A/N-
Hello! I hope everyone is settling back into school! :)
I wanted to ask if any of you have read a book series called Uglies? I'd quite like to write a fan fiction about it because I really enjoyed the series, but I wanted to know if anyone would actually read it or not.
Please let me know if you've read it!
Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter! :)
Chapter 44
“To produce a Patronus Charm, you have to think of something really happy. The happiest memory you have.”
I glanced up at Harry and nodded,
“I can try.”
We were at another DA meeting, and I was finding this one particularly fascinating. The room was filled with Patronus Charms, and they looked so beautiful.
I tried to think of something happy. Meeting Harry for the first time was a happy memory. I shut my eyes and thought about it as much as I could,
“Expecto Patronum!”
All that came out of the end of my wand was a silvery wisp. Fred grinned,
“Obviously you’re not thinking of me. Seeing my face should be your happiest memory.”
I laughed, and tried again, still with the same memory. It didn’t work.
I was surprised. Surely seeing my brother for the first time should have been my happiest memory.
I closed my eyes, and thought about more memories. Fred kissing me for the first time. Spending time with Harry over the summer. Putting the Christmas decorations up with Sirius. The first DA meeting. A picnic in the park with my parents, Harry and Sirius. Going in the snow with Remus. Fred giving me my charm bracelet.
I took a deep breath,
“Expecto Patronum!”
I gasped as a beautiful, silvery phoenix burst from the tip of my wand. It flew around the room, right over everyone’s heads. A couple of people clapped, and I smiled, my cheeks growing warm.
I looked over at Fred and pushed my hair out of my face. I was shocked that it had actually worked. I had lots of happy memories, but I was sure I had plenty more sad ones.
Fred looked proud, but when he noticed my hand running through my hair, he looked away.
When he’d first seen the writing on my hand, he’d been so angry at Professor Umbridge. He couldn’t bear to think of the fact that she’d practically tortured me.
I just had to keep telling him I was fine.
I grabbed Fred’s wrist,
“Don’t worry about my hand. It’s not that bad, alright?”
He looked at me and shook his head,
“It’s awful, Ava. She basically tortured you.”
I opened my mouth to say something, but he cut in,
“Did it hurt?”
I sighed and glanced down at the floor. He took hold of my hand and read through the words again,
“I can tell it hurt. You need to tell someone.”
“Professor Dumbledore saw it-”
Fred sighed,
“Maybe he didn’t actually see it. You need to properly tell someone, because what she did was wrong.”
I didn’t know what else to say.
Suddenly, the room fell silent. Everyone was staring at a house-elf. I recognised him. Dobby.
He looked terrified. Harry was trying to calm him down, and ask him what was going on.
I heard a small part of what Dobby said, and my heart stopped.
Professor Umbridge was coming.
Harry realised too. He looked up at me, before shouting to everyone,
“WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? RUN!”
Everyone ran towards the exit at once. Fred grabbed my hand,
“If she catches us, don’t let her torture you again. Tell someone.”
We ran out into the corridor, and I gasped as I watched Harry trip over. I ran over to help him when I tripped over too.
Draco jumped out from a hiding place and sneered,
“Trip Jinx, Potters! Hey, Professor- PROFESSOR! I’ve got the some!”
Umbridge ran around the corner and smiled. She had finally caught us.
I glanced around to see if Fred had gotten away, but he was lying on the floor not too far from me. Draco had used the jinx on him as well.
Professor Umbridge looked delighted that she’d caught us. She grinned,
“It’s him! Excellent, Draco, excellent, oh, very good - fifty points to Slytherin! I’ll take him from here… stand up, Potter!”
I glared at her,
“What? Are Fred and I invisible?”
She pointed at me,
“You need to stand up as well!”
I knew she was happiest to have found Harry, though. She hated him with a passion, and finally finding him doing something against the school rules pleased her very much.
Professor Umbridge began to lead us down the corridor to Dumbledore’s office, but Draco stepped out in front of her. He cleared his throat,
“Professor, I believe that perhaps Ava wasn’t involved in any of this. After all, she is in Slytherin. The other students surely wouldn’t accept her into this… group, would they?”
I frowned at Draco,
“What are you doing?”
Umbridge smiled at me,
“Draco is right, Miss. Potter. I think perhaps I shall just take your brother and Mr. Weasley to the office.”
I shook my head,
“That’s unfair! I was part of it too!”
Draco replied smoothly,
“She is trying to take the blame, Professor. She spends lots of time in the library or in the common room with me. I’ve been keeping an eye on her this year. She wasn’t involved in this.”
Umbridge nodded,
“Go along with Draco now, Miss. Potter.”
I cried,
“That’s ridiculous! I was part of it, I promise!”
Draco took hold of my arm. I tried to wriggle free. It was unfair that Fred and Harry would get in trouble when I was a part of the DA as well!
He took me down the corridor, and whispered,
“We can’t have you getting into trouble, Ava. You need to have a clean slate. You weren’t part of that, do you understand?”
I glared at him,
“Why are you doing this? What do you mean, a clean slate?”
He just looked ahead,
“This is the wrong time for you to get caught. You’re lucky I saved you, there.”
I pulled away from him,
“I don’t understand what you’re saying! I thought you’d want me to get into trouble, seeing as you hate me so much!”
Draco turned to look at me. I tried to walk ahead, but he grabbed my arm and stopped me.
He took a deep breath and spoke more softly,
“I don’t… I don’t hate you.”
I stared at him, speechless. He looked at the floor,
“You need to know that this is the wrong time for you to get into trouble. Things will make sense soon.”
I started to walk away,
“You really confuse me, Draco Malfoy.”