( October '95 )

Harry and Cassandra headed outside to write a letter to Sirius. They started to walk into the forest a bit and met up with Luna unexpectedly. The animals that were pulling the carriages were everywhere and Luna was petting one.

"Hello Harry and Cassandra Potter." Luna said, not even turning around to look at them.

"Your feet. Aren't they cold?" Harry asked, looking down at Luna's bare feet.

"A little bit." Luna answered. "Unfortunately all my shoes have mysteriously disappeared. I suspect the Nargles are behind it."

Harry looked a big confused and Cassandra chuckled. She was used to Luna's weirdness.

"What are they?" Harry asked, looking at the animals.

"They're called Thestrals. They're quite gentle really, but people avoid them because they're quite..." Luna started.

"Different?" Cassandra finished.

"Why can't the others see them?" Harry asked.

"They can only be seen by people who've seen death." Luna answered.

"So you've seen someone die then?" Harry asked and Luna nodded.

"My mom. She was quite an extraordinary witch but one day one of her spells went badly wrong. I was nine."

"I'm sorry." Harry said.

"Yes it was rather horrible. I do feel really sad about it sometimes. But, I've got dad. We both believe you guys by the way. That he-who-must-not-be-named is back and you guys fought him. And the Ministry and the Prophet are conspiring against you guys and Dumbledore."

"Thanks." Harry said.

"Seems like you're the only ones who do." Cassandra said.

"Don't think that's true." Luna throws an apple to the baby Thestral. "I suppose that's how he wants you to feel."

"What do you mean?" Cassandra asked.

"Well 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 as a threat."

~~

"This is mad!" Cassandra exclaimed.

"Who would want to be taught by us? We're complete nutters, remember?" Harry said.

"Look on the bright side!" Ron exclaimed. "You're better than old toad face."

"Who's supposed to be meeting us then?" Cassandra asked.

"Just a couple people." Hermione answered.

The four of them enter a shop in Hogsmeade.

"Lovely spot." Ron sarcastically said as he opened the door.

Spiderwebs are everywhere.

"I thought it would be safe." Hermione said. "Throw someone off the beaten track."

They wait about fifteen minutes before people start showing up. Cassandra and Harry are standing in the front and Hermione and Ron are sitting down next to them.

"Umm, hi!" Hermione exclaimed. "So you all know why we're here. We need a teacher, a proper teacher. One who's had a real experience defending themselves against the dark arts."

"Why?" A random kid asked.

"Why?" Ron questioned. "You-know-who is back you toshpot."

"So they say." The kid said, gesturing towards Harry and Cassandra.

"So Dumbledore says." Hermione replied.

"So Dumbledore says because they say. The point is where's the proof?" The kid asked.

"They could tell us more about how Diggory got killed." Another kid spoke up.

"We're not going to talk about Cedric so if that's why you're here you might as well clear out now." Cassandra said.

"C'mon Hermione let's go." Harry said. "They're just here to make us look like some sort of freak."

"Harry, Cassie, wait." Hermione said.

Cassandra and Harry stopped walking away.

"Is it true you can cast a patronus charm?" Luna asked.

"Yes," Hermione said. "I've seen it."

"Blimey, I didn't know you two could do that." Dean said.

Cassandra was confused as to why Dean was here. He was friends with Seamus and Seamus wasn't exactly on good terms with Cassandra and Harry.

"And he killed the basilisk." Neville spoke up. "With the sword in Dumbledore's office."

"It's true." Hermione said.

"Third year we fought about one hundred dementors at once." Cassandra said.

"And last year they really did fight off you-know-who in the flesh." Hermione said.

"Wait." Harry said. "Look that all sounds great when you say it like that but, the truth is that most of that was just luck. We didn't know what we were doing half the time and we always nearly had help."

"He's just being modest." Hermione said.

"No Hermione, he's not." Cassandra said.

"Facing this stuff in real life is not like school." Harry said. "In school if you make a mistake you can just try again tomorrow. Out there when you're a second away from being murdered, or watching a friend, a boyfriend die, right before your eyes you don't know what that's like."

"You're right Harry, we don't." Hermione said. "That's why we need your help, because if we're going to have any chance of beating Voldemort."

"He's really back." A small kid said.

Harry and Cassandra nod. They put up a sign up sheet, not knowing who will sign up.

~~

"Alright," Cassandra started. "First we need to find a place to practice where Umbridge won't find us."

"The Shrieking shack." Ginny suggested.

"That's too small." Harry replied.

"The Forbidden Forest?" Hermione asked and Ron said something out of earshot from Cassandra.

"Harry, Cassie, what happens if Umbridge does find out?" Ginny asked.

"Who cares?" Hermione asked, smiling. "I mean, it's sort of exciting, isn't it? Breaking the rules."

"Who are you and what have you done with Hermione?" Ron asked.

"Anyway, at least we know one positive thing that came from today." Cassandra said.

"What's that?" Harry asked.

"Cho couldn't take her eyes off you could she?" Hermione asked.

"Over the next few days, we each come up with possibilities of places we can practice." Harry said, totally ignoring the girls. "We've got to make sure that wherever it is, there's no chance of Umbridge finding us."

~~

"You've done it Neville." Cassandra said. "You've found the Room of Requirement."

"The what?" Neville asked.

"It's also known as the Come and Go Room." Cassandra said.

"The Room of Requirement only appears when a person has a real need for it, and is always equipped for the seeker's needs." Hermione said.

"So, say you really needed the toilet..." Ron trailed off.

"Charming Ronald." Cassandra said. "But yes, that is the general idea."

"It's brilliant." Harry said. "It's like Hogwarts wants us to fight back."