Order of the Phoenix Meeting 16

This was precisely why Robert had never endorsed having children involved in discussions of war. Not even if it happened on their own turf. Their lack of maturity was very likely to get them killed. Jack was clearly too young and too immature to comprehend the situation as Robert was forced to see it now. He was not merely an Order member anymore. He was also responsible for the Ministry. That made things immensely more complex in ways she didn't understand and clearly did not want to understand.

He knew the reason she was upset. At her age, he might have felt the same way himself, and he might well have been tempted to spew much of the same sentiments and whining had he found himself under the same sorts of pressure. His own family was well acquainted with war. As it was, Jack had played a part in one skirmish. She had fought well, but it was hardly a war. And it did not make her a veteran, as her adult counterparts were. And as far as he was concerned, if she chose to leave it was her business. He had no intentions of going after her. Robert was accustomed to not being famous and loved for wearing warm and fuzzy feelings on his sleeve. He was fine with people believing only the bastard they thought they saw on the surface. The people who actually knew him--some of them who were seated at the table--knew better.

"Jack," he said calmly, "At some point, do yourself a favor and look at what I actually said and not what you think you heard. Most of the people here already know I don't give a damn about how people view things. If you knew me or if you had actually known Dumbledore, you'd have known exactly what I was talking about. Not to mention that all you know about Albus Dumbledore is what you've read in your textbooks. And, actually, you're talking out of both sides of your mouth. You don't want me to consider what other people think. And in the same speech, you're asking me to consider what Sage's friends and parents think. You can't have it both ways. The next time you're going to be involved in a discussion about war, then bring your A game. And if you choose to leave, have a safe journey back to the castle."

Jacob walked into the old house and looked around the entry way for a second before he walked down to the kitchen "i'm so sorry i'm late i...was caught up" he said taking a pause as he was lost in thought. He walked to the table and sat in a empty chair he would do his normal speak if spoken to routine. Truthfully he was exhausted he had spent his day working and it didn't help some poor old lady couldn't remember where her destination was and then wouldn't stop talking about the two-dozen cats she had at home that was expecting her. snapping back he tuned in on the conversation at hand hopping he could catch onto what was being said.

Jess couldn't help but feel a sense of dread wash over him as he realised what Robert was saying, as he listened to the words coming out of the man's mouth. This was the situation he hadn't been able to think up a solution for, the one he'd been hoping to avoid all this time, the one that was most likely to cause the largest riff in the Order.

Smirking as he heard what Jack said, he shook his head wistfully and spoke. "Actually Robert," he said slowly, a look of intense concentration appearing on his face. "I'm afraid I think Jack is right, in this circumstance," he said, a look of remorse flashing across his face. He did not want to fight his friend, and he respected the position that he was putting Robert in, but surely he could see the same thing was happening, only reversed, to Jess.

"She raises all the right points, the Death Eaters have been in control of the school for over a year now, and for that time I've been hoping, praying that the Ministry would manage to settle this in their own way, through subterfuge or through simply storming the castle, however it simply hasn't happened, I've waited long enough for a rescue which, by all accounts, simply doesn't look like it's going to arrive," he said, knowing that in this instance blunt honesty was required.

"I personally," he added, "Would like to have the school return to its traditional neutrality, and I hate to bring this up with you, but the school, as you and I both know, has never been in the Ministry's hands. It would not be returning something, it would be giving. And while in most cases the phrases mean almost identical things, this time they are completely different," he said, an apologetic look crossing his face, he really, truly hated correcting Robert, and he hated arguing, but sometimes situations called for one's opinion, rather than saving feelings.

He then swapped moods, a more dark and cynical look crossing his face, and a frown showing his contempt for the next subject. "How do you know it's the end of the academic year?" He asked simply with a look of questioning. "Jack, have the end of year tests been sat yet?" He asked, "Have the preparations for graduation began, has the topic of the end of the year been broached with you staff members?" He asked, turning to WIlson for the last question. "If you were in control of the castle, would you be allowing students to leave the school, when we all know that if that student body leaves, most of it probably will not return, for the safety of Hogwarts has now been shattered beyond any hope of repair?" He asked doubtfully. He couldn't hope to comprehend the mind of a Death Eater, but if he were in their boots, and he were a little more evil, he'd be doing exactly that.

"No," he said firmly, his mouth set in a thin line. "The time for complacency and waiting for others to step in is over, if we want to achieve anything, any time soon, I believe that now is the time to launch an attack on Hogwarts. We have enough agents inside the school to secure the under 17s, and we can allow the legal adults, such as Jack here, to make up their own minds." He said to the people around the table.

"I don't want to fight the Ministry on this Robert," he then added, a more personal tone entering his voice, "But I need to choose between right and wrong, not illegal and legal, and right now the two things are throwing stark differences between the two of us. I would like to enter this war with the Ministry standing behind our backs, but if that cannot be achieved in conjunction with us trying to fight this war, then the sacrifice of our relationship," he said, now speaking not only about the Order and Ministry, but possibly Robert and Jess themselves, "Then it's a sacrifice I'm willing to make," he said, the last few words coming out quietly.

"Please, understand the position I've been placed in," He said, turning to face the rest of the Order, wondering what their response to what he'd said would be

"Then I wish you all luck," Robert said, unable to take a different path. He was tied to who he was. He had no choice. Therefore, he no longer had any point in being here. "Since you've already drawn the battle lines without talking to me yourself, Jess, I see you have chosen to fight against me rather than with me. You leave me no choice whatsoever now." He rose from the table. "That is unfortunate." He looked at Jess. "You know where to find me." This was not what he wanted. He had been hoping for alliances, not fractions in factions.

Khaat was a Ministry employee herself. She rose as well, and when she did, so did Brian, Michael and Kate.

"We fight with Robert," Michael said simply. "This will sharply affect your numbers, but best of luck to you all."
They all walked out of the kitchen, out of Grimmauld Place and out onto the sidewalk.

"You didn't have to follow me," Robert said. "I had no choice."

"Neither did we," Khaat said softly. "We're family. We fight."

Jess raised an eyebrow at the departing figure of Robert and his clan of supporters, before shrugging. "My god," he said, a frown on his face. "It's as if they're all the same person," he commented, shaking his head a little and looking back at the rest of the people before him.

"Is that not what tonight is for, to discuss?" Asked Jess, a slightly irritated note in his voice, he'd been expecting Robert to leave, but not the whole of his friends, the family perhaps, but maybe not Michael. But did Robert even remember how he came into the job of Minister? It was Jess' actions as leader of the Order which had results in his appointing as Minister, following the Order's hostile takeover in the Ministry, in order to overthrow Majere's tyrannical control of the politics there. If it weren't for his actions, chances are the Ministry would still be held by the wrong hands.

"I will not allow," Jess said after a short pause, "I will not allow myself to be blackmailed and coerced into changing my views on the world," he told them. "I will not give up what I see as being the right thing, just because someone threatens to leave, or to attack me," he told them, closing his eyes and thinking in concentration.

"Is this the right course of action?" He asked, after a short while. "If we try to bring the school back up to scratch through force, are we doing the right thing, or are we just creating a whole other spin of evil?" He asked, his voice soft and his expression slightly vulnerable.

James was looking as how Robert and Khaat and those other people left. He didn't know what to think of this. The ministry was stubborn and so was the Order. he looked at Jess, as he then stand up. "Give me a few minutes Jess."He said. He run outside as he run fast to Robert. "Mr. Lupin, Mr. Lupin."He said a bit breathless.

"Can I have a moment with you."He said. "And with the others."He said. He didn't wait for a reply since he was hoping he would get up out of it. "You might think I am crazy, but I just really want to tell you something."He said.

"I don't care about the order or not, I picked the side because I wanted protection, I am not a fighter, and you teached me to be strong and to learn to fight Robert, for justice."He said. "You gave m e the auror training, I needed and I learned disipline. Wasn't it you who always said to me in those days, that as long as the heart is pure, and you fight for the right, I will get far."He said.

"So why, Mr. Lupin, can't you pick it for Hogwarts, the school that has been everything for us, that the founders of the 4 houses has made, to teach magic, and the same lesson Professor Lupin said. Stay loyal to your heart, and to the place you care about. Did it stop him to fight for the school, no. You are the Minister of Magic I know that Robert, but I hope you understand what I said, because I am just a shopkeeper, and I need to fight every day against the dark wizard wand shop, but I sure am going to fight even if I need to die, for the school I have been raised in, and been put in the world, like you did Sir Lupin."He said as he then took a few breaths.

The situation got worse by the minute, It was hard to say if Robert would change his mind about this, but it was certain that if he doesn't, almost everybody would loose. "This is a disaster ... Not only we have to fight the Death Eaters, but we also will have the big part of the ministry on our backs." she said sounding worried and irritated at same time.

"Is he really concerned about the law or is he just being a coward. I don't see what's legal about death eaters controlling Hogwarts and he is applying law on us. What nonsense is this, i am not even sure he knows the law right now." she said remembering couple of things she knew about law, and nowhere to remember the part where fighting death eaters was illegal.

It seemed like a good moment to cheer up the situation. Mari approached Jess after standing up so quickly that she even amazed herself. "HEADS UP SOLIDER!!! You still have a decent amount of fighters in your ranks that are willing to fight. Now or later doesn't make much difference. It will be rather stupid of them to send students home. They are counting we're not dering to make a move because of them, but guess what they are underrestimating us!" she almost yelled out as a millitar officer.

"Oh and Jack i'll be going with you later to Hogwarts to talk to this Doyle. I will take care of what i'm saying, he is not sure to be trusted." she added quickly not giving up on her intention though she knew she would have to be careful. Last time she underrestimated a death eater, she ended up under imperius curse.

OOC: Sorry. I was having much too much fun letting Robert loose for a change. LMAO.


Robert turned, hearing his name being called. He smiled slightly, seeing the young man. He had always liked the young auror, his enthusiasm and particularly his dedication. He listened to Manson's words, sighing heavily. He had not wished to be misunderstood, and he believed he had been misunderstood tonight.

"Mr. Manson," Robert said. "You have a brilliant future ahead of you. Do you know that? You are a fine young auror. But let me clear up a point or two for you so that I am certain you and I are on the same page. I chose this organization because I also believe in what it stands for, and I daresay I have probably been a member longer than you have been alive. That being said, though, there are some things you should know.

"My family and I have the same core beliefs that you do. We do believe in the greater good. We are Gryffindors, by tradition and by our beliefs. My famous brother was not the only Lupin to believe that it is all well and good to lay down oneself for a greater cause. Everyone you see here was, by their nature, a Gryffindor in their heart long before that stupid hat made them one.

"As for what I told you, I said it because I believe it. Its what I stand on. The last thing I would do is to toss Hogwarts out in the trash and abandon it. I intend no such thing. As you said, though, I am the Minister now, and as such, I do not have the liberties to simply creep through the underground as the rest of the Order does, doing anything I bloody well please. I am tied to things now in ways that none of the rest of the people in that house are, and on much deeper levels. It is not the first time Jess and I have disagreed. And I presume that at some point we will agree to disagree. That just does not appear to be on the agenda for tonight.

"The Death Eaters believe what they believe because they stand on generations of tradition about, largely, their belief in the importance of the exclusivity of purebloods and their desire to use any means available to get it. Traditionally, though, they have loved their children and have placed a good deal of importance on them. If they are guilty of murdering one now, then it would appear there is something far larger at work than we have been made aware of. It flies in the face of everything we know about Death Eaters to believe they have had the castle for almost nine months and are just picking children off for sport now. I don't believe that for a moment because it makes no sense. And I prefer to know what the beast is before I attack it. It is a critical difference between Mr. Potter and me. I have normally supported the Order and been part of the battle, but to stoop to combat in a castle full of children sounds very akin to the same foul tactics that we accuse the Death Eaters of. It is merely trading one species of a monster for another. It makes nothing better. Up to this point, so far as we knew, there was a hell of a lot of threatening happening and very little action. Now at the first sign of the tossing of the gauntlet we're prepared to go in with every witch and wizard we can find? What would make things a good deal better, at least for the moment, is for no further harm to come to any of the students. If some sort of a lockdown does occur, then we have far more reason to go storming in than we do right now.

"As for the school, the last time a battle happened in Hogwarts, on the scale that this one most likely would be, a lot of innocent people died--including a lot of children. Not to mention people that I loved who had gone there to protect them. This battle has been building this entire academic year. I do understand a student has been murdered. I'm a father and a grandfather. I do appreciate their grief and their loss. However, rushing into a full out war at the moment might result in the deaths of many more students. Jack Dyllan is a passionate young woman who is not afraid to stand for what she believes in. That is all well and good. It may serve her well if she survives.

"If there is to be a battle, then it needs to be done in such a way that minimizes any further risk to the children who are there. The problem with the assumptions that were tossed my way tonight is that they are erroneous. They presume that I don't give a damn and that because the Ministry has not waged war that I have been off holidaying or something or another. Far from it. When they take over my post, then they may make any Ministerial decision they so choose. The other error is that apparently I am presumably nothing more than a puppet for Jess Potter. I will not function as anyone's puppet. I never have and never will. If he presumed that's who I am, he is sadly mistaken. Not when there are children concerned.

"The Order has a good heart, but when it rushes in without planning, it always ends up shooting itself in the ass. Ask the members what happened when they decided to battle Hogwarts because a disgruntled former Ministry official decided he wanted a promotion to Headmaster. How well did that go for the Order? The former headmaster at the table can tell you. It cost him his life. How well did it go for the Order when it stood beside the ill advised notions of its leader in deciding to defend this very house against ridiculous odds? Walk through the house. There are still sections of it in ruin from that night as a testimony to our glowing success.

"If a battle needs to be fought, I won't back away from it. But neither will I launch headlong into a fullscale war without doing everything I can to guard against a complete massacre. Personally, I think we've done far too much of that already."

"Mr. :upin, I know you see my future more then I would see, I am not a fighter, you gave me that lessons at the Ministry, and so I am like a Ministry officer, but I am not a fighter, I never will be. Wandmaking is in my heart, and I love the shop I work in, but yes the fighting of Aurors is something I picked."James Said as he heard what Mr.Lupin said. "I know you have been in the Order longer then I am alive, I am still young, no wife, no kids. I might not see the danger that is ahead, but I see already enough in Diagon Alley, with the Dark Wizards there."He said as he looked down.

He heard the story of Robert about the family. "I could tell that, when you took me up, and how Khaat took me up. She showed me my other side, and gave me to you and the lessons. I never saw people like that, openhearted, and caring like that, since most of my family are gone in fights, or missing or whatever happened to them. So I understand what you are saying Mr. Lupin."He said looking at him.

He listened how the Minister is bond to rules and such. "Then let me ask you one thing Mr. Lupin."James said as he looked up to him. "I looked up to you as a father figure, and I am not the fighter, I should be for in the order, but why, with all these NEWTS and OWLS,The Ministry officers you sending to learn Apparation, and check the NEWTS. Why not send Aurors after the school is empty. There will be more deaths. The Death Eaters are just, if they are running the school, kill the muggles, so the purebloods stay alive."He said.


"Jess is a stubborn man, I know that well enough, and I also know that your are also that, Mr. Lupin. You all stand for a right opinion, and you both think that you know the best. Jess is more of a person that likes to do things, you are more of a thinker. That doesn't connect, but if everyone screams around, trying to give there opinion it is not going good for the Order."He said.

"Death Eaters, stand for one thing since the beginning of time. Since Slytherin started to hate Muggles. Because there magic power was not pure, they started to kill those persons. And it has gone from generations to generations. Look what it did now to them."He said. "Killing helpless people and all."He said. "My Mom offered herself up. I always had fights, with her, but I never tought I would miss her since I took over the Ollivander shop. Some tears run over his cheek as he looked up to Mr. Lupin as he hold the tears away.

"I understand this situation is bad, and I don't know what I am going through as I dot know what is happening at there. Losing people is not wonderful, and I dare to say that it is hard to fight against something, you don't know what is happening. Jess just rushes around, about going to attack."He said. "I understand what he says,but I also understands what you say Mr.Lupin."He said.

"I have never seen you as a Puppet, Mr. Lupin. You took me up in the family, as if I was not alone anymore, not alone in the world of Shopkeepers."He said. "The War as most people speak has been terrible, losses have been in it, but there also has been good things in it. Yes it is all hard to hear it, I haven't been in that war, since I was too young."He said. "But I will fight with my heart, when it needs to be."He said.

"Innocents are dieing, and I know the Order has a great heart, and Jess has some good feeling too, he just expresses it too "angry or stubborn". He said as he looked at him. "I understand your choose, Mr. Lupin."He said.

"Sorry that I took away your time, I never wanted to attack you."He said as he looked down.He then looked at Khaat. "Khaat, I might have a plan. The Ministry always sends some wizards to the School, the point is they can't do it now, because I am sure they will get killed. Now I need the shop keys of your animal shop."He said. "I have been raising a Manticore there, and I am sure there were some other animals, if we need to fight a war later, I am sure these creatures can help us. The Manticore resists spells, and is a though enemy before it can killed."He said.

When he heard what he said again in his mind he looked at Khaat. "I am sorry, that was reckless, I shouldn't have said it, but I know the animals support us, from the moment I helped in the animal shop, the Manticore I threated and the rest of the animals, I know they will fight with it"He said.

Jess gestured for the door as James walked out and cocked an eyebrow, a look of irritation and surprise resting on his face. "Anyone else have any heartfelt messages for the Minister and his family?" He asked sarcastically, before realising himself, and feeling slightly ashamed.

"Sorry," he said, calming down considerably and making himself comfortable in his seat, tonight was going to be a long night by the looks of it, and if he was going to be here all night planning out the future, he should at least ensure that he wasn't irritable as a result of posture.

Listening to what Mari had to say, Jess couldn't help but smirk slightly, she was once again acting as her usual reckless self, though he couldn't say he was acting much better. "Robert is not a coward," he said firmly, shaking his head. "But yes, our greatest tool will be the underestimation of the Death Eaters," he said firmly, a defiant look in his eyes.

"Do not go with Jack to Hogwarts," He added sternly. "If you are seen entering the school with her she'll get in trouble for leaving, and we'll never be able to have her join us on this table again, however if you go alone I know that we can't guarantee your safety. Travel with one other person, someone here who has reason to travel, and request permission from the Headmaster first. Simply turning up out of the blue wont have any positive effects on the matter," he said.

"Now, I feel that I need to ask something. How many of you here, should the time come, would stand and fight in a battle to liberate Hogwarts?" He asked them all, looking around the room at the assembled members.