Together We Are Strong

A couple days later, everyone was back at school. There had been a mass breakout in Azkaban, including a woman called Bellatrix Lestrange. Death eater, I'd heard.

Neville stood facing the mirror with all our newpaper clipping and pictures on it in the Room Of Requirement.

"Neville?" I asked.

"Fourteen years ago, a death eater named Bellatrix Lestrange used the cruciatus curse on my parents. She tortured them for information about the order. But they never gave in." Neville said. "I'm quite proud to be their son, but I'm not sure I'm ready for everyone to know just yet."

"We're going to make them proud, Neville. That's a promise." I said.

-

Harry was teaching us how to do a patronus today. I'd never learnt how to do one properly, but I'd tried to do one before. I was eager to find out what my patronus was.

"Make it a powerful memory. The happiest you can remember, allow it to fill you up." Harry said. "Keep trying, Seamus. George, your turn now."

"Expecto Patronum!" He said. White light smoked out of his wand.

"A full body patronus is the most difficult to use. Shield forms can also be equally as useful against a variety of opponents. Hayley?" I filled up my body with the memory of when I first met Fred and George and we went around pulling pranks on the other first years.

"Expecto Patronum!" I said. A tiger burst from my wand and growled as it ran across the room.

"Fantastic, Hayley!" Harry said. "Just remember, your patronus can only protect you for as long as you stay focused, so focus!"

I watched the tiger run around and chase Hermione's otter. We both laughed. Luna's rabbit was bouncing across the walls and Ron's labrador knocked Neville over.

Suddenly, there was a rumbling in the ground and the chandelier shook. Our patronuses disappeared as the lights flickered. The mirror by the entrance smashed. Colin walked over and looked through the tiny hole in the wall. Quickly, Harry pulled him back just as the wall exploded. I ducked and Fred and George covered me so I didn't get hurt. The smoke for the explosion cleared and Umbridge, Filch and about seven people from the Inquisitorial Squad, including Draco who was holding onto Cho by the shoulder, were standing in front of us.

"Hayley?" He asked.

"Draco." I said. Fred and George looked at Draco, then at me. "I'll explain later." I whispered. It was time they knew, even if they would hate me. They're my best friends and I hated keeping secrets from them.

"Get them!" Umbridge said.