Follow the Butterflies

Chapter 5: Harry's Obsession with Weasleys

By heartdamoose

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

"All right," said Harry standing on a small crate in the Room of Requirement during another DA meeting. "I have decided that today I am going to be testing each of you on your patronuses."

"What do you mean you're testing us?" demanded Fred, outraged.

"Yeah! What are you going to do next? Give us bloody N.E.W.T.s?" added George.

"This isn't a class Harry. We have enough work as it is!"

Harry stared at the both of them blankly. "You two are going first."

Fred glared and got out his wand. People got out of his way as he walked to the center of the room.

Fred yawned lazily and gave his wand a little swing. "Expecto Patronum."

A silvery thread of light erupted from his wand that formed into the shape of a large penguin.

"That's your patronus?" said Ginny laughing. "It's a penguin!"

"Right you are sis," said Fred rumpling her hair. "I see you're getting smarter. It must be the therapy."

Ginny gave Fred a death glare that would make Voldemort shudder. Fred instantly dropped it. Ginny smirked.

"Okay George my friend. You're next," said Fred as he clasped his brother's shoulder.

George grinned and walked to the center of the room. He threw his wand in the air and caught it nimbly. "Expecto Patronum!"

Out came the same silvery thread from his wand. It quickly transformed into a moose that galloped around the room and stopped in front of Luna as it pretended to eat her hat.

Luna giggled. "This reminds me of the Snorwick famine when all of the Fledgerbombs ate the majestic Cappersnaps."

Silence.

"So...a moose," started Seamus. "It sure is orginal."

George bowed and left the center of the room as if it were some type of performance.

Harry looked around the room for his next victim. His eyes fell on Ron. "Ron, you go next."

"Oi! How come you're only picking Weasleys!" said Seamus, outraged. "You...you...Weasley lover!"

Meanwhile, all the blood in Ron's body had flushed all the way down to his feet. Oh crap...

Ron had known the minute he'd walked into the DA room that he would regret it. Now he'd have to show his butterfly to the whole DA!

There was only one thing he could do.

He walked to the center of the room, smiled weakly at Harry, and held up his wand nervously.

Don't think happy thoughts, don't think happy thoughts, he urged himself.

"Um...Expecto Plutonium."

Nothing happened except for half of the DA class laughing. The other half looked thoroughly confused.

"Er...Ron," Harry said uneasily. "You said it wrong."

Ron's eyebrows rose. "Did I really?" He hit his forehead with his hand. "Could I have another go?"

Harry nodded grimly.

He lifted his wand with a shaky hand. "Expresso Patronum!"

This time everyone was laughing.

"Oh God, you're kidding me," whispered Harry shaking his head. "Ron, I know you can do this. You said yourself that you almost had it. What's the deal?"

"I dunno. Let me try again. E-expecto Patronum."

A silvery wisp came out, but thankfully, no butterfly.

"That's good enough," said Harry, nodding. "You'll get it soon. Everyone has their highs and lows. Ginny, let's see yours."

"Another Weasley!" cried Seamus throwing up his hands.

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

The minute DA was over, Ron raced out of the room and walked away as quickly as his legs could carry him, knowing that Harry would want to talk to him.

"Psst! Weasley!" hissed a voice from inside an empty classroom.

Ron froze and turned to the door. Malfoy was leaning on the doorframe, grinning. How in the world does he just appear like that?

Malfoy motioned for him to come inside. Ron followed him and leaned against the wall as Malfoy sat at a desk.

"Step into my office Weasley," he said grinning.

"Since when do you have an office?" said Ron coldly. "What do you want anyway?"

"I thought of something else I want you to do," he said, smirking evilly.

"Enlighten me."

Malfoy took out a piece of paper and handed it to him. "I want you to stand up and read this to the teachers during dinner tomorrow, in front of the whole school." His grin grew.

Ron read what was on the paper with a grim face. When he was finished, his eyes widened and he gulped. "You're joking."

Malfoy sneered. "I'm afraid I'm not, Weasley."

"There is no way I'm doing this. Are you trying to expel me?"

"Well, yeah...but that's not the point. And yes, you are doing this," said Malfoy. "Because I have that wonderful picture of you and happy butterfly, on standby at the Daily Prophet for the front page," he pointed out, examining his nails.

Ron's eyes widened and he forced himself to smile. "On second thought, I would love to say this...um...thing."

Malfoy grinned. "Excellent."