AN: All thanks to my beta Katherine.

Fifth year was worse than Mia could imagine. It was clear right away that Umbridge was bad news, after their first DADA class when it was made clear they would never touch a wand, and Umbridge gave Harry detention for saying Voldemort was back in class. If she hadn't focused so sharply on Harry as the aggressor, Gabe and Hermione both would have been in detention along with him.

Then Umbridge was granted the role of High Inquisitor for the Ministry of Magic and started "inspecting" the other teachers and their classes. It was a little funny watching a few of the teachers like McGonagall get inspected, as Mia's favorite teacher didn't give Umbridge a chance to take control, but others like Professor Sinistra were clearly afraid of the woman. Apparently, the inspections went badly for the divination teacher, and actually had Hermione feeling bad for her least liked teacher.

Hermione started suggesting Harry teach them DADA. Voldemort was back, and they all needed to learn how to defend themselves. The Ministry didn't want them learning practical magic, but they needed it. Mia and Gabe were one hundred percent on board with the idea, and recommended use of the Room of Requirement, but Harry needed a little convincing. Apparently, his detentions with Umbridge were enough, for he agreed, and they had their first recruitment meeting set for the first Hogsmeade weekend.

After Harry's outburst in class about Voldemort being back, word started getting around, and a few people approached Mia to ask if she thought it was true. She and Harry were kind of cousins after all, and she was seen as in his inner circle. Somehow over the years Mia had earned a little respect from her classmates even when she hadn't realized it was happening. At first Mia didn't know what to do about the questions, and then she realized them for the opportunity they were. She boldly told her classmates who asked that Harry was telling the truth, and that the Ministry didn't want the truth to get out. So instead of properly warning and preparing everyone, they had sent Umbridge to prevent the students from learning to defend themselves. This clicked in the minds of everyone she spoke to. It was an easy leap after seeing all the slander in the paper, then getting a teacher who didn't allow them to draw their wands. She told them if they wanted to know more, to come to the meeting place on the first Hogsmeade weekend. Gabe, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny all had similar conversations, and when the Hogsmeade weekend finally arrived, the Hog's Head was packed with nervous students who listened to Hermione and Harry's pitch.

Everyone who showed up to the meeting signed Hermione's signup sheet and joined what became Dumbledore's Army. When Marietta signed up with her best friend Cho, Mia signed, and later argued with Hermione about rejecting specific recruits, but her heart wasn't in the argument. Everyone deserves to learn to fight, even if Mia didn't like them.

Umbridge got word something was happening. She sent out a decree disbanding all student organizations. Gabe was livid, but their quidditch captain petitioned to get the Ravenclaw team re-formed, and it was approved.

Their first meeting was a total success. The room of requirement came through for them in extreme detail, offering everything they could ever need, and Harry taught everyone a disarming spell. They met often, and everyone learned things. Mia even noticed she was building relationships with more and more students who had never had time for her in the past. Neville was no longer afraid of her, and even congratulated her on a spell she did. It was a great time for everyone. Luna was even attending, and Mia was so happy to see the girl make friends.

Gabe had a lot of responsibilities now, that took time away from them being together. Between Prefect duties and quidditch training, he was gone a lot. But whenever he returned, he would toss Mia his badge with a wink and then would point any students to her when they came to him looking for advice from a prefect. Gabe found it endlessly funny and Mia played along, acting like a Ravenclaw prefect despite her Gryffindor robes.

Everyone warned them fifth year would be hard, but the workload was more than she could have imagined. It was like the teachers were trying to get them to have nervous breakdowns, and a few students even did before Christmas break. Mia did enjoy the more complex potions they created that year but writing essays every week for every one of her classes was not possible. Eventually she devised a study plan that worked for her. She completely ignored history of magic, and spent the entire class working on homework. She didn't care if she flunked it. She needed high marks in Potions, Charms, Transfiguration, DADA and Herbology if she wanted to be a healer, but she didn't need History, Astronomy, Arithmancy or Ancient Ruins, although she did like the last class. She left the homework for the classes she didn't need till the end and didn't make excuses when those professors asked why she didn't have her work. Professor Bins of course never noticed the lack of work or attention in his class. Gabe thought Mia's plan was absolutely unacceptable and declared if he got anything lower than E's in all of his classes, his mother would be sure to disown him, and his father would never look at him again. Mia was sure this was an exaggeration and was watching Gabe closely for signs of a breakdown. She had a feeling if any of her friends were prone to it, it would be Hermione or Gabe who both held themselves to higher expectations than was reasonable.

Hermione made brilliant coins, charming galleons to show the date of the next meeting to keep the DA alerted secretly and quietly, and Umbridge, knowing something was happening but unable to figure out what, kept poking and prying at the suspected DA members.

Communications with Remus and Sirius were frequent but painfully brief.

She said yes! Don't worry, we are setting a date you can attend - R

Mia Bell I've been thinking you should drop out of school and move back home. You're smart enough already and I miss you. - Love Dad

She missed them, and worried for them constantly, and each time an owl came for her, and she frantically read and reread the few lines that were usually meaningless nonsense. It told her they were still alive, still safe, and she was reassured.

The ministry kept passing educational decrees and Umbridge got more and more power. She even banned Harry, Fred and George from quidditch for getting in a fist fight. Gabe said it was a travesty, because it increased Ravenclaws odds, but it didn't seem right to win when Gryffindor sucked so badly.

The rest of Mia's time was spent tracking Draco down in dark corners asking him if he was okay and getting rebuffed at every turn. He was fine, she needed to keep her nose to herself and butt out of his business. But she could tell something was wrong, she could tell he wanted to say more. She could tell what was going on at home weighed on him and she could tell that a war was brewing inside of him. Eventually he pushed back when she tried to talk to him, and he snapped at her.

"I don't need your help, Black. I'm on the winning side after all. We know all about your side's plans. Hagrid talking to the giants, Lupin delegating with the werewolves, you're on the losing end Mia, it's not too late for you to join us you know."

Fear gripped her, if he knew about their plans, it meant Voldemort probably did as well. She would have to tell Sirius when she saw him, she could never put it in a letter, but Christmas was still so far away. "You know I never will switch sides, Draco."

"Well either way, when things come to a head, I will try to look out for you, make sure you aren't smashed in the uprising," Draco said with a smirk, but she could see something else behind it, fear.

Mia smiled sadly. It was the kindest thing he had ever said, even if it wasn't an offer she would ever take. "Same for you Draco. If you ever need it, I will be there for you."

In mid-November Gabe started acting really weird. One Saturday he started following her everywhere, standing outside of the bathroom when she went in. It was funny at first, then annoying. He wouldn't say why, as thought it was her fault for not knowing, and saying it out loud would make things worse. By evening she was tired and grumpy after a D on her transfiguration assignment and he walked her up the stairs to her common room. Peeves flew past and started chucking inkwells at them, they broke and splattered all over the stairs, but Gabe's shielding spell was fast and perfect, and Peeves blew raspberries at them and flew off.

Mia was done. She'd been stressing over a transfiguration lesson that she just couldn't get, and now she just wanted to go to bed. She sighed and kept going up the stairs.

"Mia! Be careful!" Gabe called.

"I DON'T need to be careful Gabe, I'm FINE Gabe! Would you give it a rest!?" She stepped on a large chunk of glass and started to lose her balance, Gabe reached out to catch her, and she shoved him away, then totally lost her balance and fell down half a flight of stairs. She tried to catch herself on the landing and something in her wrist cracked painfully.

"Seee! I knew it!"

She looked up at Gabe with confusion, pain bringing tears to her eyes. "What are you on about?" she whined.

"Your fourth year Arithmancy exams you predicted you would break a leg or arm today!"

Mia sighed and cradled her painfilled arm. "Are you going to help me up and to the hospital wing?"

He did.

Madam Pomfrey mended the break in moments with the swing of her wand and Mia looked on impressed. She really needed to check out a book on healing spells, if only she had the time this year to learn, but she did remember the spell, and tried it occasionally on broken chicken bones at dinner when she wasn't too tired from studying.

Christmas break couldn't come soon enough. It was the first one Mia would spend at home. She couldn't imagine Christmas with a family, but she was excited to try it. There were a few faces missing on the Hogwarts Express, although Mia didn't notice until Hermione told her Ron and Harry had left the night before. When they arrived at King's Cross, Sirius was grim and told her everything after they had safely arrived at number twelve. Arthur Weasley had been attacked, and Harry had dreamt it happening. They wouldn't have found Arthur in time to save him had it not been for Harry's dream. He'd been attacked by a snake, Voldemort's snake, and the implications were scary.

Remus and Tonks came home a short time later. True to their word, they had organized shifts for people to stay at number twelve. Sirius spent most of his time at Meadow Lake, but they were all staying at headquarters for Christmas to make things easier for the Weasley's visiting Author at St Mongo's. Mia congratulated Tonks and Remus on their engagement and asked when it would be.

"It's Tuesday," Remus said with a grin.

Mia counted the days in her head. "Christmas eve? That will be perfect!" She hugged them again.

"Wanna go dress shopping?" Tonks asked with a smile. They did. Tonks already had a dress, a very elegant one that swooped over the neckline and rested on the edges of her shoulders, but Mia had grown a bit, and didn't have anything right for the event. She got a very pretty blue dress that was super comfortable and made her feel confident.

The wedding was in the backyard of Meadow Lake, a beautiful flower covered arch was set up in front of the lake with twinkling lights hanging in the air over the grass. And the air was heated magically to the temperature of a cool summer evening. Tonks looked stunning, her hair in soft pink curls, and Remus looked so happy like he couldn't believe what was happening. He looked so good, like five or ten years had been lifted off his life. His face was still lined past his age, and he still had scars, but they were fading. His eyes no longer had continual bags under them and his face had real color for the first time Mia had ever seen. Who knew not going through a torturous transformation each month would have such an effect.

The wedding was small, only family and a few very close friends. Gabe looked handsome, in his old dress robes, his mom had extended to compensate for his extra few inches of growth. They danced several times under the twinkling lights until Sirius cut in on their third dance. They danced together father and daughter, and he spun her in the night and told her how proud he was of the woman she was becoming. Eventually he handed her back over to Gabe, for another dance.

Harry sat in a corner looking glum, and Hermione danced a few turns with George who beamed. Ron also sat with Harry, looking sulky. Mr. Weasley would be ok, he would be in St Mungo's for a long time because the snake had poison on its fangs that was preventing his healing, but he would live. Harry and the Weasleys were visiting him often.

As the evening drew to a close, everyone started heading back to their homes, or to number twelve, and Remus and Tonks stayed at Meadow Lake. After getting ready for bed, Mia was thirsty and headed down to the kitchen of number twelve. A light was on, and Sirius sat alone at the table wrapping gifts. He smiled when she entered, but he looked glum.

"Leaving it a little late, aren't you?" she asked leaning over his shoulder to see what he wrapped.

"Don't worry, I wrapped yours first just in case you came snooping," he said, gesturing to a small pile of badly wrapped packages. The item before him was a small hand mirror. He lifted it to show her. "It's a two-way. I forgot I had it but found it when I was going through old boxes at Meadow Lake. Harry's dad and I used them to communicate when we were younger, this one was his. I have another one, you see. Quite similar to yours and Gabe's books." He glanced up at Mia. "I was gonna give it to Harry. You don't mind, do you?"

She smiled. "Of course not. I think he needs a direct line to someone who cares for him more than I do right now. But I still miss you."

He sighed. "How could you possibly miss me when I send you so many little letters filled with nothing of importance." He looked so sad and bleak when he said it, she wrapped her arms around his shoulders. He patted her arm. "Oh, I'm fine. Don't pay me any mind. I just worry sometimes what the future will hold for you and Harry, you're even younger than we were when Voldemort first took power. At least we got to start our lives before they were taken away. We fell in love, got married, had kids. I worry you and Harry won't even get that much, that your lives will be taken before you even leave school." He trailed off.

She didn't have anything comforting to say, so instead she kept holding on to him, the only comfort she could provide. She didn't want that fate either but that didn't mean she was going to sit on the sidelines or hide and be safe. She would still fight for her world and her future, and she knew Harry would too. She didn't want to let go from that half hug. She had a feeling of looming dread that their time together would be short, and she didn't want to let go.

When they returned to school, Snape started teaching Harry occlumency, to both of their dread. But it confirmed something Sirius had said about Harry's dream. Somehow Harry was getting into Voldemort's mind. Gabe tried to engage Harry a few times, talk about the lessons, and the tricks Gabe had learned, but Harry didn't seem too interested. That confused Mia. If her mind was connected with Voldemort, she would do everything in her power to block it. She didn't get why Harry didn't feel the same.

Then a breakout at Azkaban was reported. Ten known death eaters escaped, one of which was Bellatrix, Mia's aunt, and the icon of most of her nightmares. She was now free to rejoin Voldemort and kill other little girls' mothers.

More and more educational decrees were set, and Umbridge gained more and more power. Mia's first detention was for stealing the prefect badge of a Ravenclaw student. Mia didn't try to argue and get Gabe in trouble. He too frequently had gotten trouble for mouthing off in class, along with Hermione and Harry, and the "I must not speak out of turn" was barely healed on his hand. She tried to hide the cut from him afterwards, but he had winced over her "I must not steal". Umbridge had managed to take a fun game between her and Gabe, and ruin it.

It was Marietta that betrayed them in the end. Mia got endless satisfaction knowing her years of dislike for the girl were totally justified. She betrayed them to Umbridge, and Dumbledore took all the blame for the meeting and Fudge used it as an opportunity to fire Dumbledore. But instead of carting him off to Azkaban, he fled, to better subvert the ministry. In his place they were given Umbridge as a new Headmistress, and Umbridge created the Inquisitorial Squad. Draco, and a few other Slytherin's joined, but Draco didn't seem like his heart was in it.

Fred and George decided they were done with their academic career, but before they would leave the school, they would do their all to ruin Umbridge's reign. In honor of their week of pranks, Mia broke out her old color changing potion. She knew she shouldn't do it. It was too much of a risk. Getting expelled would put all her hopes of becoming a healer one day in a small little bin and set it on fire. But really, Umbridge had asked for it. She did it at lunch a few weeks later. She didn't tell Gabe about her plans, but he was sitting next to her at lunch, when Umbridge started to turn green. Gabe had laughed along with everyone else, then looked worried at Mia. She had just smiled back, as Umbridge turned orange, and patted his arm.

Michael Corner came to her the next day. He was in the DA with her, before Umbridge crashed it, and he'd thought she would like to know she was most likely in the clear for her prank. He had been in a third-floor classroom when Umbridge had questioned her Inquisitorial Squad about who had caused the prank. Pansy had started to say she knew, the same person who did it to Lockhart in second year. Then Draco had cut her off, and said that was impossible, because that student had been a seventh year at the time and was no longer at Hogwarts. But they had been a Hufflepuff, so maybe it was someone else in the house who knew the trick. She thanked Michael Corner for his information, and stored the tale away in her memory, so she could pull it out whenever she doubted if Draco was worthy of saving. He had protected her when he had a chance to get her out of his hair. She wouldn't forget it.

Fred and George went out from Hogwarts with a bang, after turning an entire corridor into a swamp. It was glorious, and no teachers even tried to help Umbridge remove it.

The pranks got worse. Mia knew the twins would be honored by all the mischief completed in their name. Draco, as if realizing the way the wind blew, stopped enforcing rules with the Inquisitorial squad and instead lay back, watching the chaos. Umbridge was frantic, trying to put out fires and fireworks, left and right, and trying to stop Peeves from destroying the castle.

Despite the distractions, the fifth years still had exams, and the pressure was really getting to them. Mia had to get an E in Transfiguration if she wanted to go on with the class and one day be a Healer. She was reasonably confident she would get the O Professor Snape demanded, and charms and herbology she only needed an A. With all their DA lessons, she was sure she would pass DADA as well. But Transfiguration was her biggest obstacle. Gabe needed to pass the same classes as she did, as the Auror and Healer roles both required the same high level OWLs, but Gabe was convinced he would fail all of his exams, especially Potions. He had to get an O in potions to go on with Snape, and as his weakest class, he was frantic and would constantly call out to Mia asking for random facts or processes at all moments. The pages of their message book had become filled with study notes they scribbled to one another at all hours of the night.

Exams came, and when they did Mia had a sort of peace. It would all be over soon, one way or another. She couldn't cram anything more into her head as she waited for each exam. She thought she did ok in Transfiguration but wasn't really sure.

The exams were incredibly complex and very long, but in the end they were just exams, and she knew what to expect from them, until their Astronomy exam. While they were on the top of the astronomy tower, it was hard to miss the six figures in dark cloaks and wands out heading towards Hagrid's home on the edge of the forest. It was even harder to miss when they started attacking and hexing Hagrid, who ran and fought back, knocking out a few. The examiner tried so hard to keep everyone focused on their star charts, but it was a lost cause when McGonagall ran out onto the grounds trying to get the Aurors to stop, and four of them sent stunning spells at her that combined and hit her in the chest. She fell flat on her back and didn't move. Mia couldn't believe it as fear and horror gripped her. The exam ended and the fifth years left the tower.

Mia wanted to go to her, go to the hospital wing and help Madam Pomfrey, but Gabe stopped her. "You know McGonagall wouldn't want you getting detention over her. Those Aurors were out of line, do you really think they will take kindly to any witnesses?"

Mia nodded and reluctantly went to bed, but she woke very early the next morning after very little sleep to go see her before breakfast. Her History of Magic exam wasn't until noon anyways. She had planned to read over Gabe's notes, and catch up on everything she'd ignored over the year, but ultimately it didn't matter. McGonagall was more important.

McGonagall was still unconscious and Madam Pomfrey was preparing to send her to St Mongos. Madam Pomfrey said she was lucky to still be alive, and was so disgusted at what had happened, she would resign on the spot if she wasn't worried about what would happen to the students in her absence. Who would keep them in stock of murtlap essence for their detention scars, or fix the broken bones or jinxes caused by the overeager inquisitorial squad. Mia comforted the healer, and thanked her for all she did, then she did go down to breakfast, worried and afraid for the future.

AN: I just finished the final chapter of this story, and guys, its so good :] I'm going to keep posting them every tuesday for the next few weeks, theres about 6 more chapters left.