Author's Note: I'm sorry for keeping everyone waiting for this chapter. Not surprisingly, real life once again got in the way. I am going to try to get a few chapters out during the Christmas holiday, since I have a whole week off from work. Unfortunately, updates will most likely come slowly once we enter January. First quarter is always crazy at work, as everything sold at the end of the year will now need to be delivered. I will make every attempt not to allow more than two weeks to elapse between updates.
Author's Note 2: I realized that I forgot to have Harry and Neville take their Apparation tests. I have added a short paragraph to Chapter 10 in which the two boys and Buffy study for and take their exam. The boys pass and Buffy fails again. There is no need to reread the chapter, just know that all the seventh year students except Hermione have their Apparation licenses.
As Strong As We Are United
Chapter 11 – Putting the Plan Into Action
Everyone staying at Order Headquarters was awake early the next morning. Buffy insisted that they have a big breakfast together before leaving for King's Cross Station. Once everyone was seated at the large kitchen table and had served themselves, Buffy addressed the group. "I wanted to take a minute to make sure that everyone was still onboard with the plan, because this isn't going to be easy for any of you."
"Nothing this important is ever easy," stated Dawn.
"We can do this," added Hermione. "We have to."
Ron grabbed her hand under the table and squeezed it firmly. "Besides, having loud public rows with Mione will be like old times," he said. Harry, Neville, and Ginny sniggered.
"Just remember, that as soon as we leave the house, you all have to start acting. The only place you will be able to be yourselves is in the Scooby Common Room," warned Willow.
"Yes, we don't want any of the students becoming suspicious," added Cat. "Voldemort will definitely have spies around the school."
"Probably most of my housemates," mumbled Draco.
"Don't worry about it," Ginny assured the adults. "Our plan is solid. We are even prepared to stage some altercations on the Hogwart's Express, and Neville, Luna, and I will casually mention some of the group's 'problems' to key gossipy people."
"Altercations?" asked Wesley worriedly.
Hermione nodded vigorously. "Ron and I will be ignoring each other for the most part, but are planning a loud row for right after our meeting with the prefects."
"And Malfoy and I will have our usual confrontation in one of the corridors about halfway through the trip," explained Harry. He grinned at Draco. "This should be fun."
Draco returned the grin. "Absolutely," he agreed.
"Well then, is everyone packed?" asked Charlie, knowing full well that Ron and Ginny were notoriously bad about waiting until the last possible minute to finish backing.
"More or less," replied Ginny.
Charlie shook his head. "Then I suggested you all finish up your breakfast quickly and finish packing. Giles is sending some cars from the Watchers Council. We will be leaving in exactly two hours." Everyone nodded their understanding and began to eat quickly.
****************
When Harry and Ron finished packing, they deposited their trunks near the front door and went in search of Shannon and Hermione. As the boys mounted the stairs, they noticed Luna slipping into the library with Andrew. Though Andrew promised to visit Hogwarts often, it was obvious that Luna was saddened about leaving without him.
Harry found Shannon in the room she shared with Dawn. Shannon was just closing the zipper on her large duffle bag, while Dawn hefted her own bag over her shoulder. Both girls looked up, as Harry entered the room. "I'll just go find Draco then," commented Dawn, as she left Harry and Shannon alone in the room.
"Buffy's right. This isn't going to be easy," commented Harry.
"I think this is going to be hardest on you," replied Shannon. "At least I can hang out with Dawn and Hermione. You aren't supposed to be talking to anyone."
"Yeah well, fortunately being the loner, it's okay for me to spend most of my free time hiding in my room." Harry and Shannon smiled at each other, both thinking of all the time they would be able to spend together away from the prying eyes of the other students. "Meals will be rough though," commented Harry.
"Not to mention quidditch practice," added Shannon.
"Nah, that'll be easy. As captain, I get to boss all of you around," kidded Harry.
Shannon rolled her eyes. "And I thought Katie was bad last year," she mused.
Harry shook his head. "Katie was nothing compared to Oliver or Angelina."
Shannon looked slightly confused. "They both seem so nice, when we see them with Fred and George."
"Yeah, but you've never seen them on the quidditch pitch – nutters, the both of them."
Harry walked over to Shannon and put his arms around her. After pulling her into a kiss that lasted for several minutes, he pulled away. "I'm going to miss being able to do that, whenever I want," he teased.
"Me too," whispered Shannon seriously. "We'll just have to make up for it in the Scooby Common Room."
Harry laughed. "I'm sure Buffy will love that."
Shannon shrugged. "She'll be too busy with Charlie to notice." Both teens laughed again.
****************
Dawn nearly hit Ron with her duffle bag, while she was trying to navigate all her belongings down the narrow second floor hallway. "Sorry," she mumbled.
"Don't worry about it," replied Ron. "Have you seen Hermione?" he asked.
Dawn was about to reply that she had not seen Hermione since breakfast, but was interrupted by a loud, "Ouch. Hey watch where you're going with that thing."
"Oops, sorry," said Dawn again. She dropped her bag on the floor and came face to face with Draco, who was rubbing his chest. Dawn's eyes softened. "Oh, Draco, I really am sorry."
Draco smiled at her. "It's okay, but maybe I should help you with this." He leaned over to pick up the duffle bag.
"Hey," said Dawn indignantly. "I'm perfectly capable of carrying my own things."
"I'm not doing this for you," replied Draco. "I'm doing it for me. I don't want you to run me over again."
Ron could not help but laugh, as he continued on his way to Hermione's room. Dawn and Draco were still arguing behind him, as they dragged Dawn's things down the stairs.
Ron knocked softly on Hermione's door. He entered, after hearing a muffled reply. "Hey, Mione, I just wanted. . ." Ron's voice trailed off, as he noticed Hermione sitting on the edge of her bed, sobbing softly into her hands. He knelt in front of her and gently pulled her hands away from her face. "What's wrong?" he asked, concern evident in his voice.
Hermione looked into Ron's eyes. "I was just thinking about how this is our last year. And then, I started thinking about first year and how my parents took me to King's Cross the first time. I know that I've gone to the station with your parents for the last four years, but somehow it seems so wrong that my parents aren't here to see me off for my last year." She started to cry again.
Ron wrapped his arms around his girlfriend, as she buried her head against his shoulder. He spoke softly to her. "I know, Mione. It's not fair. None of it is fair."
"Sometimes I wonder how I'm going to make it through this year. Especially, without you and Harry," Hermione mumbled.
Ron pulled away slightly. He lifted her chin with one finger and looked into her eyes. "You always have me and Harry too. When you need me, all you have to do is get word to me that you need me and I will meet you in the Scooby Common Room. And even when we're in public, Dawn and Shannon will be there for you." Hermione smiled. "They seem overeager to be a good friend to you, especially when it means keeping you away from me," he added, causing Hermione to giggle softly.
"The Scoobies were right about this being hard," Hermione said.
Ron pulled her close again. "We can do this. Once we help Harry defeat Voldemort, we can finally have our lives back. We'll graduate and get the jobs we want. We'll get married and have kids. We'll have a normal, boring life."
Hermione kissed him, before replying. "You're going to be a Watcher, and hopefully I'm going to be working in the Department of Mysteries. I don't think we'll ever have a normal life." Ron raised his eyebrows. "But the rest sounds nice," Hermione quickly added. "Assuming that once we leave Hogwarts, you still want to marry me."
Ron smiled. "Hermione Granger, I have every intention of marrying you someday." The two teens kissed again, but were soon interrupted by Charlie yelling through the house that the cars had arrived to take them to the station.
****************
Willow and Cat did a quick headcount, as Buffy and Wesley loaded everyone's belongings into the trunks of the four cars.
"Where's Faith?" asked Dawn. Faith had become a fairly regular fixture at Headquarters, and Dawn had assumed that she would be traveling with them.
"She said she has some things to do at home this morning," replied Buffy, as she hefted her large duffle bag of weapons into the car. "Since she's already in Hogsmeade, she'll just meet us at Hogwarts for the feast."
"Makes sense," replied Shannon.
"Alright, everyone in the cars," called Willow. Ron held a door open for Hermione. Willow glared at him. "And, don't forget that some of you aren't on speaking terms at the moment," Willow added. Ron blushed deeply and walked over to the car that Charlie and Buffy were traveling in, leaving Hermione to ride with Shannon, Dawn, and Draco.
The trip to the station was uneventful. When they arrived, Buffy and Shannon piled everyone's belongings onto several trolleys. The group walked quietly to the barrier between Platforms 9 and 10, and then took turns nonchalantly walking through the barrier. The faculty and all the students, with the exception of Neville, boarded the first car, where the Head Boy, Head Girl, and prefects were scheduled to meet. Hermione and Ron had decided that their newly appointed staff members should attend the meeting as well.
Neville quickly found Seamus Finnegan and Dean Thomas. Neville chose a compartment for the three boys in the second car. He claimed that he wanted to be close for when Ginny finished with her meeting. In actuality, he and Ginny had decided that it would be best if the seventh year Gryffindors were close enough to witness Ron and Hermione's row. Ginny figured that Lavender would make a point of sitting with Seamus and that Parvati would be dragged along by her best friend.
The students and faculty in the front car quickly found seats. Charlie made conversation with Wesley about being a new faculty member, while Buffy, Willow, and Cat planned out their training schedule for the students. Anyone listening in would assume that the teachers were discussing Slayer training and not training for the teens that had fought against Voldemort.
Harry and Ron sat apart from the rest of the group, though Ron positioned himself so that he could watch Hermione. She sat between Dawn and Shannon, who were taking turns glaring at Ron, whenever they caught him staring at Hermione. Draco sat across from Dawn, trying to tear her attention away from protecting Hermione. Ginny and Luna were the only two who were acting normally. They sat near the door that lead to the next compartment and chatted with the other sixth year prefects.
When the train pulled out of the station, Hermione stood and surveyed the assembled prefects. "I will try to keep this meeting short, so that you can all rejoin your friends. I have been appointed your Head Girl this year. Your Head Boy is Ronald Weasley." Hermione made an obvious show of rolling her eyes. "Throughout the year, if you need anything, please do not hesitate to speak with me."
"Or me," interjected Ron.
Hermione rolled her eyes again. "Like anyone would be dumb enough to go to Ron with a problem," she mumbled to Shannon and Dawn, but made a point to be loud enough for a few of the prefects to hear.
Hermione turned her attention back to the group. "Unfortunately because of outside threats, Professor Dumbledore had decided to cancel all Hogsmeade weekends this year." There was a collective groan from the assembled group. "However," continued Hermione, "we will be working to organize several activities at Hogwarts to make up for this. Professor Dumbledore has asked that Dawn Summers, Shannon Crawford, Harry Potter, and Draco Malfoy work with Ronald and I to organize these events. Any suggestions you may have can be given to one of them. Professor Dumbledore also realizes that there will be much work involved in planning these activities and has decided that the six of us will be housed with some of the faculty members, where we will be able to work with fewer interruptions."
"There will also be a new program at Hogwarts this year. Some of the faculty have agreed to take on teaching assistants, students in sixth or seventh year. I do not know who these students are. However, I am sure that Professor Dumbledore will announce them during the feast this evening."
Hermione reached into her shoulder bag and pulled out eight small books, which she passed out to the new fifth year prefects. "These contain all the rules for Hogwarts students. You should familiarize yourself with them. If you have any questions about a specific rule or your authority to punish a student for breaking it, please see either myself or one of the older prefects. Those of you who were prefects last year know what is expected of you. We all did very well in our duties last year, and I hope that we will do the same this year. Are there any questions?"
"Yeah," said Terry Boot. "Any idea who the new DADA teacher is going to be?" Everyone laughed. For the past seven years, there had been a new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor each year and most did not leave under the best circumstances.
Hermione smiled. "I have no idea. Professor Dumbledore seems to want to surprise us. Hopefully, he or she will be as good as our last DADA professor and not like some of the others. Any other questions?"
The group was silent. "Good. I will let you know when our next meeting will be and which nights each of you are assigned to patrol the castle. I know you all want to get back to your friends and catch up after the holidays. Please, try to make a point of patrolling the corridors every so often during the trip, and make yourselves available to any students who have questions, especially the first years."
The prefects began to leave the front car. Ginny and Luna made a point of going last and leaving the door open behind them.
"What the hell was that?" Ron shouted loudly at Hermione.
"I have no idea what you mean, Ronald," stated Hermione matter-of-factly.
"How dare you undermine my authority. I saw you rolling your eyes, and I'm sure everyone else did too. And, you didn't let me say two words," he spat back.
"You did say two words, Ronald," stated Hermione. "And authority needs to be earned. It isn't my fault that you act like a screw-up. Anyone with half a brain wouldn't come to you with their problems."
"Well excuse me for not being perfect like you," snarled Ron. "Some of us prefer to have a little fun instead of hiding from the world behind a book. Maybe if you put your books away sometime, you would realize that no one likes a bossy know-it-all." Ron stormed out of the front car and slammed the door loudly behind him. As he stomped down the corridor, several students who had poked their heads out of their compartments to hear the row, closed their compartment doors.
"Damn, you two are good," whispered Shannon.
"Years of practice," commented Harry, as he stood. "I guess it's my turn now," he said, as he exited the compartment.
****************
Ginny entered the compartment that Neville had chosen and sat beside him. She smiled to herself, when she saw that Lavender and Parvati were already there. Lavender was flirting obviously with Seamus. Dean and Neville were discussing Gryffindor's chances for the Quidditch Cup, and Parvati was looking bored.
"Hello, everyone," said Ginny, as she slipped into the seat next to Neville. She had once again, purposely left the door open.
"How was the prefect meeting?" asked Neville.
Ginny rolled her eyes. "I wonder if Ron and Hermione will ever get back together," she mused. Lavender and Parvati immediately turned to listen to what Ginny had to say. "Hermione insulted him in front of all the prefects. She practically said that he didn't deserve to be Head Boy."
"Ron's Head Boy?" asked Dean.
Parvati shushed him. "Obviously, and Hermione is obviously Head Girl. But, Ginny, did you say they broke up?"
Ginny nodded. "I think that the stress of losing our parents was too much for them to handle," she said, a single tear running down her face. She still did not like talking much about what had happened to her parents. She could tell Neville or Luna anything, but was not comfortable talking about it to the school's two biggest gossips.
Neville placed his arm around Ginny's shoulders and glared at the others warningly. Parvati and Lavender immediately looked at Ginny with sympathy and did not ask any more questions. Of course, it only took a few seconds for Ron and Hermione's shouting to fill the compartment. Parvati, Lavender, Seamus, and Dean all stuck their heads out of the compartment to hear the row.
After a few minutes of yelling, Ron stomped down the corridor. When they saw him, the four Gryffindors closed their compartment door. "Wow," said Seamus. "I thought they finally outgrew doing that."
"That wasn't like usual though," commented Parvati. "They were much meaner than they used to be."
"Not counting that time in third year, when they didn't speak to each other for months," added Lavender. "Poor Hermione used to cry herself to sleep back then."
Ginny looked up at Lavender. "I didn't know that," she said. "My brother can be a real git sometimes."
"Yes, but thirteen year old boys are all insensitive gits," stated Lavender. Seamus, Dean, and Neville looked at her indignantly. "They are," she insisted.
"But he should have grown out of it by now," stated Parvati. "He was really mean to her."
"Yeah, well she wasn't exactly being nice to him, now was she," argued Dean.
Ginny leaned against Neville, as the other four Gryffindors continued to discuss Ron and Hermione. 'It's all going according to plan,' she thought before closing her eyes and drifting off to sleep.
She was awoken nearly an hour later, when Ron entered the compartment. "Mind if I sit with you guys?" he asked. "Hermione's being a real bitch."
"Sure, mate," said Seamus, pulling Lavender onto his lap to make room for Ron.
"What happened?" asked Parvati, eager for a first hand account of the row. "I always thought you two were destined to be together."
Ron snorted. "Yeah, well I always told you Divination was a load of crap." Lavender and Parvati both glared at him. Ron ran his hand through his hair. "We broke up. I just couldn't take any more of her telling me what to do."
****************
Harry found Luna sitting in a compartment with several first years toward the back of the train. "Hey, mind if I sit here. The atmosphere is a little too tense up front."
Luna looked up from her copy of The Quibbler and motioned for him to enter. "That's why I came back here too," she stated. "All that tension tends to attract flugalmysters, and we all know how undesirable they can be."
"Um, yeah," said Harry, not wanting to ask what a flugalmyster was. He wondered if it was something Luna made up as part of the plan. It was definitely something she would normally say.
"What's a flugalmyster?" asked one of the first years.
Luna smiled knowingly and put away her magazine. "Flugalmysters are attracted to tense situations. They are ugly little green bugs. They start out really small, but feed off the tension in a room and grow bigger and bigger. When they get to be about the size of a large cat, they start emitting this noxious odor that makes people violently ill."
The young first years looked concerned. Harry felt bad for them. "I wouldn't be too worried. I'm pretty sure that flugalmysters don't really exist."
Luna glared at him. "They do too exist, or at least they did. Many people believe that they are now extinct," she explained.
"So, see, nothing to worry about," added Harry. The first years looked relieved. Luna went back to her magazine, and Harry began reading one of his new Defense Against the Dark Arts books.
After nearly an hour, there was a knock on the compartment door. One of the first years opened it to find Draco Malfoy standing in the corridor looking arrogant as ever. "Poor Potter has no friends to back him up this year," sneered Draco.
Harry stood. "I don't exactly see your bodyguards either, Malfoy," Harry stated.
"I don't need back up to hex you, Potter," replied Draco.
Luna, who had put her magazine aside yet again, spoke. "Isn't it possible to have at least one ride to Hogwarts without you two attacking each other?" she asked.
"No," both boys replied tersely. Luna shrugged her shoulders. "Ignore them," she told the first years. "They do this every year." She picked up her magazine and began reading again.
"Come on, Potter. Scared?" asked Draco.
Harry stood, drew his wand, and followed Draco into the corridor. "I've been wanting to do this all summer," stated Harry. "Now that there's no teachers around, you're going to get exactly what you deserve."
The two boys began dueling in the corridor. Many students poked their heads out of their compartments to watch. The Slytherins were cheering for Draco, and the other students were cheering for Harry. The first years all looked frightened.
Draco and Harry were hurling minor jinxes at each other, when two loud voices were heard. "Stupefy." Both boys fell to the ground. Dawn and Shannon, who had purposely followed Draco after five minutes, had pushed their way through the crowd of students and stunned their boyfriends. After confiscating their wands, the girls revived the boys. "Ennervate."
"What the hell did you do that for?" asked Harry.
"I was saving you from yourself," stated Shannon.
"You aren't my girlfriend anymore," stated Harry through gritted teeth. "I told you to leave me alone. I don't want anything to do with you."
"Fine," yelled Shannon. "But you aren't getting this back until we arrive at Hogwarts," she stated, twirling Harry's wand in her fingers.
"Hey, where's my wand?" asked Draco, suddenly realizing that his wand was missing as well.
Dawn glared at him. "I have it, and you aren't getting it back until we arrive at Hogwarts either."
Before Draco could argue, he was interrupted by a loud adult voice. "What is going on here?" asked Charlie Weasley, who had come back with Buffy to 'investigate the commotion'.
"The four of you," Buffy indicated Harry, Draco, Dawn, and Shannon. "In the front car now. I've had just about enough of this."
As the two professors marched the teens up the corridor toward the front car, Charlie stopped at the compartment Ron was sharing with the other seventh year Gryffindors. "Ron, I want you in the front car now. You and Hermione are going to apologize to each other."
Ron looked disgruntled as he left the compartment. Ginny shook her head. "Buffy and Charlie have been trying to get them all to work out their differences for the past month. I don't know why they think it's suddenly going to work now."
"Why are professors so concerned about whether or not students are friends?" asked Dean. Ron had told the group that Charlie was the new Care of Magical Creatures professor earlier.
Neville spoke. "Dumbledore things that Harry will need his friends to defeat Voldemort." Seamus, Dean, Lavender, and Parvati shuddered at the name.
"I just hope he can do it on his own," said Ginny sadly. "Because I don't think that Harry, Ron, and Hermione will ever be able to forgive each other for some of the things that have been said."
****************
Buffy and Charlie ushered the teens back into the front car. Cat sealed the door and placed a silencing charm on the car itself so that no one outside the car would be able to hear what was said.
"I'm impressed," said Buffy. "You were all really convincing."
"We had nothing on Ginny," said Ron. "You should've heard her talking to Lavender and Parvati. She had them eating out of her hand. Everyone at Hogwarts will know we're fighting before the end of the feast tonight."
"I just hope you can keep it up all year," said Wesley.
"We can do it," stated Harry with conviction.
"Well, I've charmed the car," said Cat. "So until we reach Hogwarts you can all go back to acting normally."
The teens each sat with their significant others for the rest of the ride. Shannon gently rubbed Harry's head, which he had hit hard against the floor when she stunned him. Draco and Dawn decided to have a game of wizard chess. Ron and Hermione talked softly, each apologizing for everything they had said during the pretend row. Both were concerned that the other might take to heart some of the words that were exchanged.
When the conductor announced that they would be arriving at Hogwarts within the hour, the teens and professors changed into their robes. Ron and Hermione, again pretending to hate each other, did a final patrol of the train.