Spells and Visions; A Harry Potter story

Chapter 5: The Defence Association

So I didn't notice I wrote 'defense' like American, instead of British defence, like a few other words, like realized instead of realised, so maybe I'll change that in the past chapters, but that'll take long and I'm quite lazy sooo but anyway I'll do it like defence from now on :)

At the end of the week, Neville had almost finished the book, and Harry's hand was bleeding so bad from detention that Hermione gave him Murtlap essence so it would become less painful.

"We've got to do something about her," Hermione said.
"I suggest poison," Ron said.
"No, I mean, if it continues like this, we're not going to learn Defence at all."
"Well, what do you suggest?" I asked.
"Well, I thought- maybe- maybe it's time to teach ourselves Defence Against the Dark Arts ourselves."
"How? And how can we have time for that when we're already behind on homework?" Ron said.
"This is more important than homework! It's what Harry said, we have to prepare ourselves for what's out there. We're past the stage of books now, we need a real teacher."
"If you're talking about Lupin-" Harry said, but Hermione interrupted.
"No, not Lupin. He's got enough on his mind in the Order."
"Then who do you suggest?"
"I'm talking about you, Harry."

Silence.
"But- me?"
"That's an idea," Ron said slowly.
"It's actually a great idea," I said. "Harry, you've done more Defence than any of us."
"But I'm not a teacher, I can't-"
"Yeah you can," Ron said. "Think about what you've done!"
"What have I done?"
"Well, let me think," Ron said with a smirk, extremely concentrating. "First year, you've saved the Philosopher's Stone from You-Know-Who..."
"Yeah, but that was luck-"
"Second year, you killed the Basilisk and destroyed Riddle."
"But without Fawkes, the Sorting Hat and Jynx's help I wouldn't have-"
"Third year," Ron said more loudly, "You fought off a hundred Dementors at once, saved Sirius and Buckbeak."
"Without the Time-Turner I-"
"Last year, you fought You-Know-Who again-"

All three of us were smirking now.
"Listen to me!" Harry said angrily. "It was luck, okay, I didn't know what I was doing half of the time, and I had loads of help."
"Sure, Harry," I smirked. "I don't believe in luck, we make our own luck. Yeah, you had help, and without it, you would probably have died, but none of us can do the Patronus Charm, can we?"
"But all of don't know what it's like to be seconds away from being murdered, or tortured! They've never taught us things like that in class! If Voldemort hadn't needed me last year, he would've killed me, like he killed Cyril, and like he would've killed Cedric if Jynx wasn't there!"
"Harry," Hermione said calmly. "That's exactly why we need you. We need to know what it's really like... to face him...
V- Voldemort."
I stared at Hermione. That was the first time she ever said his name.
"I mean," I said softly. "I helped you in the Chamber of Secrets and last year with Voldemort, and I didn't do anything special. I could use some help too."
"Just... think about it, okay?" Hermione said.
Harry nodded.

~

Two weeks later, Hermione had sent a bunch of people an invite for her idea, including me. We had to meet in the Hog's Head, another bar in Hogsmeade, but a bit dodgy, and dirty, and way smaller. There were a few others, but we had no idea who they were, because their faces were covered. Neville and I went together, along with Dean. When we arrived, the trio was already there. More people came, and more, including Luna, Cedric, almost all the Gryffindor people we knew, a couple of Ravenclaws and their friends, and also Hufflepuffs and their friends. No Slytherins.
"Hi," Fred said to the bartender. "Could we have, twenty-five Butterbeers, please?"
We were all handed Butterbeers, and paid our part. We took chairs and sat down.

"Hi," Hermione said, and it went silent in the bar. "Well, you know why you're here... I had the idea- that if people wanted to study- you know- really study it, not the rubbish that Umbridge is doing with us... well, I thought it'd be good to take matters into our own hands. You know, really learn how to defend ourselves, not just theory. I want to be properly trained, because... because Lord Voldemort is back."