tradition

12

Winter break soon came to a close and the children returned to Hogwarts. As Briar walked into the school, she hugged Eloise and Georgia tightly. "Good Christmas?" she asked them. They both nodded and walked with each other's arms on their shoulders, sharing the warmth of their holiday experiences. Briar glanced at Cho and Harry, who were laughing as they walked back into the school, their carefree demeanor a stark contrast to her internal turmoil. She smiled softly, trying to focus on her friends instead. "You cut your hair!" Briar exclaimed, noticing Eloise's new look.

Eloise nodded and ran a hand through her short blonde hair, her eyes sparkling with pride. "Yeah, I felt like a change," she said, grinning. The three girls walked into the castle, their laughter echoing through the stone corridors. The first few days back at Hogwarts after the holidays were wonderful, at least to Briar. She spent her time studying for the upcoming O.W.Ls and practicing the spells that she had learned during the D.A. meetings. The castle was filled with the usual hustle and bustle, but there was a sense of anticipation in the air.

Briar found herself lost in the joy of being back at Hogwarts, immersing herself in her studies and the camaraderie of her friends. The bright atmosphere, however, soon darkened as Briar's owl, Athena, flew through the open window in the Great Hall. She untied the parchment from the owl's leg and began to read the newspaper aloud. "Listen to this, 'Ten high-security prisoners have escaped. We suspect that the breakout was engineered by notorious mass murderer Sirius Black.' It's absolutely barbaric..." Briar scoffed, shaking her head in disbelief as she looked over at Georgia, who read the newspaper nervously.

"Bellatrix Lestrange... I, um... Neville," Georgia stammered, her voice trembling. She looked at her brother and showed him the parchment, fear laced in her eyes. Briar placed an arm around Georgia and Neville, trying to offer some comfort. "It's going to be okay," Briar said softly, but the words felt inadequate in the face of such a terrifying revelation. The escape of the Death Eaters cast a shadow over the entire school, and the news seemed to hit the Longbottom twins particularly hard.

The knowledge that Bellatrix Lestrange, the witch who had tortured their parents, was now free was a heavy burden for Neville and Georgia to bear. As the day wore on, the D.A. meeting that day slowly came to a close. Harry looked over at Neville and Georgia, who were staring at a photo of the Order of the Phoenix during the First Wizarding War. "Neville?" Harry stood beside him, his voice gentle. Neville took a deep breath before speaking. "Fourteen years ago, a Death Eater named Bellatrix Lestrange used the Cruciatus Curse on our parents. She tortured them for information, but they never gave in. Georgia and I are quite proud to be their children... but I'm not sure I'm ready for everyone to know just yet," Neville said nervously.

Georgia looked at her brother and wrapped her arms around his waist, offering silent support. "We're gonna make them proud," Harry said, his voice filled with determination as he looked at the photo of his own parents. The bond between the friends grew stronger in that moment, united by their shared losses and the desire to honor their loved ones' sacrifices. The week continued, and so did the D.A. meetings, which became a source of strength and solidarity for the students involved.

"Make it a powerful memory, the happiest you can remember. Allow it to, uh, fill you up," Harry instructed during one of the sessions. He pointed his wand and grinned, "Expecto Patronum!" he exclaimed. A silvery wisp appeared from his wand, forming a large stag that ran throughout the room, its ethereal form shimmering in the dim light. "A full-bodied Patronus is the most difficult to produce, but shield forms can also be equally useful against a variety of opponents. Fantastic, Ginny!" Harry exclaimed as a large silvery horse appeared from Ginny's wand.

"Just remember that your Patronus can only protect you if you stay focused," Harry said as several different Patronuses ran past him, their silvery forms adding a sense of magic and wonder to the room. Briar pointed her wand at the floor and closed her eyes in thought. She thought about the first time her brother got his Hogwarts letter and how happy he was to join his older sister at the magical school. She thought about how happy she felt when Adam got his very first broom and made it his life goal to join the Gryffindor Quidditch team.