𝐍𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐄 𝐅𝐔𝐄𝐋 ; h.potter

fourteen ; dumbledore's army

"I don't reckon he'll risk it again," said Ron. "He's not stupid, he knows she nearly got him. Silencio."

The large raven in front of him let out a derisive caw.

"Silencio. SILENCIO!"

The raven cawed more loudly.

"It's the way you're moving your wand," Hermione said, watching Ron critically, "you don't want to wave it, it's more a sharp jab."

"Ravens are harder than frogs," Ron said testily.

"Rory just Silenced hers a second ago," Hermione pointed out.

"Yeah, well . . ." Ron seemed to be fishing around for a good argument. "She's like, a natural at Charms."

"Fine, let's swap then," Hermione said, seizing Ron's raven and replacing it with her own fat bullfrog. "Silencio!" The raven continued to open and close its sharp beak, but no sound came out.

"Very good, Miss Granger!" Professor Flitwick's squeaky voice caught Harry, Ron, Hermione and I off guard, and made us all jump. "Now, let me see you try, Mr Weasley."

"Whaー? Oh — oh, right," Ron said, looking very flustered. "Er — silencio!"

He jabbed at the bullfrog so hard he poked it in the eye; the frog gave a deafening croak and leapt off the desk.

It came as no surprise when Harry and Ron were given extra practice of the Silencing Charm for homework.

Because it was raining so hard, we were allowed to stay inside over break. The four of us found seats in a noisy, overcrowded classroom on the first floor, where Peeves also happened to be floating dreamily up near the chandelier, occasionally blowing an ink pellet at the top of somebody's head. We had hardly sat down when Angelina came struggling towards us through the groups of gossiping students.

"I've got permission!" she said. "To reform the Quidditch team!"

"Excellent!" Harry and Ron said together, while I beamed.

"Yeah," Angelina said, grinning as well. "I went to McGonagall and I think she might have appealed to Dumbledore. Anyway, Umbridge had to give in. Ha! So I want you down at the pitch at seven o'clock tonight, all right, because we've got to make up time. You realise we're only three weeks away from our first match?"

She squeezed away from us, narrowly dodging an ink pellet (which hit some poor first-year instead) and vanished from sight.

Ron's smile slipped slightly as he looked out of the window, which was now opaque with hammering rain.

"Hope this clears up. What's up with you, Hermione?"

I looked over to see that she was staring at the window as well, but not as though she really saw it. Her eyes were unfocused and she was frowning.

"Just thinking . . ." she said, the frown not leaving her face as she watched the rain-washed window.

"About Siriー Snuffles?" Harry said.

"No . . . not exactly . . ." Hermione said slowly. "More . . . wondering . . . I suppose we're doing the right thing . . . I think . . . aren't we?"

Harry, Ron and I looked at each other, confused.

"Well, that clears that up," Ron said. "It would've been really annoying if you hadn't explained yourself properly."

Hermione looked at him as though only just realising he was there.

"I was just wondering," she said, her voice stronger now, "whether we're doing the right thing, starting this Defence Against the Dark Arts group."