The Spark {Book 5 in the Star of Gryffindor Series}

Chapter 30 - Eavesdropping

The Daily Prophet
Issue No. 102, 172
1 May, 2022

Mysterious "DA" Allegedly Run By Longbottom Refuses to Abide by Ministry Standards

Minister of Magic Hestia Carrow has struggled for months to reinstate order and peace in the country, and has recently requested that the mysterious "vigilante resistance group," Dumbledore's Army, known as "The DA," come under Ministry protection and abide by Ministry standards in an attempt to consolidate forces against the threat posed by Caymus Stillens. Neville Longbottom, alleged leader of the group, flatly refused to give comment on the issue, but sources within the Ministry say that he turned down Carrow's request and is going to continue leading his defensive organization without Ministry interference.

Little is known about this group, though speculations run wild about who its members are, with rumors that widely known celebrities such as Ginny Potter, Hermione Granger-Weasley, Lee Jordan, and Dean Thomas (who all have connections to the DA that was formed during the war) are key players in the group's strategies. While many others have been rumored to be members, little is known about this mysterious group and how they operate.

While many citizens appreciate this group's willingness to fight against terrorism any way possible when the Ministry won't (or can't), others see this as a potentially dangerous uprising. "Without any restrictions, the 'DA' could easily rise up and overthrow the government after they've overthrown this Stillens," one Welsh wizard told us. "It might end up being much worse..."

~~~~

Dear Father,

I think we've finally found evidence.

You're going to think what Albus and I did was incredibly stupid, and that's because it was, but please remember that we are impulsive teenagers and stuff like this is bound to happen at some point. I mean, sure, I tend to be stupid more than average, but I swear I'm never going to sneak out to Hogsmeade ever again.

Anyway, we snuck out to Hogsmeade together. I had gotten detention during the last visit of the year, and we decided that wasn't fair, so we borrowed James's invisibility cloak and snuck out. Unfortunately, that involved telling James where we were going (though he didn't care) and trying to sneak the cloak past Wren, which didn't work. She caught us trying to leave and got really upset and said we were being irrational idiots and all of that. James promised he'd keep her from telling Mr. Potter, but I'm afraid she told someone much worse.

When we got to the Three Broomsticks, no one really paid much attention to us. Albus ordered butterbeers and we sat near the back and kept our hoods up and basically just look inconspicuous. Someone knew were there, though. A drunk witch stumbled into our table and slipped something into my drink without me noticing. Luckily, Madam Rosmerta has a lot of antidotes handy, but it was really close. And the witch got away.

We hoped it was a coincidence, but when we got back James told us Wren had stupefied him and run off to go tell Mr. Potter. Only we're not sure she did tell Mr. Potter. It's very likely she told someone else. We tried to explain to James but he wouldn't have it (they're dating, you know), and now we don't know whether we should get Mr. Potter involved or not. If James wouldn't believe us, would he?

I'm sorry I snuck out. It was stupid and I could've gotten killed and I know that. Aunt Andromeda came up to school and lectured me for an hour yesterday. It's better than the howler Albus and James got, I suppose, but I feel horrible that I made everyone so worried, even if everything turned out all right, because it might not have.