"Delano doesn't really hate you, you know. But your mum was her only
friend. She sees your eyes and she sees your mum. She sees the rest of you;
your face, your hair, and she see your dad. When your mum started spending
time with your dad she had less time to spend with Professor Delano and her
other friends."
Harry thought, why is it that I make girls cry?
Luna continued. "Did you see Ginny? She's good. She can defend herself better than you can with her mind. She's strong; she was only invited to the meeting because she was considered at risk from classified reasons I wasn't allowed to know. Do you know?"
He said it without thinking, "Yes."
"Really? Like what?"
"Like when in her second year she." he stopped abruptly. "It's none of your business."
"Okay. Neville seemed to do well too. But I can understand that. He's got something driving him to do well. I think it's got something to do with whatever propelled him forward in the D.A. last year. When's the next meeting?"
This was the closest thing to a normal conversation he'd ever heard from Luna. "I don't know."
"Soon I hope. We're going to need it. Ravenclaw's this way." She wandered off and Harry continued on in the direction of Gryffindor Tower (after pausing long enough for the other Gryffindors to catch up to him). The Creevy brothers walked off to one side, talking quietly. Marcus had gone to walk his sister back to the Slytherin house.
Harry spoke with the remaining Gryffindors. "We've got to figure out when the first D.A. meeting is going to be. Everybody's been asking."
Ron yawned, "Sure. But not tonight. You weren't exaggerating about these lessons, Harry. Ugh! Snape looking at my memories! The only thing worse was that one time I broke in and saw his memories. He didn't have a happy childhood."
"I know," said Harry.
"How do you know?" asked Ron.
"Just trust me on this. I know all the stories from when my dad and Sirius were at school with him. It's not completely his fault he's a git."
"But-"
"Just trust me on this and don't make me explain it. Please, Ron?"
"Yeah. All right, buddy. No more questions."
"We'll discuss the D.A. tomorrow. I don't think any of us is up to it after that ordeal."
They were at the stairs for the dormitories when Harry said, "Oh. I found out why Delano hates me."
"Why?"
"I look like my parents. Apparently I make her cry. She and my mum were friends."
"Oh."
"Yeah. Goodnight, Hermione."
"Goodnight, Harry, Ron." **********************************
Harry watched the ceiling overhead as he ate his lunch; it was stormy and gray, obviously raining outside. The weather would be too unpleasant to bother going outside, so Harry, Ron, Hermione, Neville and Ginny entered the library to discuss the D.A. The bad weather, and a large project the 7th year students had been assigned, had caused the library to be overcrowded. There were people at every table, so they went for the least crowded table. It had a single student sitting there, reading the Quibbler, Luna Lovegood.
Harry glanced at her and looked at Ginny with an is-it-safe-to-say- anything-about-the-D.A.-with-her-sitting-here expression, after all, Ginny knew Luna best.
"Yeah, she's fine. She's not going to listen to us," Ginny said quietly.
"Alright." Harry nodded. They sat down and began to discuss just what to do.
"We've definitely got to have the D.A. this year."
"We need to make a list of everybody who was in the D.A. last year minus whoever graduated."
"Right."
"Crud, I don't have anything to write on," said Harry.
"Here," Hermione handed him some parchment, a quill, and ink.
They made the list. "22."
"Okay. I had some ideas. I was thinking of expanding the D.A. We could make it, I don't know, like a.a."
"A miniature version of the Order?" prompted Harry.
"Yes! I've been thinking about it and we even have the perfect person to spy on the Slytherins. You know that first year boy. Marcus? His sister."
"I dunno. She is in Slytherin."
"That's what makes her a good spy. Ambitious. If we can get her to believe in our cause then we've got a shot at a good way to get information because she'll do anything to get the info."
"Her brother did say that if she wanted to win the Quiditch cup she wouldn't hesitate in jinxing brooms or breaking legs."
"See?"
"I still don't know."
"Well think about it. We even have a good headquarters. The Shrieking Shack."
"Maybe."
"Look let's meet down at the Whomping Willow at 6 o'clock tonight."
"Deal."
"I've got to go do my homework."
"Well why do you have to leave?" asked Ron.
"I've got to go get my other books."
"I'll come with you, Hermione," Ron volunteered.
Harry thought, why is it that I make girls cry?
Luna continued. "Did you see Ginny? She's good. She can defend herself better than you can with her mind. She's strong; she was only invited to the meeting because she was considered at risk from classified reasons I wasn't allowed to know. Do you know?"
He said it without thinking, "Yes."
"Really? Like what?"
"Like when in her second year she." he stopped abruptly. "It's none of your business."
"Okay. Neville seemed to do well too. But I can understand that. He's got something driving him to do well. I think it's got something to do with whatever propelled him forward in the D.A. last year. When's the next meeting?"
This was the closest thing to a normal conversation he'd ever heard from Luna. "I don't know."
"Soon I hope. We're going to need it. Ravenclaw's this way." She wandered off and Harry continued on in the direction of Gryffindor Tower (after pausing long enough for the other Gryffindors to catch up to him). The Creevy brothers walked off to one side, talking quietly. Marcus had gone to walk his sister back to the Slytherin house.
Harry spoke with the remaining Gryffindors. "We've got to figure out when the first D.A. meeting is going to be. Everybody's been asking."
Ron yawned, "Sure. But not tonight. You weren't exaggerating about these lessons, Harry. Ugh! Snape looking at my memories! The only thing worse was that one time I broke in and saw his memories. He didn't have a happy childhood."
"I know," said Harry.
"How do you know?" asked Ron.
"Just trust me on this. I know all the stories from when my dad and Sirius were at school with him. It's not completely his fault he's a git."
"But-"
"Just trust me on this and don't make me explain it. Please, Ron?"
"Yeah. All right, buddy. No more questions."
"We'll discuss the D.A. tomorrow. I don't think any of us is up to it after that ordeal."
They were at the stairs for the dormitories when Harry said, "Oh. I found out why Delano hates me."
"Why?"
"I look like my parents. Apparently I make her cry. She and my mum were friends."
"Oh."
"Yeah. Goodnight, Hermione."
"Goodnight, Harry, Ron." **********************************
Harry watched the ceiling overhead as he ate his lunch; it was stormy and gray, obviously raining outside. The weather would be too unpleasant to bother going outside, so Harry, Ron, Hermione, Neville and Ginny entered the library to discuss the D.A. The bad weather, and a large project the 7th year students had been assigned, had caused the library to be overcrowded. There were people at every table, so they went for the least crowded table. It had a single student sitting there, reading the Quibbler, Luna Lovegood.
Harry glanced at her and looked at Ginny with an is-it-safe-to-say- anything-about-the-D.A.-with-her-sitting-here expression, after all, Ginny knew Luna best.
"Yeah, she's fine. She's not going to listen to us," Ginny said quietly.
"Alright." Harry nodded. They sat down and began to discuss just what to do.
"We've definitely got to have the D.A. this year."
"We need to make a list of everybody who was in the D.A. last year minus whoever graduated."
"Right."
"Crud, I don't have anything to write on," said Harry.
"Here," Hermione handed him some parchment, a quill, and ink.
They made the list. "22."
"Okay. I had some ideas. I was thinking of expanding the D.A. We could make it, I don't know, like a.a."
"A miniature version of the Order?" prompted Harry.
"Yes! I've been thinking about it and we even have the perfect person to spy on the Slytherins. You know that first year boy. Marcus? His sister."
"I dunno. She is in Slytherin."
"That's what makes her a good spy. Ambitious. If we can get her to believe in our cause then we've got a shot at a good way to get information because she'll do anything to get the info."
"Her brother did say that if she wanted to win the Quiditch cup she wouldn't hesitate in jinxing brooms or breaking legs."
"See?"
"I still don't know."
"Well think about it. We even have a good headquarters. The Shrieking Shack."
"Maybe."
"Look let's meet down at the Whomping Willow at 6 o'clock tonight."
"Deal."
"I've got to go do my homework."
"Well why do you have to leave?" asked Ron.
"I've got to go get my other books."
"I'll come with you, Hermione," Ron volunteered.