For the Love of the Land
~I pledge my loyalty to Honor, Justice, and Hogwarts~
Part Three
"WHAT?" Was the word that escaped Hermione's, Cho's, and Draco's lips. Neville looked slightly afraid of Starlight, as if she were a bit mad, and Ginny simply looked confused. It only took a moment for all five to be talking at once in very loud voices.
"If you would please DESIST!" Starlight said, cutting through the demands of explanation. "Then I will explain." With that, silence fell.
"Thank you. Now, I'm sure you realize that Hogwarts is nearing a desperate time of need. Well, the castle has its ways of protecting itself. But at times as dire as this it goes to its last resort.
"As you probably know all the names of all the pupils accepted to Hogwarts are written in a large gold book in Professor Dumbledore's office. When in desperate need the book chooses seven students, and only seven. These students are brave, loyal, smart, and cunning. The elements that put you in your respective Houses.
"These students have certain powers a normal witch or wizard does not posses. Six of the students can, how do you say, control certain elements. These elements being Water, Ice, Fire, Wind, Earth, and Lightening. The seventh student is a Divinator. These seven are known as The Defenders."
"Uh, question." Draco interrupted, raising his hand slightly. Starlight looked at him, giving him permission to continue. "You said 'seven'...?" He said suggestively, looking around at the others, very obviously pointing out that there were only five of them.
"Seven is a very powerful number." Starlight said. "Never, in all the history of Hogwarts have all the Defenders been used in one battle. It would probably destroy the school.
Anyway, you five have a little bit of all four Houses in you-" Hermione did NOT believe that Draco Malfoy was, in any way, a Gryffindor, but she kept her mouth shut. "Why you were chosen, no one knows, but you were and therefore it is your duty to protect the school.
"Cho Chang," She said, sharply and suddenly. "You are a model Ravenclaw student, an excellent Quidditch player, and soon to become a qualified witch. You have the power of the Wind at your hands. If you accept the invitation as a Defender, it will undoubtedly take a lot of time and energy, affecting your Quidditch and your studies. However, then we will have four, not five, and quite possibly Hogwarts will be destroyed when Lord Voldemort attacks. The decision is yours." Professor Starlight turned to the five younger students, leaving Cho's eyes wide at this extrodinary pronouncement.
"The Dark Lord has taken something from each of you, something you hold dear. It is none of my business, but that's the way it is. This will affect everything you do the rest of the year. If you wish to leave, do so now, and none of us will hold this against you. This is your only chance to back out." She gave them all a hard stare in turn. None of them stood up.
"That's what I thought." She said. "Cho, you are first."
Cho stood up and walked so that she stood eye to eye with the Professor. Starlight wasn't exactly tall, but even so, you felt the need to look upward to see into her eyes.
"Repeat after me. I, Cho Chang,"
"I, Cho Chang," Cho said.
"Pledge my loyalty,"
"Pledge my loyalty,"
"To Justice, Honor, and Hogwarts."
"To Justice, Honor, and Hogwarts." Cho finished.
"Cho Chang, as a Defender of Hogwarts you can now use the Powers of the Wind to protect what you love." She nodded, and Cho sat down. "Hermione Granger."
In turn they were called up, and they took the Pledge. Hermione controlled Water, Neville; Earth, Malfoy; Ice, and Ginny; Fire.
"This will not be easy." Starlight said when Ginny sat down. "I went to Hogwarts went Voldemort was just beginning to rise, and I was a Lightening Defender. No one outside this room, excluding Dumbledore, knows about us. And no one is to find out. Your teachers won't know, and if your grades drop a bit, and they ask you, you are not permitted to tell them. Your friends must be oblivious. You five will have to pull together as a tight knit group." She looked at them all. "I will coach you. I do not want to be a teacher to you when coaching. In class, I am Professor Starlight. Here, I am Luna. We will meet in a couple of days. I will send summons. Good evening to you all."
With that, she turned, leaving the five no choice but to exit the now open doorway. For a moment they just stood there, looking at each other. Hermione was in shock. Ginny looked confused, and so did Cho. Neville looked plain terrified. As usual, Malfoy had no expression at all.
"I think we should all go talk..." Ginny said quietly, the first brave enough to break the now deafening silence. Everyone else murmured some form of agreement and they headed for the Library, which was the closest place they could all go for some solitude with looking 100% suspicious.
"Well, that was...interesting..." Hermione said, not really being able to find the words to describe the mixture of feelings settling down into what was seeming to become a permanent hurricane in her chest. Fear of what she had to do, Excitement at the prospect of doing it, Happy that someone had chosen her, confused about why she was chosen, upset that she had to work with Malfoy, glad Ginny and Neville would be by her side, and her feelings for Ron, which haunted her like an unwanted prospector where ever she went, were colliding all at once and it would be these four that she shared these feelings with. Oh, joy.
"I don't understand." Ginny said, voicing the obvious opinion of all the others.
"I wonder who the other two are..." Said Cho, referring to the Lightening and the Divinator.
"What did she mean 'the Dark Lord has taken something you hold dear'. What was she talking about?" Hermione said. At this, the other four looked uneasy. Ginny bit her lip, Neville shifted position, Cho backed away slightly and stared at a nearby book entitled 'The Mysteries of Unicorns'. Even Malfoy reacted, his silver eyes suddenly shifting to the door at an unearthly speed. Apparently all the others knew EXACTLY what Starl-Luna had been talking about.
"Uh, maybe Parvati or Lavender is the Divinator." Ginny said quickly, changing the subject. Everyone but Hermione immediately jumped in with a response. Hermione didn't understand. She had been Petrified in second year, but other than that the Dark Lord hadn't done anything to her personally. She talked a bit with the others, but her mind stayed on this question. Eventually, though, the subject turned to the strangest of things.
She learned that Cho's favorite class was History of Magic because she considered it naptime. And that Malfoy hated Potions because it was boring. She learned that Ginny's worst fear was a friend betraying her family, and Neville's aunt and uncle lived in America and were millionaires off the money they had made in the stock market. That both Cho and Draco had started playing Quidditch at age six. That Neville's idol was Gregory Giona, an Italian wizard who defeated Arrriman the Awful in 1874. That Ginny had a pen pal in Argentina. That Malfoy was fascinated by the Ancient Roman Wizards. That Cho's cousin was Catholic. That Ginny used to slip caterpillars into Fred and George's beds for payback. That Neville had seen the Wizard of Oz.
As Hermione climbed the stairs to the common room with Ginny and Neville later on that evening, her voice hoarse from talking she came to the conclusion that the last hour and a half had been more educational than any book she had ever read. Neville was looking at the girls as if seeing them for the first time, and Ginny was staring into space, the cogs of her brain working so hard Hermione swore the could hear them.
Hermione was rather distant that night as she watched Harry try in vain to become the first person to ever defeat Ron at chess. Technically, she should have been doing her report on The Mermaid/Centaur Convention of 1674, but she had too much to think about.
"Wanna play?" Ron asked, on a high from kicking Harry's butt. Again. He looked over at Hermione, who was staring at the chess board as if studying something beautiful that only she could see.
"Hello?" Harry said, waving a hand in her face.
"HERMIONE, YOU FAILED HERBOLOGY!!!!!" Ron screamed, attracting the attention of everyone in the common room. Hermione, very suddenly came out of her trance.
"WHAT?!?!" She said, looking around desperately for her Herbology book while Ron and Harry laughed.
"Just kidding, Hermione, geez," Ron said, grinning as if he had just won a victory.
"Shut up, Ron." She said.
"Make me." He challenged. Hermione simply sighed.
"I'm exhausted. I'm going to bed." Hermione said, slamming her book. She slung her bag over her shoulder and marched up the stairs to her dormitory, where she could finally get some peace and quiet.
The next day Professor McGonagall held Hermione back in Transifuration.
"Yes, Professor?" Hermione said cautiously, approaching the professor's desk.
"Miss Granger," She said. "Once again you have passed my test with 100%. However, your friend, Mr. Weasley, did not. His score was 63. I cannot tolerate that. I would like you to tutor him in your spare time, Miss Granger, in the Gryffindor common room. He has been informed, of course, and agreed a trifle reluctantly. I can't imagine why, he needs you help."
"Uh...okay." Hermione said. With that, McGonagall waved her off. When out of earshot Hermione giggled. Tutoring Ron. That sounded like a hoot.
She slid in next to Harry in the Great Hall and was just helping herself to mashed potatoes when Dumbledore stood up. The hall went silent.
"Ladies and gentlemen," He said. "I would just like to inform you about that starting now, when you receive one of these," He held up a red note card, "You are to report to the teacher on that card. If that means leaving class, so be it." He smiled. "I'm sure a few of you will be wishing for these cards." There were a few scattered laughs around the Hall. "Now, eat up!"
"Hmmm, interesting." Harry said.
"I hope I get a few of those in Transfiguration." Ron said grumpily. He was apparently miffed about the idea of Hermione tutoring him. She giggled.
"What?" Harry asked.
"Didn't Ron tell you?" She said, her eyes glittering. "Professor McGonagall wants me to tutor him."
"Really?" Harry said, struggling to keep a straight face while Ron's went red.
"Shut up Miss Know-it-all." Ron said while his best friends dissolved into a fit of laughter.
That night Harry had Quidditch practice, and Hermione decided it was a good time to start the tutoring classes.
"Chess?" Ron asked.
"Transfiguration." Hermione said sternly, taking out her book. Ron groaned.
"Do we have to?" He whined.
"YES, Ron." With that she grabbed him by the ears and set him down at a circular table, where they began. It was trying on Hermione, because Ron kept looking outside, or at his chessboard, or anywhere but the book.
"And that's how..." Hermione looked up to see Ron studying her intently.
"What?" She asked, irritated.
"Your eyes have gold in them." He replied. "I like it." Hermione blushed a deep shade of pink.
"Thank you." She said. Ron leaned in closer, as if to study her eyes in closer range. Hermione felt her heart beating faster. Her breathing became slightly irregular. She studied his chocolate eyes as well. There was a ring of blue innermost to the pupil. Ron leaned more forward still. Hermione leaned in...
"OW! Ron, what did you do that for?" Hermione said angrily, rubbing her head where Ron had hit it.
"For telling Harry at dinner he didn't have to know."
"That was uncalled for!" She exclaimed, feeling her eyes well up with tears, but not from pain. He wasn't trying to kiss me, she thought. He wasn't, he wasn't, he wasn't. Hermione was saved from having from the situation by one of the red summons Dumbledore had talked about at dinner. Professor Starlight, of course. She fled the room before Ron could ask her any questions.
~I pledge my loyalty to Honor, Justice, and Hogwarts~
Part Three
"WHAT?" Was the word that escaped Hermione's, Cho's, and Draco's lips. Neville looked slightly afraid of Starlight, as if she were a bit mad, and Ginny simply looked confused. It only took a moment for all five to be talking at once in very loud voices.
"If you would please DESIST!" Starlight said, cutting through the demands of explanation. "Then I will explain." With that, silence fell.
"Thank you. Now, I'm sure you realize that Hogwarts is nearing a desperate time of need. Well, the castle has its ways of protecting itself. But at times as dire as this it goes to its last resort.
"As you probably know all the names of all the pupils accepted to Hogwarts are written in a large gold book in Professor Dumbledore's office. When in desperate need the book chooses seven students, and only seven. These students are brave, loyal, smart, and cunning. The elements that put you in your respective Houses.
"These students have certain powers a normal witch or wizard does not posses. Six of the students can, how do you say, control certain elements. These elements being Water, Ice, Fire, Wind, Earth, and Lightening. The seventh student is a Divinator. These seven are known as The Defenders."
"Uh, question." Draco interrupted, raising his hand slightly. Starlight looked at him, giving him permission to continue. "You said 'seven'...?" He said suggestively, looking around at the others, very obviously pointing out that there were only five of them.
"Seven is a very powerful number." Starlight said. "Never, in all the history of Hogwarts have all the Defenders been used in one battle. It would probably destroy the school.
Anyway, you five have a little bit of all four Houses in you-" Hermione did NOT believe that Draco Malfoy was, in any way, a Gryffindor, but she kept her mouth shut. "Why you were chosen, no one knows, but you were and therefore it is your duty to protect the school.
"Cho Chang," She said, sharply and suddenly. "You are a model Ravenclaw student, an excellent Quidditch player, and soon to become a qualified witch. You have the power of the Wind at your hands. If you accept the invitation as a Defender, it will undoubtedly take a lot of time and energy, affecting your Quidditch and your studies. However, then we will have four, not five, and quite possibly Hogwarts will be destroyed when Lord Voldemort attacks. The decision is yours." Professor Starlight turned to the five younger students, leaving Cho's eyes wide at this extrodinary pronouncement.
"The Dark Lord has taken something from each of you, something you hold dear. It is none of my business, but that's the way it is. This will affect everything you do the rest of the year. If you wish to leave, do so now, and none of us will hold this against you. This is your only chance to back out." She gave them all a hard stare in turn. None of them stood up.
"That's what I thought." She said. "Cho, you are first."
Cho stood up and walked so that she stood eye to eye with the Professor. Starlight wasn't exactly tall, but even so, you felt the need to look upward to see into her eyes.
"Repeat after me. I, Cho Chang,"
"I, Cho Chang," Cho said.
"Pledge my loyalty,"
"Pledge my loyalty,"
"To Justice, Honor, and Hogwarts."
"To Justice, Honor, and Hogwarts." Cho finished.
"Cho Chang, as a Defender of Hogwarts you can now use the Powers of the Wind to protect what you love." She nodded, and Cho sat down. "Hermione Granger."
In turn they were called up, and they took the Pledge. Hermione controlled Water, Neville; Earth, Malfoy; Ice, and Ginny; Fire.
"This will not be easy." Starlight said when Ginny sat down. "I went to Hogwarts went Voldemort was just beginning to rise, and I was a Lightening Defender. No one outside this room, excluding Dumbledore, knows about us. And no one is to find out. Your teachers won't know, and if your grades drop a bit, and they ask you, you are not permitted to tell them. Your friends must be oblivious. You five will have to pull together as a tight knit group." She looked at them all. "I will coach you. I do not want to be a teacher to you when coaching. In class, I am Professor Starlight. Here, I am Luna. We will meet in a couple of days. I will send summons. Good evening to you all."
With that, she turned, leaving the five no choice but to exit the now open doorway. For a moment they just stood there, looking at each other. Hermione was in shock. Ginny looked confused, and so did Cho. Neville looked plain terrified. As usual, Malfoy had no expression at all.
"I think we should all go talk..." Ginny said quietly, the first brave enough to break the now deafening silence. Everyone else murmured some form of agreement and they headed for the Library, which was the closest place they could all go for some solitude with looking 100% suspicious.
"Well, that was...interesting..." Hermione said, not really being able to find the words to describe the mixture of feelings settling down into what was seeming to become a permanent hurricane in her chest. Fear of what she had to do, Excitement at the prospect of doing it, Happy that someone had chosen her, confused about why she was chosen, upset that she had to work with Malfoy, glad Ginny and Neville would be by her side, and her feelings for Ron, which haunted her like an unwanted prospector where ever she went, were colliding all at once and it would be these four that she shared these feelings with. Oh, joy.
"I don't understand." Ginny said, voicing the obvious opinion of all the others.
"I wonder who the other two are..." Said Cho, referring to the Lightening and the Divinator.
"What did she mean 'the Dark Lord has taken something you hold dear'. What was she talking about?" Hermione said. At this, the other four looked uneasy. Ginny bit her lip, Neville shifted position, Cho backed away slightly and stared at a nearby book entitled 'The Mysteries of Unicorns'. Even Malfoy reacted, his silver eyes suddenly shifting to the door at an unearthly speed. Apparently all the others knew EXACTLY what Starl-Luna had been talking about.
"Uh, maybe Parvati or Lavender is the Divinator." Ginny said quickly, changing the subject. Everyone but Hermione immediately jumped in with a response. Hermione didn't understand. She had been Petrified in second year, but other than that the Dark Lord hadn't done anything to her personally. She talked a bit with the others, but her mind stayed on this question. Eventually, though, the subject turned to the strangest of things.
She learned that Cho's favorite class was History of Magic because she considered it naptime. And that Malfoy hated Potions because it was boring. She learned that Ginny's worst fear was a friend betraying her family, and Neville's aunt and uncle lived in America and were millionaires off the money they had made in the stock market. That both Cho and Draco had started playing Quidditch at age six. That Neville's idol was Gregory Giona, an Italian wizard who defeated Arrriman the Awful in 1874. That Ginny had a pen pal in Argentina. That Malfoy was fascinated by the Ancient Roman Wizards. That Cho's cousin was Catholic. That Ginny used to slip caterpillars into Fred and George's beds for payback. That Neville had seen the Wizard of Oz.
As Hermione climbed the stairs to the common room with Ginny and Neville later on that evening, her voice hoarse from talking she came to the conclusion that the last hour and a half had been more educational than any book she had ever read. Neville was looking at the girls as if seeing them for the first time, and Ginny was staring into space, the cogs of her brain working so hard Hermione swore the could hear them.
Hermione was rather distant that night as she watched Harry try in vain to become the first person to ever defeat Ron at chess. Technically, she should have been doing her report on The Mermaid/Centaur Convention of 1674, but she had too much to think about.
"Wanna play?" Ron asked, on a high from kicking Harry's butt. Again. He looked over at Hermione, who was staring at the chess board as if studying something beautiful that only she could see.
"Hello?" Harry said, waving a hand in her face.
"HERMIONE, YOU FAILED HERBOLOGY!!!!!" Ron screamed, attracting the attention of everyone in the common room. Hermione, very suddenly came out of her trance.
"WHAT?!?!" She said, looking around desperately for her Herbology book while Ron and Harry laughed.
"Just kidding, Hermione, geez," Ron said, grinning as if he had just won a victory.
"Shut up, Ron." She said.
"Make me." He challenged. Hermione simply sighed.
"I'm exhausted. I'm going to bed." Hermione said, slamming her book. She slung her bag over her shoulder and marched up the stairs to her dormitory, where she could finally get some peace and quiet.
The next day Professor McGonagall held Hermione back in Transifuration.
"Yes, Professor?" Hermione said cautiously, approaching the professor's desk.
"Miss Granger," She said. "Once again you have passed my test with 100%. However, your friend, Mr. Weasley, did not. His score was 63. I cannot tolerate that. I would like you to tutor him in your spare time, Miss Granger, in the Gryffindor common room. He has been informed, of course, and agreed a trifle reluctantly. I can't imagine why, he needs you help."
"Uh...okay." Hermione said. With that, McGonagall waved her off. When out of earshot Hermione giggled. Tutoring Ron. That sounded like a hoot.
She slid in next to Harry in the Great Hall and was just helping herself to mashed potatoes when Dumbledore stood up. The hall went silent.
"Ladies and gentlemen," He said. "I would just like to inform you about that starting now, when you receive one of these," He held up a red note card, "You are to report to the teacher on that card. If that means leaving class, so be it." He smiled. "I'm sure a few of you will be wishing for these cards." There were a few scattered laughs around the Hall. "Now, eat up!"
"Hmmm, interesting." Harry said.
"I hope I get a few of those in Transfiguration." Ron said grumpily. He was apparently miffed about the idea of Hermione tutoring him. She giggled.
"What?" Harry asked.
"Didn't Ron tell you?" She said, her eyes glittering. "Professor McGonagall wants me to tutor him."
"Really?" Harry said, struggling to keep a straight face while Ron's went red.
"Shut up Miss Know-it-all." Ron said while his best friends dissolved into a fit of laughter.
That night Harry had Quidditch practice, and Hermione decided it was a good time to start the tutoring classes.
"Chess?" Ron asked.
"Transfiguration." Hermione said sternly, taking out her book. Ron groaned.
"Do we have to?" He whined.
"YES, Ron." With that she grabbed him by the ears and set him down at a circular table, where they began. It was trying on Hermione, because Ron kept looking outside, or at his chessboard, or anywhere but the book.
"And that's how..." Hermione looked up to see Ron studying her intently.
"What?" She asked, irritated.
"Your eyes have gold in them." He replied. "I like it." Hermione blushed a deep shade of pink.
"Thank you." She said. Ron leaned in closer, as if to study her eyes in closer range. Hermione felt her heart beating faster. Her breathing became slightly irregular. She studied his chocolate eyes as well. There was a ring of blue innermost to the pupil. Ron leaned more forward still. Hermione leaned in...
"OW! Ron, what did you do that for?" Hermione said angrily, rubbing her head where Ron had hit it.
"For telling Harry at dinner he didn't have to know."
"That was uncalled for!" She exclaimed, feeling her eyes well up with tears, but not from pain. He wasn't trying to kiss me, she thought. He wasn't, he wasn't, he wasn't. Hermione was saved from having from the situation by one of the red summons Dumbledore had talked about at dinner. Professor Starlight, of course. She fled the room before Ron could ask her any questions.