Chapter 32: Hog's Head

September 11, 2002

When Buffy and Willow arrived at the Gryffiindor table for breakfast they heard Harry, Ron, Dawn, Hermione and Ginny talking in hushed tones.

"Well—learn Defense Against the Dark Arts ourselves," said Hermione as Buffy and Willow sat down next to Harry and Dawn. She thought a moment about ending the conversation there since Buffy was a professor. But she knew Buffy would want them to be able to protect themselves even though she would want them running away afterwards.

"This is about preparing ourselves, like Dawn said in Umbridge's first lesson, for what's waiting out there," Hermione said. "It's about making sure we really can defend ourselves. If we don't learn anything for a whole year—"

Buffy sighed. "Hermione's right. I would prefer you learn how to defend yourselves. But Hermione this is dangerous. If Umbridge found out she could have any of you expelled."

"Then you teach us, Buffy," Dawn said. "It just means pretending that the spells we learn in your classes would be used against vampires and demons."

"I don't know," Buffy said. "She threatened me last night. Not an outright actual threat but more of a warning that if I didn't fall in line. I could be gone from Hogwarts."

"What if we found some place to maybe do it in secret?" Hermione suggested. "That way she didn't know you were actually teaching us."

"They do have a point, Buffy," Willow said. "Plus, I could teach them magic that the Ministry wouldn't know about."

"Are you sure you want to do that, Will?" Buffy said.

"With Dawn's help. That way I'm not performing magic myself," Willow said. "I don't want to go bad again and I'm afraid if I do too much magic I could. Then I might be an even bigger badass."

Buffy sighed. "Alright," she said.

October 4, 2002

Dawn, Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny made mention of Buffy and Willow giving Defense Against the Dark Arts lessons for the rest of the month of September. Dawn had four Quidditch practices and was already a good a Seeker as Harry. Chaser and Beater were still a work in progress though and Keeper she was having as bad of luck as Ron had during his first practice.

"Hermione," Buffy said as she looked at Hermione. Hermione, Ron, Dawn, Harry and Ginny had asked if they could study in her suite and she consented. To tell the truth she had missed them doing that on occasion since they had returned to Hogwarts. "I have been thinking on the classes, Willow and I would be teaching in secret. There is a problem. We could theoretically have someone sign up for our little club and then turn traitor and tell Umbridge."

"I've been thinking about that," Hermione said. "Anyone who wants to has to sign a parchment with a jinx that lets us know if they turn traitor. In fact, I've been ahead of you on this. Anyone interested will meet us tomorrow in Hogsmeade."

October 5, 2002

The next morning dawned bright but windy. After breakfast Dawn, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Harry and Willow queued up in front of Filch, who matched their names to the long list of students who had permission from their parents or guardian to visit the village.

He stopped Willow. "Your name isn't down," he said.

"She has my personal permission," Buffy said from where she stood by the door. "Besides Willow is of the age not to need her parents' permission anymore."

"All right," Filch grumbled as he waved Willow on.

They walked between the tall stone pillars topped with winged boars and turned left onto the road into the village, the wind whipping their hair into their eyes.

"Where are we going anyway?" Harry asked. "The Three Broomsticks?"

"Oh—no," said Hermione, coming out of her reverie, "no, it's always packed and really noisy. I've told the others to meet us in the Hog's Head, that other pub, you know the one, it's not on the main road. I think it's a bit… you know… dodgy… but students don't normally go in there, so I don't think we'll be overheard."

They walked down the main street past Zonko's Joke Shop, where they were unsurprised to see Fred, George, and Lee Jordan, past the post office, from which owls issued at regular intervals, and turned up a side street at the top of which stood a small inn. A battered wooden sign hung from a rusty bracket over the door, with a picture upon it of a wild boar's severed head leaking blood onto the white cloth around it. The sign creaked in the wind as they approached.

It was not at all like the Three Broomsticks, whose large bar gave an impression of gleaming warmth and cleanliness. The Hog's Head bar comprised one small, dingy, and very dirty room that smelled strongly of something that might have been goats. The bay windows were so encrusted with grime that very little daylight could permeate the room, which was lit instead with the stubs of candles sitting on rough wooden tables.

There was a man at the bar whose whole head was wrapped in dirty gray bandages, though he was still managing to gulp endless glasses of some smoking, fiery substance through a slit over his mouth. Two figures shrouded in hoods sat at a table in one of the windows; in a shadowy corner beside the fireplace sat a witch with a thick, black veil that fell to her toes.

"I don't know about this," Ginny muttered, as they crossed to the bar. She was looking particularly at the heavily veiled witch. "Has it occurred to you Umbridge might be under that?"

"Doubtful," Buffy said. "She's as tall as I am."

"And anyway, even if Umbridge does come in here there's nothing she can do to stop us because I've double-and-triple-checked the school rules," Hermione said quietly. "We're not out-of-bounds; I specifically asked Professor Flitwick whether students were allowed to come in the Hog's Head, and he said yes, but he advised me strongly to bring our own glasses. And I've looked up everything I can think of about study groups and homework groups and they're definitely allowed. I just don't think it's a good idea if we parade what we're doing."

The barman sidled toward them out of a back room. "What?" he grunted.

"Seven butterbeers, please," said Buffy.

The man reached beneath the counter and pulled up seven very dusty, very dirty bottles, which he slammed on the bar. "Fourteen Sickles," he said.

"Here's twenty," Buffy said as she passed over the silver. "Keep the change."

The man turned away and deposited Buffy's money in an ancient wooden till whose drawer slid open automatically to receive it.

Buffy led the group to the farthest table from the bar and sat down.

"You know what?" Ron murmured, looking over at the bar with enthusiasm. "We could order anything we liked in here, I bet that bloke would sell us anything, he wouldn't care. I've always wanted to try firewhisky—"

"No," Buffy said. "You are not ordering alcohol. Or did you forget what I told you about one of my first times drinking beer."

Ron sighed, the smile fading from his face. "I remember. Sorry, Buffy."

"So, who did you say is supposed to be meeting us?" Harry asked, wrenching open the rusty top of his butterbeer and taking a swig.

"Just a couple of people," Hermione repeated, checking her watch and then looking anxiously toward the door. "I told them to be here about now and I'm sure they all know where it is—oh look, this might be them now—"

The door of the pub had opened. A thick band of dusty sunlight split the room in two for a moment and then vanished, blocked by the incoming rush of a crowd of people.

First came Neville with Dean and Lavender, who were closely followed by Parvati and Padma Patil with Cho and one of her usually giggling girlfriends, then Luna Lovegood; then Katie Bell, Alicia Spinnet, and Angelina Johnson, Colin and Dennis Creevey, Ernie Macmillan, Justin Finch-Fletchley, Hannah Abbott, three Ravenclaw boys who were called Anthony Goldstein, Michael Corner, and Terry Boot, and bringing up the rear, Fred and George Weasley with their friend Lee Jordan, all three of whom were carrying large paper bags crammed with Zonko's merchandise.

"You call this a couple," Buffy said. It was more than she had expected to tell the truth. She had expected Fred and George, she had even expected the rest of the Gryffindor Quidditch team but not everyone else.

"Yes, well, the idea seemed quite popular," said Hermione happily.

"Ron, do you want to pull up some more chairs?"

The barman had frozen in the act of wiping out a glass with a rag so filthy it looked as though it had never been washed.

"Hi," said Fred, reaching the bar first and counting his companions quickly. "Could we have… twenty-one butterbeers, please?"

The barman glared at him for a moment, then, throwing down his rag irritably as though he had been interrupted in something very important, he started passing up dusty butterbeers from under the bar.

"Cheers," said Fred, handing them out. "Cough up, everyone, I haven't got enough gold for all of these…"

"No need," Buffy said as she came over to Fred and handed the man behind the bar fifty silver. "Again, keep the change."

"Thanks, Buffy," Fred said.

Buffy led the group over to the corner as she returned to her seat.

"Er," said Hermione, her voice slightly higher than usual out of nerves. "Well—er—hi. Well… erm… well, you know why you're here. Erm… well, Harry I had the idea—that it might be good if people who wanted to study Defense Against the Dark Arts—and I mean, really study it, you know, not the rubbish that Umbridge is doing with us because nobody could call that Defense Against the Dark Arts."

"Hear, hear," said Anthony Goldstein

"Well, I thought it would be good if we, well, took matters into our own hands," Hermione paused, looked sideways at Buffy, and went on, "And by that, I mean learning how to defend ourselves properly, not just theory but the real spells—"

"You want to pass your Defense Against the Dark Arts O.W.L. too though, I bet?" said Michael Corner.

"Of course, I do," said Hermione at once. "But I want more than that, I want to be properly trained in Defense because… because…" She took a great breath and finished, "Because Lord Voldemort's back."

The reaction was immediate and predictable. Cho's friend shrieked and slopped butterbeer down herself, Terry Boot gave a kind of involuntary twitch, Padma Patil shuddered, and Neville gave an odd yelp that he managed to turn into a cough. All of them, however, looked fixedly, even eagerly, at Buffy.

"Well… that's the plan anyway," said Hermione. "If you want to join us, we need to decide how we're going to—"

"Where's the proof You-Know-Who's back?" someone asked, with the number there they weren't exactly sure who had asked.

"Do you disbelieve the word of a Slayer?" Buffy asked. "I saw it with my own eyes. The question you should be asking is why would I lie about seeing him? As a Slayer it is my duty to protect everyone from the forces of darkness. That could technically even include dark wizards and witches."

The whole group seemed to have held its breath while Buffy spoke.

"So," said Hermione, her voice very high-pitched again. "So… like I was saying… if you want to learn some defense, then we need to work out how we're going to do it, how often we're going to meet, and where we're going to—"

"Is it true," interrupted the girl with the long plait down her back, looking at Harry, "that you can produce a Patronus?"

There was a murmur of interest around the group at this.

"Yeah," said Harry slightly defensively.

"A corporeal Patronus?"

"Yes," said Harry.

"Blimey, Harry!" said Lee, looking deeply impressed. "I never knew that!"

"Harry is not the only one," Buffy said. "I too as well as Dawn have produced a fully corporeal Patronus. Dawn herself has even done it wandless."

There was a collective gasp of surprise that Dawn had managed to cast the Patronus charm wandless.

"And did you kill a basilisk with that sword in Dumbledore's office?" demanded Terry Boot looking at Harry. "That's what one of the portraits on the wall told me when I was in there last year…"

"Er—yeah, I did, yeah," said Harry.

Justin Finch-Fletchley whistled, the Creevey brothers exchanged awestruck looks, and Lavender Brown said "wow" softly.

"And in our first year," said Neville to the group at large, "he saved that Sorcerous Stone—"

"Sorcerer's," hissed Hermione.

"Yes, that, from You-Know-Who," finished Neville.

Hannah Abbott's eyes were as round as Galleons.

"And that's not to mention," said Cho, "all the tasks Professor Potter had to get through in the Triwizard Tournament last year—getting past dragons and merpeople and things…"

"Our family has been at the front of everything since Harry came to Hogwarts," Buffy admitted. "You all also know how I feel about you learning to defend yourselves. I am sure the seventh-year class that Umbridge sat in on has spread around how I argued with her about teaching you all self-defense against vampires and demons. This isn't much different in reality. Especially when a dementor is actually a demon that could kill you. And if they side with Voldemort there is a real good chance each of you might face off against one. You need to learn how to defend yourselves."

"The point is," Hermione said. "Are we agreed we want to take lessons from Buffy?"

"And Willow," Buffy added as everyone looked at her and Willow. "There is a truth none of you know. Willow did not attend a wizarding academy in Sunnydale. She actually is a self-taught Wiccan witch. She is not using Wiccan magic for personal reasons, but she has consented to teach you with Dawn's help what she knows."

There was a murmur of general agreement.

"Right," said Hermione, looking relieved that something had at last been settled. "Well, then, the next question is how often we do it. I really don't think there's any point in meeting less than once a week—"

"Hang on," said Angelina, "we need to make sure this doesn't clash with our Quidditch practice."

"No," said Cho, "nor with ours."

"I'm sure we can find a night that suits everyone," said Hermione, slightly impatiently, "but you know, this is rather important, we're talking about learning to defend ourselves against Voldemort's Death Eaters as well as any dark creature that Buffy and Willow think we might face."

"Well said!" barked Ernie Macmillan. "Personally, I think this is really important, possibly more important than anything else we'll do this year, even with our O.W.L.s coming up!"

He looked around impressively, as though waiting for people to cry,

"Surely not!" When nobody spoke, he went on, "I, personally, am at a loss to see why the Ministry has foisted such a useless teacher upon us at this critical period. Obviously, they are in denial about the return of You-Know-Who, but to give us a teacher who is trying to actively prevent us from using defensive spells—"

"The reason Umbridge isn't teaching you defensive spells," Buffy said. "Is from what we've heard Fudge believes that Dumbledore is going to raise an army from not only those loyal to him, but you the students so that he can overthrow the Ministry."

Nearly everybody looked stunned at this news; everybody except Luna Lovegood, who piped up, "Well, that makes sense. After all, Cornelius Fudge has got his own private army."

"What?" said Harry.

"Yes, he's got an army of heliopaths," said Luna solemnly.

"No, he hasn't," snapped Hermione.

"Yes, he has," said Luna.

"What are heliopaths?" asked Neville, looking blank.

"They're spirits of fire," said Luna. "Great tall flaming creatures that gallop across the ground burning everything in front of—"

"They don't exist, Neville," said Hermione tartly.

"Oh yes they do!" said Luna angrily.

"I'm sorry, but where's the proof of that?" snapped Hermione.

"There are plenty of eyewitness accounts, just because you're so narrow-minded you need to have everything shoved under your nose before you—"

"Hem, hem," said Ginny in such a good imitation of Professor Umbridge that several people looked around in alarm and then laughed. "Weren't we trying to decide how often we're going to meet and get Defense lessons?"

"Yes," said Hermione at once, "yes, we were, you're right…"

"Well, once a week sounds cool," said Lee Jordan.

"As long as—" began Angelina.

"Yes, yes, we know about the Quidditch," said Hermione in a tense voice. "Well, the other thing to decide is where we're going to meet…"

"Before anyone suggests a public space," Buffy said. "Remember that public spaces aren't going to work. This must be done in secret. Not only could I be fired for doing this against the Ministry's wishes. But you all could be expelled if it's found out."

"Right, well, we'll try to find somewhere," said Hermione. "We'll send a message round to everybody when we've got a time and a place for the first meeting."

She rummaged in her bag and produced parchment and a quill, then hesitated, rather as though she was steeling herself to say something.

"I-I think everybody should write their name down, just so we know who was here. But I also think," she took a deep breath, "that we all ought to agree not to shout about what we're doing. So, if you sign, you're agreeing not to tell Umbridge—or anybody else—what we're up to."

Fred reached out for the parchment and cheerfully put down his signature.

"I—well, I am a prefect," Ernie burst out. "And if this list was found… well, I mean to say… you said yourself, Professor, if Umbridge finds out…"

"You just said this group was the most important thing you'd do this year," Harry reminded him.

"I—yes," said Ernie, "yes, I do believe that, it's just…"

"Ernie, do you really think I'd leave that list lying around?" said Hermione testily.

"No. No, of course not," said Ernie, looking slightly less anxious. "I—yes, of course I'll sign."

Nobody raised objections after Ernie.

"Well, time's ticking on," said Fred briskly, getting to his feet. "George, Lee, and I have got items of a sensitive nature to purchase, we'll be seeing you all later."

In twos and threes, the rest of the group took their leave too.

"Well, I think that went quite well," said Hermione happily, as she, Harry, Dawn, Willow, Ginny and Ron walked out of the Hog's Head into the bright sunlight a few moments later.

October 7, 2002

Dawn and Ginny headed down the stairs from the girl's dormitory, discussing Angelina's idea that she and the rest of the Quidditch team were to work on a new move called the Sloth Grip Roll during that night's Quidditch practice, and not until they were halfway across the sunlit common room did they notice the addition to the room that had already attracted the attention of a small group of people.

A large sign had been affixed to the Gryffindor notice board, so large that it covered everything else on there. The new sign was printed in large black letters and there was a highly official-looking seal at the bottom beside a neat and curly signature.

— BY ORDER OF —

THE HIGH INQUISITOR OF HOGWARTS

All Student Organizations, Societies, Teams, Groups, and Clubs are henceforth disbanded.

An Organization, Society, Team, Group, or Club is hereby defined as a regular meeting of three or more students.

Permission to re-form may be sought from the High Inquisitor (Professor Umbridge).

No Student Organization, Society, Team, Group, or Club may exist without the knowledge and approval of the High Inquisitor.

Any student found to have formed, or to belong to, an Organization, Society, Team, Group, or Club that has not been approved by the High Inquisitor will be expelled.

The above is in accordance with Educational Decree Number Twenty-four.

Signed:

Dolores Jane Umbridge

HIGH INQUISITOR

Dawn and Ginny read the notice over the heads of some anxious-looking second years. Then Dawn turned and walked over to a portrait on the wall. "Hellmouth," she said not caring if anyone saw the entrance from the common room to Buffy's suite.

The portrait hole opened up and Dawn ducked through it.

"Buffy!" she called as Buffy came out of the bedroom followed by Willow. "Common room, you have to see this."

Buffy sighed as she and Willow followed Dawn out of the portrait hole into the Gryffindor common room. "Excuse me," she said noticing the students standing in front of the notice board. She made her way to it and then frowned as she read. She turned back toward Dawn and Ginny. "Dawn, Ginny. Get Harry, Ron and Hermione and meet me in my suite."

Buffy and Willow ducked back through the portrait hole as it closed behind them.

A few minutes later the portrait hole reopened and in came Dawn, Ginny, Harry, Ron and Hermione.

"This isn't a coincidence," Harry said, his hands forming fists. "She knows."

"She can't," said Ron at once.

"She obviously does," Buffy said. "I agree with my brother. This isn't a coincidence. Remember there were people in the pub. Any of them could have been there doing exactly what we thought they weren't."

"Buffy's right," Hermione agreed. "None of those who attended the meeting could have. Remember I put a jink on that piece of parchment we all signed. If anyone from the meeting ran off and told Umbridge, we'll know exactly who they are and they will really regret it."

"I hope the jink isn't anything too bad," Buffy said.

"It's not," Hermione said. "it'll just make Eloise Midgen's acne look like a couple of cute freckles. Come on, let's get down to breakfast and see what the others think…"

"Before we do that," Willow said. "I think Buffy needs to distance herself from this.

"I'm not doing that, Will," Buffy said. "Umbridge has crossed a line. Not only does this affect our little club. But Dawn, Ron and Harry can no longer play Quidditch without her approval. Because that's disbanded to."

They headed on down to the Great Hall for breakfast. The entire student body was talking about Umbridge's sign.

They hadn't been sitting more than a minute or two when Neville, Dean, Fred and George.

"Did you see it?"

"D'you reckon she knows?"

"What are we going to do?"

They were all looking at Buffy. She glanced around to make sure there were no teachers besides herself near. "We're going to do it anyway," she said quietly. "She crossed a line."

"Knew you'd say that," said George, beaming at Buffy.

"The prefects as well?" said Fred, looking quizzically at Ron and Hermione.

"Yes," Buffy said. "After all their Harry's friends which makes them my friends. And one thing I do not ever do is leave anyone I call a friend behind."

"Here comes Ernie and Hannah Abbott," said Ron, looking over his shoulder. "And those Ravenclaw blokes."

Hermione looked alarmed. "Never mind spots, the idiots can't come over here now, it'll look really suspicious—sit down!" she mouthed to Ernie and Hannah, gesturing frantically to them to rejoin the Hufflepuff table. "Later! We'll—talk—to—you—later!"

"Dawn! Harry! Ron!" It was Angelina and she was hurrying toward them looking perfectly desperate.

"We know," Buffy said as she motioned for Angelina to sit down. "Quidditch is also disbanded. I intend to talk to Umbridge as I'm Head of Gryffindor House."