In the Hog's Head

Chrys didn't mention Arthur giving Defence Against the Dark Arts lessons for two weeks after she proposed the idea.

During this time, Arthur and David went to four more practice sessions with the Gryffindor Quidditch team, by which, David became comparable to Wood, which was a good thing.

And all three were able to not only Vanish their mice in Transfiguration, they were able to progress to Vanishing kittens.

It was only during a wild and blustery evening at the end of September as the trio were in the library to look up potion ingredients for Snape that Chrys brought the subject up again.

"Have you thought about my idea of you teaching us yet?" She asked Arthur.

He didn't answer at once, he just pretended to focus on a page of Asiatic Anti-Venoms because he didn't want to answer.

He gave the idea some thought for the past couple of weeks. Sometimes it came across as an insane idea, though he did think about the spells that helped him out when facing the various creatures and Death Eaters, even planning out lessons without knowing it..

"I've thought about it." Arthur said slowly, no longer pretending to focus on the book.

"And?" Chrys asked.

"I don't know." Arthur said, still feeling a bit unsure.

"I've thought it was a good idea from the start, myself." David said.

"Haven't you two listened to me saying that luck was involved?" Arthur reminded them.

"We have." Chrys said gently. "But there's no point in pretending that you're not good at Defence Against the Dark Arts. For goodness sake, the Imperius Curse doesn't affect you, you are able to produce a Patronus as well as other things that fully grown wizards can't, even Viktor said -"

"And what did little Vicky say?" David interrupted with a scowl on his face.

"He said that Arthur knew stuff even he didn't, and he was in his final year at Durmstrang."

"You're still in contact with him?" David asked coolly.

"Of course, I am, there's nothing wrong with a pen pal -"

"He doesn't want to just be pen pals. And I need to keep reminding you that he's an adult and you're a teen, that's just wrong." David cringed.

"I'm aware of that." Chrys said coolly. "I don't like Viktor as such and he ultimately understood that it would be best if we're just friends."

"Anyway, will you teach us?" Chrys then said to Arthur.

"Is it just you two and Mike?"

"Um…" Chrys said, looking anxious. "Please don't get mad… but I think you should teach anyone else that wants to learn. We're talking about defending ourselves against Voldemort and his forces."

Arthur's lips thinned out and he shook his.

"Good luck with that, no one wants to be taught by me since most of them think I'm just some nutcase."

"Actually, you'd be surprised how many people would be interested in what you have to say." Chrys said seriously. "The first weekend in October is a Hogsmeade weekend, we'll tell anyone who's interested to meet us in the village and we can talk it over."

Arthur and David understood, especially since there would be a chance for Umbridge to overhear them while inside the castle.

Arthur was looking forward to the weekend into Hogsmeade, though he was worried that Sirius would just ignore their warning to not come to Hogsmeade, considering how reckless he was, something that took Arthur some time to admit since he hated knowing how flawed his godfather can be.

"Even if he can't leave for various reasons, you can't blame him." David said when Arthur mentioned his worries. "He's been on the run for two to three years and now he's restricted to stay in his old home with a house elf that he despises."

"And the problem is that until Voldemort comes out into the open, Sirius will have to stay hidden. The stupid Ministry ain't gonna realise that Sirius is innocent until they accept that Dumbledore's told the truth all along. And once those idiots start catching actual Death Eaters again, it'll be clear that Sirius isn't one… he doesn't even have the Dark Mark for crying out loud."

"I just hope he ain't stupid and reckless enough to actually turn up." David said. "For one thing, Dumbledore would be mad if he did and Sirius listens to him, no matter what."

Arthur still looked worried, so Chrys said "Me and David have told people who we think would want to learn proper Defence Against the Dark Arts and a couple were interested. We told them to meet us in Hogsmeade."

"Right." Arthur said, still thinking of Sirius.

"Don't worry Arthur, there's enough on your plate without Sirius."

She was right as he was able to keep up with his homework, which kept his mind off Sirius. David was able to keep up as well, despite him and Arthur having Quidditch practice twice a week, but he also had his Prefect duties with Chrys. She, herself, took more subjects than them and finished her homework.

The morning of the Hogsmeade weekend was bright yet windy.

After having breakfast, the trio queued up in front of Filch, who matched their names to the long list of students who were permitted by their parents or guardians to visit the village. Arthur remembered how if it weren't for Sirius, he wouldn't be going at all.

When he reached Filch, the caretaker made a great sniff, like he was trying to detect a whiff from Arthur. He then gave a curt nod that set his owls aquiver and Arthur continued on, out onto the stone steps and into the cold, sunlit day.

"Why was that git sniffing you?" David asked when he and Chrys caught up with him and headed to the gates.

"Trying to see if I was messing Dungbombs…" Arthur said, going on to explain what happened after he sent that letter to Sirius.

"He was tipped off? But from who?" Chrys said.

"I have no clue, probably Draco, heck, maybe even Umbridge to spy on me." Arthur snarled.

The three walked between the tall stone pillars that were topped with winged boars and turned left on the road to the village with the wind whipping their hair into their eyes.

"So where exactly are we going?" Arthur asked.

"Well, we aren't going to the Three Broomsticks, it's too packed and noisy. I told the others to meet us at the Hog's Head, the other pub, which isn't on the main road and is a bit dodgy. Students don't normally go there, so there's little chance of being overheard." Chrys explained.

They walked down the main street past Zonko's Wizarding Joke Shop, where they weren't surprised to see the twins and Lee Jordan there, then past the post office, where owls were issued at regular intervals, and then turned up a side street at the top of which was a small inn.

They saw a battered wooden sign hanging from a rusty bracket over the door that had a picture on it of a wild boar's severed head, which leaked blood on the white cloth that surrounded it. The sign creaked in the wind as they approached. And all three hesitated outside the door.

Arthur sighed before he opened the door and led the way inside.

It was nothing like the Three Broomsticks, whose large bar gave the impression of gleaming warmth and cleanliness. The Hog's Head bar, however, consisted of just one small, dingy and very dirty room that smelled strongly of what had to be goats. The bay windows were so encrusted with grime that very little daylight came into the room, which was lit with the stubs of candles sitting on rough wooden tables. At first glance, the floor seemed to be compressed earth, though it was just stone that accumulated filth through the centuries.

Arthur remembered hearing Hagrid mention this place in his first year, having said 'Yeh get a lot o' funny folk in the Hog's Head' when talking about how he won a dragon's egg from a hooded figure here.

Arthur now saw how keeping your face hidden was a norm here at the Hog's Head, which was why Hagrid didn't find it odd. There was a man at the bar whose head was completely wrapped in dirty grey bandages, though the gulped endless glasses of some smoking, fiery substance through a slit over his mouth; two other figures were shrouded in hoods that sat at a table in one of the windows.

If it weren't for the strong Yorkshire accents, Arthur would've mistaken them for Dementors.

Over at a shadowy corner beside the fireplace was a witch with a thick, black veil which fell to her toes. They could only see the tip of her nose because it caused the veil to protrude slightly.

"I don't know, Chrys." Arthur muttered as they crossed to the bar. "How do we know none of these people are spying for Umbridge?"

Chrys looked around with some uncertainty before she shook her head, meaning she was sure that she didn't have any spies here.

The barman sidled towards the trio out from a back room. He was a grumpy looking old man with a great deal of long grey hair and beard. He was also tall and thin. Arthur couldn't help but think of Dumbledore upon looking at him, making him think that this just might be his younger brother, Aberforth.

"What?" He grunted.

"Three Butterbeers, please." Chrys said.

The man reached beneath the counter and pulled out three very dusty and dirty bottles, which he slammed on the bar.

"Six Sickles." He said.

"I'll get them." Arthur said, passing the silver over. The barman's eyes travelled over Arthur, resting for a second on his scar before he turned away and deposited Arthur's money in an ancient wooden till whose drawer slid open and received it.

The trio then retreated to the furthest table from the bar and sat down, looking around. The man in the dirty grey bandages rapped the counter with his knuckles, receiving another smoking drink from the barman.

"I honestly feel uncomfortable here." David whispered to Arthur and Chrys, who couldn't help but agree.

"So how many are supposed to show up?" Arthur asked as he wretched open the rusty top of his Butterbeer, taking a swig.

"Just a couple of people." Chrys said, checking her watch and looking anxiously at the door. "I told them to be here by now and I think that's them now."

The door to the pub opened up and a thick band of dusty sunlight split the room in two for a moment before vanishing, blocked by the incoming rush of a crowd of students.

First came Mike and then Neville with Dean and Lavender, who were closely followed by both Parvati and Padma Patil. Then came Cho and one of her normally giggling girlfriends. After them (on her own, looking so dreamy she might have walked in by accident) Luna Lovegoodm then the three Gryffindor Chasers, Colin and Dennis Creevey, Ernie Macmillain, Justin Finch-Fletchley, Hannah Abbott, a Hufflepuff girl that Arthur didn't recognise with a long plait down her back; three Ravenclaw boys that he knew were Anthony Goldstein, Michael Corner and Terry Boot and then Mary, who was followed by a tall skinny blonde boy with an upturned nose that Arthur recognised for being a member of the Hufflepuff Quidditch team, then bringing up the rear were Jack and Kevin with their friend Lee Jordan, all carrying large paper bags full of Zonko's merchandise.

"A couple of people, huh?" Arthur hissed furiously at Chrys. "This isn't a couple of people."

"It's not my fault if the idea grew popular." Chrys said, looking scared of facing Arthur's anger. "David, could you pull up some more chairs?"

The barman was frozen in the act of wiping a glass with a rag that was so filthy that it looked like it was never washed, clearly never having had his pub be this full.

"Hi." Jack said, reaching the bar first and counting everyone up. "Could we have twenty six Butterbeers, please?"

The barman glared at him for a moment before he threw his rag down irritably like he was interrupted in something important and passed up dusty Butterbeers from under the bar.

"Cheers." Jack said, handing them all out. "You lot better cough up, I don't have enough gold for all these."

Arthur watched a numbness coming over him as the large group all chatted and took their beers from Jack, rummaging in their robes to get some coins.

"Just what did you tell people, exactly?" Arthur hissed at Chrys. "What are they expecting from this?"

"I've told you, they're just expecting to hear what you have to say." She replied. "But I'll talk first, if you want." She added when Arthur looked at her furiously.

"Hi, Arthur." Neville said, beaming and taking a seat next to Mike, who sat opposite Arthur with an encouraging smile. Arthur tried to smile back, but his mouth felt so dry that he felt like he couldn't talk from this point on.

Cho smiled at him as she sat on David's right. Her friend, who had curly reddish blonde hair, didn't smile, she instead gave Arthur a very mistrustful look that told him that she would rather be anywhere else than here, making him question why Cho would bring her out of her friends here.

In twos and threes, the new arrivals all settled around the trio, some looking excited, others curious, Luna gazed dreamily into space. By the time everyone pulled up a chair, the chatter died out and every eye was fixed on Arthur.

"Well…" Chrys said, her voice higher than normal, partly thanks to nerves. "...hello…."

The group's attention was now on her, though some eyes would dart back to Arthur regularly.

"You all know why we're here. I had the idea that it would be good for those who want to study Defence Against the Dark Arts, and I mean really study it, not the garbage that Umbridge is doing with us because that isn't Defence Against the Dark Arts." ("Hear, hear." Anthony Goldstein said, making Chrys look heartened) "It would be better if we took matters into our own hands."

She then looked over at Arthur before continuing. "And by that, I mean actually learning how to defend ourselves properly, not just solely on the theory side of things, but actually doing the real spells -"

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

"Naturally." Chrys replied at once. "But it's more than that. I actually want to properly train defence because Voldemort is actually back."

The reaction was immediate and predictable. Cho's friend shrieked, slopping Butterbeer down herself; Terry Boot gave an involuntary twitch; Padma shuddered and Neville made a yelp that he turned into a cough. All of them, regardless, looked eagerly at Arthur.

"That's the plan." Chrys said. "If you want to join us, we'll have to decide how were going to -"

"Where's the proof You Know Who's back?" The blonde Hufflepuff said in a pompously aggressive voice.

"Dumbledore said he's back -"

"Because he said he's back." The blonde boy nodded to Arthur.

"And just who the bloody hell are you?" David spat rudely at him.

"Zacharias Smith and I think we've got the right to know exactly what makes him say You Know Who's back."

"That's not the point of this meeting -"

"It's okay, Chrys." Arthur said, glaring at Zacharias. He now knew why a lot of these people were here. Chrys should've seen this coming. These people hoped to hear Arthur's story first hand.

"I say that Voldemort's back because I saw him with my own eyes." Arthur said, still glaring at Zacharias, making everyone react to his casual use of Voldemort's name. "Dumbledore told you all what happened last year and if you don't believe him, then you won't believe me, and I'm not gonna waste a whole afternoon to convince you."

The whole group seemed to have held their breath when Arthur spoke.

He got the impression that the barman was also listening while wiping the same glass with the filthy rag, making it more and more dirty.

Zacharias said dismissively "All Dumbledore told us last year was that Cedric Diggory got killed by You Know Who and that you brought Diggory's body back to Hogwarts. He didn't give us details, he didn't tell us exactly how Diggory got murdered, I think we'd all like to know -"

"If you're here to know exactly what it looks like when Voldemort murders someone, I'm not gonna help you." Arthur's temper rose, still glaring at Zacharias' aggressive face. "And I'm not here to talk about Cedric, so if you lot are here for that, you can just go sod off."

He then cast an angry look at Chrys, since this was all her fault, deciding to display him like he was some kind of freak and they all turned up to see how wild his story was. Yet no one left their seats, even Zacharias, who gazed intently at Arthur.

"As I was saying before being rudely interrupted…" Chrys frowned in contempt at Zacharias. "...if you want to learn actual defence, then we'll have to work out how to do it, as well as how often we'll meet and where we'll -"

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

This caused a murmur of interest among the group.

"Yes." Arthur said defensively.

"A corporeal Patronus?"

"Do you know Madam Bones?" He asked, making her smile.

"She's my auntie." She said. "I'm Susan Bones. She told me about your hearing. So, is it really true? You make a lion Patronus?"

"Yes." Arthur nodded.

"Blimey, Arthur!" Lee Jordan said, very impressed. "I never knew that!"

"Mum told David to not spread it around, that Arthur already has enough attention as it was." Jack said, grinning at Arthur.

"She's not wrong there." Arthur mumbled, making a couple of people laugh.

The veiled witch that sat alone shifted very slightly in her seat, making Arthur suspicious of her.

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

"I did." Arthur nodded.

This made Justin Finch-Fletchley whistle and the Creevey brothers to exchange awestruck looks. Lavender said "Wow!" softly.

"And in our first year…" Neville said to the group. "...he saved that Philological Stone -"

"Philosopher's." Chrys hissed correctly.

"Yes, that… from You Know Who." Neville finished, making Hannah Abbott's eyes be as round as Galleons.

"And that's not to mention…" Cho said, smiling at Arthur. "...all the tasks he had to get through in the Triwizard Tournament last year, getting past dragons and merpeople and Acromantula and things…."

As a murmur of impressed agreement went around the table, Arthur noticed that Mike looked at Cho with a look of utter jealousy, which made Arthur's heart leap to his throat as it was clear that Mike liked Arthur as he did for him. He just might have a chance with him after all, but now's not the time to think about his crush on Mike.

"Look…" He said, making everyone fall silent. "...I don't want to sound modest, but I ultimately had help with a lot of that…."

"Not with the dragon, you didn't." Michael Corner said at once. "That was a seriously cool bit of flying and nice usage of your Animagus form…."

"Yeah, well -" Arthur said, not really knowing if he should correct him.

"And nobody helped you get rid of those Dementors this summer." Susan Bones pointed out.

"True." Arthur said. "I know that I've done stuff without any help, but the point I'm trying to make is -"

"Are you trying to weasel out of showing us any of this stuff?" Zacharias Smith said.

"HEY!" Mike roared, getting to his feet and looking like he wanted to just beat him up. "You shut up that stupid mouth of yours!"

Zacharias flushed.

"Well, we've all turned up to learn from him and now he's telling us he can't really do any of it." He said.

"That isn't what he said, you stupid, pompous twat!" Jack snarled at him.

"Do you want us to clean those faulty ears of yours out?" Kevin said, pulling out a long and lethal looking metal instrument from one of the Zonko's bags.

"Can we just move on and focus on whether we want to take lessons from Arthur?" Chrys said hastily.

This caused a general murmur of agreement. Zacharias folded his arms and said nothing, too busy keeping an eye on Kevin's instrument.

"Right." Chrys said, looking relieved to see that things were settled. "Now we just need to figure out how often we do it, without clashing with anything like Quidditch practises."

All the Quidditch players all looked at each other, agreeing with that.

"Regardless, this is rather important." Chrys continued. "We are talking about learning to defend ourselves against Voldemort's Death Eaters -"

"Well said!" Ernie Macmillan barked, who Arthur had expected to speak before this moment. "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, like he was waiting for people to cry.

"Surely not!" He said when no one spoke. "I, personally, am at a loss to see why the Ministry has foisted such a useless teacher on 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 -"

"We think that Umbridge doesn't want us trained in Defence Against the Dark Arts because she and the Minister have this stupid notion that Dumbledore is planning to use the students in Hogwarts to build up a private army and go against the Ministry." Chrys explained.

Nearly everyone looked shocked and stunned by this, all except Luna, who piped up "Well, that makes sense. After all, Cornelius Fudge has got his own private army."

"What?" Arthur asked, frowning at this bit of information.

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

"Luna, now's not the time to mention this, we're supposed to be focusing on how often we're going to meet and have these lessons." Mary said before things could get heated, seeing the annoyed look on Chrys' face.

"Thank you, Mary." Chrys said.

"Well, I think once a week can do." Mike suggested.

"Yeah, that sounds cool." Lee Jordan said.

"As long as -"

"Yes, I know about Quidditch, Angelina!" Chrys snapped impatiently at her. "All that remains to be decided is where to meet."

This proved to be a difficult thing to answer as the whole group fell silent.

"Library?" Katie Bell suggested after a few moments.

I don't think Madam Pince will be pleased if we do jinxes in the library." Arthur said.

"Maybe an unused classroom?" Dean said.

"I don't know… there's a good chance Umbridge would barge in." David said.

Arthur was thinking about it and he realised that this group will have to be a bit rebellious to find somewhere good enough to do these lessons.

"We'll try to find somewhere." Chrys said. "We'll send a message round to everyone once we've got a time and place for the first meeting."

She then rummaged through her bag and pulled out parchment and a quill.

"Everyone should write their names down, just so we know who was here. But also that we all agree not to shout about what we're doing. Therefore, if you sign up, you're agreeing not to tell Umbridge or anyone else about what we're up to."

Jack reached out for the parchment and wrote his signature, yet others seemed less than happy about putting their names on the list.

"Er…" Zacharias said slowly, not taking the parchment that Kevin tried to pass to him. "...well… I'm sure Ernie will tell me when the meeting is."

Ernie, though, looked hesitant about signing himself. Chrys frowned at him.

"I - well, we are Prefects." Ernie burst out. "And if this list was found… well, I mean to say… you said yourself, if Umbridge finds out -"

"You just said that this was the most important thing you'd do this year." Chrys reminded him.

"I - yes, yes, I do believe that, it's just -"

"Do you really think I'm stupid enough to leave this list lying around?" Chrys then said testily.

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

No one raised any objections after him, though Cho's friend gave a very reproachful look before adding her own name.

When Zacharias signed, being the last person to do so, Chrys took the parchment back and carefully slipped it back into her bag. There was now an odd feeling among the group, like they all signed a contract.

"Well, we have items of a sensitive nature to purchase, so we need to get going. See you later." Jack said as he got to his feet with Kevin and Lee Jordan.

In twos and threes, the rest of the group left as well. Cho made it important to fasten the catch on her bag before she left, her long dark hair swinging forwards to hide her face, though her friend stood beside her, arms folded and clicking her tongue making Cho have no choice but to leave with her. As her friend ushered her through the door, Cho looked back and waved at Arthur.

Mike stormed out with an annoyed look by himself.

"That went well." Chrys said as she, Arthur and David walked out of the Hog's Head into the bright sunlight, the two boys clutching their bottles of Butterbeer.

"Zacharias' nothing but a twat." David spat in contempt.

"I don't like him, either…" Chrys agreed with him. "...but he overheard me talking to both Ernie and Hannah at the Hufflepuff table and seemed interested in coming, so what else could I have done? But still, the more people, the better. Michael Corner and his friends wouldn't have come if he didn't go out with Mary -"

This made David gag on his Butterbeer and sprayed it from his mouth.

"WHAT?!" He spluttered in shock and outrage. "She's going out with someone? But when did -?"

"They met at the Yule Ball and got together at the end of the year." Chrys said as they walked down the main street.

David shook his head, still looking outraged.

"But I thought she had a crush on Arthur." He then said, making Arthur's stomach churn, Cho was bad enough.

"She grew out of her crush in her second year. She now sees him as a brother." Chrys explained, relieving Arthur with this.

"Look, David, try not to make a big deal out of it, please, she was bound to date someone." Arthur said to try and calm his best friend down.

"I know… it's just… I can't help but feel protective and defensive over my little sister." David sighed.

"And since we're talking about Michael and Mary… what about you and Cho?" Chrys then asked, looking at Arthur.

"What?" Arthur said quickly, that churning in his stomach growing once more.

"Well…" Chrys said, smiling. "...she couldn't keep her eyes off you."

Arthur looked away, knowing that things will get messy if she and David learn his preference for boys, especially for Mike.

Zacharias Smith is easily the worst Hufflepuff, not only because of his personality and behaviour, but also because he doesn't even embody the traits of Hufflepuff house, which he proves two books later. He should've been sorted into a different house.