Harry's POV:
The next few days passed really quickly. We were all joyful that it was the end of September and we could go to Hogsmeade again. I was thinking about the DADA lessons Hermione had asked me a few days ago to teach, and, I must admit, I had been thinking about it for a long time, actually.
When she brought that up again (Have you thought about the DADA lessons, Harry?), I pretended to read a book absent-mindedly, and muttered, "I guess I could teach you guys then. After all, Voldemort's coming back and you need it to defend against him. But remember, it was all luck..."
"But Harry, you can't pretend you're not good at DADA. You're the only one who could throw off the Imperius Curse last year and could produce a Patronus in your third year."
"Fine then, but I'll teach only both of you."
She added, "Please, Harry... I think you should teach everyone who wants to learn. It doesn't seem fair to not offer everyone a chance to learn proper DADA, right?"
I considered this. "I don't think other people would like to be taught by me though. I'm a nutter, remember?"
"Actually, I've already asked a couple of people to join, and they seem excited about joining."
Ron seemed relieved and added in. "Yeah, and do you think you should invite the exchange students? Hermione hasn't asked them yet."
I jolted up at the thought of the exchange students. From the first (and the last) detention from Umbridge, I realized the immense power that the exchange students had.
"We should invite them, I think. They seem really powerful. Remember flying? Also, during detention, it looks like they used some kind of spell that doesn't need you to talk or use your wand to perform it. They punished Umbridge a bit. Also, when we were hiding under the chairs spying on Hermione confronting them, they somehow used a spell to make us not hear anything."
Ron interjected, "Yes, but why would they not want us to know who they are if they are on our side?"
"People keep secrets." Hermione retorted.
"Why aren't you telling us who they are if you know?"
"They told me not to."
Ron was at a loss of words. "Fine, invite them then. But do it at your peril."
"So the case is settled. We're going to invite the exchange students. All of them." I said, tired of this conversation. "And when are we going to start?"
"Well, since everyone's going to Hogsmeade today, I thought we could talk it over in the Hog's Head. We can arrange the right times for everyone." Hermione replied, obviously excited.
"Why there?"
"Well, we need to do it outside of school if we don't want Umbridge knowing, and teachers don't normally go in there, which means that we can be sure it's a secret."
Ron asked, "How can we be sure there's not a betrayer?"
"I have some... ideas."
I grimaced. "Looks like you've thought about it a lot."
We set out to Hogsmeade shortly after, having already invited the exchange students and told them to meet with them in the Hog's Head.
Time skip to in the Hog's Head
"They should be here just about now," Hemione said anxiously while checking her watch.
"And remind me, how many people?"
"Just a few." She replied quickly.
I was doubtful of that, but just as I was about to speak, lots of people came pouring in from the doors of the Hog's Head. Among them were the exchange students, Fred, George, Ginny, and many others. About all of the Gryffindors were there and also some of the Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws.
I was stunned as Hermione pulled up some more chairs happily.
"Did you just go around telling everyone about this? What do they expect?"
"Lots of people seem interested, so I invited them."
Everyone bought a bottle of Butterbeer for themselves and looked expectantly at Harry.
Hermione nudged me. I recovered quickly, cleared my throat, and said to everyone, "I expect all of you are interested in learning DADA from me, rather than from that Pink Toad."
Everyone nodded in agreement.
"So I've come to teach you it to defend against Voldemort since he's back."
An uproar sounded in the Hog's Head. "Prove it!" and "It's not true!" were one of the many shouts that echoed in the bar.
"I saw it myself, and Dumbledore also agrees with me. You saw proof when he killed Cedric Diggory. Now, if you think that's not true, why are some of you here? I'm perfectly willing to not teach those who don't want to get taught." I paused for a while.
No one left.
"Okay, so I assume all of you left are willing to be taught by me." He announced with finality.
"I think we should have classes every week when everyone has time. Probably in the evening for an hour. And, when should we have classes?" Hermione added.
"I'll find one."
Percy raised his hand.
"Yes?"
Percy said, "We could meet in the Room of Requirement. It's a secret place that has whatever you 'require'. It only opens if the person who wants to open it knows what the people in it 'require'."
"How do you know about that?" Ron asked.
"Dumbledore told us about it."
I asked, "Where is it?"
"So there's this blank wall to the opposite of a tapestry, and you're supposed to think about what you want and walk past it three times."
"We could try that," Hermione said.
Everyone nodded their heads in agreement.
Hermione rummaged in her bag and pulled out parchment and a quill. She said a bit hesitantly, "I think all of you should sign their name on this parchment just so we could keep track."
I did it first, then Hermione, then Ron, then the exchange students, then all the others (although rather hesitantly).
"Well, now that we've signed, this concludes our meeting then. We will notify you when it's almost time."
With that, everyone left.
