Chapter 10 - Phoenix Assemble

Pansy rolled over to see Teddy getting dressed. She sat up and stretched, then pulled the sheet over to cover herself. "Hey" She said as she looked at Teddy. Teddy turned around and smiled.

"Last night was amazing. You were pretty aggressive, you must have really been upset." Teddy said as he was buttoning up his shirt. He then sat on the side of her queen size bed to put on his socks and shoes. They had went back to Pansy's flat in a Wizarding area in north London. Pansy was hoping to talk, but the young Theodore Nott had other ideas.

Pansy then put her arms around his shoulders and hugged his back. "I was, I had a row with my parents and…." Pansy began to explain.

"I'm gonna have to stop you there." Teddy said as he detached Pansy from his back and stood to finish putting on his robes. "I have to go and I don't have time to talk."

"Oh," Pansy said sadly. As she pouted and sat back down on her heels. "I thought we could go and get breakfast."

"Breakfast?" Teddy scoffed. "Breakfast? I'm engaged to be married. I can't be seen having breakfast with you. You know how important my family is. I can't afford the scandal." Teddy said. Pansy's eyes glassed over and she began to shed tears. "Look you know this is just sex. You knew that at the beginning. It cannot be anything more than that. Maybe at one time it could or would have been more. I do care about you." Teddy then wiped away a single tear with his hand. Pansy put her hand over his and tried to hold it on her face. He then promptly removed his hand. "I have to go." He then Apparated away. Pansy then began to cry. She then grabbed a pillow and put it up to her face and screamed as loud as she could.

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The Ministry was its usual frantic display of organized chaos. Ministry employees were walking to and fro, heading towards the lifts and various offices. Interdepartmental memos whizzed to and fro. Pansy was just passing through security. She normally would head towards the east lifts and take them down to the Department of Mysteries, but today was different. Today she decided to start something new, something that might just begin to help the Wizarding World. She just wished her family would understand and realized how wrong their old way thinking was, like she had. She began towards the north lifts. The only information she was given on where this meeting was going to take place was a small bit of parchment with the room number on it that Harry had given her after his pitch. She had said she needed to think about it, so he handed her the parchment that was charmed to only reveal once she decided to join. All she had to do was touch it once she was pure of heart and ready to join. She had reached the lifts and stepped inside the golden box. There were about 5 other people in the lift. The doors closed and the lift began to rise.

The lift got to the third floor and opened. Pansy hurriedly stepped out and headed towards her destination. She looked down at the parchment and read the room number again 349. She walked down the white walled hallway. Each door was painted green with gold plates with the room numbers etched on them. She finally reached the door that read 349. She also noticed it was designated for a caretaker closet. She looked at her parchment one last time and sure enough it read 349. She took in a deep breath and slowly let it out. She then grabbed the doorknob and opened the door to begin her new future.

She then entered the modest room. There were tables pushed together to form a U shape. There was a podium at the front of the room. Behind the tables in the back was a fireplace that looked like it hadn't been in use for years. She first noticed Dean and Seamus at the end of the table farthest from the door but, facing it. They both wore the standard black Auror robes. They were talking and laughing with each other. They looked up as she entered and had a very surprised look on their face. She also notice Luna Lovegood and a another male wizard she didn't recognize sitting at the table closest to the door but their backs to her. They were so engrossed in their conversation that they didn't notice her come in. Luna was dressed in her normal attire and of course her butterbeer capped necklace. Rolf was dressed all in grey including his robes. On the back table was a wizard that looked familiar but she could not quite place him. He was oddly dressed she thought. He was wearing a white T-shirt with a name she never heard of, Bruce Springsteen. His jean covered legs wear propped up on the table wearing a pair of black Chuck Taylor sneakers. He had a black leather jacket hanging off the back of the chair. He was reading a odd magazine with colorful images on it. The name on the magazine said Avengers. He looked up and looked her directly in the eye.

"Hey gorgeous." was all he said. Then it hit her. 'The guy from the bar' she thought to herself. She was about to respond when she heard Seamus yell. At that Luna and Rolf looked at her.

"Oui what the fookin' hell you doing here?" Seamus asked. "Surely the Death Eaters anonymous meeting is in another room."

"Im...I'm." Pansy stammered as her face went flush.

"Your what?" Seamus demanded. "What's wrong dark magic got your tongue?"

"Seamus...come on mate." Dean tried to intervene.

"NO FOOK THAT!" Seamus yelled as he stood up and advanced on Pansy. Dean tried to grab his arm, but Seamus yanked it from his grip. He was walking around the desks towards her.

Just then Gabe stood up to block Seamus. "Dude, C'mon man." Gabe said. "I'm sure she's got a good reason to be here, Irish."

Seamus looked at Gabe. "What do you know about it Yank, you weren't here, you don't know what they did. What she did to torture younger students." At that Pansy looked down at the floor. "Yea the whole lot of those damn Slytherins, enjoyed it they did!" Seamus then tried to get around to her, but Gabe wasn't having it.

Just then Rolf went to stand, he felt a small petite hand on his elbow. He looked down towards Luna. She shook her head. "Seamus needs to let this out." Rolf looked at the heated exchange and then nodded acknowledgment to Luna and sat back down.

"Your right Irish I wasn't here, but that still doesn't mean I' gonna let you go after a woman. Regardless if she's guilty or not." Gabe said as he looked over his shoulder at Pansy.

Dean came up behind Seamus. He put a hand on his shoulder. "Seamus rounded on Dean. "Mate I love you like a brother, but if you don't back off I'll knock ya on yer arse!"

"Look I'm leaving!" Pansy said as she walked towards the door and ran right into Harry and Hermione. Then her eyes grew to the size of saucers as she noticed Kingsley, Mr. Weasley, and Percy standing behind them.

"I hope your not, Pansy." Harry said. He then looked at Seamus, Dean, and Gabe. "Pansy please take a seat and the rest of you lot too. Seamus can you calm down enough to hear what I have to say?"

Seamus glared at Pansy and then look towards Harry and nodded. "Aye." Seamus then took his seat next to Dean, he stilled glared at Pansy. Harry then walked to the front of the room and stood in front of the podium. Kingsley came and stood next him and Hermione took a seat next to Luna and Rolf. Mr. Weasley and Percy stood against the wall by the door. Harry then took a deep breath and look toward his audience. "So there's no secret why I've asked you here today. You lot have been tasked to be the first defense in defending our world."

Harry then looked at each one of the members before he started his speech again. "Each on of you has been carefully picked for your experience and skills. Some of you I know quite well and some I've just recently met. The Minister, Hermione and I selected each one you to help us with this endeavor." Harry cleared his throat and continued.

"Most if not all may think that we experiencing peace. All of the Death Eaters locked safely away in Azkaban, no more Dementors loose. It is true that evil has slowed down, but we have recently been made aware of a dangerous situation that not only threatens us but the Muggle world as well." Harry looked at Kingsley. Kingsley nodded to him to continue.

"Last week the Minister got a tip from the muggle government that dark wizards may have stolen some weapons. The Minister contacted department head Gawain Robards to follow up and investigate. He assigned Collette Badeau to the task." Harry took a deep breath and regained his composure. "She followed her lead to a warehouse by the docks in London an..and that was were she was killed." That last part was kept confidential, the circumstances of Collette's death. As expected there was a collective gasp at that last admission. Harry then continued. "We've investigated the warehouse and have determined what was stolen was there."

Gabriel raised his hand. "Um chief, what kind of weapons were stolen?" Everyone turned and looked at Gabe and then Harry. "Everyone this is Gabriel McFarland he is American if you couldn't tell." Harry smirked. "Well according the Muggle Government they have stolen...erm" Harry looked down at his files. "PE-4 plastic explosives and devices to launch what Muggles called missiles."

"Blimey, Harry them Death Eaters have missiles?" Seamus asked as he shot a nasty look to Pansy, who shifted uncomfortably in her seat.

"I never said they were Death Eaters Seamus." Harry answered. "But, yes they have missiles."

"What are missiles?" asked Rolf.

"Missiles are explosive rockets that blow things up on impact." Seamus spoke up. "There right nasty loud destructive things."

"Well Lucky Charms, that's one way to describe them." Gabe said. "What kind of missiles?"

Harry looked down at his file again. "VX rockets." Arthur piped up. Everyone in the room looked at him. "I remembered the first briefing." Arthur said.

"Wait a minute, VX, as in VX poison gas?" Gabe asked shocked has he took his legs off the table and sat up straight and took off his hat and put it on the table. Now it was his turn for everyone to stare at him with shocked expressions. "Your telling me that there are evil dark wizards out there with stockpile of...wait how many do they have?" Harry looked at Gabe. "They have twelve rockets" Gabe pailed.

"Twelve rockets? They have twelve friggin VX poison gas rockets?" Gabe just stared at Harry.

"What's VX poison gas?" Dean asked Seamus. Seamus just stared at Gabe and shrugged his shoulders. Pansy looked at Gabe, in fact everyone was looking at Gabe. Gabe looked at everyone and then spoke up. "VX gas is one of the worst things ever invented. It is a horrible weapon and there are international laws against its use. Countries like England, and the United States have stockpiles of them because they are so difficult and dangerous to destroy so it's safer to keep them hidden."

"Well it seems they didn't do a good enough of a job of that." Luna said.

"No they didn't." Gabe responded.

Hermione stood up. "How do you know so much about this Mr. Mcfarland?"

"I'm uh, fascinated with No Maj weaponry and just call me Gabe please." He rubbed his eyes and let out a deep breath. Gabe sat there and couldn't believe what he was hearing. "No wonder every case was put on the backburner."

"No Maj?" Pansy asked. Kingsley spoke up. "It's the American term for Muggles. No Maj as in No Magic."

"Yeah those people you hate Parkinson." Seamus spoke out again. "Muggles, No Maj, whatever you probably know the people who stole the weapons."

Pansy closed her eyes. "I am not associated with those people nor is my family, we were proven innocent."

"That's a load of shite!" Seamus yelled as he stood up. "You tricked or…."

"Enough!" Kingsley shouted. Everyone froze. "This is serious business. There is no time for this. Now Mr. Weasley, Percy and myself will leave you to it Harry. The rest of the briefing is yours. Get them in line!" and with that they left the room.

Harry then turned to his new team, well if you want to call it that. "Seamus sit down." Seamus started to say something. "Now!" Harry said as he slammed his hand on the podium. "Now in two days time we are going to begin training. The Weasley's have been gracious enough to allow us to train on their property. We will be put through the ringer. I have no idea what will be in store for us. As a matter of fact a Squib who is in the Muggle Army is going to be training us. He will be teaching us to become a team. Now I want to know who is going to help me with this and who wants to go. Keep in mind if you decide your a part of this thing, then your in. You need to decide right now." Harry looked at everyone.

"Ok, Hermione?" Hermione looked at Harry already knowing he knew but understood the symbolism. "Yes Harry I'm in."

"Rolf Scamander and Luna Lovegood our Magizoologists?" Luna and Rolf looked at each other. "Of course Harry." Luna said dreamily. "And Rolf is in too." Rolf looked at Luna who was staring at him. 'How can I deny her eyes.' "Y-y-yes I'm in as well." Rolf stammered.

"Pansy?" Harry asked. "I desperately need a Unspeakable." Pansy chanced a look at Seamus, who just had a icy cool look to her. "She then looked at Gabe who was smiling to her and gave her a slight nod. "I will help you." Pansy said as she stared at her black boots.

"Seamus and I are in as well, Harry." Dean said as he put a hand on Seamus's shoulder. "Aye" Seamus added.

"Alright then, there we have it." Harry said. "You have two days to get your things together before reporting to the Weasley's at 5:00 P.M. the day after tomorrow. We will have a meal and then a good night sleep before training starts. Be prepared I stress that. It will not be easy and it will be strenuous. We will train for three weeks straight before we move to pour new headquarters which in time should be finished. Any questions?" Harry asked. "No, then welcome to Phoenix Division!"