Redamancy (d.m)

Chapter forty four-the start of a revolt

"But this is much more important than homework!" Hermione fussed, trying to convince myself, Ron, and Harry of the idea to learn defense against the dark arts ourselves
"I didn't think there was anything in the universe more important than homework" Ron said incredulously
"Don't be silly, of course there is" Hermione said, "it's about preparing ourselves for what's out there. It's about making sure we can really defend ourselves. If we don't learn anything for a whole year-"
"We can't do much by ourselves" Ron said sceptically
"No I agree, we've gone past the stage where we can just learn things out of books. We need a teacher, someone who can show us how to sue the spells and correct us when we're getting them wrong"
"Lupin?" I offered, but she shook her head
"No not Lupin, he's too busy with the Order anyway" she said
"Well who then?" Ron asked, but Harry was now looking at me with a strange smile
"Isn't it obvious?" He said, "(y/n)"

I scoffed, gaping widely at them with a disbelieving smile

"No way, you're mad" I said chuckling, "all of you"
"It does make sense though" Ron said, and Hermione and Harry nodded
"No it doesn't" I argued, "I don't know the first thing about being a teacher"
"(Y/n) you have more experience in magic than everyone in our grade, you've been doing this for far longer than we have" Hermione said
"But homeschooling doesn't teach you how to pass on the stuff you learn, I don't even know how to conduct a lesson or anything" I said exasperatedly
"We need someone to prepare us for things outside of school and you are the best person to do so-you're the top student at defense against the dark arts" Hermione insisted
"Well...who'd even want to learn from me?" I said
"You'd be surprised how many people were interested in the idea" Hermione said earnestly, "come on (y/n), please?"
"Oh...alright then" I said begrudgingly, and Harry, Hermione, and Ron beamed at me, "where'd we meet, though?"
"Why don't we ask anyone who's interested to meet us in Hogsmeade this October trip?" She proposed, and I nodded
"That would work" I said
"Why can't we do it somewhere in Hogwarts?" Ron said
"Because, Ronald, if Umbridge found out she'd hang us by the ankles" I replied darkly

The Hogs Head pub was the epitome of dingy, its floored caked with an accumulation of dust and its tables sticky and scratched, and I could tell why it wasn't a popular hangout spot for students. The dimly lit bar was filled with odd looking wizards and witches all with their identity shielded by some sort of material.

"Three butterbeers, please" Hermione said politely to the muscular man behind the bar, who produced three grimy bottles of the bubbly drink
"Six sickles" he grunted, and I tossed some coins onto the counter
"And a bottle of fire whiskey" i said, "Keep the change" I added, not wanting to receive coins from a box that looked about a hundred years old.

When Hermione looked at me disapprovingly, I sighed and said

"You gonna report me for ordering alcohol, little miss prefect?" I teased
"You know I'd never, I just don't understand how you like that stuff" she said
"It's an acquired taste, 'Mione" i said, "anyways, who's supposed to be meeting us?"

Just then, my question was answered as the door creaked open, letting in streams of bright light that was blocked out by students shuffling in. The first to arrive was Neville, Dean, and Lavender, followed by the Patil twins, Cho Chang, and one of her friends who's name I didn't know and didn't care to find out, then Luna Lovegood, as well as Katie, Angelina, and Alicia, followed by the Creevy brothers, Ernie Macmillan, Justin Finch-Fletchley, Hannah Abbot and one of her friends, Anthony Goldstein, Michael Corner, and Terry Boot, Ginny, her brothers, Lee Jordan, and lastly, a Hufflepuff quidditch player I didn't know

"Bloody hell, 'Mione, you brought the whole damn population of Hogwarts" I said, staring around at the huge crowd in shock
"Well the idea was very popular" Hermione said cheerily, pulling up extra chairs
"Hello darling" Fred greeted, sitting down across from me next to his brother and their friend Lee, "How've you been?"
"Going through a rough patch, I see" George joked, pointing to my fire whiskey
"Oh go blow yourself up with some fireworks" I said with a chuckle

After everyone had gotten a butterbeer and settled down, Hermione began

"Well, you all know why you're here, (y/n) had the idea-"
"'Mione" I said, shooting her a look
"Oh alright fine, I had the idea, that people who wanted to study defense against the dark arts-and I mean really study it, not that rubbish Umbridge is doing with us-took matters into their own hands"

There was a collection of approving nods in dislike towards Umbridge

"And by that I mean learning how to defend ourselves properly" Hermione continued, heartened by the support, "not just theory but the real spells-"
"You want to pass your dark arts O.W.L too, I bet?" Michael Corner injected
"Of course I do" said Hermione, "but I want to do more than that, I want to be properly trained in defense because...because...because Lord Voldemort's back"

This last shaky statement resulted in an upright roar of reactions, many girls (and Neville) yelping with fright, while some looked disbelieving and others spilt their butterbeers

"Well...that's the plan, anyway" Hermione continued, "if you want to join us, we need to decide how we're going to-"
"What's the proof you know who's back?" the blonde Hufflepuff boy demanded rudely
"Well, Dumbledore believes it-" I said, but he cut me off
"You mean, Dumbledore believes him" he said, nodding at Harry
"And who are you?" I asked, gripping my drink rather tightly
"Zacharias Smith" he responded
"Well, Smith, I'm not sure if the issue is that there isn't particularly much going on in that large head of yours, but I'd like to think you were taught basic manners as a child. I was speaking, which means you shut your mouth until I'm done." I snarled menacingly, and he remained silent, though he glared at the Weasley twins who whistled loudly, grinning at me
"What makes me say you-know-who's back?" Harry spoke for the first time, "I saw him. But Dumbledore told the whole school what happened last year, and if you don't believe me, that's fine, but I'm not wasting an afternoon trying to convince anyone
"All Dumbledore told us last year was that Cedric Diggory got killed by you-know-who" Smith said stubbornly, and I shifted uncomfortably at the mention of last year's events
"What else is there to know?" I said, "Isn't it en-"
"Well he didn't give us any details" Smith interrupted again
"What details?" I said patronisingly, "he-"
"Well for starters, he didn't tell us how Diggory got murdered, and I think we'd all like to know-"
"Im trying to fucking talk here!" I said with my voice raised, "if you'd really like to know what it's like to die, I'll gladly shove my wand through your chest and give you a first hand experience, otherwise, either hop off my dick or see yourself out"
"Is it true..." Hannah Abbot's friend spoke up after a few seconds of stunned silence, "that you can produce a patronus?"

At this, every head perked up curiously to face me

"Yeah" I responded, to awestruck looks, "Harry can too"
"A corporeal Patronus?" The girl asked, and I laughed
"You're Susan Bones, then?" I said, and she nodded quickly, "I know your aunt, how's she doing?"
"Alright" she said, smiling, "she told me you could produce a lion patronus"
"Er, it's actually, um...a badger, but yes" I said, my voice faltering slightly
"A bagger?" Smith said, "that doesn't sound too impressive, does it?"
"That's not what she said" Fred said, glaring daggers while George pulled out a long metal device from his zonko's bag
"Would you like us to clean out your ears for you?" George asked
"Or any part of your body, really, we're not fussy where we stick this" said Fred
"Kinky" I sang, and the twins shot me a quick wink
"Moving on..." Hermione said hastily, "the point is...are we agreed we want to take lessons from (y/n)?" She looked immensely relived when the majority gave murmurs of assent, with the exception of Smith, who was busy eyeing the twin's metal instrument, "now, we need to decide when and where to hold meetings"
"Once a week sounds cool" Lee Jordan said
"We could meet in the library" Katie Bell suggested
"Can't see Madam Prince being too chuffed with us doing jinxes in the library" Harry said
"Well when we decide on a time and place we'll send you all a message" I announced, and Hermione passed around a paper that all twenty five students signed, leaving me feeling considerably warmer to the prospect of leading than I originally had been.