The Defense Club Part 1
Summary: Now with Voldemort back, Dumbledore decides it time to teach the students how to defend themselves. What better way than a Defense Club and with a certain raven headed fifth year teaching them.
AN: This is my take on how they started Dumbledore's Army if there was no Umbridge.
James, Sirius, and Remus found themselves sitting in front of Professor Dumbledore's desk, sipping tea. They had received an owl telling them that the headmaster would like to speak with them about something and didn't say what. Sirius had a theory as did Remus. James was just puzzled as to why he was called to the office.
"This feels odd," Sirius said, breaking the silence that had fallen on the room. "I mean we've been here before only as students."
"I know what you mean," James murmured, looking around the office. Nothing had changed since he was a student. "Albus, what is the reason for this meeting?"
There was a knock at the door before James's question was answered and Albus Dumbledore called, "Enter."
To the three men's surprise, Harry was the one who entered the room with Ron and Hermione behind him.
"Come on in," Professor Dumbledore said to the teens. They took a seat on the other side of James with Harry sitting by his father.
"You are not in trouble are you?" James asked, with an uplifted eyebrow.
"No," Harry answered. "Hermione asked to speak with Professor Dumbledore about something." Turning to his best friend, he asked. "What's going on, Hermione?"
"We'll get to that in a moment, Harry," Dumbledore assured him. "Lemon drop?" Harry declined, and Ron and Hermione followed.
"I called you three," Dumbledore explained, turning to the three men. "Because Miss Granger has brought up a little problem that needs to be addressed. Now that Voldemort has returned, we need to focus a little more on defense, teaching the students to defend themselves."
"Are you saying you want us to teach them to defend themselves?" Remus asked.
"Not exactly. I've taken the afternoon to think about what Miss Granger had addressed and I think that between the three of you, you can be the faculty supervisors. James, I included you as you and Sirius are on the Board of Governors and you both can assure the Board that this is just a precaution."
"Okay, and who exactly will be…" James trailed off. "You're not saying…"
"What?" Harry asked.
Sirius had a moment of confusion when he came to the same realization that James had. "You want Harry to teach them?"
"Me?!" Harry's voice sounded higher than normal.
"Yes. While I know that it might be better for a professor to teach them, I think the students will respond well if a fellow student teaches them. It would be similar to that of a tutoring session. Only you'll be teaching other students besides two or three," Professor Dumbledore explained.
Harry glanced at Ron and Hermione, then to his father, godfather, and uncle. "What would me teaching them entail?"
"Coming up with the lesson plans and running them by Sirius and Remus and teaching the students the lesson you came up with. Now I will understand if you decline, but I think the students will…."
"I'll do it," Harry said, suddenly. "I'll lead the….what are we calling this?"
"I figured we'd call this the Defense club. The only stipulation that I have is you allow all students to join, no matter the age or house."
"Although it's unlikely that the Slytherins will join," Sirius stated. He knew they would be taught to defend themselves, including darker spells by their parents.
"True," Professor Dumbledore agreed. "Now all you will need to do is to meet with the students and see who would be interested. If you need anything, don't hesitate to ask."
"Like what, for example?" Hermione asked.
"If one of us needs to fill in for you, Harry, if for some reason that you're unable to teach," Remus suggested.
James snorted. "But knowing my son, he'll teach this club, even if he has to drag a broken leg behind him, snot running out of his nose, a high fever enough that would warrant Lily to tie him to bed and…."
"Dad, we get it," Harry said, interrupting James. "I get the point. I play one game of Quidditch sick and never hear the end of it."
Remus and Sirius chuckle, knowing Harry was referring to a time in his third year that he played a Quidditch game sick.
"You can discuss a name with the students in the first meeting. The only thing I ask is you teach them not to harm another and to stress that this is for defense purposes only," Professor Dumbledore said.
"We will, Professor," Harry promised.
"Now that we've got that settled, would you three like a cup of tea?"
"No, thank you, Professor," Hermione said, while the boys nonverbally declined.
"You can also decide when you will meet with the students or if you do at all before the first meeting."
Harry, Ron, and Hermione glanced at each other. Their years of friendship had given them the ability to have a conversation without the need for words. Remus and Sirius found it amusing.
Ron and Hermione both glanced at Harry with Hermione motioning to tell Professor Dumbledore what they decided.
"We'll discuss that tonight when we get back to the common room and let you know in the morning," Harry answered.
"Very well," the headmaster said. "That is all I needed to discuss with you. Remus, I need a word with you, James, Sirius, you're welcome to stay."
Sirius decided to stay with Remus while James left with Harry, Ron, and Hermione. They headed down the stairs and through the gargoyle opening.
"Ron, Hermione, Harry will join you two in a little bit. I need to a word with my son."
Ron and Hermione nodded and headed on to Gryffindor tower. Harry followed James a few feet away from the headmaster's entrance to avoid blocking it.
"What is it, Dad?" Harry asked.
"I want you to promise me that if this too much for you that you will come to me, Remus, or Sirius. I don't want you to overwork yourself."
"I won't."
"Will you promise me, though?"
"I promise, Dad, that I will come to you when I feel overwhelmed with this and OWLs. Darn, I forget about that," Harry murmured.
"Which is why I'm making you promise to tell one of us if you feel overwhelmed, Son."
"Okay. Now, who's going to tell Mum about this?" Harry asked.
The Potter men looked at each other for a minute before…
"Rock, scissors, paper," they chanted. Harry's paper covered James's rock.
"Looks like your telling Mum," Harry chuckled.
James cuffed the back of Harry's head.
"Go on and talk with Ron and Hermione. I'll tell your Mum."
"Thanks, Dad."
Harry walked with James down the corridor towards the staircase. There, Harry and James parted, only pausing to give each other a quick hug and a "Write soon."
As Harry headed upstairs to Gryffindor tower, his mind started racing with ideas for the first lesson. He just hoped Lily didn't blow her top over this.
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Lily strolled into the Great Hall that next morning, her robes billowing behind her. She walked in between the Hufflepuff and Gryffindor tables, her usual route to the head table. She stopped where Harry was sitting and whispered, "I want to talk to you after breakfast."
Harry swallowed the egg he had just put in his mouth and nodded. "Okay. I'll walk Ginny to Charms first and then I'll come down to the hospital wing."
Lily reached over and selected a banana. "Eat this too," she said. Harry mock saluted her.
"Alright, cheeky, eat your breakfast," She ordered.
"Yes, Mother," Harry said, earning a light flick on the back of his head.
She headed up to the head table and fixed her a cup of tea and her own breakfast.
Ginny entered the Great Hall. She sat down beside Harry, leaning over and kissing his cheek.
"Good morning, handsome," she greeted.
"Good morning, Beautiful." She shared a brief kiss before Ginny fixed her plate. "What's on your schedule for the day?"
"Transfiguration, Herbology, and Care of Magical Creatures," Harry replied, peeling the banana and breaking it in half, giving half to Ginny. "Then I have Astronomy."
"What was the note about yesterday?" Ginny asked, adding jam to her toast.
"I'll tell you when we're not in the Great Hall," Harry answered.
Hermione and Ron joined them at the table while Ginny started to make her own breakfast. They made small talk, Harry and Ron discussing the Quidditch scores from the Daily Prophet and Ginny and Hermione were discussing the gossip that had been going around school.
"With everything that's going on in our world, you would think that people would have something else to talk about besides me and Harry. I even had a girl in my year asked me if I knew what Harry looked like shirtless."
Harry snorted his orange juice, almost causing him to get choked.
"What did you say?" Ron asked, his eyebrow arched.
"I said that I didn't happen to know that and never ask me that again. It was none of their business," Ginny said, stabbed her fork into the sausage with more force than necessary. "I mean someone had even asked me what Harry does to his hair to make it look like." Ginny looked up her boyfriend's hair, which was messy and yet looked like it had been washed. She pointed and said, "That."
Ron snorted and Harry tried to push it down without really looking.
"So where do you want to lunch at babe?" Hermione asked, trying to change the subject.
Ginny and Harry finished their breakfast soon after and Harry started to walk Ginny to Charms class. They had left a little early so Harry could make it to Transfiguration on time. As they walked, Ginny reached for Harry's hand and laced her fingers together. They usually held hands in the corridors or if they were walking around outside.
"So what was the note about?" Ginny asked as they walked away from the Great Hall.
"Dumbledore wants to start a Defense club, where we'll learn more about how to defend ourselves," Harry explained.
"Will I be able to join?" Ginny asked.
"Of course," Harry said. "I'm not stopping you."
"Good."
As they reached the Charms classroom, Ginny asked Harry if he had any ideas of what they would do for lunch.
"Maybe we'll eat in Mum's quarters since its a little cold outside. Speaking of Mum, she wants to talk to me after I walk you the class."
"Alright," Ginny said. She stood on her toes and kissed his cheek and started to walk into the classroom, smiling softly. She felt Harry grab her wrist gently and pull her back to him. She smiled and reached up, her hand going to his neck and his went to the small of her back. They kissed until Ginny made a noise in the back of her throat.
"Don't you need to talk to your mother?"
"Yeah, I better go. I'll see you at lunch?"
"Sure. Love you."
"Love you too."
Harry watched her go as she entered the Charms classroom and he headed to the hospital wing to talk with Lily.
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Lily was waiting for Harry when he entered the hospital wing. She directed him to the office, she shared with Madam Pomfrey and sat down in the chair at her desk and pointed to the one beside her.
"Sit," she said. It wasn't a request.
Harry sat down in the chair Lily pointed at and waited for the bomb to go off.
"Don't you think you've got enough on your plate?" She asked. "You have your OWLs this year, and there's studying for it and then for your classes. You've added Ancient Runes to your schedule and are doing extra work to get caught up. You'll also have homework and studying, and studying for OWLs. Then there's Quidditch, with practices and matches. I'm just worried that you'll spread yourself too thin."
"Mum," Harry said, softly. "Dad made me promise to tell him if I get overwhelmed with this. I'm not completely on my own anyway. Ron and Hermione are going to help me with the planning and Ginny if she has any ideas. I know I can make it work. I'll know more when we meet on Wednesday."
"Alright," Lily murmured. "Just promise me that you'll come to me or Dad when you feel overwhelmed."
"I promise," Harry replied.
"Okay, you better get going if you want to get to Transfiguration on time."
"I'm going now. I'll talk to you later, Mum. Love you."
Harry left the hospital wing as quick as he had arrived. Lily watched her son leave and then sighed, rubbing her temples.
"That child is going to be the death of me," she whispered, then went on with her work.
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"We need to think of somewhere to have the meetings," Hermione said, one night in the common room. It was just the three of them sitting in the common room with a cup of hot chocolate. Ginny had already drunk her's and headed up to bed, leaving Harry, Ron, and Hermione alone in the common room.
The firelight was the only source of light in the room, glowing off of their faces.
"Where could we go?" Ron asked. "There has got to be a place in the castle we can go and it be large enough to accommodate about thirty people."
"Is there anywhere on the map?" Hermione directed the question to Harry.
"I'm looking," he said, not looking up from the map.
"Okay."
Silence descended on the common with only the occasional crackle and pop from the fireplace. Ron got up to add another log to the fire, returning to sit down on the couch with Hermione.
"You know, I think there were places in the castle that aren't on the map," Harry said, suddenly.
"Do you really think so mate?" Ron inquired.
"They could have discovered it after making the map," Harry murmured, trying to think if he ever heard Sirius, Remus, or James mention a room in the castle that wasn't on the map.
"You know, I think I know who might be able to help us," Hermione said, slowly.
"Who?" Harry and Ron questioned.
She answered by calling, "Dobby?"
A pop sounded and Dobby appeared in front of him.
"What can Dobby do for The Granger?"
Harry and Ron had to hide their snort. Since Hermione tried to help the house elves last year, Dobby and Winky had been calling her 'The Granger'.
"Firstly, call me Hermione," She smiled at the elf. "Second do you know of a room we could use for our defense club?"
"Why yes, Hermione," Dobby replied, though Harry noticed he struggled with saying Hermione's name after years of calling her everything but her name."
"Where?" Harry asked.
"There is a room located on the seventh floor in the left corridor of the castle. It has a hidden entrance opposite the tapestry depicting the attempt of Barnabas the Barmy to teach trolls ballet. The way to open the room is to walk past it three times thinking about what you need, and the door will appear," Dobby explained.
"The Room of Requirement," Harry whispered.
"The what?" Ron asked.
"Sirius and I discovered it one day when we were here to get the defense classroom set up in the summer. Remus asked me to get Sirius out of his hair for a while and we decided to explore the castle, even the parts we're forbidden to go." Harry paused. "Don't repeat any of this to Mum."
"We won't," Ron assured him giving Hermione a pointed look.
"What is the Room of Requirement exactly?" Hermione asked, confused. She had never heard of it in Hogwarts: A History.
"Also known as the Come and Go room, the Room of Requirement is a secret room within the castle. It only appears when a person is in great need of it," Harry explained. "According to Sirius's research, the room is thought to have some degree of sentience, because it transforms itself into whatever you need it to be at the moment in time. For example, we could make dummies appear to practice charms and spells instead of each other if we desired."
"So, we can use the room for whatever we want. Would there be a catch?" Ron inquired.
"There are limitations, it cannot create food, as it that is….."
"One of the five Principal Exceptions to Gamp's Law of Elemental Transfiguration," Hermione finished. "Sorry."
"Thanks, Hermione, I had forgotten what's called," Harry assured her. "It is also believed to be Unplottable which is why Dad, Sirius, and Remus never discovered the room."
"There's more isn't there," Ron stated.
"It is advised that the users of this room be very specific about what they are looking for, as it has been shown that other people can enter the room and see what the occupant is doing if they know how the room is being used. Basically, we can ask the room to hide to allow us to practice spells and charms without worrying about anyone coming in unannounced. But if we didn't, we need someone to watch the door for that reason."
"Because the last thing we would need is to cause someone to get hurt," Hermione said.
"Right. Dad said he had presented this to the Board of Governors the other night as it would be better to tell them rather they'd find out from another source. There were a few of the older members who felt that we didn't need to do this, but Dad's argument was Voldemort didn't discriminate against age, just blood status. Dad also said that the rule on no magic outside of school is being revised to allow students to defeat themselves."
"Good," Hermione sighed. At least she would be able to defend herself and her family if the unthinkable happened.
"So, what do we do now?" Ron asked.
Harry took the last sip of his hot chocolate. "We'll go check it out tomorrow."
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"I don't know why I didn't think of it."
"Well, to be honest, it was Dobby who had brought it up," Harry admitted. "As he described it I remembered we found it over the summer. I heard Dumbledore mention it once, but I never knew where it was until now."
Sirius smiled and handed Harry the new textbook he had picked up for him.
"I think the Room of Requirement would be perfect for what we need," Sirius stated. "It would be plenty big enough and it would give you all the supplies you would need."
Remus entered the classroom from the office he and Sirius shared.
"So we have a location, what about a date?" He asked.
"We thought the middle of the week. A night when there will be no Quidditch practice. Hermione was going to pass the word to Dumbledore and then we'll see who decides to come."
"Harry, there is something you should know," Sirius said, suddenly. "You know I'm also on the Board of Governors and when your Dad brought it up to them at the last meeting, not only where there some against the idea, there were a few also against the…"
"Idea of me teaching?" Harry guessed.
"That is a secret that only, I, your Dad, and Dumbledore know. And we're keeping it that way," Sirius stated.
Harry nodded, whispering, "Okay."
"We'll meet you, Ron and Hermione, at the Room of Requirement after dinner. We'll look it over together as a group," Remus said.
"Though, I don't think there would be any reason to not use the Room of Requirement," Sirius added.
Harry nodded. "Thanks for getting the book for me Sirius," Harry said as he left.
"Did he lose it?" Remus asked.
"No. Augusta didn't get Neville a defense book," Sirius explained. "Harry told me on the first day of class. He had given him his copy of the book. The reason he didn't tell Lily was he knew she would confront Augusta and she would take it out on Neville."
Remus sighed shaking his head. "I say the best thing Alice and Frank did was name Lily, Neville's godmother, against Augusta's wishes."
Sirius nodded, agreeing. "I just hope he would one day come out of his shell."
"I think he will," Remus stated. "I think he will."
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A highly polished door had appeared in the wall, making Harry, Ginny, Ron, and Hermione jump back suddenly. Ron stared at it, looking slightly wary. Harry reached out and seized the brass handle and pulled the door open. The door opened into a room that was spacious and large. It was lit with glowing lights and from the chandeliers along the ceiling. At the far end of the room was a fireplace.
There was a wall of wooden bookcases and instead of chairs, there were large silk cushions on the floor.
Harry approached the set of shelves at the far end of the room that held a range of instruments that included Sneakoscopes, Secrecy Sensors, and small dummies that with one flick of his wand were enlarged.
"That will be helpful," Harry said, watching as one of the dummies floated to the middle of the room under his direction.
"These will be good when we're practicing Stunning," Ron noted, prodding one of the cushions with his foot.
"Plenty of room to move around and not be on top of each other," Ginny added.
Hermione, of course, headed to the bookcase. "Look at all these books!" she exclaimed, running a finger along the spines of the large leather-bound tomes. "A Compendium of Common Curses and their Counter-Actions, The Dark Arts Outsmarted, and Self-Defensive Spellwork"
Harry came up behind her and picked up Self-Defensive Spellwork and skimmed the index. "Looks like we'll have everything we'll need to plan the lessons."
Hermione hummed in agreement and slid Jinxes for the Jinxed from the shelf and then walked over to a cushion and after she sank down, she began to read.
Sirius, Remus, and James came in while Ron and Ginny were still looking around and Harry and Hermione were engrossed in their book. James sent a small jinx towards his son and to his, Sirius, and Remus's surprise, Harry blocked it, his eyes never leaving the page.
"Need to be quicker than that, Old Man," Harry said, marking his place in the Self Defensive Spellwork book.
James walked over and put his son in a headlock, nudging his head with his knuckles and ignoring the shouts of protest from Harry. When James released him, Harry's hair looked wild.
"This nice, I don't think we've ever been here before," Sirius said.
"Plenty of room to move around," Remus added.
"It's perfect for what we need it for," James said.
They explored the room until curfew and they walked together as a group, back to Gryffindor tower. It was odd to the older men as the two couples held hands all the way to Gryffindor tower.
When they reached the Fat Lady, Hermione said the password and they said goodnight to James, Sirius, and Remus.
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Harry climbed onto a chair and began placing pictures on the glass square. He had come up with an idea to put something in the room to give everyone a reason for why they were doing this. For Harry, his reason was easy. He had looked through Lily's old pictures and found one of James, Lily, Remus, and Sirius with Marlene McKinnon. The back of the original had said that it was taken on the night James had proposed to Lily.
Harry copied it and took it with him, along with a picture of his maternal grandparents, Harold and Iris Evans. He had looked for a picture of Fleamont and Euphemia but had no luck in finding one. He would have James find one for him.
When he told Ron and Ginny his idea, they both wrote home, asking for a copy of their uncles, Fabian and Gideon.
"Harry?"
Turning around, he saw Neville had entered the room.
"Hey Neville," Harry greeted. He spell-o-taped the pictures the glass and climbed down from the chair.
"What's this?" Neville asked.
"A reminder as to why we're doing this," Harry replied, exhaling.
"Oh."
Neville looked up at the pictures Harry had added. He recognized James, Lily, Sirius, and Remus, but the others.
"Who's…?" Neville trailed off not knowing how to ask.
"The woman who is standing next to Sirius is Marlene McKinnon. Voldemort killed her entire family. Sirius was going to ask her to marry him before she was killed. According to Dad, he's never been serious, pun intended, about any other women besides her. Mum's tried to set him up with a few of her friends at the hospital, but Sirius asked her after the last one to stop."
"And the older couple?" Neville inquired.
"Mum's parents. My grandparents. They were killed in an explosion. According to the Muggles, they died in a house fire, but Mum and Dad learned later, it was set by Death Eaters."
Neville winced. "How old was your Mum when that happened?"
"She and Dad were married, so this was most likely after they got out of Hogwarts," Harry said.
Neville sat his bag on the table and pulled out a picture. He copied it and returned the original to his bag and added the other to the glass.
"My parents," Neville explained. "Fourteen years ago, a Death Eater named Bellatrix Lestrange used the Cruciatus Curse on my parents. She tortured them for information, but they never gave in. I'm quite proud to be their son. But I'm not sure I'm ready for everyone to know just yet."
"I'm sorry," Harry said, softly, making a mental note to give James and Lily an extra tight hug later.
"It's okay," Neville whispered.
"We'll make them proud Neville, that's a promise," Harry assured him.
AN: The information on the Room of Requirement came from Harry Potter Wiki.