The Protector

Dumbledore's Army

"Are you sure he told you the right time in the letter?" I asked, lying on the couch in the common room.

"I'm sure of it," Harry told me. "Just listen to the radio or sleep or something."

"We are beginning to believe that these mysterious missing cases are none other than notorious murderer, Sirius Black," Fudge spoke on the radio.

"Nah, I'm good," I nodded to Harry.

"Harry!" I heard the fireplace crackle. We all jumped up to go see Sirius.

"Hey, Sirius! Why did you want to meet up?"

"I'm here about your letter," he answered. "What's Umbridge doing? Trying to get you to kill inbreeds?"

"Taking control of the entire school," I answered.

"And not allowing any magic," Harry added.

"That's not surprising," the fire spoke. "Word has it Fudge doesn't want you to learn how to use magic with combat skills."

"Combat skills?" Ron asked. "What do they think we're gonna do? Make an army and rebel?"

"Yep," he popped his 'p'. "He's afraid Dumbledore is making an army of his own to go against the Ministry. He's becoming more paranoid by the hour. And I know...I know the others won't want me telling you guys this but...things with the Order aren't going well. Fudge is trying to hide the truth, which doesn't help us. These disappearances and missing cases is exactly how it started before. Voldemort and his followers are on the move."

"What are we supposed to do?" Harry asked.

A click came from the other side of the fire. Sirius turned to look then back to us, "Someone's coming, so I cannot help you anymore. Sorry. It's all up to you." He disappeared within the flames.

We all stood up. "What are we supposed to do?" I asked. "We can't remain uneducated."

I stood back while Hermione walked towards the window. A rainstorm had begun and I guess I hadn't noticed.

"He's out there," Hermione nodded. "We need to be able to defend ourselves."

"Agreed," I answered.

"If Umbridge won't teach us," she looked back to us, "somebody else will."

"Who?" Harry asked.

"You, of course," Hermione gestured to him.

"I'm not teaching teenagers alone," he argued. "Even if I said I would, I just wouldn't be able to do it alone."

"Then Bridget will help teach," Ron commented.

"I don't know," I sighed. "We'll see what everyone else thinks."

•••

There was now snow on the ground. The four of us traveled quickly through Hogsmeade. The snow wasn't thick yet, but you could tell it was going to be.

"Who would even want to be taught by me?" Harry argued as we arrived to Hog's Head. "I thought I was a mad man."

"I'm sure lots of people will," I told him as I grabbed his shoulders. "You might be mad, but at least you'll teach them something."

"Yeah," Ron argreed. "You can't be worse than the old toad."

"Gee, thanks," I could feel the eye roll Harry did.

"So who's all supposed to be meeting us?" I asked.

"Only...a couple of people," Hermione told us.