Chapter 29 – Birth of an Army

After the startling revelation in Dumbledore's office, Harry wasn't sure how he managed to stumble his way back to Gryffindor tower. He had suspected that killing Voldemort wouldn't be simple, but to think that he had somehow found a way to cheat his own death, was a little more than upsetting.

As the week went on, Harry kept within himself, only occasionally joining in to nearby discussions so nobody would think that anything was wrong, though it was obvious that he wasn't fooling anybody. Not even the repeated jabs from Umbridge would bring him out of himself.

It wasn't until he was leaving the Great Hall after lunch 4 days later with Ron, Hermione, and Fleur that his girlfriend had had enough. Halfway up the corridor, she raced up to him and grabbed him by the elbow.

"'Arry enough of this. Tell us what is wrong with you!"

Harry overcame his initial shock at her statement and managed to reign in his frustration. "It's nothing sweetie. I just have a lot on my mind."

"It's not just that. Something is clearly bothering you, and I can't-we can't help unless you tell us."

A range of emotions passed through his mind, most prominent was his apathy towards putting his friends in such a position, but his frustration was still present. "Look, you're right Fleur. There is something, but it is something that I need to come to terms with myself before I talk about it with everyone."

Fleur's barely controlled anger seemed to implode suddenly, "You always do this Harry. Why can't you trust any of us? Why don't you trust me?"

Harry immediately felt ashamed for his actions, he just didn't realize that they affected Fleur as much as they did. He opened his mouth to apologize, but the Veela had stormed off before he had the chance. He stood rooted to the spot for several seconds unable to make himself go after her, until he felt a hand on his left shoulder.

"Does it really bother you two that I have a hard time sharing things?"

"Everyone's got their secrets mate," came Ron's vice from his right, followed by a quick pat on his back.

"Well I won't say that it doesn't frustrate me," came Hermione's voice accompanied by a squeeze from the hand on his shoulder, "but we understand you'll tell us with time" she kept to herself how she suspected his home life bolstered his self-reliance.

"I should go find her and apologize. Once I do, I'll tell you guys everything that Dumbledore told me."

"Where do you think she went mate? There's dozens of places she could go in the castle."

Instead of answering, Harry simply closed his eyes and tried to get a lock onto Fleur's scent. Once he got it, he began to follow it with Ron and Hermione not far behind. Surprisingly, the scent lead him right to Gryffindor Tower.

Once inside they were met by a second surprise. Standing in the middle of the common room were both Professor McGonagall and Professor Umbridge who both appeared to be having a very heated discussion. Glancing around the room, Harry found Fleur sitting in their usual spot, her attention so focused on the book in her lap, that he knew that she was doing everything in her power to not look in is direction. He began to walk over and apologize before he was intercepted halfway through the room.

"Mr. Potter," began Umbridge with her signature overly-sweet looking smile which could usually pass as almost sincere if it wasn't for the dangerous glint in her eyes. "I have a few questions for you that I wish to have answered."

A quick glance at McGonagall informed him that he wasn't going to like where this conversation was heading.

"I have been told," she began as she paced around the room, her smile turning into a smug sneer, "that you have been seen meeting with the Headmaster on a regular basis throughout this term. Now, since it isn't normal for the head of a school to meet with a student so regularly, I want to know why you have been meeting him."

Harry simply stood his ground, not wanting to give her the satisfaction that her words were only adding to his ever present frustration. "What I see Professor Dumbledore about is between me and him. If you want to know so badly, why don't you ask him?"

"Ten points from Gryffindor for your cheek Mr. Potter." Harry quickly realized that he was at a disadvantage during this discussion, so he wracked his brain for a plan for how he could get out of this situation.

"For your information I have approached the Headmaster about this yet he refuse to give me a straight answer."

'So you come after me because you actually have power over me' Harry thought.

"I don't see why you need to know why he calls me to his office Professor." The sarcasm was practically dripping through his last words and whether or not Umbridge noticed it, she continued onward.

"It is my duty, as it is for all Hogwarts professors, to ensure that all students are kept safe and given quality information that would benefit them outside of school. Since both you and Dumbledore keep pushing the lie that a certain dark wizard has returned, it is my duty to make sure that my students aren't seduced by your misinformation."

Harry had just about had enough of Umbridge's lies. Even though he could tell by the predatory smirk on her face that he was playing right into her hands, he couldn't keep the eruption at bay any longer.

He was about to respond when a voice from the corner of the common room beat him to it.

"The Headmaster is helping 'Arry with his transformations, said Fleur as she put her book down and rose from her seat. "With the stress of O.W.L.s and everything else that is going on, e' is worried that his control might slip and he wants to prevent that."

Harry was surprised that Fleur had decided to come to his aid. He wanted to look her in the eyes and thank her but her gaze still remained away from his, bringing another bout of shame within him. She was willing to help him even though she was angry with him.

'What have I done to deserve you' Harry thought in amazement.

Fleur was still not done yet, as she prepared to drive in the final nail in the coffin. "You wouldn't want to do anything to jeopardize your student would you professor?"

If looks could kill, Fleur would've burst into flames from the glare that Umbridge was directing at her. Her eyes were moving furiously, as she tried to come up with a way to counter. Suddenly, an idea popped into her head. With the return of her sickly grin, she realized that though she couldn't win this confrontation, she could win another battle.

"You are correct Ms. Delacour, I wouldn't promote any action that would jeopardize the safety of Hogwarts' students and faculty," Harry felt knew that she wasn't finished and a feeling of dread began to wash over him, "what I must doo however, is ensure that all students are given the same opportunities and that no one has an unfair advantage over anyone else."

Umbridge then motioned towards McGonagall, "Minerva, I am ordering that Mr. Potter be removed from the Gryffindor Quidditch team."

An eruption came from every corner of the common room, ranging from "No!", "You can't do that!", and "That's unfair!" The uproar continued until they were silenced by a wave of Umbridge's wand.

"Now, Mr. Potter has an unfair advantage due to his…condition," her words barely covering the disdain she felt, "It is unfair to any other student who either plays against a team that he is on or tries out for the same team. You 24 hours Minerva." She then quickly left Gryffindor tower, a wide smile across her face.

"Can she do that, Professor?"

"I'm sorry Mr. Weasley but with her position as High Inquisitor and her close relationship with the Minister, there isn't much we can do to stop her," her eyes locked with Harry's her expression was enough to tell Harry how bad she felt for him, "I'm sorry Mr. Potter." She too then left the common room, leaving and eerily quiet Gryffindor house behind.

Many people approached Harry offering their condolences, while the others were either looked at him with disdain or had also had masks of pity on their faces. Harry simply waved all of them off, pushing the sinking feeling in his chest aside as he made his way towards his girlfriend who had returned to her previous position.

If she noticed that he had sat down next to her, she did not show it. Harry sat there gazing into the fireplace for a few moments trying to figure out how to best start this conversation, eventually deciding on a direct approach.

"I'm sorry Fleur." The only sign that she had heard him was that the finger she was using to skim the page she was on paused for a brief moment before continuing on. "I know that you, Ron, and Hermione get frustrated with me when I don't tell you things, but believe me, I'm trying."

He paused for a moment to organize his thoughts, glancing over at his two best friends, receiving a small smile from Hermione and a thumbs up from Ron.

"I promise that I will try to do better and keep all of you in the loop. All I ask is for another chance."

Fleur sighed before finally closing her book and looking directly at her boyfriend. "I understand that it is hard for you to trust others 'Arry, but you don't have to handle everything alone. We've been together for a few months now and Ron and Hermione have been your friends for years. We can handle everything you can throw at us."

Harry's mind once again drifted to the prophecy, and he realized that he was going to break his own promise before it even began. He just couldn't face his best friend's reactions to him being a marked man. He knew that he was being unfair but he decided that he would cross that bridge when they got there.

"Okay, I promise." With a renewed smile on her face, Fleur leaned forward slowly and softly brushed her lips against his. His arms found her waist as hers entangled in his hair as the two got lost in the feeling of each other. This kiss was different than the one's they had had up until this point. What was usually a slow meandering affair was replaced by one of urgency and passion.

They might've gone on for hours if it wasn't for a throat-clearing from Ron alerted them to the openness of their affections.

"Sorry about that," Harry said as he rubbed his neck a little awkwardly, "I guess I should tell you guys what Dumbledore told me."

Fleur and his best friends settled in around him as Harry revealed Dumbledore's theories on Voldemort's Horcruxes.

-HP-

The week following his dismissal from Quidditch was hell, Harry had decided. He had thought that Umbridge would take her victory and run with it, but he hadn't expected her to go as far as she has with it.

If Umbridge's rule over Hogwarts was tyrannical before, it was now full on totalitarian. No less than 11 educational decrees had gone up in the last few days, ranging from the banning of any print media other than the Daily Prophet, no public displays of affection in the hallway, and the banning of all student organized groups including Quidditch.

Her presence was felt further in the classes she had decided to inspect. Whereas she usually kept to herself in most classes, she made sure her presence was felt in every class she attended. Classes like Potions and Divination became even worse, while even Professor Warren was noticeably disgruntled by her increased interference in his class.

Her attention also extended to both Hermione, Fleur, and any other student who supported Harry and Dumbledore. Students such as Ron, Susan Bones, Cho Chang, and members of all non-Slytherin houses found themselves under increased scrutiny and were more liable to lose points than those who supported Umbridge.

Fleur found herself under increased work due to her not having taken O.W.L.s. She suspected that her Veela status also had something to do with it, but there was little he could do. Umbridge was making her have to take an O.W.L. exam before she could take her N.E.W.T.s, which wasn't terrible because she had learned the information before, but now she had to use her precious study and schoolwork time to study for the test, which she was supposed to take before the Christmas holiday.

Hermione was also subjected to an increased workload. With Umbridge's increased power, she also had a say on the Prefect's patrol schedule. Using this power, she made it so that Hermione was forced to patrol more frequently than any other 5th year Prefect also cutting into her work time. Her increased schedule forced her to have to patrol with the likes of Malfoy on multiple occasions, who used his position close to Umbridge, to force Hermione to watch him mistreat students every time they went on patrol.

Later, during one of her night patrols with Harry that they approached the scene of Malfoy. Nott, and Zabini accosting a Ravenclaw girl. Upon closer inspection, they realized that the girl was Luna, who was clutching a copy of The Quibbler to her chest as the trio of Slytherins boxed her in.

"Leave her alone Malfoy!"

"You should mind your own business Potter. That piece of garbage she calls a magazine is banned on school grounds. I'm simply doing my duty as a prefect and confiscating with the help of my dorm mates."

Harry clenched his jaw and his fists as he took a threatening step towards hem. "It's a little sad that you felt you needed the help of two other 5th years to take on one 4th year Malfoy."

Malfoy matched his step forward with Nott and Zabini at his flanks. "Looks like the number are even now Potter, unless you feel scared."

Before things could get out of hand a voice rang out from behind Harry and Hermione, "Detention Mr. Potter!"

Harry could only groan. Of course that would be the moment that Umbridge decided to show up.

"We were just trying to prevent the mistreatment of a fellow student Professor."

"That is none of your concern Ms. Granger. I had received word that this student was scene carrying a copy of a banned magazine around the school. I had dispatched Mr. Malfoy and told him to confiscate said item."

"Then why are both Nott and Zabini involved? Last time I checked only Prefects had that authority."

"A detention for you too Ms. Granger for your cheek. As to your question, Mr. Malfoy and his friends have all been appointed as a part of my Inquisitorial Squad and I assure you that they have more of a right to be involved than you do."

Umbridge then quickly strode forward, snatching The Quibbler from Luna's grasp before leaving with her cronies in tow.

Luna's eyes immediately began to water prompting Hermione to wrap the girl in a hug. Though she disagreed with many of Luna's beliefs, she still thought her treatment was completely unfair.

"We need to do something about her Harry."

"What can we do Hermione? You've seen what she's willing to do."

Hermione stood up, bringing Luna up with her, her eyes were focused with a determination that Harry usually associated with an exam.

"We won't learn anything in a school where she can do and order whatever she wants." Her gaze dropped over to Harry, who suddenly had an idea of where her next idea would be going. "What we need…is someone who can teach us"

AN: So this chapter is just a continuation of the previous chapter. I wanted to give the characters more reason to start the DA because in the books, I feel like Umbridge gets worse after they start the DA, so I wanted her to already be power hungry by the time they decide that something needs to be done.

Next chapter I want to return to what Voldemort is doing while also forwarding things like the Horcruxes and more of Harry and Fleur's relationship.

As always, thanks for reading!