My Father's Only Rule

Chapter Nineteen: Expecto Patronum

January 1996 - Hogwarts

I don't think Hagrid meant a physical storm, but nonetheless, it stormed all night. Trees crashed and windows shattered as we all tried to get some sleep. And then the next morning, newspapers were being dropped off everywhere at breakfast with horrible news. Ten death eaters had escaped Azkaban. One of which was Bellatrix Lestrange. All of which were blamed on Sirius. The four of us walked through the great hall, super frustrated as you can imagine.

"Dumbledore warned Fudge this could happen," Hermione said. "He's gonna get us all killed just because he can't face the truth."

"Harry," we heard a voice say. We turned around to Seamus standing up from the table. "Oh, yeah, I wanted to apologize. Now even me mum says the Prophet's version of things don't add up. So what I'm really trying to say is...I believe you." We welcomed Seamus into Dumbledore's army after that.

*

"Make it a powerful memory, the happiest you can remember," Harry said as he walked around us all struggling to produce the Patronus charm. "Allow it to fill you up. Keep trying, Seamus. George, your turn now." George took a breath and waved his wand swiftly.

"Expecto Patronum!" he announced. Out of his wand came whispers of blue smoke as Harry moved on to help others.

"A full-bodied Patronus is most difficult to produce. But shield forms can also be equally useful against a variety of opponents." Ginny concentrated on the tip of her wand. She effortlessly cast the charm and out shot a blue flurry of a horse. "Fantastic Ginny!"

Patronuses were almost like spirit animals. It was so cool to see everybody cast and interact with theirs. The blue smoky animals flew, hopped, and ran around the room. But I couldn't seem to cast mine.

"The happiest you can think of," Harry told Neville. He pitifully cast expecto patronum and barely any blue came out.

"I'm trying," he said.

"I know," Harry said. "It's good. This is really advanced stuff, guys. You're doing so well. Come on, Grace." I sighed and raised my wand.

"Expecto Patronum!" I said, and once again, only flurries of blue came out.

"What's your memory?" he asked.

"The first time I rode a broom," I answered.

"It has to be happier than that. Why is that happy to you?" I thought back to the time I thought I was going to die. Why was that happy? What happened that made that moment happy? I recalled the events in my mind. I kicked off the ground and slowly started levitating. It was cool at first, but I got so scared as I got higher up. I remember hollering that I wanted to get down. Then suddenly Draco came flying up, steadied me, and promised he would never let me fall. That's when I felt happy...No. I shuttered as I snapped out of the memory.

"Dunno," I said quickly. Draco doesn't make me happy. At least not anymore. It's Harry now. What's a memory about Harry? The time he asked me to be his girlfriend. I pictured the moment in my mind. "Expecto Patronum!" I shouted. But to no avail.

"Stronger, Grace," Harry said. "The happiest you've ever been." As I searched through my memories, I was longing to find a memory with Harry. There were plenty of happy memories, but none of them held the title of the happiest moment of my life. None of them came close, really. But what moments did? The first time I met Draco. The time we kissed in the closet. Running to him to escape Cedric. Kissing in the carriage on the night of the Yule Ball...

"Expecto Patronum!" I cast. Suddenly, wind circled the entire room as my wand erupted with a massive beacon of blue. The blue gust filled the room before it took the form of a black swan. Everyone stopped and stared as she flew around the room, her wings stretched wide. Then she slowly faded away, and I turned to see Harry staring at me in amazement. Then I noticed everyone staring at me in amazement, but I couldn't take my eyes off Harry with his shocked expression. My boyfriend. The love of my life. And what memory made me the happiest? That of Draco Malfoy.

Suddenly the crystal chandelier began to shake slowly. The whole room shook every other second as the lights flickered on and off. We all gathered around where the door forms. Harry and I stepped a little closer as the glass on the wall began to shatter. Then all the glass fell off to reveal a forming hole in the brick wall. I leaned in to look through the wall, Harry close behind. I saw Umbridge through the jagged edges of the hole in the wall, her wand pointed straight at my face.

"I'll make short use of this," she said. "Bombarda Maxima." Harry grabbed my shoulders and pulled me out of the way just in time for Umbridge to blow up the entire wall, revealing the entire inquisitorial squad, Draco holding Cho's shoulders to reveal our trader. A wave of shock rushed through my face as I saw Draco, completely remorseless and a little surprised to see me. "Get them!" Umbridge shrieked.