Don't Mess With The Chosen One....

13

Harry was discharged the next morning, before breakfast. He went down to the Great Hall to have breakfast, escorted by Draco and Ron.

"Are you sure you're feeling alright?" Ron asked, sitting opposite Harry.

"Yeah," Harry said, as he spread some jam on his toast.

Ron continued to look at him worriedly. Draco, who was on Harry's left, said, "Weasley's got a point. You're looking a bit pale."

"Seriously, I'm fine!"

Ron and Draco exchanged a look. But they didn't press Harry any further; He'd tell them when he was ready.

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Umbridge was being shadowed by a fellow Ministry worker. She was losing her damn mind. Fudge had told her to change the structure of Hogwarts, and to drive Albus Dumbledore out. She'd even been ensuring that Potter didn't continue spreading horrendous rumors about the Ministry, or You-Know-Who's supposed return! (If he'd returned, then where was he? Hmm? He would be out on the streets killing left and right. Or going into the Ministry of Magic and taking over. You-Know-Who was back. As if!)

Dolores had been doing her job perfectly!

But it was ruined! All because Potter had to snitch to the Headmaster about his detentions! Oooh it made her mad! Dolores knew her time at Hogwarts was limited. They'd already confiscated her quills (though, thankfully, they hadn't found the one Potter had used), and taken away her status as High Inquisitor. Dolores would need to do one last thing! One last thing to destroy Potter's morale!

And then, at the end of April, the opportunity presented itself in the form of a 6th Year Ravenclaw.

"Marietta!" Dolores called to the red headed girl after class.

Marietta Edgecomb turned around to face her professor.

"May we talk for a moment?" Dolores asked in her sugary voice.

Marietta told Cho she'd catch up in a bit. Dolores smiled. "How about a cup of tea?"

And she led Marietta to her office, and offered her a very sugary cup of tea. A half hour later, Dolores had a huge smile on her face, and Marietta was slightly confused, but feeling like she'd done the right thing.

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Harry held another D.A. meeting that evening. He decided that he'd teach them Patronuses.

"Alright! Tonight you're going to cast a Patronus."

Excited murmurs filled the room, before they quieted down.

"A Patronus acts as a shield against a Dementor." Harry began explaining. "They're powered by happiness, and they attract the Dementor so it feeds off of them, instead of your soul. The incantation is: Expecto Patronum."

"Expecto Patronum," The D.A. repeated.

"In order to cast a Patronus, you need to think of a strong, happy memory, and you need to focus on it. Otherwise, the Patronus will disappear."

Harry thought his family and friends, before crying "Expecto Patronum!" A sliver stag came out of the end of his wand, and pranced around the room, and a couple people clapped. It came back to stand next to Harry.

"So, who wants to go first?"

And the room was filled cries of "Expecto Patronum!" No one produced anything but whispy smoke for the first fifteen minutes.