𝐁𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐞 𝐀𝐦𝐞 | 𝐇.𝐏.

𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝟓 - 𝟓

The next morning, Flitch tacked up another Educational Decree. This one was number 68, and it read: "All student organizations are henceforth disbanded. Any student in noncompliance will be expelled."

As the four of us walked back to the common room dejectedly, I grit my teeth. "Someone must have told her. There were a bunch of people at that meeting I didn't like."

"Yeah, that Hufflepuff kid was dodgy," Weasley agreed. I was thinking more along the lines of Cho Chang, but he worked fine as well.

Just as we flopped down around the fire, Longbottom burst through the portrait hole. "Guys!" He exclaimed. "You'll never believe what I just found!" We threw confused glances to each other before following him out. We raced down the corridor until Longbottom skid to a stop in front of a tall pair of dark metal doors I had never before seen in my life.

They opened without any incantation, and we walked into the room cautiously. My breath caught as I took it all in. The room was huge and spacious, with strong reflective metal lining the walls and bookshelves full of everything you could possibly need to know on the Dark Arts.

"You've done it, Neville," Hermione breathed. "You've found the Room of Requirement."

"The what?" Potter asked, but I could see his mind working behind his eyes.

"It's also known as the Come and Go Room," Hermione offered. "The Room of Requirement only appears when a person has a real need of it, and is always equipped for the seeker's needs."

"So... say you really needed the toilet..." Weasley began. We all looked at him and sighed.

"Charming, Ronald," Hermione commented. "But, yes, that is the general idea."

"It's brilliant," Potter grinned. Longbottom was looking around in astonishment, still in awe that he did something right to help us. I assumed he wasn't very used to the feeling.

"It's like Hogwarts wants us to fight back," I said thoughtfully.

The next Saturday afternoon we gathered everyone who had signed up in front of the blank stretch of wall that Longbottom swore was the right place. Sure enough, the spiraled metal appeared in seconds, forming an opening to our new practice area. 

Dumbledore's Army's Headquarters, Hermione decided. I liked it. Anything that went against my father's opinions.

Completely ignoring Umbridge and her Educational Decree, we began immediately. There were a few dummies scattered around the room, bearing targets on their chests and holding fake wands in their stiff, wooden fingers. 

Potter brought everyone into a messy line and insisted that Longbottom went first. It was only right, since he was the one who had found us the room in the first place. Potter nodded in reassurance, and Longbottom took a deep breath.

"Expelliarmus!" He shouted, attempting at disarming the dummy. Unfortunately his wand flew backwards out of his hand, causing all the students to duck, and it shot through the air like a rocket before hitting the opposite wall and landing with a sad thunk.

"I'm hopeless," he grumbled at our sympathetic faces.

"You're just flourishing your wand too much," Potter corrected, gripping his own wand tightly. "Try it like this. Expelliarmus!" He flicked his wrist, and the dummy's fake wand ricocheted off to the side. I jerked my eyebrows up at him, not able to hide my smile. He smiled back sheepishly. My heart beat a dent into my rib cage.

Meanwhile, Umbridge's classes were countering all of our own lessons. 

"Will you please copy the approved text?" She asked icily. I was beginning to realize that the farther we got into our books the simpler they got, until I figured that by now we were below first year level. "Four times," she added, "to ensure maximum retention. There will be no need to talk."