The Decisions of Dumbledore's Army

Minerva McGonagall strode up the grassy knoll that surrounded Hogwarts, a charm stopping the dark grey rain from pelting her as she went. McGonagall strode mud onto the flagstones of the entrance hall, not evening the snarling Argus Filch a second glance as she went straight to the Headmaster's office.

"Snape." McGonagall seethed at the greasy-haired man sitting in Albus's chair.

"Headmaster." Snape corrected, not even bothering to look at McGonagall.

"Headmaster Snape." McGonagall forced out through gritted teeth. "What is the meaning of this?"

Snape looked up from whatever it was he was working on. "Professor McGonagall, if you insist on barging in here whilst I am engaged in important work and then beginning to blather on about something even I cannot understand, be my guest, but don't expect me to understand what you're on about."

"Luna Lovegood and Ginny Weasley." McGonagall hissed. "They never made it to Kings Cross."

"Are you sure they made it onto the train? Lovegoods' head should be raining down on us all, it's in the clouds that much, and Weasley is probably more empty headed than Lockhart."

"Yes, I'm sure." McGonagall replied. "I personally ensured that they were on the train."

"Then, why are you here, Professor? Surely it is you who should be interrogated instead of me."

Professor McGonagall leaned down to stare Severus Snape in the eye, but Snape was unblinking.

"You are responsible for the lives of the students until they leave the school. The last time I checked, the Hogwarts Express was school property." McGonagall informed Snape.

"I am very well aware of my responsibilities, Professor." Snape replied.

Amycus Carrow, who barged into McGonagall when he arrived in the Headmaster's office to talk to Snape, leered over at the Transfiguration Professor. McGonagall didn't spare him a single glance.

"That is all, Professor McGonagall. Good day." Snape casually dismissed her. Seeing no other choice, McGonagall left.

"Bitch." Carrow muttered as she passed.

0o0o0o0

"Finnegan! What happens when a Wizard mates with a filthy muggle half-breed?" Alecto Carrow demanded in her Muggle Studies Class.

"I don't know, Professor." Seamus answered. "I've never shagged my brother."

"CRUCIO!" Alecto shrieked, her wand sending Seamus in paroxysms on the floor. Neville Longbottom helped Seamus to his feet.

"He needs to go the hospital wing." Neville told Alecto.

"He needs to sit down, and you shaddup, or you'll get the same. Nohw, degenerate muggle filth are a threat to our species…"

"Honestly, Seamus, why do you do this to yourself?" Pavarti Patil asked as she ministered Seamus.

Seamus didn't reply, but winced as Pavarti dabbed his shoulder. Neville came over to check on him.

"How's it going?" Neville asked, having been checking on the whole of Gryffindor House after the end of the days' lessons. The Carrows had taken their classes deep into what would be the holidays, and Gryffindor House was suffering for it. Ginny had said it would be even harder when and Luna left to visit their families over Christmas, and she was right.

"Honestly, I'm beginning to think we should go into hiding." Ginny had told Neville.

Neville frowned. Ginny wasn't the type to hide when others we're in danger, but Seamus angrily interjected. "Yeah, go and save our necks whilst the little ones are being tortured by the Carrows!"

"I wasn't suggesting abandoning them, Seamus." Ginny stared Seamus down. "But Luna and I are leaving soon, and we might not be coming back, even if we wanted to. If we use the Room of Requirement, you might be able to have a safe hiding spot to pick your battles with Snape and the Carrows. Right now, we're struggling to help ourselves let alone all the younger students."

Neville began to speak; where Ginny and Seamus were more rash than he was, Neville was calmer, and his voice was respected in the group. "It might help our tactics if we went into hiding, but the whole school can't hide in the Room of Requirement, and we can't just do, we must teach the others, because next year, Seamus and I won't be here, then you and Luna will leave." Neville told Ginny. "Still, we'll be ready if it comes to a point where our continued presence at Hogwarts is untenable."

It was going to be a long Christmas.