Lizzie's POV:

After Draco and I were accepted into Dumbledore's Army, graffiti began to pop around Hogwarts. Students aiding in the rebellion were drawing on any surface they could find. "Dumbledore's Army: Still Recruiting", "Join the Fight", "Fuck Snape" were a few of the less vulgar ones. Personally, I never put up a sign like this, but I could recognize some of the handwriting. I noticed Ginny's choppy handwriting making up the phrase, "Long Live Dumbledore's Army!" I saw Luna's gentle and swooping writing on a wall near Moaning Myrtle's toilet saying, "Constant Vigilance". I couldn't help but smile at that. Anyone could remember Mad Eye Moody's 'constant vigilance'.

The staff loyal to Voldemort tried with all of their might to remove the graffiti from the walls, some coming right off, others seemingly protected with strong shielding spells. The rest of the staff made it look like they were trying to remove it, but gave feeble attempts. McGonagall used a simple Scourgify which didn't make a scratch on the writing, then shrugged before walking away. Flitwick just drew circles in the air with his wand, pretending to cast a spell.

"Neville," I murmured, catching up with the boy in the corridor, Draco jogging beside me to keep up, "have you noticed all of the writings on the walls?"

"I have," he replied, giving me a sideways glance.

"Know anything about it?"

"I guess that depends on who you ask," he smirked. I grinned as he paced in front of the wall.

The door to the Room of Requirement appeared before us, and Neville grasped the handle, giving a great heave to pull it open. It opened to reveal a large group of people, whose names I have come to know. Lavender Brown, the dark-skinned Gryffindor girl with golden brown hair that curled in tight ringlets down her shoulders. Hannah Abbott, the tall, pink faced Hufflepuff with long blonde hair and dark brown eyes. Ernie Macmillan, the stout Hufflepuff boy with dark blonde hair.

"Hello, everyone!" Neville called, spreading his arms and grinning at all of the students.

"What's our next step?" Michael Corner asked. "Breaking into the Carrows' offices and stealing their wands? Jumping Snape on his next trip to the toilet?" He got a few odd looks from the room with the last idea.

"Well," Neville smirked, rubbing his hands together, "I do have an idea."

"What is is?" Ginny demanded, her eyes wide with enthusiasm. This was her element. She was a natural born rebel.

"We are going to break into Snape's office."

"And?" Terry Boot prompted impatiently when he didn't say anything more.

"Steal the Gryffindor Sword."

-----

"Are we sure about this?" I asked the three people surrounding me.

"Shhhh," Ginny hissed.

Ginny, Neville, Luna, and I were sneaking through the corridors covered with disillusionment charms to help hide us. Since Draco was the one who initially told Neville that the Gryffindor Sword was in Snape's office, Neville had wanted him to come with, but Ginny had absolutely refused. So Draco had suggested that I go in his place.

"Yes, we're sure," Neville told me quietly.

"Do we know the password to get in?" I asked.

"Shut up, Samuels!" Ginny hissed, stomping her feet.

"We're going to guess it," Neville explained patiently. "We figured that if Luna couldn't get it for us, you could, since you're a Slytherin and so is Snape."

"You know, Snape is Draco's godfather, so he would probably have better luck at this than I would," I frowned.

"But he would have sold us out," Ginny snapped.

"First of all, he can't. We made the Unbreakable Vow, so he can't sell you guys out. Second of all, he would never do that. He really wants this side to win the war," I told them all as we approached the entrance to the Headmaster's office.

Ginny mumbled something and I decided better of it than to demand to know what she said.

"Alright," Neville spoke. "So, we're going to stand here as long as we can, guessing the password. If someone comes along, we'll get away as fast as possible. If we get in, we take the sword."

"Are we sure it's even in there? I mean, Malfoy could be leading us into a trap for all we know..." Ginny said.

"That's enough!" I snapped, wheeling around to where the Ginny shaped blur was. "You may have your opinions and doubts about Draco, but if you don't start keeping them to yourself, I am going to rip your mouth off and shove it up your ass! Draco and I made the Unbreakable Vow for a reason. We want to help the Order win the war. We don't want to live in a world where You-Know-Who is the leader. So, shut up, and let us help you!"

I was panting with rage, which was the only noise in the corridor around us. Neville, Luna, and Ginny were silent following my outburst. I suspected that they were watching me, but I couldn't be sure.

"Well, then..." Neville coughed uncomfortably. "Shall we try that password now?"

I turned with a 'hmph' to the entrance to Snape's office and folded my arms across my chest.

"Blibbering Humdinger," Luna sounded out. "Dirigible plum. Crumple Horned Snorkack."

"Felix Felicis," I broke in, deciding to use a more practical approach of guesses. "Polyjuice Potion."

"Wrackspurts."

"Amortentia."

"Nargles. Skin-Walker."

"Draught of Living Death."

"Gulping Plimpy."

"Pepperup Potion."

"Heliopath."

"Vimes Potion. Confusing Concoction."

"Dabberblimp."

"Draught of Peace."

"Umgubular Slashkilter."

"Skele-Gro."

"Moon Frog."

"Veritaserum. Wolfsbane. Bloodroot." At the last guess, Snape's office opened. "Are you bloody serious, Snape?" I scoffed.

"What? What's Bloodroot?" Neville queried.

"It's nothing," I murmured.

"Isn't that what Pansy Parkinson used on you in your fifth year, Lizzie?" Luna asked with an airy voice.

"Erm- yeah. How'd you know?" She replied with a shrug and pulled her wand from her pocket. We all followed suit.

Neville was the first to enter the Headmaster's office, and he did so cautiously.

"Can't see anything," he whispered.

"Here." I heard Ginny's voice beside me and then the torches along the walls lit themselves.

"Thanks," Neville replied.

The office reminded me strongly of the Slytherin common room. It was dark and damp, and nothing like it had been while Dumbledore took up residence.

"There it is," I hissed, pointing to a stand behind Snape's desk.

"There it is," Neville repeated. I heard his footsteps move towards the stand where the silver sword with rubies in its hilt was protected by a glass case.

"Wait!" I called quickly, moving towards the sword. "What if it's protected? You know? Booby-trapped?"

"Oh." I could practically hear Neville's frown. "Good point. How'd you think of that?"

"It's what I would have done," I replied quickly, pointing my wand at the case. "Revelio." Nothing happened. "Either there's no protection spells, or there is, but a simple spell won't reveal them."

"Well, I guess we'll have to find out," Ginny said.

"Are you just going to pick it up?" I asked.

"There's not much else we can do, Lizzie," Neville answered.

"Okay, but the once you pick it up, we have to get out of here as quickly as possible."

"Agreed," Neville spoke.

"So, who's going to pick it up?" Luna asked after no one moved.

"I will," Ginny said brashly, moving forward. "Ready?" No one answered. "Here I go." I heard her take a breath and then saw a ripple in the air as she reached for the glass case. She lifted it quickly.

Nothing happened.

"Does that mean there's no protective spells?" Neville whispered so quietly that I had to strain to hear him.

"Erm- I'm not sure... Try picking it up, Ginny," I pondered. I saw another ripple as Ginny's hand grasped the hilt of the sword.

Nothing happened.

"Alright, let's get out of here while we can," I said anxiously.

"Agreed," Neville repeated.

I heard the shuffle of three other pairs of feet as we made our way towards the door, the Gryffindor Sword seemingly floating, when a golden ripple spread from said sword.

"What was that?" I asked, panicked.

"I can't move!" Ginny screeched.

"Neither can I," Neville grunted.

"I can't either," Luna agreed.

"Then why can I?" I asked, moving my arms around and walking a few paces, just to be sure.

"Seriously?" Ginny asked off to my left.

I tapped my wand to the top of my head so the others could see me. "Look," I told them. I walked in a circle.

"Where are you guys?" I asked.

"I'm here," Neville said to my right. I turned and moved my hands in front of me until I came in contact with flesh. I undid his disillusionment spell along with Ginny and Luna's.

"Okay, Finite Incantatem," I tried, pointing my wand at the three frozen people.

"Where in that little brain of yours did you think that was going to do us any good?" still-frozen-Ginny snapped.

"I could just leave you here instead," I snapped back. She muttered something in reply, which I didn't bother to try and listen to.

"If Snape cast that protection spell, I doubt that any spell we know will break it," Neville frowned.

"I hate to be a downer, but I agree with Neville," Luna said quietly.

"You guys can't just stay frozen! The Carrows would kill you!"

"There's not much you can do, though, Lizzie," Neville argued.

"I can go get Draco," I offered, thinking quickly. "He's better at stuff like this. I'm sure he would-"

"What the devil is going on here?" Snape snapped walking into the room with billowing robes. His eyes scanned the room quickly and once they landed on me, he flicked his wand and I immediately felt the cool breeze like sensation of a disillusionment spell and my body froze.

"Liz-" Neville began, noticing my disappearance, only to be cut off by Snape.

"Silence!"

"Two Gryffindors and a Ravenclaw," cawed a voice from behind Snape. Amycus Carrow appeared with glinting eyes, along with his sister.

"Caught stealing the sword of Godric Gryffindor from the Headmaster's office," Alecto grinned evilly.

"This will be fun," Amycus smirked.

"Silence, you fools," Snape commanded, making the two others draw back in fear. "The two of you will take these three and make sure that they are punished sufficiently enough to ensure that they will not attempt anything like this again, understood?"

"Yes, sir," Amycus replied, looking beyond Snape at Neville, Luna, and Ginny, who were cowering in fear. I struggled to free myself from Snape's bonds, but had no success.

With a flick of his wand, Luna, Neville, and Ginny were unfrozen. Gryffindor's sword clattered to Snape's feet.

"Take them away," Snape spoke sharply, bending down and picking up the sword as if it were a fragile piece of pottery.

"Yes, sir," Amycus spoke.

"Off we go," Alecto snapped, grabbing Ginny by the back of the neck and leading her out of the room, which drawed the rest of the group out with them.

Once they were gone for a solid amount of time and the door to Snape's office was shut tightly, the man removed the bonding spell and the disillusionment spell, allowing me to move freely.

"Miss Samuels," he drawled carefully. "Have a seat."