Hey everybody! I know it's been a while since I've written anything, both for Honour Bound and these one-shots, but I have now returned! Hopefully things aren't as hectic as the holidays of 2017 for a while. I must also wish all my wonderful readers a Happy New Year!

This is for Hogwarts School, spring term Assignment 1, Care of Magical Creatures class. The task is to write about a pacifist having to defend someone/something. Here's what I came up with! Hope you all enjoy it.

ANNOUNCEMENT: For those who read Honour Bound, expect a new chapter for that within the next week or so.

As long as I live, I will never forget the night I met Ryan Myers. It's one of those things that you simply can't forget, not because it has been burned into your memory, but because forgetting would be like forgetting your name.

It was a mild January day, the kind of day that turns December's snow into a dirty mush that squelches when you step. I was in my living room watching Netflix on the television, my trusty bag of Lays potato chips at my side, and my cat curled up at my feet. It was the perfect way to spend the afternoon, what with school canceled due to the roads being impassable with slush and ice. Snuggled up in a warm comforter, I couldn't think of anywhere I would have rather been.

I finally decided to put the chips away, and headed into the kitchen. When I entered, I got the shock of my life. A guy was standing in front of the refrigerator, and he stared at me intently.

"We need to leave." he said, matter of factly. "Now. Come on. We can't let anyone know we're leaving."

I was stunned, totally speechless, and not just because he was kind of handsome. He was saying I needed to abandon my house, and gave me no explanation.

Before I could demand answers, he quickly came over, grabbed me, and picked me up. He then grabbed my coat from the rack by the door, and rushed out the window, me wide eyed in his grasp.

"Where are we going!" I demanded. "You know this is basically kidnapping, right?"

"Yes, I know," he replied. "But where we are going is a secret, at least until we're there. Now please, be quiet, so we can get away without being spotted."

I did what he asked. I stayed quiet, until we seemed to be far enough away that I thought it was safe. Only then did I stop him.

"All right, we've got to be safe by now," I began loudly. "I still don't even believe you about that, so you need to start some explanations."

The young man sighed loudly, and turned to face me. "Fine, first my name. I'm Ryan. I know that you are Gemma Hanes. I also know that you are a witch, and a group of Dark wizards are after you because you hold the secret to something they need. I was sent to retrieve you. I would never have done it if my father hadn't convinced me. I'm usually a professor of peace."

For a moment, I didn't even truly hear his words. The only words that kept going through my mind were, "You're a witch." I couldn't comprehend any more than that.

"Wait a minute, back up a bit. I'm a witch? How am I supposed to believe you? I mean, I can't take that at face value, can I? Magic doesn't exist."

I was about to attempt to run away from Ryan when a feeling of despair washed over me. I felt the January air grow suddenly much colder, and clouds began to cover the sun.

"Oh, damn," Ryan cursed, drawing a long thin stick out of his coat pocket and warily scanning the surrounding trees.

"What's going on?" I asked, growing very nervous. I didn't know what this was, but I didn't see how he could defend us with the stick he wielded like a sword.

"They sent Dementors after us," Ryan answered. "They suck all the happiness from you, and if they get the chance, they'll Kiss you and suck out your soul, so you'll be just a shell of yourself."

I grew tense, staring around us, waiting to be attacked. "And how are you going to defend us with your stick?"

Ryan didn't answer, staring at the trees as if these Dementors could appear from the shadows.

A dark form swooped from a tree to the left of him. The creature was tall and humanoid, with bony fingers. It wore a tattered cloak, which covered it's face. I had a feeling that it's face held terrors that I wished to avoid.

Ryan didn't seem nervous about what to do. He pointed the stick at the creature and did something totally unexpected. He shouted two words at it. "Expecto Patronum!"

I expected nothing to happen, and the creature to attack and kill us or suck out our souls or whatever Ryan said they did. Instead, a blinding white light shone from the tip of the stick, and a shape emerged from it. It was a squirrel, made totally of the light that came from the piece of wood.

The creature (Dementro, Dementid, whatever it was), seemed to be afraid of the light squirrel, and flew off. Instantly, the sun came back, and the air warmed back up to the mild temperature it had been. I relaxed, realizing that I could think of something besides the dreature taking our souls.

"All right," I said, breathing very hard, but with relief as I focused on Ryan. "You have a lot of explaining to do."