A group of owls flew into the hall carrying letters and landed near specific students; they came with all the other mail so no one noticed these specific letters. When Neville received his he looked to Harry, and he noticed that Harry didn't receive one. He wondered why Harry was being excluded from the meeting that was being called.
When the time came, he was one of the first of the students to arrive. He was going to ask why Harry was being excluded when his grandmother turned to him.
"Why didn't you ensure Potter made it on time?" she demanded.
"My letter didn't tell me to ensure he made it." Neville told them, "Maybe if you had sent him an invitation he would have come."
"I did send him one." She frowned, "He's just being obstinate and troublesome, just like I told you all. He showed this side of himself at his trial last summer."
"Harry didn't get an invitation." Neville reiterated.
"Nonsense, go get him and drag him here if you need." She ordered.
Neville shook his head and left the meeting to find his friend. It was easy enough, as he was in the common room talking with Ron and Hermione, "Harry did you get notice of a meeting today?"
"No, I didn't get any mail today." He answered, "Who do I have a meeting with?"
"The Potter and Longbottom alliance." Neville whispered.
"Harry, you need to go to that." Ron stated, "This is important."
"Why?" Hermione asked.
"Not now." Neville waved her off, "We need to hurry."
"Okay." Harry stood and followed him out, he did notice Ron grabbing Hermione's arm and holding her back, "What is this alliance?"
"It was started by our great, great grandfathers about a hundred years ago." Neville explained, "We started it so it's named after us. We gathered together as political affiliates to have a block against people who believe differently than we do. We discuss topics of importance and make a stand as a group."
"Why haven't I heard of this before?" Harry asked.
"I wasn't allowed to speak of it unless you spoke of it first." Neville shrugged, "Gran's rule. I don't know why and I never liked it. I'm afraid they're going to yell at you for not fulfilling your responsibilities to the other students of our alliance. I've told gran you didn't get a letter today and she doesn't believe me. It's important that you don't blow up or they'll just think your being childish."
"I will make every effort to contain my temper." Harry grinned, "I'll need to leave in just under an hour, I've got detention with Umbridge again."
They hurried down the halls and found the meeting room. The two of the entered the room to a lot of angry faces on the adults and some sheepish ones on the students.
Harry took a deep breath and began, "Neville informed me I was to attend this meeting."
"That is expected when you get and invitation." An old woman with a vulture on her hat spoke angrily.
Neville whispered, "Gran!" too low for her to hear.
"You are to sit and listen." She continued without pause.
Harry did as he was told.
"Your lack of action towards your peers is disgusting." She started as soon as he sat, "There are real needs here and you should be leading by example and helping them. It is your responsibility as co-leader to make sure they have what they need."
He was treated to nearly an hour of being told how disrespectful he was. How irresponsible he was. How rude he was. He took it without saying a word. He just watched each individual as they listed his faults over and over. Never did they take the time to explain exactly what he was expected to do. When they finally wound down, he spoke up.
"May I ask some questions?"
"You may." Neville's gran was the one that agreed.
"Are all the families in the alliance represented here today?" he asked.
"All except those that have gone extinct." Neville answered.
"He already knows that, there is no need to answer stupid questions." His gran huffed.
"Neville did you know this from birth or did someone teach you?" he asked.
"Gran taught me about the alliance." He answered.
"I suppose each of your parents taught you about the alliance?" Harry addressed the other students.
"Who taught me?" Harry asked.
"Your guardian would have done that." She huffed again.
"Who is my guardian?" Harry wondered who they would think it was.
"No more stupid questions." She ordered.
"Albus Dumbledore is." Neville answered.
"Is Albus Dumbledore a part of this alliance?" Harry continued.
"Of course not." Augusta answered, "He just told you all families are represented."
"Well since none of you bothered to introduce yourselves, I didn't know if someone was a Dumbledore." Harry replied then continued before they could comment, "Neville, if everyone in your family perished, who would have raised you?"
"Your parents were my ritual godparents so they would have, but if they were gone, I suppose someone here would have done it." He answered and looked at the group.
"Of course, we would have Neville." Hannah Abbott answered.
"I didn't know that." Harry grinned down at him.
"My mother was your ritual godmother." Neville added, "Sirius Black was your godfather but I don't know if it was ritual."
"What does that mean?" Harry asked.
"It means they make a vow that they will be your godparent. If they try to hurt you after that, they die." Neville shrugged.
"Black must have known some dark magic to avoid it." Another lady spoke up.
"The reason Sirius Black did die is because he wasn't the secret keeper." Harry turned to the group, "He was sent to Azkaban without a trial and left there to rot, he is innocent. Honestly, with people like you on my side I might be better off going it alone, except for Neville here."
"What?" Several people gasped.
"Now it is my turn to speak and you will listen!" Harry glared at them, "You all claim I am a big part of this alliance and I should be doing my duty. You have assured Neville he would go to someone in this alliance, but I don't believe you. You left me to the 'love and care' of someone not in this alliance. You let Dumbledor have me and that man dropped me on my muggle relative's door step and I didn't see him, or anyone in this room, until I reached Hogwarts. My first introduction to the wizarding world was Rubeus Hagrid, another person not in 'our' alliance. On my eleventh birthday he helped me get my supplies and gave me a ticket for the platform and no instructions on how to get there. September first, standing in the middle of Kings Cross wondering what to do next as my uncle walked away laughing, I noticed the Weasley's walking through the station with owl on one of the carts and followed, another family not in this alliance. You say I have some responsibility to these students to help them? Where were you all when I needed help? I've been on my own since I was almost two years old. Left in the hands of magic hating muggles that beat me every chance they got. I've had to face Voldemort four times in five years. I've faced a basilisk alone and killed it while some your students, in this room, were accusing me of being dark because I can talk to snakes. I had to face three trials set for adults while some these students wore Potter Stinks buttons on their robes. I have been nearly killed every year I've been in this school, where have you been? Which of you has been watching my back?" Harry stopped and took a deep calming breath, "Neville has. That is the only reason I don't leave this alliance right now. Dumbledore has not told me anything about any of you. One of you forbid Neville from telling me about it. I did not get any invitation to this meeting today. The only mail I've ever gotten from this world was my Hogwarts letters, and since my first year I've gotten letters from Ron and Hermione."
"And Gringotts." One man added.
"I've never gotten anything from Gringotts." Harry looked at the man, "Should I be?"
"Yes, you should." He replied, "Even though you can't access anything but your trust vault, you should still get statements detailing the state of finances in your other vaults."
"I only have the one vault." Harry shook his head, "I don't think there will be enough left after tuition to need statements."
"Who told you that there is just one vault?" the man asked.
"No one, I guess." Harry said, "Hagrid took me to the bank and said this is your trust vault, you don't think your parents left you nothing did you, or something like that."
"What did your account manager say?" he asked.
"I don't think I have one." Harry answered.
"This is nonsense." Neville's gran stated, "He's obviously lying."
Harry smacked his hand on the table in front of the woman, "Read it."
"I must not tell lies?" She looked confused, "Why did you carve that into your hand."
"Madam Umbridge thinks I am lying about Voldemort being back." He stated, "Detention is lines with what I was told was a blood quill. I wasn't lying about Voldemort and I'm not lying now."
The room at large gasped at the implications.
"Finally." Susan said, "She used blood quills on all of us but we were unable to tell anyone who didn't already know. I don't know how Harry got missed."
"Who knows?" Ernie Macmillan sighed, "Most of the things I've not been able to talk about he's mentioned today."
"Mr. Potter, I am Amelia Bones, head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement." She was the first to introduce herself, "I want to see that scar and if possible, a memory. The rest of you will provide me with eye witness accounts."
"It is lovely to meet you Madam Bones, Susan speaks highly of you." Harry addressed her directly, "I would gladly do that but I'm going to have to leave, I'm already late for my next detention with her."
"You have one tonight?" She asked with a smirk, "Give me a second and I'll go with you. Everyone, stay here."
"I want to examine all of you." A man stood and started checking Hannah first.
Amelia applied a disillusion charm over herself along with a few others before she told Harry, "You walk towards her office I'll follow."
Harry was only a few feet down the hall when a group of Slytherins rounded the corner ahead of him, "Potter, your late for your writing lessons."
"I'm on my way there now." Harry told them.
"No, you're going to be a bit later." Draco lifted his wand and shot a curse at Harry.
Harry felt himself be pulled to the side so he stepped that way to hide the fact that Bones was there, "Missed, but then again I hear that happens a lot with you."
"Why you…" he began but they all heard the click of Umbridge's heals on the floor coming from directly behind Harry as she rounded the corner.
"There you are Potter, you're late." She growled.
"Sorry professor, but your inquisitor squad was just questioning me about being out and about." He stated, "I was on my way."
"Well get going then." She gave him a shove, "The rest of you get out there and patrol the halls. Bring any stragglers to me."
"We'll get right on that." Draco drawled then sneered at Harry, "Later Potter."
Umbridge led the way to her office lecturing him on timeliness as they went. Harry didn't offer any kind of resistance or rebuttal. He sat at the desk and waited for her to hand over the quill. She sat in her chair and fixed her tea. Finally, she turned on him.
"I abhor tardiness." She handed over the quill, "Tonight you'll be leaving after curfew, you will learn to obey me. Get to writing."
Harry picked up the quill and wrote one sentence before the stunning spell slammed into the woman from Bones' wand. After that the disillusion spell faded.
"Well, that will be minimum sixteen years in Azkaban for our dear Delores." Bones pulled a cloth from her pocket and handed it to him, "We need to get some healing potion on that."
"I've been using essence of murtlap." Harry told her.
"I'm sorry you had to write the whole sentence." She frowned, "I will need to show she is willing to let this continue."
"I normally spend two to three hours each evening in here." He shrugged, "One sentence I hardly feel."
"We need to get back to the room." She shot another spell at the woman and Harry watched her levitate up and move ahead of them.
"Before we return, I need to get something for the meeting." Harry stated, "I'll meet you back at the room, if that's ok."
"Alright, but be careful." She instructed him, "Try and avoid that inquisitor group."
"I will." Harry dashed off.
He made it to the common room and found Ron and Hermione in the same seats he left them in. When no one else was in the room he pulled off his cloak.
"Did you forget your detention?" Hermione asked worriedly.
"No, I can't explain right now." Harry told her, "I need the contract released."
"Why?" She asked.
"We've got some adults with clout willing to listen." He grinned, "The alliance includes some handy people who believe me."
Hermione pulled out the contract and was about ready to rip it up, "Where did you and I go when we had to be back before the last stroke of midnight?"
"Three turns should do it, to save Sirius." Harry grinned.
She ripped the contract up and the magic was released, "I'm going to inform everyone via the coin. I hope you know what you're doing."
Harry caught up to Bones just before she reached the room. As they approached they heard some loud voices. Harry opened the door and they saw Neville smack the table with his hand.
"We couldn't write to you all, she was having all the mail read. I don't know who was doing all her dirty work but not a letter got through that wasn't edited by her people. We were given detention if there was anything in there she didn't want." He told them, "Harry has done more for the alliance this year than any one of us has done in the last ten."
"Well said Neville." Susan added, "I know I need to apologize to Harry for wearing one of those stupid buttons. I think he understands why us Hufflepuffs did, but Cedric refused to wear one, and we should have taken a clue from that."
"I was one of the loudest accusers second year." Ernie added, "But even without the apology I need to give he still helps me. We tried to tell you, but you weren't listening before the meeting. You've been too angry to hear anything."
"You can now speak about Dumbledore's Army." Harry entered making everyone jump, "The contract has been torn up."
They jumped a second time when Umbridge was dropped on the table.
"What happened?" Neville's gran asked.
"She made him write lines with a blood quill." Amelia spat out.
"Should I check him over?" A man asked.
"After the meeting." Amelia told her, "We have a slightly bigger problem. How are blood quills in Hogwarts without alarms going off?"
"Are you sure it was blood quills?" Neville's gran asked.
"Augy, there is no doubt." She told her, "I have no doubt things have gone just as he's said. The minister doesn't want it to be true. Speaking as a member of this alliance, the man is an underhanded coward rubbing elbows with the likes of Lucius Malfoy."
"Dobby." Harry called.
"The Great Harry Potter Sir want's Dobby?" the elf popped up at his side and hugged his leg.
Harry freed his leg and knelt down, "How are you doing Dobby?"
"I is great Mr. Harry Potter Sir." He looked around the group, "I's be getting tea for you's meeting?"
"That would be nice." Harry grinned, "Thank you."
"Yes Sir, Mr. Harry Potter Sir." Dobby popped away.
"He's a bit enthusiastic." Harry shrugged.
"I remember that elf." Daphne Greengrass spoke up, "He's a Malfoy elf. Mr. Malfoy would kick him anytime he got close. Draco like to push him down the stairs. They treated all the others well, I never understood why they treated him that way."
"He's one of the reasons Malfoy's hate me." Harry grinned, "I tricked him into freeing Dobby."
"How did you do that?" She asked.
"I returned a book to Malfoy that he didn't really want to take." Harry grinned, "He immediately handed it to Dobby. I had removed a sock and placed it in the book so when Dobby got it I motioned for him to open it. Malfoy handed him a sock. He was free."
A large tea service popped onto the table along with an assortment of desserts. They all made tea and got a snack before they continued.
"That only worked because the elf wanted free." Bones grinned, "But its an entertaining story none the less."
"I can't wait to see what the twins do when they realize you got rid of Umbitch." Neville slapped Harry on the back.
"What did you call her?" Neville's gran looked scandalized.
"This year, Madam Umbridge hasn't been teaching defense. The only thing I've learned from her is that the ministry doesn't want me to tell what I saw. The book she gave us all at the beginning of the year is by Slinkhard, named Defensive Magical Theory." Harry began to mock Umbridge, "It is all you need to pass your OWLs and NEWTs, you'll learn in a secure, risk-free way. First through seventh year are to read this book. No magic is used in class or the halls. The first time you're allowed to use these spells will be on the day you take your tests. If you study hard enough, you will pass your tests. If you don't pass, you didn't do the needed study."
"It's the ministry approved way." Neville added his own sarcastic remark.
"You forgot the little girl giggle and hem hem cough." Susan added from her seat.
"You've got to be joking." Amelia spoke up.
"Unfortunately, that was the speech she gave us first day." Daphne sighed, "Any time we tried to complain to our parents letter were confiscated and we were set detention. Though mine was not with a blood quill and I had to write that I will not whine to my parents."
"We need to get some tutors in here." Mr. Greengrass
"Actually, most of us have had a tutor." Neville grinned, "Dumbledore's Army is another name for our defense study group."
"Great!" another woman sighed, "Dumbledore has taken you all in then?"
"No, he has no part in it." Susan grinned, "The minister is afraid Dumbledore is raising an army to take over the ministry. We decided to give him one."
"Who's teaching it?" Neville's gran asked.
"Harry is." Neville grinned, "He's got the most experience fighting."
"Who have you been fighting?" Neville's gran asked.
"Voldemort." Neville lost it, "Merlin Gran, did you listen to anything he's been saying? He has been facing Voldemort in this school. I keep telling you what's going on and you don't listen. You have said time and again that Dumbledore has his own agenda, but when I try to show you evidence of it you refuse to listen. Does he just have everyone charmed to ignore his misdeeds?"
"Well, someone has jinxed us." Ernie pointed out, "We've not been able to talk about things. Something is clearly going on."
"Why am I not affected?" Harry asked.
"My bet is that we get jinxed when we get told all about it." He shrugged, "You're usually in the hospital recovering from it."
"It could be that since it happens to him, they can't keep him from talking." Susan added.
"Normally he doesn't mention anything about what's happened." Neville nodded along, "Ron will brag about his part but Harry never does."
"I'm right here." Harry chuckled, "I don't usually like to talk about the things I go through. It sounds too much like Malfoy whining when I do."
"What have you taught them?" Amelia asked.
"We started with shields." Harry explained, "We've basically covered everything from the first five years and a few extra things I've learned."
"What extra's?" she asked.
"We've learned the patronus." Susan smiled at her aunt.
"Well, let's see it then." Amelia prompted.
"Sure Auntie." She took a deep breath, closed her eyes and concentrated. After a few moments she smiled and cast the spell. Her dog patronus trotted across the room, "You're right Harry, it gets easier the more I do it."
"I can't do that spell! I've tried and I don't get anything." Daphne Greengrass stepped towards Harry, "Can you teach me?"
"Sure, what you need first is a happy memory." Harry told her, "The happiest you've ever felt. It doesn't even have to be real; it just has to give you an intense feeling of joy. Take a few minutes and think first."
"I've got something." She whispered.
"Think on it, concentrate on that memory." Harry quietly told her, "Let it fill your heart with joy. When you don't think you can increase the joy any more, cast."
"Expecto Patronum." She whispered and a silver mist shot from her wand and surrounded her. She opened her eyes and smiled at her success.
"That was a good first try." Harry said, "Now here is one more idea. Find another memory but make sure, along with joy, you feel loved, adored even."
"I think I've got one." She had a slight smile on her face.
"Daphne, you need to drop the ice queen and find the real you." Harry told her, "Stop pretending you're heartless and let your heart free. Let it embrace that love."
"I don't know if I can do that." She bit her lip.
"You can, because you're Slytherin." Harry told her, "There is nothing you won't do to succeed."
After a moment she freed the smile, she was trying to suppress. She nearly glowed with happiness.
"Now cast." Harry whispered.
"Expecto Patronum." She whispered.
"Open your eyes but keep the memory." Harry told her.
She slowly opened her eyes and saw the butterfly fluttering around.
"It's beautiful." A tear slipped down her cheek.
"Just remember that size doesn't matter." Harry told her, "That will work just as well as a bear or lion against a dementor."
She threw her arms around Harry and cried into his shoulder. He awkwardly patted her back, but otherwise he let her cry.
"Thank you." She said into his shoulder.
"You're welcome." He looked to Neville with a bit of panic.
Susan grinned and moved to the two of them, "Come on Daphne, we can sit down and get some tea."
"You did that in ten minutes." A man was looking at him in shock, "I worked with her for months and we didn't get anything, not even a mist."
"I assume you are Mr. Greengrass?" Harry asked and the man nodded, "It's all in how you present it. You have to find a way to connect them with the emotion. If you can't show emotion, you can't cast this spell. The true reason a dark wizard can't cast this spell is because they refuse to be 'weak', having and showing a loving emotion is a weakness to them. Daphne had already looked into her memories when she was working with you, that is why she got it so fast."
"You did well." He admitted.
"She did well." Harry corrected.
"He's the best DA teacher we've had, other than maybe Professor Lupin." Neville conceded.
"Lupin taught me the patronus." Harry admitted, "I think he's the best by far."
"But wasn't he here in your third year?" Mr. Greengrass asked.
"Ron says Harry chased off over one hundred dementors that spring." Neville grinned, "That was right before they were pulled from the school."
"I don't know how many were there, I didn't really have time to count and Ron wasn't there." Harry shook his head, "Dumbledore told me it was most of the contingent at the school."
"There were one hundred and fifty at the school." Amelia gave a small grin.
"Most of the contingent could be one more than half." Harry shook his head, "But I don't know if there was that many. There were more than ten but after that I just don't know."
Susan was the first to snicker. But she wasn't the last. Soon enough the room was chuckling. Harry was getting a bit perturbed by it and Neville took time to explain.
"Fighting two is more than most people can do." He grinned at his friend.
"I don't know." Harry said, "It's almost impossible to fight them one at a time. Anyway, the patronus was the last spell we covered. We haven't gotten everyone to produce an animal yet, so at least part of them will be working on that next time. Most are able to form a mist. They've worked really hard to get to this point. I have no doubt they'll do well on their OWLs. The NEWTs, we have a bit more worry though. We've gone over all the spells but the theory is weak."
"We have no NEWT students in the alliance." Another man waved him off.
"Don't worry about it." Amelia stopped Harry from responding.
"Hogwarts will be getting a new defense professor, one that actually has a NEWT in the subject." Neville's gran stated, "She only has an OWL and isn't qualified to teach. I fought against her appointment, but I was overruled."
"Well, I'm glad to know someone was smart enough to put up a fight." Harry offered a form of forgiveness for her earlier behavior.
"Thank you." She smiled.
"Harry, may I introduce you to my grandmother Lady Augusta Longbottom." Neville stood during the introduction.
Harry also stood and nodded to her, "A pleasure to meet you ma'am. Neville has told me a lot about you."
"You've met my aunt Amelia." Susan waved.
The introductions finally took place. When the meeting was over and they were all leaving Harry accompanied Amelia from the room.
"We'll be having a meeting soon." Amelia didn't look at him but he still felt examined, "I didn't miss the abusive muggle reference, nor the number of times you've faced Voldemort in the school. I want a complete telling of your life so far and I have a feeling a pensieve is needed."
"Madam Bones, if you can get me removed from Durzkaban, I will give you any memory you want." Harry grinned.
The continued to speak of other things until they reached the front door. There they ran across Dumbledore, McGonagall and Flitwick.
"Amelia, is there a reason you're floating Professor Umbridge along with you?" Dumbledore asked, "Is she injured?"
"No, she isn't." Amelia floated her out the door, "She's being arrested."
"That will leave me without a defense professor." Dumbledore sighed, he was not, in the slightest, disappointed the woman was gone.
"From what I've been hearing." She waved her hand at the students behind them, "You've not had one all year. Perhaps Sirius Black will step up, that is after you bring him in for his long overdue trial."
"I'll see if I can find him." Dumbledore could see a smiling Harry across the hall.
"Also, please bring Harry Potter in for his checkups." Healer Abbott was passing them next, "He's not been in and we need to remedy that. Since you're his guardian, it was your responsibility to have this done before his first year. I'll send you an appointment time tomorrow. Do not disregard it and don't make him late."
"Are you going to ask what she was arrested for?" Augusta demanded as she reached them.
"Honestly, I'm just glad she's gone." Dumbledore replied with a slight smile.
"Well, I would think you'd be interested to know she has made your students write lines with a blood quill." Mr. Greengrass stated with a slight sneer.
"A blood quill?" Minerva gasped and looked at Harry, "She made you write with a blood quill?"
"She gave me a quill but no ink." Harry pointed out, "It used red 'ink' and carved the words into the back of my hand."
He held up his hand and they could clearly see where he'd had to cut himself open earlier that evening.
"Albus, you said it was just lines!" She huffed at him, "They had to write mean things in lines! You said nothing about a blood quill!"
"I didn't know." He looked confused, "The wards should have informed me. The book of detentions should have stated it. I knew he had to write I must not tell lies, but it didn't say with a blood quill."
"Don't worry, the board of governors will be hiring a warding specialist to come survey the ward stone and the book." August declared, "I believe I know a few who even you would approve of. The governors will all be here tomorrow."