𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝘁𝗼𝗰𝗸, harry potter

˗ˋ 66

CHAPTER SIXTY SIX
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-: fifth year :-

── IN WHICH THEY DISCUSS
THEIR PLANS

. . .

"You told her?" Hermione questioned, eyebrows pinched. "When did you tell her?"

"Morning after we told him about it." Ron said. "I actually suggested it, apparently, it's one of those ideas of mine that haven't got a particularly balanced reception."

"Granger's been outweighed. Harry evidently agreed it was a good idea and as did I." Aviana stated. "It was a good idea. It's allowed me a lot of time to think. As you may be aware, Granger, that my primary goal of this year has been and continues to be to annoy Umbridge until she goes insane. Or she dies, either one is an acceptable end."

"That is strikingly obvious, Aviana." Hermione replied, surprisingly diplomatically. "As I'm sure Harry has informed you, I believed that you were egging him on."

"No, I was using his cause as a vessel for my own. As it so happened I agree that the Ministry's decision to brush Cedric's death under the rug as a tragic incident gets under my skin almost as much as it does to see the woman who put my father in jail - albeit rightly - lording about my school." Aviana hummed. "Additionally, I would like to add that my public position on that is that my father did not do it, although in reality I believe that he should rot in Azkaban."

"Okay, fine, fine, whatever." Hermione said. "Have you, or are you planning to sleep with Harry to further this cause."

"We've been purposefully snogging in front of Umbridge for the past two weeks. It's working." Aviana said. Hermione turned a little paler, and her attention turned to Harry. "You didn't tell her? Harry, I said that you could."

"I told Ron." Harry replied, helplessly. "I thought you might have a little too much on your plate at the moment." He added quietly, briefly looking over at Hermione.

"You're right, I have. I've been thinking about how we might possibly pass our Defence Against the Dark Arts O.W.L." Hermione said pointedly. "Whilst you've been jamming your tongue down her throat."

"That was only what we did during breaks." Aviana replied, her voice light and airy and all too innocent. "All the while we have been considering what you both suggested to Harry. And I believe it to be a good idea. I think he would be a much better teacher than Umbridge is."

"That we can agree on." Hermione turned to Harry. "Is that your stance on this as well, or are you just going to let Aviana speak on all your opinions?"

"I've thought about it, a bit. Quite a bit." Harry glanced up at his friends. "I don't know." He looked up at Ron. "What about you?"

"I thought it was a good idea from the start," Ron admitted, keener to join the conversation now that he knew that Harry wouldn't lose his temper and Hermione and Aviana had arrived on a topic on which they both agreed.

"You did listen to what I said about a load of it being luck, didn't you?" Harry looked between Ron and Hermione.

"Harry-"

"Aviana, I know what you think about it." Harry stopped her before she could begin. "Just... yeah." He breathed out, his focus still very much in his friends as he reached his hand out to bridge the small gap between their chairs. Aviana took it. Her hand was shaking, oh so slightly.

"Yes, Harry," Hermione gently replied, "but all the same, there's no point pretending that you're not good at Defence Against the Dark Arts, because you are. You were the only person last year who could throw off the Imperius Curse completely, you can produce a Patronus, you can do all sorts of stuff that full-grown wizards can't, Viktor always said-"

Ron looked around at her so fast he appeared to crick his neck; rubbing it, he said, "Yeah? What did Vicky say?"

"Ho ho," Hermione said in a bored voice, and rolled her eyes. "He said Harry knew how to do stuff even he didn't, and he was in the final year at Durmstrang."

Ron was looking at Hermione suspiciously. "You're not still in contact with him, are you?" He asked. Aviana was watching with apt interest. If Harry didn't already know better, from that scene alone he could grasp that she more than enjoyed gossiping.

"So what if I am?" Hermione said coolly, although her face was turning little pink. "I can have a pen pal if I —"

"He didn't only want to be your pen pal," said Ron accusingly.

"Yeah, well Harry and Aviana have been kissing for the past two weeks and you didn't think it was important to tell me." Hermione pointed out. Ron fell quiet. She turned to Harry. "Well, what do you think? Will you teach us?"

"Just you and Ron, yeah?"

Aviana cleared her throat.

"You were included in that. It was implied." Harry's brow furrowed slightly. "I don't really think I could actually teach you anything-"

"Harry, I can't produce a patronus. I need to know if it's some stupid creature like a weasel so I know that it won't embarrass me if I cast it." Aviana said. "Then again, if it's a ferret then that would really work for me."

Hermione eyed the pair, nervously. "Well," she began, fiddling with her fingers. "Well... now, don't fly off the handle again, Harry, please... But I really think you ought to teach anyone who wants to learn. I mean, we're talking about defending ourselves against V-Voldemort - oh, don't be pathetic, Ron - it doesn't seem fair if we don't offer the chance to other people."

Aviana glanced over at him and shrugged as she met his gaze. "I believe... that I agree on that front." She swallowed, and Harry squeezed her hand. "I agree that it would be... unfair to others... it would be unfair for..." 

"For us to be the only people getting an actually competent teacher." Hermione finished. "Yes, that's exactly what I believe." Aviana glared at her. "The ability to be able to protect yourself is far more important than getting the best grades in the year."

"I'm still going to get the best grades in the year, don't you worry about that." Aviana sniped. 

"Sure." Harry nodded. "Sure. But I doubt anyone except you two would want to be taught by me. I'm a nutter, remember? Not to mention her." His thumb jerked towards Aviana and Ron and Hermione shared a look before

"I've been actively promoting that I am somewhat similar to my father to make more people scared of me." Aviana noted. "It's yielded some very positive results. If everyone thinks that I'm in a downwards spiral to murder-related insanity then nobody bothers me." 

"That's... okay." Hermione nodded.  "Well, I think you might be surprised how many people would be interested in hearing what you've got to say," She continued, quite seriously. "Look," she leaned toward him; Ron, who was still watching her with a frown on his face, leaned forward to listen too, "you know the first weekend in October's a Hogsmeade weekend? How would it be if we tell anyone who's interested to meet us in the village and we can talk it over?" 

"Why do we have to do it outside school?" Ron asked. 

"Because," said Hermione, returning to the diagram of the Chinese Chomping Cabbage she was copying, "I don't think Umbridge would be very happy if she found out what we were up to."

And that was the only reason why Aviana was doing it at all.

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