Someday, I will own something of great importance. This will not be Harry Potter, as J K Rowling already owns that.
TroubleFor the first time she could ever remember, Ryua was failing miserably at a Defense spell. "Expecto Patronum!" she said, very patiently, as she was trying to concentrate on good things. All around the Room of Requirements, silvery creatures capered about. A stag, an otter… but the most Ryua had been able to manage was a very pale silver wisp. She'd tried saying it loudly, quietly, excitedly, calmly, confidently, even pleadingly, and it still wouldn't work. She'd thought of the Christmas she and Draco had spent in Diagon Alley (too tainted by fear), the Christmas they'd spent in the Dominican (having to endure family meals, her father's reaction afterward), flying on a broomstick (usually accompanied by pain, worry, or wistful longing), her friends (worry they'd all be caught and killed)… the only thing that had even started to work was that memory of Harry, actually telling her that he liked her that afternoon in Potions class. And then it was overridden by the memory of Snape saying what would probably happen if either one of them was caught…
Ryua growled, looking over at the Creevy brothers who had twin German Shepards bounding around them, Hermione who was happily watching her otter cavort around, Chang, who was watching a swan serenely float around the room… although at least Neville and Ron seemed to be having as much trouble as anyone else. "Oy! Fred, what are you thinking of?" Ron bellowed at his brothers, who had two huge ravens tweaking the other Patronuses on the tail, ears, toes…
"Mum's blueberry pie!" Fred promptly bellowed back. His raven glowed bright silver, did a happy dance, and bit Harry's stag on the tail. Well, that's no help at all… Mother never cooked, and she's not the kind of person it makes me happy to think of them dead… For a minute, Ryua tried thinking of Lucius suffering a painful, drawn out death, but imagination didn't seem to work as well as memory. And it was too bloodthirsty, she supposed.
"So, what about Hermione?" Ryua asked, looking over at her.
"Hmm? Oh, that time my family all went skiing, and we got lost and found this ranger's cabin. We had hot chocolate, marshmallows, and soda crackers, but we had the best time…"
"Oookay…" Ryua tried her hardest to think of a happy family adventure, but they all seemed to be spoiled by Lucius at some point or other. "Aaaaargh! I just don't get it!"
"You need some happy memories, then." Harry said just behind her.
She spun around, and managed a sheepish grin. "Yeah. I'm notoriously short on those."
"Well… I could maybe help you with that…" Harry said quietly. A shiver went down her spine at his tone, but before she could reply, there was a tugging at her robes. "Dobby?" Harry asked, looking down at the house elf.
"Dobby is very sorry, Harry Potter, sir… Dobby didn't mean to tell… She made Dobby do it…"
"Her? Dobby, her? Who's her?"
"Umbridge," Ryua growled.
"Oh. Great." Harry looked back up, after forbidding Dobby to punish himself, and announced in a loud, carrying voice for everyone to get out. Of course, widespread mayhem ensued, although everyone did go in the direction of the door. "You too, Ryua. Especially you, she hates you even more than me."
"Alright, but you stay out of trouble." Ryua took off down the hallway, wand still held at the ready. She had appeared to have gone in the right direction, as the only people she saw were the Creevy brothers, about a thirty yards ahead. She was about to relax, when she heard heavy, labored footsteps coming down a side cooridor, accompanied by muttered curses in a sweet, girlish voice. With a rush of horror, she realized the fat creature would come barreling out right between the three of them, catching both her and the brothers. Saying a few nasty words of her own under her breath, Ryua looked at the brothers and the intercection ahead, gauging when Umbridge would be going too fast to stop… "Hey! What do you two brats think you're doing?" Ryua hollered at the top of her lungs. She drew back her wand just as Umbridge barreled into the corridor, and shouted, "Impedimetnia!" Umbridge whirled in her direction, just in time to catch the spell in her face, and the brothers got through a door into a boy's washroom without incident. Trying to school her expression into one not quite so gleeful, Ryua walked up to Umbridge. "Oh, Professor, I'm so sorry…"
Umbridge, shaking off the effects of her spell, glared up at Ryua. Ryua briefly tried to hide her amusement at seeing her struggling to get up off the floor, but gave up. Her face stayed straight, but there was no hiding the laughter that danced in her eyes. "You stupid little girl. I expect to see you every night…"
"For detention, I know, I know." Ryua sighed, but giggled as she watched Umbridge roll herself onto her feet. "And yes, I know, get to my dormitory immediately …" She left to the dungeon, both elated for having a chance to jinx the bitch, and slightly depressed to have another few weeks worth of detention. Oh well. It was worth it.
At breakfast, however, her good mood was completely wiped off the face of the earth when Umbridge stood up and announced that Dumbledore was on the run from the Ministry Aurors for founding a resistance group, and that she was now acting Headmistress. Ryua, interestingly enough, didn't get to speak up first. "Well doesn't that just suck." Ashley said, dropping her fork. "I thought I was in trouble before…"
"Whatcha do?" Ryua asked, looking over.
"Lost my temper in class, cursed her."
"Nice. Got her last night myself… completely by accident, of course."
"Of course. Looks like we'll be in detention together then."
Ryua sighed. "Yeah. Lucky us. Have you ever used one of those quills?"
"Nah."
"Lucky you. Well, I've got a good pile of healing cream, don't want you getting crippled."
"Or you."
Author's Note: Oh. Man. I'm really, really sorry people. This chapter was meant to be called Trouble, chapter 32. I had it twice as long, much better written… and I swear I updated it. That little message that I accidentally posted instead? It was just something I was trying to copy and paste this onto. I don't know what happened, but I'm really sorry. I can't remember what is supposed to be here, other than the partial draft I managed to save by fluke on my e-mail account, so this is the best I can do.
I promise I'll update more, as soon as I can get more written. I'm attending SAIT for the next 5 weeks though, which means lots of homework, and mostly dead brain cells. I can't give you any dates, much apologies.
