Destined | The Order of the Phoenix : Book 5

Dumbledore's Army

Kiana

"I know where we can meet," I whispered.

Cedric, Harry, Ron, Hermione, Jake and Christian looked up at me.

"Where," Harry asked.

"Tell us," Jake asked.

"I forgot all about it last year it's called the come and go room Jake," I answered

"Why didn't you tell us sooner," Hermione hissed.

"Don't start your attitude with me I already told you I forgot, it's where I slept with my band sometimes," I sighed.

Hermione looked down and sighed.

"Sorry," she apologized.

I shrugged.

"Quidditch practice is cancelled for tonight, we can all meet," I said.

Harry nodded. At half-past seven Harry, Ron, Hermione, Jake, Christian and I left the Gryffindor common room, I was clutching a certain piece of aged parchment in my hand. Fifth years and above were allowed to be out in the corridors until nine o'clock, but all seven of us kept looking around nervously as we made our way up to the seventh floor.

"Hold it," I said warningly, unfolding the piece of parchment at the top of the last staircase, tapping it with my wand, and muttering, "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good."

A map of Hogwarts appeared upon the blank surface of the parchment. Tiny black moving dots, labeled with names, showed where various people were.

"Filch is on the second floor," said Harry, holding the map close to his eyes and scanning it closely, "and Mrs. Norris is on the fourth."

"And Umbridge," said Hermione anxiously.

"In her office," said Harry, pointing.

"Okay, let's go,"I said.

We hurried along the corridor to the place I grew familiar with.

"Okay," said Jake quietly, while a moth-eaten troll paused in his relentless clubbing of the would-be ballet teacher to watch.

We need somewhere to learn to fight. . . . I thought. Just give us a place to practice . . . somewhere they can't find us . . .

"Kiana," said Hermione sharply, as we wheeled around after our third walk past.

A highly polished door had appeared in the wall. Ron and Jake were staring at it, looking slightly wary. Christian's jaw hung as he stared. Cedric almost hugged me. He and Harry are receiving the silent treatment. Harry reached out, seized the brass handle, pulled open the door, and led the way into a spacious room lit with flickering torches like those that illuminated the dungeons eight floors below. The walls were lined with wooden bookcases, and instead of chairs there were large silk cushions on the floor. A set of shelves at the far end of the room carried a range of instruments such as Sneakoscopes, Secrecy Sensors, and a large, cracked Foe-Glass that I was sure had hung, the previous year, in the fake Moody's office.

"These will be good when we're practicing Stunning," said Ron enthusiastically, prodding one of the cushions with his foot.

"And just look at these books!" said Hermione excitedly, running a finger along the spines of the large leather-bound tomes.

"A Compendium of Common Curses and Their Counter-Actions . . . The Dark Arts Outsmarted . . . Self-Defensive Spellwork . . . wow . . ."

She looked around at Cedric, her face glowing, and I saw that the presence of hundreds of books had finally convinced Hermione that what they were doing was right.