In the Hog’s Head
Harry decided that he would teach DADA. Sometimes it seemed like an insane idea but he’d started to warm up to the idea, even subconsciously planning lessons. But that didn’t solve the problem of where he’d tell anyone about this, much less where he’d hold the lessons.
Hermione was actually the one who brought this up. “Harry, since you’re gonna teach us defense against the dark arts, I think we need some place to ask other people if they’re willing to learn from you.”
“Ok,” said Harry. “Where?”
“We talked to some people who talked to some of their friends, and I think we should meet next Hogsmeade weekend. It’s in a couple weeks.”
“Alright.”
After a few weeks of anticipation, second guessing himself, and making lesson plans, it was time to tell some fellow students about rebelling against the pink toad. This is fine.
“Where are we going, exactly?” he asked Hermione. “The Three Broomsticks?”
“No, it’s too packed and noisy. I’ve told the others to meet us in the Hog’s Head, the dodgy one. Students don’t usually go there so we won’t be overheard.”
They walked through the city past Zonko’s Joke Shop, past the post office, etc. They turned up a side-street which had a small inn at the top of it. There was a battered sign with a picture of a wild boar’s severed head hanging from a rusty bracket over the door.
“Well, come on,” Hermione said nervously. The three of them went inside.
It was a small, dingy and very dirty room. No one would go there just cause they felt like it. It was disgusting.
They bought three Butterbeers and sat down at the table farthest from the bar. Soon after that, the demigods walked in and pulled up a few chairs to sit next to the trio. The barman made a face like ‘weird but ok’.
A few minutes later around twenty five more people walked in. The barman’s jaw dropped.
“How is this a ‘couple of people’?” Harry asked Hermione, annoyed.
“A lot of people liked the idea,” she shrugged.
The ‘a lot of people’ bought their drinks and pulled up a bunch of tables and chairs to sit near them. They looked at Harry expectantly. Hermione started to talk instead.
“Well - er - hi. You guys already know why you’re here. Harry had the idea (Harry gave her a sharp look) I mean - I had the idea that it might be good if the people who wanted to study defense against the dark arts, really study it, not the rubbish Umbridge teaches. I thought it would be good if we took matters into our own hands. And by that I mean learning how to defend ourselves properly, not just in theory but doing the real spells.”
There was a murmur of agreement. The so-called classes Umbridge taught were not going to help anyone pass their O.W.Ls much less defend them from Voldemort.
“I suppose you want to pass your O.W.Ls too,” Michael Corner said.
“Yes,” Hermione replied. “But more importantly, we need to learn defensive spells because Voldemort is back.”
Everyone except the trio and the demigods flinched. It was an expected reaction.
“What makes you say that Voldemort’s back?” asked a rando buff Hufflepuff Quidditch player.
Percy rolled his eyes, this guy had been so very annoying ever since Percy made the mistake of sitting next to him on the first day.
“It doesn’t matter,” said Hermione. “Professor Dumbledore already told everyone what happened last year. He knows that Voldemort is back, so I think that we can believe him.”
“Wrong, the headmaster believed him .” He pointed to Harry.
“Who are you ?” Ron rudely asked.
“Zacharias Smith.”
“Ok Smith, you want to know why we say Voldemort’s back? Because I saw him, I saw him kill Cedric. I know he’s back because he was right in front of me. I know he’s back because I dueled with him.” Harry said angrily but not loud enough for anyone else in the pub to hear. Harry knew that some, maybe most, of these guys only came to hear his story.
“I thought you came here to learn defense against the dark arts, not to hear traumatic stories,” said Annabeth. “If you don’t want to learn from Harry, you can always get the fuck out.” She pointed to the door.
Zacharias had had a smug expression on his face that was wiped immediately after Annabeth started to speak. But he didn’t leave. Apparently he did want to learn from Harry.
“So, as I was saying,” said Hermione, smiling at Annabeth, thankful that she was able to make him shut up. “We should write the names of everyone here on this piece of paper so that we know who all joined. We can plan a meeting in a few days. I’ll tell you all the date.”
She handed out the paper and everyone signed their name. There were some people who hesitated but ultimately signed such as Zacharias Smith, Ernie Macmillan, Cho’s friend, some randos Harry didn’t even know. There were also some who signed immediately such as Fred, George, Ginny, Luna, etc.