I promise I'll give them back to JKR when I'm done.
My beta, Nat, ROCKS. She has a note at the bottom of the story.
Denotes a letterDenotes happy thoughts
Denotes unhappy thoughts
That being said:
*****
"Students, may I have your attention please?" Dumbledore asked from his seat at the head table one Thursday night at the end of dinner. He rose and faced the hall full of students.
"After the success of last year's Yule Ball, we have decided to continue the tradition this year. The ball remains for fourth years and up, although younger years may attend if invited by someone fourth year or older. We are, however, going to move the date of the ball so that you may go home and spend time with your parents. The ball will be held on December 19th. The train home for winter holidays will leave December 20th." Dumbledore announced. A ripple of general excitement ran through the older students, while the younger student's feigned disinterest. In fact, all of the little girls were excited at the prospect of the older girls getting ready for a ball.
"Ooh, Hermione, what color are your dress robes?" Astrid asked just after Dumbledore sat down. Hermione flashed a sly smile at Astrid.
"Not telling," she replied, glancing over at Fred. Fred instantly jumped to his feet and dropped down on one knee behind Hermione. He tapped her on her shoulder. She spun around to face him.
"Miss Hermione Granger?" he asked.
"Yes," she replied.
"Will you provide me with the honor of being your date for the Yule Ball?" Fred asked loudly. Most of the Gryffindor table and quite a few of the Ravenclaws had turned to look at Fred.
"Why certainly," Hermione replied. Fred jumped up and flung his arms around Hermione. She quickly returned his hug and he took his seat next to her amid cheers from some of the Gryffindors and Ravenclaws. Ron and Harry exchanged a quick eye roll.
"Now that my date has been taken care of, who are you boys going to ask?" Hermione replied. Ron looked over at Astrid.
"Hey Astrid, what do you say to a Yule Ball?" Ron asked, jokingly.
"I say get your arse over to the Ravenclaw table and ask Mandy Brocklehurst," Astrid replied with a glare. Ron turned bright red and looked down at his plate.
"Rejected by a first year!" George crowed.
"Man Ron, that's an all new low," Fred laughed. Ron looked down the table at all of the Gryffindor girls.
"Do you think Alicia would go with me, just as friends?" Ron asked.
"That would be great!" Harry cried. "Then I could go with Katie!"
"MANDY AND HANNAH!" Astrid insisted in a fierce whisper. The boys ignored the first year.
"Don't you boy's have Charms homework to do before tomorrow?" Hermione asked her two friends. Harry and Ron both nodded and began to stand up.
"What do you think we're doing?" Ron asked. "Flitwick said it was a combination of a Charms and Defense practical that he didn't think any of us would be able to do."
"So what's the point of teaching us?" Harry asked as he trailed Hermione out of the Great Hall. Ron was close behind both of them.
"He only told us to research cheering charms and make sure we could perform those very well," Ron said.
"Any ideas encyclopedia Granger?" Harry joked. Hermione smacked Harry lightly in his stomach.
"OOOWWWWW!" Harry howled as if Hermione's hit had hurt him. Ron pulled his wand and turned to his friend. He fired off a cheering charm and Harry was instantly happier.
"Do I really need to work on my charms homework?" Ron asked.
"I think he's got it DOWN!" Harry cried, a little too cheerfully.
"Is there anything we can do to counteract that charm?" Hermione asked, glaring at Harry who was on the verge of skipping up the stairs.
"I think you've got to wait until it wears off," Ron replied.
"WOOHOO!" Harry cheered as he jumped up the stairs.
"Thank you, Ron," Hermione laughed. She and Ron followed Harry, albeit less enthusiastically.
"No problem," Ron laughed.
"I'm not working with you tomorrow in Charms," Hermione declared. "I don't want to end up like that." She pointed to Harry who was grinning broadly at his friends from the top of the stairs.
"Hey Harry, who are you taking to the Yule Ball?" Ron asked.
"Jae might be a fun date," Harry replied. He was walking with a very odd spring to his step, so he was almost bouncing down the corridor. Hermione clamped her hand to her forehead and shook her head.
"Hey, just because you've got a date already doesn't mean you have to be like that about our lack of dates," Ron spat.
"I'm just saying you may want to get on the asking bit quite quickly unless you want a repeat of last year," Hermione said.
"He can't have a repeat of last year, Fleur's not here!" Harry cried. Ron shot him a glare quite possibly meant to kill, but Harry, in his ridiculously cheerful mood, didn't notice.
"Cho's got a boyfriend," Ron spat. If Harry heard Ron, he was too happy to respond.
"Ron, leave him alone," Hermione said, "It's actually your fault that he said anything to begin with."
"How is it my fault?" Ron asked.
"You WERE the one to hit him with the cheering charm," Hermione reminded him.
"Oh, right." Ron shook his head. "How long do you think it'll take that to wear off?"
"How strong did you make the charm?" Hermione asked. Ron shrugged. The pair quickened their pace to keep up with Harry, who had just disappeared around a corner.
"Well, it could take anywhere from 10 minutes to an hour," Hermione laughed.
"Oh NO!" Ron cried, dropping his forehead into his hand.
"What's the problem Ronnie?" Harry cried, running back around the corner towards his friends.
"You, psycho," Ron laughed. Harry shrugged and headed back in the other direction.
"I do believe you over did THAT charm," Hermione said.
"Look at me," Ron instructed. Hermione paused and looked straight at Ron's face. He was attempting to look as serious as possible.
"Does this look like happy face to you?'"
"No," Hermione giggled. Ron managed a half smile.
"That's what I thought. I know I overdid the charm." Ron muttered. Harry had finally bounced to a stop in front of the fat lady.
"Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!" Harry cried. The fat lady rolled her eyes and swung her frame open.
"I'm strangling your brothers the next time I get my hands on them," Hermione declared as she and Ron followed Harry into the common room. Harry had actually dived over the threshold and done a somersault when he hit the ground on the other side. Hermione fell onto the couch in front of the fire, while Ron chased Harry up to their dorm to collect their charms materials.
"How long do you think it will take them come to their senses about the girls?" a familiar voice asked from the other end of the couch Hermione was resting on. Hermione looked down at Ginny.
"Good question. I just hope Ernie and Justin don't decide to take Mandy and Hannah before Harry and Ron decide to obtain some testicular fortitude and ask them," Hermione laughed.
"Hopefully Harry will be able to ask Hannah pretty soon. Did you notice that they were holding hands the night Ron got hurt?" Ginny asked.
"Yep," Hermione laughed. "But I wouldn't say anything to either of them because I don't think they realize anyone but Ron noticed."
"Like it wasn't obvious!"
"Well. They're cute though," Hermione laughed.
"That, they are," Ginny agreed.
"Who do you think you'll go to the ball with?"
"Um, I figure I'll hang out with Astrid and Dennis and Jason and Sawyer that night. I don't want to go if Braeden can't take me," Ginny replied.
"Virginia Eirene Weasley!" Hermione exclaimed.
"What?" Ginny asked innocently.
"You're not going to the Yule Ball because the boy who isn't even your boyfriend is in France and can't take you?" Hermione asked.
"Something to that effect, yes," Ginny replied.
"That's absolutely the most ridiculous thing I think I've ever heard!" Hermione cried.
"I miss Braeden," Ginny said simply.
"So you're telling me that if someone asked you to the ball, you would say no simply because Braeden is in France?" Hermione asked.
"Well, mostly," Ginny replied.
"Mostly?"
"There is this one guy," Ginny began.
"Who?" Hermione queried.
"I don't much want to tell you. You are Braeden's cousin after all," Ginny laughed.
"Oh like I'm going to tell him. The most I ever hear from him are the messages he tells you to give me," Hermione laughed.
"I'm still not saying," Ginny replied.
"It's not Harry is it?"
"Me liking Harry is almost the same as me liking Ron or Bill," Ginny laughed. "He's like the extra brother I never particularly wanted."
"I'm glad you finally realized that," Hermione said. Ginny picked up a throw pillow and whacked Hermione over her head with it.
"Gin, you've really been hanging out with Astrid Malfoy way too much."
"What about Astrid?" the first year in question asked as she, Jason and Sawyer crawled through the portrait hole.
"We were just discussing how annoying you are," Ginny replied calmly.
"That, I am!" Astrid said with a sly smile. Jason and Sawyer headed off towards their dorm while Astrid simply pulled out her wand. "Accio school bag!"
"Someone's been hanging out with Mr. Potter too much," Hermione laughed.
"He's used that one enough on me that I convinced him to teach it to me," Astrid explained as she caught her school bag. Hermione and Ginny both smiled down at the little girl.
"Speaking of Mr. Potter."
"He and the youngest Mr. Weasley are in their dorm looking for their charms supplies," Hermione said before Astrid could finish her question. "Ron hit Harry with a Cheering Charm and now he's bouncing off the walls. Almost literally."
"But only almost, right?" Astrid asked, raising an eyebrow at Hermione.
"Yes," Hermione laughed. Astrid swung her bag over her shoulder.
"Going somewhere?" Ginny asked.
"Jason has to meet Mandrake Chelsea in the library to work on their project. He's making me and Sawyer tag along because she drives him so absolutely crazy," Astrid explained.
"You don't think she likes him do you?" Ginny asked.
"Nope," Astrid replied. "I personally think she wants Sawyer."
"Really now?" Hermione asked.
"Yes," Astrid replied with mock seriousness.
"Do you think the girl will ever grow out of the name Mandrake Chelsea?" Ginny asked.
"No," Hermione and Astrid both said.
"Poor kid," Ginny replied, shaking her head.
"Astrid!" Harry called, running down the stairs from his dorm. He sprinted over to the little girl and picked her up. He began spinning crazily about the common room with her in his arms.
"You Know!" Astrid called as he spun. "I think Ron's cheering charm may be either a little strong or a little broken!"
"We figured that out about the time he started skipping down the hall," Ron said from the bottom of the stairs.
"Someone wanna do something to SAVE ME!" Astrid cried. Hermione quickly summoned the Charms book Harry hand just dropped. She paged through it, found the spell she was looking for, pulled out her wand and fired it off at Harry. The spell hit Harry squarely in his back. He instantly stopped and turned to face Hermione with Astrid still in his arms.
"What was that?" Harry asked.
"A spell to counteract that cheering charm Ron subjected you to," Hermione replied.
"Why am I holding you?" Harry asked Astrid.
"You felt like spinning me around the room like an absolute goof," Astrid replied stoically. She ran her hands over her disheveled blonde hair in an attempt to smooth it. Harry promptly returned Astrid to the floor. She straightened her robes and glared at Harry.
"Don't let it happen again, Potter."
"Maybe you should tell Ron, he's the one who hit me with that off the wall charm," Harry laughed. Astrid spun and glared at Ron.
"Don't let it happen again, Weasley."
"What are you going to do if it does?" Ron asked. Astrid smiled sweetly at Ron.
"Wouldn't you like to know!" she said, and she skipped out of the portrait hole to follow Sawyer and Jason.
"And somehow, that scares me more than anything she could threaten me with," Ron said, sinking down into the chair across from Hermione and Ginny's couch. Harry calmly walked over and stretched out in front of the fire.
"Hermione, can you teach me that charm so if Ron does that to someone else tomorrow I can be prepared?" he asked. Ron glared angrily at him.
"Gin, do you think Jae would go to the ball with me?" Harry asked, purposefully ignoring Ron.
"Nope," Ginny replied.
"Why not?" Harry asked.
"Because I say you're not allowed to ask her until you know for sure that you're not going to go with Hannah," Ginny explained.
"There is no way I can go with Hannah," Harry replied.
"Harry man, Hannah is simply the most gorgeous witch in our year and you're not asking her?" Ron asked. He pulled out his wand, pointed it as their room, and muttered a quick spell.
"I CAN'T!" Harry cried.
"Why not?" Hermione asked.
"I simply can't," Harry whined. Ron caught a piece of parchment and unfolded it. He surveyed it for a moment before standing up.
"That's good," Ron replied.
"It is?" Harry asked.
"Yep," Ron said.
"Why?"
"Cause if you're not going to ask her, I certainly am!" Ron cried. He dropped the parchment and tore towards the portrait hole.
"BLOODY HELL!" Harry screamed.
"You waited," Hermione pointed out.
"ACCIO MAP" Harry screamed. The piece of parchment Ron had been holding jumped into Harry's hand. Harry surveyed it for a moment before throwing it down and sprinting after Ron.
"What do you think that's about?" Ginny asked as the portrait hole snapped shut behind Harry. Hermione quickly summoned the parchment. She glanced over it.
"Well, it looks as though Hannah and Mandy are up near Trelawney's room. Ron is headed that way at a high rate of speed with Harry a little ways behind him," Hermione laughed.
"Oh my," Ginny laughed. Hermione rolled her eyes.
"So which guy besides Braeden would you go to the Yule Ball with?"
"Leave it alone, Hermione. I'm not telling and he probably won't ask me so you'll never know!" Ginny cried.
"Way to be positive there," Hermione laughed.
"Well," Ginny said defensively.
"Is it Seamus?" Hermione guessed.
"No, he's stuck up Lavender's butt."
"Kyle Burns?"
"I think he actually may be considering asking Jae," Ginny explained.
"Um. Lee Jordan."
"Marissa Lucas," came Ginny's decisive reply.
"Really?"
"Yes. They've been together since before the Slytherin Quidditch match," Ginny laughed.
"I know who it is!" Hermione cried.
"Really now, who is it?" Ginny asked.
"COLIN CREEVEY!" Hermione crowed.
"Oh yes. I want Colin Creevey's sexy body!" Ginny deadpanned.
"That's good to know," Colin said. He slipped into the chair Ron had just vacated. Ginny and Hermione erupted with nervous laughter in Ginny's case and howls of laughter in Hermione's.
"Sorry to disappoint you, Gin, but I'm thinking of asking Cheyenne Williamson."
"Your History of Magic partner?" Ginny asked.
"Yep," Colin replied.
"Will she want your sexy body?" Hermione asked, raising an eyebrow at Colin.
"Oh yes," Colin purred.
"AAHHHH!" Hermione cried, covering her head with both hands.
"Kidding, Hermione," Colin laughed. "Cheyenne and I are just friends."
%%%%%
Ron skidded to a stop right in front of Hannah and Mandy.
"Hey girls!" he exclaimed.
"Hey Ron," Mandy said. She stepped over next to him.
"How are you?" Hannah asked.
"I'm doing really well," Ron replied.
"Who are you taking to the Yule Ball?" Mandy asked. Hannah's jaw dropped at the forward ness of her friend's question.
"Actually, its funny you ask that," Ron said. He glanced over at Hannah. "I was just thinking about a date, and Hannah, I was just wondering if." Mandy's face fell. Hannah's eyes widened and she glanced over at her friend.
"AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" came a vicious scream from the end of the hall. Before anyone could figure out exactly what was going on, Ron was lying a good three meters away from the girls, face in the stone floor. Harry had sprinted down the hall and dived on Ron, pushing him to the floor. Harry quickly turned over and sat on Ron's legs to keep him pinned to the floor. He looked up at Hannah and smiled.
"Now then," Harry said. The two girls laughed nervously. Harry pushed his hair off his forehead, making the front stick up in an entirely cute way. He adjusted his glasses and looked at Hannah again.
"Hannah, will you go to the Yule Ball with me?" he asked. He still hadn't moved from Ron, so he couldn't see the sly smile on his friend's face.
"Of course!" Hannah said. She held out her hand to Harry. He took it and stood up. Ron rolled over and climbed to his feet.
"Mandy, I'm quite sorry about that," Ron said. He draped an arm around the other girl's shoulders. She shrugged his arm off.
"No really. It was the only way we were going to make Harry get enough guts to ask Hannah before the day before the ball. I had no real intention of going with her," Ron explained. "That being said, will you go with me to the Yule Ball?"
"Certainly!" Mandy said, smiling up at Ron and stepping closer to him. He put his arm back around her shoulders.
"You had no intention of going with me?" Hannah asked.
"Well," Ron considered his option for a moment. "Well no," he finally replied. "No offense to you or anything, but I think that certainly would have made Harry mad."
"Like you've worried about making me mad before," Harry muttered.
"What was that?" Ron asked, his arm still comfortably around Mandy's shoulders.
"Nothing!" Harry replied with a broad smile. He carefully took Hannah's hand.
"AAAWWWWW!" Mandy cried. Harry and Hannah instantly quit holding hands.
"No no!" Mandy insisted, "As you were." She waved at their hands, motioning them to rejoin them. With vicious glares in Mandy's direction, Harry and Hannah slid their hands back together.
"Much better," Ron laughed. Harry and Hannah turned their glares on the tall redhead.
"You two are so cute!" Mandy squealed. Harry and Hannah rolled their eyes at her.
"So where were you girls heading?" Ron asked.
"The library to work on our Divination homework," Mandy explained.
"We'll walk you there then," Ron announced, looking pointedly at Harry. He spun Mandy gently by her shoulders and started down the corridor. Harry and Hannah started after them.
%%%%%
"Oooohh," Hermione muttered.
"What's happening?" Ginny asked. She leaned over to where Hermione was sitting to look over the older girl's shoulder at the Marauder's map.
"Look there," Hermione said, pointing at the Divination hallway. Ginny looked closer.
"Harry and Hannah's dots are almost together, as are Ron's and Mandy's," Ginny cried.
"Exactly," Hermione said. "Just before this, Ron's dot was turned towards Hannah's dot, but then Harry's dot came flying down the corridor and the Ron and Harry dot's ended up stacked on each other a little ways away from the girl. And then the dots got really close."
"What do you think this means?" Ginny asked.
"I hope it means the boys have dates to the Yule ball!" Hermione cried.
"If they do, I'm quite proud of them!" Ginny said.
"Yes. This was much easier than last year, although I do wonder about Harry apparently tackling Ron," Hermione laughed.
"Boys will be boys," Ginny said.
"Now about the boy you want to ask you to the ball," Hermione said, turning to her younger friend.
"NOT TELLING!" Ginny insisted.
"Why not?" Hermione asked.
"Cause you'll tell Braeden!" Ginny cried.
"I WILL NOT!" Hermione exclaimed.
%%%%%
"Well, I guess we leave you here," Ron said, stopping outside the library.
"Thank you for walking with us," Mandy replied. She gave Ron a quick hug. They both turned to Harry and Hannah. Harry and Hannah dropped hands and turned to each other. Hannah threw her arms around Harry's neck. Harry wrapped his around her waist. Her back was to Mandy and Ron so she dropped a quick kiss right in front of his right ear. They quickly let go of each other and turned back to their friends. Mandy pulled the door of the library open and turned to Hannah.
"Shall we?" she asked, holding out her arm.
"We shall," Hannah replied, linking her arm through Mandy's. The two girls headed off into the library, both turning to wave at the boys just before the door closed.
"Did she kiss you?" Ron asked.
"How did you know?" Harry replied.
"Your face is bright red. If you and Hannah are going to have a secret relationship, you really need to get that blushing under control," Ron instructed.
"We don't have a secret relationship. Hell, we don't even have a relationship!" Harry insisted.
"And you call holding hands when you think no one is watching and kissing each other goodbye not a relationship?" Ron asked.
"Not hardly," Harry replied.
"You're only fooling yourself there," Ron said. Harry glared at him. "And of course, you're only hurting yourself." Ron turned and started back towards the Gryffindor common room. Harry followed after him a bit slower.
*****
"Good morning!" Harry exclaimed, sinking down into a seat at the Gryffindor table between Ginny and Ron.
"Did Ron hit you with another cheering charm?" Astrid asked, raising an eyebrow at Harry.
"Nope," Harry replied, helping himself to a piece of toast.
"Then what's your problem?" Astrid asked. Harry glared at the little girl over his toast.
"You know, it would be a lot easier to be scared if you didn't have bread hanging out of your mouth," Astrid quipped.
"'Hove I-h, baby Mawfowee!" Harry spat around his toast. Astrid rolled her eyes and stuck out her tongue at the older boy.
"Pig brought this for you," Hermione said, tossing Harry a letter before he could jump across the table at Astrid. Harry caught the letter and unfolded it. He only vaguely noticed the Weasley children gathered around a letter from, presumably, Molly.
Harry,
Thanks for your letter. Have you asked Hannah to the Yule Ball yet? She seems like a very sweet girl. As far as your questions about the interview. Well. Remus still suspected me, but he didn't put two and two together until after I had already left. He decided later that I had done that to trick him into not capturing me. It was such a rough moment for all of us, he wasn't really thinking clearly. As far as Peter's finger. I'm not sure exactly which spell blew his finger off to tell you the truth. I tend to think it was the one I fired simply because he used the killing curse on the street, and it's very hard to put the killing curse on your self.
I will see you over Christmas at the Weasleys'. I'm going to be present for Bill and Bella's wedding as my loveable stray self. I guess this is all for now. I hope these answers help. Write back. Don't use Pig again. And apologize to Ron for me. Tell him I'm sorry for buying him such a nut ball of an owl.
S.
Harry folded the letter and put it in his bag to show to Hannah later.
"Sweet!" Fred cried from across the table.
"What?" Harry asked.
"I get to bring Hermione to the burrow over Christmas!" he cried.
"Too late babe, I'm already going with Ron," Hermione laughed.
"Ah, whatever. You'll be there!" Fred laughed, throwing his arm around his girlfriend.
"I get to bring Angelina!" George cried.
"BLOODY HELL!" Ron screeched. Astrid, Fred, George, Hermione, and Harry all turned to look at the youngest Weasley son.
"Percy and Penelope eloped!" Ron cried.
"Where do you read that?" Fred asked, yanking the letter from Ron's hands.
"Bottom paragraph, right before she signed it," Ron said. Fred scanned the letter.
"I don't believe it!" he exclaimed.
"Read it," George urged.
"Oh, by the way, you have a new sister-in-law. Percy and Penelope eloped the second weekend of November because Percy wanted to beat Bill at something." Fred read.
"That's." Hermione paused for a moment, considering the rest of her statement. "Very interesting. What did she mean about Percy wanted to beat Bill at something. I thought Percy was the family genius."
"Not hardly," George laughed, "Bill is much smarter than Percy, but his work ethic is rotten, unless he's doing something he loves. Bill did as well as Percy in school, and from what Charlie and Arabella tell us, only did about half the work Percy did." Hermione's jaw dropped.
"I heard he lived in the library," Harry said.
"Bill has always been one for quiet. With the original marauders in the common room, I doubt he got very much of that in the common room, so he made it his mission to read every book in the Hogwarts library." Fred explained.
"How far did he get?" Hermione asked.
"Um, I'm not really sure."
"How is reading not studying?" Ron asked.
"The type of studying Percy did was for class. Bill just read for the hell of it," George explained.
"Reasonable," Ron consented.
"Shall we go to class?" Hermione asked. Flitwick had just left the head table and started out a side door. Harry and Ron picked up their bags.
"I'll take that as a yes," Hermione laughed. She dropped a kiss on Fred's cheek and started towards the door. Harry and Ron trailed along behind her.
"Have either of you boys figured out what we'll be doing?' Hermione asked.
"Nope," Harry said.
"Have you?" Ron questioned.
"I have a theory," Hermione replied.
"Really now," Ron laughed.
"Yes," Hermione said.
"What's your theory?" Harry questioned.
"I'm not telling in case I'm wrong," Hermione replied.
"You have that much of a fear of being wrong?" Ron asked.
"Something to that effect," Hermione admitted.
"Why didn't we ask the Hufflepuffs or Mandy?" Ron asked. "They have charms on, I think Wednesday and maybe Tuesday."
"That would have made sense had you thought about it pre now," Harry laughed. Ron glared at him. Harry quickly ducked into the charms classroom before Ron could say or do anything else. Hermione followed him and Ron stomped after the two of them. Harry and Hermione slid behind a table in the front row. Ron took a seat behind Harry and Parvati sat next to him. Seamus and Lavender sat to Hermione and Harry's right with Dean and Neville behind them. Tiny Professor Flitwick scampered into the class and up to the front. He hopped up onto his stack of books and looked around at his students.
"Good, you're all here, we can go ahead and get started a few minutes early," Flitwick squeaked. "As I told you last week, today's lesson will be practical. Did all of you practice up on your cheering charms?" The members of the class all nodded. "Good, good. The charm we are going to attempt to learn today is a fairly effective charm for warding off evil. It is more advanced than your O.W.L.S., but Dumbledore asked me to attempt to teach it. I highly doubt any of you will have any success with the charm. Because of this, there is a reward of 100 points to anyone who can do it correctly. The only person in the other three classes who even managed to slightly perform it was Draco Malfoy."
"Draco performed a spell to ward off evil?" Ron asked Parvati in a whisper. She had to stifle her laughter.
"Do any of you know what charm I'm talking about?" Flitwick asked. Hermione's hand shot into the air.
"Yes Hermione?" Flitwick asked.
"Is it the Patronus Charm?" Hermione guessed.
"Yes!" Flitwick squeaked. A sly smile crept across Harry's face. Hermione glanced over at him guiltily, and Ron's jaw fell open.
"This spell is mostly effective in warding off dementors. The basic principle of the spell is to think of the happiest thought you can come up with and say the spell while concentrating on the specific happy thought," Flitwick explained. "However, when faced with a dementor, this is especially difficult because of the nature of the creature." Lavender's hand shot into the air.
"Lavender," Flitwick called.
"Dementors are the things that guard Azkaban and that were here during third year, correct?" Lavender asked.
"Yes," Flitwick replied. "They survive off of bad feelings. So to practice with today, I have a boggart. We have forced it to turn into a dementor and Professors Dumbledore and McGonagall froze it as a dementor. They also rendered it incapable of kissing anyone. As for the spell itself, the incantation is Expecto Patronum. You must say this while aiming your wand at the creature and thinking of the happiest thought you can summon. This will cause a silvery white form to spring from the tip of your wand and run down the dementor, giving you time to get away." Parvati raised her hand.
"A silvery white form?" she asked.
"Yes. When you've produced a good Patronus, the form will have a definite shape. If you all will remember a few years back at the Quidditch match, Professor Lupin fired a Patronus at Draco Malfoy and a few of his friends. His Patronus happened to be a stag." Ron, Harry and Hermione tried to keep their laughter under control.
"You're not going to tell him?" Hermione asked.
"Hermione, if you told a teacher every time you already knew how to do something, you'd never have to go to class," Harry pointed out.
"True," Hermione reasoned.
"So class, repeat after me!" Flitwick called. "Expecto Patronum."
"Expecto Patronum," everyone chorused.
"Alright then. I suppose the best plan would be for you to come up one at a time to face the dementor. Remember your happy thoughts and say the incantation. If you don't seem to be able to produce the patronus, I will hold the dementor back until the next person can come up. You will go in alphabetical order by last name. That mean's Lavender, Seamus, Hermione, Neville, Parvati, Harry, Dean then Ron." Flitwick instructed. He stepped over towards a cabinet on one side of the room. "Lavender, if you would please step to the front of the room." A quick flick of his wrist and his desk slid to one side of the room, giving Lavender a place to stand. Lavender shakily walked to the center of the room. Flitwick placed his hand on the handle of the cabinet and turned to Lavender. "Do you have your happy thought?"
"Yes," Lavender replied. Flitwick opened the cabinet and the faux dementor stepped out. Flitwick jumped back and the dementor instantly honed in on Lavender. Lavender closed her eyes and pointed her wand at the creature.
"Expecto Patronum" she squeaked. A puff of white smoke escaped from her wand. It did nothing to stop the advancing dementor.
"Accio dementor!" Flitwick cried. The dementor flew towards him. He ducked and it landed inside the cabinet with a loud thud. He quickly shut the door.
"Nice try Lavender," Flitwick said, "There is a basket of chocolate on my desk. Take a piece and head back to your seat. Seamus, you're up." Seamus stood and took Lavender's spot at the front of the room.
"Are you ready?" Flitwick asked. Seamus swallowed hard and then nodded. Flitwick opened the cupboard. The dementor again stepped out and then started on Seamus. Seamus pointed his wand at the dementor, fiercely determined to do better than Lavender had.
"Expecto Patronum!" he cried. A jet of white shot out of his wand and instantly dropped to the floor. It morphed into a tiny leprechaun before dissipating. Flitwick quickly summoned the dementor back to its closet.
"Good job Seamus! Your leprechaun comes in second only to Mr. Malfoy's bear cub. But I do question the effectiveness of a leprechaun on dementors." Flitwick said. Seamus smiled sheepishly.
"Go have some chocolate. Hermione, it's your turn." Hermione stepped to the front of the room and faced the cupboard. She instantly closed her eyes and summoned the happiest thought she could think of. Over the summer, when Harry and Ron had been at her house, the three had fallen asleep on her bed. Jo had left them alone, and Hermione credited that as her happiest memory.
"Ready?" she heard Flitwick ask. She nodded and tried to steady her wand. The cupboard creaked open and instantly her blood ran cold. An image of her Grandfather's funeral followed shortly by Draco Malfoy sneering "mudblood" ran through her head. She fought to replace those images with the thought of her two best friends.
"Expecto Patronum!" She said. It hadn't worked. She had done better than Lavender, but not quite as well as Seamus. Flitwick summoned the dementor back to its cupboard.
"Nice try Hermione," he said. She smiled and quickly walked towards the chocolate.
"Neville!" Flitwick said. The pudgy blonde boy stepped uncertainly to the center of the room.
"Ready?" Flitwick asked. Neville nodded uncertainly. "Are you sure?" Flitwick asked. Neville nodded again, no more certain than he had been before. Flitwick eased the cupboard door open. The dementor charged out. Neville shakily pointed his wand at the creature.
"Expecto-Expec!" he said shakily. Then his wand clattered to the floor and he opened his mouth in one of the most blood curdling screams anyone present had heard.
"ACCIO DEMENTOR!" Flitwick squealed. The dementor smashed back into the closet. Flitwick quickly shut the door and ran over to Neville. Hermione also approached Neville. The boy shakily sat up. Hermione instantly handed him a piece of chocolate. He gratefully stuffed it into his mouth.
"I think you should go see Madame Pomfrey!" Flitwick advised.
"I'll walk him!" volunteered Lavender. She still looked quite shaken up by her encounter with the dementor. Flitwick helped Neville to his feet and handed him off to Lavender. She helped the boy out of the classroom. Hermione returned to her seat and Flitwick returned to the cabinet.
"Parvati!" He called. Parvati stepped up to the center.
"Ready?" Flitwick asked.
"Yes," Parvati replied. Flitwick eased the door open. Parvati didn't close her eyes but instead pointed her wand directly at the dementor and shouted the incantation. The patronus she produced was comparable to Hermione's. Flitwick quickly summoned the dementor back into the cupboard. Harry rose unsteadily to his feet.
"Harry!" Flitwick called as Parvati headed over to his desk for her chocolate. Harry stepped confidently into the middle of the class.
"Are you sure you want to try this?" Flitwick asked, imagining what effect the dementor would have on the boy.
"Yes sir," Harry responded solidly.
"Are you ready?" Flitwick asked. Harry closed his eyes and pulled up a mental image of Hannah saying yes to the Yule Ball and then kissing him goodbye. He forced the scene to play over and over again in his head.
"Yes sir," He whispered. He heard the cupboard squeak open and the dementor step out. He felt ice water running through his veins.
"Stand aside you silly girl"
"Yes Harry, I'll go to the ball with you!" Hannah jumped up and kissed him on his cheek. He pulled his wand and pointed it in the direction of the cupboard.
"EXPECTO PATRONUM!" Harry roared. The familiar white stag sprang from his wand and charged down the Dementor. Harry vaguely heard his entire class collectively gasp behind him. He heard a loud thud and the door of the cupboard swing shut, so he finally opened his eyes.
"Harry?" Flitwick asked.
"Yes?" Harry replied.
"You just produced a very effective Patronus," Flitwick said.
"Yes," Harry agreed. "Professor Lupin taught me during my third year because dementors have such an effect on me."
"100 Points to Gryffindor!" Flitwick squeaked. "Do you think you could do that again?" Harry summoned a piece of chocolate and popped it into his mouth.
"Sure," he mumbled around the chocolate. Flitwick stepped back beside the cabinet. Harry closed his eyes and started the image of Hannah saying yes again. Flitwick opened the cupboard. Harry felt the familiar cold fall around his body. He heard his mother scream and instantly replaced it with Hannah's soft voice saying yes.
"EXPECTO PATRONUM!" The dementor flew back into the cupboard once again. Flitwick slammed the door shut.
"FANTASTIC HARRY!" he cried, before Harry had really even opened his eyes. Harry smiled and headed for the chocolate bowl. "Dean!" Dean had about as much success with the charm as Parvati and Hermione had, so he ran to the chocolate and Ron stepped up to try his hand at the new charm. He closed his eyes and tried to come up with a happy memory. The one thing that popped into his head was Astrid sitting in his hospital bed next to him. He could hear her voice easing through the words of the well-worn book she held on her knees.
"Ready?" Flitwick asked. Ron concentrated on the sound of Astrid's voice and the story it was telling. The cabinet creaked open and the dementor came out. Ron instantly felt cold and visions of the spiders in the forest from his second year flew into his head.
"Once there was a tree," came Astrid's voice, but the vision of the spiders was too powerful.
"Expecto Patronum!" he cried, as he managed to bring Astrid's voice back over the spider's clicking pincers.
"Good job!" Flitwick cried as he shut the door on the dementor. Ron opened his eyes. "You produced a minipatronus much like Seamus, but it takes on quite an unusual form."
"What is it?" Ron asked.
"A CAR!" Harry howled. "The old blue car to be specific!"
"Shut up Mr. Perfect Patronus Potter!" Ron growled. Harry smiled sweetly.
"You kids are dismissed for the day. For the next class I want a two feet long essay on your happy thoughts." Flitwick said. Everyone scrambled for their books. Hermione followed Ron and Harry out of the room.
"What were your happy thoughts?" she asked.
"Hannah saying yes to the Yule Ball," Harry admitted. Ron rolled his eyes and Hermione smiled at him.
"And yours was Mandy saying yes?" Hermione guessed.
"Actually no, it was Astrid's visit after the Quidditch match," Ron admitted. He had told his friends what the younger girl had done for him.
"That is SO cute!" Hermione cried. Ron blushed bright red.
"What was yours?" Harry asked.
"The night we spent in my room this summer," Hermione said, slinging an arm around each of her friend's waists. The boys each wrapped an arm around her shoulder and the trio headed off to lunch.
Beta's Note: I've got a theory, it could be witches, some evil witches… Which is ridiculous cause witches they were persecuted wicca god and love the earth and woman power and I'll be over here… bum bum bum… Oh, Hello! Sorry. I tend to burst into Buffy musical at strange times. It's all hippie chic's fault though. If she'd watch the show, then she'd know these triggers. Anyway, Congratulations are in order for Miss HermioneG, who has just become my new first mate on the HMS Red Dwarf. There are still other positions open. Come visit on our group. It's lonely.