Chapter One Hundred and Four - In the Hog's Head
"This is where you've been practicing?"
Hermione's voice echoed off the cavernous walls of the Chamber of Secrets. At first, Harry interpreted her tone of astonishment to mean she was impressed. The expression on her face, however, told a different story.
"I know it isn't much to look at," said Harry with embarrassment.
Hermione had tolerated the slimy tunnel leading down from Moaning Myrtle's bathroom with quiet dignity, but the Chamber had clearly not lived up to her expectations. She looked disappointed and shocked that this was the only reward for her patience.
Hermione continued to examine their practice space. A note of apology crept into her voice as she said, "Oh no, I didn't mean… Well, it's certainly roomy. And that foul Umbridge woman will never find us down here."
"Not unless she's a parselmouth!" Neville chirped in a voice that implied he was trying to make the most of a bad situation, "I mean, you're the only ones who know about this place, right?"
"Er… Right…"
Harry glanced sideways at the pile of blankets that had been left behind when the Chamber had been used to hide Sirius. His godfather had been a fugitive from the law at the time, but that scheme had ended rather abruptly when they were forced out of hiding. As a result, evidence of Sirius's short-lived stay lingered in the abandoned Chamber.
Hermione must have heard the hesitation in Harry's response, because she turned to him with a stern expression.
"Harry, who else knows where the Chamber of Secrets is located?"
"Just the three of us," Harry said quickly, referring to Blaise and Millie, "And… Well, my godfather… And Remus… Professor Lupin, I mean… But they don't know we started using it again!"
Hermione's keen eyes continued to stare at him, certain there was more he was hiding.
"Are you sure no one else knows?"
"Er… Just, y'know… Snape. But I swear that's all!"
"Snape!" Neville cried in horror, looking around as if he expected the potions master to step out from behind one of the columns at any moment. "Snape knows how to find this Chamber?"
"Relax! He won't think we're stupid enough to come down here a third time!"
"Third?" Hermione repeated, aghast, just as Neville exclaimed, "He'll think I'm stupid enough!"
"We've done this before without getting caught," Harry said imploringly, "And it's still a lot better than using an empty classroom."
When Hermione and Neville failed to look convinced, Millie finally came to Harry's aid.
"We're already here," she said, "We might as well make the most of our time today. We can think of a different meeting spot later."
Hermione and Neville relented, though the question of where else they could possibly have their study sessions was a topic not soon forgotten.
"Where else can we practice safely?" Neville asked as he helped fold a few old blankets from Sirius's camp to cushion their stunning spell practice.
"What about the Shrieking Shack?" suggested Blaise.
Harry didn't think this was a bad idea. They already knew about the passage hidden beneath the Whomping Willow, and neither Snape nor Umbridge would think to look for them there.
Neville was even less excited about this plan than he had been about the Chamber of Secrets. "Isn't the Shrieking Shack supposed to be haunted? I heard there was a poltergeist there that would make Peeves look like a pixie."
"Those stories were just invented to keep people out," Blaise explained, "We've been there before, right Harry? Nothing to worry about, unless you're allergic to dust."
Hermione directed another accusing look at Harry, perhaps sensing that there was more to the story than this. Fearing another lecture, Harry suggested that they begin their practice while they still had time.
Harry was pleased to see quick progress Hermione and Neville made on their stunning spells after only a short lapse of time. He hoped that Millie's instruction that day would bring an end to Hermione's constant insinuations that Harry be the one to teach them Defense Against the Dark Arts. Surely she would see that it was Millie, and not Harry, who was better equipped to lead them.
After about an hour of practice, they decided to call it a day. Blaise and Millie led the way back through the twisting pipes under the school. Blaise was busy congratulating Neville on a particularly effective stunning spell he'd fired at the end of their lesson. It had required a charm from Blaise to bring Harry back from complete unconsciousness. Harry was just about to follow them up the tunnel leading to Moaning Myrtle's bathroom, when he felt a gentle touch on his arm.
"Let them go first," Hermione said with a nod toward Blaise, Neville, and Millie, "There's something I want to ask you."
Harry's heart quickened at the idea of speaking with Hermione alone. He hardly knew what he hoped for, little expecting that Hermione would choose the dank tunnels beneath the school as a romantic location to ask him out. And yet, despite all his reasoning to the contrary, he was still disappointed when Hermione merely wanted to discuss their study sessions.
"I know you wanted to keep these meetings between the five of us," she began, "But wouldn't it be better to invite others?"
"Who exactly did you have in mind?" asked Harry, thinking that Hermione was considering one or two of the girls she shared a dormitory with.
Her answer caught him off guard when she replied, "Anyone who wants to learn."
Harry gaped at her, then laughed at the absurdity of the suggestion.
"As if anyone wants to study Defense Against the Dark Arts with a group of Slytherins!"
"You'd be surprised!" Hermione retorted, "And anyway, it's not just any group of Slytherins, is it? People will be interested if they know you're involved."
"Me?" said Harry, "But I'm not teaching, Millie is!"
"But there are things you can do that Millie can't, aren't there?"
"What are you talking about?"
"Don't be so obtuse, Harry! You said yourself that you can cast a patronus!"
"That's only one spell!"
Hermione tossed her head and declared, "Well, Viktor speaks highly of you! During the tournament, he said you could do things even he couldn't, and he was in his final year at Durmstrang!"
Harry felt an uncomfortable weight in his chest. He heard himself asking, "Are you still in contact with Krum, then?"
Hermione would not allow him to change the subject.
"I need you to be on board with this, Harry!" she pleaded, "Blaise and Millie will never agree, otherwise!"
With the threat of a continued correspondence with Viktor Krum hanging over his head, Harry didn't want to disappoint her. He knew that letting more people know about their study group placed them at greater risk of exposure, but he didn't think he could refuse. Sighing as he thought of what his friends would say when he pitched the idea to them, Harry reluctantly agreed.
"I'll talk to Millie about taking on a few more students," he said, "She's still the best shot you've got for learning anything really useful. And I warn you now, I don't think she'll go for it."
"That's why I came to you first!" said Hermione brightly, "Millie will listen to you. You're her best friend!"
Harry shook his head at her optimism, but a part of him was secretly excited about the idea. If they were selective about who joined their group and kept it secret, it would be an excellent way to hone his skills. And although Millie might take some convincing, if he was successful, it would please Hermione.
He thought about how to approach the topic all throughout dinner. Hermione kept directing glances at him, clearly waiting for him to introduce the subject, but Harry deemed it better to wait. He approached Millie when they were alone in the common room that very night.
He had his speech and arguments prepared, but to his great surprise, they weren't necessary. He had merely gotten through his preamble when Millie said, "I don't mind tutoring a few more pupils, but I think we should limit our scope to other Slytherins. Never tell Blaise I said this, but he's right. Other than Hermione and Neville, there's no one else we can trust."
"What about Nell?" Harry asked.
After a moment of careful consideration, Millie said, "She's alright, too."
Harry could tell there were going to be a few trust issues to work out if they were to have a diverse study group, but he didn't blame Millie for her caution. Despite everything Hermione said to the contrary, he couldn't imagine anyone outside of his own house wanting to participate in their secret study sessions. Nell might bring along her strange friend Luna, but beyond that, Harry could think of no one else.
As the days counting down to October passed rapidly by, Harry grew more and more distressed to find that his correspondence with Sirius was flagging. More often than not, it was Remus who responded to his letters. Harry was sure it was a sign that his godfather's condition was worsening, not improving.
His worries were soon confirmed by Mrs. Zabini. In response to a carefully worded but passionate plea from Harry, she wrote back to him:
I don't want to alarm you, but I am worried about him.
He does seem to tire easily, and Remus thinks he should see one of the healers
at St. Mungo's. I wish I knew how to help, but I've had my own troubles
with Cousin Cissy…
Harry, after reading over his letter several times, decided it was time to write to Remus directly. He needed to know the truth about what was happening to Sirius.
A letter was hardly satisfactory. He wished both Sirius and Remus could come visit him in Hogsmeade, as they had during the Triwizard Tournament. But things were different now. It would be too dangerous for them to meet Harry outside of Grimmauld Place. They could easily be trailed back to the safehouse or attacked on their journey. Plus, if Sirius was really very ill, travel would not be the best thing for him. Harry merely hoped for another conversation in the common room fire, and posted his message without delay.
Although Harry would have gladly rearranged his plans to see his godfather, his first day in Hogsmeade was going to be a busy one already. He had already agreed to meet Cedric in the Three Broomsticks that morning, and Hermione had scheduled a clandestine meeting for any students interested in their study sessions that same afternoon. With promises to catch up after his conversation with Cedric, Harry made his way to the pub alone.
Cedric was waiting for him with two butterbeers when he arrived. The Three Broomsticks was a popular stop for Hogwarts students. Although it wasn't exactly private, the bustle and noise of the other patrons afforded relative safety from being overheard. Cedric had purposely selected a relatively quiet table in a recessed corner of the pub.
"Is butterbeer alright?" he asked, "I could grab us something else. Some pumpkin juice maybe or…"
"It's fine," said Harry, conscious that he had other business to attend to. He had been dreading this conversation for weeks, and yet he felt no anxiety now that the time had arrived. It felt as though he had run out of things to worry about, and was now merely eager to get started.
"So, where do you want me to begin?"
Cedric seemed surprised by his direct approach. He looked down shyly at his own mug of butterbeer and said, "The Triwizard Cup…"
"It was a portkey."
"Yes, but where did it take you?" Cedric asked, meeting Harry's eye again, "I had to be rescued by some of the teachers after you jinxed me… Not that I blame you, of course!"
"It's alright," Harry said before Cedric could begin explaining himself, "You were saying?"
"Well, I got out of that maze before you did. The portkey should have brought you back to the start, right? But you were gone for so long…"
"It was a trap," Harry stated simply, "One of Voldemort's followers set the whole thing up so that I would be taken far away and used in some ritual."
Cedric's eyes widened at Harry's bold use of the name. "So that was all true, then… All that stuff Dumbledore said last year…"
"I haven't finished," cautioned Harry. Since he'd begun, he didn't want to stop until everything had been shared. Cedric sat back patiently as Harry recounted his story, stopping him only when they required refills. By the time he'd gotten through Moody's death and the exposure of Barty Crouch Jr, there were several empty mugs of butterbeer littered across the table, all Cedric's treat.
"And that's it," Harry said, having reached the part where Fudge and Dumbledore quarreled. He had carefully avoided any mention of Snape or the Order of the Phoenix, but Cedric knew all the rest. "You wanted to know, and now I've told you. You can think I'm lying if you want…"
"I don't think you're lying."
Harry looked up and realized he hadn't glanced at Cedric the entire time he'd been recounting his narrative. Now he could see that Cedric was gazing at him with a mixture of awe and pity. From anyone else, he might have resented the latter. But from Cedric, Harry knew it came coupled with respect.
"Why haven't you come forward about this?" Cedric asked. His voice bore no accusation. Instead, he seemed to genuinely want to understand. It enabled Harry to respond with patience.
"You've seen what the Daily Prophet said about Dumbledore for even suggesting the possibility of Voldemort's return. What would they say about me if I claimed I saw him? That I fought him off myself?"
"They're already saying some dodgy things about you…" Cedric agreed.
He slipped into silent thought. Harry said nothing for a few moments, reflecting instead on his own feelings. It used to be torture to talk about the events of that night. In many ways, he hoped this would be the last he needed to relive his story. But it had gotten easier over time. After all was said and done, he was glad he'd let Cedric into his confidence.
"So You-Know-Who is back," Cedric summarized aloud, "And the Ministry would rather turn a blind eye to it than prepare themselves. We have to do something, don't we?"
Harry shook his head. "You don't have to do anything."
"But I can help! My father works for the Ministry. If I talk to him I can…"
"No!" Harry interrupted, "No, Cedric. No one else can know right now."
"But why?"
"Voldemort has been laying low. Until he shows his hand, we have to be cautious," Harry warned, "Dumbledore knows everything. We have to trust that he has a plan."
It was strange for Harry to be giving this advice to Cedric when all summer he had begged to join the Order and fight Voldemort himself. He wondered if what he was feeling now was similar to Sirius and Remus's experience when they had tried to reason with him.
"Alright," Cedric said at last, rising from his seat and tossing a few knuts on the table, "I'll keep quiet for now. But if you need me for anything, anything at all, you come tell me."
For a moment, Harry considered asking him to come to the study group meeting. Cedric's responsibility as Head Boy might prevent him from doing anything that could invoke the wrath of a teacher, but there was no rule against forming a study group.
The choice was made for him by Cedric himself, who thanks Harry for his time, but stated that he promised to meet up with Cho Chang. Perhaps it was for the best, reflected Harry as he made his solitary way up the street. He could just imagine the look on Millie's face if she saw him walk into the secret meeting with the Head Boy.
The pub he was looking for sat at the end of a side street. A battered wooden sign hung from a rusty bracket over the door. On it was a picture of a wild boar's severed head, which hardly seemed welcoming.
It was Hermione who suggested the Hog's Head, a rarely frequented pub that students tended to avoid. Most preferred the less-dodgy Three Broomsticks for their butterbeer fix. But the Hog's Head, by comparison, was ideal for covert meetings.
Harry hurried inside and found that the pub consisted of one small, dirty room that smelled strongly of livestock. The bay windows were so encrusted with grime that the light seeping through them was dim and gray. It would be impossible for anyone passing by to peer inside. This suited Harry just fine. It would ensure that their meeting remained private.
His conversation with Cedric had lasted so long that he was the last of his friends to arrive. Blaise, Millie, Hermione, and Neville were already seated in a remote corner of the room. When Harry joined them, he couldn't help but notice a disgusted look on Blaise's face.
"Good, now that Harry's here, we can leave," he said. "This place is dreadful."
"Don't act so uppity," chastised Millie, "Until recently, we were sliding down a slime-covered tunnel and practicing in a damp underground chamber. I never heard you complain then."
"That's because it was cool!" Blaise whined.
While the two of them bickered, Hermione's thoughts were clearly elsewhere. As Harry took the empty seat between her and Millie, she told him anxiously that, "I double and triple checked the school rules. We're not breaking any. We're not out of bounds. We're allowed to have homework groups. Still, it's probably not a good idea to let Umbridge know what we're planning…"
"So who did you invite anyway?" Harry asked as Neville got up to order a round of drinks.
"Just a couple of people," said Hermione sheepishly.
Her lie was instantly betrayed when the door swung open and a troop of students marched in. At the head of the group was Ron Weasley and two of his friends. Much to Harry's chagrin, Draco Malfoy shuffled in directly behind them. Fred, George, and Ginny Weasley completed the set, and were soon joined by Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil. Harry assumed these last two were there at Hermione's instigation. He remembered her mentioning that they shared a dorm. Parvati had brought her twin, Padma, and after her came Nell and Luna Lovegood.
Nell detached herself from the rest of the train and she rushed to Harry's side.
"Thanks for the invite," she teased sarcastically, "Care to tell me why I had to hear about this from Hermione and not you?"
Harry offered her an apologetic grin, then he realized that Nell hadn't come alone. The Ravenclaw boy he'd met in their Herbology class hovered protectively behind her.
"You remember Oliver, don't you?" Nell asked, noticing the drift of Harry's gaze.
Oliver gave Harry a stiff nod, then suggested that he and Nell find a seat among the growing crowd. Harry suddenly recalled where else he had seen Oliver. He had been one of the boys who asked Nell to dance during the Yule Ball. Harry had invited Nell to attend with him as a friend, but it certainly hadn't been him who danced with her most of the evening. He continued to watch the pair with interest as the door to the pub swung open again and even more students filtered into the room.
Fred and George called loudly to their friend, Lee Jordan, who quickly joined their party. In his wake followed several Slytherins who Harry assumed had been recruited by Blaise. There was Daphne Greengrass and her friend, Tracey Davis. Then Colin and Dennis Creevy, who had dragged along Herb and Omnivora Pandey. Lastly, the entire Slytherin Quidditch team filed into the room. They quickly formed two distinct groups - the Slytherins, who clustered near the bar, and everyone else.
Harry turned to Hermione with a sour expression, "A couple of people?"
Hermione looked both nervous and pleased as she replied, "Yes, well… A lot of people were quite keen when I mentioned it, and word travels fast, you know."
"Too fast," Millie added, "This is too many."
Harry did a quick head count. Twenty-five students had arrived by invitation. With Harry's group, that made them an even thirty.
"What exactly are they expecting?" Harry asked with some trepidation. He had noticed that many of the faces were turned toward him, as if waiting for him to speak.
"A lot of people were interested because… Because they heard you would be here," Hermione admitted guiltily.
"I thought we agreed that this would be Millie's group!" Harry hissed, "I can help with the patronus. Maybe the disarming jinx. But that's all!"
"You don't have to say anything!" said Hermione, "I'll talk to them, just… Just give me a moment…"
Hermione stood, and the attention of the waiting students was immediately redirected toward her. After a beat of silence while Hermione collected herself, she began, "Um… Thank you all for coming. I think you already know why we're here… I'm sure many of you feel the way I do. Frustrated by the rubbish we've been wasting our time on in Umbridge's class…"
Fred and George Weasley loudly cried from the back of the room, "Hear, hear!"
Rather than resent the interruption, Hermione seemed to grow more confidence as she continued, "So I thought, why not take matters into our own hands? We should be learning how to defend ourselves properly. Not just in theory, but by practicing real spells."
"I thought this was about passing our OWLs?" voiced Padma Patil.
"Well, yes. I want to pass my exams, too," Hermione replied, "But this is more important than that. We need to be properly trained in defense because… because…"
She cast a desperate glance at Harry, unsure of what more was safe to say. Taking pity on her, Harry rose slowly from his seat. Predictably, all eyes turned toward him again, filled with excitement and anticipation.
"Hermione's trying to say that these aren't just skills you learn to pass a test. These are spells we'll need out there, in the real world."
"Why?" asked one of the boys who had arrived with Ron. Harry recognized him as the Gryffindor Seeker, Theodore Nott. Outside of a Quidditch match, Harry hadn't ever exchanged more than two words with him. And there was never much time for conversation on a broomstick. He wondered what possessed Nott to accompany Ron today.
He didn't have long to wonder. A pregnant silence followed Nott's question, and Harry realized with a sinking feeling why there were so many people eager for these lessons. He sighed with frustration. Hermione should have seen this coming.
"You all heard Dumbledore's speech last year," Harry reminded them, "You heard him say that he's back. Lord Voldemort has returned, and he's getting stronger."
A shudder passed through the crows as Harry uttered the dreaded name. A few students even let out squeaks of fear. Even Neville, who should have been accustomed to it by now, slopped some of his butterbeer down his front. Absolutely everyone was now looking at Harry with shock.
"Where's the proof he's back?" asked Dean Thomas, ignoring the elbow that Ron placed in his ribs.
Blaise came to Harry's defense, stating coolly, "Dumbledore said he's back. That ought to be good enough for you."
"Dumbledore only thinks that because Professor Moody was killed…"
"By one of Voldemort's Death Eaters!" Blaise countered.
"Says who?" shouted Oliver Rivers. Nell looked at him disapprovingly, but that didn't stop him from adding, "Even if Karkaroff or whoever-he-was killed Professor Moody, that doesn't mean You-Know-Who is really back, does it?"
More and more students were nodding their heads in agreement with Oliver and Dean. Harry could see where this was headed. None of them were really interested in their study group. That wasn't the reason so many people came. They were curious to hear about what happened the night Professor Moody died, from the only one who had witnessed it.
"I'm not here to talk about Professor Moody," Harry snapped. After his conversation with Cedric, he'd had quite enough of the subject for one day. And unlike Cedric, this was not a group he felt he could trust. He didn't owe them any explanations.
"If that's all you came to hear, then clear off," he continued irritably, "I only came because I wanted to learn defensive magic. The real stuff. And if you're really here to practice with us, just know you'll be learning from Millie. Not me."
"That's not true!" Millie objected, jumping to her feet. Harry stared at her, alarmed and betrayed, as she added, "I can teach you a lot of things, sure. Harry will stand here and tell you that he's learned everything from me. But don't listen to him. Harry can do much more than that…"
Her voice wavered slightly. It was not Millie's habit to talk a lot, much less in front of a crowd. Harry knew she would never make a speech like this unless she had something of vital importance to share. The anger he felt a moment ago drained away as she continued.
"Harry stopped Professor Quirrell from doing something awful when we were only first years. I wasn't there to help him then. And when I was taken to the Chamber of Secrets in second year, it was Harry who came and rescued me. He's faced hundreds of dementors at once, and just last year you all saw him face dragons, merpeople, and… and…"
Millie faltered on the last part, though Harry could guess what she was thinking. She knew of Harry's confrontation with Voldemort at the end of that fateful tournament, but she didn't want to betray his trust.
A murmur passed through the waiting students. Some still appeared unconvinced, but then Luna suddenly asked, "Is it true you can produce a corporeal patronus?"
"Yeah," replied Harry, "It's a stag."
"I wonder what form mine would take?" Luna mused dreamily, "I hear they're always an animal of some kind…"
Harry didn't see how this would interest the other students, but to his surprise, it had an immediate effect. Everyone was looking at him differently. He heard Lavender Brown whispering to the Patil twins excitedly, speculating about the form her own patronus would be once she learned to cast one.
"... say it can tell a lot about your personality. Maybe even your soulmate!" she squealed loud enough for him to hear.
"Right… Well, there you have it!" Hermione concluded, "If you're still interested in lessons, we can start talking about how to get started."
The decision was unanimous. Different parties of friends exchanged glances and whispers, but across the group there were heads nodding in agreement. Even Harry found himself glancing at Millie, who returned his look with a smug smile. Harry had the unsettling impression that she and Hermione had planned something like this from the beginning.
With the first order of business settled. The next question came down to how often and where to meet. The idea of using the Shrieking Shack as a base of operations was met with enthusiasm, particularly when Harry revealed the existence of a secret passage leading directly to Hogwarts. Millie proposed that she, Harry, and Blaise lead small groups to the Whomping Willow of the course of the next week. They would take it in turns to show everyone how to sneak into the passage under the tree.
"We'll find a way to let everyone know when the first meeting will be held," said Hermione, having resumed her role as group spokesperson. Pulling a roll of parchment from her bag, she then stated, "I think everyone here should sign their names on this list. It will help me remember who all are interested and… it will be our agreement not to tell Umbridge or any other teacher about this study group."
Harry watched as the parchment was passed around one by one. To his surprise, very few students responded with hesitation to Hermione's proposal. Fred and George were quite happy to sign their names on the list, and even requested the honor of going first. There were still a few, however, who were less enthusiastic. Draco hesitated a moment before signing his own name. Oliver Rivers was even more reluctant, and might have opted out had not Nell pressured him with a look. When everyone had at last put their names down, including Harry himself, Hermione tucked the paper away, and the students began to trickle out of the pub in twos and threes.
Harry waited to confront Hermione and Millie until they were well clear of the Hog's Head themselves.
"I suppose you both think you're very clever?" he asked, trying to sound more angry than he really felt. "You knew people just wanted to hear me talk, didn't you? You were going to pawn this whole scheme off on me! I knew Millie agreed to this too easily…"
"That's not at all what I intended!" Hermione gasped.
"I'm not going to make you do all the work, Harry," said Millie in an attempt to mollify him, "We'll share the responsibility. You just teach the patronus, maybe help with a demonstration or two, and I'll handle the rest."
Harry was still concerned with the expectations the two of them had raised with their speechmaking, but soon Hermione and Neville had walked ahead of them, and Millie leaned closer to whisper, "She's so grateful that you've agreed to help out like this. Imagine how impressed she'll be when she sees what you can do?"
Harry pretended that he didn't know what she was talking about, but in his mind he could already picture Hermione's smiling face as he taught her how to perform some new spell. The idea alone could have produced a very powerful patronus.
