Despite his preference that the summer go on forever, Harry couldn't help but smile when he saw the sign that read, 'Platform Nine and Three Quarters,' and said it would be departing at eleven o'clock. He and Hermione had passed through the barrier together holding hands and continued walking toward the scarlet engine while Sirius appeared behind them. It was decided that in the event that Voldemort attacked the platform, Hermione's muggle parents would be a liability that someone would have to protect, and they decided not to risk creating that problem, so they said their goodbyes at Grimmauld Place.

Through the smoke, the Boy-Who-Lived could see a few aurors in uniform looking around, and was sure there were more around. "I would guess that Riddle won't attack here. It would be too predictable."

"You're probably right," she agreed, "but I'm still glad we're wearing our armor under our clothes."

"Me, too." She looked around. "I still feel strange being one of the few students not carrying a trunk."

Smiling, her boyfriend suggested, "I could get my shrunk trunk out of my wallet and resize it. Then open it and take your trunk out of it and allow you to carry it. It should be pretty heavy with all those books. Then I'd re-shrink my trunk and watch you struggle with yours."

"Very funny," she responded. "I guess we'd better go to the prefects' compartment now." She squeezed her boyfriend's hand. "I'm glad Professor Dumbledore asked you whether you wanted to be prefect or not before giving the position to someone else. You did earn it."

"Yeah," Harry agreed. "Any chance to walk around the castle late at night with you..."

"It won't just be with me," she said while blushing. "We'll have to do rounds with whomever we're scheduled with."

"I suppose."

When they arrived at the Prefects' compartment, Harry was surprised to see the absolute worst person anyone could possibly pick as the Slytherin prefect. The idiot was sneering at him like he'd accomplished something.

"What is Dumbledore thinking giving Draco Malfoy a prefect badge?" Harry hissed at his girlfriend.

She sighed. "I don't know, but there's nothing we can do about it. That cow Parkinson is the girl prefect."

Draco suddenly started sniffing the air with an expression that he'd detected something foul. "If you're wondering what that odor is, a mudblood just walked in here."

Pansy laughed, but she was the only one. Everyone else was glaring at him. The six-foot-three Head Boy, Kenneth Towler of Gryffindor, got right in Draco's face. "You just earned yourself a detention, you little Death Eater spawn! Your daddy's friends killed my mother last summer," He grabbed the now terrified-looking Slytherin's shirt and was pushing him against the wall while Harry watched in admiration, "and I am not putting up with their pureblooded bulls..."

"Kenny!" called the Ravenclaw Head Girl, Sally Fawcett, as Draco whimpered in fear. "Let the pathetic Death Nibbler go. We can tell Dumbledore that we won't work with him. Don't strangle the little boy like he deserves." She looked around. "I'm sure none of you want to do your patrols with this piece of trash."

While the older Slytherin prefects remained silent, Pansy was too stupid to keep her mouth shut. "How can you manhandle Draco like that? When his father..."

"So you want to be on the list, too?" asked Fawcett. "Fine. Maybe we should have put in a special request not to have You-Know-Who sympathizers as prefects." Harry, along with most of the others, chuckled. "Accio, badge!" She summoned Draco's and then Pansy's prefect badge, leaving a hole in their robes. "Now get out, both of you!" Once the two Slytherin fifth-years exited, Sally turned to the others with a smile on her face. "Alright, now that that business is over, let's get this meeting started."

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"So, there the little ferret was, crying while Ken was holding him against the wall," said Harry happily, entertaining his friends after they got back from the meeting. They'd taken the first patrol on the train so they were done with it. They all laughed, especially Ron and Luna, although they weren't sure if she was laughing about that or something in the Quibbler that her face was hidden behind.

"It wasn't that funny," said Hermione, although it was obvious that she was trying very hard to avoid laughing.

"Truthfully," said Harry, "that should be done every time someone like Malfoy uses that word. Imagine how many people would stop acting like that if it weren't tolerated."

"Well, well, well," came Draco's familiar sneer from the doorway. He was wearing a fresh, non-ripped robe. "It looks like we found the mudblood, half-blood and blood-traitor compartment." He was flanked by Crabbe and Goyle, who chuckled at his statement, but that didn't stop everyone in the compartment from laughing out loud. "Why are you laughing?"

While pulling out his wand for show, Harry answered, "Because they know what I'm about to do to you."

Draco smirked. "If only you knew what the Dark Lord is going to do to you and Hogw...Whaaaa!" At that moment, Draco's body began to expand the way Aunt Marge had a few years before. The buttons on his jumper and pants popped, and the band of his expensive watch broke while his bodyguards watched in confusion. Realizing what Malfoy had implied, Hermione performed legilimency on Draco, finding out that he had been told by his father that Voldemort would attack Hogwarts before Christmas, but not when. When she began seeing Malfoy's fantasies, she exited his mind to see the boy's feet were leaving the floor. Hermione performed a banishing spell on him so he'd float into the hall. Then the other two Slytherins, along with the broken watch, were banished into the hall behind their alpha and the door was closed and locked magically.

"He was serious," declared Hermione with a concerned look on her face.

Harry grinned. "You mean when he said, 'Whaaa?' Yes, I think he was seriously scared."

She rolled her eyes at her boyfriend. "I meant about Riddle."

"He's always after me," said Harry with a shrug.

"I think Hermione meant if he was going to attack Hogwarts," said Luna with a dreamy voice from behind the Quibbler issue she'd been reading the whole time.

"What?" asked Harry, who hadn't been paying much attention while he was concentrating on blowing Malfoy up.

"He bragged the Dark Lord was going to do something to you and Hogwarts," said Ginny.

"It would make sense," said Neville. "The Ministry's located there as well."

"If he can manage it, I don't think he'd have any serious problems after overpowering Hogwarts," said Ron. "It's got Dumbledore, Vehosia, and Harry in one place."

"I read his mind. His father told him that Riddle is attacking Hogwarts before Christmas, but didn't tell him exactly when." Hermione looked worried. "But what about the students?"

"He doesn't care how many kids get killed in the process," said Harry sternly. "He didn't mind trying to kill me at one-year-old."

"But they'll keep the kids safe if that happens," asked Neville. "Won't they?"

"They'll try, but it won't work," said Harry grimly. "He likes to kill the people he considers defenseless. The teachers will try to evacuate us, and cut their potential army in half. They won't realize that if that battle is lost, there'll be no place for the kids to go and be safe. Then they'll have to fight without the adults. It's better to unite now - at least the students that can fight, maybe fourth year and up - and increase our chances."

Hermione took on an excited expression. "What if...well, maybe...if only...What if those who would want to fight in case of an attack organized and practiced fighting ...maybe even came up with a battle plan for defending the castle?"

Ginny's eyes went wide. "You mean, like an army? Not just the dueling club that Sirius runs."

"Exactly," said Hermione. "Although that might be a good source for membership."

"Dumbledore wouldn't approve," said Ron miserably.

"He'd say we're too young," added Neville.

"What if," said Harry, looking each of them in the eyes in turn, "we keep it a secret from the teachers, even Sirius?" They all gasped. "Then, when Riddle attacks, we present our plan and demand to be able to fight for our world."

Hermione beamed at him with pride, although she looked a bit nervous. "That sounds perfect, although it is against the rules...but this is about our survival."

"Perfect," said Harry. "Now all we need is someone to lead it. Any suggestions?" All of them, even Luna, were now staring intently at him. "What?" he asked, oblivious to their meaning.

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"I still think you're all mental if you think people are gonna listen to me," said Harry to his friends as they shared a carriage on the way to Hogwarts.

They had all unanimously insisted that he lead the group they were discussing, much to his surprise. Even Luna had said, "The nargmites are circling your head, which means you're a great leader."

Stifling a laugh, Ron had shown support for his girlfriend by adding, "You can't argue with the nargmites."

"A lot more people look up to you than you realize," responded Hermione as they continued riding the thestral-drawn carriages.

"Only to see my scar," he commented, earning a snort from Ron.

"I mean it, Harry. A lot of people admire you."

"But will they really listen to me?"

Taking a deep breath, Hermione said, "There's only one way to find out. We'll start to spread the word in the Gryffindor common room tomorrow and take it from there. Where do you think we should meet?"

Harry immediately declared, "The Room of Requirement should be perfect!"

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After the feast, where the new students were sorted and Dumbledore reminded the students to stay away from the parts of the castle that the Ministry was using, Harry and Hermione led the new Gryffindors to the common room, where his girlfriend immediately began talking to the people who had been members of the dueling club last year. She shared with them Malfoy's words and their suspicions about an attack on the castle. Most of them agreed that they didn't want to hide in the dormitory while their world's fate was decided, and wanted to be part of the resistance and help come up with a battle plan. Those that were close friends (or more) with people outside of Gryffindor agreed to help spread the word discretely about their first meeting, which was planned that Friday night.

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The next evening, the Head Boy and Girl, Kenneth Towler and Sally Fawcett of Gryffindor and Ravenclaw respectively, walked into the Headmaster's office.

"Good evening, Mr. Towler, Miss Fawcett. Have a seat. Would you like a lemon drop?" He indicated the bowl that had been full every time either had been in that office, which wasn't very often.

"No, thank you," said Kenny while Sally shook her head.

"Now, to what do I owe the pleasure of this meeting?" he asked with a twinkle in his eyes. "I understand that there was a problem with a few of the new prefects on the train."

"Exactly," said Sally. "We want Draco Malfoy and Pansy Parkinson replaced."

Dumbledore's eyes widened. "I had heard that rumor, but never expected that you would be so willing to dismiss someone so easily. Everyone deserves a chance to prove themselves."

"The first words out of his mouth at the meeting were calling Hermione Granger a mudblood," said Kenny passionately. "He obviously has embraced You-Know-Who's philosophy - the same one that got my mother killed."

"He's made a mistake. I'm sure that he'll apologize," he replied calmly.

"No!" demanded Sally. "He has been using that term openly since his second year. Everyone on the Gryffindor Quidditch team heard him call Hermione that then, and no teacher did anything about it." Dumbledore looked shocked that she knew that. "We asked people in Gryffindor about him, and then asked some of the professors about his behavior in class and his grades. We wanted to know what he'd done to earn a prefect badge."

Dumbledore swallowed.

Kenny said, "Professor McGonagall told us that his grades in Transfiguration are mediocre at best, and that the only thing he excels at is causing trouble, usually by spouting off his prejudiced nonsense, and all the other professors agreed. In fact, the only teacher that ever said anything nice about him is Snape, and he doesn't teach anymore."

"Professor Snape," Dumbledore corrected him.

Sally continued, "The only class he ever got good grades in was Potions, but Professor O'Brian proved that he was a cheater in her first potions class, and she suspects that the finished potions he and a few others had with them were brewed by Professor Snape."

"She may suspect it, but it hasn't been proven," defended Dumbledore.

"He's actually done worse in that subject for the past year than any other since he can't cheat anymore," added Kenny.

"To put it simply," said Sally, "he hasn't earned his prefectship, and no one feels safe patrolling with that Death Eater wanna-be. I believe that he would use the opportunity to attack Hermione and any other muggle-born he patrols with."

"And then Harry Potter would murder him," added Kenny.

"We also think that he'd use his privileges to help You-Know-Who. Most people believe that he will try to attack Hogwarts this year," said Sally. "The castle houses his three most likely targets - you, Minister Vehosia, and Harry Potter. If Draco's father has any way of communicating with him, or has already given him orders, he adds to the danger."

Dumbledore sighed. "I can see that you really have thought this out. What do you have against Miss Parkinson?"

"She's Draco's girlfriend, and defended him at the meeting," said Kenny.

"And she gets even worse grades than him," added Sally.

"And she has made it clear that she is a sympathizer to He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named's cause, just like her boyfriend and his bodyguards."

"And to make it clear to you, Headmaster," Sally added, "We will not work with Death Nibblers. If you refuse to replace them, then you'll need to new Heads."

"Not only that," added Kenny, "but many other prefects, as well."

Dumbledore looked older than ever before as he took a deep breath. "I shall consider your suggestion. You will have my decision by the end of the week. Until then, both Mr. Malfoy and Miss Parkinson will be suspended of their prefect duties. You are dismissed."

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The week went by too quickly, by Harry's reckoning. All the teachers were the same as the previous year, including Sirius, who reopened his dueling club. Dumbledore did follow the Head Boy and Girl's wishes and gave the fifth-year prefect positions to Slytherins who weren't known to be Voldemort sympathizers like Draco and Pansy. In this case, they were Blaise Zabini and Daphne Greengrass, both of whom were civil toward the others, if not particularly friendly. All the prefects felt safer patrolling with them than their predecessors, but Harry reminded Hermione not to drop her guard around them either.

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Before the Boy-Who-Lived knew it, almost half of the students fourth-year and above were gathered in the Room of Requirement for their first meeting. Everyone was talking together in groups. Angelina Johnson had even reminded Harry of the Quidditch tryouts the following morning.

When he felt everyone was there, he walked up behind the small podium that the huge room had provided and cleared his throat. Nobody but his girlfriend, who smiled at him, noticed. He put a sonorus charm on his throat and spoke up.

"Attention, everybody." They all ended their conversations and began staring at him. He could now feel several golden Snitches flying around in his stomach - or were they Bludgers? His ears were now pink. "Yes, well, thank you for coming. As you know, the reason we're here is because we believe that Hogwarts is going to be attacked soon. Dumbledore and the Ministry are both here, so we feel it is too tempting of a target."

Someone wearing Ravenclaw robes yelled out, "You're here, too, and he seems to always be after you."

Glancing down for a moment, Harry took a deep breath and answered, "Yes, you're right. There's a reason for that. A prophecy was made before I was born that basically says that I've got to be the one to finish him if he's going to be finished." Everyone gasped. "That's why that coward tried to kill me as a baby. Tom Riddle, which, by the way is Voldemort's," most people gasped. "real name. Yes, I know that it's taboo, but if he could get in here, he wouldn't be waiting for someone to mention his chosen name. However, if it makes you feel better, I'll call him Riddle. The point is that I have to handle him personally, but I'm sure they'll be plenty of Death Eaters for the rest of you to handle.

"Anyway, if he attacks, we believe that the teachers will try to get us to hide away while they fight Riddle. We would wait while our fate is decided by others. If he wins, then we'll all be killed or enslaved. I believe that we can help increase the odds of that fight in our favor, and we can stand united with the teachers and the Ministry, whether they want us there or not, and we CAN make a difference!" There was an unexpected burst of applause. He actually smiled at this.

"We want to join together and train, and become Hogwarts' Army, and show Riddle that he can't scare us anymore!" There was more applause. "We've come up with a few different ideas of fighting groups that we can divide up into, and would be happy to hear more ideas. We'll train at least once a week in each of these divisions. The wonderful thing about this room is that it can accommodate as many groups as we can come up with. This is what we have so far..."

Harry went on to explain the ideas that he and his friends had come up with for defending the castle that they didn't believe the adults had thought of yet. They were met with enthusiastic support, and the people decided which group they wanted to be part of, and the next meeting was arranged. Hermione insisted that everyone that wanted to be a part of the group sign a document that she made for the meeting.

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"You were really great," said Hermione in the common room after the meeting. "The way you carried yourself, and talked to us. You really inspired confidence."

"The question is if it'll work. I don't want to lead them to their deaths." He sighed. "Do you really think..."

"Yes, I do. I believe that our plan is sound and that with your leadership..."

"You're more of a leader than I..."

"You are a born leader," she said passionately. "I know you don't like it, and all you want is to be ordinary, but you are an extraordinary leader, an extraordinary person. You refuse to wait around doing nothing while others plan your destiny. You took control of your life last year."

"With your help," he added. "And Sirius' as well."

"Yes," she said, blushing at the mention of her name. "Now it's time for you to help all of us students take control of our destiny instead of waiting for our 'protectors' to be murdered."

"I hope we can do it."

"I know we can," she said before kissing him soundly, effectively clearing away his doubts, along with the rest of her boyfriend's thoughts.

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