Fanfiction: Desertion - Still Recruiting
Title: Desertion - Still Recruiting
Fandom: Harry Potter
Characters: Zacharias Smith, Alecto Carrow, and Dumbledore’s Army
Prompt: Thunder
Word Count: 2820
Rating: PG13
Summary: Death Eaters were welcomed at Hogwarts, and Lord Voldemort ruled without sympathy. It wasn’t a time to be innocent, anymore. In the face of the darkest year, Zacharias Smith struggles between doing what is right, and what is easy.
Chapter Summary: Dumbledore’s Army was seeking new recruits in more public displays.
Author’s Notes: The third part of the Desertion series.
“The lot of yer will discover how the Muggles are prone to beastly conducts.” Heads darted up as Alecto Carrow waved her wand to the blackboard. In a dark tone, to lock her seriousness, she warned, “They try to act civilised, but anything can resort them to their animal instincts. Wide accounts of bestiality have been reported. You can read Cornelius Burke’s descriptions if you turn to page sixty-five.
The Muggles don’t know restraint, and will give into temptations at any opportunity. When they can’t get their females to perform, they romp around with each other. If a witch produces a child with a Muggle, those same sexual dysfunctions are passed on. Half-bloods are twice as likely as pure-bloods to participate in beastly, incestuous and homosexual behaviour, and Muggle-borns four times likely as half-bloods.”
A load of bollocks. Cadwallader’s blood was as pure as his own, and that hadn’t stopped him from preferring the blokes.
But from the eager faces of the students in the front row scribbling on their parchment, they were quick to believe the drivel. The half-bloods continued to keeps their noses as close to the desks as possible, probably wishing they could disappear altogether.
Ginny Weasley appeared ready to burst from holding in her voice, her skin as red as a beet. The longer Carrow drawled on about how Muggle-borns and half-bloods were eventually going to cause incurable strains in the wizarding lineage, the harder Ginny bit her lip.
It wasn’t like her to keep so quiet when it was obvious she was ready to hex the professor for hinting their friends were anything but human. Zacharias briefly wondered why she bothered with the restraint until he noticed her hand under the table, wand moving steadily up and down.
Snapping his head up, he spotted her plan in action. Behind professor Carrow, the words on the blackboard rearranged their letters. “Dumbledore’s Army, Still Recruiting!”
Brave, but incredibly stupid.
As each individual in the classroom noticed the change, each began to nudge the closest with an elbow or whisper, pointing fingers and brightening eyes. So unsubtle were they that it didn’t take long for Alecto to see what was so much more interesting than her lecture.
Reading the board with a livid air, her face scrunched low in a glower so deep the students in front were afraid she might have directed her outrage towards them. “Who did this?” she demanded with a bark. Zacharias passed a few quick glances to Ginny, who stuck her wand into her robes’ pocket.
No one answered, or made a sound aside from Alecto’s laboured huffs. “All right. All of yer, stand to yer feet and present yer wands!” She stomped over to the students as they warily delivered their wands, and with a twist of her wrist she shouted, “Prior Incantato.” One by one, the last spells performed by their wands were revealed.
While several students shook with fear, Ginny stood tenaciously, and as Zacharias kept watching her to see how she was going to escape detection, she presented her wand out to be examined in the next row. Not like she could just run out of the room unnoticed, but he was certain she would be caught until Ritchie Coote placed his wand into Alecto Carrow’s bony hand.
Rather than revealing the last spell as she ordered, the wand jumped in her hand and started to beat down on Carrow’s head and neck furiously. It was an amusing sight to see for a tick, the monstrous woman shrieking as the piece of wood whipped her skin.
A trick wand. One from the Weasleys’ jokes, without a doubt.
Even when Alecto subdued the wand and tried to get control of the class, Zacharias caught the determined nod from Ritchie to Ginny. Whether it had been planned or not, Coote seemed prepared to take the blame for Ginny’s act of resistance.
For the first time in Muggle Studies, Ginny didn’t look so sure of herself. She wasn’t in agreements with Coote, he’d simply acted out on his own. The selfless act of chivalry cost him.
Alecto forgot about the words on the blackboard as she exacted revenge for the prank, mercilessly casting “Crucio!” on Ritchie until he fell to the ground in a cry of anguish. The weedy-looking boy that he was, it didn’t take long for him to be in tears, aching down at Carrow’s boot. Gargled sounds erupted from the back of his throat, but the Death Eater was relentless in her anger.
The classroom filled with screams and gasps, as those closest to Coote backed away from the scene as quickly as they could.
Everyone, except Ginny Weasley.
“Can’t say much about Muggles knowing no restraint in your course now, can you?” she declared, finally releasing her scorn on the vicious professor. “A little practical joke, and it has you as rapid as a wolverine. For Merlin’s sake, it even looks like you’re foaming at the mouth.”
It took all of two moments for Alecto to direct her attention to Ginny. As she suffered the same as her Gryffindor comrade-in-arms, Zacharias Smith watched from the back of the group, a hand on his wand but without the courage to act.
That Thursday, Ritchie Coote was invited to the next meeting. With a stroke of the quill, he became the D.A.’s newest recruit, and with immense pride. “Always thought your brothers were geniuses,” he admitted to Ginny at the meeting. “I’ve been a fan of their products ever since the sweets’ box. I couldn’t let Carrow after you. I hear you’re just as brilliant as your brothers at those types of things.”
News of Ginny and Ritchie filled the mouths of the Army, and Ernie expressed his approval louder than anyone. “She’s more than brilliant, I say. Can’t you see? If we get the word out, we can enlist new members. Eloise Midgen asked me about it last night.”
“I think Sally-Anne’s beginning to suspect,” piped Hannah.
Michael offered, “I think Randolph Burrow would make an excellent addition. He’s a prefect, and is at the top of his class.”
“Yes, he’s very knowledgeable in Charms. Although, he is prone to attacks from wrackspurts,” added Luna with a sigh. No one bothered asking the obvious question.
With enthusiasm, Ritchie said, “If I’m here, I know Geoffrey will definitely want to be part of this.”
“Hooper?” asked Seamus, with disgust. “That whiner?”
“You did say we could use all the help we could get,” Neville reminded. With discontent, Seamus agreed with his own words. “I think it would be a great asset for the D.A. to recruit new members, and Ginny was on to something in Carrow’s class. Let them know we’re out there, fighting this.”
“You heard what Carrow did,” said Zacharias from his seat. “Why should we face the Unforgivables for that?”
“You didn’t exactly face much of anything.” Ginny crossed her arms, and with contempt remarked on how he didn’t stand up with her and Coote. This sparked a brief dispute about whether they needed to be so visible with their messages. Anthony thought the idea was just as irresponsible as Zacharias did, but Ginny and the Gryffindors declared the more vocal they were, the more successful they would be.
A night of defence lessons was replaced with a vote for openly recruiting new members. Dumbledore’s Army was so small in numbers, despite comparing fifteen students to three Death Eaters.
Neville Longbottom decided it would be best to become more organized in their public declarations. Nighttime raids, graffiti on the walls, and flashy defiance of the Hogwarts administration. It would serve the same purpose as Ginny’s, but with more security and secrecy.
While many were ready to stand and sacrifice themselves for the cause, safety rang in the minds of the others. It was the best compromise, and possibly the smartest way of executing their plan.
Even Zacharias had to admit Neville was stepping up to his role as the leader of Dumbledore’s Army. The organization was tight, and all possible questions of what might go wrong were addressed.
That didn’t mean he thought it was perfect. Since the D.A. was reformed, they only practised their defensive spells in two of the meetings; that was hardly enough to prepare themselves in sight of possibly being caught.
The response to such a troubling question ended in sending the most experienced students on the first night raid of the classrooms and halls. In case they were caught and the worst happened, there would be others to continue the cause.
Zacharias wasn’t on the first list. He, along with the others not included in the run, were told to be available to run for help.
He continued to listen as Neville assigned Luna and Ginny to his group. Ernie was partnered with Michael and Parvati, and Hannah with Susan and Anthony. Terry joined Lavender and Seamus. As they were assigned their duties, Smith, Patil, and Coote returned to their common rooms.
They didn’t leave until late at night, using the weekend as a hope the night watch would be more lax. “If you get the signal from your Galleon, go and get Professor Sprout,” Ernie instructed, carefully. He and the girls were covered head to foot in black robes, wands at the ready late that night. “Remember, if it shakes, it means run to Professor Sprout’s room. She’ll be furious, but she won’t let the Carrows after us like Filch or Snape. The others are ready to do the same with Professors Flitwick and McGonagall.” If anything, their Head of Houses seemed particularly aware, and lenient, of their activities.
“And tell her what? You were sneaking around, defacing school property?”
Susan disapproved his attempt at wit, and Ernie, the proud Head Boy he was, stressed one last time the importance of what was going to happen.
With the golden Galleon in his night robes’ pocket, he waited. The night ticked by slower and slower as his watch neared 3AM. With each minute passing, he came closer to dozing in the chair. Even the Quidditch magazines couldn’t keep his draining interest, but a harsh gasp snapped him awake.
“What are you doing in here?”
Jumping from the chair in a hurry, hand rummaging into his robe pocket, Zacharias almost collided into Sally-Anne Perks. Wrapping her nightgown tighter around her body, she stared up at him. Her eyes were baggy, her hair was unruly, and everything about her was on edge from an apparent lack of rest. “What are you doing in here?” she repeated.
“Why are you up?” he countered, the first question that jumped to his mind as the tips of his fingers fumbled with the Galleon.
Sally-Anne gave him a dark gaze, and as the numbness in his mind from a lack of sleep started wearing off, he remembered how much Sally-Anne hated him. “No one’s allowed in the common room this late,” she reminded with a crisp frostiness behind her voice. “Now what are you up to? Or should I let Professor Sprout ask, instead?”
With a long roll of his eyes, Zacharias countered, “You’re in here, too. Obviously you’re not in too much distress over the rule. It’s none of your business, anyways.”
“Hannah and Susan aren’t in the dormitories. This has something to do with that group, right? Dumbledore’s Army?” He kept his mouth shut at her questioning, and the back of his throat dried while he remembered the jinx. “What, are you the lookout, or something?”
“If you don’t know what you’re talking about, taking guesses makes you look nuts.”
Across from him, the girl threw herself into the opposite chair with fierce hostility. She stared daggers at him, frustration practically flowing through her just by being in the same room as him. “Be hostile, then. They have to come back sometime, after all. I bet they’re out there right now, aren’t they? Stirring up trouble?”
Zacharias shrugged, sitting back down, hesitantly. “I suppose.”
A scoff brushed from her lips. “You’re unbelievable. And a twit.”
“Still holding that grudge?” he countered. Sally-Anne’s face burned with embarrassment, and she scooted herself further into the chair’s cushion, arms crossing over her chest. “Don’t you have anything better to do?”
“What, like you? I’d say the both of us should be asleep, but I’m not moving anywhere until you tell me where Hannah and Susan are.”
“And what makes you so sure I know where they are?” he pressed.
From the way her face firmed, she looked at him as if he was insane for asking. “Don’t play dumb with me, Smith. Everyone around the school is talking about what happened in Muggle Studies, with Weasley and Coote. This whole Dumbledore’s Army’s thing. I want to know what that’s about, and you’re hiding something. You and Hannah and Susan. And Ernie! He’s running around like he’s going to drop dead if he ever stops moving.”
Zacharias shrugged, again. She knew about the D.A., but the thought of incurable blemishes kept him from affirming her ideas and offering her to join. Until someone explained the details, he chose to err on the side of caution. “That’s how Ernie acts all of the time.”
“Don’t you think I should be let in on this? None of us like what the Carrows are doing, me especially.” With a sigh, she rubbed her arms, not out of coldness, but deep contemplation. “You don’t know what it’s like, being half and half. You’ll never know what it feels like to have your life in danger every day.”
“In the end, it doesn’t matter. Half-blood or pure-blood, anyone can die just the same. They don’t care, really.”
“How can you sit there and think you got it just as bad as we do?” Sally-Anne asked in scepticism. “You, Ernie, you’ve got families dating back generations. They won’t touch you.”
Zacharias raised an eyebrow, certainty in every word he said. “Didn’t save Cedric. Hasn’t made Ernie’s life any easier. You know what they did to Weasley. All they care about is getting people to follow them; the blood purity’s just for show, and to persuade the wizarding world they have their best interest in mind. Bollocks, all of it.”
Silence and cross expressions filled the dimly-lit room, as they ran low on expectations of each other and decided instead to wait. But as the Galleon on Zacharias’ pocket vibrated harshly, the boy jumped from his seat. Sally-Anne tried to follow on his heels, but he pushed her aside.
Grabbing the back of his pyjamas, she enquired with force, “What’s going on?”
Something had gone wrong.
“Get off me.” He scrambled to the door, but was almost run over as Hannah and Susan rushed into the room, out of breath and heartbeats racing. Sally-Anne ran to their side as they removed their hoods, and immediately spouted question after question without regard to how distressed they were.
“Where have you been?” she demanded. “Don’t you know you can be expelled for being outside this late?”
Susan grabbed Sally-Anne’s shoulders, but her eyes were so glazed with fear she didn’t even seem to be processing who she was talking to. “Ernie! They’ve got Ernie!”
Zacharias blinked in disbelief, his hand fumbling with the Galleon in his pocket. “What?”
With wet eyes and pale skin, Hannah cried out with fevered gasps, “I don’t know! Ernie set off his Galleon. He, Michael, and Parvati were working in the Transfiguration hall, and I think Filch got to them. Or one of the Carrows! I don’t know, but they got Ernie! And Michael and Parvati! We have to tell Professor Sprout!”
The bottom of his stomach dropped like lead, and Zacharias could only imagine what was happening to the Head Boy under Snape’s rule of punishment. He wouldn’t doubt the Headmaster was probably sentencing them to detention with the Carrows as they stood stupidly in the common room.
“I’ll get her,” Zacharias declared, inching back to the common room door. How he was going to possibly explain the entire thing without revealing what actually happened, he hadn’t a clue. But if anyone could get them out of a bind, it was Professor Sprout.
“It all happened in an instant,” added Susan, gulping in breaths. “I don’t know why. We don’t know what went wrong. Hannah, Anthony, and I were at the Great Hall, and as soon as the Galleon was signalled, we ran off like we were told. We don’t know about the others.”
Sally-Anne stood perfectly still, her mouth open in shock and fright. “What were you doing? What’s going on?” No one wanted to take the time and explain the circumstances to her. Hannah had taken to crying heavily in her hands, and Susan still couldn’t release her hold on Sally-Anne’s shoulders, still shocked from whatever she’d seen.
What a mess. The first mission by Dumbledore’s Army, and already they’d failed.
--
I apologize for any Americanisms and grammatical errors. All characters belong to J.K. Rowling.
Fandom: Harry Potter
Characters: Zacharias Smith, Alecto Carrow, and Dumbledore’s Army
Prompt: Thunder
Word Count: 2820
Rating: PG13
Summary: Death Eaters were welcomed at Hogwarts, and Lord Voldemort ruled without sympathy. It wasn’t a time to be innocent, anymore. In the face of the darkest year, Zacharias Smith struggles between doing what is right, and what is easy.
Chapter Summary: Dumbledore’s Army was seeking new recruits in more public displays.
Author’s Notes: The third part of the Desertion series.
“The lot of yer will discover how the Muggles are prone to beastly conducts.” Heads darted up as Alecto Carrow waved her wand to the blackboard. In a dark tone, to lock her seriousness, she warned, “They try to act civilised, but anything can resort them to their animal instincts. Wide accounts of bestiality have been reported. You can read Cornelius Burke’s descriptions if you turn to page sixty-five.
The Muggles don’t know restraint, and will give into temptations at any opportunity. When they can’t get their females to perform, they romp around with each other. If a witch produces a child with a Muggle, those same sexual dysfunctions are passed on. Half-bloods are twice as likely as pure-bloods to participate in beastly, incestuous and homosexual behaviour, and Muggle-borns four times likely as half-bloods.”
A load of bollocks. Cadwallader’s blood was as pure as his own, and that hadn’t stopped him from preferring the blokes.
But from the eager faces of the students in the front row scribbling on their parchment, they were quick to believe the drivel. The half-bloods continued to keeps their noses as close to the desks as possible, probably wishing they could disappear altogether.
Ginny Weasley appeared ready to burst from holding in her voice, her skin as red as a beet. The longer Carrow drawled on about how Muggle-borns and half-bloods were eventually going to cause incurable strains in the wizarding lineage, the harder Ginny bit her lip.
It wasn’t like her to keep so quiet when it was obvious she was ready to hex the professor for hinting their friends were anything but human. Zacharias briefly wondered why she bothered with the restraint until he noticed her hand under the table, wand moving steadily up and down.
Snapping his head up, he spotted her plan in action. Behind professor Carrow, the words on the blackboard rearranged their letters. “Dumbledore’s Army, Still Recruiting!”
Brave, but incredibly stupid.
As each individual in the classroom noticed the change, each began to nudge the closest with an elbow or whisper, pointing fingers and brightening eyes. So unsubtle were they that it didn’t take long for Alecto to see what was so much more interesting than her lecture.
Reading the board with a livid air, her face scrunched low in a glower so deep the students in front were afraid she might have directed her outrage towards them. “Who did this?” she demanded with a bark. Zacharias passed a few quick glances to Ginny, who stuck her wand into her robes’ pocket.
No one answered, or made a sound aside from Alecto’s laboured huffs. “All right. All of yer, stand to yer feet and present yer wands!” She stomped over to the students as they warily delivered their wands, and with a twist of her wrist she shouted, “Prior Incantato.” One by one, the last spells performed by their wands were revealed.
While several students shook with fear, Ginny stood tenaciously, and as Zacharias kept watching her to see how she was going to escape detection, she presented her wand out to be examined in the next row. Not like she could just run out of the room unnoticed, but he was certain she would be caught until Ritchie Coote placed his wand into Alecto Carrow’s bony hand.
Rather than revealing the last spell as she ordered, the wand jumped in her hand and started to beat down on Carrow’s head and neck furiously. It was an amusing sight to see for a tick, the monstrous woman shrieking as the piece of wood whipped her skin.
A trick wand. One from the Weasleys’ jokes, without a doubt.
Even when Alecto subdued the wand and tried to get control of the class, Zacharias caught the determined nod from Ritchie to Ginny. Whether it had been planned or not, Coote seemed prepared to take the blame for Ginny’s act of resistance.
For the first time in Muggle Studies, Ginny didn’t look so sure of herself. She wasn’t in agreements with Coote, he’d simply acted out on his own. The selfless act of chivalry cost him.
Alecto forgot about the words on the blackboard as she exacted revenge for the prank, mercilessly casting “Crucio!” on Ritchie until he fell to the ground in a cry of anguish. The weedy-looking boy that he was, it didn’t take long for him to be in tears, aching down at Carrow’s boot. Gargled sounds erupted from the back of his throat, but the Death Eater was relentless in her anger.
The classroom filled with screams and gasps, as those closest to Coote backed away from the scene as quickly as they could.
Everyone, except Ginny Weasley.
“Can’t say much about Muggles knowing no restraint in your course now, can you?” she declared, finally releasing her scorn on the vicious professor. “A little practical joke, and it has you as rapid as a wolverine. For Merlin’s sake, it even looks like you’re foaming at the mouth.”
It took all of two moments for Alecto to direct her attention to Ginny. As she suffered the same as her Gryffindor comrade-in-arms, Zacharias Smith watched from the back of the group, a hand on his wand but without the courage to act.
That Thursday, Ritchie Coote was invited to the next meeting. With a stroke of the quill, he became the D.A.’s newest recruit, and with immense pride. “Always thought your brothers were geniuses,” he admitted to Ginny at the meeting. “I’ve been a fan of their products ever since the sweets’ box. I couldn’t let Carrow after you. I hear you’re just as brilliant as your brothers at those types of things.”
News of Ginny and Ritchie filled the mouths of the Army, and Ernie expressed his approval louder than anyone. “She’s more than brilliant, I say. Can’t you see? If we get the word out, we can enlist new members. Eloise Midgen asked me about it last night.”
“I think Sally-Anne’s beginning to suspect,” piped Hannah.
Michael offered, “I think Randolph Burrow would make an excellent addition. He’s a prefect, and is at the top of his class.”
“Yes, he’s very knowledgeable in Charms. Although, he is prone to attacks from wrackspurts,” added Luna with a sigh. No one bothered asking the obvious question.
With enthusiasm, Ritchie said, “If I’m here, I know Geoffrey will definitely want to be part of this.”
“Hooper?” asked Seamus, with disgust. “That whiner?”
“You did say we could use all the help we could get,” Neville reminded. With discontent, Seamus agreed with his own words. “I think it would be a great asset for the D.A. to recruit new members, and Ginny was on to something in Carrow’s class. Let them know we’re out there, fighting this.”
“You heard what Carrow did,” said Zacharias from his seat. “Why should we face the Unforgivables for that?”
“You didn’t exactly face much of anything.” Ginny crossed her arms, and with contempt remarked on how he didn’t stand up with her and Coote. This sparked a brief dispute about whether they needed to be so visible with their messages. Anthony thought the idea was just as irresponsible as Zacharias did, but Ginny and the Gryffindors declared the more vocal they were, the more successful they would be.
A night of defence lessons was replaced with a vote for openly recruiting new members. Dumbledore’s Army was so small in numbers, despite comparing fifteen students to three Death Eaters.
Neville Longbottom decided it would be best to become more organized in their public declarations. Nighttime raids, graffiti on the walls, and flashy defiance of the Hogwarts administration. It would serve the same purpose as Ginny’s, but with more security and secrecy.
While many were ready to stand and sacrifice themselves for the cause, safety rang in the minds of the others. It was the best compromise, and possibly the smartest way of executing their plan.
Even Zacharias had to admit Neville was stepping up to his role as the leader of Dumbledore’s Army. The organization was tight, and all possible questions of what might go wrong were addressed.
That didn’t mean he thought it was perfect. Since the D.A. was reformed, they only practised their defensive spells in two of the meetings; that was hardly enough to prepare themselves in sight of possibly being caught.
The response to such a troubling question ended in sending the most experienced students on the first night raid of the classrooms and halls. In case they were caught and the worst happened, there would be others to continue the cause.
Zacharias wasn’t on the first list. He, along with the others not included in the run, were told to be available to run for help.
He continued to listen as Neville assigned Luna and Ginny to his group. Ernie was partnered with Michael and Parvati, and Hannah with Susan and Anthony. Terry joined Lavender and Seamus. As they were assigned their duties, Smith, Patil, and Coote returned to their common rooms.
They didn’t leave until late at night, using the weekend as a hope the night watch would be more lax. “If you get the signal from your Galleon, go and get Professor Sprout,” Ernie instructed, carefully. He and the girls were covered head to foot in black robes, wands at the ready late that night. “Remember, if it shakes, it means run to Professor Sprout’s room. She’ll be furious, but she won’t let the Carrows after us like Filch or Snape. The others are ready to do the same with Professors Flitwick and McGonagall.” If anything, their Head of Houses seemed particularly aware, and lenient, of their activities.
“And tell her what? You were sneaking around, defacing school property?”
Susan disapproved his attempt at wit, and Ernie, the proud Head Boy he was, stressed one last time the importance of what was going to happen.
With the golden Galleon in his night robes’ pocket, he waited. The night ticked by slower and slower as his watch neared 3AM. With each minute passing, he came closer to dozing in the chair. Even the Quidditch magazines couldn’t keep his draining interest, but a harsh gasp snapped him awake.
“What are you doing in here?”
Jumping from the chair in a hurry, hand rummaging into his robe pocket, Zacharias almost collided into Sally-Anne Perks. Wrapping her nightgown tighter around her body, she stared up at him. Her eyes were baggy, her hair was unruly, and everything about her was on edge from an apparent lack of rest. “What are you doing in here?” she repeated.
“Why are you up?” he countered, the first question that jumped to his mind as the tips of his fingers fumbled with the Galleon.
Sally-Anne gave him a dark gaze, and as the numbness in his mind from a lack of sleep started wearing off, he remembered how much Sally-Anne hated him. “No one’s allowed in the common room this late,” she reminded with a crisp frostiness behind her voice. “Now what are you up to? Or should I let Professor Sprout ask, instead?”
With a long roll of his eyes, Zacharias countered, “You’re in here, too. Obviously you’re not in too much distress over the rule. It’s none of your business, anyways.”
“Hannah and Susan aren’t in the dormitories. This has something to do with that group, right? Dumbledore’s Army?” He kept his mouth shut at her questioning, and the back of his throat dried while he remembered the jinx. “What, are you the lookout, or something?”
“If you don’t know what you’re talking about, taking guesses makes you look nuts.”
Across from him, the girl threw herself into the opposite chair with fierce hostility. She stared daggers at him, frustration practically flowing through her just by being in the same room as him. “Be hostile, then. They have to come back sometime, after all. I bet they’re out there right now, aren’t they? Stirring up trouble?”
Zacharias shrugged, sitting back down, hesitantly. “I suppose.”
A scoff brushed from her lips. “You’re unbelievable. And a twit.”
“Still holding that grudge?” he countered. Sally-Anne’s face burned with embarrassment, and she scooted herself further into the chair’s cushion, arms crossing over her chest. “Don’t you have anything better to do?”
“What, like you? I’d say the both of us should be asleep, but I’m not moving anywhere until you tell me where Hannah and Susan are.”
“And what makes you so sure I know where they are?” he pressed.
From the way her face firmed, she looked at him as if he was insane for asking. “Don’t play dumb with me, Smith. Everyone around the school is talking about what happened in Muggle Studies, with Weasley and Coote. This whole Dumbledore’s Army’s thing. I want to know what that’s about, and you’re hiding something. You and Hannah and Susan. And Ernie! He’s running around like he’s going to drop dead if he ever stops moving.”
Zacharias shrugged, again. She knew about the D.A., but the thought of incurable blemishes kept him from affirming her ideas and offering her to join. Until someone explained the details, he chose to err on the side of caution. “That’s how Ernie acts all of the time.”
“Don’t you think I should be let in on this? None of us like what the Carrows are doing, me especially.” With a sigh, she rubbed her arms, not out of coldness, but deep contemplation. “You don’t know what it’s like, being half and half. You’ll never know what it feels like to have your life in danger every day.”
“In the end, it doesn’t matter. Half-blood or pure-blood, anyone can die just the same. They don’t care, really.”
“How can you sit there and think you got it just as bad as we do?” Sally-Anne asked in scepticism. “You, Ernie, you’ve got families dating back generations. They won’t touch you.”
Zacharias raised an eyebrow, certainty in every word he said. “Didn’t save Cedric. Hasn’t made Ernie’s life any easier. You know what they did to Weasley. All they care about is getting people to follow them; the blood purity’s just for show, and to persuade the wizarding world they have their best interest in mind. Bollocks, all of it.”
Silence and cross expressions filled the dimly-lit room, as they ran low on expectations of each other and decided instead to wait. But as the Galleon on Zacharias’ pocket vibrated harshly, the boy jumped from his seat. Sally-Anne tried to follow on his heels, but he pushed her aside.
Grabbing the back of his pyjamas, she enquired with force, “What’s going on?”
Something had gone wrong.
“Get off me.” He scrambled to the door, but was almost run over as Hannah and Susan rushed into the room, out of breath and heartbeats racing. Sally-Anne ran to their side as they removed their hoods, and immediately spouted question after question without regard to how distressed they were.
“Where have you been?” she demanded. “Don’t you know you can be expelled for being outside this late?”
Susan grabbed Sally-Anne’s shoulders, but her eyes were so glazed with fear she didn’t even seem to be processing who she was talking to. “Ernie! They’ve got Ernie!”
Zacharias blinked in disbelief, his hand fumbling with the Galleon in his pocket. “What?”
With wet eyes and pale skin, Hannah cried out with fevered gasps, “I don’t know! Ernie set off his Galleon. He, Michael, and Parvati were working in the Transfiguration hall, and I think Filch got to them. Or one of the Carrows! I don’t know, but they got Ernie! And Michael and Parvati! We have to tell Professor Sprout!”
The bottom of his stomach dropped like lead, and Zacharias could only imagine what was happening to the Head Boy under Snape’s rule of punishment. He wouldn’t doubt the Headmaster was probably sentencing them to detention with the Carrows as they stood stupidly in the common room.
“I’ll get her,” Zacharias declared, inching back to the common room door. How he was going to possibly explain the entire thing without revealing what actually happened, he hadn’t a clue. But if anyone could get them out of a bind, it was Professor Sprout.
“It all happened in an instant,” added Susan, gulping in breaths. “I don’t know why. We don’t know what went wrong. Hannah, Anthony, and I were at the Great Hall, and as soon as the Galleon was signalled, we ran off like we were told. We don’t know about the others.”
Sally-Anne stood perfectly still, her mouth open in shock and fright. “What were you doing? What’s going on?” No one wanted to take the time and explain the circumstances to her. Hannah had taken to crying heavily in her hands, and Susan still couldn’t release her hold on Sally-Anne’s shoulders, still shocked from whatever she’d seen.
What a mess. The first mission by Dumbledore’s Army, and already they’d failed.
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I apologize for any Americanisms and grammatical errors. All characters belong to J.K. Rowling.