𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓡𝓪𝓻𝓮𝓼𝓽 𝓸𝓯 𝓟𝓸𝓽𝓲𝓸𝓷𝓼: ǟ ʀɛǟʟɨȶʏ ֆɦɨʄȶɨռɢ ȶǟʟɛ ✤ ֆɛʋɛʀʊʂ ҳ օƈ

𝑆𝑜𝑓𝑡, 𝐶𝑜𝑙𝑑; 𝑎 𝐺𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑙𝑒𝑚𝑎𝑛 𝑁𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑙𝑒𝑠𝑠

Felicity inched her head, but Umbridge jerked her wand again at Felicity in warning. So she kept still, eyes trailing on a blurry dark figure where Luna lay.

"These students---she broke Wizarding laws!" Umbridge huffed, eyeing Felicity's necklace.

"And I assure you, I will punish them most severely. Malfoy, as your Head of House I take responsibility for student possessions. Hand over Miss Lovegood's and Miss Felicity's cloaks."

Draco held his wand still, still aiming at Felicity.

Severus growled. "Malfoy."

Draco huffed, drawing out their cloaks, stomping over to his head of house, and passed them into his hands.

"Hem hem."

A silence followed.

Umbridge smiled sweetly in the Potions Master's direction. "Ah, yes, Severus. Would you be so kind to provide Veritaserum?"

"Unfortunately, you've used up our stores, with the last of it on Miss Edgecomb. Unless you wish to poison Miss Felicity---and I assure you, I have the greatest sympathy if you did . . . I'm afraid I cannot help you."

Felicity bit back snorting a laugh. The last time she spoke to Harry, he revealed the tea Umbridge gave her victims never forced them to actually spill information. Thus, false Veritaserum.

Merlin, Severus lying to Umbridge, especially his desire to poison Felicity when all he did was heal her, made him all the more adorable.

"However, spare yourself the trouble of two dunderheads. I shall take over from here."

Her eyes squinted even more as she curved a sick smile. "I should like her necklace, please. This requires the Ministry's examination."

The quartz nudged against her neck, then levitated gently, and into Professor Snape's hands. "And call in the Aurors at this late hour? File the paperwork for a warrant? I assure you, I have personal experience with this breach, and as a Professor, I have full rights to examine such items, so long as the Head of Hogwarts approves."

Umbridge puckered her lips, then flicked her gaze to a hateful narrowing of the eyes at Felicity. "One hour," she decided, finally. "One hour to report your analysis."

Umbridge cleared her throat, then flung Felicity towards Professor Snape and an unconscious Luna. The Headmistress brushed down her cardigan and straightened her back, then turned on her heel, beckoning Draco.

Once they left, Felicity raised her head at a furious, jaw-set Snape. "You attacked. a. student?"

"Disarming spell; besides Draco stupefied---"

"SILENCE!" He hissed, his livid gaze trailing down Luna.

"But Sir---"

Across the hall, Severus held a palm to Felicity, then knelt down. He hovered his wand above Luna, observing her.

"You. Were. Saying, Miss. Felicity?"

A light-hearted giggle escaped from the floor.

Felicity rushed towards her friend, then scooped Luna's head in her arms. "Oh I know, I know, I need to observe more."

Luna propped her elbows on the floor, then pushed upward. "Gods, you and Umbridge fell for it, the look on your face the whole time, I don't even know how I contained myself---"

Felicity wrinkled up her nose in disgust at the thought of being compared to a Ministry toad. "Hold it, what about Draco?"

Shrugging, she got on her feet and cracked her spine backward. She glanced up at Snape, then back at Felicity.