If I hadn't been startled enough by the unsettling realization I just had, my watch chiming to let me know I needed to leave for Dumbledore's certainly didn't help. I nearly knocked over the chair next to me on my way to leave the common room, the fat lady yelling after me that I should be more considerate of the fact that people were sleeping. I waved my hand at her in a "yeah, yeah" kind of wave and broke into a sprint. The idea of getting to Dumbledore's office faster was a comforting thought as well as the waking portraits were less likely to recognize who it was who had just gone past them at this hour.

When I got to the familiar statue in front of Dumbledore's office I mumbled the password and snuck inside. When I got to the wood door I knocked with a little more enthusiasm than I had originally intended. I heard Dumbledore's voice say come in, and I took one deep breath before opening the door and entering.

Dumbledore was sitting behind his desk, the dark circles underneath his eyes the first thing I noticed once I had a clear view of him. He signaled for me to sit down at the chair in front of his desk, and I did so, my uneasiness returning once I realized how weary Dumbledore looked.

"Are you alright Professor?" I asked, my voice coming out pretty calm and even.

"I have been better," Dumbledore responded after a moment of silence. "I appreciate you coming here given the hour and such brief notice."

"It's no problem at all Professor. What would you like to talk about?" I figured it was better for him to say what he needed to say then we could discuss my dream.

"I think you should join the Order of the Phoenix."

I was silent for a couple of moments. Dumbledore's mind was so clouded with fatigue that it was difficult for me to get a grasp on why he thought this was a good idea.

"Oh," I said, uncertain what to say.

"I know you are young, and that neither Ron, Hermione, nor Harry have joined the Order, but I think your skills will be useful."

"I would be more than happy to join if it means I can help stop Voldemort."

Dumbledore smiled. "I was hoping that you would say that. Now, I will be sending you an owl letter giving the time and date we will be having our meeting. Naturally I will have you travel with me for safety purposes."

I nodded.

"Now, is there anything new on the Harry front you wish to tell me?"

"Well, I can say that Harry has started to dream about the hallway again, and he has renewed his attempts to figure out what is going on between us."

Dumbledore was silent, eyeing me with curiosity. "I knew Harry would be suspicious. He is after all very observant with these kinds of things. I am also finding that his patience is a bit on the short side lately."

"Can you blame him Professor? I mean people that he thought were his friends are calling him crazy, and some are even thinking that he had something to do with Cedric's death. You know he just wants people to see the truth."

Dumbledore was silent for a couple of moments, nodding in agreement. "Yes he is. I know Harry feels as if I have abandoned him, but I am doing it for his protection. You must trust me on this Abby."

"I do Professor. But, may I ask you something?"

"Of course," Dumbledore said, gesturing with his hand for me to ask.

"Is it possible for me to connect with Voldemort through Harry?"

Dumbledore was silent for at least five minutes. "Is there something you wish to tell me Abby?"

"Professor, I apologize for not mentioning this sooner, but I think I might be connecting to Voldemort through Harry."

"And what makes you think that?"

I swallowed. I explained to him the vision I first had in the dungeon of the little boy stealing that poor girl's doll, who I now realized was my mother, and about the vision I had just had in the common room. Dumbledore was so quiet when I finished for such a long period of time that I wondered if he had fallen asleep with his eyes open. I figured I would just wait until he was ready to talk. His brain had gone on overdrive since I first asked him whether or not I could get to Voldemort through Harry.

"Abby, I must ask you to do your best in preventing these dreams from happening."

"So I can connect to Voldemort?"

"Yes, it appears so, but I am afraid your connecting might alert Voldemort of Harry's connection to him."

"But sir, I thought phoenixes were immune to people realizing they were in their heads. How would he know?"

Dumbledore sighed. "It is not my place to tell you what happened between Voldemort and your mother, but my guess is that he's well aware that your mother had a daughter, and that she is a phoenix animagi just like you. I don't believe that Voldemort would be aware who or what is impeding his mind, but since you seem to be hitting into personal experiences I think it might set off some alarm."

"I'll do my best Professor."

"Your mother will be at the next Order meeting. I am sure you too will have much to discuss. It is time that you know some things."

"What kind of things?"

Dumbledore held up a hand. "We will discuss in safer quarters. For now I ask that you help Harry come down and teach him patience. Your one talk with him seems to have made some improvements already from what Professor McGonagal has told me."

I felt myself blushing slightly at the idea that my opinion meant so much to Harry. I wiped the feeling away quickly. Clearly this was not the time to be thinking of that.

"Should I be scared Professor?"

Dumbledore stared at me with such intensity I thought he was going to burn a hole through me. "Not scared Abby, but prepared. It is time you start learning just how powerful you truly are."