Chapter Twenty One: Twelve
The Gryffindors returned to their Tower that night strangely silent. No one seemed to want to go to their dorms... and the Common Room was abnormally full when the portrait hole opened to admit their Head of House.
Minerva McGonagall looked as though she, too, had been crying.
"Gryffindors," she began. "I know you all have questions... and I will attempt to answer them... but first I must ask you for silence."
The room quieted, every eye on the elderly witch. Harry sat on the steps to the boy's dorms, Ginny sitting a step below him and cradled back against him. She'd been crying, although she'd tried to downplay it when Harry noticed. It made him wonder.
Ron and Hermione stood to the side, and Harry almost smiled when he watched Ron's arm go around her and his head lower to say something in her ear. Hermione smiled up at him, her eyes red-rimmed. They'd be okay.
Turning his attention back to McGonagall, Harry noted her eyes were on him.
"I have just spoken to Professor Dumbledore," she said, turning her attention back to the others in the room. "And heard the... details... of the attack on Mr Thomas' home. It happened last night... directly after dinner. The home was attacked and Mr Thomas' mother and stepfather..."
Stepfather? Harry thought for a moment, had Dean ever mentioned that his parents were no longer together?
"...were killed instantly. The muggle authorities are saying it was a gas explosion, but..."
There were derisive snorts and muttered comments from about the room.
McGonagall swallowed. "Mr Thomas and his sister were in the back garden. The Death Eaters attacked immediately after the explosion..."
Scenes of horror flickered through Harry's mind.
"Mr Thomas fought bravely," McGonagall's voice caught. "His sister does not have magic... and he fought bravely to protect her. He succeeded. When the aurors arrived, Mr Thomas' sister was injured, but will survive. Unfortunately..."
"Dean didn't," Seamus spat. "Of course. How many?"
"How many...?" McGonagall looked at Dean's best friend, confused. "The aurors suspect there were at least twenty Death Eaters involved in the attack..."
"No," Seamus said angrily, his eyes steely with rage. "How many of the bastards did he take with him?"
McGonagall took a deep breath and looked around the room. "Mr Thomas fought bravely, as any Gryffindor would be expected to. He was a seventh year, and of age... and he..."
"Look, Professor, Dean was my best friend. We've discussed what we would do if an attack came on our family. I know what he would have done. How many?" Seamus insisted. Every other student in the room was silent.
McGonagall hesitated.
"He was an excellent duellist, Professor," Harry spoke. "And I think that everyone here, being housemates, deserves to know how many Death Eaters he managed to... immobilize. Because we all know, Dean being Dean, he didn't go out alone."
McGonagall, glancing at the younger students, looked back to Harry, a message in her eyes.
"They're young, Professor, but this is war. They will find out. How many?" Harry said softly.
McGonagall looked around the room, obviously struggling with this. She knew full well that students shouldn't be told such details, but...
"Seventeen," she said softly. "Fourteen stunned and bound... and three..."
"He used the Death Curse?" Harry asked.
The professor looked at him, resignation on her face. She didn't have to confirm it, Harry knew.
"And where are the fourteen?" Seamus said, his wand in his hand.
"They have been taken to Azkaban," McGonagall said.
"Great... so they should be out and walking about Diagon Alley by the time I get there..." Seamus made for the portrait hole.
"Seamus!" Harry stood, steadying Ginny as he did.
Seamus turned to Harry, such rage on his face as Harry had never seen.
"Harry, we have to..."
"Yes, we do, and we will. But not like this."
"They killed Dean!"
"I know," Harry held back the sob he felt welling up. So many had died... so many more would. "But there is a better way."
"How?"
"Wait... and talk to me... please?"
Seamus hesitated. "I want them dead, Harry."
"I want more than just fourteen of them, Seamus," Harry said flatly. "You're capable of getting many, many more... but you have to use your head."
Seamus thought for a moment, then gave a jerky nod of agreement.
Harry turned to McGonagall. "We want to see Dumbledore. We need to speak about..."
"He wishes to speak to you, as well... and the others," she confirmed. Turning to the Common Room, she spoke again. "The best thing that you all can do is get some rest and prepare for classes tomorrow. Study hard, learn, and be ready. Mr Finnegan, Mr Longbottom, Mr Potter, Mr Weasley, Miss Weasley, and Miss Granger... oh, and Mr Creevy... would you please follow me?"
In the confusion of the students heading for their dormitories, the movement of these seven students didn't draw the attention that it might have otherwise. Harry was thankful for that. He did not need questions right now.
They followed McGonagall through the portrait hole and out into the corridor.
"Umm... Professor...?" Colin Creevy looked concerned.
"Not now, Creevy," McGonagall said shortly as she led them along. After a moment, Harry thought she must be heading for the Room of Requirement.
"It's okay, Colin," Harry said. "You'll understand in a minute."
Colin looked at him curiously, then whispered back. "Is it about Dean's funeral, do you think?"
"No..." Harry shook his head. "No, I don't think it is."
Harry was surprised to find the door to the Room of Requirement already visible and standing open. McGonagall stood to the side, motioning for the students to precede her into the room. They entered to find Professor Flitwick with Luna Lovegood and Terry Boot from Ravenclaw, Professor Sprout standing with Ernie MacMillian and Susan Bones, and Professor Snape beside Blaise Zambini, who was looking suspiciously around the room, his arms crossed in front of his chest.
All were members of the DA.
"Harry," Blaise greeted him with a nod.
"Blaise," Harry returned.
"So," the Slytherin boy said, his eyes narrowed. "What's this all about?"
Harry looked at him.
"I mean, it can't have escaped your notice that we're all members of the DA..."
"Good observation, Mr Zambini," Dumbledore nodded as he entered the room. With a distracted wave of his wand in the general direction behind him, the door closed and sealed, and was gone. Harry's eyebrows rose with surprise, he hadn't known it could do that.
"You have been asked to come here because..." Dumbledore's eyes settled on Harry. "Because Mr Potter informs me that you are the best of the best."
There were mutterings around the room. Harry looked down at his feet. He didn't want to make eye contact with anyone. He didn't want them to see what was in his eyes as Dumbledore told them why they were here. During their discussions, Dumbledore had asked him which of the DA he felt were suitably skilled to fight next to him... and which would willingly die to help him get to Voldemort.
He'd been the one to select these names. He didn't want them to know that. He didn't want to know that.
"I have been told that, should Mr Potter find himself in a situation that he had to fight his way through, you are the ones he would like to have at his side."
Harry swallowed.
"So?" Ernie MacMillian said, looking around. "Why are we here?"
"Because, Mr MacMillian, that is exactly what we feel may happen, and it is time that those of you standing here made a choice."
"A choice?" asked Luna Lovegood. "What kind of a choice?"
"A choice to proceed... or to leave the room now. I will tell you that, should you choose to stay, your experience here at Hogwarts will change drastically... you will be put in considerably more danger, and you will all be asked to make the decisions of adult witches and wizards. There will no longer be any consulting with others as to your future... and the responsibility for it will lie solely with you."
"What are you talking about?" Colin Creevy asked suspiciously.
"It is time, Mr Creevy, that you make a choice; to either get serious about your education, or to go back to the standard education that Hogwarts offers all of it's students. There are dangers in our future that must be faced... and I must ask you to make a decision on whether you want to be part of that, offer more than your fellow students who have not been asked to stand here with you tonight... or leave now."
"But you've got to tell us..." Susan Bones flushed.
"No, Miss Bones... I cannot. I have told you that things will change for you, should you decide to explore this... I have told you that it will be dangerous... and difficult. You must make your decision based on that... for I cannot tell you more until you have committed yourselves."
"But..."
"And should you commit, you must know, that after, after you find out why we are here, should you change your mind about being involved, it will mean leaving Hogwarts... permanently."
The students were silent, looking curiously, suspiciously, at each other. After a moment, Harry stood forward, his arms across his chest, staring hard at the Headmaster. He said nothing, but the twinkle in Dumbledore's eyes was approving.
Ron grinned, and hopped off the desk he'd been sitting on, coming to stand beside Harry as Ginny did, as well.
"We're in," Ginny said.
"Like he could do this without us," Ron commented.
Dumbledore nodded, his eyes twinkling happily.
"Well, can't let the Gryff's take all the glory..." Blaise said. "It obviously involves the war... I'm in."
Harry watched as all the students, either overcome by faith or curiousity, committed to be involved. In the end, only Hermione sat on a desk, watching the group. The moment she became aware of everyone looking at her, she colored.
"Well, of course I'm in, don't be silly!" she said.
"Very good," Dumbledore said, his twinkling blue eyes scanning the room. "Very good. I am proud of each and every one of you."
"But what...?" Colin asked, running a hand through his blonde hair. "What's going on? What is this about?"
"Teachers," Dumbledore nodded to the four Heads. "These students are to be allowed the leeway they need to accomplish what they must. You know what this involves... and what it does not."
Each of the teachers nodded, although Harry thought Snape looked rather disgusted by the whole thing.
"Thank you... you are free to leave, I will take it from here," Dumbledore nodded at them, indicating to the door which now, to everyone's surprise, stood open behind them. The four filed out, only McGonagall casting a look over her shoulder as she closed the door as they left.
Harry turned back to Dumbledore. A new phase had begun... and he had a feeling it was going to get very, very interesting.
"Where did you disappear to last night?" Lavender asked as they sat down to breakfast the next morning.
"Arrangements for Dean," Hermione replied, taking a slice of toast before glancing at Ron and Seamus, who were settling down in their seats across from her. They glanced up, making eye contact, and looking away. The Gryffindors had discussed what they would tell others as they returned from the Room of Requirement the night before. They had agreed that Dean would not mind their using him to cover their absence. Seamus actually thought it quite appropriate.
"So, there's going to be a public funeral?" Lavender asked softly.
"No," Seamus said. "Just some things that Dumbledore wanted us to... help him decide."
"But why weren't we asked? And why was Colin Creevy?" Parvati whined.
"Dean..." Seamus swallowed. "There were reasons for Colin to be involved."
"But..." Parvati began, only to have Hermione look at her coldly.
"Parvati... enough!"
"Who made you..."
"Don't even go there," Ron hissed. "Have some respect... this is not a popularity contest... try and remember Dean, and the fact that he is dead! Get it? This isn't some..."
"Ron," Harry and Ginny approached, holding hands.
Ron silenced, and Parvati huffed and stood, leaving the table, to be followed by Lavender who seemed equally put out.
"Sorry, Harry," Ron muttered.
"Don't, Ron," Harry shook his head. "You know what we agreed... those two don't need to know. Ignore them."
"Bloody hard to at times," Seamus muttered. "They don't give up easy."
"No, but they'll get over it," Ginny said as she and Harry sat down. "Just ignore them."
"Hi," Colin Creevy stood uncertainly behind Hermione. "Can I...?"
"Sure, Colin," Ron moved over, making room for the younger boy on the bench beside him.
"I just..." Colin flushed hotly.
"You're welcome here, Colin," Harry said in a low voice. Colin nodded, and sat.
"It's just..." he continued, then glanced over at where some sixth year boys were sitting. "I don't... they don't get it, you know?"
Harry snorted. "Yeah, I know."
The seven of them tucked into their meal, no more conversation was really required.
Minerva McGonagall brought around their revised schedules as breakfast was ending. She seemed rather surprised to find the seven sitting together, but managed to recover without saying anything. Lips pursed, she handed out the parchments and nodded to them before moving away.
"Wow," Ginny looked at her schedule. "How many times a week do we need DADA?"
"Daily, apparently," Harry said.
"This is crazy," Ron looked at his schedule. "We can't keep this up!"
"We have to, Ron," Hermione said, her normally shrill, clear voice now soft, and barely audible. "I'm sure that Professor Dumbledore knows what he's..."
"Harry!" Blaise Zambini approached, waving his parchment. "You get yours?"
"Yes... we all have," Harry nodded, noticing Terry Boot and Luna approaching, as well. Susan Bones and Ernie MacMillian were just rising from the Hufflepuff table.
"I don't know that it's a great idea for us to be seen in a group all the time..." Seamus began, looking about the group.
"It's not going to matter, Seamus," Ginny said. "As soon as we start not showing up in classes with everyone else, it's going to be figured out pretty quickly that we're doing something else."
"Dumbledore had better have a good cover story ready," Ron said, rising and grabbing his bag. "From the looks of it, we've got every class every day... DADA, Potions, Charms, Transfiguration, and Herbology, and what's...?"
"I've got History of Magic, as well," said Colin.
"Me, too..." said Luna in her soft voice. "And Terry."
Neville smiled, glancing at Luna. "I have that, as well."
"Muggle studies?" Blaise scoffed, looking at his own parchment. "Great."
"Well, I'm in that with you," Susan Bones blushed.
Ernie nodded. "Me, too."
Seamus nodded. "Don't quite know why. Me dad's a muggle... you'd think they'd know I had it down."
"Harry?" Ginny asked. "What's your extra class?"
"I don't have one," Harry said, looking at his parchment. Late afternoons showed a rather odd notation... "DD", whatever that meant. Ron nudged him, holding his parchment so that Harry could see. Ron had the same thing. Ginny looked over his shoulder and nodded at him, showing him her parchment. When the three of them looked up at Hermione, they found her looking at them. She nodded.
So the four of them had an additional class that none of the others had, one that didn't seem to relate to anything they'd ever taken before. Harry wondered what, exactly, that meant.
