Review Responses:
Ok so I'm responding to one, thanks for all the reviews guys::screen drips with American Outlaw sarcasm:
Peyton: Yes I am mean to Draco, but that is because….well…its because…I don't like Draco. So there.
Chapter 8: The Other Order Member
Weeks passed at Hogwarts and the students were bogged down with large workloads and any passersby could see students doing homework by the lake, playing jokes on one another and covertly practicing defense against the dark arts. The entire student body had become obsessed with Professor Parkers classes and many had taken to practicing in their common rooms where they could get away from the prying eyes of Filch.
Harry and his friends rarely participated in these extra practice sessions, since anything they learned in class came so easily to Harry, and Hermione had too much work (Ron was just lazy) the three of them would watch the others with interest. Harry made it a habit of cringing when he saw certain peoples feeble attempts at spells and jinxes, as if their messy spell work was causing him pain. Many of these "messy spells" came from the Hogwarts male population who worked so diligently at the prospect of impressing the beautiful new teacher. Hermione and many of the other girls claimed to dislike Professor Parker because of this (Hermione because Ron was one of the ones who stared during classes) but in reality they all thoroughly enjoyed her class periods.
While Harry and company sat watching another group of people attempting complicated spells Hermione was getting so annoyed with Harry whenever he would recoil from a terrible spell that she finally told him, "Harry if this kills you so much why don't you just go over there and tell them how to do it properly?"
Ron looked at Harry, "Or you know, just reform Dumbledore's Army." Hermione laughed, "Why Ron? We finally have a good teacher."
"Yea but if people want to learn that badly maybe I should, there's no reason not to. Parker would probably love it if we did." Harry said wryly.
Hermione finally pulled her head up from her homework, "Well if you think she would love it so much why don't you just ask to help you with it. Kind of co-teach it, the whole two heads are better than one thing."
"That's actually not a bad idea." Ron and Harry considered this for a minute, "I think you might have just had a very good thought Hermione."
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
Harry considered this through the next week and decided to first call a meeting of all former Army members to see if enough people were interested. Praying that most everyone still had their coins Harry set the dial for October 5 and tried to talk to the members beforehand.
When October 5 came around Harry, Ron and Hermione headed down to the Room of Requirement where they were met by almost every former Army member, including Fred and George, who had left the previous year. They beamed as Harry walked up,
"Hey its Gred and Feorge!" Harry said in greeting to the twins as he bounded up to them and wrapped them in a welcoming hug. The identical faces smiled and held out their coins,
"So the teacher this year sucks enough that we still need these huh?" asked Fred. Harry laughed,
"No actually she's really good but working for her class seems to have become an obsession so if we can get her to agree, we might just continue with the Defense League."
"Brilliant Harry!" shouted Dean Thomas, who had been eavesdropping on his conversation. The three young men looked around before retreating into the room of requirement, followed by the rest of the members who took seats on large cushy pillows on the floor. Harry wasn't happy to see that Cho Chang was there, sulking as usual. His ex-girlfriend apparently still had not gotten over Cedric's death, Harry rolled his eyes and turned to the other students.
"As you all know Professor Parker is doing a good job this year and most people have become possessed with learning defense." A few of the girls nodded in agreement, throwing dirty looks at the boys. Harry continued, " So because of this I thought that if enough people were interested I would ask her to come in and teach us after hours, kind of like a Defense Against the Dark Arts Club." Fred and George smiled,
"Yea it'll be good with Harry and another teacher helping us out. We can probably get loads more done." George said.
"Oh no, I wont be teaching. I want to learn just like everybody else." a few people in the crowd groaned-
"C'mon Harry!"
"Yea, you did really good last year."
"You got us through exams better than anybody else had before!"
"I appreciate that but I'm not a teacher and since we don't have to hide it anymore we might as well have a proper Professor teaching us these things. There's only so much I know before it starts getting repetitive, besides," he paused, "Parker seems to really know her stuff, if there was anyone in this castle that I had to bet on, besides Dumbledore, that had actually fought Death Eaters, it would be her. We all know there's something spooky about her, those duels, if you can call our complete and utter beatings a duel, were boring for her. I want her to teach me."
"I agree with Harry, we have to truly be able to fight what's out there and I think learning it from someone like her is the best bet we have." This comment came from Cho Chang, Harry was suddenly angry that she had come at all. He had fought Death Eaters too hadn't he? He could teach them if he really wanted, he just didn't want to. Hermione, sensing trouble bounded up next to him,
"So we are all in agreement then? We are Dumbledore's Army once more?" Everyone nodded their heads in agreement and Fred spoke up,
"Well it's about time mate, too bad it came along after we left."
"Not like it stopped you anyway." said Ron out of the side of his mouth, Fred playfully smacked him in the head.
&&&&&&&&&&&&
Persephone truly enjoyed her work at the school, the students were eager learners and it was a thrill to finally be away from constant war talk. She hardly ever made trips to Grimmauld Place anymore and when she did she stayed for the shortest amount of time possible. But working at Hogwarts had its downsides, the neediness of some students, Dumbledore, and how she seemed to be surrounded by teenage boys wherever she went. Persephone had almost taken to vampire tendencies, going out at night so that she could get some time alone outside of her room. She didn't really mind though, she could see Harry every day, not have to deal with Voldemort, had private rooms and a job to keep her mind off of Sirius.
Yes she still thought of him constantly and was eagerly anticipating a Hogsmeade weekend so that she could visit the Shrieking Shack. Remus had told her of its significance and Persephone could barely stand waiting to study the rooms that the Marauders once haunted, where Sirius had hidden for so long. She had requested that Lupin come with her, for emotional support, when she finally did head up there. Since she had little homework to grade her mind was allowed to wander in these thoughts, unrestrained, for such long times that students would often break her out of her daydreams. Persephone would just shrug it off to them, no one knew her true pain, or anything about her secret life.
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
At the end of a grueling class period one Monday Harry practically ran up to Professor Parkers desk and shooed away all the other boys in the class. Draco Malfoy made a strange face at him before putting his arm around his girlfriend Lisa and walking out of the room. Harry waited expectantly for Parker to notice him standing there, but she seemed so used to people waiting around her desk that Harry thought she must have gone blind.
Shuffling papers around Professor Parker finally looked up at Harry with trepidation,
"What do you need Mr. Potter? You seemed to understand everything we went over in class today." Harry nodded,
"Well I did but I'm afraid that not everyone did." She looked up at him, offended. Harry realized what that was the wrong thing to say, " OK so that wasn't the best way to start out this conversation."
"No kidding." she said, placing her hands on her narrow hips, staring Harry down with that piercing gaze she used on lying students. He shifted on his feet, why could she make him nervous like that?
"Um…… so I was wondering if you would be up to sponsoring, and teaching an extra class at night for people of all ages who wanted to participate."
"So a club?"
"Yes. I guess you could say that." He replied apprehensively. Persephone sighed, she didn't want to do it, but it was for Harry so it compelled her to say yes.
"How many people are we talking about here? Because if its anything over 30 I cant handle them by myself." Harry smiled, there were only 22 people in Dumbledore's Army!
"22." He said triumphantly. Professor Parker got a hesitant look upon her beautiful face,
"OK, I'll do it." Harry beamed, "But on one condition. YOU have to convince Dumbledore to let us do it. I refuse." Harry smile faded a bit, but he was still confident, the headmaster would understand, Harry was sure of it.
Professor Parker picked up her numerous folders and ushered Harry out of the room, she quickly followed him out and headed towards her office, Harry went the opposite way towards the common room. Harry, as calmly as he could ambled up the hallway and headed towards Gryffindor tower, where he was encircled by a group of expectant Army members, begging him for good news. He was thrilled with the excited looks on their faces when he told them she had agreed to do it, now all he had to do was talk to Dumbledore.
Due to his excitement, Harry didn't much feel like going to lunch, he wanted to talk with Dumbledore as soon as he could, so he dropped of his books and went directly to the large gargoyle outside of the head office. He only then remembered he didn't have the password,
"Cockroach cluster?" he ventured, the gargoyle remained lifeless.
"Grr, um, Bertie Botts Every Flavor Beans? Chocolate Frogs? Blood pops?" the gargoyle sprang to life and Harry almost thought it had been blood pops. He was about to voice his disgust at Dumbledore's candy taste when Hagrid stepped outside, towering above him,
"Oy! 'Arry! How are ya?" The giants face was dirty and covered in old sweat but his toothy grin shown through down at Harry. "What are ya doin here? Didn get n trouble again did ya?" Harry shook his head,
"No Hagrid I just needed to ask him a question." Harry didn't know what else to say, he and the gamekeeper had stopped chatting after Sirius's death, Hagrid always wanted to talk about it. Harry found it annoying and invasive. The pair stood at an impasse, awkwardly trying to find a graceful way out of the situation.
Hagrid finally made up some excuse about needing to feed Fang and Harry slipped inside, stepping on the moving staircase to the office. At the landing, Harry stepped off and knocked on the large elegant doors. He could hear a quill scratching on some rough parchment and a fire crackling through the door,
"Come in." came Dumbledore's voice and Harry carefully slid open the doors.
Dumbledore looked up from his parchment and smiled at his favorite student,
"Oh Harry! Good to see son. What brings you here today?" Dumbledore was always right to the point, Harry came towards him and sat in one of the large comfortable chairs on the other side of Dumbledore's desk. He looked around the room, not even slightly ashamed of the last time he had been here when he had destroyed as many of Dumbledore's possessions that he could get to. He remembered his anger after Sirius's death, and he remembered how Dumbledore had finally lost his composure and shown emotion towards him that night. Harry hated him for that but his respect outweighed the bad, Harry still, despite himself, loved the old man. He cleared his throat,
"I wanted to ask you something."
"Ask away." He put down his quill and leaned back in his chair, looking at Harry with his ice blue eyes. Harry looked directly at his stare,
"Well, I was wondering if it would be okay with you if I continued with Dumbledore's Army." Dumbledore raised his eyebrows. "Not, actually Dumbledore's Army but something similar, like there's Charms Club and this would be similar to a Defense Club." Dumbledore nodded in a contemplative way, the gears in his head were turning, thinking over this proposition. He stood up,
"Well, I like the idea but your going to need a teacher to sponsor you."
"Professor Parker had already said that she would do it." Dumbledore lingered on this thought,
"If that's what you think would be best than that's alright but you must promise me that if this little club of yours gets bigger than 25 people you ask Professor Snape to help out as another instructor."
Harry's heart plummeted. "Snape? But why Snape?"
"Professor Snape Harry," Dumbledore corrected, " And I would have thought it obvious. He deals with Death Eaters on a normal basis and I don't want to hear anything about how you don't trust him." He said this just as Harry opened his mouth to argue. "If you want this club to happen, those are the rules."
Harry reserved 22 spots for original members and posted signs saying 3 more people could join that very night. The first meeting would be that Thursday in the Great Hall, Harry sent notes to Fred and George and made sure that everyone would come.
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
That Thursday Persephone cautiously walked into the Great Hall to be greeted by 25 bright eyes students sitting in the floor, Harry ran up to her and handed her a list of people in attendance. She thanked him and set the papers on a nearby chair,
"Welcome to our, I guess, second meeting, and I am so glad that you all came tonight and have shown such an interest in this group. First things, we need to elect a President, because I don't have time to take care of everything for everyone. So are there any nominations?" As she expected the usual people were chosen, Harry, Harry and Harry. "Well I think no matter which way the voting goes, Harry won so good job Harry!" she attempted to laugh but no sound came out. She moved on.
She was amazed at their extensive knowledge. She asked them about numerous hexes and they knew them all, obviously Harry had been a wonderful teacher. She decided that since it was the first meeting, she wouldn't overdo it and she settled with Patronuses. A personal favorite of hers after all that time in Azkaban, when she demonstrated for those who hadn't known how to do it a large dog erupted from the end of her wand. Harry could barely see it because she let it fade so fast but it had looked slightly familiar. She told them to get in groups and then proceeded to walk through the groups of people, helping those who had forgotten and taking a brief moment to chat with the Weasley twins who had come in for the night.
Harry watched her the whole time, showing her his stag when she asked him to cast the spell, her face had broken into a large iridescent smile, her eyes wide with glee. At the end of the "brake in" meeting Harry went to bid the Weasleys good night and he found them staring at Professor Parker too.
"I know, she's good isn't she?" he asked, leaning against the wall next to them.
"Yea she's good but we were just talking about how we missed looking at her since 2 summers ago." said George, watching Persephone chat to a first timer about his feeble Patronus. Harry arched his eyebrows,
"What are you guys talking about?"
George leaned in towards him, "You didn't know? She's an Order member, spent a few weeks at Grimmauld Place last year, hung out with Lupin and Sirius a whole lot." Harry's face darkened with the mention of Sirius's name and George looked apologetic. Harry said goodnight and angrily pushed his way past all the other people in the hall, making it to his four poster before anyone could catch him he lay down and punched at the pillow.
She had lied to him, Professor Parker had gone to school with his dad. That's why she had been so thrilled to see that stag tonight. Had she known his mother? She must have if she was friends with Lupin and Sirius, mad, Harry fell into a fretful sleep. All night dreaming of his parents, and Sirius.
To Be Continued….
Next time,
Persephone and Lupin visit the Shreiking Shack and we see what Sirius has been up to since he left Grimmauld Place.
Like it/ Hate it: Well let me know by commenting damnit.
Disclaimer: I own it all! Muhahahaha! Ok so I own my characters, Persephone, Coben and Lisa, JK Rowlings got the rest, but ya'll knew that.