=== September 7 1995 ===
The fifth-year Gryffindors all head outside to the courtyard. "Harry," Ron says. "You know this Professor Meris, why does he want to have class outside?"
"I wish I knew." Harry answers. "It's impossible to figure out what's going on in Malachi's head."
They meet up with the fifth year Slytherins. "Defense?" Draco asks Harry.
Harry nods. "Guess it's a double."
Draco nods. "Guess so."
They all reach the courtyard where they find Malachi standing in a pair of jeans, a light jacket, with a pair of gloves and reflective sunglasses. "Good afternoon class, I'm your Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher for this year. My name is Malachi Meris, you can either call me Professor Meris or Malachi. I don't care which one as long as you say it with respect."
"Now," Malachi continues. "I'm sure you are all curious as to why I asked you to meet outside. Now who here can tell me the absolute best way to defend against any spell?"
The students look at each other as Hermione raises her hand. Malachi sighs. "Anyone other than Missus Potter?" He looks around. "Very well, let's hear it."
"The best defense against any spell is to not be in the spell's path." Hermione answers.
"That is correct." Malachi says. "Now, Slytherins on one side of me, Gryffindors on the other, turn your backs to each other." The students scramble to do as told. "Mister Potter, come to me."
Harry gets out of the group and walks to Malachi who speaks. "Wands up! Aim at a tree, Slytherins repeat after me: Pingere Viridis!"
In unison the Slytherins repeat. "Pingere Verde!" Each one hits a tree with a green glob of paint.
"Very good, now Gryffindors: Pingere rubrum!"
The Gryffindors all repeat: "Pingere rubrum!"
Each one of them hitting a tree.
"Excellent! Now everyone turn around." Malachi says and the students do. "Across from you is your partner for the day. You are going to fire paint spells at each other. The objective is to dodge each other's spells. As a special bonus the student with the least paint on them will be given a pass that will let them skip any one homework assignment."
"Now, all of you watch as Mister Potter and I demonstrate." Malachi says as he pulls out a wand.
"10 paces." Harry says. "Draco, call it out."
Draco nods and starts counting as they pace. "10!"
Both Harry and Malachi turn and fire spells. They both dodge, Malachi fires several spells one after another. Harry manages to dodge the first two, firing off his own barrage as the others hit him, quickly turning him green.
The class turns and watches as Malachi launches himself into the air avoiding all the spells, then lands softly. "That's how it's done. Who's next?"
The class proceeds through a series of paintball battles. The last group is Hermione and Theodore Nott. "Ready to get painted green like your husband?"
Hermione grins. "You can try."
They take their places and start firing spells. Theodore wastes no time casting a chain of paint spells.
Hermione drops to the ground letting the spells all pass overhead. She quickly rolls back to her feet and then hesitates a second as she starts to summon Rowena's grimoire then remembers that she's in class. She pauses as she realizes that she has forgotten the spell.
Theodore sees Hermione pause and takes advantage, firing the spell again. Hermione, lost in thought, misses the spell until it's almost right in front of her. "Protego!" Hermione shouts erecting a shield that stops the spell.
"Halt!" Malachi shouts, everyone looks at them. "Missus Potter, do you mind telling me what the objective of this exercise was?"
"To dodge the spell," Hermione admits.
"You used the shield spell, so you failed this exercise." Malachi says, a gasp is shared by all the students.
"I… failed?" Hermione asks in surprise.
"That's right, the instructions were laid out clearly before the start and you didn't follow them." Malachi says as he turns to Theodore. "Now this event is over. Mister Nott, I believe the homework pass is yours."
"I don't fail." Hermione mumbles as she summons Rowena's grimoire and fires a modified version of the paint spell at Malachi.
The class gasps as the spell heads right for Malachi's back. Right as the spell is about to him the golden shield, Aegis, appears and blocks the spell, the paint covering it and pinning it to the ground. Malachi turns furious. "Missus Potter! What were you thinking?"
The grimoire vanishes from Hermione's hand as she realizes what she had done. "I… I'm sorry." She stammers. "I don't know what came over me."
"What exactly was your spell supposed to do?" Malachi asks, obviously trying to summon the shield.
"Cover you in paint, I think I made the paint heavy instead." Hermione admits.
"20 points from Gryffindor and detention tonight for attacking a teacher."
"Yes, sir." Hermione nods. "May I clean everyone up?"
"I would appreciate that." Malachi answers.
Hermione nods, then summons Rowena's grimoire. The book opens to the appropriate spell, she mutters the spell and the paint vanishes from everyone.
=== September 12 1995 ===
Harry and Hermione in their room, they just got the twins down. "Harry, I've been thinking."
"About?" Harry asks nervously.
"That we should recruit the other students to make an army." Hermione answers.
"Wait! What?!"
"Voldemort's recruiting, trying to refill his ranks. He already has other spies in this school. Draco told us as much." Hermione says.
"So you want to set up a network to keep an eye on the school and report it back to Sirius and the others?" Harry asks.
"Pretty much." Hermione admits.
"Then why call it an army?" Harry asks.
"We know a fight is coming, and when it does we're going to need as many people on your side as possible." Hermione says. "When the battle happens tons of innocents could be involved, everyone we train to fight is at the very least one less innocent we have to worry about."
Harry nods. "That sounds reasonable."
"Will you teach them?" Hermione asks.
"Of course, I want to be a teacher so this will be good practice." Harry says.
"Good." Hermione says. "I was thinking we could do both muggle weapons and magic"
"With what weapons?" Harry asks. "Sure, the Room of Requirement can conjure up anything we can think of, but they can't leave the room."
"I was hoping Malachi might be willing to part with some of his collection." Hermione answers.
Harry nods. "If he's willing that could work.
=== September 19 1995 ===
Early in the morning Harry's up taking care of one of the twins. Hermione hears them and wakes. "Hey," she yawns. "Need a hand?"
"I got her." Harry says. "I think she's going to go back to sleep."
"Good." Hermione says. "I'll join her."
"Your birthday present is on your nightstand if you want to open it before you do." Harry says.
"When did you find time?" Hermione asks as she grabs the small package and opens it. Inside are two charms for her bracelet, a rose and an iris. "I love them!" Hermione says as she adds them to her bracelet.
"Good," Harry says as he comes in from the nursery and kisses her lightly. "Let's go back to sleep."
Hermione nods, they both lay down and snuggle into bed.
#####
Harry and Hermione are sitting in the common room. Lavender and Ginny are off to the side playing with Iris and Rose. Fred and George approach Harry and Hermione.
"We heard a rumor that you two are raising an army." Fred starts.
"We want in." George finishes.
"Really?" Hermione asks
"We'll do whatever is ordered." George says
"We just want to help." Fred finishes.
"They are of age." Harry says.
Hermione sighs. "Fine, but no pranking your fellow Gryffindors."
"Deal!" They say in unison.
"And tell me how you got money to fund your inventions." Hermione says. "I mean you two must have added a dozen items to Filch's list this year."
"It's funny you ask." Fred starts as they both look at Harry.
"Last year we woke up one morning and each found a bag sitting on our beds" George continues.
"Naturally, we opened them only to find each bag contained 500 galleons." Fred picks up.
"Each bag also had a note: To Fred and George; the world could use a laugh." George finishes.
"Thank you for telling us." Hermione says. The Weasley twins nod and walk away.
'So is that what happened to your and Cedric's Triwizard winnings?' Hermione asks mentally.
'Believe it or not it was Cedric's idea.' Harry answers.
'I believe it.' Hermione replies. 'You know they know, right?'
'So?'
'Nothing, but now I'm very glad I'm not a prefect.' Hermione says, trying not to laugh.
'Me too.' Harry says.
=== September 23 1995 ===
Saturday, and early enough in the year that they weren't buried in homework yet. So Harry and Hermione leave the twins with Dobby and use the map to find Malachi.
"You know, someone might suspect you were avoiding us outside of class time." Hermione says as she enters the nearly empty classroom. Harry follows behind her.
"I haven't been avoiding you." Malachi says. "I've been busy."
"That's why you're in the last place I would have thought about looking for you?" Harry asks.
"Found me pretty quickly for this being the last place you would have thought I was." Malachi says.
"You know how we found you, and I suspect you know why we've been trying to get you alone." Hermione says.
"You want something from me, obviously." Malachi says. "Get on with it."
"We were hoping you would sell us some of the weapons you had at your forge." Harry says.
"Why would you want them?" Malachi asks. "You have your weapons."
"A war is coming." Harry says. "Riddle won't stay hidden forever."
"We know he's already raising a new army." Hermione says.
"So, what? Are you going to raise your own?" Malachi asks.
"I want to train others to protect themselves when the war comes." Harry says.
Malachi nods. "So you just want small weapons?"
Harry nods. "That would be preferable."
"Then I'm willing to help." Malachi says. "I'll go get them during the Hogsmeade weekend."
"Thank you." Hermione says.
=== October 7 1995 ===
Ginny plays with Rose as they all ride to Hogsmeade. "You know, it's kind of weird you taking the twins to Hogsmeade?"
"Why do you say that?" Hermione asks.
"They're so little." Ginny replies.
"And it's not like they're going to remember this, right?" Lavender asks as she plays with Iris.
"It doesn't matter if they remember it or not." Hermione says.
"Because we will." Harry says.
"That makes sense." Hannah says.
Once at Hogsmeade, Harry and Hermione take their children. "Is anyone sticking with us?" Hermione asks.
The others all look at the ground. "We have plans." Neville says. "Sorry"
"So do we." Ron says.
"We're sorry." Lavender says.
"We can change our plans." Hannah offers.
"It's okay, you head on." Harry says. "You'll stick with us, right Gin?"
Ginny shakes her head. "I'm supposed to meet someone at Madam Puddifoot's." She blushes at the thought.
Harry nods, "Please, just be careful Ginny."
"That's it?" Ron asks as he goes over to Ginny. "Who are you meeting? When are you meeting them?"
Ginny pulls out her wand. "I will hex your bits off if you don't back off."
Lavender puts her hand on Ron's shoulder. "She can take care of herself."
"I know." Ron says, defeatedly. "It's just she's my little sister, I'm supposed to look out for her."
"But we can't have her not live her life." Harry says. "I know that if she needs help she'll come to one of us."
"Aren't you worried someone will hurt her to get to you?" Ron asks.
"We've taken precautions for that." Hermione answers.
"What kind of precautions?" Ron asks.
"Hermione drew a few runes on me for emergency use only." Ginny admits as she holds up her hands, her fingernails are all painted with runes.
With Ron in shock Harry speaks. "Now go have fun."
"Just not too much fun." Hermione says as she motions to Iris in her holder.
Ginny blushes and nods before running off.
Ron snaps out of his stock. "Hey, Ginny, wait!" He starts after her.
"Ronald!" Lavender says. "Leave her be"
Ron stops and looks at Ginny heading off then turns around to look at Lavender. He sighs as he slumps his shoulders. "Yes, dear."
#####
That evening they have returned to their room where they see a letter sitting on their bed. Hermione grabs the letter and instantly recognizes the handwriting. "It's McGonagall, she wants to see us as soon as we get the twins settled."
Harry nods as they head to the nursery and put the twins in their cribs. "Winky, Dobby." Harry whispers. The elves silently appear. "You two watch over the twins." The elves nod and the teens head to McGonagall's office.
When they get to McGonagall's office they find the door ajar so they go on I'm and find Pomphrey inside along with McGonagall. "Please close the door." McGonagall says.
Harry does as asked and they walk up to the two adults. "Are we in some kind of trouble?" Harry asks.
"Quite the opposite actually." McGonagall says. "Poppy has told me about the young girl you saved. I want to help."
"How so?" Hermione asks.
"The mind healer thinks that the best thing for her is to be blood adopted so that she'll have new magic to help her." Pomphrey explains.
"I was thinking since I never had children that I would like to do it." McGonagall explains.
"You don't need our permission to do that, " Harry says.
"We wanted to make sure you two weren't going to do so." Pomphrey explains.
"No, we weren't planning on doing so." Hermione says.
"Then I will." McGonagall says.
=== October 12 1995 ===
Harry and Hermione sit on a loveseat in the Room of Requirement. A large table sits next to them covered with a cloth. Rose and Iris sleep in nearby bassinets. Fred and George enter the room and look around.
"Brother, this doesn't seem fair." George says.
"Imagine what we could do with this place." Fred says.
"That's the reason we didn't tell you about this place before now." Hermione says.
"We're hurt," George says.
"We gave you the map." Fred finishes.
"Technically you returned it to its rightful owner." Harry says.
"You can either forgive us or you can leave." Hermione says.
A serious look crosses their faces. "We apologize." They say in unison.
"Accepted." Hermione says.
Lavender and Ron lead the rest of the Gryffindors from their year into the Room. "We're all with you." Ron says.
"And don't bother saying we can't join." Lavender says. "We're your friends, you know we're going to be targeted anyway."
"Don't forget us." Hannah says as she enters with Luna and Ginny behind her.
Harry sighs. "Let's get started." He gets up and walks over to the table and pulls the cloth off of it revealing dozens of knives and other small weapons. "Everyone pick one."