Hermione and Luna sat inside an empty classroom together, as if they were waiting on someone.
At least, the waiting part was accurate.
Hermione was pacing up and down, looking a bit nervous while Luna was leaning back against the wall in her chair, relaxing as she watched the Gryffindor girl pace.
"Your nervousness is rather obvious," Luna noted, looking somewhat amused. "Nargles can cause nervousness at times, you see..."
Hermione paused and scowled at Luna. "What else do they cause?" she asked through gritted teeth.
Luna's response was cut off by the sounds of footsteps approaching the door.
Instantly, Hermione composed herself while Luna continued on with her usual demeanour.
The door opened and in stepped a girl of average height, with long, blonde hair and light blue eyes, looking for all the world as she didn't care to be there.
Behind her, was a tall, lean, dark-skinned boy with buzz-cut black hair and brown eyes, his demeanour similar to that of the girl.
Daphne Greengrass and Blaise Zabini respectively.
"Good evening," Daphne greeted.
"Good evening," Hermione and Luna chorused.
"Enough with the pleasantries. We have much to discuss and only an hour and some before curfew." Zabini said.
Hermione turned to the door and cast several spells to ensure that they wouldn't be found, interrupted or eavesdropped on.
"Alright then. Say what you have to say." Hermione turned back to them and motioned for them to begin talking.
"The Dark Lord is a danger to us all. Pure-blood, Half-blood or Muggle-born. It doesn't matter. He and the Death Eaters claim to support Blood Purity and yet they murder Pure-bloods who do not support them. It's hypocrisy at its finest." Zabini said.
"He's killed, allowed to be killed or endorsed the extinction and near extinction of several family lines. Those near extinct families, who were numerous in numbers before, are down to a mere handful of people. Bones, Black, Longbottom, Abbott, Prewett... So many more, lost or almost lost to the violence he has perpetuated and continues to perpetuate." Daphne said.
Hermione frowned. "So you're only here because he's killing Pure-bloods? If her were just killing Muggles and Muggle-borns like me, would it be okay then?" she raised an eyebrow.
Zabini sighed. "I do not know any Muggles. I do not know any Muggle-borns personally. However, it seems rather stupid to advocate killing them all off. Muggles outnumber us by far and were it not for Muggle-borns and Half-bloods, wizard-kind would have died out a long time ago. One could argue that they are necessary to our world..."
"Haven't you noticed that there are very few people in our year and the years before us? Why do you think that is?" Daphne pressed.
"He either killed off entire families, almost killed them off or caused some to flee abroad and never return." Luna answered.
"With all of that, you could say that no one is safe from him, regardless of what he says." Zabini said. "Cedric Diggory, for instance, back at the end of our Fourth Year, Lovegood's Third. According to Potter, he was killed just for being there. Yet, he was one outstanding Pure-blood who would have done well for Wizarding society, had he lived..."
"It needs to end, or we are all done for." Daphne said. "Even if some of our fellow Slytherins- and others in other Houses- don't recognise it."
"The Dark Lord obviously wishes for a dictatorship. Absolute and complete rule with no dissent whatsoever over those who remain after his terrorist attacks- since that is what he is- a terrorist. We Slytherins are supposed to be ambitious, but individual ambition has no place in a dictatorship." Zabini said.
"He is right, you know," said Luna. "He and Greengrass."
"I know." Hermione nodded, looking pensive.
"That's why even though some of us prefer to remain behind the scenes in general, many of us feel that this has to be stopped. Slytherin is a house divided because of that." Daphne said. "That's why some of us want in with your defence group."
"Plus some of us realise the impudence and lack of ambition in wanting to follow someone who was bested by a toddler- regardless of how it happened." Zabini quipped.
They allowed themselves a small chuckle.
"They make a good case. There are no Nargles around them to cloud their thoughts." Luna said.
The two Slytherins looked at one another, but chose (wisely) to remain silent.
"So... Who are the other Slytherins interested in our group?" Hermione asked.
"My best friend Tracey Davis is one. My little sister Astoria is another..." Daphne started.
"The Carrow twins- Flora and Hestia- want in. Despite the reputation of their father's cousins, they're not that extreme. Nott... Oh yes!" Zabini took in Hermione's incredulous expression. "He's not a bastion for Blood Status equality, but he wants to see the Dark Lord defeated as well, regardless of his father's reputed membership in the Death Eaters."
"I'm not sure we'll want someone like that in the group..." Hermione looked hesitant.
"He will remain silent and behave himself if he knows what is good for him..." Daphne's tone became briefly menacing.
Zabini smirked.
They proceeded to name all the other Slytherins interested in joining their group and discussed their various traits for a while.
"I think we should do this." Luna spoke after a while. "How can we make a difference if we are all divided like this?"
"United we stand, divided, we fall..." Hermione murmured.
She returned her attention to the Slytherins.
"We'll talk to Harry, Neville, Ron and Ginny soon and then we'll talk about it at the next meeting. You'll have an answer from us soon."
"Understandable. I would actually be less impressed with you if you had actually instantly accepted us..." Daphne nodded.
Zabini checked his gold pocket watch.
"We have fifteen minutes to make it back to our Common Rooms. Even with us in the picture and you being a Prefect, Granger, no one can help you if Professor Snape catches you outside after curfew..." he said.
"Goodness, no..." Hermione immediately stood up. "Let's get going!"
Roxy looked up at the moon as she was out on the balcony with Artu.
"If I thought it was a long day, I can only imagine what it was like for Harry..." she rubbed Artu's head gently.
"Indeed. I know he's no stranger to excitement, but still..." Artu agreed
"Well," Roxy yawned. "it's time to go to bed. I have a long day of classes tomorrow. Starting with a Battle Magic class with Griselda..."
As she was about to turn to go inside, she spotted a certain snowy owl soaring through the night sky towards, her a package in tow.
"Oh, hello there, Hedwig! How are you?" Roxy asked as Hedwig perched on the balcony and allowed the Fairy of Animals to take the package and letter attached to her.
"I see. I'll renew the animal speech spell when next I see you and Harry together. Would you like a cracker? I have some here and it's all I have to offer right now..."
Hedwig hooted and bobbed her head.
Roxy chuckled. "It's all I have to offer right now as I said before, so it'll have to do. Here you are..." she pulled a packet of crackers from her pocket and gave the owl one.
"Going hunting now? It's about time that you do... I'm sure you'll do well. Good luck!" Roxy waved as the owl took off and soared back into the night.
"Now, let's see what this is all about..." she murmured as she stepped into the living room and closed the door behind herself and Artu.
Artu yawned.
"You go on. I'll be there soon." Roxy gave him one last pat on the head and sent him off.
Artu trotted off and Roxy sunk into a sofa.
Opening the letter first, she began to read.
"Dear Roxy,
As you know, this past weekend was rather eventful for me (when isn't my life eventful?). Rescuing the De L'Or children has resulted in a lot of other things I must deal with, in addition to my studies. My squad and I got clearance to spend some time co-operating with law enforcement both here and in Isis to investigate how it all happened. This means, for at least the next week, I won't be able to deal with much else. It also looks highly likely that I may travel to Isis within the next day or two, so I won't be in Magix for a bit either.
Before it all started, when we were just exploring the mountains, we happened upon a silver rose bush. I didn't even now roses could be grown in that colour! But given what's been happening to me since I turned eleven and even moreso since my arrival in Magix, I shouldn't really be surprised.
At first thought, I just thought they were some really beautiful flowers, but it was later explained to me the full uses of both the flowers themselves and their leaves. I've included some notes on everything useful about them that I could find.
I sent you as many as I could gather for you, so you'll have plenty to enjoy for their looks and use for their magical properties. I really hope you'll like them.
I really wanted to give these to you in person, but for reasons I've stated earlier, I can't.
I hope to see you soon and just enjoy some nice, quiet time after all of this together.
All the best, my favourite fairy princess!
-Love, Harry.
Roxy read over the letter.
Several times.
She quickly, but carefully opened the box and had to bite back a happy squeal when she saw the contents of the package, lest she awaken her dorm mates.
As Harry had said, there was a container of several silver roses, a smaller container containing some of their leaves and even a small, hand-written booklet of the information on them that Harry had said he'd included, all written in his hand.
She hugged the letter to her chest for a few seconds, then lifted the roses from their container to examine them closer.
"They're absolutely gorgeous..." Roxy felt a smile spread across her face as she lifted one to her face, smelt it, then felt the petals, which were rather soft to the touch.
She read over the note again.
"Love, Harry."
Roxy's eyes widened.
"Love, Harry?!" she thought. "Does he...? No, it can't be love. Not yet. It's just a term of endearment, is all. But someday... maybe?"
Roxy stood up, conjured a glass vase for the roses and gathered her other things and crept softly into her room.
Setting the vase of flowers on her desk and the container of leaves beside it, Roxy took the letter, placed it back in its envelope and slid it inside her pillowcase as she lay down.
As she drifted off to sleep, a contented smile spread across her face.
"Entering Isis airspace in half an hour, guys." Aki said, from his position at the main controls of their ship.
"Oh great! We made it this far without you driving us into any space storms!" Harry said teasingly.
"I'm not stupid enough to get us stuck in a space storm..." Aki rolled his eyes as he pressed a few flashing buttons at the control panel.
"You fly like a maniac most of the time though. This trip with you at the controls was actually rather calm..." Lucas said from his seat near the back of the ship, where he was calmly perusing a Potions textbook and making notes from it.
"Too damn calm. Up the speed, dammit!" Darian called out from his own seat in the back of the ship, on the opposite side from Lucas.
"NO!" Lucas and Harry exclaimed in unison.
"Spoilsports..." Aki and Darian muttered in unison.
Harry rolled his eyes and reached for his phone just as it rang.
"Hello, you lot!" Harry smiled upon seeing that it was the rest of the Ministry Six calling, Hermione at the forefront.
"Hello, stranger! It's been a long time since we've last seen or heard from you!" Hermione looked and sounded somewhat reproachful.
"Don't give me that look, Hermione. It's just like when we were at school together and you were trying to get Ron and I to do our homework..." Harry chortled.
Ron snickered. "She still tries to get me to do it like that sometimes. She's getting better about it though..."
Ginny burst out laughing, Neville quietly chuckled and Luna simply smiled serenely.
Hermione scowled.
"Where are you anyway?" Neville asked, looking at Harry's surroundings.
"Airship. I'm on my way to another magical planet called Isis. Let's just say that trouble found some Isisian children and then their trouble found us while we were out on a school trip..." Harry explained.
"They were in danger and you saved them, didn't you?" Ginny asked knowingly.
"Yes. I... we couldn't just leave them there, could we? Not when we could have done something to help..." Harry said defensively.
"Calm down, Harry. That's perfectly fine. You and Ron did the same for me four years ago, remember?" Ginny frowned at her (vague) memory of the Chamber of Secrets incident. "If you hadn't, we'd all be dead by now. I could never fault you for that..."
"I suppose. I will have to tell you lot the full story of this escapade another time..." Harry scratched the back of his head. "So, what's happening on your end? Any interesting news to update me with?"
"Actually, yes. It has something to do with our group. The one we started back in our Fifth Year..." Hermione answered.
"Is this for other ears?" Harry eyed Darian, who was shamelessly watching and listening to the conversation.
"Maybe they could give us a bit of an objective opinion- as someone who never attended Hogwarts, they'd be less biased than we would..." Neville suggested.
"Brilliant suggestion, Neville!" Hermione smiled at him. "Harry, bring in your friends there if you'd like..."
Harry called over Lucas and Darian and made sure that Aki could hear from where he was- while ensuring that he wasn't too distracted to keep them from falling to certain death.
Hermione and Luna gave a rundown of the situation with Ron, Ginny and Neville chipping in at some points.
"Wow. The Slytherins want to co-operate with you?" Harry's eyebrows hit his hairline in surprise
"Surprised me too as well. Who knew that not all of them were evil, dirty, stinking bigoted cheaters?" Ginny shrugged.
"It's caused some divides of our own in the group." Ron said. "Some feel that we should outright reject them. I was like that at first. Didn't want to hear anything of it. Their reputation, our experiences with them... it just completely turned my mind off the lot..."
"Then there's those who seem open to the idea, but are unsure if we could really trust them. Their... representatives made some good points on their behalf, but still..." Ginny said.
"Lastly, those who'd welcome them with open arms. Some of us actually have family and friends in Slytherin, House rivalries and reputations notwithstanding. Plus those who think that we can't effectively defend ourselves if we're so drastically divided..." Neville rounded out.
"So, what do you lot think?" Luna asked.
"I don't know..." Harry looked unsure. "You don't think Malfoy and his ilk will get word of this, do you? For all we know, this could be some sort of ploy to get hold of the names of 'Blood Traitors' and deliver you all right into Voldemort's twisted hands..."
"You have a valid point there, Harry..." Neville looked ill at the very thought.
"At the same time, we don't know that..." Luna said.
"Besides, do you really think that Malfoy is intelligent enough to come up with a scheme like that?" Ginny asked.
"No..." All the Hogwartians answered in unison.
"Hmm..." Lucas started. "This move... this ploy of these people... these... Slytherins... could it not seen as a move of self-preservation? They know what they want and Lord Voldemort stands in the way of their plans. If they help get rid of him, not only are there no barriers (or less of them) to achieving what they want, but they also get the satisfaction and perhaps glory of being on the winning team..." he pointed out.
"So basically, they're only in it for their own good..." Ron scowled. "Typical..."
"Anyone who fights against him- whether on the front line or behind the scenes has to fight for a reason. Sure, some of these Slytherins and persons from your other Hogwarts Houses may be fighting because they see Voldemort in the way of their future plans, but some may genuinely care that Voldemort is destroying everything and everyone in his way and want to help fight against such evil, simply because it is the right thing to do..." Lucas added.
"Good point..." Harry nodded.
"I say let these Slytherin people into your little defence club!" Aki called out from his position at the controls of the air ship. "If you deny them just because they're from a group you don't like, that will just cause more problems for you all! What's the harm in giving everyone the chance of learning how to fight and survive against that evil dude?"
Harry raised an eyebrow at Aki's use of the phrase 'that evil dude' to describe Lord Voldemort.
"I agree with Aki. You're gonna need all the help you can get." Darian said. "Besides, if they're the House with the most ties to him and his followers, surely they could get you some sort of information on what he's doing and the spells he and his followers are doing, right?"
"Another good point..." Harry acquiesced.
"I don't like it, but they have some good points..." Ron looked unsure.
"Me either... but I think we should give them a chance." Neville said.
"So do I," agreed Luna. "I talk to a few of them and they're not entirely bad to me. In fact, some of them are nicer to me than my fellow Ravenclaws..." she looked a bit sad at the last part.
"They're still taking your stuff?" Harry frowned.
"No since most of the worst offenders have left Hogwarts now, but some still call me things like Loony and such occasionally. It doesn't hurt me anymore, but it does get a bit irritating at times..." Luna shrugged.
"Somebody fix that, won't you?" Harry requested coolly.
"On it..." Neville and Ginny answered in unison.
"So... back on topic..." Hermione spoke up, looking slightly annoyed. "Those in favour of having the Slytherins join us?"
Hermione, Luna and Harry raised their hands outright, while Ron, Ginny and Neville were a bit more reluctant, but raised their hands nevertheless.
"Then it's agreed. You're... we're... now a fully inclusive club." Harry commented.
"Just in time too, since we'll be entering Isis airspace in ten minutes and be at our actual destination on the planet in half an hour!" Aki called out. "We need to be ready!"
Harry looked back at him, then at the phone that the images of his fellow Earthlings were projected over.
"I'll talk to you all when I get some more free time. As you just heard, I have to go..." Harry said.
"Alright then, Harry." Hermione smiled. "We really do miss you here, you know. Somehow, even with everything going on outside the walls of Hogwarts, things aren't as exciting here without you..."
Harry raised an eyebrow. "One would think that that was a good thing..."
Ron spoke up. "Never mind her. It is a good thing..."
Harry chuckled. "I'll talk to you all later then."
"Later!" Hermione ended the call from her end.
Harry sighed as he fully returned his attention to his squad.
"So," he started. "Are you all ready for this? Because I'm bloody well sure that I'm not..." he frowned.
"Ah, it's nothing. Just meeting more of Amethyst's and Jasper's family members- both on their father's and mother's sides, Rainer's parents..." Darian gave a long glance at Lucas at that point, who merely looked away out the window. "Giving some testimony in court, talking to the press. We can handle it." he waved dismissively.
Lucas rolled his eyes.
"We can handle it? You mean, I'm handling it. You lot made me the spokesperson. Why?" Harry scowled at them. "Why would you do that?"
"Why the hell not? You're the leader!" Aki chuckled as he pulled down a lever and the ship began to slowly descend.
"Seriously. I hate this." Harry grumbled as he got up to get ready for their arrival.
"You'd better grow to not hate it, because you're gonna be a war hero in your home world when you beat Voldemort, plus when, not if you marry Roxy, you'll be a prince and princes are generally expected to be leaders..." Darian commented with a straight face.
With an equally straight face, Harry casually fired a Jelly-Legs Jinx at him and turned to begin his own preparations for landing, ignoring Darian's loudly voiced objections and Lucas' and Aki's amusement.
Next chapter makes forty and the story is far from over! Come on, readers! Review and let me know your thoughts on everything so far! Especially those of you I've never heard from! I won't bite!
Or will I...