The second Saturday of the school year, the 'study group' meets to work something out for how to actually learn Defense. They're meeting in the Room of Requirement, which Bloom asked to give them a space they could meet in - and possibly live in if it came to it - without fearing discovery by anyone trying to stop them or meaning them harm. And, to everyone's utter shock, practically the entire student population of the school is in attendance - just like what 'happened' in the dungeons of school in Bloom's first year, word seems to have spread like wildfire about this secret meeting.

Students talked to other students, it seems, and nobody talked to Umbridge. Possibly because word of the Blood Quill got around - unfortunately, Bloom could only take the one without causing any suspicion. Luckily, Susan Bones got the bagged Quill with a note that detailed the time and place of the meeting, and Hufflepuff was informed. However it is Slytherin House managed to contact Ravenclaw, it seems they all jumped at the chance. Hence, nearly every single student is here.

Ron stands up on his tip-toes and tries to do something of a headcount - after a moment, he gives up and says "I see colors from all four Houses. Looks like word got around plenty."

Bloom nods, then says "Let's get to the front, Ron. Where's 'Mione?"

Ron grins, and says "Talking with Parvarti Patil, Daphne Greengrass, and Susan Bones up front. Planning out how we might actually do this and make it work."

Bloom shrugs, and says "Sounds good. Because I honestly know probably everything of what's supposed to be taught in the Curriculum. I was thinking we'd pair everyone up based on knowledge and ability."

Hermione nods as Bloom walks over, having heard her last sentence, and says "Sounds perfect. If you demonstrate the spells, we can pair everyone up and have them practice. Maybe combinations of spells? One go on offense, and one on defense, say? Stunners and shields, maybe?"

Bloom nods, and says "Sounds good…for the older kids, anyway. For third year and below…I was thinking more defense and distraction spells. They just aren't old enough to fight - mentally old enough, that is."

Hermione opens her mouth to object, and Bloom says "'Mione, don't even try to say you weren't scared to shaking after that chess game was done. I heard you begging Ron to wake up as I was walking down the hall."

Daphne frowns, and asks "Really? Why? What happened to him?"

Hermione says "Knocked out by a chess piece. A life-sized chess piece."

Bloom adds "Someone either enlarged a Wizard's Chess set, or Transfigured one. Probably McGonagall, in hindsight. Either way, each piece was easily as tall as an adult and twice as tall as we were. And it was enchanted to be exactly like Wizard's Chess. Ron was a Knight, and he sacrificed himself so I could take the King. Got a lump on his head the size of an egg, if I remember correctly."

Daphne blinks again, then whistles and says "How…brave, I suppose."

Ron shrugs, and says "Someone meant for that Chess set to be smart enough to win."

Bloom shrugs, and says "Not why we're here. Shall we start this? By the way…I can't duel anyone. I'll destroy them without even meaning to."

Hermione nods, and says "I thought you could just demonstrate, then go around and help people who're struggling."

Bloom nods, and says "Sounds good. I wasn't planning on holding everyone's hands when we thought it might be just the fifth years, but…"

Parvarti says "But with this many people that isn't even an option, right?"

"Right."

A platform appears, and Bloom walks up onto it while casting the Banging Hex to get everyone's attention - works like…well, to use a Muggle expression, like a Charm. No pun intended.

Once Bloom's sure she's got everyone's attention, she says "Good, your all listening. Listen, I'm not going to give some big, long-winded speech about how we have to fight the Ministry and their attempt to control Hogwarts or anything. I'm just going to give it to you straight and let each of you make your decision. Dolores Jane Umbridge is nothing but Fudge's toad, his hired bootlicker, and she's carrying out his agenda, not the duty she signed up for as a professor of this school. She's supposed to be teaching everyone here how to defend themselves, what she's teaching is how to recite stuff from a beginner's book and get yourselves killed when you're not prepared for the real world. Because, people, the real world is damn well messy and bloody, and that's all I'm going to say about it. You stay here, work with people here, you'll learn how to defend yourselves. You want to leave, fine. Leave. Just know that you won't be able to talk about this or even remember it if you do."

She scans the crowd, and one Ravenclaw Seventh Year calls out "Who's going to teach us, though, Potter? You? You're a fifth year!"

Bloom shrugs, and says "I am. I also had all the time in the world between last year and the year before to read through books. Charms, Defense, Transfiguration, Potions…I basically bought an entire shelf of books. Same until about halfway through last summer. I memorized the spells and such."

Hermione says "She's the best in Defense in our year - the Gryffindors actually Duel her as practice. She's strong, and she knows the spells like everyone here knows their wand."

A Slytherin Sixth Year asks "What's the most difficult spell you can perform, Potter?"

The room suddenly gets much larger behind Bloom, and she wordlessly releases a Corporeal dragon Patronus behind her - there's several gasps, a few shouts from the first and second years, but after it stops moving there's a stunned silence. Because its big enough to fill the Great Hall with ease.

Someone breathes out "Dear Merlin…"

Another asks "Is that what I saw out the window two years ago?! Merlin, that thing is gigantic!"

Draco smirks for a minute, then Bloom says "I'll duel someone if that would put you lot at ease about my ability to cast the spells."

A Ravenclaw Seventh Year makes his way forward, and says "Best in Defense in our class. You beat me, well, I can't really see anyone having a problem with you teaching us. You know many N.E.W.T. spells, Potter?"

"I'm working on Transmutation at the moment. And Charms. And most of Defense is Charms, Hexes, etc."

He blinks, then asks "Didn't you meet with our Head of House a few nights ago?"

Bloom nods and grins, saying "Little something I worked out with some of the Professors. Shall we duel?"

They bow, walk the ten steps away from each other, and then the spells start flying. Bloom barely uses a spell twice, and Sirius must have taught her a few spells he picked up during the war because they surprised even her opponent. Some of the spells sent her way get blocked, some get dodged, some get intercepted and basically…popped.

Once the duel is done, with Bloom sending the seventh-year flying backwards into a bean bag the Room of Requirement made, almost everyone bursts into applause and cheering. So much so that its like Bloom's the lead singer in what she imagines a concert to be like - she's only got her guesses, but everyone's going absolutely wild.

When someone asks 'just how powerful are you, Potter?!' she walks over to one of the training targets - it looks a lot like a totem, but with only a big bulls-eye target in the middle as decoration. Once a few seventh years have tried to damage it with the strongest, most destructive spells they know - putting as much power as they can into them, and barely making a scratch - Bloom stills for a moment then…punches it. It blows up into a million splinters, at least half of which got embedded into the wall through sheer speed.

There's more than a bit of swearing at that point, and then a bookshelf appears with several thick books that several Purebloods and Half-Bloods hurry over to.

Five minutes later, there's a whole other round of swearing, debating, and gesturing at Bloom frantically.

Another ten minutes later, the mixed group of Ravenclaws and Slytherins with a book of magical legends from the Wizarding World comes back over. One of the Ravenclaws says "There's a bunch of old stories, mostly legends and…well, to use a muggle term that fits too well not to…fairytales. Of fairies - and not the stupid, vain little ones that get used on the tree every Christmas either. Ones that looked like a human, but could do things even us Witches and Wizards can hardly dream of. Sprout wings, for instance. The legends say they were supposed to be something like the caretakers of this world, keeping it in balance. And then…they just disappeared. Some theories say they went into hiding after the Salem Witch Trials, like the Wizarding World did, but they hid so well nobody can find them now. Others say they just left, used their magic to head somewhere the Muggles couldn't get to them."

Bloom gets her trademark smirk and crosses her arms, asking "And?"

One of them slowly says "And…some say they're still among us…and we just don't know it because we can't recognize them anymore."

Draco moves to stand closer to Bloom, and asks "Is there a point to the pseudo-history lesson?" As if he doesn't already know what they've just guessed.

One of the Slytherins clears her throat, and asks "What we're trying to get at is…are you really one of them, Potter?!"

There's more than a little awe in both her expression and her voice at the idea, and Bloom shrugs and says "I won't lie. Something like that, yes. Though, I didn't know when I first started going here. I only found out recently, truth be told."

The entire group starts talking all at once, some asking questions like 'have you gotten your wings yet what are they like can you show us?' - up until one of the Slytherins notices Draco slide an arm around Bloom subtly. He lets out a sharp whistle to get everyone's attention, then asks "Why is it that all the hot and powerful ones are taken?"

There's a dead silence in the whole room, and then another of Draco's Housemates says "You sneaky git, how'd you even…"

Its no real secret that half the school's been trying to get Bloom based on her looks alone - were it not for her reputation for being incredibly powerful and incredibly short-tempered when necessary, there'd probably be a bloodbath for her hand in marriage starting right now.

Draco smirks, and says "I didn't know she's stronger than all the professors - maybe all the professors combined - I was just there when she got her wand and never stopped being curious."

Bloom snorts, and says "There's the understatement of the century, Draco. Right there. In any case, seeing as its just come out…I'm taken. Anybody tries to interfere, I WILL retaliate. And I can promise even Madam Pomfrey won't be able to fix it so easily. Got it?"

Everyone in the room nods, several offenders from all Houses holding up their hands in surrender. Draco gives them all glares that spell certain Hexing if they try even a single thing.

And then the question of 'how can a Gryffindor and a Slytherin fall for each other' comes up, and Bloom rolls her eyes and scoffs "Honestly, the House Rivalry is getting bloody ridiculous at this point. Give it up, or tone it down or something, really. A friendly rivalry is one thing, but Hexing someone in the halls just because they're in a House yours doesn't like is ridiculously immature."

And then the question of Quidditch comes up, and Bloom says "We already covered that, people. In a game, our heads are in the game. End of story." Her glare just dares them to challenge that particular resolution, but nobody's dumb enough to do so. Instead, everybody takes a copy of a list of spells to start checking off and pair up with someone who knows a similar amount of spells.

At the end of the session, Bloom has Hermione perform the Fidelius Charm on herself - being the Keeper for the secret 'the students of Hogwarts are meeting in the Room of Requirement to learn Defense Against the Dark Arts.'

They decide to call the group 'Guardians of Hogwarts' and 'GoH' for short since all four Houses have come together to fight Umbridge. The good thing about the shortened name? They can just say they're referring to the 'Gauntlet of Hell' if asked. And, if asked what that means…O.W.L.S and N.E.W.T.S.

Because Bloom's not going to call it anything Dumbledore could twist around to his own ends - the man's got a manipulative streak a mile wide, and he doesn't need any encouragement.

Everyone also gets told to come to Bloom if the get detention with Umbridge, as she can heal injuries - though, if she uses a Blood Quill, the healing will burn like fire because she'll have to literally burn the dark magic out of the wound before she can heal it. She's got a stream of people coming to her starting that same night, much to her anger. Umbridge has got to go!

AN: Hey there, everyone! Yes, I am recovered enough to post another chapter! jaw aches a bit every now and again, but hey! Its only day three!

Anyway, as to the story, Umbridge is in for a lot of headaches starting next chapter. No spoilers, but I'll say if you guess it right! And, sorry, but it isn't the chapter where I turn Hedwig into a Phoenix - I'm saving that for Halloween, continuing the tradition of 'terrible things happen on Halloween.' BTW, I finally got around to updating the date of the Goblet spitting our Bloom's name as the fourth - yeah, it's been a long time since I read any of the books, and the movies don't really give dates after the first one. And that Halloween's date was only implied by the decorations.

Anyway, enjoy! More updates coming soon - on all my current stories! Please review, I love reading them!