𝘋𝘈𝘕𝘊𝘐𝘕𝘎 𝘞𝘐𝘛𝘏 𝘖𝘜𝘙 𝘏𝘈𝘕𝘋𝘚 𝘛𝘐𝘌𝘋/𝘵𝘰𝘮 𝘳𝘪𝘥𝘥𝘭𝘦 (English version)

Chapter 55

Hogwarts
December 1998

December had begun, and Hogwarts seemed immersed in an unnatural, almost suffocating stillness. Sarah Black had received no news about the whereabouts of Harry, Ron, and Hermione. Every attempt at communication had proven futile, and the only contact with the outside world came from the Weasleys, who tried to maintain ties with both her and Ginny despite the growing danger.

The school, under the rule of the Death Eaters, was far from safe, and Sarah constantly felt the need to act. Standing by and watching had never been an option for her.
So, the only possible solution at the moment was to organize the first meeting of the new Dumbledore's Army.

Sarah walked swiftly yet silently down the seventh-floor corridor.
Beside her, Neville Longbottom moved with the same determination, his face tense but resolute. Her heart pounded in her chest—they were about to do something important, something that could change the course of the resistance at Hogwarts.

Reaching a smooth stone wall, they stopped.
That seemingly unremarkable wall concealed their refuge: the Room of Requirement.

Neville turned to her, a hint of concern in his gaze.
"Do you think they'll all come?" he asked in a low voice, as if afraid of the answer.
Sarah took a deep breath before replying
"They will. They are the people we care about most, and we know exactly where they stand."
Neville nodded, clenching his fists to shake off the tension.
Together, they paced three times in front of the wall, focusing on the need for a safe place where they could plan their resistance. The stone began to tremble, and as if by magic, a large door appeared before them.

They exchanged a quick glance and a satisfied smile before opening it.
The Room of Requirement welcomed them with its grandeur.
The walls were lined with finely carved dark wood, and the flickering candlelight cast a warm glow throughout the space. At the center of the room, a long oak table surrounded by sturdy chairs awaited its occupants. On the walls, maps of Hogwarts and the Dark Lands hung alongside familiar symbols: the Phoenix, the mark of the resistance.

Sarah looked around in admiration.
"The Room of Requirement certainly has good taste," she murmured with a smile.
Neville chuckled softly, letting his gaze wander over the maps they would soon use to fight.
One by one, their trusted allies began to arrive. They were few, but each carried a determination that felt almost tangible, filling the room with a silent yet powerful energy.

Luna Lovegood was the first to step through the door, her usual unshakable calm painted on her face, as if nothing in the world could ever truly unsettle her.
Right behind her came Pansy Parkinson, Ginny Weasley, and Dean Thomas, followed by Seamus Finnigan, who was unsuccessfully trying to hide the anxiety in his eyes.

Neville cleared his throat as everyone took their seats around the long table.
"Thank you for being here," he began, his voice steadier than he had expected. "We all know how risky this is, but we can't afford to stand by any longer. Dumbledore is gone. Harry isn't here. Hogwarts is falling apart before our eyes, and if we don't do something now, it might be too late."
Sarah stepped closer to the table, stopping beside Neville.
Her gaze swept over the faces of those present, searching for the spark of courage she knew was there. When she spoke, her voice was firm but filled with emotion.

"The Room of Requirement will be our refuge. No one will be able to find us here. From now on, this will be our base, the place where we plan our every move. We need to organize, but more importantly, we need to grow. It's up to us to recruit new members, to decide who we can truly trust."
A tense silence followed her words. Everyone knew this wouldn't be easy.

Ginny was the first to break it, leaning forward slightly. "With Death Eaters roaming freely, moving around without being caught will be difficult."
Neville nodded, his jaw tightening. "We know. But we have to be discreet. Here, we can train, strategize... without being overheard." He gestured around the room. "This will be our headquarters."

Luna, with her usual serene expression, lifted her gaze and spoke gently
"What matters is hope. As long as we keep it alive, no one can truly defeat us."
Sarah felt a faint warmth melt away some of the tension in her chest. A small smile curved her lips. "She's right," she murmured. "No matter how dark the night may seem, there's always a light. And we have to be that light."

The only one who had yet to speak was Pansy.
She sat motionless on the dark chair, her hands clasped on her knees, her gaze evasive. Sarah had noticed her strange behavior over the past few days—more restless than usual, always lost in thought. Maybe it was just the general tension. Maybe not.
She stepped closer and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Are you okay?"

Pansy flinched slightly, as if caught off guard, but quickly nodded and composed herself, returning her focus to the group, which was now discussing the most reliable recruits. Neville picked up a piece of parchment and began making a list.
"Cho, Padma, Parvati, Lavender, Cormac McLaggen, Hannah Abbott, Katie Bell, and Angelina Johnson."
Sarah frowned at the mention of Cormac's name. "You have to be joking," she said, turning toward Neville.

Neville shook his head
"You know how skilled he is. And at the end of the day, he's been helping the younger students defend themselves. We should give him a chance."
Sarah hated to admit it, but he was right. She huffed, crossing her arms. "Fine, but if he acts like an idiot, I'm kicking him out myself."

A few chuckles broke the tension for a moment.
Pansy was the next to speak. "Millicent Bulstrode will be one of us."
"Daphne Greengrass too," Sarah added, "though she's been pretty unstable lately."
By the end of the meeting, they had their first names to recruit. They parted ways with a sense of satisfaction—they had taken the first step.

Sarah stayed behind with Neville to tidy up the papers left on the table.
They didn't need words to understand each other; the silence between them was natural, almost reassuring. After a while, Sarah ran a hand over her eyes, exhausted. Neville noticed and stopped what he was doing.
"Go ahead, I'll finish up."
Sarah gave him a grateful smile and didn't need to be told twice.
She left the room and made her way toward the dormitory.

In the corridors, a few students walked with their heads down, their steps quick and silent.
They avoided meeting anyone's eyes, as if even a glance too many could put them in danger. The air was heavy, oppressive.
When Sarah reached the entrance to the Gryffindor common room, a sudden thought struck her.

The Astronomy Tower.

She had avoided that place like the plague. Climbing up there made her nauseous, her heart clenching with memories too painful to face.
But that night... that night, she felt drawn to it.

Almost without realizing it, she found herself climbing the stairs, one step after another, her breath growing shorter. Each stair was a plunge into the past. Here, she had spent countless nights—laughing, dreaming, imagining a future that now seemed so far away.
When she reached the last step, she stopped for a moment, her heart pounding in her chest.

The icy November wind lashed against her face as she stepped closer to the iron railing. Clutching the cold metal with her fingers, she closed her eyes for a moment, letting herself be lulled by the sound of birds soaring through the sky.

For the first time in a long while, she felt at peace.

Calm.

She didn't open her eyes immediately when she heard a noise behind her.

She remained still, her gaze fixed on the horizon, even when a familiar voice broke the silence.

"Ironic, isn't it?"

Her blood ran cold.

"Finding ourselves here, after all this time. In the end, old habits never really die."

A brief silence.

"Am I wrong... Sarah?"

~~~~~

OLD HABITS DIE SCREAMINGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG