Previously on Defiance...
The wave of magic that shot out of his wand was enough to lift the disfigured Professor off the ground and hurl her all across the Great hall, a significant distance of twenty feet before she hit the wall with a rather large thud, falling down unconscious.
"She could have raised a shield and stopped it." Harry cried out indignantly. Then his face changed expression as he looked at his wand thoughtfully. "I suppose I put it a little more power in the spell. Oops."
Mischief managed. He muttered inwardly.
Inside the Ravenclaw Nest...
"How do you reckon he did that?"
The group of fifth-year Ravenclaws- Antony Goldstein, Terry Boot, Michael Corner and some of the sixth-years that included Cho Chang and her friend group that included Marietta Edgecombe and Lydia Inglebee, were all discussing about the grand spectacle, or should one say, the way Potter had made a mockery of the duel and trashed Umbridge in front of everyone.
"Do what? You saw Umbridge. She did not know how to counter the spells, and Potter barely used anything fancy. Wingardium, Tarantallegra, basic transfiguration – all were first year spells while the banishing charm at the end was a fourth year skill." Antony answered Terry's question pompously. Terry shook his head. "What do you think, Cho?"
Cho simply shook her head. "He is talking about the silent casting, I take it?" she looked at Terry who nodded. "Harry... Potter could have done all of those spells silently. It was easily visible for anyone to see especially how he levitated Umbridge to that insane height."
"He could have seriously hurt her." Marietta put her two Knuts in. Cho rolled her eyes. "Potter was dueling with her. He was within the rights to perform any spell he could, even if it was within the fourth-year spell range. It is not his fault that Umbridge was hopeless at it." She defended.
"We all know how you feel about Potter." Marietta retorted, 'don't let that cloud your decisions."
"I'm not." Cho returned hotly. "You just have to look at it, and it is visible to the eye. How high can you raise any of us in the air?" She challenged.
Marietta flushed. "I think seven feet at most." Inglebee answered.
"Five."
"Eight, if I did it perfectly."
"I would just let the toad fall on her arse, like she did." Terry answered, making everyone laugh except Marietta who scowled.
Cho looked around with a pleasant grin. "So we agree that it is obvious that he is considerably more powerful than any of us."
"Well he is the boy-who-lived!" Inglebee commented.
"What are you insinuating?" Terry spoke up. Cho turned towards him. "We are Ravenclaws, people. Open your eyes and look. This person, he defeated three other seventh-years and won the Triwizard Cup at barely fourteen."
"He could have cheated." Antony returned skeptically.
"Did you see him cheating against the dragon?"
"Well no but-"
"Did he cheat at the second task?"
"I get what-"
"Then why would he need to cheat against Cedric and the rest of the three?" Cho's eyes were almost tearful now. "Cedric knew him as a friend; trust me on that, guys. Even the Frenchie and Krum were on good terms with Harry before they left. They wouldn't have done that if he had- he had killed Cedric."
"You never know..." Marietta raised.
"He won the Cup. Why would he kill Cedric?" Cho defended. "Besides," she rubbed her eyes, "he is great at Defense. Umbridge teaches us nothing. Potter has demonstrated great prowess at the DADA spells."
"What do you suggest?"
"Let us get a real teacher for the Defense Association." Cho replied primly.
Meanwhile in the Serpent Pit...
The Slytherin house Assembly was on full session. Unlike the other three houses, the house of the snakes was governed by the House Assembly, which was presided over by three main students, usually selected from the upper years. The three, also known as the Slytherin triumvirate was the main power in Slytherin House. Usually, the three would select their individual protégés who would later become the new triumvirate, after a House election of course. However, in the last one thousand years of the Slytherin House Assembly, there had only been two times when an external contender had fought for the triumvirate position apart from the protégés.
Atticus Montague, Marcus Cuthbert and Elizabeth Rosier- the three triumvirate were presiding over the session. Whatever the positions of the students might be outside the House, every slytherin knew that inside the confines of the Slytherin common room, the triumvirate held the power.
"I vote for Slytherin House to stand in league with the dark lord!"
Daphne rolled her eyes as she stared at Draco Malfoy standing in front of the triumvirate, his chest raised in glory as he made his statement. "With the dark lord's return, it is for the best to return to our place. The dark lord shall prevail and win over the Ministry, and we all will be rewarded."
Moron. Daphne commented inwardly. Draco Malfoy was a kid. An overgrown kid. End of statement. How the ferret ever managed to get into Slytherin house was beyond her. Perhaps age had finally caught up with the sorting Hat, and it was prone to making mistake in its task of sorting young minds. How else could one explain the presence of Draco Malfoy and his slabs of beef in the house of cunning, while Potter was sent to Gryffindor? Her father's words rang in her mind.
Astoria will be the shield against the dark, by associating with Malfoy. Your job will be to become the sword—powerful, ruthless and pragmatic, a true neutral opportunist in precise terms. If necessary, you will support Potter, because that is what will define you. Stand against Malfoy, become his bane and associate with Potter—that is your job for this year. Remember, you are the bad Auror, and without you, the good Auror cannot do his job.
"I do not agree to this." Daphne's words rung loud and clear. Tracey Davis looked sharply at her best friend, wondering what Slytherin plan her friend had hatched inside her mind. Everyone knew that the dark lord was back—it was simply a matter of time before the whisper would change to open proclamations. Given how Lucius Malfoy was the right-hand man of the dark lord, standing against Draco could mean standing against the dark lord himself.
The triumvirate looked at her with an interested expression. "Greengrass, do you want to refute against Malfoy's point?" Marcus asked.
Daphne nodded. Tracey entwined her arm around Daphne's as she looked at her. 'Don't do it', her look meant, but Daphne excused her hand out of her grip and strode forward. "I challenge Malfoy's proposition."
"And what do you propose we do in exchange? Join hands with Dumbledore?" Montague sneered, his expression instantly copied by Draco and some of the others. Daphne schooled her features and took a deep breath. "I suggest we stay neutral until the dark lord reveals himself to the masses."
"He has already revealed himself to his followers." Draco retorted importantly. Daphne turned towards him and regarded him as if she were a magi-zoologist and Draco was an extremely interesting insect. "Draco Malfoy, correct me if I'm wrong but wasn't it your father who pleaded Imperius during the Death eater trials of 1981?"
Her statement met with hisses from many of the spectators, including Draco himself. "Come to the point, Greengrass."
"I have, but you are proving yourself hapless enough to nor yet understand it."
"Greengrass," Elizabeth interrupted, grabbing her attention, "please keep to the point."
"Sorry Eliza, I just found it funny that Lucius Malfoy was the one that yelled out louder than everyone when it came to the Imperius defense, and yet, now that we have rumors of the dark lord being back, his son is actively proclaiming about the dark lord's return as if he and his father were the lord's greatest followers. Quite hypocritical, wouldn't you say?"
"Don't go biting more than you can chew, Greengrass. The legal stuff aside, every pureblood knows the power and authority my father holds, and I will be sure to-" Malfoy began indignantly.
"Tell him what you heard. Yes, yes, I am sure every one of us has your parroting about how your father hears about everything. Now keep it shut, Malfoy." Daphne shut him up. Eliza and Marcus smirked, while Atticus looked solemn.
Malfoy looked ready to snarl, but one glare from Marcus stopped him. Daphne continued. "I know that the legal notices and opinions matter little in this Assembly, but all I want to suggest is this... Can we trust the future of House Slytherin in the hands of someone as fickle and slippery as the Malfoys? After all, it is only hearsay that the dark lord is back."
"The dark lord is back, Greengrass and you know it." Malfoy snarled.
"Sister!" Astoria Greengrass hissed indignantly at her. Daphne ignored her and smirked at him. "You might be correct. I might be wrong." She turned towards the rest of the audience. "If the dark lord is back, then why is he hiding? It has been almost six months since the third task, why hasn't he shown himself publically?"
"You are talking like the moron Fudge." Someone commented from the spectators.
"Might be, but I am at least talking sense. We only know that the dark lord is back because Potter and Dumbledore spread the news publically. We do not know if the dark lord is still as powerful as he once was. All I want to say is that we wait; and we wait in patience for the dark lord to re-demonstrate his great power, and show us proof that only he deserves our complete support, and the support of House Slytherin. Else, openly choosing to support Him without having any knowledge of his present magical prowess would be acting like a Hufflepuff, which frankly, is exactly what everyone following Malfoy is doing." She paused for a moment. "I think that House Slytherin has forgotten its original value of pragmatism, cunning and opportunity and instead has become a dark mirror of Hufflepuff, ready to kiss the helm of a man whose mere parentage and existence is questionable. Prove me wrong. Make me proud."
Whispers inundated the House Assembly. It was clear that everyone was busy figuring out what the elder Greengrass was pointing. Marcus cleared his throat and replied. "That was an interesting perspective, Greengrass, but I would like to seek your clarification on two issues that I found from your statement."
Daphne nodded.
"One, you stated that the dark lord has questionable parentage. How is that?"
Daphne almost rolled her eyes. "Tell me Cuthbert, what do you know about the dark lord's parentage? His family?" Marcus was about to reply but then he stopped midway, considering his words. "The dark lord is the heir of Slytherin?" he offered.
"And you know that How?" Daphne pressed.
"He is a Parselmouth." Draco drawled, almost as if he were trying to explain an extremely easy thing to a particularly dim child.
"So is Potter!" Daphne scoffed offhandedly.
"Don't go there, Greengrass. This is about the dark lord and Slytherin House. Do not bring the golden Gryffindor into this mess." Malfoy warned.
"Right and you are all about being the epitome of Slytherin." Daphne drawled in return. "The dark lord calls himself Lord Voldemort." She replied audibly, resulting in a flurry of shrieks and flinches throughout the room. She rolled her eyes. "It is obvious that it is not his original name, I mean unless his mother named him 'Lord' and he was born into the 'Voldemort' family. As we all now, there is no such family in existence. It is obvious that he is using a pseudonym."
"That is not exactly an unreasonable thing, Greengrass. Many people prefer to use pseudonyms. Mercenaries, plunderers, bounty hunters, you get the idea." Blaise Zabini spoke out for the first time.
"Yes," Daphne agreed. "But we aren't talking about a mercenary, are we? We are talking about someone who proclaims to be the heir of Slytherin."
That shut everybody up.
"What are you insinuating, Greengrass?" Eliza spoke up. Daphne looked at her and took a deep sigh. "My mother works in the Department of familial records. Her job description involves keeping a record of the familial records and hierarchy of Ancient and noble families among other things. That is public record. What is not known publically is that the Department also keeps track of various magical traits that are unique to these families and how often these traits recur in the progeny of the family. Naturally, after Harry Potter was revealed to be a Parselmouth, I became inquisitive about it and inquired my mother about Parseltongue."
She paused. "I found something, very, very interesting."
Pause.
"Oh don't keep us in suspense, say it." Yelled none other than Tracey Davis. Daphne rolled her eyes. "I found out that the ability to speak to serpents is not just limited to the Slytherin family. There has been one more ancient family in existence that has recorded Parselmouths in its progeny."
"Impossible," "Which house?" "I didn't know that." Shouts ran abound among the spectators.
Daphne smirked. "The Ancient and Noble House of Black."
Silence.
"The House of Black had Parselmouths in it?" Allister retorted, very, very slowly.
"Yes." There goes the myth buster.
"That is... interesting." Marcus returned thoughtfully. "What conclusion did you draw from that?"
"It is simple. The line of Slytherin died in the male line around some seven hundred years ago while the house of Black still flourishes on." Daphne noticed Draco puffing his chest up in self-importance and almost smirked. The little boy would soon get what was coming to him. Soon. She promised herself. "If the dark lord is indeed the heir of Slytherin, he had to be the son of some squib, especially one who held a different name, since no modern Slytherins exist. That would also explain why the dark lord has gone to extreme means to keep his identity a secret, creating a pseudonym for himself. Why else would the heir and rightful Lord of Slytherin go by something so obscure and meaningless like Lord Voldemort?"
Several things happened then at the same time. Draco lunged towards her in his rage, as Eliza raised her wand and shot out a stunner towards the ponce. It hit him in the abdomen as he fell on the ground midway with a thud, unconscious. Pansy Parkinson let out a shriek of surprise as she hurried down to hold her dear prince charming from being bruised while Daphne raised her wand in a defensive posture, ready to defend against any incoming attack.
"It is against the rules of the House assembly for anyone to resort to violence." Elizabeth thundered. Everyone looked down, not wanting to face her wrath. The girl was a demon with a wand, and there were very few who could fight her to a standstill. "Greengrass," she looked art Daphne, "What do you suggest?"
Daphne steeled herself and replied. "As I have stated, we do not know the true origins of the dark lord. The last time, he held the support of Slytherin house but it did not get this house any favorable returns. If anything, the glaring number of death eaters from this house had almost led to the abolishment of Slytherin house altogether. I suggest we stay neutral until we get a better deal. We are Slytherins. We value self-preservation, cunning, opportunity and guile. Let us not be digressed and become blind Hufflepuffs. That is all."
Thunderous applauding ensued in the Slytherin dungeons. Even the triumvirate were applauding to her speech. Marcus seemed to whisper something in Eliza's ear making the girl blush a little but she regained her stoicism soon enough.
"Very well said, Greengrass. Very well said." Surprisingly, it was Atticus Montague who had uttered these words. "I propose that House Slytherin stand neutral until a better option is available to us, just as Miss Greengrass proposed."
The applause continued. Tracey was clapping wildly, happy that her best friend's performance. Daphne almost blushed. Almost.
"Also," it was Eliza this time, "I will take this moment to announce that I, Elizabeth Vincenta Rosier, one of the three Slytherin triumvirate, take Daphne Victoria Greengrass as my protégé and successor for the chair."
Daphne just stood blank, shocked out of her wits, as thunderous applause reigned. She could see that Tracey was laughing and clapping so loudly that her palms must have hurt from it. The first stage of her father's plan was set and now only Potter needed to be convinced properly enough. With sufficient planning, she might get her family out of the oncoming war alive.
Inside the lair of the badgers...
The game of exploding snap was going on high. Ernie Mcmillian, Justin Finch-fletchley, Hannah Abbott, Susan Bones, Allister Abercrombie and Zacharias Smith- all of the fifth-years were busy playing the game and gossiping about the ramifications of the duel between Harry Potter and Madam Dolores Umbridge. The McMillians were in alliance with the House of Potter, and understandably, he supported Potter both in his belief that You-know-who was back, and the way he wiped the floor with the pink hag. Susan, the niece of the current DMLE chief Amelia Bones, was just as pragmatic as her aunt was, shared Ernie's beliefs, though she was intelligent enough to keep her personal opinions to herself. Her aunt had told her that if Harry Potter and Albus Dumbledore were proclaiming that You-know-who had in fact, returned from the dead, the last thing that should be done was not taking them seriously. Being the ever-pragmatic woman, Madam Bones had confessed that even if the news were fake, she could use the opportunity to bolster her Auror forces, something that was in heavy need of funding.
"I still cannot believe that Potter deliberately did all of that," said a mousy-haired Allister Abercrombie. "He all but assaulted her in public. He should be sent to Azkaban for that alone."
Susan rolled her eyes. Of course, Abercrombie would want Potter to be sent to Azkaban. His mother Sarah had a lot of fudge for dinner every weekend, or at least that was the rumor. The department head of Floo network authority, Sarah Abercrombie was an absolute Fudge loyalist.
"Did you hit yourself in the head, Allister?" Ernie defended, "Umbridge consented to the duel. It wasn't Potter's fault that she was a moron who didn't know which end of the wand to hold." Hannah and Zacharias laughed at his statement.
"Still," Allister retorted pompously. "The Minister of magic wouldn't have sent her here if she weren't the best person for the job."
"For the position of Fudge's bootlicker." Hannah mumbled, causing Susan to snort. Allister frowned. Ernie laughed at Hannah and turned to the other boy. "Look Allister, we all know that you are a Sludge, I mean Fudge loyalist. But you need to understand that the hag who pretends to be our Defense teacher knows nothing about the subject. Hell I would go ahead and say that Potter would be a better teacher than Umbridge ever could."
"He is the best at DADA anyway, I am sure he would be good at teaching." Hannah mumbled. Zacharias laughed. "Are you sure that you aren't saying that because you want him to get close and personal and give you a private lesson?"
Hannah blushed a deep red. Susan rolled her eyes. Her best friend had a childhood crush on the Boy-who-lived, a crush comparable to Ginny Weasley of Gryffindor. She could not understand why Hannah did not grow up. Then again, Potter was always quite a catch. The last four years had him performing deeds, which, though shrouded in mystery and held back by the Headmaster, let loose rumors about miraculous feats done by the green-eyed boy. The rumor of the Philosopher's stone, and then about a basilisk of all things... Susan did not know what to believe.
"What do you think Susan?"
"Huh?" she turned towards Ernie, shaken out of her own reveries.
Ernie smirked. "We were thinking that Potter could be a pretty decent choice for a teacher. It's not as if Umbridge is going to teach anything at all in the first place. We all saw what she was worth. Potter wiped the floor with her, and she could not even raise her wand. I heard a rumor that she is actually a squib."
Susan nodded slowly. "So you are suggesting we meet up with Potter and ask him to teach us?"
"Yes, we could have an actual study group and a decent teacher for a change, Besides, Potter is a Gryffindor. He can't say No to our faces." Ernie proposed. Susan looked at him, wonderingly.
Somehow, I doubt that.
Among the Lion's den...
The Gryffindor common room was filled with people. The Weasley twins and Lee Jordan were sitting on the window ledges, while Hermione stood near the fireplace with Ron and Ginny lounging in the couch nearby. The rest of the chairs were filled with the rest of the students ranging from fourth to seventh years. There were also a couple of firsties sitting in one packed group. There was only one single member absent in the entire meeting, however.
Harry Potter.
"What do you propose, Hermione?" Fred replied, attracting everyone's attention. Hermione fidgeted a bit, but then she stood up and took the center, looking up at everyone. "Well," said Hermione tentatively. "You know, I was thinking today." She shot a slightly nervous look at Ron and then plunged on, "I was thinking that — maybe the time's come when we should just — just do it ourselves."
"Do what ourselves?" George returned.
"Well — learn Defense against the Dark Arts ourselves," Hermione looked at everyone hopefully.
"Come off it," groaned Ron. "You want us to do extra work? D'you realize I am behind on homework again and it's only a month into the term?"
"You are always behind in your homework, Ron." Hermione snapped. "But this is much more important than homework!"
Ron, Ginny and the twins, in fact everyone goggled at her.
"What?" Hermione asked uneasily.
"I didn't think there was anything in the universe more important than homework for you," said Ron. Hermione sent a stinging hex which hit his arse resulting in a pronounced 'Oww, why are you so violent, Hermione?' from him. Everyone laughed.
"Don't be silly, of course there is!" said Hermione, and Ron saw, with an ominous feeling, that her face was suddenly alight with the kind of fervor that S.P.E.W. usually inspired in her. "It's about preparing ourselves, like Dumbledore said, for what's waiting out there. It is about making sure we really can defend ourselves. If we don't learn anything for a whole year —"
"We can't do much by ourselves," said Ron in a defeated voice. "I mean, all right, we can go and look jinxes up in the library and try and practice them, I suppose —"
"No, I agree, we've gone past the stage where we can just learn things out of books," Hermione returned. "We need a teacher, a proper one, who can show us how to use the spells and correct us if we're going wrong."
"If you're talking about asking Flitwick to teach us," Lee began, but Hermione cut him off. "No, no, I'm not talking about him," said Hermione. "He's too busy managing his own House and Charms to have time for an extra defense class. Besides, it's not as if Umbridge is going to permit it."
"But she brought him along to teach in the study group."
Hermione looked at the person who had countered her statement. It was Cormac Mclaggen. "Tell me Mclaggen, are you quite sure you know what that hag of a professor is going to do with us in the future? She told Ron to perform a stunning spell, while she herself did not know the basic Protego shield." She pointed out scathingly.
"Who, then?" said Ron, frowning at her. Hermione heaved a very deep sigh. "Isn't it obvious?" she said. "I'm talking about Harry."
"What about me?"
Everyone turned towards the doorway, at the source of the interruption. Standing there, his eyes glowing a vivid bright green as if pulsing with power, was Harry Potter.
Harry stepped into the Gryffindor common room.
Ever since the scholastic session had begun, everyone had begun noticing the changes in their favorite seeker. Initially, the changes were subtle, but as time passed, they became blatantly visible to anyone who had the eyes to see. Harry was much more composed, much quieter and much more intimidating than he was previously. A few had theorized that being treated badly by the Ministry and the Prophet had turned him cold and raged, but they had truthfully expected to see a grumpy, brooding boy, not a calm and composed person like he had turned out to be. For one, his scholastic abilities had improved drastically, with him almost challenging Hermione to be the first in class to perform a spell. He was already the best in Defense anyway. The Divination group had not seen him taking the Divination class any more while there had been a rumor that he was self-studying runes and Arithmancy to try for OWLS in the subject. Understandably, Ron thought that Harry had gotten barmy, not that Harry had any reaction to that. His reply-"Of course, after all Voldemort is going to play Quidditch with me till the death when he comes for me." Ron had been especially embarrassed at that.
"I will ask one more time, what about me?"
Hermione swallowed. It seemed Harry hadn't forgiven her and Ron about the incident regarding the family grimoire. She gulped and strode towards him. Reaching a little closer, she explained. "We were hoping that you would teach us Defense against the dark arts."
Harry stared at her scrutinizingly for a moment, before replying. "Okay, and why?"
"Why else? You are Harry Potter and the best in Defense in our year." Ron supplied. A few faces grinned supportively. Harry stared at the rest of the Gryffindors staring at him. "Why don't you ask the seventh-years to do it? They have already gotten their owls, they know it all." He looked sharply at Hermione, "you already have half of the spells committed to memory and can perform them flawlessly, you can teach the juniors."
"Mate, look what you've done! You saved the stone; you saved Ginny and everyone else in the school, and then the dementors and everything. You won the freaking Triwizard for Merlin's sake." Ron tried to reason with him. "Even Angelina thinks that you should be the one to teach." Harry looked at Angelina who looked confused for a moment before nodding in support.
And despite everything, you chose the old man over me. Harry thought bitterly to himself.
He glanced at the twins who were looking at him with supportive looks. He glanced at Colin and his brother who were staring at him expectedly. Colin's hero-worship suddenly glazed in front of his eyes.
Is it really worth it?
"-and then last year you fought with You-know-who himself!" Ron had finally finished his diatribe. "So tell me, who better than you?" He smirked.
"It was luck," he began, noticing the looks on everyone's faces, "No, LISTEN to me. It sounds great when you say it like that, but all that stuff was luck — I didn't know what I was doing half the time, I didn't plan any of it, I just did whatever I could think of, and I nearly always had help —"
Ron and Hermione were still smirking and Harry felt his temper rise; he wasn't even sure why he was feeling so angry. "Don't sit there grinning like you know better than I do, I was there, wasn't I?" he said heatedly. "I know what went on, all right? I did not get through any of that because I was brilliant at Defense against the Dark Arts; I got through it all because— because help came at the right time, or because I guessed right. I just blundered through it all, I didn't have a clue what I was doing, And STOP SMIRKING ELSE I AM GOING TO WIPE THAT SMILE OFF YOUR FACE WEASLEY!" He was fairly shouting at the end.
That wiped the smirk off Ron's face. "Mate, I just-"
"No. I won't teach. Besides, there is no point in teaching people when there isn't anything out there, isn't that right? After all, everyone and their mother," his glance darted towards Finnegan who blanched, "-supported Umbridge and whatever shit the Ministry pulled out of its arse and believed me a liar. Why should I teach you all now? After all, I am the one who is delusional and the liar, right?" He sneered.
Every face turned serious. "Harry, mate-", George began but Fred stopped him midway, gesturing him to stop refuting Harry's statement.
"So is this anger on your part? Tit for tat?" Hermione questioned, while the others fell silent. "They did not support you previously so now you ae going to let them go without education and flunk their OWLS?"
A lot of heads nodded with her statement. Harry looked at her coldly. "I wouldn't know, Hermione. After all, I am supposed to be the one who has drifted towards the dark, haven't I? You all are Light wizards; you take care of each other's problems. Leave me out of it." Hermione turned pale at the accusation and felt her words drop down her throat. Finally, she decided on a last attempt and tried. "What do you need in return, then?"
Harry looked up at her. "Excuse me?"
'You heard me." Hermione challenged. "You won't do it, because you don't think we deserve it. It is obvious that you are still bitter about whatever happened and-"
You have no idea about my bitterness. Harry thought.
"-and won't lift a thumb to help us in time of need. So let us do a transaction, a business deal if you will- tell us what you need in return as payment."
Harry stared at her disbelievingly.
Is this how you bartered my friendship with Dumbledore?
His facial features shifted, as the momentary shock vaporized away leaving behind a cold sneer in its place. The Gryffindor departed, leaving the calculating Slytherin in his place. "Very well," he prepared his words. "Tell you what Hermione, do something for me and I will consider it."
"Anything." Hermione replied, looking hopefully at him.
Harry looked around thoughtfully, mentally counting the number of people present. There was at least twenty of them right there. "This is what I want. I want each and every one of you present here, wishing to learn DADA from me, to give me a magical oath."
Every face showed shock and concern.
"An oath?" Ginny recurred.
"Yes, an oath of détente. I want an oath of détente from each and every one of you."
"And what does that entail?" Angelina inquired.
"Simple." Harry allowed himself to smile. "We do not raise wands against each other. It will ensure me that in time of necessity; I won't find my own-trained group training their wands towards me. Mostly self-preservation, I hope you understand."
"Harry- don't you trust us?" Hermione pleaded.
"Does the words 'Black family library' mean anything to you?" Harry snapped, shutting her up. "I thought so." He looked at everyone. "That is my price. You get to learn from me; hence, I need the security that you will not raise wands against me in future. Additionally, I will also swear not to raise wands against you. A perfectly non-violent solution in violent times such as this, wouldn't you say, Hermione?" He turned towards her and nodded, almost as if deferring to her.
"I don't find any problems with this." Katie Bell remarked, surprising everyone else. "What?" she defended, finding so many stares at her, "it isn't as if Harry is asking us to be his slaves or anything? He is simply acting out of self-preservation. Very Slytherin, Harry." She taunted with an easy grin. Harry nodded back.
"Take your time and let me know," Harry announced. "After all, it is not me who is in need of DADA training." With that Parthian shot, he turned towards the boy's dormitory and strode towards it. "Good night, Gryffindors."
The entire group sat stumped at the change of situation.
"Well at least he agreed to teach." Ron pointed out intelligently.