The very bad day
The HA was a huge hit. Once they had figured out how to enter the room of requirement without going all the way to Hogsmeade, (it was Neville who worked it out first, surprisingly) they scheduled their first meeting, keeping in mind quidditch practices.
The meetings all ran better than Harry and Hermione could've hoped for. Harry, despite still clearly being off his rocker, was an excellent teacher, and he and Cedric worked well together. Cedric tended to give the verbal instructions, and Harry would demonstrate and give the occasional story from his past Hogwarts years. Then they would split everyone into pairs or groups and patrol the room, correcting stances, grips, wand movements and pronunciation.
Harry stressed the importance of intent when casting.
"Like how small actions can create big issues down the line, the wrong intention of a small spell can cause extreme harm." Harry explained. "The only intentions you should ever have are the intention to protect, amuse, achieve or support."
"Or cause chaos." Dean added helpfully.
"I said that already, didn't I? Amuse." Harry responded. "Now, let's go again."
Soon enough, the last week of school was upon them, and it was the final meeting of the calendar year. They focused on revisiting areas of weakness, and Harry promised that after the holidays they would move on to the Patronus charm.
Outside of the HA, the atmosphere in Hogwarts remained fairly sombre. Umbridge was causing issues left and right, Filch was having a field day writing students up at every possible opportunity, Dumbledore hid away most of the time, and Hagrid was still missing.
Harry rather missed their Friday night visits.
One Charms lesson, the day before they broke up for Christmas, Hedwig flew through the classroom window and landed in Harry's lap.
"Oh my goodness, the poor thing!" Parvati cried, looking at the bleeding and ruffled snowy owl in dismay. "Did a cat get her?"
"No, but a frog did." Harry muttered to himself, gently untying the small scroll tied to her foot. "Good girl. Professor, please can I-"
"Yes, of course, go!" Harry grabbed his bag and sprinted to the staff room. He'd only been there once before, to confront Snape about a book. Speaking of Snape-
"Potter, what could you possibly want now?" The potions master sighed. Harry held out his owl, for once not bothering to remind Snape that this was the staff room, not his office, so the "You bother me at least ten times a week outside of class" point was moot.
"She's hurt." Snape, to his credit, gently took Hedwig from Harry and opened the door.
"In." He ordered. Harry stepped swiftly inside, letting the door fall shut behind him. Only Snape, McGonagall, Sprout and Professor Grubbly-plank were inside.
"Shouldn't you all be teaching?" Harry asked curiously.
"It's technically a bank holiday today." Sprout explained. "Anniversary of one of the Minister of Magic's deaths or something like that."
"Unfair! Flitwick is still teaching us!"
"That's because he loves teaching more than an extra day off to catch up on admin tasks." McGonagall looked up as she spoke. "What are you doing here, Harry?"
"Someone's been trying to read my mail." Harry gestured at his injured owl, who hooted miserably right on cue. Snape had placed her gently on the table and was examining her left wing and right leg carefully.
Professor Grubbly-Plank scowled and joined Snape, and they worked together quietly to identify the main injuries and act accordingly. Sprout gasped in disbelief and McGonagall sighed and shook her head.
"My money's on Umbridge." She said stoutly, and Harry nodded his agreement, hiding his surprise at the lack of professional boundaries in place, only due to the mutual hatred of Umbridge of everyone in the room.
"She's got a broken wing and a nasty cut on her leg." Professor Grubbly-Plank informed Harry as she picked up Hedwig carefully. "Professor Snape has fixed her up as much as can be risked on such a small creature, the rest she'll have to heal on her own. Are you happy for her to stay with me for a few days so I can monitor her progress? She'll receive the utmost care, I promise."
"Yes, thank you Professor, and thank you Professor Snape." Harry said earnestly, stroking Hedwig's head gently with one finger.
Snape nodded in acknowledgement, and Harry left feeling much better than he had before.
He unrolled the scroll carefully, feeling ever so slightly guilty about the message that got Hedwig caught in the first place.
Harry,
It's a deal.
Stay crazy,
T
Unfortunately, the bad day wasn't over for Harry just yet. After heading to bed early, he woke up screaming in the middle of the night.
"Not. Funny." Ron said, annoyed, then took one look at Harry's face and went pale. "I know that look. Something bad has happened, hasn't it?" Harry nodded, knowing full well that Dean and Seamus were staring at him in confusion.
"We need to find McGonagall, now!" Harry said, flying out of bed and sprinting from the room, Ron and Neville two paces behind. They tried to keep up, but Harry was fast from years of being chased by Dudley and was a good three metres ahead at all times, banging on the door to McGonagall's private quarters and explaining the situation before Ron and Neville had caught up with him.
She pursed her lips and led them to Dumbledore's office hurriedly, giving the gargoyle the password and knocking on the door at the top of the spiral staircase harshly.
"Headmaster? It's urgent."
"Come in." She pushed open the door and ushered the three boys into the room.
"What is it?" Dumbledore asked immediately. "Harry, what did you see?"
"How do you know I can- never mind. You need to send healers to the Department of Mysteries for your weird little rota of wizard guards now!" Harry demanded, trying to quell the tremor in his hands. "Nagini is in the ministry and is heading that way. I think Arthur is currently the person on watch. You need to get him to safety before Nagini gets there first. Professor Dumbledore, please!" Harry begged. Ron gulped and looked like he was trying not to be sick.
"Dad..." He trailed off. Neville put a hand on his shoulder, looking shaky himself.
Dumbledore conjured a patronus, a phoenix, and spoke calmly. "Arthur, you need to leave as soon as possible. Use the emergency portkey. I'll explain later tonight why." Dumbledore turned to the three fifth year Gryffindors and gestured for them to sit. McGonagall stood behind them protectively.
"First of all, Harry, I need you tell me exactly what you saw." He said calmly, not quite meeting Harry's eyes. Harry didn't mind, it meant he didn't have to constantly fight Dumbledore out of his head.
"I saw Nagini in the ministry of magic."
"Who is Nagini?"
"Voldy's snake."
"How do you know that?" Dumbledore laced his fingers together, looking up at the ceiling. Neville shifted uncomfortably. He hated being interrogated. Hopefully the focus stayed on Harry as it usually did.
"Because she was at the graveyard, and in the dreams I had during last summer before the world cup." Harry explained hoarsely, silently wishing his mouth wasn't so dry.
Arthur's patronus appeared in front of them.
"I'm safe. One of the unspeakables has been attacked by a snake. She's being transported to St Mungos imminently. It's bad." Ron practically collapsed with relief, shoulders slumping. He rubbed his face with both hands before sitting back up. He still looked ill, but he wasn't quite so pale.
"Okay. Now you know Mr Weasley is indeed safe and unharmed, I need you tell me how you know all of this highly classified information discussed only in Order meetings." Dumbledore gave the three boys a cursory glance, and tapped the desk with a single finger. Harry didn't answer.
"Now, please, Harry."
"You already know how. Your lack of confidentiality precautions for one thing." Harry retorted, feeling more himself again. McGonagall hid her snort of laughter with a cough. She loved what the staff routinely called "Harry vs Dumbledore verbal duels". If she discreetly waved her wand behind her back, no one noticed. "And we very easily stole and returned several documents after of our successful intrusions."
Dumbledore frowned. "Whilst I am glad that your dream tonight quite possibly saved many lives, I am extremely disappointed in your dishonesty."
"My dishonesty?" Harry asked incredulously, feeling the anger beginning to swirl up inside him. "You can't be serious! You've lied to me my whole life and I'm the dishonest one? You have got to be joking! Oh, hi Professor Snape!"
Neville groaned and hid his head in his hands.
"Potter." Snape replied, lacking the usual venom. "I assume you're the reason Minerva sent a patronus to me requesting my presence at such a ghastly hour."
"Probably." Harry agreed. "The Headmaster is accusing me of dishonesty."
"If anything, the issue is Potter being far too honest." Snape pointed out coldly. "And dramatizing the truth. Any lies the boy tells are usually extremely obvious and told in a way to be such."
"Wow, never thought I'd see the day you stood up for me." Harry blinked in slight disbelief.
"Harry has just admitted that he has been stealing highly classified documents from Order meetings without our knowledge." Dumbledore announced, giving Severus a look.
"Yeah, but in fairness, I did just tell you." Harry crossed his arms and leaned back in the chair, ignoring McGonagall's warning about breaking his neck.
"But you didn't tell me at the time, Mr Potter, you waited unitl-"
"I do hate to side with Potter here," Severus cut in smoothly, effectively stopping the Headmaster in his tracks. Harry's eyes lit up. "But the boy would have told you he had seen the documents far earlier, if only you had asked." There was a beat of silence as everyone except Harry and Severus realized the same thing at the same time.
"You knew he'd seen them and said nothing?" Minerva asked, eyes wide with shock. "Surely you Severus, of all people, would have delighted in getting Harry into trouble!"
"Oh, believe me, I did." Severus smiled nastily. "He's been spending every Sunday afternoon cleaning cauldrons and preparing potions ingredients for the younger years since the start of term."
"I can attest to that, he always tells us he's on a secret mission on Sunday afternoons and we don't see him until gone midnight." Ron said bravely. Harry snorted and rocked on his chair again. This time, he fell backwards. He sheepishly avoided McGonagall's "told you so" look and got to his feet, righting his chair and sitting back down.
"Severus, you should have told me." Dumbledore looked disappointed.
Severus eyed him frostily. "You didn't ask me."
Harry resisted the urge to whoop and clap.
"Solid burn, Sir!" He said earnestly instead. Severus ignored him.
"Now if that was all, I really must be going." He turned to leave, but Dumbledore coughed. Severus stopped, looking at the Headmaster expectantly. "What now?"
"I'm afraid, Severus, that you are the most masterful Occlumens in this country and therefore I must request you begin teaching Harry immediately after Christmas."
Neville opened his mouth to inform them that actually, Harry, along with most of his friends, were already skilful Occlumens. Harry trod on his foot. He snapped his mouth shut and gave Harry a wounded look.
"Headmaster? Why won't you look directly at my eyes?" Harry asked randomly. "It's a bit weird."
Dumbledore didn't answer. Harry smiled in satisfaction.
"Thought so." He grinned. "Can't let your little lamb catch on and aid the big bad wolf by accident, can you?" Dumbledore froze. Minerva gave Harry an odd look, confusion clearly visible in her expression. Severus' mouth twitched at the corners.
"How do you-" Dumbledore didn't finish the sentence. Harry smiled wider. Manically.
"How do I what?" Harry asked, rocking slightly back on his chair. Clearly, he'd learned nothing.
Dumbledore shook his head, thinking fast. Harry would only know about his connection to Voldemort at most, it was a discussion they'd had before. The boy was just frustrated and lashing out. Yes, that was it.
"Minerva, please escort Mr Weasley, Mr Longbottom, and Mr Potter back to their dormitories." Harry frowned. He'd really wanted another verbal dance war and the headmaster was refusing to give him one. Oh well, he'd have plenty of opportunities to snark Snape after the holidays.
Minerva sighed and herded them out of the office, Severus following behind.
Ron never did tell his siblings just how close their father came to dying that day.