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'And nobody helped you get rid of those Dementors this summer；' said Susan Bones。
'No；' said Harry； 'no； OK； I know I did bits of it without help； but the point I'm trying to make is …'
'Are you trying to weasel out of showing us any of this stuff？' said Zacharias Smith。
'Here's an idea；' said Ron loudly； before Harry could speak； 'why don't you shut your mouth？'
Perhaps the word 'weasel' had affected Ron particularly strongly。 In any case； he was now looking at Zacharias as though he would like nothing better than to thump him。 Zacharias flushed。
'Well； we've all turned up to learn from him and now he's telling us he can't really do any of it；' he said。
'That's not what he said； 'snarled Fred。
'Would you like us to clean out your ears for you？' enquired George； pulling a long and lethal…looking metal instrument from inside one of the Zonko's bags。
'Or any part of your body； really； we're not fussy where we stick this；' said Fred。
'Yes； well；' said Hermione hastily； 'moving on： the point is； are we agreed we want to take lessons from Harry？'
There was a murmur of general agreement。 Zacharias folded his arms and said nothing； though perhaps this was because he was too busy keeping an eye on the instrument in Fred's hand。
'Right；' said Hermione； looking relieved that something had at last been settled。 'Well； then； the next question is how often we do it。 I really don't think there's any point in meeting less than once a week …'
'Hang on；' said Angelina； 'we need to make sure this doesn't clash with our Quidditch practice。'
'No；' said Cho； 'nor with ours。'
'Nor ours；' added Zacharias Smith。
'I'm sure we can find a night that suits everyone；' said Hermione； slightly impatiently； 'but you know； this is rather important； we're talking about learning to defend ourselves against V…Voldemort's Death Eaters …'
'Well said！' barked Ernie Macmillan； who Harry had been expecting to speak long before this。 'Personally I think this is really important； possibly more important than anything else we'll do this year； even with our OWLs ing up！'
He looked around impressively； as though waiting for people to cry 'Surely not！' When nobody spoke； he went on； 'I； personally am at a loss to see why the Ministry has foisted such a useless teacher on us at this critical period。 Obviously； they are in denial about the return of You…Know…Who； but to give us a teacher who is trying to actively prevent us from using defensive spells …'
'We think the reason Umbridge doesn't want us trained in Defence Against the Dark Arts；' said Hermione； 'is that she's got some： some mad idea that Dumbledore could use the students in the school as a kind of private army。 She thinks he'd mobilise us against the Ministry。'
Nearly everybody looked stunned at this news； everybody except Luna Lovegood； who piped up； 'Well； that makes sense。 After all； Cornelius Fudge has got his own private army'
'What？' said Harry； pletely thrown by this unexpected piece of information。
'Yes； he's got an army of Heliopaths；' said Luna solemnly。
'No； he hasn't；' snapped Hermione。
'Yes； he has；' said Luna。
'What are Heliopaths？' asked Neville； looking blank。
They're spirits of fire；' said Luna； her protuberant eyes widening so that she looked madder than ever； 'great tall flaming creatures that gallop across the ground burning everything in front of …'
They don't exist； Neville；' said Hermione tartly。
'Oh； yes； they do！' said Luna angrily。
'I'm sorry； but where's the proof of that？' snapped Hermione。
There are plenty of eye…witness accounts。 Just because you're so narrow…minded you need to have everything shoved under your nose before you …'
'Hem； hem；' said Ginny； in such a good imitation of Professor Umbridge that several people looked around in alarm and then laughed。 'Weren't we trying to decide how often we're going to meet and have defence lessons？'
'Yes；' said Hermione at once； 'yes； we were； you're right； Ginny。'
Well； once a week sounds cool；' said Lee Jordan。
'As long as …' began Angelina。
'Yes； yes； we know about the Quidditch；' said Hermione in a tense voice。 Well； the other thing to decide is where we're going to meet：'
This was rather more difficult； the whole group fell silent。
'Library？' suggested Katie Bell after a few moments。
'I can't see Madam Pince being too chuffed with us doing jinxes in the library；' said Harry。
'Maybe an unused classroom？' said Dean。
'Yeah；' said Ron； 'McGonagall might let us have hers； she did when Harry was practising for the Triwizard。'
But Harry was pretty certain that McGonagall would not be so acmodating this time。 For all that Hermione had said about study and homework groups being allowed； he had the distinct feeling that this one might be considered a lot more rebellious。
'Right； well； we'll try to find somewhere；' said Hermione。 'We'll send a message round to everybody when we've got a time and a place for the first meeting。'
She rummaged in her bag and produced parchment and a quill； then hesitated； rather as though she was steeling herself to say something。
'I … I think everybody should write their name down； just so we know who was here。 But I also think；' she took a deep breath； 'that we all ought to agree not to shout about what we're doing。 So if you sign； you're agreeing not to tell Umbridge or anybody else what we're up to。'
Fred reached out for the parchment and cheerfully wrote his signature； but Harry noticed at once that several people looked less than happy at the prospect of putting their names on the list。
'Er：' said Zacharias slowly； not taking the parchment that George was trying to pass to him； 'well： I'm sure Ernie will tell me when the meeting is。'
But Ernie was looking rather hesitant about signing； too。 Hermione raised her eyebrows at him。
'I … well； we are prefects；' Ernie burst out。 'And if this list was found： well； I mean to say： you said yourself； if Umbridge finds out …'
'You just said this group was the most important thing you'd do this year；' Harry reminded him。
'I … yes；' said Ernie； 'yes； I do believe that； it's just …'
'Ernie； do you really think I'd leave that list lying around？' said Hermione testily。
'No。 No； of course not；' said Ernie； looking slightly less anxious。 'I … yes； of course I'll sign。'
Nobody raised objections after Ernie； though Harry saw Cho's friend give her a rather reproachful look before adding her own name。 When the last perscfri … Zacharias … had signed； Hermione took the parchment back and slipped it carefully into her bag。 There was an odd feeling in the group now。 It was as though they had just signed some kind of contract。
'Well； time's ticking on；' said Fred briskly； getting to his feet。 'George； Lee and I have got items of a sensitive nature to purchase； we'll be seeing you all later。'
In twos and threes the rest of the group took their leave； too。
Cho made rather a business of fastening the catch on her bag before leaving； her long dark curtain of hair swinging forwards to hide her face； but her friend stood beside her； arms folded； clicking her tongue； so that Cho had little choice but to leave with her。 As her friend ushered her through the door； Cho looked back and waved at Harry。
'Well； I think that went quite well；' said Hermione happily； as she； Harry and Ron walked out of the Hog's Head into the bright sunlight a few moments later。 Harry and Ron were clutching their bottles of Butterbeer。
That Zacharias bloke's a wart；' said Ron； who was glowering after the figure of Smith； just discernible in the distance。
'I don't like him much； either；' admitted Hermione； 'but he overheard me talking to Ernie and Hannah at the Hufflepuff table and he seemed really interested in ing； so what could I say？ But the more people the better really … I mean； Michael Corner and his friends wouldn't have e if he hadn't been going out with Ginny …'
Ron； who had been draining the last few drops from his Butterbeer bottle； gagged and sprayed Butterbeer down his front。
'He's WHAT？' spluttered Ron； outraged； his ears now resembling curls of raw beef。 'She's going out with … my sister's going … what d'you mean； Michael Corner？'
'Well； that's why he and his friends came； I think … well； they're obviously interested in learning defence； but if Ginny hadn't told Michael what was going on …'
When did this … when did she …？'
They met at the Yule Ball and got together at the end of last year；' said Hermione posedly。 They had turned into the High Street and she paused outside Scrivenshaft's Quill Shop； where there was a handsome display of pheasant feather quills in the window。 'Hmm： I could do with a new quill。'
She turned into the shop。 Harry and Ron followed her。
Which one was Michael Corner？' Ron demanded furiously。
The dark one；' said Hermione。
'I didn't like him；' said Ron at once。
'Big surprise；' said Hermione under her breath。
'But；' said Ron； following Hermione along a row of quills in copper pots