Dumbledore's Army

Myrtle looked even more depressed than usual, as she sat above the sinks on Sunday morning. Her translucent eyes followed Siria Potter-Black along. With her wand, Siria dried the large puddles on the chipped, water stained floor. Whenever Siria glanced over her shoulder, Myrtle turned away.

"Have you thought about joining our group therapy?" Siria asked Myrtle. Myrtle scoffed.

"That rubbish meeting where you all talk about your feelings?" She laid back, flat along the top of the sinks.

"Yeah."

"Who'd even want me there?"

"You," Siria said. She tucked her wand into her jacket pocket. Myrtle glanced under her glasses, at Siria, without sitting up.

"No one would listen to me."

"I would."

"You listen to everyone."

"Doesn't mean I'd listen any less," Siria said. The bathroom door creaked open and Myrtle dove into her bathroom stall.

"No one else showed?" Zacharias Smith asked with his nose in the air. Siria had half a mind to kick him.

"They're already in," she told him. Siria drew, with her finger, over one of the sinks, which disappeared to reveal the opened passage to the Chamber of Secrets. "Go on," Siria said with a jerk of her head. "Waiting on a few others." Zacharias Smith glared at the passage.

"How do I know it's not a trap?" he asked.

"You should assume everything is a trap," Siria smiled at him. He did not return the smile. "It was a reference… I," Siria sighed. "You can either wait up here with me or—" but the door swung open again.

Astoria Greengrass giggled as she, her three Slytherin friends, Daphne, and Millicent Bulstrode slipped in. Bright eyed as ever, Astoria waved to Siria with a large smile. Siria returned the smile with one just as wide.

"I'm so excited!" Astoria whispered. Siria chuckled. "I hardly slept," she confessed.

"Same," Siria hugged Astoria then nodded to Daphne and the others. "You're the last ones. Ready?" They lined up beside the sink, with Zacharias at the front and Siria at the back. "Now, once you reach the end, get up and move."

"What?" Zacharias Smith asked, but slid down. They listened to him cry in shock.

"It's not that bad," Siria told them. "As good as any giant stone slide plummeting to the depths of a school."

When it was only Siria, she wrote with her fingers on the sides of the sinks beside the slide. The illusion of the sink filled the spot and hid her. Myrtle watched, as though she could see, Siria hop down the slide.

They walked down the Hedera Meridiem lit path. A small garden snake met them at the first lock. It hissed a greeting at Siria, who replied. Zacharias Smith eyed her over his shoulder, but continued.

While the new arrivals stood around with those that had waited, Siria walked to Cassius. He watched the students with his arms crossed. His brows were furrowed. Siria laughed.

"You're glaring at them," she told him. He dropped his gaze to the ground.

"I don't mean to," he said.

"I know," she patted his shoulder. "Pull yourself together or you'll die of the stress." The corner of his lip twitched into a small smile.

"Wise words," he grumbled.

"I know— I'm pretty wise," she bragged. He shook his head.

"Let's do this," Cassius said and extended his first. Siria tapped it with her own.

"Alright!" Siria called. Quiet blanketed them. The Chamber was lit with small, hovering suns. "Dumbledore's Army, welcome to the Chamber of Secrets," she let the whispers of awe die out. "Salazar Slytherin built this Chamber to hold his monster," Siria pointed to the remains of the basilisk, pushed against the far wall. "Voldemort used it to torment the school twice, so it's only fair we take it over and use it against him." Unconscious of it, Siria paused and gripped her right arm.

"Now then," Siria clapped. "Cassius and I figured we'd do a short duel, to give you an idea of what they'll look like, then show you the first spell before breaking you into pairs."

"Before that," Hermione said and eyes fell on her. She walked, her arms rigid at her side, to beside Siria and Cassius. "We ought to elect a leader— an official leader." Siria gritted her teeth and hoped her glare did not show.

"Siria's leader," said Colin, "isn't she?" he looked at Cassius, who watched Siria.

"Well, if we put it to a vote, it would make it official and give Siria authority," Hermione said.

"Fine," Siria resisted the urge to roll her eyes.

"Those in favor of electing Siria as leader," Hermione raised her hand. Colin and Dennis fired their hands up. Others went up, Cassius included. Siria kept her hands down, linked in front of her, and her focus on the wall behind the hands.

"That's a majority," Hermione smiled at Siria, who silently noted herself, Cho Chang's friend, and Zacharias Smith as the abstainers. "Which brings me to these," and Hermione pulled a Galleon from her pocket. Ron opened the shoebox and started to hand one out to teach person. "These look like normal Galleons, but they're fake," Hermione explained. "Where the serial number would be, will be the teacher— five for Siria, seven for Cassius—, location— two for the Chamber, four for the seventh floor corridor—, and time. When Siria sets the numbers on hers, the Protean Charm I placed will cause the coins to grow warm and change to match it." [B5, 398]

Blood filled Hermione's face as the silence continued. Siria held Hermione's shoulder. "You can do a Protean Charm?" Terry Boot asked

"Oh, yes," Hermione nodded.

"Why aren't you in Ravenclaw?"

"The Sorting Hat considered it, but decided on Gryffindor in the end." [B5, 398-399]

"Thank goodness," Siria beamed at Hermione, "or I'd've died by second year." Siria slipped a whistle from around her neck. She handed it and a stopwatch to Hermione.

"Ready?" Siria asked Cassius, he nodded. Hermione stood before the rest of the students. She, Alice, Cedric, Maddy, and Patricia formed a line. "Stay behind Hermione and the others," Siria told the crowd. "They'll block any spells that ricochet," Siria ran her fingers over her braided hair. She put eyedrops in then smiled at Cassius. They bowed.

WHEE!

Hermione blew hard on the whistle as she started the time. Cassius sent a silent bolt of violet at Siria. "Protego!" She knocked the spell away. "Spongify!" Siria said with her wand pointed to the ground. Cassius fired a jet of red, which Siria blocked with a Shield Charm. "Aguamenti!" Siria called a rush of water from her wand that doused Cassius and the ground.

Another jet of red charged at Siria, who sent it away. She called out "FUMOS!" and a smokescreen of dense fog surrounded them. Violet then blue light flashed in Siria's general direction. She bounced on the floor affected by her Softening Charm then jumped. In the air she pointed at the spot she leapt from "Glacius!" Cold air froze the water along the Chamber floor. Siria led it to Cassius's direction. She drew "[Air]" on her hand and blew into it. The air that erupted from her hand was greater than her breath could ever be and cleared the smoke.

It revealed Cassius, frozen in a thin shell of ice that stopped mid torso. His lips were pressed thin, half in cold and half in distaste. Siria let out a small laugh. She thawed his arm with the Hot Air Charm then the two thawed the rest of him.

"So, I'd like to give a few notes, open for questions, then demonstrate the spell we're learning today," Siria said. "Cassius didn't say any of his spells, which gives him an advantage because I don't know what's coming my way. We'll get into silent casting later, but we wanted to show the advantage. I know some of you can do nonverbal casting, but, if you'd please say each new spell the first few times, it'll help us help you."

Siria paused. She felt surprised no one interrupted her, but more surprised at their focused stares. Stares were normal, but not like these— what even was that expression?

"All the spells I used were Charms," Siria continued, "and not just because I'm charming." Ron rolled his eyes, but it made Siria smile more. She winked at Lily Moon, who shook her head. "But to show you that it isn't about what spell you use— it's about how you use it. So," Siria clapped her hand over her fist, "questions?"

After a few minutes of questions, Cassius and Siria lined up again. "We'll be doing the Disarming Charm today," Siria explained.

"Oh, please," said Zacharias Smith and he rolled his eyes. "I don't think Expelliarmus is exactly going to help—" (B5, 392)

"If you're so good, get up here and disarm me," Siria said.

"What?" He asked. He looked to Ernie MacMillan, who shook his head and looked pointedly away.

"I said, if you're so good, why don't you help demonstrate?" Siria opened her arms wide to welcome him up, but Zacharias Smith stepped back. "Do you know what stops someone attacking? Making them unable to. If you take away a person's wand, most wizards are hopeless. Disarming is easier than stunning, so we're starting there."

As Zacharias Smith had no further comment, Cassius and Siria took their positions again. They demonstrated the Disarming Charm a few times. Next they asked everyone to pair up and spread out. Cassius walked around with twenty-three pairs in a counter-clockwise motion while Siria walked clockwise. [B5, 393]

Zacharias Smith seemed to send his own wand flying anytime he opened his mouth. Though Siria clicked her tongue, she smiled when she approached Fred and George. The twins took turns on Smith, rather than each other. She arched a half approving eyebrow at them. [B5, 393]

"Sorry, Siria," George said with an unapologetic grin (B5, 294). Siria eyed Smith over her shoulder.

"Aspera Voce!" Siria hissed.

"EXPELL—" Smith started, but startled at the sound of his hoarse voice.

"Vox Reditus!" Siria hissed.

"My voice," Smith called, but his voice was normal.

"That's our girl," Fred gave Siria's arm a light punch.

"Really though, practice on each other, or help someone who's not getting it," Siria told them as she walked onto the next pair.

Cassius and Siria met near Salazar Slytherin's feet and compared notes. "Did you hear Smith's voice?" Cassius asked.

"Hm?" Siria replied in feigned innocence. Cassius sighed and checked his watch.

"Do you want to break them for part two before lunch?" he asked. Siria looked at her watch. They were already in lunch time.

WHEE!

Siria blew on the whistle. "It is lunch, if people want to head out," Siria said. Those with watches protested that lunch only just started. "I suppose we could add the second step then, if people are happy to stay?" Siria proposed. The others formed a ring around Cassius and Siria, in the middle. Cassius disarmed Siria then summoned her wand to him. She did the same to him. They did it once more then explained the Summoning Charm.

"You used a Summoning Charm on your broom then, in the first task," said Colin Creevey. Siria nodded.

"Break back into your pairs and give it a try," Siria instructed, "Cassius and I will circle around twice then we'll break for the day." She started with Colin and Dennis, who were both so excited they missed each other by yards.

"Come here," Siria told Colin and Dennis. She had them stand beside each other. "It's a quick, but firm point at the target," she explained as she showed them the Disarming Charm. "The Summoning Charm, for me, is about desire— I WANT that wand, more than anything." The Creevey brothers followed her motions. "Now," Siria hurried a few yards from them, "Colin."

"Expelliarmus!" Colin screwed up his face. Siria's wand flew out of her hand.

"Now!" She told him.

"ACCIO!" Colin called. The wand zoomed toward him and he caught it.

Dennis disarmed Siria, but summoned nothing. She caught her wand and smiled at him. "It's okay," she assured him. "Try again. You did really well on the first step." Her wand raised out of her hand. Then toward Dennis. It stopped halfway between them. "That was even better," Siria told him as she picked up her wand. "Go ahead and practice more with Colin, I've—" Siria fell silent at the watching eyes she was oblivious too.

"Can you show me now?" Neville asked from the group of onlookers. Siria glanced to her watch.

"I think we ought to break soon, but I'll start with you next lesson," Siria told him. "I hope to practice with everyone on something," she confessed and continued to circle the groups. Those that paused to watch Siria teach the Creevey brothers took their practice back up.

"You spoil them," Cassius reminded Siria when they met for the second time around the students. "There are other people just as worthy of your attention."

"And I'll see to them," Siria said. She blew the whistle and dismissed them. The core group aided students in ascending up the slide then returned for their group therapy.

Umbridge's classes became bearable with the knowledge of their resistance. Everyone, even Neville, could disarm their opponent. Most of them could summon the disarmed wand. Cassius started Dumbledore's Army on Stunning, in their second lesson. With Cassius and Siria teaching on their own, Dumbledore's Army had seven meetings by their third week.

"Ms. Evans, care to share?" Professor McGonagall snapped in Transfiguration one morning. Everyone froze and looked around. Siria especially. Professor McGonagall stared right at her.

"Who?" Siria asked, her transfigured dark red hair framing her freckled face. She hunched closer to her desk and crumpled the poem on it. Siria considered eating it. Professor McGonagall flicked her wand upward. Siria's freckles vanished. Her hair returned to its wild dark mane.

"As I was saying," Professor McGonagall resumed her pacing. "Educational Decree Twenty Four means the informational flyers known as 'Lumos' may not be discovered on school grounds. Should you receive a flyer, you must turn them into the High Inquisitor. Under no circumstance should you duplicate the flyer, especially through means like Gemino or any duplication Charm." She arched an eyebrow at Hermione and Siria from under the brim of her hat.

"She knows," Siria thought. "She knows and wants to help— and mistook me for my mum!" Siria walked up to Professor McGonagall after class.

"Yes, Ms. Potter-Black?" Professor McGonagall asked.

"Was it the eyes?" Siria joked, "'Ms. Evan's' eyes?"

"It was the cheek," Professor McGonagall said. Siria smiled and Professor McGonagall returned it. "Hurry onto class."