Dark Pasts { A Harry Potter Story }

Chapter 49 - Dumbledore's Confession

At the next DA meeting, Harry told us that we were to start practicing Patronuses. Hermione and I looked excitingly at each other as Harry gave more instructions. Most of us were still struggling after a while of practicing. I grunted impatiently as only puffs of silver vapour came out of the end of my wand.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath as I thought of my mother and I working in the garden when I was young. "Expecto Patronum!" I said.

As I opened my eyes, I saw a silver doe waltz around me. I smiled triumphantly. "You did it!" Hermione beamed, her own Patronus, a shining silver otter, was gambolling around her.

"They're so pretty!" Cho said, making me roll my eyes, but I saw Harry staring at me and gulped.

"They're not meant to be pretty, they're meant to protect you," he said.

I heard the door of the Room of Requirements open and saw Dobby make his way toward Harry.

"Hi, Dobby!" Harry said. "What are you — what's wrong?"

I stopped focusing on my Patronus and made my way toward them, only to see that Dobby was shaking, his eyes wide with terror.

"Harry Potter, sir," he said breathlessly, " Dobby has come to warn you . . . but the house-elves have been warned not to tell . . ."

He ran to hit himself against the wall and I winced. "What's happened, Dobby?" Harry asked as he stopped him from hurting himself.

"Harry Potter, she, she..."

"Umbridge?" I said alarmingly.

Dobby only nodded. "What about her, Dobby?" Harry asked. "She hasn't found out about this — about us — about the DA?"

Dobby did not say anything, but the answer was evident in his eyes.

"Is she coming?"

"Yes, Harry Potter, yes!" He cried as he started hitting himself.

Hermione, Harry and I exchanged a horrified look. "WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? RUN!" He shouted.

Everyone started running toward the exit and soon they were sprinting along the corridors. I was following them when I sudden thought occurred to me. I turned around and was making my way to the opposite side of the room when Hermione shouted.

"Harry, Liz, come on!"

I suddenly felt someone grab my hand and pull me away. I turned around and saw Harry pulling me out into the corridor.

"No, Harry, wait!" I said and yanked his arm so that he would stop. "The sign-up sheet!" I said.

His eyes widened in horror, but we had no time to do anything as grabbed me from behind.

"Let her go, Malfoy!" Harry bellowed.

Malfoy sneered. "I've got them, professor!"

Umbridge appeared from around the corner, a delighted smile spread across her round face.

"Excellent, Draco!" She beamed. "Fifty points to Slytherin!"

Harry and I exchanged a horrified look. "You two," she said as she grabbed us, her fat fingers curling around my arm, "You will both come with me to the headmaster's office."

"Fizzing Whizbee," Umbridge said once we were standing before the stone gargoyles. She then dragged us up the stairs and into Professor Dumbledore's office, which was filled with people. I recognized Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic himself, and Kingsley. Professor McGonagall was standing beside Dumbledore, her face extremely tense. But then my eyes landed on Percy standing beside the Minister, and I glared angrily at him.