The next day, Harry woke up feeling the weight of his decision settling on his shoulders. The DA was going to happen. Sirius's words echoed in his mind as he got ready for the day, reminding him that he wasn't alone in this. He glanced over at his trunk, where the two-way mirror was carefully hidden. There was no turning back now.
At breakfast in the Great Hall, Harry caught Hermione's eye. She gave him a small nod as if to say, Are you ready? Harry nodded back, though a twinge of nervousness gripped his stomach. After classes, they'd have to start figuring out how to recruit people.
Throughout the day, Hermione, Ron, and Harry whispered between classes, planning where to meet and who to invite. They agreed that the first meeting should be kept small—just people they could trust. As the day wore on, Harry couldn't shake the feeling that something was bound to go wrong.
After their last class, they headed to the library, their usual spot for private discussions. It was quiet, with only a few other students scattered at tables. They sat at their usual table, hidden behind rows of books.
Hermione pulled out a piece of parchment, her face set in determination.
"We'll need a way to keep track of everyone—something that can't be discovered by Umbridge. I've been working on a charm that might help."
Ron raised an eyebrow. "You've already got a plan for that?"
Hermione gave him a knowing smile. "Of course. We can't afford to be careless. If Umbridge catches even a whisper of this…"
"Right," Harry interrupted. "We'll have to be extra careful. No one outside of the group can know about the DA."
Hermione nodded and unfurled the parchment, her wand at the ready. She whispered a few incantations and the parchment glowed faintly before settling back into its ordinary appearance.
"I've enchanted this so that only members of the group can see the names," Hermione explained. "And if anyone tries to betray us… well, let's just say they'll regret it."
Ron gave her an approving look. "Brilliant."
Harry glanced around the library, feeling a mix of excitement and apprehension. "So, who do we invite first?"
Hermione and Ron exchanged glances before Hermione spoke.
"We'll need people who are serious about learning defence and who won't panic at the first sign of danger."
"I'm thinking Neville, Ginny, and Luna," Harry said after a moment. "They're reliable, and they've all been through enough to understand how important this is."
"Ginny's in, for sure," Ron said immediately. "And Luna… she's a bit odd, but she's tough."
Hermione scribbled their names down. "I'll ask them discreetly. We'll need to figure out a place to meet."
Ron leaned back in his chair. "We can't do it here at Hogwarts, not with Umbridge sticking her nose into everything."
"We could use the Room of Requirement," Harry suggested suddenly, remembering Dobby's mention of the room from the previous year.
Hermione blinked in surprise. "The Room of Requirement?"
"It's this magical room that appears when you need it," Harry explained. "Dobby told me about it. It can change into whatever we need—so we could use it for the DA meetings."
Ron looked impressed. "That sounds perfect. How come I've never heard of this room before?"
"It's not exactly common knowledge," Harry replied, grinning. "But if it works, it'll be the safest place in the castle to meet."
Hermione tapped her quill thoughtfully. "It sounds like the perfect solution. We should check it out tonight."
Later that evening, the three of them made their way to the seventh floor. Harry felt a growing sense of excitement as they approached the section of blank wall where Dobby had told him the Room of Requirement would appear.
"Here it is," Harry said, stopping in front of the empty stretch of wall.
Ron looked around sceptically. "Doesn't look like much."
Harry ignored him and began pacing back and forth in front of the wall, thinking hard about a place where they could safely practice defensive magic in secret. On his third pass, the stone wall began to shimmer, and slowly, a door appeared.
Ron's mouth dropped open. "Blimey, it worked!"
They stepped inside, and Harry couldn't help but grin. The room was exactly what they needed. It was spacious, with high ceilings and walls lined with shelves of books and practice dummies. A variety of cushions were scattered around for practising spells safely.
"This is perfect," Hermione whispered, looking around in awe. "It's as if the room knows exactly what we need."
Harry felt a surge of determination. This was it. The DA was real now.
"We'll hold the first meeting here in a few days," he said, his voice steady. "Once we have the group together, we'll start training."
Hermione beamed, and even Ron looked excited.
As they left the room, Harry felt a new sense of purpose settling over him. The road ahead was dangerous, but with the DA, they stood a chance of fighting back against Umbridge's oppressive rule—and maybe even preparing for something much bigger.
A few days later, Harry stood in front of the Room of Requirement, pacing anxiously as they waited for the others to arrive. Slowly, one by one, people began to trickle in—Neville, Ginny, Luna, and others they'd invited.
As the group gathered in the room, Harry felt their eyes on him, waiting for him to speak. His stomach twisted nervously, but Sirius's words echoed in his mind: You don't need to be Dumbledore to lead. Just be yourself.
Taking a deep breath, Harry stepped forward, facing the group. His voice was calm but full of conviction.
"Thanks for coming," he began, scanning the room. "I know some of you are nervous about this. I know some of you are scared. I'm not going to lie to you—there's a lot to be scared of right now."
He paused, letting the weight of his words sink in.
"We all know what's happening out there—what's coming. Voldemort"—a few people winced at the name—"is back. And we're being kept in the dark. We're not being taught how to defend ourselves. Umbridge is here to make sure of that."
His voice hardened as he continued. "But we can't let her stop us from being ready. We can't wait for someone else to teach us how to survive. The truth is, we're in danger, whether they want to admit it or not. If we don't prepare now, then we'll be caught off guard when the time comes."
The room was silent, the tension thick as Harry spoke. He took a step closer to the group, his voice stronger now.
"We're not just students. We've faced more than most adult wizards ever will. You've all been through enough to know that sitting around and doing nothing isn't an option. We need to stand together. We need to be ready for whatever comes."
He glanced around the room, meeting each person's gaze. "I don't have all the answers. I'm not Dumbledore. But I've fought Dementors, I've faced Voldemort, and I've survived. And I know that if we stand together if we learn how to defend ourselves, we stand a chance."
He paused, letting the weight of his words hang in the air.
"This is our fight now. And it starts here."
The room was quiet for a moment, the gravity of the situation settling over everyone. Then, slowly, one by one, they began to nod, determination flickering in their eyes.
Harry felt a surge of hope. The DA had begun.