when i met you

115

Dobby burst into the Room of Requirement some minutes later to alert them all about Professor Umbridge.

"Is she coming?" Harry asked quietly.

Dobby let out a howl, and began beating his bare feet hard on the floor.

"Yes, Harry Potter, yes!"

Harry straightened up and looked around at the motionless, terrified people gazing at the thrashing elf.

"WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?" Harry bellowed. "RUN!"

Everyone scrambled. Out of instinct, the seventh-years immediately grabbed the few second- and third-year students and dragged them out of the room with them. Ahead of her, Lexi could see Cedric, Amber, and Rolf with two other younger Hufflepuffs as they made their escape to the dungeons. Under her own arm was tucked the Ravenclaw muggle-born third-year who'd spoken about her Patronus earlier; Ginny was close behind them.

They heard Draco Malfoy's voice from somewhere not too far away and ran as fast as they possibly could. They were almost out —

"Oi!" Someone shot a spell at their group of three and it hit the youngest, sending her tripping to the floor. Footsteps behind them were getting louder.

Lexi dragged the girl back up to her feet as Ginny caught up to them, Theodore Nott was following them, "He won't stop. Get her back to Ravenclaw Tower," she told Ginny.

"Lex—"

"GO!"

So, Ginny ran off again, helping the third-year with her while Lexi spun around and held her hands up for Nott, dropping her wand to the floor. He came closer to her and picked up her wand, expressionless.

"Nott."

"Potter."

As she went to speak again when Nott shoved her down the hall from behind, he cut her off, "— Don't even try. I'm not following them, am I? Just you."

Despite herself, Lexi let out a small 'thank you', to which he replied with 'don't thank me, I'm taking you in'. He didn't want to, she could tell, though, she didn't know why he didn't want to.

As if he could see the gears turning in her head, he said very quietly, "I don't like who I am. Believe it or not, I wanted to be in Gryffindor. I wanted to get away from becoming this person. I'm sorry I can't do that today."

There were other members of the Inquisitorial squad around now and one of them told Nott to 'take Potter to Dumbledore's office, the other one's there with Umbridge'.

"You can," she replied desperately.

"I like you, Lexi, I do... but I can't. Now, shut up before you get us caught."

Not another word was exchanged during the rest of the walk to the Headmaster's office. Someone the gargoyle practically leapt aside for them as if it knew they were coming, and Nott gently pushed her in alone.

The office was full of people. Dumbledore, Professor McGonagall, Cornelius Fudge, Kingsley Shacklebolt, Percy Weasley, and another man named Dawlish whom Lexi recognised from the papers. Harry also stood in the room.

"Ah! Miss Potter!" announced Fudge delightedly, clapping his grubby hands together. "Both of them!"

"Who brought you in, girl?" demanded Umbridge sharply as she tugged Lexi rather sharply to stand beside Harry.

"Theodore Nott," she immediately responded, hoping that could repay something to him.

"I'll see to it he's commended appropriately."