Sentry, Letter, Leadership Traits
Three DA StoriesBy: Supergreak (supergreak@gmail.com)
Written in Thanfiction’s DA universe, all thanks go to him.
Gen and humor, PG,
Eleven General Orders for a Sentry in Dumbledore's Army.
#1
"To take charge of this post and all government property in view."
Neville had set up base in the Great Hall, and was currently distributing positions for their first night of acting as security. Headmistress McGonagall wanted the castle and repair workers to remain safe, but of the living Aurors, none could be spared. Thus, acting as sentries for free room and board. Those DA members without homes or families to return home to were extremely grateful.
Next in line was Sally-Anne, looking tired as she sipped at a thermos. "All right, Sally, go to the North Tower. You're in charge of it. Keep a sharp ear."
#2
"To walk my post in a military manner, keeping always on the alert and observing everything that takes place in sight or hearing."
Luna paced the remaining outside wall of what was Ravenclaw Tower. She hopped over a loose stone before looking through her Omnioculars at the surrounding rooftops. Yes, Harry and Ginny were snogging quite ferociously utop the roof of Gryffindor instead of keeping a lookout. Oh, well. She'd just watch their area as well as her own.
#3
"To report all violations of the orders I am instructed to enforce."
Hannah heard some strange sounds coming from the greenhouses as she patrolled past. She peeked her head inside cautiously. Only to find Demelza and Jimmy playing...well, at least it was only chess. She ushered them out; it was past midnight, for goodness' sake!, and sent a paper owl to Neville. D.R. and J.P. in Greenhouse 4 at 12:41 am. Against orders to 'get some sleep, already' Who gave them caffiene?
#4
"To repeat all calls more distant from the guardhouse than my own."
Susan Macmillan intercepted an airplane that crashed near her feet. Damn, but it was hard to bend over with the baby belly. She finally gave up and Accio'd it. Tall, dark, and mysterious coming your way from the forest. Susie refolded the airplane and sent it along right as another came her way. She opened that one as well. Never mind, it's just George Weasley in a cloak. Drunk, again.
#5
"To quit my post only when properly relieved."
Walter really, really, really had to pee. But his relieving sentry didn't come on for another hour. Dang, dang. He sent an airplane to Fearless Leader five minutes ago, but no help had come yet. Wait. There was Neville himself, saying, "You are relieved of your post so you can relieve yourself. Go. I got it." Hallelujah. Walter broke off in a run towards the nearest bathroom.
#6 "To receive, obey and pass on to the sentry who relieves me all orders from the commanding officer, officer of the day, officers and non-commissioned officers of the guard only."
Arthur Chambers was counting the bricks in the walls. Because seriously? Nothing ever happened at the base of Gryffindor tower. Ever. And that was where he had to patrol, okay, volunteered to patrol, for eight hours a day, when he wasn't sleeping, eating, or helping clear the rubble. He straightened at the sight of someone coming over the top of the stairs. Black messy hair, check. Harry Potter was passing his post, along with Lieutenant Weasley.
Harry smiled and said, "Do me a favor, Chambers, and stop anyone coming this way for the next couple of hours."
Arthur snorted. "What? So you can snog in peace? No way."
Ginny cleared her throat. "Chambers, block this passageway from all intruders except in the case of dire emergency until further notice, and pass the message on to your replacement."
Arthur felt himself cringe, and meekly replied, "Yes, ma'am."
Ginny, satisfied, walked away. To Harry's questions why he was ignored and she was obeyed, Arthur saw her kiss his cheek and say, "Because, m'dear, I am his C.O."
#7 "To talk only in the line of duty"
Naomi Russell was not a quiet person by nature. She liked to talk, whether it was regarding the latest fashions or the latest Charms theory. So when she was occupied as a sentry keeping watch over a hole in the Eastern wall of the castle, a big gaping one, she was bored and lonely. The fact that Meghan and Emma were gossiping about Neville Longbottom and the state of his pants only made it that much worse to concentrate on the wall. She had to bite her tongue to keep from shouting at them, "No, he does not wear briefs in Gryffindor red, he wears boxers with yellow smiley faces. He walks 'round the common room in them all the time, and Hannah or any Gryffindor can verify that." But she didn't even squeak as they walked by, just fought back a smile and continued pacing.
#8 "To sound the alarm in case of fire or disorder"
Hannah looked through her Omnioculars at the Forest, and saw small creatures running away from it. Quickly, she zoomed in, and noticed…AHHH! She sent red sparks, a Cauterwauling Charm, and three paper airplanes screaming "HELP! ACROMANTULAS!" Towards the castle in rapid succession, before starting to cast spells against them, thinking And I thought there was never disorder on my watch.
#9
"To call the officer of the day in any case not covered by orders."
Walter got back on patrol after his little potty break, and continued walking the fifth floor. He saw light coming out of a door up ahead, and heard muffled voices. Quieting his steps, he mentally reviewed his orders. Patrol, stop Death Eaters, Slytherins, and Ministry Officials out to make trouble. He looked in the open door. There were three students, about third year, sitting on the floor in a circle. There were playing cards in the middle, and a game of poker appeared to be in session. However, from the Ravenclaw tie on the floor and the Hufflepuff scarves hanging from lamps, the game appeared to be strip poker. He exited the room unseen, before penning a quick note to Neville and sending it in airplane form down the hall and disappearing around the staircase. Um, Nev? Third years playing strip poker weren't covered in my orders. What do I do?
#10 " To salute all officers and all colors and standards not cased."
Neville walked past Susan's post on the front steps, and she saluted. He greeted the ministry official who approached in the early dawn light with a handshake and a smile. They walked up to the steps, and Susan smiled at the pair as they walked through. A moment later, she crisply saluted the Hufflepuff standard that Professor Sprout was carrying. The official turned around and sniffed in an affronted manner. Susie smirked to herself, folding her hands over her belly, and thinking, well, he's no officer in this army.
#11. "To be especially watchful at night, and, during the time for challenging, to challenge all persons on or near my post and to allow no one to pass without proper authority."
Draco Malfoy was approaching the castle at dawn. It was August, he'd had nearly two months to recover from the great emotional trauma he had endured, and now it was time to buck it up for public appearance and help clean up a bit of this mess of a castle. And was it ever a mess. The front gates were ruined, no Aurors in sight, only a girl guarding the front steps of the castle, wand at the ready. As he approached, the young woman turned slightly to challenge his entry and he caught sight of her protruding belly.
"Whoa, Bones, you slag, who's the father? Or do you even know?"
He never knew what hit him as he got a wand of a very pregnant Hufflepuff in his face, saying, "The name is Macmillan."
When Draco awoke in St. Mungo's, he found a note on his bedside table.
Dear Mr. Malfoy: Whether or not you consider a marriage in the Muggle world to be binding on two Pureblood wizards or enough to legitimize their child, it is generally a bad idea to indicate this opinion to a woman who is both very pregnant and very much still grieving. Then again, brains have never been YOUR strong suit either. Sincerely, Professor McGonagall.
P.S. We do not need your kind of help at Hogwarts until you change that attitude of yours.
Leadership Traits
Decisiveness- That was it! He was plain tired and fed up of the DA bickering over room assignments, of all things. There was the "divide by year" contingent, which would require mixing houses due to reduced numbers, the "house" contingent, which the younger students were cheering for while the graduates groaned, and the couples, who just wanted privacy to, well, he was sure they were just planning on having philosophical discussions late into the night and didn't want to disturb the younger students. Hmm, no.
He sent sparks into the air. Loud ones. "Here's how it's going down. Susan gets her own room, because she's due any day now. As morale officer, any rooming complaints can go to her. Not me. Officers get their own rooms to share as they wish. We aren't in school right now, so Ginny, you can share with Harry if you jolly well please. Just use Silencing Charms."
Ginny kissed Harry at this news, causing both him and Ron to turn bright red. The brotherly love beat out embarrassment in blushes, though. Neville caught a smirk from Hannah before he continued.
"The rest of you, go to the respective dorms for your years. If there are empty rooms, they'll go to petitioners by Susie's discretion. That's final. So shut up about it.
Knowledge-She was shocking them once again. Then again, Luna never really stopped shocking the world at large. This time, however, it was not due to her eccentricity, but her vast knowledge of the castle. They were planning for the long-term defense of it, and she had just told them of three hidden weaknesses, two secret passages, and five spells essential to a sentry that none of them had heard of. And all in the past twenty minutes, as well. Well, go Luna.
Enthusiasm- Hannah knocked on the door marked "Lt. Weasley", first softly then more distinctly, calling, "Ginny? Are you decent?" A thud of a projectile sounded against the door. Hannah sighed and elbowed the door open, giggling at the large mountain of blankets obscuring any human forms on the large bed that was apparently Transfigured out of two student bunks.
"Gin, it's time for your watch. Rise and shine."
A small, freckled hand snaked out, grabbed a book off the nightstand, and flung it Hannah's general direction. Hannah ducked, stepped towards the closet, and flipped through the hangers. " Your shift for night watch starts in five minutes, and I let you sleep in as long as possible." Jeans, shirt, jacket, hey, that's my sweater! I was wondering where it went. " Wakey wakey!"
She closed the closet door and leaned against it, smiling as Ginny rustled for a few minutes under the blankets before rolling out f bed and landing on her feet in a rather feline manner. Her hair was mussed from sleep, and she appeared to be wearing Harry's Snitch pajamas. Her others, Hannah couldn't help but notice, were halfway across the room, hanging precariously on a lampshade in all their Chudley Cannons glory. Hannah attempted to suppress her grin and failed. She just extended the clothes on her arm, covering her mouth with her other hand.
Ginny scowled and wiped the clothes. "Shut up, shut up, shut up."
"I didn't say anything!" Hannah protested.
"But you were thinking it. How can you be so bloody chipper and cheerful at two in the morning?"
"Why wouldn't I be? It's a beautiful night, excuse me, morning-"
"You're returning to Commander's bed as soon as I get up-"Ginny said , balancing on one foot, the other going down the leg of her jeans.
Hannah ignored her. "The stars are gorgeous, I have coffee-"
Ginny, task complete, grabbed Hannah and swung her around. "I love you forever, oh bearer of caffeinated drinks! You just made my day!"
"And being happy and enthusiastic makes everyone around me excited to do their jobs. It's good leadership." Hannah finished, bemused.
A muffled voice came from the heap of quilts. "I appreciate all this enthusiasm, but can you ladies be enthusiastic somewhere else? I'm trying to sleep here."
Hannah laughed. "Did you not let Harry sleep at all last night, Gin?"
Ginny blew a kiss towards Harry as she forcibly shoved Hannah out the door. "Now, now, Hannah, not in front of the children."
Courage- Sinead was not brave. She'd joined the D.A. because it was right, and good, and noble, but all she had ever wanted to do was play her fiddle with some friends, to learn about the Arithmancy behind Wizarding music, to learn more spells then ever before. She jst wanted to go back home, to Ireland, to Uncle Patrick and his band, to Mum and her cooking, but she couldn't, not any more. While she had been so utterly consumed with you-know-who, and Death Eaters, and the D.A., and passing her classes, and getting Crucio'd just for giving the textbook answer in Dark Arts, the damn terrorists back home had burned down her favorite pub, while her entire family was inside. It was completely unrelated to the Wizarding World, and yet, it hurt so much more than those lost in battles. Just because they were in a Muggle pub in the wrong place at the wrong time.
The bravest thing she'd ever done, to date, was telling Amycus Carrow that her name was pronounced sha-NADE. Not Sin-EEEE-ADD. But now, she was patrolling, and there was something in that broom cupboard, and the scanning spells weren't saying anything useful, and she just wanted to run away. But it was rattling the door, and was about to come out, so she stood, wand raised and trembling, and as the door opened, she shouted STUPEFY! Then gaped at her own foolishness when it was just Peeves, causing trouble as normal. Oh, well. At least she hadn't ran. She kicked at the unconscious poltergeist once for good measure, then continued on her way. He'll come to in a few hours. I'm not that strong.
Initiative- Walter was tired of living in a den of snakes. The Slytherin Common Room was cold, and green, just eerie at times. Which is why he was charming couches at 0200. He arranged conversation circles, with a little kitchen area in the corner of the common room. He joined a bunch of the homework tables together, to form a big meeting table for Neville to spread out his maps and plans. He added lights and expanded the fireplace to spread the warmth through magical heat ducts. Heavy carpeting covered the cold stone floors, and the walls had portraits and posters and banners from their three houses. The color-coordination wasn't all there, but hey, what could you expect from a teenage boy. The final touch, his proudest task, was of course what he was caught doing, by Luna coming back from her patrol.
Of course, she didn't criticize him, looking at the graphitized portrait hole and the disgruntled occupant, just said, "The paint's smudged right there. Did you mean to do that? It's quite nice." Walter shuffled his feet, slightly embarrassed of being caught. Luna, however, just continued to look at the sign. "Barracks: Dumbledore's Army. Just what it needed. Good initiative, Walter." And she stepped through the portrait hole, careful not to touch the paint, and left Walt standing there with a bucket of paint in his hand and a dripping brush in the other, feeling quite Confounded.
Justice- Luna appreciated his decorations, she really did. And the contrast of the three contrasting colors made the common room so bright and cheerful. But Walter had clearly disobeyed the standing order to notify his superior, in this case Ginny, if he was going to be outside his room past midnight. He was, after all, only fifteen. He was responsible for the four girls and five boys, all in D.C., all third year or younger, in the rooms next to his. What if one of them had a nightmare or a problem during the night?
Nothing actually went wrong, but despite how right his actions were, he still broke orders. Which is why, after her brief on security, Luna approached Neville, secure that Walter's punishment would fit his…misdemeanor.
Part 2.
Longbottom has a sick, sick sense of humor. Walter thought for the eleventh time that night. After getting a stern lecture about "following orders, even when they seem dumb" and "some have responsibility thrust upon them", Neville gave him a red ball that lit up with a room number and screamed bloody murder whenever the corresponding green ones were touched in the midget's rooms. All of them. It had to be touched to the "green light" to shut it off. Of course, Walter didn't know this until the first time it went off, and he saw "1st year F" on it, while it was wailing. And then he had to find the room, comfort the bawling orphan, who looked very adorable with pigtails and a teddy bear, dreaming of that horrid night. She'd lost her best friend, and Walter, ever the big brother, just scooped her up and let her soak the sleeve of his t-shirt, walking the corridor, ever careful not to let anyone else wake up. Of course, he'd just gotten her settled down and had fallen asleep himself when the alarm went off again. This time, a second year boy was leaning over the toilet, puking his guts out. And then it was his friend, set off by the sounds and smells, then the girl down the hall who had a Boggart in the closet, appearing to be a monster with glowing eyes and scaring the wits out of her. She was followed by a third year Hufflepuff who got her very first period at half-past two. He left that one to an insomniac Susan to deal with. This time, it was boys who thought playing Exploding Snap around bins of highly flammable cleaning supplies would be fun. Mum and Dad, I am eternally sorry for ever being twelve.
Chapter 2: 7,8,9
In Officer Candidate School in the United States Navy, an essay is 100 words exactly, only counting words with four or more letters. The format for these essays is very specific, and they are used for punishment in officer training programs throughout the nation, including The Academy and ROTC. I now present the last leadership traits, OCS style.
Soldier Dobbs, Emma
Hufflepuff
1998-10-01
Endurance could possibly be one of the most important traits in a member of Dumbledore's Army. When the going gets tough, the tough need to stick through it to the end. This makes a soldier dependable, brave, and loyal to her cause if she stays through trying circumstances without quitting. If a famous racer decided to turn his broom around halfway through the race, he would never win. Also, if a Potions Mistress was developing an important new potion, like the cure to some disease or something to make dangerous magical objects safe, and they stopped in the middle of their discoveries, their work wouldn't be good for anything, and all those lives would be lost. Additionally, during an actual battle, a soldier cannot quit, no matter how frightened or injured the soldier is. I never quit during the Battle of Hogwarts, nor did I stop once in any of our training sessions. So this soldier has no excuse for wheeling out of her mandatory weekly physical training session early.
Soldier King, Ricky Richard
Gryffindor
1998-11-1
I'm writing this stupid, idiotic, essay because I lacked judgment in my actions yesterday. It was a clear night, perfect for Halloween. Me and the boys had set up a pretty nifty decorating scheme, with pumpkins, trick chairs, falling crap objects from the ceilings, and all that jazz. I'd gotten some of the other students to form up a band, with guitars and someone was even going to play the saw! Anyway, my error in judgment was planting the best of Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes' fireworks right under the commander's chair, and taking a bow when they went off. It was brave, and foolish, and not very cunning at all. Maybe you ought to have a Ravenclaw or Slytherin give me sneaking lessons. Having poor judgment in Dumbledore's Army is a very bad thing, because getting caught when sneaking around for something simple like this means I'll never get a cool job. Also, if I had poor judgment, I could make a bad decision, and end up getting somebody else killed.
Soldier Peakes, Jimmy James
Gryffindor
2008-11-14
I got in trouble because I started laughing at Lieutenant Lovegood. By laughing, I lost my bearing. For an officer in Dumbledore's Army, it is absolutely essential (see, I can use big words, too!) to keep one's bearing. Bearing is being able to control your body's actions, like laughing or crying, when under extreme pressure. Keeping this in practice while on duty by withholding outward reactions to situations that may arise will help in the line of duty. By keeping his bearing, a soldier or officer can stand under torture, keeping from being discovered as a spy, or keep his focus in the heat of battle. This soldier may properly keep his bearing by restraining from laughing or talking while on duty, and by maintaining his "Thousand Yard Stare", which helps him focus on his duties and not interesting facets of his surroundings. If a soldier feels the need to laugh or make a joke to his buddy while patrolling, he should bite his lip or think of something sad as a distraction. In my defense, it was a very funny joke.
The Letter
Neville finished dicing the onions and threw them in the skillet, followed by Hannah with the garlic.
Gram told them the next step in the instructions, "Thinly slice three carrots, parchment thin, and add them, then turn up the heat under the pan."
She was determined to teach him to cook if it was the last thing she did, because You can't depend on a wife to do all the work. And you have time to learn now that you aren't leading an army of school children. She was also determined that he fix all the problems with her garden and all the small repairs around the house. Hannah, smiling at their exchanges, just agreed with Gram on everything. Then helped him with her chores, often feeding him instructions or wrapping her arms around his waist "just demonstrating the proper way to hold a paring knife, Mrs. Longbottom."
Before he could add the carrots, however, an owl flew in the open window, dropping a letter in the skillet before flying off. Neville grabbed the letter without thinking, then hopped around the kitchen looking for some water to cool his fingers on.
Hannah broke the Hogwarts crest and began reading the letter aloud. "Mr. Longbottom, if you do not have any plans for this evening, please floo to my office at your nearest conveinience. Signed, Minerva McGonagall. She left the number in, too."
Neville stopped hopping immediately and read over Hannah's shoulder. "What do think it's about?"
Hannah mimicked their teacher's voice. "Neville, we've decided to hire you as a Herbology professor without ever taking you NEWTS. "
He chuckled. "How about, 'All the points docked from you last year add up to a negative five thousand, and you'll be working without pay as caretaker for fifty years to repay your debt to the school."That earned him a shove before Augusta cleared her throat.
"You should probably snap to, young man. And change your shirt."
--
Neville pounded up the stairs and into his room, where Gran said Hannah was waiting.
"Han, we've got a job! Well, actually, she hired the entire DA for security for Hogwarts for room, board, and free tuition when the school reopens, because the Aurors are needed elsewhere. I figured that would help the younger kids out, especially those whose parents died. I negotiated for free control of the security operation, and we'll be getting additional training from the Aurors as they can spare some, and I'm also in charge of all discipline and room assignments and we have all of Slytherin territory, as it's the only intact dorm in Hogwarts, and…and…"
Hannah pushed him down onto the bed. "Breathe, Neville, breathe. So we have work to do. And a place to stay, until the school opens, and what sounds like Auror training for whoever's interested."
"But, Hannah! I have to be in charge of the 26 DA members who are able to come back now, and the rest whenever they're able. That means I'm like Head Boy. Of a very small school. With no teachers or Headmistress, as I said I could handle our own affairs."
Hannah sniggered. "Well, you can send the girls to me. I can deal with periods and broken hearts a lot better than you can. You Gryffindors can be thick about that sort of thing."
Neville put on his best affronted face. "Hey, I resemble that remark."
Fin
Written in Thanfiction’s DA universe, all thanks go to him.
Gen and humor, PG,
Eleven General Orders for a Sentry in Dumbledore's Army.
#1
"To take charge of this post and all government property in view."
Neville had set up base in the Great Hall, and was currently distributing positions for their first night of acting as security. Headmistress McGonagall wanted the castle and repair workers to remain safe, but of the living Aurors, none could be spared. Thus, acting as sentries for free room and board. Those DA members without homes or families to return home to were extremely grateful.
Next in line was Sally-Anne, looking tired as she sipped at a thermos. "All right, Sally, go to the North Tower. You're in charge of it. Keep a sharp ear."
#2
"To walk my post in a military manner, keeping always on the alert and observing everything that takes place in sight or hearing."
Luna paced the remaining outside wall of what was Ravenclaw Tower. She hopped over a loose stone before looking through her Omnioculars at the surrounding rooftops. Yes, Harry and Ginny were snogging quite ferociously utop the roof of Gryffindor instead of keeping a lookout. Oh, well. She'd just watch their area as well as her own.
#3
"To report all violations of the orders I am instructed to enforce."
Hannah heard some strange sounds coming from the greenhouses as she patrolled past. She peeked her head inside cautiously. Only to find Demelza and Jimmy playing...well, at least it was only chess. She ushered them out; it was past midnight, for goodness' sake!, and sent a paper owl to Neville. D.R. and J.P. in Greenhouse 4 at 12:41 am. Against orders to 'get some sleep, already' Who gave them caffiene?
#4
"To repeat all calls more distant from the guardhouse than my own."
Susan Macmillan intercepted an airplane that crashed near her feet. Damn, but it was hard to bend over with the baby belly. She finally gave up and Accio'd it. Tall, dark, and mysterious coming your way from the forest. Susie refolded the airplane and sent it along right as another came her way. She opened that one as well. Never mind, it's just George Weasley in a cloak. Drunk, again.
#5
"To quit my post only when properly relieved."
Walter really, really, really had to pee. But his relieving sentry didn't come on for another hour. Dang, dang. He sent an airplane to Fearless Leader five minutes ago, but no help had come yet. Wait. There was Neville himself, saying, "You are relieved of your post so you can relieve yourself. Go. I got it." Hallelujah. Walter broke off in a run towards the nearest bathroom.
#6 "To receive, obey and pass on to the sentry who relieves me all orders from the commanding officer, officer of the day, officers and non-commissioned officers of the guard only."
Arthur Chambers was counting the bricks in the walls. Because seriously? Nothing ever happened at the base of Gryffindor tower. Ever. And that was where he had to patrol, okay, volunteered to patrol, for eight hours a day, when he wasn't sleeping, eating, or helping clear the rubble. He straightened at the sight of someone coming over the top of the stairs. Black messy hair, check. Harry Potter was passing his post, along with Lieutenant Weasley.
Harry smiled and said, "Do me a favor, Chambers, and stop anyone coming this way for the next couple of hours."
Arthur snorted. "What? So you can snog in peace? No way."
Ginny cleared her throat. "Chambers, block this passageway from all intruders except in the case of dire emergency until further notice, and pass the message on to your replacement."
Arthur felt himself cringe, and meekly replied, "Yes, ma'am."
Ginny, satisfied, walked away. To Harry's questions why he was ignored and she was obeyed, Arthur saw her kiss his cheek and say, "Because, m'dear, I am his C.O."
#7 "To talk only in the line of duty"
Naomi Russell was not a quiet person by nature. She liked to talk, whether it was regarding the latest fashions or the latest Charms theory. So when she was occupied as a sentry keeping watch over a hole in the Eastern wall of the castle, a big gaping one, she was bored and lonely. The fact that Meghan and Emma were gossiping about Neville Longbottom and the state of his pants only made it that much worse to concentrate on the wall. She had to bite her tongue to keep from shouting at them, "No, he does not wear briefs in Gryffindor red, he wears boxers with yellow smiley faces. He walks 'round the common room in them all the time, and Hannah or any Gryffindor can verify that." But she didn't even squeak as they walked by, just fought back a smile and continued pacing.
#8 "To sound the alarm in case of fire or disorder"
Hannah looked through her Omnioculars at the Forest, and saw small creatures running away from it. Quickly, she zoomed in, and noticed…AHHH! She sent red sparks, a Cauterwauling Charm, and three paper airplanes screaming "HELP! ACROMANTULAS!" Towards the castle in rapid succession, before starting to cast spells against them, thinking And I thought there was never disorder on my watch.
#9
"To call the officer of the day in any case not covered by orders."
Walter got back on patrol after his little potty break, and continued walking the fifth floor. He saw light coming out of a door up ahead, and heard muffled voices. Quieting his steps, he mentally reviewed his orders. Patrol, stop Death Eaters, Slytherins, and Ministry Officials out to make trouble. He looked in the open door. There were three students, about third year, sitting on the floor in a circle. There were playing cards in the middle, and a game of poker appeared to be in session. However, from the Ravenclaw tie on the floor and the Hufflepuff scarves hanging from lamps, the game appeared to be strip poker. He exited the room unseen, before penning a quick note to Neville and sending it in airplane form down the hall and disappearing around the staircase. Um, Nev? Third years playing strip poker weren't covered in my orders. What do I do?
#10 " To salute all officers and all colors and standards not cased."
Neville walked past Susan's post on the front steps, and she saluted. He greeted the ministry official who approached in the early dawn light with a handshake and a smile. They walked up to the steps, and Susan smiled at the pair as they walked through. A moment later, she crisply saluted the Hufflepuff standard that Professor Sprout was carrying. The official turned around and sniffed in an affronted manner. Susie smirked to herself, folding her hands over her belly, and thinking, well, he's no officer in this army.
#11. "To be especially watchful at night, and, during the time for challenging, to challenge all persons on or near my post and to allow no one to pass without proper authority."
Draco Malfoy was approaching the castle at dawn. It was August, he'd had nearly two months to recover from the great emotional trauma he had endured, and now it was time to buck it up for public appearance and help clean up a bit of this mess of a castle. And was it ever a mess. The front gates were ruined, no Aurors in sight, only a girl guarding the front steps of the castle, wand at the ready. As he approached, the young woman turned slightly to challenge his entry and he caught sight of her protruding belly.
"Whoa, Bones, you slag, who's the father? Or do you even know?"
He never knew what hit him as he got a wand of a very pregnant Hufflepuff in his face, saying, "The name is Macmillan."
When Draco awoke in St. Mungo's, he found a note on his bedside table.
Dear Mr. Malfoy: Whether or not you consider a marriage in the Muggle world to be binding on two Pureblood wizards or enough to legitimize their child, it is generally a bad idea to indicate this opinion to a woman who is both very pregnant and very much still grieving. Then again, brains have never been YOUR strong suit either. Sincerely, Professor McGonagall.
P.S. We do not need your kind of help at Hogwarts until you change that attitude of yours.
Leadership Traits
Decisiveness- That was it! He was plain tired and fed up of the DA bickering over room assignments, of all things. There was the "divide by year" contingent, which would require mixing houses due to reduced numbers, the "house" contingent, which the younger students were cheering for while the graduates groaned, and the couples, who just wanted privacy to, well, he was sure they were just planning on having philosophical discussions late into the night and didn't want to disturb the younger students. Hmm, no.
He sent sparks into the air. Loud ones. "Here's how it's going down. Susan gets her own room, because she's due any day now. As morale officer, any rooming complaints can go to her. Not me. Officers get their own rooms to share as they wish. We aren't in school right now, so Ginny, you can share with Harry if you jolly well please. Just use Silencing Charms."
Ginny kissed Harry at this news, causing both him and Ron to turn bright red. The brotherly love beat out embarrassment in blushes, though. Neville caught a smirk from Hannah before he continued.
"The rest of you, go to the respective dorms for your years. If there are empty rooms, they'll go to petitioners by Susie's discretion. That's final. So shut up about it.
Knowledge-She was shocking them once again. Then again, Luna never really stopped shocking the world at large. This time, however, it was not due to her eccentricity, but her vast knowledge of the castle. They were planning for the long-term defense of it, and she had just told them of three hidden weaknesses, two secret passages, and five spells essential to a sentry that none of them had heard of. And all in the past twenty minutes, as well. Well, go Luna.
Enthusiasm- Hannah knocked on the door marked "Lt. Weasley", first softly then more distinctly, calling, "Ginny? Are you decent?" A thud of a projectile sounded against the door. Hannah sighed and elbowed the door open, giggling at the large mountain of blankets obscuring any human forms on the large bed that was apparently Transfigured out of two student bunks.
"Gin, it's time for your watch. Rise and shine."
A small, freckled hand snaked out, grabbed a book off the nightstand, and flung it Hannah's general direction. Hannah ducked, stepped towards the closet, and flipped through the hangers. " Your shift for night watch starts in five minutes, and I let you sleep in as long as possible." Jeans, shirt, jacket, hey, that's my sweater! I was wondering where it went. " Wakey wakey!"
She closed the closet door and leaned against it, smiling as Ginny rustled for a few minutes under the blankets before rolling out f bed and landing on her feet in a rather feline manner. Her hair was mussed from sleep, and she appeared to be wearing Harry's Snitch pajamas. Her others, Hannah couldn't help but notice, were halfway across the room, hanging precariously on a lampshade in all their Chudley Cannons glory. Hannah attempted to suppress her grin and failed. She just extended the clothes on her arm, covering her mouth with her other hand.
Ginny scowled and wiped the clothes. "Shut up, shut up, shut up."
"I didn't say anything!" Hannah protested.
"But you were thinking it. How can you be so bloody chipper and cheerful at two in the morning?"
"Why wouldn't I be? It's a beautiful night, excuse me, morning-"
"You're returning to Commander's bed as soon as I get up-"Ginny said , balancing on one foot, the other going down the leg of her jeans.
Hannah ignored her. "The stars are gorgeous, I have coffee-"
Ginny, task complete, grabbed Hannah and swung her around. "I love you forever, oh bearer of caffeinated drinks! You just made my day!"
"And being happy and enthusiastic makes everyone around me excited to do their jobs. It's good leadership." Hannah finished, bemused.
A muffled voice came from the heap of quilts. "I appreciate all this enthusiasm, but can you ladies be enthusiastic somewhere else? I'm trying to sleep here."
Hannah laughed. "Did you not let Harry sleep at all last night, Gin?"
Ginny blew a kiss towards Harry as she forcibly shoved Hannah out the door. "Now, now, Hannah, not in front of the children."
Courage- Sinead was not brave. She'd joined the D.A. because it was right, and good, and noble, but all she had ever wanted to do was play her fiddle with some friends, to learn about the Arithmancy behind Wizarding music, to learn more spells then ever before. She jst wanted to go back home, to Ireland, to Uncle Patrick and his band, to Mum and her cooking, but she couldn't, not any more. While she had been so utterly consumed with you-know-who, and Death Eaters, and the D.A., and passing her classes, and getting Crucio'd just for giving the textbook answer in Dark Arts, the damn terrorists back home had burned down her favorite pub, while her entire family was inside. It was completely unrelated to the Wizarding World, and yet, it hurt so much more than those lost in battles. Just because they were in a Muggle pub in the wrong place at the wrong time.
The bravest thing she'd ever done, to date, was telling Amycus Carrow that her name was pronounced sha-NADE. Not Sin-EEEE-ADD. But now, she was patrolling, and there was something in that broom cupboard, and the scanning spells weren't saying anything useful, and she just wanted to run away. But it was rattling the door, and was about to come out, so she stood, wand raised and trembling, and as the door opened, she shouted STUPEFY! Then gaped at her own foolishness when it was just Peeves, causing trouble as normal. Oh, well. At least she hadn't ran. She kicked at the unconscious poltergeist once for good measure, then continued on her way. He'll come to in a few hours. I'm not that strong.
Initiative- Walter was tired of living in a den of snakes. The Slytherin Common Room was cold, and green, just eerie at times. Which is why he was charming couches at 0200. He arranged conversation circles, with a little kitchen area in the corner of the common room. He joined a bunch of the homework tables together, to form a big meeting table for Neville to spread out his maps and plans. He added lights and expanded the fireplace to spread the warmth through magical heat ducts. Heavy carpeting covered the cold stone floors, and the walls had portraits and posters and banners from their three houses. The color-coordination wasn't all there, but hey, what could you expect from a teenage boy. The final touch, his proudest task, was of course what he was caught doing, by Luna coming back from her patrol.
Of course, she didn't criticize him, looking at the graphitized portrait hole and the disgruntled occupant, just said, "The paint's smudged right there. Did you mean to do that? It's quite nice." Walter shuffled his feet, slightly embarrassed of being caught. Luna, however, just continued to look at the sign. "Barracks: Dumbledore's Army. Just what it needed. Good initiative, Walter." And she stepped through the portrait hole, careful not to touch the paint, and left Walt standing there with a bucket of paint in his hand and a dripping brush in the other, feeling quite Confounded.
Justice- Luna appreciated his decorations, she really did. And the contrast of the three contrasting colors made the common room so bright and cheerful. But Walter had clearly disobeyed the standing order to notify his superior, in this case Ginny, if he was going to be outside his room past midnight. He was, after all, only fifteen. He was responsible for the four girls and five boys, all in D.C., all third year or younger, in the rooms next to his. What if one of them had a nightmare or a problem during the night?
Nothing actually went wrong, but despite how right his actions were, he still broke orders. Which is why, after her brief on security, Luna approached Neville, secure that Walter's punishment would fit his…misdemeanor.
Part 2.
Longbottom has a sick, sick sense of humor. Walter thought for the eleventh time that night. After getting a stern lecture about "following orders, even when they seem dumb" and "some have responsibility thrust upon them", Neville gave him a red ball that lit up with a room number and screamed bloody murder whenever the corresponding green ones were touched in the midget's rooms. All of them. It had to be touched to the "green light" to shut it off. Of course, Walter didn't know this until the first time it went off, and he saw "1st year F" on it, while it was wailing. And then he had to find the room, comfort the bawling orphan, who looked very adorable with pigtails and a teddy bear, dreaming of that horrid night. She'd lost her best friend, and Walter, ever the big brother, just scooped her up and let her soak the sleeve of his t-shirt, walking the corridor, ever careful not to let anyone else wake up. Of course, he'd just gotten her settled down and had fallen asleep himself when the alarm went off again. This time, a second year boy was leaning over the toilet, puking his guts out. And then it was his friend, set off by the sounds and smells, then the girl down the hall who had a Boggart in the closet, appearing to be a monster with glowing eyes and scaring the wits out of her. She was followed by a third year Hufflepuff who got her very first period at half-past two. He left that one to an insomniac Susan to deal with. This time, it was boys who thought playing Exploding Snap around bins of highly flammable cleaning supplies would be fun. Mum and Dad, I am eternally sorry for ever being twelve.
Chapter 2: 7,8,9
In Officer Candidate School in the United States Navy, an essay is 100 words exactly, only counting words with four or more letters. The format for these essays is very specific, and they are used for punishment in officer training programs throughout the nation, including The Academy and ROTC. I now present the last leadership traits, OCS style.
Soldier Dobbs, Emma
Hufflepuff
1998-10-01
Endurance could possibly be one of the most important traits in a member of Dumbledore's Army. When the going gets tough, the tough need to stick through it to the end. This makes a soldier dependable, brave, and loyal to her cause if she stays through trying circumstances without quitting. If a famous racer decided to turn his broom around halfway through the race, he would never win. Also, if a Potions Mistress was developing an important new potion, like the cure to some disease or something to make dangerous magical objects safe, and they stopped in the middle of their discoveries, their work wouldn't be good for anything, and all those lives would be lost. Additionally, during an actual battle, a soldier cannot quit, no matter how frightened or injured the soldier is. I never quit during the Battle of Hogwarts, nor did I stop once in any of our training sessions. So this soldier has no excuse for wheeling out of her mandatory weekly physical training session early.
Soldier King, Ricky Richard
Gryffindor
1998-11-1
I'm writing this stupid, idiotic, essay because I lacked judgment in my actions yesterday. It was a clear night, perfect for Halloween. Me and the boys had set up a pretty nifty decorating scheme, with pumpkins, trick chairs, falling crap objects from the ceilings, and all that jazz. I'd gotten some of the other students to form up a band, with guitars and someone was even going to play the saw! Anyway, my error in judgment was planting the best of Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes' fireworks right under the commander's chair, and taking a bow when they went off. It was brave, and foolish, and not very cunning at all. Maybe you ought to have a Ravenclaw or Slytherin give me sneaking lessons. Having poor judgment in Dumbledore's Army is a very bad thing, because getting caught when sneaking around for something simple like this means I'll never get a cool job. Also, if I had poor judgment, I could make a bad decision, and end up getting somebody else killed.
Soldier Peakes, Jimmy James
Gryffindor
2008-11-14
I got in trouble because I started laughing at Lieutenant Lovegood. By laughing, I lost my bearing. For an officer in Dumbledore's Army, it is absolutely essential (see, I can use big words, too!) to keep one's bearing. Bearing is being able to control your body's actions, like laughing or crying, when under extreme pressure. Keeping this in practice while on duty by withholding outward reactions to situations that may arise will help in the line of duty. By keeping his bearing, a soldier or officer can stand under torture, keeping from being discovered as a spy, or keep his focus in the heat of battle. This soldier may properly keep his bearing by restraining from laughing or talking while on duty, and by maintaining his "Thousand Yard Stare", which helps him focus on his duties and not interesting facets of his surroundings. If a soldier feels the need to laugh or make a joke to his buddy while patrolling, he should bite his lip or think of something sad as a distraction. In my defense, it was a very funny joke.
The Letter
Neville finished dicing the onions and threw them in the skillet, followed by Hannah with the garlic.
Gram told them the next step in the instructions, "Thinly slice three carrots, parchment thin, and add them, then turn up the heat under the pan."
She was determined to teach him to cook if it was the last thing she did, because You can't depend on a wife to do all the work. And you have time to learn now that you aren't leading an army of school children. She was also determined that he fix all the problems with her garden and all the small repairs around the house. Hannah, smiling at their exchanges, just agreed with Gram on everything. Then helped him with her chores, often feeding him instructions or wrapping her arms around his waist "just demonstrating the proper way to hold a paring knife, Mrs. Longbottom."
Before he could add the carrots, however, an owl flew in the open window, dropping a letter in the skillet before flying off. Neville grabbed the letter without thinking, then hopped around the kitchen looking for some water to cool his fingers on.
Hannah broke the Hogwarts crest and began reading the letter aloud. "Mr. Longbottom, if you do not have any plans for this evening, please floo to my office at your nearest conveinience. Signed, Minerva McGonagall. She left the number in, too."
Neville stopped hopping immediately and read over Hannah's shoulder. "What do think it's about?"
Hannah mimicked their teacher's voice. "Neville, we've decided to hire you as a Herbology professor without ever taking you NEWTS. "
He chuckled. "How about, 'All the points docked from you last year add up to a negative five thousand, and you'll be working without pay as caretaker for fifty years to repay your debt to the school."That earned him a shove before Augusta cleared her throat.
"You should probably snap to, young man. And change your shirt."
--
Neville pounded up the stairs and into his room, where Gran said Hannah was waiting.
"Han, we've got a job! Well, actually, she hired the entire DA for security for Hogwarts for room, board, and free tuition when the school reopens, because the Aurors are needed elsewhere. I figured that would help the younger kids out, especially those whose parents died. I negotiated for free control of the security operation, and we'll be getting additional training from the Aurors as they can spare some, and I'm also in charge of all discipline and room assignments and we have all of Slytherin territory, as it's the only intact dorm in Hogwarts, and…and…"
Hannah pushed him down onto the bed. "Breathe, Neville, breathe. So we have work to do. And a place to stay, until the school opens, and what sounds like Auror training for whoever's interested."
"But, Hannah! I have to be in charge of the 26 DA members who are able to come back now, and the rest whenever they're able. That means I'm like Head Boy. Of a very small school. With no teachers or Headmistress, as I said I could handle our own affairs."
Hannah sniggered. "Well, you can send the girls to me. I can deal with periods and broken hearts a lot better than you can. You Gryffindors can be thick about that sort of thing."
Neville put on his best affronted face. "Hey, I resemble that remark."
Fin