Amelia Potter was a tad confused when she went down into the kitchen for breakfast and seen, sitting in the living room, was her Arithmancy teacher, Professor Vector.
"Professor?" She said, a bit surprised.
"Ah, Miss Potter, good to see you." Vector replied, looking cheerful, as if it had been some arranged meeting.
"Erm, yeah, you too," she paused, "how did you-"
"-get access to your safehouse?" Vector supplied for her. "Dumbledore gave me access for my meeting with your godfather. Sirius is just through in the kitchen, making me tea. Your twin brother will be joining us as well."
"Why are you meeting them, may I ask?" She replied politely, but was still confused.
"Well, your brother wishes to take up Arithmancy, and also Ancient Runes with Professor Babbling."
"Is this a joke?" Amelia almost laughed.
Vector smiled knowingly. "McGonagall said he literally only thought of the idea last night. You must've been up in your room, for she was told of this by seven p.m yesterday."
Sirius came through then, and he saw Amelia in the doorway. "You can join us, if you want, Amelia."
"I think I should. This is all new information for me." She sat down on the singular armchair across from the fireplace.
Harry entered, looking presentable for once. She instantly spoke to him. "Why on earth have you decided to take up two subjects?" She asked, amused.
"Look, I know it sounds stupid, but I think it can be done." He replied, his face flushing a slight crimson.
Once they were all seated (Dorea would probably end up joining them, once she woke up and came downstairs), Babbling started speaking. "Well, Mr Potter, I don't believe we've met. I'm Professor Vector, and if you are able to join the O.W.L Arithmancy class, I will be your teacher for it. I have brought with me some short leaflets which explain the overview of the course." She reached into her bag and passed her twin brother one. She gave him a few moments to scan his eyes over it before she continued. "I will warn you, Arithmancy is no walk in the park. Even your friend Miss Grainger finds it tricky, and I'm sure Amelia and Dorea could tell you all about the essays."
At that, Amelia mouthed to him "they are hellish", which he nervously smiled at. Vector carried on. "All the content is explained in the leaflet. Now, I've brought a spare copy of the textbook - Numerology and Grammatica. This is the only textbook you will be needing. It looks massive, but that's because it is the book we always refer to in class, over all the levels."
"I found some introduction books last night in the library upstairs, Professor. It uses really simple language, but I think it would be better to also use it alongside, for the terminology and that." Harry answered, still sounding a bit meek. "I found some for Ancient Runes too, which I've started reading."
"Feel free to use it too. It seems you are determined to take this course, Mr Potter." Vector smiled kindly. "You can always ask to see your sisters' notes too."
Amelia nodded. "I still have my third and fourth year ones. Dorea probably does too."
"Oh, why are we all in here? I thought.." Dorea had finally risen. She had just walked into the room at that very moment. However, she drifted off when she saw Professor Vector.
"Miss Black, it's good to see you." Vector said.
"You too, Professor. Why.. Why are you here?" Was Dorea's confused response.
"I'm going to take up Arithmancy and Ancient Runes." This time, Harry said it with confidence.
"Oh, as a hobby? It's a good pastime, translating and that-"
"-No, as subjects at Hogwarts." Harry cut in.
"What? But you've never taken them before…"
"I'm going to drop Divination." He replied, "Professor Vector is telling me about the subject."
Dorea was silent as she took it all in. "Oh, well I suppose that means you'll be joining us in class then."
Sirius, who had been quiet up until now, spoke. "You and Amelia might have to supply him with your old notes from third and fourth year, to catch him up."
"It's going to be a tight squeeze, cramming in all the information before we go back. Are you sure you're up to it?" Dorea said as she sat down next to her father on the couch across from Vector.
"I'll give it a bash." Harry exhaled.
"There's one more thing," Vector said after she finished her tea. "Before I can let you on to the class, you will have to sit some tests for both third and fourth year content."
Harry had a feeling he wouldn't just be taken on to the course without proven study. "Oh, okay. Will there be a time to sit it?"
"I won't give you the tests until the twenty-sixth," Vector said, "Just over two and a half weeks away. I think Professor Babbling will likely do the same for Ancient Runes, but probably on different days."
I'm going to have a busy few weeks, Harry thought, cringing a bit. I just hope it will be worth it. Plus, he needed to find some time to brew potions, for he wanted to find out what brewing was really like without having a greasy git like Snape constantly berating in your ear.
Professor Babbling, the Ancient Runes professor, dropped by just before midday. Like Vector, she was a friendly woman, and had kind eyes. She also gave him a content leaflet and textbooks, though they probably already had copies up in the library, but he took them anyway.
Babbling confirmed that she would come over and issue Harry his Ancient Runes tests on the twenty-seventh.
At lunch, he sat at the kitchen table, again thinking. He had so much work to do now, and alongside studying for two new subjects, he had to do the holiday homeworks (he had no intentions of doing the Divination work, meaning he only had three to do). Plus, they were going to visit Grimmauld Place the day the school book lists arrived, which would take probably the whole day.
"Do you want me to get my notes and to put them in your bedroom?" Amelia asked him once she had finished her soup and scone.
"Oh, erm.. Yeah, whatever." Harry replied, a bit more gruff than he intended. "Sorry." He added at the end, just to be sure.
Dorea went to do the same, apologising in advance as she couldn't exactly remember if they were doodled on. It was just Sirius and him left in the room. As he was eating, he could feel his godfather's eyes on him. His eyes were in fact peeking over at him from behind the newspaper he was reading.
"Am I being really stupid about this, Sirius?" Harry blurted, suddenly feeling overcome with insecurity.
"What?" His godfather looked incredulous. "Harry, whilst you're certainly challenging yourself by taking up Runes and Arithmancy, it's by no means stupid. "
"Will you still want me if I fail the tests? Are you going to send me back to the Dursley's if I do?" He said, a bit more quietly.
Sirius closed the newspaper. "Harry James Potter, look at me this instant."
Interpreting his godfather's tone to mean that he was in big trouble, he suddenly felt awful. He made eye contact with Sirius, who instead spoke in a much gentler voice. "What's this strop about, eh? Why on earth would I send you back to that hell over, what, a few wrong answers on a piece of paper? If you do pass the tests, great, I'll be super delighted. But if you fail, I'll also be proud."
"But why?" Harry exasperated. "It means I have to still take Divination, and I'll look and sound like a right dunce when McGonagall finds out I fail-"
"-Harry," Sirius said in a warning tone. When he stopped, the man continued, "You've already proven your determination to learn by deciding to do this just last night. Now who else in wizarding Britain could say that? Probably nobody. The point is, even if you do fail the tests, they do not take into account all the hard work that you will do. Exams do not test knowledge - rather, most of them are just memory tests. They do not take into account any other factor except how good your recollection skills are on the day. Do not fret about the tests just now - you focus on getting the two years of content into your brain, whatever it takes, so you can whizz the entry exam. I do not care if you get a T, a P or an O - I will be happy whatever the result, Harry, and nothing less than chuffed that you tried your absolute hardest. Remember that - because that applies to all your tests and exams."
Feeling a lot better, Harry felt a surge of affection for his godfather. He felt stupid for even being so damn insecure about it - he had the support of his sister, godsister and godfather. That was the boost that he needed.
Finishing off his lunch, Harry went to wash his plate and cutlery in the sink. He noticed a few washed dishes waiting to be dried on the rack, and so got to work. For some reason he didn't even remember wiping down the surfaces until Sirius got in his way. "Woah, kiddo, what are you doing?"
"What do you mean? I'm cleaning up after myself." Harry was confused.
"We do have house-elves, you know." Sirius said, "and you don't need to do the worktops."
"Oh, it's just.. Habit." Harry said, realising that his old routine hadn't quite left him yet.
"How's it a habit? You don't clean up after yourself at Hogwarts, do you?" Sirius asked, sounding concerned. Harry realised that he'd caught on.
"Erm, no, it's just… Me and Amelia, at the Dursley's we were... rather forced into doing all the cleaning." He had said before he could stop himself.
"What?"
"It's nothing, Sirius, please, it was just a bit of housework-"
"-Harry."
He sighed, and cursed himself. Well done for letting that slip, you tosser! He said to himself.
"When did they start doing this?"
"Erm, I can't really remember." He said meekly, but when he saw Sirius's face, he reconsidered and came clean. "Five years old."
"You what?!" Sirius barked.
Sirius Black was counting from one to ten in his head, in French and Spanish, because if he didn't he was pretty sure he was about to explode with anger in front of his already terrified-looking godson. Them utter, vile HAGS! He raged invertedly. They've forced them to do all the chores since five years of age?! That is nigh on child labour!
"What did they make you two do?" He tried to ask as calmly as possible, but he'd gotten to 7 in Spanish and his anger was only bubbling more. He switched to counting in Latin instead.
"Sirius, I said it was just a bit of housework-"
"-I do not want to bite your head off, Harry, but you better start telling me the truth or I might accidentally shout and I do not want to scare you-"
"Okay, okay, fine. We had to get up at seven, one of us would prepare breakfast, the other would set the table, and then we'd have to clean up or get a smack. Then, we'd get to eat, but only the leftovers. After that, it was wiping down all the worktops and getting all the dirt on the floor so that then we'd get the hoover - erm, vacuum cleaner, - and if there was even the tiniest bit missed out then neither of us would get lunch or dinner - depending on what time it was discovered at." Harry rattled off, obviously uncomfortable.
He'd heard enough. "They hit you? Both you and Amelia?"
"Y-yes, can I go back upstairs now? I should really get on with studying." His godson pleaded, eying up the kitchen door as if it was his lifeline, his only escape.
A horrible image popped into his head, - the young twins being screamed at, hit, punched and taunted by that horrible brother in-law of Lily's. How someone as lovely as Lily could have had such a vile sister as Petunia, Sirius never knew. He wanted to be sick when his mind conjured up an image of sweet little Amelia, in tears, huddling Harry for safety. He didn't notice he was welling up.
"On you go," Sirius said, in a weak voice, as he let Harry go. Trying to sound strong, he said as he was about to leave the room, "I'll be up in a while, to help with your work." Hi godson merely nodded before leaving.
He sat down at the table, and rubbed his temples. He couldn't help but whimper as he tried to stifle his cries. James, he thought, desperately, I'm so sorry I was so reckless… If I hadn't gone after Peter, your babies would have been safe with me. Your little angel would never ever know pain if I just hadn't..
Dorea entered the kitchen then, apparently she was going to make a cup of tea before doing a spot of reading. As she put a spoonful of brown sugar into the cup, she noticed him having a little mope. "Dad? Are you alright?"
"Sweetheart, sit with me a moment." Sirius asked in such a meek voice, as if she was a child.
"Eh, okay. Are you tearing up?" His daughter looked confused.
He took her hand in his. "You've never been… abused, have you?"
She looked horrified. "What? No! Kaspar and Sofia never even shouted at me. How could you even suggest that?!"
"It's not about them, it's the Dursley's." He said, wiping his face.
His daughter seemed to have an inkling. "Did Harry tell you, then?"
"You knew?"
"Well, from Amelia." She paused, and Sirius thought he was looking at a carbon copy of himself as her nostrils flared in anger. Marlene did the same when she was affronted, he remembered, in a moment of fondness. "They are horrible, dad. Why Dumbledore insisted they go back there year after year knowing that they were mistreated is disgusting. I've always had half a mind to report them to muggle police."
Wave 2 of anger soon started, as he bit back even more at his daughter's words.. "He knew?"
"Yes."
Put it this way, at the next Order meeting, Sirius was going to give that old pensioner a right good rant, and it was not going to be pretty.
Sat at his study desk in his bedroom (it still felt weird, having one to himself), Harry busied himself with Arithmancy work. He had almost finished the first chapter in the Intro book, he just needed to finish one more section before he could take the "Test Your Knowledge" quiz at the end of the chapter.
He was on the last question of the small test, and was trying to think of the answer, when he felt a small wave of pain sour through his head. He soon realised that his scar was stinging again. What on earth are you doing now, Voldemort? He thought, sick unto death of the pain and how it had inconvenienced his thinking.
Just thinking of Voldemort made something spring to Harry's head. He had thought of this a few weeks ago now - when Voldemort inevitably rose again, the wizarding world had to be prepared, else normal magic life as they know it might change. If he won, Voldemort would be a dictator, and he would be utterly ruthless to literally everybody.
In order to beat him and kill him for good, wizards and witches had to unite - muggleborns, half-bloods and pure-bloods alike. It had to be done. There needed to be a level of cooperation, in order to achieve the prevention of horror. Else, when the time would come to face him, there would be cracks, and fractures. A football team that went onto the pitch with virtually no aim, friendship nor dynamic within all members of the team could not hope to win. That was the same with the magical community - prejudices and rivalries needed to be put aside. Who cares if somebody came from a certain family, or was in a certain house at Hogwarts? It was not the time to be worrying about things like that - for there were far bigger things coming.
Harry, in yet another moment of madness, came up with the idea of unifying most, if not all of Hogwarts. It would certainly be a start - a large body of magical students that could all form opinions. There were certainly prejudices at school - he'd heard and experienced it first hand thanks to Draco Malfoy and his gang. Even if a particular house didn't agree with standing beside anyone that wasn't pureblooded, Gryffindor's, Ravenclaw's and Hufflepuff's uniting would certainly be a great achievement. Add a good few Slytherin's to that, and it would probably become some sort of wizarding world record.
But how would I all unite them? He thought to himself, It's not something that can be done overnight, it needs to be something - a cause, a message or something.
Then he thought - a club.
Not just any club - when he thought about it, the only good Defence Against the Dark Arts professor they had over the past few years was Remus. That was back in third year for him. Though they thought Mad-Eye Moody was a tough but good Professor, discovering that a man who was meant to be long dead was impersonating him with Polyjuice Potion was certainly a kick in the teeth. Gilderoy Lockheart and Professor Quirrell, though… They didn't learn anything useful with either of them. It was a wonder anyone passed first and second year.
To put it simply, most years were actually behind in terms of knowing Defensive spells.
But if I thought of this club, they'll expect me to be their teacher, their guide… He kept on thinking, and then it clicked.
Well, it seems I have to take up responsibility and leadership at some point in my life.
Harry would be the leader of this club.
He heard a knock at his door, and jumped round in fright. It was just Sirius, looking more calm and cheerful after his slight episode earlier. "Sorry if I scared you," his godfather said as he stepped towards him. "How's the studying?"
"I've just finished one chapter of this Intro book, and once I do that I'll move on to the first chapter of Numerology and Grammatica." Harry answered, as he gestured towards the book.
"I would have thought you'd want to start using the potions room." Sirius said from behind his chair.
Harry felt conflicted again - he did want to start brewing, but he had prioritised his workload, and he didn't feel like reordering it anytime soon. He had tonnes to do. "Erm, maybe another time."
"Come on, Harry, you've been studying for hours. You can't swamp yourself with Arithmancy or Runes, because you'll soon find that your brain will turn off. Taking a break and occupying yourself with something else is the best way not to overwork yourself." Sirius reasoned.
Harry did know what he meant - the last thing he wanted was to be getting stressed out this early into the third year content. "Oh, well, okay then. Just for an hour or so."
"Great! Let's go and see if your sisters want to join us."
They soon found out that Amelia was already headed down to the potions room, and she joined them. However, when they entered, they found Dorea too, sitting in a chair with a cauldron bubbling away in front of her.
"How long have you been down here?" Amelia asked.
"Just for twenty minutes or so. I'm literally working through the fourth year Potions, because I barely scraped an A in any of them."
"What do you mean?" Sirius stopped in his tracks.
"Well, the thing with Snape is, even though our Potions turn out quite good, he always marks anyone except the Slytherin's down. Even Hermione gets mediocre grades in class. Plus, Crabbe and Goyle have been known to sabotage - those gits are always throwing stuff into the potion at a crucial stage." Dorea said as she started to stir her potion. At Harry's curious look, she answered, "I'm currently brewing a Wit-Sharpening Potion. It's at the simmering stage."
Harry had no clue what on earth he was even going to make. However, on one of the shelves at the back of the room was a copy of Magical Draughts & Potions by Arsenius Jigger. Flipping the book open to a random page, he landed on the Sleeping Draught. Hopefully it helps get rid of the nightmares.
He still had horrible dreams about the night of the Third Task. They would probably plague him forever. He hadn't had one since they moved to Black Manor, but that wasn't to say they'd stopped completely. They'd probably come back with a vengeance soon enough.
Going next door into the apothecary to gather his ingredients, he noticed that Amelia was starting on a simple Wiggenweld Potion, which they made in first year. "I'm going to work through all the Potions we did from each year," she proclaimed.
Ingredients gathered, Harry chose a workbench and got his cauldron and scales set up and ready. He was going to take his time with this - there was no rush or expectation looming.
Harry took his time to read the instructions and carefully prepared the ingredients before even lighting his cauldron so that they were ready to go with no hassle or fumbling about.
After 70 minutes, He had finally completed his first potion unsupervised. He couldn't believe how stressless it had been - he'd barely even looked up once. He could understand why you needed to always be ready to stir at the exact moment and why the number of stirs you did would either make or break your potion. He felt on cloud nine.
As he ladled the Sleeping Draught into two bottles and capped them, he wondered if he was able to brew another one. He wanted to try and test himself in the duelling room at one point, against those dummies, to see just how up to speed he was - and he figured he might pick up a few bruises doing that. He flipped through the books on the back shelf until he found one with the Wiggenweld Potion. Even though Amelia was making it as well, he wanted his own supply.
He was amazed, really, for this was the first time they'd ever been quiet. Nobody had spoken for over an hour - they were engrossed. He didn't want to disturb the peace, so meandered back to his workbench.
He was going to need to be on his feet with this one - there was a lot of stirring and adding to be done, and they needed to be at the exact same time. Preparing the ingredients carefully, Most of it was just salamander blood, lionfish spines, flobberworm mucus and honey water. With everything measured out, he got ready to use one hand for adding, and the other for stirring.
Sirius couldn't believe how quiet the house was, now that all of his wards were in the potions room, brewing away. Good on them, he thought. He knew that they were very talented kids at Potions, it was just a shame that Snivellus marked them down. How that man ever got to be a teacher, he never knew. Now, their skills for the subject had a chance to shine through. He knew they were making most of the chilled environment.
Feeling a bit bored as he just wandered aimlessly throughout the rooms on the bottom floor, Sirius had an inkling that he didn't have to listen out for them, as they seemed to have everything under control. The house was unlikely to erupt in flames anytime soon, so he had an idea.
He went into the living room, and crouched in front of the fireplace. Grabbing a handful of Floo powder, he spoke the name of his childhood home and stuck his head in.
He was met with the sight of Ginny Weasley sitting at the kitchen table. It sounded like she was talking to someone.
"Ginny!" He tried not to frighten her. She jumped slightly, but relaxed when she realised who it was.
"Oh, Sirius." She said, turning in her seat. "How is the house?"
"It's great, we all love it. Listen, is Remus there?"
"I think he's upstairs, shall I go get him for you?"
"Yes, please."
With that, Ginny briskly left the room and returned almost a minute later with Remus in tow. His friend's face lit up at the sight of him. "Sirius!"
"Do you want to come and visit us, then?" Was all he said.
"Of course! Can't stay for too long, though, I've got an errand to run at 4."
Sirius stood back from the fireplace, and waited for the whoosh sound to signal Remus was coming through. When his friend stepped out from the fireplace, he grinned.
"You, my friend, have a lot to catch up on." Sirius said as he gestured to him to follow him through to the kitchen. "Tea, coffee?"
"Coffee with two sugars please - oh, and black. Tonks got me hooked on coffee. Superb beverage." Moony replied, sitting down. I bet she did, Sirius thought, smirking. Remus spoke again, "Where are the kids?"
"Brewing potions." Sirius said, mirthfully.
"Eh?" Remus looked utterly bamboozled. "Potions? Christ, Sirius, how big is this place?"
"I'm sure they'll give you a royal tour." He replied, sitting opposite him. "Now, would you send me to St Mungo's if I told you that our dear Harry is going to be taking Arithmancy and Ancient Runes in his upcoming fifth year?"
Remus's mouth almost fell open. "But… He's never studied them before?"
"Precisely." Sirius answered, "He can do it, Moony, I know he can - he's just got to study the third and fourth year content for both and sit tests for them in just over two weeks time. They're like his entry exams - if he passes them, he can take them."
Remus looked like he wanted to say many things. "Has that boy gone bonkers? Do you realise how much he's going to have to cram in?"
"He's dropping Divination to take them up too," he added.
Moony still wasn't convinced. "Lily took to those subjects like a duck to water, but still… It doesn't mean he'll be naturally gifted at it."
"Well, why don't you tutor him in it?" Sirius said, leaning back slightly in his chair, "You got an E in both of them at N.E.W.T level, Moony."
"That doesn't mean I'm qualified to teach him about them. Also, I only just got an E in them both - if I had lost four marks in Arithmancy and six in Runes, I would have got A's in them instead" He replied, briskly.
"Well, giving him a few pointers would help ease him, so he's not doing everything himself." Sirius settled at that. "He seems to be doing okay - he's just started chapter one of Numerology and Grammatica. I can't remember what he said about the Ancient Runes stuff."
Remus swigged his coffee, and sighed. "Well, I'll talk to him. See what he says. He might not catch up in time, though."
"Worst comes to worst, he can sit the O.W.L for them in sixth year. I think he'll be gutted if he doesn't get on to them this year, though - he's really determined. I had to persuade him to stop studying and to go and brew some potions." Sirius explained.
It was quiet for a few moments, as they just chilled out. He asked Moony about how things were back at Grimmauld Place - he said that Dorea's guardians, Kaspar and Sofia, had officially joined the Order, and were sad not to have seen her at Grimmauld Place (he couldn't explain Black Manor to anybody outside the inhabitants of Number 12). Sirius made a mental note to tell his daughter to send them an owl. He was thankful she was raised by some loving guardians, at least. He would have to meet them at some point, to find out what his baby girl was like as a child.
They could hear the noises of Harry, Amelia and Dorea as they walked down the vast corridor of the house, and they were probably making their way towards the kitchen. When they entered, they ran at Remus and hugged him individually.
"What are you doing here?" Harry had asked, elated.
"Sirius offered me to come and visit, how could I turn him down?" Moony said, jovially. "I heard you three have been brewing potions."
"We were in there almost three hours," Amelia explained, "I cannot believe how straightforward it actually is without Snape."
"I wonder what we're brewing for fifth year?" Dorea pondered aloud, "I wonder if we came find out, and get a head start."
"Hermione will wonder what on earth has happened to us." Amelia chuckled.
Harry sat at the table, and Remus briefed them on what life was like back at Grimmauld Place. Harry smirked when he said it was quite bleak, but that Fred and George were back causing mayhem and giving their mother a few grey hairs.
"So, Harry, you're wanting to study Runes and Arithmancy?" Lupin said.
"Erm, yeah, if I can." He replied. "I heard you and mum studied both of them."
"Yes, we did. She was a natural at them, even though Runes is like a whole new language, she whizzed it. Which one have you found easier, so far?"
Harry had a think. Though Numerology was going to take some time to come to him fully, the Runic language was mostly just symbols that represented letters, which weren't that difficult. "Definitely Runes," he replied, "It's sticking more, at this stage."
"Well, I can stay until three fifty - I've got to get back to London by four, so how about I go over a few Arithmancy things with you in the meantime."
"Yeah, that would be good, after I've drank my tea we can do that." Harry replied, sounding optimistic. Remus had passed Arithmancy at N.E.W.T level, so that made him feel a lot better. He'd be getting tutored by somebody who knew his stuff.
In the meantime, though, Harry wanted to voice his earlier thought - about starting the club at Hogwarts. He didn't quite know how to start saying it, though.
Amelia nudged him, "What are you thinking about?"
He noticed that Dorea also looked curious from across the table. Remus and Sirius were in a deep conversation about Grimmauld Place again, so he spoke just loud enough for the girls to hear. "When we go back to school, I want to start a club up."
Amelia's eyebrows lifted upwards a bit. "A club? What kind of club?" Dorea wanted to know as well.
Sirius had heard as well, "Who said something about a club?"
Harry spoke up a bit. "Well, I've been thinking - when Voldemort inevitably comes back and tries to take over, we all need to be prepared. That goes for everybody - muggleborns, half-bloods, pure-bloods, everybody in the wizarding world. We all need to… unite, as one, no matter what, else we'll all be living in misery."
He paused for a second, as his throat was getting a bit dry, so he gulped down his tea. Dorea spoke in his little interval. "What does this have to do with starting a club up at Hogwarts?"
"That's the thing - this club, I'm thinking of leading it, in order to teach proper offensive and defensive spells. I'm the only one here that's fought Voldemort and lived to tell the tale. We've had one good Defence Against the Dark Arts professor since our time at Hogwarts," he looked at Remus, who almost blushed, "which makes us very behind in terms of knowing what to expect in a situation where we have to defend ourselves and fight back. I want this club to be for everyone - Gryffindor's, Hufflepuff's, Ravenclaw's, and Slytherin's. I just… Want them to know that joining the Death Eaters isn't their only option in life, that it doesn't have to be that way, and that we are all just witches and wizards at the end of the day - how much magical blood we have, or what family we belong to, doesn't matter."
He took a deep breath when he was finished, and was met with a few moments of silence. Amelia let out a low whistle, and Dorea was clearly thinking.
Remus shared a look with Sirius - and they were both gobsmacked (in a good way). This was very deep thinking for Harry, merely fifteen years of age. He was offering to not only lead a club, but to teach his fellow students life-saving knowledge, no matter what House they were in? Remus found himself lost for words. He was even willing to accept Slytherin's into this club of his.
"Well, it's optimistic, and a really good idea, Harry." Amelia spoke. "Everything that you said about having to unite is very true."
"Though I can't imagine very many Slytherin's offering to join, I'd be fine with them joining." Dorea shrugged. "Daphne and Astoria Greengrass are actually decent." Amelia nodded vigorously at that. "There's Liz Tuttle in Ginny's year as well, she's quiet but friendly."
Sirius spoke up. "I think you should say this to Professor McGonagall, Harry,"
Within ten minutes, Minerva was standing in the living room, having just come out of the Floo. Remus stood near the doorway as he wanted to gage her opinion and reaction.
Harry was soon telling her about the idea for his club - and though she simply just stared at him for a minute, Remus knew she was very impressed. Amelia and Dorea even offered to help him lead it too.
"I do have to ask - what age groups do you intend to include in this club?" Minerva enquired. Remus noticed Harry pale slightly - he'd obviously not got down to full planning. "Well, I did think of a more Senior group for fifth years and upwards, and possibly a Junior group for fourth years and younger?" Remus noticed that another thought came into the boys head, "But if there are fourth years who prove that they could handle more advanced spells - such as Ginny, - then they could be in the Senior group too."
Remus wondered why Harry mentioned Ginny in particular, but when he noticed Amelia and Dorea share a glance and a smirk he instantly knew the answer.
Minerva stood up. "Your club would be accepted, most definitely, but I still have to get confirmation from Albus. I'm assuming at some point, you will have to market this group towards the student body?"
Harry nodded. "Yes, Professor, probably on the first or second day back."
"That would require a sign-up sheet. However, I have an idea for you in order to go about it - I could have an enchantment put on the paper that rejects any students from joining that are secretly marked Death Eaters." McGonagall explained. "That way, you can be sure of no inside informers or traitors."
Harry lit up, "That would be great, Professor! It would certainly help take that worry off our shoulders."
Minerva smiled. "Thank you for telling me this, Mr Potter, I think it is a simply brilliant idea. Never before has something like this been put into motion," she moved back towards the fireplace. "I shall be back with confirmation in about two or three days. Good day to you all."
When the kids were talking, Remus noticed Sirius make his way over. "I think everything's going to fall into place for him this year,"
Remus was inclined to agree. "I think all three of them are going to really come out of their shell," he paused, "no doubt they'll get Ron and Hermione into this as well."
"I just hope this club works." Sirius said, as he meandered back into the kitchen.
Of course it will work, Remus thought as he looked at his honorary nieces and nephew, Harry is James and Lily's son, after all.