ruins ; harry potter [1]

one ; the order

Dumbledore stopped when they reached the door. He turned to her, an unreadable glint in his eye. 

"I do not know how everyone will react to hearing your name. I haven't told them much about you, so it might be quite a shock to them. They might not take it as well as I hope. . ."

"It's fine," she said. She wasn't daft--she knew what her last name meant. She knew what her last name represented. She expected that people wouldn't take it seriously, and she really did not care in the slightest. "I know what they'll think. They'd be stupid if they didn't hate me immediately."

Dumbledore didn't deny it; instead, he just gave her a small smile, one of pity and sympathy. She hated it.

She turned her head back towards the door and he opened it, the sound of loud chatter coming from a large group of people streamed from the closed door at the other end of the hall. The sound quieted down at the sound of the front door being opened, and a plump red-haired woman stuck her head into the hall.

"Right on time, Albus! Is this who you have been telling us about?" she asked, opening the door wider to reveal what seemed to be a kitchen and table full of other people. More light streamed into the hall, sending an eerie glow across the decapitated heads of house-elves and it revealed the thick layer of dust over all of the furniture in the area.

"All in due time, Molly! Is that beef stew that I smell?" Dumbledore said briskly making his way toward the kitchen, which also was the direction the smell was coming from. Diana followed him, taking in the odd surroundings.

He walked into the kitchen first, earning a slew of happy greetings from the large bunch. She walked in after, earning a curious silence. She paid no mind and took a seat in a lumpy green armchair in the corner, as secluded from the people as she could get (which wasn't very).

"Is that the 'weapon'? The key to winning this war?" said a tattered looking man with shoulder-length dark hair and gray eyes. She immediately recognized him as Sirius Black, not from the pictures in newspapers or the wanted poster near the nurse's desk, but she often saw him in her dreams. In fact, she recognized every single person in this room from her head. "You didn't tell us she was just a kid!"

"I can assure you Sirius, she isn't just a kid," he said kindly, and Sirius looked incredulously at both of them. "Before we start introductions, I would like to make it clear that she is absolutely and unequivocally on our side. I have no doubt in my mind that her loyalties lie anywhere else but to our cause, and I trust her, as I urge all of you to."

He turned to face her for a moment and gave her a small reassuring smile and he started naming off everyone around the room.

First, he introduced Mad-Eye Moody, who seemed to vaguely recognize her from the old case of her and her family, though he didn't seem sure. Next was Sirius Black, and when she showed no sign of fright at his name, he gave her a wide grin. She gave him a reserved smile back. Then Remus Lupin, who gave her a kind smile and a nod, to which she returned both. Then a pink-haired woman named Tonks, who gave her a smile and a salute. Next was Severus Snape, who eyed her suspiciously, yet she couldn't help but detect a small glint of fear. Then Molly and Arthur Weasley, who gave her wide smiles. Then Minerva McGonagall, who gave her a nice nod and smile. Kingsley Shacklebolt, who said a 'hello' in his deep voice. More were introduced, like Mundungus Fletcher and Daedalus Diggle. There were a few more, and some that Dumbledore explained couldn't attend, like Hagrid and Bill and Charlie Wesley. All were kind and welcoming except for Severus and Mad-Eye, and even they were respectful and polite.

"She is the key to winning the war. Without her and Harry, Voldemort would be unstoppable," Dumbledore spoke up after introducing everyone. Even they winced at the forbidden name. "I would like you all to meet Diana Riddle."

The response was expected. Some shrieked, some toppled out of chairs, some yelled protests or obscenities. Mad-Eye and Tonks whipped their wands out immediately and aimed them at her in the blink of an eye, and Sirius yelled "Preposterous!" Molly Weasley screamed and began to cry, and Snape looked like he was about to vomit.

"Quiet!" Dumbledore boomed through all of the chaos, and everyone fell silent immediately. "Alastor, Nymphadora, wands down immediately!" He was angry, and he seemed to radiate power as the group looked like they felt the need to take a step back. Tonks and Mad-Eye lowered their wands reluctantly and tucked them away, not without throwing a glare toward Diana. "I will repeat myself once, and only once: She is to be trusted. You all will be kind to her, and if I here any of you are treating her with anything less than the respect she deserves, we will discuss your status in the Order." A few people looked a little at ease, some looked not quite calm but a lot less murderous, and some, like Mad-Eye, still looked angry but didn't want to risk their positions.

Diana stood and stepped out of the shadow in the corner, making all of the eyes in the room turn to her.

"I know what you think of me," she stated strongly, her voice echoing ever so slightly in the thick silence of the listeners. "I know what he has done. I know who he has become." She hesitated, choosing her words carefully. "No one hates my father more than I do. No one wants him dead more than I." Her eyes found Sirius', who gave her an encouraging nod. "I give my full loyalty to the Order, and I will do everything in my power to stop Lord Voldemort."

Silence. She hated it, it made her want to claw at her ears.

"How do we know that we can trust you?" spoke Remus. He wasn't accusatory, or even skeptical. He sounded like he actually believed her and just wanted to assure everyone else.

"I'll do anything."

"The Unbreakable Vow."

All heads turned to Severus Snape, who was looking at Diana intently. He was thinking, hard, of something Diana wasn't sure about. Murmurs of agreement rang around the room, and even Dumbledore's eyebrows raised in intrigue.

"Diana?" asked Dumbledore, as if asking if it was okay, and she nodded fervently and stepped forward.

"Severus, will you be the Bonder?" asked Dumbledore, and he wordlessly walked to where the stood and pulled out his wand. Dumbledore and Diana grasped each other's right arm.

Snape gave a prod to their hands with his wand and a red coil wrapped around their arms.

"Do you solemnly swear that your loyalties are and forever will be with the Order of the Phoenix?" asked Dumbledore clearly, looking her dead in the eye.

"Yes."

Another red streak snaked around their arms.

"Do you swear to do everything in your power to stop Voldemort?"

"Yes."

Another red rope.

They were done, and the red ropes shined brightly before disappearing, leaving light marks where they wrapped around the arms. Snape put his wand back in his robes and they let go of each other's arms, pulling their sleeves down. Snape stepped back to his original spot and they were done; Diana was now fully committed to the Unbreakable Vow.

Everyone, even Mad-Eye, looked significantly more relieved.

"Diana, welcome to the Order! Now let's eat, I bet you're starving! I know I am," yelled Sirius jovially, and Diana couldn't help but let herself grin at what seemed to be the second person in her life that didn't hate her.