Harry woke up the next morning feeling rested. That was quite unusual because he usually woke up from some horrible or disturbing nightmare with his scar burning. The other boys rose one by one, and they began to dress to go down to breakfast. As Harry and Ron were about to walk downstairs to the common room, someone grabbed Harry's arm. Harry turned and saw it was Seamus Finnigan.
"Can I talk to you for a second, Harry?" Seamus asked.
"Sure," Harry said. "I'll meet you at breakfast," he directed at Ron.
Ron nodded and walked down to meet Hermione.
"Um, I was wondering about the defense club we started last year. I know I only went to one meeting, but I was just, um....," Seamus trailed off.
"What about it?" Harry asked, thoroughly confused.
"Well, are we going to start it up again? With You-Know-Who back in full swing, it is more important than ever that we learn to defend ourselves," Seamus said earnestly.
Harry thought for a moment. It was funny that Seamus would say something about this seeing as how him and Seamus had had quite the row last year about Voldemort being back.
"I think it's a great idea, mate," Harry said. "Do you still have your Galleon Hermione gave you?"
He nodded vigorously.
"We'll let you know through that," Harry said and went down to breakfast.
Hermione and Ron were already seated at the Gryffindor table, and Harry took a seat beside them.
"What did Seamus want?" Ron asked with a mouthful of eggs.
"He wants to revive the D.A.," Harry said, piling his plate high.
Ron paused with his fork halfway to his mouth, but Hermione didn't look very surprised.
"I've had several people ask me, too," she said.
"I think we should do it," Harry said. "Granted this time we should ask Dumbledore and make it open for anybody."
"I think we should have one meeting with the original members in case they don't want to make it open," Hermione said, looking thoughtful. "I mean, look what happened last time."
Her gaze shot over to Marietta who was sitting next to Cho. Marietta caught Hermione's eyes, and she made a quick exit out of the Great Hall. Hermione smiled to herself and continued eating, but Harry kept looking at Cho. Her sleek black hair hung down her back, and Harry wondered what had gone so terribly wrong last year. Girls were so confusing. He didn't understand girls and figured he never would. At least Voldemort came right out in the open and said he wanted to kill Harry. Why couldn't girls just say what they meant?
"What did Dumbledore say about the torch?" Ron asked him, breaking Harry's train of thought.
"We never got that far. Your dad came right in as I asked him. I'll talk to him about later," Harry said.
Just then, Professor McGonagall (senior) came over to them and handed them their schedules. Harry had Double Transfiguration first thing. After that was Double Charms and then Care of Magical Creatures. A quick break for lunch and then he had his favorite subject, Double Potions. He then saw his free period was at the end of the day, which was unusual. He didn't have Defense Against the Dark Arts until tomorrow which disappointed him a bit since he wanted to see what Gloria was like.
"Ugh," Harry heard Ron say as Ron looked over his schedule. "I have Double History of Magic and then Divination with Tralawney. That's just bloody brilliant."
Harry checked over his schedule to see who he had Divination with. He fortunately had it with Firenze the following afternoon. He sighed with relief.
"Wait. Why do we have Divination at all?" Harry asked.
"I'm not sure," Ron answered. "I got a P on that O.W.L."
"I thought it was obvious," Hermione said, rolling her eyes. "They need as many people they can to take up two teachers' classes."
Harry and Ron nodded at her explanation.
"Well, shall we go then?" Hermione said briskly, gathering her things.
They all had the same morning schedule with Transfiguration first thing. Their morning passed fairly quickly. Both McGonagall and Flitwick making speeches on how students should not slack off just because it wasn't a major exam year. As they walked down to Hagrid's cabin for Care of Magical Creatures, Hermione leaned over to Harry.
"I'll activate the Galleons for eight tomorrow night," she whispered in his ear.
He nodded in agreement and turned to see if the Slytherins still had this class with them. Harry sighed out of frustration as he saw Draco's blond hair gleam in the bright sunlight. He hated having this class in particular with them because they always made Hagrid feel bad or got him into trouble. Hagrid was standing behind his cabin next to a fenced in area.
"'Ello, class!" Hagrid said happily. "I trus' yeh all did well on yeh O.W.L.'s."
Most of the students nodded, and Hermione beamed.
"Well, I'll be startin' yeh all on N.E.W.T level creatures this year, an' today I've got a real special treat fer yeh," Hagrid said.
Ron, Harry, and Hermione exchanged worried looks with one another. Hagrid's "treats" had usually burned, stung, bitten, or tried to kill them in the past. Hagrid had a fetish for dangerous creatures, so Harry was very worried what was fenced in behind Hagrid. Hagrid moved, and Harry saw the most unusual creature. It had a sleek, fur-covered body that looked has if it might come up to Harry's chest. The body was that of a very strong, muscular panther or tiger, but its head was that of a ram's. It had two very large, curved, and very dangerous looking horns. Its white fur glowed in the sunlight, and Harry could see traces of gold in its coat. Everyone, except Draco's crew, oohed and aahed, and even Harry was eager to pet the beautiful creature.
"This here is called a herlicus," Hagrid said proudly. "It's usually very docile, but extremely useful in battle. It is very strong, and in many magical land battles, they 'ave bin ridden ter a wizard's advantage. They will allow yeh ter pet 'em, but don' crowd on 'em, or they figure yeh are attackin' 'em. They are the fastest magical land creature known ter wizarding kind. They can reach speeds o' up ter seventy miles per hour, an' being butted with them horns at that speed ain't boun' ter feel good."
Several people laughed, and Hermione, being closest to the paddock, approached the herlicus first. She gently stroked its gleaming white fur, and it nuzzled her shoulder affectionately with its nose.
"I've named her Celestia. Yeh can all pet her, an' I want five major magical battles that have used herlicuses by next class meetin'," Hagrid said, and one by one, students approached the animal.
Parvati Patil giggled with delight when Celestia licked her hand. Harry stayed back because he wanted to talk to Hagrid.
"How's Grawp?" Harry asked in a low tone.
"Oh, he's good," Hagrid said, smiling broadly. "He's with a couple o' the others we got convinced on our side. He's well-mannered now and helping me translate ter the others."
"Where are they at?" Harry asked, intrigued.
"Can' be tellin' that, Harry," Hagrid said and looked up suddenly as Draco, Crabbe, and Goyle all advanced on Celestia.
"Now, don' be doin' that!" Hagrid yelled at him, but it was too late.
Celestia stamped her paw and ran after Draco. Hagrid had not been exaggerating her speed. She was lightening quick, and her muscles flexed with every graceful gallop. Draco ran behind Hagrid as he tried to calm the brazen animal. Harry, Ron, and Hermione laughed as they made their way up to lunch. Harry thought the sight of Draco running with his hands up in the air and cowering behind Hagrid just might get him through Double Potions with Snape. He was wrong. Snape had abandoned ignoring Harry's presence, which he had started after Harry had seen into the Pensieve. Now Snape seemed to make Harry's life a living hell. Snape slammed open the door to his dungeon classroom just as Harry and Hermione were taking their seats.
"First, to let all you know, this class will be much more tedious and dangerous than it has been," Snape said in a low menacing tone. He pushed his greasy black hair behind his ears and continued. "I see everyone has made it into this class I expected to, but others," his eyes shot directly at Harry, "somehow got into this class that can barely boil a pot of water, much less a complicated potion."
Draco and Pansy Parkinson snickered at Snape's obvious insult. Harry sucked in his breath. He could not afford to lose control with Snape because if he did, Snape just might be killed. He would never forgive him for goading Sirius last year and not helping them quick enough with Umbridge.
"We will begin this year with a very intricate potion called the Polyjuice Potion," Snape said.
Harry and Hermione grinned at each because they had both taken the Polyjuice Potion illegally in their second year.
"Ten points from Gryffindor," Snape said, looking at Harry and Hermione. "For not paying attention and laughing while I was speaking."
Harry gripped the arm of his chair and slowly counted to ten in his head. Snape told them the instructions for the beginning of the potion, and they all set to work. Double Potions seemed like triple as Snape eyed him and criticized his work every chance he got. As soon as Snape dismissed them, Harry and Hermione grabbed their books and left the dungeons quickly.
"That class is going to be hell everytime we go," Harry said to Hermione as they walked.
"I know. He is a horrible man, but we have to go," she said. "Well, I'm off to Arithmancy."
"See you later," Harry mumbled and watched her walk off.
He decided to go to the library to look up anything on the green flame torch. As he entered, he saw Luna Lovegood seated at a table by herself. She was reading a thick book called Oracle Oddities and was sporting her necklace of butterbeer caps. Harry suddenly remembered there was a favor he needed to ask her.
"Ahem," he said to get her attention as he walked up to her table.
She lowered her book and stared up at him.
"Hello, Harry," she said softly, never taking her eyes away from his.
"Could I ask you a favor?" he said.
"You can ask anything of anyone," she replied.
"Er, okay," he said, taking that as a yes. "Will you ask Cho Chang or her friend Marietta Edgecombe for Marietta's Protean Galleon back? We are starting the D.A. up again tomorrow night, and we don't want Marietta knowing when our meetings are, obviously."
"Sure, Harry. No problem," Luna said and turned to gaze out the window.
Harry got the impression that this short-lived conversation was over and walked away to the bookshelves thinking he had never met a stranger girl before. He searched his entire free period for anything about the green flame torch, but he came up empty-handed. He slammed shut Major Magical Devices of the 18th century in frustration, and Madame Pince shot him a look to kill. He gathered his things and headed for the common room. He was at the Fat Lady before he knew it.
"Flying Thestrals," he mumbled and climbed through the portrait hole.
Hermione and Ron were sitting in armchairs by the fire as he walked up.
"Hey guys," he said, as he slumped into the squashy armchair near Hermione.
"What did you do during your free period?" Ron asked.
"Looked up stuff on the torch, and I didn't find anything," he answered as Hermione opened her mouth to ask what he'd found.
"Are you going to post a date for Quidditch tryouts?" Ron asked him.
"Yeah. I'm going to post it tomorrow on the notice board. I'm going to make it for next Wednesday."
Ron nodded in agreement. Harry laid his head back on the soft chair and closed his eyes. It had been a long first day, but he had been through worse.
The next day dawned cloudy and gloomy. Herbology was interesting because they were starting to study Venomous Tentaculas, but none of them could wait to meet Gloria. They walked into class, which was fortunately only filled with Gryffindors. Harry had seen this classroom decorated so many ways according to the different teachers who had been here, but this was by far his favorite. She had put up many different pictures on the wall that included famous Aurors, diagrams of proper dueling methods, and magical dark creatures. They all took their seats and waited for her to arrive. Harry's attention was drawn away from a picture of two wizards preparing to duel in a courtyard when Gloria walked in. She immediately shut the curtains on all the windows, and strode to the front of the room.
"It's too gloomy to look outside today," she said grinning. "Good morning, class."
"Good morning, Professor McGonagall," they chorused back.
"Oh, Merlin's beard, don't call me that. That is what you call my aunt. That makes me feel a thousand years old. Call me Gloria in class, but stick with Professor McGonagall around the other teachers," she said and smiled again.
Harry already liked her. He had never had a teacher so cool before. Lupin had been wonderful, but he was older. Gloria had just gotten out of Auror training, so she couldn't be much older than them.
"I realize that your teachers in this class, good and bad, have taught you Defense Against the Dark Arts on very different levels," Gloria said.
"Umbridge didn't teach us much of anything," Dean Thomas said from the back and many people laughed.
"Too right you are, Mr. . . . ," she trailed off.
"Thomas, Dean Thomas," he said.
"Thomas. Don't worry. I am here to teach you basic defense. Some things will be very easy and others will be extremely difficult, but all of them are of vital importance," she said. "This class will basically be like the bottom level of Auror training for the Ministry."
Harry smiled. He thought this class sounded like a D.A. meeting. He looked around and saw many of the boys gazing openmouthed at Gloria. Harry thought she might be the counterpart of Lockhart for the guys. Harry looked at her again. Her long dark hair was pulled into a very long loose braid, and her equally dark eyes were intoxicating. But Harry couldn't get over her smile. It was dazzling. Harry shook his head to clear it. He wondered if his new professor might be part veela. Gloria continued on the rest of the class talking about basic defense, and referring to the book.
"I promise next class will be more hands on," she said as they left the classroom.
The rest of the day was most uneventful and before Harry knew it, it was half-past seven.
"Are you ready?" he asked Ron and Hermione.
They nodded, and they all left the common room with invisibility cloak and Maruader's Map in tow. They reached the Room of Requirement and talked until people started to trickle in. Everyone took seats on the cushions and kept glancing nervously up at Harry or the door. When he thought everyone was there, he stood up.
"Is anyone missing?" he asked.
"Just the obvious," Ginny said, referring to Fred, George, Lee, Angelina, Alicia, and Marietta.
"Alright, then," Harry continued. "First, I want to talk about keeping this club private or not. I want to take a vote on whether we should keep this a secret or tell Dumbledore and make it open for everyone."
"I think we should remain a secret," Michael Corner said. "The less people we have interfering, the more stealthy we can be."
"Here, here," Anthony Goldstein and Terry Boot yelled.
Everyone threw their eyes at Cho who was sitting quietly in the corner by herself.
"But," Hermione interjected. "The more people we have, the more people to fight."
"Yes," Harry said. "But not everyone needs to be involved. They will get enough training from Gloria, and besides, I kinda consider us the elite. Not that we're better, but we do have an edge."
"Especially you, Harry," Neville said.
"Thank you, Neville," Harry replied. "So let's vote on it. Shall we?"
More than half raised their hand to remain secret, and so it was decided.
"Get with me if anyone has any new recruits in mind, but remember, they must be trustworthy," Harry said urgently.
They all nodded. Harry lined out what the next few meetings would include, and before they knew it, an hour had past. Harry checked the Marauder's Map and let everyone go in ones and twos. Cho passed Harry and threw something in his direction. He caught it in his hand. She looked at him with narrowed eyes and walked out the door. Harry looked down and saw Marietta's Galleon. He sighed at the mystery that was women.