Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Author's Note: This chapter was written between 1:30 and 4:00 this morning, so if it has some fuzzy parts that don't make any sense, I was probably half asleep. This chapter is fairly non-fluffy, and it has the beginnings of some major conflict. It takes place one month after chapter 5, so there's a time gap in there. The D.A. has continued from 5th year, as you will soon read, and things have basically gone as expected between Hermione and Draco, and Harry and Ron, remembering her apology, are still her best friends. For accuracy reasons, Parvati and Lavender are the only Gryffindor girls in the Trio's year. My favorite character, Luna, makes a cameo. As always, R&R.
Hermione was violently awaken out of a deep, pleasant sleep by a loud, piercing scream from somewhere in the castle. She sat up straight in her bed, blinking her eyes open and shut several times, trying to regain her senses. It was a month after she finalized the deal with Draco. News had been spreading for a few days about an attack on the castle. And Draco had warned her last night to be careful. There had been tears in his eyes, though she hadn't known why. But now she knew.
She checked around her dorm to see if Parvati and Lavender were still asleep. They were. "Wake up you guys, come on!" she whispered urgently, trying not to attract attention or let anyone know there were still people in the dorm. Lavender woke up with the words, but it took a hard shake to wake Parvati, who did so with a snort. Hermione put a finger to her lips and motioned for them to stay there; she walked to the door leading to the staircase and stuck only her head out of the room, checking for people in the common room. It was full of all the Gryffindor boys, but no girls, and the staircase had, once again, become a slide, with several boys trying unsuccessfully to climb up the smooth surface. They saw her face and stopped trying to gain access to the girls' dorms, and the staircase promptly regained its former appearance.
"Come on down," Harry told her in a loud voice upon seeing her. "We've put a silencing charm on the portrait hole, so don't bother about whispering."
"Let me get the rest of the girls first. When I tell you to, get on the staircase so they can slide down. Stairs are too dangerous for someone who's still half-asleep." She got Lavender and Parvati, and told them to start waking up the girls and getting them on the stairs. They looked confused but agreed anyway. Soon, every girl in Gryffindor was standing on the spiral staircase, and Hermione called for the boys. They all landed in a heap at the bottom of the staircase. They would have been laughing hysterically if the situation hadn't been so dire. "He's here, isn't he?" Hermione asked Harry once she had recovered from her fall. He nodded solemnly. "Who's winning?" She was almost afraid to ask.
"We can't say for sure. I heard a scream and pulled out the Marauder's Map. I saw his name, and you know it never lied. I woke up the rest of the guys, and we each put a silencing charm on the portrait hole, to make sure it's powerful. We haven't left the common room, and there are too many people on the map to make sense of it all." He looked at her with sad, scared eyes and embraced her. "But it doesn't look good, 'Mione."
"This is stupid!" shouted some seventh year Hermione knew only as Roger. "We should be out there helping! If the teachers lose, we're all dead anyway!"
"He's right, you know," Hermione said suddenly. "Almost all of us are in the D.A. We would make a difference, even the ones who aren't." Since Umbridge's reign had ended, the D.A. wasn't a secret anymore, and had a membership consisting of more than twice what it used to be. She stood up on a chair. "Who's in favor of fighting back? Be warned, both sides are going to suffer losses. If you're not willing to get hurt or maybe even dead, stay here. This is NOT a vote. If you want to stay, no one will think any less of you." She gave them a chance to think about it for a few seconds before saying, "If you want to fight, come to the front. If you want to stay, go to the back and work on a plan of defense in case they somehow manage to get in here." About fifteen people, mostly first years, went to the back. Everyone else came to the front. She let Harry take leadership, since he was head of the D.A.
He took out the map. "We need help. There aren't enough of us to do much damage. We need the rest of the D.A. Any suggestions?"
"Floo powder," said Roger. We go into their dorms and make the same proposal. Are they awake?" he asked Harry.
"Ravenclaw is in the common room, same as us. Hufflepuff is still asleep, though."
"I suggest we divide into thirds. One group stays here and helps them," he motioned to the back, "one goes to Hufflepuff, and the other to Ravenclaw."
"We'll need to organize. Bring everyone, D.A. or not, back here." Harry's suggestion. "My group will stay here and wait, Ron's group will go to Hufflepuff, and Hermione's to Ravenclaw."
An idea and a terrible thought struck Hermione. "What about Slytherin?"
Harry laughed. "I don't think they'll want to fight against Voldemort. Or their parents."
Hermione was furious that he would make such a comment when he knew about her and Draco. "Draco warned me about this attack. I'd probably still be asleep right now if I hadn't been half-listening all night. Besides, Slytherin isn't the same as evil! There's not really that much of a difference between Slytherin and Gryffindor, anyway!"
"Alright! You can go!" Harry knew that it was always better to just do as Hermione said.
She pointed to Roger the seventh year. "You take my place. Go to Ravenclaw. Bring everyone back, even if you have to carry them." She was feeling controlling again. "We only have a little Floo powder, so Harry's group, the stay behinds, and I will keep the portal open with our magic. It's not that hard. Just focus on keeping the fire green and letting them come through. First Ravenclaw, because Hufflepuff will take longer. Once his group is back, switch it to Hufflepuff and keep it open. Some of the Slytherins aren't very friendly towards me, so I won't go until everyone else is back, in case I need to make a quick exit. Harry, check that the dorms are still safe. GO!"
They all did as they were told, Hufflepuff group going first, followed by Ravenclaw, with the flames staying green. After a minute that felt like an eternity, the first Ravenclaw, Luna Lovegood, came spinning through the flames. She was quickly pulled away to make room for the next; and so it continued for the better part of an hour, until most of Gryffindor and all of Ravenclaw were assembled in the room and the fire, still green, switched focus to the Hufflepuff common room. The students all looked sleepy with the Gryffindors coming last, actually carrying some of the younger students, who looked frightened and confused.
"Wait!" called out Harry as Hermione prepared to step into the emerald-green flames. He was looking at his map and frowning. "You can't go, 'Mione. It's too dangerous. There's Death Eaters in the common room." He looked at the students who had their wands out, pointing towards the fireplace. "Cut the connection! The last thing we need is a horde of Death Eaters in here, with nobody to hear us scream." The fire turned back to normal. He looked at Hermione. "I'm sorry, but I can't let you go. It's too risky."
"I understand," she said simply, sadly. She quickly recovered herself. She regained her position on the chair and took control, even though it was Harry's job. "I'm giving everyone the same option. It doesn't matter how old or skilled you are. Whether you're a member of the D.A. or not, all of us are in danger, and all of us can help. But before you decide, remember that there is a very real possibility of getting hurt or maybe even killed. If you'd rather stay and protect our stronghold, no one will think any less of you. But if you want to fight, you have to be prepared to fight with everything you have, I'm not trying to discourage you, I'm trying to warn you. If you want to attack, go to your right; if you want to defend, go to your left. And good luck to us all."
(Author's Note: Your hint for this chapter is: Nighttime)
