Afterglow

by prophetoftroy

Hermione didn't care that the soulmate potion didn't reveal who she was meant for, too content with who it wasn't. She only cares about keeping Harry far away from Umbridge and helping the Order wherever she can. But when Harry has a strange vision, they must save Sirius from Voldemort and- well- people just don't stay dead the way they used to... luckily for her.

2. A Sneak and a Phoenix

Chapter two: A Sneak and a Phoenix

Hermione went back to the Gryffindor common room to tell Harry about Umbridge- glancing around as she went for a Glow- to find the awful spectacle that was Ron and Lavender. The freshly formed couple was sprawled on a love seat in a tangle of unidentifiable limbs, with sounds coming from them that Ron often made when eating. It was one of those horrifying things in life one couldn't look away from, some watching the two in paralyzed astonishment- others in disgusted disbelief. She made a face at them, finding Harry in the corner of the room on the windowsill; looking out into the eclipsing rain that she hadn't noticed during their classes. She maneuvered through the onlookers to sit next to him, perching herself next to where he was propped against the large window. He didn't twitch, the rolling beads of the downpour on the glass reflecting on his face- his mind no doubt abuzz with the surprising development of his soulmate. She waited a few minutes, the silence punctuated by the hum of the full common room and the echoing silence of their windowsill that acted like an isolating cove.

"So," she started once she felt she'd waited a sufficient amount of time, "Daphne Greengrass."

He still didn't move, his verdant eyes not flinching from their vacant stare, but acknowledged her presence and voiced topic with a simple, "I don't even know anything about her."

He sounded so despondent. She looked from him to the window, realizing he wasn't looking at anything in particular as all there was to see were their reflections. "She's nice," she supplied.

"She's a Slytherin," he told her, as if to disprove her statement.

"So is Professor Snape."

There was a ghost of a smile on his face and he vaguely glanced at her before looking back to the glass window of their tower. "Probably not the best example you could have given; Snape's a git."

"Professor Snape," she corrected without conscious thought, "was visited by Umbridge while I was there."

She had his attention now, his eyes jolting to hers with wide interest. "What did she want?"

"Veritaserum," her voice dropped, their heads bending towards each other to block anyone out who might have overheard. "She wants to find out what you and Professor Dumbledore are hiding."

He stood up immediately, all thoughts of Glows and potions out of his head with a sentence. "We have to tell him, warn the Order, tell the DA."

She pulled him back into the seat by his hand. "No,we can't. It could get back to her that we know, and it's likely he will know anyway. I'm sure Professor Snape will tell him if he doesn't. Besides, don't you remember what Professor McGonagall's been telling you all year?"

He blinked at her with a blank look on his face that made it obvious he didn't.

"She has too much power over the school," Hermione said in a whisper. "If she went to Professor Snape so freely, it's likely she has permission from Fudge to do it."

"We can't just not tell anyone," he argued. "What about the DA?"

"We can't. The best we can do is tell people not to trust her and not to take anything she gives them. Professor Snape said I was only to tell you, and I agree with him."

He eyed her cynically. "Who's your Glow?"

Hermione sighed, "I know what you're thinking and it isn't Professor Snape. Though, you could probably do with speaking to Daphne."

"What for?"

"I don't know, because she's your soulmate?"

"That doesn't mean anything," he insisted harshly.

And that was that. Or so she thought. But while Harry and Hermione played no part in the new and strange romances that seemed to be popping up around the castle, didn't mean they were immune to the displays. Ginny broke Michael Corner's heart by kissing Neville in the middle of the Great Hall, though Ron was too busy kissing Lavender to see it, Fred's girlfriend Angelina seemed to actually be destined for George- though there were rumors that they'd decided to share her- and Fred's Glow Katie Bell seemed very content in her own long distance relationship with Oliver Wood. It obviously irked Umbridge, as evidenced by her even more than usually pinched face, but there was an old law supposedly declared by Merlin himself that forbid the interfering with soulmates. A law, history books said, King Arthur used when he saved Lancelot and Guinevere from being executed.

This was tested during the fourth year Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff Potions class when Luna told Professor Snape how lovely his Glow was. Nothing came of this, of course, and the Potions Master seemed very keen on avoiding her at any and all costs. But Luna only ever smiled her serene smile and replied, "He'll come around."

Firenze seemed to be a vast improvement from Trelawney in Divination. Harry and Hermione spent hours trying to find alternative ways to resist Veritaserum to no avail, and hiding from the flocks of students trying to find out who Harry's soulmate is. Everyday there were cries of girls saying that they were his Glow, or secretly engaged and with child (nevermind that Harry was fifteen), but no one seemed to put much stock in those claims aside from Umbridge. She seemed to want to know more than anyone, going as far as keeping him behind after class to demand he tell her- which he was within his lawful right to refuse to do.

March bled into April, and the demands for answers and the wild theories bled into a collective acceptance that perhaps Hermione was Harry's Glow- as they were much closer since the entire soulmate ordeal began. Hermione hadn't spoken to Daphne in their shared classes, and as far as she could tell neither had Harry. It seemed she was the only one who knew who Harry's real Glow was.

They kept up with their DA meetings, the new romances serving to strengthen and help each lesson in different ways, and they had just scheduled one for the next afternoon when there was a crowd in the Entrance Hall. There was a very public and very amusing falling out between Malfoy and Pansy Parkinson, ending with the pug-nosed girl slapping Malfoy and him walking away in anger.

She then stormed up to a familiar looking third year and drew her hand back to slap her as well, when Daphne stepped forward and grabbed her wrist. This was her sister, Astoria.

"Don't," she hissed lowly, though everyone heard her.

She shoved Pansy's arm away and pulled her sister with her, leading her through the gathered crowd. Harry had been standing next to Hermione, watching the scene with conflicting feelings, and he found himself walking around the back of the assemblage to follow them.

"Stay away from Draco," he heard her voice echo off the walls. He could tell it was hers. "Glow or not, I want you to keep your distance."

"Daph, I'm not a child."

"No," Daphne consented, "but there's a world of maturing to be done between the ages of thirteen and fifteen."

He came into view of them, and they turned to him. She really was very pretty, he thought in spite of himself when they locked eyes. There was a pale pink glow glittering around her, the same shade his potion had been, tracing her golden hair and green accessoried uniform. He wondered if it would always be there, or if it would fade, and unsure quite which he would prefer.

"Astoria, go back to the common room."

The other girl argued, but he couldn't say what she replied with. He'd told himself he didn't care what any Glow said, that this was a Slytherin. He'd silently agreed to keep his distance, and she seemed perfectly fine to have done the same. So why then was he standing in front of her and waiting to speak.

"Harry Potter."

His eyes refocused at his name. "Daphne Greengrass."

She smiled, and he would swear the the Glow brightened for a slight moment. "I'm sorry. It's just, I've only now realized that I've never said your name aloud."

This surprised him, knowing all too well the far corners his fame tended to reach. Though, to be honest he'd never said hers before either. He'd never had cause to in the five years he'd known it. He'd never even spoken to her before now.

"Say it as much as you like," fell out of his mouth before he realized he was speaking. He mentally threw his hands up and scoffed at what a berk he sounded like.

But she laughed. A giggle, really. She giggled lightly at him, her hand covering her mouth as if by habit or instinct. He flushed with embarrassment at the sound, while at the same time feeling proud he'd caused it. He felt his stance straighten.

"It's rather strange, isn't it?" She asked, a leftover smile still on her face. "I mean, I don't really know the first thing about you that isn't splattered over the tabloids, and I'm sure you've never even considered the fact that you don't know me either."

"Yes, well, you're a Slytherin," he said by way of explanation the way he had with Hermione.

Her face fell slightly as if having expected his response, but at the same time had been disappointed. It made something twist in his stomach at seeing it. "Yes," she said with a dispirited smile, "and you're a Gryffindor, but I never took you as unintelligent, Harry."

He didn't like hearing her say his name. It made him feel uncomfortable in the way it sounded right. "Wait," he said when she turned to leave. She stopped and glanced over her shoulder, her too far apart eyes seeming curious. "I'm sorry. I-I really don't know anything about you. So that's- that girl was your sister then? Do you have any other siblings?"

She turned just barely to face him again. She was a girl of many smiles, he realized, and this one had the air as though she were only indulging him. He didn't like it.

"No," she said, sounding somewhat amused. "It's just us. What about you? Are you very close with your family?"

Part of him was surprised she knew he lived with family, before the part of him that was always conscious of his celebrity status sighed. "Not exactly," he said, thinking about what the Dursley's might say if they had heard the question. Outraged babbling, most likely, with a few identifiable freaks and boys thrown in for good measure.

"That's a shame," she said.

"Well I have Hermione," he told her quickly, not wanting to see what her pitying smile looked like. "And Ron, of course. They're better than any family."

She turned more towards him. "That sounds wonderful. They do seem rather loyal, and I like Hermione fairly well from the classes we share, but I've never really talked to either of them."

"You should," he offered, "tomorrow. I-" he paused, uncharacteristically thinking before he did something reckless. "Well, you see I teach something of a secret Defense Against the Dark Arts class sometimes."

Her face brightened suddenly and she beamed at him, making the Glow brighten immensely- and almost blindingly. "Really? That sounds wonderful! It does seem like something you would be well equipped for," she giggled again. "And much better than that awful Umbridge's class."

It warmed him to think that she didn't like Umbridge any more than he did, and he found himself grinning back at her with more conviction at what he was about to say. "Well, you should come. Tomorrow night, we're having a lesson. I've been teaching them how to produce a Patronus Charm. They-"

"Ward off dementors," she finished excitedly. "I know, I've been trying to teach myself in my spare time, but, well, I'm not exactly the best at that sort of thing."

"Well, if you come, I could teach you too."

"The-well, I don't suppose there will be any others from my house, will there?"

True, she would be the only Slytherin. "Well, no," he admitted, "but no one will argue, I promise. I mean, it's not like I'm asking Malfoy is it?"

He suddenly felt nervous. She'd called him Draco to her sister, suppose they were friends and he just passive aggressively insulted him. But she laughed. "No, I suppose you aren't."

"Well, meet me in the Entrance Hall after dinner," he said breathlessly. "I'll take you there. Only I can tell people about the lessons, being the teacher, but Hermione's charmed the list we all signed and I'd rather not push my luck."

"Knowing her reputation it would be something awful," she agreed. "I will see you tomorrow then. Good afternoon, Harry."

"G-good afternoon, Daphne."

Just as Harry had promised Daphne, though at the time he hadn't been so sure, no one argued when he escorted Daphne and her sister into the Room of Requirement. But everyone did stare. Hermione looked very smug and pleased with herself, smirking at him from near the door with a look that told him he would definitely be explaining later. He brushed off any comments, though it seemed the Greengrass sisters weren't very hated in terms of the other Slytherins.

"I think it's wonderful, Harry," Hermione had said to get them started. "Really, it shows that not every ally will be in Hufflepuff, Gryffindor, or Ravenclaw. Right, everyone?"

At her pointed comment, everyone grumbled their version of an acceptance aside from Ron, who pulled Hermione and Harry aside so that the three could have a private moment to discuss; from which he came away looking very put out and Hermione helped welcome them to the group.

"It needs to be happy," Harry reminded everyone an hour later. "The happiest memory you have. Neville, you're getting it. Try something else."

"I'm trying!"

"Don't be such a killjoy," Cho told him, her swan gliding around her elegantly. "Aren't they pretty?"

It was strange, that he no longer felt giddy in her presence the way he had the year or even a month before, and found himself annoyed that she wasn't taking the lesson seriously. But, just when he was going to say something, Daphne beat him to it- her very faint bear cub bumbling around her feet.

"They're not meant to be pretty," she said very matter-of-fact. "They're supposed to protect you."

Cho looked angry for a moment, but Harry moved on to Daphne. "What I really need to do," he told her, crouching to examine her Patronus, "is to find a boggart. That's how I learned, but with all the different people-"

"Those are scary!" Lavender Brown said, trying to make something of the silver whisps coming out of her wand. "I like this better."

"How are you doing?" He asked Daphne quietly, her Glow not having faded from before. "I mean, it's okay, isn't it?"

She grinned, "It's wonderful. You really are a great teacher. Is that what you want to-"

The doors to the Room of Requirement opened, but no one seemed to have entered or left. Harry felt a tugging at the bottom of his robes and looked down to see Dobby, who was wearing eight of Hermione's tea cozy looking hats that she'd made the year before and a most worried expression- his big eyes glistening.

"Hi, Dobby! Wh-what's wrong?"

Everyone was watching the house elf now, the last remaining Patronus attempts having disappeared; leaving the room darker than before. "Harry Potter, sir..." he squeaked, "Harry Potter, sir, Dobby has come to warn you... the house elves have been warned not to tell..."

There were whispers of panic throughout the room, people wondering what was going on. Harry knelt down immediately, grabbing the elf's tiny arm when he tried to punish himself. "Dobby, what's happened?"

"Harry Potter... she... she..."

Umbridge. Harry looked up at the students watching them with eyes of terror. He'd started this, and now everyone was going to get in trouble because of him. "Umbridge is coming," he said quietly. "WHAT ARE YOU ALL WAITING FOR? RUN!"

Everyone began running in different directions, trying to get out all at once and being swept up in the alarm. Daphne pulled Astoria to her, Ginny and Neville held on so not to get separated, Ron and Lavender were each trying to get themselves out without concern for the other.

Harry swept Dobby into his grip and tried to fight through the crowd to get Daphne and Astoria out, being the last out and slamming the doors shut behind him. "Dobby, this is an order. Go back down to the kitchens and if she asks if you warned me, lie and say no. I forbid you to hurt yourself."

"Oh, thank you, Harry Potter, sir!" The elf cried before popping away.

"Harry, I have to get Astoria out of here," Daphne pleaded.

He pulled her by the hand, running towards Moaning Myrtle's bathroom as fast as he could that she could keep up to. "Come on! No one ever goes to Myrtle's bathroom. We'll be safe to hide there until it's clear."

"Myrtle's bathroom?" Astoria asked beside Daphne. "Moaning Myrtle? What have you been doing in the girl's lavatory?"

He thought back to he and Ron being hesitant about it their second year and almost smiled at the memory. "It's rather a great place to make potions."

They were almost there, and he thought he saw Myrtle's floating, depressed form, when there was a scream and Daphne's hand was ripped from his. He spun around to find her on the ground, skidding to a stop. Harry pushed his soulmate's sister towards the bathroom. "Go!"

"Trip Jinx, Potter," Malfoy cackled, coming into view from behind a tapestry. When he saw Harry helping Daphne up his face dropped and he glanced around almost frantically. "Daph? Why are you... where's... go, hurry, before-"

"Potter," came Umbridge's voice, cutting off Malfoy's. She came bustling around the far corner, breathless but with a delighted smile on her face that cut off when she saw Daphne. "I'm very disappointed in you, Miss Greengrass, being caught up in Potter's mischief. Well done, Draco. Fifty points to Slytherin. Now, go see if you can find anyone else to round up. Anyone out of breath. Have Miss Parkinson check the girl's bathrooms. You two, Potter and Greengrass, will be coming with me to the headmaster's office."

She didn't wait for them to start walking, grabbing one of their arms and pulling them hard behind her like a dog on a leash. Harry could feel bruises forming on his arm and hoped that she was being worse on his arm than Daphne's. Speaking of, she looked terrified- looking to him with large, blue pools of panic. He tried to convey how sorry he was, that he hadn't meant for this to happen, when a sick feeling hit his stomach and he had the thought that Umbridge had found them the day after he told Daphne about it. This was quickly squashed when he remembered how genuinely startled Umbridge had been to see her there. They reached the headmaster's gargoyle statue in minutes.

The office was full of people. Dumbledore looked perfectly calm, as though having asked them all to tea with the tips of his fingers brought together in a serene pose. McGonagall was standing erect behind him with intensely pursed lips. Cornelius Fudge was rocking backward and forward on his toes in front of the fireplace looking entirely too pleased with himself. Percy was sitting just behind him, scribbling notes and looking happier than Harry could remember seeing him when he'd become Head Boy. Kinglsey Shacklebolt and a man Harry didn't recognize seemed to be guarding the door. Everyone looked up when Umbridge dragged them in and shoved them into chairs.

"I'll thank you not to manhandle my students, Dolores," McGonagall said acrimoniously, but no one paid much attention to her except for Daphne- who seemed surprised at McGonagall referring to both students as her own.

"Well, well," Fudge said gleefully.

"They were heading towards Gryffindor Tower, I'm sure of it," Umbridge told him with indecent excitement in her voice. "The Malfoy boy cornered them."

"Did he?" Fudge asked appreciatively. "I must remember to tell Lucius. And you, Miss Greengrass. What will Marinus say about this?"

Harry assumed Marinus was her father, and the fear in her eyes flickered- the Glow darkening just barely and making Harry want to hex the Minister for incurring it. But she seemed to grit her teeth and jut out her chin. "Likely he'll be disappointed I let a Trip Jinx catch me. He's raised me to be smarter than that."

Harry thought that he might be rather glad his Glow chose her. Fudge tutted at her, circling the two of them in their chairs. "Well, then, Potter... I suppose you know why you're here?"

He had intended to say 'yes' very forcefully, but at the last second he caught sight of Dumbledore- who was not looking at him, but staring at a fixed spot over Harry's shoulder. He shook his head a fraction of an inch to each side, and Harry thought better.

"No, sir," he said, not sure why. "I do not."

Fudge was obviously taken back. "You do not?" He asked, sarcasm lacing his tone. "So neither you nor Miss Greengrass have any idea why you've been brought to the headmaster's office?"

"No, sir," he repeated.

Daphne widened her eyes slightly in innocent curiosity. Harry watched her in awe. "It must be very important if you're here, Minister. Is everything quite alright?"

Fudge's cheeks pinkened. "No, Miss Greengrass, they are not. Are you saying then, Potter, that you are not aware that you have broken any school rules?"

"School rules?" Harry asked, following Daphne's exemplary lead. "No."

"Or Ministry decrees," Fudge demanded, the pink darkening until his face was entirely red.

"Not that I'm aware of."

Umbridge piped up from behind them. "Then why were you caught running?"

Daphne answered before Harry could. "Harry was teaching me a game that muggle children play called tag. It really was exhilarating. I was 'it' you see and-"

"So it's news to you both," Fudge cut her off, his voice now thick with anger, "that an illegal student organization has been discovered within this school?"

Harry was still surprised at Daphne's answer, curious as to how she knew about playing tag, but answered blandly, "Yes, it is."

Again, Umbridge piped up when it seemed Fudge was about to loose his temper. "Perhaps this will go more smoothly if I fetch our informant."

Harry was incredibly relieved when Umbridge left rather than reach for Daphne, despite having figured it wasn't her. Minutes ticked by on the rather loud clock and Harry and Daphne exchanged glances that were only slightly less than a conversation. She was scared, but she was with him. He was her Glow. He was sorry, and hated that he'd pulled her into this.

When Umbridge came back she was pulling Cho's curly haired friend with her, Marietta, hiding her face in her hands. "Don't be scared, dear, don't be frightened. The minister is very pleased with you. He'll tell your mother what a good girl you've been. Marietta's mother," Umbridge told Fudge, "is Madame Edgecombe from the Department of Magical Transportation. She's been helping us monitor the Hogwarts fires, you know."

"Jolly good," Fudge said heartily as Daphne's eyes found Harry's again in a clear question of: does she know anything? Harry nodded as slightly as Dumbledore had shaken his head before. "...galloping gargoyles!"

They both looked over to where Marietta had raised her head and Fudge leapt backwards in shock, nearly landing in the fire. Marietta gave a wail and pulled the neck of her robes up as high as they would go, but not before the whole room had seen that her face was horribly disfigured by a series of close-set purple pustules that spread across her nose and cheeks to form the word: SNEAK.

Daphne's eyes widened at the display and Harry knew she was likely thinking to the day before when they talked about Hermione charming a list of DA members. She'd been right when she said that Hermione's reputation meant something awful.

"Nevermind the spots now," Umbridge said impatiently. "Just tell the Minister-"

But Marietta wailed again and tightened her grip on the robes, shaking her head frantically. "Very well, you silly girl," Umbridge snapped, turning a sickly smile to Harry, "I'll tell them. You see, Minister, Miss Edgecombe came to my office shortly after dinner this evening and told me she had something to tell me. She said that if I proceeded to the Room of Requirement, I would find out something to my advantage. I questioned her a little further and she admitted that there was to be some sort of meeting there..."

Harry wasn't sure he loathed anyone as much as he hated Marietta at that moment, giving her the dirtiest look he could muster.

"Isn't there a counter jinx," Fudge demanded, "so the girl can speak freely?"

"I've yet to find one." Harry was proud of Hermione's jinxing ability and Daphne's eyes looked mirthful at hearing that as well. "You'll remember, Minister, that I sent you a report back in October that Potter had met a number of fellow students in the Hog's Head in Hogsmeade-"

"And what is your evidence for that?" Professor McGonagall cut in.

"I have testimony from Willy Widdershins, Minerva, who happened to be in the bar at the time. He was heavily bandaged, it is true, but his hearing was quite unimpaired," Umbridge said smugly. "He heard every word Potter said and hastened straight to the school to report-"

"Oh, so that's why he wasn't prosecuted for setting up all those regurgitating toilets!" Professor McGonagall said sourly, her eyebrows raised. "What an interesting insight into our justice system!"

Daphne snorted, an entirely unladylike sound that made Harry grin at her, her mouth behind her hand as it had been the day before when she'd laughed at him. A portrait of a corpulent man on the wall behind Dumbledore's desk bellowed, "Blatant corruption! The Ministry did not cut deals with petty criminals in my day, no sir, they did not!"

"Thank you, Fortescue, that will do," Dumbledore said softly. The man shut up at once.

"The purpose of that meeting," Umbridge continued her earlier story, "was to persuade the students to join an illegal society, whose aim was to learn spells and curses the Ministry has decided inappropriate for school age-"

"I think you'll find you're wrong there, Dolores," Dumbledore told her quietly, peering over his half moon spectacles perched halfway down his crooked nose.

Harry stared at the man, unsure of how he could talk Harry out of it this time. If Willy Widdershins had indeed heard every word he'd said, there was no escape for him. Fudge seemed to sense this, jumping on immediately, with no less glee than when Harry had entered.

"Oho! Yes, let us hear this year's cock-and-bull story designed to keep Mr. Potter out of trouble! Go on then, Dumbledore, go on- Willy Widdershins was lying, was he? Or was it Potter's identical twin in the Hog's Head that day? Or is there just the usual, simple explanation involving a reversal of time, a dead man coming back to life, and a couple of invisible dementors?"

Percy Weasley let out a laugh and commended the Minister on his wit. Harry quickly imagined kicking him in the face. Twice. Once for that comment, and the second for breaking Mrs. Weasley's heart. But it seemed that, Dumbledore was smiling too.

"Cornelius, I do not deny- and nor, I am sure, does Harry- that he was in the Hog's Head that day, nor that he was trying to recruit students to a Defense Against the Dark Arts group. I am merely pointing out that Dolores is quite wrong to suggest such a group was, at the time, illegal." At this, Daphne began beaming- obviously understanding what the headmaster was saying faster than Harry was. "If you remember, the Ministry decree banning all student societies was not put into effect until two days after Harry's Hogsmeade meeting, so he was not breaking any rules in the Hog's Head at all."

Everyone stared at him, Percy and Fudge both looking as though he'd slapped them in the face with something remarkably heavy. Umbridge, of course, was the first to recover, smiling sweetly as if she hadn't just had her argument handed back to her.

"That all very fine, Headmaster," she said, everyone turning to look at her, "but we are now nearly six months on from the introductions of Educational Decree Number Twenty-four. If the first meeting was not illegal, all those that have happened since certainly are."

"They certainly would be," Dumbledore said with polite interest as he surveyed her over the tops of his interlocked fingers. Everyone looked back to him, enraptured with each new development. "If they had continued after the decree came into effect. Have you any evidence that these meetings continued?"

As Dumbledore spoke, Harry heard a rustling sort of sound behind him and thought for a moment that perhaps Kingsley had whispered something. He could have sworn too that he felt something brush against his side, a gentle something like a draft or bird wings, but thought it was just his imagination until he saw how Daphne had stiffened as well. She glanced over worriedly.

"Evidence?" Umbridge repeated with that horrible, wide toadlike smile. "Have you not been listening, Dumbledore? Why do you think Miss Edgecombe is here?"

"Oh, can she tell us about six months' worth of meetings? I was under the impression that she was merely reporting a meeting tonight."

"Miss Edgecombe," Umbridge said sharply, "tell us how long these meetings have been going on, dear. You can simply nod or shake your head, I'm sure that won't make the spots worse. Have they been happening regularly over the last six months?"

Harry felt his stomach plummet at the same time his heart jumped to his throat and Daphne looked over at him uncertainly, seeing the same nervousness in his eyes that he could see she was also experiencing. On his behalf.

"Just nod or shake your head, dear," Umbridge cooed. "Come on, now, that won't activate the jinx further..."

Everyone was watching Marietta's face, though only her eyes were visible between the pulled up robes and her curly fringe. Perhaps it was a trick of the firelight, but her eyes looked oddly blank, and she shook her head. He could hear Daphne breathe in sharply at the sight and Harry looked over to her, but she was watching Marietta still.

"I don't think you understood the question, did you, dear? I'm asking whether you've been going to these meetings for the past months? You have, haven't you?"

Again, she shook her head.

"What do you mean by that, dear?" Umbridge asked, no longer with a spuriously sweet voice.

"I should think her meaning is quite clear," Professor McGonagall said harshly. "There have been no secret meetings for the past six months, is that correct, Miss Edgecombe?"

Marietta nodded.

"But there was a meeting tonight!" Umbridge said furiously. "There was a meeting, Miss Edgecombe, you told me about it, in the Room of Requirement! And Potter was the leader, was he not, Potter organized it, Potter- why are you shaking your head, girl?"

"Well, usually," Daphne said quietly, looking worriedly at how close Umbridge was inching towards Marietta, "when a person shakes their head they mean 'no'."

Umbridge twisted her face angrily, but McGonagall's lips twitched as though she tried not to smile at the blonde- adding to her comment. "Yes, thank you, Miss Greengrass. So, Dolores, unless Miss Edgecombe is using some sort of sign language not yet known to humans-"

Professor Umbridge seized Marietta, pulled her around to face her, and began shaking her very hard. Daphne was on her feet instantly, backing away from the scene with a scandalized shriek. Harry came over to her, not knowing exactly why, only that he felt he should. Professor Dumbledore was on his feet as well, knobby wand raised. Kingsley started forward and Umbridge leapt away from Marietta, waving her hands as though they'd been burned.

"I cannot allow you to manhandle my students, Dolores," Dumbledore said, and for the first time, he looked angry. The shadows of the room seemed deeper than they had been, and McGonagall stood near Harry and Daphne protectively.

"You want to calm yourself," Kingsley said in his deep, slow voice. "You don't want to get yourself into trouble now."

"No," Umbridge said breathlessly. "I mean, yes- you're right, Shacklebolt. I-I forgot myself."

Marietta was standing exactly as she had been, not seeming to have been distressed when Umbridge grabbed her- nor relieved at being released with her eyes still blank and looking straight ahead. Daphne's sharp intake from before had him suspicious of that and the whisper he'd have sworn he heard, and the breeze that had passed between he and Daphne.

Fudge looked back and forth between everyone, his eyes landing fearfully on Dumbledore who had yet to reseat himself. "Dolores, the meeting tonight. The one we know definitely happened."

Umbridge nodded, still seeming pulling herself together and trying to seem as though she hadn't just lost her cool. "Yes, yes... well, Miss Edgecombe tipped me off and I proceeded at once to the seventh floor, accompanied by a few trustworthy students. It appears they were forewarned, however, because when we reached the seventh floor they were running in every which direction. It matters not, though. I have all of their names here, you see."

To Harry's horror, that was only just slightly alleviated by Daphne's hand finding his, Umbridge pulled out a list of names that had been pinned upon the Room of Requirement's wall and handed it to Fudge.

"The moment I saw Potter's name on the list, I knew what we were dealing with," she said triumphantly.

And there, at the top in Hermione's flourished writing, was Dumbledore's Army. Fudge's eyes widened at it and he sputtered, "See what they've named themselves?"

Dumbledore gingerly took the parchment from him and looked very hard at the writing, not saying anything for a moment as though unable to speak. Then, very slowly, he began to smile. "Well, the game is up then," he said cheerfully. "Would you like a written confession from me, Cornelius, or will a statement in front of these witnesses suffice?"

"S-statement?" Fudge stuttered, not understanding. Neither did Harry, but Kingsley and McGonagall obviously did- looking to each other.

"Dumbledore's Army, Cornelius," Dumbledore replied, still smiling. He glanced to Harry, and Harry thought he saw pride there. "Not Potter's Army. Dumbledore's Army."

"But- but-" understanding blazing suddenly in Fudge's face and his eyes widened comically. "You?"

"That's right," Dumbledore said pleasantly.

"You organized this?"

"I did."

"You recruited these students for- for your army? To undermine me?"

Dumbledore grinned and nodded. "Tonight was supposed to be the first meeting, merely to see whether they would be interested in joining me. I see now that it was a mistake to invite Miss Edgecombe, of course."

Marietta nodded and Fudge's chest swelled, a manic glee lighting his eyes. "You have been plotting against me!"

"That's right," Dumbledore said happily.

"NO!" It finally dawned on Harry what the headmaster was trying to do, and he couldn't let it happen. "Professor Dumbledore!"

Daphne's grip tightened and he remembered that she was holding his hand, briefly looking at their interlocked fingers in a daze. "Harry," she whispered, "don't. He's doing it for you."

"Well, well, well," Fudge was saying, "I came here to have Harry expelled, and instead-"

"Instead you get to arrest me," Dumbledore said, smiling. "It's like losing a Knut and finding a Galleon, isn't it?"

Fudge called for Percy, demanding that he take his notes and send a duplicate to The Daily Prophet for a morning printing. The door slammed behind the Weasley boy as he dashed out like the lapdog he was. Fudge looked back to Dumbledore. "You'll be escorted back to the Ministry, then, where you will be formally charged and then sent to Azkaban to await trial."

The thought of Dumbledore in a lonely, damp cell that Sirius had told him about left Harry feeling cold- the way his mentor would be soon- and he wanted to stop this, but Daphne's hand was warm in his to remind him not to.

"Ah," Dumbledore said gently, "yes. Yes, I thought we might hit that little snag."

"Snag?" Fudge asked, still grinning. "I see no snag at all."

"Yes, well," Dumbledore said apologetically, "you see, I'm afraid I do."

"Oh really?"

"Well- it's just that you seem to be laboring under the delusion that I am going to- what is the phrase?- 'come quietly'. I am afraid I am not going to come quietly at all, Cornelius. I have absolutely no intention of being sent to Azkaban. I could break out, of course- but what a waste of time, and frankly, I can think of a whole host of things I would rather be doing."

Umbridge's face was growing steadily redder, she looked as though she was being filled with boiling water. Harry could imagine the steam of a Pepper Up potion pouring out of her ears merely from rage. Fudge stared at Dumbledore with a very amusing expression on his face, as though he had just been stunned by a sudden blow and could not quite believe it had happened. He made a small choking noise and then whirled around to look at Kingsley and the man with short gray hair, who alone of everyone in the room had remained entirely silent so far. The latter gave Fudge a reassuring nod and moved forward a little, away from the wall. Harry saw his hand- the one not currently being crushed in Daphne's death grip- drift, almost casually, toward his pocket.

"Don't be silly, Dawlish," Dumbledore said kindly. "I'm sure you are an excellent Auror, I seem to remember that you achieved 'Outstanding' in all your N.E.W.T.s, but if you attempt to 'bring me in' by force, I will have to hurt you."

The man called Dawlish seemed to take a step back, glancing helplessly to the Minister- who was still in a state of stupefaction. Fudge pulled himself out of it and sneered. "So, you think you'll take Dawlish, Shacklebolt, Dolores, and myself single-handedly do you?"

"Merlin, no," he said pleasantly, "not unless you are foolish enough to force me to."

"He won't be single-handed," McGonagall said loudly, plunging her hand into her robes for her wand.

"Yes," Dumbledore said sharply, "he will. Minerva, Hogwarts needs you."

"Enough of this foolishness," Fudge said, obviously getting more nervous about his offensive stance. "Dawlish, Kinglsey, take him!"

A streak of silver light flashed around the room. There was a bang like a gunshot, and the floor trembled. A hand grabbed the scruff of Harry's neck and forced him down on the floor as a second silver flash went off — several of the portraits yelled, Fawkes screeched, and a cloud of dust filled the air. A form next to him, whom he was able to identify as Daphne by her Glow, groaned and he tried to reach for her. She was reaching back, fingers tightening around his own. Coughing in the dust, Harry saw a dark figure fall to the ground with a crash in front of him. There was a shriek and a thud and somebody cried, "No!" Then the sound of breaking glass, frantically scuffling footsteps, a groan — and silence.

It was Professor McGonagall who had shoved everyone out of the way, an unconscious Marietta laying there as well. Dust was still floating gently down through the air onto them. Panting slightly, Harry saw a very tall figure moving toward them.

"Are you all right?" Dumbledore asked.

"Yes," Professor McGonagall said for them, helping Marietta up while Harry and Daphne stood.

The dust was clearing and Harry took in the destruction. Dumbledore's desk was over turned, Fudge, Umbridge, Dawlish, and Kingsley lay unconscious on the floor, and Fawkes gliding above their heads smoothly- singing.

"I do apologize, Miss Greengrass," Dumbledore said in earnest. "I'm sure this isn't quite what you had in mind for your evening."

"Quite alright, Professor," she said politely, not having let go of Harry's hand and examining the wreckage with wide eyes. "Quite alright."

"We only have a few moments," Dumbledore said, "or I'd have like to know the full story of your Glow. Rarely have I seen them so bright. You must remember to act as though no time has passed, tat they were only knocked down. I admit that Kingsley was rather quick on the uptake. Minerva, please commend him on the job to Miss Edgecombe's memory."

McGonagall moved closer to her friend, "Where will you go, Albus? Grimmauld Place?"

"Oh no," Dumbledore said with a grim smile. "I am not leaving to go into hiding. Fudge will soon wish he'd never dislodged me from Hogwarts, I promise you..."

Harry suddenly felt that he should say something, apologize perhaps, but all that came out was the headmaster's name. Daphne stepped closer to him and his side warmed with her there. Dumbledore didn't wait to see if his tongue would find him.

"Listen to me, Harry," he said urgently, "you must study Occlumency as hard as you can, do you understand me? Do everything Professor Snape tells you and practice it particularly every night before sleeping so that you can close your mind to those dreams- you will understand why soon enough, but you must promise me-"

Dawlish stirred and Fawkes swooped low towards Dumbledore. The headmaster grabbed hold of the phoenix' tail and, in a brilliant burst of light and a thundering sound, was gone.

A/N: So, I know most of this was Harry, and I promise it's Hermione's story, but it just sort of flowed this way. But I like the parts with Daphne and Harry. I love writing them, it's so adorable and awkward and perfect. And while I absolutely DESPISE Dumbledore, I like writing him okay-ish. Next chapter we'll be back to Hermione, as it really will be HER story. Promise. And before long we will find out who Hermione's soulmate is. Any theories?

Dasvidanya, Mia