In Finding My Honor

Chapter 5: More Important Matters

"Patronuses!" Emma repeated, "You learn how to conjure patronuses!" Emma had been a little too enthusiastic and earned many shushes from the near by students in the library.

"Honestly, Emma, it's not that big of a deal," Violet said, turning a page of her book.

"You're right! It isn't that big of a deal," Emma gasped, "It's an even bigger deal!"

"Come one, Emma, patronuses are nothing new," Ginny said, playing with her quill, not paying any attention to her potions homework, "We learned it last year in our D.A meetings."

"If you haven't forgotten," Emma said her voice hitching and Violet wasn't sure if it was out of annoyance or regret, "my father would have murdered me—murdered me—if he ever found out I joined. I couldn't risk it. And anyways—"

"I wonder what my patronus would be," Alyssa piped in, cutting her dorm mate mid sentence.

"Mine's a horse," Ginny said proudly, still not paying any attention to her work, her white quill twirling rapidly round her fingertips.

"Mine is a fox," Emma said, "Well, I mean, I assume it would be. It represents responsibility, agility and intellect. Fits me well, right?" she said raising an eyebrow, waiting for the others to agree, and when no one answered she quickly spoke again, "What's your patronus, Violet?"

"A jack rabbit," she mumbled turning another page of her book. The truth was, she wasn't actually reading it. Her mind was cloudy and her thoughts were somewhere else. Malfoy's cut hand, the sparkling object, the Room of Requirement. It was too obvious that something was up. 'I...uh...I saw you following Malfoy.' Harry was there too, but was it to follow Malfoy, or her? Maybe neither, maybe he had his own agenda. She shifted positions on her chair, but could not seem to get comfortable.

"I'm pretty sure mine would be a white liger." Alyssa said

"A tiger?" Emma asked, taking the quill out of Ginny's hands, "You're going to poke your eye out, or worse, mine."

"No a L-I-G-E-R." Alyssa said, sounding out the word slowly, "A white one."

"What the hell is a liger?" Ginny said snatching the quill back from Emma.

Well it's obvious Malfoy and Potter aren't working together, and why would Harry be following me? So he must have been following Mafloy... And what's Malfoy even playing at? Violet hid behind her book, lingering in her thoughts.

"It's a cross bread between a tiger and a lion. Very rare. And white ligers are even rarer," Alyssa said, her eyes becoming round, "They say there are only ten in the world."

"Honestly, Alyssa, you're starting to sound like that Lovegood girl," Emma said rolling her eyes.

"What's wrong with Luna?" Ginny barked up angrily, but before Emma could stutter a response, their conversation was interrupted by a very satisfied looking Katie Bell.

"I was instructed to give these to you," Katie said setting an envelope in front of both Violet and Ginny, "See you two Friday." She added with a wink then left. Violet looked up from her book and took it in her hand, using the nail of her thumb to tear open the envelope. She took out two pieces of parchment.

Dear Violet Ward;

Congratulations, you have made this year's Gryffindor Quidditch Team. Throughout this year you will be playing for your house as a chaser. Stop by Professor McGonagall's office to pick up your tailored uniform. A broom, a broomstick servicing kit, and a basic first aid pouch will also be required from you at all practices and games. On the second piece of parchment you can find the game schedule for this term. Our first practice will be this coming Friday, where you will receive further notice on future quidditch practices. Congratulations once again!

Sincerely,

Harry Potter, Gryffindor Quidditch Captain

"The quidditch team!" Ginny squealed then peered over her shoulder at Violet's letter, "Yay! You're chaser too!"

"You know, apparently in China, they do this yearly quidditch interaction with ligers..." Alyssa began, but stopped, sinking back down into her chair as Emma gave her a cold stare.

"Where on earth am I supposed to find a basic first aid pouch?" Ginny laughed turning to Violet, her quill twirling around her fingers once again with excitement, and all the chances there were of the ginger finishing her potions work were lost. And I mean, this isn't all in my head, Potter knows something is up too. Violet's mind was not on quidditch; normally she would be ecstatic. She would probably have been bouncing off the walls, getting shushed at more times that you could count. This is, after all, what she's always wanted. However, her reaction was anything but that. She had way more pressing matters to deal with at the moment. Maybe if I talked to Harry, he would—no, no, he was the one that warned me, he doesn't want me chasing after Malfoy.

"Violet, what do you think?" Emma asked. Violet looked up sharply; she had been too lost in her thoughts and hadn't followed the conversation.

"Uh...yeah," she said forcing a weak smile, "...potions, Slughorn. Always intense..." she said randomly then stood, up hitting the table with her knees.

"Vi, you feeling okay?" Alyssa asked, but Violet just let out a huff and gathered her books.

"I'll see you guys later," she managed to say and ran out of the library. She couldn't concentrate, her curiosity had gotten the best of her and now she couldn't stop thinking about this situation.

To Violet's annoyance, the corridors were crowded with people, when she emerged from the library. The last classes of the day had been let out and students now hurried back to their dorms, excited to get some rest and free time. Deciding that it was to hard to navigate around the clumps of anxious first years, gossiping 4th year girls, and rough housing Huffelpuff and Slytherin boys, she headed back to the Gryffindor Tower where she'd drop off her heavy bag.

Violet quickly slurred the password to the fat lady; then pushed around the Gryffindor common room, up to the girl's dorms. Violet headed down the small hallway and stopped in front of the two 5th year girl dorm rooms. Violet peered into the first one and saw Lily Darten, who gave Violet a smile that wasn't returned. Violet pushed into the second room and dropped her book bag on her bed, relieved that her dorm was empty, for the other girls still talked in the library.

After removing her robes and sweater vest so that she was only left in a now more comfortable uniform—white blouse, gray skirt, Gryffindor tie— she left the Gryffindor tower, her wand clutched in her right hand. Violet hurried down the corridors, bumping into students amongst the dense crowds. However, as she continued her path towards the seventh floor corridor she had followed Malfoy to a couple days before, the students got scarcer until she was almost, completely alone. She felt an uneasy shiver run down her body when she came face to face with the tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy teaching trolls ballet in empty passageway, marking the area where hid the Room. Taking a deep breath, she willed the door into existance, then waited. Nothing happened. She let out a frustrated sigh and tried it again, but she knew it wouldn't do anything. All the D.A members had learned the year before that the room would only presents itself when someone was in need of it. Well she was in need of it wasn't she? What could Malfoy possibly need in there more than her?

I need to see what Mafloy is doing. Nothing. I really need to see what Draco Malfoy is up to in the room. Nothing I really need to be in the Room of Requirement exactly where Draco Malfoy disappears to every day. Still nothing. I really need to find—her quiet pleading to the door were interrupted by the noise of laughter down the hall, coming towards her direction. She let out an irritated breath. Why couldn't any one just leave her be for a couple minutes. She really just needed a place where she could think in peace...Just then the wall shifted and within a blink of an eye the appearing closet door had grown into the majestic entrance she had seen so many times before.

With a smile of satisfaction Violet pulled the door open, with surprising ease, and was inside before anyone could see her.