Chapter 272: School Starts (Part 2)
Hermione frowned.
"Order of the Phoenix?"
Phineas nodded.
"Yes, the Order of the Phoenix. It's a secret society Dumbledore founded during the last war against you-know-who. It was the primary resistance force, and many members died fighting. Most of its current members are new recruits or survivors from the last war."
"Alright, let's get to the point. The reason I'm telling you this is because I want you to take things more seriously this year. Don't act blindly when things happen, like before. Especially you two—George, Fred—the Forbidden Forest is no longer safe. With you-know-who back, it's best if you stay away from there."
He looked over at Harry and Ron.
"Harry, that goes for you too. I told you over the summer how dangerous things have become. Stick to safe areas, and don't let being back at Hogwarts lull you into slacking on your magic practice."
"Draco, don't be discouraged. You'll be training with Harry from now on. Leave that little clique of yours behind, and stay out of Slytherin's inner politics for now. Neville, Ron—I'm not expecting miracles, but I hope you'll train with Harry, too."
"As for the girls—if you want to improve your magical ability, you're welcome to join us. Beyond that, I need all of you to stay alert—especially around some of the Slytherin students."
Everyone glanced at each other in confusion. Hermione, as expected, looked the most inquisitive.
Seeing their puzzled faces, Phineas gave a helpless smile.
"You may not know much about your-know-who's early rise, so let me explain. He was a Slytherin during his time at Hogwarts. Even as a half-blood, he wasn't shunned—quite the opposite. Most Slytherin students from pure-blood families supported him, and many became his earliest followers."
"After graduating, you-know-who gained significant funding from those connections and traced his lineage to the Gaunt family. I'll explain more about them another time, but for now, just know he slaughtered his entire family, making his name infamous in the wizarding world."
"He tried to return to Hogwarts as the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, but Dumbledore refused him. After that, he disappeared for a while—what he did during that time is still unknown. But when he resurfaced, he had become a dark lord. He formed the Death Eaters, established his power, and plunged the wizarding world into chaos, until Harry's parents brought him down."
Ginny asked thoughtfully,
"So, you're telling us to watch the Slytherin students because Voldemort built his foundation through their families? The original Death Eaters came from them?"
Phineas nodded.
"Not just the originals—many of their parents are still Death Eaters. After Voldemort's fall, most claimed they were under the Imperius Curse to avoid Azkaban. But the truth hasn't changed."
Everyone nodded, slowly understanding. Only Harry still looked uneasy.
Phineas noticed and asked,
"Harry? You've got something on your mind?"
Harry clenched his fists.
"What about you-know-who? What's he planning? Where is he? What can we do to stop him?"
Phineas sighed.
"Harry, this isn't something we can solve. Our job is to stay safe."
"But I'm his target, aren't I?"
Harry's voice was firm. He clearly wanted more answers, even if it meant being dragged into danger.
Phineas sighed again.
"I know you're not the only one thinking that way. Some of you probably want to get involved. But listen—none of us are ready. We're still students. We've barely used magic in real combat."
He glanced pointedly at the twins.
"And no, pranks and duels don't count. I'm talking about real life-and-death battles. None of us have faced that. No training, no preparation."
"Even if we somehow got training, our power isn't enough. Some of you aren't even a match for Fred and George, and they still don't compare to trained adult wizards. The Order of the Phoenix is made up of people like that—people who've been on the front lines for years."
"So no matter how brave or curious you feel, getting involved right now would put you—and others—in danger. The best thing we can do is be prepared, be cautious, and stay out of the way."
Though Harry and the others still looked reluctant, they remained silent. They couldn't deny the truth in Phineas's words.
Draco, Luna, and Astoria, on the other hand, seemed calm. Perhaps their parents had already warned them of the same.
As the discussion ended, the group began to disperse. There was no way to fit everyone in the same box anymore, so Harry and the others returned to theirs, along with Hermione and Draco.
Though Ron and Draco didn't get along, they managed to share a compartment—bound together by the threat Voldemort posed.
Luna stayed behind. Phineas finally had a quiet moment to study the eccentric girl he hadn't seen in years.
Her waist-length blonde hair was disheveled and dirty. Her wand was tucked behind her left ear—perhaps out of habit, or perhaps for easy access. She still wore a necklace of Butterbeer corks, mismatched Zeppelin earrings, and clutched The Quibbler in her hands.
"Long time no see, Luna. How's your mother, Pandora?"
"Yes," Luna replied vaguely, her eyes wide and fixed on Phineas without blinking. Anyone who didn't know her might've felt uncomfortable.
"She's fine. Oh—Phineas, long time no see."
Phineas shook his head. It seemed Pandora hadn't died in the experiment, but her condition probably left her unable to care properly for Luna. Her appearance was enough evidence of that.
He considered telling her to wash her hair, but decided against it. It would seem rude—and besides, it wouldn't make her any more ordinary.
After that short exchange, Luna raised her magazine to hide her face and said nothing more.
George and Fred went back to teasing Ginny, who still hadn't forgiven them, while Lee Jordan looked on with amusement.
Astoria wanted to say something to Phineas but kept hesitating, her cheeks flushed pink.
The train pushed onward—across wilderness, meadows, and villages. Rain lashed the windows as the weather shifted from sun to storm. The hours passed in laughter and idle chatter, with the countryside rolling by.
As night fell, lights flickered on in the compartment. Luna gently stowed away her magazine and looked around at the others.
Astoria turned toward the window, where the silhouette of Hogwarts could now be seen.
"I think we should change. Boys, out," Ginny said flatly, her tone still laced with irritation.
Phineas stood up with a nod.
"Of course."
He stepped into the hallway, followed by George, Fred, and Lee.
"Hey, Phineas!" George called once they were outside. "Tell us about your summer! You never got our letters. If Dad hadn't mentioned you were with Dumbledore and Harry, we'd have thought you were dead."
Phineas shrugged.
"I spent it with an old man in his final days. As for the letters—his place was magically protected. No owls could reach me."
"What kind of magic?" Fred asked, eyes gleaming with curiosity.
But Phineas didn't want to talk about Nicolas Flamel now. He waved them off.
Just then, the compartment door opened and the girls emerged, giving the boys their turn to change.
They swapped into their Hogwarts robes amid more banter and teasing.
Outside, the train slowed, and students began preparing to disembark. After sitting for hours, even the most energetic of them felt weary.
Phineas and the others joined the stream of students in the corridor, slowly making their way toward the exit.
The pine-scented breeze near the lake revived Phineas a bit.
"First-years, over here! First-years!" came the familiar call.
There was Hagrid, towering and unmistakable—his wild hair and beard aglow in the oil-lamp's flicker.
"Go on. I'll meet you in the Great Hall," Phineas whispered to Astoria.
She nodded and walked off with Ginny and Luna toward Hagrid.
Phineas and the others headed down the rain-slick street, climbing into the seemingly horseless carriages that creaked and swayed up the path to the castle.
He didn't seek out Harry, and Draco didn't approach him either. It seemed they both had other plans.
The carriages trundled in a slow procession, and though the scenery was familiar—the stone pillars, the winged boars guarding the gates—Phineas felt a weight in the air.
He glanced toward the Forbidden Forest. It loomed, dark and silent, as though a veil of shadow threatened to spill into the grounds.
As the towers of Hogwarts rose against the night sky, Phineas and the others prepared to disembark.
They climbed down by the steps to the great oak door and followed the crowd up toward the entrance.
Though it had only been a few months since their last visit, the castle felt different—heavier.
The torch-lit corridor flickered red against the stone floor. The usual ghosts were absent, and the portraits whispered urgently to each other.
Inside the Great Hall, the four long tables were set with empty plates, waiting for the Sorting Feast to begin.
Above them, the enchanted ceiling reflected the black, starless sky.