Kym sat watching the snow fall from her seat by the window in her Defense Against the Dark Arts class, contemplating different choices for the meeting tonight. It had been a few weeks since that first meeting and the group had dwindled down to grand total of 17 students, as her continued integration efforts made more people uncomfortable. Those that were left, though, we close. Kym couldn't pretend to know every one of them, but she could recognize them. At first, people tried excluding those they knew were taking part in the group and tried to mess with them, but soon learned better. There was an incident that involved Kym hexing a seventh year Gryffindor, who attempted to hex Sarah Wood, so badly that he was still recovering, and people realized that this group was one that protected its own very fiercely.

They were also becoming very well known for their dueling. It had only been a month and a half and they had mastered the shielding charm, stupefying, many defensive fighting tactics, and several interesting hexes. They were supposed to work on attacking techniques soon, as Kym was starting to feel a sense of urgency. Disappearances were becoming so common that the Daily Prophet was beginning to ignore them. There would be a fight soon without a doubt, and Kym wanted the group members to be ready, just in case. They were all becoming very strong fighters, but they wouldn't stand a chance against a real Death Eater.

"Kymberly" Kym looked u to see her Uncle staring at her. She looked around and noticed that the room was empty. "What's going on?" Kym cringed, not really wanting to answer the question with 'oh nothing, Uncle Harry, just about how the group I resurrected would probably die if they fought Death eaters'. Just as she was about to make up and excuse, her Uncle's attention was pulled to an owl tapping furiously at the window. It was her dad's owl, she knew because she helped pick it out.

"What does my dad want?" Kym asked as the color drained from her Uncle's face. "Did something happen?" Kym managed to get out, though nerves were making it a little difficult to breathe.

"No, no." Harry said quickly, still studying the letter. "Just basic news and it is from your Uncle George." Kym shrugged. Her Uncle George's owl was ancient and got tired easily, but he loved it too much to get rid of it. Adonis, her father's owl, was young and energetic so they let George use him for long journeys.

"Oh." Kym said, still suspicious but not willing to say anything.

Kym walked into the Room of Requirement later that day to find a group already there, and not looking particularly happy. She saw that many were surrounding a little girl, consoling her. Even the Slytherins were there. Suddenly they noticed she was there. They all whispered for a moment before a furious Kelsey started on her way over.

"What's" Kym started, but she was interrupted.

"This is your fault." Kelsey said, getting up and storming over to where Kym was. Her accent was thick through the anger in her voice.

"What is?" Kym asked, honestly confused, Kelsey tossed a newspaper at her. On the front page was an article about an attack not far from downtown Muggle London. 13 people were killed, one of them being a Hogwarts seventh year student who was part of their group. Apparently he had gone home for a family thing and was there when the attack happened. The article didn't go into many details, only going long enough to state the facts and say that there were no suspects.

"How is this my fault?" Kym asked. Kelsey just glared.

"You said you were getting us ready. So that things like this could be avoided." She said, obviously near hysterics. Kym sat back. She had said that, almost.

"I said I was getting you ready. It's a process." She took a deep breathe, not wanting to get upset. "We can't predict these things. They suck, yeah, and we'd rather not have them happ-" Kym was cut off again by another girl.

"He was my cousin." Another little girl that Kym recognized as being a Hufflepuff fourth year. She didn't look sad or upset, just kind of dismissive.

"I'm so sorry."

"He tried to fight instead of running." Kym's heart dropped. Maybe their progress had made them a bit cocky in their abilities.

"I-"

"Don't be sorry." The little girl said. The entire group had migrated around them and was listening intently to the conversation. "I was sad, but I'm okay."

"Why?" Kelsey blurt out. "He's dead, not coming back, and you're okay? People are dead. We are supposed to be learning how to stop this and we aren't. What difference have we made on anything?"

"People lived because of him." The little girl said. "Vincent explained it to me. He made it make sense." Kym's eyes shot up. Tears were welling in her eyes, she felt so much blame. Vincent wasn't with everyone, but with the other Slytherins on the very edge, having their own heated conversation.

"I say, for now at least, we talk instead of practice." Kym said. "I don't think anyone is in the right state of mind to be learning hexes." Everyone nodded and a few laughed softly. Kym lasted about ten minutes before going forward and grabbing Vincent, pulling him aside.

"What did you say to her?" Kym asked once they were in the hallway next to the room. Vincent just stood there looking shocked and confused. "The girl who lost her cousin."

"The truth." Vincent shrugged. Kym motioned for him to continue, exasperated, and shockingly Vincent didn't smirk, but remained serious. "Her cousin died because he wouldn't stop shielding everyone. Literally everyone. He expanded his shield to cover every person there and they killed him for it. Anyone alive who escaped has him to thank." Kym smiled.

"You really do make a horrible Slytherin." Vincent shrugged, smirking in reply.

"I'll take that as a compliment," Kym nodded and looked around. "You still don't like me, do you?" His voice was grim, Kym shrugged and looked down.

"I'm beginning to think I don't know enough to judge." Kym looked down. "And maybe judging the little I do know isn't enough." Vincent took her chin, gently lifting her head so she was looking him in the eyes.

"I know I'm not a wonderful person, but one of the hardest moments in my life was when you told me you hated me. I don't want to be someone you hate." he kissed her softly. Kym felt herself respond gently, but the kiss was over almost as suddenly as it had started. His face lingered millimeters from hers, their foreheads touching. "You know how I feel; things haven't changed in five years. Just get to know me, Kym. I don't want you to hate me." He backed up, sighing, and walked inside, leaving Kym to her conflicting thoughts.

Kym walked inside a little while later, still looking very shocked. She hadn't been expecting that. She'd thought she was content to ignore him, but it was becoming really hard. Tarin came rushing over moments later.

"What just happened?" She asked, looking excited.

"Nothing." Kym said sternly. "I had a question for Malfoy."

"That's why he just came to Jason talking about how he was such a bloody idiot and mucked everything up." Tarin smirked at Kym's blush. "Did he?"

"Did he what?" Kym asked. Tarin sighed exasperatedly.

"Keep up." She laughed. "He's really got you, huh?" Kym shook her head.

"Not at all." She shrugged. "Nothing has changed."

"You know you have to be the only person who believes that you hate him." Tarin said, rolling her eyes. "Do you even believe it?" Kym stopped where she was, surprised. Did she?

"Oh, Merlin." Kym groaned. He really had gotten to her and she wasn't willing to do a thing about it. "Not a word." She said to Tarin, who looked about ready to explode. Tarin laughed.

"Of course." Tarin smirked. "Just promise to make me the maid of honor at your wedding." Kym screamed in frustration, catching the attention of most of the people in the room.

"Okay, let's learn something new that's not a hex." Kym said, walking to the front of the room. She could tell a lot were relieved that she changed her mind. "This isn't anything like what we have been studying. We're going to be learning the Patronus Charm. It is very useful for protection and communication.

"Isn't it only to use against dementors?" A girl asked. Kym recognized her as a late joiner from Hufflepuff.

"No, not really." Kym corrected, finally remembering that the girl's name was Serena. The girl was really nice, always offering her help when the others needed it, but she got frustrated when it came to learning new spells, especially the complex charms that took loads of concentration. She had trouble learning them. "A patronus can be a very useful thing to have on a battlefield. It does ward off dementors, as well as lethifolds, but a patronus can also be used as a messenger. This is an invaluable skill to have when in the midst of a major duel or battle."

"It sounds difficult" Serena said, twisting the blonde section of her hair before dropping it, and going for one of the red pieces that lines the bottom of her hair.

"It is." Kym nodded. "It takes a lot of work and will probably be the topic for our next few meetings." She sighed seeing many disinherited faces. "I've already mastered this spell, over the summer with my uncle, would you like to see it?" everyone nodded. "alright now all you have to do is think of a happy thought and then say the incantation like you mean it."

Kym walked what she felt was a safe distance from the group before closing her eyes, bringing forth memories of her family. She saw her Aunt Ginny, her cousins, her father, all of her uncles. Just as she was about to cast the spell another image popped in her head. It was Malfoy. Holding her. And they were happy.

"Expecto Patronum" She shouted. I sharp silvery light shot forth from her wand, startling her. It was always a soft silvery mist that slowly became a small fox. Always. The light stopped, growing in size and brightness. She went over to her group, who were all looking amazing, obviously never having seen the spell preformed properly. Jason Nott and Vincent Malfoy, however, were not even paying attention, they were arguing quietly.

Kym pushed the thought from her head, turning to face the glowing orb that was now floating around them. Suddenly, the orb started to descend quickly, beginning to morph into a new shape. Finally, it had turned into a small white ferret. It didn't have the misty quality of a normal patronus, and wasn't moving with Kym's wand. Looking down she realized she was no longer even casting the spell. A ferret wasn't even her patronus. Looking around she could tell that people were beginning to catch on to Kym's nerves. That ferret was real.

(A/N: I'm soooooooo sorry that this has taken me forever and a day to get to everyone, I've been so incredibly busy, I'm an architecture major, so I have like to free time, and the time I do have I use to sleep. I promise to try and update more often!!

PLEASE REVIEW)