Chapter Seven: Expelliarmus!

Just as McGonagall had promised, Mr. Weasley was out of St. Mungo's by the day after we'd visited. He was going to be home for Christmas.

"Look who's home!" Mrs. Weasley beamed as she wheeled her husband up to the end of the long dining table. Everyone was tense when she had gone, unsure of how their father would be feeling, or in what condition he may currently be. Once they'd come through the door, every Weasley child breathed a sigh of relief. Aside from some bruises and bandages around his head, he was looking fine. The wheelchair, Mrs. Weasley explained, was just a precaution as the venom had previously taken the use of his legs.

"Dad!" Ginny squealed and wrapped her arms carefully around her father. "How are you feeling?"

Mr. Weasley beamed at the sight of his daughter. "Much better – thanks to Harry! Had it not been for him... well, who knows what state I'd have been in when they had found me." Everyone in the room seemed to be very happy, but Harry did not take kindly to being rewarded in such a public setting.

"Err, thanks Mr. Weasley."

Once the generous feast that we'd all worked together to make had been collectively enjoyed, Harry stayed back to speak with his godfather and the rest of us went into a family room to exchange gifts. Mrs. Weasley had handed everyone a bulging package that had not been wrapped with much care, probably because most of her care was focused on her injured husband. I tore into my poorly wrapped, plush gift to see a long scarf knitted with red and purple wool.

"Thanks, Mrs. Weasley!" I beamed. "I love it; it's beautiful!"

"Oh, you're welcome, dear."

Fred and George chuckled next to me, so wondering what they found so humourous; I leaned over to look at the gifts in their hands. Mrs. Weasley had mixed up her own sons – Fred was in possession of a red sweater bearing a golden 'G', while George had Fred's green sweater with a golden letter 'F'.

"That happens often?" I laughed along with them as they swapped back.

Fred, who was relaxed now knowing his father was safe, put his arm around me and grinned. "Yeah, it's fine. Mum's a bit of a basket case with so many of us to look after... I'm surprised she knows all of our names."

Besides the red and purple scarf, I'd opened a frame from Fred that contained a moving photograph of us from the Yule Ball – we were laughing hysterically at something, and looking into each other's eyes. Just gazing upon the scene brought those enviable memories of an easier time rushing back. I couldn't help but notice Cedric and Cho were dancing in the background. I had to remember to show her this photograph.

Being back at Hogwarts was a great pick-me-up after such a depressing Christmas. Fred's father was fine, but Harry, Ron and Hermione seemed uneasy after our trip back to Grimmauld Place. Despite their apprehensive behaviour, the trio had organized a DA meeting in the Room of Requirement upon our arrival. Last year's trip, which had had me wishing to see Fred again in a much less jealous state, made my return to this room much more anticipating.

Once inside the Room of Requirement, I couldn't believe my eyes. The room I'd previously seen with Fred looked like a cosy motel room next to this stadium. There was definitely enough room for thirty students to practice their spells in here. Last meeting, we'd practiced disarming and stunning spells, but Harry felt as though we'd need a bit of review after the holidays.

"Okay everyone," he shouted so we could all hear. "Today's meeting is just going to be a practice session. Partner up and work on the spells we did before Christmas!"

I immediately looked at Fred, but he and George had already locked eyes. After the incident with his dad, I noticed Fred reconnecting the bond with his brother, so I figured I would be left out of this partnership. I didn't mind. Luna Lovegood seemed to be partnered with Lizzy, sending a rather disoriented Neville my way.

"Need a partner?" I asked.

Neville smiled a bit. "You free?"

"That I am. Want to start with disarming? I know how much difficulty..."

As though he was embarrassed by his inability to disarm a mannequin, Neville hurriedly interrupted me. "Yeah, let's do that first, then."

"You remember what Harry was saying before, right?"

He breathed in. "Don't flourish my wand and focus one hundred percent." Neville wrung his wand-bearing hand and let his head lull from side to side prior to strengthening his wrist and preparing to fight the wooden Death Eater that stood before us.

"Ready?"

"...Let's go." Neville took a deep breath and I squeezed his shoulder gently. "Expelliarmus!" he cried. Nothing happened. "That was horrible."

"No, don't worry about it, Neville. Try again."

"Expelliarmus!" Again nothing. "Expelliarmus!" Neville hadn't noticed, but he'd begun to flourish his wand again.

"Relax!" I felt like I was shouting a bit, but I had to get his attention, even if he was growing frustrated. "Try like this:" I made sure he was watching me before I performed the spell. "Expelliarmus!" I kept my voice strong and my wrist tight, and the Death Eater's wand had flown out of his hand. I'd caught it and placed it back where it belonged. "Like that. Your turn."

He blocked out the sound of the other people in the room practicing their spells, mostly stunning from the sounds of it, and focused on the task at hand. "Expelliarmus!" The Death Eater's wand twitched a smidge, but nothing really happened.

"Neville, don't worry. You'll get it. I'll help..."

"It moved."

"What?"

Neville beamed from ear to ear. "It moved! I'm getting closer!"

Seeing my newly dubbed best friend get so happy over his accomplishment made me grin; it also made me realize that it's these little accomplishments that should be celebrated.

"Great work today everyone!" Harry exclaimed when the meeting was just about through. "Keep on practicing and see you next week!"

I was with Fred and George, on our way back to the Gryffindor common room, when I spotted Cho picking up her bag. "I'll meet up with you two later, alright?"

"Sure, Sara." Fred pinched my side before letting me go to the Ravenclaw one year my junior.

"Hey Cho," I caught her attention, and she looked up.

"Oh, hi Sara." She wasn't sure what to do with my greeting. "How are you?"

I fingered the photograph folded in my back pocket. "I'm fine, thanks. I uh, I got a hold of something, I thought you might be interested in..."

"Oh?" As I pulled the picture out of my pocket, I tried to flatten it out as much as I could before showing her. "That's a lovely photo of you and Fred at the ball."

"Yeah, that's not what I'm showing you." I hoped I came off as sincere as I had in my head; I had a curse that made everything slipping out of my mouth have a sarcastic connotation. "In the background."

I don't think I had to point it out to her. She understood. "Cedric..."

"I want you to have it."

Cho hesitated and looked around the now empty room. "Oh no, I can't..."

She didn't have a choice. The focus of Fred and I had been off-set from the centre, so there was a gap between he and I, and Cedric and Cho. I re-creased the photo in the gap and tore it down the centre. "I know he would have wanted you to have that."

Cho stared at the newly torn photograph I'd thrust into her grasp. "Thank you... so much... I really appreciate it." She didn't have to say a word. I could tell by the way she looked at the picture of she and her late boyfriend dancing circles around the icy glass floor in their dress robes that she would never forget this moment, or that one.