The puzzle of the soul 4: The black locket

6: The Hogshead

Lilac looked around, immediately smiling. "Very well chosen." She tried her best not to laugh as she said this to Harry.
The place looked deserted. She knew that for something secret it was horrible.

"I didn't choose," Harry mumbled defensively, "It was Ron and Hermione." He didn't seem to notice how 'unsecretive' it was though, and referred to how run down and uncleaned the place was.

Today was time for another Hogsmead visit. Lilac had bought what she wanted before she went with Harry at his request. Lilac half knew what it was for, and she was amused to see some people listening in. They were from the order, Lilac knew.

"Of course, blame them." Lilac said as she nudged his shoulder. She sat down next to Ron on the furthest table as Hermione and Harry went to order some butterbeer.
As she sat, she suddenly felt the bartender glancing in her way. When the old man's eyes met hers, Lilac recognised something familiar, somehow the bartender seemed to think something as well.
Lilac quickly looked away before Hermione and Harry came with the drinks. She didn't bother much with how dusty the butterbeer was and enjoyed it all the same. Lilac didn't bother looking at the man in grey old bandages, she had the three idiots on her table to gawk like idiots.

"You know what? Ron mumbled, slightly amused, "We could order anything we like in here. I bet that bloke will sell us anything, he wouldn't care. I've always wanted to try firewisky—

"You—are—a—prefect." Hermione hissed.

Ron's smile faded at that.
Before they could start arguing, Harry asked a question. "So, how many people are supposed to be meeting us?"

"Just a couple of people..." Hermione said dismissively. Lilac decided to sit back and watch the show go on.

A list of people walked in.
A big list.
Lilac enjoyed Harry's face of doom.

"A couple of people." Harry turned to Hermione, "A couple of people?"

"Yes, well, the idea seemed quite popular." Hermione said with a smile, definitely pleased with the amount, "Ron, do you want to pull up more chairs?"

Lilac saw how the bartender paused at the number of people, some spy of the order shifted uncomfortably and Lilac herself tried not to smile.

Fred and George handed out butterbeer and asked people for money in return, they themselves not having enough to pay all of it. Lilac tossed them a galleon, it smacking against Fred painfully. "Who even threw that?" Fred asked confused as he turned around, the coin falling to the ground.

It took a moment before Hermione spoke up. Harry was to afraid to speak up first as he didn't know what to say.
"Er—" Hermione said, "Well—er—hi."
Lilac suppressed her amusement once more, what an introduction.
People turned to Hermione, but most glanced at Harry, he was the reason they came.

"Well...erm...well, you know why you're here. Erm... well, Harry here had the idea—I mean" Harry had shot her a sharp look, "I had the idea—that it might be good if people who wanted to study Defence Against the Dark Arts— and I mean, really study it, you know, not the rubbish Umbridge is doing with us, because nobody could call that studying—" Lilac and someone else cheered for that, making Hermione look heartened, "Well, I thought it would be good if we, well, took matters into our own hands."
Hermione glanced at Harry before she went on, "And by that I mean learning how to defend ourselves properly, no just in theory but doing the real spells—"

"You want to pass your Defence Against the Dark Arts OWL too, I bet?" Someone asked, watching her closely.

"Of course I do," Hermione said without hesitation, "But more than that, I want to be properly trained in defence because... because..." Hermione paused.