Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
__
- 13 -
"I'm going to get this before you, I swear to Merlin." Fred grumbled, half-joking as he flicked his wand. "Expecto Patronum!" I smiled as the white mist escaped his wand. So far neither of us had managed to conjure up more than a non corporeal Patronus. Though if I had any say in it, it wouldn't be long until I was successful.
"It's not a competition Fred," who am I kidding, of course it is. And I'm going to win. Fred and I, along with the rest of the seventh-year students were huddled in our own corner as we practiced. It wasn't intentional of course, my aversion of anyone in the younger year levels, but the younger year levels included Cho Chang. And watching Cho stare at Harry with lovesick eyes despite their disastrous date was doing nothing to help me think of a strong enough memory to make my Patronus appear.
I glanced around at my friends around me, hoping something would spark something strong enough to be successful. But as I scanned over the group, nothing seemed right. Kelby was talking quietly with Luna Lovegood, he was spending more and more time with her lately, though wouldn't tell the rest of us what was happening. Eli stood with Tommy and Dillon, throwing not so subtle glances over his shoulder at Kelby, but otherwise were silently practicing the charm. Jamie hadn't come to a DA meeting since she and Tommy had broken up. Every memory I had with them felt tainted now, either by Cedrics presence or his absence.
Fred's cheerful yell broke me out of my thoughts, and I grinned as a silver magpie flies past my face.
"Dammit!" I jokingly groaned, watching him staring up at the bird in awe. A second later, a second silver magpie swoops around the first. George is grinning widely, and I nearly laugh at the irony. Fred may be my boyfriend, but George and him will always be two halves of a soul. The two brothers share a high five before the excitement was drowned out by the staggering, terrified presence of Dobby. I'd heard stories of the him before, but hadn't ever met the house elf. I exchanged glances with Fred and George as Harry wrestled a conversation out of the creature. Whatever he had to say couldn't be good.
"Who's 'she,' Dobby?" Harry tried, gripping Dobby's tiny limbs and doing his best to stop him from harming himself. "Umbridge?" Horrified murmurs rang throughout the room. "What about her? Dobby — she hasn't found out about this — about us — about the D.A.?" Harry and the elf were too far away to hear the answer, but it seemed there was no other explanation. The room was unsettlingly still, goosebumps creeped up my arms.
"Yes, Harry Potter, yes!" The loud barking noise that came from the tiny elf made me flinch, but as no one moved I felt stuck in place, unsure of what to do.
