Hermione Granger and the Paradigm Shift

Chapter 17 - Part 2

And they did. They spent the evening updating the other members of Ministry Six and Lavender of Draco's escape and the warnings they'd been given from Dumbledore and their head of house. They'd quickly come up with a plan of action and a set of talking points to discuss with the Hogwarts Defense Force.

As with most things that involved Harry it went spectacularly sideways almost from the off. Their meeting with the HDF had barely begun before she'd felt their control of the proceedings rapidly slipping away. She should have known by the overly excited cheers when they'd confirmed that Malfoy had most likely run away what was about to happen.

"So although Malfoy seems to be out of the picture we can't be sure that no-one else in the castle might not try and continue with his plan. So we're going to keep up with the shifts in front of the room and we are going to increase the groups from three to five at a time."

"If Malfoy is out of the picture then why are more people needed?" a Hufflepuff asked.

She watched Harry take a breath. Things were about to get very interesting.

"We're worried others may try to retaliate now that we've stopped Malfoy."

"So you're saying there are more death eaters at Hogwarts?" someone interjected.

"What do you think?" Ron replied, clearly annoyed at the question.

"If there are others at Hogwarts we should be doing more to stop them!" someone in the back shouted, drawing cheers from throughout the group.

"We are aware of other students that may be loyal to Voldemort. We've provided the names of who we suspect to the Headmaster and the Hogwarts staff is monitoring the students. The extra students watching the room are just an added precaution," she informed the crowd.

"How do you know that?" someone else shouted. Hermione noted that the group seemed much more emboldened than past meetings and did her best NOT to look at Astoria.

"We can't tell you that," Harry interjected, drawing angry murmurings throughout the crowd.

"We want to know!" another voice shouted and their comment was instantly met with a chorus of agreement. Hermione remembered Professor Snape's angry words and realized what he had predicted was developing in front of her eyes.

"We aren't vigilantes!" she admonished above the rumblings. "We have no proof beyond our suspicions and we can't go after other students without more to go on," she replied with as much conviction as she could manage.

The issue of whether to disclose the names publicly had caused the most disagreement in their earlier meeting. Neville and, surprisingly, Lavender, had been the most adamant that everyone had the right to know who to be wary of. In the end, however, it was agreed that doing so would cause more harm than good and could potentially jeopardize Daphne, Tracey and Blaise.

"Who are you to make that decision?" a seventh year Ravenclaw said in a near shout.

Before she or Harry could answer someone else spoke up on their behalf.

"They didn't," Lavender tentatively replied. We came to the decision together as a group."

Hermione heard a few muttered laughs and noises of protest amongst the crowd and realized she would have most likely been joining in as well a few months prior. She hadn't studied Legilimency but she could easily discern the crowd's thoughts.

Why should this girl...a girl who has always been more concerned about cosmetic charms and Witch Weekly quizzes...be making decisions on our behalf?

And while the crowd had every right to be upset at the decision, they had no right to take it out on Lavender. She gave the girl a grateful smile for her support.