Chapter 40

September 28th 1992

Hogwarts

There was no mention made of Harry giving Defense Against the Dark Arts lessons a few weeks by anyone as they got into the rhythm of the school year with classes and wedding planning.

The subject was broached again, on a wild, blustery evening at the end of September, when Harry,Daphne and Edmund were sitting in the library, working on Transfiguration for McGonagal.

"I was wondering," Edmund said suddenly, "whether you'd thought any more about you teaching us Defense Against the Dark Arts, Harry."

Harry did not answer at once.

He had given the matter a great deal of thought over the past few weeks

It at first to him seemed an insane idea that he could teach, but at times he had found

himself thinking about the best spells he had learned from Master Dao that had served him well in the Chamber of Secrets,Against Quirell,other Slytherins and the people at the Dueling Club last year.

He then realized that he had found himself, in fact, subconsciously planning lessons…

"Well," he said slowly "yeah, I - I've thought about it a bit."

"And?" said Edmund eagerly.

"I dunno," said Harry, playing for time. He looked over at Daphne.

"I thought it was a good idea from the start," She said.

Edmund then looked at Harry, "Well, what do you think? Will you teach us?"

He saw Layla look at them as well

"Just you three, yeah?"

"Well," said Edmund "I really think you ought to teach anyone who wants to learn. I mean,

we're talking about defending ourselves against threats that come at us later in life and It

doesn't seem fair if we don't offer the chance to other people."

Harry considered this for a moment, then said, "Yeah, but I doubt anyone would want to be taught by me. "

"I think you might be surprised how many people would be interested in learning from you" said Edmund "Look,you know the first weekend in October's a Hogsmeade weekend? How would it be if we tell anyone who's interested to meet us in the village and we can talk it over?"

Layla then said, "Listen, Ed and I have been sounding out people who we thought might want to learn some proper Defense Against the Dark Arts for once, and we got a couple who seem interested. We've told them to meet us in Hogsmeade."

Harry looked at Daphne who just shrugged.

Oh well

Gess he may go and see who shows.

SCENE CHANGE

The morning of the Hogsmeade visit dawned bright but windy. After breakfast they queued up in front of Filch, who matched their names to the long list of students who had permission from their parents or guardian to visit the village.

Getting checked they all walked on, out onto the stone steps and the cold, sunlit day.

The four of them walked between the tall stone pillars topped with winged boars and turned left onto the road into the village, the wind whipping their hair into their eyes.

"Where are we going, anyway?" Harry asked when they entered the village "The Three Broomsticks?"

"Oh no," said Edmund "no, it's always packed and really noisy. I've told the others to meet us in the Hog's Head, that other pub, you know the one, it's not on the main road. I think it's a bit… you know… dodgy… but students don't normally go in there, so I don't think we'll be overheard."

They walked down the main street past Zonko's Wizarding Joke Shop,past the post office, from which owls issued at regular intervals, and turned up a side-street at the top of which stood a small inn. A battered wooden sign hung from a rusty bracket over the door, with a picture on it of a wild boar's severed head, leaking blood into the white cloth around it. The sign creaked in the wind as they approached. All three of them hesitated outside the door.

"Well, come on," said Daphne, slightly nervously. Harry led the way inside.

It was not at all like the Three Broomsticks, whose large bar gave an impression of gleaming

warmth and cleanliness. The Hog's Head bar comprised one small, dingy and very dirty room that smelled strongly of something that might have been goats. The bay windows were so encrusted with grime that very little daylight could permeate the room, which was lit instead with the stubs of candles sitting on rough wooden tables. The floor seemed at first glance to be compressed earth, though as Harry stepped on to it he realized that there was stone beneath what seemed to be the accumulated filth of centuries.

He saw a man at the bar whose whole head was wrapped in dirty grey bandages, though he was still managing to gulp endless glasses of some smoking, fiery substance through a slit over his mouth; two figures shrouded in hoods sat at a table in one of the windows;

In a shadowy corner beside the fireplace sat a witch with a thick, black veil that fell to her toes. They could just see the tip of her nose because it caused the veil to protrude slightly.

"I don't know about this place, Harry" Daphne muttered, grabbing his arm, as they crossed to the bar. She was looking particularly at the heavily veiled witch. "

The barman sidled towards them out of a back room. He was a grumpy-looking old man with a great deal of long grey hair and beard. He was very tall and thin.

"What?" he grunted.

"Four Butterbeers, please," said Layla.

The man reached beneath the counter and pulled up four very dusty, very dirty bottles, which he slammed on the bar.

"Eight Sickles," he said.

"I'll get them," said Layla quickly, passing over the silver. The barman turned and deposited her money in an ancient wooden till whose drawer slid open automatically to receive it.

The four Slytherins retreated to the furthest table from the bar and sat down, looking around.

The man in the dirty grey bandages rapped the counter with his knuckles and received another smoking drink from the barman

"So, who did you say is supposed to be meeting us?" Harry asked Edmund, wrenching open the rusty top of his Butterbeer and taking a swig.

"Just a couple of people," He repeated, checking his watch and looking towards the door. "I told them to be here about now and I'm sure they all know where it is - oh, look, this might be them now."

The door of the pub had opened. A thick band of dusty sunlight split the room in two for a

moment and then vanished, blocked by the incoming rush of a crowd of people.

Surprisingly the only Slytherins in the group were Raymond Schnider and George Horrigan.

From Ravenclaw they had Joseph Verderber,Micheal Spender,Ronald Adam,Adalynn Monkton and Phillip Roberston.

From Hufflepuff there was Tony Gaze,Reynold Deutschman,Kailey Marshall,Heidi Banks

And they even had Sally Reynolds,John Claire and Jazmin Harris from Gryfindor.

That was surprising.

"A couple of people?" Harry said to Edmund "You mean 17?"

Harry watched as the large group went up, ordered and took their beers from the bartender.

Where they actually here in order to listen to him.

He had better think of something to say then.

The new arrivals soon settled around Harry,Daphne,Layla and Edmund

Harry saw Daphne give him a look.

He got up and started to speak.

"Well hi you know why you're had the idea - that it might be good if people who wanted to study Defense Against the Dark Arts - and I mean, really study it, you know, not the rubbish that Thicknesse is showing and Umbridge will most likely shown next year because nobody could call that Defense Against the Dark Arts".

Edmund then stood up "We thought it would be good if we took matters into our own hands by learning how to defend ourselves properly, not just in theory but doing the real spells".

"And learn them from Potter,"Robertson asked.

"As you all remember from last year I was able to win the Dueling Tournament against my peers as the top of my class in Defense Against the Dark Arts "Harry said "I know a lot of good spells to share if you do wish so".

He then actually used Firebending to conjure some flame on his hand but in a way that would make it look like a wandless Incendio.

There were a lot of impressed looks at that.

"Do we then want to take lessons from Harry?" Edmund asked.

There was a murmur of general agreement.

"Ok"Daphne said stepping up "Then if we want to learn some defense, then we need to work out how we're going to do it, how often we're going to meet and where we're going to meet"

"I really don't think there's any point in meeting less than once a week,"Layla said.

"I, personally am at a loss to see why the Ministry has foisted such a useless

teacher on us at this critical period in our lifes and giveing us a teacher who won't teach us defensive spells "Harry said "Espically when it comes to protecting our future familys later in life we need to know this".

"I somehow get the feeling that Thicknesse and Umbridge will be upset if they know what we are doing," Adalynn said.

"They would"Daphne said "That's why I think we should all swear oaths of secrecy about this".

Harry knew what she was talking about from something they heard from Master Dao over the summer.

"That's a great idea Daphne"Harry said "I'll start".

"I Harry James Potter do hearby swear on my magic to keep secret all practiced Defense against the Dark Arts lessons and to not repeat that information with anyone not in the group unless agreed upon beforehand '' .He said raising his wand he saw a tendrill of light.

A Lot of the others looked impressed at what he did.

Daphne immediately followed him swearing her oath of secrecy followed by Edmund and Layla.

Adalynn then swore her oath and just like that everyone else felt comfortable swearing the same oath Harry had that would ensure they wouldnt or could not blab.

There was an odd feeling in the group now. It was as though they had just signed some kind of contract.

"We need to decide how often we're going to meet and have defense lessons?" now Edmund said.

"Well, once a week sounds cool," said Raymond.

"That sounds good for now,"Harry said.

"The other thing to decide is where we're going to meet…"Edmund said.

"How about the Room of Requirment"Daphne whispered to Harry.

He nodded.

"Daphne just reminded me of a place"He told the group "On the seventh floor opposite that tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy being clubbed by those trolls we can meet there".

"How does next Saturday from seven to eight work for everyone".He asked.

Everyone nodded.

"Ok see you then"Edmund said and everyone In twos and threes took their leave and then the Slytherin Four took their leave, too.

"Well, I think that went quite well," said Daphne happily, as they walked out of the Hog's Head into the bright sunlight a few moments later everyone still clutching their

bottles of Butterbeer.

SCENE CHANGE
A week later at half past six Harry, Daphne, Edmund and Layla left the Slytherin common room, Harry clutching a certain piece of aged parchment in his hand.

He had figured out how to use this over the summer properly and now he had a proper use for it.

Fifth-years were allowed to be out in the corridors until nine o'clock, but all of them kept looking around nervously as they made their way

along the seventh floor.

They wanted to be careful.

"Hold it," Harry warned, unfolding the piece of parchment at the top of the last staircase, tapping it with his wand and muttering, "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good."

A map of Hogwarts appeared on the blank surface of the parchment. Tiny black moving dots, labeled with names, showed where various people were.

"Filch is on the second floor," said Harry, holding the map close to his eyes, "and Mrs. Norris is on the fourth."

"And Umbridge and Thicknesse?" said Daphne.

"In their office," said Harry, pointing. "Okay, let's go."

Harry went up to the Room of Requirement concentrating on what he needed."

"We need somewhere to learn to fight… he thought. Just give us a place to practice… somewhere none can find us".

"Harry!" said Daphne

A highly polished door had appeared in the wall. Layla was staring at it, looking slightly wary.

Harry reached out, seized the brass handle, pulled open the door and led the way into a spacious room lit with flickering torches like those that illuminated the dungeons eight floors below.

The walls were lined with wooden bookcases and instead of chairs there were large silk cushions on the floor. A set of shelves at the far end of the room carried a range of instruments such as Sneakoscopes and Secrecy Sensors as well as plenty of books on shelves.

"These will be good for practice" said Edmund enthusiastically, prodding one of the cushions with his foot.

There was a gentle knock on the door. Harry looked around

The Ravenclaws had arrived.

"Whoa," said Micheal, staring around, impressed. "What is this place?"

Harry began to explain, but before he had finished more people had arrived and he had to start all over again. By the time eight o'clock arrived, every cushion was occupied. Harry moved across to the door and turned the key protruding from the lock; it clicked in a satisfyingly loud way and everybody fell silent, looking at him.

"Well," said Harry "This is the place weve decided on for practice sessions, and it looks like youve all found it okay."

"It's fantastic!" said Adalynn, and several people murmured their agreement.

"Ok,So I've been thinking about the sort of stuff we ought to do first and He noticed a

raised hand. "What, Heidi?"

"I think we ought to formally elect a leader," said Heidi.

"Harry's leader," said Daphne at once, looking at Heidi as though she were mad.

Harrys stomach did a back-flip.

"Yes, but I think we ought to vote on it properly," said Heidi "It makes it

formal and it gives him authority. So - everyone who thinks Harry ought to be our leader?"

Everybody put up their hand.

"Er - right, thanks," said Harry, honored by the show of support "And -what,Layla ?"

"I also think we ought to have a name," she said , her hand up in the air. "It would

promote a feeling of team spirit and unity, don't you think?"

"How about the Archmagi"Edmund suggested "It's the plural form of a powerful mage and that's what we aim to be in the end powerful and resourceful".

There was a good deal of murmuring at this.

"I think that's a good idea"Harry said " All in favor of the Archmagi?" counting "That's a

majority - motion passed!"

"Right," said Harry, "shall we get to practicing then? I was thinking,the first thing we should do is Expelliarmus the Disarming Charm and doging it. I know it's pretty

basic it's a good first thing to start out with".

Edmund then stood next to him "Okay," he said "I reckon we should all divide into pairs and start practiceing."

Everybody got to their feet at once and divided up.

Daphne partnered up with Layla and Harry partnered up with Gryfindor Jazmin Harris

"Ok"Harry called out "Right-on the count of three, then-one, two, three-"

The room was suddenly full of shouts of Expelliarmus. Wands flew in all directions; missed

spells hit books on shelves and sent them flying into the air.

Harry was a bit too quick for Harris, whose wand went spinning out of her hand, hit the ceiling in a shower of sparks and landed with a clatter on top of a bookshelf, from which Harry retrieved it with a Summoning Charm.

Glancing around, he realized that he had been right to suggest they practice the basics first; there was a lot of shoddy spellwork going on; many people were not succeeding in Disarming their opponents at all, but merely causing them to jump backwards a few paces or wince as their feeble spell whooshed over them.

"Expelliarmus!" said Jazmin and Harry, caught unawares, felt his wand fly out of his hand.

"I did it!" she said gleefully. "I did it!"

"Good one!" said Harry encouragingly, deciding not to point out that in a real duel your

opponent was unlikely to be staring in the opposite direction with their wand held loosely at their side. "Listen, can you take pactice with Kailey and Phillip for a couple of

minutes so I can walk around and see how the rest are doing?"

Harry walked around the other pairs, trying to correct those who were doing the spell wrong.

He was proud that Daphne was doing quite well against her opponents.

The group overall was a mixed bag though.

"Okay, stop!" Harry shouted. "Stop! STOP!"

He needed a whistle Harry thought, and immediately spotted one lying on top of the nearest row of books. He summoned it and blew hard. Everyone lowered their wands.

"That wasn't bad," said Harry, "but there's definitely room for 's try again."

He moved off around the room again, stopping here and there to make suggestions. Slowly, the general performance improved.

"Hey, Harry," Daphne called from the other end of the room, "have you checked the time?"

He looked down at his watch and was shocked to see it was already ten past eight

He blew his whistle; everybody stopped shouting "Expelliarmus" and the last couple of wands clattered to the floor.

"Well, that was pretty good," said Harry, "but we're done with our time today and we'd better leave it here. Same time, same place next week?"

"Sooner!' said Sally eagerly and many people nodded in agreement.

"Let's say next Wednesday night, then," said Harry, "we can decide on additional meetings then. Come on, we'd better get going."

Harry pulled out the Marauder's Map again and checked it carefully for signs of teachers on the seventh floor. He let them all leave in threes and fours, watching their tiny dots anxiously to see that they returned safely to their dormitories: the Hufflepuffs to the basement corridor that also led to the kitchens; the Ravenclaws to a tower on the west side of the castle, and the Gryffindors along the corridor to the Fat Lady's portrait.

"That was really, really good, Harry" said Layla, when finally it was just the Slytherins who were left.

"Yeah, it was!" said Daphne as they slipped out of the door and watched it melt

back into stone behind them. "You're a great teacher Harry?" She said holding his hand.

"Thanks, "He said.

"I just wish we had better teachers' 'Daphne said "I want actuall lessons not just Umbridge assigning us reading that's not learning anything".

"I agree "Harry said as they all walked back towards the Slytherin Common Room.

Author Note This is not going to be Dumbledore's Army but instead more of a Potters Army