Harry, Ron, and Ginny lined up beside the kitchen fire to return to Hogwarts. The Ministry had arranged this one-off connection to the Floo Network to return students quickly and safely to the school. Only Mrs. Weasley was there to say goodbye, as Mr. Weasley, Fred, George, were all at work.
"SURPRISE!" Tonks suddenly screamed, "I waited 'till the last minute to tell you guys. I've been stationed at Hogwarts this term!"
"Great," said Harry while Ginny rolled her eyes.
"Oh you have no idea how much fun we are going to have. I am not a student anymore, so Filch can't put me in detention." she grinned evilly.
"I bet you are planning pranks." Ron guessed.
"Maybe even worse."
"Promise me you will not look for trouble Harry. And Tonks."
"I always do, Mrs. Weasley," said Harry. "But trouble looks for me."
"I never cause big trouble when Tulip isn't with me," Tonks mumbled.
Harry stepped into the emerald fire and shouted "Hogwarts!" and landed in Professor McGonagall's office. Professor McGonagall barely glanced up from her work as he clambered out over the grate. Ron, Ginny, and Tonks arrived shortly.
The three students went to the Gryffindor tower after Tonks waved Goodbye.
Harry glanced out of the corridor windows as they passed; the sun was already sinking over grounds carpeted in deeper snow than had lain over the Burrow garden. In the distance, he could he Hagrid feeding Buckbeak in front of his cabin.
"Baubles," said Ron confidently, when they reached the Fat Lady, who was looking rather paler than usual and winced at his loud voice.
"No," she said. "There is a new password, and please don't shout."
"Harry! Ron! You are here!" Cried Hermione, "the password is Abstinence."
"Precisely," said the Fat Lady in a feeble voice, and swung forward to reveal the portrait hole.
"What's up with her?" asked Harry.
"Overindulged over Christmas, apparently," said Hermione, as she led the way into the packed common room. "She and her friend Violet drank their way through all the wine in that picture of drunk monks down by the Charms corridor. Anyway, how was your Christmas?"
"Good, and yours?"
"Nothing special." She rummaged in her pocket for a moment, then pulled out a scroll of parchment with Dumbledore's writing on it.
The next few hours were spent in Dumbledore's office watching memories of teenage Voldemort.
He got back to the common room. The night has fallen. He could see Ron and Lavender snogging, Parvati looking slightly embarrassed, and a handful of students gossiping about the new Auror stationed at Hogwarts.
"Harry, isn't that Auror the girl you took to the Slughorn's party? Did she stay here because she is your-"
"Girlfriend? Come on Parvati, we are just friends."
The new term started the next morning with a pleasant surprise for the sixth years: a large sign had been pinned to the common room notice board overnight.
APPARITION LESSONS
If you are seventeen years of age or will turn seventeen on or before the 31st of August next year, you are eligible for a twelve-week course of Apparition Lessons from a Ministry of Magic Apparition instructor. Please sign below if you would like to participate. Cost: 12 Galleons.
"Apparition is just a joke, right?" said Ron, his tone perfectly plain.
"I dunno, maybe it's better when you do it yourself, I didn't enjoy it much when Dumbledore took me along for the ride."
Harry, Ron, and the majority of Gryffindor students signed up.
The next morning, Harry saw professor Dumbledore waiting for him once he stepped out of the common room. How could Dumbledore be here?
"Ah, Harry m'boy, you are awarded 1000 points for existing."
This is really weird. Has Dumbledore gone mad?
"But professor, I didn't do anything. Awarding points to me is unfair." Harry pointed out.
"Or shall I take 1000 points away from you?"
" No professor, I didn't mean-"
"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" 'Dumbledore' laughed. One second later, his features began to change. In no time, the person standing in front of him turned to Tonks.
"It's so funny!" she exclaimed, still laughing. Harry thought that she has the purest laugh ever.
That's when the real Dumbledore came. "I would like to take 10 points from Hufflepuff, Nymphadora. But then I remember you are not a student." And he walked away.
"Do you normally morph into teachers before you graduated?"
"No, not after I came to the conclusion that I get less detention if I don't. Now go to class," she smirked and ran before Harry could catch her.
He made his way to History of Magic class with the Hufflepuff. Harry never listened to the boring ghost/teacher professor Binns teaching boring stuff like the goblin wars. Instead, he usually slept through the whole class. Today was the same, until-
"Harry, wake up!" Hermione was shaking him and passed him a note when he woke up. "A Hufflepuff girl called Susan Bones asked me to pass this note to you."
He unfolded the paper.
Hi Harry.
I hope you could reform Dumbledore's Army. I want to learn more, so I can avenge my auntie's death.
Susan
Hmm, Her aunt Amelia Bones was the head of the Department of Law Enforcement. She has been nothing but fair at his trial one year ago. Susan's parents and other relatives except for her aunt was murdered by Death Eaters, with his aunt died, she has no family. He quickly scribbled:
We'll talk about it after class.
Harry used the rest of the lesson to think about whether he should reform Dumbledore's Army.
Hermione said" Of course you should! Everyone finds your lessons helpful. And you can also ask Tonks to teach some."
However, Ron disagreed, "What is the point of it with Umbridge gone?"
It took Hermione 10 minutes to convince Ron.
Once the History of Magic was over, Harry acknowledged Ron and Hermione to leave without him. He waited for Susan outside the classroom.
"So have you decided yet?" she was accompanied by Ernie, Hannah, Justin, and Megan.
" I was thinking of doing it..."
"Please do. My sister Hestia Jones is in the Order of the Phoenix. I want to fight You-Know-Who by joining the DA." Megan commented.
"And our family have always been against He-who-must-not-be-named," stated Ernie.
Justin added, "They are attacking Muggleborns, I want to be able to defend myself."
"We have to be ready, Voldemort-
Ernie, Megan, Hannah, and Justin winced at the mention of his name.
is getting stronger and stronger by the minute." Susan finished.
"Don't call him the name."
"Fear of a name increases fear of the thing itself. Dumbledore's quote."
Susan was not that scared redhead in the sorting ceremony back in their first year anymore. She has no trouble calling Voldemort's name.
"Where could Dumbledore's Army be held?" Harry doubted. Megan, Ernie, and Hannah gave their suggestions.
"Three broomsticks?"
"Too small."
"The Room of Requirement?"
"Malfoy was in there."
"One of the common rooms?"
"Not allowed."
"Hey, I remember a place," said Susan, "the...
A/N:
Some small bits of text are from JK Rowling. The picture at the top is mine, made it months after this chapter is published. Like my story? Vote and comment, please!
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