Christmas break was over, it was unusually warm out. Cortney was helping Hermione and Ron find Harry. They saw him talking to Cho.

" Harry! Hagrid's back! " Hermione exclaimed. Harry waved goodbye to Cho and joined them. They were practically racing each other down to the hut. Just about to knock when they heard her voice. Cortney dove out of the way and looked through the window. The other three joined her.

" I'll say this one last time, I'm ordering you to tell me where you've been," Umbridge demanded. They saw her questioning Hagrid.

" I told you, I've been away for me health," Hagrid answered.

" Your health? " Umbridge asked. She leaned towards the window, the for ducked in time.

" Yeah, a bit of fresh air you know? " Hagrid said.

" Oh yes as a gamekeeper fresh air must be difficult to come by," Umbridge said sarcastically. " If I were you I wouldn't even bother unpacking at all". She gave him her signature smile. the four moved as she exited the hut.  She sprayed perfume on it and headed back up to the castle. Once she was out of sight, they knocked on the door. Hagrid opened it looking annoyed to think she was back, but his face lit up when he saw the students. Hagrid was beaten up badly, he had a giant black eye.  He invited them in for tea. Hagrid held a steak to his eye as Harry asked him where he's been.

" This is top secret, alright? " Hagrid said. The four nodded." Dumbledore sent me to parley with giants".

" Giants! " Hermione gasped. Hagrid shushed her.

" You found them? " Harry asked.

" Well they're not that hard to find to be perfectly honest," Hagrid admitted. " They're a little big to see. I tried convincing them to join the Order. And I wan't the only one to win them over".

" Death Eaters," Ron said.

" Yes, persuading them to join You-Know-Who," Hagrid said.

" Did they? " Harry asked.

" I gave them Dumbledore's message. I suppose some of them remember that he was friendly to them, I suppose," Hagrid sighed.

" They did this to you? " Cortney asked.

" Not exactly," Hagrid. Fang began to bark, wanting the steak. " On on you have it then" Hagrid laughed tossing the dog the steak. Fang happily ate it. A breeze came through a half-opened window. All of them stood up to look out the window. " It's changing out there. Just like last time. There's a storm comin Harry, and when she does we best be ready when she does," Hagrid warned.

*************

Hagrid's warning was true. Daily Prophet had a story on a major prison breakout in Azkaban. Her parents were one of the prisoners to break out. Millions of devoted followers of Voldemort broke out. Cornelius Fudge continued to deny his return, and the breakout and was the cause of the Dark Lord. These breakouts were caused by the mass murderer Sirius Black. Everyone was on edge, with all these Death Eaters loose. Being warned to keep caution. Cortney was very cautious, so many thoughts ran through her head. Will this mean she will be meeting her mother for the first time at any given moment? And her dad too? She was sitting in the Great Hall with Seamus. She was staring blankly at her plate.

" Dumbledore warned Fudge this could happen. he's going to get us killed if he doesn't face the truth," Hermione said coming down the hall with Harry and Ron. Seamus got up, Cortney slowly turned her head and looked at him.

" Harry," Seamus said. They stopped and looked at him, the first time they spoke without getting into a fight. " I uh, wanted to apologize". Seamus told him that he's sorry, since his mother read the Daily Prophet he had to believe it. " But, what I'm trying to say is....I believe you".

" That's alright Seamus, I don't blame you," Harry said, they passed. 

" I knew, you'd come around," Cortney said smiling up at him.

" Shove up off Lestrange," Seamus said rolling his eyes and sitting back down. 

*******

Cortney was in the hallways all by herself. She was heading to the library to return books.

" Isn't that Bellatrix Lestrange's daughter? " Pavarti asked. Cortney looked and saw some people around her. She stopped walking.  

" Careful, she might torture you," Lavender teased. " I can't believe I used to be friends with her".

" Shut up! " Cortney snapped. Students crowded around them. Seamus, Dean, Neville, and the Golden Trio were all right in front. To see what was happening.

" The biggest difference between and your stupid mother of yours is she is powerful," Lavender said. " You're weak, useless compared to your mother". Cortney dropped all her stuff and whipped out her wand, pinning Lavender to the wall.

" Cortney doesn't! " Seamus shouted. " This is not what I meant by being able to defend yourself! "

" Talk shit about me and my family one more time blondie," Cortney threatened. " I will be your worse nightmare". Cortney's eyes were dark and scary. " Do I make myself clear ? " Lavender gulped and nodded her head, she was absolutely terrified.  She back up, picked up her stuff and put her wand away.

" Ms. Lestrange! Detention for threatening a student! " Umbridge squeaked. Cortney rolled her eyes and began to walk away.

" You are cruel! Just like your family! " Lavender shouted.  Cortney gave her the fakest smile facing her. " I hope you end up rotting in hell with your parents when they get back in. You'll be reunited with them once again".

" You haven't seen my cruel side. No one has. But honey, you might be the first to witness it. This is no longer a game," Cortney said. With that, she left and went to the library. Umbridge left and everyone surrounded Lavender. 

" I can be your bodyguard," Seamus offered. " And I know most of her weaknesses".

" Aren't you two friends? " Alicia asked.

Was," Seamus corrected her. " After what just happened, not anymore".

" You know Cortney, won't seriously injure you," Joey informed.

" How could you stick up for her? " Angelina asked crossing her arms and gangling at him. 

" She's only like her parents in some ways. The Malfoy's never taken her to see them," Milan said.

 " Cortney's an orphan too. She thought they died in Azkaban all this. This being they never wrote her, or was taken to see them," De'lexi said.

" She's probably terrified, at any given moment, she could meet them," Ron said. 

" Maybe you don't know her as well as you thought you did Seamus," Padam said. 

" I guess not," Seamus said looking in the direction Cortney went.  Most people were gone by now.

" Your wrong Lavender," Hermione said.

" Wrong about what? " Lavender asked.

" Cortney is not weak. I've seen her perform magic when she thought no one was watching. She is a powerful witch. With and without magic," Hermione said.

" I am defiantly going to protect you," Seamus said.

" Me too," Neville said.

" Me three," chimed Dean

***********

Lessons have started back up. Today they were learning about the Patronus Charm. The hardest lesson Harry probably has taught. He showed them his Patronus.

" Make it a powerful memory. The happiest you can remember," Harry began. " Allow it to fill you up". He saw Seamus struggling, today was his first day. " Keep trying Seamus ! " Cortney looked over at Seamus and he looked at her. He looked angry with her, she looked away. " A full-body Patronus is the most difficult to produce. But shields forms can be equally useful against a variety of opponents". Ginny just produced a horse. It galloped around the room gracefully. " Fantastic Ginny ! Wonderful ! " He walked over to Luna. " Just remember your Patronus can only protect you for as long as you stay focused. So focus. Luna" Hermione made an otter and Ron made a Jack Russell Terrier that knocked Neville down.

" I'm trying," Neville sighed. Harry came up to Cortney and tapped her on the shoulder.

" Come on Cort, I know you have some upbeat memories in there," Harry said. " Don't worry not all of us think you are going to majorly hurt Lavender".

" Thanks, Harry," Cortney said smiling at them as he walked away. She thought really hard. As she did that Luna produced a bunny. " Expecto Patronum! " Cortney shouted along with many other shouts.  A silvery-white color came out of her wand. TAking shape of a fox. Cortney smiled widely. ' Who knew, my Animagus and favorite animal would be my Patronus ?' Cortney thought to herself. The fox went over to a lemur, a coyote, and another bunny. She looked over to see these creatures, coming out of Joey, Milan's, and De'lexis' wands. They all smiled at each other as their animals started to play, as they would in their Animagus form. All of a sudden Cortney's fox left the others and joined another fox? It was brushing up against the other one in a comforting way. The other one did the same. Cortney smiled and looked at the two curiously. She looked down, the other fox came from Seamus. The two made eye contact. Cortney's fox along with everyone's silvery-white ghost disappeared. The room began to shake as if it was an earthquake. The room went silent, everyone looked around as the room began to shake more. The mirrors on the walls broke. There was a small hole in the wall. Nigel walked up to the hole. Harry moved him and saw Umbridge and her gang through the hole.

" I'll make short of this," Umbridge said pointing her wand at the wall. Harry grabbed Nigel and pushed him out of the way, " Bombara MAxima! " The wall exploded, pieces hitting some people. Draco shoved a crying Cho into view. Draco looked at Cortney with disappointment.

" Get them! " Umbridge said. They grabbed Harry and everyone roughly. Harry was taken to the office with Cho. In Dumbledore's office were Ministry people including Percy and Kingsley.

" We've been watching them for weeks. And see' Dumbledore's Army' proof of what I've been telling you right from the very beginning Cornelius," Umbridge said. Percy held Cho and Harry. "All of your fear-mongering about You-Know-Who never fooled us for a minute. We saw your lies for what they were, smokescreen, for your goal to seize the Ministry.

" Naturally," Dumbledore said with twinkling eyes,

" No. He had nothing to do with it, it was me! " Harry insisted.

" Most Nobel of you Harry to shield me. But it's been pointed out, the parchment clearly says ' Dumbledore's Army ' not Potters'," Dumbledore began. " I've instructed Harry to form this organization, and I and I alone am responsible for these activities". Fudge began to speak to his men.

" ...you will escort Dumbledore to Azkaban. To await trial for conspiracy and sedition". Harry tried to get out of Percy's grip.

" Ah, I thought you might hit this little snag. You seem to be laboring under the illusion 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," Dumbledore said.

" Enough of this! Take him! " Umbridge ordered. Dumbledore winked at Harry. Fawkes flew over his head, Dumbledore grabbed the Phoenix. Fire and wind came from nowhere, when it disappeared, he was gone. Everyone thrown back stood up slowly trying to gain balance.

" Woah," Kingsley breathed, he stood next to Fudge. " Well, you may not like it Minister, but you can't deny Dumbledore's got style".