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Chapter Eighteen

Dumbledore's Army

They were still nervous the next day; Amara had gotten little sleep, thinking about the pudgy hand and what would have happened if Sirius hadn't have vanished. They couldn't speak about it until double Charms, because it was the perfect lesson to talk and not be overheard, as usually, everyone was always having way too much fun to be bothered with listening. Today they were practising Silencio on ravens and bullfrogs as they talked about Umbridge. There was a lot of noise because of this, as many of their classmates had not yet mastered the silence of the spell.

"Umbridge has been reading your mail, Harry. There's no other explanation," said Hermione sternly from behind her raven.

"You think Umbridge attacked Hedwig?" Harry said, outraged.

"I'm almost certain of it," said Hermione grimly. "Watch your frog, it's escaping."

Harry pointed his wand at the bullfrog that had been hopping hopefully toward the other side of the table — "Accio!"— and it zoomed gloomily back into his hand.

"I've been suspecting this ever since Filch accused you of ordering Dungbombs, because it seemed such a stupid lie," Hermione whispered. "I mean, once your letter had been read, it would have been quite clear you weren't ordering them, so you wouldn't have been in trouble at all — it's a bit of a feeble joke, isn't it? But then I thought, what if somebody just wanted an excuse to read your mail? Well then, it would be a perfect way for Umbridge to manage it — tip off Filch, let him do the dirty work and confiscate the letter, then either find a way of stealing it from him or else demand to see it — I don't think Filch would object, when's he ever stuck up for a student's rights? Harry, you're squashing your frog."

Amara looked and saw that Harry was squeezing the bullfrog so tightly that its eyes were popping. Amara tried to cover her laughter as he hastily put it on the table.

"Silencio!" Amara said clearly and the raven she'd been given opened its beak, but no sound came out.

"It was a very, very close call last night," said Hermione. "I just wonder if Umbridge knows how close it was. Silencio!"

The bullfrog on which she was practicing her Silencing Charm was struck dumb mid-croak and glared at her reproachfully.

"If she'd caught Snuffles . . ."

Harry finished the sentence for her.

"He'd probably be back in Azkaban this morning." He waved his wand without really concentrating; his bullfrog swelled like a green balloon and emitted a high-pitched whistle.

"Silencio!" Amara said quickly before it exploded.

Well, he mustn't do it again, that's all. I just don't know how we're going to let him know. We can't send him an owl," said Hermione.

"I don't reckon he'll risk it again," said Ron. "He's not stupid, he knows she nearly got him. Silencio!"

The large raven in front of him let out a derisive caw.

"Silencio! SILENCIO!"

The raven cawed more loudly.

"It's the way you're moving your wand," said Hermione, watching Ron critically. "You don't want to wave it, it's more a sharp jab."

"Ravens are harder than frogs," said Ron testily.

"I've got a raven," said Amara. Ron ignored her.

"Fine, let's swap," said Hermione, seizing Ron's raven and replacing it with her own fat bullfrog. "Silencio!" The raven continued to open and close its sharp beak, but no sound came out.

"Very good, Miss Granger!" said Professor Flitwick's squeaky little voice and Amara, Harry, Ron, and Hermione all jumped. "Now, let me see you try, Mr Weasley!"

"Wha — ? Oh — oh, right," said Ron, very flustered. "Er — Silencio!"

He jabbed at the bullfrog so hard that he poked it in the eye; the frog gave a deafening croak and leapt off the desk.

Amara got told off for laughing at him.

-OOOOO-

As it was raining very hard that day, they were able to remain inside at break because nobody wanted to risk going outside. They took seats in a corner of an overcrowded classroom on the first floor. Amara didn't like it because Peeves was in there by the chandelier and was prone to shoot ink pellets at random intervals at you.

Angelina Johnson came up to them shortly after they sat down (Amara sheltering slightly under her book in case Peeves picked on her).

"I've got permission!" she said. "To re-form the Quidditch team!"

"Excellent!" said Ron and Harry together.

"Yeah," said Angelina, beaming. "I went to McGonagall and I think she might have appealed to Dumbledore — anyway, Umbridge had to give in. Ha! So I want you down at the pitch at seven o'clock tonight, all right, because we've got to make up time, you realise we're only three weeks away from our first match?"

She squeezed away from them, narrowly dodged an ink pellet from Peeves, which hit a nearby Gryffindor first year boy instead, and vanished from sight.

Ron's smile slipped slightly as he looked out of the window, which was now opaque with hammering rain.

"Hope this clears up . . . What's up with you, Hermione?"

She too was gazing at the window, but not as though she really saw it. Her eyes were unfocused and there was a frown on her face.

"Just thinking . . ." she said, still frowning at the rain-washed window.

"About Siri . . . Snuffles?" said Harry.

"No . . . not exactly . . ." said Hermione slowly. "More . . . wondering . . . I suppose we're doing the right thing . . . I think . . . aren't we?

Amara, Harry and Ron looked at each other.

"Well, that clears that up," said Ron. "It would've been really annoying if you hadn't explained yourself properly."

Hermione looked at him as though she had only just realised he was there.

"I was just wondering," she said, her voice stronger now, "whether we're doing the right thing, starting this Defence Against the Dark Arts group."

"What!" said Harry and Ron together. Amara stopped sheltering behind her book and gazed at the girl in shock.

"Hermione, it was your idea in the first place!" said Ron indignantly.

"You convinced us!" Amara said.

"I know," said Hermione, twisting her fingers together. "But after talking to Snuffles …"

"But he's all for it!" said Harry.

"Yes," said Hermione, staring at the window again. "Yes, that's what made me think maybe it wasn't a good idea after all. . . ."

Peeves floated over them on his stomach, peashooter at the ready; automatically all four of them lifted their bags to cover their heads until he had passed.

"Let's get this straight," said Harry angrily, as they put their bags back on the floor, "Sirius agrees with us, so you don't think we should do it anymore?"

Hermione looked tense and rather miserable. Now staring at her own hands she said, "Do you honestly trust his judgment?"

"Yes, I do!" said Harry at once. "He's always given us great advice!"

Katie Bell got hit in the ear by an ink pellet. She leapt up and started throwing things at Peeves angrily. Amara was getting increasingly angry at Hermione, one, for doubting their idea because one person said it was good and two, for looking miserable and shameful about it and making it as though she was the one needing comfort.

"You don't think he has become . . . sort of . . . reckless . . . since he's been cooped up in Grimmauld Place? You don't think he's . . . kind of . . . living through us?"

"What d'you mean, 'living through us'?" Harry retorted.

"I mean . . . well, I think he'd love to be forming secret defence societies right under the nose of someone from the Ministry. . . . I think he's really frustrated at how little he can do where he is . . . so I think he's keen to kind of . . . egg us on."

Ron looked utterly perplexed.

"Sirius is right," he said, "you do sound just like my mother."

Hermione bit her lip and did not answer. So Amara did instead.

"Hermione," she said, trying to keep her voice calm. "You had this idea – it was an amazing idea – that we had to persuade Harry to do because at first he didn't want it. Then, we've got thirty-two signatures from people eager to learn, all of them ready and hopeful for it. Now, because one person – one person who hasn't done anything wrong and is trying to help us, and is the only one we've spoken to so far this year, says it's a good idea and that we should do it, you decided 'oh, let's not do it anymore'. We should do it, not because Snuffles told us we should, but because it will help defy Umbridge and the Ministry and help us pass our O.W.L practical that we need to pass. Alright?"

Ron and Harry patted her on the back as Hermione looked very shocked.

"And don't look so miserable when it's your idea," Amara finished firmly as the bell rang and Peeves emptied an entire ink bottle on Katie's head.

-OOOOO-

Amara was not at all jealous that Harry and Ron had Quidditch practise that day, as the rain hadn't cleared up, in fact it probably got worse.

Hermione, who hadn't spoken a word to her all day, went up to bed quite quickly, but Amara didn't mind. She finished off all her homework and lay down across the sofa waiting for Harry and Ron to come back from Quidditch.

It took ages for them to come back, so Amara waited with Fred and George for a while, who had come back from the practise looking seriously annoyed.

"What's the matter?" she asked them as they sat down either side of her, wincing.

"We – er – tested out Fever Fudge," groaned George as he shifted to get comfy.

"And?"

"It gave us these boils," said Fred. "We can't get rid of them."

"I don't see any though," said Amara, giving him a once-over.

"We don't exactly show this place in public," said George. Amara realised, with a little giggle, where they were. Fred and George glared at her reproachfully.

"Angelina made us do the Sloth Grip Role in the rain," Fred complained.

"And now I think they've –"

"Er, for one, that's gross, and two, I don't want to know what happened to them," Amara said, still giggling slightly. "Better get a remedial quick." She yawned and stretched. "I'm zonked, tell Ron and Harry I've gone to bed if they get back before you two do, yeah?"

"'Course," said George, preoccupied.

"Night 'Mara," said Fred.

Amara saluted them and traipsed off into the dormitory.

-OOOOO-

Harry informed them at breakfast the next day that he'd found the perfect place for them to hold their meetings. It was called the Room of Requirement, and apparently it was on the seventh floor and only appeared if you asked for it.

"Who gave you this information?" Amara asked.

"Dobby," said Harry thickly, through a mouthful of food. "Told me last night when he brought back Hedwig."

"Is she OK?"

"Yeah, Professor Grubbly-Plank healed her up nicely," said Harry.

So they spent the time they weren't in lessons to get the thirty-two people who had signed on the sheet. Amara told Ethan and Tessie, who told their friends, and Fred and George too, who were both still sore from the night before. She had to walk away quickly to not show her giggles.

They told Neville, Dean, Parvati and Lavender before History of Magic, and Parvati promised to tell her sister and her friends too. The Hufflepuffs were informed, and so was Angelina during lunch, when she informed them that their Quidditch practise was cancelled due to the weather.

"Good," Harry had said quietly, when she told him, "because we've found somewhere to have our first Defence meeting. Tonight, eight o'clock, seventh floor opposite that tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy being clubbed by those trolls. Can you tell Katie and Alicia?"

She looked slightly taken aback but promised to tell the others. The weather had been bad that day, they could hardly hear in Herbology and their Care of Magical Creatures class had to be relocated to an empty classroom because they wouldn't be able to work. Hermione, however, had a different problem on her mind.

"Well . . . it's just that Dobby's plans aren't always that safe. Don't you remember when he lost you all the bones in your arm?"

"This room isn't just some mad idea of Dobby's; Dumbledore knows about it too, he mentioned it to me at the Yule Ball," Harry explained to her.

Hermione's expression cleared.

"Dumbledore told you about it?"

"Just in passing," said Harry, shrugging.

"Oh well, that's all right then," said Hermione briskly and she raised no more objections.

Amara, Harry, Ron and Hermione left the common room at half past seven to check if the Room of Requirement was good enough.

Even though Fifth Years and above could stay out until nine o'clock, the people who weren't in Fifth Year couldn't. Ginny was alright, but Amara was more worried about Tessie, Aubrey and Joey because they actually looked like first-years. Ethan and Eddie could walk with the Gryffindors and Flick and Piper could walk with Padma. She got Fred and George to keep an eye out so that if any teacher turned up they could whisk them down a secret passageway.

"Hold it," said Harry warningly, unfolding the Marauders Map carefully at the top of the last staircase, tapping it with his wand, and muttering, "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good."

The map spread over the parchment, including little black dots of the people inside. Amara saw that the common room had a lot of black dots in it, some of them by the door, obviously eager to leave for the meeting.

"Filch is on the second floor," said Harry, holding the map close to his eyes and scanning it closely, "and Mrs Norris is on the fourth."

"And Umbridge?" said Hermione anxiously.

"In her office," said Harry, pointing. "Okay, let's go."

The hurried along the corridor until they got to a blank wall with a huge tapestry opposite. It was of Barnabas the Barmy trying to train trolls for the ballet.

"Okay," said Harry quietly, while a moth-eaten troll paused in his relentless clubbing of the would-be ballet teacher to watch. "Dobby said to walk past this bit of wall three times, concentrating hard on what we need."

They did so, turning sharply at the window just beyond the blank stretch of wall, then at the man-size vase on its other side.

Amara screwed up her eyes to concentrate on what they needed.

We need somewhere to practise to fight ... Where no one can find us ... Especially Dolores Umbridge ... We need somewhere to learn to fight ...

"Harry," said Hermione sharply, as they wheeled around after their third walk past.

Amara opened her eyes and saw a huge polished door on the blank wall.

"Awesome," said Amara as Harry grabbed the handle and pulled the door open.

There was a very big room behind it - walls were lined with book cases, cushions to sit on were on the floor, Sneakoscopes, Secrecy Sensors, a Foe Glass

"These will be good when we're practicing Stunning," said Ron enthusiastically, prodding one of the cushions with his foot.

"And just look at these books!" said Hermione excitedly, running a finger along the spines of the large leather-bound tomes. "A Compendium of Common Curses and Their Counter-Actions . . . The Dark Arts Outsmarted . . . Self-Defensive Spellwork . . . wow . . ." She looked around at Harry and Amara, her face glowing. "Harry, this is wonderful, there's everything we need here!"

And without further ado she slid Jinxes for the Jinxed from its shelf, sank onto the nearest cushion, and began to read.

"Could've just brought her a book to shut her up," Amara snorted to Harry, who nodded.

There was a small knock and the two of them turned to see Ginny, Dean, Neville, Lavender and Parvati at the door.

"Whoa," said Dean, staring around, impressed. "What is this place?"

Harry began to explain, but before he had finished more people had arrived, and he had to start all over again. By the time eight o'clock arrived, every cushion was occupied.

Amara sat down on one herself and watched as Harry moved across to the door and turned the key protruding from the lock; it clicked in a satisfyingly loud way and everybody who was still talking fell silent, looking at him.

Hermione carefully marked her page of Jinxes for the Jinxed and set the book aside.

"Well," said Harry, slightly nervously. "This is the place we've found for practices, and you've — er — obviously found it okay —"

"It's fantastic!" said Cho, and several people murmured their agreement.

"It's bizarre," said Fred, frowning around at it. "We once hid from Filch in here, remember, George? But it was just a broom cupboard then. . . ."

"Hey, Harry, what's this stuff?" asked Dean from the rear of the room, indicating the Sneakoscopes and the Foe-Glass.

"Dark Detectors," said Harry, stepping between the cushions to reach them. "Basically they all show when Dark wizards or enemies are around, but you don't want to rely on them too much, they can be fooled. . . ."

Harry turned back, facing away from the foe glass.

"Well, I've been thinking about the sort of stuff we ought to do first and — er —" Hermione raised her hand as though in class. "What, Hermione?"

"I think we ought to elect a leader," said Hermione.

"Harry's leader," said Cho at once, looking at Hermione as though she were mad.

"Yes, but I think we ought to vote on it properly," said Hermione, unperturbed. "It makes it formal and it gives him authority. So — everyone who thinks Harry ought to be our leader?"

Everybody put up their hands, even Zacharias Smith, though he did it very halfheartedly.

"Er — right, thanks," said Harry, who could feel his face burning. "And — what, Hermione?"

"I also think we ought to have a name," she said brightly, her hand still in the air. "It would promote a feeling of team spirit and unity, don't you think?"

"Can we be the Anti-Umbridge League?" said Angelina hopefully. "Or the Ministry of Magic Are Morons Group?" suggested Fred.

"I was thinking," said Hermione, frowning at Fred as Amara giggled, "more of a name that didn't tell everyone what we were up to, so we can refer to it safely outside meetings."

"The Defence Association?" said Cho. "The D.A. for short, so nobody knows what we're talking about?"

"Yeah, the D.A.'s good," said Ginny. "Only let's make it stand for Dumbledore's Army because that's the Ministry's worst fear, isn't it?"

Everyone laughed and agreed with Ginny's suggestion.

"All in favour of the D.A.?" said Hermione bossily, kneeling up on her cushion to count. "That's a majority — motion passed!"

She pinned the piece of paper with all of their names on it on the wall and wrote DUMBLEDORE'S ARMY across the top in large letters.

"Right," said Harry, when she had sat down again, "shall we get practicing then? I was thinking, the first thing we should do is Expelliarmus, you know, the Disarming Charm. I know it's pretty basic but I've found it really useful —"

"Oh please," said Zacharias Smith, rolling his eyes and folding his arms. "I don't think Expelliarmus is exactly going to help us against You-Know-Who, do you?"

"I've used it against him," said Harry quietly. "It saved my life last June."

Smith opened his mouth stupidly. The rest of the room was very quiet.

"I think it's a good idea," butted in Tessie loudly. Everyone looked at her but she didn't blush, in fact, she looked rather pleased. "Us first years haven't been taught that yet, and I doubt everyone's a master at it."

"Er thanks Tessie," said Harry, looking as though he'd quite like to laugh. "So if you think it's beneath you, you can leave," Harry said.

Smith did not move. Nor did anybody else, but Tessie looked even more pleased with herself for speaking out.

"Okay," said Harry, everyone's eyes on him. "I reckon we should all divide into pairs and practice."

Everyone got to their feet and divided into pairs. Amara went with Ron and Hermione went with Neville. Tessie made Aubrey and Joey got together so that she was partner less and had to go with Harry. She grinned when he told her, and Amara rolled her eyes at her.

"She is so like you," Ron said as Tessie was quivering in excitement to start.

"She's not," snorted Amara, they stopped chatting and began to practise.

"Expelliarmus!" Amara shouted quickly before Ron could speak - his wand went flying out his hand and across the room.

Amara and Ron were rather good at the Disarming Spell and were soon underway in their competition of who-could-disarm-the-most. When Ron was retrieving his wand, Amara watched her sister, who was so good at doing the spell that Harry had to concentrate.

"Expelliarmus!" Tessie said and Harry's wand went flying. "I did it!"

Harry was very impressed, but made her go in a three with Aubrey and Joey so that he could walk around the room.

As Amara was fetching her wand, she saw Fred and George disarming Zacharias Smith from behind so it looked like he was disarming himself.

They beckoned her over so she could have a go, which she did, giggling all the way.

Harry caught them at it quickly and they all hurried an apology.

"Sorry, Harry," said George hastily. "Couldn't resist . . ."

Amara and Ron continued to make good progress - Amara noticed that Ethan, who had partnered with Flick, wasn't doing as well as the girl and kept having to retrieve his wand. The twins Piper and Eddie were very evenly matched and were getting quite frustrated when they kept managing to do it at the same time.

Then a whistle sounded and everyone lowered their wands.

"That wasn't bad," said Harry, "but there's definite room for improvement."

Smith glared at him.

"Let's try again. . . ."

They practised once more and Amara was pleased to see that Ethan was getting better at it - as was most of the people in the room. Neville managed to disarm Hermione a fair few times as well, much to her seemingly displeasure, but Neville was very proud of himself when he did so.

"Hey, Harry," Hermione called after a while. "have you checked the time?"

Harry, who was over talking to Cho, looked at his watch and blew the whistle quickly.

"Well, that was pretty good," said Harry, "but we've overrun, we'd better leave it here. Same time, same place next week?"

"Sooner!" said Dean Thomas eagerly and many people nodded in agreement, Amara included.

Angelina, however, said quickly, "The Quidditch season's about to start, we need team practices too!"

"Let's say next Wednesday night, then," said Harry, "and we can decide on additional meetings then. . . . Come on, we'd better get going. . . ."

Harry got the Marauder's Map out to see them off. Amara made Tessie, Aubrey and Joey go with some older people so that they wouldn't get slaughtered by Filch. She watched them all the way down the corridor to the Fat Lady's portrait.

"That was really, really good, Harry," said Hermione, when finally it was just her, Amara, Harry, and Ron left.

"Yeah, it was!" said Ron enthusiastically, as they slipped out of the door and watched it melt back into stone behind them. "I totally beat Amara in the Disarming game."

"As if," scoffed Amara. "I got way more points than you."

"Tessie seemed amazing at it," Hermione said.

"She's going to be really powerful by the time we progress," said Ron thoughtfully. "I'm rather terrified."