Third Counsel

Carissa interrupted the hubbub of the room.

"Thanks for coming, everybody. You need to quiet down now. Daphne is my note-taker today. First order of business, the Inquisitorial Squad. I have had several reports during the last couple of days that Umbridge is getting tough on her members to take more points and they're having to become more inventive than normal. Does anybody, since I know at least three of you are on it, have anything to say about it?"

"Despite what she says, she is not a light witch. I cannot say she's done anything, but she has threatened to make sure we won't be going against her by threatening bodily harm if we don't. She didn't say that to me, but two others of our members did have that said to them and I am passing it along. Is there some way we can protect ourselves?"

"I guess fight or duck and run? I don't know any shield besides protego, but I guess be prepared to call for help."

"Would any type of armor help? I know nothing can defend against the blood quill, but bodily harm sounds more like spells... She's from the Ministry so I doubt she's going to think like a muggleborn and think hand-to-hand combat."

"Her whole anti-creature view really supports that as well."

"I suppose asking for clothes with protection runes would really help if we're not being obvious."

"Also, maybe something that can be hidden by the uniform? You know how upset she gets when the uniform is not adhered to."

"Ah, yes, our points taken because of uniform and then the points given when we neaten up or for looking nice, but that's you guys. We're not treated the same by her. She's scary."

"Yeah, I think the reason why she and Snape get along is because they both hate students."

"So, would armored vests, that can go under your shirt, help?"

"That would be expensive."

Harry raised his hand.

"What is armor usually made of?"

"Skin's made from creatures that spells don't work well on, like dragons."

"Is a basilisk a creature spells don't work well on?"

Yelling. Gasps. All sorts of noise exploded around the room. Hermione and Ron were looking at each other shaking their heads.

"Don't you know how expensive that stuff is, mate?"

"No, I hardly know anything, really, compared to you guys who've lived here all your lives. So is it any good?"

A stupified seventh year prefect looked at Harry and said, "You have it on hand or know where some is."

"Saying undetermined for now. So what is it?"

"It's as good as dragon hide but much lighter."

"Of course it is, a basilisk is more snaky. Anyway, so it would work. Does anyone know how to sew anything like that here? Because if that's the case, I would prefer knowledge of it go no farther than those in this room."

"Serious? You are serious, mate?"

"I am serious that I want people to swear an oath on their wand not to speak or share about the basilisk skin in any way unless they have my permission, or being treated and the healer/one healing you has to take your clothes off and see it. Then, I would want the healer/one healing to not spread it as well. However, I hadn't planned on bringing up the basilisk skin today. But if it works similarly to dragon skin, than I would like to donate some to this project."

"I can sew, and I am sure a good few of us girls can use a needle and thread? If so, we can take this weekend and make the vests if you can get the materials. Do you think that will be quick enough? I am sure a few more of us will be wanting them as well."

"Thank you very much," said the spokesperson for the Inquisitorial Squad.

"I think I would like the oath now," said Harry, "then can we get onto another topic?"

"Sure."

Fifteen minutes later, they were completed.

"So the blood quill over use. What do we have so far?"

"Reading over the permission from Minister Fudge, it says that it is to be used but not to the point in which someone goes to the hospital wing from it being over used."

"That's dumb. I mean, what child is going to know the symptoms of it being over used until it is too late? Not unless someone has been using it as a younger child in that case, and by that point, there are other issues."

"So we have a dumb clause. Daphne, do you have our counter argument as well as the clause down?"

"Yes."

"Does anyone know who we report the Minister to? I mean, the muggle Prime Minister still has to follow the current laws. Only here it seems that many people answer to their own rules."

"Yes. The DMLE. Do you think we have enough to get her on?"

"With this late in the year already, I would assume so."

"Me too."

Daphne raised her hand, and said, "Susan, can I make an offer to write letters to your aunt and Scrimgeour with you about our pink toad, the teachers, and how things have been?"

"Sure."

Daphne scribbled that down on her parchment.

Gillian nodded while Carissa said, "Good. How close are you Weasley twins to remaking that salve?"

"Professor Snape is good..."

"At one thing for sure, his potions."

"We have finished counter-making it to see the process and ingredients, and it was brilliant."

"We have remade it and it works. We also have two batches ready."

"As there are going to be a few, we'd like some help."

"We may not like you by the cauldrons, but even preparing ingredients or getting them would be a help."

"Thank you, Fred and George. Where are you stationed out of?"

"The third classroom in the dungeons. No one goes there. We have a few wards on it from Bill as well."

"Of course not, it's the dungeons. Thanks. Will we be able to find it?"

"You should be able to, it just doesn't look the same from the window."

"I take it looks empty from the outside?"

"Yes."

"Thank you. We'll start sending people your way."

"So, any new info on the old fairy tales side, Hermione?"

"According to fairy tales, if we are going to have this castle guarded against evil intent, a thorn hedge made to kill those who have evil intent towards those inside the castle seems to be a fairly common thing. We need the doors, so getting rid of it won't help, unless we get rid of Umbridge's door when we get the Aurors? The tales of Underhill's extreme time difference I don't believe are going to help here.

"Please mind that I am using wizarding blood terminology in my speech.

"Since you asked for 'any info', I can tell you that the muggles used to call muggleborns 'changelings', as they were seen as someone had switched their child at birth for an identical one. These children were known to make some wild things happen, and were killed or given to the fair folk, depending on the parents.

"The muggles also recorded by word of mouth until it was written the beginning of the Malfoy blond hair and name. They say that there was a young man that became entranced in watching this flock of white birds, yet when they would reach this lake to wash, they would turn into women and take off their clothes. He became aware that they would have to put their dress on to become a bird. He decided he wanted to marry one of them. So, one day he grabbed the dress from the one he wanted and hid it. When they finished bathing, her sisters grabbed their clothes and flew away. However, she couldn't. Eventually, he left his hiding spot and talked kindly to her and gave her some of his clothes. Eventually, they married. However, one day when she had a daughter and a son, he told her that he had hidden her dress from her so she couldn't transform. He loved her but felt guilty so he gave her her dress back, yet it was for not. She was angry at the betrayal, and didn't believe his love for her, so she put on the dress, grabbed her daughter, and said that he and his descendants would forever bear the mark of the betrayal. She transformed, and flew away. That is why their hair is blond and their name means 'bad faith'. Sorry, Malfoy.

"As for any info that were used in spells done by more than one person, music or someway of keeping rhythm and that people seem to be touching each other seem to be common. Other than that, it seems to be layered spells, such as the tales of the goblins running around and cursing various objects. Sorry, but that's all I have today."

Hermione looked apologetically at Draco, who was looking down and studying his hands. He looked up at her and she saw his hurt face, while she was looking guilty. She mouthed "talk later" at him, and he nodded.

Draco raised his hand.

The Head Boy acknowledged it.

"I have a bunch of notes that would be helpful for casting a spell using ritualistic means or groups for large spells. Should I be giving you a copy of them?"

"That would be helpful, thank you. Does anyone else have notes on them?"

Three others raised their heads.

"Good. If I could get them before curfew tomorrow, it would be appreciated."

"Understood."

"Yes, sir."

"Oh, one last thing, what's going on with Quidditch?"

"We've got it set up over the lake. The brooms are stored in the Shrieking Shack."

"Over the lake?"

"Yes, the hoops are held up by pole on a raft, but it's kept on the edge until we're practicing or playing. So, since we really didn't play the last game, we're going to play that match as it should have been at the next day we'd be set to have a game. I think that's next weekend?"

"Awesome."

"We'll be looking forwards to it. Daphne, you got that?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Thanks. I'm glad you all could come. Harry get that skin here, and you're all dismissed."

They left.

.

Draco walked with Hermione to an empty room in the hall from the Head Boy's and Head Girl's rooms. He ushered her in and then closed the door. Turning to her, he crossed his arms and looked at her crossly. Harry snuck in behind her with his invisibility cloak.

"So, you found out the beginning of my family name and thought it brilliant to bring up in front of others, why?"

Hermione stood straight and tall facing him, drumming the fingers of one hand along the side of her robe. She looked stubbornly angry at him, then sighed, not looking away.

"I found it interesting, and I forgot that they were your family members, up and until I was saying it out loud. That was why I put an apology on the end. Don't you know of my fascination with books? Come on, there has to be a point in time where you, book smart as you are, said something that you had learned and ran off at it in front of others without realizing the implications to your fellow humans until afterwards. You're right around me in grades ranking, so don't say you're stupid."

"I mean, yeah it was interesting, but to hear that even before the Dark Lord my family's been looked down on because of a distant ancestor hurts."

Hermione's hands clenched into fists.

"And? What do you think we feel? Those of us who you disparage on word of mouth only, and refuse to see how we are? Do you understand the similarities? You're named the 'bad faith' ones by a family member and nobody looks past your name. I mean, even Harry was told to watch out for Malfoy right after he met you for the second time, not that your stupid attitude helped with things."

Draco tensed before he looked down briefly and played with his fingernails before straightening up.

"I think I understand. I've been told my whole life that muggleborn are those that have stolen a squib's magic, yet the muggles say that we've been stealing their babies and kill them in retaliation. I suppose it would be like me reading about the beginning of my family line. Only, my great-whatever ancestor actually did love their child and raised him on his own. It's another thing to read the other side of the story. That thing you said about changelings, that was a shortened version, wasn't it?"

"Yes, there were multiple accounts of parents killing their child or giving them away to the fair folk because they didn't want the magic around them. By the way, these were written down second-hand and third-hand accounts, or stories told by ancestors and passed down by word of mouth when they had to."

Draco pursed his lips.

Hermione continued on, "I see the same attitude I think when most people are around Neville, but then he goes to the defense class and outshines a lot of people's expectations. Of course, there are those who think I've stolen a squib's magic or look down at me for not being pure blood."

Draco raised his hand to pause Hermione from going further.

"I can't say how much my beliefs are going to adjust right now as a foundation block is disintegrating, but I need some time to think things through. I accept your apology, by the way."

"Thank you. Could you please say so in public so that it is as known as accepted?"

Draco raised an eyebrow. "Sure. How public? Will being around the group be good enough?"

"Seeing as the student counsel will be waiting for that answer, tell my group first and yours if they were there, and then the student counsel next time we meet. You tell the ones that know so that they won't harp on you or me."

"Understood. Seeing as that was all I wanted to talk about here, is that okay if we leave?"

"Sure."

Draco made sure to hold the door open for Hermione, then walked out, with Harry quickly closing the door behind him and trying not to make the timing of the door too off. It was not meant to be, though.

"Was that you, Potter?"

Harry took off his invisibility cloak.

"Are you surprised?"

"No. Though to be fair, we can say that you were just keeping an eye on things because we're known to be highly... volatile around each other."

"Not quite as bad as you and Ron, but yes, you haven't been known as getting along."

Harry paused there before continuing, "especially when you're both heated. Now you've passed another trust test, how've I done?"

"To be fair, not to terribly. Can we do this somewhere more comfy as well as private? Like the dorm, for an example."

"If we can kick your brother out for half an hour, that we can do."

"Sounds great."

Harry walked quickly past Draco to catch up to Hermione to tell her that his default of spending time with her and the rest of the Trio Etc. that evening would be changed to something else.