Chapter 12: The Start of a New Reign

Hermione avoided Ron whenever she could which was a hard feat to accomplish considering they had every class together and Ron tried to talk to her whenever they had a meal or a free period. This behavior continued until January 9th, when Hermione went looking for Ron and Harry, who she found in the common room playing exploding snap. She asked them if they would mind helping her post some bulletins around the castle in places the Headmaster wouldn't find them. They agreed and began working.

The next day in the house common rooms and in the library there was a message posted to all the Hogwarts students.

"Attention young witches and wizards of Hogwarts,

If you've ever wished there was another side to the war that is raging between light and dark, then keep reading. If you've ever wished you could help fight for what you believe in, then keep reading. The time has come for you to take a stand and participate in a new reign that has started. The first meeting will take place in the Room of Requirement on the seventh floor on January 16th.

A friend"

During the days leading up to the first meeting Hermione was often spending time in her parents' chambers working on her transformation into Hera, unfortunately she was having some difficulty starting them at will. On January 16th the Golden trio and Skylar were waiting outside the Room of Requirement for people to arrive for the meeting. Half an hour pasted and they were surrounded by a total of forty four people. Harry led the group inside and started the meeting.

"I would like to thank you all for coming to this meeting."Harry said as he looked around and noticing that Draco and Pansy were standing among the gathered group. "Before we begin, I want to say that I am not the friend that wrote the bulletin, I just helped post them." Everyone was surprised by this news. Surely the golden boy would have written the letter and if he really hadn't, who had?

Harry continued the meeting by introducing the teachers that their friend had assigned to lead the meetings. He then moved on to the reason why they had gathered. "Now our friend has come to the conclusion that the war going on is nothing but unnecessary killings and terror tactics. They believe that if there is going to be a war, it needs to be for the right reasons." Harry said as he looked at everyone's faces.

Skylar walked up next to Harry and began to speak, "This person has decided to start this organization to help people gain confidence in their beliefs… and because there was a prophecy made that destined them to defeat two great wizards of their time." "And in order for them to accomplish that, they need supporters. Now as many of you might be thinking, how is this person any different than Dumbledore or Voldemort, how can they possible promise me something better than what I already have?" Ron said continuing their speech after Skylar finished.

"I can tell you that our friend would never consider using curses against you for your discipline or for punishment. They will never place memory charms on you or manipulate you. They don't wish for their followers to be scared of them, they only want people to join them because they want to help make the Wizarding world a better place. And anyone that helps them 

in any way possible will be rewarded when the war is over." Ron continued after he had their attention.

"So if you feel like you can help our friend in anyway, please stay after the meeting is finished to sign a membership sheet. Signing this will allow you to return to the following meetings, so if you don't wish to sign I want to thank you now for coming and taking the time to hear what we had to say." Hermione said with a smile.

Several people looked around the room when Hermione finished talking, trying to decide what to do. When the meeting was over most of the younger years stood up and left. After counting 27 people still in the room Hermione thanked everyone as Ron pulled out a long piece of parchment.

"Just to warn you, if you sign this you are signing a binding contract with our friend, so if you're unsure about your decision please leave." Surprisingly no one stood up. "Alright then, please sign the parchment with your name, year, and house." Ron said as he passed the parchment to the person closest to him.

"Present name-not yet decided.

1a. Hermione Granger, fifth year, Gryffindor

1b. Harry Potter, fifth year, Gryffindor

1c. Ron Weasley, fifth year, Gryffindor

1d. Skylar Snape, fifth year, Slytherin

1.Draco Malfoy, fifth year, Slytherin

2.Pansy Parkinson, fifth year, Slytherin

3.Theodore Nott, fifth year, Slytherin

4.Adrian Pucey, sixth year, Slytherin

5.Malcolm Baddock, third year, Slytherin

6.Tracey Davis, fifth year, Slytherin

7.Graham Pritchard, third year, Slytherin

8.Millicent Bulstrode, fifth year, Slytherin

9.Vincent Crabbe, fifth year, Slytherin

10.Gregory Goyle, fifth year, Slytherin

11.Aimee Moon, fifth year, Slytherin

12.Tawny Lupin, third year, Ravenclaw

13. Jasper Black, fourth year, Ravenclaw

14.Padma Patil, fifth year, Ravenclaw

15.Lisa Turpin, fifth year, Ravenclaw

16.Zacharias Smith, fifth year, Hufflepuff

17.Cedric Diggory- seventh year, Hufflepuff

18.Neville Longbottom, fifth year, Gryffindor

19.Parvati Patil, fifth year, Gryffindor

20.Dean Thomas, fifth year, Gryffindor

21.Ginny Weasley, fourth year, Gryffindor

22.Lavender Brown, fifth year, Gryffindor

23.Seamus Finnigan, fifth year, Gryffindor

24.Katie Bell, sixth year, Gryffindor

25.Fred Weasley, seventh year, Gryffindor

26.George Weasley, seventh year, Gryffindor

27.Alicia Spinnet, seventh year, Gryffindor



Once everyone signed the list Harry scheduled the next meeting for January 25th. As they started to leave the Room of Requirement Seamus turned and asked Harry an important question. "Since we just signed a binding contract to help our friend, is it too much if we ask if our friend is a guy or a girl?"

Harry looked around to his friends where he caught a slight nod from Hermione. "Well since you did just sign a contract pledging your loyalty to someone, I guess it's not too much to ask. To answer your question, she is very glad you agreed to help her." This caused looks from some people, but other's just smiled before they made their way to their common rooms. While the last few people were leaving, Hermione noticed Draco turned back to look at her before he followed his friends out the door.

The next week was spent in preparation for the next meeting, with Hermione still avoiding Ron. On January 25th Harry informed the new members that the next meeting would be slightly different than the previous ones. He told them that from now on they would attend meetings every night after dinner and be taught a different skill by certain teachers. The next meeting was set for February 1st and during the time between the meetings Ron ended his year long relationship with Lavender.

On February 1st Harry greeted the unnamed group in the Room of Requirement. He told them that he would be teaching them the proper ways to duel and which spells worked well outside a proper duel. At the end of the meeting Harry stopped them as they were about to leave. "Before you go, you should know that Hermione will be teaching you on every Monday after today. The only reason I'm teaching you today, and not on my scheduled Tuesdays is because Hermione's under the weather and will be teaching you tomorrow."

"Ron is your teacher on Wednesdays and Skylar is on Thursdays. On Fridays we will all be present so we can review what we taught the previous week. Your weekends are free for you to do whatever you wish, and you start back on Mondays." Harry continued as the group nodded their heads. "Since you're teaching us, when do you learn what we're being taught?" Fred Weasley asked him. Harry smiled at him. "That's a good question. We teach each other during the weekend, and have private lessons with our friend after the meetings on Fridays."

The meeting ended after that and the next day Hermione taught them about spells used for protection and healing. After the meeting ended and all the members had left, Ron walked into the room. "Hermione, can we talk?" He asked as he walked closer to her. Hermione looked up, not quite startled at his sudden appearance, but more surprised that he was acting mature.

"I guess so but make it quick, curfew starts soon." Ron smiled at her before he closed the door behind him. "This will only take a minute." Hermione sighed before she started to sit into thin air, but then there was a couch under her. She smiled as Ron came and sat down beside her. "I've been thinking about what you said on New Year's Eve and you're right. I shouldn't have been kissing Lavender in the common room, not everyone wants to see that." Ron started off by saying. Hermione frowned; this was not what she had hoped to hear.

"Is that all Ronald? I have to get to bed sometime tonight." Hermione said as she stood up. Ron looked at her startled, "Wait Hermione!" he said grabbing onto her arm causing Hermione to turn and look at him. "Please hear me out." Hermione looked at him before she sat back down. "As I was trying to say, it was really inconsiderate of me, not just because no one wants to see that but because you were right. I don't love Lavender and I never have, I only continued to date her because you were dating Krum and then Deacon and Blaise." Ron said looking at Hermione. "I did tell Harry that I love you and I still do."



"Why are you telling me this now?" Hermione said after a few minutes. Ron closed his eyes before speaking "Because I know after Blaise cheated on you you closed off your emotions. You haven't smiled in months. It's up to me to give you the love and support you need… because you can't run this." Here Ron gestured around the Room of Requirement, "without someone there for you."

"Hermione I've loved you since our first year when we saved you from the troll. At first I wasn't sure what I was feeling, but it continued to grow as you were in the Hospital wing second year. I got really angry when you started to date Krum, but when you told me you had broken up I started to think I had a chance."

"If I hadn't made fun of you in transfiguration then you and Deacon probably wouldn't have started dating…and I would have had a chance with you. Then you and Skylar were in the Hospital wing, so when you finally got out I thought I had the perfect chance, but you started to date Blaise… I had started to think that you didn't want to date me since you were dating everyone else… that is until you yelled at me in the common room." Ron continued with a frustrated look on his face.

Throughout Ron's speech Hermione had started to smile. When he was finished Hermione asked him a question. "Are you finished yet?" Sadly Ron nodded. "Are you sure? I thought you wanted to ask me something…" Hermione said again. Ron thought for a few minutes before he smiled, "Hermione, will you be my girlfriend?" Hermione's smile became larger, "Of course."

Hermione and Ron's new relationship wasn't kept a secret. The meetings continued until it was Friday and all the teachers were there. Skylar told the members that whenever she wore a silver crescent moon necklace that their friend was watching them from somewhere in the room, she was always seen wearing it. On February 16th Tawny ran into the Room of Requirement before the meeting was to start, crying. Hermione turned to her sister and her eyes widen when she saw Tawny's natural brown hair sitting atop her head.

"Tawny what happened?" Hermione asked as Tawny ran up to her. "It was horrible Hera. During dinner… my glamour just, it just canceled itself." Tawny said tears falling from her eyes, her voice sounding shaky. Hermione's eyes widen further as Tawny continued. "After I felt it disappear I looked around and noticed all my friends were looking at me, it didn't seem like they liked what they saw."

"I was about to run away when I remembered what dad told me when I convinced him to let me wear the glamour. I looked at each one of my friends and said that if they couldn't accept me for what I truly looked like, then they could just leave." Tawny said as she looked up into her sister's blue eyes.

"Oh Hera… it was horrible, every one of them stood up and walked away." Tawny said as she cried harder. Hermione hugged her to her as she noticed the door opening slowly. She didn't startle Tawny as she watched Jasper open the door and walk into the room. "Hermione, can I speak to Tawny for a moment?"

Hermione felt Tawny jerk in her arms as Jasper spoke. "I'm not going to leave the room." She said as she let go of Tawny and walked over to the table in the corner of the room. Jasper waited until Hermione was a good distance away before walking closer to Tawny. "Hello." Tawny kept her head down but replied just the same, "Hello Mr. Black." Jasper shook his head. "Tawny, please look at me." She shook her head.

"You know it doesn't matter to me what you look like." Jasper said trying to make her feel better, unfortunately it didn't work. Tawny raised her head and looked Jasper in the eyes. 

"You don't care what I look like?" She asked him sarcastically. "You, the one that hasn't said more than seven sentences to me since my first year here, the one who, during those few times, called me a fake, poser and a liar. You hate me, so of course you don't care what I look like!"

Jasper didn't look away from his cousin's angry face. "The only reason why I was such a jerk to you was because I knew you weren't really a tall blonde witch. I knew from your first day of classes that you were hiding under a glamour charm, and I did hate you for that. I hate anyone that can't accept what they were made to be, made to look like… but since you told everyone off in the Great Hall, I realized that you chose yourself over a lie that it shocked me. I didn't realize you would change and accept yourself, but you have and I want to say that I'm sorry for being so mean to you." Jasper said taking her small hand in his. Tawny looked up him before she smiled.

Jasper smiled back and paused a second before saying something that it seemed he was scared to say. "I know that we're related and everything but I… I want to make you happy, all the time." Tawny looked at Jasper like he had grown an extra head. "What?" Jasper let out a small laugh. "You heard me Victoria. I want to make you happy; I want to be your boyfriend."Before Tawny could respond people started to arrive for the meeting. "Please come in and be seated." Hermione called out as the members started to crowd the doorway. She pulled out her wand and conjured 27 seats facing the middle of the room, where she was standing.

"Today we will be learning about Animagus transformations." Hermione started off by saying once everyone was seated and paying attention. She went on to explain that the transformations were actually simpler than what Professor McGonagall told them. After everyone finished coping notes on the transformations, Hermione smiled at them. "Now as you know we normally see a demonstration before we try to attempt anything ourselves, so will Tawny Lupin please join me?" Everyone looked around for their blonde Ravenclaw peer, but instead a small brown haired girl walked over to Hermione.

"Now, while keeping in mind what you just learned, watch Tawny closely." Hermione said as Tawny stood beside her and closed her eyes. To some people the transformation looked painful simply because Tawny had her eyes clutched shut. Everyone watched as Tawny shrank and grew furry ears and a long lion like tail. Once she had finished Hermione smiled and began talking, as she pointed to the Lynx beside her. "You see nothing to the transformations at all." She then signaled for Tawny to change back and in a matter of seconds she was back to normal.

"Tawny, can you tell us when you learned how to become an animagus?" Hermione asked making sure she worded the question correctly. "I taught myself how to do it last year." "So the concept is simple enough for a second year to understand?" Hermione asked as the members stared at Tawny in amazement. "Yes it is easy. I expect everyone to be able to complete it." Tawny said before she went and sat back down, next to Jasper.

Hermione told everyone to pair up and concentrate on clearing their minds. This is how the rest of the meeting was spent. The meetings continued until on one Thursday Skylar stopped her teachings early. "Just an announcement, tomorrow you will be placed into special groups that our friend feels will benefit your improvement greatly." She said as she fingered the crescent moon around her neck. People saw this and looked around the room trying to figure out where their friend was hidden. They, of course, didn't notice the white werewolf that was lying in the shadows of the room.