Teddie watched as Mason closed his eyes, smiled, and waved his wand. There was a whisp of silver slithered out of the tip and transformed into a bright white magpie that fluttered around the room. It was joined by another bird, this time bigger in size, and Teddie glanced around to see Blaise grinning in triumph.
"A buzzard?" Daphne asked.
"Apparently so," said Blaise. If he was stunned by the appearance of his Patronus he didn't let on, he simply smiled and continued to watch it swoop through the air.
Teddie shook her head and looked around for Astoria and Theo. Daphne still hadn't yet managed to produce her own Patronus, but Teddie was eager to see what Theo would cast.
"Expecto Patronum," Astoria whispered, her eyes closed as she focused on her happy memory. She flicked her wand and a sliver of silver mist fizzled out. She pouted as it disappeared instantly.
Lowering his wand, Mason wandered over to his best friend and stood behind her. "Here," he said, wrapping his hand around her wrist and pointing her wand straight out in front of them. "Think of the happiest memory you can - mine is me, Teddie, and my parents. It's the first Christmas that I can remember with them; we're decorating the tree and Teddie's just wrapped tinsel around my dad..." he breaks off, and Teddie felt her heart clench in her chest.
Astoria closed her eyes again and took a deep breath. She stayed like that for a second before moving her wrist. "Expecto Patronum," she whispered, peeking through her eyelids as a second sliver of silver mist escaped from her wand. She held her breath as a shape started to form, and spun around so fast, throwing her arms around Mason, almost toppling him over as a chestnut mare cantered around the room, shaking it's mane and whinnied loudly.
"Oh!" Daphne gasped as, with a booming bark, a large dog with floppy ears and sad eyes plopped itself down at her feet. "What are you? You're so cute!"
"It's a Basset Hound," said Teddie, wandering over. "They're really cute dog."
Daphne gave a lopsided grin and knelt down beside the Patronus, she reached out and skimmed her fingers across its head, feeling the warmth it gave off. "That does sound like me," she said.
Teddie smiled and turned to Theo. "Shall we do it together?" she asked.
Theo nodded and reached for her hand, tangling his fingers between hers and closing his eyes. Teddie did the same, thinking back and reaching deep for the happiest of memories that she could muster, and pulling it to the forefront of her mind.
"Teddie, was jarred awake by the loud cries of her brother. She tossed back her covers, slipped out of her bed and wandered across the room, clutching a stuffed teddy in her hands. Carefully, she eased open her bedroom door and crept along the hall to her parents room.
Her dad snored as Teddie opened the door, and her mother was starting to sit up. Rose looked up as the door opened and a small, apologetic smile crept onto her face.
"Sorry for waking you, darling," said Rose quietly. "Do you want to climb into bed here with Daddy, and I'll take care of Mason?"
Teddie shook her head and scurried over to Mason's crib. She peered at her brother through the bars and the second they locked eyes, Mason stopped, a smile coming to his small face.
"I has a present for him," said Teddie, holding up her teddy bear. "Paw Paw keeps me safe when I'm scared. He keep Mason safe, too."
Rose smiled and scooped Teddie up, taking the bear from her and setting it down beside Mason. The baby held onto the arm, yawned, and went back to sleep.
Teddie smiled up at her mother. "See, he all better now," she said, giggling as Rose pressed a kiss to her forehead.
"Expecto Patronum," Theo and Teddie uttered simultaneously.
Teddie opened her eyes as Theo's silver blob transformed into a small, furry creature that scuttled around the room, it's nose wrinkling in a cute way. She giggled as it sniffed her leg and the warmth it produced shocked her to the core. She knelt down and pretend to tickle the creature under the chin and then looked up at Theo.
"A mink?" Theo asked, looking surprised.
"I think it fits," Teddie teased. She straightened up and looked back at her own blob, stunned to find a large creature with pointed ears, a long muzzle, and flittering silver fur staring back at her. The detail that was in the face was scary, but Teddie put it down to the vivid image she had used to create it.
Wandering over, Harry smiled. "Nicely done, Teddie," he said. "A wolf is surprising, but it fits you perfectly."
"I wonder what it means?" Teddie asked, thoughtfully.
"I don't know the answer to that," said Harry. "Professor Lupin never taught me the meaning of a Patronus. I bet Mason could find some information though."
Mason perked up at the sound of his name. "Information?" he asked, hurrying over. "I can do it over Easter break. I could find everyone's out if they wanted me too."
Teddie shot Harry an annoyed look. "Great. As if he doesn't spend enough time in the library," she huffed.
Harry laughed. "Are you staying at Hogwarts for Easter?" he asked.
"No. We're going back to the Flint's," said Teddie. "I'll be sure to send you an egg."
"You don't have to do that," said Harry.
Teddie shrugged. "We'll see what happens," she said.
Harry laughed, but before he could respond properly the door to the Room of Requirements opened and closed, causing several people to look around in alarm. Everyone that was supposed to be there was there, so who had just entered?
"Dobby?" Harry asked, his voice echoing in the silence that had filled the room.
Teddie looked down, a sinking feeling settling in her stomach as she noted the look in Dobby's massive eyes.
"Harry Potter, sir," squeaked Dobby, trembling from head to foot, "Harry Potter, sir... Dobby has come to warn you... but the house-elves have been warned not to tell..."
Teddie screamed as Dobby ran headfirst into a wall. This wasn't her first time dealing with House Elves, but she had never seen them self-injure themselves before.
Springing forward, Harry seized Dobby around the middle and hauled him back from the wall. "What happened, Dobby?" he asked, maintaining a firm grip on the elf as he struggled for release.
"Harry Potter… she… she…"
Dobby hit himself hard on the nose with his free fist, and Teddie dashed forward, restraining his arms as she gazed up at Harry.
"Who is 'she', Dobby?" Harry asked.
"Umbridge?" Teddie asked, the sicky feeling in her stomach now rising into her throat. She swallowed, uncomfortably as Dobby nodded trying his very hardest to bang his head against Harry's knees; but their grip on the elf prevented him from doing so.
"What about her? Dobby - does she - has she - she hasn't found out about this - about us - about the D.A.?" Harry stammered.
But Dobby didn't have to say anything. The look on his face was enough to tell both Teddie and Harry that Umbridge did know and was on her way up to get them.
"We have to get out of here," said Teddie, as Dobby started to howl and beat the floor with his feet.
Harry stared at Teddie and then nodded. He straightened up and searched for the Marauder's Map, but Teddie grabbed his arm and shook her head. There was no time for the map, no time to figure out exactly where Umbridge was within the castle. They just needed to get out now.
Looking around at the faces of those present, Harry took in the fear and blank stares that he was receiving. His mind was still trying to process what Dobby had just told him and figure out a way to make sure everyone got back to their Common Room's safely.
"WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?" Harry bellowed, his voice ringing loudly in the silence. "RUN!"
There was a stampede as every single person in the room pelted towards the doors. In the chaos, Teddie lost sight of her friends and brother, she could hear them calling for her amongst the panicking students but felt a hand on her wrist and turned to find Harry staring back at her.
"Stay close," Harry said, his grip tightening on her wrist as they both followed the tail end of students out of the door. Teddie looked around the hallway but couldn't spot her friends anywhere within the vicinity.
Feeling a bump against her elbow, Teddie looked down and saw that Harry was also carrying Dobby under his arm. "If Umbridge catches us and we've got him," she said, nodding at the elf. "She'll know he warned us."
Harry nodded and set Dobby back down on his feet. "Dobby, this is an order," he said. "Get back to the kitchens with the other elves, and if she asks you whether you warned me, lie and say no!"
"And you're forbidden from hurting yourself," Teddie added, quickly.
Dobby stared at her, blinked slowly once, and then disappeared with a pop.
With Dobby gone, Teddie looked back at Harry, his hand still holding her wrist firmly. "We need to go," she said, trying to tug him down the hallway towards the Grand Staircase.
"She'll be expecting us to go that way," said Harry, shaking his head. "Come on. I know a safer way down here."
Teddie had barely turned the corner when Harry tripped and fell forward, taking her down with him. She groaned and rolled over, furrowing her brow at the boy that lay beside her. "What happened?" she asked.
"Trip Jinx, Green," said Malfoy, striding up behind the pair. He was breathless from laughing. "Hey, Professor – PROFES –" he cut off mid shout as Teddie flew to her feet and tackled him, knocking him over onto his back and straddling his waist. She pulled back her fist and –
"Impedimenta!"
Teddie groaned as the spell collided with her, sending her sprawling across the corridor as Malfoy shook his head. He had banged his head when she had tackled him, but he would recover with a mere bump or bruise. Blinking, Teddie looked up to see Umbridge come bustling around the far corner, her wand out and pointing at the sixteen-year-old Slytherin laying on the floor.
"That is quite enough, Miss Green," said Umbridge. "Fifty points from Slytherin."
Teddie bit her tongue as she glared up at Umbridge. The look of glee on the old toad's face intensified as she looked to her right and spotted Harry picking himself up from the floor. A malicious grin of triumph appeared on her face and she clapped Draco on the shoulder.
"Excellent, Draco. Excellent, oh, very good – you caught him," said Umbridge. "Fifty points to Slytherin."
Teddie snorted.
Umbridge's face twisted dangerously as she turned to the giggling girl. "What is so funny, Miss Green?" she asked. "You and Mr. Potter here are in big trouble."
"Nothing, except for the fact that you just rewarded dear Draco here with the fifty points you took from me," said Teddie, grinning. "You can't punish my house for my misbehaviour and then, in the same sentence, reward them for Malfoy's obedience. We're in the same house."
Malfoy sneered at Teddie, causing her to smirk back.
Umbridge swooped forward and grasped the front of Teddie's robes, hauling her to her feet. "I wouldn't be so sure about that, Miss Green," she said. "You see, you may not be at this school for much longer. Slytherin house will be able to earn as many points as they require without your disobedience to ruin it for them."
Teddie glared at Umbridge. "I've heard that threat before," she said. "But, without good reason, you can expel me."
"We'll see about that," said Umbridge. She turned to Draco. "You hop along and see if you can round up anymore of them, Draco. Tell the others to check the library – anybody out of breath – check the bathrooms, Miss Parkinson can do the girls' –"
Teddie rolled her eyes. She shouldn't have been surprised that Parkinson was involved with this, too.
" – off you go," said Umbridge, sending Malfoy on his way. She turned her attention back onto Teddie and dragged her across the corridor towards Harry. "As for you, two," she added in her softest, most dangerous voice. "You can come with me to the headmaster's office."
Teddie swallowed and, after sharing a look with Harry, turned and walked along the corridor towards the stone Gargoyle.