If.it.had.not.been.for.the.DA.lessons,.Harry.thought.he.would.have.been.extremely.unhappy..He.sometimes.felt.he.was.living.for.the.hours.he.spent.in.the.Room.of.Requirement,.working.hard.but.thoroughly.enjoying.himself.at.the.same.time,.swelling.with.pride.as.he.looked.around.at.his.fellow.DA.members.and.saw.how.far.they.had.come..Indeed,.Harry.sometimes.wondered.how.Umbridge.was.going.to.react.when.all.the.members.of.the.DA.received.
.Outstanding..in.their.Defence.Against.the.Dark.Arts.OWLs..
They.had.finally.started.work.on.Patronuses,.which.everybody.had.been.very.keen.to.practise,.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.from.producig.it.when.confronted.by.something.like.a.Dementor..
.Oh,.don.t.be.such.a.killjoy,..said.Cho.brightly,.watching.her.silvery.swan‐shaped.Patronus.soar.around.the.Room.of.Requirement.during.their.last.lesson.before.Easter..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.1.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.vapour.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.DA.meeting.by.Dean...Look.‐.ah.‐it.s.gone….but.it.was.definitely.something.hairy,.Harry!..
Hermione.s.Patronus,.a.shining.silver.otter,.was.gambolling.around.her..
They.are.sort.of.nice,.aren.t.they?..she.said,.looking.at.it.fondly..
The.door.of.the.Room.of.Requirement.opened,.and.closed..Harry.looked.round.to.see.who.had.entered,.but.there.did.not.seem.to.be.anybody.there..It.was.a.few.moments.before.he.realised.that.the.people.close.to.the.door.had.fallen.silent.
.Next.thing.he.knew,.something.was.tugging.at.his.robes.somewhere.near.the.knee..He.looked.down.and.saw,.to.his.very.great.astonishment,.Dobby.the.house‐elf.peering.up.at.him.from.beneath.his.usual.eight.woolly.hats..
.Hi,.Dobby!..he.said...What.are.you.‐.What.s.wrong?..
The.elf.s.eyes.were.wide.with.terror.and.he.was.shaking..The.members.of.the.DA.closest.to.Harry.had.fallen.silent;.everybody.in.the.room.was.watching.Dobby.
.The.few.Patronuses.people.had.managed.to.conjure.faded.away.into.silver.mist,
.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…..