*Busted

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Briar's second term at Hogwarts did seem to be a bit better than her first. She was improving in Occlumency, she was relieved to be back at regular D.A. meetings, and she never went to a single Defence lesson with Umbridge. But Gryffindor's quidditch team were worse than ever since Ron, Andrew, and Jack had no confidence, and Ginny was good, but not as fast as Harry.

In their most recent D.A. meeting, they had been practicing patronus charms and Briar's friends were thoroughly impressed that she could already produce one, since so many other people older than her were struggling

But Briar's enjoyable lesson came to an end when the door opened and closed, and the house elf Dobby came running in looking shaken and horrified. He ran to Harry and tugged on the 15 year old's robes

"Hi, Dobby!" he said. "What are you - what's wrong?"

The patronuses in the air faded away as everyone looked at Dobby's terrified expression

"Harry Potter, sir..." squeaked the elf, trembling from head tofoot, "Harry Potter, sir...Dobby has come to warn you...but thehouse-elves have been warned not to tell..." He ran headfirst at the wall: Harry, who had some experience ofDobby's habits of self-punishment, made to seize him, but Dobbymerely bounced off the stone, cushioned by his eight hats. Hermioneand a few of the other girls let out squeaks of fear and sympathy. "What's happened, Dobby?" Harry asked, grabbing the elf's tinyarm and holding him away from anything with which he might seekto hurt himself. 

"Harry Potter...she...she..." Dobby hit himself hard on the nose with his free fist: Harry seizedthat too. 

"Who's 'she,' Dobby?" But Briar was sure she already knew the answer since only one woman could make anyone so scared "Umbridge?" asked Harry, horrified.Dobby nodded, then tried to bang his head off Harry's knees but Harry held him at bay. "What about her? Dobby - she hasn't found out about this - about us - about the D.A.?" Dobby gave a shaky nod. His hands held fast byHarry, the elf tried to kick himself and fell to the floor. "Is she coming?" Harry asked quietly. 

Dobby let out a howl, and began beating his bare feet hard on thefloor. "Yes, Harry Potter, yes!" 

Harry straightened up and looked around at the motionless, terrified people gazing at the thrashing elf. "WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?" Harry bellowed. "RUN!"

The room suddenly descended into chaos, as everyone scrambled to get away as fast as they could. Briar grabbed Ginny and the pair began to sprint through the hallways. They were going to head back to Gryffindor tower, but Briar suddenly realised that Umbridge, or some of her students, would be waiting for them

So she grabbed her friend and tugged her into a broom cupboard at the bottom of the stairs, watching as other students ran to the tower. But sure enough, several of them were caught by members of Umbridge's inquisitorial squad

It was only when she was sure the coast was clear, that the pair crept up to the Gryffindor tower

And the next morning she was greeted by a truly horrifying announcement outside the Gryffindor common room


Dolores Jane Umbridge (High Inquisitor) has replaced Albus Dumbledore as Head of Hogwarts School of Witchcraftand Wizardry. 

The above is in accordance withEducational Decree Number Twenty-eight.


Briar instantly wrote to her dad to inform him of this, though it must have already been in the Daily Prophet by now, but she was furious. And sure enough when she came down to breakfast and saw that Gryffindor's house hourglass was nearly empty, she knew the rest of this year would be difficult

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