I scribbled out the name of a goblin for what seemed like the five hundredth time. History of Magic was easily my worst subject. I admit, I don't always pay attention. I zone out about once a week in that class. Then again, I only have that class once a week, so I guess that means I never pay attention! Oops. I eventually penciled in Hodrod the Horny-Handed, just giving up. Professor Binns had mentioned him before. Whispered voices approached me, and I caught sight of Hermione Granger with Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley. Of course, they weren't walking toward me, but the beech tree which I was sitting by, however as they passed, I heard Hermione say,

"...I told them an hour after, at the Hog's Head."

"But why did we have to invite that Smith idiot? He'll tell Umbridge in a heartbeat!" Ronald Weasley complained.

"Shh! Ron, everyone will hear us!" Hermione quieted her friend as the sat down behind me. I always went to the Hog's Head on Hogsmeade trips, if, indeed, I went at all. I decided next time, I would.

~~~~

I didn't have long to wait, for that Friday was a Hogsmeade weekend according to the notice board in the Slytherin common room. I sat down at my usual table in the back corner of the Hog's Head Inn--the table just to the left of a veiled witch. Sometimes I wish I had a veil like that. Maybe it'd filter out some glares. I had just raised my glass to my lips (always bring your own glasses to the Hog's Head, mind!) when the creaky door swung open, and three recognisable figures hurried in, their cheeks pink from the cold. Maybe it wasn't that late in the year, but the wind was harsh! More students filed in, and the barman, Aberforth, who had always reminded me vaguely of someone I couldn't quite put my finger on, looked shocked at the sudden increase in popularity of his pub. A redheaded Weasley twin (I couldn't tell which, but whatever, no one cares--or at least I don't) went up to the counter and ordered butterbeers from him.

Eventually everyone sat down, and Hermione nervously addressed the crowd of eagerly listening students. She spoke of needing a proper teacher for D.A.D.A. My listening slipped into auto-pilot as Harry took over, and others chimed in about his seemingly inexhaustible experience battling the Dark Arts. They were planning a defence group, and I wasn't about to let them not include me! I thought furiously to myself. Of course I had known Hermione was lying, but to invite all of these people? Including Zacharias Smith? Smith? Really? He must've been who Ronald was talking about by the lake. He would go running to Unbridge the minute it was more beneficial to him to be in Umbridge's good graces than learn defensive magic. I almost didn't realise that the synchronised scraping of chairs against dirt covered floor (and I mean covered, I can't even tell what the floor is made of!) signalled the end of the discussion. I stood up quickly, sloshing butterbeer onto the floor, and my shoes. Crap! I whipped out my wand, and remedied my conundrum, leaving the fabric of my shoes still feeling unpleasantly damp. I rushed to the other end of the bar, and saw the very three people I most wanted to speak to talking quietly to each other in front of the empty chairs turned toward them. They were huddled together and didn't notice me slip into the chair nearest to them. I crossed my legs, and adopted an expression that resembled most of the girls' upon seeing Victor Krum last year.

"Wow! I totally need your autographs! You guys are so good at defensive magic! You should... Start a club or something!" I squealed. The I dropped the facade, and raised an eyebrow at the three people before me, who's' faces mirrored each other's shock, surprise, incredulousness, and fear.