black and white ✰ g.w.

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

Since losing the Quidditch match against Hufflepuff and witnessing the sacking of Professor Trelawney, life just seemed to be getting harder and harder, especially with the looming N.E.W.T.s lurking ever closer with every passing day. Helping to keep Olivia grounded was Dumbledore's Army, and thankfully, just a few days after her 18th birthday, they would finally be starting work on Patronuses. Olivia, along with everyone in the meeting besides Harry, had never conjured a Patronus before, but of course had heard and read all about them and was eager to learn what hers was.

"Make it a powerful memory, the happiest you can remember," Harry instructed them. "Allow it to fill you up." After encouraging Seamus, who was attending his first meeting, to keep trying, he said, "George, your turn now."

"Expecto Patronum," George recited. They had been at it for a while and this time, it looked like he nearly had a corporeal Patronus.

"Oh, I think I saw wings!" Alicia said excitedly.

"I definitely saw wings," Olivia said, grinning up at her boyfriend. "A few more tries and I think you'll have it."

"Why don't you give it a go?" George suggested.

"Yeah, try it, Liv," Angelina said. "I bet you'll get it straightaway."

"Well, I don't know about that," Olivia said modestly. "But I suppose it's worth a try." She readied her wand, took a moment to think of the happiest memory she could think of, and recited the incantation. A silver mist shot out of the tip of her wand and seemed to struggle to take form. They were all able to see four legs and a tail before it evaporated.

"What'd I tell you?" Angelina was the first to speak.

"Hey, what was that?" Faustus called from across the room.

"Dunno," Olivia answered, shrugging.

"Go again."

Olivia did, and this time, it was actually a fully formed and very familiar tortoiseshell cat.

"Was that Chester?" Faustus asked.

"Sure looked like him, didn't it?" Olivia replied with a smile.

"I'm sorry, who's Chester?" George asked.

"My cat. The very first cat I ever got, actually."

"That's so sweet," Alicia said.

Fred and George both tried again with their Patronuses and saw that they had the same one, both magpies.

At one point, the group had to dodge a very large Patronus that resembled a rhino. Wondering who in the world had produced such a Patronus, they looked around until they saw Fraser with his wand in position, staring at the Patronus with awe.

"Was that yours?" Olivia asked him.

"Yeah," he answered. "Don't know what exactly it is though..."

"It's an erumpent. Trust me, it's very fitting."

In fact, everyone that produced a corporeal Patronus that day produced one that fit their personality surprisingly well.

"Kinda looks like you, even," Fraser said to Duncan, watching the wood mouse he had just produced, earning a glare from the smaller boy.

Faustus was able to produce a raven, which Rosalia was quick to point out was consistent with his hair color. She was then able to produce a unicorn, which did not seem to surprise Faustus at all.

"Oh, look, Evelyn's got a cat Patronus too!" Alicia pointed out. Sure enough, they watched as Evelyn's Manx cat interacted with Luna's hare.

The fun and excitement was brought to an end, however, when everyone in the room felt their environment shake. They all fell silent, listening to the booming noise coming from just outside the walls. They all faced where the entrance to the room usually was, though at that moment, it was just a wall. On it was a mirror, and they watched as it shattered to reveal a hole. One of the younger members of the DA, Nigel, went to look through it, but as they heard a voice from the other side, Harry held him back.

"I'll make short work of this," said Umbridge. "Bombarda Maxima." The wall exploded and when the dust and debris settled, the DA was faced with Umbridge, Filch, and several Slytherin students, including Draco who was holding onto an embarrassed and uncomfortable-looking Marietta. "Get them."

Immediately, the members of the DA began to run every which way, avoiding the intruders as best they could so as to not get caught. Miraculously, everyone except Harry was able to get away somehow.

[word count: 724]
[written: 8/23/20]
[published: 8/23/20]