the eighth || harry potter

TWELEVE

SUMMER WAS COMING to a close, school started back up again tomorrow. Needless to say Octavia was excited and sad. At school she could escape my problems but she wouldn't be able to see Sirius. He had become an older brother of sorts to Octavia. They had become very close. She felt sad leaving him, but Octavia had to go to school.

"Ready?" Sirius poked his head in Octavia's room.

"Sure" She put Camilo in her cage and brought her trunk downstairs.

Once Octavia was ready to leave she met Harry and the other for their trip to Kings Cross.

After they arrived Sirius was in his animagus form and Octavia bent down to say goodbye.

"Bye Snuffles" She hugged the dog as he licked her face.

Octavia said goodbye to Remus and Tonks and hopped on the train with Harry, Ron and Hermione.

Once they found a compartment they all sat down.

"Ready for the new year?" Hermione asked.

"Nope" Harry and Octavia sighed in unison.

»»-------------¤-------------««

Dumbledore was giving his welcome back speech and to be quite honest Octavia had zoned out, not listening to a word coming out of his mouth. She could tell Harry was too based on his slumped posture and Ron was flat out drooling with his eyes glazed over. She finally keyed back in when he started talking about a new professor. A toad, oh whoops lady  dressed in all pink head to toe made her way to the podium. She walked like she had a wand permanently stuck up her arse, lips pursed. She gave some speech about the ministry and Octavia zoned out again, ministry crap is boring. That is until the food arrived. She grabbed as many pumpkin pasties as she could before Ron got to them, stuffing them in his face. Merlin that boy could eat.

Once we finished we made their way back up to the common room. Hermione went up to the dorms and Octavia followed.

»»-------------¤-------------««

"Good morning children" Voiced a high pitch nasally voice.

It was the pink toad they had seen in the Great Hall.

"Ordinary, Wizarding, Level examinations" She spewed as she walked up the line of desks, the tap of her heels following behind.

She rolled her eyes slightly catching the eye of Harry.

"Or better known as O.W.Ls" Umbridge smiled sinisterly.

She went on to explain the boring exams. Octavia didn't bother listening, She knew she would pass each one.

Then a rather large textbook was plopped in front of her.

'Dark Arts Defense, Basics for Beginners'

Octavia began to flip through the pages as Hermione raised her hand.

"But proffesor, theres nothing in here about using defense spells" Hermione questioned

"Using spells", Umbridge cackled,"I can't imagine why you would need to use spells in my classroom"

"So no magic?" Ron looked dumbfounded flipping pages in his textbook.

"And more control from the ministry" Octavia said rather unamused at the toads lack of competence.

"Not control dear," She turned her attention to her,  "A safe secure environment, risk free really"

Octavia rolled her eyes obviously.

"What use is that if we are attacked?" Harry spoke up.

"That hardly seems risk free" Octavia slightly imitated her voice at the end.

"Students will raise their hand to speak!" She barked quickly.

Octavia sent a look to Harry.

"It is the view of the ministry that only theoretical knowledge will get you through your exams, and isn't that what school is for?" She asked sweetly.

"How is theory supposed to prepare us for what's out there?" Harry spat back.

"Nothing is out there dear. Who would want to attack children like yourself?"

"Oh I don't know Voldemort?" Harry said venom dripping from his words

Whispers broke out across the room. Hermione looked worried.

"Now let me make this clear," She stood straighter,"You have been told that a certain dark wizard is at large"

Umbridge paused.

"This. Is. A. Lie."

"It's not a lie!" Octavia sat up.

"I saw him, I fought him!" Harry added

"Detention Mr. Potter, Miss Clarke" She looked at them with dark eyes.

"So you're saying Cedric just died?!" She was getting angry,"Dropped dead on his own accord?"

"His death was a tragic accident"

"Murder!" Harry spat, "He was murdered!"

"Enough!" She yelled, silence breaking over the classroom.

The room became silent.

"After class both of you!" She cackled.

After class, Harry and Octavia trudged up the stairs to the toad's office. Harry knocked and they waited until she answer to walked in.

As soon as they did they were engulfed in pink and kittens. The meowing filled her ears and the pink was practically blinding.

"Sit please" She motioned to the two desks to the side.

Harry and walked over and sat down as Octavia slumped back into the chair.

"I would like each of you to write something for me"

"You" she pointed to Octavia ,"I must not act out"

Then she turned to Harry,"And you, I must not tell lies"

"How many times" Harry snapped.

"As many times as it takes to sink in" The toad sneered.

Octavia reached for her quill.

"Not with your quill" She reached down,"You'll be using one of mine"

Toad handed Harry and Octavia a quill.

"Um there's no ink" Octavia waved her quill in the air with a sneer to her voice.

"You won't need any" Umbridge faced away from them.

Octavia sighed and began to write.

'I must not act out'

Suddenly her hand began to burn, a searing pain. Harry looked over before he began.

"Octavia, are you alright?" He whispered.

"Just keep writing" She clenched her teeth.

His hand began to burn too. The small cuts spread across Octavia's hand.

'I must not act out' was now engraved in cuts across her hand.

"Am I done now?" Octavia stood up wiping a small tear from her eye.

"Yes"

Octavia walked out with Harry trailing behind her.

"Are you alright" he picked up her hand inspecting the cuts.

"Yes" She pulled my hand away, "I've had worse"

"I know but still"

"I'm fine Harry" Octavia looked up at him,"Abusive Uncle remember" She mustered up a laugh.

Harry smiled,"I still worry"

"Let's just go"

And they walked down the corridor, Harry glancing at Octavia as she wrapped her hand.