Fic: "Order Out Of Chaos", for ignipes

[springmod]

Title: Order Out Of Chaos
Author: such_heights
Recipient: ignipes
Rating: PG-13
Characters: The Marauders and an ensemble first war cast.
Summary: Dumbledore has an Order to create, Moody has Aurors to train, and four young men need to decide what they're doing with their lives.
Author's notes: With enormous thanks to magnetic_pole for the last minute beta. This attempts to meet ignipes' requests of Marauders, Aurors, plot and action & adventure, I hope you enjoy!


Order Out Of Chaos

As a student, Remus had rarely been into Dumbledore's office. Since leaving Hogwarts, however, he'd had much more occasion to be here. Arriving unusually early for once, he had a strange and sudden urge to put his feet up on the desk, as though at the unseen prodding of Sirius or James.

Thankfully, he didn't have to sit on the urge for long before Dumbledore entered the room. Remus got to his feet awkwardly.

Dumbledore smiled. "No no, do please sit down." He readjusted his glasses and paused for a moment. "I really must thank you again for all you did for Mr Dearborn, without you I fear we would have had a much more difficult time persuading him."

"It was no trouble. Always easy to talk to people you knew at school."

"Of course, of course," Dumbledore nodded. "How are Mr Potter and Mr Black getting on with their training?"

"Well, it's certainly challenging them - a novel experience for them both." Remus laughed. "I think I see where this is going."

"Have you talked to your friends about the Order, Remus?"

Remus faltered. "I--, no sir, I haven't. Not really. They know about it, obviously - I'm not sure if there's anyone that doesn't! But they don't know what I'm doing, not yet. It doesn't exactly come up in conversation, and James and Sirius are always full of stories about Mad-Eye - sorry, Alastor Moody, that's what they call him - and I never quite fit it in."

"Quite understandable. How is Mr Pettigrew occupying himself these days?"

"Peter?" Remus frowned. "I'm not altogether sure, last time I asked he was a little between jobs, I believe." He shrugged, then smiled. "As to what I imagine you're really asking, I should think all three of them would jump at the chance to sign up. I mean, James and Sirius, as if they wouldn't sign up for any and all idealistic and heroic causes going - Peter too, I'm sure."

Dumbledore reached for a parchment and quill. "There is an aptitude test for all of the new Aurors in a few days' time. I've had a word with Alastor, and I intend their exam to do a little more than simply give an indication of whether they would make good Aurors. If you would be so kind, I would like you to go along and observe, and once again do what you are rapidly becoming extremely good at. There'll be a lot of talent there - anyone that strikes you as having particular merit would be an enormous asset to us. I am sure James and Sirius will excel, but there will be others too."

Remus nodded. "I understand."

Dumbledore jotted a couple of details down and handed them over. "I look forward to hearing how you get on."

"Yes, sir. Thank you." Remus scraped back his chair, grabbed the parchment and headed out.

He'd been doing this for about six months now, trawling around Wizarding Britain trying to find people willing to take up the battle against the forces of evil. Remus wasn't sure why Dumbledore approached him in particular - James, Lily, even Sirius would have been more natural choices. Dumbledore insisted that this was full-time employment, and paid Remus a salary accordingly, and so he couldn't help but feel there was an element of charity in the whole set-up.

Still, he'd reasoned, Dumbledore wasn't fool enough to entrust this to just anybody, and Remus was proud of the work he was doing. Much more important work was to come, of course, but for now assembling the troops was a worthwhile, if often frustrating process. The trouble was, people were afraid. Remus found himself constantly battling against an attitude that declared that as long as you kept your head down, the fanatics would leave you alone.

Nonetheless, there were some successes - some of the best wizards and witches in the country were beginning to come together. Remus looked over the details of the Auror trainees again. If nothing else, he was relieved he wouldn't have to keep all of this under wraps any more.

---

James and Sirius burst into a side chamber in the dungeons of the Ministry, wands blazing unlocking charms.

"You're late! And that grand entrance won't save your hides," Moody said loudly, not turning around. "I knew a wizard who cast an Alohomora so strong he couldn't lock a single door in his house again. Never slept more than a few hours a night for the rest of his life, terrified he was going to be murdered, clutching a wand at all times. Buggers got him in the end anyway."

Sirius rolled his eyes at James, who grinned back.

"Anytime you decide to stop sniggering like schoolgirls and want to do something productive with yourselves, I'm sure we'd all be most gratified."

There were titters in some corners of the room, and they both slunk into seats, stung, to a curt nod from Moody. He glanced down at his desk.

"As Will Hallan has failed to attend a session this week, I'm going to hazard a guess he meant his outburst of last Friday?" Taking silence for confirmation, he struck out the name in his register. "Anyone else out while I'm at it?"

There was a chorus of hesitant 'no's. Moody's eyes wandered the room, in separate directions. Grunting, he slammed his book shut.

"So far, you're all useless." He paused, bringing both eyes in the same direction to stare at each of them in turn. "The good news is it's the same every year." Moody smiled, and Sirius shrank back slightly in alarm at the sight. "But not all of you are going to make it through from here. In a week's time, there'll be the final part of your initiation, a practical exam. No, Longbottom, nothing like school. We'll see if you lot have absorbed anything I've been trying to imprint on your skulls. Those of you that have - you're safe until the end of the year. Anyone who fails to meet our requirements, you can either reapply next year, or get on with your lives."

Murmurs were echoing in the draughty room, Frank Longbottom leaning over to hiss something in James' ear, who nodded. They quickly died away into silence again.

"With that in mind," Moody continued as though nothing had happened, "I hope you will have the sense to pay attention today. Potter and Black, it appears you are particularly in need of a little more understanding of the basic concepts of Stealth and Tracking."

---

"Shit," said Frank emphatically as he walked out behind James and Sirius. "Why the hell didn't they tell us about this?"

"Don't worry!" James shook his head. "I'm sure they say that every time, just to get us all worked up. Like they're really going to chuck anyone out after a month!"

"Do you really think so?" Frank still looked concerned.

"Absolutely," Sirius answered, "and anyway, you've got nothing at all to worry about! I think Moody may actually like you, something of an achievement."

Frank laughed. "Hardly. He thinks the sun shines out of Alice, how she's one of the most promising young Aurors of her generation, and I'm too young for her and not nearly good enough."

"Well, she never said anything about this exam, did she?" James pointed out.

"No," Frank admitted reluctantly. He faltered for a moment, then sighed. "Anyway, I've got to run. See you around!"

After Frank had gone, Sirius glanced over at James. "What d'you reckon though, seriously?"

James frowned. "I dunno. Maybe they are going to throw some people out." He shrugged. "Anyway, it's not like we're going to have a problem, is it?"

Sirius grinned. "Course not." He paused for a moment. "We could practice some stuff though, if you want."

Far too quickly, James replied "Yeah, alright then. If you like."

Sirius nodded. "Just in case."

"Right."

---

After the toils of each day, it was always a relief to come back to the Potters' in the evening. Sirius and James sprawled out on the sofa, like conquering heroes. They were certainly playing their parts well, regaling their audience of three with grand tales.

"James and I will have our mettle tested, and be pushed to the extremes of our endurance!" Sirius declared to Lily, Remus and Peter, who were at least looking mildly impressed.

Lily turned to James with a slightly worried frown. "Still sure this is what you want to do?"

"Oh yeah," James replied. "You've got to admit, it's pretty cool as jobs go."

"Yeah," Peter agreed. "But d'you reckon it'll be dangerous?"

"Bound to be," Sirius said gravely. "But we'll come through, never you fear!"

Remus snorted. "Yeah, because the Ministry's really likely to put you in mortal peril after a month."

"I don't like your tone, Lupin," Sirius growled, wagging a finger. Remus just smiled.

"I'm sure you'll both be fine," Lily said. "Moody's a big softie really, he's not going to throw many people out just yet."

"How do you know?" Peter asked.

Lily shrugged. "That's what I gather from the Aurors, Alice and everyone. They say once you've got through two years of your training, he turns into a complete pussycat."

"No, Lily, that'd be McGonagall," Remus said.

Lily shot him a withering look. "And big strapping chaps like yourselves aren't going to have any problems anyway, are you?"

"Well, quite, thank you!" James nodded appreciatively.

"Anyway, how are the rest of you getting along in our absence?" Sirius asked.

"Managing somehow," Lily said.

Remus shrugged. "I keep myself busy."

Peter piped up. "I've got an interview with Quality Quidditch Supplies on Tuesday. Getting bored of working for my dad, you know."

"Well, that's good," said James gamely. "Should have applied with us though, Wormtail - I'm telling you, this is the life!"

Peter laughed. "I don't think so."

"We'll find an exciting job for you yet, don't you worry."

"Really, Prongs, I'm fine. You carry on with your exciting adventures, and I'll hear all about them."

"Suit yourself."

"So what do you make of the Ministry, then?" Remus asked. "They up to it?'

"Difficult to say." Sirius frowned. "The Auror department's hard as nails, but we've not really seen much of the rest, have we?"

James shook his head. "No. And I can't help feeling like we're working for the Man."

"James!" Lily laughed. "I thought you said being an Auror was rebellious?"

"And sexy," James added. "I know. But Merlin, we go into Ministry every morning and get our little name badges - maybe it's just me," he said with a look at Sirius, "but it's not quite what I thought it'd be."

"Well, thanks for blowing our cover there, Prongs," Sirius muttered. "So much for being tested to the limits of our endurance."

"Oh don't get me wrong, it's really hard work," James continued. "It's just… well, I guess it's early days yet."

Remus nodded. "Of course it is. Anyway, you never know what's going to show up."

"True enough, that," Sirius said.

"I won't mind having two qualified Aurors around, though," Peter said suddenly. "Hear what happened to the Johnstons last week?"

James nodded, while Lily shivered. "Horrible," she murmured. "Just horrible."

"And that's exactly it." Sirius sat forward in his seat. "We've got to do something about this, because otherwise I'm not sure who else is going to."

"Not all of us, surely?" Peter asked.

"Well, why not?" Remus looked around at them all. "You don't have be an Auror to fight this. We'll all get our chance, I hope."

Peter frowned. "I'm not sure I like the sound of that."

Remus sighed. "I know. Neither do I."

Later, after Lily chucked them out, Remus raced down the street after Peter.

"Remus?" Peter turned around in confusion.

"Hey, hang on a second. Look, about my job-- I want to talk to you. Where can we go around here?"

"There's a great little Muggle pub just around the corner," Peter replied, nodding. "Come on."

Remus walked inside warily, gripping his wand inside his sleeve. But The Blacksmith's Arms really did seem to be a completely Muggle establishment. Regardless, Remus picked the darkest corner of the room when Peter returned with drinks.

"So what is it?"

Remus took a pint and smiled. "I'm working for Dumbledore."

Peter frowned. "You're teaching?"

"No no." Still feeling slightly anxious at the public setting, Remus leaned in. "Have you heard of the Order of the Phoenix?"

Peter's eyes widened.

"I'm recruiting, helping Dumbledore find people - good people, people that can help. We've got to stop him."

"Remus… why are you asking me? I'm not, I mean, I can't - no way!"

"Listen to me. I'm asking you straight from Dumbledore - we want you, Peter. You can help us."

"Have you asked the others yet?"

"I've already spoken to Lily. I'm pretty sure she's in. I'll be speaking to Sirius and James in the next couple of days."

Peter looked hesitant at this, and Remus sighed.

"For once, this isn't about Sirius, or James, or even me. This is just about you. You can stop these awful things from happening, just like what happened to the Johnstons last week. This isn't just for the elite, the Aurors, the people that were top of their class at school. It's for everybody that wants these horrors to stop."

"I don't know, Moony," Peter said slowly, sliding down in his chair a little. "There's a lot of things to think about, aren't there?"

Remus could hear Sirius' vehement denial in the back of his mind, and was for once glad he wasn't around at this precise moment. "Yeah, I know. You don't have to answer straight away."

Peter nodded. "Okay. I'll have an answer for you soon."

"Thank you." Remus smiled. "You should though, you absolutely should. We need you."

Peter snorted. "I'm sure you'd get by without me. But alright. I'll think about it."

---

22nd March, 1979.

Dear Mr. Lupin,

If you arrive at half past eight tomorrow morning, there will be someone on hand to show you exactly where to go, just hand them the enclosed note.

Remember, we are looking for the truly willing, not the reluctant who can be coerced.

Good luck,

Albus Dumbledore.

Remus shivered in the austere Ministry lobby, lurking in the shadows and hoping he wouldn't bump into anyone he recognised. He knew he should have stolen James' Cloak while he was round there. A few minutes later and a harassed middle-aged woman came out, barking "Lupin!" to no one in particular.

Remus moved forward, clutching his explanatory note. She gave it a cursory glance then jerked her head. "This way."

Remus hurried after her, led up flight after flight of stairs, until they turned into a corridor and then, with a finger to her lips, she unlatched the second door on the right.

"In you go. Moody's waiting for you."

After taking a moment to compose himself and dismiss any nerves, Remus pushed open the door.

"Don't just stand there, lad!" growled a voice.

"Sorry, sir," said Remus quickly as he came face to face with Mad-Eye Moody.

"Well then," said Moody thoughtfully, looking Remus up and down.
"Albus gets them young, doesn't he?"

"I'm nineteen," Remus said indignantly.

"Are you really?" Moody blinked. "Ought to start eating your greens!" He shook his head. "No matter. This room here is where all of these sorry excuses for trainees are going to come out. I'll Charm this antechamber here and you can conduct your little stake out however you see fit. There'll be a few panes of glass attached to the main areas of the challenge - Merlin only knows why you want to watch these hopeless cases, but there you have it."

Remus nodded. "Great, thanks a lot. I appreciate your help."

"I'm not fool enough to refuse Dumbledore anything, boy. I'm sure you're wise enough to do the same."

Remus laughed. "Yes, sir."

With a last wand sweep around the room, Moody left.

Remus looked around him, then crept into the cranny Moody had charmed for him and settled in. Glass began to show various dingy corridors and dark rooms, and Remus peered in with interest.

---

"Sirius!"

"What?"

"Stop-- jiggling. The whole table's shaking!"

"Oh. Sorry."

James sighed and rested his head on his arms. "What's taking him so long?"

Sirius started tapping his fingers against the edge of the table.
"This is stupid. Prongs, when did we start getting nervous? I swear this never used to happen."

"It didn't." James looked supremely mournful. "Now I get what all the fuss was about with exams."

Sirius prodded his stomach experimentally. "This is how Moony and Wormtail felt before every NEWT? Like having Flobberworms mating in their intestines?"

"Probably."

Sirius looked aghast. "How did they survive?"

James looked around the room, and all the candidates were in a similar state. Frank was propped up against a wall, pale-faced, clutching his knees to his chest. Two girls they didn't really know seemed to have been hugging for the last five minutes. Mutterings came from each corner, fragments of spells and hand movements, with sparks of all colours shooting out of wands, often to the surprise of their respective owners.

Unconsciously salvaging the rapidly fraying sanity in the room, Moody arrived. He looked around them all, face as gruff as ever. They walked out after him in silence, a thousand fearful glances bouncing between all of them.

Frank slid over to them. "I think I'll stick with you, if that's all right."

James tried his best encouraging smile, but it didn't hold long. He clutched at his hair a bit desperately.

They were led into a room full of doors. Moody paused for a moment.
"All you've got to do is find your way out again. Remember what I've taught you."

Fumbling for their wands, they all circled the room, prodding, poking and testing each door. As far as anyone could tell, they were all identical.

"I like the look of this one," Sirius said eventually, jerking his head at one on the right. "Shall we, gents?"

James and Frank followed out after him, leaving the others still in the room.

"Reckon we'll bump into them again?" Frank asked.

"How big can this place be?" James looked around the corridor they were clattering down. "I'm sure there's some dead ends and stuff, but other than that. We'll probably all come out again at the same time."

All three of them were silent, and James was conscious how very, very quiet it all was.

"Guess they all took the other doors, then," he said, and his words echoed around the stone walls.

The corridor sloped downwards, clearly made of the same stone as all the rooms at the bottom of the Ministry where they'd been having their training. Burning torches hovered at intervals along the corridor, and either James was imagining it or he could hear dripping from somewhere.

"Just like that passage under the dungeons at school, eh Prongs?" Sirius said.

"I hope not!"

Frank shot them both a puzzled glance.

Reflecting on the pain and indignity they had suffered on their first expedition into that particular area of the school, compounded by having to explain to Madam Pomfrey just how they managed to get those burns, James decided it was best not to elaborate and simply shook his head.

A cold wind suddenly blew through the corridor, blowing all of the flames out. Three Lumoses was hastily muttered, and they all looked a little panicked in the wandlight.

"What's down there?" Frank whispered.

James wracked his brains. "Draught… cold… some kind of Dark creature, probably more fear factor than dangerous, not a Boggart - could be a Red Cap?"

"Yeah, that fits. Let's not get bludgeoned then, shall we?" Sirius glanced at his wand. "Impedimentia on three, then? It can't be far. One, two, three!"

Jets of amber light shot out of their wands on cue, sweeping the corridor ahead. There was silence.

"Dammit!" Frank looked around wildly. "Where's it gone?"

There was a soft thudding sound, and Frank began to make frantic, muffled sounds. "Grroff me!"

"Hold still!" Sirius clamped onto Frank's shoulders, while James gingerly prodded around the base of his neck until he felt something slimy attempt to grip his wrists.

"Diffindo!" he yelped, and to his relief felt the creature shrivel and pull away from his hands. He picked it up and threw it to the floor.

Frank looked down on it in horror. "That's disgusting."

"Yeah," James agreed, quickly rubbing his hands on his robes.

"Thanks, James."

"No problem. You alright?"

Frank shuddered. "Bit disturbed, but yeah, I'm fine."

"Shall we press on?" Sirius asked. "I imagine that's just the beginning."

With a final glance at the thing on the floor, James nodded.

---

Remus couldn't help but cheer at their victory. He'd forgotten to pay any attention to the other people, just focusing in on James, Sirius and Frank, fascinated to see them moving around just in front of him. He curled up into his alcove slightly, feeling almost regretful he wasn't participating himself.

---

Sirius scanned the ornate marble room. "There's no way this is just a nice hall for our aesthetic enjoyment, is there?"

"No," Frank replied grimly.

"Right, what've we got? Pile of rocks over here, looks suspiciously deliberate to me."

James nodded. "I agree - 'always use what's on hand', right?"

"But what can we do with rocks?" Sirius frowned. "We're not meant to charm them or something, are we?"

Frank bent down and picked up a medium-sized one, then threw it out across the room. It hadn't flown twenty yards before the pillars began to spark green before shooting out a jet of light that sent it falling to the floor with such force that it cracked the concrete around it.

"Ah," was all Sirius could say in response.

"Good one, Frank," James added.

"This is a Stealth and Tracking exercise, then, do we think?" Frank looked thoughtful. "Working out a path could take a while, but it's doable."

James fumbled in his robes for a moment, then pulled out a very familiar silvery fabric. "An Invisibility Cloak wouldn't be of any use, would it?"

Frank stared in amazement. "Where the hell…"

Sirius beamed. "'Always use what's on hand' - just the ticket!"

"May I?" Frank took the Cloak for a moment, passing it over his hands and watching in delight as they disappeared, one after the other. "You know, this really explains an awful lot about you four."

"We're going to have to kill you now," Sirius announced solemnly.

Frank whirled the Cloak around himself, and so vanishing. "I'd like to see you try!"

Sirius and James exchanged a look, then on a muttered count of three they pounced to the right, yanking the Cloak back off an unsuspecting Frank, who looked astonished.

"How on earth…"

"Years of practice, mate," Sirius explained. "Honestly, years. Comes in handy though, sometimes."

"I'll say."

"Enough of this malarkey!" James said suddenly. "Let's get across!"

Sirius took the Cloak, examining it. "I'm not sure we're going to fit all three of us under here."

Frank was staring outwards. "I think I've nearly got it - let me go across first and suss it out."

"By yourself? I don't think so." Sirius whirled the Cloak around them both.

"Well, what am I meant to do?" James said in frustration.

"Oh, just sit and look pretty. I'll be back for you soon!" Sirius could feel Frank tensing up next to him. "Alright there?"

Frank took a deep breath and shifted around against Sirius a little. "Fine, fine. This is a bit weird, though."

"You get used to it - think of it as a bonding exercise!"

Frank took a stone from his pocket. "Ok, a little experiment." He dropped it onto a tile in front of them, where it sizzled ominously.

Sirius couldn't quite help a sharp intake of breath.

"Don't worry, it's fine!" Frank said cheerfully, and Sirius' eyes widened as Frank bent down, hand clutched around a swathe of invisible fabric. He gently touched the tile, and Sirius winced, waiting for a scream.

There was nothing.

James was scrambling to his feet behind them, alerted to Sirius' expression as Frank had jerked the Cloak off his head.

"Everything all right?"

Frank shrugged the Cloak off his shoulders as he straightened up again, grinning. "Purely visual detection - so basic!"

Sirius looked around him, and groaned. "Look! How did we not notice that before?"

All around the walls, enormous eyes were carved into the walls, with pupils that darted back and forth, scanning all the room between the pillars.

Frank shook his head. "No marks for Observation on this one, then. C'mon, Sirius, let's go."

Sirius could barely keep up with Frank as he raced across the expanse of marble flooring. They reached the other side flat out running, and collapsed against the wall, Sirius sighing with relief, Frank laughing delightedly.

Before Sirius could say anything, Frank was off again, and he could hear him practically skimming over the tiles on his way to pick up James, who looked somewhat surprised as he was dragged briskly under the Cloak on the other side.

"Well, that was fun!" Frank said as he arrived, clapping his hands together, with Sirius and James exchanging slightly bemused glances.

After the elegance of the last room, however, came a return to the dank conditions of before, and Sirius couldn't stop himself shivering a little. A cold wind was blowing from somewhere, and light was scarce. Frank was beginning to look pale.

"Complete sissies, the pair of you," James said with an eye roll. Sirius shoved him into the wall in response, then James whipped out his wand and sent a quick burst of water into Sirius' face.

Sirius began to splutter extravagantly, but there was a sudden yelp from Frank. Sirius whirled around, only to see Frank disappear into solid wall. James leaped after him but only collided with the stone.

Sirius pressed his ear against the wall, listening intently. "Frank!" he bellowed. "Can you hear me?"

---

Remus held his breath, staring aghast into the glass. Suddenly, he heard footsteps. A girl emerged from the exit, looking shaken. Remus realised with a guilty jolt he hadn't watched her progress at all. He got up gently.

"Are you ok?"

She whirled around, and clapped a hand to her mouth to suppress a shriek, and Remus hurriedly raised his hands.

"Sorry, sorry, I didn't mean to startle you."

But she was still wild-eyed, and Remus sighed, sensing this was a hopeless cause. "Well, congratulations on getting through the test - if you go outside, Mr Moody will be waiting for you."

She almost tip-toed outside, quaking. Remus watched her leave, then forced himself to leave his friends' adventures behind.

---

There was silence. James glanced over at Sirius. "He'll be fine, don't worry! This can't actually be dangerous, can it now."

"Mad-Eye Moody," Sirius muttered. "Mad, psychopath mad? This is the question we must be asking."

James exhaled slowly. "This is honestly starting to creep me out a little now."

Sirius appeared to attempt a smile, but it petered out somewhere on the way to his mouth.

"C'mon then, let's get out of here." James prodded the wall that had taken Frank little. "Don't suppose you fancy flailing your arms a little and seeing if you can get taken too?"

Sirius' eyes widened in horror and he clutches James' sleeve. "Don't you dare leave me."

James smiled. "Course not. Well then, it appears the only way is forwards!"

They shuffled along together, James periodically freezing, convinced he could hear something. But always it was silent again, and so they progressed, slowly.

"I really fail to see what this has to do with the apprehending of Dark wizards," Sirius snapped after a while. "This is the Ministry's idea of a joke, isn't it. Well, they're sick. All of them. I bet they're watching us right now, laughing." He shook his fist in a vague direction.

James couldn't help but laugh. "Don't be daft. I'm sure this is all very beneficial to us somehow."

"Bollocks it is," Sirius muttered mutinously, now attached to the back of James' robes.

The corridor was getting dingier and dingier, and streams of murky water trickled down the walls and along the edges of the floor. James noted to his dismay that even his Lumos was looking a little pale, stifled by the atmosphere.

"Prongs!" Sirius hissed behind him.

"What?"

There was a slight buzzing sound behind him. James whipped around, and Sirius was clearly yelling, but he could hear nothing. He reached out, and was stopped in mid-air.

Sirius was mouthing frantically what looked very much like 'don't leave me'. James stared helplessly, then suddenly Sirius was gone.

"Padfoot!' James shouted, though he had a pretty clear idea it was useless.

Silence.

"Well then. Pull your socks up, James my lad. Time to get out of here." Knuckles slightly white against his wand, James pressed on.

---

Remus scratched another name off his list and groaned. This was rapidly turning into an unmitigated disaster. Everyone who walked through those doors was either too shaken by what they'd had to do - and after watching some of their trials, he couldn't always blame them - or they were somewhat unwilling to commit right then, although he'd managed to extract a promise from Dorcas Meadows that she'd come along to the next meeting on a strictly provisional basis.

Remus watched Frank Longbottom approach with high hopes, even if he did look like death warmed up.

"Remus??" Frank spluttered when he saw him, looking bewildered.

Remus got up. "How was it?"

Frank shook his head. "It was-- it was terrifying." He grinned suddenly. "I need a stiff drink, but then I'll be back for more. Like I'm letting Alice beat me, anyway. Ah, Remus, you should have seen it! I got sucked into a wall towards the end, had to battle my way through a room full of pixies and nearly got eaten by some kind of slime monster!"

"So, you really want to be an Auror then?"

"Absolutely - if they'll have me, anyway! Can't think of anything better than being frightened out of my wits on a daily basis, fighting the cause of good and all that."

Remus smiled. "On that note, Frank, I'm here to talk to you about something. Have you heard of the Order of the Phoenix?"

---

James had begun to whistle tunelessly to himself. He swung his wand in time, casting strange patterns against the damp patches on the walls. He heard a rustling noise, and froze.

There was shouting coming from somewhere, and all the light in the corridor went out, including his the light from his own wand. Hurrying footsteps, harsh muttered voices, and suddenly screaming. James started running, but the screaming never seemed to come any closer.

He stopped, adrenaline buzzing around his veins. The screams began to rush towards him, echoing strangely around the walls. He shuddered as they began to become more distinct, more recognisable. Lily.

"Riddikulus!" he yelled out into the darkness. Cats' meows began to echo instead, and he sagged against the wall in relief.

"James?" James grinned, recognising Sirius' voice. "There's a tree down here, and a vicious one at that! You think the Willow's bad… are you alright? Anything happen?"

"Nah, not much," James replied, trying to banish all of his fears of a few moments before. "Look!" James suddenly spotted a pinprick of light, and clutched what he hoped was Sirius' arm. "Think the exit's that way."

They raced towards it, James suddenly more desperate than ever to get out of there. They emerged into a small ante-chamber, complete with a sunlit window, a most welcome sight.

"Good of you to join us." Moody stood there, with what was probably meant to be a smile.

James smiled back uneasily. "Hello."

"You did take your time, didn't you? And Black, that oak is Ministry property, the idea was not to burn it to the round."

"It wanted my blood!" Sirius protested. "What was I supposed to do?"

Moody sighed. "When will they get the children to pay attention in Herbology?"

"So, how did we do?" James asked.

Moody was silent for a moment. "You've got style, I'll give you that, though you are the last to return. Nonetheless, a good job. I'll take you on, if you still want it." He turned away. "Someone that wants to speak to you first."

"Hello," came a soft voice to their right as Moody exited.

James looked round and his jaw dropped. "Moony! How-- What is going on?"

Remus grinned broadly. "Surprise!"

"No seriously, mate, what are you doing here?" Sirius was staring at him. "You've not been training in secret, have you?"

"No, not quite. Listen, I'm here because of my job. And don't give me that look Sirius, I really couldn't tell you before."

"Well who the hell are you working for?" James demanded.

"Dumbledore."

There was a silence.

"I'm working for Dumbledore, and I'm recruiting for him."

James' eyes widened. "You're not-- the Order?"

Remus nodded, grinning. "James Potter and Sirius Black, it is my privilege to invite you to enlist in Albus Dumbledore's Order of the Phoenix."

"You've got to admit," Sirius said, "he's got style too. That's what they're paying you for?"

"Yeah. You will join, won't you?"

James thought of Prophet headlines, of a newfound fear of being out after dark, of a need to just do something.

"Wouldn't miss it for the world."

Remus nodded solemnly. "Yeah. You can still carry on with your training, if you want. You'll have to make ends meet somehow, after all."

James frowned. "I'm really not sure - Sirius, do we really want to work for the Man?"

Sirius grinned. "Fancy a change in career path?"

It was as simple as that, in the end.

---

James felt somewhat apprehensive as he got home. He wasn't entirely sure how best to explain this to Lily. However, this problem was taken out of his hands as she came rushing down the stairs. "So, did you sign up?" she asked excitedly.

James blinked in confusion. "Hang on, how did you know?"

"Oh, Remus asked me ages ago," Lily said dismissively. "Ready to fight evil together?"

James started laughing. "I should have known. Well, that's settled then."

---

"Well, Remus, how did you get on?" Dumbledore asked.

"Badly for the most part - lots of them really not interested. A couple of 'maybes' though - Dorcas Meadows and Frank Longbottom."

"And your friends?"

"Oh, they're all in, of course." Remus paused. "Peter needs a little more time to consider, but I'm sure he'll come around."

Dumbledore nodded. "Then you've done a good job. I look forward to seeing them all. Now, onto the next group of people I'd like you to speak to…"