Ben was nowhere near a being in a good mood throughout the whole morning. Mostly because of how uncomfortable it had been to avoid Hermione and Ron as well, since they had no idea of what had just happened. But he couldn't help it.

All of his hopes for a future had just been taken away from him, and there was nothing he could do about it. At class, there was nothing he could focus on aside from the multiple possibilities of what could end up happening. And none of them were good. In the slightest.

Firstly, if his parents hated Harry already, he couldn't wrap his mind around the idea of how much they would despise him as soon as they found out he had just exposed them as Death Eaters. So, if they still thought there was something going on between both of them, the incident from last year would cut short from what they would actually do now if they had the chance to lay hands on him.

Would they be capable of killing him?

The strongest shiver he had ever had ran through his spine. He didn't want to think of it, but couldn't help it. What would happen if they did? Alycia would be on her own. Yeah, no, it wasn't happening. He didn't care what he'd have to do, but he wasn't leaving her. Even if it meant being expelled from Hogwarts for using magic outside of it.

Maybe he could take them both outside the country, if it came to that. Knowing they both spoke French, maybe it was still possible to switch schools to Beauxbautons if he was expelled. He didn't really know the laws for that, and the idea of not being allowed to because of the underage usage of magic worried him a lot. He'd have to take a look at that... Or maybe he could ask Hermione, she'd definitely know- Nevermind.

He couldn't believe they had really done that to him. His heart ached, a pain stronger than all of the times his parents had hurt him. It hurt him far deeper, because he would've never really expected it from them. He loved them all so much that he had really started to believe they saw him for who he was, not who he was. He loved them so much he thought they loved him as much.

And the worst part was how they probably didn't even think they had done anything wrong.

Harry could've at least specified who, exactly, was a Death Eater from his family, instead of simply mentioning the Walkers as a whole. Because he had told him only both his parents and Audrey were there. Or maybe he was lying.

The thing was, he would've sworn people were starting to stare at him as he walked around the castle. And it kept getting more and more obvious as time went on, to the point that even Thomas told him it was getting obvious, one evening when they met up after Ben's detention with Umbridge. Thanks to Harry's private lessons with Snape, he easily managed to not talk to him after it.

"I don't understand why it's only me," he said, rubbing off the dry blood from the back of his hand.

"What do you mean, only you? Malfoy and the others have been exposed as well," he frowned, and slapped him on his left hand. "And stop being so harsh, for Salazar's sake, you'll hurt yourself even more... Have you thought of what's going to happen once it sinks into your skin like the other one did? It's going to get all mixed up and-"

"I think that's better than having to read how disgusting I am in the back of my hand for the rest of my life, to be honest," he hissed. "And I'm talking about how people keep muttering about me, but not about them."

"Well, I guess it's because of how weird it is."

"What?"

"I mean, I'm pretty sure everyone would've easily guessed on their own that the Malfoys are Death Eaters. Your family did a slightly better job at hiding it."

"But everyone knows how they are."

"Well, but everyone was surprised that you were different. And now, all of a sudden, the one everyone thought was your best friend does an interview telling the entire Wizarding World that your family was there when it all happened. And, following that, you stop being seen together once again."

"Do you think it was a mistake to get mad at him?"

"I think it's not going to help you or your reputation, but I honestly would've been really hurt as well. I mean, you were his... Boyfriend, kind of. You showed him and told pretty much everything, he knew how much you have been risking and were going to keep risking for him, and he went and decided to make it even harder for you... I think you have every reason to be mad. But I'm also sure that he didn't mean it. Maybe he's just quite stupid and didn't realise how complicated he's made all of this for you. Because, if he did, he would've never done it. He love-"

"No he doesn't, don't lie to me, Thomas," he snapped, and instantly regretted his tone. "Not you as well. Please."

"Look, Ben..."

"Maybe he is a bit dumb, but Hermione definitely isn't, and you know it. How could she not imagine what this meant? And neither of them dared to tell me anything. They both worked together to hide it from me. I bet they found it funny how I apologised to Harry for insisting on him telling me. Well, if they have so much fun keeping things from me, I hope they're doing amazing together and I hope they leave me the fuck alone."

And, to top it all, a group of fourth years wearing Hufflepuff robes walked past them, staring at him with so little discretion that it had to be on purpose. So Ben barked at them. "WHAT?"

They winced, definitely not expecting him to actually speak back. One of them whispered something amongst the others. "Fucking Death Eater..."

Thomas was about to snap at him when the echo of a piercing scream reached them. They all looked to their left, apparently sharing the thought that it was coming from the entrance hall.

"Was that a woman?" asked one of the Hufflepuff girls, her face contorted in worry.

"I think so," replied Ben, and ran down the hall, followed by all of them. As they approached the entrance hall, their suspicions were confirmed; it was full of students as curious and worried as them. The screams grew louder and more desperate as they joined the crowd.

Professor Trelawney was standing in the middle of the entrance hall with her wand in one hand and an empty sherry bottle in the other, looking utterly mad. Her hair was sticking up on end, her glasses were lopsided so that one eye was magnified more than the other; her innumerable shawls and scarves were trailing haphazardly from her shoulders, giving the impression that she was falling apart at the seams. Two large trunks lay on the floor beside her, one of them upside down; it looked very much as though it had been thrown down the stairs after her.

"No!" she shrieked at someone that seemed to be standing at the foot of the stairs. "NO! This cannot be happening... It cannot- I refuse to accept it!"

Thomas, who had grown to be taller than Ben, stood on tiptoe, and his already pale face lost all his colour as he turned to Ben. "It's Umbridge."

"Of course it's that ugly little toady bitch," grumbled a short curly haired Ravenclaw girl from behind them.

"How did she even have time to cause all of this, weren't you and Harry in detention with her like an hour ago?" Thomas asked him.

"Yeah, I don't know. She did look quite rushed to end the session, though."

"You didn't realize this was coming?" spoke Umbridge's high girlish voice, sounding callously amused. "Incapable though you are of predicting even tomorrow's weather, you must surely have realized that your pitiful performance during my inspections, and lack of any improvement, would make it inevitable you would be sacked?"

"You c-can't!" howled Professor Trelawney, tears streaming down her face from behind her enormous lenses, "you c-can't sack me! I've b-been here sixteen years! H-Hogwarts is m-my h-home!"

"It was your home!" she exclaimed blissfully, watching Professor Trelawney sink onto one of her trunks, sobbing and shaking uncontrollably. "Until an hour ago, when the Minister of Magic countersigned the order for your dismissal. Now kindly remove yourself from this hall. You are embarrassing us."

A side of the crowd parted, allowing Professor McGonagall to march straight up to Trelawney. She crouched down next to her, and rumbled within her robes to pull out a handkerchief as she patted her on the back. "There, there, Sibyll... Calm down, and blow your nose on this. It's not as bad as you think, now... You are not going to have to leave Hogwarts."

"Oh really, Professor McGonagall?" said Umbridge in a deadly voice, taking a few steps forward. "And your authority for that statement is..."

"That would be mine," a deep voice echoed all over the hall.

Everyone's gazes turned to the oak front doors, which had just swung open for Dumbledore to appear in the entrance, his pearly white beard seemingly glowing against the starry night sky behind him. Leaving the doors wide behind him, he strode forward through the circle of students toward McGonagall and Trelawney.

"Yours, Professor Dumbledore?" said Umbridge with a singularly unpleasant little laugh. "I'm afraid you do not understand the position. I have here", she pulled a parchment scroll from within her robes, "an Order of Dismissal signed by myself and the Minister of Magic. Under the terms of Educational Decree Number Twenty-three, the High Inquisitor of Hogwarts has the power to inspect, place upon probation, and sack any teacher she, that is to say, I, feel is not performing up to the standard required by the Ministry of Magic. I have decided that Professor Trelawney is not up to scratch. I have dismissed her."

Dumbledore smiled at her. "You are quite right, of course, Professor Umbridge. As High Inquisitor you have every right to dismiss my teachers. You do not, however, have the authority to send them away from the castle. I am afraid," he went on, with a courteous little bow, "that the power to do that still resides with the headmaster, and it is my wish that Professor Trelawney continue to live at Hogwarts."

"No, no, I'll g-go, Dumbledore! I sh-shall l-leave Hogwarts and s-seek my fortune elsewhere..."

"No," said Dumbledore sharply. "It is my wish that you remain, Sibyll."

He turned to Professor McGonagall. "Might I ask you to escort Sibyll back upstairs, Professor McGonagall?"

"Of course," she nodded. "Up you get, Sibyll..."

She was quickly joined by Professor Sprout, who hurried to grab Trelawney's other arm, and they both guided her past Umbridge, not even looking at her, and up the marble stairs. Professor Flitwick went scurrying after them, his wand held out before him; he squeaked, "Locomotor trunks!" and Professor Trelawney's luggage rose into the air and proceeded up the staircase after her, Professor Flitwick bringing up the rear.

Professor Umbridge was standing stock-still, staring at Dumbledore, who continued to smile benignly. "And what," she said in a whisper that nevertheless carried all around the entrance hall, "are you going to do with her once I appoint a new Divination teacher who needs her lodgings?"

"Oh, that won't be a problem," said Dumbledore pleasantly. "You see, I have already found us a new Divination teacher, and he will prefer lodgings on the ground floor."

"You've found?" Umbridge replied, shock-still. "You've found? Might I remind you, Dumbledore, that under Educational Decree Twenty-two..."

"The Ministry has the right to appoint a suitable candidate if, and only if, the headmaster is unable to find one. And I am happy to say that on this occasion I have succeeded. May I introduce you?"

He turned to face the open front doors, through which night mist was now drifting. Hooves were heard and, through the mist came a face that brought Ben back to his first year, when Harry and him were nearly attacked back in the Forbidden Forest and were rescued by an interesting creature: white-blond hair and astonishingly blue eyes, the head and torso of a man joined to the palomino body of a horse.

"This is Firenze," Dumbledore announced happily to a thunderstruck Umbridge. "I think you'll find him suitable."

———————————————

That Friday, before it was time for Ben to head for Umbridge's office for his last punishment, he was sitting on his bed, curtains separating him from Dean and Seamus, who were chatting happily about something that had happened with a girl they fancied, or at least that's what he understood. Normally, he would've loved to listen, and he wouldn't have turned down their invitation to share their candy with him, but he wasn't in the mood for gossiping. For the moment.

He had been thinking about what to write in Audrey's letter since his argument with Harry that Monday. He needed to completely clear his mind, because he was absolutely panicking at the idea of not explaining himself properly and messing it up completely. He had a conversation with Alycia about it during lunch, and he was now sure of what was best to say.

The fact that Alycia agreed with him brought him both a sense of confort and a deeper worry. He was grateful she didn't think he was going crazy, and that she also thought Harry and Hermione should've at least told them. But knowing that she was also frightened out of her wits wasn't something to be calm about. So it was settled, it was time to write to Audrey, as their only remaining attempt at securing their safety for that summer.

Funnily enough, as soon as he began writing the words "Dear Audrey", a hooting was heard all over the room, and the sound of wings flapping surrounded his bed

"Hey, Ben, I think you've got a letter," said Seamus from outside.

He parted the bed curtains and peeked outside. It was none other than Audrey's owl. His heart gave a jolt, and he rushed to take the envelope carefully. The bird sat down on Neville's bedside table, as Ben drew the curtains close again. "Thanks, Seamus."

His heart pounding, he began reading.

Dear Ben,

Harry wrote to me this Monday, right after your fight.

You have no idea of how worried he seemed, and especially how sorry he was. He apologised to me about a dozen times, and explained everything to me. I assume he hasn't had the chance to tell you, since I know how stubborn you are, and since I can imagine how hurt you must have been. So, while I would like to be the one to tell you, I think he has the right to do it. He wants to, at least.

But, firstly, I want to reassure you that I will not be leaving you. I would never do that again to either of you. I need you as much as you need me, whether you believe it or not. Our plan still stands, I'm taking you out of there, no matter what we need to do.

You are both right about the article making it far more complicated, but I'm confident that I'm safe. Publishing it was a smart move from both of them, although not many people think The Quibbler is a very respectable source- No offense. And that, in a way, is going to help us. I would really like to explain everything to you, but we both know how risky that would be, so I think it's best if we wait to meet in person.

That is also one of the reasons why I can't tell you exactly what his plan was, but I want you to please talk to him, and to let him tell you what he wants you to know. I promise I don't think he thought it would bring you any sort of pain, or else he would've never done it. You are both dealing with undeniably hard times, and it's only natural that you're feeling tense and easily upset, but you can't let it completely ruin you. You know what I mean. Times will get better, for both of you, and the journey to get there will be easier if you stick together, like you always have.

Well, I have to go take care of a couple things, I really hope you write to me back (YOU BETTER) and let me know how everything is going. Tell Alycia that I love her and miss her a lot.

Lots of love,

Audrey.

He didn't fancy the idea of having to be the one to break the silence that had fallen between himself and Harry, but he assumed he had to. Harry had respected his wish to not talk, so it was him who had to do something about it.

So he did.

He made sure he was in front of Umbridge's office earlier than he should, so he'd maybe have a couple of minutes to talk to Harry. He arrived less than a minute before their arranged time with Umbridge, so he had to be quick. As soon as he watched him turn the corner, he rushed up to him.

"Harry!"

Harry nearly jumped, maybe expecting him to start being yelled at. "Ben?"

"Yeah," he said, not really sure why. He was far more nervous than what he'd expected as he waited for him to show up. "So, er... Hey."

"Hey..."

"Look, I'm s- Audrey sent me a letter."

Harry seemed to be fighting back the colours in his face. "Right..."

"And I wanted to talk to you."

"So someone has to talk you into speaking to me now."

Ben shook his head. "No, no, that's not... Look, Harry, I'm real-"

A deliberately loud, childish cough cut him off. They both turned to see Umbridge standing with her office door open, eyes fixed on them, clearly waiting.

"We'll talk later, if you want," concluded Harry.

The hour and a half they spent there was as silent as the rest of the week, but it felt slightly less uncomfortable. Both because he was basically now used to the pain of Umbridge's quill, and because he wasn't hurting as much inside. He found that, the faster he wrote, the less it hurt, but it did bleed far more, though. However, it caught Umbridge's attention, so she was much less focused on Harry, giving him the chance to take very small breaks every now and then, after finishing a letter. Breaks that he wouldn't have been allowed if she had her eyes glued on him.

When it was finally dark outside, Umbridge took a quick look at their hands, and their parchments. She tutted at the sight of Harry's. "How come you've written so little?"

"I thought you said we were supposed to write until it sank, and it clearly has," he replied.

"It better have," she said. And, with a quick gesture, she sent them away.

Harry and Ben walked in silence, but together, which was already something to be glad of. "You're bleeding a lot."

"I know," sighed Ben. "But I keep forgetting to bring a handkerchief."

"Do you still have Malfoy's?"

"Only because he refused to take it back, now that he was stained in traitor blood. So dramatic."

Harry looked into his eyes. "You know, I think he has a crush on you."

Ben gagged. "Don't say that ever again or I might actually throw up."

Harry chuckled under his breath, his cheeks in the reddish pink tone that always tinted them whenever they mentioned anything of that sort. "I mean it."

"Really?"

"Yeah," he nodded. "I've been thinking about it for a really long time. Ron agrees with me."

"Well that'd be disgusting."

"I never said it wouldn't," he shrugged.

"And truly unfortunate as well, because I'm never changing my mind."

"About what?"

"You know what."

Harry stopped walking, and Ben turned back to face him. He looked as though he was battling thousands of different thoughts inside his mind, deciding what to say or do.

"I think we do need to talk," he spoke, finally. "Let's go somewhere."

"Such as?"

"Astronomy tower or that place we went to, near the Slytherins?"

"The Astronomy tower?"

So that's where they went. The view was as beautiful as always, with the spring constellations now shining over them; March was starting to come to an end. Harry walked up to the railing, followed by Ben, and was silent for some instant before turning to him.

"So, Audrey sent you a letter."

He nodded. "She told me you sent her one as well."

"I wanted to make sure she knew it wasn't your fault, and that I had full responsibility for everything. I didn't know she was going to tell you, I had really hoped you didn't find out. I just- I was scared that you'd be right, and that you'd actually risk her leaving you and having to go back there."

"Then why did you do it?"

"So everyone would know what they are, and what they do. That way, they can't keep avoiding protecting you, and Dumbledore would have to take you out of there, one way or another. Just imagine how the public would react if they found out that Voldemort is back, that your parents are his followers, and that you're my best friend, and yet no one does anything to keep you safe."

Oh.

"That's... Brilliant, and I'm so sorry I didn't give you the chance to explain yourself. But Dumbledore won't do anything either way, and I think you know that, Harry."

"Why not?" he insisted. "Why are you so sure of that?"

"Because he has more important things to worry about. If there's someone that he'll actually risk everything to protect, it's definitely not me, but you," he admitted. "Did I tell you what happened last summer?"

"With your parents?"

"No, with the Order." Harry shook his head, so he sighed. "They told me they could take me out, if I wanted to. They said they would ensure my safety and find me somewhere safe to stay if that's what I decided. But they also offered me some sort of mission. My sister and Steve were supposed to be getting married last summer, as you know, and the Order expected many people they suspected to be either Death Eaters, or have important connections and information which could be useful would be invited. And, since I was invited as well, they said I could help retrieve as much information as possible. But the wedding was cancelled, and my parents found out about you, and you know the rest of it. Ebony was murdered for trying to protect me, which proves they're dangerous. I don't think Dumbledore would want to risk anyone's safety over mine. Maybe he still wants to use me as a spy, sending me back there."

Harry was silent for a while, and Ben couldn't read his expression. He had always blindfoldedly trusted Dumbledore, and he wasn't sure of how he would react to finding out all of this.

"So you're a puppet to him."

"Nothing more."

He breathed in, and out. "You know, I would risk my safety for yours."

"You're way too important for that."

"I don't care. Nothing's really that important for me if you're not here. I want you to be by my side, whether it's as a best friend or whatever, but I'm done with people forcing us apart. I refuse to keep losing you every now and then because of this, because of them."

He felt his heart flutter. "Audrey said she understands. She's keeping the promise she made to me. We will be going with her for the summer, and there's nothing to be scared of any more."

"Nothing?"

"Nothing."

Harry hugged him with such might that they both stumbled, crashing against a wall, and Ben burst into cackles. Chuckling, Harry looked at him. "Did I hurt you?"

"Nope."

He grinned, hands on Ben's shoulders. "So, what are you not changing your mind about?" Ben blushed, and tried to look down to their feet, but Harry lifted his face up by his chin. "Hm?"

"About what I said to you before Christmas... That night in the bathroom."

"In the bathroom?" he repeated, pretending to be confused. "What happened in the bathroom?"

Ben rolled his eyes. "You're so annoying."

"Yeah but you're..."

"...In love with you, yeah, I know."

He smirked. "That's what I wanted to hear."

So, now that he was satisfied, he pulled him down by his collar, and pressed his lips against his.

———————————————

As March slid into halfway through April, not only all the teachers but Hermione as well kept insisting on the importance of the O.W.L.s coming up. Everyone was suffering from stress to some degree, but Hannah Abbott was the first to end up needing a Calming Draught from Madam Pomfrey after she burst into tears during Herbology and sobbed that she was too stupid to take exams and wanted to leave school now.

Something Harry seemed to be really excited about was the Defense Against the Dark Arts .L. He was curious about how Umbridge would react when all the D.A. members ended up getting a far better grade than the rest.

They had finally started work on Patronuses, which everybody had been very keen to practice, though as Harry kept reminding them, producing a Patronus in the middle of a brightly lit classroom when they were not under threat was very different to producing it when confronted by something like a dementor.

"Make it a powerful memory, the happiest you can remember. Allow it to fill you up!" called Harry as he watched everyone's attempts. "A full-bodied Patronus is one of the most difficult to produce, but shield forms can also be equally useful against a variety of opponents."

Mei-Xing had been one of the first ones to get a full one; a beautiful swan that soared around the Room of Requirements, filling others with envy. "They're so pretty!"

"They're not supposed to be pretty, they're supposed to protect you," said Harry patiently. "What we really need is a boggart or something; that's how I learned, I had to conjure a Patronus while the boggart was pretending to be a dementor-"

"But that would be really scary!" said Lavender, who was shooting puffs of silver vapor out of the end of her wand. "And I still- can't- do it!" she added angrily.

Neville was having trouble too. His face was screwed up in concentration, but only feeble wisps of silver smoke issued from his wand tip.

"You've got to think of something happy," Harry reminded him.

"I'm trying," said Neville miserably, who was trying so hard his round face was actually shining with sweat.

"Harry, I think I'm doing it!" yelled Seamus, who had been brought along to his first ever D.A. meeting by Dean. "Look! Ah, it's gone... But it was definitely something hairy, Harry!"

"Ben! Look!" cried Alycia from between Marina, Rose and Hermione. He turned, and watched in awe as a tiny silvery little squirrel leaped around her. It didn't take too long before it faded into a puff, but it didn't bring her hopes down. Glowing, she ran up to him and jumped into a hug, with him holding her tight. "Did you see it?"

"I did!" he beamed in pride, spinning her around. "You did amazing, I'm so proud!"

"I need to keep trying so it doesn't fade as fast," she announced once she was back on the floor.

Harry smiled at her. "It did stay for so long for the first time! But do make sure to keep focused even after you've done it, that's the only way it can still protect you."

"Alright!" she rushed back next to Hermione, who was laughing as she watched Marina's ragdoll cat jump around, jumping after someone's mouse.

"What's yours?" Harry asked Ben excitedly. "I mean, which animal?"

"Er- Well, I, erm... I still haven't managed."

He wished Harry didn't think he was stupid or wasn't trying hard enough, because he certainly was. He was racking his mind in search of a powerful enough memory, but every one he found instantly brought with it a terrifying one that sucked all his happiness out. And he knew there wasn't much time left for the meeting.

"Harry, I don't think I can do this," he whispered truthfully.

"Don't say that, of course you can!"

He shook his head. "No, really. I can't."

"Which memory have you been trying to use?"

"I've tried many different ones. Most about either Alycia and you three and Thomas, but nothing comes out. Not even a bit of smoke, like Neville. Don't get me wrong, I have hundreds of memories I love with all of you, but everything seems to have a downside, you know?"

"Yeah, I understand," he said, thoughtfully. He bit his lower lip. "Think about when you made up with Audrey, and when she told you about her plan. But don't let your mind get into what it means, what it freed you from. Only focus on what you felt."

It was absolutely brilliant, after he thought about it for a second. Of course. That moment had been some sort of mixture between everything that had ever made him happy. Because it meant he was free from them, and for everyone he loved: Alycia, Audrey, Harry, Ron, Hermione, Thomas... And the best part was that it was happening. It wasn't only just a memory, but a promise so full of hope that made everything worth it.

"Expecto patronum!" he exclaimed.

Slowly yet surely, the end of his wand lit up. He heard Alycia giggle at how Ron's Jack Russell Terrier kept chasing after Hermione's otter. He heard Thomas and Leah joking around behind him. And he could feel Harry's encouraging eyes. And the light expanded, suddenly turning very quickly into a dog.

A golden retriever.

"Oh, that's my favourite dog breed!" he laughed. And it began running all around the room, only stopping to take a look at Alycia's squirrel, which soon jumped on his back and they both continued the run.

He met her sparkling eyes, now tiny because of her wide smile, and he knew that sole memory would always be strong enough to conjure his patronus for the rest of his life.

"Well done!" Harry congratulated him, looking as proud as ever. "I didn't even know patronuses could touch each other!"

Ben laughed. "Well, have a look at Hermione's and Ron's..."

The girl's otter had stopped running away from the boy's dog, and they were now deep in a playful fight. Harry and Ben exchanged knowing smirks. "Just like them, aren't they?"

The door of the Room of Requirement opened and then closed again. Harry and Ben looked around to see who had entered, but there did not seem to be anybody there. It was a few moments before he realized that the people close to the door had fallen silent. Next thing they knew, something was tugging at Harry's robes somewhere near the knee. They looked down and saw, to their very great astonishment, Dobby the house-elf peering up at him from beneath his usual eight hats.

"Hi, Dobby!" He greeted him, and suddenly seemed to notice he was shaking as he looked up at them with his eyes wide from terror. "What are you- What's wrong?"

Everybody in the room was watching Dobby. The few Patronuses people had managed to conjure faded away, leaving the room looking much darker than before.

"Harry Potter, sir..." squeaked the elf, trembling from head to foot, "Harry Potter, sir... Dobby has come to warn you... But the house-elves have been warned not to tell..."

"What's happened, Dobby?" Harry asked, grabbing the elf's tiny arm and holding him away from anything with which he might seek to hurt himself.

"Harry Potter... She- She..." Dobby hit himself hard on the nose with his free fist: Harry seized that too.

"Who's 'she,' Dobby?"

No words came out of Dobby's shaky mouth, but there was no need. Harry looked up to Ben, and he could tell they both knew there was only one 'she' that could induce such fear on Dobby. "Umbridge."

Dobby nodded, then tried to bang his head off Harry's knees; Harry held him at bay.

"What about her? Dobby... she hasn't found out about this, about us, about the D.A.?"

Dobby's hands held fast by Harry, the elf tried to kick himself and fell to the floor. It was impossible not to read the answer on his face.

"Is she coming?" Harry asked quietly.

Ben backed away, in search of Alycia and Rose, before Dobby had the chance to let out a howl, and began beating his bare feet hard on the floor. "Yes, Harry Potter, yes!"

They were both motionless, their innocent big eyes looking up at him in terror. He took them both their arms calmly yet surely, and started moving as Harry bellowed: "WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? RUN!"

Everyone jolted toward the exit at once. Afraid they wouldn't realise how stupid it would be to directly run towards their Common Room, Ben stopped Thomas as soon as they came out. "Take them away, keep them safe," he instructed.

Without any need of explanations, Thomas nodded and both girls let go of Ben's grip, and ran after the Slytherin, the three of them soon disappearing as they turned around a corner. He trusted Thomas to be able to pretend they were just on a casual walk around the castle.

Two less things to worry about.

He couldn't see any of his other friends, but he was sure they'd manage to escape. He was most concerned about a group of younger students who were rushing down a completely empty hall, their footsteps echoing all over. They were definitely getting caught.

So he jolted after them, joining them in merely just a couple of seconds. "Hey, hey, stop!", he whisper-yelled. The six of them obeyed at once, and turned to him, gasping for air. Before he had the chance to catch his own breath, he caught a glimpse of a wand pointing at them from behind a column.

Before thinking clearly, as soon as he realised the wand belonged to a smirking Goyle, he pulled out his own wand. "Expelliarmus!"

The group gasped in shock as Goyle was shot up into the air with such strength that even Ben's eyes widened in surprise as he rolled onto the floor, nearly crashing against the wall at the end of the corridor with a groan and a thud. He hadn't meant to hurt him.

But he had been about to, with his wand pointing at them. And, even if the spell he was about to perform wasn't harmful itself, Umbridge's punishment would certainly be.

So he stopped himself from going to check on him.

"Follow me!" he exclaimed, and ran around the corner next to where Parkinson had been hiding behind, followed by all of them. He soon reached his destination: the entrance to the Owlery. "Hurry, go upstairs quickly and pretend you were just checking for mail. If you're caught short, say you ran up the stairs too fast. And remember, you have not seen Harry, or either of us. Okay?"

"Okay," nodded a tall second-year Gryffindor boy he did recognise, and who seemed to be the leader of the group. "Thank you. Let's go."

And they rushed up, the door closing up behind them.

He waited for half a minute there, in case Umbridge or any of her dirty little assistants walked by. But nobody came around, not even Goyle. He wondered if he had moved already, so he casually went back, to find him sitting on the floor, back against the wall, eyes on the column he was hiding behind.

His gaze lifted as Ben's footsteps approached him. "Fucking blood traitor."

Ben smirked at the sight. "Be thankful this blood traitor didn't send you through the wall."

"Oh I'm gonna get you in so much trouble for this," he began, furiously.

"One would think you'd have to stand up to do that."

After giving him some seconds in case he did try to stand up, he grew bored, and walked away with a chuckle. 

A/N: What did you think Ben and Alycia's patronuses would be? Hope you enjoyed!!