"So, John, go put this up, make sure no one sees you." Mycroft decided, sliding one over to John.

"Who will put it up in the girls?" Greg asked.

"Do you have any friends in here?" Mycroft asked, making Sherlock laugh a little bit.

"Um, as in friends that are girls?"

"Yes."

"No." Greg shrugged.

"How about Sara? From quidditch?" John recommended.

"Can you trust her?" Sherlock asked.

"I guess so, she's pretty cool." Greg shrugged.

"Yes, when you need a layer, pick them out because they're cool. Pathetic, we need someone who will not budge under the Cruciatus curse." Sherlock pointed out.

"Umbridge will not use the bloody Cruciatus curse on students!" John pointed out.

"That's what she wants you to think." Sherlock muttered, but Greg was in the process of calling Sara over to their little club. She was currently sitting at a table across the room, copying her homework off of one of her friends. But I guess she found time to spare, because she got up and made the long journey across the room.

"Hey Greg, John, others..." she said, looking at Sherlock and Mycroft with a bit of confusion. Obviously they haven't met before.

"Hi Sara, um, we were wondering if you'd hang this up in the girl's dorms?" Greg said, handing her the flyer. Sara looked at it, a slight smile on her lips as she saw the drawing.

"What is it?" She asked.

"Reading goes a long way." Sherlock said, his voice a bit cold. Sara looked at him with a little bit of annoyance, but looked back at the poster.

"Well, I'm thinking you want us to rebel against that hag." Sara guessed.

"Bingo." John nodded.

"With Zonko's products?"

"Do you think it's okay?" Greg asked.

"Ya, I'd do it, I hate her after what she did to the team. We would've lost desperately if we didn't have such a brilliant seeker." Sara said with a smile to John. He returned the smile, trying to ignore the obvious flirtation in her eyes.

"Well, thanks." He muttered, looking back to the copies of the flyers.

"So, spread the word, and please, please don't let this get back to any of the staff." Greg pleaded.

"Will do." She agreed, giving John a quick wink before walking over to the girl's dorms. John took his flyer and ran up to the boy's dorms, making sure it was empty before tacking it up on the notice board and running back down to the common room.

"I've discovered a flaw in our plan, we need one for each dormitory, and there are fourteen dorms for each house. That's a whole bunch of printing." John pointed out.

"Then we need everyone to spread the word the best they can, it's on the flyer right?" Mycroft decided. There was a little note on the bottom saying to spread the news.

"How do we have the two smartest kids in the school and still completely miss over that fact?" Greg groaned.

"We'll be fine, and I'm sure once everyone starts up the rest will follow. No one likes Umbridge." John pointed out, looking to Sherlock for support. But Sherlock was looking over at the table Sara was sitting, who had returned and was chatting with her friends again. He looked disgusted.

"Got your eye on her brother dear?" Mycroft teased.

"Never." Sherlock snapped, going back to looking in the middle of the table. Mycroft just laughed, but started separating the flyers into piles.

"These for Ravenclaw, these for Hufflepuff, and these for Slytherin." He said, his voice dropping a bit on the last one.

"I think Mycroft should be the one to give them to a trusted Slytherin, he doesn't have the quidditch feud and he's not me." Sherlock decided. John nodded, he was thinking along those lines too. He just hoped Moriarty didn't trace it all back to the four of them. John knew that he was just looking for the perfect ammunition to get them all expelled.

"Well, this could either be really stupid or brilliant." John decided with a sigh.

"Of course it will be brilliant, I'm directly involved." Sherlock pointed out, ever the modest. 

"Yes of course, how silly of us." Mycroft groaned, rolling his eyes.

"Okay, so I guess we're done here." Greg agreed.

"Let's get the chairs by the fire." John decided, seeing four open armchairs calling his name. It was almost a miracle that no one else had sat down, but once they stuffed the papers back in their bags they were on their way over. Sherlock was still watching Sara for some reason, as if he were some type of protective guard dog. John sank into an armchair and got out his History of Magic essay, a two page essay on his opinion of Elf slavery. That was easy though; John didn't have a house elf so naturally he wished that they all go free. Hopefully the whole thing didn't cause another civil war, but he was able to fill out one page before sighing and looking back up at the fire. Greg and Mycroft were talking about quidditch practice, which was tomorrow night, and Sherlock was watching John now, craning his neck to see what he was writing. If John ever needed to spy on someone, he's send Sherlock purely because no one notices and if they did, him getting all in their business was nothing new. He was like a mom that wanted to know everything that was going on in your life.

"What's that?" he asked.

"Homework." John sighed, lifting up the page for him to see.

"House elf freedom. Interesting."

"What do you think about it?" John asked.

"I think that even though some are treated poorly that they have their benefits. It's what they were made to do and they love it, so I don't see why anyone should make them all go free. You'd be surprised how many there are in this world, with them all on the streets, it would be a mob." Sherlock decided. John nodded, of course Sherlock's theory made sense, when did it not? Anything that came out of his mouth seemed to be true anymore.

"Then maybe we should make them join up with us." John said with a small laugh.

"They're in the kitchen, maybe three hundred, we always could." Sherlock agreed.

"I'm not going to risk not eating again just for some silly revolution. And if it all works out we won't need house elves on our side." John pointed out.

"Do you think the other staff members will join with Umbridge?" Sherlock asked.

"I think they'll turn a blind eye, except for Filch and maybe Snape."

"No, Snape very much dislikes her as well."

"Well then it's all of the student body against Umbridge and Filtch. I guess we've got the advantage there." John guessed.

"Don't count them out just yet, Umbridge has the Ministry on her side."

"And Filch only has a mop, as far as we know."

"He's a squib; I doubt he'll be of any use really." Sherlock decided.

"A squib, really?"

"Yes, it's quite obvious actually." Sherlock shrugged.

"I'll take your word for it I guess." John sighed, going back to his essay.

"We aren't going to kill Umbridge right? Just get her out of here." John asked after a little bit, that nagging question still playing around in his mind.

"Only get her out of here, she's no good dead. I mean, if worse comes to worse and we absolutely have to do something to save the entire school and it's kill her then yes, it might need to come to that."

"Okay." John muttered, really not wanting that blood on his hands.

"You seem nervous John." he guessed.

"Well I am nervous, so good job with that."

"Why?"

"Because we could get expelled for this if we're caught."

"And we won't be caught, we made sure of that don't worry." Sherlock assured.

"I can't always count on that though, she could walk in that door any moment and find them in our bag, or see one of us ask another house member to put it up." John pointed out.

"Then I guess it's a risk we've got to take." Sherlock shrugged.

"That doesn't make me feel any better." John decided.

"It shouldn't." Sherlock agreed. He looked back to the table where Sara and her friends were sitting, his soft expression turning bitter.

"Why do you keep looking back there?" John asked. Sherlock looked back at him, blushing a little bit as if he had hoped John wouldn't notice.

"She was flirting with you, come on, even Greg could pick that up." Sherlock pointed out, assuming the role of defensive boyfriend that couldn't break a twig without help.  Unfortunately he could probably break some jaws with magic though, and John decided that if Sara even approached him again that Sherlock would start throwing some spells.

"Oh come on Sherlock, it's not like I'm actually interested in her. Just because someone flirts doesn't mean that it's destined to be." John pointed out with an assuring smile to Sherlock.

"Well if she comes back here I'll get pretty mad." Sherlock pointed out.

"Don't get all protective, I don't like her or anyone else in this school, only you." John assured, making Sherlock glow.

"Obviously I'm not the only one who's interested in you though." He pointed out.

"Hey, what can I say?" John asked with a laugh. "Irresistible."

"You're so stupid." Sherlock decided with a laugh.

"Thank you Sherlock, that definitely means a lot to me." John said with a frown, but he was smiling all the same if that was even possible. Sherlock looked back into the popping fire, as if it was more interesting than the conversation they were having. John, of course, had to agree, awkward small talk made for awkward everything really. It was both really easy and so hard to consider that John had actually kissed him, he thought that was supposed to cure everything of all awkwardness and after your lips touch you have this inseparable bond that lets you prance along rainbows together. Instead of rainbows though, every word directed to either of them made them both blush and feel all weightless and avert their eyes. Obviously the same couldn't be said for Greg and Mycroft though; they were talking and giggling away over there in their own flirt land. If Umbridge walked in right now not only would she have them but she's probably see John and Sherlock and do a little bit of digging between their relationship. John knew he could never let Sherlock get caught by that witch; he was way too smart to be a Hogwarts drop out. The best case scenario for one of those, in the Wizarding World at least, was to be the Hogwarts gamekeeper. John guessed maybe for Sherlock it wouldn't be that bad, since in the muggle world they don't want to see if you successfully graduated Wizarding School.

"Christmas is coming up." Sherlock pointed out, not looking at anyone in particular but loud enough so the four of them could hear him. John was the only one that paid attention of course.

"It's not for another month though." He pointed out.

"So that means everyone in London has their decorations and presents and Christmas music on the rubbish radio boxes they've got." Sherlock defended.

"Well this year I'm trapping you with me and we're going to Hogsmeade." John decided.

"Is that a date John?" Sherlock asked with a crooked half smile that made John really want it to be.

"I don't know, don't really care, you're coming." John decided. 

"And what do we do, buy Christmas presents there for out dear old parents?"

"Yes, and drink butterbeer and going through the shops it's really fun really." John insisted.

"Yes, I hope so, as long as Anderson and Moriarty keep their distance." Sherlock agreed.

"If they don't I'll help you stuff their robes with snow." John decided. Sherlock smiled as if that would be the highlight of the entire trip. There was some more silence.

"Are you going to your family's house over break?" John asked.

"I don't know really, depends on you and Greg I guess."

"As in?"

"If you guys stay, I'll stay, but if you go I'll go as well." Sherlock shrugged.

"I think I'm staying, I'm not in the mood to be tormented by Harry more. And it's sixth year, I think it's time to stay over vacation." John decided.

"Sounds good. Maybe, if I'm lucky, Mycroft will leave." Sherlock decided.

"What about your parents, wouldn't they be upset that you didn't come?" John asked.

"I'll tell them I'm sick." Sherlock shrugged.

"Fair enough I guess. I'll send the presents over to my parents with Jam, I'm sure they'll understand that I wanted to stay this one time."

"Is Greg staying?" Sherlock asked. John looked over at Greg, who was still chatting away with Mycroft.

"Haven't really talked about it." John shrugged.

"I hope he is, it'll be fun to have just the three of us."

"Mycroft will probably stay if Greg stays."

"Dang it." Sherlock muttered.

"He's not all that bad, and for two brothers you get along surprisingly well." John pointed out.

"He's only like that in public, he's like my second mother in private, just as annoying and apparently just as feminine." Sherlock said, rolling his eyes at the thought of his brother.

"Just because he's with Greg doesn't mean he's feminine." I defended. Sherlock was insulting himself with that too, because compared to John he wore bows and had tea parties. Sherlock just sighed, checking his watch.

"It's almost nine forty five, we should probably be going." Sherlock decided. John nodded, not wanting him to go but also wanting them to stay out of detention. If Sherlock was caught and given a truth serum all of their secrets would be spilled, from their relationship to the growing rebellion.

"Mycroft stop flirting and let's go." Sherlock decided, getting to his feet and picking up his bag.

"See you then." Greg muttered, obviously upset to see his boyfriend leave. Mycroft looked around the common room suspiciously, and then planted a quick kiss on Greg's lips before getting up with a shy smile. Both John and Sherlock expressed their disgust about that, making disgusted sounds and shielding their eyes.

"Oh my god that is just nasty." Sherlock decided.

"Be quiet brother dear, just because you don't have a girlfriend doesn't give you the right to hate on happy relationships." Mycroft pointed out, leading the arguing pair out the portrait hole without another goodbye. They were both silent, Greg smiling to himself and blushing and John trying to push down the puke that was threatening to come up.

"Sherlock's right, was that really necessary?" John groaned.

"Not my idea." Greg shrugged.

"Ya well, still scarring." John decided.

"What about you and Sherlock, I think he's got a thing for you John." Greg pointed out. John tried to look disgusted once more, which wasn't too difficult remembering what just happened.

"Absolutely not, he's a good friend but he's way too awkward to have a relationship with. And besides, I'm not gay." John pointed out. He felt like his nose grew a bit more as he said that.

"Neither was I." Greg pointed out.

"As much as I'd love to have this conversation with you, I think it's time to go to bed, all this plotting really makes me tired." John decided, putting up the awkward defense barriers and getting up from his chair.

"I guess you're right." Greg agreed, but John was already half way up the steps. He noticed the flyer still hanging on the notice board, which was a good sign, but it showed no signs of being seen. All the other boys were either downstairs or in bed, so John just changed into his pajamas quickly and snuggled under his covers, falling asleep quickly.