"That tickles."
"It can't be helped, now stop fidgeting and let me work."
"Is she always this way?"
"Only when she's being forced to wear a stupid hat. Now, some silence if you please."
Having sworn Magnus to secrecy immediately after dinner, the BA was now assembled in their workroom, in front of the fire, where Lucy was sitting cross legged across from Magnus, trying to build a temporary seal over his newly opened channel, and checking for others as she went.
This was made difficult as Magnus was a squirmer, and had difficulty staying still. She made a mental note to make him Lynx's responsibility next year.
Finally, she felt it click in place.
"Done."
Magnus shook his head from side to side.
"You realize, of course, that this is an energy seal, you can't physically dislodge it Magnus."
"It's not that, my head itches."
"Oh, sorry, it'll pass."
Magnus looked around. "Funny, never even knew there was a room here."
Bet smiled from where she was lounging in an armchair. "That was the general idea."
"How long have you lot been here?"
"Since last semester," Rasheph replied, as he checked the bookcase and under the seats for his sister Anjali's Rememberall.
"Try the cauldron," Lynx called as he moved a stack of books aside and came up victoriously with a bag of Bertie Bott's Everyflavor Beans.
"You realize that those have probably been there since December."
Lynx looked at Bet quizzically. "Your point is?"
"Never mind."
"Ah ha!" Rasheph called from the corner, where he found the Rememberall under Spark's overturned cauldron. "It was in the Ootp corner."
They never had figured out what was meant by the letters OOTP burnt into the paneling in the far corner of the room, but that corner had been called the ootp corner ever since.
Lucy went over to the mantle, took down the Mirror, and after wrapping it in a cloth to protect it from dust, placed it inside a hollow book on the shelf.
"A tad paranoid, are we?"
Lucy merely rolled her eyes. "You should be fine for the summer Magnus, and we'll start meeting regularly again when school starts."
Magnus nodded, "Thanks a lot."
"Well, I suppose that's it really."
"No no no wait!" Bet dashed over to her satchel and emerged triumphantly with a camera. "I want a picture of the four of us, the original Barbarians Anonymous!"
"Is that what you call yourselves?"
"We're working on having some buttons made."
"You wouldn't mind taking it, would you Magnus?"
"Not at all."
"There is no way I am being photographed in this hat."
"Why don't you all stand in front of the fireplace."
"Lucy, put the hat back on."
"There is to be no photographic evidence of me in this hat."
"Why do you have to be so difficult?"
"I'm not being difficult, I'll put it back on when the camera is safely away."
Lucy tossed her hat on the armchair and went to join Bet in front of the fireplace.
"Lynx, touch it and die."
"I'm not doing anything!"
"Just get over here and give it to me, I'll hold it."
"No, no, no, can't have you seen with the hat."
"Everyone look this way and smile!"
Lynx managed to slip into place on Bet's left side as Rasheph stepped into place on Lucy's right. Despite her best efforts at getting the hat back, Lucy managed to smile on command.
"Thanks Magnus!" Bet reclaimed her camera as Lucy snatched the offending hat and thrust it into her pocket.
"It's getting late, we better get back in, wouldn't do to go all year and get caught on the last night."
One last sweep of the room to make sure nothing was left behind, and, a bit sadly, Bet dampened the fire and they made their way into the stairwell.
"Where are we going?"
"Rasheph will explain later. Helga."
"Salazaar."
"Godric."
"Rowena."
Their doors swung open.
"Well, that's that I guess," Lynx shrugged. "See you at breakfast!"
They waved goodnight, and disappeared into the wall.
So ended the first year of the Barbarian Society at Hogwarts.
"Psst Lucy, wake up!"
"Holy interuptus Batman!"
"What?"
"Huh?"
"Come on!"
"Nicholas, you are aware that you are in the girls dormitory, right?"
"Everyone else is about to go."
"Go where?"
"To the Great Hall, they want a photo."
"Are you telling me that I am being woken up, in the middle of the night, so I can face the possibility of garnering detention in my last hours so that some unnamed students can have a Kodak moment?"
"Yes."
"Let me get my robe."
They were not stopped by Filch, although with her luck Lucy was expecting the peering eyes of Mrs. Norris around every corner.
"Why could this not be accomplished in the daytime?"
"Shh, first, because the flags will be gone by tomorrow, and second, this is more fun."
"Of course it is."
By this time the sleepy Ravenclaws, Hufflepuffs, and Slytherins had appeared. The flags were lowered until they were all suspended in mid air just above the tables.
"Ok, everyone on the table."
It took a fair but of crowding to get them all in frame, but eventually, with some students on the bench, some on the table, some on the floor, and quite a few on laps, they managed it. Lucy had never imagined she would be quite this friendly with Dimitri, but she was perched on his lap, the American flag just behind her left shoulder.
Audrey had the camera floating in mid air, checked them one last time, set the timer, and ran back to be pulled onto Warren's lap.
"Say ... damn, what do we say?"
"Freedom!"
"Victory!"
"Slytherins play Quidditch like- no never mind."
"Cheese!"
"Aw, come on, we need something more significant than-"
CLICK, FLASH went the camera.
The clock struck midnight, and the flags disappeared, along with the school banners. The hall returned to normal.
The assembly burst into laughter.
"Well, that was about as good as you could hope for this lot," Vladimir chuckled.
"We better get back before Mrs. Norris catches up," Maeve added.
"Right, well," Warren looked a bit awkward as he turned to Misha. "It was an honor, Grigorev."
Misha grinned broadly and extended his hand "Lane, same here."
Audrey and Maeve were already hugging, and by the time the seventh years had finished up the rest of the international society was already waiting at the doors.
"By the way, Nicholas, if I ever catch you in my bedroom again..."
The door swung shut on Lucy's threat, the hall was quiet.
So ended the first year of the Hogwarts International Society.
As Ginny had predicted, they were never told a single detail about what had happened inside the castle that night. Harry, Ron, and Hermione were safe, and they would have to content themselves with that.
Not that Ginny ever stopped trying, mind you, but after a day and a half, Lucy was quite sure she was never going to get the answers, not even from her big brother.
"Ginny, give me my trunk key."
"Spill."
"I'm not joking Virginia, give it to me or Hermione is going to incinerate your new dress robes."
"She would never."
Hermione's wand was poised over Ginny's trunk. "Just give him the key Ginny."
"It's not FAIR!"
Ginny Weasly had either officially gone mad, or had been reduced to the mental age of six.
Seamus elbowed his way past, pulling his trunk behind him. It appeared, as always, to weigh next to nothing.
He paused on the stairs next to Lucy, who was watching the little drama play out.
"Yup, definitely time to go home I think."
She nodded and gestured for Seamus to precede her down the stairs. Her trunk did not feel like it weighed anything less than a small elephant. She searched in her robe pockets for her wand, which, for once, was not where it was supposed to be.
"Need a hand, Lucy?" Before she knew what was happening the Lane brothers had descended upon her en masse, William and Wesley lifting her trunk and Warren lifting her, carrying her bodily down the stairs, and depositing her on top of her trunk by the fire.
"That really wasn't necessary," she commented dryly, fixing Seamus' chuckling form with a withering stare and trying to arrange her robes in as dignified a manner as possible.
"Oh, but it was," Wesley grinned.
Warren stepped forward. "By the power invested in me by being older than you, I hereby proclaim thee Lucy Montero, Supreme Phillaguster of Gryffindor House, and entitled to all the rights, privileges, and responsibilities therein."
"Here's your badge," William stepped forward to hand her a colored piece of torn parchment with the letters 'SP' hastily scribbled on it.
"Your mark of honor, may you wear it well," Warren solemnly pinned the paper to her robes with a straight pin.
"And mind you don't get it wet," Wesley added.
"And now, as a sign of acceptance of your new honor and title, you must dance a sign of celebration around the Great Hall."
"I have not the least intention of dancing, Warren."
The mischievous newly graduated Gryffindor grinned and pulled Lucy's wand out of his pocket.
"Dance for the wand Lucy."
Wesley poked her in the ribs, "Be thankful, I hear Dimitri Chernyshev had to sing the Russian National Anthem in front of the entire assembly of Slytherin House."
"That's not so bad."
"Naked."
"Oh. Well, you're bringing my trunk then."
The Lane boys quite cheerfully took her trunk down, as Lucy followed Warren out the portrait hole and through the corridors to the Great Hall. There were an alarming number of students there still finishing breakfast.
"Go on Lucy," Svetlana prodded.
The fact that she had very little idea of HOW to dance flashed through her mind.
"Um,"
She felt a touch on her shoulder, and turned to see Seamus struggling to keep a straight face.
"Your Supreme Phillagusterousness? May I have the honor?"
Accompanied solely by a round of applause, she took Seamus's hand, and let him lead her in a waltz among the tables and around the hall.
As they passed along the Ravenlaw table she heard Sergei Petrov protesting, "How come Lucy got to keep her clothes on?"
And so a song, a dance, an early morning swim, and a walk along the roof ended in the initiation of the first official leaders of the Hogwarts International Society. And all before breakfast.
Professor Dumbledore was just about to head downstairs to see the students off when a knock came at his office door.
"Come in. Yes, Minerva, what is it?"
Professor McGonagall seemed a little uneasy.
"Lucy Montero would like to see you, sir, she said it was very important, she was most insistent."
Dumbledore sat back in his chair. "You may show her in."
"Hello professor."
"Good afternoon, Lucy, I would have thought you would be down at the carriages by now."
"I will be, but there was something I needed to give you first."
She handed Dumbledore a sealed piece of folded parchment. The headmaster looked down at it quizzically.
"If this is a birthday card, my dear, I'm afraid you are a bit late."
"No, sir." She seemed more than a tad uncomfortable.
"Care to explain?"
"That's the report from my Circle, sir. As of two weeks ago I can verify the accuracy of the statement that the Dementors have pulled back to an isolated area in Northern Siberia."
Dumbledore's eyebrows shot up.
"You are certain?"
Lucy nodded, "An energy supply south of there was becoming corrupted, and a Maintainer team was sent out to investigate and monitor the situation. They haven't actually seen the Dementors, but from the energy traces I can confirm that they are definitely what was causing the energy pollution. There's a map in there that indicates the suspected area, and its coordinates."
"And you say this information is accurate to as of two weeks ago?"
"That was the last time they sampled. They were pulled away to deal with other problems, they're due back to take another sample any day now, I can have those reports sent to you."
"That would be very much appreciated Lucy. Thank you."
Lucy nodded, and turned to the door.
"Is that it then?"
"Beg your pardon, headmaster?"
"Am I to understand that you are giving me this information freely, with no demands for intelligence or security for your Circle?"
Lucy tilted her head, and considered the question. "As for the Circle, they don't know that I have given that to you, but seeing as no harm can really come to us from you knowing where the Dementors are, indeed this may speed up their removal, I don't see how they can really object, unless out of principle."
"Principle?"
"Sharing information and helping those who would not scruple to put us in harm's way."
"And what say you to that principle, Lucy?"
"Sir, a few days ago a group of people, many of whom don't have any idea who I am, donated a great deal of money so that I could stay here. They didn't do it for a reward, they just did it because it was the right thing to do."
Dumbledore nodded. "And this made an impression?"
Lucy shrugged, "I could hardly be outdone by Slytherins, sir." She added a bit more seriously, "It was just the right thing to do. Professor de La Vega would have done the same thing, only sooner, perhaps."
Dumbledore smiled, "I think your mentor will be very proud when he hears of this, my dear. It is very valuable information, and I thank you for it, on my behalf and on behalf of those who will never know where it came from."
Lucy nodded.
"Goodbye, Professor."
"Goodbye, Miss Montero."
"Lynx, I advise you strongly not to eat that chocolate frog."
"Hmph?"
"You have already slaughtered an entire crate, leave the chocolate frog alone, I beg you."
Lynx pondered the chocolate frog in his hand before tossing it aside, unopened.
Bet, satisfied that they were out of danger from Lynx puking all over the compartment, settled back in her seat. Lucy was leafing through a small notebook.
"Bet, did you give me your phone number?"
"We don't have a phone at the house, there is a number at my uncle's, we won't be there until late July-"
"Give it to me will you?"
Rasheph rolled his eyes, "Lucy, you realize that we have been taking care of ourselves for some 16 odd years, we're going to survive for a few months without you."
Lucy blushed, "I didn't mean that, I mean, just, if something happens..."
She didn't finish the thought, she didn't have to. The Ministry had not yet commented on that attack at the school, but they all knew that it was likely to be an eventful summer.
Bet took the notebook from Lucy's hands and scribbled down the number.
"Thanks."
It was a quiet ride to Kings Cross, Lucy slept part of the way and was brought roughly back to consciousness by Lynx's bellow.
"Get up!"
"Thank you, Mr. Brimstead, for waking me in that thoughtful and delicate manner."
Lynx shrugged, and Lucy went to go get her trunk.
The platform was bedlam, as always, but different this year in that Lucy had people to say goodbye to. She left her trunk by itself before finding Misha and the Slytherins, giving Warren a final hug goodbye and getting contact information from Wesley and William.
"Lucy!"
She turned to see Marguerite and Parker standing nearby with their trunks.
"I had no idea you were such an accomplished dancer, Lucy."
"Watch it Chester."
Marguerite grinned, "My parents are taking me back to France for the summer, and Parker's family may be coming down for a few weeks."
"That works out nicely, doesn't it?"
"You know if you are ever nearby they would love to have you."
Lucy impulsively gave the little blond girl a hug. "I promise to take you up on that if I'm ever in France. Here, give me your address and whatnot. You too Parker."
While the first years were scribbling, Lucy saw Seamus trying to get her attention.
"Be right back," she crossed over and gave him a hug.
"Um, Lucy, do you know that person?"
"What person?"
"There's a chap over there who's been staring at you for the past ten minutes, and I was wondering if you knew him, or if he was spying on you."
Lucy scanned the the crowd in the direction Seamus had pointed.
"Oh Lord, if the Ministry has people tracking us again I'm going to-"
Seamus stepped back at Lucy's high-pitched shriek. Before he could understand what was happening she had sprinted across the platform and thrown herself into the arms of a tall, dark haired young man standing next to the barrier.
She then stepped back and punched him in the shoulder.
"Easy there Lucia, I'm an invalid."
"Invalid shminvalid, where the HELL have you been?"
"Here and there."
"Here and there? HERE and THERE!"
"There's nothing wrong with my hearing, you know."
Seamus didn't catch the next part because Lucy started ranting on very loudly and very quickly in agitated Spanish.
"...and all the time WORRIED TO DEATH about you!"
"What's a Dementor?"
"Don't try and change the subject!"
At this point Seamus had come over behind Lucy, and coughed discretely.
Lucy spun around and flushed a bit.
"Oh, yes. Seamus, this is my friend Diego Alvarez, Diego, Seamus Finnegin."
Diego held out his hand. "Nice to meet you, you don't speak Spanish, do you?"
Seamus returned Diego's firm grip. "Not at all."
"Good, then I don't have to apologize for la niña's filthy language."
Lucy rolled her eyes.
"Faustas is going to be very disappointed in you."
"Faustas can be whatever he likes, so long as he's PRESENT."
"He's waiting for us, he seemed to think he would be a little conspicuous at an English train station."
"Waiting for us where?"
"It's a surprise, are you ready?"
Lucy turned and gave Seamus a final hug.
"Try to stay out of trouble, Lucy."
"I always try."
"Try harder than normal for a change."
Lucy stuck out her tongue, took her trunk in her right hand and Diego in her left and led him out of King's Cross.
"So where are we going?"
"Lucy, you do know what the meaning of a surprise is, right?"
"Diego, after the past few weeks, I have had enough surprises to last me a lifetime."
The End.
Author's note:
Don't normally do these, but hey, it's the last chapter.
That being said, for any and all interested, I am planning on writing Lucy's 3rd year at Hogwarts, year 7 for Harry and Co., but have no idea when it will be started. I am working at the same time on In A Century, which has nothing to do with canon characters, and as such can be much more fun at times.
In the meantime, I highly recommend reading the Serpent's Society series by Amberdulen, it is excellently written, there are 4 so far, and you can look forward along with me to a 5th by July or so. However, in my defense, the idea of the BA was formed before I ever read her tales of the Society for Slytherin Advancement.
Also, although it hasn't been updated in a year, Love on the Quidditch Pitch is by far the best read of any Harry Potter fanfiction I have found, characters are brilliant, it is very clever, and terribly funny. It also takes place entirely during a professional Quidditch match in the 1950's.
I would like to thank those darling girls, or, I think they are all girls, who have been reviewing what seems like every chapter of this story. That was very much unexpected and is sincerely appreciated. I am not online right now or I would go find your names, but, well, look at the reviews, and there they are. Thanks.