𝐒𝐇𝐀𝐃𝐎𝐖𝐒 𝐎𝐅 𝐃𝐄𝐕𝐎𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍

𝟐.𝟏𝟏 - 𝐡𝐨𝐠'𝐬 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐩𝐮𝐛

 Snow crunched under your boots as you trampled through the streets of Hogsmeade. It was your first official school trip and you were more than excited. Harry and Hermione talked quietly up ahead, shoulders hunched together in conversation. Both you and Ron were lagging behind. You listened as he enthusiastically pointed out different shops and storefronts that you walked past.

 When the trip was announced a few weeks back, you internally groaned. There was no way in hell you would be kissing up to your parents in an attempt to get them to sign a permission slip. You had been planning on coming up with an excuse as to why you couldn't join your friends when thankfully and to your surprise, Draco approached you later that day with a letter addressed to you from his mother.

You opened it later that day on your bed. 

 'Hello, darling, 

 I understand that you and your mother aren't on the best of terms right now so I took the liberty of sending an extra permission slip along with Draco's just in case. 

Best of luck on your exams!

 N.M'

Narcissa Malfoy was decidedly your favorite member of the Malfoy family at the moment.

"-And that's Zonko's, the best joke shop for miles," Ron explained excitedly. You nodded and smiled, not having the heart to tell him that you had already visited Zonko's last year on your way to get your dress for the ball. "And that's Honeydukes," He pointed a gloved hand toward a colorful shop. Children poured out of the entrance and the sweet smell of caramelized sugar hit your nose.

"Oh, oh!" He tugged on your arm and gestured toward a quieter, older looking building. "That's the-"

"Ron!" Hermione turned around, her hair thrown about from the wind and an exasperated expression on her face. There were snowflakes clutching to the hair that fell out from her winter hat. "I'm sure she can read the signs just fine without your commentary."

"Oh," Ron said, dejectedly.

When Hermione turned back around, you tugged on his sleeve with the brightest smile you could manage. "I'd like to hear more about Honeydukes, please."

He continued talking as the four of you wandered further and further away from the bright flashy signs and the rest of the student body. You barely noticed where you were being led until Harry and Hermione stopped dead in their tracks in front of a quiet-looking building. The rusted swinging sign in front of the door read Hog's Head.

"Oi," the red-head beside you groaned. "What are we doing all the way out here? Honeydukes is that way," he pointed his mitten-covered hand behind him toward the rest of Hogsmeade. You didn't want to say anything but you silently agreed with him. You came for one reason and one reason only: candy.

Hermione sighed. "I've called for a meeting here so we can discuss Umbridge without worrying about her catching us."

Ron visibly deflated and grumpily crossed his arms. Harry fiddled with his glasses before cupping his hands over his mouth in an attempt to warm them. "Who do we know that's even coming to this meeting?" He asked.

Hermione raised her eyebrows and began counting on her fingers silently. "Mostly Gryffindors, but I suspect a few Ravenclaws will weasel their way in as well."

You looked between them and back down at your feet. It was no secret that you were disliked by most, if not all Gryffindors besides the three in front of you and maybe Neville. "Oh," you breathed, the air escaping your mouth and floating off into the sky. "Should I go wait for you someplace else, then?"

 There was a beat of silence before Hermione reached for your hand and tugged you closer toward the rustic looking door. "No, you're not going anywhere. I need you here with us. This was your idea after all."

One by one, you walked through the door of the rickety-looking building. There were already a few students gathered in the back of the pub as you entered. They stood awkwardly and looked amongst each other for instruction. 

 Harry gulped and dug his hands deeper into his pockets. "Hey," You whispered, "You're gonna be fine, I promise."

"You don't know that," he countered, eyes darting anxiously from the group. You pursed your lips and patted his shoulder softly. "Yes, actually I do."

 Once everyone had made their way into Hog's Head, you began to recognize a few familiar faces. The twins were seated near the window to your right. Fred winked as you sat down and you waved back. Neville stood beside Luna in the very back of the room. Ginny and the Patil sisters sat up front and center. All of them had formed a semicircle around the four of you.

 You tried your best to ignore the dirty looks you were receiving from the few Gryffindors, mostly Seamus Finnigan and his friend Dean Thomas, but it was growing harder by the second. Ron, bless his heart, was doing a good job of glaring right back at them but it did little to deter their hateful sneers.

"You all know why we're here," Hermione stood up from her stool and folded her hands nervously in front of her. "We need a teacher. A proper teacher. One who's had real experience defending themselves against the Dark Arts."

Harry scoffed quietly and you bit your lip nervously. You doubted that this was the turnout he had been imagining when Hermione informed you of her plans.

"Why?" A dark-haired boy in the very front asked. You had seen him a few times before and thought maybe he shared your History of Magic class. You didn't know his name for sure, but you suspected it was Michael Corner. He was a Ravenclaw and his tone was bitter and disbelieving.

"Why?" Ron spat, sitting up straighter. "I'll tell you why. It's because You-Know-Who is back, you tosspot."

 Against your better judgment, you bit down harder on your bottom lip to prevent a giggle from slipping out. You loved British insults with your whole heart. Despite this, you had to place your hand on Ron's arm to prevent him from picking a fight with poor Michael. He looked up at you from underneath his knitted cap and rolled his eyes before lounging deeper into his chair.

"So he says," Michael retaliated, eyeing Ron judgingly. You decided then and there that if Ron wanted to fight this child, you would do nothing to stop him.

"So Dumbledore says!" Hermione said.

Another kid you didn't know chimed in. "So Dumbledore says because he says. The point is, where's the proof?"

A low mumbling filled the room and you sighed. The boy seated next to Michael continued. "If Potter could tell us more about how Diggory got killed...?"

The sentence barely left his mouth before Harry stood up, hands clenched tightly at his sides. "I'm not going to talk about Cedric so if that's why you're here you might as well clear out now!"

 A few people exchanged disappointed looks and you uncrossed your legs before standing up beside him. "Harry can produce the Patronus Charm!" you blurted without thinking it through entirely.

Harry swiveled around to look down at you with an eyebrow raised. You only shrugged. "I mean, you can, can't you?"

"Yes!" Hermione joined, seeing the point you were trying to make. "I've seen him do it."

Dean Thomas took a break from glaring at you to instead smile at Harry. "Blimey, Harry. I didn't know you could do that."

Neville cleared his throat in the back. It was a quiet sound, but it nonetheless grabbed everyone's attention. "A-And he killed a basilisk with the sword in Dumbledore's office," he stuttered.

"In the third year, he fought off one hundred dementors at once!" Ron added, a boyish smirk on his face.

You frowned and looked at Harry. No one ever told you anything about those things. Shaking off your confusion, you took a step forward into the semicircle. "And last year he really did fight off Voldemort in the flesh."

The excited energy depleted as you spoke and whispers started to rise up again amongst the Gryffindors. "Why should we listen to you, then?" Michael curled his lip. "You're a Slytherin for Merlin's sake. Umbridge is on your side."

"You really want a reason?" You cocked your head to the side and pulled up your sleeve, revealing your mauled hand. "This is your reason right here." 

 The message was clear even in the dim light of the pub. Michael gulped and sat back. A few others put their hands to their mouths in surprise. 

 The cold air of the room soothed the burning pain for a moment before you re-covered it with your sleeve. "If you think for one second that Umbridge is on your side, on any of our sides, you're wrong. Her loyalties lie in one man and one man only; Cornelius Fudge. And he's not on our side either."

 As the message resonated with the students, you took a step back. As you did so, you felt Harry gently reach for your injured hand and you slipped your fingers between his. He squeezed carefully and you did the same in return.

Looking out across the room, you could tell that their minds had been made up. Even Michael Corner and Seamus Finnigan were eyeing you sympathetically.

"Facing this stuff in real life," Harry said. "It's not like school. In school, if you make a mistake, you can just try again tomorrow. But out there when you're seconds away from being murdered or watching a friend die right before your eyes...you don't know what that's like."

Briefly, you contemplated arguing that you did in fact know what that was like, but thought better of it. Harry's voice echoed across the walls as you, Harry, and Hermione took your seats.

"He's really back?" A little first year peaked out from the third row and your heart melted. Harry didn't look up from his lap as he nodded slowly.

 That was apparently all it took for fellow students to slowly start rising from their seats and taking turns coming to the front of the room. One after another, they signed their names on a sheet of paper that Hermione had provided. Across the top of the paper, DADA Study Group was written in her neat cursive handwriting. 

 You and Ron were talking quietly about running into Honeydukes before catching the carriages back to Hogwarts when a familiar-looking girl approached the table.

She had long black hair that had been woven into two braids beneath a lavender-colored cap. As she signed her name, her eyes kept flickering toward Harry who looked uncomfortable under her gaze.

  "Who is that?" You whispered to Ron as discreetly as you could manage. She looked eerily familiar but you couldn't put a name to the face.

"You don't mean Cho Chang, do you?"

"Is that her name?" You ask. Ron rolled his eyes and put his hand up so to block his voice from the others. "Yeah and that's not all. She was Cedric's girlfriend."

You blinked. "Son of a Banshee," you murmured as you watched her finish writing her name. Cho stood back up and smiled adoringly down at Harry before turning on her heel and skipping out of Hog's Head pub.

Son of a Banshee, indeed. 

 (A/N: I know I say this a lot but I will be editing this further sometime later. Also, look out for a new cover for this story. Even though I spent hours on this one, I want all of the covers to match my new theme. Hoo ok, I'm still considering it. Maybe I'll keep it. Curse you aesthetically pleasing account formats!)