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| THE START OF REALISATION |
song: my kind of woman by mac demarco.
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September 1981
A woman with soft brown eyes, freckled cheeks and braided hair sank into the plush surface of a soft, brown sofa, nestled between two babies. Her frown softened with adoration as she gazed at them, their young faces filled with innocence and wonder. Drawing them closer, she revelled in the warmth of their tiny bodies against hers, feeling a surge of love that seemed to radiate from within.
"Mummy, rea' book?" the small baby girl to her right whispered, her voice barely audible as she struggled to lift a book.
Ava's heart melted at the request. "You want me to read you a bedtime story?" she asked gently. Little Ara and Harry nodded eagerly, their eyes shining with anticipation.
"Alright, sweethearts, come here," Ava said, beckoning them closer.
The two babies cuddled up against her, their fingers tracing the colourful illustrations in the book with wide-eyed curiosity.
"Loo' Awa!" Harry exclaimed, his chubby finger pointing enthusiastically at a picture of a starry night on the first page. His keen observation skills never failed to impress Ava; he had always noticed Ara's fascination with the stars whenever Sirius took her outside.
"Wow," murmured little Ara, her voice filled with awe.
Ava chuckled softly, her heart swelling with affection at the sight of their innocence.
"Hello, darling," a voice whispered in her ear then, followed by a gentle kiss on her cheek. She turned to see her husband, his eyes filled with affection.
"Wanna join our reading time?" Ara asked.
"I'd be delighted to," he smirked, planting a quick kiss on her lips.
The two babies giggled and covered each other's eyes playfully.
"This is the PDA police!" James suddenly declared dramatically as he entered the room. "You're both disgusting."
Sirius rolled his eyes, discreetly throwing James a rude gesture before he joined his wife and daughter. James huffed in offence as he sat on the other side, muttering something along the lines of "fifty dog. . ."
Ava gave him a deadpanned look, "We're not even in public, dipshit," she teased, softly running her fingers through Ara's hair.
"Language!" Sirius and James scolded simultaneously, covering their babies' ears.
"Oh, I'm the one who needs to watch her language? Who were the ones that taught Ara and Harry how to say curse words two weeks ago—"
"It was an accident!"
"Really? Because I remember you saying something like, 'not like that Ara, you've got to pronounce the 'F' right, otherwise people might mistake it for the word 'duck!'"
"It was his idea!" the two men pointed at each other, a mischievous glint in their eyes.
Ara shot them a disapproving glare, her patience wearing thin. She just wanted her bedtime story. Determined, she reached over and covered her dad's mouth with her tiny hand, then turned to her mum. "Rea' book?"
"Yes, Ara, shut your dad up, he's being annoying," Ava encouraged with a smile.
"Hey!"
"Book!" Harry clapped his hands excitedly, prompting Ava to open the book once more.
The two men scooped up their babies, settling them on their laps as Ava began to read. Her voice was a soothing melody, filling the room with such warmth and comfort that it wasn't long before the babies succumbed to sleep, their breathing soft and steady.
"They're so cute," Ava whispered, her gaze lingering on the sleeping babies. Then she turned to James. "Where's Lily?"
"Resting. She's been tired lately," James replied, his voice tinged with concern.
"I can't blame her. . ."
"When all this is over, we'll be a big and happy family," Sirius said, wrapping an arm around Ava's shoulder and pressing a featherlight kiss on her shoulder. "You'll see."
"I hope so! I can't wait to see how Harry falls in love with Ara!"
"He'll go nowhere near my daughter!"
"Why?"
"He's a boy, he has infectious diseases!"
"Says you! You're a dog! You have fleas!"
Ava rolled her eyes, though she couldn't deny how her heart was full of love for her family, as annoying as they were. She glanced down at her daughter with adoration, gently brushing a strand of hair from her face. She could see where James was coming from. Ara and Harry were inseparable, their bond already strong at such a young age. She could only hope that their love would endure.
If only Ava had realised that neither she, James, Sirius, nor Lily would be there to witness it.
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THEY HAD EXPECTED TO HAVE to comb Hermione's Daily Prophet carefully next morning to find the article Percy had mentioned in his letter. However, the departing delivery owl had barely cleared the top of the milk jug when Hermione let out a huge gasp and flattened the newspaper to reveal a large photograph of Dolores Umbridge, smiling widely and blinking slowly at them from beneath the headline:
MINISTRY SEEKS EDUCATIONAL REFORM DOLORES UMBRIDGE APPOINTED FIRST-EVER "HIGH INQUISITOR"
" 'High Inquisitor'?" said Harry darkly, his half-eaten bit of toast slipping from his fingers. "What does that mean?"
Hermione read aloud:
"In a surprise move last night the Ministry of Magic passed new legislation giving itself an unprecedented level of control at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
" 'The Minister has been growing uneasy about goings-on at Hogwarts for some time,' said Junior Assistant to the Minister, Percy Weasley. 'He is now responding to concerns voiced by anxious parents, who feel the school may be moving in a direction they do not approve.'
"This is not the first time in recent weeks Fudge has used new laws to effect improvements at the Wizarding school. As recently as August 30th Educational Decree Twenty-two was passed, to ensure that, in the event of the current headmaster being unable to provide a candidate for a teaching post, the Ministry should select an appropriate person.
" 'That's how Dolores Umbridge came to be appointed to the teaching staff at Hogwarts,' said Weasley last night. 'Dumbledore couldn't find anyone, so the Minister put in Umbridge and of course, she's been an immediate success —' "
"She's been a WHAT?" said Ara loudly, dropping her piece of toast. "That's a joke, right?"
"Wait, there's more," said Hermione grimly.
" '— an immediate success, totally revolutionising the teaching of Defence Against the Dark Arts and providing the Minister with on-the ground feedback about what's really happening at Hogwarts.'"It is this last function that the Ministry has now formalised with the passing of Educational Decree Twenty-three, which creates the new position of 'Hogwarts High Inquisitor.'
" 'This is an exciting new phase in the Minister's plan to get to grips with what some are calling the "falling standards" at Hogwarts,' said Weasley. 'The Inquisitor will have powers to inspect her fellow educators and make sure that they are coming up to scratch. Professor Umbridge has been offered this position in addition to her own teaching post, and we are delighted to say that she has accepted.'
"The Ministry's new moves have received enthusiastic support from parents of students at Hogwarts.
" 'I feel much easier in my mind now that I know that Dumbledore is being subjected to fair and objective evaluation,' said Mr. Lucius Malfoy, 41, speaking from his Wiltshire mansion last night. 'Many of us with our children's best interests at heart have been concerned about some of Dumbledore's eccentric decisions in the last few years and will be glad to know that the Ministry is keeping an eye on the situation.'
"Among those 'eccentric decisions' are undoubtedly the controversial staff appointments previously described in this newspaper, which have included the hiring of werewolf Remus Lupin, half giant Rubeus Hagrid, and delusional ex-Auror 'Mad-Eye' Moody.
"Rumours abound, of course, that Albus Dumbledore, once Supreme Mugwump of the International Confederation of Wizards and Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot, is no longer up to the task of managing the prestigious school of Hogwarts.
" 'I think the appointment of the Inquisitor is a first step toward ensuring that Hogwarts has a headmaster in whom we can all repose confidence,' said a Ministry insider last night.
"Wizengamot elders Griselda Marchbanks and Tiberius Ogden have resigned in protest at the introduction of the post of Inquisitor to Hogwarts.
" 'Hogwarts is a school, not an outpost of Cornelius Fudge's office,' said Madam Marchbanks. 'This is a further disgusting attempt to discredit Albus Dumbledore.' (For a full account of Madam Marchbanks' alleged links to subversive goblin groups, turn to page 17)."
Hermione finished reading and looked across the table at the other three.
"So now we know how we ended up with Umbridge! Fudge passed this 'Educational Decree' and forced her on us! And now he's given her the power to inspect other teachers!" Hermione was breathing fast and her eyes were very bright. "I can't believe this. It's outrageous. . . ."
"I know it is," said Harry. He looked down at Ara's left hand, clenched upon the tabletop, and despite the gloves that she wore in order to conceal the injury, he could still picture it clearly.
But a grin was unfurling on Ron's face.
"What?" said Ara, Harry and Hermione together, staring at him.
"Oh, I can't wait to see McGonagall inspected," said Ron happily. "Umbridge won't know what hit her."
That made Ara smirk, picturing Umbrigde's indignant face. She was sure her favourite Professor wouldn't stand for a woman like that to disrupt her class.
"Well, come on," said Hermione, jumping up, "we'd better get going, if she's inspecting Binns's class we don't want to be late. . . ."
But Professor Umbridge was not inspecting their History of Magic lesson, which was just as dull as the previous Monday, nor was she in Snape's dungeon when they arrived for double Potions, where Harry's moonstone essay was handed back to him with a large, spiky black D scrawled in an upper corner. Ara had given Snape a smug look when she had seen the O that was written on hers, however, when she caught sight of Harry's grade, her cheerfulness disappeared, she gave him a wincing look, trying to cover up her O but he simply smiled at her and shook his head.
"I have awarded you the grades you would have received if you presented this work in your O.W.L," said Snape with a smirk, as he swept among them, passing back their homework. "This should give you a realistic idea of what to expect in your examination."
Snape reached the front of the class and turned to face them.
"The general standard of this homework was abysmal. Most of you would have failed had this been your examination. I expect to see a great deal more effort for this week's essay on the various varieties of venom antidotes, or I shall have to start handing out detentions to those dunces who get D's."
He smirked as Malfoy sniggered and said in a carrying whisper, "Some people got D's? Ha!"
Ara discretely waved her hand and made Malfoy's head hit the table face-first, as if someone had grabbed him by the back of his neck and pushed him down. She snickered into her palm along with a few others as he gripped his nose, looking around with a scowl on his face.
Harry grinned in Ara's direction before he realised that Hermione was looking sideways to see what grade he had received; he slid his moonstone essay back into his bag as quickly as possible, feeling that he would rather keep that information private.
Determined not to give Snape an excuse to fail him this lesson, Harry read and reread every line of the instructions on the blackboard at least three times before acting on them. His Strengthening Solution was not precisely the clear turquoise shade of Ara's or Hermione's but it was at least blue rather than pink, like Neville's, and he delivered a flask of it to Snape's desk at the end of the lesson with a feeling of mingled defiance and relief.
"Well, that wasn't as bad as last week, was it?" said Hermione, as they climbed the steps out of the dungeon and made their way across the entrance hall toward lunch.
"It's always bad with Snivellus," Ara said.
"Yes, but the homework didn't go too badly, did it?" Hermione continued.
When neither Ron nor Harry answered, she pressed on, "I mean, all right, I didn't expect the top grade, not if he's marking to O.W.L. standard, but a pass is quite encouraging at this stage, wouldn't you say?"
Harry made a noncommittal noise in his throat.
"Of course, a lot can happen between now and the exam, we've got plenty of time to improve, but the grades we're getting now are a sort of baseline, aren't they? Something we can build on . . ."
They sat down together at the Gryffindor table.
"Obviously, I'd have been thrilled if I'd gotten an O —"
"Hermione," said Ron sharply, "if you want to know what grades we got, ask."
"I don't — I didn't mean — well, if you want to tell me —"
"I got a P," said Ron, ladling soup into his bowl. "Happy?"
"Well, that's nothing to be ashamed of," said Fred, who had just arrived at the table with George, Atlas, and Lee Jordan and was sitting down on Harry's right. "Nothing wrong with a good healthy P."
"But," said Hermione, "doesn't P stand for . . ."
" 'Poor,' yeah," said Lee Jordan. "Still, better than D, isn't it? 'Dreadful'?"
"What did you get?" said Atlas to Ara, sitting down on her left.
She shook her head, yeah she was happy about her O, but she didn't want to make Harry and Ron more miserable than they already were. She caught Harry blushing as he faked a small coughing fit over his roll.
"So top grade's O for 'Outstanding,' " Hermione said, "and then there's A —"
"No, E," George corrected her, "E for 'Exceeds Expectations.' And I've always thought Fred and I should've got E in everything, because we exceeded expectations just by turning up for the exams."
They all laughed except Hermione, who plowed on, "So after E, it's A for 'Acceptable,' and that's the last pass grade, isn't it?"
"Yep," said Fred, dunking an entire roll in his soup, transferring it to his mouth, and swallowing it whole."Then you get P for 'Poor' " — Ron raised both his arms in mock celebration — "and D for 'Dreadful.' "
"And then T," George reminded him.
"T?" asked Hermione, looking appalled. "Even lower than a D? What on earth does that stand for?"
" 'Troll,' " said George promptly.
Ara smiled when she saw Harry laugh, happy that his spirits had lifted at least a little bit.
"I'm going to have to do something about this," she heard Atlas mutter under his breath.
"What?" Ara furrowed her eyebrows.
"Nothing," Atlas gave an innocent smile. She narrowed her eyes at him, but turned away nonetheless.
"Have you lot had an inspected lesson yet?" Fred asked them.
"No," said Hermione at once, "have you?"
"Just now, before lunch," said George. "Charms."
"What was it like?" Harry and Ara asked together.
Fred shrugged.
"Not that bad. Umbridge just lurked in the corner making notes on a clipboard. You know what Flitwick's like, he treated her like a guest, didn't seem to bother him at all. She didn't say much. Asked Alicia a couple of questions about what the classes are normally like, Alicia told her they were really good, that was it."
"I can't see old Flitwick getting marked down," said George, "he usually gets everyone through their exams all right."
"Who've you got this afternoon?" Fred asked Ara.
"Trelawney —"
"A T if ever I saw one —"
"— and the toad herself."
"Well, be good kids and keep your temper with Umbridge today," said George. "Angelina'll do her nut if you two miss any more Quidditch practices."
But Harry and Ara did not have to wait for Defence Against the Dark Arts to meet Professor Umbridge. Ara was pulling out her dream diary in a seat at the very back of the shadowy Divination room when Ron elbowed her in the ribs and, looking round, they all saw Professor Umbridge emerging through the trapdoor in the floor. The class, which had been talking cheerily, fell silent at once. The abrupt fall in the noise level made Professor Trelawney, who had been wafting about handing out Dream Oracles, look round.
"Good afternoon, Professor Trelawney," said Professor Umbridge with her wide smile. "You received my note, I trust? Giving the time and date of your inspection?"
Professor Trelawney nodded curtly and, looking very disgruntled, turned her back on Professor Umbridge and continued to give out books. Still smiling, Professor Umbridge grasped the back of the nearest armchair and pulled it to the front of the class so that it was a few inches behind Professor Trelawney's seat. She then sat down, took her clipboard from her flowery bag, and looked up expectantly, waiting for the class to begin.
Professor Trelawney pulled her shawls tight about her with slightly trembling hands and surveyed the class through her hugely magnifying lenses. "We shall be continuing our study of prophetic dreams today," she said in a brave attempt at her usual mystic tones, though her voice shook slightly. "Divide, please, and interpret each other's latest nighttime visions with the aid of the Oracle."
She made as though to sweep back to her seat, saw Professor Umbridge sitting right beside it, and immediately veered left toward Parvati and Lavender, who were already deep in discussion about Parvati's most recent dream.
Ara opened her copy of The Dream Oracle, watching Umbridge covertly. She was making notes on her clipboard now. After a few minutes, she got to her feet and began to pace the room in Trelawney's wake, listening to her conversations with students and posing questions here and there. Ara saw Harry bent his head hurriedly over his book.
"Think of a dream, quick," Harry told Ara and Ron, "in case the old toad comes our way."
"I did it last time," Ron protested, "it's your turn, you two tell me one."
"Oh, I dunno . . ." said Harry desperately, who could not remember dreaming anything at all over the last few days.
"Let's say I dreamed I was . . . drowning Snivellus in my cauldron. Yeah, that'll do. . . ." said Ara, she had had dreams, but none that she could mention to anyone, dreaming about Voldemort's whispers, memories and past murders wasn't normal.
Ron chortled as he opened his Dream Oracle.
"Okay, we've got to add your age to the date you had the dream, the number of letters in the subject . . . would that be 'drowning' or 'cauldron' or 'Snape'?"
"It doesn't matter, pick any of them," said Ara, with a glance behind her. Professor Umbridge was now standing at Professor Trelawney's shoulder making notes while the Divination teacher questioned Neville about his dream diary.
"What night did you dream of this again?" Ron said, immersed in calculations.
"I dunno, just pick a random date," Ara told him, as she and Harry tried to listen to what Umbridge was saying to Professor Trelawney. They were only a table away from them and Ron now. Professor Umbridge was making another note on her clipboard and Professor Trelawney was looking extremely put out.
"Now," said Umbridge, looking up at Trelawney, "you've been in this post for how long, exactly?"
Professor Trelawney scowled at her, arms crossed and shoulders hunched as though wishing to protect herself as much as possible from the indignity of the inspection. After a slight pause in which she seemed to decide that the question was not so offensive that she could reasonably ignore it, she said in a deeply resentful tone, "Nearly sixteen years."
"Quite a period," said Professor Umbridge, making a note on her clipboard. "So it was Professor Dumbledore who appointed you?"
"That's right," said Professor Trelawney shortly.
Professor Umbridge made another note.
"And you are a great-great-granddaughter of the celebrated Seer Cassandra Trelawney?"
"Yes," said Professor Trelawney, holding her head a little higher.
Another note on the clipboard.
"But I think — correct me if I am mistaken — that you are the first in your family since Cassandra to be possessed of second sight?"
"These things often skip — er — three generations," said Professor Trelawney.
Professor Umbridge's toadlike smile widened.
"Of course," she said sweetly, making yet another note. "Well, if you could just predict something for me, then?"
She looked up inquiringly, still smiling. Professor Trelawney had stiffened as though unable to believe her ears.
"I don't understand you," said Professor Trelawney, clutching convulsively at the shawl around her scrawny neck.
"I'd like you to make a prediction for me," said Professor Umbridge very clearly.
Ara, Harry, and Ron were not the only people watching and listening sneakily from behind their books now; most of the class were staring transfixed at Professor Trelawney as she drew herself up to her full height, her beads and bangles clinking.
"The Inner Eye does not See upon command!" she said in scandalised tones.
"I see," said Professor Umbridge softly, making yet another note on her clipboard.
"I — but — but . . . wait!" said Professor Trelawney suddenly, in an attempt at her usual ethereal voice, though the mystical effect was ruined somewhat by the way it was shaking with anger. "I . . . I think I do see something . . . something that concerns you. . . . Why, I sense something . . . something dark . . . some grave peril . . ."
Professor Trelawney pointed a shaking finger at Professor Umbridge who continued to smile blandly at her, eyebrows raised.
"I am afraid . . . I am afraid that you are in grave danger!" Professor Trelawney finished dramatically.
There was a pause. Professor Umbridge's eyebrows were still raised.
"Right," she said softly, scribbling on her clipboard once more. "Well, if that's really the best you can do . . ."
She turned away, leaving Professor Trelawney standing rooted to the spot, her chest heaving. Harry and Ara caught Ron's eye and knew that Ron was thinking exactly the same as they were: They all knew that Professor Trelawney was an old fraud, but on the other hand, they loathed Umbridge so much that they felt very much on Trelawney's side — until she swooped down on them a few seconds later, that was.
"Well?" she said, snapping her long fingers under Harry's nose, uncharacteristically brisk. "Let me see the start you've made on your dream diary, please."
And by the time she had interpreted Harry's dreams at the top of her voice (all of which, even the ones that involved eating porridge, apparently foretold a gruesome and early death), he was feeling much less sympathetic toward her. All the while, Professor Umbridge stood a few feet away, making notes on that clipboard, and when the bell rang she descended the silver ladder first so that she was waiting for them all when they reached their Defence Against the Dark Arts lesson ten minutes later.
She was humming and smiling to herself when they entered the room. Ara, Harry, and Ron told Hermione, who had been in Arithmancy, exactly what had happened in Divination while they all took out their copies of Defensive Magical Theory, but before Hermione could ask any questions Professor Umbridge had called them all to order and silence fell.
"Wands away," she instructed them all smilingly, and those people who had been hopeful enough to take them out sadly returned them to their bags. "As we finished chapter one last lesson, I would like you all to turn to page nineteen today and commence chapter two, 'Common Defensive Theories and Their Derivation.' There will be no need to talk."
Still smiling her wide, self-satisfied smile, she sat down at her desk. The class gave an audible sigh as it turned, as one, to page nineteen. Ara wondered whether there were enough chapters in the book to keep them reading through all this year's lessons and was on the point of checking the contents when she noticed that Hermione had her hand in the air again.
Professor Umbridge had noticed too, and what was more, she seemed to have worked out a strategy for just such an eventuality. Instead of trying to pretend she had not noticed Hermione, she got to her feet and walked around the front row of desks until they were face-to-face, then she bent down and whispered, so that the rest of the class could not hear, "What is it this time, Miss Granger?"
"I've already read chapter two," said Hermione.
"Well then, proceed to chapter three."
"I've read that too. I've read the whole book."
Ara gave an accidental laugh but covered it up as a cough. Umbridge looked at her, "something funny, Miss Black?"
"Plenty," Ara gave a short nod before looking back down at her book, Harry nudged her to keep quiet, he definitely didn't want her in detention again.
Professor Umbridge blinked but recovered her poise almost instantly, she turned to look at Hermione again.
"Well, then, you should be able to tell me what Slinkhard says about counter jinxes in chapter fifteen."
"He says that counter jinxes are improperly named," said Hermion Promptly. "He says 'counterjinx' is just a name people give their jinxes when they want to make them sound more acceptable."
Professor Umbridge raised her eyebrows, and both Ara and Harry knew she was impressed against her will.
"But I disagree," Hermione continued.
Ara smirked down at her book.
Professor Umbridge's eyebrows rose a little higher and her gaze became distinctly colder.
"You disagree?"
"Yes, I do," said Hermione, who, unlike Umbridge, was not whispering, but speaking in a clear, carrying voice that had by now attracted the rest of the class's attention. "Mr. Slinkhard doesn't like jinxes, does he? But I think they can be very useful when they're used defensively."
"Oh, you do, do you?" said Professor Umbridge, forgetting to whisper and straightening up. "Well, I'm afraid it is Mr. Slinkhard's opinion, and not yours, that matters within this classroom, Miss Granger."
"But —" Hermione began.
"That is enough," said Professor Umbridge. She walked back to the front of the class and stood before them, all the jauntiness she had shown at the beginning of the lesson gone. "Miss Granger, I am going to take five points from Gryffindor House."
There was an outbreak of muttering at this.
"What for?" said Ara angrily. She had been amused a few moments ago, but now that had all vanished.
"Don't you get involved!" Hermione whispered urgently to her.
Harry kept nudging her with his hand and giving her pleading looks but she simply ignored them all. He frustratedly sighed, why couldn't she ever listen?
"For disrupting my class with pointless interruptions," said Professor Umbridge smoothly. "I am here to teach you using a Ministry-approved method that does not include inviting students to give their opinions on matters about which they understand very little. Your previous teachers in this subject may have allowed you more licence, but as none of them — with the possible exception of Professor Quirrell, who did at least appear to have restricted himself to age-appropriate subjects — would have passed a Ministry inspection —"
"Yeah, Quirrell was a great teacher," said Harry loudly, he had seen Ara open her mouth, ready to probably start yelling so he decided that him being in detention was better than her getting one. "there was just that minor drawback of him having Lord Voldemort sticking out of the back of his head."
This pronouncement was followed by one of the loudest silences Harry had ever heard. Then —
"I think another week's detentions would do you some good, Mr. Potter," said Umbridge sleekly.
"What?" Ara questioned angrily, her hands balled into fists. "You're giving him detention for telling the truth? I didn't know you, Professor, couldn't handle such a simple topic, it seems that besides being a bad teacher you're also a sensitive little—"
"Detention for you too, Black!" Umbridge bellowed, no trace of a smile on her face.
She turned back around and Harry looked at Ara in disbelief, but she simply gave him a weak smile, "you didn't think I'd let you go to that detention alone, did you?"
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THE CUTS ON THE BACKS OF ARA AND HARRY'S hand had barely healed and by the following morning, they were bleeding again. They did not complain during the evening's detention; they were determined not to give Umbridge the satisfaction; over and over again they wrote I must not tell lies and not a sound escaped their lips, though the cuts deepened with every letter.
The very worst part of this second week's worth of detentions was, just as George had predicted, Angelina's reaction. She cornered them just as they arrived at the Gryffindor table for breakfast on Tuesday and shouted so loudly that Professor McGonagall came sweeping down upon the pair of them from the staff table.
"Miss Johnson, how dare you make such a racket in the Great Hall! Five points from Gryffindor!"
"But Professor — they've gone and landed themselves in detention again —"
"What's this, Potter? Black?" said Professor McGonagall sharply, rounding on Harry and Ara. "Detention? From whom?"
"From Professor Umbridge," said Ara loud and clear, already knowing what was coming as Harry tried to not look Professor McGonagall in the eyes.
"Are you telling me," she said, lowering her voice so that the group of curious Ravenclaws behind them could not hear, "that after the warning I gave you last both Monday you two lost your tempers in Professor Umbridge's class again?"
"Yes," Harry muttered, speaking to the floor.
"Potter, Black, you must get a grip on yourselves! You are both heading for serious trouble! Another five points from Gryffindor, each!"
"But — what? Professor, no!" Harry said, furious at this injustice. "We're already being punished by her, why do you have to take points as well?"
"Because detentions do not appear to have any effect on you whatsoever!" said Professor McGonagall tartly. "No, not another word of complaint, Black! Potter! And as for you, Miss Johnson, you will confine your shouting matches to the Quidditch pitch in future or risk losing the team Captaincy!"
She strode back toward the staff table. Angelina gave Harry and Ara a look of deepest disgust and stalked away, upon which they flung themselves onto the bench beside Ron, fuming.
"She's taken points off Gryffindor because we're having our hands sliced open every night! How is that fair, how?" said Harry.
"I know, mate," said Ron sympathetically, tipping bacon onto Ara and Harry's plates, "she's bang out of order."
Hermione, however, merely rustled the pages of her Daily Prophet and said nothing.
"You think she was right, do you?" said Ara, almost angrily, to the picture of Cornelius Fudge obscuring Hermione's face.
"I wish she hadn't taken points from you two, but I think she's right to warn you not to lose your temper with Umbridge," said Hermione's voice, while Fudge gesticulated forcefully from the front page, clearly giving some kind of speech.
Neither Ara or Harry spoke to Hermione all through Charms. When they entered Transfiguration Harry forgot his anger, though Ara's still lingered, her head felt like it was going to explode and the sight of Professor Umbridge and her clipboard were sitting in a corner certainly didn't help improve her mood.
"Excellent," whispered Ron, as they sat down in their usual seats. "Let's see Umbridge get what she deserves."
Professor McGonagall marched into the room without giving the slightest indication that she knew Professor Umbridge was there.
"That will do," she said and silence fell immediately. "Mr. Finnigan, kindly come here and hand back the homework — Miss Brown, please take this box of mice — don't be silly, girl, they won't hurt you — and hand one to each student —"
"Hem, hem," said Professor Umbridge, employing the same silly little cough she had used to interrupt Dumbledore on the first night of term. Professor McGonagall ignored her. Seamus handed back Harry's and Ara's essays; Harry took them without looking at him and saw, to his relief, that he had managed an A, he handed Ara's and she really didn't seem surprised when she saw an E.
"Right then, everyone, listen closely — Dean Thomas, if you do that to the mouse again I shall put you in detention — most of you have now successfully vanished your snails and even those who were left with a certain amount of shell have the gist of the spell. Today wes hall be —"
"Hem, hem," said Professor Umbridge.
"Yes?" said Professor McGonagall, turning round, her eyebrows so close together they seemed to form one long, severe line.
"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 Professor Umbridge. Many of the students exchanged looks of glee. "As I was saying, today we shall be practising the altogether more difficult vanishment of mice. Now, the Vanishing Spell —"
"Hem, hem."
"I wonder," said Professor McGonagall in cold fury, turning on Professor Umbridge, "how do 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."
Professor Umbridge looked as though she had just been slapped in the face. She did not speak, but straightened the parchment on her clipboard and began scribbling furiously. Looking supremely unconcerned, Professor McGonagall addressed the class once more.
"As I was saying, the Vanishing Spell becomes more difficult with the complexity of the animal to be vanished. The snail, as an invertebrate, does not present much of a challenge; the mouse, as a mammal, offers a much greater one. This is not, therefore, magic you can accomplish with your mind on your dinner. So — you know the incantation, let me see what you can do. . . ."
"How she can lecture us about not losing our temper with Umbridge!" Harry said to Ron and Ara under his voice, but he was grinning; his anger with Professor McGonagall had quite evaporated.
"Yeah, well, Umbridge isn't exactly after her," Ara pointed out quietly, rubbing her temples. "In case you haven't noticed, the bitch targets us."
Professor Umbridge did not follow Professor McGonagall around the class as she had followed Professor Trelawney; perhaps she thought that Professor McGonagall would not permit it. She did, however, take many more notes while she sat in her corner, and when Professor McGonagall finally told them all to pack away, rose with a grim expression on her face.
"Well, it's a start," said Ron, holding up a long, wriggling mouse tail and dropping it back into the box Lavender was passing around.
As they filed out of the classroom, Professor Umbridge approached the teacher's desk; Harry nudged Ron, who nudged Ara, who nudged Hermione in turn, and the four of them deliberately fell back to eavesdrop.
"How long have you been teaching at Hogwarts?" Professor Umbridge asked.
"Thirty-nine years this December," said Professor McGonagall brusquely, snapping her bag shut.
Professor Umbridge made a note.
"Very well," she said, "you will receive the results of your inspection in ten days' time."
"I can hardly wait," said Professor McGonagall in a coldly indifferent voice, and she strode off toward the door. "Hurry up, you four," she added, sweeping Ara, Harry, Ron, and Hermione before her. Ara could not help giving her a faint smile and she could have sworn she received one in return.
Harry had thought that the next time they would see Umbridge would be in his and Ara's detention that evening, but he was wrong. When they walked down the lawns toward the forest for Care of Magical Creatures, they found her and her clipboard waiting for them beside Professor Grubbly-Plank.
"You do not usually take this class, is that correct?" they heard her ask as they arrived at the trestle table where the group of captive bowtruckles were scrabbling around for woodlice like so many living twigs.
"Quite correct," said Professor Grubbly-Plank, hands behind her back and bouncing on the balls of her feet. "I am a substitute teacher standing in for Professor Hagrid."
Ara and Harry exchanged uneasy looks with Ron and Hermione. Malfoy was whispering with Crabbe and Goyle; he would surely love this opportunity to tell tales on Hagrid to a member of the Ministry.
"Hmm," said Professor Umbridge, dropping her voice, though Ara could still hear her quite clearly, "I wonder — the headmaster seems strangely reluctant to give me any information on the matter —can you tell me what is causing Professor Hagrid's very extended leave of absence?"
Ara saw Malfoy look up eagerly.
" 'Fraid I can't," said Professor Grubbly-Plank breezily. "Don't know anything more about it than you do. Got an owl from Dumbledore, would I like a couple of weeks teaching work, accepted — that's as much as I know. Well . . . shall I get started then?"
"Yes, please do," said Professor Umbridge, scribbling upon her clipboard.
Umbridge took a different tack in this class and wandered among the students, questioning them on magical creatures. Most people were able to answer well and Ara and Harry's spirits lifted somewhat; at least the class was not letting Hagrid down.
"Overall," said Professor Umbridge, returning to Professor Grubbly Plank's side after a lengthy interrogation of Dean Thomas, "how do you, as a temporary member of staff — an objective outsider, I suppose you might say — how do you find Hogwarts? Do you feel you receive enough support from the school management?"
"Oh, yes, Dumbledore's excellent," said Professor Grubbly-Plank heartily. "No, I'm very happy with the way things are run, very happy indeed."
Looking politely incredulous, Umbridge made a tiny note on her clipboard and went on, "And what are you planning to cover with this class this year — assuming, of course, that Professor Hagrid does not return?"
"Oh, I'll take them through the creatures that most often come up in O.W.L.," said Professor Grubbly-Plank. "Not much left to do —they've studied unicorns and nifflers, I thought we'd cover porlocks and kneazles, make sure they can recognize crups and knarls, you know. . . ."
"Well, you seem to know what you're doing, at any rate," said Professor Umbridge, making a very obvious tick on her clipboard. Ara did not like the emphasis she put on "you" and liked it even less when she put her next question to Goyle: "Now, I hear there have been injuries in this class?"
Goyle gave a stupid grin. Malfoy hastened to answer the question.
"That was me," he said. "I was slashed by a hippogriff."
"A hippogriff?" said Professor Umbridge, now scribbling frantically.
"Only because he was too stupid to listen to what Hagrid told him to do," said Ara angrily.
Ron and Hermione groaned while Harry threw his head back, exasperated. Professor Umbridge turned her head slowly in Ara's direction.
"Another night's detention, I think," she said softly. "Well, thank you very much, Professor Grubbly-Plank, I think that's all I need here. You will be receiving the results of your inspection within ten days."
"Jolly good," said Professor Grubbly-Plank, and Professor Umbridge set off back across the lawn to the castle.
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IT WAS NEARLY MIDNIGHT WHEN ARA LEFT Umbridge's office that night, Harry had wanted to wait outside the door but Ara had forced him to go to the common room, she didn't want him to get in trouble for something as simple as waiting outside for her, she knew the toad was looking for reasons—even if they were ridiculous—to punish them. She was already halfway to the common room when she felt her hand start to gush out even more blood, dripping onto the floor in small droplets. She lightly cursed under her breath before hurriedly wrapping it with a short gauze Harry had given her.
She was tying it around her hand when she suddenly bumped into someone, her hand getting accidentally hit by that person's arm.
"Look where you're—Atlas?" Ara quickly hid her hand behind her back.
"Hello, grumpy, what are you doing out here this late?" Atlas said, narrowing his eyes at her.
"Just. . .out for a night stroll," Ara shrugged, hiding her wince when her hand gave a sharp pain. "I'm heading to the common room,"
"Ah, I'll walk you then," Atlas offered as they picked up their pace once more. With him throwing her narrowed-eyed glances. "What's going on? I'm surprised your lover-boy isn't with you,"
Ara rolled her eyes, making sure her hand stayed rooted by her side and out of his sight, "He's not my lover-boy, and he's in the common room—"
"You're hiding something," Atlas' said flatly and suddenly.
"No I'm not,"
"You are,"
"I'm not!"
"Then, why are you hiding your hand?" Atlas questioned, grabbing Ara's arm to stop her in her tracks.
"I'm not—"
But Atlas wasn't listening anymore, he reached out and grabbed her forearm firmly before looking down at the gauze covering her left hand. His mouth was agape when he took in the sight of the blood that was somehow seeping from the white fabric, though when his initial shock passed a murderous glint took over his grey eyes as he raised his head to look at her, he spoke in a low threatening voice that didn't even sound like his own, "Who?"
"I doesn't matter—"
"I asked you who, Ara, tell me, or I'll find out on my own."
Ara rolled her eyes tiredly, before letting out, "Umbridge."
"What?" snarled Atlas, astonished. "I thought she was giving you lines!"
"Yeah well, she has this special quill, it basically carves what you write onto the back of your hand," Ara explained, giving a short shrug.
Atlas glared at her for a solid five seconds before he turned on his heel, heading towards the opposite direction with a determined pace. Ara blinked at his abrupt movement before hurriedly catching the back of his jacket, halting his walking.
"Where are you going?"
"To Dumbledore—or McGonagall— whoever I find first, it's time adults in this castle start doing something—" he grumbled, shrugging of her hand as he tried to go again.
"No!" Ara said firmly, grabbing him again and dragging him with her towards the direction of the common room. "You won't tell anyone, that's what Umbridge wants."
"So I'm supposed to do nothing? I'm supposed to sit here while that foul woman hurts my little sister?"
"Yes," said Ara, sternly.
Atlas scoffed, "I can't believe you," he said but didn't make any move to leave again as he followed her. "This isn't something you take lightly, Ara, the woman is mangling you—"
"I know," Ara snipped, giving him a warning glance, "but what can they do, really? What? As much as I hate it, the Ministry is in control here, Umbridge is in control, if I've learned something in my life is that when it comes to me or the Ministry, I'm the one that loses."
Atlas was quite for several moments before he let out a defeated sigh, "I don't what it's like—what it's been like—for you, dealing with prejudice so fine, I'll keep my mouth shut but at least try to not get as much detentions,"
"I'll see what I can manage," Ara cracked a smile, relieved when they finally reached the portrait hole.
"Harry's waiting for you, right? He'll have something for that hand?"
"He's usually the one that patches me up," Ara nodded.
"Of course he is," Atlas momentarily teased, "well, good night, sleep well and just give it a try, okay? I'm too young to get grey hairs because of stress."
Ara snorted, "I make no promises,"
Giving her a last glance, he started walking away, heading towards his own common room as Ara uttered the password to the Fat Lady, who'd been peacefully snoozing.
As soon as she walked in she saw that Harry, Ron, and Hermione had sat up waiting for her. She was pleased to see them, especially as Hermione was disposed to be sympathetic rather than critical.
"Here," she said anxiously, pushing a small bowl of yellow liquid toward her, "soak your hand in that, it's a solution of strained and pickled murtlap tentacles, it should help. I already gave Harry a bit."
Ara placed her bleeding, aching hand into the bowl and experienced a wonderful feeling of relief. Venus curled around her legs, purring loudly, and then leapt into her lap and settled down.
"Thanks," she said gratefully, scratching behind Venus's ears with her right hand.
Harry moved closer to her, bringing his own bowl with him. He didn't say anything, but he let her lean her head against his arm, her eyes fluttering tiredly. He looked down at her, feeling pain and discomfort rise within him, not because his own hand had been cut open too, but because Ara was in pain, and that alone caused Harry agony.
"I still reckon you should complain about this," said Ron in a low voice.
"No," said Ara flatly.
"McGonagall would go nuts if she knew —"
"Yeah, she probably would," said Harry. "And how long d'you reckon it'd take Umbridge to pass another Decree saying anyone who complains about the High Inquisitor gets sacked immediately?"
Ron opened his mouth to retort but nothing came out and after a moment he closed it again in a defeated sort of way.
"She's an awful woman," said Hermione in a small voice. "Awful. You know, I was just saying to Ron and Harry when you came in Ara . . . we've got to do something about her."
"I suggest poison," said Ron, grinning.
"Ooooh, yes, I read about one that would be impossible to find in the human system. . ." Ara said enthusiastically.
"No . . . I mean, something about what a dreadful teacher she is, and how we're not going to learn any defence from her at all," said Hermione, giving the siblings a look.
"Well, what can we do about that?" said Ron, yawning. " 'S too late, isn't it? She got the job, she's here to stay, Fudge'll make sure of that."
"Well," said Hermione tentatively. "You know, I was thinking today. . . ." She shot a slightly nervous look at Harry and Ara and then plunged on, "I was thinking that — maybe the time's come when we should just —just do it ourselves."
"Do what ourselves?" said Harry suspiciously, still floating his hand in the essence of murtlap tentacles, while his other hand played with the ends of Ara's short hair.
"Well — learn Defence Against the Dark Arts ourselves," said Hermione.
"Come off it," groaned Ron. "You want us to do extra work? D'you realise Harry and I are behind on homework again and it's only the second week?"
"But this is much more important than homework!" said Hermione.
Ara, Harry and Ron goggled at her.
"Did I just hear you, Hermione Jean Granger, say that there is something more important than homework?" Ara said, a playful glint in her eyes.
"I didn't think there was anything in the universe more important than homework," added Ron.
"Don't be silly you two, of course there is!" said Hermione, and Harry and Ara saw, with an ominous feeling, that her face was suddenly alight with the kind of fervour that S.P.E.W. usually inspired by her. "It's about preparing ourselves, like Harry and Ara said in Umbridge's first lesson, for what's waiting out there. It's about making sure we really can defend ourselves. If we don't learn anything for a whole year —"
"We can't do much by ourselves," said Ron in a defeated voice. "I mean, all right, we can go and look jinxes up in the library and try and practise them, I suppose —"
"No, I agree, we've gone past the stage where we can just learn things out of books," said Hermione. "We need a teacher, a proper one, who can show us how to use the spells and correct us if we're going wrong."
"If you're talking about Remus . . . he's really busy right now. . ." Ara began, adjusting her head so that it laid more comfortably on Harry's arm.
"No, no, I'm not talking about Remus," said Hermione. "Like you said, he's too busy with the Order and anyway, the most we could see him is during Hogsmeade weekends and that's not nearly often enough."
"Who, then?" said Harry, frowning at her.
Hermione heaved a very deep sigh.
"Isn't it obvious?" she said. "I'm talking about you two, Harry, Ara."
There was a moment's silence. A light night breeze rattled the window panes behind Ron and the fire guttered.
"About us what?" said Harry.
"I'm talking about you both teaching us Defence Against the Dark Arts."
Ara and Harry stared at her. Then they turned to Ron, ready to exchange the exasperated looks they sometimes shared when Hermione elaborated on far-fetched schemes like S.P.E.W. To Ara and Harry's consternation, however, Ron did not look exasperated. He was frowning slightly, apparently thinking. Then he said, "That's an idea."
"What's an idea?" said Harry.
"You two," said Ron. "Teaching us to do it."
Ara gave a quiet laugh.
"But . . ."
Harry was grinning now.
"But we're not teachers, we can't —"
"Harry, you and Ara the best in the year at Defence Against the Dark Arts," said Hermione.
"I'm sure Ara is, but me?" said Harry, now grinning more broadly than ever. "No I'm not, you've beaten me in every test —"
"Actually, I haven't," said Hermione coolly. "You beat me in our third year — the only year we both sat the test and had a teacher who actually knew the subject, and Ara always gets the highest marks in that class. But I'm not talking about test results, Harry. Look what you've both done!"
"How d'you mean?" this time it was Ara who spoke, she straightened up in her seat.
"You know what, I'm not sure I want people this stupid teaching me," Ron said to Hermione, smirking slightly. He turned to Harry and Ara. "Let's think," he said, pulling a face like Goyle concentrating. "Uh . . .first year — you both saved the Stone from You-Know-Who."
"But that was luck," said Harry, "that wasn't skill —"
"Second year," Ron interrupted, "you two killed the basilisk and destroyed Riddle."
"Yeah, but if Fawkes hadn't turned up —" Ara started.
"Third year," said Ron, louder still, "you both fought off about a hundred dementors at once —"
"You know that was a fluke, if the Time-Turner hadn't —"
"Last year," Ron said, almost shouting now, "you two fought off You-Know-Who again —"
"Listen to us!" said Harry, almost angrily, because Ron and Hermione were both smirking now. "Just listen to us, all right? It sounds great when you say it like that, but all that stuff was luck — We didn't know what we were doing half the time, we didn't plan any of it, we just did whatever we could think of, and we nearly always had help, Ara was always there with me —"
Ron and Hermione were still smirking and Ara could see Harry's temper rise.
"Don't sit there grinning like you know better than we do, we were there, weren't we?" he said heatedly. "We know what went on, all right? And we didn't get through any of that because we was brilliant at DefenseAgainst the Dark Arts, we got through it all because — because help came at the right time, or because we guessed right — but we just blundered through it all, we didn't have a clue what we were doing — STOP LAUGHING!"
Harry's bowl of murtlap essence fell to the floor and smashed. He became aware that he was on his feet, though he couldn't remember standing up. Venus and Crookshanks streaked away under a sofa; Ron and Hermione's smiles had vanished, and Ara was looking at him, quite surprised by his outburst.
"You don't know what it's like! You — neither of you — you've never had to face him, have you? You think it's just memorising a bunch of spells and throwing them at him, like you're in class or something? The whole time you know there's nothing between you and dying except your own — your own brain or guts or whatever — like you can think straight when you know you're about a second from being murdered or watching someone you care about get tortured repeatedly— they've never taught us that in their classes, what it's like to deal with things like that — and you two sit there acting like we're clever little kids to be standing here, alive, like Diggory was stupid, like he messed up —you just don't get it, that could just as easily have been Ara or me, it would have been if Voldemort hadn't needed us —"
"We weren't saying anything like that, mate," said Ron, looking aghast. "We weren't having a go at Diggory, we didn't — you've got the wrong end of the —"
He looked helplessly at Hermione, whose face was stricken.
"Harry, Ara," she said timidly, "don't you see? This . . . this is exactly why we need you two. . . . We need to know what it's r-really like . . . facing him . . . facing V-Voldemort."
It was the first time she had ever said Voldemort's name, and it was this, more than anything else, that calmed Harry. Still breathing hard, he felt Ara's hand enclose around his own, pulling him back down as he sank back into his place on the sofa beside her.
"Well . . . think about it," said Hermione quietly. "Please?"
Ara nodded thoughtfully, considering the idea. It wasn't entirely bad, she mused. But who would actually want to be taught by them? They were outsiders now, their words falling on disbelieving ears, their presence igniting dislike.
Harry could not think of anything to say. He was feeling ashamed of his outburst already. He nodded, hardly aware of what he was agreeing to. Hermione stood up.
"Well, I'm off to bed," she said in a voice that was clearly as natural as she could make it. "Erm . . . 'night."
Ron had gotten to his feet too.
"Coming?" he said awkwardly to Harry.
"Yeah," said Harry. "In . . . in a minute. I'll just clear this up."
He indicated the smashed bowl on the floor. Ron nodded and left.
"Reparo," Harry muttered, pointing his wand at the broken pieces of china. They flew back together, good as new, but there was no returning the murtlap essence to the bowl.
"I get the sense you don't like the idea?" said Ara, Harry turned to look at her.
"I don't think I'm necessarily qualified to teach people, also, no one believes us. . ." said Harry, staring down at the fireplace. "Do you want to do it?"
"Well. . .I don't think it's a bad idea," said Ara, giving a heavy sigh. "But we also have so much on our plate right now, with Umbridge, the Ministry, Voldemort,. . .we can only handle so much, but I do think the others should know how to defend themselves."
"It's not your responsibility, y'know?" said Harry, and when Ara gave him a confused look he continued, "helping everyone I mean, you need to take a break for yourself sometimes."
"Yeah, but I guess that's just how I am," Ara shrugged, giving him a smile. "I help people that deserve to be given my help."
"I don't know if I love or hate that about you," said Harry shaking his head. "Always self-sacrificing."
"Look who's talking!" Ara playfully scoffed. "You also have a hero complex!"
"That's not true—!"
"It is!" Ara laughed, causing a smile to grow on Harry's face.
"Okay! Okay, then we'll save people together," said Harry, staring at her in adoration.
"And fight together," Ara added. "Deal?"
"Deal," Harry nodded.
They sat in silence for a few moments, enjoying each other's company. Harry stole occasional glances at Ara, feeling a warmth growing in his chest. It urged him to pull her close, to shield her from any harm, from Umbridge, from Voldemort, from everyone. It was weird, this feeling that suddenly overtook him, he didn't understand it, he wasn't even sure if he wanted to.
"I should go to sleep," voiced Ara, standing up, she gave a tired yawn and briefly bent down to give Harry an unexpected kiss on his cheek. "Good Night, Bambi."
"Y-yeah, good night," Harry stared after her, madly blushing.
He sat there for nearly thirty minutes after she left, not really thinking, just feeling quite giddy, he lazily passed his wand from hand to hand and boredly played with it, he wasn't really tired yet, and wanted entertainment, so without really thinking it, he quietly said, "Expecto Patronum."
He was obviously expecting a stag but his blood ran cold when he finally looked up to see what form the Patronus took, his heart rate increased and he abruptly stood up, staring at the Patronus in absolute awe and shock.
Because it wasn't a stag, it was a wolf.
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I LIVEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
SO SORRY FOR THE WAIT!! HEYYYYY
I was so busy with uni that's why I didn't update sooner! So sorry about that!!
I hope you liked this chapter!! tell me your thoughts!!
qotd: do you wear glasses? Yes!
Small clarification: No, Harry won't lose his stag patronus, since this is a fanfic I get to do what I want lol, so Harry's patronus will have two forms, sometimes it may be a wolf, others it may be a stag. I made it this way because his love for Ara is strong but I also wanted to keep his connection with James :) I hope you like it!
Remember to COMMENT and VOTE!!
See you in the next chapter loves <3