I Am Lacerta - Reposted for the Watty Awards 2011

I Am Lacerta Chapter 36

I Am Lacerta Chapter 36

 The next two days passed in a blur, I focussed all my concentration into cracking the Azkaban code - how was I supposed to get into Azkaban, unharmed, then back out again alive with ten roudy deatheaters, including my mother - who I was told had gone insane in Azkaban..

Then I woke up on the 3rd September and realised I had it. I spent the whole day planning and replanning, and checking my plans again and realising that I had made a massive flaw, replanning the whole escape again, then having to recheck to be double certain that everything would go smoothly.. all while on my shift at The Three Broomsticks.Madam Rosmerta could obviously tell I was preoccupied so she didn't bug me at all if she could help it. She even gave me the afternoon off work, for "working so hard lately", although I knew she really just wanted me out of the way - a preoccupied Lacerta Lestrange is a strange Lacerta Lestrange.

So I went upstairs and decided my mind needed a break from planning this break-in.I went to my bag and pulled it onto my lap, opening it up so I look inside. On top of everything I saw Fred's letter to me. I reread it and knew that no matter what I would be going to meet him tonight - whether I liked it or not.

Just then a little white and pink owl flew in through the window and sat on my leg. It had a little pink collar on with a little pink gemstone hanging from it, and I suddenly had a realisation as to who this letter must be from.I looked down at it and saw it impatiently holding it's leg out to me.

Even before I could touch the letter, I knew what it was about. But I opened it anyway to be sure, and sure enough found it written in the same red elegant calligraphy, on the same pink frilly paper. I opened it cautiously, like a bomb waiting to explode and read the contents.

Lacerta N. Lestrange,

Seeing as you were too impolite to reply to my last letter, I will just assume that you will be meeting me at 9am tomorrow morning in my office at Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry. If you do not reply to this letter that I have taken time out of my busy day to send to you, as a teacher and a very important figure at the British Ministry of Magic, I will take it as not only a personal offence, but also as disrespect to the Ministry.

Maybe you dislike the Ministry for capturing and imprisoning your parents, but I can assure you we had no choice - they, along with your uncle Rabastan, were a threat to society! They murdered and tortured people, they were and are still bad people! Have no fear of them finding out about this exchange between us, Lacerta, as they will never know. Your parents are in Azkaban, child, and they aren't getting out any time soon. I look forward to hearing from you,

Dolores Jane Umbridge

Senior Undersecretary to the Minister and Instructor of Defence Against the Dark Arts at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

What a horrible woman! I thought and went to tear up the paper in my anger, but stopped myself just in time. A smirk travelled across my face as I grabbed a quill and some thick black ink. I dipped the quill in the ink and scrawled "Oh yeah?" across the page in answer to her saying my parents wouldn't be out of Azkaban soon. I waited for the ink to dry, and folded it back up, attaching it to the frilly little owl's leg again. It looked thoroughly revolted at having to carry a letter from some one like me, and flew off quickly as if to get away from me as quickly as it could.

I then looked at the time and gasped. Fred would be here soon! I walked downstairs quickly, and got back to work, ignoring Rosmerta's complaints, while I waited for him to arrive. I waited for a while for him to turn up, but I got bored quickly and grabbed myself a butterbeer.