"This is mad," says Harry as Ron, Hermione and I follow him down the snow covered street. "Who would want to be taught by me? I'm a nutter, remember?"
"Well you can't be any worse than old toad face," says Ron as we draw near to Hog's Head, the pub Hermione and I had told people to meet us at. It's out of the way and most students won't venture this far away from the main shopping area.
"You're not a nutter, Harry. Besides, I'll be helping you," I state, glancing over at him.
Harry smiles over at me, "Thanks guys."
It had been nearly two months since Hermione and I suggested that Harry and I should teach Hogwarts' students how to really defend themselves against dark magic. Though I had been ecstatic about the idea from the beginning Harry is still skeptical.
"Who's supposed to be meeting us?" questions Harry, looking around.
"Just a couple people," Hermione replies as she opens the door to the pub, giving me a look that stops me from telling Harry just how many people a couple are.
The inside of the pub is rather dark with only a few candles places here and there for light and then there is the rays of sun that manage to find their way through the small cracks in the walls. The owner looks as if he's somehow cheated death and has lived one too many years. He is followed around by a little grey goat that wears a bell around its neck.
"Nice place," jokes Ron as a huge grey rat runs over his shoe.
I let out a laugh, "Don't be mean."
"But…." Ron starts sounding a little confused by my remark, "I wasn't."
"I thought it'd be safe. Somewhere off the beaten track," explains Hermione as we take our places at a table towards the back near a low fire.
"Definitely off the beaten path, safe I'm not so sure, "I remark, glancing up at the rotting ceiling boards.
"Too late to change locations now," says Ron pointing at a group of students as the file into the pub.
"Ronald, it's not polite to point," whispers Hermione as she stands. "Um…hi. So, you all know why we're here. We need a teacher…a proper teacher. One who's had real experience defending themselves against the dark arts."
"Why?" questions a rather pudgy boy sitting towards the front. His reminds me very much of Harry's cousin, Dudley.
"Why?" responds Ron, "because you – know – who is back you tosspot."
"So he says," the boy continues, gesturing to Harry.
"Are you calling him a lair?" I ask outraged. "Cause if that's all you're here to do I suggest you get off your rather large rump up and get."
"Dumbledore says so," steps in Hermione before I am able to say any more.
"So Dumbledore says because he says?" the git asks. "Where's the proof?"
"Perhaps Potter could tell us more about how Diggory got killed," suggests a dark haired boy sitting next to Ginny.
"I'm not going to talk about Cedric so if that's why you're here you might as well clear out now. Come on let's go. They're just here cause they think I'm some sort of freak," Harry says getting to his feet.
I move around him, placing a hand on his chest, the other on his cheek in hopes he will not look away, "Do you think Ginny thinks you're a freak? Or Fred. Or George. What about Cho and Luna?" I question, looking him in the eyes.
"Stop feeling Harry up and get on with it," says Fred receiving snickers from some of the others sitting in the room.
"I'm not feeling him up thank you very much," I snap back, glancing over at Fred.
"Is it true you can produce a Patronus charm?" asks Luna trying to get back to the things Harry is able to perfect.
"Yes, I've seen it." I announce removing my hands from Harry.
"Blimey Harry!" exclaims Dean. "I didn't know you could do that."
"And, and he killed the Basilisk with the sword in Dumbledore's office," pipes up Neville.
"It's true," says Ginny, looking at Harry with loving eyes.
"Yeah, and he fought off about a hundred dementors once," announces Ron, who, through the entire thing has remained seated.
Hermione looks over everyone in the room, "And last year he really did fight you – know – who in the flesh."
"Look, it all sounds great when you say it like that but the truth is most of the time it was just luck. I didn't know what I was doing half the time. I nearly always had help." Harry objects.
"He's just being modest," says Hermione quickly.
"No!" explodes Harry a fire in his eyes I've never seen before. "Hermione I'm not. Facing this stuff in real life is not like in school. In school if you make a mistake you can just try again tomorrow. But, out there when you're a second away from being murdered or watching a friend die right before your eyes you don't know what that's like."
Everyone is the room is quiet…staring in amassment at the out burst Harry just had.
"Harry's exactly correct. None of you have ever done any of this but that doesn't mean you can't learn…that you won't be able to defend yourselves if needed. Now none of you probably know me but I'm Harry's…." I say but Harry cuts me off before I can finish.
"Girlfriend. Isabelle is my girlfriend and she will also be helping me teach. She can do everything I can." He announces much to the surprise of everyone in the room except Ginny, Hermione, Ron and Fred and George who Harry has been looking directly at the entire time he was speaking.
"You're both right. That's why we need your help. If we're going to have any chance at beating –" Hermione stops for a second before going on – "Voldemort."
"So he's really back?" asks the same plump boy from earlier.
Harry, who is still a bit upset only nods, taking my hand in his. Looking over at me Harry looks as if he is about to cry. Why I am not sure.
"Are you alright?" I whisper, brushing a fallen piece of hair out of Harry's face.
Instead of speaking Harry just nods, intertwining his fingers with mine. If only he knew the truth, the real reason why I was with him…why I was originally pretending to be his friend. Now all that has changed; Harry Potter is a friend.
'Well, if you're still interested after everything sign up," I announce setting a pen on the table next to a piece of parchment.
One after another everyone in the room signs their names, some smiling at Harry and me others giving Harry a thumbs up.
"I had no idea about you and Isabelle mate," says Dean as he scribbles his name down. "Congrats."
"Thanks, Dean," replies Harry, smiling at me.
"I cannot believe you said that," I whisper in Harry's ear.
"They believe it," says Harry as the last person signs.
With that Hermione rolls up the parchment and we all head out into the snow, each group going their own separate way. Ginny, Hermione, Ron, and Neville follow behind Harry and me. It is much too cold to stay out in the streets. I lead Harry towards to Three Broomsticks hoping there is a table left inside big enough for all six of us.
"Belle, there you are," says Draco as we enter the most commonly used pub. "Why are you with them?"
"Draco…" I respond looking to Harry for help.
"She's decided we all need detention," he says shaking his head vigorously up and down, soon the others join in.
"Exactly," I answer before turning and heading back out into the cold street. Perhaps the castle is a better place to go anyway.
"That was close," whispers Hermione as we head towards the bridge that will take us to the castle.
"Right, so we are going to need a place to practice. Someplace where Umbridge won't find out," Harry announces seeming more apt to teach now that he knows people are willing to be taught by him.
"The Shrieking Shack," offers Ginny who is walking to my left, eyeing Harry and mine joined hands.
I quickly drop Harry's hand before answering, "That's too small. Plus it's old, we wouldn't want to accidentally blow it up."
"The Forbidden Forest?" asks Hermione.
"We're not allowed in there," says Ron.
"Or are you just to frightened of the spiders to go in?" I question knowing of Ronald's terrible fear of the eight legged creatures.
Ron turns pink but shakes his head, "Not at all."
"Harry," Ginny cuts in, "what happens if Umbridge does find out?"
"Who cares?" exclaims Hermione. "I mean it's sort of exciting isn't it? Breaking the rules."
Ron looks over at Hermione, giving her a confused look, "Who are you and what have you done with Hermione Granger?"
Ha. This must be Hermione's first real time of breaking school rules. Of course she's assisted Harry and Ron in their 'adventures' before but nothing like this. It is exciting for all of us but also dangerous. If we are caught by Umbridge we all face detention or worse expulsion.
"Over the next few days keep a look out for any possible place we could use for practice," I say before everyone parts.
"Bye!" Ginny calls over her shoulder as she walks away towards the courtyard.