A set of feet sounded from around the corner. "Griffin? Is that you? C'mon, we have to go sweep the second-floor corridor."

Damon glanced at the corner and then back at the three girls before putting a finger to his lips and waving his hand. "Yeah, I'm coming," he called back.

Selena mouthed 'thank you' before she, Anne, and Lillian all left the other way.

10 Minutes Later

Professor Umbridge's Office

"Where do we put the spy-ear?"

Selena turned around at her cousin's whisper. Anne was hovering around the desk - which was piled with scented parchment and doilies - crouching over and staring at the sides with the putty-like ear in her left fist.

Selena momentarily left her post at the door, watching for any other prefects that may be doing their rounds. The prefects and Mrs. Norris, that is. "Try somewhere that she won't find easily on accident."

Anne gave a shudder, pushing her fiery curls back with her free hand. "Just knowing that Umbridge touches this desk makes me not want to touch it, and more like wanting to shove my wand in her ear."

"You can do that once we figure out what she's up to," Selena said quickly as she bit her lip. The cat plates meowed quietly, watching the two Gryffindors.

Anne stuck the ear to the underside of the desk before wiping her hands on her cloak and nodding. "Alright, then."

"Fantastic," Selena with a similar nod before flashing a smile. "Let's go before Lillian wanders back this way and figures out that we're spying on Umbridge rather than going to the lavatory."

April 12th, 1996. Monday.

Selena wiggled her nose out of boredom, trying to ignore the excited chatter around her. She scrunched up her face.

"We're supposed to be thinking of our happiest memory, not doing charades of an angry monkey."

Selena peeked open an eye at Hazel who was staring at her with an amused smile. Selena returned it quickly before opening up both eyes and waving her wand around. "I'm trying!"

"What does he mean, happiest memory?" Tess complained, walking up to the two girls as the rest of the D.A. members continued to struggle at conjuring Patronuses.

"I think Harry means happiest memory," Alisson replied dryly from behind her as she stared at the tip of her wand.

"Oh, beautiful, Cho!"

The four girls turned to find Cho Chang's friend admiring the Ravenclaw's silvery swan swimming through the air.

Alisson groaned, smacking her wand on her palm. "What am I supposed to think of? Flying on a broomstick?"

"Think about Christmas!" Hazel said dreamily.

"Think about Firenze," Tess said with a wink at Selena, who giggled.

"Think about getting an Outstanding on every single paper," Elizabeth said as she drifted toward them with Bronwen.

Selena nodded quickly with a smile. "Right, and how are we supposed to decide on just one happy memory?"

"Choose the memory that makes you more than smile. Choose one that makes you feel this... feel this kind of glow," Harry Potter said encouragingly as he walked by the third year Gryffindors.

"Easier said than charmed," Alisson replied simply, folding her arms.

Harry shrugged. "It is. You don't have to get it the first time - I didn't." He walked off towards Cho who was speaking about her Patronus being pretty.

"They're not supposed to be pretty," he replied, "they're supposed to protect you. What we really need is a boggart or something; that's how I learned, I had to conjure a Patronus while the boggart was pretending to be a dementor-" Lavender Brown jumped in the conversation, drawing Harry's attention.

Selena let her mind wander about what animal her Patronus could be. Maybe it's a gopher or a turtle or a deer... Why am I thinking of an ermine?

"Happiest memory, happiest memory I can think of to cast my Patronus..." Hazel muttered to herself.

"Harry, I think I'm doing it!" Seamus Finnegan yelled from the corner with Dean Thomas and Renee. "Look - ah - it's gone... but is was definitely something hairy, Harry!"

"I saw it!" Renee said quickly.

Seamus grinned at her. "What do you s'ppose it was? A tiger?"

"Or a cat," Dean said with a laugh.

Selena breathed out slowly, concentrating. Her family, Christmas, being sorted into Gryffindor, Anne finally accepting her or maybe her hugging her friends could count for a memory strong enough to produce a Patronus.

"Exepcto Patronum, Expecto Patronum. Expecto Patronum! Oh!" Her eyes flew open as Hazel gave a gasp.

Out of Hazel's wand wisped a beautiful stream of silver light that flowed in ripples like silky, luminescent water. The girls all watched with wide eyes as the silvery wisps took the shape of something big and feline.

"A lioness!" Elizabeth said, her eyebrows raised in surprise.

The beautiful animal stretched her muscular legs before turning and circling Hazel as though she was stalking the Hufflepuff. And then the lioness lovingly leaned into Hazel's side, nuzzling her waist. Hazel stared in amazement, a smile cresting her lips.

"Brilliant!" Anne called happily from across the room as a silvery phoenix soared in the air above her.

Hazel flushed, watching the tigress whilst Rolf went over to her, Karrot protectively in his hood as always. "What was your memory? Because I can't think of something happy enough for the spell."

Ginny Weasley let out a joy-filled laugh as a silver horse pranced through the air, galloping near the ceiling.

A lit bit of jealousy filled Selena as she watched several other students' Patronuses take form.

Bronwen practically shrieked in happiness as a manta ray soared from her wand, flying up with a tail of silvery streamers. It lit up the room around her.

The door to the Room of Requirement opened and a little house elf wearing many hats, scarves, and socks walked in and went up to Harry.

"What memory are you going to use, Liz?" Selena asked her friend curiously.

Elizabeth shrugged, bleach-blonde braid falling over her shoulder. "I think maybe you all and my family."

Selena felt a smile grow on her lips. "Thanks, Beth."

Elizabeth nodded, a modest look crossing her face before she closed her eyes, pointing her wand out.

Selena held her breath for a moment before puffing it out as Elizabeth concentrated on the spell.

A hush fell over the D.A. as the house elf squeaked to Harry. The Patronuses began to fade. Everyone turned and watched Harry and the elf - Dobby, as Selena heard Harry call him - speak.

"Harry Potter, sir..." Dobby said as he trembled."Harry Potter, sir... Dobby has come to warn you... but the house-elves have been warned not to tell..."

Dobby suddenly ran at a stone wall, bouncing off and falling onto the floor. Selena gasped in horror, hoping he wasn't harmed. Thankfully, it seemed, his many hats softened his fall along with the multi-colored pillows dotting the floor.

Harry held Dobby's arm. "What's happened, Dobby?"

"Harry Potter... she... she... " Dobby suddenly hit himself on the nose until Harry grabbed the elf's hand.

"Who's 'she,' Dobby?" Harry asked as a look crossed his face that let everyone know he had his suspicions. The little elf looked up and made his mouth move with no words until Harry spoke.

"Umbridge?" Harry asked in a terrified voice before Dobby nodded. He promptly tried to hit his head on Harry's knees.

Harry grabbed the elf and held him at arm's length. "What about her? Dobby - she hasn't found out about this - about us - about the D.A.?"

Dobby tried to kick himself unsuccessfully as Harry held him where he wouldn't be able to hurt himself. "Is she coming?"

Dobby howled, stomping on the ground with his feet, elf ears bouncing under the hats. "Yes, Harry Potter, yes!" Dobby struggled to get away and, probably, attack himself again.

Selena found herself frozen along with the rest of the D.A. Her heart sped up, icy fear flooding her veins. This was one thing that was supposed to be safe from Umbridge. She couldn't have found out about it, she couldn't. How could she?

They all stared at Harry.

"WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?" he yelled. "RUN!"

With Umbridge hunting them, nobody had to be told twice. Everyone made a mad dash for the door where Selena got an elbow shoved in her shoulder as everyone piled up. Some people slipped out, vanishing down the corridors. Selena's mind spun with where she could run to. Maybe a lavatory nearby would work as a hiding spot. Someone pushed her against the doorframe, a hand latching onto her elbow.

She wrenched her arm away, finally managing to squeeze through to the corridor. To either side, dark-clad students were sprinting, disappearing around the corners. Hazel suddenly grabbed Selena's arm as she yanked her, Alisson and Elizabeth already ahead. Renee was somewhere, probably still by Seamus and Dean. She was a fast runner, though, Selena knew, Renee had the best chance of escaping out of them all.

"We can hide from Umbridge in the lavatory!" Hazel said quickly, having the same thought as Selena. They ran to the right. "Woah!"

Hazel tripped, pulling Selena's robe arm down as well. "Oof!"

Hazel whipped around along with Selena while their friends rushed ahead. "Hazel, we have to go before Umbridge gives us all her twisted detention!"

Selena gently slid her arm around Hazel before they both ran ahead, watching the two other Gryffindors round the corner. People ran past them, the last stragglers, Tess still somewhere out of sight.

With another step, Selena went to move forward before her legs gave out. She fell to the ground, her head slamming into the stone.

Her vision spun and tumbled in a swirl of grey stone walls and glowing orange fire-bowls. A girl emerged, staring down at her. Even while delirious, Selena recognized Maryana Callahan and a fellow Slytherin girl who seemed older. Both of them had their wands pointed at Selena and Hazel.

Maryana gave a wicked grin as she watched Hazel stand there in fright at the thought of getting caught, Selena trying to get her vision to stop spinning. "Like the new jinx I learned? The Jelly-Legs Jinx, one of my favorites."

"Nice one, Yennie," the other girl said, a sixth year Slytherin by the looks of it.

"I know," Maryana replied, smirking.

Selena bit her lip, her fingers inching towards her wand.

"Expelliriamus!"

Her wand rocked off the wall before bouncing near Hazel. The thirteen-year-old Hufflepuff squeaked, ducking down as Selena's wand smacked against the corridor. The tip of the wand sparked as it rolled on the ground.

"Let's take them to Umbridge!"

Selena breathed out onto the stone floor as the Slytherin girls stepped closer, already hearing Umbridge's sickly-sweet laugh in her mind.

I actually got around to finishing this chapter!

I was having writer's-block trying to come up with the last part but I kind of just wrote something but I really like ending.

I hope you like this chapter as well!

I will try to post the next chapter soon!

It is so interesting because I have been thinking of this chapter since practically the beginning of this story and now that I have written it I realized that I am going to have some people produce patronouses later since not everyone made the patronous in the books!

Please review! I would love to hear from you all! Damon and Lillian and Anne should all show up next chapter as well as maybe Serenity! Maybe Danny and Alexanda will make a nice appearance in the next chapter too!

Thanks to my reviewers:

CharmedMillie

SakuraDragomir

Thanks for reading! Please review! I hope you liked the chapter!

~Meghan