Remember I do not own Harry Potter or any of the characters.
I think my chapters are getting longer...don't know if that's a good or bad thing.
Btw in this chapter I'm not too sure about Fred and George's patronus. I don't know whether to keep them the same or change them to different ones.
Chapter 37 – Expecto Patronum
Fred, George and Harry were all reeling over their ban from playing Quidditch, especially as it wasn't their fault nor did they technically do anything wrong other than stick up for their family. Their annoyance wasn't helped by the fact that Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle only ended up with warnings from Professor Umbridge.
"She really has it in for us." Fred said to George and Harry one evening in the Gryffindor common room.
"She's definitely has it in for me." Harry answered with a slight sigh.
The events however did give the twins more encouragement to work harder on their joke shop products so they could get out of the school as soon as possible. It also spurred Harry on to make Dumbledore's Army as successful as possible. The three of them were not going to give up without a fight that was for sure. Hermione had been in the Room of Requirement with the twins for over an hour helping them with some of their products before the last Dumbledore's Army meeting before the Christmas break.
"I can't wait to get away from this place for Christmas and see Sirius and Lupin again." Fred spoke stirring his cauldron which was emitting a lilac smoke.
"Yeah same here. Maybe we could ask Lupin for some ideas for the meetings, get some advice from him." George answered pouring some of the love potion he'd just completed into a vile.
"We'll have to make sure Mum doesn't find out though or she'll go mental. Then again Lupin might not be too impressed with us either." Fred said.
"Well I know for definite that Sirius is on our side so maybe Lupin will be too. He's got as much right to hate the Ministry and Umbridge as anyone else does." Hermione answered. "But yes it will be good to get out of here for a few weeks and see everyone again."
"To think we were eager to get back here and have some fun but then that old bat came and now we can't wait to get home again." Fred stated with a small sigh.
"Yeah Gred we can't have any fun, we've been banned from playing Quidditch, we can't do any magic or pull any pranks." George answered.
"If I'm being honest I'm surprised you two haven't got yourselves expelled from here. Umbridge is just itching to get rid of as many of us as possible so she has less work to do." Hermione stated snapping her book shut.
"No we don't want expelled because that means toad face has won. Put it this way when we do go we won't be leaving quietly!" Fred replied.
"We've never got ourselves in deep trouble though or expelled. We know where to draw the line when it comes to our pranks. We may try and put a toe over the line occasionally but we've not been that bad. We don't set out to physically hurt anyone or cause any really trouble, though we could if we really wanted too." George said.
"I suppose you don't want to risk getting thrown into Azkaban either." Hermione said opening another potion book.
"Definitely not!" Fred and George said at the same time making Hermione jump slightly.
"You know if it wasn't for these meetings I wouldn't be coming back after Christmas, and our mates of course." George said.
"Not to mention wanting to give old toad face hell." Fred added.
"You're Mum will never let you leave." Hermione stated.
"She can't really stop us. Once we get our premises for the shop we're out of here. It's just taking a little longer to get one than expected." Fred replied.
"We just feel that our futures lie outside that of academic achievement that's all. We're never going to pass our NEWTS nor are we interested in them." George stated.
The twins had finally completed their skiving snack boxes along with some other products. They had now moved onto a series of Wonder Witch products such as love potions, pimple remover and hair removal lotions.
Dumbledore's Army were now onto their third meeting. Harry was extremely proud of his students and how far they'd all came since the first meeting. They all had been working hard despite not actually being allowed to do magic in the school now. Seamus had finally apologised to Harry and had also joined the gang. The students gathered in the Room of Requirement eager to start their third lesson.
"Hello everyone. Today we are going to start with the patronus charm." Harry stated welcoming the group.
There were a chorus of gasps around the room from excited students. Not even the 7th year students in the group had been taught how to produce a patronus yet.
"Professor Lupin taught me how to produce a patronus in my third year with the aid of a boggart which turned into a dementor. Unfortunately we can't use one of them as it will change into something different for all of us due to us all having different fears." Harry explained.
"How come you were taught to do one?" Seamus questioned.
"The dementors had a really bad effect on me as some of you know so I asked him for some help. It was a good job he did because it saved my life." Harry answered.
"We will still be able to do the spell without a dementor however but it's better to be prepared." Hermione spoke standing up.
"Now to produce a patronus you have to think of a happy memory. It can be about absolutely anything but make it a very strong, powerful memory. Now I want you all to close your eyes and think of a happy memory." Harry stated.
Everyone closed their eyes with some screwing their faces up in concentration. A huge grin appeared on Fred's face. Harry wondered if he was thinking about Hermione. Then again the twins no doubt had a huge catalogue of happy memories.
"Right has everyone thought of something?" Harry shouted making several people jump. Everyone's eyes shot open.
"Before you cast the spell let the memory fill you up inside then say the incantation 'Expecto Patronum!' Harry explained and with a wave of his wand a white, silvery stag erupted from it and galloped around the room, shocking the other students.
"Wow it's so pretty!" Lavender Brown gasped, her blue eyes lighting up.
Hermione was up next to try the spell. A white otter appeared from her wand and scooted playfully around the walls.
"Thinking about my less handsome twin are we?" George wondered wiggling his eyebrows at her which dropped her concentration and made the otter disappear into nothing. Hermione's face blushed bright red.
A few students such as Neville Longbottom were struggling with the spell, only producing white wisps. It took Seamus about four attempts before a fox erupted from his own. A terrier dog which was Ron's patronus managed to knock Neville off his feet. Fred and George's identical dolphins seemed to be having a race around the room. Luna who's hare patronus had just disappeared was watching the various animals dreamily. Choruses of "Expecto Patronum!" Echoed around the room causing various white, silvery animals to appear from the conjuror's wands.
All in all it was a great session with nearly everyone being able to conjure a patronus of some sort. At the end of the session Fred and Hermione hung back for some alone time.
"Don't worry I won't keep you long Mione." Fred spoke while Hermione put her belongings back in her bag.
"You really are serious about leaving aren't you?" Hermione stuttered.
"Yes we're deadly serious about it Hermione. Like George said we don't want to do our NEWTS. There's no point, we're not going to pass them anyway. We just want to get out of here and get our shop opened. Neither of us want to work in the Ministry or with dragons like the others." Fred explained wrapping his arms around Hermione's waist. "Please don't worry about us Hermione. We will be fine. We won't get ourselves kicked out or locked up in Azkaban."
Hermione tried in vain not to cry but she just had so much on her plate and it was all getting too her. Now she had the added worry of her boyfriend leaving the school and getting themselves into serious trouble.
"I'm just scared Fred. I'm scared for Harry, I'm scared for the order and I'm scared for you and George. You-know-who is out there somewhere and he could attack at any time, attack any of us and kill us. When you and George leave I'll be worrying sick about the two of you." Hermione sniffed resting her head on Fred's chest.
"Oh Hermione love, we're all worried, even George and I are. We constantly worry about our family too. We just all need to have a little faith. George and I will make sure we have every protective spell around our shop to keep it safe. We're actually going to ask Dumbledore for some advice." Fred answered hugging his shaking girlfriend tightly.
There was no denying the fact that the students were scared. The school didn't even feel safe anymore.
"Fred just promise me one thing; when you do leave please keep in contact with me, we can use our coins if need be." Hermione spoke fear evident in her shaky voice.
"Of course I will. I will want to know about what's happening here." Fred answered. "Look on the bright side we're heading home soon so we'll have two weeks free from here, to be together properly."
"That's if your Mum will let us anywhere near each other." Hermione giggled calming down slightly.
"She better. At least we won't have loads of cleaning to do. Sirius will probably have the house sparkling by the time we arrive." Fred answered with a slight giggle.
"The poor man is probably bored out of his wits." Hermione said feeling sorry for Sirius."Look we better get going. We've been here for ages. People will start to get suspicious."
Before they left Fred pulled Hermione close and kissed her lovingly making her heart race at 90mph. The young couple hadn't had much time alone together like this so it felt nice, it was like the light in the dark times.
As Dumbledore once said "Happiness can be found even in the darkest of times if one only remembers to turn on the light."
And he had a point. Dark and testing times did lie ahead in the Wizarding world so it was important for everyone to make the most of the happy times.