Thick Smoke

Stupefy

Umbridge took them one by one, writing down their achievements and failures.

During Divination, Eliza sat next to Seamus and watched Umbridge go around, following the professor. Trelawney found it especially hard to work under pressure.

Eliza was genuinely concerned. She looked at Seamus and he looked expectantly at her. The Divination professor was being taunted and teased at the same time, ending with a forced premonition that sounded false even for the professor herself.

They had Transfiguration next and Eliza exchanged a swift glance with Neville, telling him that she wasn't going to vanish any parts of his body today. On the other side, she caught Umbridge glance at her suspiciously when her mouse vanished from the first try.

Defense against the Dark Arts went even worse. Harry found himself with another week of detention and their questions had one universal answer: what the Ministry wants, the Ministry gets. At least that was what Eliza understood.

It would have been a lie if Eliza would have said she wasn't curious how Snape will react with Umbridge. She was looking forward to Potions just for that sole reason.

The next morning, Hermione woke Eliza up just in time for breakfast but after she got dressed and grabbed her books, Hermione led the green eyed witch inside the girls' bathroom.

"This is not the most liable and adequate place to have a bonding conversation." Eliza randomly started, turning with a bemused expression to her friend.

"Harry got detention after he mentioned You-Know-Who in front of Umbridge," Hermione started with a frown, "She tortured him and-"

"Did he tell you that?"

Hermione froze at the sudden serious tone in Eliza's voice.

"Well, no. But we have seen it, me and Ron. He won't agree to tell McGonagall about it. You should look at his hand, Eliza. The marks are visible and he's still getting more of it."

The bushy haired witch seemed quite desperate if she asked Eliza for help.

"And what do you want me to do? You and Ron are far closer to him than I am." Eliza stated firmly.

"We've been talking and I think it would be better if Harry could teach us Defense Against the Dark Arts. He used them before and-"

"Did he accept?"

Hermione's face was enough of an answer.

"Not yet but he will. We don't have a choice."

Still that didn't answer Eliza's question, "Why are you telling this to me in the girls' bathroom when we share the same dormitory?"

"Because you have to help Harry. We know you have a talent for Defense against the Dark Arts. You learned more than us from both Lupin and Sirius."

Hermione's brown eyes were staring at Eliza so earnestly that Eliza considered using a hex on her. Instead, she just sighed heavily.

"I'm not so sure about that. Dad and Remus, they didn't teach me how to hex people. I didn't want to kill or hurt anything." The brunette finally said. "I don't know how I can help. I never fought against anything evil, Hermione. I have as much experience as you and Ron."

That was not what Hermione wanted to hear.

During the next weeks, life went on pretty well. Classes were going suspiciously well for Eliza and now that she gave up on Muggle Studies, she had enough time to do her homework for Herbology.

Hermione didn't give up on gathering a few students and learning Defense against the Dark Arts from Harry. Eliza overheard her tell Dean to meet at the Hog's Head during the Hogsmeade break.