In The Shadows² ★ Draco Malfoy

*The DA

Not long after Hermione, Ron, and Briar suggested the idea of making a Defence Against the Dark Arts club, Harry had conceded to the idea so today they would be meeting with some other people they had mentioned it to

Briar was on her way to the Hog's Head for the meeting when she ran into none other than one half of the Slytherin prefects, and not the slightly better one

"Lupin," Pansy Parkinson snarled when she stepped in front of the girl

"What?" Briar sighed

"The whole school's talking about your little outburst with Professor Umbridge" She grinned "Although personally I think she's right for teaching us how to deal with disgusting creatures like werewolves"

"Shut up," Briar said

"Hit a nerve did I?" Pansy cackled "What are you going to do, curse me? You can't now because I can take away house points. Although I should do it anyway for being a filthy half-breed"

"Get over yourself," the younger girl said "You think having a badge makes you important? It doesn't. It means you're a stuck-up, annoying, git"

"You little-"

"Bad mouthing us are we, Lupin?" The voice of the other Slytherin prefect drawled as he emerged from Zonko's "Don't worry, Pansy, I'll deal with her" Pansy gave Briar a smug grin and threw her arms around Draco, planting a kiss next to his mouth (although Briar was sure she was going for the lips and he dodged), before she walked away

"And what do you want?" Briar asked him

"Wanted to warn you," he admitted "Umbridge is thinking of forming a team of students to report back to her on other student's behaviour and I've heard you're one she wants watched"

"I don't blame her, I'm a very interesting person," she grinned "But why are you warning me?"

"Like I told you, you're the least annoying out of your friends," he chuckled before disappearing through the bustling streets of Hogsmeade

Briar pushed the smile off her lips and began to head to the Hog's Head pub, which was slightly off the beaten track so they could have some privacy. And when she got there she found Harry, Hermione, Ron, Dean, Neville, Lavender, Pavarti, Padma, Cho, Luna, Katie, Alicia, Angelina, Colin, Dennis, Ernie, Justin, Hannah, Anthony, Michael, Terry, Fred, George, Lee, and some other students she didn't recognise already there. In the corner there was also some non-Hogwarts people, including a witch hidden under a black veil.

Fred ordered a round of butterbeers before they headed into a back room and everyone's attention turned to Harry, Hermione, and Ron. Hermione shakily got to her feet and addressed the group

"Er," said Hermione, her voice slightly higher than usual out ofnerves. "Well - er - hi. Well...erm...well, you know why you're here. Erm...well,Harry here had the idea - I mean - I had the idea - that it might be good if people whowanted to study Defence Against the Dark Arts - and I mean, reallystudy it, you know, not the rubbish that Umbridge is doing withus because nobody could call that Defence Against theDark Arts" 

"Hear, hear," said Anthony Goldstein

"Well, I thought it would be good if we, well,took matters into our own hands." She paused, looked sideways at Harry, and went on, "And by that Imean learning how to defend ourselves properly, not just theory butthe real spells -"

"You want to pass your Defence Against the Dark Arts O.W.L. toothough, I bet?" said Michael Corner. 

"Of course I do," said Hermione "But I want more thanthat, I want to be properly trained in Defense because...because...because Lord Voldemort'sback." The reaction was immediate and predictable. Cho's friend shriekedand slopped butterbeer down herself, Terry Boot gave a kind of involuntary twitch, Padma Patil shuddered, and Neville gave an odd yelpthat he managed to turn into a cough. All of them, however, lookedfixedly, even eagerly, at Harry. "Well...that's the plan anyway. If you want tojoin us, we need to decide how we're going to -"