Seven Strong

Finding Out The Truth

Draco and Hermione started towards McGonagall's office, on the way they met with Harry and Ron who had stopped to wait for them.

"I wonder what this is all about?" asked Harry.

"Who knows? Maybe you-know-who has finally surrendered?" chuckled Ron.

"That'll be the day Weasley," smiled Draco.

"Hopefully, he dropped dead," said Hermione playfully.

"Hermione, Hermione, Hermione," said Harry shaking his head in mock disappointment.

"Lemon drops," said Hermione to the gargoyle. Once the stairway was clear they made their way to the Headmistress' office. They found McGonagall pacing her office clearly deep in thought.

"Professor, you called us?" asked Hermione.

"Aah, yes,” she startled a bit. “Severus has just requested a meeting with the order. I can not allow you to attend; you must not miss the rest of your classes. But there's a task I must ask of you," said McGonagall in one breath.

"What can we do Professor?" asked Draco.

"What I need you kids to do for me is what Mr. Potter did back in your fifth year, I need you to rebuild Dumbledore's Army," she said to the group in general.

The look of pure ecstasy came over them; they looked like children on Christmas morning.

"You have my permission to use the top of the Astronomy tower, as long as it doesn't interrupts Astronomy classes or your classes for that matter," at that Ron's face fell a little but the rest of the group were happy still.

"Am I to keep teaching like I did back in fifth year?" asked Harry.

"I was actually thinking of someone with a bit more experience with the Dark Arts and magic in general, and you need to learn yourself," said McGonagall.

"Please don't let Snape teach us," begged Ron.

"Actually I was thinking that Tonks and Carmen would be the perfect candidates for the task. Gather the students as if Umbridge was still in the castle. And Mr. Malfoy Slytherins are more than welcome."

"Thank you, I know those who can be trusted," said Draco pleased to include his friends.

"I know you're not talking about the Slytherins," scoffed Ron.

"Ronald Weasley," for a moment Ron thought that his mom was in the room with them, but he relaxed a bit when Hermione pressed on. "You don't even know any of them," she told him sternly, it surprised even herself.

"Yeah I do. They're all snakes."

"Oh st-"

"Are you two quite done?" interrupted McGonagall.

"Sorry Professor," said Ron and Hermione together.

"Now that we have that established, I must be off. The Order is at Headquarters, I'll fill you in when I return. For now you have your assignments, you may go," she said pointing them towards the door.

"Let me know when you have your group together so that we can set up your meetings," said McGonagall before closing the door to her office.

As soon as they got off the revolving stairs Ron stormed away. Draco bid Harry and Hermione good bye and walked away slowly, as soon as they were out of earshot Harry turned on Hermione.

"Okay what the bloody hell was that all about?"

Hermione knew exactly what he was referring to, but she decided to play dumb. "Oh Harry you know how Ron's temper is, if he doesn't get his way than he storms off or blows up."

"Hermione, what do you take me for? I know that you know what I was talking about," said Harry grinning.

"I don't know what came over me, I'm just so sick of Ron judging them by their house-"

"Oh cut the crap Hermione, we've all done the same thing before and you are not an exception, pot calling the catle black you are," said Harry smiling at her.

"He's become somewhat of an acquaintance, and I just wish that Ron would get it through that thick head of his that Malfoy is on our side now," she said trying to make herself believe that to be the case.

"Whatever Hermione, keep telling yourself that. Who knows, maybe you'll believe it," he said with mock seriousness.

"I do believe it, honestly I do believe it."

"Okay if you say so, but now let's change the subject. Can you get us some more coins?"

"Sure thing. Are we getting the old 'Army' back or are we making a new one?" asked Hermione.

"Some of the old Army has graduated and we don't really know who to trust so let's just make a new one."

"Sounds good, I can't wait to train again," she said as they arrived at their next class.

Classes were over with and before they knew it they were walking towards the Headmistress' office. They had been called over after dinner so she could tell them what had happened at the Order meeting. Harry said the password and they went up to her door, which was left open waiting for them to arrive.

"Take a seat please," said McGonagall as they walked in. Ginny and Luna had joined them. "I'm afraid to say that I bring bad news," McGonagall said avoiding eye contact with the group of teens.

"What happened Professor?" asked Ron concerned for his family.

"There has been an attack, Severus has told us that this attack was You-Know-Who's way of declaring war. I'm afraid to say that it has begun, there's no place safe… no safe place anywhere," Hermione knew that even though this was important to say, she knew that McGonagall was skirting around the subject. So she acted.

"Where was the attack Professor?" asked Hermione.

"A little village called 'Armony', so far no survivors have been found, the village was found in flames but the ministry is trying to keep this under wraps so the papers won't be reporting it," said the old Professor taking a pause so that realization could settle. Hermione felt pain, but she didn't know anyone that lived there, so the pain she was feeling was very foreign. Once she looked around at the faces of the silent group, she soon realized that one of them did, in fact, feel the pain. Luna had gone very pale and tears had started to fall down her face unrestrained, but she wasn't sobbing or making any noise for that matter. Draco and Harry seemed to notice too. Hermione and Ginny moved closer to the girl and shooed Ron and Harry so that they could sit next to her. When Ginny placed a hand on Luna's arm she noticed that the girl had gone freezing cold and was now shaking uncontrollably.

"Miss Lovegood if you would like I can owl your parents so they can come take you home for a week or until you feel better," said McGonagall sympathetically.

At the sound of the Headmistress' voice Luna looked up at her, tears now had seized to fall and the only emotion that could be read from her eyes were pure hatred. "No need Professor," said Luna simply.

"Miss Lovegood I think that this a tough time for your family and you should go be with them. So I insist that you go," Minerva pressed.

"My parents dropped me off at King's Cross and left to spend the week with my grandparents, so honestly there's no need. May I be excused?" said Luna getting to her feet and leaving the room without waiting for permission.

"I'm confused," said Ron looking lost, but he wasn't alone in this feeling even Hermione looked lost.

"Miss Lovegood's grandparents lived at Armony village and her parents might be dead. Miss Granger, Miss Weasley please go after her."

"Of course Professor," said Ginny pulling Hermione after her.

Ginny and Hermione found Luna out on the grounds, she was out for some fresh air but told the girls flat out that she was not gonna talk about it. Hermione felt that something had changed about their loony friend, but thought nothing of it being the fact that the girl just lost her family. Luna went on with life, her theory was that just because the end had come to some, hers was yet to come. So the show must go on. There was no funeral due to the fact that there was no body.

Luna was different now. She was no longer the dreamy faced loony, it was as if the death of her family snapped her out of that. She looked like she could take on the world, 'hell to go through what she went through and still be sane, I guess one could take on the world,' said Hermione once.

Everyone was expecting her to break at any minute, but three weeks later that was still to happen so they just assumed that she wouldn't. And she wasn't going to.

The D.A was now reformed. Draco had gotten his friends to join, so from the Slytherin house they had Theo Nott and Blaise Zabini both Draco’s fellow seventh year, Isabella Marlton a sixth year prefect, Kyle Werneck a fifth year and Pansy Parkinson also a seventh year. Kyle and Isabella were cousins and Draco had known them since he could remember. The group had started to meet the previous week and since the war had started officially, Tonks and Professor Carmen were training them hard. On Friday after one of their training sections Hermione, Ron, Draco, Harry, Ginny and Luna were sitting in the heads common room doing their homework. Their schedule had been packed so tight they used every chance they got to get their schoolwork done, and today was just one of those days.