Lily's POV
It turns out Cho betrayed us, though I wouldn't be surprised if Umbridge had used Veritaserum. She had let slip everything about Dumbledore's Army, leading Umbridge right to us. We entered Dumbledore's office to find him seated calmly behind his desk, McGonagall behind him looking quite the opposite. Cornelius Fudge stood at the foot of the stairs, beside a familiar member of the Order, Kingsley Shacklebolt and an unknown Auror, we were shoved beside the group.
Umbridge stepped up beside her boss, a piece of parchment containing the registration list we'd all signed in the Hog's Head. The last person in the room was Percy Weasley, who stood behind his boss, making Ron hiss in disgust. Fudge turned and caught sight of us. "Well, well, well, Potter's I suppose you know why you are here?"
With a subtle glance at Dumbledore, he gave a slight shake of his head, that didn't even move his long beard. I shifted in Blaise's grip. "No, actually, we don't."
This stumped him. "No?"
"No." Harry and I nodded in unison, giving the other's and their confused looks a nod, making them shake their heads along with us.
The Minister glanced incredulously between Dumbledore, Umbridge and us. "So, you have no idea, that you're here because you've broken about a dozen school rules and Ministry decrees?" His voice was positively dripping with sarcasm and the five of us shook our heads in perfect unison.
Minnie had to cover her mouth with her hand to hide her smirk. "We've been watching them f-for weeks!" Umbridge spluttered. "And look, look and see, 'Dumbledore's Army', proof of what I've been telling you right from the beginning, Cornelius. All their riff-raff about You-Know-Who, never had us fooled for a second. We saw your lies for what they were, a scandal. A smokescreen for your bid to seize control of the Ministry."
"Naturally." Dumbledore agreed immediately before any of us could jump in and deny any of it.
"No!" Harry cried. "No, Dumbledore had nothing to do with it. It was me!"
"Most noble of you to shield me, but as has been pointed out the parchment clearly states 'Dumbledores Army', not 'Potter's'. I instructed the twins to form this organisation and I alone, am responsible for its activities." Em glanced at me and we looked up at Dumbledore.
"Dispatch an owl to the Daily Prophet, Weasley." Fudge barked at Percy. "If we hurry, we should still make the morning edition. Dawlish, Shacklebolt, you will escort Dumbledore to Azkaban to await trial for conspiracy and sedition."
"No!" I yelled, going to step forward, but Blaise caught me and I sent him a glare, but he gave a subtle shake of his head.
But Dumbledore just looked around at all the people as they advanced, except for Kingsley who stood stock still. "Argh, well I'm afraid we've hit a little snag." Dumbledore smiled. "See I have no intention of going to Azkaban."
"You expect to take on Dawlish, Shacklebolt, Umbridge and myself all by yourself?"
"Nope."
"Enough of this, take him!" Umbridge ordered.
Dumbledore glanced at Harry and I, giving us both a wink, then Fawkes, Dumbledore's Phoenix, swooped from his roost and soared above his master. The Headmaster grabbed him and with a loud crack and explosion of fire, the two disappeared. The others all looked around curiously. "Where is he?!"
"You can't Disapparate inside school grounds." Umbridge exclaimed.
Minnie was beside us now, arms wrapped around my shoulders and Harry's, everyone's shocked gaze settled on our smirking faces. "Why you!"
"Check yourself, Dolores." Kingsley stepped in front of her, as she advanced towards us.
She looked shocked at her own actions and stood up straight, though she never grew taller than her 5'3". "Right, yes, of course."
"Well, that's the end of Dumbledore." Cornelius nodded and gestured his head towards us. "Get them off to bed."
We overheard Kingsley's snide comment as we walked out the door. "Well, you may not like him, Minister, but you can't deny, Dumbledore's got style."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
The next morning Educational Decree 113 was passed, saying, "Dolores Jane Umbridge has replaced Albus Dumbledore as Head of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."
The notices had appeared almost overnight and we also found it funny how everyone knew about Dumbledore's flight, it was the sole topic of conversation in the corridors and we were bombarded with requests to give a first-hand recount. Though some details, like Fudge being in the hospital with a pumpkin for a head, had gone array, there wasn't much missing from the event.
"Hey Potter's." Fred and George ran up to join us in the corridor's, the latter wrapping an arm around Emma's shoulders. "Guess what we just found out from none other than our trusty informant, Peeves?"
"What?" I looked expectantly at Fred.
"Umbridge tried to get back into the Head's office last night after they searched the castle and grounds in case Dumbledore was still here. Couldn't get past the gargoyle, the office has sealed itself against her. She had a tantrum right out in the hall, meaning Peeves could pelt her with tomatoes."
Everyone shared a smirk, but they quickly disappeared as a loudspeaker crackled. "Boys and girls are not permitted to be within eight inches of each other." The Toad's voice echoed over the megaphones, set up in nearly all corners of the school. "Those wishing to join the Inquisitorial Squad for extra credit can sign up in my office. Students will be submitted to questioning about suspected illicit activities."
"Great, now her annoying, bitchy voice is everywhere." Emmaline groaned, covering her ear and meeting me with a matching dark look.
"Uh, guys."
Following Ron's gaze up through the switching staircases, we noticed every single painting had been taken down and their inhabitants were shaken out of the frames that were stacked in the Entrance Hall. The walls were left plain and bare, the slightly discoloured marks of the portrait's frame against the wall were the only evidence they had ever been there in the first place.
Nearly everyone had red, raw scars littered across the back of their hands from Umbridge's detention, every message particular to that person's crime and everything had basically gone downhill the minute Dumbledore decided to leave.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Blaise had asked to meet me in one of the lesser used corridors of the castle on the second floor of the eastern side. I turned the corner to have Blaise embrace me. "Lily, I'd just like to say sorry for the other night in Dumbledore's office."
"Oh, that's okay." I brushed off. "I understand."
"And I'd also like to apologise for–"
"Lily."
My eyes were glued to the person behind Blaise, leaning casually against the wall beside a circular window, his unruly blonde hair flopped to the right of his face, some falling in his eyes. "Draco."
"Blaise." Draco sounded dismissive but his friend scoffed.
"Uh-uh, I'm staying to make sure you two don't kill each other."
The beautiful boy in front of me scowled but met my neutral gaze. I had moved around Blaise and was standing opposite Draco, bravely might I add. "How are you, Lil? you feeling better after last night?"
"What do you want?" I cut right to the chase, not wanting to be in his presence any longer than I had too, but at the same time I felt myself being drawn towards him.
"For you to answer my question." He replied cheekily with a grin, showing his dazzling teeth.
This made me involuntarily relax, unable to fight back my smile. "I'm splendid, how are you, Draco?"
"Serendipitous."
Rolling my eyes I looked at Blaise who was smirking and nodding at his peer. "Well, that's good. Now, if you could so kindly tell me what this is all about?"
Draco glanced at Blaise again, causing him to huff in annoyance and disappear down the hall. When I glanced back at Draco, he's watching me with dark eyes and I gasp. "I'm here, Lily, because I'm sick of Mil and Blaise reporting back to me about how tired and depressed you look, and I just..."
Our faces were inches away from each other and I couldn't help but let my eyes flicker down to his lips. "Just what, Draco?"
"I just can't stay away from you any longer."
Our warm breathes mingled in the tiny space between us and my eyes slipped shut. A series of booms went off in the distance, followed by screams, snapping me out of my daze and I pushed him away from me.
"Well, I guess you better try harder, then."
Blaise came barrelling around the corner. "Guys, come check it out!"
One floor down, someone (three guesses who) had set off a whole crate of enchanted fireworks, a mixture of fierce Chimera's, fluffy piglets with silvery wings, smoking bats and gryphons. Complete mayhem reigned down here as students ran about in all directions, some screaming, some laughing. The fireworks were rampaging all throughout the castle by the sounds of it, teachers running past, hollering 'Professor Umbridge!". Instead of burning out the spectacular fireworks seemed to be gaining momentum.
Standing at the top of the stairs, we spotted Umbridge running around, desperately trying to stun, vanish, jinx the fireworks out of existence. One gave a loud 'wheeeeeeeee' and swooped into a spiral towards Filch, who ducked and it went sailing through the window and off across the grounds.
"You know if she tries vanishing they multiply by ten." Fred and George strolled casually up beside me, Fred draping an arm round my shoulders and handing me a goblet of apple juice.
"You guys have outdone yourselves, very impressive." I clinked my glass with Fred's and took a sip. "Oh Merlin, I hope you didn't put any of your concoctions in this."
They eyed Draco and Blaise standing beside me watching the spectacle but didn't say anything. "Not this time." George assured and grinned as a bat, flapping its wings madly chased after Umbridge.
"You boys aren't worried about getting expelled?"
They both shrugged. "Not anymore, we'd walk out right now if we didn't think you guys deserved some entertainment."
"Going out with a bang, I see." I took another sip, assuming because anything had yet to happen to me that there was nothing wrong with it. "What does Emmaline think of this idea?" George's face fell and he shifted uncomfortably. "Oh, well make sure you speak to her before you get expelled."
Suddenly a door burst open and Professor McGonagall walked out in a cloud of smoke, followed by the Toad. "Thank you so much, professor!" Minnie smiled sweetly. "I could have gotten rid of the thing myself of course, but I wasn't sure whether or not I had the authority."
I spat out the apple juice in my mouth, the rest of us howling in laughter and Minnie grinned, entering her classroom and closing the door behind her and in Umbridge's flaring nose. "Oh shit, here she comes." Blaise deduced.
"Well, got to skedaddle." Fred threw his goblet in the air and he and George bolted off.
"Come on." Draco took my hand and we raced away from the soot-covered lady storming towards us.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
CAREERS ADVICE
All fifth-year students are required to attend a short meeting with their Head of House tomorrow(today) to discuss their future careers.
The notice was plastered on the noticeboard and my appointment was first up this morning, meaning I'd miss out on History of Magic. Fist pumping the air I went off to McGonagall's office. "Hey, Minnie."
Someone sniffed and looking round I spied Professor Umbridge in the corner, clipboard in hand. "You will address your teacher as professor."
I rolled my eyes, landing my hard gaze on McGonagall, who smiled sweetly. Taking a seat I looked around the smart, nicely decorated room. "I don't think I've ever been in here."
"No, I don't either." She nodded and sat forward slightly, pretending to ignore the scratch of the quill on Umbridge's clipboard. "Now, Lily." We both glanced at Umbridge at the use of such an informal address. "This meeting is to discuss your future career, and to help you decide which subjects you should continue into the senior years. Do you know what you would like to do?"
"Oh, not really." Nah, too busy trying to make it through school without being murder by Voldemort. "But I suppose I'd like to be an Auror."
Behind me, Umbridge choked on thin air. "Well, you'll need top grades for that, something you don't have a problem with, they also require a minimum of five NEWTs and nothing below 'Exceeds Expectations'. After, you'll undergo a series of character and aptitude tests at the Auror office. It's a difficult career and they only take the best."
"So, I'll be fine then?" I said cockily, grinning when there was a small cough from behind me, which we both ignored.
"Yes, considering how well you're doing in Transfiguration, which is required, you're a natural, my dear." Another cough, this one a little more noticeable than the first. "Then you should do Charms and Potions, again no worries. And guess what?"
"What?"
"No more History of Magic."
"Yes!" I fist pumped the air again.
She chuckled. "Thought you'd be happy about that." Schedule cough. "Also, you are required to do Defence Against the Dark Arts and regarding your grades and reports on that subject, you are fully capab–"
"Excuse me, professor." Umbridge finally spoke. "I'm just concerned you don't have Lily's current Defence Against the Dark Arts marks, I slipped you a note."
Minnie held up a slip of paper, then let it go, watching her reaction of the paper falling to the floor. "As I was saying, you have always scored rather highly on DADA tests and–"
"Pardon me, professor." Schedule jumping out a window away from this woman. "Did you not understand my note? Miss Potter has been receiving very poor marks in my classes–"
"Oh, pardon me, professor." Minnie interrupted her with an overly sweet voice, making Toad's nostrils flare. "I should have made myself clear, Lil's achieved one hundred percent in all DADA tests set by a competent teacher."
My jaw dropped and I smirked at Umbridge, who sat blinking rapidly at her workmate. "Well, thank you, Minnie, you have been so helpful." I rose, readjusting my bag strap across my shoulder and sauntered out of the tense room.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
It was the middle of the Easter holidays and the five of us stood on the covered bridge, leading to the Forbidden Forrest and Hagrid's. "You did everything you could." Em comforted Harry. "No one could win against that old bitch." She seemed to enjoy using that word a lot lately.
"Even Dumbledore didn't see this coming." Hermione added. "Twins, if it's anyone's fault it's ours."
"Yeah, we talked you into it." Ron agreed for the first time in history, with Hermione.
"Yeah but I agreed." Harry said, then looked at me, watching him blankly. "We both did. We tried so hard to help and all it's done is make things worse. Anyway, that doesn't matter anymore, because we don't have to play anymore. All it does is make you care too much."
"The more you care, the more you have to lose." I muttered and Harry nodded.
"Maybe it's just better to..."
"Psst." We all looked to the archway to see Hagrid, trying to hide behind a wall, just in case Umbridge was around.
"Hagrid?" Harry asked confused.
"You lot, quic' follow me, before tha' dreaded woman comes."
Without question we followed our friend into the deepest part of the Forbidden Forest. "Any idea where he's taking us?" Ron asked.
"Hagrid, why can't you just tell us?" Em asked.
Hagrid turned and looked at her to say something, but faced front and continued walking. "No Hagrid." I put my foot down, standing beside my friend. "What's going on?"
"Look, I'm sorry to be so mysterious. I wouldn't be bothering you at all, but with Dumbledore gone, I'll likely be getting the sack any day now." He sniffed. "And I just couldn't leave, without telling someone about him."
"Who?" I asked impatiently.
In front of us, what we originally thought was a normal ridge in the forest, moved, standing up on two stubby legs, to reveal a giant. "Grawp. Grawpy." Hagrid called.
He stumbled, turning around and reached out with both hands to grab at a bird, which conveniently flew above our heads. Harry and I ducked as his hands slammed together. Hagrid gasped in relief. "Grawpy, I brought you some company."
Grawp looked down at us and then ran forward, us scrambling backwards as fast as we could. He was tugged back as the rope tied around his waste to a nearby tree stretched to its full length, bouncing back with a boing.
"I couldn't just leave him, because he's my brother." Hagrid nodded as we all looked at him, then back to Grawp. "Well half-brother, really." We backed further away as Grawp bent down, his huge head and puppy dog eyes looking at us all. "He's completely harmless, little high-spirited is all."
In a flash, the giant grabbed me in his fist, lifting me up. "Grawpy that is not polite. We talked about this. You do not grab, do you?" Hagrid scolded the giant, while he effortlessly held me.
"Hagrid, do something!" Ron freaked out.
"That's your new friend. Her name is Lily."
Grawp turned his head looking at me. "Wiwi?"
Taking a deep breath, I slowly nodded, before raising a shaking hand and looked him directly in the eye. "Grawp. Put me down. Now."
He slowly put me down and Harry pulled me back me. Sadness filled the giants eyes and he turned back to his tree. "Are you alright?" Em asked.
"Fine." I said, swallowing.
"I think you've got an admirer." Ron announced as Grawp rummaged through a large, giant-sized chest, pulling out a set of bicycle handlebars. He stood up and rang the small bell, before handing it to me. I rang the bell and Grawp smiled at me, nodding his great head.
I rang the bell again and the shrill sound rang through the forest. Grawp smiled and Hermione giggled as he sat down, staring at me and I kept ringing the bell.
"He gets his own food and all." Hagrid nodded. "It's company he'll be needing when I'm gone. You will look after him, won't you? I'm the only family's he's got."
We nodded. "Of course, Hagrid."
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