Harry Potter and the Order Of the Phoenix [192]
Harry looked over at Dumbledore, who had been silent throughout the entire thing. Then, Harry remembered, Dumbledore didn’t know about the Order! He had no idea what was going on! Even so… he should still know whether or not he had made the right decision.
“Um… Professor Dumbledore…” said Harry, “do you think I made the right decision?” Dumbledore continued to just look ahead, not at anything in particular, but mostly in the direction of the storm coming.
“Oh Harry…” he said quietly and slowly. He started walking towards Lupin, his hands folded together. Harry wondered what he was doing. He followed him until he was just a few feet away from Lupin. He closed his eyes, and put out his arms so that they were right above Lupin. What was he doing?
“Harry…” he said again, very slowly and quietly, “I am part of the Order of the Phoenix.”
CHAPTER 32- Truth and True Correspondents
Harry’s mind exploded. What was going on!? Was Dumbledore playing some sort of cruel joke!? No, that wasn’t like him at all… maybe… there was an infinitesimally small chance… maybe… he was really part of the Order…
“Liberate Remus ex inferis,” Dumbledore said extremely slowly.
Just as with Harry before, white energy flowed from Dumbldore’s palms to Lupin’s body below. The phoenixes flew over above Lupin now, and began circling above his body, faster and faster, more and more white energy was created. Lupin began rising up from the ground, and right in the middle of the circle created. He flashed a brilliant white, for only an instant, then it all disappeared, just as it did before. Lupin crashed down to the ground.
“Ouch!” he yelled, just like Hermione, showing that he was very much alive.
“Remus?” said Mrs. Figg, taking her face out of her hands. She looked up, and saw Lupin there, rubbing his head.
“Where am I?” he said.
“Remus!” she yelled again, running up to him and hugging him.
All Harry could do was stand there, mouth open and eyes wide. It took Dumbledore touching him on the shoulder to bring him back to reality.
“Well Harry,” he said, the familiar joy back in his voice and eyes, “are you happy now?”
Harry looked before him. He saw Ron and Hermione embracing each other like never before and the same with Arabella and Remus. Leave it to being on the brink of death to bring people closer together. Harry couldn’t help but feel happy for them.
“Yes… yes I am….” said Harry dazed. Then, snapping back, he said, “Professor… I didn’t know you were part of the Order of the Phoenix.”
“Oh yes…” said Dumbledore, talking about it like it was a child he was not especially proud of. “I am Grade’s great-great-great-grandson. I used to be proud to be a member of the Order, until they started killing people.”
“Killing?” asked Harry. “I thought you could only help people with Orders.”
“Oh yes, of course you can only ‘help’ people with an Order, Harry,” said Dumbledore. “However, when you bring someone back from the dead, are you not killing them in the afterlife? Just as sending someone in this reality to the afterlife is considered murder, isn’t taking someone away from it and bringing here the same thing? You, Harry should know that the afterlife does, in fact exist.”
“How would I know, professor?”
“Arabella here told me of your exceptional job with the Advanced Defense Against the Dark Arts O.W.L. As you may know, you are not the first person in history to have put off pain for so long. You see, when someone concentrates on happiness so much while putting off imaginary pain, if they are good enough, they become enveloped in bliss, and a given a glimpse of the world that lay beyond ours. The place that