AUTHOR'S NOTE: I do not own Harry Potter, but Janice Pettibone is a creation of mine. So here we go, another exercise of a guy writing in a female charatcer's POV.

Hogwarts sucks!

Janice Pettibone frowned and pushed her potatoes around the plate with her fork. She didn't used to think that. After getting involved with the D.A., she really started liking it here, much more than back at Fantimoor, the wizarding school in Washington, D.C.

But things here had gone completely to hell. She thought it horrific when Dolores Umbridge had relieved her of her Wizarding Walkman earlier in the year. How could she live without her daily dose of Iron Maiden, Nightwish, Pantera, et al?

That seemed tame compared to the events of the past several weeks.

Professor Dumbledore was gone, and that fascist cow had taken his place as Headmaster. Fred and George Weasley, whose antics she never tired of, had also fled. And Professor McGonagall . . . when she first got here she considered the Head of Gryffindor House a prehistoric sourpuss who had an entire tree stuck up her ass. It wasn't until those jackbooted aurors stunned her and sent her to St. Mungo's that Janice really appreciated how much the old witch had done to protect the students.

Now who would protect them?

Truly, being here sucked ass.

And Janice wouldn't have hesitated going over the wall like Fred and George had it not been for one thing.

"You're not hungry either?"

She turned to the tall dark-haired boy sitting next to her. Her heart fluttered. Joy returned to her soul as she fixed her eyes on the face of her boyfriend, Neville Longbottom. Would that she could stare at him all day, losing her self in his eternally shy expression and those gentle eyes. Then she could forget about how Umbridge had turned this school into a freakin' gulag.

Neville took her hand. The tension melted from her thin body.

"I just can't stop thinking about Professor McGonagall," she told him. "I can't believe they did that to her. Four Stunning Spells. God, I hope she's going to be all right."

"She will." Neville squeezed her hand reassuringly. "Professor McGonagall's tough."

Janice managed a half-grin. "It's funny. When I was back at Fantimoor, if one of my teachers would have wound up in the hospital, I'd probably make some smart-ass comment like, 'What a damn shame. Hey! Wanna listen to Iced Earth's latest tune?' Now . . . I mean, I actually like some of the teachers here. Even McGonagall. But she's gone. So's Professor Dumbledore, like the coolest Headmaster ever. And Hagrid, too. It makes me wonder how long Professor Sprout and Professor Flitwick will be around before Toadface finds a way to get rid of them."

"And you can bet she won't sack Professor Snape." Neville's eyes fell to the table.

Janice rubbed her thumb back and forth over Neville's hand. The greasy-haired craphead of a Potions teacher totally scared the piss out of her boyfriend.

No one should ever be that afraid of their teacher.

"Well . . ." Janice slid closer to him, gently pressing against his shoulder. "If you're not gonna eat and I'm not gonna eat, let's do something else with our time."

Neville's head snapped up. A huge smile crossed his face. "The unicorn tapestry?"

Janice shook her head. "Nah. I feel daring tonight. Let's do the Phoenix tapestry."

The veins in Neville's neck stuck out. "Is-Isn't that near U-Umbridge's office?"

"Yeah, it is. If the only way to defy Umbridge is to suck face right under her pig-like snout, then I'll take it."

Neville sucked on his bottom lip. Janice focused on his eyes. The usual kindness in them evaporated. She saw other emotions burning in those orbs. Anger. Defiance.

"O-Okay. Let's do it."

Janice grinned and patted Neville's hand. They both stood.

"See you later." Dean Thomas smiled and winked at them. "Much later, I imagine."

Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil looked at one another and giggled. Janice rolled her eyes. Giggling and talking about clothes seemed the only thing those airheads were capable of.

Janice looked back at Dean and cocked a thin eyebrow. "If I have it my way, you won't see us for the rest of the night."

She smacked Neville on the ass. He jumped and spun around. Hoots went up from the Gryffindor table. Neville's face reddened.

"Janice, for Merlin's sake," he stammered.

"Why are you embarrassed?" She hooked his arm and led him out of the Great Hall. "Take it as a complement you have an ass so sexy I can't keep my hands off it."

Neville's face turned a brighter shade of red than Ginny Weasley's hair.

Janice just chuckled.

They chatted about their summer plans as they walked through the corridors. At one point Janice glanced at a mirror they passed. She frowned for a moment. She missed her trademark nose ring and purple streaks in her hair. More of Umbridge's stupid rules.

"That is not appropriate for a student at Hogwarts," Toadface had told her before giving her detention for, what, the millionth time this year.

Fred and George would be so proud of me.

God, how she missed those two loveable nutcases.

Thankfully, she had Neville. So long as she had him, she could endure anything in this school-turned-prison camp.

Janice's heart pounded furiously as they neared the tapestry. She licked her lips, anticipating Neville's kisses and the feel of his arms wrapped around her body.

Neville extended his hand and pulled back the tapestry.

"Get off me!"

Janice and Neville halted and looked to one another.

"Th-That sounded like Ginny," Neville said.

Neither of them spoke. Janice held her breath as she heard feminine grunts coming from around the corner.

"Struggle all you want, Weasel girl. You're not going anywhere."

Janice's face scrunched when she recognized the voice.

Draco Malfoy.

Neville removed his hand from Janice. She looked down. Both her boyfriend's hands were balled into fists. His entire body shook.

"So what are we waiting for?" Janice tapped him on the back.

Neville didn't look at her. He took off toward the intersection. Janice was right behind him.

They turned the corner. Janice gasped when she saw that Slytherin buttface Warrington clutching a struggling Ginny by the arms. Another snake, Pucey, had Luna Lovegood wrapped in one of his massive arms, threatening to crush her. Ron Weasley, meanwhile, was pushing futilely at Crabbe and another brutish Slytherin.

"Get off her!"

Teeth bared, Neville launched himself at Warrington. He took a swing at the bigger Slytherin. Warrington's head jerked to the side from the blow. He never relinquished his hold on Ginny. Neville grimaced, clutching his fist. Before he could continue his attack Goyle moved in.

Janice went for her wand. A Stunning Spell should . . .

A stabbing pain shot through her skull. For a second she feared her hair was about to be ripped out completely. Her feet slipped. Janice fell on the floor to the tune of Pansy Parkinson's cackles.

Sneering, Janice turned and tried to push herself up. Oh, how she'd love to cast a Warthog Face Hex on the little rat-bitch.

But two members of Pansy's girl gang dove on her. Janice gritted her teeth as the cold stone floor pressed against her cheek.

"Come on. Let's bring this lot to Umbridge," Malfoy ordered.

Pansy's lapdogs, Esther and Serena, yanked Janice off the floor. Malfoy walked over, grinning as he shifted his beady eyes from Neville to her.

"Assault on a member of the Inquisitional Squad, attempted assault on a member of the Inquisitional Squad. That ought to be grounds for expulsion. The fewer Mudbloods and blood traitors in this school the better."

Janice sneered at Malfoy. "Yeah, and having a school filled with racist slimeballs like you is so much better."

Ginny laughed out loud. "Good one, Janice!"

Anger lines deformed Malfoy's pinched face. "Shut her up. Shut the whole lot of them up!"

Wands rose. Spells were muttered. A piece of cloth shot through the air and wrapped around Janice's mouth. She moaned furiously as the same happened to Neville, Ron, Ginny and Luna.

The Slytherins roughly pushed them down the corridor into Umbridge's office. To Janice's surprise, Harry Potter was in there. She also spotted Hermione Granger, pinned to the wall by Cro-Magnon Girl, a.k.a Millicent Bulstrode.

"That one," Warrington aimed a finger at Neville, "tried to stop me from taking her." He then pointed to Ginny, who tried to kick the shines of the large Slytherin girl now holding her.

Janice smile inwardly. While Ginny may be small, she could fight like a mother dragon protecting her nest.

Keep kicking, Gin. You'll land one soon.

"And, of course, wherever Longbottom goes, he has to bring along his pet Mudblood from America."

Janice shot a death stare at Pansy. The little hag grinned evilly at her.

"Good, good." Umbridge shifted her gaze from Ginny to Janice. "Well, it looks as though Hogwarts will shortly be a Weasley-free zone . . . and a foreigner-free zone as well."

The Slytherins laughed. Neville growled and tried to struggle against Crabbe's stranglehold. A tremor raced through Janice. Her boyfriend's face turned red, and not from embarrassment this time.

"Stop it! You're suffocating him!" she wanted to yell.

The gag prevented that.

Umbridge switched her attention to Harry. She demanded to know whom he talked to in the fireplace. When he wouldn't say, Umbridge ordered Ferret Boy, a.k.a. Malfoy, to fetch Professor Snape.

Soon after he appeared, Toadface demanded he give her a bottle of Veritaserum so she could interrogate Harry.

For the first time ever, Snape did something that made Janice smile. He told Umbridge he had no more of the truth potion, and wouldn't have a new batch ready for another month.

Janice couldn't help but chuckle, no matter how much the gag muffled it. Esther and Serena glowered at her. It only made Janice laugh harder.

She stopped laughing once Snape left the room. There wasn't anything to laugh at when Umbridge threatened to use the Cruciatus Curse on Harry.

Janice's insides went cold. Her teeth chattered. She thought of Neville's parents, how he told her Death Eaters had used that damn curse over and over on them until their minds had been shattered.

Now Umbridge wanted to use it on a 15-year-old boy.

Just when she thought nothing else could shock her, Toadface admitted she actually sent Dementors to attack Harry over the summer.

Janice's knees buckled. She found it hard to breath. She thought back to all the times at Fantimoor when she called her teachers fascists and dictators and Nazis.

Looking at Umbridge, Janice realized she had no clue what those words really meant. The teachers back in Washington were mere annoyances in her life.

Dolores Umbridge was completely, dangerously insane.

Harry stood defiantly as Umbridge aimed her wand at him.

Please don't. Please don't.

"Cruc-"

"NO!!" Hermione cried out.

Janice slumped on her feet, breathing a sigh of relief.

Hermione went on about some weapon Professor Dumbledore had given them to keep safe. Janice's brow furrowed. She couldn't imagine a powerful wizard like Dumbledore needing any kind of weapon.

Maybe it's something we can use to defeat You-Know-Who.

If that was the case, Hermione should have kept her mouth shut, regardless of the threat of the Cruciatus Curse.

Or maybe she's lying so Harry won't have to go through it.

Umbridge led Harry and Hermione out of the office at wand point. Janice wished she knew what they were up to. Hopefully it involved some way to get rid of Umbridge and the Junior Gestapo holding her, Neville, Ron, Ginny and Luna.

Five minutes passed. Then ten. Janice tried to fight the tremors running through her body. Umbridge couldn't have . . .

Fear clutched her very being. Fear like she'd never known. Umbridge couldn't have . . .

Who's going to stop her?

Would she be next? Would Ginny or Luna or . . .

She gazed across the room at Neville, who looked ready to pass out.

A horrific image formed in her mind. All of them dead, their bodies dumped somewhere in the Forbidden Forest where no one would find them. What would Umbridge say? Would she lie, saying that they had just run away?

Dad would never know the truth.

Janice shut her eyes. It was just paranoia talking. Umbridge wouldn't kill them. She couldn't.

She sent Dementors after Harry. She would have let Filch whip Fred and George. She was going to use a Cruciatus Curse on Harry. What's to keep her from taking the next step to murder?

Her eyes flickered among her friends, finally settling on Neville, the sweetest, most caring boy she'd ever met. The first boyfriend who didn't treat her like crap. The first boyfriend who respected her, who treated like an equal.

The first boy who deeply, honestly loved her.

She couldn't bear the thought of Neville lying dead in some ditch in the Forbidden Forest.

If Harry and Hermione couldn't help them, they'd have to help themselves.

Janice quickly formed plans, and just as quickly dismissed them. What could she or the rest of her friends do wandless against the Umbridge Youth?

"OW!!" bellowed the Slytherin girl holding Ginny. One of her kicks must have landed on that hag's ankles.

The girl spun Ginny around. Her shoulders heaved in anger as she glared at the redhead. "You filthy little Mudblood-loving b . . ."

The Slytherin never finished the sentence. Ginny sprang at her. Both girls fell to the floor, flailing and wailing. The Slytherin's wand slipped from her grasp and rolled across the floor. Ginny lunged for it.

"Don't let her get that wand!" Malfoy's voice cracked.

Esther started to move away from Janice and toward Ginny. She wound up crashing to the floor when Janice stuck out her foot.

Two arms clamped around Janice. She cried against her gag and struggled, trying to shake loose of Serena's grip.

"Stupify!"

A flash of red caught Janice's eye. Serena's grip loosened. Janice spun around to see the Slytherin girl slide off her and crumple to the floor.

Pansy Parkinson gaped at her fallen housemate. Janice wanted to shake her head. The stupid tramp had accidentally stunned Serena.

While Pansy stood there shocked at her own stupidity, Janice bounded over to her. By the time the rat-faced girl looked up, Janice launched a fist into Pansy's mouth. She squealed and stumbled back, dropping her wand. Janice dropped down, picked it up, ripped off her gag and hit Pansy with a Body Bind curse.

She swung around, blood pumping, searching for targets.

The sight before her made her eyes widen in astonishment.

Ron and Neville had broken free from their captors. Goyle's wand flew from his hand when Ron hit him with a Disarming Charm. A Stunning Spell dropped the troll-like boy moments later. Crabbe also fell to the floor, legs shaking uncontrollably after Neville hit him with an Impediment Jinx.

But the grand prize went to Ginny. Malfoy became a victim of her famed Bat-Bogey Hex. He rushed out of the room, crying as swarms of the little flapping things covered his face.

Janice gazed around the room. All the Slytherins were incapacitated, while the D.A. stood triumphant.

"Janice. Are you all right?" Neville practically jumped across the room and threw his arms around her.

"I'm fine, I'm fine. You?"

"Yeah. I'm okay." He massaged his throat.

"Nice Jinx you had there, mate." Ron slapped Neville on the shoulder.

He smiled. So did Janice, who also rubbed his arm.

"Come on," Ginny said urgently. "We have to find Harry and Hermione."

"And where do we start looking?" Janice frowned. "They could be anywhere on this campus."

"I saw 'em out the window." Ron nodded to said window. "Umbridge was taking them to the Forbidden Forest."

Janice shivered. Her fears and worries about what Umbridge would do to them flooded her again.

"Well what the hell are we waiting for?" She bolted for the door in mid-sentence, followed by the others.

Janice ignored the burning of her lungs as they raced out the castle and toward the forest. She tried not to think the worst. Harry and Hermione were clever. They'd been in dangerous situations plenty of times. They'd be all right.

Please be all right.

Her heart leaped when she spotted two figures through the trees.

"Anyway, Harry, how exactly were you planning to get all the way to London?"

A huge smile crossed Janice's face when she recognized Hermione's voice. Just as delightful, the Wicked Witch of Hogwarts, Dolores Umbridge, was nowhere to be found.

They exchanged stories. Ron filled Harry in on how they got away from Malfoy and the dipshit squad. Harry informed them Umbridge got carried off by a herd of centaurs, who God, Merlin and universe-willing were doing all sorts of nasty things to that pink-clad toad right now.

Then came the argument. Ginny demanded to go with them to London to save Sirius from You-Know-Who. But that darn noble streak of Harry's, which could be either charming or annoying depending on the situation, surfaced. The guy seemed determined to single-handedly fly to London and save his godfather from the most evil wizard in history. Suddenly a line from one of Janice's favorite Iced Earth songs "Holy Martyr" popped into her head.

"Look at the pain around me, this is what I die for."

Damn, I miss my Wizarding Walkman.

Janice shook her head. How could she be thinking of that thing now? Harry and them were talking about facing You-Know-Who. Freakin' You-Know-Who. And she was right there with them.

I have to be out of my mind.

The temptation sprouted in her to urge everyone to let Harry go by himself. A hundred aurors probably couldn't bring down You-Know-Who. What chance did a bunch of teenagers have?

I don't want to die.

"We're all in the D.A. together," Neville said quietly. "It was all supposed to be about fighting You-Know-Who, wasn't it? And this is the first chance we've had to do something real. Or was that all just a game or something?"

"No, of course it wasn't," Harry said impatiently.

"Then we should come too," said Neville simply. "We want to help."

Janice lowered her eyes, ashamed of her cowardice. Neville, the boy who seemed scared of everything the first time she met him, now turned into the one who wanted to charge to London and face You-Know-Who.

And what are you going to do? Cower in your room while the boy you love is out there fighting?

Another fear materialized in her. Not of You-Know-Who. The fear if she chickened out, Neville would never want anything to do with her again.

"Y-Yeah, count me in, too." Janice hoped her voice didn't sound too shaky.

"This isn't even your country, Janice," Harry pointed out.

"What, you think You-Know-Who is just gonna stop at conquering England, or even all of Europe? He'll be coming to America soon enough. If I can do something that might help prevent that, then I will."

"Well it doesn't matter anyway," Harry said in frustration, "because we still don't know how to get there."

But Luna had the answer. Quirky little Luna pointed behind Harry to . . . nothing. Nothing to Janice. But Harry and Luna saw them.

Thestrals. Two of them, according to Harry. She took his word for it. Since she'd never seen anyone die, the thestrals would be invisible to her.

More arrived according to Luna, attracted to the blood of Hagrid's brother Grawp that soaked parts of Harry and Hermione's clothing. Four, then five, then six. All they need was one more and . . .

"There they are!"

All seven of them spun around. Six figures sprinted through the forest. More of the Umbridge Youth, no doubt.

"Not more of them," Ron whined.

"I wonder if Malfoy sent them," Ginny said.

"Who cares?" Harry looked over his shoulder. "I don't see any more thestrals. And we don't have time to wait for -"

"Then go." Janice gripped her wand tight. "I'll hold them off."

"Janice." Neville put a hand on her arm. "You can't."

She whirled around to face him. "You have more reason for fighting You-Know-Who than I do. Now go. I'll be fine."

Neville bit his lip, reluctant to leave.

Janice stood on the balls of her feet and kissed him. "I'll be all right. Now get going."

She broke free of Neville's grip and charged forward, casting Stunning Spells. The Slytherins dove for the ground to avoid them.

"I love you, Janice."

"I love you too, Nev." She turned and winked at him, then went back to launching spells at the Slytherins.

The bad guys retaliated. Janice easily blocked their attacks with Shield Spells, just like she'd done in so many D.A. classes. She checked behind her again. Neville, Harry and the others had all taken flight on the thestrals she couldn't see.

Good luck. Please be careful.

Janice exploded a couple trees near the Slytherins with a Redactor Curse. She then turned and ran, fully expecting the Junior Jackboots to give pursuit. That was fine by her. If they concentrated on catching her maybe they'd forget about Neville and the others flying away.

How long can I keep it up? Probably for a long time in the Forbidden Forest. Of course, Slytherins weren't the only thing to worry about her. All manner of creature existed in this place that could do things a thousand times worse to her than anything Malfoy's bunch could dream up.

Just keep moving. Maybe I can double back to the castle and the Room of Requirement. Then I . . .

"Constrictus!"

Tentacles shot out of the ground and wrapped around Janice's arms and legs. Her wand fell from her hand as she was lifted off her feet. She struggled against the tentacles to no avail.

A deep laughter reached her ears. Seconds later a hulking boy with a bulldog-like face stood in front of her. Flanking him were a narrow-faced girl with crocked teeth and a weedy dark-skinned boy.

"Well, well, look here. We've caught ourselves a Mudblood."

The trio laughed.

The big boy took a step toward her. "So, where have Potter and the others gone off to?"

"They had to return their copy of Undercover Brother to Blockbuster. Don't want to get charged with a late fee, you know."

The Slytherin sneered. "Funny little Mudblood, aren't you?" He waved his wand. The tentacles brought Janice face-to-face with him, close enough to smell the noxious odor of his breath.

"You're going to tell us what Potter and his band of losers are up to. And if you don't, you won't find what we do to you very funny."

TO BE CONTINUED

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Some of the scenes and dialogue in this chapter were borrowed directly From "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix," with some modifications to compensate for the addition of Janice Pettibone.