Bonded

Nine

"Where's Voldemort?" Harry asked. At the mention of Voldemort's name Fred's hand tightened around Calliope's, and there was a collective shudder around the table, "What's he doing? I've been trying to watch the muggle news, and there hasn't been anything that looks like him yet, no funny deaths or anything."

"That's because there haven't been any funny deaths yet," said Sirius, "not as far as we know, and we know quite a lot."

"More than he thinks we do anyway," Offered Remus.

"Because of Snape?" Calliope asked.

"Yes, Severus has given the Order useful information," Eliphias nodded.

"How come Voldemort has stopped killing people?" Harry ignored the brief exchange between the Doges.

"Because he doesn't want to draw attention to himself. It would be dangerous for him," said Sirius, "His comeback didn't go quite as planned you see. He messed it up."

"Or rather the three of you," Remus gestured at Calliope, Fred and Harry, "messed it up for him."

"How?" Fred frowned.

"You weren't supposed to survive and escape," Sirius said, "Nobody apart from his Death Eaters was supposed to know he'd come back. He meant to keep Calliope, he seems to believe that she could be of use to him," at this Calliope shuddered, causing Fred to wrap an arm around her shoulders, "and Harry and Fred were supposed to die, but you all survived to bear witness."

"And the very last person he wanted to be alerted to his return the moment he got back was Dumbledore," said Lupin, "and you made sure he knew at once."

"How has that helped?" Harry asked.

"Are you kidding?" said Bill incredulously, "Dumbledore was the only one You-Know-Who was ever scared of!"

"Thanks to you, Dumbledore was able to recall the Order of the Phoenix about an hour after Voldemort returned," smiled Sirius.

"So what has the Order been doing then?" Calliope asked, "apart from having loads of meetings."

"We've been working as hard as we can to make sure Voldemort can't carry out his plans," said Sirius.

"How'd you know what his plans are?" Harry demanded.

"Dumbledore's got an idea," Lupin said, "and Dumbledore's ideas are normally accurate."

"So what does Dumbledore reckon he's planning?"

"Well, firstly he wants to build his army up again, he's trying to recruit the giants and a variety of dark creatures, and ramp up his number of followers. Get back to his old numbers," Sirius answered.

"So you're trying to stop him from getting more followers?" Harry asked, "but people don't even believe he's back!"

"So we've been trying to convince people that he is," said Bill, "but it's proving tricky. With the ministry being all anti-Dumbledore..." Bill trailed off, "Fudge is frightened of what Dumbledore is up to, he think's that Dumbledore is plotting to overthrow him and become Minister for Magic."

"But of course that's not what Dumbledore wants," said Arthur, "but Fudge has never forgotten how much more popular Dumbledore was than him, even though Dumbledore never applied."

"Fudge has convinced himself that he's the clever one and that Dumbledore is stirring up trouble," nodded Lupin, "Fudge has become fond of power. He loves being Minister for Magic, and he's scared that Dumbledore is going to take it away from him. Whilst the Ministry insists there is nothing to fear from Voldemort, it's hard to convince people otherwise."

"But it's not just followers that Voldemort is after," said Sirius morbidly, "he's got other plans too, plans he can put into operation very quietly indeed, we think he's concentrating on those for the moment."

"What does he want other than followers?" Fred asked with a frown.

Sirius and Lupin exchanged a look, that most people missed because of how fleeting it was.

"Stuff he can only get by stealth," Sirius said carefully. When he was only met by puzzled looks he tried to give a bit more information, without giving too much away, "like a weapon. Something he  didn't have last time."

"What kind of weapon?" asked Harry quickly, "something worse than Avada Kedavra-?"

"That's enough!" Molly spoke loudly and clearly, "I want you in bed, now. All of you. "

"You can't boss us-" protested George.

"Watch me," she snarled.

"I think Molly is right Sirius," Lupin said quietly to Sirius, who looked as though he was about to begin protesting, "we've said enough."

These words were all that it took for Molly to swiftly begin herding them all out of the room. As they all clambered up the stone steps, Calliope could hear every footstep from where she remained sitting in her chair beside her grandfather.

"Calliope dear, I think you should-" Elphias began.

"Can I just ask one more think Grandpa? It won't take a second," Calliope pleaded.

"Go on," Elphias sighed.

Calliope turned to face the rest of the Order members left in the room, "does Dumbledore know anything about the bond?"

"The bond between you and Fred you mean?" Lupin asked Calliope nodded her response, "Calliope, what you must understand is that you have ventured into realms of magic that have never been explored before. Never has there ever been a mixture of banshee and wizarding blood before. Dumbledore is trying his best to find out more, he has many useful contacts, but he has a lot on his plate at the moment. You must be aware that Voldemort wants you just as much as he wants Harry."