Chapter 2
"Alright, alright! Everybody settle down!" Ron shouted across the small crowd of young witches and wizards. He waved a clipboard above his head with a list of names attached to it. "Could every body please be quiet so I can take roll?" The room got a little quieter but the drone of voices could still be heard.
"Just get on with it will you? We're already behind schedule." Hermione whispered in Ron's ear.
"OK...let's see...Neville Longbottom!" The room went dead silent at the sound of Neville's name. Obviously everyone had read the latest issue of the Daily Prophet.
"Thank you...Ginny Weasley."
"Right here," Ginny waved.
"Fred, George."
"Here," they said together. They had walked in the door just at the precise moment.
"Sorry were late," said Fred.
"We were just making a few last minute preparations," George said with a gleam in his eye.
"Quite alright, have a seat. Luna Lovegood!" Ron had to shout. The room was already growing loud again.
"Present," she said dreamily.
"Colin Creevey?"
"Over here," Colin shouted bobbing up and down. He didn't seem to be growing very fast, for he was so short he had to jump into the air amidst the crowd, of soon to be 6th years, to be seen.
"I figured he'd find out eventually, then tell all his little friends. So I invited him to save us the trouble," Hermione whispered.
"Good idea," Ron whispered back. Ron continued to call out names and check people off the list. This took a good 10 minutes, due to all the commotion and excitement. It didn't help that Hermione kept whispering comments in Ron's ear every 5 seconds.
"Attention everyone!" Hermione shouted. "If you could please be quiet, I would like to begin. Thank you. Now, as you all know, we are gathered here today for a very special D.A. meeting. Sadly Harry could not make it. If you read the daily prophet, you probably know why. But, Harry's absence, is the very reason we are gathered here today in Grimauld Place. For those of you who don't know, right now Harry is sitting in a prison cell in Azkaban." There was a series of gasps. "It's alright, no need to get worried yet. That's why we are here. We, the D.A., are going to rescue Harry." The room went silent again. All eyes were on Hermione, but she didn't know what else to say.
"Three cheers for the D.A.!" Ron exclaimed.
"Yes, three cheers for the D.A.!" Hermione squealed. There was a slight pause before the room broke out into a chorus of hooray and yippee. "Alright, settle down now! Before we move on, does anybody have any questions?"
"Oh, me me, over here!" Colin said bobbing up and down.
"Yes Colin?"
"Where is this place exactly?" he asked.
"Well," Hermione began. "Let's just say...it is the noble and most ancient house of..."
"Harry's ancestors," Ron cut in.
"Right," Hermione said thankfully. Neither Ron, nor Hermione thought it was a very good idea to tell people this was the house of Sirius Black. Everyone would go berserk.
"Any other questions? Back to business, weare going to rescue Harry-from Azkaban."
"You mean, we...are going to Azkaban?!" Ginny squeaked.
"Yes." Ginny continued to glare at Hermione in shock. "Well, we can't expect to rescue Harry by sitting here," she said matter-of-factly. "Could you help me out here," she whispered to Ron.
"You see...well, you all remember when Harry taught us how to conjure a patronous, right?" There was a chorus of approvals. "Good, because that is exactly what we need to know, in order to get past the dementors.
"Dementors!" Ginny squealed.
"Ginny if you would let me finish...just relax for a second." Ron said to her. She sunk back in her chair without a word. "I was about to say that, unfortunately, we can't take all of you with us to Azkaban. So, the majority of the group will be staying here in Grimauld place. That way, if we need help or contact from outside of Azkaban, we won't need to look far. Does everyone understand?" Another chorus of approvals followed Ron's speech. "Now, Hermione and I will choose who will go, and who will stay; and please, if you are not chosen to come along don't take it personally. We don't want anyone to get hurt. But, we may need a few people to serve as back ups—just in case.
"Fred and George Weasley..." There was a series of giggles. "Luna Lovegood...Dean Thomas...Seamus Finnagin...Angelina Johnson...Hermione Granger...and, myself." When Ron was finished announcing there was a round of applause.
"Good, good. Now will the people whose names I have called please come forward." There was a chorus of oohs and ahs as each person was presented a shiny golden pin, engraved with the letters "DA".
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"Oh...oh my head."
"Ooo, you don't look so good," Harry said.
"Huh? Who are you?" Malfoy said drowsily.
"Wha-what? What are you saying...I'm Harry remember, Harry Potter?"
"What? Why...who...where am I?"
"Well, don't freak out but...you're in Azkaban."
"Az-ta-gan? That's a funny name." Oh great, Harry thought, Malfoy has completely lost it. "What is this...er...Az-te-bam?" Malfoy asked.
"Az-ka-ban..." Harry said. "...is...er...better for you not to know."
"OK Gerry."
"It's Harry."
"Right, Larry."
"Whatever," Harry mumbled. This is just great. Malfoy doesn't even know who he is! Eh, maybe it's better that way. If Malfoy was thinking clearly, we would both have bleeding skulls by now.
"So...what is there to do in Az-key-blan?" Harry had to cover his mouth in order to suppress his giggles.
"Absolutely nothing," Harry said.
"Nothing...oh that's boring."
"Yeah. Especially when the only other person there hasn't got a clue about anything."
"Hey! Are you saying I'm stupid?"
"Oh no, I would never say a thing like that," Harry replied sarcastically, a smirk upon his face.
"Ok. Larry? Why is it so dark in here?"
"Uh...it's called night."
"Night? That sounds familiar. And day...day is light."
"That's the spirit," Harry said mockingly.
"Larry?"
"What now?"
"Why aren't you wearing a shirt?"
"Because...it's on your head."
"Why is your shirt, on my head?"
"Er...no reason."
"OK. Well here, you can have back." Malfoy unwrapped the shirt from his head and handed it to Harry, blood and all.
"Uh..." Harry winced at the site of Malfoy's gashed and bloody scalp.
"What's the matter Larry? Don't look at me like that."
"Er...I would put that back on if I were you." Harry saw that Malfoy's head was still bleeding.
"What...why?"
"Bloody hell Malfoy give me that!"
"Bloody hell...I like that. Bloody hell!"
"Arg! Malfoy, this is not the time for fun of games. Now hand over the shirt!"
"Bloody hell! I will not!"
"Malfoy, can Larry please have the shirt?"
"Blood hell, no!"
"Pretty please?"
"Nope."
"Oh, look! It's a bird!"
"Ooo, where!" Malfoy looked around frantically while Harry snatched the shirt away. "Hey, give that back!"
"No," Harry said. "Now hold still will you?" Harry tried to tie the shirt back around Malfoy's head but he put up a fight. Malfoy was stupid, but strong none the less.
"Listen Malfoy, if I don't put this shirt on your head, by the time tomorrow comes you won't have any blood left!"
"Blood? I'm bleeding! Why am I bleeding?" Malfoy felt his head. He stared at his hands which were now covered in sticky red blood. Harry took this opportunity and quickly seized Malfoy's head.
"All better," Harry said.
"Eww...this stuff is all sticky." Malfoy took his hands and wiped them on the front of Harry's stomach.
"Ahh...Malfoy you bloody ferret! That's disgusting."
"Oh don't worry Larry, its only blood."
"Only blood?! It is disgusting!"
"I can't help it if you dislike stick red things," Malfoy argued. "Well...yawn...I'm going to sleep."
"Fine by me," Harry said. Finally! I thought he would never go back to sleep. I don't know which is worse anymore, the old Malfoy or the new one. Being in any room with Malfoy is just as bad as prison. Put the two together, plus a few gallons of blood, and you get...well I guess it could be worse (though it isn't likely). At least Fudge has removed the dementor's from Azkaban. If he hadn't I wouldn't be alive. Harry shuddered at the thought of being surrounded by dementor's. Harry could conjure a remarkable patronus but one person can only conjure so many before loosing all of their energy. I can't believe they would accuse me of murdering Neville. I would never, ever do something like that. And I would also like to know...why is Malfoy in Azkaban? And...why did they throw him in my cell? Can't he have a cell of his own? Agh, it's too late for this...might as well...need some—rest.