Fate's Request: A Harry Potter FanFiction

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Join the Discord! Tomorrow I'll start uploading my One Piece fiction there.

discord.gg/24G4FVM

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David and Padma's first foray into the life of a Prefect went well, with them finding two fourth-year Hufflepuffs out and about during curfew.

They came upon the duo as they were making out quite loudly in a classroom, with no regard for the noise they were creating.

David sighed internally as they found them, knowing how easy it would have been to just use some noise suppressing charms to have their uninterrupted snogging session.

His personal belief on the matter of magic was, why bother with it if you don't use it? Witches and wizards took magic for granted far too often for his liking.

Sharing an eye-roll with Padma, she and David deducted House Points then sent them off to the Professor on duty for the night to deal with their proper punishment for being out of bed.

Turning to David, Padma asked, "Well… our shift is almost over, want to make our way back to the Common Room?"

"Let's take the long way around," David suggested in response.

Padma just shrugged her shoulders, showing her indifference for the matter.

They passed the Gryffindor sixth-year Prefects on their way back, giving a silent not in greeting as both groups returned to their respective House Common Rooms, both a little tired and not willing to stop and chat.

After a quick goodnight, David and Padma went their separate ways, she to the female dorms and David to his.

But rather than heading straight to bed, David decided to pay a quick visit to his personal training room that was in the depths of Hogwarts.

"Fitz," David called, pulling off his coat, followed by the untying of his shoe's laces.

Fitz appeared in a flash of blue and hints of golden flame, blinking rapidly as he greeted David.

Nala just raised her head as Fitz appeared, but returned to her nap, not interested overly much in whatever they were up too.

Quickly getting out of the rest of his clothing, David pulled on a pair of boxers for sleeping with a bathrobe on top for some warmth. Grabbing some woollen slippers, David turned to Fitz and asked, "Can you take me down to the Chamber? I want to check it out, see if it held up while we were on holiday."

Without a response, Fitz just leapt from his perch, landing on David's shoulder and taking him directly to his destination.

The lamps that he'd spelled the previous school year were soon working again and the runes carved into the stone were glowing a faint silver, almost asking to be battered with various spells and debris.

He cast a few diagnostic spells, to see how it held up in his several month absences. All gave him positive feedback almost immediately, leaving a smile upon his face, proving he'd done a good job in charming and building the room.

He fired off a few Bombarda's, and watched as they destroyed the stone, only for it to literally rebuild itself before his eyes.

After a couple more destructive spells aimed at the shielded walls, David was content that everything was truly in working order, so with a quick request to Fitz, was soon back in his dorm room.

His bed was looking very inviting.

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The workload from all Professors really ramped up with their O.W.L.s on the horizon. Professor Snape was probably the one that pushed the students the most, causing all fifth years, from every house to be swamped with his new standards.

Those that were skilled in the subject, like David, Hermione and Sue Li were performing perfectly well regardless of his workload… others? Not so much.

Professor McGonagall, Flitwick, Sprout and Vector also really pushed the amount of homework that they were giving out compared to previous years, again adding to the already more intense workload during classes.

However, History of Magic was all still self-study to David and most students, so nothing really changed during the very lessons themselves.

As for Umbridge? She had not changed her ways of teaching at all, scolding the students that complained about the lack of actual magic being used in her classes.

After a couple of her outbursts, no one bothered to speak up anymore, everyone knowing that this was going to be their future tutelage in Defence Against the Dark Arts.

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The Ravenclaws eventually did get together to discuss the issue with Umbridge's lessons.

After a constant flow of ideas, their meeting was finally coming to a close, with them taking a more subdued approach to their dilemma.

David thought about pushing for more extreme methods for a moment, but discarded the idea, for why should he steal Hermione's idea that she was likely ruminating on right now. It was already the end of September and the D.A. would officially begin lessons mid-October.

"So, we get the notes from last years O.W.L. students and then we do our best to practice the spells when we can?" Anthony asked the group before him.

Nodding, David replied, "Yeah. But I think rather than practising those spells in random, empty classrooms or the Common Room, we try a few during Charms and Transfiguration."

"Professor Flitwick and McGonagall will probably turn a blind eye if we don't allow it to interfere with their lessons," Padma helpfully added.

It was Sue however that pointed out the issue with that, however, "Umm… Not all of us are as ahead as David in Transfiguration and Charms. I'm doing fine in Professor Flitwick's classes, but I've always struggled with Transfiguration."

All the gathered fifth years were left quiet after that, accepting that they performed better than the rest of the school academically, they weren't perfect.

"I'm totally fine with giving out my notes for Charms and Transfiguration… Will that help everyone?" David asked, turning his head from person to person.

There were some grumblings, but eventually, they accepted his proposal of giving out his meticulous notes to help them study and catch up, allowing them to devote some time in classes to practice Defence Against the Dark Arts.

It wasn't perfect, but it was better than what Umbridge was offering.

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"Tell me, Mister Cross, what is Slinkhard's opinion regarding the proper technique in applying the Shielding Charm in a legally ordained manner?" Umbridge asked of him in front of the whole class after receiving their quiz's.

Breathing slowly, David gave a brief regurgitated version of what was written in the text, "Slinkhard believes that the Shielding Charm, is most effectively used if the witch or wizard stand frontward and braces their feet as they cast the spell beforehand… for maximum effectiveness."

Dolores Umbridge smiled at that but further added, "You forgot to mention his opinion that even the simple Shielding Charm can only be used in certain, legal, situations. Mister Cross."

"You only asked what his opinion regard the proper technique was, Professor," David said with a tired voice.

"Do not speak out of turn, Mister Cross!" she shouted at him in annoyance, using her authority to bully him into submission.

Not taking the bait, David just kept silent as she attempted to get a rise out of him for the second week in a row.

After Harry, David really was 'public' enemy number one to her.

"Good," she said after seeing her usual method of riling up Harry not work on David, "Now, what is your opinion regarding Mister Slinkhard's application of the Shielding Charm?"

"Well…" David said slowly, "I think Slinkhard hasn't ever been in a combat situation. Standing front on and planting your feet as a spell is coming at you is what a fool would do. You're being attacked, you need to be standing side-on, and on the balls of your feet to sidestep the incoming spell if your Shielding Charm proves to be insufficient. Also, the Shielding Charm's effectiveness diminishes milliseconds after being cast, the smart thing to do would be to cast the spell just as the oncoming attack is about to hit."

David could have gone even more in-depth into the nuances of the Shielding Charm, about how he thought it was a crucial spell to learn but dodging incoming spell fire should be taught first. To not build bad habits into the students learning the spell.

Smiling at him with that foul look on her face, she further questioned David, "And do you believe you know more about the applications of the Shielding Charm than a Ministry-approved professional?"

"I've looked up Slinkhard before coming to Hogwarts and he wasn't a Ministry-approved professional until after you were appointed as Defence Professor, Professor Umbridge. In fact, he doesn't even have a N.E.W.T. in Defence," David answered curtly, growing tired of her attempts at trying to explode like Harry Potter.

Her lips were twitching in fury as softly said, "Ten points from Ravenclaw and Detention, Mister Cross, for slandering a trained professional and published author."

David just sighed to himself and didn't bother with replying, just accepting. The detention would be annoying, but he would just destroy the curse on the blood quills if he were to write lines anyway.

Unbeknownst to David, some of the class had a look on their faces that showed they were really upset with the injustice of her giving David detention.

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"So, you want student-led defence lessons?" David asked Hermione as she sat on his ŀȧp side on.

"Yes! Look, David, I'm not one for much rule-breaking and all that," Hermione began but seeing David's smirk at that, nudged him in the shoulder in annoyance.

"Pay attention. This is important!" she said with slight annoyance, cheeks tinged pink in well hid embarrassment.

"Alright, alright. Explain your master plan to me," David relented, holding her tightly.

"Well… Look. With the You Know Who out there, gaining strength and followers, Umbridge is basically signing our death warrants! We're going to need to know how to defend ourselves and we need to start now," she explained seriously.

"Okay, and who are you expecting to teach this student-run Defence course?" David asked her patiently.

"Well… I was thinking of you." Hermione began.

David knew this was a possibility and it was a possibility he was dreading. He felt he could do the job but becoming the leader of the D.A. was a real defining moment in Harry's life. It gave him confidence and not to mention increased his skill in martial magic itself, something that would prove crucial in the next two years.

But rather than Harry being the best in Defence in the year, it was David. Harry was certainly skilled, but he was no prodigy.

He didn't even dedicate nearly every day to practising his skills in martial magic as David did, only really using it in class. In all honestly, any student, if they were as studious as David was in regard to practising his wand work would be far more skilled than Harry.

"David?" Hermione asked quietly.

Breaking him from his thoughts he blinked rapidly and replied, "Sorry… I was just thinking about what you said. What else were you saying, Hermione?"

"You're the best at Defence, David. Honestly, you're the most skilled wizard apart from the Professors I've ever met," she explained.

"That compliment loses a lot of weight if you factor in Umbridge," David added slyly.

Rolling her eyes, she went from her side on position on David's ŀȧp to straddling him, looking at him eye to eye.

"I've seen you duel. Hell, we've even dulled against each other. You're amazing to watch David, your wand work, your footwork. All of it! It's exhilarating and everyone needs your help. V-Voldemort is out there and if you don't learn to truly defend ourselves… we're all going to die."

Hermione expressed all of this with a glint in her eyes, showing how serious she was about this. How much she believed in him.

David knew Hermione well enough to know that she was also scared. Terribly.

She was a muggleborn that had developed a fear of saying the Dark Lords name at a young age. Something that didn't usually happen until later in life as muggleborn witches and wizards got more and more exposed to the Dark Arts and witches and wizards who've fought against him and his deranged followers.

"You're scared," David said softly, looking at her sympathetically.

Her eyes widened in slight shock, but after a gulp, she nodded with glistening eyes.

Seeing this, David went from holding her to hugging her.

He thought about all he'd done since he'd arrived at Hogwarts. All he could have changed but didn't, to best use his foreknowledge to the best of his ability.

But he had changed things. The death of Cedric Diggory was a major part of people's belief that something more nefarious than an accident had occurred during the Triwizard Tournament.

However, Cedric was alive, and an even greater number of people believed Harry to be delusional or lying. The central point to many students deciding to become members of the D.A. was gone.

This would mean an even greater of students would be left without the needed skills to fend off Voldemort's forces during the final war.

By saving one, David may have doomed many…

He still believed the 'timeline' needed to be maintained as much as possible, but he also knew he needed to act due to his own actions.

His conscience and Hermione's fear were enough to push him to that and as such, David decided he would teach those willing Defence Against the Dark Arts.

It wasn't something he was going to enjoy, he would have rather spent it in self-study. However, teaching would be a good review of the basics and he would absolutely not abandon his own training deep in the Chamber of Secrets.

"We have a lot more to talk about… But you're right. A war is coming and the Minsters and Umbridge's interference is going to get people killed," David said slowly, accepting her request.

"Oh, David! Thank you, thank you, thank you. I was scared you were going to say no," she said while kissing each of his cheeks in rapid succession.

"We do have the issue of actually convincing people that this is truly important…" David said after a minute of Hermione's affections.

She hummed out loud, thinking to herself while biting her lower lip, "You're right… that's definitely going to be an issue. But I think with me, Harry and Ron covering Gryffindor and you in Ravenclaw we can convince a lot of people to join and work from there."

"Sure. I know several who will jump at the chance," David said in agreement. Thinking of the haphazard method the Ravenclaws were trying currently to not fail their O.W.L.s.

Hermione seemed to be elsewhere though, likely pondering another method to convince students the threat of Voldemort was real.

David felt it likely had something to do with convincing Harry to speak to them during the meeting at the Hog's Head.

Well… he was all for reverting some of the changes he'd wrought, so he didn't say anything and let Hermione do her thing and set events that mirrored the original in motion.