Hello all! How are all you? I'm great! I have terrible news, though. It really is depressing, it's been killing me inside and outside. Not only me but many of my other friends, all of us will face doom on Aug. 8th, 2006 - a Tuesday. What happens on that faithful day?

High School.

WHY!

Clears Throat Okay, I'm done venting. I have almost everything ready for my first day, which is only a half day and only for freshman. I'll find out everything else on the 3rd.

Anyway, I'll be going on to the story!

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Harry felt happier for the rest of the weekend than he had all term. He, Ron and Danny spent most of Sunday catching up on their homework, and even though this couldn't be said fun they took their homework outside on this beautiful autumn day. Hermione, who didn't have any homework, took her wool outside and bewitched her knitting needles so they knitted themselves, producing hats and socks.

The knowledge that they were doing something to resist Umbridge and the Ministry was a great feeling.

He, Ron and Danny walked down to the common room discussing Quidditch when they were drawn to a large group of people by the Gryffindor notice board. On the board the noticed was posted, by the big frog herself, saying that all Student Organizations, Societies, Teams, Groups and Clubs are henceforth disbanded, and that all of these needed permission from the High Inquisitor (Professor Umbridge) to reform them. And that if any continued without permission the students would be expelled.

"This isn't just a coincidence," said Danny. "She knows."

"She can't," said Ron at once.

"There were people listening in the pub. And we don't know how many people that turned up we can trust . . .Any of them could have told her," said Harry, his hands forming a fist.

"Zacharias Smith!" exclaimed Ron at once, "Or maybe that Michael Corner, he looked really shifty."

"I wonder if Hermione has seen this?" asked Harry, looking around.

"Let's go and tell her," said Ron. He walked toward the girl's dorms and up the spiral staircase.

Ron was on the sixth stair when it happened. There was a loud, wailing sound and the steps melted together to make a long smooth slide. There was a moment when Ron tried to keep running, his arms working like windmills, then he fell over backwards and shot down the new slide, coming to rest on his back at Harry and Danny's feet.

"Er - I don't think we're allowed in the girls' dormitories," said Harry helping Ron up and trying not to laugh - Danny however couldn't help it.

"Yeah Ron," said Danny between laughs, "or do you want to try again?"

Two fourth year girls came zooming down the stone slide. "Oooh, who tried to get upstairs?" they giggled, hopping to their feet.

"Me," said Ron. "I didn't know that would happen. It's not fair!" he added to Harry and Danny. "Hermione is allowed in our dorms, how come we're not allowed-?"

"It's a old-fashioned rule," said Hermione, who had just slid down the slide herself, "but it says in Hogwarts, A History that the founders thought girls were more trustworthy than boys."

"I find that degrading!" exclaimed Danny crossing his arms over his chest. "But either way don't tell my parents about this, don't want them getting any ideas."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Why were you trying to get up there anyway?" she asked.

"To see you - look at this!" said Ron, dragging her over to the notice board.

Hermione read over this notice quickly.

"Someone must have blabbed to her!" said Ron angrily.

"No, they can't have," said Hermione in a low voice.

"You are so naive," said Ron, "You think just because you are all honorable and trustworthy-"

"No, they can't have because I put a jinx on that piece of paper we all sighed," said Hermione grimly. "If anyone told Umbridge we'd know, believe me."

"What would happen to them?" asked Danny eagerly.

"It will make Eloise Midgen's acne look like a few cute freckles," answered Hermione. "Let's go and see what the others think about this."

When they arrived in the Great Hall and taken their seats Neville, Dean, Fred, George and Ginny walked up to them.

"Did you see it?"

"Do you think she knows?"

"What are we going to do?"

They were all looking at Harry, who looked around to make sure no teachers were around.

"We're going to do it anyway," he said quietly.

"Knew you'd say that," said George beaming.

"The prefects as well?" asked Fred looking over to Hermione and Ron.

"Of course," said Hermione.

Ron looked over his shoulder and announced that some of the people from the meeting were walking over to them.

Hermione looked alarmed and signed for them to sit back down and that they would talk later. Ginny walked over to tell Michael pretty much the same thing.

Angelina walked over to them when they were leaving for History of Magic. "Do you know that they are including Quidditch in this?" she asked. "We have to ask to reform the team!"

"What?" said Harry.

"Yes, and I beg you . . . don't loose your temper with her or she might not let us play anymore!"

"Okay, I promise," said Harry.

Ron guessed that Umbridge would be in History of Magic, but was wrong and the class was as boring as ever. About halfway through the class Hermione poked Harry painfully in the ribs making him look over to her.

"What?"

She pointed to the window and Harry saw Hedwig perched there. Hermione wasn't the only people to noticed Hedwig, most of the class had noticed her by now and were pointing.

Harry silently walked over to the window and opened it very slowly, instead of holding out her leg to give Harry the letter she jumped inside. Harry grabbed her and brought her to his seat, then transferred her to his lap. It was when he reached for the letter that he noticed that her feathers were oddly ruffled and that she was holding one of her wings at an odd angle.

"She's hurt!" Harry whispered. "There's something wrong with her wing." Harry tried to touch the wing but Hedwig gave a little jump.

"Professor Binns," said Harry loudly, "I'm not feeling well, may I go to the hospital wing?"

Professor Binns looked up from his notes and looked surprised to see a classroom full of students. "Yes, off you go then," he said slowly.

Harry went to the staff room where he assumed Professor Grubbly-Plank would be, and was right. He explained that his owl was hurt and she took him. McGonagall, who was also in the staff room gave him his letter and said quickly, "You do know that channels of communication in and out of Hogwarts may be being watched?"

Before he could answer students began to flood out of the classrooms and McGonagall walked back into the staff room.

Harry found Danny, Hermione and Ron a few moments later. They asked if Hedwig was okay. He told them about Grubbly-Plank then told them what McGonagall had said. They agreed that maybe Hedwig had been attacked.

"Who's the letter from?" asked Ron.

"Sirius," whispered Harry opening the letter. "It says, Today, Same Time, Same Place."

"Does he mean the fire in the common room?" asked Danny.

"Obviously," said Hermione.

The four friends walked down the stairs to the dungeons for Potions when they heard the voice of Draco Malfoy, who was standing in front of the dorm with an official-looking piece of paper and talking much louder than needed so everyone could hear.

"Umbridge said the Slytherin Quidditch team could start playing again as quickly as possible, I asked her first thing this morning," he boasted, "It was pretty automatic, she knows my father really well, he's always popping in and out of the Ministry . . . it will be interesting to see whether Gryffindor will be able to play again."

"Don't say anything," Hermione whispered to the three boys, all of them were watching Malfoy with their fists clenched. "It's what he wants . . . "

"I mean," said Malfoy raising his voice and looking over to Harry, Danny and Ron, "if it's a question of influence with he Ministry, I don't think they've got a chance. From what my father says, that Arthur Weasel - I mean Weasley - for ages . . . and for that Fenton, there is something weird about him, I swear I saw his eyes flash green the other day. Only a matter of time before whatever it is gets out in the open, might be so bad he gets kicked out of Hogwarts . . . and as for Potter . . . My father says it's a matter of time before the Ministry has him carted off to St. Mungo's, apparently they've got a special ward for people whose brains have been addled by magic . . . "

Malfoy and his gang started bursting with laughter. Then suddenly Harry and Danny felt something run in between them, knocking them both sideways. A second later he realized that Neville had just charged pass and heading straight for Malfoy.

"Neville, no!"

Harry leapt forward and grabbed the back of Neville's robes; Neville kept trying to get at Malfoy, though.

"Help me!" shouted Harry, Ron grabbed another part of Neville's robes - suddenly the fabric ripped and it looked as if Neville was going to send Malfoy to the ground, but Danny and his super strength grabbed Neville's arms and pulled him backward. Crabbe and Goyle were now flexing their arms and looked very ready to fight. Harry and Ron grabbed one of Neville's arms and dragged him back into the Gryffindor line.

Neville was muttering under his breath, "Not . . .funny . . . don't . . . Mungo's . . . show . . . him . . . "

The dungeon door opened and Snape appeared. "Fighting, Potter, Weasley, Fenton, Longbottom?" Snape said in his cold, sneering voice, "Ten points from Gryffindor. Release Longbottom Fenton, or it will be detention, all of you, inside."

Danny let go of Neville, who stood panting and glaring at him.

"We had to stop you," said Harry, "Crabbe and Goyle would have killed you."

Neville said nothing; he just picked up his own things and stormed off into the room.

"What in the name of Merlin, was that all about?" said Ron.

At the same time Danny said almost the same thing, "What the hell was that about?"

Harry didn't answer; he knew exactly why Neville had done that. His parents were in St. Mungo's because of magical damage to their brains. He told Dumbledore that he wouldn't tell anyone unless Neville wanted him too, and even Neville didn't know that he knew.

When they had all sat down in the back Snape gestured toward the dim corner of the dungeon, "You will notice, that we have a guest today." Umbridge was there with her clipboard on her knee.

Snape waved his wand to the board and told them to continue the Strengthening Solutions they started before the weekend.

Umbridge spent the first half hour taking notes in the corner; she had just gotten to her feet and walked over to Snape. Both Harry and Danny tried to listen to her question him, Harry becoming careless again.

"You have been here at Hogwarts for fourteen years, right?" she asked, Snape nodded. "But you first applied for the Defense Against the Dark Arts post, right?" Snape nodded once again, his face showed the look of annoyance usually only reserved for Harry. "But you were unsuccessful?"

Snape's lip curled. "Obviously."

"And you have applied for the post every year, correct?" she asked again not seeing the annoyed look.

"Yes."

"Do you have any idea why Dumbledore has refused to appoint you?" asked Umbridge.

"No, I suggest you ask him," said Snape.

"Oh I shall," she said with a sweet smile.

Snape then walked over to Harry, took one look at his (horrible) potion and swiped it clean with his wand. "No points again, Potter."

Next they went to Divination, (the professor had gotten the results to her inspection back and was not at all happy about it) then to DADA where they once again read out of the book for the entire class.

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"No Quidditch practice," said Angelina in hollow tones when Harry, Ron, Danny and Hermione came into the common room that night after dinner.

"But I kept my temper!" said Harry, horrified. "I swear I didn't-"

"I know, I know," she said miserably. "She said she needed time to consider."

"What! She gave the Slytherin permission, why not us?" asked Ron angrily.

After that Harry and the other settled down to do their homework (and Harry his extra potions essay), but he found himself looking into the fire every so often waiting for Sirius.

Finally the common room was empty besides the four of them, a few moments later Sirius appeared in the fire.

"How are things?" asked Sirius after they all greeted each other.

"Horrible," said Harry, "The Ministry's forced another decree, which means we're not allowed to have Quidditch teams - "

" - or secret Defense Against the Dark Arts groups?" said Sirius.

There was a short, but long, pause.

"How did you know about that?" Harry demanded.

"You should choose your meeting place better," said Sirius grinning. "The Hog's head, I ask you . . ."

"But the Three Broomsticks is always packed with people!" exclaimed Hermione.

"Which means you'd be harder to overhear," said Sirius.

"Who overheard us?" asked Danny.

"Mundugus, of course," said Sirius. "He was the witch under the veil, he was keeping an eye on you but was kicked out of the pub years ago." Sirius paused and continued, "And your mother has a message for you, Ron. You are under no account whatsoever to take part in this illegal group. She also advised Harry and Hermione not to proceed with the group, though she accepts that she has no authority over either of you."

"So you don't want me to take part in the defense group?" asked Harry sadly.

"Of course I do!" exclaimed Sirius. "Do you think your father and I would have taken this from Umbridge?"

"And what if we get expelled?" asked Hermione.

"This was your idea, Hermione!" exclaimed Danny.

"Yes, I was just wonder what Sirius thought," said Hermione shrugging.

"It's better to get expelled and be able to defend yourself then to sit in Hogwarts without a clue," said Sirius. "So, where are the groups going to take place?"

"We don't know."

"How about the Shrieking Shack?" suggested Sirius.

"No, there are 28 of us not four and none of us can turn into animals. And as for the Invisibility Cloak . . ." said Hermione.

"Fair point," agreed Sirius, "I'm sure you'll come up with something-"

Suddenly Sirius broke off and vanished.

"Why did he-?" started Danny.

Hermione then gave a horrified gasp and leapt to her feet, still staring into the fire.

A hand had appeared in the flames. It was a stubby, short-fingered hand covered in ugly old-fashioned rings . . .

The four ran them ran for it; at the door of the boys' dormitory Harry and Danny looked back. Umbridge's hand was still making snatching movements amongst the flames, as though she new exactly where Sirius's hair had been moments before and was determined to seize it.

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I hope you all liked it! Like I've said to many people I'll try having Danny talk more. I try to in every chapter! The sequel will me a lot different, the ending of this story too!

Thanks to my beta, My Eternal Facade!

Thanks to -StarPhantom-, epobbp, Horselvr4evr123, Sasia (Sounds good!), Jenna Dax, GadgetCid, no name today, Serena the Hikari of Love, 'Dark-Independent-Girl-101', SquirrelGirl13, I LOVE SORA AND DANNY, Cococrash11, msweetie913, DannyandWaffle, thunderfox69, heather0, Imaginary Whisper, softballgirl9411, heather0, Angelhalo101! I love you all!

Make sure to review! (By the way, I probally won't be updating any time soon. With school starting and a case of writers block it's just not possible!)

Goodbye, ta ta, Au revoir, Uz redzesanos, Näkemiin, Viso gero, Adiós, bye bye birdy, see you again soon and I'm outta here!