Chapter 35 – DADA or DA
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I left the DADA classroom angry and feeling utterly useless. Why the ministry had appointed that pink toad to teach in Hogwarts was beyond me. Maybe Hermione was right, and was it for control over Hogwarts, over Dumbledore. That we didn't learn anything with that crappy handbook and practice didn't bother me as much for myself as for the others. I was in my last year, and I had great and sometimes poorer teachers for DADA in the past years, but with Bash and my parents I always was on top of our DADA class. I knew what to expect at the exams at the end of the year, and I knew how to explain everything or do the spells. But the others, everyone below me, they needed a great teacher, or a capable at least. I saw the frustrated looks on the students and when you passed them in the corridor you got spot in an instant who just exited the DADA classroom.
I huffed as I walked out the classroom and George wrapped his arm around my waist while Fred occupied my other side. "I can't believe I still come to this class, it's absolutely useless."
"Agreed." The twins said as I leaned my head against George's chest. "Why don't we skip it tomorrow and you can help us with things for the shop." Fred suggested.
"Really?" I asked lifting my head to look between them.
"Yeah." They chimed again. "We're narrowing down our options for the shop." George continued. "We're now looking at the properties in Diagon Alley."
"So, you can help with our search for the right place or help make our products with us and Lee."
"Sounds... more fun than class with the pink toad." I grinned. "I'm in."
"Brilliant!" They beamed and George wrapped me up in his arms before placing a searing kiss on my lips.
"Excited for the first game against Slytherin next month?" I asked as I sat down on the Hufflepuff table with the twins.
"Yeah, can't wait to beat those snakes." Fred glared over his shoulder to the green filled table.
"How's Angelina as Captain?"
"Brutal!" They called out.
"I didn't think she would be as bad as Oliver, but it's close." George chuckled.
"Now that Angelina apologized, it's hard to get mad, but she keeps stealing my boyfriend." I pouted as I scooped a piece of meatloaf on my plate.
"She's not-" George eyes wide in terror.
"Calm down, Georgie. I'm teasing, but I haven't seen you much in the evening with all your practices." I smiled as I waved my fork at him.
"I'll make it up to you.' George whispered in my ear, making me shudder.
"Oh, Merlin! Get a room! Oh no, never mind, I sleep there too." Fred quickly added with a disgusted face making us laugh. Cedric, Lyra and Odin came in the great hall and sat across from us.
"So, Fred, asked Hermione to Hogsmeade yet?" Cedric said with a grin.
"W-what?" Fred asked bewildered looking from Cedric to me.
"It's pretty obvious, mate."
"It's not!" He countered.
"It is." The rest of us said, even Lyra and Odin had chimed in.
"Well, it's - it's not that simple." Fred mumbled looking down at his plate. George reached his hand over and clapped his twin's shoulder lightly.
"It is, Freddie. We all know she like you too. Just walk up to her and ask her to go with you and throw the word date in there."
"Or she might think you meant to go as friends. Hermione is a little oblivious when it comes to love." I added and put the emphasis on the last word, making George grin next to me.
"I'll think about it." Fred said slowly poking a potato with his fork.
"So, how are the plans of the shop going?" Cedric redirected the conversation and the twins both lit up as they talked about their progress.
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Since Umbridge wasn't teaching anyone anything, the twins had invited me to the Hog's Head Inn, a shady old looking bar I only been in a time or two. The boys guided me to one of the round tables and George went to get us drinks. I looked around the dark pub.
"Are you sure this is the place?" I whispered to Fred.
"Yeah, they wanted somewhere secluded."
"Secluded, right." I frowned as I wiped my finger on the dirty table. "I'm sorry you couldn't ask Hermione to Hogsmeade because of all of this."
"Next time." He said with a shrug as his eyes were on the door.
"Who's coming anyway?" I asked with my eyes fixed on the door too.
"We spread the word around with people we know and trust, so no-"
"Slytherins?" I chuckled as we looked at each other. "They are not all that bad."
"I have yet to meet one then." He nudged my shoulder with a grin. "Thanks, twin-o-mine." He looked up and accepted the dust covered bottle of butterbeer. "Hey, why didn't you clean mine up." He whined when he saw George give me a clean one.
"It's just a bottle, you big baby. Want to switch?"
"I don't need your pity." He said with a huff, a pout and crossed arms.
"I feel sorry you have to live with him." I grinned broadly as I looked to George. George met my eyes with a twinkle in his, his smile stretched across his face.
"It's hard..." George admitted with a sad nod. Fred threw his arm over my head and slapped his brother on the head. They bickered over my head for a moment, their voices loud in the dark and silent pub before they both started laughing.
"The others are coming in." I hushed them. They stopped laughing and looked over to the door. A few Gryffindors walked in including Dean, Anglina and Alicia. Right behind them Lyra, Odin and Cedric. A few Ravenclaws I didn't recognize, probably from Harry's year. They all greeted us and one another before settling down around us, waiting for the trio.
An hour later we had all placed our signatures on the parchment Hermione had provided, on the top read: Dumbledore's Army, the DA. It was now a waiting game, until they found a safe place to practice, so I took the twins around Hogsmeade for the day.
It was week later that the twins whispered to me and the other Hufflepuffs that our first meeting was going to take place the next night at the seventh-floor corridor. They had to come in small groups not to raise suspicion, so Cedric, Lyra and Odin and I agreed to come to the spot at a quarter to eight. So, that night the four of us walked the corridor like they instructed and looked at the door that had appeared. We all glanced at each other with raised eyebrows before opening the door. The room was large and brightly lit, it was perfect for what they were planning. The trio, the twins, Neville and Ginny were all looking around the large room with interest.
"What is this place?" Lyra asked as she walked in further, her hand grazing the walls.
"The room of requirement, or the come and go room." Ginny said excitedly as she walked up to us. "It adapts to the person's needs. Fred told us it once changed into a cupboard when they tried to hide from Filch, but never found it again."
"This is brilliant." I gasped as I glanced at the high ceiling. "Ced!" I suddenly realised and grabbed Cedric's arm. "Bash knew about this! He always said there was a secret place no one could find to bring his boyfriends. He never told me where, though."
"He probably didn't want to think about his little sister doing anything but study in the castle." Cedric chuckled and I pursed my lips at him because he was probably right. The door opened behind us again and the next small group entered the room, all looking around in fascination. Fifteen minutes later the whole room was filled with everyone who had signed that day a week ago.
Harry started easy with a disarming spell, Expelliarmus. It was fun sending wands up in the air and practicing with all kinds of students. At the end of the meeting, Hermione gave everyone a coin that she had enchanted that would tell them when the next meeting would take place. Because that was going to take a lot of planning because of the different houses and quidditch team members who had their own practice schedules to keep up with. When I went to bed that night, I felt more relaxed than I started the year with. Not only am I in a right place with George now, but I also still had my best friends around me and sneaking around the castle and actually learning and doing something instead of reading for hours on end for the pink toad, it gave me the best night of sleep in weeks.
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The weeks that followed went by fast and suddenly it was already November, and the first match was coming up quick. You could hear everyone talk around the castle about the match between Gryffindor and Slytherin, it was always the match most people talked about as they were the biggest rivals in the school. I had noticed Cedric was a bit down because of the fact he wasn't allowed to play quidditch in his last year at Hogwarts, so when George was out once again at practice, I dragged Cedric out and we went flying on our own around the castle and the grounds. I loved flying over the forbinnen forest, in the hope of spotting a new creature, but Cedric wasn't a fan and he hang back on the edge of the trees while I flew high above them, my eyes scanning between the trees. And even though George and I were in a good place, with him off to practice almost every night, I missed him. I just missed goofing around with him and Fred or just hanging around in the common room as I was sprawled between his legs in front of the fire. But I grew up with Cedric, so I knew how important Quidditch was to the boys, so I didn't say anything about it. And when I didn't need to study, I wanted to surprise George, I would come down to the pitch to see him practice. The first time I popped up in the stands, his eyes found me in an instant and his smile grew. It was adorable to see really, and it melted my heart as I saw how I was the one who could bring such a change in his mood. But now I was sitting in the great hall eating breakfast at the Hufflepuff table. I wanted to sit with George and wish them all good luck, but Hermione and Ginny had informed me that Angelina got them up early and that they were already at the pitch. So, just before the game would start, I sneaked to the tent and waited outside as Angelina finished her speech. I nearly tackled him as he came out of the tent, his broom over his shoulders. I kissed him good luck before placing a kiss on Fred's and Harry's cheek and whishing them all good luck before heading to the stands where Cedric was waiting.