AN: Quidditch League Fanfiction Competition

Team: Tutshill Tornados

Position: Seeker

Prompt: Write about the impact of one's words to another.

Word Count: 1014

TW: Mentions of character death

Stronger in Numbers

If I were You Know Who, I would want you to feel cut off from everyone else. Because, if it's just you alone, you're not as much of a threat.

Luna's words echoed in Harry's head like a song being repeatedly played on the radio. The more he thought about it, the more everything that had happened began to make sense. Harry had grown frustrated with how isolated he had felt since summer. Everyone, with the exception of a close few, tried to convince him that he had gone mad, that he was dangerous, and that he should be grateful that he was able to remain a student at Hogwarts. He felt more alone than ever.

Maybe that's how they wanted it, though. Fudge, Voldemort, Umbridge, maybe even Dumbledore wanted him to feel like he was the villain, or at the very least like he wasn't even there. Harry sat on the floor of the Gryffindor common room and stared thoughtfully into the embers in the fireplace, the soft orange light reflecting off of his round glasses.

He started to think, was this for the best? Cedric stood by his side and got killed for it. What if that was Ron? Or Hermione? Harry shuddered at the thought. He sighed. Luna had a point though. If you are facing any opponent, your odds are better if you have more people with you. But was it worth the risk?

"Harry? Are you all right?" Harry slowly shifted his gaze from the fire to a soft voice at his side. Hermione, dressed in one of her favorite pink sweatshirts, sympathetically stared at one of her best friends.

Harry nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine." He responded flatly.

Hermione sat on the red sofa and patted the spot next to her. Harry reluctantly stood up from the floor and sat next to his friend. "I just wanted to let you know, I wanted to write to you about what was happening over the summer. You know that, right?" All Hermione received from Harry was a shrug. "I'm sorry I couldn't say anything. Dumbledore made us swear not to." Harry looked down at his shoes and gave Hermione another shrug.

Hermione folded her arms. "Why are you acting like this?" she questioned her stubborn friend.

"I just want to be left alone." Harry answered, his frustration starting to bleed through.

"Why?" Hermione demanded.

Harry looked back up at Hermione. How could he tell her that he didn't want her to die? Would she even understand? Or would Harry have to forcibly push her away? "Because the last time someone stood by me, he got killed. I don't want that to happen to you too."

Hermione unfolded her arms. "Why do you assume that's your decision to make? Do you think I would stand by and watch you get yourself killed?"

Harry blinked. "But-"

"-We have always done everything together. We are in this together. The whole thing. Even if no one else stands by you, Ron and I will. We're strongest together! You know it, and I know it."

"Have you been talking to Luna?" Harry inquired, noticing Hermione was saying similar things his new Ravenclaw friend did.

Hermione shook her head. "No, but it sounds like she must have given you the same talk."

"More or less."

"We just need to learn how to defend ourselves better. I read the whole book Umbridge gave us, and it is useless. We need to find a way to teach ourselves how to protect each other from the threats that are out there."

"What do you suggest, Hermione? Do you want me to write to Professor Lupin?" Harry offered.

"He can't teach us while we're at school." Hermione reminded him. She nudged Harry's arm. "I mean, you have more experience than any of us."

"Hang on," Harry's green eyes widened, "I know where you're going with this."

"If you're so worried about something happening to your friends, wouldn't it be better to teach us what you know?" Hermione suggested.

"It would be better if you didn't get involved at all!"

"Well, it's four years too late for that. We're in it, so we need to prepare. You know how to produce a Patronus Charm, you have fought a dragon, You-Know-Who, and-"

"-That doesn't mean I knew what I was doing!"

"You know more than me!"

Harry snorted. "I think we both know that's not true."

"Fighting wise, it is true. Reading books only gets you so far." Hermione rephrased. "At least consider it. We're going to stand with you no matter what, so would you rather us keep to the books? Or learn how to put the books into practice?" Hermione rose from the sofa and climbed the stairs up to the dorm rooms.

Harry groaned and pinched the bridge of his nose. He had forgotten Hermione was more stubborn than he was. He appreciated the thought of her wanting to stand by him, but she didn't understand how dangerous it would be for her. Harry didn't want to die either, but he would rather put himself in danger so his friends didn't have to.

He again thought about what Luna had said earlier. Strength in numbers is better, he agreed, but did he really want his friends to stand with him? If it came down to it, he knew Sirius and the rest of the Order, experienced fighters, would stand by him and would be at less risk. But what if Voldemort attacked the school? What if his friends couldn't protect themselves and he wasn't there? That thought sent a chill down Harry's spine. He realized if he didn't teach his friends, no matter if they were close to him or note, they could still be put in danger.

Hermione and Luna were right. They needed to stand together. The only question that remained was how could he teach them things he barely understood himself?

Well, at least he would have something to start with, and he knew he would be writing to Lupin for advice with teaching.