Chapter 24: Confrontation and Preparations

Neville and Harry stood before Professor McGonagall staring straight at her. Occulmency or no, staring avoiding Dumbledore's gaze completely was the wisest course. Neville began, "Professor, as our Head of House, we are informing you that we are protesting our OWLs testing." Each boy handed her a sealed letter. "On the basis of the disturbance during our Practical for Astronomy."

Harry continued, "We understand we are required to retake all our OWLs, but are asking for the Ministry to recognize the disruption and probable decrease in scores for our peers."

McGonagall's usually stoic expression didn't hold. Her jaw dropped and she stuttered, "I thought… Well.."

Harry continued, "Copies of our requests have been Stamped and owled to the Hogwart's Governors in good standing, the Ministry, and the Headmaster, as required."

Harry took a step closer, and handed McGonagall a separate envelope. "Additionally, I am appalled to report that my personal legal correspondence is being interfered with. I also request to be added to the list of those the aurors will interview regarding Madam Umbridge's illegal activities. As the Fifth Year Introductory classes were canceled for this investigation, I do hope that we will receive the material in written form."

The Great Hall was silent, everyone was listening, as the boys knew they would. Neville was careful to keep his face free from any reaction, as Harry continued, "I also require the safe return of my property, namely my Firebolt broom that was illegally confiscated by Madam Umbridge. In the Hogwart's bylaws, it is forbidden to confiscate a healthy student's sole form of magical transportation; though that portion was arguably to provide sanctuary for magical carpets for Continental students during the Plague."

McGonagall looked startled, and Harry realized he'd sounded more like Hermione than himself. "Mr. Potter, perhaps we should adjourn to the Headmaster's office."

Harry shook his head, "I could not further impose on your time, especially when you are so busy that you couldn't make our last appointment. I understand this investigation is very important." Harry took a step back, "In any case, I already made plans with some of my defense study group for after breakfast. The second envelope I handed you has all of my requests, so you can peruse them at your nearest convenience, as there are additional matters of concern."

With that Harry pivoted on his heel, and went to claim a seat next to Dean and Seamus. The hall broke out in whispers. After a short pause, Neville addressed McGonagall, "Thank you, Professor, for hearing our formal protest."

When Neville joined the Gryffindor table, the whole hall resumed its usual volume, except for those seated near the Fifth years who were conspicuously silent.

"Blimey. Where are you hiding the firewhiskey?"

Harry blinked in surprise, "What?"

"You can't be flat sober, mate. Retake your OWLs, formal protests?"

Neville answered, "Nothing has been fixed by staying silent."

Dean leaned forward, "What do you mean?"

"Quirrell, Lockhart, Hagrid being framed, fake Moody, and now Umbridge," Harry replied. "Sure everyone knew afterward, but nothing was done by them," Harry gestured to the Head Table, "or anyone else. Hagrid was expelled because Voldemort opened the Chamber of Secrets when they were students here. Was justice served when it was proven that half-blood student Tom Riddle 'I have daddy issues' aka Voldemort, opened it and killed his first victim, Myrtle? Poor Moaning Myrtle, I doubt anyone even bothered to ask her ghost what killed her, before our second year."

"After Quirrell, why wasn't each prospective DADA teacher checked thoroughly? What's the point of having truth potions and spells if you never use them! Every year I've nearly been killed, and this year there was the addition of torture." Harry stopped, as he felt stabs at his mental shields, and concentrated on his breathing.

Catching the signs from Harry, Neville took over, "Beyond everything, our testing was disrupted, and unless somebody stepped up and challenged it, no compensation would have been given to anyone. And if Harry did it alone, the Ministry might try to dispute it."

"That's pretty harsh though, if I heard right, Neville. You have to retake all the OWLs?" Dean asked.

"Apparently, there were problems in the 1920s with the Arithmancy exams, where people would deliberately cause disruptions, to retake that exam. So they made it stricter."

Seamus said, "All your grades are wiped out, like you never took a single OWL, so if you don't retake them all, you don't pass the grade."

Neville cut in, "Even if you weren't in a required class, there are some families that are excused from Herbology for being cursed with black thumbs, you have to take all the main five, and then can choose which of the additional ones, because of the Arithmancy mess – they didn't want the same test phobics causing a disruption again."

"But they made the cursed ones take Herbology? That doesn't make any sense."

Harry looked up rubbing his temples, "Since when does anything here make any sense?"

Outside the Room of Requirement, Harry concentrated on making the rooms he and Neville had studied in for a year be connected by a door to a main room, similar to the one the DA had used, he also thought about making the walls see through into the DA Room only. Harry needed to be able to see the others coming, so he would know when he needed to stop brewing. Entering the rooms, Harry turned on the hourglasses, and began unloading his bag. Soon priceless ingredients from the Experimental Lab began to cover the counter.

Seamus had reluctantly admitted that his mother had slipped in his old selkie plushie when he left for first year, and that it never left his trunk. So the other boys had gone to retrieve it from the dorms. Which would give Neville plenty of time to fill in some more of the theory to them, while Harry could start a cauldron of animagus potions to give it more time to cure.

The ingredients from the Experimental Laboratory were worth a King's Ransom, not only because they included scarce and extinct species, but also, because they had been preserved in a manner that let ingredients that improved with age do so, but somehow froze the others at the moment of harvest. Neville had declared the set of spells to do this the most valuable thing they might be able to retrieve from the Chamber, as the secret was believed lost to time, due to a most unfortunate explosion at an Apothecary's Guild conference in the 1700s. Neville also thought it far more likely that his Gran was right, and the Guild actually decided they'd make far more money if people had to constantly buy fresh ingredients. Apparently she'd found rare ingredients always had a far longer shelf life, as did the ones purchased for St. Mungo's, as she only knew as she was on a fundraising commitee.

Harry had completed two cauldrons full of animagus potion, a cauldron of ward enhancer, and an assortment of basic healing potions, before he realized that he had set the hourglasses too high. Rather than change the setting, Harry set an alarm to sound if anyone approached the door, and took a nap.

When the alarm finally sounded, Harry had already awakened, eaten lunch, and begun setting up the DA room. Harry reset the hourglasses, for 5 minutes to pass for every 1 minute normal time, and set down the latest sample component he'd finished.

"So what took you guys so long?"

Dean lightly slapped Seamus on the shoulder. "Turns out our boy here had a shrunken trunk of his baby things in his school trunk."

Seamus slugged Dean's shoulder in return, "You guys promised to keep it a secret!" He turned to Harry, "As I explained to them, my Gran packed up my nursery when I was three. She thought me Mum was coddling me, so she took away everything and made it a 'proper young gentleman's room'. And after staying a week, keeping Mum from restoring anything, she left taking the lot with her.

"And when we tried to change it, we found she'd hexed it so that I couldn't even put up a Quidditch poster. My parents finally just added on, and Mum warded my new room to keep Gran out. I'm surprised they didn't have to call aurors to break up the next fight they got in."

Harry asked, "How old is your Gran?"

"Actually, she's my great-great-grandmother, and she is 110, but she pretends to be just 65. I think she'd try for younger if there weren't senior discounts."

Dean said, "Don't see Lavender ever admitting to over 50, no matter the discount."

Neville answered, "It's great your Gran is willing to go to the Muggle world at all. Mine won't, even as tight as she grips the Knuts, no matter how her card club clucks at her."

"So no senior discounts on Diagon Alley?" Harry asked.

"No. Only for special patrons, which I think you're becoming as a bunch of mail was on your bed." Neville handed Harry a bag, "I grabbed it for you, while Dean was teasing Seamus."

Harry accepted the bag. "Let me show you guys what we worked out." Harry gestured to the long worktable he and the Room set up. "Since we were talking about making how long the rags stayed transfigured a contest, we first have a bunch of cloth, courtesy of the house elves. They cut up old curtains for us, which is a bit nicer since they are mostly silk or velvet, and have Hogwarts emblems. It'd be rougher for a kid if they liked the plushie, if it turned back into somebody's yellowed undershirt."

Harry picked up a scrap of red velvet curtain with a Gryffin roaring proudly. "There are no Slytherin themed fabric bits. We sorted it by patterns; there's plenty, especially of the Hogwarts Crest.

Neville added, "We didn't want a clog up because people were fighting for a fabric from their house. We do have white fabric too – mostly from old sheets – so people can practice, or the girls can make clothing for their plushies."

Seamus asked, "How many plushies are you thinking people would make?"

Harry shrugged, "We don't have a huge amount of time left. I hope we can push it so everyone helps make two – one for their own protection, and one for a child."

The others nodded.

"Next are bits of leather, broken jewelery, sand, rocks, and broken crystal. At this station people will make collars for the plushies, to hold retrieval and protection charms for the plushies, and to make crystals to charge with the patronus."

"This is a lot of material, Harry. Where did the elves get it all?" Dean asked.

"Apparently its from the bins. The elves recycle everything they can, storing most of it until it's needed. Recent Headmasters haven't asked for much, so there is quite a bit more where this came from."

Neville jumped in, "We made some examples for the collars – Harry got the idea from one of the mail order catalogs – they just added a collar with a retrieval charm to muggle made toys."

"I think it's a great idea – just call 'Spots' or whatever name it is given and it goes to the caller."

"Plus, any additional charms can just be put on the collar – notice me not, compelling charms, and the like to keep it from being thrown away…" Neville added.

Seamus fingered through the pile of broken jewelery, "Seems like you guys did a ton of work."

Harry shrugged, "Not really, the Room did all of the signs, including the lists of spells. And the elves were eager to see the scraps be useful again."

Dean smiled and shook his head, "I wonder how long it'll take me to stop being in awe of magic."

Neville laughed, "Even if you are raised around magic there's always something new. Right, Seamus?"

"Me house is mostly muggle, Neville, but I know what you mean. Mum keeps complaining that we aren't shown enough magic here."

Harry snorted, "Yeah, like for career planning. In muggle schools they have speakers and give you tests to see what all you'd likely be good at."

Dean laughed, "Yours should've been quick, Professional Quidditch Star."

"Hmm, Dean, too bad they don't have tests, maybe we'd find out you're a natural Beater."

"And his career would come to a smashing end when he tries to hit the bludger with his head instead of the bat," Seamus said.

They all laughed, as Dean's love of soccer nearly forced all he talked to, to at least know only the goalie could use his hands.

"So who all did you guys talk to?" asked Neville.

Dean answered, "Nearly everybody in the DA, except for Ron and Hermione. Extra people might show up too, a few of the Ravenclaws really want to work on their Patronus. Somehow the fourth years found out you got bonus points on the Defense OWL."

Seamus added, "Apparently it can be a big point option for NEWTs too, so there will be sixth year Ravens too. And in Hufflepuff the idea of doing something for sick kids and their families…"

Harry asked, "Any rough numbers?"

Dean answered, "Maybe 50, but I have a feeling that some of them will be trying the Patronus in private before they decide."

"We might need more supplies then. And we'll definitely need to prep more examples." Harry had dug out a notebook out of his bag, and scribbled a couple notes down.

"Now, let's get started."

Finally a new day!