E Pluribus Unum

A/N - People have asked about the students - Ghaeth - And I must be setting up the chapters well for them to be anticipating them.

Helen - Happy to be of sevice!

Raquel - I don\'t get paid for this story, so unt unt my reviews as a sort of salary of praise. Feel free to leave lots of reviews, they are my reward for a job well done.


Chapter 28 – Leave No One Behind

Minuet sat on the couch, curled up beside Draco. The Room of Requirement was full tonight as the members of Dumbledore’s Army gathered to talk. A sitting room with couches, chairs and writing desks was the configuration it had taken tonight. The DA members were draped about the room in casual poses but with serious eyes.

Minuet was still horribly shaken by Uncle Severus’ near death. In her mind he had become invincible, invulnerable and immortal; to have that shaken was to feel as though there was no certainty anywhere in the world. Harry caught her eye and she relaxed. There was one certainty: she loved Harry Potter.

Draco was sitting with an arm about Helena and another around Min; the two younger girls were snuggled against him seeking comfort. The whole of Slytherin was shaken by Professor Snape’s prolonged absence. Two weeks in the Hospital Wing was longer away from his House than he had ever been before and they missed him bitterly. Without Snape Watch in the mornings to tell them which way the wind was blowing they had lost more House Points than usual. With Dumbledore teaching Potions (though he was a really good teacher), the Gryffindors were arrogant and smirking. Without the sure knowledge that sniffling in the night would bring him to your room immediately, willing to listen to your fears and childhood traumas, they were, quite simply, lost.

They all had realized that they had taken him for granted and their guilt had taken the form of letters, candy and flowers that filled the Hospital with conflicting floral scents. Those favored few who were allowed to visit came back grave and silent and fear spread amongst the Snakes. Harry’s voice interrupted her musing.

“So with what happened to Madam Pince in mind, I have been thinking about ways to boost our morale and Hermione has come up with some projects for us.” Draco rolled his eyes at Min, but Min just grinned back. She knew that Draco secretly liked the Gryffindor girl.

“Oh great, Bossy Boots is going to give us projects.” Draco grimaced and Hermione frowned but she took him no more seriously than Minuet did and Hannah Abbot even grinned at him with affection. His reputation as an arrogant jerk had taken such a severe beating in the last year that it was doubtful whether any of them could muster up any real dislike of him now. Except, of course, for Ron Weasley. Now there was a boy who never released a grudge.

“Watch your mouth, Malfoy.” Ron snarled and Hermione sighed, while everyone else braced for the coming war.

“You got a problem, Weasel?” Draco fired back. Harry intervened before either combatant could get started again.

“Enough!” Harry made a chopping motion with his hand. “We have too much to worry about without fighting amongst ourselves.” He included Draco in his glance, but Ron turned red in shame.

“You make it sound like he is one of us, that all of them are.” Ron’s glare and gesture encompassed all the Snakes: Crabbe, Goyle, Helena, Minuet and Draco. “How do we know they aren’t spies sent by He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named?” Ron asked, while eyeing the Slytherins.

“Because I asked Dumbledore before I invited them in and he agreed that they were trustworthy.” This was the first time Minuet had heard anything about this and she looked at Harry in some shock. Ron was also looking a little hammered by the information and was staring at Harry in disbelief.

“Couldn’t you figure out that bit on your own, Potter?” Draco’s voice was disdainful, but there was a mix of emotions under his words. Anger and hurt at being doubted as well as gratification that Dumbledore trusted him.

“After what happened with Sirius, I check some of my instincts with Dumbledore first, just to make sure.” Minuet was now feeling sorrow and rage at Voldemort. Harry had so many insecurities already, the last thing he needed was to spend all his remaining energy wondering if his thoughts were his own or Voldemort’s.

“So you’re not an idiot after all, Potter.” Draco’s words were harsh, but his tone was even and he nodded at Harry acknowledging the other boy’s point. Harry merely shrugged, whether at the acknowledgement or at the subtler acceptance in Draco’s words, it was hard to be sure. For a Gryffindor, Harry was capable of grasping nuances with Slytherin-like ability.

“So I was hoping we could start a buddy system.” Hermione cut through the emotional undertones with her no-nonsense practicality. “We don’t go anywhere without at least one member of the DA with us. We pick another DA member who we report dreams, thoughts, any insecurities or fears we might be feeling to. Anyone see anything dodgy in one of the others and we sit them down and talk to them about it. No one gets left alone, no one gets ignored.” Hermione’s voice was strong and clear and Minuet found herself smiling at the older girl.

“That’s brilliant!” Minuet heard herself say and was instantly embarrassed, though Hermione beamed at her. Draco elbowed her sharply.

“Don’t encourage her.” He mumbled, but everyoneght ght it and most chuckled. Ron glowered at the blonde Snake, but Hermione just rolled her eyes.

“That’s the point, Draco, to encourage each other. How many people paid attention to Madam Pince?” The room fell silent under her sharp-eyed gaze. “I am as guilty as anyone; I spend more time in the Library than anywhere else.” There was rumbling laughter at that. “But that’s why it needs to be all of us. When I get sucked into a book, I loose track of everything.”

“You’re right. My Great Aunt says that the details are more important than anything else when you are fighting the Dark.” Susan Bones piped up from her seat next to Terry Boot, who was nodding at her words.

“Riotous Theory of Conglomerated Nuances.” Minuet blurted out and Hermione nodded vigorously.

“Exactly! The only way to fight the voices is to talk about them, to drag them out into the light. They live by secrecy and shame, they hide in shadows; force them into the open and they fade.”

“Like the Boggart.” Neville Longbottom commented. Ginny was sitting on the floor in front of him, her head back, resting on his knees and she smiled up at him. Minuet noticed that Neville had filled out a lot in the last year or so. His body had lost the pudgy round quality and there was strength in his frame and in his face. Ginny, her hair in multiple braids twisted on top of her head, her freckled face lovely in the firelight was looking up at him with pride and affection.

“Exactly like the Boggart.” Hermione agreed, so excited by their understanding that she was bouncing. “I am terrified of failing the NEWTS.” She admitted and the general laughter that answered her made her grin.

“Even if you didn’t study from this day forth Granger, you would ace the tests.” Draco’s offhand comment made Hermione flush with pleasure.

“I see what you mean, though.” Luna was gazing dreamily at the fire. “Fear is countered with laughter. Not the kind that makes fun of you, but the kind that is gentle and compassionate. The kind that reminds us we are all afraid and that really there isn’t anything to be afraid of, we’re just all very silly.” Minuet joined the others in drop-jawed silence as they absorbed Luna’s words.

“Now we know how she made Ravenclaw.” Draco murmured to Minuet and Min nodded back to him, suddenly feeling far more hopeful than she had since her father died.