Ethereal

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The Order of The Phoenix

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Over the next two weeks, Sadie devised a very clever method of communicating the time and date of the next meeting to all the members in case they needed to change it at short notice, because it would look suspicious if people from different Houses were seen crossing the Great Hall to talk to each other too often. She gave each of the members of the DA a fake Galleon (Ron became very excited when he first saw the basket and was convinced she was actually giving out gold).

"You see the numerals around the edge of the coins?" Sadie said, holding one up for examination at the end of their fourth meeting. The coin gleamed fat and yellow in the light from the torches. "On real Galleons that's just a serial number referring to the goblin who cast the coin. On these fake coins, though, the numbers will change to reflect the time and date of the next meeting. The coins will grow hot when the date changes, so if you're carrying them in a pocket you'll be able to feel them. We take one each, and when Harry sets the date of the next meeting he'll change the numbers on his coin, and because I've put a Protean Charm on them, they'll all change to mimic his."

A blank silence greeted Sadie's words. She looked around at all the faces upturned to her, rather disconcerted.

"Well, I thought it was a good idea," she said uncertainly, "I mean, even if Umbridge asked us to turn out our pockets, there's nothing fishy about carrying a Galleon, is there? But, well, if you don't want to use them. . . ."

"You can do a Protean Charm?" said Terry Boot.

"Yes," said Sadie.

"But that's, that's NEWT standard, that is," he said weakly.

"Simon taught me in my third year," she said shrugging.

"How come you're not in Ravenclaw?" he demanded, staring at Sadie  with something close to wonder. "with brains like yours?"

"Because I'm very reckless," Sadie said shrugging. "Anyway, does that mean we're using the Galleons?"

There was a murmur of assent and everybody moved forwards to collect one from the basket. Harry looked sideways at Harper.

"You know what these remind me of?"

"The Death Eaters' scars," Sadie smirked, "Voldemort touches one of them, and all their scars burn, and they know they've got to join him. That's where I got the idea, but you'll notice I decided to engrave the date on bits of metal rather than on our members' skin."

"Yeah, I prefer your way," said Harry, grinning, as he slipped his Galleon into his pocket. "I suppose the only danger with these is that we might accidentally spend them."

"Fat chance," said Ron, who was examining his own fake Galleon with a slightly mournful air, "I haven't got any real Galleons to confuse it with."

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As the first Quidditch match of the season, Gryffindor versus Slytherin, drew nearer, their DA meetings were put on hold because Angelina insisted on almost daily practices. The fact that the Quidditch Cup had not been held for so long added considerably to the interest and excitement surrounding the forthcoming game.

The Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs were taking a lively interest in the outcome, for they, of course, would be playing both teams over the coming year, and the Heads of House of the competing teams, though they attempted to disguise it under a decent pretence of sportsmanship, were determined to see their own side victorious. Sadie realised how much Professor McGonagall cared about beating Slytherin when she abstained from giving them homework in the week leading up to the match.