Harry Potter and the Keys of Light

Chapter Ten: "First Officer"

There was a loud clatter as students rose from their seats; Hermione sprang up at once, pulling Harry with her as she walked toward the entrance hall shouting,

"First years! First year Gryffindors over here!" They gathered around her and Harry, who was struck with how small they all seemed...

"My name is Hermione Grainger," Hermione said, getting the group to stop speaking with a look Professor McGonagall would have been proud of. "I am one of the Sixth Year Gryffindor Prefects, and this is Harry Potter, the other Gryffindor Prefect." Harry watched as eyes focused on him, the familiar sense that people were searching for the scar underneath his unruly bangs. "If you'll follow us, we'll show you to the Gryffindor Common Room. Make sure you pay close attention, it's easy to get lost." With that they left the Great Hall, Hermione leading them. She seemed as though Prefect duties were the most natural thing in the world, acting as a tour guide to the new students.

"On the second floor is the library, one of the Public Common Rooms, which are open every night after dinner until ten, and classes centered on Muggle Studies..." Harry let her keep talking--Hermione seemed to know what to do, and, as with everything, she did it well. It seemed to have a positive effect on the first years; by the time they had reached the portrait of the Fat Lady, they were easy enough to have asked her a few questions.

"Harry," she said, turning to him. "Would you like to explain about the password?" Harry hesitated a moment, feeling the stares back upon him, but the summer's training prevented it lasting longer.

"For every Common Room, and certain other rooms in the castle, you'll need to know a password to get in. The password to the Common Room changes, but we'll let you know what it is. It's important that you know the password, because without it, the Fat Lady won't let you in." Hermione smiled at him approvingly and looked to the Fat Lady.

"Wizard Wheezes," she said, and the portrait swung forward to reveal the circular entrance to Gryffindor Tower. A handful of Gryffindors were in the Common Room, lounging in the squashy armchairs while the rest were in the dormitories above unpacking.

"Girls' dormitories are to the left, boys on the right," Hermione said. "Your things have already been brought up. No one leaves the common room after ten." With that, the first years divided and went to their respective stairs.

"Let's go then," Harry said, watching as the last first year disappeared up the stairs. They climbed back out of the portrait and down the hall. They walked in silence for a while, Harry trying to collect his thoughts; he needed to tell Hermione about the Professor, but how?

"Hermione," he began. She looked at him.

"Yes?"

"I need to tell you something."

"Is something wrong?" she asked in a worried tone.

"No, I just...I need an opinion about something."

"Oh," she said. Relief spread across her face and she took a moment before asking him to continue. Harry told her all that he knew, about meeting the Professor that summer and their lessons, up until their session that morning, and Harry's idea about his assisting them. Hermione listened quietly through the whole thing, but when Harry stopped, she said,

"Harry, I'm not sure about this...this...Professor. How do you know he's really trying to help you?"

"Well, I met him in the Room of Requirement, so I think that maybe he's not even real, that the room created him--"

"Do you think he's a ghost, or something?"

"I'm not sure."

"Harry, I don't think I like that very much...we don't even know his real name. How can you trust him?"

"Hermione, I was with him all summer, alone. If he was going to attack me, he would have done it by now." The look on Hermione's face did not relax any at this. "Look, Hermione, I'll be fine. He's been training me to fight him--he doesn't want to hurt me."

"But, Harry, remember fourth year. Crouch was training you so that you could fight Voldemort." Harry felt his jaw clench at the mention of it. Images of the duel in the graveyard threatened to surface in his mind...

"That was different, Hermione."

"Was it? I don't think so. I don't think you should spend any more time with him." Harry didn't respond, staring determinedly ahead of them.

"Please don't be angry," Hermione said immediately. "I'm just worried about you."

"Can you just trust me?"

"What?"

"Trust me." Harry stopped and looked at her. "Do you trust me?"

"Yes, of course, but--"

"Then could you please just believe me when I tell you that the Professor isn't evil. I can't tell you why, I just know, okay?" Hermione looked down the hall, avoiding his gaze. "Okay?" he pressed.

"All right," she said quietly. "But promise me that you'll be careful."

"I promise, Hermione." She sighed, and continued walking, as though closing the matter.

"So, what are your plans for the D.A.?" she said. Harry fell in to stride with her, glad for a change of subject.

"Well, I just want more organization, and harder training. More dueling, and Lupin set up a gym for me over the summer that I want everyone using."

"A gym?"

"Well, I guess it was to give me something to do, as well as keep in shape. Fighting the forces of darkness takes some muscle." He smiled, and Hermione seemed finally at ease.

"What about recruitment?" Harry's smile stretched wider--Hermione's voice was back to its usual tone.

"We definitely need more people. I was thinking that members from last year might help teach." Hermione nodded in approval. They came upon the tapestry of Barnabus the Barmy, where a crowd of students was gathered.

"Hi Harry," Ron said, stepping forward. "We thought it'd be a good idea," he looked back at the rest, "if you went in first." There were heads nodding behind him and Harry felt warmth in his stomach. He walked the well worn path before the door three times thinking about the room as it had been the year before, picturing clearly the books and mats, the cushions and the closet at the left of the room...

A door appeared and he walked inside, the rest of the group following him. The warmth grew, spreading to his chest and down to his feet; the D.A. was back together, and they would be training against what would come...at last, Harry felt at home in the castle.

The cushions were spread out in a circle in center of the room by Ginny and everyone took their seats. Harry noticed that Cho Chang was absent, as well as Michael Corner. Fred and George were obviously gone, but two cushions had been placed in the circle for them anyway.

"Welcome back everyone," Harry said, standing in the center before them. They smiled, watching him expectantly. Unsure exactly how to begin, he said, "I suppose you're all wondering why I called you here." There was some murmuring and nods that stopped at a gesture from Harry. "I guess I wanted to tell you all that I want the D.A. to continue. I know we all talked about it over the summer, but I want to make real plans for it. After everything that has happened, I think that it's important that we keep doing what we were doing. I know that without the help of some of you, I might not even be here now." He looked at Hermione, Ron, Ginny, Neville and Luna in turn, pausing a little longer at the latter, while the rest of the group shared glances and whispers.

"Go on, Harry," Hermione said, restoring silence with a few glances at the room in general.

"Well, I want to know who still wants to be in the group. I mean, you know how dangerous it is now, you know what could happen outside this school. To be honest, even Dumbledore doesn't want me doing this. But the D.A. is going to be about more than just training for O.W.L exams. If you want to quit, no one in here will say anything about it." He looked around in the silence that followed this, watching the Ravenclaw boys discussing, the Hufflepuffs casting critical looks at each other...Luna rose from her cushion and cleared her voice. When she spoke, her voice lacked its usual far off quality.

"Of course we'll stay, Harry. Voldemort's return affects all of us, and we won't let you fight on your own." Harry smiled appreciatively at her, and she, in turn looked at her fellow Ravenclaws, who nodded. "Ravenclaw supports you." She sat down in a dramatic sweep, looking about her to the rest of the room. Ernie Macmillan promptly stood up and declared that members of Hufflepuff were no cowards or less dedicated than the Ravenclaws. The Gryffindor students, Ginny, Ron, Hermione, Lee, Neville, Dean and Seamus, Alicia and Katie didn't need to say anything; they simply looked at Harry and he knew what they would say. Harry couldn't help but feel the lump in his throat as the sense of loyalty that filled the looks of the students around him fueled the warm sensation from his stomach to his throat.

"Thank you," he said quietly. He doubted anyone heard him, as they were all speaking out their support individually now, but it didn't matter. He cleared his throat loudly so that all eyes returned to following him as he paced the circle. "In that case, I'll tell you about the plans I made this summer."

"Harry," Hermione said, standing up. "I think that we should make up a new sheet with our names on it. And maybe come up with a new name, if we're going to keep it from the teachers."

"What sort of curse are you going to put on it this time?" said Zacharias Smith. "We all saw what happened to Marietta."

"What've you got to be afraid of, unless you're going to tell?" Ron spat out.

"I just want to know, that's all--"

"There won't be one," Harry said over them. They looked at him in surprise, Hermione, though, simply nodded. "Just by agreeing to this, you're proving you're trustworthy." He cast a look at Ron, who sat down, though still casting glares at Zacharias. They all seemed satisfied with this, however, and Hermione drew a piece of parchment from her pocket and a quill, which she passed around the circle.

"How about a new name then?" Dean said. "What'll we call ourselves?"

"Something inconspicuous," said Padma Patil. "So that if it's ever found, no one will know what it is."

"What about something to do with the houses?" Ernie said, looking around for support.

"That's not a bad idea," Hermione said, taking the parchment and signing it. Ernie beamed at her. "But let's keep it simple. We could just call it Defense Against the Dark Arts--that way no one will know that we're not talking about our regular classes." There were murmurs of agreement and she added this to the top of the sheet. "Harry, you have to sign it now." She handed him the sheet. Near the top, there was a space for his name, beside which Hermione had written First Officer. He looked at her questioningly, but she muttered something about explaining in a minute, and he put his name down.

"I suppose," Ginny said, "we should plan what it is we're going to do exactly. I mean, what more are you going to teach us, Harry?"

"Before we do that," Hermione said, "We need to rethink our entire organization. If we're going to be more serious about it this year, we need to have an order and set it up as a real thing. We'll need to get more people interested, and with more people we'll need more teachers." Harry sat down next to Ron and let Hermione launch into her plans for the D.A.

"Be careful," Ron said so that only Harry could hear, "She'll be making us wear badges next."

"I'm just glad I asked her to help me this summer," Harry admitted. Hermione was now dividing the group by house and year. ""I wouldn't even know where to start with this part of it."

"Ron," Hermione said, rounding on them. "I want you in charge of gym. Harry can show you where it is, and you'll have to schedule times for everyone to meet and use it." She then turned back to Ernie Macmillan, who asked her a question. Ron looked somewhat put out.

"What's she giving me that for? She knows I'm not good at lists and things!"

"Ron, she'll end up doing it for you," Harry said reassuringly. "No matter what you do, it won't be right and she'll make it up herself."

"Yeah, you're right," Ron said, relaxing again. "Good old 'Mione." Harry just sighed, watching Hermione, who was making use of the black board that had sat in one corner of the room. His gaze wandered a while, finally resting on Luna, who was talking with Ginny. She brushed a strand of pale blonde hair from her eyes in a graceful motion. From the way she was gesticulating, Harry assumed she was describing the fire-breathing man she and her father had encountered that summer...

"Harry, when do you think we should meet next?" Hermione called.

"Whenever," Harry replied, still watching Luna.

"In that case, as classes won't start until Monday, everyone meet here tomorrow night at the same time." Slowly, the room emptied, leaving Ron, Harry and Hermione sitting on the cushions.

"I've told everyone to come up with a list of people they think might be interested in joining us," Hermione said. "And, I've divided up the things we've already learned, into Blocking, Hexes and Jinxes and Charms. I put Ginny in charge of Hexes and Jinxes, as she's the best at it, Terry and Ernie for Blocking spells and I'll do Charms with you. That way, we'll be able to teach any new members. I want you to give me a list of things you learned over the summer so I can figure out how to schedule teaching everyone. Ron, if you could go with Harry tomorrow to the gym and make that schedule for me." Harry and Ron both gave her a mock salute, to which she cried, "Oh for heaven's sake you two."