Dumbledore's Army

Summary: In response to the threat of mass murderer Sirius Black, Harry starts the DA two years early. As a result he and his friends hone their skills, Harry gains a group of loyal friends, and Harry becomes much closer to a certain readhead... will diverge more from cannon events as the story continues. H/G RL/NT R/Hr.

A/N: I would like to thank my two incredibly awesome co- betas.

This basically diverges from canon on the day that Sirius attacks the fat lady.

Also, if you can't read Harry/Ginny, leave now, or forever hold your peace.

Disclamer: I don't own Harry Potter, or else I wouldn't be writing fanfictions now, would I?

The Different Decision

"The Fat Lady has been attacked!"

That was the first thing Harry heard when he woke up that morning. Normally this wasn't a sign that the coming day would be a good one.

Indeed, the Fat Lady was absent from her portrait, which only had a slash mark on it. Murmurs of Sirius Black passed through the crowd of Gryffindors as they gathered around the portrait.

"So much for a quiet year at Hogwarts," Ron had grumbled.

The rumors—remarkably—were correct. After much coaxing, Dumbledore had managed to get the Fat Lady to tell them what had happened; Sirius Black had indeed tried to get into Gryffindor tower, no doubt to kill Harry.

By now Harry knew what would happen. Whenever Harry walked near people conversing, they would instantly quiet down; Harry also felt people's eyes in the back of his head. While he had gotten used to this sort of attention (sort of), he still hated it.

The worst part of the day was in potions when Draco Malfoy had suggested that if someone didn't faint every time a dementor came by, they could be closer to the school and catch Black. Ever since then, Harry had felt a few people glaring at him.

It didn't help Harry's outlook that Malfoy had attempted to throw random ingredients into Harry's potion, which often fell short and entered Neville's. Snape had ended up taking points from Harry for throwing things into Neville's potion, and taking points from Neville "For being and incompetent idiot who can't even brew a simple potion right." Neither of them dared to tell Snape that he was contradicting himself in these punishments.

He was glad that he had Ron and Hermione, who did their best to act as a buffer between Harry and the stares and whispers of the rest of the student body. It was a daunting task that Harry was grateful for his friends for attempting.

Harry didn't know how he could have made it through the day without them. Ron particularly, would fiercely respond to any jibes or barbs launched at Harry.

In Transfiguaration, where they were transforming pillows into stuffed bears, Malfoy had mocked Harry about needing one whenever dementors came around.

Ron had then shot back "Next time you face an overgrown chicken, I'll let you borrow his!"

Lucius Malfoy was sitting in his ornate study, writing a letter.

The escape of Sirius Black had him concerned, not because he thought Black thought he was a death eater, quite the opposite in fact.

That was why the letter that his son had sent him, saying that Black was at Hogwarts, disturbed him.

Malfoy knew that if Black could convince anyone he was innocent, it was Dumbledore. He always had been one for second chances and, however irritatingly, saw the best in people despite their past. Malfoy also knew that if the person that the entire public was sure was guilty was proven innocent, it would start an inquisition. He would not be safe from the new set of trials that were sure to take place.

While Malfoy was fairly confident that he would be found not guilty again, he had no way of being sure of that. Therefore, that it was imperative that Black be stopped before he could contact Dumbledore.

Another thing had him concerned. Black, after all of his years in Azkaban, was probably mentally unstable, what if he decided to take revenge out on death eaters who had were still free? He shuddered at the thought of the deranged man going after Draco.

It would have been much easier to do this if he still had his chair in the Board of Governor's. As it was, he had to call in a favor to Rufus Scrimgeour to get the necessary changes made.
It would also require a few small bribes to his allies in the Board of Governors to get the school to cooporate sufficiently with the Auror office.

Still, if it meant that Black would be put back in Azkaban where he deserved to be, then it would be well worth it.

As Harry sat down for dinner, he realized that only Ron, Hermione, Ginny, and Neville wanted to sit with him. It was as if associating with Harry would get them murdered by Sirius Black.

Harry felt his stomach lurch at the thought of Ron and Hermione getting killed by Black just for being his friends; he forced himself to shake off the horrifying vision. He imagined that they would be very angry if he tried to stop spending time with them to prevent something like that.

While he felt disappointed that no one else wanted to sit next to him, Harry also felt relieved that he would be away from their disconcerting stares and hushed conversations.

Harry was jolted from his thoughts by Dumbledore, who had begun making an announcement before dinner started.

"In light of recent events, several aurors will be stationed at Hogwarts until their presence is deemed no longer necessary, I expect everyone to treat Aurors Moody, Dawlish, and Tonks with the utmost respect and cooperation."

"In addition" Dumbledore continued "The Board of Governors has considered it prudent to offer a basic course in dueling, tomorrow night at 5 o'clock, there will be a dueling club taught by Professors Lupin, Flitwick, and Aurors Moody, Dawlish, and Tonks; while attendance is not mandatory, I strongly suggest that everyone attend."

"I believe that I have kept you long enough from this splendid dinner, tuck in!" With that, their food appeared on the previously empty dishes.

"What's an auror?" Harry asked as he piled food onto his plate.

"A dark wizard catcher, blimey Mad- Eye Moody's coming to Hogwarts!" Ron exclaimed "I thought he was retired, the ministry must have called him back!".

"Mad-Eye?" Harry repeated, why on earth would anyone be called 'Mad- Eye'?

"You'll see what I mean, Harry," Ron answered cryptically.

"And the dueling club, that might be interesting too!" Hermione added.

"At least it will be better than the last one," Ron said between mouthfuls of food.

Harry chuckled; remembering last year's fiasco with Lockhart which ended in the general student body thinking Harry was a mass murder setting a monster on the student body.

"Yeah, even if Sirius Black tries to attack us while we're there, I doubt he will torture us with what hair care products he uses." Ginny joked from next to him.

Harry nearly fell over laughing at the image of the wanted mass murderer offering suggestions on hair care; he grabbed Ginny shoulder for support.

"That's brilliant!" He managed between laughs. His laughter was contagious and soon all five of them were in peals of mirth for several minutes.

"So, are you guys going?" Neville asked after they finally calmed down.

"Of course we are!" Ron huffed indignantly.

Hermione turned to Ron, "Don't be so rude, Ronald!" she scolded.

"Seeing as how Black is going after me, I think I should" Harry said.

"Besides, it would be nice to get some good dueling advice for once" he added. Lupin's classes, while informative, were all about Dark Creatures, and their previous two Defense professors hadn't managed to teach anyone anything.

In fact, all Harry knew about dueling he had learned on his own free time, mostly from a book he had gotten at Diagon Alley over the summer, which certainly wasn't enough to go against Sirius Black.

"Yeah, all Lockhart managed to teach us was how to be a complete idiot!" Ron laughed.

"Not that you need much help with that, Ron" Hermione teased, causing another round of laughter.

"Hey!" Ron protested, albeit playfully

At that moment, Harry felt an overwhelming sense of belonging and affection for his friends. It was one of the few times that he truly felt normal.

"And Quirrel wasn't going to teach us much, seeing as how he had Voldemort sticking out of the back of his head!" Harry continued for him.

Ron, Hermione, Ginny and Neville predictably flinched, which prompted another laugh from Harry. Normally, it annoyed him how his friends couldn't bear to hear 'Voldemort', but right now it just amused him.

Dinner was without a doubt the best part of his day.

Even as they were walking back to Gryffindor tower, Ginny had a dazed smile on her face. Hermione was right! All she had to do was be herself and Harry would notice.

Speaking of Hermione, said witch was now smirking at her knowingly.

"Someone's in a good mood tonight." She teased in a sing song voice

"Oh shut up" Ginny managed, but the effect was lost since she was still smiling.

To tell the truth, Ginny felt rather pathetic. She was grinning like a maniac and experiencing the oddest little flutters in her stomach all because Harry had laughed at her joke and touched her.

She hadn't even sat next to Harry with the intent of pursuing any… romantic feelings, she just felt more welcome with Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Neville than she did with students of her own year (except for perhaps Luna Lovegood).

In fact, she had done her very best to push aside any romantic feelings for Harry after Hermione had given her advice last summer. Then of course, Harry had to go ruin all of her planning by simply noticing her. How pathetic was that?

Still, even just being friends with Harry sent thrills to her stomach.

Then to her right, she heard Hermione snickering at her. Ginny glared at her supposed best friend. Hermione returned her glare with the cheekiest smile she could manage. They were interrupted by Sir Cadogan, the portrait who had replaced to fat lady.

"Who are you to trespass on this hallowed ground!" The knight shouted. "Back you scurvy bastards! Or I shall smite thee with my mighty blade!"

The next day, the Gryffindors had Defense Against the Dark Arts, and no Potions. Just by those two facts alone, the day was shaping up to be a good one.

Ginny and Neville once again joined Harry, Ron, and Hermione at breakfast that morning. A Ravenclaw girl sat next to Ginny, she had dirty blond hair and grey eyes, though they seemed to be dreamily out of focus.

Noticing Harry's attention on the girl, Ginny introduced her.

"This is Luna Lovegood, she's a Ravenclaw in my year".

"Errr, hi Luna," Harry said.

"Hello Harry Potter, you seem to have quite an infestation of Wrackspurts today!" Luna replied, as if talking about Wrackspurts was as normal as talking about the weather.

"What's a Wrackspurt?" Harry asked.

"They're invisible creatures that fly in your ears and make your brain go fuzzy" Luna answered in the same tone.

"There is no such thing as a Wrackspurt, Luna" Hermione informed.

"Oh, they exist." Luna replied assuredly.

Luna spent the rest of breakfast telling them about how her father had determined that Crumple- horned Snorkstacks only lived in Sweden, and how Sirius Black was secretly Stubby Boardman, former lead singer of the Hobgoblins.

Hermione spent the rest of breakfast scoffing at most of what Luna said, who didn't seem to notice.

Harry himself found Luna rather odd and somewhat annoying; but he couldn't find it in his heart to tell her to go away. From the looks of it, she had no friends, and Harry had been in that position for long enough before he came to Hogwarts.

"Honestly, none of those things Luna was talking about even exist!" Hermione huffed after she, Ron, and Harry left breakfast for Defense Against the Dark Arts, while Luna had Charms.

"Barmy, that one is," Ron agreed.

Harry merely shook his head and chuckled.

"Wow, Ron and Hermione agreeing on something; I bet Snape is getting ready to give points to Gryffindor" Ginny quipped.

Harry couldn't help but laugh.

"I bet Sirius Black will be offering Snape advice on hair care as well." Harry joked.

"Goodness knows the greasy haired git he needs it!" Ginny laughed.

After Ginny parted with the trio, the conversation shifted to what Professor Lupin would be doing for class today; he had promised it would be entertaining. Unnoticed by Harry or Ron, Hermione parted from them as well, only to reappear a few seconds later.

As if on cue, they ran into Lupin.

"Now are you going to tell us what we're doing today?" Ron asked, somewhat rudely, causing Hermione to reprimand him.

Lupin merely laughed, "You'll find out in a few minutes, Mr. Weasley!"

"I want everyone to write down the name of the most dangerous creature you have ever faced, it doesn't have to be magical, but I would prefer that it is. Then, we're going to have a tournament of sorts, pitting these creatures against each other, theoretically, of course."

"Cool!" Someone shouted, as usual, Professor Lupin's class never failed to entertain.

However, Hermione raised her hand.

"Do you have something to add Hermione?" Proffesor Lupin asked.

"No!" Hermione objected "I just don't understand how this will be educational".

There were several groans throughout the room and one shout of "Don't ruin it Hermione!"

Harry, Ron, and Lupin merely looked amused.

"In each, matchup, if you will, we will examine each creature's strengths and weaknesses; I think that this is a much better way of learning about creatures than by a textbook." Lupn explained.

Harry had no choice but to scribble down basilisk. He saw Hermione write Three- headed- dog, while he was certain Ron had put Acramantula.

Lupin began drawing brackets on the blackboard and writing down creature names as he received the slips of parchment.

When he wrote down Harry's creature, Parvati Patil gasped, "You mean you really killed a basilisk!"

Everyone's eyes were on him, their faces clearly holding awe and wonder at their classmate.

"Errr, yeah." Harry answered awkwardly, blushing as he did so.

"How did you do it?" asked Susan Bones.

"Errr, it was mostly luck…" Harry managed, Ron and Hermione snorted.

"I'm sure there will be more than enough time to question Harry about how he slew a basilisk, after class," Lupin interrupted, shooting an understanding smile at Harry.

The next two that were written down were Acramantula, which was set against the basilisk, and Three- headed dog and added next to it (Cerberus), which would no doubt be creaming Lavender Brown's creature, which was a garden gnome.

The trio chuckled at the vastly more dangerous nature of their three creatures.

Harry's Basilisk killed Ron's Acramantula "Spiders flee before it," Harry had explained to the class.

Harry was amused to see that Seamus' most dangerous creature was a rooster, which was now pitted against the basilisk.

Harry shrugged when the Basilisk was eliminated, but the rooster had no chance again the three-headed dog. In the end, the three-headed dog faced a tie against itself, since Neville had made it his creature as well.

Lupin was correct; they had learned a lot about magical creatures, many of the students who came from wizarding families had encountered creatures that Harry had never even heard of before.

On their way out, Harry let out a sharp laugh of amusement.

"What's so funny, mate?" Ron asked.

"I was just thinking about how the class would have gone if Luna was there."