The Unknown

Chapter 27: Truths part 1

April had finally arrived and Dahlia thought that the DA was finally ready to learn the Patronus charm. They needed to if her assumptions were right that the Dementors were not under the Ministry control anymore. Everyone was very keen to work on their Patronuses but Dahlia warned them, "producing a Patronus in here will be easier than when you're faced with the Dementor. Then, you have the fear of them stood right in front of you and having trouble with thinking of just a happy memory. The incantation is 'Expectro Patronum' and it's a swish of the hand, like this". She did the incantation and everyone was expecting to see the stag appear but something much bigger and winged like appeared out of her wand. It was a Thestral.

Dahlia was surprised, just like everyone else in the room at the change of her Patronus. Since the recruitment, everyone believed that she had a stag for a Patronus; a Patronus meaning determination, vigilance, and intuition. Now it's a Thestral, a very rare Patronus at that; loyal, protective, fast, wary, a creature that is strongly misunderstood because of its differences. She looked around the room to see everyone staring at her as her Patronus disappeared, she coughed and said, "now, I want everyone to try that spell. Spread out".

They did just that but Hermione and Ron pulled Dahlia aside and Ron asked, "what's wrong with your Patronus?"

"Don't you know?" Hermione said, "a Patronus can change throughout a wizard's life, it doesn't always happen. It can transform due to a period of bereavement, a shift in the persons character, or love".

"Love?" Ron exclaimed looking between the girls.

Dahlia shrugged and said, "I don't wanna talk about it. Just...go practise".

So, they did, rather reluctantly, and Dahlia already knew why it happened, or she assumed why. A Patronus charm usually takes the form of the commonly found animal in the caster's country which represents them, which is why many of them were cats and dogs. Dahlia now considered somewhere else her home, she became a different person since meeting her sister, discovered the truths of her life and of course family love contributed. After all, she wasn't alone anymore.

Dahlia walked around the room, examining everyone's performances and helping them in any way she could. Whether that was through wrist movements or pronunciation. She kept on reminding them that it would be different when it came to a Dementor but it was still very impressive if they could do it without one. She did consider for a moment finding a Boggart to make it more realistic for everyone in the room but didn't know where the look.

The whole room was covered with wisps of light but there were a few who were successfully doing a corporeal Patronus. Cho had a swan, Hermione had an otter, Ron a Jack Russel terrier, Ginny a horse, Luna a hare, and Seamus managed to form one but it soon disappeared, he was adamant it had fur.

The door to the room opened and in came Dobby with his unusual eight hats on. Everyone was quiet as he worked his way through the crowd, the silver wisps disappeared and the animals created disappeared too.

"Dobby, what're you doing here?" Dahlia asked then was concerned, "what's happened? What's wrong?"

The elf's eyes were wide with terror and he was shaking. His hands fighting together as if he was trying to say something but couldn't, "Dahlia Potter, miss...Dobby has come...come to warn...but house elves have been told not to," he said trying to fight against orders.

Dahlia kneeled before the house elf and reached out to hold Dobby's arms as he began to hurt himself, she said, "Dobby, what happened?"

"Dahlia Potter...she...she..."

"Who?" Dahlia questioned then thought again and asked, "Umbridge?" The look of fear on the house elf gave her the answer, "has she found out about us?" Dobby began to fight Dahlia to get his hands free so he could hit himself but she refused to let them go. She then asked quietly, "is she coming?"