The day had come for the Order of the Stars to officially invite new members. According to Hogwarts' rules, any club that was publicly registered had to send out invitations to all four Houses, giving students the option to join if they wished. Additionally, the club required a staff representative to oversee their activities, ensuring that nothing illegal or dangerous happened under their banner.
Harry, Hermione, Susan, and Neville sat at one of the tables in the newly cleaned fourth-floor room, finishing up the letters of invitation.
"So, we're really doing this," Hermione said, a mixture of excitement and nervousness in her voice as she neatly folded the last of the invitations. "We'll have students from every House showing up to see what we're about."
Neville nodded, trying not to look as anxious as he felt. "Yeah, but who do you think will actually join? I mean… we're first years. And a lot of the older students have their own clubs."
Harry, who had been quiet while reviewing the list of club responsibilities, glanced up. "We'll see. We're offering something different—a mix of research, learning, and building things like the enchanting. If people don't see that now, they will once we get started."
Hermione smiled. "I'm sure people will come around once they see what we can do. Especially with all the work you've done already, Harry."
Neville looked over at the stack of invitations and sighed. "But we do need a staff member to supervise. Are you sure Hagrid's the right choice?"
"He's perfect," Harry said firmly. "Hagrid knows a lot about magical creatures, and he's always been there for us since we came to Hogwarts. Plus, no one else has the same love for the school that Hagrid does."
The others exchanged glances but couldn't disagree. Hagrid, with all his quirks and love for strange creatures, had a big heart and a genuine loyalty to Hogwarts. It didn't hurt that he had access to materials and knowledge about the grounds that might come in handy for the Order of the Stars.
A few hours later, the owls were sent out. The invitations flew across Hogwarts, delivering neatly written messages to every houses to put on notice board. As the day passed, the excitement among the club members grew. But as the week rolled on, their excitement was met with an unexpected response.
On the day of the first open meeting, Harry, Neville, and Hermione waited at the entrance to their newly established clubhouse. A few of the existing members of the club—Susan Bones, Blaise Zabini, Theodore Nott, the Patil twins, and Terry Boot—stood with them, chatting nervously and looking out for any new faces.
But as the minutes passed, the crowd didn't exactly grow as they had hoped. In fact, the only two new students who showed up were Fred and George Weasley, the notorious pranksters of Gryffindor.
"Blimey, is this it?" George said, glancing around as he and Fred strolled up to the group. "I thought there'd be a mob of eager students queuing up to join."
"Guess no one's keen on following a couple of first-years," Fred added, though he didn't seem too bothered by it. "But lucky for you lot, we're here to liven things up."
Fred grinned and clapped Harry on the back. "Nice to see you've taken the plunge, mate. We figured this club of yours sounded like fun."
Harry tried to return the smile, but he couldn't help feeling disappointed. "Yeah, thanks for coming. I thought more people might show up…"
Neville shrugged. "Maybe it's because we're first years. No one expects us to do anything important."
"Oh, don't worry about it," Fred said cheerfully. "Most students are either too lazy or too caught up in their own clubs. Besides, we're not here for the glory. We're here for the laughs."
"I'm not sure this is going to be as funny as you think," Hermione muttered, but Fred and George ignored her, already examining the room and throwing mischievous glances at each other.
Soon, a couple of Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs trickled in. Most of the Hufflepuffs were there because of Susan Bones, who had become the club's secretary, while the Ravenclaws were drawn to the promise of a study group. They barely looked at Harry or the others, already pulling out their books and quills as though expecting the meeting to start like a typical study session.
Harry glanced over the modest crowd, which was now just a small group of about ten students.
"Well, it's not exactly what we expected," Neville whispered to Hermione, "but at least it's something."
Harry cleared his throat, feeling a bit self-conscious. "Alright, thanks everyone for coming. I know there aren't many of us, but that's okay. We're a study and research group, and we're going to be working on some really interesting things. One of our first projects is building broomsticks to replace the dangerous ones at Hogwarts."
There were a few surprised looks from the group, especially from the Ravenclaws.
"Building broomsticks?" asked a fourth-year Ravenclaw named Michael Corner. "Aren't broomsticks supposed to be made by professionals? How are you going to manage that?"
Harry smiled, feeling a little more confident. "I've been building broomsticks for a while now. I've already made a few, and I'm improving my designs. With some help, we can make safe, durable broomsticks for the first years to use."
Fred and George exchanged impressed glances. "Now that sounds like something worth sticking around for," George said. "Think you could help us make a custom model for pranking purposes?"
Harry laughed. "We'll see about that."
As the meeting continued, the group discussed their plans for the club. The Ravenclaws focused on the study aspect, eager to delve into research, while the Hufflepuffs were more interested in helping build the broomsticks. Fred and George, unsurprisingly, offered their services for anything that involved mischief, though they agreed to keep things somewhat under control—for now.
The highlight of the meeting came when Harry formally introduced Hagrid as their staff representative.
"Now, we've got Hagrid as our sponsor," Harry announced. "He's agreed to help us with materials, especially for the broomsticks. And if we ever need anything from the Forbidden Forest—safely, of course—Hagrid's the one to ask."
Hagrid, standing at the back of the room with a big grin on his face, waved a massive hand. "I'm happy to help, I am. Hogwarts means a lot ter me, an' anythin' I can do ter help the club out, ye just let me know."
The Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs exchanged uncertain glances, but Fred and George were practically beaming.
"Brilliant," Fred said. "This club just got a whole lot more interesting."
By the end of the meeting, even though their numbers were small, the Order of the Stars felt like a proper club. There was still a lot of work to be done, but Harry couldn't help but feel that this was just the beginning. They had their own space, a solid group of dedicated members, and a project that could actually make a difference at Hogwarts.
As the meeting concluded and everyone filed out, Harry stayed behind for a moment, looking around the room. He might have been disappointed that more students hadn't joined, but as he watched Fred and George chatting excitedly about broomstick ideas with the others, he realized that it didn't matter how many people they had. What mattered was the work they were doing—and the friends who were helping him do it.
The next morning, the Order of the Stars gathered near the edge of the Forbidden Forest, with Hagrid standing proudly at the front of the group. The club members, a mix of Hufflepuffs, Ravenclaws, Gryffindors, and the few Slytherins, were buzzing with excitement. Even though the Forbidden Forest was strictly off-limits to most students, Hagrid's presence made this excursion possible.
"Right, gather 'round, everyone!" Hagrid bellowed, waving his enormous hand to draw everyone's attention. "Now, I know the Forbidden Forest might seem a bit scary at first, but trust me—there's loads o' wonderful creatures in there if yeh know where t' look."
Hermione, standing beside Harry and Neville, looked a little uneasy. "Are you sure this is safe, Hagrid? I mean, the forest is called forbidden for a reason."
Hagrid chuckled. "Don' worry, Hermione. I've lived in these woods fer years. I know 'em like the back of me hand. Just stay close, an' don' wander off."
The girls in the group, especially Susan Bones and Padma Patil, looked particularly excited. "I've always wanted to see a unicorn," Susan whispered to Padma, who nodded eagerly in agreement.
"Unicorns are supposed to be the most beautiful creatures," Padma added. "It'd be a dream to see one up close."
Blaise Zabini, who rarely showed much enthusiasm for anything, stood with his arms crossed, pretending to be indifferent, though his eyes darted curiously toward the shadowy forest. Fred and George Weasley were whispering to each other, no doubt planning some prank or mischievous escapade for later.
Hagrid led the way into the forest, his enormous strides making the students practically jog to keep up with him. As they moved deeper into the woods, the atmosphere changed. The sounds of the bustling school behind them faded, replaced by the eerie stillness of the forest. The air grew cooler, and the trees loomed larger and darker, their twisted branches forming a canopy overhead.
After a short while, Hagrid stopped and gestured toward a clearing up ahead. "Now, here's where things get interestin'. There's a herd o' unicorns that sometimes pass through this part o' the forest. If we're lucky, we might spot one."
The club members looked around eagerly. The girls especially were wide-eyed, whispering excitedly as they moved closer.
As they stood in anticipation, a soft rustling sound came from the underbrush, and within moments, a group of graceful, silver-white unicorns emerged from the trees. The sight was breathtaking—sleek, ethereal creatures that seemed to shimmer in the dappled sunlight that broke through the trees.
Susan gasped. "They're even more beautiful than I imagined…"
Padma nodded, her eyes fixed on the nearest unicorn. "It's like something out of a dream."
Hagrid beamed proudly. "Ain't they somethin'? Beautiful, but very shy. Unicorns only approach people who are pure o' heart."
The unicorns moved cautiously but curiously toward the group, their hooves barely making a sound on the forest floor. One of the younger unicorns, a small filly, trotted closer to Susan, who stood frozen in awe. The unicorn extended its nose toward her hand, and Susan gently reached out, brushing her fingers against its silky mane.
"I can't believe this is happening," Susan whispered, tears of joy welling up in her eyes.
The rest of the group watched in awe, with Padma, Parvati, and even Hermione marveling at the sight. The magical creatures seemed to radiate a peaceful energy, and for a moment, all the tension and danger associated with the Forbidden Forest seemed to melt away.
As they moved on, Hagrid continued to show them various magical creatures. They encountered a small herd of thestrals, skeletal and eerie, yet somehow graceful as they soared silently above the trees. A few students shivered at the sight, but Harry, who had seen death, found them oddly comforting. He was one of the few who could see them clearly.
"Thestrals are misunderstood creatures," Hagrid explained, his voice a mixture of admiration and reverence. "Only visible to those who've witnessed death, but they're gentle as kittens if ye treat 'em right."
Hermione, who couldn't see them, looked in the direction Hagrid pointed. "They sound… fascinating," she said, though she still seemed a little spooked by the idea.
Further along, the club stumbled upon a herd of centaurs grazing in a distant clearing. Though they kept their distance, the centaurs' regal forms and piercing eyes left an impression on everyone.
"Keep yer distance," Hagrid warned. "Centaurs are proud creatures, and they don' take kindly to bein' bothered. But they've got a deep knowledge o' the stars an' magic."
As they continued deeper into the forest, the group grew quieter, each student lost in their own thoughts. The beauty of the forest was undeniable, but so was its danger. Every rustle of leaves or snap of a twig reminded them that the Forbidden Forest held more than just gentle creatures.
"Do yeh hear that?" Hagrid suddenly whispered, raising a hand to stop the group.
Everyone froze, listening intently. In the distance, a low, deep growl echoed through the trees.
"Don' panic," Hagrid said in a low voice. "That's jus' a couple o' Acromantulas huntin'. As long as we stay outta their way, we'll be fine."
The girls paled at the mention of giant spiders, and even Fred and George seemed less eager to make a joke as they moved on, staying closer to the group. Harry, though usually brave, felt a chill run down his spine at the thought of running into Acromentula colony.
Thankfully, the Acromantulas kept their distance, and the group continued their tour without further incident.
By the time the club returned to the edge of the forest, the sun was setting, casting long shadows across the Hogwarts grounds. The students were tired, but the experience had left them in awe.
"That was incredible," Susan said, her voice filled with excitement as they walked back toward the castle. "I don't think I'll ever forget seeing those unicorns."
"I've never seen anything like it," Padma agreed. "This club might just be worth joining after all."
Fred and George grinned. "If nothing else, it's worth it for the adventure," Fred said, winking at Harry.
As they reached the entrance to the castle, Hagrid gave them a wide smile. "Told yeh the forest's nothin' to be afraid of as long as yeh respect the creatures in it."
Harry exchanged a glance with Neville and Hermione. The tour had been an eye-opener for all of them, and it had solidified their bond as a club. There was something magical—both in the creatures they had seen and the friendships they were building within the Order of the Stars.
As the students dispersed, heading back to their respective common rooms, Harry felt a sense of pride. Their club, though small, was growing stronger by the day. And with Hagrid by their side, the possibilities seemed endless.