The Slytherin Princess - Year Five

December 1995

At the beginning of the month, Umbridge announced that any student organisations would be disbanded, but created a new group of students called the Inquisitorial Squad, for extra credit. Draco, Crabbe and Goyle had been first to put their hands up, and Draco had tried to convince Lucy to do it, but she didn't feel right about it.

"I'm sorry, I just don't think I can." She said after he had begged her for the last two minutes. "Besides, Umbridge hasn't liked me since the start of the year. Sorry, Draco. You'll have to count me out." She added.

"You're missing out." He tried persuading her.

"Who's in it?" Lucy sighed, almost ready to give in.

"Crabbe, Goyle, Pansy, Daphne, Theo and Blaise, Miles, Cassius and your brother, and a couple other Slytherins and some Ravenclaws." He explained.

Lucy sighed. "Definitely not." She answered. "What is Umbridge making you do anyway?" She asked.

"Anything we want, basically. We get to question students about what they're up to if we think they're suspicious." Draco announced proudly.

"How would you feel if someone questioned you on everything you did, just because you looked suspicious?" Lucy teased.

Draco just rolled his eyes, and accepted Lucy's refusal to join the squad.

"Honestly, I feel like if I sneeze, I'll get into trouble." Lucy disappointedly sighed to Draco.

It was late Friday night and they were sat around one of the tables in the Slytherin common room. Tina, Crabbe, Goyle and Millicent joined them, studying for their OWLs.

"I'm not learning anything." Tina announced, despairingly. They pushed through the rest of the afternoon and headed to the Great Hall for dinner that night.

As Lucy and Tina were entering, Hermione waved to them. "Come on." Lucy said, heading for the Gryffindor table.

"Hey." Tina said to Hermione.

"Hey." She replied back, standing. She looked awkward, like she wasn't sure if she wanted to be talking with them at all.

"What's going on?" Lucy asked, noticing her uncomfortableness.

"Meet me tomorrow morning, in the library." Hermione whispered. Lucy and Tina looked to each other before looking back at Hermione and nodded. Hermione sighed in relief and they headed back for the Slytherin table.

"What did she want?" Draco asked, screwing his face up, as Tina and Lucy sat down at the table.

"Nothing to do with you, Malfoy." Tina joked. He just rolled his eyes at them.

"Funny. No really?" He asked again.

"She just wanted to catch up with us. We've barely seen her all year. It'll be good to spend time with her." Lucy answered honestly.

The next morning was the weekend, and Lucy and Tina were sat at a table in the library waiting for Hermione.

"I wonder what she wants to talk about?" Tina asked, looking around for her.

"No idea." Lucy replied back, she had open one of her schoolbooks and was reading a chapter on Porlocks for Care of Magical Creatures.

"Hey you two." Hermione said, startling Lucy and Tina from their silent thoughts. "Come on, I don't want anyone to hear." She said quietly, motioning her head to the back of the library. Lucy and Tina got up and followed her to the back where they came upon a tiny corridor, completely hidden unless you knew it was there. 

Hermione led them down the corridor which opened up to a small room, the walls covered in shelves of books and a small table with four chairs sat in the middle. It was poorly lit, and Lucy had trouble seeing anything as her eyes adjusted.