DUMBLEDORE'S ARMY

"I don't understand," said Cassiopeia, "Where exactly are we going?"

Hermione huffed, "I told you already, we can't tell you yet until we're out of the castle..." she cleared her throat, looking around for any eavesdroppers before adding: "...i-it's a surprise!"

Cassiopeia and the trio walked out if castle, to go to Hogsmeade. They hurry through the slushy snow, shivering as cold wind hits their faces. The blonde haired girl did not know they'd be going to Hogsmeade, so she basically left her scarf in the dormitory.

Cassiopeia walked beside Harry, who's eyebrows were knit together, his face turned into a frown.

"Hey," the girl said, tapping Harry's shoulder, the boy turned to her and lifted a brow, "Got any spare scarf? I'm freezing, didn't know we'd go to Hogsmeade,"

Harry shook his head, "I don't, sorry,"

Cassiopeia lets out a shaky breath, holding her coat on her neck tighter as well as putting her hair down. Harry took his scarf from his neck and placed it around hers, giving her a tight smile.

"Are you sure?" She asked, "You don't have to, you know---"

"I'm sure," the boy said, "don't have to worry about me,"

Cassiopeia nodded, didn't know what to say. She fixed the red and yellow scarf around her neck, and she felt herself blush.

Then it was silence as quartet walked through the heavy snow, Soon enough, Harry broke the silence. "This is mad. Who'd want to be taught by me? I'm a nutter, remember?"

Confused, Cassiopeia turned to Ron who looked at her and shrugged, "Look on the bright side---you can't be any worse than old toad-face,"

Ron gave Cassiopeia a fist bump, and she was surprised how Ron suddenly did that, usually he would ignore her pretend that she was never there. It was quite odd.

Harry blinked, "Thanks, Ron,"

'I'm here for you, mate," said Ron, patting Harry's shoulder.

They entered Hog's Head, the four of them peered into the dingy room, lit by stubby candles on rough wooden tables. Cassiopeia sniffs at the sour air.

"Lovely spot," she said sarcastically, grimacing.

"I thought it'd be safer someplace off the beaten track," said Hermione.

"What am I doing here again?" Cassiopeia asked, turning to the three.

"Dunno," replied Ron, "Harry thought to bring you along,"

Hermione rolled her eyes, as they walked inside, closing the door and sitting down, "So did I,"

Hermione explained their plan to Cassiopeia who was agreeing, Harry would make a great teacher.

"Who's supposed to be meeting us?" The girl asked, and Harry looked at Hermione.

"Oh, just a couple of people..." Hermione replied, "I'm sure they'll be here soon,"

Harry frowns...and then Hermione brightens as the door opens and a crowd of students hurries in: Neville, Ginny, Fred and George, Cho, Luna, the young second-year Nigel, the Patil Twins, and a dozen others stand looking
around the gloom.

Ah yes, mostly from other houses and no Slytherin, Cassiopeia thought to herself.

"A couple of people?" Harry lifted a brow, Hermione smiles weakly. As the group gathers there is uneasiness on both sides; some students have openly challenging expressions; others are more curious, and some stared at Cassiopeia with shock and some with disgust.

Hermione stood up, "Um--hi. So, you all know why we're here. We need a teacher--a proper teacher, one who's had real experience defending themselves against the Dark Arts--"

"Why?" asked a boy, who looked doubtful.

"Why? Because You-Know-Who's back you tosspot!" scoffed Ron.

"So he says," the boy nods at Harry.

"So Dumbledore says---" Hermione added.

"So Dumbledore said because he says. The point is, where's the proof?" The boy lifted a brow, Cassiopeia stood up from behind Harry.

"Proof??" Cassiopeia repeated, "What proof do you want? You can go on and time travel back to the day of the last task and go see for yourself!"

Everyone turned to Cassiopeia, who is being held back by Harry. "Or did you want Harry to take a picture of Voldy and put it in a card for you to believe him?" Cassiopeia asked, furiously, through gritted teeth.

"Why are you even here?" The boy asked, "You're a Malfoy, aren't you? You're not supposed to be here, you'd go tell everyone about everything once we're out of here!"

"If Potter could tell us more about how Diggory got killed..." another boy added.

"I'm not going to talk about Cedric," Harry clenched his jaw, "So if that's what you're here for, you might as well clear out now." Harry turned back to the boy, "And I trust Cassiopeia, if you've got a problem with that then you can leave,"

And that was the first time a person had defended her, Cassiopeia stood with shock (though it wasn't obvious she was) as Harry turned to her.

"Let's go, they're just here because they think I'm some sort of freak---"

Hermione was desperate, "Harry wait---"

"Is it true you can produce a Patronus Charm?" The dreamy voice of Luna said softly, The crowd grows quiet. Harry spots Luna standing in the back. Hermione seizes the opening.

"Yes. I've seen it. A fully-formed stag Patronus," Hermione nodded.

"Blimey Harry! I never knew that!" beamed Dean.

"He--he also killed a Basilisk--with the sword in Dumbledore's office!" exclaimed Neville, excitingly.

"It's true," said Ginny, The crowd is impressed. The tide is beginning to turn.

"And third year he fought off about a hundred Dementors at once--" added Ron.

"And last year he did fight off You-Know-Who in the flesh--" Hermione said.

"Wait," All eyes swing to Harry. He is struggling mightily with this. Finally, speaking to both his friends and the group: "Look--it all sounds great when you say it like that. But the truth is, a lot of it was luck. I didn't know what I was doing half the time, I nearly always had help--"

Hermione cuts him off, "he's just being modest,"

"No, Hermione. I'm not," Harry turns to the group, "Facing this stuff in real life...it isn't like school at all. In school, if you make a mistake you can just...try again tomorrow. But out there...when you're a second away from being murdered...or watching a friend die right before your eyes..."

"You just...you don't know what it's like," Harry finished.

The group is silent. Hermione looks at Harry; chastened. "You're right Harry. We don't. That's why we need your help.
Because if we're to have any chance of beating V-Voldemort..."

It's the first time she's said his name. Harry looks at her, then the group. Young Nigel, scared, looks up at Harry. In a small voice:

"He really is back?"

Harry nods, Cassiopeia placed a hand on his shoulder and the boy earlier cleared his throat, "I'm in,"

One by one the others step forward; Ron, Hermione and Cassiopeia exchange shivery glances--there is an air of destiny about the moment. The sun breaks through clouds, brightening even the pub's grimy windows.

A piece of parchment with the words DUMBLEDORE'S ARMY written in bold letters across the top, one by one student's sign their names.

"All right-- next thing is to find a place to practice where Umbridge won't find out--"

They were all walking along the bridge, all filled with excitement as they brainstorm their next ideas.

"The Shrieking Shack?" asked Ginny.

"Too small," replied Harry.

"The Forbidden Forest?" asked Hermione.

"Not bloody likely," scoffed Ron.

"Harry... What happens if Umbridge does find out?" The redhead Weasley questions.

"Oh, who cares. I mean, it's sort of exciting, isn't it? Breaking the rules?" Hermione grinned ear-to-ear.

"Who are you, and what have you done with Hermione Granger?" chuckled Ron.

Hermione was flattered, "Anyway...we know at least one positive thing came from today..."

"What's that?" asked Harry, as Cassiopeia lifted a brow at Hermione.

"Cho just couldn't keep her eyes off you, could she..." winked Hermione,

Harry fakes a smile, they all did not know Harry likes the blonde haired girl walking next to him, they all still think that he has feelings for Cho. As Ron beams, slaps him on the back.
Cassiopeia, however, doesn't seem quite as pleased...

"Okay: in the next few days each of us comes up with a couple of possibilities for places to practice..."

°°°

Later on, after that long, cold day Cassiopeia walked inside the Common Room, there were very little students there, some still outside, roaming around the castle, some still in Hogsmeade.

Cassiopeia was finally feeling warm when she entered the Common Room, and she spotted Draco who was sitting alone on in front of the fire, reading a book.

"Huh," she said as she plopped down next to her twin brother, who didn't look up from his book, "That's a first, Draco is reading a book!"

The boy rolled his silver-blue eyes, and he looked up from his book, he smirked, shutting the book. Cassiopeia narrowed his eyes at her brother before lifting a brow.

"What are you smirking about?" She asked.

"Nothing," he chuckled lowly, "I'm just wondering why the gargoyle allowed you to get in here wearing a Gryffindor scarf,"

Cassiopeia turned red, and she quickly took it off, Draco laughed.

"I believe its Potter's?" He asked.

"N-No," she covered it by putting it under her arm.

"Why are you turning bright red then!" laughed Draco, as he grabbed the scarf, "This is disgusting, how could you put this around your neck?"

As Cassiopeia tried to get it from him, Draco looked at the very end of the scarf with had initials stitched on it, which read "H.J.P"

"Indeed it is Potter's!" exclaimed Draco, Cassiopeia finally got a hold of it, her ears turned red, and she huffed at him.

"I stole it from him!" She lied.

"Sure you did," her brother wiggled his eyebrows, "Cassiopeia likes Potter! Cassiopeia likes Potter!"

Thank goodness they were the only one in the Common Room, Cassiopeia grabbed Draco's book and threw it at his face.

"Stop acting like a child!" She growled, "And I do not like him, I am simply earning his trust!"

Draco gave her a look, and she threw a pillow at him. "Trust? Sure! I believe you..."

"Oh shut up!" Cassiopeia grabbed the scarf and then walked up to the girl's dormitory, leaving a laughing Draco downstairs.