In the Melancholy Moonlight

Chapter CXIX: The Coasts of Hit or Miss

A/N: Hey everyone! I hope you've all been alright this past week! Thank you so much for your patience with me and for all of your kind words. You're the best, truly.

Well, before you begin, this is your warning that this chapter will be a tad confusing on purpose. You might want to read it a time or two so you get everything. Essentially, Henry and George will have parallel timelines, and Harry and Lucy will have parallel timelines, so make of that what you will. And... I'm sorry. Let's begin!

HENRY:

The second I arrived in the Great Hall, someone filled the seat across the table and slammed a book down.

"I hear you're great at Transfiguration," Hermione Granger said loudly. "Would you mind helping me?"

"Er, no, not at all," I replied.

"I can't quite make sense of this sentence, right here." She pointed to something in the book that certainly didn't belong in a Transfiguration textbook.

If Harry and Lucy led a club of sorts to teach people Defense Against the Dark Arts, would you join?

I glanced up at Granger. Her eyes were bright, expectant.

She lowered her voice. "We're not learning anything of use. With You-Know-Who out there, we've agreed it would be wise to be as prepared as possible. Just a group of trustworthy people who want to learn what Umbridge isn't teaching us."

"Good old PVT herself," I remarked, remembering George's hilarious nickname of Pink Venomous Tentacula. "I'm in." I glanced at the note again. "If Lucy wants her brother's notes from the Tournament, I remember packing them in his trunk when I... well, they're in his trunk. I'm sure I could get my parents to go to her house and send them our way."

"That would be great! Harry's good, of course, but I reckon Cedric was far better prepared, being two years older and all."

I nodded, offering her a small smile. "Cedric was always prepared. That's- well, that's part of why it's still so hard to believe sometimes."

"We won't have any more losses like Cedric," she said firmly. "Not if we can say anything about it."

"Hear, hear," I replied with a tip of my pumpkin juice.

"If you know any other trustworthy people who would be interested, would you mind asking if they'd join too? I'll be talking to as many people as I can, myself, but I think you would reach different people than I would."

I nodded. "Sure thing, Hermione. Perfect timing, really, a group of us have a free period this morning."

"Perfect! Thank you! Oh, wait, there are the Weasley twins! I need to talk to them, too! Bye, Henry!"

"Bye," I called after her, but she was already hurtling toward the twins, book wedged under her arm.

GEORGE:

Hermione rushed over to where we were sitting, looking awfully glad to see us for some reason.

My first thought was of Lucy, since Hermione was alone.

"What's the rush, Granger?" Fred asked with a teasing grin. "Got a burning desire to try one of our products?"

"Is Lucy alright?" I asked, far more seriously.

"Yes, yes, she's fine, she was still asleep when I left the dorm," she replied. "Listen, if Lucy and Harry taught a group of us Defense Against the Dark Arts, would you join in?"