Magic? || Years 5-7

The Lamark's Secret: Year 5

Rain pummeled the windows as they crowded into the empty classroom everyone was using during break. Peeves was floating up by the chandelier, pelting ink at them occasionally. Amisty scowled as she ducked just in time to not get completely drenched.

They had just taken their seats when Angelina shoved her way through the crowd toward them, "I've got permission! To reform the Quidditch team!"

"Excellent!" Ron and Harry beamed.

"Yeah. I went to McGonagall and I think she might have appealed to Dumbledore -- anyway, Umbridge had to give in. Ha!" Angelina grinned. "So I want you down at the pitch at seven o'clock tonight, all right, because we've got to make up time, you realize we're only three weeks away from our first match?"

Without waiting for a reply, she turned and struggled through the crowd again, barely dodging an ink pellet.

Ron's smile faded as he stared out the window, "Hope this clears up... What's up with you, Hermione?"

The brunette was staring out the window, frowning with her head resting on her hand.

"Just thinking..." Hermione replied, her frown deepening. Her eyes were a bit unfocused.

"About Siri..." Harry broke off, clearing his throat. "Snuffles?"

"No... not exactly..." Hermione's voice was slow, hesitant. "More... wondering... I suppose we're doing the right thing... I think... aren't we?"

Amisty's head tilted to the side. She glanced at Harry, who just shrugged.

"Well, that clears that up," Ron remarked dryly. "It would've been really annoying if you hadn't explained yourself properly."

Hermione blinked, the fuzziness gone from her gaze, 'I was just wondering whether we're doing the right thing, starting this Defense Against the Dark Arts group."

"What!"

"Hermione, it was your idea in the first place!" Ron exclaimed indignantly.

"I know. But after talking to Snuffles..." She looked away, wringing her hands and pursing her lips.

'But he's all for it!" Harry replied.

"Yes," Hermione's gaze returned to the window. "Yes, that's what made me think maybe it wasn't a good idea after all..."

Amisty glanced up, pulling her bag up over her head as Peeves floated by with his peashooter spinning around his finger.

"Let's get this straight," Harry's eyes narrowed, his voice angry, "Sirius agrees with us, so you don't think we should do it anymore?"

Hermione still didn't look at him, instead staring at his hands, "Do you honestly trust his judgment?"

"Yes, I do! He's always given us great advice!" Harry replied.

Hermione paused, watching Katie Bell as she threw a notebook at Peeves in retaliation for him hitting her in the ear, "You don't think he has become... sort of... reckless... since he's been cooped up in Grimmauld Place? You don't think he's... kind of... living through us?"

"What d'you mean, 'living through us'?" Harry asked harshly, making sarcastic hand quotations.

"I mean... well, I think he'd love to be forming secret defense societies right under the nose of someone from the Ministry..." Hermione explained hesitantly. "I think he's really frustrated at how little he can do where he is... so I think he's keen to kind of... egg us on."

Ron blinked, seeming to be mystified by Hermione's sudden change of heart, "Sirius is right, you do sound just like my mother."

Hermione didn't reply.