat beside him, clasping Frank's hand and looking with her huge blue eyes at headmaster. Nervousness in half with sparkling happiness flashing in them, they got engaged that day, not wanting to wait anymore.

Emmeline Vance from the sixth year of Ravenclaw. She was the first to run from the gate of Hogwarts to the crowd of returning students, trying to find Edgar Bones. Finding Edgar unconscious, Vance silently sat at his bed all night. Having heard about the gathering in headmaster's office, she went inside and settled on the floor. Her gaze was adamant; like an indestructible rock, she froze in the middle of the room and stubbornly looked at the headmaster.

Gideon and Fabian Prewetts, graduated two years ago, flew in the night at the request of Dumbledore. It was weird to see their cheerless faces and angry eyes. Both are unbearably ginger, like a fire burning in the night, both ready to go to the very end.

Dorcas Meadows from Gryffindor, an extraordinarily talented and powerful witch. She personally took the most of Beauxbatons' younger students out of collapsing building, four times coming back for them under flashes of deadly spells. Falling out of the window at the end, she managed to levitate to the ground, then continued the persecution of unfortunate Death Eater and "burst" him with spell like a balloon.

Dedalus Diggle and Caradoc Dearborn, Dumbledore's old friends, stood side by side, with ill-concealed annoyance looking at teenagers. Albus knew how much they admired the courage of these children and how much they hated the dark wizard who was the reason why teenagers had to fight along with adults.

Albus looked around again and finally sat down in his chair.

"I asked some of you to come. Some of you," he smirked, looking at Vance, "came by yourselves. The Order of the Phoenix is small and needs proven people who can be trusted unconditionally. You might wonder, why I didn't invite Aurors or other adult wizards here? Why did I call the children?"

Dumbledore paused.

"Part of the Order is on the front line, fighting off the attacks of Death Eaters; part is in the Ministry... But that's not enough. Too few of us. And I can't trust unfamiliar wizards, they all can be recruited by the Lord or be under Imperius. You are irrepressible," Dumbledore smirked and teenagers nodded. "It's easier to give you a really important task than close in the room and wait for you to escape."

James raised his hand, "Where's Black, Professor?"

"Mr. Black and Miss Sprinkles are among the wizards who look after the Forbidden Forest. As you know, Miss Sprinkles knows a little bit about natural sorcery, very useful to us now. Mr. Black didn't want to let Beata go alone, especially after the fever that struck her tonight."