A/N: This story is written for the International Wizarding School Championship Final round. It is the first of seven stories in the Assembling the first-War Order of the Phoenix series. My story is followed by our second year's story, AnneAquilla.

School: Beauxbatons

Year: Year 7

Theme: Disappearing and Appearing, special rule: Conjuring and Vanishing spells

Main Prompt: 5.) First Wizarding War [Era]

Side Prompts: 2.) [Quote] 'There are two kinds of evil people in this world. People who do evil stuff, and people who see evil stuff being done and don't try to stop it'—Janis Ian, Mean Girls. 10.) [Dialogue] "So we'll never be the same again?"

Word Count: 1797

Link: Historical Development (Assembling the order of the First Wizarding War), shared prompt (first wizarding war)

Summary: Dark forces are about to take over the Wizarding World. Dumbledore knows that the sooner he and his allies start fighting Voldemort's powers, the better. However, the Ministry does not seem to think along his lines, which is why he decides to take matters into his own hands.

Thanks to Paceso and Esme for Beta-reading!

The light of the setting sun was shining into Dumbledore's office as the professor stood at the window and allowed his gaze to roam into the distance. But he didn't let the beauty of the landscape deceive him; he knew what was waiting out there.

A sigh escaped his lips as he turned back to his desk and sat down. The Pensieve he had used earlier that day was still standing in the middle of the room; he hadn't put it away because he had thought he might still have need for it. Now, however, he really didn't see any sense in diving into any more memories. He had hoped that somewhere among his recollections there would be added illumination which would assist him now, but his hope had not been fulfilled. All he had found were things he'd already known: Tom's obsession with Dark magic, his craving for power and his extraordinary way of getting everything he wanted from people whether they intended it or not.

You didn't need to be an especially wise man to know that Tom Riddle was a threat to the entire magical community. This had been the reason why he had scheduled the meeting with the Minister this morning, but although Eugenia Jenkins had been very cooperative, it was clear she was reluctant to take immediate action.

"I admit, these conflicts may be more severe than they were two decades ago, but I assure you, Dumbledore, the Ministry is strong; there is nothing to be feared."

"Voldemort intends to destroy everything we have built up since Grindelwald's defeat. We must not let down our guard. He will infiltrate the Ministry and undermine every strength you believe you have!"

"What you're saying, Dumbledore, is that you don't trust the Ministry."

Dumbledore had countered her swiftly. "I am saying, Eugenia, that if the Ministry is to guard against this new threat, it must change in a multitude of ways."

Jenkins had frowned. "So we'll never be the same again?" She had shaken her head pensively. "Dumbledore, we all know the danger of this conflict, but be assured there is no need to panic -"

"You call it conflict, I call it war," Dumbledore had said in a calm, but decisive voice. "We need to marshal our forces. We need to fight –"

"Please, Dumbledore, no rushed actions. We at the Ministry are doing everything we can to prevent any Dark wizard rising to power, but the last thing we want is more violence." Jenkins had clearly been eager for the conversation to end, but she had added: "While the actions you took in the fight against Grindelwald may have been heroic, we must not act precipitately – after all, we do not want to provoke Dark wizards, do we? Please bear that in mind."

That had been all the Minister had to say on the matter; Dumbledore had, of course, already had his mind made up. In his opinion, it was negligent of the Ministry to assume that what they planned to do would be sufficient to stop Voldemort.

Even though Dumbledore was relieved to know that the Ministry was still open to working with him, he wasn't very encouraged by their attitude. It seemed that they were willing to cooperate only insofar as their own beliefs allowed them, and would not accept advice. They did not yet grasp that Voldemort's ruthless actions and his disregard for life were a greater threat than Grindelwald had ever been, and Dumbledore almost despaired of convincing them. He must take matters in his own hands – again.

Dumbledore had no doubt it was Voldemort's ultimate plan to take over the Ministry; he well remembered how the young Tom Riddle had exerted his power at Hogwarts, as well as the account Mrs Cole at the orphanage had given of the boy's intimidation tactics. He knew of Riddle's gathering of a band of Death Eaters and had heard rumours of how their allegiance was ensured. There was much to be alarmed about, no matter what Jenkins thought. Voldemort's return to the country was another disturbing sign; Dumbledore had no idea what he had been doing abroad, but no doubt, he had been planning his course of action.

Dumbledore sighed heavily. It seemed that wars were part of his life, and his enduring guilt over Ariana's death would not allow him to shy away from them. He had learnt the terrible consequences of failing to shoulder his responsibilities, and he could never put himself through that again.

He shook his head, wishing that in doing so, he could dislodge those painful memories. The circumstances of Ariana's death had taught him that evil which was not prevented was encouraged, and the latter was a path he would never choose. He would not help a Dark wizard, and he could not ignore them. It had always been his belief that evil was either to be stopped or to be helped, and the latter was not a path he chose for himself. It had never been like him to ignore the darker aspects of this world.

However, this was basically what the Ministry was about to do – ignoring the dangers.

They did not realise that there was something as bad as evil in this world and that was the good who stood by and did nothing. Just watching evil as it happened was dangerous because it implied approving it.

A movement next to him drew his gaze. He looked at Fawkes, whose struggling movements would have been distressing to watch had its owner not known what would come next. The bird took a few careful steps before stumbling and falling down, beak first. A little croak escaped him, then he burst into flames.

Dumbledore smiled. He had been expecting this; the last days the bird had looked old and dreadful. Even though Dumbledore had seen his phoenix on burning days very often already, it always was like a miracle to watch the bird being reborn from his own ashes. For a moment, it was quiet in the room; with Fawkes' disappearance, all the noises seemed to have faded, too; all was quiet.

Then there was a small movement in the pile of ashes. Dumbledore leaned forward to watch the bird as his small head appeared in the middle of the ashes. "Hello, Fawkes," he said. "Back already?"

Fawkes cawed softly and pecked some of the ashes away.

Dumbledore's smile grew. Phoenixes seemed to have such a stress-free life; they lived in their own eternal circle, regardless of what happened around them. Their destiny was to die and be reborn.

He would always remember the first time he had seen a phoenix vanish into ashes. When he had been given Fawkes, he had been under the impression he had already known all about phoenixes – how wrong he had been. Knowing about phoenixes' deaths was nothing like experiencing them at first hand. It was a very different matter to watch the creature bursting into flames, then to see them burn and disintegrate; for a moment you think that you have lost them forever; and then, after the shock, you see the miracle of birth. It was an indescribable experience; one which had taken Dumbledore quite some time to become accustomed to.

If only his own life were as simple! Circling around death and birth with no beginning and no end, it would be effortless to come up with a plan to defeat Voldemort, but like every mortal man, Dumbledore's time was limited. He couldn't hope to destroy Lord Voldemort as easily as he had destroyed Grindelwald.

Vanquishing Lord Voldemort would require strategy and time.

Even though it was hard to take his eyes off his phoenix, Dumbledore sat down at his desk and drew his wand. On his table appeared quill, parchment and ink.

If Voldemort was recruiting members and extending his forces – perhaps even beyond Britain – his opponents needed to ready themselves. The Ministry didn't want to take immediate action, but Dumbledore was sure he knew people that would.

He put the quill in the inkpot and started making notes:

finding out about Voldemort's plans

finding out what the Death Eaters are up to

preventing a war that spreads all over the world

protect the Muggles, guaranteeing Wizarding Secrecy

He paused for a moment, then picked up his wand again and cast another spell. The notes on the parchment faded, followed by the quill, the ink and the parchment itself. He was feeling that he was wasting valuable time. Making notes was all very well, but it would do no good to sit around and scribble on a piece of parchment. He needed to hold his thoughts in his head, and he needed concrete action. He also needed to enlist helpers. No wizard alone could stop Voldemort, not even after everything he had already achieved.

"We'll do what he's doing, Fawkes," he said quietly.

Fawkes croaked.

"You wonderful bird," Dumbledore said gently, "you can do me a favour, can't you? Even if you are a small baby phoenix for now?"

Fawkes gave another croak.

"I knew I could count on you," Dumbledore said. "I need to disappear for a while – and I need you to stay here in school, watching over everything, do you understand? You need to let me know if there are any intrusions."

Dumbledore got up from his desk and gave his phoenix a gentle stroke with his fingers. "And please don't disappear while I'm gone? I'll be back soon."

He would speak to Professor McGonagall first; not only was she a very capable witch, and loyal to Hogwarts ever since she had started teaching here, she was also nearest to him. He would try to involve Aberforth as well, and then he would seek out former students. Of course, he had to be sure not to trust the wrong people, but there were wizards whom he knew would never turn to the dark side – the Prewetts, the McKinnons, Rubeus Hagrid and, of course, Elphias Doge. He could count on the unswerving loyalty of all of them.

The problem wasn't determining whom not to trust. The problem was finding other equally trustworthy allies. It was a problem Dumbledore was familiar with from his previous encounters with Grindelwald. He had come so close, then, to being swayed by power and plausibility, but he had learned to know his own weaknesses too.

However, when he looked into Fawkes' eyes, and as he watched the bird cleaning its feathers, he knew that all would be well.

Things were changing – but Albus would do his part to change them for the better. It was time to get to work.