A/N: I am sooooooo sorry that I didn't update sooner. But my mom decided not to pick me up on Monday morning and changed it to Tuesday morning, making it 5 bloody days with no writing. And then when I got home I found the charger to my laptop all chewed up. My idiot cat destroyed my charger. And since my laptop is a dinosaur and it can't work without it, I couldn't write on Tuesday either. So I had to use the other dinosaur of a computer in my ice cold basement. But thank GOD I finally get to update! So anyways this chapter has got a BIG surprise in the end. I mean it's totally unexpected. So get ready to pop your eyes out and drop your jaws! R&R!
The ice cold wind blew softly, biting at my ears and the tip of my nose. Snow lightly fell from the gray, cloudy sky. Since it was a Hogsmeade weekend, Hermione decided to hold the first meeting then. As Rosaline and I entered Hog's Head, where the meeting was being held, we saw many people from different houses sitting down and waiting for it to start. I quickly sat down next to George and Rosaline sat next to me. Hermione, Ron and Harry were in the front of the room, awkwardly sitting. Hermione slowly stood up and looked around the room.
"Um.." Hermione awkwardly paused, "Hi. You all know why we're here. We need a teacher; a proper teacher. One who's had real experience defending themselves against the Dark Arts."
"Why?" someone in the crowd asked.
"Why," Ron repeated, "Because You-Know-Who's back, you tosspot."
"So he says," the guy said, nodding to Harry.
"So Dumbledore says," Hermione snapped.
"So Dumbledore says because he says," he said, "The point is, where's the proof?"
"If Potter could tell us more about how Diggory got killed..." another person in the crowd said.
I could suddenly feel Rosaline's body tense up next to me. She was staring down at the ground, with a blank expression. She breathed deeply and shuddered, shaking her head to brush away the memory. She obviously still missed Cedric. And if people were going to bring it up, I wasn't going to let her sit here and listen.
"I'm not going to talk about Cedric," Harry said, "So if that's why you're here you might as well clear out now," he added then whispered to Hermione, "C'mon, Hermione, let's go. They're just here because they think I'm some sort of freak"
"Harry, wait," Hermione said.
"Is it true you can produce a Patronous Charm?" Luna suddenly asked.
Everyone's faces turned from Harry to Luna and then back to Harry. Most of them were in total shock and surprise.
"Yes," Hermione answered for Harry, "I've seen it."
"Blimey, Harry!" Dean said, "I didn't know you could do that!"
"And he killed a basilisk," Neville said, "With the sword in Dumbledore's office."
"It's true," Ginny said.
"Third year he fought off about a hundred dementors at once," Ron said.
"And last year he really did fight off You-Know-Who in the flesh," Hermione said.
I didn't know what anyone was talking about. But from the way everyone was looking at Harry right now, I could tell that he did some pretty impressive things in his past years at Hogwarts.
"Wait..." Harry said, "Look, it all sounds great when you say it like that. But the truth is most of that was just luck. I didn't know what I was doing half the time, I nearly always had help..."
"He's just being modest," Hermione interrupted.
"No, Hermione, I'm not!" Harry said, "Facing this stuff in real life is not like school. In school, if you make a mistake you can just try again tomorrow, but out there, when you're a second away from being murdered or watching a friend die right before your eyes...you don't know what that's like."
Harry sat back down and hung his head. Hermione slowly sat down next to him.
"You're right, Harry," Hermione said, "We don't. That's why we need your help. Because if we're having any chance against beating..." she sucked in her breath, "Voldemort…."
A few people in the room shuddered and had a look of fear in their eyes at the sound of his name. I still didn't see what was to worry about. Fearing a name sounded quite ridiculous to me.
"He's really back?" a young boy asked, breaking the silence.
Harry nodded and everyone was now hanging their heads. Hermione then stood up, grabbed a piece of parchment and wrote something on the top.
"If you want to join Dumbledore's Army," she said, "Sign here."
At first no one moved, but then slowly people stood up and signed their names on the paper. Soon it became a long line of people. Once it got to me and Rosaline though, Harry, Hermione and Ron pulled us aside.
"What is it?" I asked.
"I don't think you guys should sign up," Hermione said.
"What?" Rosaline said, "Why?"
"Because you aren't…" Ron started, but then Harry nudged his ribs with his elbow. Ron then leaned in to whisper, "You aren't witches."
"So?" I asked, "We still could be some use to you guys."
"What about Division?" Harry asked.
I scoffed and rolled my eyes.
"For all we know," I said, "They're probably returned to Hong Kong. Trust me, we'll be fine."
Harry, Hermione and Ron still looked unsure.
"How about," Rosaline said, "We promise to only use our powers when we really need to."
I widened my eyes and opened my mouth to interfere, but Rosaline gave me a 'be quiet' look, which made me close my mouth.
"Yeah," I growled, "We promise."
Hermione and Harry looked at each other for a moment.
"Fine," Hermione sighed.
I smiled and quickly went back in line to sign up.
"You do think we'll be fine," Rosaline said, "Right?"
"Of course we will be," I said, "What could happen?"
Ron, Hermione, Rosaline, Harry, Ginny, Fred, George and I were walking back to the school, thinking of a place to hold our D.A. meetings.
"First we've got to find a place to practice where Umbridge won't find out," Harry said.
"The Shrieking Shack?" Ginny asked.
"No," Harry said, "It's too small."
"The Forbidden Forest," Hermione suggested.
"Not bloody likely," Ron quickly rejected the idea.
"Harry, what happens if Umbridge does find out?" Ginny asked.
"Who cares?" Hermione said.
Everyone, including me, stared at her in complete shock. None of us have ever heard Hermione talk like that.
"I mean, sort of exciting, isn't it?" Hermione said, "Breaking the rules."
"Who are you, and what have you done with Hermione Granger?" Ron asked.
Hermione laughed excitedly.
"Well," she sighed, "At least we know one thing for sure."
"What?" Harry asked.
Hermione giggled before she answered.
"Cho couldn't keep her eyes off you, could she?" she said.
I grimaced and rolled my eyes. Cho Chang had been Harry's crush for a while. But she was the reason that Cedric broke Rosaline's heart, and she was also a humungous slut, so I hated her.
The rest of the group kept walking forward, when I was suddenly pulled back by George.
"What is it?" I asked.
"Meet me in front of the Gryffindor common room tonight," he said.
"Okay," I said curiously, "Is there a reason I'm going to?"
"I've got a surprise for you," he smiled.
"Oh really?" I smiled back, "Can't wait."
We finally caught up to everyone else and continued to walk inside.
I finished tying on my shoe when it was about time for me to leave. I snuck out of the common room and quietly made my way to the Gryffindor common room. I waited for about a minute when George came and kissed me hello.
"So what is this surprise you have for me?" I asked.
"You'll see," he said, grabbing my hand.
He had me follow him down several hallways. At first I didn't know where we were going. But then we finally came to a blank wall, which sparked my memory. A door appeared in front of us; it was the Room of Requirement. But what was he doing bringing me back here?
We quietly walked in, entering the same dance room that we had been in before.
"What are we doing back here?" I asked.
"Wait for it," he said.
He then pulled back his sleeve to look at his watch. It was 11:59, but then it changed to 12:00.
"It has now officially been a year since we were together," he smiled.
I blushed and grinned from ear to ear.
"You remembered," I said.
"How could I forget?" he asked.
"I thought you probably would," I shrugged, "Since most guys do."
"Ah, but that's where you are wrong," he smirked, "I'm not most guys."
"Very true," I giggled.
"I have something to tell you," he said.
"What is it?" I asked.
"I…" he paused, "God, I don't know how to say it."
"Just say it," I said.
"I love you," he quickly said.
My eyes widened.
"You what?" I asked.
"I love you," he repeated, "I always have, but I was too afraid to say it. I remember the first time I met you, when Fred and I made that stupid aging potion to enter the TriWizard Tournament. You knew that we weren't going to make it, and now I know why you knew we would grow long white beards."
I laughed lightly at the pleasant memory.
"You kept coming back in my mind after that," he continued, "Then I would see you everywhere. Wherever I went, you were there. You stood out from everyone else. I knew deep down that I was in love with you."
George then searched my eyes for an answer, but my expression was blank.
"I feel like such an idiot," he said, hanging his head.
"Why?" I asked.
"Because you probably don't love me back," he sighed.
"Now, saying that would make you an idiot," I said.
George looked back up, with a slightly confused look on his face.
"Huh?" he said.
"Isn't it obvious?" I asked, "I love you, too."
He didn't say anything at first. But then he smiled and pulled me to him, kissing me passionately. I could feel his hunger against my lips as the kiss deepened. I tangled my fingers in his fiery red hair as his grip around my waist tightened. I pulled away, gasping for breath and leaned my forehead against his.
"We should get back," I whispered.
"Yeah," George sighed.
We walked out of the Room of Requirement, hand in hand. George escorted me back to the Ravenclaw common room. We stopped at the Ravenclaw entrance and turned to say goodnight.
"I love you," he said.
"I love you, too," I smiled.
He kissed me sweetly and then walked back to the Gryffindor common room. I muttered the password and entered the Ravenclaw common room, still dazed from the amazing night.
"He loves me," I whispered to myself.
Rosaline and I were sitting in the library with Hermione, studying for our pointless Defense Against the Dark Arts class. Suddenly Neville came running to us, panting heavily.
"I've found a place for us to train," he whispered, incase anyone was listening.
He then ran back out of the library, making us follow him. Harry, Ron, Ginny, Fred and George were outside of the library, waiting for us. We all then followed Neville to wherever he was taking us. We then came to a door that looked very familiar to me. Then I remembered, it was the Room of Requirement. When we came in, it looked different. It was a lot bigger and giant, old mirrors replaced the walls. It was the room from my vision of the D.A.
"You've done it, Neville," Hermione said, "You found the Room of Requirement."
"The what?" Ron asked.
"It's also known as the Come-And-Go Room," Hermione said, "The Room of Requirement only appears when a person has real need of it, and is always equipped for the seeker's needs."
"So, say you really needed the toilet?" Ron asked.
"Charming, Ronald," Hermione dryly said, "But yes, that is the general idea."
"It's brilliant!" Harry said, "It's like Hogwarts wants us to fight back."
Dumbledore's Army was probably the best idea ever. And the Room of Requirement was a great place to train. But Umbridge was already on to us. The next day Filch added a new sign on Umbridge's wall of many ridiculous rules. It read that extra-curricular groups created by students were not aloud.
"She knows," Rosaline said.
"Obviously," I said.
"So what do we do now?" Ron asked.
"We keep training," Harry said, "We keep having the meetings. Umbridge has no proof that we created an army."
But then the next day another rule was added to the wall. Students were going to be questioned about illegal activities. She was making sure that she would find something. Any ounce of dirt she got from us, she would hand over to the Minister of Magic. And then they would point it back to Dumbledore, and then try to get him fired. She really did want to take over the school.
At the moment we had other things to think about. Today was our first official meeting. We were practicing Disarming Charms against a dummy that looked like a Death Eater. Neville was first in line.
He nervously held up his wand and aimed it at the Death Eater.
"Expelliarmus!" he said.
Instead of disarming the Death Eater, Neville's wand flew backwards and slammed against the wall. Poor Nigel almost got smacked in the head by it.
"I'm a failure," Neville sighed depressingly.
"You're just flourishing your wand too much," Harry reassured him, "Try it like this," he then raised his wand, "Expelliarmus!"
The wand in the Death Eater's hand flew out and landed on the ground. Then one by one, everyone took a turn at disarming the dummy Death Eater. When Ginny was finished her turn, it was soon my turn. I nervously held my useless wand and pointed it at the Death Eater.
"Expel-" I started, but then stopped.
I knew that I would never be able to hide it from anyone. Pretty soon they would know anyway. I sighed and then lowered my wand.
"Oh, screw it," I muttered.
I handed Harry my wand and then got back in my place in front of the dummy. Everyone was staring at me like I was an idiot. Rosaline knew exactly what I was about to do. She stared at me intensely and shook her head, telling me not to do it. But I didn't listen. I raised my hand forward, my palm facing the dummy and then focused on the wand in its hand. It immediately flew out and came towards me and then floated above my hand. Everyone gasped as they saw what I did.
"What the bloody hell is she doing?" someone said.
"How is she doing that?" another one whispered.
I turned around, facing everyone that was staring at me, with the wand still floating in my hand. I shrugged and nervously smiled.
"I guess you all should know," I said, "Since we will be working together, training. I can't use my wand. I'm a Squib."
Everyone looked at me surprised. A few people thought I was lying. It wasn't every day that you saw a Squib that could levitate objects.
"If you're a Squib then how are you doing….that?" Dean asked.
"Wizards and witches aren't the only people who have magical powers," I said, "In the muggle world there are people who can levitate objects, see the future, erase memories, heal wounds, and so much more. I'm one of them."
Several people were murmuring to each other, shocked at my sudden and rash action. Hermione was giving me a very disapproving look, as well as Rosaline. Harry and Ron were just standing there with their jaws to the ground. Rosaline looked around the room nervously and then slowly walked forward to my side. She then stood next to me, facing the rest of the group.
"I'm one of them, too," she said.
Again people were gasping. Harry and Ron were even more shocked. Hermione was now giving us both a disapproving look.
"What are you two doing at Hogwarts?" Neville asked.
"That story can wait for another time," Rosaline said, "We can't tell you much about us, since we're supposed to be under the radar. So you cannot tell anyone else this. What we do in this room stays in this room. The only other person that knows about this is Dumbledore."
Everyone nodded quickly but kept staring at us in utter shock. I sighed and then got back in the group, as if nothing happened.
"Um…" Harry paused, "Okay. I guess we'll move on then."
We continued our training, and soon everyone went back to normal. But people still glanced at me and Rosaline, with a sense of curiosity in their eyes.
"Why did you do that?" Hermione asked shrilly as people left the Room of Requirement.
"They were going to find out anyway," I sighed, "We might as well just tell them."
"You could have gotten in serious trouble," Hermione scolded.
"We know," Rosaline said.
"And who knows who they'll tell," Hermione continued.
"They won't tell," I defended, "Because I'll know if they did and then I'll hurt them. And they know I can, so they won't."
Hermione wanted to say something, but Ron stopped her.
"It doesn't matter," Ron said, "We can trust them. And besides, people would want to know why they know. So they would have to bring up Dumbledore's Army. Then they would get into to trouble with us. So they couldn't tell anyway."
Hermione sighed and nodded.
"I guess you're right," she said and then turned to us, "But don't pull something like that ever again."
"Yes, Mother," I teased.
She rolled her eyes but then smiled at me. We then left the Room of Requirement and went to our dorms to get some rest. If Cassie and Nick were still writing to me, they'd probably be sending letters to me, lecturing to me about how I was going to be in so much trouble. But they weren't anymore so why worry.
