Raised By Wolfstar: Slytherin Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix

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Chapter Eighteen: Educational Decree Number Twenty-Four

Harry felt happier for the rest of the weekend than he had done all term. He and the others spent much of Sunday catching up with all their homework again, and although this could hardly be called fun, the last burst of autumn sunshine persisted, so rather than sitting hunched over tables in the common room, they took their work outside and lounged in the shade of a large beech tree on the edge of the lake. Hermione, who of course was up to date with all her work, was just reading Daily Prophet articles on a picnic blanket with Colin.

The knowledge that they were doing something to resist Umbridge and the Ministry, and that he was a key part of the rebellion, gave Harry a feeling of immense satisfaction. He kept reliving Saturday’s meeting in his mind: all those people, coming to him to learn Defense Against the Dark Arts...and the looks on their faces as they had heard some of the things he had done...and Cho praising his performance in the Triwizard Tournament...The knowledge that all those people did not think him a lying weirdo, but someone to be admired, buoyed him up so much that he was still cheerful on Monday morning, despite the imminent prospect of some of his least favorite classes.

He and Allison headed upstairs from their dormitory together, discussing Terence’s idea that they were to work on a new move during that night’s Quidditch practice, and not until they were halfway across the lantern lit common room did they notice the addition to the room that had already attracted the attention of a small group of people.

A large sign had been affixed to the Slytherin notice board, so large that it covered everything else on there—the lists of second-hand spellbooks for sale, the regular reminders of school rules from Argus Filch, the Quidditch team training schedule, the offers to barter certain Chocolate Frog cards for others, the dates of the Hogsmeade weekends, and the lost-and-found notices. The new sign was printed in large black letters and there was a highly official-looking seal at the bottom beside a neat and curly signature.

“—by order of—

The High Inquisitor of Hogwarts

All Student Organizations, Societies, Teams, Groups, and Clubs are henceforth disbanded.

An Organization, Society, Team, Group, or Club is hereby defined as a regular meeting of three or more students.

Permission to re-form may be sought from the High Inquisitor (Professor Umbridge).

No Student Organization, Society, Team, Group, or Club may exist without the knowledge and approval of the High Inquisitor.

Any student found to have formed, or to belong to, an Organization, Society, Team, Group, or Club that has not been approved by the High Inquisitor will be expelled.

The above is in accordance with Educational Decree Number Twenty-four.

Signed:

high inquisitor”

Harry and Allison read the notice over the heads of some anxious-looking first years.

'Do we have to re-form our Exploding Snap club?' one of them asked her friend.

'You'll probably be fine with Exploding Snap, I don't think you're the targeted group,' Allison said darkly, making the first year jump. 'I think we may be in trouble though, Harry?' she asked Harry as the first years hurried away.

Harry was reading the notice through again. The happiness that had filled him since Saturday was gone. His insides were pulsing with rage.

‘This isn’t a coincidence,’ he said, his hands forming fists. ‘She knows.’

‘How could she?’ questioned Allison.

‘There were people listening in that pub. And let’s face it, we don’t know how many of the people who turned up we can trust...Any of them could have run off and told Umbridge...’

And he had thought they believed him, thought they even admired him...

‘We’ll see if that’s the case,’ she said morbidly.

‘What’s that supposed to mean?’

‘Harry, do you think me and Theodore didn’t think it was possible someone might try to betray us. The sheet they signed, I put a modified Leek Jinx on it, that if anyone who signed leaks about our group to someone like Umbridge giant leeks will sprout from their ears. We’ll know if someone betrayed when we go up to breakfast.’

‘You should have told them in the pub that the sheet was jinxed.’

‘I did, sort of. I had Theodore warn them that signing the sheet meant signing their loyalty to the group.’

‘I don’t really approve, but you are probably right that we’ll need a way to tell if someone betrayed us or not. Come on, we need to get up to breakfast to see what the others think of this decree. If we have this notice it’s likely all houses do.’

It was immediately apparent on entering the Great Hall that Umbridge’s sign had not only appeared in Slytherin Dungeon. There was a peculiar intensity about the chatter and an extra measure of movement in the Hall as people scurried up and down their tables conferring on what they had read. Harry, and Allison Ron, barely taken their seats when Tracey, Terence, Theodore, Colin, and Canini descended upon them.

‘Did you see the notice?’

‘She found out somehow!’

‘Do you think there was a spy?’

‘What is the plan now?’

They were all looking at Harry. He glanced around to make sure there were no teachers near them.

‘We’re going to do it anyway, of course,’ he said quietly.

‘I figured that’d be your response,’ said Canini beaming and giving Harry a hard pat on the back.

‘What about the spy?’ asked Colin.

Harry took a good look around the Great Hall.

‘I can see Zacharias, Cho’s friend, Michael Corner and his friends, and none of them have odd ears, so I think someone else who was at the pub is a more likely suspect.’

‘The Hufflepuff Prefect’s are coming towards us,’ said Tracey. ‘As well as some Ravenclaws...’

Terence looked alarmed.

‘What are they thinking, we already look suspicious with just the seven of us huddled up—move away!’ he hissed and gestured to those approaching them. ‘Class!—We’ll—discuss—with—everyone—in—our—classes!’

Cho was sitting not far away, talking to the curly-haired friend she had brought along to the Hog’s Head. Would Umbridge’s notice scare her off meeting them again?

But the full repercussions of the sign were not felt until they were leaving the Great Hall for History of Magic.

‘And I thought hiding my blood status was difficult,’ Terence said in a low voice, he then got closer to Harry and Allison. ‘So Umbridge’s new decree applies to Quidditch as well, meaning I’ll have to go apply for the Slytherin team to be re-formed.’

‘What?’ said Harry.

‘That’s barbaric,’ said Allison, appalled.

‘It’s on the notice that teams are apart of the ban. So Harry, I know you have done well the last few weeks not angering Umbridge, can you just keep that up until I can get the team re-formed? I can’t risk her not letting us play.’

‘Okay, okay,’ said Harry, understanding what was at stake. ‘Don’t worry, I’ll behave myself...’

He only had to get through afternoon DADA class with her, or so he thought.

Charms class was always a good way to start the week off, Professor Flitwick was good at keeping his students attention during his lectures, and while sometimes frustrating Harry usually found practicing the charms in class quite fun. He and his friends also managed to spread the word to the Ravenclaws that had attended the meeting that they were still going to do the defence lessons.

Halfway through the class a murmur broke out throughout the room and then Professor Flitwick made an announcement.

‘Does that owl belong to anyone in the class?’ he said, inquisitively.

‘What?’ said Harry, who had been ignoring the murmuring up until now.

He looked at the window everyone was staring at. Hedwig was perched on the narrow window ledge, gazing through the thick glass at him, a letter tied to her leg. Harry could not understand it; they had just had breakfast, why on earth hadn’t she delivered the letter then, as usual?

‘She’s mine Professor,’ said Harry, making his way to the window.

‘I don’t normally permit my students pets in my class, but she doesn’t look like she’ll leave until you take her letter.’

With Flitwick’s permission Harry slid the catch and opened the window. He had expected Hedwig to hold out her leg so that he could remove the letter and then fly off to the Owlery, but the moment the window was open wide enough she hopped inside, hooting dolefully. She didn’t seem to want to give him the letter, so he gently picked her up, closed the window and made to remove the letter tied to her leg.

It was only then that he realized that Hedwig’s feathers were oddly ruffled; some were bent the wrong way, and she was holding one of her wings at an odd angle.

‘She’s hurt!’ Harry said shakily, bending his head low over her. His friends and Flitwick leaned in closer. ‘Look—there’s something wrong with her wing—‘

Hedwig was quivering; when Harry made to touch the wing she gave a little jump, all her feathers on end as though she was inflating herself, and gazed at him reproachfully.

‘Professor Flitwick,’ said Harry quite shakily, ‘may I please bring her to Professor Grubbly-Plank?’

‘Of course. Davis will fill you in on what you miss. I hope she’ll be alright,’ said Flitwick, sounding quite concerned.

‘Thank you Professor.’

Once outside the room Harry returned Hedwig to his shoulder and hurried off up the corridor. His first choice of somebody to cure Hedwig would have been Hagrid, of course, but as he had no idea where Hagrid was, his only remaining option was to find Professor Grubbly-Plank and hope she would help.

He peered out of a window at the blustery, overcast grounds. There was no sign of her anywhere near Hagrid’s cabin; if she was not teaching, she was probably in the staffroom. He set off downstairs, Hedwig hooting feebly as she swayed on his shoulder.

Two stone gargoyles flanked the staffroom door. As Harry approached, one of them croaked, ‘You should be in class, sunny Jim.’

‘This is urgent,’ said Harry curtly.

‘Ooooh, urgent, is it?’ said the other gargoyle in a high-pitched voice. ‘Well, that’s put us in our place, hasn’t it?’

Harry knocked; he heard footsteps and then the door opened and he found himself face-to-face with Professor McGonagall.

‘You haven’t been given another detention!’ she said at once, her square spectacles flashing alarmingly.

‘No, Professor!’ said Harry hastily.

‘Well then, why are you out of class?’

‘It’s urgent, apparently,’ said the second gargoyle snidely.

‘I’m looking for Professor Grubbly-Plank,’ Harry explained. ‘It’s my owl, she’s injured.’

‘Injured owl, did you say?’

Professor Grubbly-Plank appeared at Professor McGonagall’s shoulder, smoking a pipe and holding a copy of the Daily Prophet.

‘Yes,’ said Harry, lifting Hedwig carefully off his shoulder, ‘she turned up after the other post owls and her wing’s all funny, look—‘

Professor Grubbly-Plank stuck her pipe firmly between her teeth and took Hedwig from Harry while Professor McGonagall watched.

‘Hmm,’ said Professor Grubbly-Plank, her pipe waggling slightly as she talked. ‘Looks like something’s attacked her. Can’t think what would have done it, though...Thestrals will sometimes go for birds, of course, but Hagrid’s got the Hogwarts thestrals well trained not to touch owls...’

Harry neither knew nor cared what thestrals were, he just wanted to know that Hedwig was going to be all right. Professor McGonagall, however, looked sharply at Harry and said, ‘Do you know how far this owl’s traveled, Potter?’

‘Er,’ said Harry. ‘From London, I think.’

He met her eyes briefly and knew that she understood “London” to mean “number twelve, Grimmauld Place” by the way her eyebrows had joined in the middle.

Professor Grubbly-Plank pulled a monocle out of the inside of her robes and screwed it into her eye to examine Hedwig’s wing closely. ‘I should be able to sort this out if you leave her with me, Potter,’ she said. ‘She shouldn’t be flying long distances for a few days, in any case.’

‘Er—right—thanks,’ said Harry, just as the bell rang for break.

‘No problem,’ said Professor Grubbly-Plank gruffly, turning back into the staffroom.

‘Just a moment, Wilhelmina!’ said Professor McGonagall. ‘Potter’s letter!’

‘Oh yeah!’ said Harry, who had momentarily forgotten the scroll tied to Hedwig’s leg. Professor Grubbly-Plank handed it over and then disappeared into the staffroom carrying Hedwig, who was staring at Harry as though unable to believe he would give her away like this. Feeling slightly guilty, he turned to go, but Professor McGonagall called him back.

‘Potter!’

‘Yes, Professor?’

She glanced up and down the corridor; there were students coming from both directions.

'Bear in mind,' she said quickly and quietly, her eyes on the scroll in his hand, 'that channels of communication in and out of Hogwarts may be being watched, won’t you?'

'I—' said Harry, but the flood of students rolling along the corridor was almost upon him. Professor McGonagall gave him a curt nod and retreated into the staffroom, leaving Harry to be swept out into the courtyard with the crowd. Here he spotted Tracey, Allison, and Theodore already standing in a sheltered corner, their cloak collars turned up against the wind. Harry slit open the scroll as he hurried toward them and found five words in Sirius’s handwriting:

“Today, same time, same place.”

‘Is Hedwig going to be alright,’ asked Tracey anxiously, the moment he was within earshot.

‘Did you find Grubbly-Plank?’ asked Allison.

‘Yes,’ said Harry. ‘And I met McGonagall...Listen...’

And he told them what Professor McGonagall had said. To his surprise, none of the others looked shocked; on the contrary, they exchanged significant looks.

‘What?’ said Harry, looking from Theodore to Allison to Tracey and back again.

‘Well after you left, the three of us were talking,’ said Theodore, ‘and we thought it might be possible someone deliberately targeted Hedwig to get to her message. She has never been injured like this before now, and we were warned our correspondence might be monitored.’

‘So who sent you a letter?’ asked Allison.

‘Padfoot,’ said Harry quietly.

‘Same time, same place? He wants to meet at midnight by the fireplace?’ asked Tracey.

‘That seems like quite a risk on his part, especially if the letter has be compromised,’ stated Allison.

‘But it was still sealed and everything,’ said Harry, trying to convince himself as much as her. ‘And nobody would understand what it meant if they didn’t know where we’d spoken to him before, would they?’

‘You can magically reseal an envelope Harry, and they wouldn’t know when, but they possibly would know how as floo is one of the only ways to meet face-to-face with someone outside of Hogwarts, all she would have to do is sit by her own fireplace and wait,’ expressed Allison.

‘We should use the mirror this time, we can fetch it and keep it with us in the common room as we wait for midnight,’ said Theodore. ‘Floo is just too risky.’

‘But without Hedwig how do we warn Sirius to use the Mirror instead of the fireplace?’ questioned Tracey.

‘At the Cottage Sirius and Remus usually kept the mirror on the mantelpiece right above the fireplace, out of habit they’ve probably done the same at the new place. We’ll wait to just before midnight and call out in hopes he hears us before he throws the floo powder,’ said Harry.

They trudged down the stone steps to the dungeons for Potions, all four of them lost in thought, but as they reached the bottom of the stairs they were recalled to themselves by the voice of Draco Malfoy, who was standing just outside Snape’s classroom door, talking much louder than was necessary so that they could hear every word.

‘Yeah, I think it’ll be a three team Quidditch season this year. I hear Umbridge only restates teams with trustworthy players. Well, it will pretty much be automatic for us, I mean, she knows my father really well, he’s always popping in and out of the Ministry...It’ll be interesting to see whether Gryffindor are allowed to keep playing, wont it?’

‘He’s trying to get a rise out of Weasley’s and the rest of the Gryffindors I think,’ whispered Allison, and sure enough looking around Harry could see Ron with his fists clenched and Hermione Granger quietly trying to talk him down.

‘I mean,’ said Malfoy, raising his voice a little more, his gray eyes glittering malevolently towards Ron, ‘if it’s a question of influence with the Ministry, I don’t think they’ve got much chance...From what my father says, they’ve been looking for an excuse to sack Arthur Weasley for years, and now that he is supporting Dumbledore they see him as just as mad...My father says it’s a matter of time before the Ministry has him carted off to St. Mungo’s...apparently they’ve got a special ward for people whose brains have been addled by magic...’

Malfoy made a grotesque face, his mouth sagging open and his eyes rolling. Millicent let out a bellowing laugh, and Blaise and Pansy both snickered away, though Daphne stood close to Millicent looking uncomfortable.

Something collided hard with Harry’s shoulder, knocking him sideways. A split second later he realized that Neville had just charged past him, heading straight for Malfoy.

‘Neville, no!’

Harry leapt forward and seized the back of Neville’s robes; Neville struggled frantically, his fists flailing, trying desperately to get at Malfoy who looked, for a moment, extremely shocked.

‘Help me!’ Harry flung at Allison, managing to get an arm around Neville’s neck and dragging him backward, away from the cruel blond. Crabbe and Goyle were now flexing their arms, closing in front of Malfoy, ready for the fight. Allison hurried forward and seized Neville’s arms; together, she and Harry succeeded in dragging Neville away from Malfoy. Neville’s face was scarlet; the pressure Harry was exerting on his throat rendered him quite incomprehensible, but odd words spluttered from his mouth.

‘Not...funny...don’t...Mungo’s...show...him...,

The dungeon door opened. Snape appeared there. His black eyes swept around the scene and landed on Harry and Allison wrestling with Neville.

‘Fighting, Potter, Runcorn, Longbottom?’ Snape said in his cold, sneering voice. ‘Five points from both houses. Release Longbottom, Potter, or it will be detention. Inside, all of you.’

Harry let go of Neville, who stood panting and glaring at him.

‘I had to stop you,’ Harry gasped, picking up his bag. ‘Draco teamed up with Pansy’s gang, they would’ve torn you apart.’

Neville said nothing, he merely snatched up his own bag and stalked off into the dungeon.

‘I didn’t know the soft bugger had it in his,’ said Tracey quietly, as they followed Neville, ‘I wonder what got him all riled up?’

Harry did not answer. He knew exactly why the subject of people who were in St. Mungo’s because of magical damage to their brains was highly distressing to Neville, but he had made a promise to both Neville, and Sirius and Remus that he would never discuss it.’

Harry, Theodore, Allison, and Tracey took their usual seats at the back of the class and pulled out parchment, quills, and their copies of One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi. The class around them was whispering about what Neville had just done, but when Snape closed the dungeon door with an echoing bang everybody fell silent immediately.

‘You will notice,’ said Snape in his low, sneering voice, ‘that we have a guest with us today.’

He gestured toward the dim corner of the dungeon, and Harry’s hopes for not seeing Professor Umbridge until her class were ruined, as she was sitting there, clipboard on her knee. He glanced sideways at his friends, his eyebrows raised. Snape and Umbridge, the two teachers he hated most...it was hard to decide which he wanted to triumph over the other.

‘We are continuing with our Strengthening Solutions today, you will find your mixtures as you left them last lesson, if correctly made they should have matured well over the weekend—instructions’—he waved his wand again—‘on the board. Carry on.’

Professor Umbridge spent the first half hour of the lesson making notes in her corner. Harry was very interested in hearing her question Snape, so interested, that he was becoming careless with his potion again.

‘Watch it mate!’ Theodore hissed, grabbing his wrist to prevent him adding the wrong ingredient for the third time. ‘You’re supposed to add the salamander.’

‘Right,’ said Harry vaguely, putting down the bottle and continuing to watch the corner. Umbridge had just gotten to her feet. ‘Ha,’ he said softly, as she strode between two lines of desks toward Snape, who was bending over Dean Thomas’s cauldron.

‘Well, the class seems fairly advanced for their level,’ she said briskly to Snape’s back. ‘Though I would question whether it is advisable to teach them a potion like the Strengthening Solution. I think the Ministry would prefer it if that was removed from the syllabus.’

Snape straightened up slowly and turned to look at her.

‘Now...how long have you been teaching at Hogwarts?’ she asked, her quill poised over her clipboard.

‘Fourteen years,’ Snape replied. His expression was unfathomable. His eyes on Snape, Harry added a few drops to his potion; it hissed menacingly and turned from turquoise to orange.

‘You applied first for the Defense Against the Dark Arts post, I believe?’ Professor Umbridge asked Snape.

‘Yes,’ said Snape quietly. ‘But you were unsuccessful?’ Snape’s lip curled. ‘Obviously.’

Professor Umbridge scribbled on her clipboard.

‘And you have applied regularly for the Defense Against the Dark Arts post since you first joined the school, I believe?’

‘Yes,’ said Snape quietly, barely moving his lips. He looked very angry.

‘Do you have any idea why Dumbledore has consistently refused to appoint you?’ asked Umbridge.

‘I suggest you ask him,’ said Snape jerkily.

‘Oh I shall,’ said Professor Umbridge with a sweet smile.

‘I suppose this is relevant?’ Snape asked, his black eyes narrowed.

‘Oh yes,’ said Professor Umbridge. ‘Yes, the Ministry wants a thorough understanding of teachers’—er—backgrounds...’

She turned away, walked over to Pansy Parkinson and began questioning her about the lessons.

Snape looked around at Harry and their eyes met for a second. Harry hastily dropped his gaze to his potion, which was now congealing foully and giving off a strong smell of burned rubber.

‘No marks then, Potter,’ said Snape maliciously, emptying Harry’s cauldron with a wave of his wand. ‘You will write me an essay on the correct composition of this potion, indicating how and why you went wrong, to be handed in next lesson, do you understand?’

‘Yes,’ said Harry furiously. Snape had already given them homework, and he had Quidditch practice the following evening; this would mean another couple of sleepless nights. It did not seem possible that he had awoken that morning feeling very happy. All he felt now was a fervent desire for this day to end as soon as possible.

'Maybe I’ll skive off Herbology,' he said glumly as they stood again in the courtyard after lunch, the wind whipping at the hems of robes and brims of hats. 'I’ll pretend to be ill and do Snape’s essay instead, then I won’t have to stay up half the night...'

'You're not skipping any more classes today, I'll do the essay on where you went wrong and how to do it right, you'll just copy it later,' Harry was shocked to hear this from Theodore, who had made a point not to do any of their work that year.

'Who are you and what did you do with Theodore?' said Tracey indignantly.

'I still think you should all do your own work, but there are more things to consider now,' said Theodore loftily. ‘Harry already missed Charms class, I highly doubt it would help his work load to miss Herbology as well. That and he should be putting his efforts into our little project then Snape’s extra essay.’

Theodore was likely right, Professor Sprout gave a lecture that would have been hard for the others to relay back to him, on top of which she to gave out an assignment. Skipping the class would likely have been a huge mistake.

Not enough time had passed between Snape’s class and Defence Against the Dark Arts in Harry’s mind, as he still hadn’t gotten rid of Umbridge’s ugly smile from his mind when he was forced to look at it again in her classroom. She was wearing her black velvet bow and an expression of great smugness.

‘Good afternoon, class.’

‘Good afternoon, Professor Umbridge,’ they chanted drearily.

‘Wands away, please...’

But there was no answering flurry of movement this time; nobody had bothered to take out their wands.

‘Please turn to page thirty-four of Defensive Magical Theory and read the third chapter, entitled ‘The Case for Non-Offensive Responses to Magical Attack.’ There will be—‘

‘—no need to talk,’ Harry, Tracey, Allison, and Theodore said together under their breaths.

‘No Quidditch practice,’ said Terence in hollow tones when Harry, and his gang entered the common room that night after dinner.

'But I kept my temper!' said Harry, horrified. 'I didn’t say anything to her, Terence, I swear, I—'

'I know Harry, Tracey told me,' said Terence miserably. 'I spent all of lunch talking with her, but in the end she just said she needs time to think.'

Harry could imagine how much Umbridge was enjoying holding the threat of no Slytherin Quidditch team over their heads and could easily understand why she would not want to relinquish that weapon over them too soon.

'I can't believe I'm saying this,' said Allison, 'but for once I'm glad Malfoy's on our team, if Lucius finds out Draco can't play he won't stop until Slytherin is back on the field. I better write my dad too, him and Umbridge have worked together in the past, he might write to her as well.'

‘Yes, you do that Allison,’ said Terence, who clearly had more on his mind than just Quidditch. ‘Harry can I speak to you in private for a moment?’

Allison took the hint and went off to write her father. Terence and Harry sat down at two stone chairs that were away from most of the other Slytherin’s in the common room. Terence took a deep sigh and started talking.

‘I messed up Harry, I was so focused on getting the team back I wasn’t thinking about anything else.’

Harry was now worried, did Terence blab about the secret meeting. Probably not guessing from the lack of leeks sprouting from his ears.

‘While we were discussing the team, Umbridge asked me if I was Bertie Higgs’ nephew, I have told that lie so many times I just said yes without thinking. She worked closely with the Department of Law Enforcement Harry, she actually knows him more than just by name and reputation. She told me she never recalled Bertie having any siblings and now I’m scared she’s going to ask him and realize I lied and that I’m actually Muggle born. She’ll likely kick me off the team, and without a seventh year Quidditch record I’ll never make a professional team after Hogwarts. One stupid lie is going to ruin my life.’

Harry could see just how much he was freaking out. He put a hand in Terence’s shoulder and gripped it firmly.

‘Terence, listen to me. You’re going to be ok, none of that has happened yet. My dad used to be an auror, remember. Remus mentioned a couple times over the years that Higgs was one of the good aurors who resisted corruption during the last war. I doubt he gets along with Umbridge, so if you write him saying your a big fan and you’re proud to share his name, if she asks him he’ll probably give her a vague lie. It’s worth a shot anyway.’

A bit of hope reentered Terence’s face. ‘You’re a genius Harry, that just might work. Thank you.’

And with that he too quickly got up to go send a letter.

With that settled, Harry realized he better get started on all his homework. He got up and after fetching his two-way mirror and stuffing it in his bag, he settled at a table with Tracey and Theodore. Charms homework being due the very next day, Harry first had Tracey help him with what he had missed from class.

The Charms went by the easiest, after that Harry found it difficult to concentrate on his Potions, Herbology, and DADA. Even though he knew that Sirius was not due in the fire until much later he could not help glancing into the flames every few minutes just in case. Anything at the moment seemed more interesting than the Herbology assignment he had to research, like Ella Wilkins playing Exploding Snap with Rachel Hoffman, or first year Penelope Padgett showing off her well trained mouse by the fire as others in her year watched.

It was just before midnight that the final students left the dormitory leaving just Harry and his friends, and after making very little progress with his Potions essay, decided to give it up for the night. As the final minutes until midnight approached they all got ready; Theodore checked the boy’s staircase for eavesdroppers while Allison checked the girl’s, Tracey sat down next to the fire to quickly warn Sirius if their plan didn’t work, and Harry held the mirror waiting for the last few seconds before midnight.

Ten seconds before hand Harry started calling out.

‘Padfoot! Padfoot! Are you their? Use the mirror! Not Floo!’

There was silence for a few seconds, in which time Harry thought they had failed, though instead of green flames appearing in the fireplace, Sirius’ untidy dark head manifested in the mirror.

‘Hi Harry,’ he said grinning, ‘you gave me quite a fright, I had forgotten the mirror was there.’

‘Sorry, we believe the Floo network is unsafe, this way we can control who overhears.’

‘A smart move,’ said the newly manifested Remus, looking a little smug.

‘Oh, Moony,’ Harry said with an awkward laugh, ‘I wasn’t expecting you.’

‘Ah hun,’ he said with a grin, ‘how long did you think you could get away with secret meetings with just Sirius before I noticed. It’s good to see you Harry.’

In a moment Theodore, Allison, and Tracey had gathered around Harry so they all could see.

‘How’re things?’ Sirius began.

‘Not that good,’ said Harry, who felt the joy of seeing his parents slipping away, ‘The Ministry’s forced through another decree, which means we’re not allowed to have Quidditch teams—‘

‘—or underground Defense Against the Dark Arts meetings?’ said Remus to Harry’s surprise. There was a short pause. Sirius knew thanks to Nymphadora, but Harry doubt either of them had told Remus, not without Harry’s permission.

‘How did you know about that?’ Harry demanded.

‘You want to choose your meeting places more carefully,’ said Sirius, grinning still more broadly. ‘The Hog’s Head, I ask you...’

‘It was the only place big enough that we doubted teachers would be,’ said Allison stone faced.

‘Ah, Miss Allison, lovely to see you again,’ said Sirius genuinely, though Remus looked at her with mistrust.

‘Even at the Three Broomstick’s you likely wouldn’t have been overheard thanks to the crowd, and a bunch of students wouldn’t look out of place unlike where you all went.’

‘Who overheard us?’ Harry demanded.

‘Mundungus, of course,’ said Sirius, and when they all looked puzzled he laughed. ‘He was the witch under the veil.’

‘That was Mundungus?’ Harry said, stunned. ‘What was he doing in the Hog’s Head?’

‘What do you mean what as he doing there?’ said Remus, a little impatient. ‘He was watching you, of course.’

‘I’m still being followed?’ asked Harry angrily.

‘Yeah, you are,’ said Sirius, ‘and just as well, isn’t it, if the first thing you’re going to do on your weekend off is organize an illegal defense group.’

But he looked neither angry nor worried; on the contrary, he was looking at Harry with distinct pride. At Sirius’ statement Remus couldn’t help but crack a smile as well.

‘How come Mundungus was in disguise,’ asked Theodore, ‘I prefer knowing when I’m being spied on then learning after the fact.’

‘The barman banned him from the place ages ago, he wouldn’t be much help if he was kicked out,’ said Remus.

‘We lost Moody’s spare Invisibility Cloak when Sturgis was arrested, so Dung’s been dressing as a witch a lot lately,’ Sirius paused to chuckle a bit before continuing, ‘Anyway, first of all, Harry, Theodore, Tracey—I’ve sworn to pass on a message from Mrs Weasley, she asks you also pass it on to her kids and Canini as well. She says on no account whatsoever are you to take part in an illegal secret Defense Against the Dark Arts group. She says you’ll be expelled for sure and your future will be ruined. Though she accepts that she has no authority over either of them and simply begs them to remember that she has their best interests at heart. She would have written all this to you, but if the owl had been intercepted you’d all have been in real trouble, and she can’t say it for herself because she’s on duty tonight.’

‘What kind of duty is she doing?’ asked Tracey.

‘Just Order stuff,’ Remus said quickly, while eyeing Allison. ‘You all don’t need to worry about it.’

‘So it’s fallen to me to be the messenger,’ said Sirius, ‘and make sure you tell her I passed it all on, because I don’t think she trusts me to.’

Theodore shuffled in his seat awkwardly. ‘So you want us and the others not to form the defense group?’

‘Me? Certainly not!’ said Sirius, looking surprised. ‘I think it’s an excellent idea!’

‘As do I,’ said Remus proudly.

‘You do?’ said Harry, his heart lifting.

‘Of course I do!’ said Sirius. ‘D’you think James, Remus, and I would’ve lain down and taken orders from an old hag like Umbridge?’

‘And I couldn’t be more excited at the idea of you walking in my footsteps of teaching defence,’ exclaimed Remus.

‘But—last term all you two did was tell me to be careful and not take risks—‘

‘Last year all the evidence was that someone inside Hogwarts was trying to kill you, Harry!’ said Sirius impatiently. ‘This year we know that there’s someone outside Hogwarts who’d like to kill us all, so I think learning to defend yourselves properly is a very good idea!’

‘Aren’t you worried we’ll get in trouble,’ said Theodore. ‘We could be expelled for this.’

‘Theodore, nearly this whole thing was your idea!’ said Harry, staring at him.

‘I think he’s just anxious, we all are,’ said Tracey. ‘Don’t tell me Harry the thought that what we’re doing might not be worth the risks hadn’t ever crossed your mind.’

Harry didn’t answer, he would be lying if he said he hadn’t had any doubts about their defence group.

‘Well, I think Remus would agree with me when I say it’s better to be expelled and able to defend yourselves than sitting safely in school without a clue,’ said Sirius.

‘Hear, hear,’ said Harry and Allison enthusiastically.

'Well then,' said Remus, 'how is the planning of this group going? Have you picked a new meeting spot?'

'Well, that’s a bit of a problem now,' said Harry. 'Dunno where we’re going to be able to go...'

'How about the Shrieking Shack?' suggested Sirius. But Remus and all four kids instantly recoiled at the thought of returning their, Sirius had been informed of the incident that had taken place their at the end of Harry's third year, but he likely couldn't grasp the amount of negative memories being their would bring back for them as Sirius only really had positive memories.

Trying to spare his feelings, Tracey spoke up, 'Sirius, I don't think fifty-six of us could easily get away with often sneaking out to the Shrieking Shack like the Marauder could. I also don't think the Shack is big enough, and telling anyone how to enter the Shack could risk Canini during her transformations.'

'Fair point,' said Sirius, looking slightly crestfallen. 'Well, I’m sure you’ll come up with somewhere...There used to be a pretty roomy secret passageway behind that big mirror on the fourth floor, you might have enough space to practice jinxes in there—'

'Fred and George told me it’s blocked,' said Harry, shaking his head. 'Caved in or something.'

'Humm...' mumbled Remus, 'I say keep looking, but if you can't find anything in the next little while I may have to teach you some spells to put on an abandoned classroom to keep unwanted visitors away.'

'Perhaps,' said Sirius, 'a combination of the Caterwauling Charm and Cave Inimicum—'

'—Wait!' said Allison abruptly. 'I hear someone coming.'

Sure enough, straining his ears Harry could hear footsteps coming down the girl's staircase.

'We should go,' Sirius said quickly. 'We'll talk again soon. Good luck.'

With only a moment to spare, Harry shoved the mirror into his bag and drew out his copy of One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi as the others pulled out random textbooks too, before Pansy Parkinson finished descending the stairs in her Salmon coloured nightgown.

'Runcorn, Davis, what are you two still doing up, I should give all four of you detention for breaking curfew.'

'The curfew doesn't apply to the common room or dormitories, only the rest of the castle, the grounds, and Hogsmeade visits,' said Theodore in a matter-of-fact tone.

'For now,' said Pansy cryptically before ascending the stairs once more.