Aine stretched her fingers, feeling the nerves on her hand being pulled as she clenches her fist. Thanks to the ointment that Snape had crafted especially for her, the scarring of the remains from her detention was fading away but the words remained faintly. Word has gotten out even to her father about the brutal detention even though Aine had remained fairly quiet about it. There was without doubt that the person who had treated her wounds had tattled on her behalf.
"Do you ever stop eating?" Aine heard Hermione ask and she looks to the ginger-head boy who stuffed his mouth with another sausage from his breakfast platter. He munches grumpily.
Ron looks up from reading his little book titled 'How To Soar On Your O.W.Ls' as if being disturbed from his train of thoughts. He gave her a puzzled look, "What? I'm hungry!" he rebutted before choking on his words. Hermione quickly handed over his goblet of water before he downs the drink, sighing with relief afterwards.
Just then, there was a low chirp and Aine turned to her soaring friend that approached her in a distance, a letter in her beak. "Thank you, Hestia," Aine said, tickling her owl's beak and stroking her beautiful dark grey feathers. She took the letter, flipping to see her family's insignia embedded in the wax seal before handing Hestia a treat as she waited beside Ginny.
"Is it from your family?" Hermione asks, taking turns with Ginny to caress the bird's feathers. Hestia cooed and fluttered her wings proudly before eyeing Ron who gulps at her.
"Yeah, it's from Dad... Don't eat my owl, Ron. I'm warning you," Aine replies, giving her friend the side-eye, she knew he was always hungry for breakfast and it was something she shared too.
Ron's mouth hung open, offended, "I don't eat owls!" He continued to stuff his belly with the scrumptious breakfast, not before shooting another glare at Aine. She was picking up on his older twin brothers teasing these days. Which to him, was a lot better compared to her sulking in silence after her detention session with Umbridge. Godric knows what's on her mind whenever she's quiet, Ron thought to himself.
Aine chuckles as she peels open the envelope, her eyes softening at her father's letter as she read it in her mind, imagining Elliot's voice in her head. It has been a while since she saw her family, let alone hear from them.
'Dearest Aine,
My sweet daughter, I hope you are doing well at Hogwarts. We are all doing well at home and Aion has recently gotten another performance outside of London and he wishes that you could see him perform. Now that you're no longer home, your brother has been talking all about you every single time. We have both been doing some bonding time to get back the years we lost, just like you have asked us to. We're making progress and he seems to have opened up a little more than before but things are still fairly awkward between us. The home feels different when you're in Hogwarts... Aion misses you dearly and so do I.
We have heard from Severus about the wounds that you have gotten and it pains me that I couldn't protect you from it. Severus has also informed Dumbledore of your new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor's methods in teaching and henceforth, he has relayed this to me and the Order.
We are all very worried about you and your friends, and we have been doing our best to search for evidence that could be brought to light so that your new professor could be reinstated. But it has been truly hard since the ministry is connected to this and our moves are limited. The others wouldn't want me to inform you this but things at the Order do not seem too good too. However, we will keep trying and I'll try to update you as much as I am allowed to.
I pray that your injuries will heal quickly and that you wouldn't be in too much pain. Do remember to apply the medication that Severus has made for you and please relay my good wishes to your friends too. I hope to see you soon, sweetheart.
Stay safe and take care.
(P.s your brother wants me to let you know that I have been teasing him on your behalf with Celeste. She wishes to meet you soon too)
Love you to the Sun and back,
Elliot E.'
Aine's lips curled up at the letter and she muttered a little, "Miss you too dad, Aion..." She strokes the corner of the letter and prepares to write one back to her family later on in the evening. She continues with her breakfast, having some fruits before her head turned to the shuffling footsteps.
Then came Harry, dragging his feet as he nervously glance around the hall. He swallows a little from the attention that the crowd was giving him. He could hear the little whisperings around, 'liar', 'the boy who lies' and many more nicknames could be heard. He dipped his head low as if any further he could sink into the ground. Yet, perhaps that was all he ever wanted now was to lay low without gaining any more unwanted attention to him. He was ashamed, guilty and very conflicted deep down inside.
"Harry!" Hermione greeted and the group looked to the boy who pursed his lips, giving a tight smile. They haven't seen him all morning and his face held on a dejected look.
"Morning!" Aine chirped along, waving to him. She could see him trying to force a smile so that he wouldn't break the lively atmosphere around his friends.
"Can I join you?" Harry asks them, looking around to see his fellow schoolmates gossiping behind his back, they darted away when they saw him looking. When he looks back at his friends, Aine gave him a comforting smile, knowing how annoying it was to have people chattering behind you as if you couldn't hear them. He replies with a bitter nod, exhaling through his nose.
"Of course, come on. Take a fork, eat!" Ron encourages and just as Harry was about to sit down, a loud commotion echoed outside the Great Hall and the jabbering came to a halt. All heads turned to the door before students began approaching the voices.
"What do you reckon's happening outside?" Ron questions, putting down his book as he swallows the remaining food in his mouth. Hermione shrugged and Aine simply rolled her eyes.
"Don't care. Let's just keep eating breakfast," she replies, recognizing the familiar sharp voice of a certain professor in pink. Ginny snickers along with her, ignoring the dispute outside. She too, couldn't be bothered as breakfast was more important. The two girls passed Harry a plate full of food and urged him to eat and he began nibbling off some bread. Not having much of an appetite.
"Should we go take a look?" Hermione suggests and Aine waves her off.
"It's probably something old toad-face disagrees on," Ginny scowls. She couldn't be bothered to be affiliated with her new professor on a weekend. She continued chewing, muting out Umbridge's voice with the taste of her honey waffles.
"Pardon me, professor, but what exactly are you insinuating?"
Hermione exchanged a look with Harry before they nodded, standing up at once while the remaining three raised their brows, "Let's go see what's going on," Harry said, pulling Ron with him while Hermione hooks her hand around Aine's arm.
"I'm not going," she told the brunette. "Ask Ginny."
"Come on~" Hermione pleaded, turning to Ginny who already stood up with a smirk. She quickly escapes to the Ravenclaw table, meeting up with her boyfriend, Michael Corner before pretending to start a conversation with him just to reject Hermione's offer.
"Have fun!" the Weasley girl shouted across the table and Aine glowered in her direction. She clicks her tongue and allows Hermione to drag her along, but not before taking another small bite of her strawberry waffles.
"Damn it, Gin! Traitor!" she yells back when Hermione began pulling her along and her red-headed friend giggles, wiggling her eyebrows as she waved to the four.
When they made their way outside, they found Professor McGonagall and Professor Umbridge clashing together at each other. There were sparks between their fiery gazes. "I am merely requesting that when it comes to my students, you conform to the prescribed disciplinary practices," McGonagall stated calmly. Harry and Aine glanced at each other and sigh. Ever since Umbridge became the new professor, she has been prescribing detentions fairly often to students who disobey her in classes or even outside of classes.
Those who had served detention with Umbridge would know that her methods are needless to say, twisted and beyond their expectations. They know now how abnormal their new professor was and words have spread even to the headmaster.
Umbridge scoffs at her colleague, giving a derisive laugh, "So silly of me, but it sounds— as if you're questioning my authority in my classroom, Minerva." She took a step up and looks down disapprovingly at McGonagall. However, Aine's house head did not back down one bit. Instead, she held on to a poised smile.
"Not at all, Dolores," McGonagall replied, taking another step up so she matches eye to eye with Umbridge. "Merely your medieval methods!" she exclaims to her in disbelief. Their eyes glared daggers at one another while Umbridge's lips twitched, hiding her anger.
A small gasp managed to escape from Umbridge, her face glowing red that it matches her outfit. "I am sorry, dear. But to question my practices is to question the Ministry!" she retorted back fearlessly. "And by extension, the minister— HIMSELF!" she countered.
"She keeps bringing in the ministry into this..." Hermione mutters and Aine nodded.
"The ministry has her back," Harry replied, his fist clenching as he glared at Dolores Umbridge.
"I am a tolerant woman, but the one thing I will not stand for is disloyalty!" Umbridge remarked and Aine looks away, rolling her eyes again.
"Tolerant..? Bullshit," Harry cursed under his breath and Aine sniggered, agreeing.
McGonagall let out a shaky exhale, unable to accept the words that came out of her colleague's mouth, "Disloyalty..." she said, shaking her head as her eyes faltered. She staggered down and watches as Umbridge took another step before looking down onto the rest of the crowd that had gathered.
With another strong voice, she announced, "Things at Hogwarts are far worse than I feared. Cornelius will want to take immediate action!" she warns. Aine and her friends gulped, not wanting to know what she has in mind for the school.
Sure enough, it barely took a week before the statement was declared. Dolores Umbridge has been appointed to the post of 'Hogwarts High Inquisitor' by none other than Minister Cornelius Fudge. She was now given the authority of revoking any professors from their posts to make the school a better place, or as Aine would like to beg to differ. To keep Hogwarts and the very Headmaster, himself in control.
Hogwarts was no longer the same when Umbridge had taken the role of High Inquisitor, she became much more aware of the school, professors and students, themselves. She had eyes everywhere and had banished anyone or anything that had stood in her way like it was a stain in her eyes. She could remove what had tainted her image of the school, and to an extent, her very own beliefs. The ministry too had wholeheartedly supported their colleague in her attempts to rebuild Hogwarts into a school of class and standard that in their eyes, had failed due to Albus Dumbledore's ways of teaching.
Life at Hogwarts soon became rough as those who had crossed Umbridge's list were given detention without hesitation. The use of the Dark Quills that Aine and Harry experienced first-hand was not abolished and had continued as many other students became aware of its identity and truth. Punishment was given out like tickets in Umbridge classes, quick and easy and it didn't take long till most students loathed her. Even some of the students from the Slytherin house that Umbridge had belonged to in her years in Hogwarts were repulsed by her attitude and way of teaching. Draco, for one, was even repelled by her and his hatred only increased when Aine was given more detention for the silliest reasons.
Such as 'reading the following text too quickly' or 'not being in the proper attire for classes' when Aine's braids had fallen out halfway during class. She couldn't believe it when her Defense Against the Dark Arts professor had given her detention for writing in a different coloured ink when she was busy jotting down the notes. It was completely outrageous that Aine had begun to suspect that Umbridge had hated her. Then again, it would be no surprise since she had been given Aine the forced smiles and glares every time she sees the girl. Hence, the many detentions she ought to serve.
Harry too, was no exception and he even became detention buddies with Aine as they often went to detention together, much to Draco's displeasure. To Harry, Umbridge was no doubt, rising in the ranks of the people that Harry had disliked. Even Snape seemed generous now that Umbridge has taken control over Hogwarts.
It seemed like every day, Umbridge would intrude in Aine's classes for inspection. She would strut into classrooms in her magenta mary jane heels with a clipboard and quill to interrogate the staff and students. Or at times, she would simply lurk in the corner of the room, watching her fellow colleagues teach and students asking questions. Occasionally, a girly giggle would be heard from her and everyone would turn in her direction, half giving glares while the other smirking.
"Oh, for dear Godric's sake..." Ginny whispers to Aine when Umbridge was infiltrating their Transfiguration class. Her eyes travelled to the woman in pink, proudly sitting next to Professor McGonagall as she went with her class's subjects.
"Miss Weasley, it is necessary for you to exercise caution of speaking in classes. I trust you know that, yes?" Umbridge pointed out and Ginny knitted her lips close, looking down onto her book while McGonagall clears her throat, taking back the attention she has lost from the High Inquisitor.
"Ten points to be taken from Gryffindor!" Umbridge announced and the Gryffindors in the class erupted into groans. Aine took a deep breath, mentally cursing at the professor. She shot her head towards the pink lady, silently planning ways to rid her.
She grasped onto her wand tightly and when McGonagall had tasked them to transfigure their pets into a useful tool. Aine had transformed Hestia, her owl into a beautiful silver dagger. It was embedded with grey and yellow gemstones on it and was absolutely stunning. It even felt heavy on her hand. She smirked, taking it into her hands as she waves it in the air, letting the sunlight reflect the beauty of it in the air. Then, her eyes trail to Umbridge who was boiling, her icy blue eyes widened as her jaw clenched.
McGonagall walked past Aine, eyeing her 'useful' tool and Aine handed it over for her to inspect. A smirk formed on her lips as she nodded, pleased. "Wonderful! Five points to Miss Estoileon for your exquisite transfiguration!" McGonagall complimented loudly, she gave Aine back her dagger and passed by Umbridge. Not before shooting her a look, she winks at Aine who had her lips pursed, stifling the urge to laugh.
"Thank you, Professor McGonagall," Aine replied with a smile. She continues to look down at the blade, stroking the tip of the weapon. It fitted nicely in her hands and it had a nice sharpness to it too. Perhaps she should have one forged for herself, she thought. Aine did find daggers and swords fascinating, even the Sword of Godric Gryffindor was equally if not more ravishing. It had a certain gracefulness to it and Aine was disappointed that she never held it before, only merely catching a glimpse of it during her first year when she was captured in the Chamber of Secrets. It was Harry who had held it to battle against the Basilisk while she was all curled up from the monster's attacks.
She cringed at the thought of it, pondering if she should visit Professor Dumbledore with Harry so that she could see it and with luck, hold it. If Harry was with her, Dumbledore might let them since the Headmaster dotes on the boy fairly much, right?
"What are you thinking about, Miss Estoileon?" a sweet, poisoned-like voice interrupted her thoughts and she looks up to Umbridge, smiling down at her.
"Just about how nice it will be to wield a sword with a nice weight to it and one with a sharp blade—" Aine replies nonchalantly, still playing with her little tool.
She could see Umbridge's lips quivering again in the reflection of her blade before she sucked her breath in. Then, with a wave of a wand, she had transfigured the dagger in Aine's hands back to her owl friend. "There! Much better," Umbridge stated, letting out a satisfied sigh before her heels clicks away.
"Damn. I was enjoying the moments in my mind trying to unalive—"
"Pardon me?" Umbridge questions, turning her head back as she looked at Aine with an absurd expression on her face.
"Nothing!" Aine waves, mirroring a smile that Umbridge had worn often. However, it only made Aine look even more menacing to the professor since her golden pupils had another kind of look laced together with an innocent smile. Umbridge shook her shoulders, diffusing the chill she had before moving on to the other students in the class for further inspection.
"Sorry, Hestia. I hope you don't mind that. I was just admiring how beautiful you are even as a dagger..." Aine whispered to her pet, tickling Hestia's beak. Her owl's eyes fluttered close as if it was sleepy, she enjoyed the affection her owner was giving her that she hadn't mind her words.
There was a little soft screech from Hestia before she had let out another hoot and Aine jerked her chin backwards, surprised.
"I didn't know you felt the same way too!"
"Hoot!"
"Yes... Yes... You are the prettiest owl and dagger in the world."
"Hoot!"
─── ⋆⋅☀⋅⋆ ───── ⋆⋅☀⋅⋆ ───