Chapter 14: The First Meeting
"Right. Well, thank you all for showing up." Harry was met with blank faces, expectant eyes staring back at him.
It had come time for their first official meeting of their little 'educational club'. Their problem of finding a safe place to convene, far away from the prying eyes of one DADA monstrosity was solved after a short time while Harry had been perusing the castle attempting to solve that very problem. Dobby had come to him with a meeting request from Percy when he found himself all the way on the seventh floor of the castle. The socks-clad house elf had nearly scared him half to death with his sudden appearance directly behind him, filling the abandoned, silent hallway with a loud crack.
When Dobby had completed the task given to him by the Professor, an idea had popped into his head. Before Dobby could take his leave to return to the kitchen, Harry stopped him on a whim. Propositioning the house elf for a solution to his problem, Dobby had unexpectedly turned towards the blank wall Harry had stopped before. He had called it the 'Come and Go Room'; a place where he had brought Winky whenever the distraught house elf had one too many drinks. The entrance had just happened to be on the very wall he had just passed, across from the portrait of Barnabas the Barmy. He explained that the room only appeared when the individual searching had a great need, and that you only needed to pass the entrance three times while thinking of your requirement.
It had turned out to be the perfect location for their activities, the room providing everything they would ever need for their meetings. Pillows, refreshments, practice dummies, one would just need to think of the object and the room would provide it without question. When he had brought the location to the attention of Ron and Hermione, they had readily agreed with a vigor, they're own efforts proving fruitless.
Their communication dilemma, however, was single handedly solved by their resident genius. She had, in a stroke of genius - something that wasn't all too uncommon - utilized the protean charm on fake galleons which had been distributed to those who had signed up. The three had figured that the same groups of students always meeting in the hallways to discuss their next meeting would only draw undue attention from unwanted parties. She had charmed each galleon to respond to the master coin, of which Harry was in possession of. Whenever the date on the master coin was changed to correspond with the date and time of their next meeting, it would change the numbers on the back of each other's galleon in turn. To avoid the risk of some of those that tended to be less observant, mainly Ron, the galleons were charmed to heat up when the numbers were changed, hopefully alerting everyone to not miss the meeting.
For Harry, committing to the idea of teaching a group of their peers, all the planning and refinement and preparation… it was exhilarating. Working behind the scenes, plotting their moves and working around risky situations, it was almost a preview of what he would have to be doing day in and day out for the coming years. He was working towards something to help others with the danger under the nose of authority who refused to help, he was actually doing something for the cause, something the Order refused to let him do. All that excitement changed his reluctant view into an excited, gung-ho attitude for their first meeting. Hermione and Ron certainly noticed the shift in his attitude, commenting on his anticipation and tireless work for them to be prepared for the inaugural meeting.
The planning, the theory crafting, the imagining how the meeting would play out… that was one thing. Now, standing up in front of thirty plus sets of eyes expecting him to teach them how to save their own skin in this increasingly dangerous world… that was something completely different.
Nobody responded to his casual greeting, aside from a few unintelligible grumbles from the crowd. He shuffled from foot to foot, shifting his weight as the awkwardness of the air seeped into his very being - a feeling Harry was not unaccustomed to but was never welcome whenever it reared its ugly head. He had run through many scenarios in his head of how he would begin the meeting, all of which had at least one person reciprocating his greeting. Now, with the silence bearing down, he felt wholly unprepared for the moment. Watching himself freeze in the large mirror that spanned the wall behind the group only heightened his stress levels.
Hermione, Merlin bless her soul, stepped up from her spot beside him in an attempt to alleviate his struggles. "Welcome to the first meeting of the defense club. We are here to-"
"What are those snakes doing here?" A younger boy in the signature colors of the house of the badger interrupted her with venom. Harry recognized him as Zacharius Smith, a loud-mouthed Hufflepuff who, apparently, wasn't afraid to speak his mind.
His question alluded to, of course, the only two members of the club that were from Slytherin, their green robes sticking out like a sore thumb against the colors of the other houses. It also didn't help that the two stood completely apart from every other member. Those from Gryffindor, Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff all huddled together in front of Harry, all eager to learn what Umbridge refused to teach them, some sort of camaraderie connecting them despite the varied houses. The other two, they stood to the side, barely in Harry's peripheral vision as he gazed at the crowd. One's gaze repeatedly flickered nervously to the group while the other stood proudly, gaze never once landing on their judgemental classmates.
Harry had hoped their presence would go unnoticed and everything would fly smoothly under the radar, which Harry could now see was very wishful thinking on his part. Maybe he should've banned house robes to promote unity…
The question that brought the elephant in the room to the forefront of the conversation still hung in the air, and Harry struggled to come up with an answer. He looked to Hermione for help, seeing as how she was in the process of helping him out of the last jam. All she could offer was a slight shake of her head and a small shrug, unable to alleviate the concerns of the majority of the group.
"Yeah, why are they here, mate?" Though Ron's reiteration of the original question lacked the normal malice whenever the snake house was brought into question, it was certainly not helping the situation. He had made progress with his biases, but they were ingrained much further than the surface level, and would need more time to be completely erased - not that Harry was a shining example himself. As it stood, Harry needed to come up with a solid answer, or this would end before it truly started.
He tried one more time for assistance, turning towards his left and sending a silent plea with his eyes. The one and only Percy Jackson stood, weight on one leg as his shoulder reclined into the wall, supporting his weight. Clad in an orange shirt and loose jeans, he looked like he didn't have a care in the world. Harry received an encouraging look and a gesture towards the crowd, urging him to deal with the situation, to improvise and adapt - one of his most recent lessons. Harry took a deep breath, turning back towards the waiting crowd.
"We can leave if-"
Harry cut her off with a wave of his hand. "That's not necessary." He held the gaze of every pair of eyes for a second, fishing up his confidence that landed him in Gryffindor to begin with. "Tracey and Daphne have as much right to be here as any one of us." Harry began, raising his voice to speak over the rumbles of protest beginning in the crowd. "We are all here for the same thing, to succeed where the Ministry has failed us. That does not exclude members of Slytherin from the same lack of necessary education that has affected everyone of us. Not every member of Slytherin is Draco Malfoy, some of you need to get that into your head." Some of the more understanding members of their club had the decency to look even the slightest bit ashamed. "If you aren't okay with that, you're welcome to leave. You can hand in your coin, make a vow to not reveal anything to anyone outside this room and walk out that door and not look back."
Harry paused, giving anyone the opportunity to do exactly what he just described. To his delight, nobody moved a muscle. There were a few who Harry could imagine leaving, but fortunately, that did not come to pass. He continued with an approving nod. "Good. There is no room for prejudice in this room. Here, we are all working towards the same goal. In fact, from here on out, house robes will not be worn to meetings. We are not four separate houses, we are one group, together. Understand?" The end of his little speech was met with affirmations from the group, whether they be verbal or otherwise. Tracey's eyes were shining as she mouthed a silent thank you from her spot next to Daphne, and Percy shot him a small nod of approval from his spot on the wall.
Satisfied, he took a step back to allow Hermione to continue her welcome speech while he zoned out behind her. Truth be told, it was not his original intention to invite Tracey and Daphne along, but Percy who insisted they be granted entry. In fact, it was his one stipulation for offering his assistance to Harry with the whole teaching aspect of this thing. Harry was going to bring up what Tracey had told him at breakfast that one morning, but Percy had beaten him to the subject and suggested this arrangement instead. Harry was reluctant at first, fearing the situation that had almost come to pass moments prior. That is, until Percy had laid out his reasons for allowing them in, that made Harry's decision for him. Percy could be quite persuasive it turned out. Harry might have even borrowed one or two of those reasons for his little speech…
Even so, Harry found himself agreeing with the man, something he had been doing quite a bit of this year.
Harry was jerked out of his daydreaming when Hermione was interrupted yet again, albeit much nicer this time. A hand shot up in the corner of his eye, stalling Hermione before she could really get going. Turns out that hand belonged to Katie, who had begun to eagerly wave it around in hopes of catching Hermione's attention. She only retracted her arm after Hermione had paused and gestured towards her, urging Katie to speak.
"Shouldn't we come up with a name for ourselves, or something?"
"Good idea. How about the Defense Association?" Cho Chang piped up from the back.
"Or, 'The Ministry are Wankers' club?"
"Wonderful idea, Fred!"
"Thank you very much, George!"
Harry shook his head, unable to keep a smile off his face at the twins' usual antics.
"Kind of on-the-nose, don't ya think?" Percy's amused voice drifted across the room, completely audible even over the slight commotion. Both the twins whipped their heads towards the dissenting voice, their faces alight with an affronted expression, as if they couldn't fathom someone didn't find their idea genius. Ginny raised her hand and an audible smack echoed in the room as one of the twins received a wicked strike courtesy of their little sister before their antics continued on.
"What about 'Dumbledore's Army'?" She suggested it in lieu of her older brothers. "That's the Ministry's biggest fear, right? D.A. for short."
A grumble of agreeable grunts rolled through the group, seemingly in approval of Ginny's idea for a name. "Alright, all in favor of 'Dumbledore's Army."
Harry didn't actually count the votes, but it was clear that the overwhelming majority went for the D.A. All except for the twins really, who Harry could only assume preferred their own contribution in jest… hopefully.
"We are now officially known as 'Dumbledore's Army', or D.A." Hermione stated once all the hands returned to their respective sides. "Any other housekeeping issues before we continue."
"Shouldn't we decide who the leader is?" Harry didn't see who that question came from, but it was close to the back. Katie, however, didn't miss a beat with her answer.
"I thought it was Harry." Agreement from about half of the group followed her assessment. While Harry had mostly gotten past his cold feet, it was always nice to hear his position confirmed by the majority. Of course, that lasted until Zacharias Smith opened his mouth.
"Well, what about Professor Jackson?" He pointed a small finger towards the reclined professor. Percy immediately popped off the wall, waving his hand in a short cutting motion, gesturing for Zachaius to halt that idea in its tracks.
"This isn't my show." He said simply, and all thoughts of Percy being the one in charge immediately vanished from the assembled crowd. His work for the moment done, he returned to his previous position, lounged against the wall. The group's attention returned to Hermione as she once again retook her place at the front.
"So, we're all in agreement with Dumbledore's Army and that Harry is in charge, correct?" When any dissenting opinions failed to make themselves known, she continued. "Very good. Now, welcome to the first official meeting of Dumbledore's Army. Harry… take it away." She took a step back, leaving a vacant spot in front that Harry quickly filled. He took a deep breath and withdrew his wand from its spot in his robe, mentally reviewing his plan for the first lesson.
"Right. So, is everyone familiar with expelliarmus?"
Their first meeting was going much better than Harry had anticipated, everyone seemed to have taken to his proposed exercise with enthusiasm and fervor, some already challenging each other to be better.
They had broken up into pairs, each practicing and reviewing their knowledge of the disarming spell. There had been some misgivings about the rudimentary nature of the spell in question, of how it could truly help them when their enemies would most certainly be using spells of a much nastier variety. This, he had expected, and he came ready with an answer to quell everyone's worries. The dissenting voices had quickly changed their tune when he had revealed the events of his fight with Voldemort the year prior… the abridged version, of course. How a spell that seemed so simple, so elementary, had most certainly saved his life from ending right then and there. To not overlook something just because it was simple. It didn't take too long after that for them to break into pairs and begin practicing.
Harry was interested to find, when he began to walk around and give pointers, that the ones who were the most opposed to the review were the ones who needed the most work. Almost everyone was paired up with another member of their own house, something he would need to work on to build trust between everyone. He had made his rounds, observing the form of nearly everyone who had shown up, some further along in the process than others. He had spent extra time with Neville Longbottom, who had found himself paired with Luna Lovegood, a fact he was proud of Neville for. What his fellow Gryffindor lacked was confidence first and foremost, and Harry would feed him small encouraging words as he continued to work on his form. He had already made some progress when Harry had moved on, nearly jarring the wand from Luna's hand multiple times.
Hermione had paired up with Ron for this exercise, subconsciously taking out many years of frustration as she put too much power into her first spell and had accidentally sent him careening back as the spell impacted his chest. Ron turned out to be fine and scrambled to his feet once Hermione broke his stunned look with a shout along the lines of 'don't be a baby'. The pair was much more subdued after that, taking turns knocking the wand out of each other's hands - Hermione having a decently better success rate. Harry had moved on from them rather quickly.
Other mostly successful pairings that he had spent minimal time with included the twins - who would've guessed they'd have paired together - though they were completing the exercise much more grandiose than the others. The Patil twins' wands were flying more often than not, with only a small adjustment on their wand movement from Harry. Ginny had faced off with Dean Thomas and was dominating him. Dean's wand was soaring nearly at will while Ginny kept hers in a tight grip. Susan Bones and Hannah Abbott from Hufflepuff were both struggling a bit, unable to pry each other's wand away. Harry noticed their grip was too tight, preventing their wrists from moving their wands in a smooth motion. The quick adjustment proved fruitful for both.
Katie had paired off with her fellow chaser, Alicia Spinnett. Harry watched her fire off the signature red of an expelliarmus at her friend, failing for presumably multiple times in a row as Harry heard her curse under her breath as Alicia's wand remained in her hand.
"Getting frustrated is not going to help." Harry heard her audibly sigh, her shoulders slumping forward as he approached from behind. Katie had decided to wear her hair down for the meeting, a rare occurrence. It was short at the moment, about halfway down her neck and it seemed a good deal more disheveled - or maybe that's just what it looked like when it wasn't in a ponytail.
"I know." She admitted without turning towards him. "I know I can do this, I've done it before. I just… can't." She sounded defeated, almost as if she were one more failure from giving up and just storming out of the room.
"Right, well you need to relax, for one." He explained, reaching her side. She finally glanced at him from the corner of her eye. "You can't push too hard, you can't force it. You have to let the magic flow through you. Visualize what you want the spell to accomplish."
Her shoulders raised with a deep intake of air as she raised her head, taking her gaze away from the floor. She finished her breath and opened her eyes, throwing a subtle nod Harry's way, and he knew that she was ready to try once again. She spread her stance slightly, bending her knees and stretching her right arm forward, leaving her other arm hanging limply by her side.
He took a moment to appraise her stance, finding things for her to improve on. That's what this whole thing was about; improvement. "Your grip is too tight." He decided to elaborate when he was met by Katie's confused look. "You want a good grip on your wand, but you also don't want your arm to be stiff - to impede with spell casting." He raised his own wand and began to go through the motions, demonstrating what he was trying to convey. "Your movements should be smooth, not sudden and jerky."
She nodded, returning her gaze to Alicia, who had been waiting patiently for Harry to finish. He interrupted her one more time before Katie could continue, gripping her wrist to adjust its position slightly before snatching his hand back as if Katie's wrist had been on fire. He awkwardly cleared his throat, refusing to meet the look he just knew would be in her face - one eyebrow raised and a slight, taunting smirk on her lips. It had only occurred to him after, that he probably shouldn't just be grabbing her arm like that.
"Helps with aiming." He managed to squeak out.
Harry didn't look up until the word expelliarmus came from her lips. The faint clattering of Alicia's wand hitting the floor accompanied the small upturn of the corner of Katie's mouth
"Nice job!" Harry encouraged her. "Now keep practicing."
He turned away, intent on visiting more pairs before their time came to a close. He truly hadn't done much, but it did bring him some joy to physically see his advice have some sort of impact on another. A good impact, at least.
He had spent the next short while bouncing around the room, offering small pointers here and there when they were needed, and congratulations where they were earned. All the while, he kept sneaking glances over towards the Slytherin pair, who had separated themselves from the rest of their peers, opting to practice at the far end of the room. He was dreading the awkwardness of approaching them, not to mention that they most likely didn't even want his help. Still… he had made that speech about unity, he might as well act on it.
Harry steeled his nerves, calling once more on that Gryffindor courage, and made his way over to the only members clad in green. They were largely successful more often than not, with a botched spell only appearing about once since he had begun to observe the duo. Harry wondered, not for the first time, if they actually needed any of the help and instruction that he would be able to provide, and what exactly was Percy's motivation for insisting that they be allowed to join. They had kept isolated the whole time, nearly a whole room's width away from the others and had barely said a word… in fact, Harry didn't think he had heard either one at all. Did they actually want to be there? Or was Percy forcing them as well for some reason. At least Tracey was able to smile a bit.
"We don't need your help, Potter." Daphne sneered at his approach, and those same questions flew through his head once again. She kept her head facing straight forward, but Harry felt her cold aura all the same.
He heard Tracey pipe up from her spot away from Daphne, but it was difficult to understand her with all the chatter combined with the distance that she stood. He believed it was something along the lines of, don't be so prickly, Daph.
"If you don't need my help, then why are you here?" He challenged. She sighed, more in annoyance than anything else, and lowered her wand to the side. She still didn't look at him.
"Okay, then. What've you got?" She was humoring him, he could tell. She didn't truly have any interest in hearing what he was going to tell her. Regardless, he told her anyway.
"You have the opposite problem as Katie, your grip is almost too loose. You want to stay relaxed, but you want to be able to control your movements. And keep hold of your wand, yeah? Maybe bend your knees a little more, too"
"Fine. I'll work on it." Harry doubted that, but at least she allowed him to try. Shaking his head, he moved across the way to the friendlier, brown-haired girl, just imagining Daphne making a rude gesture to his back. Tracey's disposition was much more welcoming, even looking at him with a small smile when he got there.
"You can ignore Daphne, she's never been good with showing any emotion. Like, you know… gratitude." A quick chuckle ended her sentence, almost like an inside joke Tracey shared with herself.
"I can see that."
Her only answer was a shrug. "I uh, we really appreciate what you guys are doing here." Her voice lowered as she leaned in closer towards him, being absolutely sure he was able to hear what she had to say next. "And thank you for your help, truly."
Harry wasn't sure how to respond to her. Tracey's genuine remarks had caught him off guard, especially directly after Daphne's ice cold reception. So he settled for a tight smile and a short nod. It seemed to be enough for Tracey, as a large smile crossed her face briefly before rapidly morphing into a serious expression.
"Now, how can I improve?"
Hermione had made the group reconvene shortly after Harry's brief visit with their friendly resident Slytherins, telling Harry that time had run out for his portion of the meeting. They all gathered around Percy, who had finally left his spot on the wall and meandered over to stand in front of the gathered students. There was no goofing off, no background chatter as Percy was preparing to speak. Honestly, Harry was a tad bit jealous of the undivided attention that Percy received when he was up there. Even the Weasley twins were still and Tracey and Daphne had migrated slightly towards everyone else.
Hermione cleared her throat before addressing the crowd once more. "Good work everyone, but now we'll be moving onto our next segment. Professor Jackson had agreed to help us out because, in his words, and I quote, 'you all deserve better than…" Hermione's cheeks flushed slightly as she struggled to finish. Everyone waited with baited breath, some even leaning forward in anticipation. "... Umbitch." Small chuckles erupted when she finished and the twins even released a cheer. Harry spotted Percy's signature lopsided smile make an appearance. Hermione gestured for Percy, who moved to take the spot she had just vacated.
"Hello there. I think all of you know me… is there anyone who doesn't?" Not a single hand was raised. "Good. So, we're not going to be doing any exercises for the first meeting, but I do want to give you a little spiel and outline my idea. Sound good?"
A chorus of agreement was relayed back to him, and he took the opportunity to continue. "Right. You're going to hear people tell you many different things about fighting; The best offense is a good defense, the best defense is a good offense, maybe the best offense is a good offense. Who has heard any of those before?" A few hands were raised in the crowd, and were quickly retracted when Percy kept going. "The truth is, they're all correct. There is not one universal philosophy that works all the time for everyone. To be a good fighter, you need to take different aspects and combine them into something that works for you, that fits your style. Not everyone is the same, so to claim that there is a single style that always trumps the others is simply ridiculous. That is what I'm going to be working on, helping each one of you figure out your preferred style." He raised an arm and gestured towards where Harry stood on the side. "Harry can help you improve with spells and magic, but I, can teach you how to fight."
Percy began to pace in front of the group, slowly, steadily at an even pace. "We will be doing a series of drills during our time together. Each one will test a different aspect; agility, power, defense, etcetera. These will give you an idea of what your strengths are and we go from there. Everyone following along?"
He paused again, exactly where he had begun his route. "That being said, there is one thing that's universal, that everyone should work on. Anyone know what that one thing is?" Expectant eyes roamed over eager faces, the assembled students taking in every word that spilled from his mouth.
It was an impressive sight to observe. It had slipped Harry's mind since he had become more familiar with the young Professor, but watching him, Harry was reminded how much attention Percy's presence demanded. How people naturally gravitated towards him, no questions asked, as if he were some sort of mythical figure that had shown up just in time to lead them through the darkness.
He looked so natural in the role, it was hard to remember he was only a few years older than Harry. His words carried such charisma and wisdom beyond his years that it was nearly impossible to not feel any sort of inspired confidence. Was it something that he was able to turn on at will, or did it just happen subconsciously? Either way, Harry had no shame in admitting that Percy was someone who he aspired to become like.
In fact, he seemed like such a natural leader, Harry wondered if he'd done anything like that back in the states, despite his young age. If Percy could do it, Harry could too.
"C'mon guys, there's no shame in being wrong, everyone is here for the same reason." Percy broke Harry out of his musings, not receiving even an attempt after giving ample time. "You're not getting graded."
Harry knew the answer of course, Percy had had him working on it for the better part of the year now. He gave the others an opportunity, slightly shocked that Katie didn't answer. Maybe she was having the same thought process as he was.
"Endurance." He figured enough time had passed.
Thank you, Harry." Percy acknowledged him with a quick point of his finger. "At least I was able to teach you one thing. Endurance," he turned back towards the rest. "Will always be applicable. It's your last resort; if everything goes wrong, you need to have enough left in the tank to dodge some spells and get the hades out of there. At that point, surviving is winning."
"So, I have some homework for you." Cue the groans, everyone assuming there wouldn't be anymore extra work, Harry honestly had thought that as well. Unfortunately, that's not what Percy was looking for. "No! No groaning! This is not some throw away school class! The skills you learn may very well save your life someday, maybe within the next couple years. I expect it to be done, understood?" Everyone had been taken aback, his outburst was unexpected, even for Harry and Katie who know the Professor much better than the others. He had never seen that side of him before, nor had anyone else. They had only seen him as the carefree Professor of magical creatures.
They all quickly nodded their confirmation of his terms, who wouldn't? That seemed to placate him, his face relaxing into his normal, easygoing smirk. "Good. So I want everyone to start running. You can run wherever, you can use this room if you want. But, I would recommend running outside, the fresh air is good for your lungs. Try to get out a few times a week, even if it's not for long."
He whipped out his wand from its holster, haphazardly waving it behind him. After a brief delay, three what looked to be bronze practice dummies wheeled their way over, planting themselves in a line behind him. They were the kind that fired back, mechanical arms stretched out to the side with one 'hand' wrapped around a wand. They were enchanted to move like humans, except for the two wheels of course. They would evade your spells and fire them right back, behaving like a live opponent. Percy had introduced them to Harry one day, said his friend had made them specifically for this situation, though he'd never seen them anywhere else. Harry hadn't seen them in action yet, however.
"Next meeting, we're going to have a little competition - something involving these three." He waved at the three dummies and a chorus of excited chatterrang out with the prospect of a challenge on their minds. Training was nothing without the means to show off your progress, after all.
"What's the competition, then?" One of the twins piped up with a wicked grin, his excitement evident, especially now that quidditch had been taken away from him. Apparently, he craved a new competitive outlet, a similar attitude to many that were present in the room. The anticipation was palpable, and he had only announced it a minute ago. Though not everyone shared the sentiment. Neville, for one, seemed quite nervous.
"You won't know that until the next meeting." Percy explained. "So, when you go out-" He let out a short, pained yelp as a pale white light impacted the back of his shoulder. He glared at the offending party, a look that Harry hoped he was never on the receiving end of. The middle practice dummy had wheeled itself forward, wand raised and seemingly frozen in time.
"Hey!" Percy shot a pointed finger in its direction. "I didn't tell you to start!"
The dummy had broken out of its trance, and with no hesitation, raised both of its hands and shrugged, returning Percy's steady gaze. "Get back over there and behave." The dummy lowered both its arms and, bowing its head, mopingly wheeled itself back into line behind him. Harry had seen many things he never thought were possible; he could add 'a mechanical practice dummy experiencing human emotions' to his ever growing list.
Percy let out a deep sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose as he muttered something unintelligible under his breath. "Anyway, I expect you all to prepare yourselves for next time. And remember, you work now so you can fix mistakes while you can afford to make them. Out there, you're only allowed one."
The room rapidly quieted as the gravity of what Percy was saying set in. All this was fun and games for now, in the safety of this room, running from Umbridge, meeting under everyone's noses… but the ever growing threat that looms in the shadows outside of Hogwarts is much more dangerous. They would need everything they learned and would learn to make it through intact. "We're allowed to have fun in here, but keep it in the back of your mind what this is really for." He raised his hand, taking time for a quick glance at his wrist. "Looks like time's up for tonight. Everyone should get a good night's sleep."
The group had filed out, small groups at a time, Percy scouting ahead to assure that the coast was clear. He would exit the room and wander the nearest halls, keeping an eye out for any interesting eyes, before peeking his head back in and ushering out the next group, who would rush out and back to their dormitories. There most likely wasn't any prying eyes, seeing as this was their first meeting, but one could never be too sure. Better safe than sorry. The last thing they needed was to be caught after the first meeting, they had just started.
Harry also still had access to the ever helpful Marauders' map, which allowed him to track each group's progress as they moved through the castle, making sure to avoid any wandering, late night patrollers of the stone hallways. The process had probably taken longer than it really should have, but they wanted to be positive they were doing everything correctly. They would be able to shorten the process in future meetings.
"Alright, last group is away." Percy said, slipping through the door, letting it close behind him for the second to last time that night. "Thought it went pretty well tonight." He summarized, having made his way to those that remained, which only included Harry, Hermione and Ron. They had stayed after, feeling some sort of responsibility that everyone had made it back without incident - it had been their idea, after all.
"Agreed. How was everyone's casting?" Hermione asked him. He took a minute to answer, having to think back and recall everyone's performance. Ron took his hesitance as a chance to lay down his own feedback, though it was remarkably less insightful than Harry.
"Think 'Mione could've gone a bit easier on me, eh?" Ron rubbed his chest, massaging the area where Hermione's overpowered spell had sent him flying. Hermione rolled her eyes, exasperated while Harry and Percy just snickered quietly.
"Nearly everyone was passable. Honestly, Ginny surprised me, she did remarkably well the whole time, Luna as well. Some could use some extra work, Neville in particular I think." Hermione voiced her agreement with his last statement, having noticed the Gryffindro's struggles. "He has the ability, just needs more confidence in himself. I saw improvement from everyone, though."
"That's a fair assessment." Percy said. "Remember that for next time and adjust your plans accordingly. Focus more on those that tend to struggle, you're only as strong as your weakest link." Harry nodded, having already planned on that course of action anyway.
"Thanks for helping out, Percy."
"'Course, Hermione." Percy smiled reassuringly, or did the curve of his lips hold a tint of regret. "I've seen too many children go for me to sit around and do nothing." He looked down for a moment, and Harry knew that it was definitely regret in his smile. He faced the three looks that were sent his way with another shaky smile. "A story for another time. For now, you three need to get back to the Gryffindor tower." He ushered the three to the entrance, grabbing Harry's invisibility cloak from his pocket and tossing it over him. "Everyone get under there."
His two friends raised the sides and squeezed their way next to him. They didn't really fit into the cloak as well as they used to. Harry paused as they reached the door, looking back towards Percy as he stood in place. "What about you, Percy?"
"Don't worry 'bout me." Percy quipped. He whipped something out of… somewhere, and held it up towards Harry. It was an old, worn out ball cap. He winked, smirking all the while. "I'll be just fine." Harry was just about to voice his concerns, about how an old hat was going to help, when Hermione and Ron urged him out the doorway, taking his attention for a moment. The group made it out the door, the invisibility cloak still draped over them all. He was able to spare one last glance back into the room, hoping to see how an old hat would help Percy but… the Professor was nowhere to be found and the door closed and vanished, sealing the room until it was called upon once again. He ripped open the map, intent on searching the pages for the Professor's name. His eyes roamed until he found the layout of the seventh floor. He expected to find him close, but he wasn't. In fact, he wasn't anywhere. The corridors, the classrooms, the closets… nothing.
"C'mon Harry, let's go." He didn't realize how long he had been staring at the map until he was directed by his friends and they began their navigation of the castle back to Gryffindor Tower. "I'm sure Professor Jackson will be fine, you don't need to watch him on the map."
"That's the thing, Hermione." Harry stopped them in the middle of the seventh floor hallway. "He's not there." Now she paused, staring at him with her eyebrows furrowed and an unbelieving expression plastered to her face.
"What!" She yelled at a whisper. "I thought the map tracked everyone in the castle." She reached for the map, and Harry gave it over after a slight hesitation. He was always reluctant for it to leave his possession. It was one of the only remaining mementos he had left of his father. Hermione ripped it open and he cringed slightly at her rough handling of the parchment, but he got over it quickly. He watched as her eyes scanned the map, just as his had moments prior and her face became more and more disbelieving.
"See. He's not there."
"You've seen him on here before, right?" Harry nodded, answering her question. "How is that possible?" Harry had the same question. She was just about to say something else, maybe a theory, when Ron interpreted her.
"As much as I enjoy being under this cloak with you, don't you think we should do this back at the tower. Not in the middle of the corridor on the seventh floor when we're out after curfew?"
"Right. Good point, Ronald." She quickly folded up the map and handed it back to Harry, who deposited it into his bag in turn. The three gathered themselves and continued their route back to their tower, where Harry was hoping they could come up with an explanation for Percy's sudden disappearance.