Purple Rain.

Chapter Forty.

Hermione and (Y/n) had devised a very clever method of communicating the time and date of the next meeting to all the members of Dumbledore's Army in case they needed to change it at short notice, because it would look so suspicious if people from different Houses were seen crossing the Great Hall to talk to each other too often. She gave each of the members of the D.A. a fake Galleon.

"You see the numerals around the edge of the edge of the coins?" Hermione said, holding one up for examination at the end of the meeting. The coin gleamed fat and yellow in the light from the torches. "On real Galleons, that's just a serial number referring to the goblin who cast the coin. On these fake coins, though, the numbers will change to reflect the time and date of the next meeting. The coins will grow hot when the date changes, so if you're carrying them in a pocket you'll be able to feel them. We take one each, and when Hary sets the date of the next meeting, he'll change the numbers on his coin, and because I've put a Protean Charm on them, they'll all change to mimic his."

"You can do a Protean Charm?" said Terry Boot.

"Yes," said Hermione.

"But that's... that's N.E.W.T. standard, that is," Terry said weakly.

"Oh," said Hermione, trying to look modest. "Oh... well... yes, I suppose it is... (Y/n) was the one to point the charm out to me."

"How come you're not in Ravenclaw?" Terry demanded, staring at Hermione with something close to wonder. "With brains like yours?"

"Well, the Sorting Hat did seriously consider putting me in Ravenclaw," said Hermione brightly, "but it decided on Gryffindor in the end. So does that mean we're using the Galleons?"
There was a murmur of assent and everybody moved forward to collect one from the basket.

To say that getting into the underground base of the Strange Women Society without getting doused in a pile of snow was a difficult task would have been an understatement. Upon each arrival, a shivering, snowy, and damp girl would come through the rocky door after clearing the snow behind her. (Y/n) had to pity Leanne, who would need to go and wait in the snow for Ginny and Luna. She did the reasonable thing of giving Leanne two hand warmers to hold in her pocket and had her wand ready to cast a warming spell when Luna and Ginny were brought inside.

From what Lavender, Parvati, and Hermione had all said, Hagrid's inspection with Umbridge had not gone too well. But on a positive note, the five-year reunion would be that following night and the girls were all in high spirits as they hung up fairy lights for the occasion.

"Here they come..." (Y/n) said, looking up as rhythmic knocks filled the room. The girls hurried back over to greet the new Aces.

"Hey," Ginny greeted casually.

"Hey," several others replied. Parvati and Padma waved bundles of sage up and down Ginny and Luna.

"Neat," Ginny said, glancing around the room. "This has always been here?"

"It formed itself back during the witch trials," Leanne answered. Ginny nodded slowly. "You up for a blood oath?"

"Huh?" Ginny blinked. Luna agreed without hesitation.

"It's just to show that you're in for the long run," Leanne shrugged, holding up her hand. There was an almost invisible line across her palm. "It heals instantly and you get a cool carving on your finger." She showed off her small butterfly.

"You... carve that into our hands?" Ginny asked warily.

"No," Leanne said, shaking her head. "Just your palm... and whatever magic is in the dagger gives you... your symbol, I guess."