Chapter 3: Training
Ginny arrived early at the Room of Requirement for the first TEA meeting the next Saturday. It was just as well since she noticed someone slipping past her when she entered.
"I prefer my tea without sugar or cream," a voice nearby said. Ginny knew that Snape had arrived to look in to the first TEA meeting and nodded before she started to prepare the room.
Ginny had drawn up a contract similar to that of the DA, and she also had charmed necklaces with the help of Luna. The necklaces where charmed to relay messages, like the DA coins, and they were charmed to be invisible to anyone who was not wearing such a necklace.
Shortly after Snape had arrived, Neville, looking irate, and Luna, who as usual looked as though she happened upon the room by chance, entered the room. Ginny could swear that Luna looked straight into the corner where Ginny knew that Snape was hiding.
"Ginny, how many times do I have to tell you not to walk these halls alone these days?" Neville said harshly.
"Neville, I can take care of myself!" Ginny said with a huff.
Before Neville could retort the room opened and the first students arrived. They were some first years who looked around curiously before they settled on some cushions that littered the room. Shortly after, even more students arrived. By the time it was 7 o'clock there where around 30 students in the room, from all houses and years.
Ginny found that her throat had gone dry, she could not speak. She had not expected such a big turn-out. It was only when everyone in the room was looking at her that Ginny realised that she was expected to speak.
Ginny cleared her throat, and began the speech she had prepared.
"H-hello all." Ginny was mortified to realise that she stuttered a bit.
Neville and Luna went to stand next to Ginny, and Ginny was able to summon some courage from that simple gesture from her friends.
"Welcome to The Emerald Army. In today's meeting I will discuss with you what we are going to be doing in these meetings, and some other things like swearing you all to secrecy."
There was some muttering after this announcement from the non-DA members.
"You must realise that if the Carrows or Snape find out about this that we will all be in very big trouble," Neville spoke up. Ginny didn't have the heart to tell Neville that Snape already knew and was listening to every word.
"So what? What can we do? It is not like we stand a chance against You-Know-Who," a Slytherin first year said. A murmur of agreement went through the room at these words. Ginny started to doubt if it was such a good idea to invite the Slytherins to this meeting, but was encouraged by the fact that this Slytherin did not call Voldemort 'The Dark Lord'.
"You're name is?" Ginny asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Yaxley, Brandon Yaxley," the first year answered.
"Well, Yaxley, we all have to make a choice between what is easy, and what is right," Ginny said seriously.
"If you don't want training you can leave now!" Neville said, glaring at Yaxley.
But Yaxley did not move, nor did anyone else.
"We will be teaching you how to defend against the dark arts, we will also be teaching you true Muggle Studies, not the brainwashing the Carrows are doing," Ginny continued as though there had been no interruption.
"How can we be sure that you are not the one doing the brainwashing?" a Ravenclaw first year asked.
"You're name is?" Neville asked this time.
"Selwyn, Addison Selwyn," the Ravenclaw answered.
"Cause what the Carrows are teaching us is not the full truth..." Ginny began, but was interrupted.
"So there is truth to it?" a Hufflepuff first year asked.
It was Padma Patil who answered this time, "Yes, the Muggles were at fault for some of the troubles of the Wizarding world, but we wizards and witches where not innocent either."
"Muggles are just like you and me, they are human," Seamus Finnigan spoke up.
"They can't do magic like us, we are their betters!" someone said loudly, Ginny could not see who.
At this announcement people started shouting at each other and Ginny could feel a headache coming up. This was going to be harder then she had thought. When Ginny saw that some wands where being drawn she knew she had to do something quickly.
"ENOUGH!" Ginny shouted, and to her amazement everyone stopped arguing and fighting to look towards her.
"The Muggle Studies we are offering is just another view point on what the Carrows are teaching, it is up to you what you believe to be true, just know that the Carrows think their version is the universal truth, and they will do anything to get that point across. If you don't like it, you can leave now!" Ginny said, looking around the room. Some people shuffled around nervously, but no-one made to leave.
"Good, now I want everyone to sign this list, signing this list will be the same as signing a magical contract. When you sign the list you will be unable to talk about this group to anyone who is not a member of the group."
Furthermore, every one of you will receive a necklace. This necklace will be a sign you are part of the group, the necklace will also heat up when a new time for a meeting is set. Additionally only people who also have such a necklace will be able to see it," Ginny said, putting both the box of necklaces and the parchment she and Luna had prepared on a table in front of her.
"Is that really necessary?" Selwyn asked.
"We are not taking any risks that the Carrows, or worse Snape, find out about this!" Neville said, glaring at Selwyn.
That put an end to the protests, and everyone lined up to sign the parchment and receive a necklace.
"As soon as you have signed the parchment and received a necklace, you are free to leave. I will announce the first true training meeting over the necklaces," Ginny announced while Neville and Luna took care that everyone signed the parchment and received a necklace.
One by one, each of the gathered students signed their name on the parchment and received a necklace, then left the room.
Some of the DA seemed to be staying behind, but surprisingly it was Luna who intervened.
"There will be no DA meeting tonight, we will meet up later," she said sternly, while giving a wink to Ginny.
After everyone had left, and only Neville, Luna, Ginny, and Ginny assumed Snape remained, Ginny collapsed in a chair that appeared out of nowhere.
"What have we gotten ourselves into?" Ginny questioned.
"This thing was your idea, Ginny," Neville said, narrowing his eyes.
"I know, I'm just a little overwhelmed," Ginny said.
"I think it went well," Luna said airily.
"I just hope not every meeting will go this badly," Ginny said shaking her head. Things really hadn't gone like she had planned.
"Cheer up, Ginny. Considering everything it went as Luna said 'well'. I'm only worried about some of the first years, they didn't seem too enthusiastic," Neville said.
"We better get back to our Common Rooms," Luna said.
"You two go ahead. I have to do something first," Ginny said, slowly standing up.
"Ginny, you really shouldn't be walking around on your own," Neville said, narrowing his eyes.
"Nev, for the thousandth time, I. Can. Take. Care. Of. Myself!" Ginny said, getting annoyed with Neville's attitude.
"I'll be waiting outside," Neville said, eyeing Ginny suspiciously.
Ginny nodded while Neville walked outside. Luna however approached Ginny.
"You realise someone has been watching the whole meeting from that corner?" Luna asked pointing to the corner where Snape was hiding.
Ginny sighed. Sometimes Luna was to perceptive for her own good.
"There is no one there Luna," Ginny said, frowning to the corner that Luna pointed to.
"Hmm, I could have sworn..." Luna said to herself, she looked directly at Snape one last time, shrugged and left the room.
"That was acceptable," Snape said, removing his Disillusionment Charm. " You should be more careful, the Lovegood girl suspects," Snape continued before Ginny could reply.
"I trust her!" Ginny said hotly.
"I suppose that you can keep her ignorant?" Snape asked.
"Dunno, but even if she did find out about you, she wouldn't tell anyone else," Ginny said.
"That is acceptable," Snape said lowly.
"I should warn you though, that not all who turned up today wish you well," Snape said, eyeing Ginny closely.
"Nothing I can't handle," Ginny said defiantly.
"Take special care when talking to Yaxley, Selwyn and Rowle," Snape continued as though Ginny hadn't spoken.
"Rowle?" Ginny asked, she looked down at the list and saw a Ralph Rowle on the list.
"Yaxley, Selwyn and Rowle are the children of Death Eaters," Snape said lowly.
"Right! Thanks for the warning," Ginny said, grateful for that new knowledge.
"I suppose I should sign this list?" Snape asked warily.
"No, Neville and Luna will be looking at this list a lot, I will just give you a necklace, and I trust that you won't tell anyone about the club," Ginny said, handing Snape a necklace.
"Very well," Snape said, looking at Ginny intently.
"I better go before Neville sends out a search party," Ginny said, walking towards the door.
Snape nodded and performed another Disillusionment Charm. And just as Ginny expected Neville and Luna were waiting for her.
~O~
The weeks after the first TEA meeting passed quickly. They where filled with classes, DA meetings and TEA meetings.
The Defense part was highly popular among the TEA members, while the Muggle Studies part still caused some major arguments, both in the TEA meetings, and to Ginny's horror, in Alecto's Muggle Studies lessons. This last one caused a lot of detentions, and the cancellation of several TEA meetings due to students recovering from Cruciatus curses.
When one whole week of TEA lessons had to be cancelled for this reason, Snape gave Ginny a recipe for a potion that would cure the after effects of the Cruciatus curse, which Ginny taught both TEA and the DA to brew at the first opportunity.
The efforts of the DA to undermine the regime of the Carrows went as well as Ginny could have expected. As a result, Ginny, Neville and Luna were often in detention with either of the Carrow siblings, as they took credit for most things that went wrong, especially if the trouble was made by a first year. Unfortunately, this meant that Ginny, Neville and Luna where the main people using the Post-Cruciatus-Potions, as Neville came to call it.
Since the first TEA meeting, Ginny could swear that she was being watched while she slept, or even showered. But Homenum Revelio showed nothing when she was to cast it in those cases. However she did not feel threatened at all when she had this feeling. Instead she felt a sense of comfort and safety, like someone out there was watching over her.
What those weeks had in activity concerning TEA and the DA, they completely lacked in news from Harry. Snape said after one TEA meeting that he was in contact with Harry and Hermione, but that neither was forthcoming to what they where doing, or where they were. Ginny was at first worried about the fact that Ron's name seemed to be missing, but then wrote it off to the fact that Ron might have had guard duty or something. Any other possibilities were to horrible to think about.
Often Ginny would think about the words Parkinson had said to her in the Room of Hidden Things. Her brain told her that Parkinson could be speaking the truth. But her gut told her that Harry was out there, fighting. And that he was the one 'looking over her'. The limited news she got from Snape seemed to confirm this theory, though Snape was not very forthcoming with any news. When she was not worrying about the words Parkinson had said, she wondered about how the Slytherin witch had come to be in the room, and concluded that Malfoy had told Parkinson about the room.
Snape visited in most TEA meetings, when he dared to risk it. Every time Snape visited, Ginny had the feeling that Luna knew that he was there. But to Ginny's relief, Luna did not confront her about it again.
Before Ginny knew it, the Christmas Holidays were upon them, and Luna, Neville and Ginny were on the train back to King's Cross.
Seamus, Lavendar, Neville, Luna and Ginny were all sitting together in the compartment, discussing the events of the last term, and what everyone hoped to do during the holidays. During the whole trip Luna had been watching Ginny unblinkingly, as if she saw something that wasn't there, and Ginny was getting quite uncomfortable under Luna's gaze. It was half way trough the trip when Ginny finally cracked.
"I have to use the loo," Ginny said, standing up and hoping to escape Luna's scrutiny.
"I'll go with," Neville said standing up.
"No, I'll go," Luna said, giving Neville a look that made him sit down again. Ginny sighed inwardly. Apparently it was not that easy to escape Luna.
"There is someone invisible present at most TEA meetings, and you know about it," Luna stated as soon as the door of the compartment closed behind the girls, and both of them set of towards the loo.
"I don't know what you are talking about, Luna," Ginny said, trying to play ignorant.
"I think you perfectly well what I'm talking about, one corner of the Room of Requirement is often filled with wrackspurts," Luna said matter of factly.
While the two girls had been talking they had arrived at the loo, but Ginny made no move to enter it. Instead she was watching Luna closely. Ginny knew she could not lie to Luna any longer.
"You are right, but I can't tell you who it is, except that I trust him," Ginny said seriously.
"Ah, so it is a 'him'?" Luna said, raising an eyebrow. Ginny inwardly cursed when she realised what she let slip.
"Can we talk about this later?" Ginny asked getting uncomfortable.
"Okay, we will talk about this after the holidays. Let's get back to the compartment," Luna said. As she walked back towards the compartment, Ginny followed a bit behind her.
When Ginny arrived at the compartment, she looked around confused. She could have sworn that Luna was a bit behind her before they arrived back, but now she was nowhere to be seen. Shrugging her shoulders Ginny entered the compartment.
"Where's Luna?" Neville asked concerned.
"Dunno, she was in front of me... no... that can't be right, she was behind me," Ginny said confused. Something was not right here.
"What happened Ginny?" Seamus asked.
"We walked back from the loo, Luna was in front of me, I remember that much," Ginny said, scrunching up her face in concentration.
"When should Luna have gotten behind you?" Lavender asked.
Ginny tried to think back, but all she could remember was a highly confused blur of images, nothing seemed to make sense till she was back at the compartment.
"Can't remember," Ginny said, trying to shake the cobwebs out of her head, but they stayed firmly in place.
"Sounds like you have either been Confunded, or Obliviated," Neville said, looking at Ginny intently.
"So, we don't know where Luna is then?" Seamus asked concerned.
"She probably has been taken," Lavender said fearfully.
When Ginny heard that she could not help but feel guilty. If only she could remember what had happened...