Partisan Project

The Partisan Project is a history in four books containing narrative and primary source materials documenting the Second Wizarding War of magical Britain.

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Correspondence between Gred and Forge and the principal investor in Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes

Decrypted by Hermione Jean Granger, this is the plaintext communication from Fred and George Weasley to Hermione, Ron, and Harry.

Dear Hermione, Ron, and our Dearest Most Delightful Principal Investor, Harry James Potter, Esquire,

Most pleasing tidings have indeed reached us here in Diagon Alley -- we hear that indeed a foul toad recently expelled from the premises of our own dear Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry awaits trial and is likely to spend quite a few years in Azkaban for her doings. We, for our part, won’t miss her. We bear other news: our shop will be ready to open just in time for students’ return home for the summer; and some of our, ahem, research, has yielded fruit. It is with great excitement that we present you with these top-of-the-line off-the-line products, of which we shall deliver samples to you upon your return from school in addition to the few you’ve got here.

Firstly, the wireless extendable ear product is ready for use. When obtained, the user sets a password for remote activation, which they then will read into their own wireless earpiece when ready to listen. We haven’t yet managed to make them undetectable while in use, but the magic on the piece is undetected until it is in use. Once the password has been set, the ear is only visible to the person who placed it. They only work at a distance of a few rooms, though. We’re currently developing a notebook that pairs with an ear to develop a transcript of what’s recorded so that the listener doesn’t have to pay constant attention and a record will remain, but we’re having difficulty with reading the words correctly. Perhaps if we haven’t resolved it in a few weeks, we can meet Hermione in Hogsmeade to, er, errorshot? Still, hopefully the sample of wireless ears we’ve sent you will aid you in your quests here at school.

We’ve also developed a line of shield equipment that we intend to present to Professor Dumbledore to help the Order, however little they want our help, although it seems our latest act of mayhem has led them to take an interest in you younguns. Shield cloaks, hats, the like. Obviously they won’t block an avada or anything but they will stop basic hexes and jinxes, should put off the newer recruits at least. We’ve bought a few Hogwarts uniforms off Madam Malkin in Ron’s size, said they were a present for our brother (they are), and we’re currently working on developing a version that can be sewn into the robes and cloaks and such as lining.

We’re also working on a line of concealed Dark Detectors. So far, we’ve developed a set that, like the extendable ears, is invisible to anyone but the user and is password protected. It’s triangular in shape and shows dark objects and spells in a map. Basic scanning spells will pick it up, but you should be alright using it on other kids. We’re currently working on a wireless screen, like those tee vees Hermione was telling us about, that shows a map of a room, spells, and objects, with extra identifying information but we’re still working out a few kinks.

We’re not selling any of this to just anyone, well, except, we will with the shield gear -- but we do intend to get the information of anyone who wants to buy that -- we don’t want it in the hands of death eaters, so we’re checking arms for marks. Besides, you’d be surprised at what you hear people say in the open when you’ve got the entire store bugged. Good luck with everything, until next time.

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Rita Skeeter’s Daily Prophet Article

Luna’s Note: The following contains discussion of a teacher psychologically and physically abusing students. Please read with care, and, above all, don’t let this happen again.

Abuse and Torture at Hogwarts

HOGWARTS- Evidence has to come to light of certain abusive actions and the use of the cruciatus curse as punishment by a member of staff at the ancient school. Photographs depicting the use of a quill that uses the writer’s own blood as ink and scars the lines being written into the writer’s flesh, as well as students using the cruciatus curse while a professor looked on. The staff member in question has been identified as Dolores Jane Umbridge, High Inquisitor and Defense Against the Dark Arts professor as well as Senior Undersecretary to the Minister for Magic.

Also documented, the wounds caused by the quill pen are deep. According to sources, the blood quill has been in use since Umbridge’s arrival at the school and the use of the cruicatius curse has been in place since the formation of the Inquisitorial Squad, a group of students carefully selected by Umbridge for their support of the ministry to enforce her new policies within the school. However, there are many reports of abuses of their powers.

The biggest such abuse came from the top, as Umbridge ordered and authorized the use of the cruciatus curse to apprehend and interrogate suspects and students who were misbehaving. In addition, there are accusations of impropriety in her curriculum. Umbridge stands accused of deliberately inhibiting active learning and reducing a vital subject to little more than first year essay work. Thus far, the scars remain indelible on the hands of those who have suffered at hers.

That these events have occurred as she acts with the full authorization and support of Minister for Magic Cornelius Fudge does not bode well for the length of his term of office. It remains to be seen what, if anything, consequences Madame Umbridge will face as a result of these accusations and evidence.

There are difficult questions that must be answered, such as how these abuses were allowed to happen for so long unchecked, and the Minister and Umbridge will have to answer them.

The evidence surfaced in the form of an anonymous package received by the Daily Prophet. There are more photographs than we have room to print here, but we have forward to the Magical Law Enforcement squad for further investigation. We will report all news of the progress of the investigation as it reaches us.

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Chapter Five: You Got Served

For some reason, breakfast today tastes more delicious than breakfast on any other day. Ah, yes, it must be the taste of foreknowledge of Umbridge’s dethroning. As Daily Prophet owls soar in, chatter across the tables quickly heats up. 

The front page of the newspaper, features photographic evidence of Dolores Umbridge, Draco Malfoy, Theodore Nott, and Marcus Flint casting cruciatus charms on Hogwarts students. Colin Creevey’s meticulous documentation of the injustices at Hogwarts is the basis of a lengthy exposé by Rita Skeeter detailing Umbridge’s numerous abuses of power as well as the horrific acts of the inquisitorial squad. This is the her last stroke, the students hope, and sending in the photographs earned Colin a fair bit of pocket money.

“Happy birthday, Gred and Forge!” Harry exclaims brightly, shoveling potatoes, sausages, eggs, cheese, and every other tasty thing within arm’s reach into his mouth. In fact, he downright resembled Ron in his voraciousness.

By the time Harry has eaten his third helping (today is a day to celebrate, after all), aurors arrive, arresting the aforementioned parties. Unfortunately, as the student group really was against the school rules and to avoid too much scrutiny on the methods of collecting evidence against her, it is determined that someone has to take the fall for the group.

Fred and George, who have interests that lie outside their N.E.W.Ts and are having an excellent birthday already, take the fall for the group, as they agreed to a few weeks previously, and go out with a bang, quite literally.

As fireworks combust into vibrance, they advertise their new shop, Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes, to be opened in Diagon Alley. Standing at the top of the grand staircase in the Entrance Hall, the twins smirked irreverently as Umbridge, her hair bow aflame, seethed at the bottom of the stairs. She raised her voice, hurling threats at them, but they raised their wands in unison and hollered, “ACCIO BROOMS!”

A deep clanging sound came from the bowels of the castle as two brooms burst off their wall and dragged their chains with them, speeding to their owners. Fred and George glanced at their sides as their brooms came to a halt there, waiting to be ridden. Each twin saddled himself on his broom, and they both floated upward, grinning wildly as Umbridge stamped and raged impotently at their impudence from the bottom of the stairs.

An insubstantial figure floated out of the wall above the Great Hall doors, a cackling figure in a belled hat. George addressed the poltergeist. “Give her hell from us Peeves! Run her out of this place!” Peeves, who had never so much as waved politely at anybody, floated at attention, swept his belled hat from his head and saluted the marauding duo.

They saluted him back, and turned to face Umbridge. She recoiled a bit, wide-eyed but still filled with fury. They trained their wands on her, and as she raised her own, lifted them to point at the front doors. Before she could utter, they bellowed as one and the doors burst open. They hurtled through the doors, Umbridge shrieking at the Inquisitorial Squad to apprehend them, the Inquisitorial Squad ineffectually responding and dodging the heavy chains and bolts still dragging from the brooms, and the rest of the student body cheering wildly.

With an almighty screech, Peeves took to his task with unwonted zeal. He raced through the castle, tearing down each Umbridge’s beloved Educational Decrees in turn and slamming them on the ground. Letting out an unearthly cackle, he grabbed a torch off a wall and floated down through the castle to Umbridge’s office door. He slammed it closed and held the torch to the lock, melting the lock so that the door could not be opened again. 

After all this, the successful poltergeist retreated to the top of North Tower to think of more things to do. Harry found him on his way, and asked if there was anything the students could do to help him.  He smiled widely and wickedly.

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Marietta’s Betrayal (an excerpt from the memoirs of Cho Chang)

Luna’s Note: This event was a critical catalyst in the Partisan resistance effort. Important changes to the structure of the Partisans would come about and renewed energy would be brought to the operations. This also was the point at which a dim shadow of what we truly were became known more widely, and where we went further underground to maintain secrecy.

Ms. Edgecombe’s motivations for her actions were at the time unknown, but thanks to Cho Chang’s memoirs, we have a clearer picture. What follows is Cho’s record of why Marietta acted, and the results of those actions. The record of the engagement between the Partisans and the Inquisitorial Squad that most directly resulted can be found in the main text of Chapter Four.

Cho’s Note: The following is an excerpt from the memoirs of Neville Longbottom, reprinted with permission, and describes the battle between the Inquisitorial Squad and Partisans upon their betrayal to Professor Umbridge

Harry was just wrapping up a lesson on Patroni when we felt the first rumblings of trouble. A pair of batlike ears under a stack of hats glided through the crowd toward Harry. It was Dobby, bearing dire news: we were besieged by those treacherous soldiers of the vile order, the Inquisitorial Squad. And their leader, that most nefarious mantella, that corroboree, Dolores Umbridge. Many of the younger students disillusioned each other and prepared to flee to the safety of their common rooms.

The rest of us prepared for battle. We asked the Room for some things we could use as cover and set about making the room suitable for a stout defense. Teams were decided on by our strengths; there were shield teams, hex and jinx teams, and charm and transfiguration teams. Using some research from handy books the Room gave us, we arranged the Room to resemble Allied trenches from World War II. Our preparations done, we waited. In the silence we girded ourselves. 

This would not be a clean affair, but it was necessary that we stand. We who stood ready, we of indomitable heart, we of undauntable constitution, were united in our belief, in our cause. And that was our thew. Our bond was flame. We gripped our wands tightly and practiced incantations sotto voce. The wait was at once ceaseless and fleeting. The crashes grew louder as Umbridge’s ranks encroached upon the Room, its walls shuddering. 

We were under attack. The Room’s magical defenses held for the moment. The walls quaked and the voices grew louder. We had no escape, nor did we intend flight. This was our Thermopylae, our Bastogne; there would, however, be no Patton and no Third Army to rescue us. But we stood firm. The sound of massive thunder claps accompanied the crumbling and cracking of the walls. The hinges of the Door of the room bent and groaned. 

The door burst in and into the dusty haze we fired our first volley into the squad’s salvo of stunners and cutting curses. Those of us who went down maintained their own shields, and the shield teams covered the rest of us with protego. We blasted the squad with everything we had, casting bat bogey hexes, reductor curses, stunning hexes, and other assorted jinxes and hexes like fireworks. 

Umbridge and about four or five of her cronies sprung away from the worst of the attack and fought on, ruthless. I found myself face-to-face with Draco Malfoy and, as he aimed a crucio at Ginny, with a bull-roar I hit him with petrificus totalus. Justice executed my belated redress as Ginny dodged and cast awrora at his helpless form; it was a little too kind, but not undeserved. 

Crabbe and Goyle snarled and lumbered forth, feral and burly. They seemed determined to have me hand-to-hand. I hurtled the battlements and prepared to engage them. You may think me foolish for this, but I knew my fellow Partisans would cover me. I was bait in an improvised trap, luring them into the open. No less than eight stunners felled the two brutes. 

Now Umbridge only had two of her lieutenants left standing with her, facing us with bloodshot eyes and raised wands. Zabini and Montague, wary, eyed the forest of wands trained on them as we waited for them to give us a reason. Blood thundered through my brain as my eyes fell on the reviled woman, the degenerate sadist. It was she who prompted my fury.

Eyes wild and fists balled, Umbridge spat, angrily, “You think you have your community, your creed. It was one of yours who helped me discover your misdeeds. Miss Edgecombe was quite helpful indeed.”

I acted rashly but sharply and shot a reducto at the ceiling, which rained down in chunks of stone over our foes. Umbridge was knocked out cold, but the other two dodged the worst of it. Now realizing their predicament the two retreated slowly, eyes wide and skin covered in cuts and bruises, trying to keep us all in their line of sight. Harry and Ron cast petrificus totalus on them, giving them an easy fall. 

With that, the fighting was over. We emerged from our makeshift trenches and moved among the fallen, stunning those still conscious and tending to our own wounds. We moved the now unconscious Inquisitorial Squad and their leader into the middle of the Room. 

Harry assigned guards to stand watch over them while the rest of us set about casting reparo over the walls and the door; the guards used incarcerous to be positive they could not resist if they woke. Helped along by the Room’s own magic, things were repaired in relatively short order. 

With those things accomplished, Harry turned to Hermione and inquired about what to do with Umbridge and her squad. Luna suggested taking them to the hospital wing, but that would raise too many questions. Lee proposed that they lock Umbridge and her squad in her office, and keep them there until Colin Creevey’s photos of the battle could be processed and an article published to ensure her removal. Ginny pointed out that this would mean constantly battling the group down when they woke, and could be considered unethical enough to potentially take Umbridge off the hook. Someone proposed dreamless sleep, followed by a midnight edition of the prophet.

Hermione stepped forward, hesitantly. “I’m not sure we can get this all put together tonight, but I’ve been practicing memory charms and I’m almost certain I can do a good one. I can remove their memories of the battle and replace them with something else unrelated, and return her to her office and have them think they were on the way to their dorms when they wake up. We can plant drinks on all of them, since memory charms aren’t strictly legal, and then focus on getting out an article now before she does more damage.”

“Are you sure you can do this, Hermione?” Ginny asked. “Otherwise, if they notice something’s up, we’re in major trouble.”

Hermione nodded. “I’ve been practicing for a few months now.”

A wave of assent passed over the room, and Hermione grinned. “Alright, Fred and George, cough up what you’ve got.”

“Whatever do you mean, Miss Granger?”

“Firewhiskey. Vodka. Whatever you’ve got.”

With a mournful look, the twins pulled several flasks out of their bags and handed them to Hermione, who planted them in various locations on their adversaries.

She then asked the Room for a fireplace and set it up with floo powder to take the professor and her squad back to her office as Hermione modified their memories and removed their bindings. We lugged them, one by one, into the fire and sent them back to Umbridge’s office.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Now we return to my story.

We all returned to our various common rooms, out of breath and still with adrenaline coursing through us. I found Marietta sitting apart in Ravenclaw Tower, staring out a window with a scarf wrapped around her face. Her eyes and cheeks were puffy and red, but I had little sympathy for her. She turned and saw me, saw the fire in my eyes, and was petrified.

I walked up to her slowly and sat in the chair opposite hers next to the window. We looked each other in the eye and, her head bowed an inch, she held my gaze. I had one simple question. “Why?” 

She faltered for the first time. She looked down and closed her eyes before speaking. “It wasn’t as difficult as I thought it might be. It came down to a choice between my family and this group. Anybody in my position would have made the same choice. Besides, I’m not entirely sure Potter has the right ideas.” 

Her attempts to sway me failed spectacularly. “You do realize you are not the only person in the group who has family working at the Ministry? You are FAR from the only one to have family to think about here. Do you think none of the rest of us realized the risks? As for Harry, you are entitled to your opinions, however misguided. I just won’t be party to it. I trust him. I believe in him. If you don’t, that is your choice. A difference of opinion, I could have tolerated, but this, this betrayal means we are no longer friends.” 

Marietta flew into a rage. “FINE! Fine. If that is how you are going to be, then fine. I thought our friendship meant more than that to you. I thought you might have been more understanding. I can see now that we obviously aren’t going to agree. So, fine, we are no longer friends. Good luck with your little DADA group, not that it will amount to much.” And with that she stormed away, leaving me in a cloud of doubt and anger.

We laid low for a few weeks, even though the Inquisitorial Squad had been decimated in the skirmish. The High Inquisitor is a highly vindictive creature. We could not trust to her sudden lack of henchmen to keep her docile for very long.

Messages were being sent back and forth all the while, but no face to face meetings happened. It was decided during this period that we should break into smaller cells, operating semi-autonomously, in order to provide better security. 

The cells were small enough so as to not raise suspicion by virtue of their size. Proposed structures and rosters were sent around before everything was agreed upon. This was one of the most seminal moments in the development of the Partisans from a learning group to a full fledged resistance movement. 

We were children faced with genocide. We were too young, really, to be fighting, but there was no other way. There weren’t enough adult wizards fighting the war to make a successful go of it, and the adults on our side were unprepared for the ugliness we faced. Young as we were, we had to assume the mantle and become fighters.

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A Change of Winds by Luna Lovegood

Luna’s Note:

I originally published this piece in The Quibbler, and distributed illicit copies to my classmates. Content Warnings: Descriptions of food, Firing without cause. 

HOGWARTS- This past Friday night saw tumult here at Hogwarts. Professor Trelawney, who occupies her aerie atop North Tower and teaches divination, was sacked by High Inquisitor Umbridge for consistently poor performance. Maybe it was stress from teaching under constant observation, but she never really seemed comfortable teaching classes this year. She wasn’t terribly competent before at teaching or prediction, though, although she claims to have inherited her grandmother’s gift of Sight. Her classroom is also designed terribly for learning, and is infested with nargles and wrackspurts.

Umbridge made a big scene of the sacking. She staged it right after dinner when everybody was leaving the Great Hall to gather the biggest possible audience. Professor Dumbledore came in from the grounds quite impressively and revealed that he had already found a replacement Divination professor. This was the centaur Firenze, who is quite handsome, really, a palomino.

Umbridge was quite displeased by this. She isn’t terribly fond of part-humans, after all. I don’t know how long this will last, but if she has her way, not long. I don’t think the end will be to our disadvantage, though, as she intends. 

The dinner before was quite good. The kitchen elves really outdid themselves. The tables were covered with platters of shepherd’s pie, lamb bolognese, steak au poivre, and chicken cordon bleu, the night’s main dishes. There were large, buttery sweet potatoes, mashed parsnips, salads, fruits in syrup, gelatin salads, treacles, mountains of ice cream, soups, cakes, puddings, and all sorts of other good things. I am quite partial to the elves’ sweet potato casserole. The smells of steak spices meshed quite nicely with the warm sweet potato and sweet desserts. The Great Hall was a melange of mouthwatering aromas and excited student chatter. Even Umbridge couldn’t ruin some things about Hogwarts. 

Unfortunately, there were things she could, and did ruin. Some of the students had left by the time she made her announcement that Trelawney was sacked and would be expected to leave, but the hall was full. By the time word had filtered into the hall, the spectacle was in full swing. The poor thing was sitting on her suitcase weeping and cowering. Professor Umbridge’s satisfied smirk began to drop as Professor Trelawney’s most prized students comforted her.

Suddenly, they cleared out. Looking around, I realized it was because Professor McGonagall had entered the fray. She took over comforting Professor Trelawney and started to berate Umbridge as Professor Dumbledore and a centaur strode into the castle, with the announcement that Professor Trelawney would be welcome to stay and that the new professor, Firenze, would be taking over the classes. 

For those of you who take an interest in magizoology, Firenze’s abdominal muscles were quite a specimen, and his pectorals were the perfect size for such a fine creature, whose long blonde hair and bright blue eyes shone. His thighs were muscular and thick, giving way to sleek shin and hooves. And in case you’re wondering, yes, he was wearing a fantastic hair clip, with dazzling jewels inlaid.

His teaching has been as fascinating as his aesthetic. On the first day of our classes with Professor Firenze, we entered a classroom altogether different from Professor Trelawney’s. Firstly, the new classroom was on the ground floor, presumably to accommodate the professor’s disinclination for stairs. 

As we entered the classroom, the professor was stargazing, and only broke off from his activity a few minutes into the lesson, after the last of the stragglers had arrived. He bade us, put away our textbooks and join him in observation. Many of the students were understandably nervous, and some outright defiant.

The professor did not scold even the students who were chattering, and the first half hour of the lesson was spent in silent observation. Students wandered the classroom, observing the stars from different angles. Some took notes, others drew diagrams, and many walked around simply observing. By the end of the observation period, even the loudest talkers were nervously gleaning what they could from the stars, wondering the point of the exercise.

Suddenly, amid our observations, Professor Firenze’s voice rang out through the classroom. “What do you see?”

At first, nobody spoke, but as he looked over the classroom, slowly, hands went up. “Yes, Mr. Creevey.”

Colin Creevey, bouncing on his feet, answered, “The moon is in the seventh house, professor! And Jupiter --”

“Yes, Creevey, peace will surely guide the planets in this climate,” the professor cut him off, his voice lilting with amusement. “A good observation, but not one that holds relevance in this class? Yes, Ms. Greengrass?”

“Aquarius is bright, and its stars are nearer to us than usual.”

“Thank you, Ms. Greengrass. Ms. Lovegood?”

“Mars is bright today, Professor.”

The professor’s gaze settled on me for a moment. “Yes, Ms. Lovegood. Mars is bright, as it has been for years. Now, class, do you understand the lesson?”

A few students nodded, but most looked more confused than they had during observation.

“Your homework today is half a roll of parchment explaining today’s lesson. You are permitted to discuss the lesson with other students, including Ms. Lovegood, but understand that none of them are expected to share their insights. Good luck.” He motioned to dismiss us.

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A Foolish Student’s Butterbeer Recipe

Excerpt from the Memoirs of Cho Qian Xu Chang, reprinted here with permission.

To this day, Madam Rosmerta has never released her butterbeer recipe, and although many have tried to recreate it, none have succeeded. Here’s the recipe I still use, adapted from Anthony Goldstein’s. I understand he’s embellished his since, but I haven’t kept up with his latest culinary developments as well as I might.

You Will Need:

One (1) Large Cauldron (a large pot will do, for those of you living in the mundane world)

One (1) Six-pack vanilla cream soda (Can be purchased at tesco or mailed by kind relatives)

Two (2) (no more than twelve (12) ounces each) bottles sparkling apple cider

Two (2) stick cinnamon, shaved (or equivalent in ground cinnamon)

One half (½) cup butterscotch schnapps

One half (½) cup Bailey’s Irish Cream

One half (½) cup rum

One fourth (¼) cup molasses

One flame-source (or stove)

Four (4) cups ice

One (1) large jug

Serves 6 people, three if you’re avid drinkers, one if you’re desperate (or have a sturdy constitution).

Instructions:

Heat cauldron on low, putting a tiny bit of water in and letting it evaporate.

Dice cinnamon (or portion ground cinnamon if you have it) , and, once the water in the cauldron evaporates, toss the cinnamon in the cauldron. 

Pour in rum, stirring well.  Then add schnapps followed by Bailey’s, absorbing the cinnamon.

Remove excess cinnamon.

Once the schnapps, Bailey’s and rum reach a homogeneous consistency, pour in apple cider and stir well.

One minute later, add all the vanilla to the cauldron, and stir.

Add molasses, and stir.

Let the mixture heat for five minutes, then pull it off the flame.

Let cool for ten minutes.

Add four cups ice to jug.

Pour contents of cauldron into jug. Enjoy.

Alternately, drink can be served hot by skipping the last three steps and pouring into mugs. This is an excellent choice of drink for the winter.

While back in the old days, we’d serve butterbeer and either get snacks delivered from the kitchens (perks of having mutual friends with the Weasley twins) or just eat crisps and other junk food, these days, I like to live in a little more luxury. Now at parties and events when I serve butterbeer, I like to whip up a little snack to serve with it. A favorite of mine is a mini sandwich delight platter, which is no trouble at all and deliciously evil.

Here’s the recipe.

You will need:

Three (3) loaves of miniature bread (I like to just pick up miniature pumpernickel at the store, I think the taste is just right)

Four (4) tablespoons of nutella

~Half (½) stick of butter

One pound (1 lb) strawberries (or your favorite fruit)

One (1) platter.

Instructions:

Lightly toast bread, and lay out on platter.

Put a thin layer of butter on each slice.

Add a slightly thicker layer of nutella on top.

Slice strawberries thinly, placing one or two slices on top, to fit the size of bread.

Once all the slices of bread are covered, lay strawberry slices out around bread in a decorative shape.

Serve to your guests, and impress-ts.

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photographs from Harry and Cho’s Valentine’s Date

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first version of the Partisan Cipher

Using the Partisan Cipher: Step 1:  Creat your plaintext message. Step 2:  Choose your key.  In this cypher, the keys are spells.  Choose a spell and write it under the letters of the plaintext message, letter by letter and repeating the spell name until you have a letter of the spell under every letter of plaintext.  Step 3: Using the Partisan Square shown above: take the appropriate symbol from the alphabet indicated by the key letter that goes with each plaintext letter.  In so doing, you create the cipher text. (This is the muggle method.  If you are able to, just wave your wand over the plaintext and say: Specialis ____________  filling in the blank with the spell you used as the key.) Special note:  Your plaintext may be pre-encoded using the Partisan Nomenclator for added security.  This is in a separate document. Decryption follows the same path as encryption, only in reverse. If you wish to use magic, say “_____________ Revelio” (filling in the blank with your key spell again) while waving your wand over the plaintext.

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excerpt from the memoirs of Neville Longbottom

February of ‘96 dawned chilly and grey in Scotland. At Hogwarts, classes droned on and students sledged through increasingly high loads of schoolwork. Quidditch season was running and miserable. The Great Hall had been enchanted by a few older students to snow, not letting any snow actually reach the floor. Professor Umbridge was furious at this cavalier magical display, but wasn’t a competent enough witch to undo the spellwork. It was cold, but lovely, and nobody ever caught the culprits.  The trees of the forest were frosted in early morn with the night’s snowfall, which melted away except in the canopy as a pale sun ascended.  The rolling fields glistened with crystalline dews.  The air was crisp and clean and the swirling winds blew the scents of the forest over the grounds, and at times into the castle.  Early in the month, bitter winds and lashing rains made for days most drear.  The scent of hot cocoa wafted throughout the castle as February wore on, and thoughts of my parents, and how they would feel about our resistance, weighed heavily on me.  I thought about them a lot through my childhood and adolescence but this was the first time I really felt close to them, like I understood what they had been fighting for and what they had sacrificed for.  This was the first time I really felt that I was their son, that I was continuing their fight, and their cause.  Despite the cold, I carried that in my soul like a fiery talisman, something I could call on in my darkest moments to give me light, to get me through.  Little did I know how much I would need that light come March.  I found myself walking the grounds lost in contemplation quite often that February,  thinking about what we were doing and how I could contribute to it.  What could I bring to the group, how I could I improve the resistance?  It was during one of these walks that I resolved to increase my efforts during Harry’s lessons and improve my spellcasting abilities.  I have always admired Harry’s strength and courage in facing the spectre and now the return of Voldemort and always wished I could be like that.  It was in the deep chill of February that I began to find that strength, that courage, within myself.  I was also beginning to find my parents within myself more clearly than ever before.  This was a period of transformation for me, but not the biggest one I would go through that year.    

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Chapter Four: A Scene in February

This DA — no, Partisans meeting, Hermione decides she’ll intro a little differently. She calls up her best Umbridge impression to cut the chatter and begin the meeting. “Hem hem. Let’s call this meeting to order, shall we? We have a few matters of business to go over and then Harry will work with you on Patronuses.”

“Blimey, Hermione,” Ron stutters, carding a hand through his hair.

“Thank you, Ronald. I see we have a few fresh faces here. I’m glad to see this, we will need all the help we can get in the coming years, especially as we’re currently isolated from the general war effort. If you’re new, approach me after I’m finished now to do your oaths for the group. You won’t be forced to do anything you don’t consent to, this is just a matter of safety for our group. If we’re going to be a real resistance group, we need to do things outside practicing spells. If you just want to learn magic, you can form an offshoot for education, but unfortunately Harry and I are spread too thin currently to do that. We can offer support, but not twice the training. All of you already know this, so I assume you’re still here. You’re free to leave if not.”

As expected, nobody leaves, since people who would have already done so at the last meeting, so Hermione continues. “A few of you have approached me in the past week with ideas for things we should be working on. Here are some of the suggestions I would like to review: a formal spy code and system to collect information from death eaters’ children, a public relations effort, some method of under-the-table information sharing with adults in the war effort, and a system of recruiting. Are there any other suggestions?” There is a lull, but no hands are raised, so she continues.

“Last week, in this room Harry found extensive literature that seems to catalog spells, many of which are lost centuries ago. Some of them are silly spells or ones that have been replaced by newer spells with the same purpose, but if any of you are interested, I think it could make a good research project to go through those books and sort the useful spells by category. Spells like this could help us catch death eaters by surprise, and if they can’t defend against a spell, even a paint splatter spell could save your life. Harry has started the process, but it’ll go a lot more smoothly with more than two people. If you would like to be involved with teams dedicated to one or more of these efforts, come speak to me at the end of the meeting and I’ll set up a meeting with you all to begin working. The more of you join up, the less work there will be for each of you. Alright, now it’s time for practice to begin. We have an hour and a half or so until curfew. New members, please come see me and I’ll swear you in and teach you the wand motion and basics of the Patronus charm. The rest of you, get a training dummy and Harry will lead you through Patronus practice. Since the Patronus charm is a challenging one that requires a lot of practice, any of you who don’t achieve at least mist are invited to sign up for an undirected practice session here during the week and/or write a short note on the memory you’re using and get advice from me by the next meeting you attend.”

Luna’s Note: Supplemental Materials to follow: An excerpt from the memoirs of Neville Longbottom, the first version of the Partisan Spy Code, photographs from Harry and Cho’s Valentine’s Date, Rita Skeeter’s Article for the Quibbler detailing the events of Lord Voldemort’s rebirth (reprinted with permission in the Daily Prophet) annotated by Hermione Granger and Luna Lovegood, and a letter from Sirius to Harry accompanied by Harry’s reply.

[partisanproject]

Notes on the Dolforwyn Castle Scroll

Hermione’s Note:  The spells in the following notes were culled by Harry Potter from an ancient scroll found in the ruins of Dolforwyn Castle, overlooking the Severn Valley in Wales. Harry’s notes are presented as he took them, with his original organization and annotations.

Defensive charms:

Yrwyfyndall-  obscures the opponent’s vision (two straight jabs at the opponent’s face)

Hepian- puts the opponent to sleep (wave the wand in a z-shape)

Awrora- Produces a series of bright, dazzling flashes which stun and distract the opponent (swing the wand back and forth in two arcs)

Rhewlif- Paralyzes opponent, freezes the opponent in a block of ice. The ice is not permanent, it does melt. (draw a circle in the air with the wand pointed at the opponent.

Attacking spells:

Rhaeadrau- for use when fighting near water. Causes water to rise up and flood away the opponent(s). Useful at Dolforwyn for defending the castle from attacks coming from the valley. (holding the wand vertical, spin in an upward spiral then bring down with tip pointing at enemies.)

Daeargryn- causes the ground to quake, strength of shakes depends on the will of caster (Point the wand at the ground at the feet of the opponent)

Corwynt- causes strong winds to blow at the opponent. Ferocity of the wind depends on the will of the caster (Point the wand at the sky and spin in slow circles, then point at the opponent)

Coelcerth- shots a stream of fire at the opponent. The heat and volume of the fire depends on the will of the caster. (point wand at opponent, draw back like bringing your arm back for a punch, and thrust forward at the opponent)

Meithrin Ofn- breaks the opponent’s courage and/or will to fight. (Make eye contact with the opponent, point the wand directly at the opponent’s heart)

Healing spells:

Atal Gwaedu- stops bleeding from wounds, internally and externally (slowly draw wand across wound)

Clwyf Agos- closes and heals open wounds (slowly draw wand across wound)

Gwnïo Esgyrn- heals broken bones (draw circles over the wound with the tip of the wand)

Mwy o Waed- replenishes lost blood (point wand at the heart of the patient)

Gwella Organau- heals minor to moderate organ damage (wave wand over area of body containing damaged organs)

Useful charms:

Tarian Gwynt- protects an area around the user from inclement weather, moderates temperature (draw a slow arc with the wand over the head, size of area protected depends on the will of the user)

Rhwystr Gelyn- creates a barrier either around an area, or across a boundary that only people who know the right charm (gynghreiriad) can cross. People who do not say the charm are thrown backward.

[partisanproject]

A Letter From Da

Luna’s Note: We received this letter in reply from Seamus’s father at the very end of January, after writing to him and asking whether he might share anything he learned fighting with the IRA with us. Many of us owe him our lives many times over.

Dear Seamus,

Yes lad I’ll help you. Your group definitely needs to learn how to protect yourselves. It will be hard fight, but a necessary fight. You need to know combat skills. They will come at you with tactics you have never seen before and you need to respond in kind. That is where my experience will be useful. I will teach you strategies that my resistance group used to attack targets, to spread our message, and to make our points. It was not always easy to do, and it was not always peaceful, but we got the job done. You and your mates must have the courage and resolve to do what is necessary and right, not what is easy. This war you are going to fight, it will not be clean. Your conscience will be tested and you will have to make choices you never thought you would have to face. 

Aye, the Troubles were just that. We fought not because we wanted to, not because it was fun, but because our country was not our own. We fought for the soul of our nation. Those who oppressed us were brutal, so we had little choice in our response. They seized our lands and forced us off. They conscripted us to fight their wars, sending us to far flung lands, never to see our homes again. Our resistance group formed because we needed to fight back. It changed me. I was a brash young kid, like you are. I didn’t really know what I was getting into, but I was flush with Irish pride and I got caught up in the fervor. My friends joined too. We were all excited to stand up for Ireland, to make our names and our marks. That changed quickly. It was terrifying, not knowing who we could trust or where the enemy was. Or WHO the enemy was. We never rested well and were constantly on the move. I watched my friends die for our country and I envied them. They were free from the fear, the paranoia, and the fighting. They could finally rest. I also missed them terribly and felt immense guilt that I had survived and they had not. I tell you this not to dissuade you but to prepare you. 

What you are getting into is nothing to be trifled with. You must take it seriously. Your group will not make it through this whole. Members will die and you will all be changed. But you are doing it for the right reasons. You are doing it to make a better world. That is what you must remember, it will carry you through the darkest times and will keep you going. This is not something that you can just stop when you please. You must see it through to the end, and you must stand tall and fight to the last. Those of you who survive the war will be bonded more tightly than I can adequately explain. They will be more than family to you and will be part of you for as long as you live.

Love, Da

[partisanproject]

An Entry from Hermione’s Diary

Hermione’s Note: I would ask forgiveness for my anxiety, but, as I’ve told so many patients, anxiety isn’t something to ask forgiveness for. Although I compared myself and my struggles to those of my friends here, I mean no disrespect to them. This entry is mostly focused on my thoughts about war and my fears, proceed with caution.

Dear Journal,

I suppose we have a lot to catch up on, since I didn’t get to write much over the break between hospital visits and other business. On the way back from last night’s study session, I asked Ronald what made him think of the Unbreakable Vow. His response didn’t particularly surprise me, but it is nice as a story.

He told me: "Fred and George tried to get me to make one when I was about five. I nearly did too, I was holding hands with Fred and everything when Dad found us. He went mental, only time I've ever seen Dad as angry as Mum. Fred reckons his left buttock has never been the same since."

Speaking of his dad, we heard that Mr. Weasley is doing a lot better now than he was over the break, which is good news, and finding out about Neville’s parents was a shock, well, for me and Ron it was, and I suppose I can see why Harry didn’t tell us. It’s something in common for him and Neville, and I suppose he’s got to have other friends than Ron and me. I don’t think we’re in any danger of losing him, though. He seems otherwise to value us as much as he used to.

And, as Ginny reminded us, it isn’t easy having Voldemort in your head. I can’t believe I keep a journal after what happened to her, but mine is perfectly muggle and well-protected, so I should be okay with you. I can’t imagine what it would be like to have someone else in my head, although I imagine my level of organization would make it more difficult for them to disrupt me. Still, it’s best that I learn to protect my mind.

This week, I’ve been busy reading up on Occlumency and keeping up work with a A-level correspondence courses. It’s not easy keeping up with two course loads, but I must admit that the level of work I was handling in third year helped quite a bit with efficiency. If Harry has time this week, hopefully I can work with him on his Occlumency so he has a better time of his next lesson with Professor Snape.

I am increasingly worried about the impending war, and I am already noticing some of the members of the DA who will likely be in the lead on our side. Ron is coming along nicely, and Neville seems to have been spurred into action by recent news. Of course, there’s also Harry and me. I wonder who else will fight this war, and I wonder who will die.

I wish I could write to mum and dad about the war, but, well, I’ve kind of ruined my position as Rivka Jean, favorite daughter, even if I am, Rivka Jean, only daughter. I believe if they knew what I was doing, mum and dad would stand with me, and I know Zaide and Bubbe would, after plenty of worrying, agree. I’ll do the worrying myself in their stead, and if I can get a time-turner, I’ll stand with myself. If not, I’ll worry double, and I will hold us together as mum and dad held me together when I was too small to do anything but fall apart. There isn’t a script for everything, but by now, I’ve got plenty in my arsenal.

The adults all say this isn’t a war for children, and maybe for someone like Ronald or Ginny, that’s true, but for me and Harry, we don’t have that luxury. I’m a mudblood, and Harry’s got a target on his back that, for whatever reason, says “shoot me, Voldemort.” My parents and Harry’s status put us on the front lines, whether we like it or not. I’m not going to sit back and pretend that getting top grades will protect me, as much as that’s still important to me for personal reasons.

Sometimes it’s hard to fight. It feels like every day is a fight, keeping up my strength for the others and keeping our little group together. Interaction can be exhausting, and I miss home and I miss having so many people around me with answers. I even miss Hebrew School, although I must admit some of my classmates weren’t the most engaging company. It’s nice not being the smartest person in a room. Honestly, here, I feel as though that’s the case more often than not, and it’s frustrating not to have people to bounce ideas off of. It’s frustrating not having ideas.

I must confess that studying torah without anyone else has been rather dry, and I’ve been unmotivated to do any real work. I feel like I am cheating myself and G-d, and I hope I can find the strength to return to learning and loving G-d as I once did. I wish I’d pushed harder to be allowed to go to shul at least on the holy days, because now that war is coming, any community I join is in danger. I’ve left a nasty surprise for anyone who tries to go after my old synagogue though. I gladly take the guilt of doing magic on a temple upon myself for their safety.

Goodnight, Rivka Jean

[partisanproject]

Cho Chang’s Coniuncta Recovery Recipe

Cho Chang’s Note: Please, be kind to yourselves and use the adapted recipe rather than eat the original one. I worked hard to improve it, and won’t have my work wasted by laziness or desired authenticity - that’s why i included all of the original ingredients. In the first paragraph, there is mention of my disordered eating.

Excerpt from the Memoirs of Cho Qian Xu Chang, reprinted here with permission.

Luna Lovegood’s Note: I still like the original recipe, but I recommend Cho’s highly as well.

Thanks to Luna Lovegood’s kindness, I didn’t eat alone after performing the coniuncta spell. After the meeting, she quietly collected snacks from all of the ravenclaws, and created a rather interesting mix of foods none of us would choose to eat again. We quite literally sliced and stacked the other ingredients between dry uncooked noodles and ate them as a sandwich.

Here is my recipe, developed from that.

Coniuncta Recovery, serves 5 people or two hungry snackers.

You Will Need:

5 slices Pastrami (Anthony)

1 Protein Bar (Rowena)

10 squares Dry Noodles (Cho)

1 Plum (Luna)

1 Mango (Padma)

5 glasses milk (tea is a fine substitute)

Instructions:

Bring 5 cups water to a boil.

Add dry ramen, let cook for 30 secs.

Remove softened noodle sheets from water.

Dice plum and mango.

Spread plum and mango across 5 sheets of ramen.

Shred half a slice of pastrami thinly and add on top.

Cover with remaining 5 ramen squares.

Serve protein bars separately, with milk.

Enjoy!

[partisanproject]

Partisans: Meeting One

Hermione’s note: What follows is a transcript of the Dumbledore’s Army meeting of January 20th, 1995. I have produced this transcript because this is one of the most important meetings Dumbledore’s Army ever had. This is the meeting where the true resistance was born, where transformations began. I created this from my memories, as well as Harry Potter’s and Ginny Weasley’s using a pensieve to observe the details. And we begin...

January 20th, 1995 The Room of Requirement

Hermione: Let’s bring this to order please. We have a lot to discuss tonight and I’m sure Harry has a lot to teach us. <<She smiled expectantly at Harry, who stood up>>

Harry: Alright, I want to begin work on Patronuses. That many prisoners escaping Azkaban probably means the Dementors have revolted. We need all the defense against them we can get. In order to carry off this charm, you need to have your happiest memory in mind and focus on it as hard as you can. All of you, right now. Happiest memory, GO! A different teacher might tell you to take your time finding it, but don’t bother. I took my time, and didn’t come up with the right memory for a few weeks. Pick one, and run with it. If it doesn’t work, pick a different one. If you’re still struggling by the end of the lesson, you can talk to me privately about the memory you’re using and I can give you suggestions, but for now, practice, practice, practice.

Got it. Ok. The incantation is Expecto Patronum. Each of you take a training dummy and put it about 5 paces in front of you. Aim center of mass and fill your mind with your happiest memory. Do not see the dummy, just the memory. When you are focused on nothing but the memory, say the incantation. If you do it right, a silver figure will come forth from your wand. Do not feel bad if you don’t get it the first time. It took me several tries to just get an indistinct Patronus.

<<Seamus raised his hand>> But Harry, there are now 15 more Death Eaters to fight. I am beginning to think you might be right, Voldemort might really be back.

<<Harry responds somewhat sarcastically>> Really, I hadn’t considered that possibility at all, Seamus. May wonders never cease.

<<Seamus goes on>> No, Potter, I mean, the patronus is good for fighting dementors, but what if we’re fighting fellows in masks?

<<Harry mutters>> Or a fellow with no nose!

<<Seamus continues>> We’ve got to help whoever’s running defence. Professor Dumbledore’s got to have something, right? What can we do to help?

<<Neville pipes up>> We’ve got a right to fight too. Or even if it’s just gathering information, there has to be some way we can help out.

<<Numerous DA members nod>>

<<Ernie MacMillan pipes up>> Why don’t you approach the Professor now, Potter? We can practice our patronuses, and you can see how we can help.

<<Hermione speaks up>> Excellent idea, Ernie. Many thanks. Why don’t you go now, Harry? We’ve got a few hours til curfew, Ron and I can run things while you’re gone, and there will be time to regroup and go over what you find out after.

<<Harry moves toward the door>>Ok, I will go see if he is in. Meanwhile, Hermione please keep them practicing the Patronus charm until I get back.

<<At this point Harry leaves the Room of Requirement for Dumbledore’s office.

Hermione’s note: Now we will enter Harry’s memory for a brief interlude so we can see his conversation with Professor Dumbledore.

<<Harry knocks on the griffin knocker>>

Dumbledore: Enter. <<he sounds quite weary>>

<<Harry walks in and addresses the headmaster>>Professor, I come to you with an offer. There is a hard knot of students dedicated to the defense of this school and to proper magical learning. We wish to help the Order in the war effort.

Dumbledore: <<Shakes his head sadly, all too familiar with the bravado of youth and the tragedy that happens when youth overstretches itself>> Harry, in the last war, seven well-intentioned young students much like you approached me to ask how they could help with the war. Two of them, the best witch and wizard of their generation, are dead, two of them you saw last month in the long term spell damage ward in St. Mungo’s, one joined the death eaters, and the other two are now stuck holed up in Grimmauld place in the aftermath of the war. They were competent and brave, but I should never have allowed them to fight a war meant for their elders. I know better now, Harry.

Harry: <<at first mildly irritated, but quickly cottoning on to who Dumbledore is talking about>> But sir, aren’t we better informed this time. Do we not have a better position relative to the Death Eaters this time. He is not yet in the open. Dumbledore: Harry, Harry. I do appreciate the offer and the courage you and your fellows are showing. But it is in your best interesting to stay within the safety of the school and continue your learning as long as possible. You must be as prepared as possible when you face the Death Eaters, which you will eventually have to. I will not sacrifice young, promising lives before I have to.

Harry: <<frustrated but resigned realizes despite his best efforts, the conversation can progress no further.>> Understood, professor.

Hermione’s Note: What follows is my recollection of the meeting from Harry’s leaving until the meeting’s end. I would also like to take this opportunity to draw your attention particularly to this section of the transcript. This is where we tie our fates together, where our lives all change. This is the moment where some of us, unfortunately, signed our death warrants. Looking back on it feels like looking at Moody’s picture of the order. Young eager faces, some of which would never even gain their first wrinkle, their first smile line. Others of which would lose their youth before the end.

Hermione: Ok Harry, no problem. Good luck with Professor Dumbledore.

<<Harry leaves>>

<<Hermione addresses the group>> Alright, you are all doing really well with this. Remember, your happiest thought. If you are still struggling, try to think of a happier memory or thought, if you have one.

<<She walks among the students, watching them and correcting their motions and pronunciations. She offers encouraging words where needed and congratulates those who are successful>>

<<Neville manages to carry off a successful, if indistinct, patronus. It has no particular shape, but it is more than anybody else has managed thus far>> Whoa. Did you all see that. It was something.

<<Hermione smiles>>Good, Neville. What memory did you use?

<<Neville looks faintly embarrassed>> I thought about this group and how you have all accepted me and helped me learn.

<<Hermione hugs Neville and others slap him on the back and ruffle his hair, many voices speak at the same time>> You got this Neville. We are all in this together.

Ron fiercely says, You’re one of us, mate. You took on Crabbe and Goyle so I could slug Malfoy. And you won us the house cup in first year.

<<Neville smiles, embarrassed>>Welllll yeah, but I got knocked out.

<<Ron responds, grinning>>Not the point mate, you took those brutes on single handed and kept em off me!

<<Hermione looks around glowing>> Neville, you’ve always been more than good enough.

<<Seamus has so far only produced silvery vapors>>Gah this is frustrating. I wonder how Harry is getting along with Dumbledore.

<<Anthony Goldstein is red in the face and only managing silvery whisps>> Hope he gets back soon so we can get on with this.

<<Seamus, Susan Bones, Terry Boot, Padma Patil, Neville Longbottom, Ginny Weasley have thus far produced the strongest patroni, though indistinct>>

<<Anthony, Lavender Brown, Parvati, Cho, Angelina Johnson and Fred and George have only managed silvery whisps so far>>

<<At this point Harry returns, not in the best of moods>> Well, he turned us down.

<<Collective outrage>> WHAT?. Does he not think we are serious?!

Hermione’s Note: Semi-detailed discussion of death, grief, and genocide, as well as mentions of self harm and eating disorders follow. 

<<Hermione speaks up>>It’s not exactly surprising. Plenty of young people died in the last war. Dumbledore must want to avoid that happening again.

<<Neville stands up and looks at the group, a steely glint in his eye>> We all knew how this could end when we signed up. I don’t know about you, but I am not going to let my parents’ sacrifice be in vain.

<<Cho now stands up, and holds out her left wrist, wiping tears from her cheeks>>I made these scars myself this summer. But you know what really caused them? Cedric was murdered. I was fifteen and I didn’t have anywhere to go here at school. A month into the summer, I had about half the marks you see here now. I wasn’t eating or sleeping, and when I did it didn’t stay down and I had nightmares. I didn’t see Cedric die but I could tell you at least 100 ways I imagined it. Vividly. My mother found the marks one day when my sleeve came up. She sent me to a therapist, the benefit of whose help I only had for a month. I guess we don’t have therapists here in the magical world, so I had to lie to my doctor about how my boyfriend died and where I went to school. And I could not tell her most of my fears. Still, with her help and with extensive work here at school, I have gained the strength to fight back. 

Cedric was kind and brave. But his death was not, nor were those who killed him. He died simply because he was there. As students of Hogwarts and citizens of Britain, unless we join Voldemort. we are his targets no matter what other choices we make. Some of us more than others. I don’t know about you, but I choose to fight on in Cedric’s memory.

<<Cho raises her wrist and points to one of the marks>> The newest of these scars is three months old. When the story about the breakout was printed Monday, I lost my breakfast. This is only one of my battles, but it is a daily struggle. I choose to empower myself against the Death Eaters and make my victimhood my strength. Many of you will suffer losses like I have, and some greater. I hope at least some of you will find the strength to seek help sooner than I did. We will lose friends regardless of whether we fight, but live in shame if we do not. I would prefer to die standing on my feet and giving my last breath for a better world. How about you?

<<Anthony rises, muttering something about tikkun olam>>My grandfather lost his entire family in one day. He survived because he could work, his sisters were too weak to work, and their parents too old. My aunt on my mother’s side was in Paris when the Nazis took over. She worked with the nuns and other partisans there to smuggle Jewish babies out of the country. I will fight for them, and for my children, as they fought for me.

<<Quite a few people have tears in their eyes at this point, most notably Luna, Neville, and Susan>>

<<Harry quietly clears his throat>>Some of us have lost family. Others have lost friends. All of us are likely to lose more. We owe it to those whom we have lost, and those we have not, to fight. To fight, and never surrender. We are their last line of defense, and. We. Will. Hold. I don’t think this is just an education group anymore. We are the resistance. One day we will be Hogwarts’ last line of defense, and we will be ready. All who wish to stay and be a part of the resistance, say aye.

<<Harry was nearly deafened by the single-voiced response of the group in front of him. To a person, they said>>AYE!

<<Fred quipped to George, sarcastically>>Well this sounds like a lark.

<<George cracks a small smile and mutters back>>Indeed it does, dear brother.

<<Hermione clears her throat>> So now that’s decided, shall we keep the name or change it. Any proposals?

<<Dean raises his hand>>How about the Light Collective?

<<Response is tepid at best, and Ginny raises her hand>>How about the Order of the Hippogriff?

<<This is met with slightly more enthusiasm, but George sarcastically says>>Might as well call it the League of Extraordinary Children.

<<Fred adds>> Or the We Don’t Know Who.

<<There is an awkward silence>>

<<Neville, looking at Anthony, raises his hand>>How about, the Partisans. For Anthony’s aunt and the people she worked with.

<<Anthony smiled back tremulously, and murmurs of approval ripple through the group>>

<<Hermione, quite moved by this, addressed the group again>> Ok, all in favor of the Partisans, say Aye.

<<Again, the response is overwhelming and unanimous>> AYE!

<<George looks as if he is ready with a quip, but Fred puts a hand on his shoulder, and he stops>>

<<Hermione taps the parchment membership list with her wand, and the name at the top changes to the Partisans, formerly Dumbledore’s Army. George grabs it from her hand and taps the list of names with his wand. They vanish, replaced by WE DON’T KNOW WHO. He looks up triumphantly>>Now, if you want to see the names you say, I know who!. and they appear!

<<Ginny looks at Hermione>>Should we take some sort of oath or something. Harry’s parents died because there was a traitor in their midst. So did my uncles Fabian and Gideon. We shouldn’t take the same risks they did. We needn’t.

<<Ron speaks up>>What about the Unbreakable Vow?

<<Fred unconsciously scratches his left buttock, George breaks into a silent fit of the giggles and gives it a nice pat. Ron glares at them>>

<<Ginny glances between her brothers and addresses Ron>>No, I think that one has too serious of consequences. Even if we don’t purposely break it, the oathbreaker dies. Now, I don’t mind if someone who betrays us to join the death eaters dies, and perhaps, we can have members take the unbreakable vow not to join up with them (although I hear it takes rather advanced magic, and it would take a lot of research), but we need something that also covers the sharing of information about our group and who’s in it and what we do. We need an oath flexible enough to let us talk to each other, and preferably one that warns us if we’re in danger of breaking it. The unbreakable vow doesn’t do any of that. The fidelius charm can be used to protect knowledge of the existence of this group, but we’ll need to protect our knowledge of what goes on in here. We can’t perform the fidelius charm on every event or meeting, and we’d probably miss something with that. Does anyone know of an oath that fits our other needs?

<<Neville speaks, hesitantly>> Gran says there’s a spell she taught my dad to hide his and my mum’s relationship from Death Eaters at Hogwarts as students. It’s Coniuncta, a lesser-known relative of the fidelius, and instead of protecting a single secret within a keeper, two or more wizards perform a spell that keeps their interactions regarding something of a private nature private. As you might guess from its name, it was developed for husbands and wives to keep information from their children not appropriate for their ears. Luckily, the spell isn’t restricted to two people, and it should keep us safe. One of the benefits of the spell is that while it garbles information that might be presented to an outsider so that the outsider sees something different, the spell also alerts its casters when this is in danger of happening, so that they can reduce the garbled output, since the spell can often result in outsiders hearing things that may confuse them or lead them to believe unfortunate things. For example, it started a rumor at Hogwarts that my mother was related to a muggle celebrity, which was untrue and caused her unforeseen issues with some Slytherins.

<<Hermione thought to herself for a moment, and then spoke slowly>> I think I’ve read about that spell somewhere, although I don’t know nearly as much about it as you. From what you’re saying, though, it seems to cover what we need, though, and prevent us from accidentally spilling the beans. So, to recap: an unbreakable vow to not join the death eaters, a fidelius on the existence of the Partisans, and coniuncta to cover the rest.

<<George mutters>> And our fine rears.

<<Fred whispers>> My rear is still suffering, thank you. It is definitely not fine.

<<George grins>> Well, don’t do the rest of our rears the discourtesy of making them endure the pain yours has. There’s a good lad.

<<Harry looks around at the group and stands up to speak>>Rears aside, <<glancing mildly at Fred and George who are convulsing with laughter>>this is quite serious. Life or death, especially the Unbreakable Vow. You all need to be absolutely certain you know what you are getting into. We have no permission slips. This isn’t Hogsmeade, where you can go sometimes and stay home if you choose. This is real life, not to be taken lightly. Even though we are all fighting in the name of family and friends, they might not, and cannot, choose this for us. We alone choose this. And we stand together, until the very end. Nobody will be blamed or judged for backing out now.

<<He pauses, and Hermione fills the silence>> If you choose to leave now, your memories of your time in this group will be sealed to protect the rest of us and we will not bother you again.  <<Ron interjects>> Blimey Hermione, do you really know how to do that?. Are you sure you can do it safely. We don’t want Lockhart all over again, do we? <<Hermione glances at him, slightly annoyed>>Hush Ronald. Of course I do. And my wand is perfectly operational. And I am perfectly capable of not bothering people, thank you <<She glares at Fred and George who are rolling around laughing>>Stand now if you wish to leave and I will seal your memory before sending you on your way so we can perform the coniuncta spell.

<<Not one person stood>>

<<Seamus adds that his dad fought in the IRA, he knows what he’s getting into>>

<<Neville takes over at this point, given his knowledge of the spell>> Alright everyone, the spell coniuncta is performed in unison by all of its casters. The wand motion is the oldest symbol of marriage, <<Fred and George look around, their expressions ones of mock alarm. George quips>> We’re not ready for this kind of commitment. <<Fred adds, looking at Harry>> And some of you are the wrong gender. <<George grins>> You only speak for some of us, brother dear. I swing in all directions. <<Ginny clears her throat loudly and in a near perfect imitation of Mrs. Weasley>> FRED! GEORGE. <Both twins start and look around at her>> Blimey Gin, since when could you do that?. <<She looks distinctly pleased but says in a dangerous tone>>It’s Ginny, not Gin.

<<Hermione opens her mouth to speak, but Neville clears his throat and goes on, with a mild glance at the Weasleys>> If the spell was reserved for romantic entanglements, I wouldn’t have recommended it for a group of children, no less one that contained siblings. The spell is free of those connotations, and, despite its origins, has been used in entirely different contexts and is completely appropriate. There are downsides to the spell, such as the potential for its garbled output to have bad consequences, like I mentioned, but this is not one of them. Nonetheless, like marriage, the spell does take energy and because we will be performing a strong one with so many people, you will need to replenish your energy. Be sure to eat something before bed, and don’t stay up late tonight. If you can avoid it, don’t exhaust yourself for a day or two at least.

The wand motion, as I was saying, is related to marriage, and moves in the shape of two rings connected by a thin line, much like our friend Harry’s glasses, if you’d be more comfortable removing it from its original context.

<<He looks at the group, which has quieted and which is paying close attention>> First, practice the wand motion, holding a quill rather than a wand. Here I will display the motion for you.

<<He conjures a stick and waves it like a wand, making a small clockwise circle that runs into a sharp line and going into another clockwise circle of the same size>> Now you all try it and say the spell, but for the love of Merlin, don’t use your wands.

<<The other Partisans dig in their bags and borrow from friends, waving quills, conjured sticks, and hands in the air. Neville walks around the room, correcting motions and pronunciation where necessary, and within a few minutes, everyone has mastered the wand motion>>

I will count down from ten to one, and as soon as I have said one, raise your wands to perform the spell. Remember that magic has intent, and that the stronger your feelings towards the maintenance of this spell, the stronger the spell will be. It is already improved by the inclusion of so many of us, but we need all the strength we can get for it to hold as long as necessary. We can perform it again, but all of us will need to be here for that, and this is a chance we know we have now. Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, THREE, TWO, ONE, Coniuncta!

<<A few of the younger Partisans look noticeably tired, but most of them are smiling. Once they have had a moment to recuperate, Hermione brings the meeting to order, beaming warmly and proudly at the group>> The spell seems to have taken. Since you all are no doubt tired, I will test the spell later this week and at the next meeting, I’ll update you on the results of the test and we’ll discuss where to go from here. Don’t forget to eat something before bed; if you haven’t got any snacks, come see me. I’ve got a stash of protein bars and some crisps. Well done, all of you, and I’ll see you in a week.

[partisanproject]

Chapter Three: The Partisans

Several days pass, and the week is still going as badly. Harry’s headaches have become an increasing problem, and Snape is as unpleasant as ever in classes. The only thing to buoy Harry through the week is Friday’s DA meeting.

Throughout the week, Hermione is seen with near constant expression of frustration, her eyes drooping from exhaustion and having acquired a recent breakout of stress acne to rival Harry’s. Ron is uncharacteristically handling the developments the best of the trio, and despite that he is generally a little pinker around the ears, has taken the news in stride.

DA members are seen exchanging surreptitious glances and frowning at the decree. A few Ravenclaws approach professors to complain that the new decree would impede their independent research, although most of Hogwarts’s reasonable students are more concerned about the war threat and their O.W.L.s.

But today, Friday, is the day of the first DA meeting since the Azkaban breakout, and the Room of Requirement, which Harry has visited several times this week to practice occlumency, is full as ever. In today’s meeting, they decide to approach Professor Dumbledore to ask how they can help with the war effort, and while the students are practicing the Patronus Charm under Ron and Hermione’s direction, Harry visits Professor Dumbledore’s office to offer to help with the war effort.

Dumbledore rebuffs him, telling them they are merely children and should be focused on their studies.

“Harry, in the last war, seven well-intentioned young students much like you approached me to ask how they could help with the war. Two of them, the best witch and wizard of their generation, are dead, two of them you saw last month in the long term spell damage ward in St. Mungo’s, one joined the death eaters, and the other two are now stuck holed up in Grimmauld place in the aftermath of the war. They were competent and brave, but I should never have allowed them to fight a war meant for their elders. I know better now, Harry.”

Despite his best efforts, Harry realizes the conversation can progress no further. “Understood, professor.”

Harry returns to the DA meeting, with no intention of withdrawing from the war, to tell the DA what has happened.

The DA are unsatisfied with this, and when Harry returns to the DA meeting, a decision is reached about how the student group will be conducted after a moving speech from Cho Chang. Members who want to continue to participate are told that it's an actual resistance group, and are required to take a magical oath to not share information about the group, its members, or its actions without group approval. As Harry and Hermione attempt to impress upon them the seriousness of this oath and the decision they all face, Ernie MacMillan barks “Do you want us here Potter, or don’t you?” and Anthony Goldstein mutters something about Tikkun Olam before offering, “my grandfather lost his entire family in one day. He survived because he could work, his sisters were too weak to work, and their parents too old. My aunt on my mother’s side was in Paris when the Nazis took over. She worked with the nuns and other partisans there to smuggle Jewish babies out of the country. I’m not leaving, Potter.”

In response, Harry nods, not quite knowing what to say, and sees that quite a few of the members look rather emotional. Hermione fingers her magen david absently, and nods approvingly, but as they’re discussing potential names for the group, it’s Neville who moves them. “We should call ourselves The Partisans. After Anthony’s aunt.”

Anthony perks up, and a few other students nod. Hermione taps the Dumbledore’s Army parchment, and it now reads The Partisans, formerly Dumbledore’s Army. Fred and George charm the list, and it now operates like the Marauders’ Map.

Seamus adds that his dad fought in the IRA, he knows what he’s getting into. Cho Chang offers, “I’m fighting for Cedric. I’m not going to give up this easily.”

Members who don't want to continue aren't obliviated but have their memories sealed, for the safety of the group at large. Well, if any of them chose not to continue, they would be.

“Okay, at the next meeting we’ll discuss where to go from here. Well done, all of you.”

Author’s Note: In the supplemental materials, a transcript of the DA meeting in full can be found, as well as a diary entry from Hermione Granger, a letter from Luna Lovegood to her father, a mirror conversation between Harry and his godfather, a short history of Anthony Goldstein’s family, and Harry’s handwritten notes of lost spells encountered in books from the Room of Requirement.

[partisanproject]

Chapter Two: Clear Your Mind

Harry enters the dank office, prepared for another round of torturous occlumency training. Professor Snape doesn’t bother greeting him, unless one counts a curse as a greeting, which Harry doesn’t. “LEGILIMENS!” the dour-faced Professor barks.

Harry screws his face up in concentration, attempting to keep his head clear if only to avoid the massive headache he left his previous lesson with. Harry might have studied the textbook Professor Snape shoved angrily at him the previous lesson, but more important thoughts had been there, such as thoughts of the Death Eaters escaped from Azkaban and Cho’s curves. Unbidden, images of the Daily Prophet and Cho and Ron and Hermione appear in flashes seen by both Harry and the Professor. Harry attempts to clear his mind again, but the only result is that he sees things that once frightened him: Voldemort’s body rising from a cauldron, a sixty-foot basilisk, Professor Quirrell’s blistering body, Voldemort telling his mother to stand aside.

Suddenly, the Professor pulls out of his mind, paler than usual.

“Potter, if you show the Dark Lord your fears when he enters your mind, he will use them to torture you. If you show your weaknesses like this, you will be dead within minutes. CLEAR YOUR MIND!”

Harry feels about ready to lose his dinner, but attempts to clear his mind anyway. It’s no use, he’s still shaking as the professor shouts “LEGILIMENS!”

The meager defenses Harry manages to raise crumble under the brute force of the spell, and Harry succumbs again to his memories. Voldemort killing his father, the smell of Aunt Petunia’s lilacs, Dudley shoving his head in a toilet, looking into the Mirror of Erised to see his parents.

Harry screws up his eyeballs, sweating and clenching his fists. That’s private. He tries again to toss Professor Snape out of his mind, with mild success. Professor Snape, panting, withdraws from his mind.

“Meager progress. If you continue to work at this rate, you will learn occlumency several years after your graduation, assuming you are detained for a few years in accordance with your absolute incompetence and that you survive that long. Neither assumption is one you can afford to take for granted, Potter. You must learn to clear your mind, Potter. Leave, and don’t come next week if you can’t be bothered to crack a book open, Potter.”

He gives Harry a glare that suggests that if Harry doesn’t learn to clear his mind by the following week, he will regret it, whether or not he bothers to show up for the session. Of course, Harry has tried to learn occlumency, he really has, but really, he’s got other priorities and he can’t bloody figure out exactly how he is suppose to clear his mind. Outside the Common Room entrance, Harry notices a copy of a new Educational Decree, number 26, forbidding teachers to impart information to students outside classes. Either she’s discovered his lessons with Snape, or she is makinAg a preemptive strike against the professors and the DA. He tries to read some of the text when he returned to his dorm, but finds that he is too angry and tired to clear his mind, and instead falls into a fitful sleep, dreaming of a mysterious corridor. He will forget his dreams when he wakes up.