Author note: Hello everyone. I do want to apologize for taking so long to put out this chapter. I live in America, so you can imagine the last few weeks I've had. I really wanted to refine this chapter again, but I figured all of you have waited long enough. Do not be surprised if I come back in another day or so, and revise some of it.
I'll try to get the next one out sooner, but I make no promises. This story will be complete, of that I have no worry about, but it may take some time. Thank you for understanding.
The Unbroken Threads
Chapter Eleven
Chaos in the Great Hall
The trio shuffled their way up to the Gryffindor tower, as a few students were leaving towards the Great Hall with trunks in hand. Harry doubted he ever saw such sad looks upon his fellow Gryffindors. Many of them were hanging their heads, not daring to look up and face their housemates. The only exceptions were Colin and Dennis Creevy.
Colin was holding onto his brother's trunk, and pointing animatedly towards the boy's dormitory, while Dennis was flushed, shaking his head, and trying hard to pull his trunk from his older brother. Hermione walked towards them, causing both boys to drop the trunk which let out a loud thump as it fell.
Ron tugged on Harry's robes, pulling him towards to tower. Harry cast a glance over his shoulder at Hermione who was now probably lecturing Colin on personal property. He didn't envy them in the least, having been on the receiving end of Hermione's lectures before. He almost wanted to tell Colin not to argue with her, but followed Ron upstairs instead.
Dean and Seamus where in the room when they entered, both boys pausing when Ron and Harry entered. Harry's eyes found the folded clothes, and the two open trunks on the floor, and his heart dropped into his stomach. The walls around their beds were cleared of the Quidditch and Football posters that have been a staple in the room since first year.
"I don't want to go," Dean mumbled, nudging Seamus.
"I'm not planning on leaving either," Seamus said, shrugging and shifting his weight. "My mum's got a bit of a hard head, so I have the trunk ready in case I can't convince her… but I don't want to leave."
"It's alright," said Harry, as he swallowed thickly. "You don't have to explain to me."
"But, we do!" Dean almost shouted, throwing his robes down, and making everyone flinch. "We all know You-Know-Who is attacking Hogwarts because Dumbledore's gone, and you're here." –Harry flinched once more at that, feeling horrid— "but we also know, even if you weren't here, he'd attack the school eventually. At least this way, we know to keep our guard up."
"Thanks…" Harry replied, nodding, and a numbness started to spread from his stomach as his scar prickled.
"You don't have to make it all so grim," Ron complained, sitting on his bed. "We do have Aurors here now, and Ri- er, Headmaster Thomason is here."
"He's so twitchy though," Seamus said with his nose wrinkled. At the looks from his fellow Gryffindors, he hastily added, "But, he's powerful, too. I took Transfiguration last year… it was Dumbledore's subject too, yeah?"
Harry frowned in thought. He remembered reading Dumbledore's obituary about his earlier career in Hogwarts. He was a teacher before being a Headmaster, and it was Transfigurations. Harry wondered if there was a connection between being good at the subject and being a powerful wizard. If so, he had a wild thought that perhaps McGonagall was far more impressive than he imagined, which was saying something as she was already quite foreboding.
"That's right, he was," Ron said with a nod. "And Thomason can do all that without a wand."
"I heard he doesn't have a wand," Seamus practically whispered, seemingly forgetting about packing as he moved closer to gossip. Dean followed, both boys flanking Ron's bed. "The way I hear it, he took out all those Death Eaters with a snap of his fingers."
To demonstrate, Seamus snapped his own two inches from Ron's nose, and Dean looked impressed. Though, Harry could see Ron almost buying the story just with the sheer bravado Seamus had relied the rumor.
"He has a wand," Harry said with authority, causing all of them to look over. Without thinking, Harry rattled off. "He did take out all the Death Eaters by himself though, but he's nervous because he doesn't like having that power. It's part of the reason he twitches so much."
Harry's mouth snapped shut, as he felt almost a wash of cold go over him. He hadn't realized he figured that out about Riddle until he said it aloud. Riddle was completely aware of the horrible things he was capable of, every second of the day. Unlike everyone else, Riddle had living proof of how horrendous his power could be without a strong hold over it. Voldemort was a walking, breathing, reminder of that threat, of what could be to Riddle, and Riddle… had to live with that knowledge every day.
It must be worse when Riddle has done something he knows is wrong… with Umbridge he kept away from Harry, twitchier than before… and now… he could hardly be in the same room. Harry wondered if that was the reason Snape had brought him to the hospital wing instead of Riddle. Could Riddle not even stand himself at this moment?
Harry's thoughts were broken when Dean spoke.
"That's right!" Dean exclaimed with wide eyes. "He's your dad now, isn't he?"
"Legal guardian," Harry muttered, feeling annoyed that everyone assumes he could quickly forget he had parents before. Normally, Harry would have been furious, but the revelation was still fresh in his mind, and he found he couldn't muster up the energy. Dean had the good grace to mutter an apology though.
"The Headmaster trained Harry over the summer," Ron said, puffing out his own chest as though passing off one of his own achievements. "It's part of the reason I'm excited that we're starting—."
Ron opened his mouth to say more, but Ginny came into the dormitory holding a red letter in her hands, and her eyes puffy, as though she had been crying. All four boys turned to her, and Harry's heart nearly shriveled in his chest at the state Ginny was in.
"Ron," Ginny said in a quivering voice. "Pack. Mum's coming."
One hour later found Harry, and many of the students of Hogwarts sitting in the Great Hall as Mrs. Weasley lectured her two children. Harry and Hermione sat side by side as they cast looks towards one another, wanting to assist their friend, however Mrs. Weasley was a force to be reckoned with when she was upset. Unfortunately for them, she was very, very upset.
"And that letter you sent—don't you dare speak! —you'd better be happy I'm not hexing soap in your mouth right this instant!" Mrs. Weasley shouted red in the face, and her index finger pointing threateningly at Ron's face. Even though Ron was almost a head taller than his mother now, he appeared smaller the longer the shouting went on. "And you haven't even packed! You're lucky I don't drag you up the stairs by your ear, Ron Weasley!"
The hall was not quiet even without Mrs. Weasley. Several other parents were arguing with their children. Two Hufflepuffs were attempting to challenge their parents, one of them even sitting on their trunk as though refusing to budge. Harry could see the stern faces of the Davies, his mother looked the perfect likeness to the Hogwarts Governor that had come over the summer to inspect Riddle. Roger was faring better, as he was almost seventeen, and was stating he could make his own choices. Harry wanted to cheer for him, if only to get away from the argument happening only a few feet from him.
"I'm not going," declared Seamus Finnigan to his worried mother. She was elegantly dressed in tartan robes much like McGonagall, her red hair tightly braided, and put into a bun.
"You're under-aged," she clipped, pulling out a delicately decorated wand of ash wood from her robes. "You'll be coming weather you want to or not."
"And what happens if Death Eaters come to our house?" he argued back, crossing his arms. Like Ron, he was a head taller than his mother, but he stood up straight. "Are we really going to be enough to fight them?"
"Why would they come to our house?" she asked.
"Because I'm friends with Harry, that's why," Seamus announced, his eyes darting over to where Harry sat. Seamus's mother turned slightly, her face paling as she followed his gaze. For the first time, her posture stiffened. Seamus reached out, and held his mother's hand. "I'm safer here, mum. I swear it."
"You're not friends with him, how could you be? He's trouble," Mrs. Finnigan said sternly, her eyes narrowing at Harry, but before Harry could dare to reply, Mrs. Weasley had rounded.
"And what," she started in a tone that was usually reserved for Fred and George. "is that supposed to mean?"
"Well," said the taller woman with confidence, though she paused in her thoughts before continuing. "From what I have heard, Potter has a bit of a small circle of friends. Seamus never once mentioned being close to him," –she nodded towards Harry, who felt gob smacked— "and I assure you, my son does not associate with rule breakers."
"Yes, it must be hard," Mrs. Weasley patted a terrified looking Ron on the shoulder, and she smiled at him as though they were having a normal conversation but her voice was raised to carry through the hall. "Being friends with the boy who defied You-Know-Who three times, is Quidditch captain, and one of the sweetest boys I've ever known, Ron."
"I…" Ron stammered but his voice was cut off from Dean's mother speaking even louder towards her own son.
"Yes, not being friends with a boy who goes off to the Ministry in the middle of the night, endangering many of his classmates," she said snidely as she smoothed out Seamus's hair. He shrugged her off, quietly begging her to stop.
"Oh, Harry dear," Mrs. Weasley called sweetly, and Harry pushed himself back slightly away, but Ginny elbowed him in the ribs. He felt slightly betrayed as he sat like a deer in headlights, now being the center of attention. "It must be difficult to have actually trustworthy, loyal, friends to stay with you all year, unlike others."
"And that is why you're taking your children away?" asked Mrs. Finnigan loudly, no longer pretending to be speaking to her son. Her hands placed firmly on her hips, and her nose pointed up. "Dementors, Giants, a monster under the castle, and now Death Eaters attacking at night? I'm proud to see so many of us came to our senses before a child dies this year. It's clear no one believes this school to be safe if Harry Potter is here."
"RON!" Mrs. Weasley grabbed her son by the shoulder, and he whimpered slightly, she stuck a finger near his face. "You're going to stay here in Hogwarts! You've got to stay and look after your friends. It's what any true Gryffindor would do! Gryffindors are brave! We don't run from a bit of danger!"
Harry didn't get to hear the reply, as a crack echoed through the hall. Everyone turned to see a frumpy, round wizard with thinning hair fall to the ground as his presuming son marched off with his trunk. A thin woman wrapped in a salmon colored robe called after the Gryffindor student, who didn't bother to look back, only left the Great Hall with a determined expression.
"Good on you!" shouted Dean, clapping for the student that had left, his parents watching with appalled expressions. Dean stood on a bench, and cupped his hands to bellow out, "Right, you heard what Ron's mum said! We're Gryffindors! We're staying!"
The other Gryffindors in the room cheered at that announcement, their parents all looking rather horrified. The Creevy brothers were the loudest in their cheers, joining Dean standing on benches. The two Hufflepuff students, Harry recognized as Ernie MacMillan, and Hannah Abbott, were staring at the Gryffindors, before giving each other a glance, before jumping up on benches themselves. They nearly drowned out the cheering Gryffindors.
"Hufflepuffs are just and loyal!" Ernie announced proudly. "We don't run because things become difficult! We're staying with our friends!"
"Ravenclaws are staying!" Roger Davies shouted, though he didn't hop on a bench. Instead, he stood tall, with his shoulders squared. "We came to learn and test our wit! We will not be cowed into leaving a place of learning!"
Dean, and the Creevy brothers starting clapping, and hooting when new students joined them. It didn't take long before the whole hall erupted into a sparkle of rebellion. Each house chanted their respective name, and declared they were staying. The parents attempted in vain to get their children to behave, but once the idea struck that this was a matter of house pride, it seemed no one was going to back down. Dean even pulled Seamus up on a bench, and they dodged Seamus's mother who kept trying to grab their robes. A Hufflepuff jumped in the way, allowing them to escape her grasp long enough for Mrs. Finnigan to give up.
Roger Davies gave his mother a hug, before grabbing his trunk, and leaving the hall through the chaos that hall had erupted in while he mother watched.
"Molly, what a pleasant surprise," said a silky voice from Harry's other side.
Harry spun around so quickly a muscle in his neck hurt. Riddle stood a few feet from Mrs. Weasley, who had stopped her rant to watch the mayhem happening around her. Ron and Ginny took a step away from their mother and Riddle, while Hermione pressed her shoulder closer to Harry. Ron's eyes darted from Riddle to Harry, then back. None of them expected Riddle to show up. Especially Harry.
"Oh, hello Magnus," Mrs. Weasley flushed pink.
"I see you started a little rebellion in the school?" Riddle questioned, his hands clasped behind his back, and his expression pleasant. Even so, Ron tugged on Ginny's elbow, pulling her discreetly away from their mother. "I wonder, you came to retrieve your children from the school. What changed your mind?"
"Well, I—I," she stammered, fussing with her dress. It was evident to Harry that this was the first-time Mrs. Weasley remembered that taking Ron and Ginny from school would be a move that told Riddle she didn't think he could protect her children. "It's just what Ginny and Ron would want," –she glanced over at her children, who nodded—"and I try to listen to them."
Harry could hear Ginny snort, but she pulled it off as a cough when Mrs. Weasley side eyed her.
"I see," he casually began, his head lifted, and turned around the room. The Great Hall's once great roar had settled to a hum, as many of the parents looked towards the Headmaster. Even with Riddle barely speaking above a conversational tone, everyone heard him clearly. Riddle's head turned as though looking for someone. "Is Arthur or your son Bill not here?"
"Oh," Mrs. Weasley stood a little taller. "I've come by myself. I can choose what happens to my own children."
"Yes, of course," Riddle replied at once with a nod. "If you need any security on your way home, please let me know."
Without glancing at Harry, Riddle moved on to the next group. Harry felt himself tense, wanting to leap up from his seat and drag Riddle out of the hall. The rest of the hall became a buzzing noise in Harry's ears as he concentrated on following Riddle with his eyes, and his scar started to prickle again. Harry refused to rub it, though he could see Riddle pause mid stride as though he felt the same, before moving on to greet a family.
Hiding in a small corner of the room was a dark haired second year Slytherin, with two women. One of the women was kneeling, speaking quietly to the boy, and the other stood crossing her arms. The boy shook his head a few times, making the standing woman turn her head towards the ceiling. Riddle had approached them, and the two women greeted him quite fondly.
Ginny shook Harry's shoulder, and he was forced to turn away from Riddle, back to the Weasleys. Ron and Mrs. Weasley were talking in snipping whispers to each other. Ginny sat down on Harry's other side, and Harry tried very hard to focus on the hall instead of the warmth. It certainly didn't help when she leaned in close to whisper.
"I think she's about out of steam now," Ginny's breath danced across Harry's ear, and made him shiver. Harry nodded stiffly. "You know, after shouting how we all need to stay, and everything."
"And it's a good thing. Everyone looks to be staying," said Hermione, who of course, was paying attention to everyone.
"Oh—good," Harry replied.
The hall was thinning out now, with a lot of parents standing idly by as they waited to return home. Hermione appeared to be correct as many of the Gryffindors were heading back into the castle. Harry was glad to see more than a few Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws also convinced their parents to let them stay. Especially after all the chanting everyone had done, it only seemed far to allow them.
Colin Creevy was finally off the bench, but wasn't the least bit shamed faced at his behavior, with his brother giving a familiar admiring expression up at him. Harry huffed a laugh, wondering if Colin will have to deal with his little brother hero worshipping him now, and Harry's eyes met with Dean's. Ginny shifted and Harry could feel every bit of their bodies that connected like a live wire. Harry's eyes dropped down to his shoes, and his cheeks warm as though Dean could tell what he was thinking. Last Harry had heard, Ginny and Dean were together.
The doors to the Great Hall opened, and Professor McGonagall stepped in just as stern as ever. The conversations hushed as she looked over her glasses at the crowd.
"Attention everyone," she began. "We have carriages awaiting any parents and their children that need a way back into Hogsmeade. Please, gather your items and form a line in the center of the room so we may assist with travel in a safe manner."
Mrs. Weasley and Ron looked at each other for a few moments. Then, Mrs. Weasley leaned forward and swept Ron into a crushing hug that surprised everyone.
"You'd best look after Ginny for me Ronald, or so help me," she said with tears in her eyes.
"I promise," Ron mumbled, still crushed against his mother, and his face turning as red as his hair.
Mrs. Weasley kissed Ginny on the cheek before pulling her into a hug as well. Harry and Hermione also received some of her affection before she lined up with the other parents. The line barely contained any students at all. From what Harry could see, what once was going to be a large group of students leaving, now was just two. A Hufflepuff, and a Ravenclaw, both looked to be first years.
"Follow me to the carriages," McGonagall announced, and Harry could tell she was pleased with the lower number. Mrs. Weasley stanchly remained forward, as though glancing back would break her resolve.
Everyone seemed to be watching the students leave, but Harry felt the prickle on the back of his neck as though someone were staring at him. He turned to see the back of Riddle disappearing through the back door to the hall, his robes billowing in his wake.
"So," Ron started, taking his seat by Hermione. "I guess it's a good thing you're starting the D.A. again."
"You are?" asked Ginny excitedly.
"Oh—er yeah," Harry answered.
"We should ask if we can make it an official club this year," said Hermione. "I'm sure a lot more people can join since it'll be in the open, and we can get a bigger room."
"Wait, more people?" Harry cringed. He rather thought the amount before was a lot.
"Well, of course," nodded Ginny, and she waved Dean over to them. "Hey Dean, you want to join the D.A. again?"
"The D.A.?" Dean asked surprised. "That would be brilliant! When are we meeting again?"
"Did someone say D.A. meetings?" Colin Creevy asked loudly from a few feet away, his face still flushed from all his cheering. Many of the students had turned in attention. A student in the distance asked what the D.A. was, and Colin boastfully shouted, "The Defense club Harry Potter teaches!"
"Just a moment," Harry said, springing to his feet causing a few students who were making their way over to pause. "This is a little too fast, don't you think?"
"Nonsense," Hermione waved off his concern. She stood up as well with a smile on her face. "I already have all the organization planning done from last year, so that will be easy. Also, the coins still work, so I can alert everyone."
"I can rally the Hufflepuffs," said Ginny, moving over to join Hermione. "I know a few that have been asking about the D.A. since school started. It'll be easy to spread the word."
"Oh, and I can ask the prefects if they can announce it to their houses," Hermione added on excitedly.
Harry and Ron eyed each other. Neither of them had thought past just saying it was started, but the girls were certainly ten steps ahead of them. Soon, buzz of them talking about the D.A. caught on in the Great Hall, and every student left behind waiting for dinner, came over. Harry's head was practically spinning at the questions being asked around him. It felt like the day they formed the D.A. in the Hog's Head.
"Excuse me," asked a quiet voice from behind Harry. Harry turned to see the small Slytherin boy whose Mothers were fretting over. His eyes stayed locked on Harry's, though he looked ready to run at a moment's notice.
"What do you want?" Harry asked, annoyed.
"I want to join your defense club," the Slytherin announced.
"Why?" asked Ron, butting into the conversation. His hands placed on his hips, and puffing out his chest, the way he usually did around first years to get them to run, but Harry had to admire the smaller boy for glaring instead.
"Because I want to learn defense," he firmly stated.
"You know," Ron began casually. "If you're trying to spy on us, it won't work. We're going to make it an official club."
"And official clubs must take members from other houses," glared the Slytherin boy, and Harry started to like him despite himself. Harry was reminded of a kitten, puffed up and taking swipes at larger animals, and the boy's cherub face was certainly not helping.
"You can join," Harry said, holding out his hand. Ron's eyes bugged out, and the Slytherin boy watched Harry's outstretched hand with suspicion, before reaching forward, and shaking it.
"We don't really have to shake for me to join your club," said the boy, his cheeks turning slightly pink as they parted.
"Yeah well…," Harry started, then shrugged. "As the first Slytherin to join the club, you get the honor." A pause. "What's your name?"
"Alfie Quinn," answered the boy.
"I know you," Ron began with a slightly smile. "You're the one who set Filch's coat on fire last year."
"He stuck that blimey stone in my face because my mum keeps sending me chocolates from Hogsmeade," Alfie said indigently. "Filch thinks he's slick, but I caught two candies missing after his inspection, with a few others talking about how things have gone missing from their things, and put it together."
"Well," Ron said, beaming. "If we had to take a Slytherin, we got the best in the lot."
Alfie turned almost as red as Ron's hair.
Harry expected the crowd to die down when dinner time started, and the other students came in, but it only grew. Before the teachers even sat down, it felt like everyone in the hall was talking about the group. Harry could sense the eyes on him from all directions, and had trouble eating knowing everyone was watching him. It also felt like every Gryffindor has patted him on the back, as though he won a Quidditch game, and snippets of talking about the D.A. filtered through to Harry.
When he glanced up at the staff table, even most of the teachers were looking at him. McGonagall had a peculiar smile on her face, nodding at him when she caught him looking. Snape's eyes seemed to bore into Harry as though he was aware of Harry's intentions. Harry just glared back until another teacher trying to converse when Snape pulled his attention away. Though, Harry did refuse to look at Riddle, even if he felt the warm eyes on him through most of the dinner.
Harry didn't even have to worry about catching McGonagall in the halls, or her office to ask about the D.A. as she came to him. Harry was about to head to the library to research more on the Elder Wand that he overheard from Voldemort, when the head of Gryffindor approached him.
"Potter," she started, dressed in wonderfully emerald tartan patterned robes. "I assume you were coming to ask me about starting a defense club."
"Er—yeah," he answered, completely caught off guard. "I mean yes, Professor."
"I'm pleased to inform you, that our Headmaster, and myself agree on allowing you to head this club, despite your priorities with being Quidditch captain," McGonagall peered at him over her spectacles. "Which, I take it you've thought about setting time between the two, already."
"Of course," Harry nodded, feeling his heart drop in his stomach. He barely thought past forming the club again, let along worrying about his classes, and Quidditch.
"We do have one condition," she continued, pulling out a scroll from her robes. "You'll have oversight by a Professor, who will ensure the safety of those joining the club, and assisting with planning lessons."
"Sounds fair."
"Professor Snape has already agreed," said McGonagall.
"Snape?!" Harry practically shouted, his fists clenching.
"Professor Snape," corrected McGonagall, her fierce gaze pinned on Harry. She held out the scroll. "It is either this, or you will not be allowed. As Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Snape is a natural choice to assist with these lessons." –she slowly pulled the scroll away— "Of course, we could always allow Professor Snape to teach the club by himself."
"No!" Harry snatched the scroll, feeling his ears heat up at the look he received for his actions. "No, I can… work with him."
"Then it's settled," McGonagall finished in a business-like tone. "I expect to not hear any complaints on your ability to work with others, Mr. Potter."
Before she left though, she placed a hand on his shoulder, and gently squeezed it. Besides his best friends, McGonagall was the person who understood the mutual hate that was shared between Snape and Harry. She had saved him from Snape's wrath more times than Harry could count, but Harry didn't think she saw the ex-potion's master for what he really was.
A horrid man who would never change his ways.
Harry only nodded, worried if he spoke again he might say something he would regret. It wasn't until McGonagall was almost out of sight that Harry opened the scroll to see what was inside. It was permission signed by Headmaster 'M. R. Thomason' and already showed Harry as co-captain with Snape. Harry was proud of himself for not crumpling up the scroll immediately though he did think about chasing McGonagall down to decline the offer, and starting the club in secrete again.
Harry would either send most of them away, or find a way to get most of Hogwarts's students into a room without a single teacher noticing. Either way, it would be impossible to do. He was just fortunate enough that he didn't have Defense for another three days, so he could prepare himself.
At least, he hoped he could.