Duplicitous | T.N.

XLVI • Various departures

"Oh shut up!" Roared his internal monologue. Theodore flushed red in embarrassment. Humiliated by the words of his own mind. Ironic.

"Yes." Umbridge grinned. "Dear, please take a seat." The lady gestured to the empty chair that resided next to him. Theodore refused to look at the pretty blonde. The guilt was overwhelming.

Shyly, the girl shrunk down into the empty chair. "Please, have some tea." Umbridge offered an already brewed cup of the warm beverage. Marietta took it willingly. Not a wise choice.

Theodore watched as the young girl sipped hesitantly, his frowned deepened lower than the sharpest valley. His eyes trailed over the curve of her jaw and the bobbing of her throat as it injected the tea. He could almost see the brown liquid cascading down the rim of her throat along with it, the truth serum.

"So tell me, Miss Edgecombe." Umbridge pursed her lips. "What is this?" The lady raised her shrivelled hand, presenting the single galleon. They both noticed how the blonde paled.

"It's an enchanted galleon." The words spurted from her mouth like running water. She slapped a sweaty palm over her chatty mouth. No matter what she did, how hard she would resist, Marietta would confess.

"The tea. Delicious right?" Umbridge giggled once again. Turning to look at Theodore, it was he who returned with the idea that they spoke the beverage, Umbridge forgave him quickly. "We added a special ingredient. Miss Edgecombe, tell me, did you enjoy the sweet taste of Veritaserum?"

The blonde began to cough, attempting to force the potion from her system through feigned chokes, Theodore grimaced as she heaved.

"That won't work, deary." Her smile faded. "Where does your special little group hold your meetings?"

"The..." she tried choking again, but instead of coughs, words burst from her chest. "Room off..." she took in a strangled breath. "Requirement."

His eyes furrowed. Where? Umbridge spoke his thoughts.

"Seventh floor, the third corridor to the left from the grand staircase." She inhaled sharply, the rasp was painful to listen to as she physically constrained herself from speaking, it didn't work.

"Hmm." She seeped a sickly, condescending message with just her humming. It had even Theodore's skin crawling. "Tell me, who is apart of this group?"

That. It was that question that had Theodore nervous. "It's surely a whole group, tell us, who is the leader?" Theodore jumped in quickly.

Marietta looked at him in sheer betrayal, he deserved it, shame ate at his insides. "Harry Potter is." She spat at him. Her expression from one of shock to spite as she looked at the boy. Then an idea appealed to her, she saw the direction his eyes would drift to, who he would search for when entering a room. She knew where to poke him right.

"But, his accomplices, secondary leaders, would definitely be, Hermione Granger, Ronald Weasley... and Aurora Flores." She sneered at him, smiling as he visibly stiffened, clutching the arms of his chair she thrived as his leg began to bounce. The betrayal didn't occur to her, she just wanted to hit him where it hurts and that was through Flores.

"Ah." Umbridge chuckled to herself, grinning at the her own tea cup. "Very well then. You may leave."

The girl quickly shot up. She didn't make it far, Theodore flinched as the girl succumbed back to her chair, clutching her face with a grip he feared would tear her flesh. She wailed into her hands. "What? What have you done to me?" The girl gasped.