✓ Heavenly

021. The High Inquisitor

       Litters of second-years crowded around the notice. "Does this mean they're going to shut down the Gobstones Club?" One of them asked their friend.

       "I reckon you'll be okay with Gobstones," said Ron darkly, making the second year jump. He and Harry had met the group of Gryffindor's crowding around the notice board; necks inclined back reading the notice. "Hi Constance." greeted Ron.

       "Hello Rufus," said Constance narrowing her eyes down at her pink nails. "I cannot believe I smudged my nail polish— Eurgh!" She stomped back up to the dormitory. Ron remained there breathless as if Venus weren't there.

       "Am I invisible or something?" Venus huffed at Ron who snapped his attention to her.

      "Yeah— hi Venus," he said carelessly. "Don't think our club will be as lucky with this Decree, will it?"

      "The question is, how the bloody hell did she manage to do it?" said Venus. Ron gave her an I'm-just-as-confused-as-you look.

       "This isn't a coincidence," Harry said suddenly, his hands forming fists. "She knows."

       "She can't," Venus and Ron said at once. She felt her stomach curl up looking at Harry. She immediately turned away and stared up at the sign.

       "There were people listening in that pub. And let's face it, we don't know how many of the people who turned up we can trust. . . . Any of them could have run off and told Umbridge. . . ."

       "Zacharias Smith!" said Ron at once, punching a fist into his hand. "Or — I thought that Michael Corner had a really shifty look too —"

       "We need proof before we go accusing anyone, Ron." said Venus in a vexing tone.

       "I wonder if Hermione's seen this yet?" Harry said, looking around at the door to the girls' dormitories.

       "Let's go and tell her," said Ron. He bounded forward, pulled open the door, and set off up the spiral staircase.

       Venus yanked him by the collar and said, "Boys aren't allowed in the girl's dormitories."

       "Rubbish!" said Ron at once. Venus shrugged and trotted up the staircase, looking down at Ron with her hand perched on her hip. "I can easily walk up a flight of stairs." He scoffed. He passed the sixth step when a loud, wailing, klaxonlike sound rang in her ears. The steps behind her melted together to make a long, smooth stone slide. There was a brief moment when Ron tried to keep running, but he toppled over backward and shot down the newly created slide, coming to rest on his back at Harry's feet.

       "Er — I don't think we're allowed in the girls' dormitories," said Harry, pulling Ron to his feet and trying not to laugh. Venus didn't try and hide her amusement; tickled pink at Ron's plummet and she finally spoke through stifled laughs.

       "I hate — to say — I told you so, but—"

       "You'd love to tell me you told me so," said Ron, who was still rather disheveled. "I didn't realize that would happen. It's not fair!" he added to Harry, as Venus whizzed gracefully down the slide.

       "You're right," said Venus. Her smirk transformed into a smug smile, "I told you so. Imbecile." Ron grumbled.

       "Hermione's allowed in our dormitory, how come we're not allowed — ?"

       "Well, it's an old-fashioned rule," said Hermione, who had just slid neatly onto a rug in front of them and was now getting to her feet, "but it says in Hogwarts, A History that the founders thought boys were less trustworthy than girls. Anyway, why were you trying to get in there?"

       "To see you — look at this!" said Ron, dragging her over to the notice board.

       Hermione's eyes slid rapidly down the notice. Her expression became stony.

       "Someone must have blabbed to her!" Ron said angrily.

       "They can't have done," said Hermione in a low voice looking worryingly at Venus.

       "You're so naive," Ron ranted, "you think just because you're all honorable and trustworthy —"

       "No, they can't have done because Venus helped me put a jinx on that piece of parchment we all signed," said Hermione grimly. "Believe me, if anyone's run off and told Umbridge, we'll know exactly who they are and they will really regret it."

       "What'll happen to them?" said Ron eagerly.

       "Well, put it this way," said Hermione, "it'll make Eloise Midgen's acne look like a couple of cute freckles. Come on, let's get down to breakfast and see what the others think. . . . I wonder whether this has been put up in all the Houses?"

      It was immediately apparent on entering the Great Hall that Umbridge's sign had not only appeared in Gryffindor Tower. There was a peculiar intensity about the chatter and an extra measure of move- ment in the Hall as people scurried up and down their tables conferring on what they had read. Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Venus had barely taken their seats when Neville, Dean, Fred, George, and Ginny descended upon the trio beside them.

       "Did you see it?"

       "D'you reckon she knows?"

       "What are we going to do?"

       They were all looking at Harry. He glanced around to make sure there were no teachers near them.

       "We're going to do it anyway, of course," he said quietly.

       "Knew you'd say that," said George, beaming and thumping Harry on the arm.

       "The prefects as well?" said Fred, looking quizzically at Ron and Venus.

       "Obviously," said Venus coolly turning back to Constance.

       "Here comes Ernie and Hannah Abbott," said Ron, looking over his shoulder. "And those Ravenclaw blokes and Smith . . . and no one looks very spotty."

       "Never mind spots, the idiots can't come over here now, it'll look really suspicious — sit down!" she mouthed to Ernie and Hannah, gesturing frantically to them to rejoin the Hufflepuff table. "Later! We'll — talk — to — you — later!"

       "I'll tell Michael," said Ginny impatiently, swinging herself off her bench. "The fool, honestly . . ." She hurried off toward the Ravenclaw table; Venus watched her go. She saw Harry gazing in that direction. She followed his gaze and her eyes fell on Constance; Cho was sitting beside her, talking to the her cousin, most likely about the Educational Decree. She felt herself heat up alarmingly, a pain pounding in her chest.

       "Ms. Rosario," a gut-wrenching voice called out from behind her. "Hopefully you aren't causing anymore trouble, Mr. Potter."

       Harry kept quiet and avoided any eye contact with Professor Umbridge. Venus felt frozen in place; arms stuck on the table and eyes glued in front of her. Umbridge's presence stopped the entire Gryffindor tables actions. Deafening silence surrounding her. She looked anywhere but behind her when her eyes fell on Constance who was watching worryingly.

       "Ms. Rosario, I hope you haven't forgotten about our little chat in Transfiguration," she said forcing her usual cheery voice. "That proposition still stands. One day, you'll be cured and you will feel somewhat heavenly."

       Heavenly.

       The word rang in Venus' ears. She knew. She had no idea how but she did. Hermione, Ron and Harry looked alarmed. Venus felt victim to the thought that one day, Umbridge was going to bleed her out. Venus didn't worry about that. She worried about her hatred penetrating so deep, that she would allow Venus to die in the process.