Cho and Harry started some kind of relationship. I honestly didn't care about her anymore. I was just happy for Harry. He finally got himself a girl, even if it took until he was fifteen to finally get one. Him and his awkward self. I found it cute.

As I was walking to the library to study, I heard someone call my name.

"Max! Max!" It was Hermione. "Hagrid's back."

"What?" I asked in shock.

"He's back. He came back today. Where's your brother?"

"I don't know, walking with Cho, I think."

Hermione dashed away from me. Ron and I looked at each other and followed her. She finally found Harry and he left Cho. We all made a run for Hagrid's Hut, running down the hill. I almost fell down numerous times. When we got to his window, Umbridge was in there. We quickly ducked down when we saw her looking at the window. She told Hagrid something and then headed for the door. That was when we hid around the side of the house until she finally left to go back up to the castle.

"Hagrid!" Ron was the first to go inside. Hagrid looked horrible. He had bruises and scratches everywhere.

"Hagrid, what happened to you?" I asked him.

"Sit down and I'll tell yeh." We all sat down and then he continued. "Now what I'm abou' to tell yeh is not to be shared with anyone else. Dumbledore sent me to parley with the giants."

"Giants?!" Hermione repeated. "You found them?"

"Well, they're not that hard to find. I tried to convince them to join the cause. But I wasn' the only one that was tryin' to win them over."

"Death Eaters?" Ron asked.

"Yes," Hagrid replied. "Tryin' to persuade them to join You-Know-Who."

"Did they?" I asked.

"I gave them Dumbledore's message. Suppose some of them remember he was friendly to them."

"And they did this to you?" Harry asked.

"Not exactly, no." He stopped when we felt strays of hay move around. We looked outside and heard thunder rumbling in the distance. The sky was getting darker by the minute. "It's changin' out there. Jus' like last time. There's a storm comin', yeh guys. We'd all best be ready when she does."

*******

The latest news I heard the next day was about a mass breakout from Azkaban. Ten prisoners escaped, and they were all Death Eaters. One of the escapees was on Sirius' family tree back at his place: Bellatrix Lestrange. That was his cousin.

When I saw Neville reading the article, he looked distraught. Something was bothering him. I wanted to go ask him, but it didn't feel like it was the right thing to do.

"Dumbledore warned Fudge this could happen," Hermione said. "He's going to get us all killed just because he can't face the truth."

"Amen to that," I added.

"Harry. Max." We turned around to see Seamus. The entire Great Hall went silent. "I...I wanted to apologize. Now even me mam says the Prophet's version of things don't add up. So what I'm really trying to say is that I believe you."

"Thank you, Seamus," I said, nodding my head.

*******

After another meeting with Dumbledore's Army, I spotted Neville alone. I went up to him as he was looking at a picture of his parents.

"Neville?" I said carefully.

He was silent for a moment. Then he spoke. "Fourteen years ago, a Death Eater named Bellatrix Lestrange, used the Cruciatus Curse on my parents. She tortured them for information, but they never gave in. 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 told him.

"Thank you, Max. For everything. We'll make your parents proud, too. I promise that." He smiled weakly at me then left the room. A few stray tears escaped my eyes.

I heard footsteps come back in. It was Harry. "Max?" I turned around while I was still wiping tears from my eyes. "Are you alright?"

I nodded, smiling at him. "I'm fine."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah." I paused for a moment. "You think Mum and Dad are proud of us?"

Harry looked at me with sadness and smiled sadly. "Yeah. Yeah, I think they are."

I was hoping I would get that answer.

*******

"Make it a powerful memory, the happiest you can remember. Allow it to fill you up. Keep trying, Seamus."

We were now teaching them one of my personal favorites, which was the Patronus Charm. "George?"

"Expecto Patronum!" He almost had it.

"A full-bodied Patronus is the most difficult to produce, but shield forms can also be equally useful against a variety of opponents." Harry was explaining more stuff when Ginny managed to get it. "Fantastic, Ginny! Just remember, your Patronus can only protect you as long as you stay focused."

Everyone managed to get the spell. Blue was flying everywhere, filling up the room. It was going great until the chandelier was shaking. Everything died down.

Someone was here.

There was pounding and flickering coming from outside. The mirrors shattered all around the room, where it revealed a crack in the wall. I saw pink on the other side with a bunch of black robes as well. I went to the crack to take a closer look.

"I'll make short work of this." Shit. It was Umbitch. "Bombarda Maxima!"

Before she was halfway done saying the spell, Harry came and grabbed me. The entire wall exploded as I fell to the ground. Once the smoke cleared, Umbridge came in with an angry look on her face. A bunch of Slytherins were behind her, including Filch. Malfoy came with Cho.

"Get them!"

*******

"I've been watching them for weeks. And see, Dumbledore's Army is proof of what I've been telling you right from the beginning, Cornelius! All your fear-mongering about You-Know-Who never fooled us for a minute. We saw your lies for what they were: A smokescreen for your bid to seize control of the Ministry!"

We were in Dumbledore's office, along with Cho, Umbridge, Fudge, and Kingsley. Percy Weasley and another worker had me, Harry, and Cho.

I couldn't believe this. We had it all under control. Then we got caught. It wasn't Cho's fault. I didn't blame the girl. I was done with her.

"He had nothing to do with it. It was me and Max," Harry informed.

"Most noble of you, Harry, to shield me, but as has been pointed out the parchment clearly states 'Dumbledore's Army,' not 'Potter's Army.' I instructed both of them to form this organization, and I am responsible for its activities."

"Dispatch an owl to the Daily Prophet. If we hurry, we should still make the morning edition," Fudge said.

Really? That was all Fudge was worried about? Wow. What an idiot.

"Dawlish, Shacklebolt, you will escort Dumbledore to Azkaban to await trial for conspiracy and sedition."

"No!" I shouted.

"Ah. I thought we might hit this little snag," Dumbledore was stalling for time. "You seem to be laboring under the delusion that I'm going to...what was the phrase? Come quietly. Well, I can tell you this: I have no intention of going to Azkaban."

"Enough of this!" Umbridge shouted. "Take him!"

Dumbledore winked at us and disappeared with Fawkes as all the adults were knocked off of their feet. What the hell? He was gone. Where did he go?

After everyone stood up, Kingsley spoke up. "Well, you may not like him, Minister, but you can't deny, Dumbledore's got style."

He did, indeed.

~~~~~~~

A/N: Wooahhhh another update!

Yeah I'm really getting into this book. Lol. Well, my Thanksgiving break is almost at its end. I go back to school on Monday, which is two days from now. I'll have to get back to work on homework.

So comment, vote, PLEASE COMMENT AND VOTE! Okay bye for now. <3

-A