Astra

XCIV - The Hog's Head

FOR TWO WEEKS SINCE the original suggestion, none of the group talked about the possible Defense Against the Dark Arts club. Of course, Astra had informed Luna of it, who immediately agreed, but they decided to give Harry some time to think about it.

It was a wild, blustery evening at the end of September, when the five of them were sitting in the library.

"I was wondering," Hermione said suddenly, "whether you'd thought any more about Defence Against the Dark Arts, Harry."

"Course I have," said Harry grumpily, "can't forget it, can we, with that hag teaching us--"

"I meant the idea Ron, Astra, and I had--" Ron cast her an alarmed, threatening kind of look. She frowned at him, "--Oh, all right, the idea Astra and I had, then--about you teaching us."

Harry did not answer at once, pretending to be perusing a page of Asiatic Anti-Venoms.

"Well," he said slowly, when he could no longer pretend to find Asiatic Anti-Venoms interesting, "yeah, I--I've thought about it a bit."

"And?" said Hermione eagerly.

"I dunno," said Harry, playing for time. He looked up at Ron.

"I thought it was a good idea from the start," said Ron, who seemed keener to join in this conversation now that he was sure Harry was not going to start shouting again.

Harry shifted uncomfortably in his chair.

"You did listen to what I said about a load of it being luck, didn't you?"

"Luck plays a part in all circumstances, Harry," said Luna airily, "it's wisdom that the students need and experience is the best way to gain wisdom."

Hermione nodded and spoke up, "You were the only person last year who could throw off the Imperius Curse completely, you can produce a Patronus, you can do all sorts of stuff that full-grown wizards can't, Viktor always said--"

Ron looked around at her so fast he appeared to crick his neck. Rubbing it, he said, "Yeah? What did Vicky say?"

"Ho ho," said Hermione in a bored voice. "He said Harry knew how to do stuff even he didn't, and he was in the final year at Durmstrang."

Ron was looking at Hermione suspiciously.

"You're not still in contact with him, are you?"

"So what if I am?" said Hermione coolly, though her face was a little pink. "I can have a pen-pal if I--"

"He didn't only want to be your pen-pal," said Ron accusingly.

Astra chuckled and leaned over to Harry. "Welcome to another episode of Ron and Hermione acting like a married couple. When will they finally get together? Who knows?" she said sarcastically. Harry had flushed from her close contact, but let out a chuckle as well.

"Anyway," she said louder this time so they could all hear her, "What's the conclusion? Will you teach us?"

"Just you, Hermione, Ron, and Luna yeah?"

"Well," said Hermione, looking a mite anxious again. "Well . . . now, don't fly off the handle again, Harry, please . . . but I really think you ought to teach anyone who wants to learn. I mean, we're talking about defending ourselves against V-Voldemort. Oh, don't be pathetic, Ron. It doesn't seem fair if we don't offer the chance to other people."

Harry considered this for a moment, then said, "Yeah, but I doubt anyone except you two would want to be taught by me. I'm a nutter, remember?"

"Well, two years ago I was a loner who was suspected to be helping a mass murderer in the castle," Astra tilted her head, "Technically those rumors were sort of correct but that's not the point. You've seen how much support I've gained, right? Students may not be on your side right now, but we're all swaying them slowly, and Umbitch is actually helping a lot with that.