Teddie released the breath she had been holding as she walked out of the Great Hall. Her History of Magic exam, which was, thankfully, the last one of all, had just ended and she, and her friends, were finally free of the constraints of revision and fifth year. They had no more lessons after today, no more homework, and in two weeks' time they would be heading home for the Summer Holidays.

"How did you find that?" Blaise asked, leading his friends towards the Slytherin common room. He stopped, his hand on the door leading to the dungeons when he noticed that not all of them were with him.

"You alright, Ted?" Daphne asked.

Teddie tore her gaze away from the top of marble staircase. "I'm worried about Harry," she said.

"When aren't you worried about Potter?"

Daphne asked. Teddie rolled her eyes. "He was clutching his forehead when Professor Tofty escorted him from the Hall," she said. "Right where his scar is located. I'm worried that something may be wrong with Voldemort."

Theo, Blaise, and Daphne shared a look.

"What's Voldemort's got to do with Potter's scar?" Blaise asked.

"He was the one who gave it to him, remember?" Teddie asked. "Harry told me a while back that whenever Voldemort is happy, angry or scared then Harry can feel the shift through his scar."

"That's weird," said Theo.

Teddie nodded. "I'm just wondering if anything happened while we were in the exam, and Harry felt it," she said. "That's why he fell from his seat and was clutching his head." She squeezed the arm of her backpack and dug the front of her foot into the first step.

"Ted, I'm sure he's fine," said Daphne. "He's probably gone to the Hospital Wing. Madam Pomfrey's probably checking him over now. Come on, we're free for two weeks. Mason and Astoria sit their exams next week, and then we're home free."

"I know…" said Teddie. She was conflicted. She wanted to relax with her friends, these last few weeks had taken it out of all of them, and they were sleep deprived and tense from all the studying. But she also, desperately wanted to check on Harry, there was a nagging doubt in the back of her mind that something wasn't right.

Theo caught Daphne's gaze and then shrugged off his backpack. He tossed it to her and reached for Teddie's, startling the young Slytherin from her stupor.

"I'll go with you to find Potter," said Theo, passing Teddie's bag tog Daphne. "If he's safe and fine, we'll come back to the common room."

"And if he's not?" Teddie asked.

"Then we'll suggest he go to the Hospital wing for Madam Pomfrey to check him over," said Theo. He turned to Daphne and Blaise.

Daphne and Blaise shared a look and nodded, slipping through the door to the dungeons and disappearing as it closed on them.

Theo held his hand out to Teddie, and she took it, both of them heading up the Marble staircase and turning right at the top. They carried on down the corridor, turning left at the end and hurrying up the stairs to the second floor. They had barely passed the outside courtyard that held the classrooms for Transfiguration when they heard a commotion ahead.

Teddie shared a look with Theo and drew her wand from up her sleeve. Theo drew his own from inside his robes and the pair sprinted to the end of the corridor and up the staircase to the third floor and rounded the corner, just in time to see a group of Slytherin students, led by Malfoy, hauling Ginny and Ron Weasley, along with Luna Lovegood and Neville Longbottom towards the Defence classroom.

"Hey!" Teddie yelled before Theo could stop her. She pointed her wand at Crabbe, who had his arm wrapped so tightly around Neville's throat the poor boy was turning blue.

Malfoy sneered at Teddie. "Stay out of this, Green," he hissed. "Just go back to the Common Room and stay out of things that don't concern you. "

"When you're intentionally harming my friends, it concerns me," said Teddie, pointing her wand at Crabbe and shooting a fiery red Stunner at him.

"Protego!" Warrington bellowed, also pointing his wand at Crabbe. A reflective shield appeared before him and Neville, and Teddie's stunner deflected into the wall.

Teddie seethed and turned her wand on Warrington. "Impedimenta!" she said but was deflected again by a second shield.

Warrington laughed as he saw the frustration in Teddie's face. "Not fun when you're protected, is it, Green?" he asked.

"At least my shield doesn't need an incantation," said Teddie.

"Expelliarmus!"

Teddie felt her wand tug out of her grasp and flew into the air. It clattered to the floor a few feet away.

Turning around, Teddie found Pansy Parkinson standing behind her, while Millicent Bulstrode had Theo pinned to the wall, his wand in her hand.

"I told you there were dangerous times ahead, Faye," said Parkinson, stepping closer to Teddie. She was only a few inches taller, but Teddie glared up at her, ready for a fight. "I offered you my friendship and you threw it back at me. This is the result of that rejection."

Teddie clenched her hands into fists. "If you wanted to be friends," she said. "You shouldn't have acted like a spoilt princess."

"It's sad to see that you don't realise how good you could have had it," said Parkinson. "You literally are a princess, and you're going to just throw it away, and for what? A couple of blood traitors and Mudbloods? Path -"

Parkinson cut off as Teddie's fist collided with her face. She cried out and hit the floor, blood dripping from her nose and dribbling down her mouth and chin.

As Parkinson glared at her from the floor, Teddie felt someone grab her hands and roughly pin them behind her back.

"You should pick your battles more carefully, Green," said Warrington,

Teddie watched as Parkinson picked herself up from the floor, pointed her own wand at her face and said: "Episky" the blood disappeared, along with the bruising that had already started to form around her nose.

Parkinson stepped closer to Teddie, raised her hand, and smacked her across the face. A bright red mark bloomed on Teddie's cheek and she felt tears spring to her eyes. This had been the first time that Parkinson had ever resorted to using physical violence against Teddie, normally she just used her words.

"Enough," said Malfoy. "Umbridge is waiting for them. Let's go."

Still holding Teddie's arms behind her back, Warrington marched her down the corridor after the others. Millicent followed with Theo and Parkinson picked up Teddie's wand as trailed behind.

Professor Umbridge was in her office as were, Teddie noticed as she was marched through the door, Harry and Hermione. She frowned at the pair of them, curious as to why they were already here. Had they already been found by the Inquisitorial Squad and brought here ahead of time? Or were they in here when Umbridge returned. If it were the latter, then what were they doing in here?

"Got 'em all," said Warrington. "That one," he pointed at Neville, "tried to stop me from taking her," he pointed at Ginny, "so I brought him along too."

"And what about these two?" Umbridge asked, looking at Teddie and Theo. Warrington and Bulstrode had shoved them against the back wall of her office, and they seemed relatively unscathed, save for the red mark on Teddie's face.

"He," Warrington pointed at Theo, "tried defending her," he pointed at Teddie. "While she," his finger remained on Teddie. "Punched Parkinson, and tried to stop Crabbe from taking him," he pointed at Neville.

Umbridge stared at Teddie. "Physical assault of another student, Miss Green?" she asked. "That's against school rules."

Teddie shrugged. "What you going to do?" she asked. "Take away house points? Go ahead, it'll be the same as the night Dumbledore left. You can't punish me and Theo without punishing your precious Inquisitorial Squad and, if you expel me, then people will talk and question why."

Umbridge's face turned purple with rage. "Careful what you say, Miss Green, there are worse things in the world than expulsion," she promised.

Teddie glared at Umbridge even as she turned her back and focused her attention on Harry again. The boy was still on his knees beside her fireplace, as she grabbed a handful of his hair and yanked his head back, Teddie had fleeting images of Quirrell doing the same to her down in the lower dungeons of Hogwarts four years ago.

She winced at the memory.

"So, Potter, you stationed lookouts around my office and you sent this buffoon," she nodded at Ron, "to tell me the poltergeist was wreaking havoc in the Transfiguration department when I knew perfectly well that he was busy smearing ink on the eyepieces of all the school telescopes, Mr. Filch having just informed me so. Clearly, it was important to for you to talk to somebody. Was it Albus Dumbledore? Or the half-breed, Hagrid? I doubt it was Minerva McGonagall, I hear she is still too ill to talk to anyone…"

Malfoy and a few other members of the Inquisitorial Squad laughed. Teddie felt her hands shake in anger.

"It's none of your business who I talk to," said Harry.

"Very well," said Umbridge, her voice tense. "Very well, Mr. Potter… I offered you the chance to tell me freely. You refused. I have no other alternative but to force you. Draco - fetch Professor Snape."

Teddie felt her heartbeat faster and relief seeped into her body. Professor Snape would put an end to this. He would see that what Umbridge was doing was wrong, he would come to the rescue again. He'd help her, and in turn, be helping Harry and the others.

Stowing Harry's wand into his robe pocket, Malfoy left the room smirking. There was a heavy silence in the room following his departure,

Five minutes had passed by the time Malfoy returned with Snape, the pair entered the office, with Snape's black gaze sweeping around the room. He met Teddie's eyes and she could see the questions of what she was doing here and why reflected back at her. His gaze skimmed down to her cheek and over the red mark that was still visible, but he didn't let on that he was upset at the situation. If anything, he looked away from her and spoke to Umbridge as if nothing were occurring around him.

"You wanted to see me, Headmistress?" Snape asked.

"Ah, Professor Snape," said Umbridge, smiling widely. "Yes, I would like another bottle of Veritaserum, as quick as you can, please."

Teddie noticed a flush of anger in Snape's eyes.

"You took my last bottle in your attempt to interrogate both Miss Green and Mr. Potter," said Snape. His voice a lot colder than probably intended.

Teddie's eyes widened as she looked from Umbridge to Snape and back again. So that is what Umbridge had been trying to do that day in her office. She hadn't wanted to poison her, as Teddie had thought, but to force the truth out of her. Granted, she didn't get what she had been looking for as Teddie had refused to drink whatever Umbridge offered her, but the fact of the matter was moot.

Clearly Umbridge wasn't beneath using methods outside the Ministry to get people to do what she wanted. How many people had she threatened or forced out of a job to get where she was today? Did the Minister know? Teddie doubted it. Fudge may have been an idiot, but she highly doubted that he would have allowed Umbridge to continue if he had known what she was doing.

"You can make some more, can't you?" Umbridge asked.

"Certainly," said Snape, his lip curling. "It takes a full moon cycle to mature, so I should have it ready for you in around a month."

Teddie bit back a laugh.

"A month?" Umbridge shrieked. "A month?! But I need it this evening, Snape! I have just found Potter using my fire to communicate with a person or persons unknown!"

"Really?" said Snape, sounding interested in the first time since he had stepped into the office. "Well, it doesn't surprise me. Potter has never shown much inclination to follow school rules."

Teddie rolled her eyes.

"I wish to interrogate him!" shouted Umbridge. "I wish you to provide me with a potion that will force him to tell me the truth."

"I have already told you that I have no further stocks of Veritaserum," said Snape. "Unless you wish to poison him - and I assure you I would have the greatest sympathy with you if you did - I cannot help you. The only trouble is that most venoms act too fast to give the victim much time for truth-telling…"

Teddie was sure that if Snape ever considered shrugging to show his usableness to help, now would've been the perfect time. She pursed her lips to hide the amusement at the image in her head.

"You are on probation!" shrieked Umbridge. "You are being deliberately unhelpful! I expected better, Lucius Malfoy always speaks most highly of you! Now get out of my office."

Snape gave a small bow and turned to leave. His gaze caught Teddie's as he faced her and she offered him a desperate, pleading look for help. He turned away and reached for the door handle as Harry spoke for the first time in a long while.

"He's got Padfoot," Harry said, his tone desperate.

Teddie stared at him. The last time she had heard the name Padfoot was when Black had cornered them in the Shrieking Shack after arriving to help Ron. Professor Lupin had told them the story of how his friends had become Animagi for him, and Black's form was a dog which every called Padfoot.

"He's got Padfoot at the place where it's hidden," said Harry.

"Padfoot?" Umbridge repeated. "What is Padfoot? Where what is hidden? What does he mean, Snape?"

Professor Snape looked around at Harry. His face inscrutable. "I have no idea," he said coldly. "Potter, when I want nonsense shouted at me, I shall give you a Babbling Beverage. And Crabbe, loosen your hold a little, if Longbottom suffocates it will mean a lot of tedious paperwork, and I am afraid I shall have to mention it on your reference if ever you apply for a job."

He swept from the room, closing the door behind him.

Teddie glanced sideways at Theo. That was their last chance at being helped by someone outside of Umbridge's control.

Silence followed Snape's exit, broken only Umbridge's heavy breathing. She took a deep breath to steel herself and then turned to Harry. "Very well then," she said, pulling out her wand. "Very well… I am left with no alternative. This is more than a matter of school discipline. This is an issue of Ministry security. Yes… yes…"

Teddie swallowed hard as Umbridge continued to mutter to herself.

"You are forcing me, Potter. I do not want to," said Umbridge, still moving relentlessly on the spot, "but sometimes circumstances justify the use. I am sure the Minister will understand that I had no choice…"

Malfoy was watching with a hungry expression.

"The Cruciatus Curse ought to loosen your tongue," said Umbridge quietly.

"That's illegal," said Hermione.

"What Cornelius doesn't know won't hurt him," said Umbridge. She patted her wand at different parts of Harry's body, apparently trying to decide where it would hurt him the most. "After all. He knew that it was I who ordered the dementors to attack Potter last summer, but he was delighted to be given the chance to expel him, all the same."

"It was you?" gasped Harry. "You sent the dementors after me?"

"Somebody had to act," said Umbridge, as her wand came to a rest, pointing directly at Harry's forehead. "They were all bleating about silencing you somehow - discrediting you - but I was the only one who actually did something about it. Only you wriggled out of that one, didn't you, Potter?" Not today, though, now… Cruc-"

But before Umbridge could get the full word out, Teddie screamed. Her eyes squeezed tightly shut, her hands grasping at her hair. Tears streaked down her cheeks and she bent at the waist, as if doubled over in pain.

Everyone turned, Umbridge dropped her wand arm and turned on the spot, just as a sliver of magic ricocheted around the room, bouncing off the four walls and hitting the ceiling. Umbridge felt the wind leave her body as she was hit, full force in the chest with a blast of uncontrollable magic, she was lifted off of her feet and thrown into the wall above her fireplace.

As Umbridge landed with a thud on the hearth, the Inquisitorial Squad released their captives, each one reaching up to cover their ears with their hands.

"Teddie!" Theo yelled, grasping his best friend around the shoulders and holding her close to him as she sank to her knees. She wheezed as she sucked in a breath and released it in a barrage of sobs, her whole-body trembling.

As the last of the Inquisitorial Squad hit the ground, their eyes rolling into the back of their heads and their bodies limp. Teddie took a shuddering breath and looked up, she met Theo's worried gaze and then threw her arms around his neck, hugging him to her tightly.

"You're okay," Theo murmured as he rubbed her back. "You're okay."

"Okay?" Ginny asked, looking around at the Inquisitorial Squad and Umbridge. She stepped over to Malfoy and pushed the body with the tip of her foot.

Malfoy remained motionless.

"What the hell was that?" Ron asked, looking from the fallen Slytherin's to Teddie, and back again. "What did you do? Is that that freaky protective magic you have?"

Theo glared up at Ron. "Can't you see she's distressed?" he asked.

"I want to know what she did!" Ron argued.

"She just saved your life," Theo snapped. He stood up, pulling Teddie with him and wrapping an arm around her waist. She still clung to him, sobbing into his shoulder.

"But how?" Ron asked.

"Does it matter?"

"Yes!"

"No," said Harry. He had just retrieved his wand from Malfoy's pocket and was looking at Theo and Teddie. "No, it doesn't matter."

"But Harry -" Ron started.

Harry shook his head. "We don't have time to worry about what Teddie did," he said. "Whatever it was, it saved our lives."

Ron looked like he wanted to argue, but one look from both Harry and Hermione shut him up.

"Are you okay, Ted?" Hermione asked, crossing the room and placing her hand on Teddie's arm.

Teddie looked up, her eyes red from crying. She had stopped trembling and her breathing was slowly returning to normal. She nodded at Hermione.

"Yeah, I'm okay," said Teddie, wiping her eyes on the back of her sleeve. "Thanks." She looked to Harry. "Are you okay?"

Harry nodded. "Thanks for that," he said.

Teddie smiled.

"What do we do now?" Ginny asked.

Harry looked around at those still standing. "We do what we came here to do," he said. "Kreacher told me that Sirius went to the Department already, and that he wouldn't come back from there. We have to go save him."

"But how are we going to get to London?" Hermione asked.

"We fly, of course," said Luna, dreamily.