I do not own Harry Potter or any of the characters. A.N.: I've never been sure whether Patronus Charms can be physical if the caster wants them to, and I go back and forth on it, but for the sake of this story, we'll say it's the caster's choice.

Busted

Alex smiled as he watched Umbridge glare at Firenze. She'd fired Trelawny, only for Dumbledore to allow Trelawny to live at the castle, against Umbridge's wishes, then shoot down Umbridge's attempts to replace Trelawny with a ministry-appointed teacher by saying he'd already found a replacement. Firenze, a centaur. Umbridge was outraged, but powerless to stop it. Alex loved it. It was almost enough to make up for her taking her frustrations out on him for being the only half-breed in the school who she held absolute power over.

"Are you ready for tonight?" Luna asked.

"Yes," Alex grinned widely. "Patronuses, finally."

Luna nodded, smiling, and they fell into a comfortable silence as they finished eating before leaving. Before much longer, they were in the room of requirement with the rest of the DA, Alex positively buzzing with excitement, as was his wand. It was warming and cooling in pulses and was literally vibrating against his arm with excitement. Harry told everyone they were continuing to work on the Patronus Charm, then walked over to Alex to explain how to cast the spell. Alex had missed two consecutive DA meetings recently, because their only option was to schedule it for a Saturday. But now, finally, he could try.

"I'm ready," Alex nodded.

"Alright," Harry nodded. "Now, remember, happy."

Alex snorted. "That's easy. The night after the Yule Ball."

Luna instantly beamed so happily her face seemed to shine as Harry frowned in confusion and curiosity.

"What happened then?" Harry asked.

"Our first kiss," Luna smiled.

Harry snorted as Alex raised his wand.

"Expecto Patronum," Alex said calmly, the vivid memory of his and Luna's first kiss under the Black Lake shining in his mind.

Silvery light shone from his wand instantly, before a shape shot out of it, forming a horse, which galloped through the air for a moment, circling several students, its glittering eyes wide with excitement and the small, adolescent horn catching the light at its unimpressive four inches before it cantered to a stop in front of Alex. Alex let out a shaking breath and knelt, reaching out tentatively and finding the horse was solid, though it felt like he could wave his hand through it if he tried. He stroked its neck for a moment before hugging it.

"I was right," Alex smiled, closing his eyes as the Patronus rested the bottom of its head along his back. "It was always you."

"You've got a baby unicorn?" Smith snorted derisively.

The unicorn glared over at him, Alex's wand warming, but he squeezed its neck lightly and it set its head back down, the wand cooling.

"This is the unicorn that has a hair in your wand, isn't it?" Luna asked.

"Yeah," Alex nodded, sitting back, the unicorn instantly licking Luna's face as she also knelt down, Luna giggling and hugging it.

"It's nice to finally meet you," Luna smiled.

As she stood, Smith walked over.

"So, what, you're making your Patronus be cute?" Smith scoffed.

"No," Alex said. "It's not me controlling it. I'm not sure it really qualifies as a Patronus, either. It's the spirit of the same unicorn colt whose hair is in my wand. He's been living inside my wand since it was made, and now he's using my Patronus Charm to manifest himself a body."

Smith snorted. "Sure it is."

Alex shrugged. "I don't really care if you believe me or not, Smith. What's your Patronus?"

Smith averted his gaze. "I can't make one yet."

"Then you have no room to criticize or comment," Luna said coolly, raising her own wand. "Expecto Patronum."

A shining silvery hare burst out of her wand, darting around the room, and Alex's Patronus instantly turned and began to chase it excitedly, Luna giggling.

"It's not really that hard," Luna said.

"No, you two are just ridiculously good with magic," Harry said.

Alex shrugged, walking over to Neville with Luna, his Patronus cantering to a stop beside them as Luna let hers fade. "No luck?"

"I'm trying," Neville said, sending out a wispy cloud of silver vapor.

"I know," Alex nodded, thinking. "What's the happiest you've ever felt?"

Neville frowned, then shook his head. "I can't remember."

Alex nodded. "When you won Gryffindor the points we needed to win the House Cup our first year?"

Neville frowned and focused for a moment before trying, getting a weak, flickering shield, but it only lasted a few seconds. Neville sighed heavily and Alex nodded.

"Keep trying," Alex said. "Maybe try imagining something that makes you feel happy instead of using a memory. Who's to say that wouldn't work?"

Neville nodded and Alex looked around, watching everyone try. Seamus, who was at his very first meeting finally, was doing well but wasn't there yet, Cho had formed a swan, Hermione had formed an Otter, Ginny had formed a horse, and Ron's wand was spewing a flood of silver vapor, but it seemed like he wasn't quite there yet. Alex walked over and opened his mouth to offer advice, only for Winky to appear at his side, grabbing his hand instantly, eyes wide with fright.

"She is coming!" Winky said, everyone falling silent instantly. "She is knowing! She is knowing Master is here! She is coming!"

Just then, the door opened, everyone spinning, wands raised, only to part, allowing Dobbie to sprint across the room to Harry.

"Harry Potter, sir!" Dobbie wailed. "She...she..."

"It's alright, Dobbie," Harry said. "Winky's already told us."

He looked around at the same time as Alex noticed the problem. No one was moving.

"WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR!?" Alex bellowed. "RUN!"

Instantly, there was a mad dash for the door.

"Winky, go back to the kitchen, then if anyone asks if you or Dobby warned us, lie and say no," Alex said, hearing Harry telling Dobbie the same, but also forbidding him from punishing himself.

Winky Disapparated instantly as Dobbie raced off on foot. As they did, Harry, Alex, and Luna all raced to escape from Umbridge, Alex's Patronus following for a moment before evaporating, the wand warming to let him know he was still inside. Then, suddenly, Harry went down hard. Alex spun, seeing Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle step out from behind a dragon-head vase, all three with their wands raised. Luna raised her own, only for Malfoy to shout for Umbridge. Alex sighed, setting a hand on Luna's arm, forcing her to lower her wand.

"It's too late," Alex said, leaning in to whisper. "We'll get them back later."

Luna sighed and nodded, turning into him and pressing her face to the side of his neck. "I love you."

"I love you, too," Alex said, both wrapping their arms around each other. "It's going to be okay."

Luna nodded, and Alex thanked whichever part of his now missing brain that he'd ensured he couldn't remember where he was for Christmas Break. He remembered most of what happened, though he knew there was someone else that was there who was also removed, but he was careful to take precautions, as he had been when he got to school. He raised his head as Umbridge skidded around a corner, a wicked, victorious grin on her face.

"It's him!" she all but hissed. "Excellent, Draco, excellent, oh, very good! Fifty points to Slytherin! I'll take him from here. Stand up, Potter! Pruitt, Lovegood, step away from each other."

Both glared at her for a moment before complying as Harry did the same, Umbridge grabbing him by the upper arm as she trained her wand on Alex and Luna.

"You hop along and see if you can round up any more of them, Draco," she said. "Tell the others to look in the library. Anybody out of breath. Check the bathrooms, Miss Parkinson can do the girls' ones. Off you go. And you..." she hissed to Harry and the others in her softest, most dangerous voice, as Malfoy walked away, "you can come with me to the Headmaster's office, Potter. First, we'll be dropping off these two with the others we've caught."

She led them at wand-point through the castle quickly before dropping them at a classroom where half of Slytherin House was waiting, then left with Harry. Crabbe and Goyle stayed, and Crabbe snatched Luna's wand as Goyle reached for Alex's.

"I wouldn't," Alex said.

Goyle snorted in amusement, grabbing it, only for his skin to hiss. He yelped in pain, yanking back his burned hand, Alex shrugging.

"I warned you," Alex said. "My wand's very picky."

"You little freak!" someone snarled, brandishing their wand.

There was a bang and a flash of red light, and Alex dropped.

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