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Chapter 590: The Order of the Phoenix
🕑 Added 2025-03-07 12:35:01 +0000 UTCKyle didn't understand what the Ministry wanted with the letter. Was it a warning to keep his mouth shut? Or was there another reason entirely?
That evening, he brought it up with Chris, but like Mr. Weasley, Chris had no answers.
“Mafalda Hopkirk from the Improper Use of Magic Office was just following orders,” Chris said. “I went to the Minister's office afterward, but someone mentioned that Fudge has been away for the past two days and hasn’t returned.”
He gave Kyle a reassuring pat on the shoulder.
“Don’t worry. Mafalda said it was just a routine inquiry. After all, there’s no proof you used a spell in the Leaky Cauldron, is there? Besides, this sort of thing won’t interfere with your normal start to the school year… but that Harry Potter might be in trouble.”
“Does the Ministry actually want to expel Harry?” Kyle asked.
“No, it’s something else,” Chris replied, shaking his head. “Alastor and Sirius think the Dementor attack on Harry was most likely orchestrated by You-Know-Who.”
“Dementor?” Kyle echoed in surprise.
“Yes. Otherwise, Harry wouldn’t have needed to use the Patronus Charm in front of those three Muggles.”
Chris poured himself a cup of strong tea before continuing. “Dementors showing up in the Muggle world and trying to eat the souls of three Muggles… To be honest, nothing like this has ever happened before.”
“It’s certainly unusual,” Kyle agreed.
As far as Kyle knew, Dementors were strictly confined to the island of Azkaban. The primary role of the Hit Wizards stationed there wasn’t to prevent prisoner escapes but to monitor the Dementors, ensuring they couldn’t slip away unnoticed.
If the Dementors had appeared in Little Whinging, it couldn’t have happened without the Ministry of Magic’s approval. Of course, Voldemort couldn’t be ruled out, but if he had taken control of Azkaban, he wouldn’t waste time releasing just one or two Dementors to target Harry.
No, it was far more likely the Ministry was involved. Still, such a tactic seemed almost laughably crude.
Kyle mulled this over as he chatted with Chris a while longer. Eventually, he excused himself and went upstairs to his room.
...
Over the next few days, the Weasley family next door became unexpectedly busy, and Kyle didn’t see Mrs. Weasley for two or three days.
Once, when he visited their house, he found them packing as though they were preparing to move.
“What are you doing?” he asked curiously.
“We’re heading to a place you’d never guess,” Fred and George said, setting down their suitcases and hurrying over to him. Fred’s ears had turned slightly red with excitement.
“Fred! George!”
At that moment, Mrs. Weasley, who hadn’t been seen in days, walked briskly into the room. “Hurry up and pack your things! We need to leave soon,” she said, her voice firm.
Noticing Kyle standing nearby, she softened her tone. “Are you all right, dear?” she asked, stepping closer to give him a warm hug. “I heard about what happened. You’ve been troubled by the Ministry of Magic as well.”
“It’s fine, Mrs. Weasley,” Kyle assured her. “It was just a routine inquiry. Are you leaving?”
“Yes, to a… well, safer place,” Mrs. Weasley said, hesitating for a moment before continuing. “All right, Dumbledore said we didn’t need to hide anything from you.”
She led Kyle aside to a quieter corner.
“What I’m about to tell you might sound unbelievable, but it’s all true. To better fight the resurgence of You-Know-Who, Dumbledore has reactivated the Order of the Phoenix—a group formed over a decade ago to battle the Death Eaters. We’re heading to its temporary headquarters, which also happens to be Sirius’s home.”
“12 Grimmauld Place?” Kyle asked.
Mrs. Weasley looked surprised. “How did you know…? Oh, of course. I suppose that’s why Dumbledore didn’t see the need to keep it from you. You’ve been there before, haven’t you?”
“Yes, but it wasn’t the Order’s headquarters back then.”
“That’s right. It was only designated as such recently.”
Mrs. Weasley glanced at the clock and added, “Why don’t you come with us? It would be safer. I can talk to Chris about it.”
Kyle thought about her offer but politely declined. “Thanks, Mrs. Weasley, but I can’t. My mother insisted I stay home for the holidays, and I promised her I wouldn’t go anywhere.”
Mrs. Weasley nodded understandingly. “If it’s Diana’s request, then that’s that. Stay safe.”
As she turned back to the packing, Kyle stopped her. “Mrs. Weasley, will all the members of the Order of the Phoenix be going to Grimmauld Place?”
“Most of them, yes,” she replied.
“What about my dad? Is he going?”
Mrs. Weasley shook her head. “No, Chris isn’t officially a member of the Order of the Phoenix yet.”
“What?” Kyle said, surprised. He had always assumed his father was part of the Order.
“Technically, he’s involved,” Mrs. Weasley explained. “But he’s never been on the formal roster. Back then, Chris was working with Mr. Scamander, handling werewolves, giants, and other dangerous magical creatures. He was fighting on a different front from us."
“The Order mainly focused on combating Death Eaters and supporting their victims. Chris didn’t feel his work aligned with the Order’s mission, even though neither Dumbledore nor the rest of us saw it that way. He turned down membership."
“Before Dumbledore could ask him a third time, the situation changed—You-Know-Who was defeated by Harry, and the matter was dropped.”
“I see,” Kyle said, understanding his father’s reasoning.
“But that’s only temporary,” Mrs. Weasley added with a smile. “I’m sure it won’t be long before Chris is formally part of the Order. It’s just a matter of time.”
“And maybe I’ll be on the list someday too,” Kyle said, smiling.
Mrs. Weasley’s expression turned serious. “No, I don’t think so. Alastor suggested it, but I told him it was far too hasty. You’re just a child, Kyle. You haven’t even graduated yet. It’s our responsibility to handle this, not yours.”
“Mrs. Weasley—”
Kyle began to protest, but a loud honk from outside interrupted him. A sleek new car pulled into St. Catchpole Village, the same one Sirius had purchased to pick them up at King’s Cross Station.
Mr. Weasley leaned out of the driver’s seat. “Are you ready, boys? We need to leave right away!”
“Sorry, dear. I have to go.”
Mrs. Weasley gave Kyle another hug. “If you notice anything suspicious around here, promise me you’ll write to us immediately.”
“I will, Mrs. Weasley. Be careful.”
“You too, dear.”
