Order of the Phoenix meeting - 3

"We are aware that you believe Albus left you with a job to do, but we can't believe he meant for you to do this alone, Harry," Mrs. Weasley said, resting a hand on his arm.

Harry pulled his arm away. "You still don't get it, do you?" he demanded. "He didn't leave me a job to do. It is my job to do – all of it. Everything the Daily Prophet has said about this 'Chosen One' business – well, it's about the only thing they've ever got right. I know it, and Professor Dumbledore knew it. You all say you trusted him, that what you did came down to whether you trusted his judgment or not. Well, leaving this task to me was his judgment."

"But he's gone now, Harry," Professor McGonagall said. "Things have changed."

"Nothing's changed; what has to be done remains the same," Harry said vehemently. "Dumbledore once said that he will have only truly left when no one here is loyal to him. You have to decide if you still can be, even if what he's asking isn't easy."

"You have to choose between what's right and what's easy," Ginny whispered. "We all do."

"How can we choose what's right when we don't even know what it is you're doing?" Kingsley demanded. "You've obviously told your friends. Why can't you tell us?"

"I told them because Professor Dumbledore told me I could. He thought I'd need some support, and they're the ones I'm closest to," Harry said, leaving out the fact Ginny had only been included later.

"I can't believe Albus would do this," Mrs. Weasley moaned. "Ginny isn't even of age."

"Neither was Ron when Professor Dumbledore told Harry he could share this," Ginny snapped. "You have to stop dwelling on our ages and see that what we're doing is right. It's working, and it's the only thing that's going to stop Voldemort."

Again, there were several muffled gasps and shifting around the table. Members of the Order had become accustomed to Dumbledore using the name, but it still startled them to hear it from someone else.

"Look," Harry said, making a decision. Something told him it was the right one to make. "I know you're all as dedicated to stopping this war as I am, and I do need some help. If I concede to some stipulations of yours, can you agree to trust the fact that I can't tell you everything?"

"Fair enough. Dumbledore never shared everything with us anyway," Mad-Eye said before anyone else could agree or disagree. Looking around the table, Harry could tell by their expressions that not everyone was happy with Moody's decision. Still, there were more that appeared ready to compromise than there had been at the beginning of the meeting.

"The next time you have to leave, we want to know. No more waking up and finding you missing," Moody said, and Harry knew he was beginning with something Harry wouldn't have a problem agreeing with. It wasn't like sneaking out again would work, anyway.

"Agreed," he said.

"And we want to know where you're going and have a way to contact you should the need arise," Remus said.

Harry shook his head. "I can't tell you where we go. I'm sorry, but I can't."

"Harry…" Mr. Weasley began.

"No. Not only would Voldemort kill you for that information, it would jeopardize everything if he finds out what we're doing. I can't tell you where we are, but I do think I have a way for you to contact us that would be safe," Harry said.

"Which is?" Mr. Weasley asked.