Hindsight

Histories

Thursday night, Harry and Hermione were waiting in the Room of Requirement with Ginny, Neville, Luna, and Susan.

'Aren't we getting started?' Ginny asked, equal parts impatient of waiting and confused that they had not started yet.

'We're…uh…waiting for someone,' Harry answered. 'Someone's joining us. It might be a…a shock, but don't worry. We…that is to say, Hermione and I, trust her.'

Less than five minutes later, Daphne Greengrass charged into the room, red-faced and looking like she had just run a mile.

'Sorry, I'm late,' she panted.

'That's fine, take a seat,' Harry replied kindly.

'You invited Greengrass?' Ginny asked, astonished. 'I know you said you trust her, but…are you sure about this? I mean, she is…you know…'

Harry thought that Ginny was being rather rude, but decided to overlook it for the other three were wearing similar expressions of shock and surprise.

'We're sure about this,' Hermione said, 'Some…events happened, and we have good reason to trust her because of them. We aren't dumb, Ginny.'

'I never said you were,' Ginny murmured. 'Sorry.'

'That's fine. Everyone, please take a seat,' Harry instructed. The now-fivesome took seats on various armchairs and sofas that the Room provided.

'So…uh…what's going on?' Neville could not help but asking. 'I mean…I don't mean to be rude, but…'

'As Hermione said, some things happened,' Harry replied. 'I don't think it's up to me to talk about them.' He shared a look with Daphne and she smiled a little in thanks. 'But her…her father has sworn a vow of friendship to us…and she has taken the magical vow like all of you here. I think we should at least all give her a chance.'

Neville nodded sheepishly. 'Yeah…I mean…she's not Parkinson, right? And she's generally been civil to us…'

'Right,' Harry agreed, chuckling a little.

'Then I have no problem with it,' Neville said. 'If you say you trust her, Harry, then I have no protest.'

'Thanks, Neville.'

'I trust you when you say you trust her,' Ginny added.

Harry smiled gratefully at her before turning back to Daphne, who was still standing near the entrance to the Room of Requirement, looking a little nervous. 'Come sit down,' Harry offered.

Neville scooted over and allowed the new girl to sit down next to him. Both eyed each other cautiously and exchanged a stiff nod of greeting.

'All right,' Hermione said, standing up. 'We've already told her about what we're doing. I was thinking that maybe you could…show her through the basics?' she suggested. 'The best way to learn something is to teach it to another person, after all.'

There was a bit of awkward silence before Ginny, Neville, Luna, and Susan all slowly nodded. They got up and the four of them went off to a corner of the room, revising the spells that they had already been taught.

Harry watched critically as they worked. Daphne was not a bad duellist. She could by no means stand up to Neville or Ginny, but she could at least hold off Luna and Susan for a little while. With a bit of training, Harry thought, she could become as good as the others in short time.

Ginny, Neville, Luna, and Susan were all still acting rather cool towards her by the end of the night. It would take time, Harry knew, but he certainly was doubting less now whether he and Hermione had been right to accept her into their group.