✓ Heavenly

034. The Tiger and The Tigress

"Harry Potter, sir . . ." squeaked the elf, trembling from head to foot, "Harry Potter, sir . . . Dobby has come to warn you . . . but the house-elves have been warned not to tell . . ."

He ran headfirst at the wall: Harry made to seize him, but Dobby merely bounced off the stone, cushioned by his eight hats. Constance and a few of the other girls let out squeaks of fear and sympathy.

"What's happened, Dobby?" Harry asked, grabbing the elf's tiny arm and holding him away from anything with which he might seek to hurt himself.

"Harry Potter . . . she . . . she . . ."

Dobby hit himself hard on the nose with his free fist: Harry seized that too.

"Who's 'she,' Dobby?"

The elf looked up at him, slightly cross-eyed, and mouthed wordlessly.

"Umbridge?" asked Harry, horrified.

Dobby nodded, then tried to bang his head off Harry's knees; Harry held him at bay.

"What about her? Dobby — she hasn't found out about this — about us — about the D.A.?"

Venus could read the answer in the elf's stricken face. His hands held fast by Harry, the elf tried to kick himself and fell to the floor.

"Is she coming?" Harry asked quietly.

Dobby let out a howl, and began beating his bare feet hard on the floor. "Yes, Harry Potter, yes!"

Harry straightened up and looked around at the motionless, terrified people gazing at the thrashing elf.

"WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?" Harry bellowed to everyone. "RUN!"

They all rushed toward the exit at once, forming a scrum at the door, then people burst through; Venus could hear them sprinting along the corridors and hoped they all wouldn't huddle in groups then get caught by Umbridge and her goons. It was only ten to nine, Venus took her chances to sprint back to Gryffindor tower without overcrowding the Library or the Owlery.

"Harry, come on!" shrieked Venus from the center of the knot of people now fighting to get out. She pelted out the door with Hermione and Constance, and when she looked back Harry was nowhere to be found.

. . .

"Marietta? That girl Cho begun bringing to the meetings?" Constance asked awe-struck to Harry, Ron and Hermione.

That morning everyone, including Constance, were asking Harry about what happened in Dumbledore's office that evening. His wavering temper didn't seem to faze her, as she was to immersed in the drama that had taken place. He pushed himself up from the bench and stormed from the Great Hall, mistakenly, leaving his wand on the table. Venus lunged to grab it and return it to him. "Harry you—" but he had already faded from sight. "left your wand."

Constance, Ron and Hermione looked up at Venus apprehensively. "I'm going — I'm going."

Venus picked up her own bag and took Harry's wand in her hands. She turned left when she heard faint voices coming from around the corridor. Then, she heard Harry speak.

"Are you okay? Umbridge hasn't been asking you about the D.A., has she?"

"Oh no," she heard Cho say hurriedly. "No, it was only . . . Well, I just wanted to say . . . Harry, I never dreamed Marietta would tell. . . ."

"Yeah, well," said Harry moodily.

"She's a lovely person really," said Cho. "She just made a mistake —"