Hermione: (Timidly) Hi.

(The seated group watches expectantly at HERMIONE. The Hog's head is old, dark, gloomy with crickety, wooden chairs and benches. Some of the group stand rather than sit. The group, dressed in their snow gear and grim expressions, consist of Ginny Weasley, Cho Chang, Luna Lovegood, Dean Thomas, Fred and George Weasley, Neville Longbottom, the Patil twins, and others. Hermione is a bit nervous, but continues nonetheless.)

Hermione: (Timidly)So...you all know why we're here...We need a teacher...a proper teacher...One who's had real experience defending themselves against the Dark Arts...

(HARRY, sitting between a seated RON and a standing HERMIONE, looks at the ground, avoiding anyone's gaze, looking nervous, bad tempered, and expectant of the worst. )

Student: (Staring at HARRY intently. GINNY is seated next to this student, watching him with a mix of dislike and contempt.) If Potter could tell us more about how Diggory got killed...

(RON stirs uncomfortably, looking at Harry, expecting the worst. Hermione, breathing deeply, watches the STUDENT carefully; HARRY gives an annoyed scoff before standing, deeply irritated and angry. He addresses the STUDENT and the rest of the crowd angrily.

Harry: I'm not going to talk about Cedric, so if that's why you're here, you might as well clear out now. (LUNA and CHO watch HARRY. CHO looks troubled, LUNA thoughtful. HARRY speaks to Hermione in an angry whisper) Come on, Hermione, let's go. They're just here because they think I'm some kind of freak.

Hermione: (Grabbing HARRY's arm, pulling him back, whispers back) Harry, wait.

Luna: Is it true you can produce a Patronus charm?

(LUNA asks the question without hesitation or fear. She's quite serene. The rest of the group looks behind them as she asks the question. There is silence after the question, some looking back up towards HARRY. HARRY doesn't respond. He is deciding, moodily, whether or not to answer, wondering if it is some sort of trap to talk about Cedric once more. HERMIONE, knowing better, speaks up, this time, more confidently.)

Hermione: Yes. (She looks at Harry bracingly. He looks back. She continues, looking back to the group.)I've seen it.

(DEAN, seated beside NEVILLE, looks over at HARRY with a mix of awe and intensity, obviously impressed.
Dean: Blimey, Harry. I didn't know you could do that!

(HARRY looks at HERMIONE uncertain. She gives a small, encouraging smile, looking around. HARRY takes a moment before addressing the group. His words are careful and hesitant...but most of all, filled with determined emotion. He watches his audience carefully and deliberately.)

Harry: Facing this stuff, in real life, is not like school. In school, if you make a mistake, you can just try again tomorrow, but out there, when you're a second away from being murdered, or watching a friend die right before your eyes...you don't know what that's like.

(Throughout the speech, the camera focuses over the faces of the audience. NIGEL swallows, taking in every word. FRED and GEORGE listen to HARRY, their faces filled with grim emotion. They obviously understand his words and take them in willingly. GEORGE looks at the floor, his eyes closed, knowing the impact of the words. PADMA watches behind them. LUNA listens almost curiously, as CHO, next to her, screws up her face in a frown of pain and emotion. HARRY watches them all, trying to reach them. They are all silent, taking in his speech. HARRY stands a moment, breathing deeply, before sitting down once more, silent.)

(HERMIONE sits back down on a crate next to HARRY. RON, FRED, and GEORGE watch HARRY carefully. HERMIONE's words are gentle, but she's trying to prove a point; she tries desperately to make him concede.)

Hermione: You're right, Harry. We don't. That's why we need your help. Because if we're going to have any chance of beating...(She pauses, finding it hard to continue. She watches HARRY, her lips trying to spit out the word. She finally finds her voice. The word comes out sure and forceful)...V-Voldemort...

(The impact is immediate. HARRY listens intently as RON watches the floor, obviously moved as well. NIGEL, intently looking at HARRY, licks his lips as he's about to speak. His voice is soft, but he has now come to the truth.)

Nigel: He's really back.

(The camera zooms to HARRY. He examines the floor gravely for a moment, but he eventually nods with purpose, and the screen fades to black.

(HAGRID sits in his arm chair in his Hut, leaning forward, very businesslike and grave. There is a giant, bloody slash across the left side of his face.)

Hagrid: Dumbledore sent me to parly with the Giants.

(The Trio sits at the giant table, one blue teacup for each of them set on the table in front of them. RON sits, listening, on the left. HERMIONE sits between him and HARRY. HERMIONE speaks, her voice filled with worry and surprise.)

Hermione: Giants?!

(The boys look at her, but HAGRID puts his fingers to his lips warningly.)

Hagrid: Shh!

(HAGRID holds a slab of raw meat in his hand. The boys watch HAGRID again as HERMIONE leans forward, lowering her voice to a whisper.)

Hermione: You found them?

Hagrid: (Softly) Well, they're not that hard to find, to be perfectly honest- They're so big, see? The TRIO watches him closely and intently as he continues his tale.) I tried to get them to join the cause, but I wasn't the only one trying to win them over.

(RON looks over at HARRY and HERMOINE before speaking, very softly, almost a whisper, knowingly.)

Ron: Death Eaters.

Hagrid: (Nodding, disgusted) Yes. Trying to persuade them to join You-Know-Who.

Harry: (Quietly) And...did they?

Hagrid: I gave them Dumbledore's message. I suppose some of them remembered he had been friendly to them. I suppose...

(He is interrupted by FANG's bark. The camera shows the back room of the Hut. HAGRID and the TRIO walk to the door of the hut. HAGRID looks out the door, his face very grim. The TRIO stand behind him bracingly.)

Hagrid: It's changing out there...just like last time. (The camera starts moving outside the window.) There's a storm comin', Harry. We'd all best be ready when she does.

(RON and HERMIONE are thoughtful, HAGRID grave, and HARRY looks out, looking foreboding. The scene fades to black.)