Annabeth Smith in the Order of the Phoenix

Chapter Eight: Hog's Head Meeting

One afternoon Annabeth, Fred, and George sat at a table in the Gryffindor common room actually studying, as there was nothing else to do. She'd convinced the twins to just read their Defence Against the Dark Arts materials since that was basically all Umbridge wanted them to do anyway. They were studying Charms that day when Lee came into the common room and beelined for Annabeth and the twins.

He leaned in close and whispered to them. "Have you lot heard?"

Annabeth, Fred, and George shook their heads as Fred answered their friend. "Heard what?"

"Potter, Granger, and your little brother want to meet as many people as they can at the Hog's Head this weekend on our first trip to Hogsmeade. They want to try teaching actual Defence Against the Dark Arts instead of that load of bollocks Umbridge is teaching us."

Annabeth was excited by the prospect. "Really?"

George however was skeptical of the rumor. "Is this true, Lee or is this just more of your gossip hounding again?"

Lee put a hand over his heart and raised the other. "Real, honest. It's true. Hog's Head, Saturday afternoon. Ask your brother if you don't believe me." George was very hesitant to believe him. He even thought it might have been a trick by Umbridge to catch students going against her.

"I say we go." Fred decided.

"Say we go, hell I'm going, whether you two go or not. I plan to support my cousin a hundred percent." Annabeth declared.

George leaned in to whisper to her. "What if it's a plot by Pink Plaid to catch us all plotting against her?"

"If it will make you feel better, talk to Ron first, but I don't need confirmation from him. I'm going."

George sighed. "Fine, I'll go. But I'm talking to Ron first."

In the end, George did check with Ron and got confirmation that the rumor was in fact true. He felt better knowing that since Annabeth was so determined to go. George decided then that it was safe for them all to go and was prepared to join Fred and Annabeth, not that he wasn't going to go even if it was a trap. If Annabeth was going, he wasn't about to let her walk into a possible trap without backup.

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Annabeth sat between Fred and George at a rundown pub called the Hog's Head in Hogsmeade the first weekend students were allowed to visit as Ginny sat with Neville Longbottom, Kit, Cat, and Lysandra while they all waited for Hermione or Harry or Ron to start the meeting.

Hermione stood first. "Um, hi. So, you all know why we're here. We need a teacher, a proper teacher. One who's had real experience defending himself against the Dark Arts."

"Why?" Zachariah Smith, a Fifth Year Hufflepuff who was no relation to Annabeth as far as she knew, asked.

"Why? Cause You-Know-Who's back, You Toss Pot!" Ron spat at him.

Zachariah nodded to Harry. "So, he says." George put a hand on Annabeth's knee to calm her as he knew she was angry at Zachariah for acting that way in regards to Harry and she no doubt wanted to get up and punch him.

"So, Dumbledore says." Hermione corrected.

"So, Dumbledore says because he says. The point is where's the proof."

Annabeth leaned towards George and whispered to him. "Let me punch him, George. I swear."

George whispered back to her. "Calm down, Annabeth. Let Harry handle this."

"If Potter could tell us more about how Diggory got killed..." Sorrel Griffis, a Fourth Year Ravenclaw, trailed off.

Annabeth looked to Harry for his reaction. While everyone else looked to him to hear more about Cedric's death, Annabeth just wanted to comfort her cousin.