SUMMER LOVIN' ✯ FRED WEASLEY

xlvii. Loose Ends

'I have no idea,' he said coldly. "Potter, when I want nonsense shouted at me I shall give you a Babbling Beverage. And Crabbe, loosen your hold a little. If Longbottom suffocates it will mean a lot of tedious paperwork and I am afraid I shall have to mention it on your reference if ever you apply for a job."

He closed the door behind him with a snap. Maddie stuck her middle finger up at the place he'd just disappeared from.

Umbridge was heaving with stress and frustration. Kaya was picturing Filch bursting in at any moment with a handful of whips ready for the lot of them. She could only hope it would be over soon.

"Very well," Umbridge said instead, pulling out her wand. "Very well... I am left with no alternative... this is more than a matter of school discipline... this is an issue of Ministry security... yes... yes..."

She seemed to be talking herself into something. She was shifting her weight nervously from foot to foot, staring at Harry, beating her wand against her empty palm and breathing heavily.

"You are forcing me, Potter... I do not want to," said Umbridge, still moving restlessly on the spot, "but sometimes circumstances justify the use... I am sure the Minister will understand that I had no choice..."

Diana was still staring at the lights.

"The Cruciatus Curse ought to loosen your tongue,"said Umbridge quietly. Kaya's mouth fell open.

"What?!" The blonde Ravenclaw yelled in disbelief.

"Professor Umbridge - it's illegal!" Hermione shrieked.

Umbridge took no notice. There was a nasty eager, excited look on her face that Kaya had never seen before. She raised her wand.

"The Minister wouldn't want you to break the law, Professor Umbridge!" cried Hermione.

"What Cornelius doesn't know won't hurt him," said Umbridge, who was now panting slightly as she pointed her wand at different parts of Harry's body in turn, apparently trying to decide where it would hurt most. "He never knew I ordered dementors to go after Potter last summer, but he was delighted to be given the chance to expel him, all the same."

Apparently Umbridge hadn't finished dropping bombshells just yet.

"It was you?" gasped Harry. "You sent the dementors after me?"

"Somebody had to act," breathed Umbridge, as her wand came to rest pointing directly at Harry's forehead. "They were all bleating about silencing you somehow - discrediting you - but I was the one who actually did something about it..."

"He's fifteen!" The Ravenclaw girl yelled with a mixed tone of shock and rage. "You sent Dementors after a fifteen year old boy!"

Umbridge ignored her.

"...only you wriggled out of that one, didn't you, Potter? Not today though, not now-" And taking a deep breath, she cried, "Cruc-"

"NO!" shouted Hermione in a cracked voice from behind Millicent Bulstrode. "No - Harry - we'll have to tell her!"

"No way!" yelled Harry, staring at the little of Hermione he could see.