A/N: Hey everyone, how have you been? Good I hope! Thanks to all those who reviewed, it really makes my day to read them all.

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He felt like a hole would surely burn in his stomach and for a moment he was tempted to go back to the Hospital Wing and tell Toshiro what he really thought.

In the end, he didn't.

Harry grumbled quietly as he stared up at the ceiling of the dormitory, idly rubbing at his forehead as his scar gave a slight twinge. Hermione had come up with some...interesting ideas in the years that he'd known her, but this one really took the prize. There was no way he could teach other students Defence against the Dark Arts, and who would want to learn from him anyway? The Boy Who Lived wasn't exactly the most liked public figure at the moment. But regardless of its craziness, the idea had burrowed its way into his mind, finding a warm place to settle down.

He knew that something needed to be done if they wanted any hope in passing their OWLs. But a club? And not just a club, but an illegal one that he'd be leading. Well, he'd never run into any problems with breaking school rules before. For once, Harry actually wanted Toshiro's opinion on the idea because, other than Hermione, he was the most sensible kid he knew. Besides, if they were going to do this, he had a feeling Toshiro's assistance would be needed. The only problem was, at the moment he was hidden away, sick in the Hospital Wing, and if Neville's look had told him anything the boy might be there for a while.

There'd been something wrong with Hitsugaya for weeks, maybe months. It'd started out rather innocently, he'd been having a hard time sleeping-considering Harry woke up mid dream most nights, he'd noticed that Toshiro was often awake- and then he'd grown a sickly sort of pale and gotten irritable. Could dead people even get the flu? That seemed to break some fundamental law in his mind. But if somehow a dead person could get the flu, it'd started months ago and well, the flu didn't last for that long.

The teen sighed as he rubbed at his tired eyes hoping that sleep would grace him with its presence. Ron was talking in his sleep again, his voice muddled and stifled by his pillow. Quidditch would be starting up soon enough and the redhead had seemed interested when Angelina had come to speak with him the other day about last year's members being present for tryouts. The idea of Ron joining the Quidditch team was a pleasant one. Hell, if Fred and George were anything to go by, Ron was probably a brilliant player. The teen sighed as he flipped his pillow over, enjoying the feel the coolness against his neck.

A bat flew past the window, a shadow flickering across the wall. It was going to be a long night.

The next few days passed slowly and seemed to blur together. Toshiro had left the Hospital Wing the afternoon after he'd arrived, apparently having felt much better after a good night's sleep. Harry could tell that he still wasn't well, but there was a definite improvement. The teen had given Hermione's idea some thought and after speaking with Toshiro had found out that the white haired boy didn't exactly approve, but believed that if he put his mind to it, that Harry would be up for the daunting task of teaching anyone who was willing. He'd also expressed rather resolutely that he had no interest in joining. And Harry could respect that. Groups weren't exactly Toshiro's thing.

Neville on the other hand, seemed dead set on trying to convince his friend to join with him. And, while Neville was a great guy, Harry really hoped that Toshiro did wind up joining because he doubted anyone else would be willing to allow Neville to shoot spells at them. Especially ones they'd never practiced before. It really was an accident waiting to happen. And hell, Toshiro was already dead, what was the worst that could happen?

"No Neville." Ah, speak of the devil.

"Oh, come on Toshiro. Luna will join, and it'll be great practice."

Harry looked up as the pair walked towards where he, Ron and Hermione were sitting eating breakfast. Toshiro looked over at his friend, an eyebrow quirked and his lips thin.

"Practice would do you some good but I won't be in the vicinity while you're doing it. Never mind having you aim at me!"

"It won't be anything too bad," Hermione assured as they sat down, Toshiro putting some space between him and Neville- apparently it had something to do with hot tea being spilled and a shirt being ruined.

"Just practical things that would come up in the course work."

Toshiro gave her a sceptical look as he reached for a pitcher of water. "Practical doesn't mean that I won't wind up with a hole through my stomach or transported to the middle of the lake."

"Hey," Neville protested as Hermione made a face at the mental image. "I'm not that bad."

The white haired boy ignored him in favour of biting into a slice of plain toast.

"Hermione's right though," Harry said. "It's going to be course work. We're not going to try anything crazy."

"We should add some stuff though," Ron started. "Practical stuff- but spells not in the course. One's that we'll need though."

"Ron's right," Hermione nodded. "Besides, if Harry's in charge, he can add whatever he feels in necessary. As long as it isn't illegal."

"It's an illegal club," Toshiro stressed. "And you're worried about acting within the rules now of all times?"

"Are you saying that we should teach students banned spells and charms," she hissed, looking scandalized.

The Shinigami shrugged. "In for a penny, in for a pound. The worst they can do is expel you."

Hermione seemed faint at the very idea.

"Which I doubt Dumbledore would allow to happen, but even if it did, if Umbridge continues to gain power within the school, well, it wouldn't be much of a tragedy now would it," he said lightly before he took another bite of toast. "A school is supposed to facilitate learning and if it isn't doing what it's designed to do, well, it just becomes a waste of valuable land and time."

"So...you're saying we make it as illegal as possible?" Ron asked unsurely.

"Within the realms of reason," the white haired boy nodded. "There are lines that even Dumbledore wouldn't be able to pull you back from once you'd crossed them. Be wary, be cautious. But don't be cowards. You shouldn't be held back by what Umbridge is telling you that you can or can't do. There comes a time when authority must be disobeyed for the common good. And that time has come."

The group fell silent considered his words as he went back to contently munching on his breakfast.

"I'll begin spreading word," Hermione started quietly, glancing up and down the table, scouting out possible members. "To those I think we can trust. I'll call the first meeting for while we're in Hogsmead. That way we're away from the school and Umbridge."

"Don't forget to talk to people from different houses," Neville reminded. "Everyone will need all the help they can get. After all, we're all stuck with Umbridge."

"This...could actually work," Ron laughed in disbelief, clapping Harry on the back as he did.

"Yeah," Harry nodded, a sense of calm washing over him. "It actually could."

Hermione made quick work of spreading word about the new club that they were to form and by the time the Hogsmead trip rolled around everyone who was to be invited to attend had been notified. The idea was apparently an exciting one judging by the way the other students reacted upon hearing the news. Kids were jumping at the chance to get back at Umbridge- better secretly than not at all- and others were just thrilled with the idea of actually learning something of value.

Toshiro watched from his place sitting on Neville's bed as Harry pulled on his jacket and a hat.

"Did your uncle finally sign that form for you?" he asked curiously, remembering the last Hogsmead trip that he'd been on.

"Actually," the teen smiled. "Sirius signed it for me."

The Shinigami gave a small nod, glad to see a smile upon Harry's face for once.

"Are you coming to the meeting?"

The dead boy sighed as he buttoned the front of his coat. "Personally, I'd rather not. But I'm afraid you've gotten Neville interested in this whole thing."

"So, you finally gave in?" the glasses wearing teen chuckled, shoving his feet into his shoes.

Hitsugaya cast a glare in Harry's direction before making his way out of the room. "I didn't give in. I simply decided to do him a favour."

"Right."

Harry grinned as he followed after the smaller Gryffindor. Toshiro could pretend to be a hard ass all he wanted, but there was no denying his soft spot for Neville.

They made their way down the stairs, Toshiro steadying himself with his pale hand clasped the railing as they went.

"Do you know how many people Hermione invited?"

Toshiro frowned for a moment, debating if he should actually tell Harry just how many people would probably show up.

"Just a few." It was for the best.

"I don't want this to turn into a giant production," Harry muttered as they stepped through the portrait hole. "It's going to be hard enough to do this without getting caught. Never mind with ten people."

Toshiro winced. Oh, this would be interesting.

"Yes...ten people would make it rather difficult."

"What's wrong?" Potter suddenly asked.

"Nothing," the Shinigami assured him, picking up the pace so that they could make it to the gates more quickly. Teenagers. He was really getting too old to deal with this crap. And frankly, he was hoping for plausible deniability when everything finally hit the fan. If he didn't admit to knowing anything, Potter couldn't get angry with him. Because really, an angry Potter, was an annoying Potter who made his job miserable. Having to guard someone who glared at you as if they would enjoy nothing more than to eviscerate you wasn't exactly pleasant.

"It's not nothing!" the other protested, jogging to catch up. "What was with that look?"

"What look?" Toshiro asked in what he hoped to be an innocent voice. Going by the glare he was receiving he knew that he'd failed miserably. But hell, that was nothing new. Innocence had never exactly suited him.

"You do know how many people are coming, don't you!"

"I haven't the slightest idea," Toshiro lied through his teeth, resisting the urge to take the stairs three at a time. Hell, at this point, he wasn't against the idea of just jumping over the railings to the floor below. Plausible deniability was slowly slipping through his fingers. The Shinigami glanced over at the teen, blinking rapidly to dispel the image of a snake wrapping smoothly around his upper arm. He sped up yet again, hoping that the fresh air would do him some good.

Harry continued to pester him as they entered the main entrance hall but Toshiro broke away from him and went to join Neville and Luna who were standing off to the side.

"Are you alright?" Neville asked quietly. "You look ill."

Toshiro assured him that he was fine as students began filing out of the hall and down the steps to the grounds. The air was frigid, which was just what he needed.

"I must admit," Luna started quietly in her trademark tone. "I'm rather excited to be joining this club. It shall be quite interesting."

"I'm sure it will be," he nodded.

"I wonder who else will be joining," Neville said. "I know Hermione asked a bunch of people, but I'm not sure how many will actually come. It's a bit of a risk with Umbridge skulking around like she is."

Snow was beginning to fall from the cement coloured sky as they continued to walk, the ice covered grass crunching under their feet. Neville sent Toshiro a curious look but the Shinigami simply shrugged, having nothing to do with the sudden snowfall although thankful for it. The wind blew through the trees of the Forbidden Forest and ripped at their clothes as they made the trek towards the village. They were set to meet in the Hogshead- which was apparently a bar or something along those lines, and a sketchy one at that. The kind that failed to meet health code regulations and small children avoided walking by once the sun went down. Apparently this made it the perfect place to meet because no teacher or student would be caught dead in it otherwise. There actually might have been some sort of unspoken school rule that students weren't allowed into the establishment. Hermione said they'd chance it.

Upon entering the shop Toshiro decided that what it lacked in charm, it made up for in dirt. The patrons watched as Hermione chose a table by the window and the white haired boy surveyed the area. He met several curious gazes, many of them turning away once he locked eyes with them. A rather twitchy looking woman at the bar gave him a nod before turning back to her murky drink.

"I think they've accepted you," Neville whispered into his ear, earning himself a glare.

The Shinigami strode up to the bar, the bartender looking up from the glass he was wiping. "I'll have a water please."

The old man nodded and began bustling about getting it for him. When the glass was finally set in front of him, Toshiro frowned. It was brown. And in his experience, that wasn't a good thing. He nodded his thanks none the less and made his way over to the table that they'd chosen.

"You're not actually going to drink that, are you?" Ron asked, a disgusted look adorning his face.

Hitsugaya shrugged before sniffing the water. Well, it didn't smell foul.

"I'll grab us a couple Butterbeers," Harry said, quickly snatching the glass from the younger looking boy's grasp and setting on the other side of the table.

Toshiro nodded indifferently, noticing how they'd attracted several stares. It was far too quiet. It would have been better if they'd met out by the Shrieking Shake where people didn't like to go too often. Even the noisier bar down the street would have been better; they all looked far too out of place here. Just as he was about to voice his opinion the bell over the door rang and several other students walked in, Fred and George among them. As more and more people began to arrive Toshiro realized that he had no idea who many of them were. Dean Thomas was there, as was Lee Jordan, the twins' friend. He of course recognized Cho Chang and Ginny and he could see Seamus sitting beside Dean. Upon some thought he knew one of the girls to be the captain of the Quidditch team. Angelique or something like that.

When about twenty five people arrived Harry was looking pale and nervous in his seat. Green eyes slid to meet with teal.

"Ten?"

"You came up with that number," Toshiro said casually.

Harry choked for a moment before Fred passed him a bottle of Butterbeer and he began to drown his sorrows. When it seemed as if everyone was settled Hermione cleared her throat, calling everyone to attention. The group settled down, content to be out of the cold and to have a bottle of Butterbeer clasped in their hands.

"Well...um, there's a reason why we invited you here today," she began nervously, her eyes shifting around the room. "We...need a teacher. A real teacher, someone who actually knows what they're talking about."

"And Harry's that person?" one of the students from Ravenclaw called. Hermione swallowed for a moment.

"Yes, at least, he's our best option. It's up to us, if we want to be able to protect ourselves from...Voldemort."

Gasps rang out through the students as Toshiro sighed, resting his chin in his hand. It never ceased to amaze him that people could fear a name. And an odd one at that...French or something.

"There's a war coming, and we need to be ready."

"Maybe if Harry told us more about Diggory...," one of the boys suggested.

Harry's face darkened as he suddenly stood. "If you're all here to have me tell you about Cedric, you'd better leave."

The boy had the sense to look embarrassed as Harry stared him down. "You don't know what it's like. To feel like you're about to die and know that if you make a mistake you're dead. It's not like class where you can try again; there aren't any second chances."

A blanket of silence had fallen over the group as he spoke. The rest of the meeting went relatively smoothly and ended with everyone signing their name to a piece of parchment that Hermione had brought along with her. They'd need to find a place to actually hold the meetings, and with everyone's schedules, finding a time that worked for them would be a task in itself.

Everyone began to clear out as Hermione set the parchment in front of Toshiro and held out the quill for him to take.

"Well? Are you joining?"

The Shinigami stared down at the long list of names.

"Please Toshiro," Neville asked pleadingly. Luna remained silent but her eyes bore into his before he finally relented and took the quill.

"I detest magic," he huffed. With a swift hand he scratched the kanji onto the parchment at the very end of the list.

"Don't make me regret this," he said as he handed back the quill and stood.

"I promise you won't," Hermione beamed, rolling the paper and shoving it into her bag.

He really doubted that.

Dear Readers,

Not going to lie, I've had this chapter done for about a week now but I've been so sick, I couldn't work up the energy to edit it. I feel like I'm on a bit of a roll now that I've got this chapter done. I've even started the next one already. I haven't been this productive with my writing since...well, maybe late 2009. After that, I turned into a lazy asshole. I won't deny it. Well, I also got a lot busier, but still. A lazy procrastinator am I. Thanks for reading,

ForeverFalling.