Episkey//D.M

20

I groaned as I sat in the great hall, my head was sore and I was seriously hungover. The night we got back from Christmas break, Fred and George managed to sneak some firewhiskey and to say I drank a little would be a lie.

"Phoenix! Hagrid's back!" Hermione yelled and I pressed my finger over my lips and shushed her.

"No need to yell 'Mione." I spoke and she rolled her eyes and pulled me along with her, we met Harry and Ron outside.

"Looking a bit rough." Ron spoke and I just flipped him off. We all quickly walked down steps to Hagrid's shack, but had to quickly stop and hide when we seen Umbridge.

"I will say this one last time. I'm ordering you to tell me where you've been." Umbridge ordered Hagrid and I rolled my eyes at her patheticness.

"I told you. I've been away for me health." Hagrid said, his voice sincere.

"Your health?" Umbridge questioned further.

"Yeah. A bit o' fresh air, you know." Hagrid said and I just smiled.

"Oh, yes. As gamekeeper, fresh air must be difficult to come by." Umbridge replied sarcastically, I looked at Hermione who rolled her eyes and I just smiled. "If I were you, I shouldn't get too used to being back. In fact, I mightn't bother un-packing at all." Umbridge said, she left quietly and slammed the door behind her. We moved around the side of the hut a little to be out of eye shot, she came out sprayed some perfume and then left. I was first to the door. When Hagrid opened the door we all have him a warm smile.

"This is top-secret, right?" Hagrid asked and we all nodded. I was back in the seat with Fang laid across my lap. "Dumbledore sent me to parley with the giants." He spoke and I looked at him in confusion.

"Giants?" I asked and he nodded.

"You found them?" Hermione asked and he nodded again.

"Well, they're not that hard to find, to be perfectly honest. They're so big, see? I tried to convince them to join the cause. But I wasn't the only one that was trying to win them over." Hagrid spoke and my spine tingled.

"Death eaters?" Harry questioned and Hargrid nodded.

"Yes. Trying to persuade them to join you-know-who." He said and I cringed.

"Did they?" Ron asked and I looked back to Hagrid, Fang got up from my lap and sat at Hagrid's feet, staring at the piece of meat that Hagrid held to his eye.

"I gave 'em Dumbledores message. Suppose some of 'em remember he was friendly to 'em. I suppose." Hagrid spoke and I just stared at his face.

"And they did this too you?" Hermione asked.

"Not exactly, no." Hagrid said, looking towards Fang. "Oh, go on, you have it then, you dozy dog." He said throwing the piece of meat to Fang, who happily chomped on it. "It's changing out there. Just like last time. There's a storm coming." Hagrid said looking between Harry and I. "We'd all best be ready for it." Hagrid whispered.

***

I stood looking towards Harry as he talked to Neville. Neville's parents were hero's and nobody could tell me different. As people started to shuffle in I smiled as everyone got ready to cast there Patronus, I always had a bit of a difficulty when it came to it but I was going to pull through today. I stood in the middle of Fred and George trying my best to cast it but nothing happy was coming to mind.

"Think about Remus, Phoenix. Think about all the happy things that have happened so far." Harry whispered and I smiled and nodded, I watched as my friends Patronus' Sean around the room. So I stood still, took a deep breathe and smiled.

"Expecto Patronum!" I spoke loudly and a little burst of light came out the end of my wand and formed an Ibizan hound.

"Well done, Phoenix!" Harry exclaimed and I smiled proudly to myself. But the energy was knocked out of the room when the room began to shake. I held onto George for support and he held onto me. A small hole was made in the wall and I watched as Harry moved closer, before quickly walking back with one of the 2 years.

"I'll make short work of this. Bombarda Maxima!" George threw himself in front of me as the wall broke, I groaned loudly as the dust settled to reveal Slytherin scum and Cho, Umbridge stood with a smirk on and so did finch. I looked Malfoy straight in the eye and just shook my head, his smile dropped from his face and George just held onto me.

"Get them!" Umbridge yelled. We were dragged into Dumbledores office, my eyes didn't leave the floor the whole time. I blanked out the world for a few minutes, I didn't want to hear them talk to Dumbledore, I didn't want to know if he was going to Azkaban.

"No, professor. He had nothing to do with it. It was me." Harry exclaimed and I looked up.

"Most noble of you, Harry, to shield me, but as has been pointed out... the parchment clearly says, Dumbledore's Army not Potter's." Dumbledore spoke, as I was about to speak up he cause me a glance from the corner of his eye and I knew to shut up. "I instructed Harry to form this organisation. And I, and I alone, am responsible for its activities." The room was still for a few seconds after Dumbledore's confession.

"Dispatch as owl to the daily prophet. If we hurry, we should still make the morning edition." Fudge spoke and again it took me every inch of my being not to punch the man.

"Dawlish, Shacklebolt, you will escort Dumbledore... to Azkaban, to await trial for conspiracy and sedition." Fudge said and Dumbledore looked towards me and I looked st him confused.

"I thought we might hit this little snag. You seem to be labouring under the delusion that I'm going to... what was the phrase?... Come quietly." He spoke and I just smirked. "Well, I can tell you this: I have no intention of going to Azkaban." He whispered and made his way up the steps.

"Enough of his. Take him!" Fudge spoke, but before they could even reach him he was gone along with the Phoenix. I smirked victoriously.