A/N: To paraphrase my favourite cracked arcanist, your reviews are like a flower in my heart. Now enjoy some simultaneous plotting and plot thickening :)

Chapter 5

Hermione presided over the prefects' carriage with Draco Malfoy at her side. Everything seemed much the same, save for the obvious absence of her fellow Muggle-borns. Malfoy had attempted to hold court over the compartment, but Hermione had quickly put a stop to his posturing with a few well-chosen words.

"Fine then, illegitimate-bitch-formerly-known-as-Mudblood. You take over," he'd spat.

And Hermione had done nothing but smile and take the reins. She'd split the patrolling pairs along house lines so that no two Slytherins were paired up, and she'd highlighted the importance of safety throughout the school year. She had also emphasized the fact that her door would always be open to any – any – prefect who wanted to talk. Malfoy had sneered openly at her and gone off on his own, and Hermione herself had spent the rest of the trip patrolling with a sulky and abrasive Pansy Parkinson.

When the Hogwarts Express finally arrived at the Hogsmeade Station, Hermione gratefully climbed into the thestral-drawn carriage to sit next to Neville.

"Chocolate frog, 'Mione?" he asked her consolingly.

"Yes, please." She looked at her companions. "How did everything go?"

"Swimmingly," Ginny said simply.

"It's very strange this year," Luna said, looking out the carriage window into the darkness.

Hermione sighed.

"Yes. It's going to be even stranger at the castle, I expect."

"That's not what I meant," Luna answered, turning to look at Hermione with her disconcerting eyes. "I meant that this is strange." She gestured between herself, Neville, and Ginny. "You're one man short, and two girls flush. Why aren't you with Harry and Ron?"

Hermione looked away quickly, and caught Ginny's eye instead. The redhead held her gaze aggressively; she'd asked Hermione the question half a hundred times at least, never satisfied with the answer everyone else had been given, that it had just been the right thing to do. Hermione brought up her Mind's Eye, and decided to simply change the subject.

"Is everyone on board for the meeting tonight?"

Ginny just nodded, but Neville launched into an account of how their mission had gone, and Hermione nodded along, checking off items on her mental list. It was going well. She would have to re-emphasize the need for discretion at the meeting later that evening, but it was going well so far.

The mood in the Great Hall was subdued and tense as Hermione helped Professor McGonagall shepherd the little first years into a long line to await the Sorting. She smiled reassuringly at the nervous-looking children before she glanced up at the High Table – and directly into the new Headmaster's eyes. He sat stiffly in the ornate chair, and although his face was carefully blank, he acknowledged Hermione with a slight nod of his head. She felt herself blush and hastened to pull up her Mind's Eye as the Sorting Hat broke into song.

It went on longer than usual, extolling each house's strengths quickly before moving on to a lengthy entreaty to band together in these dark times. Hermione had to almost physically restrain herself from glancing back up at Snape, and so she looked instead to the two new members of the staff. With a jolt to her stomach, she immediately recognized the Carrow siblings from that horrible night at the end of the previous school year. She managed to pay close attention to the rest of the Sorting only by promising herself fervently that she would tell Harry and Ron about this soon, and that she and the DA would take steps immediately in light of the fact that there were three Death Eaters amongst the staff this year.

The Sorting was shorter than usual as any Muggle-borns who might have attended had not received their letters from Hogwarts, and the feast began shortly after the ceremony. Hermione joined the suspiciously quiet Gryffindor table. Everyone seemed to be waiting for her – no one had even touched any of the loaded trays and dishes before them.

"What are you waiting for?" Hermione hissed at them.

She turned to Ginny at her right and started a loud conversation about their respective school books for the term, and was pleased when the rest of the Gryffindors stopped rubbernecking like ninnies and tucked in. The rest of the school was subdued as well, however, and the usual festive air of the Start-of-Term Feast was notably absent. The merriment and jocularity were replaced by sideways glances and whispers, and when the last of the puddings disappeared from the table, everyone grew almost instantly silent.

As if on cue, Snape stood up.

"Welcome," he said, his deep voice carrying easily through the hushed hall. "We have two new staff members this year: Amycus Carrow will be taking over my former post as Dark Arts professor, and his sister Alecto Carrow will be teaching Muggle Studies. They will also both act as Deputy Headmaster and Deputy Headmistress, respectively, and are thereby in charge of all disciplinary matters. " The Carrows both stood up and nodded at the smattering of applause. Hermione kept her hands resolutely in her lap. "As of today," Snape went on, sounding bored, "Educational Decree Number Twenty-Four is in full effect. I will hear petitions for the reinstatement of student organizations, societies, and so forth during my office hours this week." The silence in the Great Hall took on a different quality, and Hermione peered briefly around to register the looks of shock on her fellow students' faces. She turned her attention back to Snape, who had continued speaking. "Hogwarts will see profound changes this year – act accordingly."

He sat back down. The speech had been perfunctory, and had been delivered almost tonelessly. Hermione exchanged looks with Neville and Ginny, before she nodded and stood up.

"First years, follow me, please," she called loudly.

She turned to lead the way out of the Great Hall, and almost walked into Malfoy.

"What?" she demanded. "I need to get these students upstairs."

"Have the prefects do it," he snapped back. "That's what they're here for."

Hermione glared at him, but motioned for Ginny to take over. Malfoy raised his eyebrows, but didn't comment further. Instead he turned abruptly and started walking across the Entrance Hall.

"What do you want?" Hermione asked, following him closely through the throng of students.

"Professor Snape wants to see us immediately," he answered.

Hermione's stomach swooped. She knew she would have to meet with Snape; the Head Boy and Girl were always briefed by the Headmaster at the start of the school year. But she had thought he would summon her sometime during the week, not immediately after the Feast. She glanced down at her watch. 8 PM. Hopefully it wouldn't take too long.

They reached the gargoyle guarding the head's office, and for a moment Hermione was almost absurdly grateful to have Malfoy at her side.

"Black Sabbath," he said quietly, and the gargoyle jumped aside to reveal the revolving stairs.

Had her Mind's Eye not been working full-force, Hermione would have squawked in surprise at the decidedly Muggle password Snape had chosen. She filed that away for analysis later on, recalling briefly that he was, after all, a Half-blood. She stepped onto the staircase, and walked into the unsettlingly familiar office a moment later. Snape sat behind Dumbledore's desk, his hands folded before him, his face a mask of impassivity.

"Sir," Malfoy said.

Hermione said nothing.

Snape gestured, and they each took one of the chairs in front of the desk.

"I have assignments for you," Snape began, looking at them in turn. "First, you will inform the students in your respective houses that they will walk the castle and grounds in pairs. Day and night, between classes and meals, within the castle and without, they will never be unaccompanied. You, Miss Granger, will tell the Ravenclaw prefects to pass on the same message to their fellows; Mr. Malfoy, you will do the same with the Hufflepuff prefects."

"Why – "

Snape raised an elegant hand, cutting Malfoy off.

"This is a standard I will expect you both to enforce."

A standard, not an official rule. Hermione caught Snape's eye, and he raised an eyebrow expectantly.

"And what about Educational Decree Number Twenty-Four?" she asked, almost bursting with curiosity. "How are we supposed to enforce that while encouraging students to band together in the halls? Or does the Decree not apply to walking the castle and grounds?"

"If you look at the Decree itself, Miss Granger, you will find that it is quite vague on that point. My requirement is that students move in pairs, no more, no less."

"Does that count for us as well?" Malfoy asked, sending a quick sneer Hermione's way.

"No." Snape leaned forward slightly, and the room seemed to darken a shade. "If you catch anyone – and I mean anyone – else alone you will deduct house points and assign them detention with Professor Hagrid."

"With Hagrid?" Malfoy asked, his formal tone giving way. "But you said that the Carrows –"

"I am aware of what I said," Snape cut him off. "And I am aware of what I say now."

The two stared at one another for a long moment until Malfoy pointedly looked away.

"Second," Snape carried on smoothly, "you will both be meeting with me weekly to discuss the running of this school and other matters in detail. Mr. Malfoy, you will be here every Tuesday evening at eight o'clock. Miss Granger, eight o'clock on Fridays."

"What will we be discussing, exactly?" Hermione asked, trying not to flinch when Snape's eyes bored into her own. The dark man looked away.

"Mr. Malfoy, you are dismissed. See to it that the Slytherins are all accounted for in the dormitory before you retire."

Malfoy nodded formally and, after one mildly hostile glance at Hermione, he left the two of them alone. Hermione felt herself shrinking away from the man across the desk, trying to tuck herself further back into her chair. It was instinctive, her Mind's Eye told her, but it was also what he expected – she should at least pretend to be afraid of him, even if she was. Snape watched Malfoy's exit and kept looking at the closed office door for several moments before turning to Hermione.

"Why?" she asked him, her voice soft but demanding.

Snape raised his eyebrows, and she looked away quickly before continuing.

"Why do you want me here?"

"You know why, Miss Granger."

"No, actually," she said, speaking to her interlaced fingers. She thought back to that night at her parents' house. "You mentioned politics, but I don't think that quite covers the full extent of what you expect of me."

He was silent, and Hermione checked that her Mind's Eye was operational before looking at him again. He sat forward in his chair, the curtains of his black hair framing his face, his eyes intent on hers, as though she was the only person in the world. She raised her chin in challenge.

"Tell me what you're going to make me do on Fridays."

"I will make you do nothing more than was promised."

"And where will you take me?" she demanded, letting her anger creep out, an inverted echo to his open impassivity. "When will you take me to him?"

"I assure you, Miss Granger, our meetings will take place here. No one else will attend us."

"Damn you," she said under her breath, unable to look away from him now. He'd sounded sincere – was he really not going to take her to Voldemort? They stared at one another for several moments, until Hermione looked away. "I know there is more to it," she bit out.

"If you are quite done babbling, I have a question of my own to address to you."

Her anger bled away, and Hermione marvelled at the fact that her Mind's Eye, intact almost all summer long, was hardly helpful after just a few minutes alone with this infuriating man. She would have to redouble her efforts.

"Yes?" she asked.

"How are you?"

She felt her jaw drop.

"What?"

He rolled his eyes, the expression of long-suffering impatience appearing and disappearing so quickly on his face that she might have imagined it.

"How. Are. You?" he repeated, slowly and deliberately as though she were thick.

"Fine," she answered automatically. "I'm fine, thanks."

"I do not ask in the context of social nicety, Granger. I ask in the context of the prolonged Dementor attack you suffered earlier in the summer."

"Oh." His eyes were sweeping over her face, and she felt herself begin to blush. "I'm – I think I'm all right, sir."

"What have you been doing to remedy the aftereffects?" he demanded, his voice clinical.

"I followed your advice, sir." He raised his eyebrows questioningly. And so she repeated what he'd told her: "I walk."

"Indeed. We will discuss this further on Friday," he said after a moment, and Hermione felt her stomach jump again at the thought of spending more time alone with him. "Now, I imagine you have somewhere to be."

Hermione's heart almost stopped – how could he know… but no, he just means the Gryffindor Common Room – but she met his eyes deliberately, forcing herself to assume a neutral expression mirroring his, and she nodded. He glanced away and bent his head to return to his writing. She left without another word.

The door to the Room of Requirement was invisible; Hermione was able to step into it only after Neville swung open a section of the wall.

"Huh…" she said, turning around admiringly, "how did you manage that?"

"Neville did it," Luna said, her protuberant eyes focused on the blushing young man. "He asked the Room for all the right things, and he closed all the loopholes."

Hermione felt her eyebrows try to rise in disbelief, and quickly quashed the emotion.

"Excellent," she said, turning around to see the rest of the DA. "I'm glad to see you all."

"We're glad to be here," Michael Corner said immediately, as if he'd been waiting to speak to her. "Someone's got to keep this school running."

Ginny huffed a little and rolled her eyes.

"Right," Hermione said, fishing a piece of parchment out of her beaded bag. "First things first: I would like everyone interested in re-admittance to the DA to sign this form."

The eight students exchanged uneasy looks.

"Is it cursed like the other one was?" Lavender asked softly. "I for one would just like to know before I sign it."

"Yes," Hermione answered simply. She had learned from her mistake last time; instead of branding a traitor 'sneak' with lines of blemishes, the curse would cause a debilitating ringing in their ears, which would be echoed as an alarm sounding throughout the castle. That way, they would all know if – or when – it happened.

"Ahem," Ernie cleared his throat significantly. "And shall we erupt in boils – "

"Not if you don't snitch," Ginny interrupted him scathingly.

"Ok, then," Neville quipped and, stepping forward briskly, he signed his name beneath Hermione's with a flourish.

The rest signed without comment, except for a wink on Ginny's part, and Hermione felt relief course through her as she tacked the parchment to the wall of the Room. Her team was now assembled.

"How was the greasy bat?" Ginny asked conversationally as Hermione turned back to them.

"Professor Snape," Hermione asserted sharply, "has set an unofficial rule that matches our own goals. He wants us all moving in pairs as much as possible, but we are not to assemble in groups of three or more students, as he mentioned in his speech. I think the DA should take his idea to the next level."

"Which is?" prompted Parvati.

"We will set up a buddy system to actually coordinate the pairs that circulate around the castle. We'll make it so that each pair of students includes someone stronger and someone a little... less strong. And we further match up pairs of older students who look out for other younger pairs in passing."

"That sounds unbelievably complicated," Ginny stated.

"It's not," Hermione answered promptly. "It's just a matter of coordinating. Eventually, I'm hoping that everyone will develop constant vigilance as a habit, but this will make certain students expressly responsible for certain others."

"So, who should we try to recruit first?" Michael asked.

Hermione nodded to Ginny, who took over the meeting from there, setting out the assignments she and Hermione had devised toward the end of the summer. Between the nine of them, they would recruit all of the former members of the DA within the first week of classes. Hermione was glad when Ginny expressed the importance of keeping the organisation's activities subtle, and when the others nodded along earnestly.

"And how will we be coordinating this year?" Ernie asked, blustering a little. "I don't like the idea of those galleons again, to be honest."

"You're right," Hermione answered with a wide smile. "The galleons are very fifth year. Your question brings me to the other important bit of information: every person who signs that form – " she gestured to the parchment on the wall and saw Ernie blanch before she continued, "will be able to see the DA's schedule at the top right of their class schedule."

Hermione surveyed their astonished faces with pleasure.

Ginny rolled her eyes before saying, "What Hermione is getting at is that she has managed to get each Head of House onboard. McGonagall transfigured the schedules, and Sprout, Flitwick, and Slughorn know exactly what they'll be distributing. As a member of the Order of the Phoenix, and our unofficial faculty supervisor, McGonagall will also be updated as to our meeting times."

The two Gryffindor girls exchanged smug looks before turning back to their co-conspirators to accept their praise.