Through All the Pain // N. Longbottom

Fifth Year // Chapter 7

The past few days have been a whirlwind, to say the least. Harry managed to piss off Umbridge again landing himself in detention. Up until today, we have managed to keep the news out of Angelina's grasp, however, a certain pair of twins let it slip during their study session one afternoon, and welp ... let's just say the conversation wasn't pleasant.

"POTTER!" Angie's voice shouted as she stormed into the Great Hall at breakfast. 

"It's showtime." Fred and George laughed as they started to take handfuls of cereal and shove them in their mouths. I rolled my eyes, but couldn't help as a smile appeared on my face as Angelina leaned over the table, towering over Harry. Angelina shouted and shouted until Professor McGonagall came over and sent Angelina off and scolded Harry for landing another week of detention with the lovely pink toad. 

After breakfast, we had Charms, where Neville actually did a charm right in class! His face was absolutely priceless! When he is concentrating very hard, he squints his eyes up and sometimes hums the word while moving his wand. After he did the charm, his eyes popped open and his mouth fell open. I instantly wrapped him in a hug and messed up his hair a little bit. 

"I can't believe I did that!" Neville said as we headed off towards Transfigurations. "On my first try too!"

"Well, believe it Nevy. This is just one win in a long line of wins coming your way, I can feel it!" I said bumping his shoulder with my elbow as we walked through the door into the classroom. That's when our laughs became silent, cause sitting in the back corner of the room was Umbridge.

"Lookie, lookie," I said as we sat down. "Looks like were gonna get a cat vs toad fight today." Neville didn't know whether to laugh or to pretend I said something boring. However, he ultimately giggled as we got our books out and laid our wands at the front of our desks. At this movement made by the class, Umbridge scribbled a note on her clipboard. The class hasn't even started yet and she's already docking things against McGonagall. 

Professor McGonagall marched into the room without even giving Umbridge the slightest bit of attention. She told Seamus to hand back our essays, Lavender to pass out some rats, and was about to ask me something when Umbridge did her little "Hem, hem.".

McGonagall rolled her eyes before asking me to go around the room and hand out an example essay of our next assigned essay. As I was handing out the example essays, Dean was playing with his mouse by zapping its tail. 

"Right then, everyone, listen carefully - Dean Thomas, if you zap that mouse again I shall put you in detention -" Dean instantly put down his wand and looked down. A few giggles could be heard as McGonagall continued on. 

"Hem, hem," said Professor Umbridge again. 

"Yes? McGonagall said, turning around, her eyebrows so close together they looked to be one long unibrow. 

"I was just wondering, Professor, whether you received my note telling you of the date and time of your inspec-"

"Obviously I received it, or I would have asked you what you are doing in my classroom," said Professor McGonagall, turning her back firmly on Umbridge. A bunch of us exchanged looks of glee as the lesson continued on. 

"Hem, hem."

"I wonder," said McGonagall in a cold fury, turning on Professor Umbridge, "how you expect to gain an idea of my usual teaching methods if you continue to interrupt me? You see, I do not generally permit people to talk when I am talking."

Umbridge looked as though McGonagall just slapped her in the face. She huffed before starting to scribble on her clipboard furiously. McGonagall just went back to teaching as if nothing ever happened. The class continued as we practiced Vanishing spells more and more until the end of class when she told us to put our stuff away. 

Umbridge spoke to McGonagall twice more before shutting her clipboard and heading out of the classroom. We all gather our things and headed off outside to Care of Magical Creatures. Sadly, Umbridge was inspecting Grubbly-Plank so we had to suffer another class of Umbridge watching our every move. 

Luckily Umbridge had her own classes to teach after that and wasn't going to be inspecting any of my other classes. So, the rest of the day was pretty laid back. Classes went by smoothly, and meals were full of fun and laughter. 

That night, Lavender and Parvati were up hanging with some of the older Gryffindor girls, Hermione and Ron were waiting for Harry to come back from detention, so I was sitting in my dorm studying with Neville. We were laying on the floor of the room with our papers and books all spread out across the floor.

"What did you put in your Transfiguration essay about using the flavor-changing spell?" Neville asked as he placed his quill down on a piece of scrap parchment. 

"I put that one should only use it when -" I got cut off by loud screaming coming from the dorm next door. "What in the name of Merlin?!" I scrambled to get up along with Neville and we rushed next door. As soon as we got to the door, I opened it to see Ginny and her roommates standing up on their beds clutching the bedposts.

"Ginny?" I walked in and examined the floor. "What's going on?"

"The-the floor! It-it was turning into lava!" Ginny stuttered pointing a finger over to her wardrobe. I walked over and examined to only find a fine dust powder on the floor near her wardrobe. I wiped some up onto my finger and smelt it. The smell was a distinct odor of gunpowder, cologne, and fire lilies. 

"You all can come down off your beds, now," I said grabbed my wand out from my belt loops (because I wasn't wearing my boots in my dorm), and got rid of the powder. "It was just a very awful prank played by a group of pranksters," I said sliding the wand back into my belt.

"I'm going to KILL those two idiots!" Ginny shouted starting to storm out her door. I quickly grabbed her and pulled her back in while Neville shut the door. 

"I'll handle the two idiots," I told her as I forced her down on her bed. "Unless you all have to study, I would suggest going to bed. Hogsmeade weekend is tomorrow and you will want to get there before the third year in order to have any fun." I suggested before leaving the dorm with Neville. 

When we got back to my dorm, Lavender and Parvati were back and talking. Neville smiled weakly before gathering all of his things and heading off. 

"I've got to talk to Dean about something so, I'll see you tomorrow?" Neville said turning back.

"Of course!" I hugged him. "I'll see you tomorrow Nevy." 

"G'night."

"Night, Nevy."

As I shut the door and walked over to my bed and got ready, I noticed Lavender and Parvati staring at me. 

"What?" 

"We're just wondering when you'll stop playing the friend card and get together with Longbottom." Lavender blurted out. Parvati reached over and slapped her and forced a smile. 

"I don't know what you are talking about, Lavender," I said placing my wand on my bedside table and crawling under my covers. "Goodnight." 

"Night!" They both said as they said their goodnights and shut off their lights. I tried to sleep but couldn't, I just stared up at my ceiling. It was by staring up at my ceiling I noticed when Hermione came into the room. I sat up and she quickly rushed over. 

"Tomorrow, we'll be meeting in the Hog's Head for a meeting. Tell as many trusted individuals as possible! We're fighting back, we're going to teach ourselves what that Umbridge woman refuses to teach us." Hermione quickly whispered before heading over to her bed and getting under her covers. 

Welp here's to getting expelled. I thought before rolling over and falling asleep.