Born From Madness (Harry Potter Fanfic)

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Hermione and Ron were waiting up in the common room for Harry, who had another night in detention with Umbridge. When he finally came up, Hermione handed him a bowl full of a solution of strained and pickled murtlap tentacles. 

"I still reckon you should complain about this," Ron said in a low voice. 

"No," Harry said. 

"McGonagall would go nuts if she knew--" Ron started again when Harry cut in. 

"Yeah, she probably would-- then how long d'you reckon it'd take Umbridge to pass another Decress saying anyone who complains about the High Inquisitor gets sacked immediately." Harry pointed out. 

"I give it half a day," 

The trio jumped a bit as they turned to find Jordan walking from behind them as she sat down on the couch beside Hermione.

"How did she get in here?" Ron asked, pointing at Jordan. 

"Don't ask," Hermione mumbled before Jordan continued. 

"My Mum has informed me through a letter, Fudge is extremely determined to ensure that Umbridge stays here. So it wouldn't shock me if she even suggested such a Decree and Fudge decides to fund it." Jordan claimed to them. 

"Your mum updates you?" Harry asked. 

"Yeah. When she learned Umbridge was going to be the next Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, she flipped. She almost didn't bring me back because of her. Mum says Dolores is a monster... pure evil, in fact. Still says how she wishes she was surprise Umbridge even made it into the Ministry but she knows it's because of her anti-half breeds view on things that got her her job. I'm not supposed to go a week without writing her a letter." Jordan explained to them. Hermione grunted. 

"She's an awful woman! Just plain awful! You know, we've got to do something about her!" Hermione growled. 

"Hear, Hear," Jordan chipped in. 

"I suggested poison," Ron said, grimly. 

"And get ourselves a one-way ticket to Azkaban? No thanks," Jordan mumbled, "I've seen those Dementors. They're creepy even for my taste." 

"Actually, I was thinking maybe the time's come when we should just-- just do it ourselves." Hermione mentioned. 

"Do what?" Ron and Harry asked as Jordan climbed up to her knees. 

"Are you suggesting we teach ourselves Defense Against the Dark Arts?" Jordan said, lightly clapping her hands, "That would be cool!" 

"Come off it!" Ron groaned, "You want us to do extra work? Harry and I are behind on homework again and it's only the second week!" 

"This is much more important than homework," Hermione growled, jumping out of her seat, "It's about preparing ourselves for what's out there! It's about making sure we really can defend ourselves." 

"But we can't do much by ourselves," Ron said, "We can go and look up jinxes and stuff in a book and try them out--" 

"I think we've gone past that stage." Jordan pointed out, "We need a teacher, a proper one, who can show us how to use the spells and correct us if we're doing them wrong." 

"We can't very well call up Lupin..." Harry began. 

"No, no I'm not talking about Lupin. I'm talking about... you and me," Hermione admitted. 

"What?" 

"Yeah! That's brilliant!" Jordan cheered. 

"I agree." Ron agreed, "You two saved the Stone from You-Know-Who, destroyed Riddle, defeated a hundred dementors at once... and last year you fought off You-Know-Who again..." 

"Listen to me," Harry growled as he jumped onto his feet, "It may sound great when you say it like that, but all that stuff was luck. We didn't know what We were doing half the time, we didn't plan any of it, and even if we did, it blew up in our faces and we just did whatever we could think of at that moment! We didn't get through it because we're great at Defense Against the Dark Arts, we got through it all because of help came at the right time or we guessed right or we just blundered through it all. We just didn't have a clue what we were doing-- and-- and Ron and Jordan you two never had to face You-Know-Who in the flesh. You guy might think it's memorizing a bunch of spells and throwing them at him like you're in class or something, but it's not. Hermione you saw it yourself. It's nothing between you and dying except your own brain or guts or whatever it may be. It only takes a mere second before you're being murdered... or tortured... or watching a friend die-- it's nothing like they taught us in class." 

For a moment, no one spoke before Hermione took a few steps towards him. 

"That's why it has to be us, Harry. They need to know what it's really like facing him... facing... Voldemort." She said, lightly patting his shoulder, "just think about it." 

She then turned on her heels and headed up to her dorm. 

"Okay, now you're just pushing it, Hermione." Harry mumbled while they walked through the corridors, "Teaching you, Ron and perhaps even Jordan... that's fine, I can handle that... but other people... I'm a nutter remember! No one really trusts me nowadays, they prefer to believe in the Ministry." 

"Everyone deserves the right to study the Defense Against the Dark Arts, Harry. You know this weekend is our first Hogsmeade weekend, I think we should tell anyone who's interested to meet us in the village and we can talk it over. I'm thinking we should all meet at the Hog's Head. It's quiet,  and it's off the beaten road." Hermione suggested to them, "Now we might want to start with..." 

Before Hermione could finish, her attention shifted quickly to the sight of a student, who was reading the Daily Prophet on a stone bench. Her eyes were glued to the front of the Daily Prophet, which had Barty Crouch Jr.'s mugshot (that was smirking and screaming at the cameraman) underneath the headline that read in large cursive letter: 

Barty Crouch Jr. Now On The Run!

Ministry Officials Refuse to Explain this Mysterious Breakout!