Harry, Ron, Hermione and Danny were walking on the road to Hogsmeade on a sunny, but windy October day. When they entered Hogsmeade Danny couldn't help but be amazed.

"Wow, this place is awesome," said Danny in awe.

"Yeah, it's cool," said Harry shrugging it off. "So, are we going to The Three Broomsticks?" he asked Hermione.

"No, it's always packed and noisy. I've told the others to meet us in the Hog's Head, that other pub, I think it's a bit . . ." Hermione searched for a word, "dodgy, but students don't usually go in there so we won't be overheard."

They walked down the main road and past Aonko's Joke Shop, where they saw Fred, George and Lee Jordan, no surprise there. Danny seemed really interested in it too so they so they promised that they would stop in there before leaving. Finally they arrived at Hog's Head, the four hesitated outside the door.

"Well, come on," said Hermione pushing Danny forward, although she sounded nervous herself.

It wasn't like the Three Broomsticks; it was a pretty small room and was very dirty.

Harry turned to Hermione. "I'm not sure about this," he said.

"Harry, it's fine. Even if Umbridge was here she couldn't do anything, we're not out of bounds here," she reassured. "I even asked Professor Flitwick if students were allowed here, he said yes but advised me to bring my own glasses. I just don't think it's best to parade what we're doing."

Harry ordered four Butterbeers and they all walked to the farthest table from the bar. "So, is this good?" asked Danny pointing to the cup.

"Oh yeah, it's great," answered Ron. Danny took a small sip and smiled.

"I know that's right, have I ever mentioned how much I like the wizarding world?" asked Danny before taking another sip.

"You know, I bet they would serve us anything here," said Ron. "Maybe even a firewhisky."

"Ron! You are a prefect!" snarled Hermione.

"So, how many people are coming?" asked Harry.

"A couple people," answered Hermione.

They all waited for the people to arrive. The door opened and the first to come were Neville with Dean and Lavender, who was followed closely by Parvati and Padma with Cho (Harry's stomach did a flip) and one of her usually giggling girlfriends, Luna Lovegood. Then Katie Bell, Alicia Spinnet and Angelina Johnson, Colin and Dennis Creevey, Ernie Macmillan, Justin Finch-Fletchley, Hannah Abbott and a Hufflepuff girl that Harry didn't know came in. Three Ravenclaw boys, Ginny, closely followed by a tall skinny blonde boy who Harry recognized as being a member of the Hufflepuff Quidditch team and bringing up the rear Fred, George and Lee.

"A couple people?" asked Harry and Danny together.

"Well the idea seemed very popular," said Hermione sheepishly.

Fred asked the barman for 25 Butterbeers. After they were served everyone sat down around Harry in two's and three's.

Hermione cleared her throat and started speaking, although her voice was slightly higher than usual. "Well- er- hi," she started, "I had the idea - that it might be good if people who wanted to study Defense against the Dark Arts - and I mean, really study it, you know, not the rubbish that Umbridge is doing with us- " Hermione's voice suddenly became more confident, "because no one could call that Defense Against the Dark Arts." Someone in the group said, 'hear, hear' and Hermione smiled.

"So I thought it would be good to take matters in our own hands."

Hermione looked sideways at Harry and continued, "And by that we have to learn the spells, not just the theory."

"You want to pass you O.W.L. too I bet?" said Michael Corner.

"Of course I do," said Hermione at once, "but I want more than that, I want to learn to defend myself because . . .because Lord Voldemort is back," she said finally.

The reaction was what to be expected, most everyone screamed, yelped, twitched or shuddered. All of them looked a Harry eagerly.

"And do you have proof that You-Know-who is back?" asked a blonde Hufflepuff.

"Well, Dumbledore-" started Hermione.

He interrupted, "No, not Dumbledore, him," he said nodding to Harry.

"And who are you?" asked Ron rudely.

"Zacharias Smith. And I think we have the right to know exactly what makes him say that he is back." answered the boy.

"Look, that's not what this meeting is about-"

Harry interrupted Danny. "It's okay,"

"Look, I saw him. But Dumbledore told the whole school what happened last year, and if you don't believe him I'm not wasting an afternoon trying to convince anyone," explained Harry.

Zacharias continued to argue. "All Dumbledore said was that Cedric Diggory got killed by You-Know-Who and that you brought his body back. He didn't give us details, and I think we'd all like to know-"

"Look, if the only reason you came here was to ask how Cedric died then you might as well clear out because I don't want to talk about it," said Harry, his temper rising again.

No one moved, not even Zacharias.

Hermione continued, "So, if you want to learn some defense-"

"Is it true, that you can produce a Patronus?" interrupted a girl.

"Yeah," said Harry.

"A corporeal Patronus?" said the girl. "You make a stag Patronus?"

"Yes."

"Blimey! I didn't know that," said Lee very impressed.

"And did you kill that basilisk with that sword?" asked Terry Boot, "One of the portraits told me that."

"Yeah, I did."

There was a murmur of excitement from the group.

"And in our first year he saved the Sorcerer's Stone from You-Know-Who," added Neville.

"And not to mention," started Cho, causing Harry's stomach to drop, "that he completed all the tasks last year. Getting past dragons and merpeople."

Danny smiled and gave Harry a nudge. "Wow Harry, you really back things up don't you? You just don't want to stop saving stuff," said Danny. "And I just thought my aunt died protecting you for nothing," he said slyly.

"What?" asked Lee. "What do you mean by that?"

"Well, my aunt and Harry's mom were friends when they went to Hogwarts. Voldemort-" (there was a sharp intake for breath from everyone) "-hunted my aunt down and demanded that she tell him where the Potters were, but she didn't tell him and died protecting them," Danny made a face, "Although they were given up from another friend and killed anyway," Danny sighed, "Truth was I didn't know anything about wizards until Dumbledore showed up at my doorstep and gave me a letter."

"Dumbledore came to your house?" asked a girl named Susan.

"Yeah, although his arrival wasn't all that welcomed because he was attacked by a ghost," said Danny rubbing the back of his neck. "My home town has a ghost attack almost everyday."

"But ghosts can't hurt anyone, they go right through you," said someone.

"The ghosts here do, but the ghosts where I live are different, they can hurt you," said Danny, "I should know, my parents are ghost hunters."

'And there is the little fact that I hunt them on a daily basis,' he thought.

"But there are some ghosts that are good, they save us most of the time. Like Phantom, he's always saving the town and even though some of the town thinks he's evil he still does it."

The group nodded slowly.

"Okay, moving on," said Hermione, "Who agrees that we want to take lessons from Harry?"

Everyone seemed to be in agreement.

"Right, the next questions is how often we are going to meet," said Hermione.

"Hang on, we have to make sure it doesn't interfere with our Quidditch practice," said Angelina.

"Nor with ours," said Cho.

"Nor ours," added Zacharias.

"I'm sure we can find a night that suits everyone," said Hermione slightly impatient, "but you know this is important, we need to learn how to defend ourselves against V-Voldemort's Death Eaters-"

"Well said!" barked Ernie Macmillan. "Obviously the Ministry is in denial about his return, but to give us a teacher that won't teach us defensive spells is crazy," he said.

"We think that reason is because Umbridge thinks that Dumbledore could use his students to build up a private army," said Hermione, "And that he would use it against the Ministry."

Ginny Weasley piped up, "But now we have to decide how often we are going to meet and where they will take place."

"Well, once a week sounds good," said Lee. "But where?"

"Library?" suggested Katie Bell.

"I don't think Madam Pince will be too happy with us practicing jinxes in the library," laughed Harry.

"Well, we'll try to find somewhere," said Hermione. "We'll get a message round to everyone when we find a time and place."

She reached into her bag and pulled out a paper. "I think we should all write our names on this, just so we know who was here," Hermione suggested. "But if you sign you have to promise that you don't tell Umbridge, or anyone else, what we're up to."

Hermione noticed that everyone was skeptical. "Don't worry, I won't let anyone find it," she assured.

After a few minutes everyone had signed the paper.

----

"I think that went rather well," said Hermione as they four walked out of Hog's Head.

"I don't really like that Zacharias boy, but he over heard me talking to someone else and wanted to come," said Hermione. "And Michael Corner and his friends wouldn't have come if he hadn't been going out with Ginny-"

Ron stopped. "What! Which one was Michael Corner?" asked Ron outraged.

"The dark one."

"I didn't like him."

"That's a big surprise," said Danny.

"But I thought she fancied Harry!" said Ron.

"Ginny used to like Harry, but she gave up on him months ago. Not that she doesn't still like you, of course," said Hermione.

Ron continued to mutter under his breath about the subject.

"Talking about Michael and Ginny . . .what about you and Cho, Harry?" asked Hermione.

"What do you mean?" asked Harry, his face burning.

"Well she couldn't take her eyes off you," said Hermione.

Danny laughed. "So Harry, do you have a thing for Cho?"

Harry blushed deeply.

"I'm going to take that as a yes," said Danny, "Which is cool, she's really cute, her and a lot of other girls too."

Hermione laughed lightly. "Well that's good Danny, in the girl's bathrooms most of the girls couldn't stop talking about you." Hermione made her voice high pitched. "Woo! He's so cute! I love his blue eyes and messy raven hair! Have you seen his smile! He talked to me, maybe he likes me!" Hermione's her voice returned to normal, "All the girls just love you and they won't stop asking me about you."

Danny's face was bright red and Hermione laughed. Yes it was true that she was doing some of the talking as well, she even disclosed to some girls that he had a very fit stomach and she suspected that he had a four or six pack. They had squealed and told Hermione how lucky she was that she got to hang out with him all the time, Harry and Ron for that matter too. Hermione blushed at the thought of what happened in the broom closet.

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Thank you to by beta! My Eternal Facade!

Thanks to Jenna Dax (Yes I did, when I get to that chapter I'll see!), Sirithiliel (YAY!), Kage Jaganshi, Sasia (On the comment of I know what's coming next. . . I DO? I only go as far as chapter 14 right now, I don't think that one is even done. But yes, he probably will do the best!), Serena the Hikari of Love, what,why and WTF, SquirrelGirl13 ( I KNOW! It's fun to not know where the story is going. . . to a limit.), dAnnYsGiRl777, Cococrash11, 'Dark-Independent-Girl-101' (I guess you can use the boggart idea. . . just make sure to change it up a little. And send it to me, I'd like to see what you do with it.), GadgetCid, epobbp, Shiva the Sarcastic and msweetie913!

You all rock!