Neville found Luna Lovegood in the library three days after the D.A. was discovered. She was staring out the window, dreamily looking at the sky. The last three days had been the worst Neville ever had in Hogwarts. He didn't believe Dumbledore would be gone for long. He'd be back and Umbridge would be gone. It had to be. Hogwarts couldn't stay this dark place.
Neville glanced down at Luna's hand. With the D.A. being found out, Umbridge had placed anyone associated with the D.A. in detention. Neville was nervous about it. He had heard a rumor of what detention with her entailed. She forced them all to sit in the Defense Against the Dark Arts room and write 'I must not break rules' until it sunk in.
The first night had been horrific. Neville was the first one to start bleeding, the scar looking grossly red. The second night, Fred and George had made a game out of it. The first one to have the scar sink in would win. They judged it based on the amount of blood oozing from the wound. It was a pitiful attempt to raise everyone's spirits, but it did work. And detention did go faster.
"I think I'm going to miss the D.A.," Luna said, not looking away from the window. She didn't sound sad or mad, instead, she spoke with her usual thoughtful voice. "It was almost like having real friends."
"You do have real friends, Luna," he told her. "I'm your friend."
"That's lovely, Neville," she replied. She took a deep breath and sat down at a table. She pulled out her Transfiguration homework. He sat down beside her. "Have you noticed Professor McGonagall has been assigning less homework since we've all received detention?"
"No," Neville answered honestly. "She keeps giving us work to prepare us for the O.W.L.s."
"Are you nervous about them, Neville?" Luna wanted to know.
"Yeah," he sighed. "I don't think I'm going to get many."
"Well, you'll definitely get Defense Against the Dark Arts and Herbology. Harry did a good job preparing us." Neville could only nod. He was going to miss the D.A. meetings.
-----
Fred and Hermione were sitting closely together in the Common Room after dinner. Harry was away at his lessons with Snape, Ron and Ginny were at Quidditch practice. George had gone with them, mostly to watch and flirt with Angelina.
Hermione was staring at her textbook, working as hard as she could. She was nervous about the O.W.L.s, Fred knew. He didn't understand her worry, she was the brightest witch he knew. She could pass the exams blindfolded. He twirled strands of her hair around his fingers affectionately. He loved her mane of hair. "You're distracting me," she informed him.
"Good," he told her, smirking. He had been avoiding telling Hermione that he and George would be leaving soon. That he was going to break as many school rules as possible before disappearing with his brother. He knew exactly how she'd react, too. She would tell him that he needed to stay for his N.E.W.T.s. But he couldn't. He wasn't like her. He didn't care for school the way she did.
She glanced over at him. "Fred, stop distracting me."
"Never," he promised. He took a deep breath. "I need to talk to you about something." Noticing his sudden seriousness, she put down her quill.
"What is it?"
"George and me are leaving," he stated.
"What are you talking about?" he looked away from her for a moment.
"We always said that we'd go out with a bang. Something loud and destructive. We'll be leaving soon."
"But-but your N.E.W.T.s-"
"When have we ever cared about school, Hermione?" He smirked as she thought about what he was saying. What this would mean.
"When are you leaving?" she asked quietly. He shrugged.
"We're not sure yet. But sooner rather than later. We've decided to give Umbridge a proper goodbye."
"You're not going to do anything too awful, are you?" She looked at him worriedly.
"We're going to do what we have to." She looked a little upset.
"I don't want you to go," she protested quietly. "We just started..."
"We're going to fine, Granger," he told her resolutely. "I can't promise the same for Umbridge. But you and me, Hermione, are going to fine." Fred didn't want to say "goodbye" to her anymore than she wanted to him. But he and George were leaving. And no one could stop them.
-----
Hermione dreaded going to detention the following evening. She had been having a rotten day. First, Malfoy docked fifty points from Gryffindor because she was a Muggle-born, and then Umbridge interrogated her, wanting to know if she had anything to do with the fireworks that Fred and George had set off in the Great Hall. She didn't even know they were planning it, but Umbridge still docked thirty points because she was being "uncooperative." Fred was apologetic he had brought her into this, but Hermione didn't care. She just wanted to do her homework and go to bed. But she couldn't yet. She had to go to detention because had wanted to learn how to defend herself.
She couldn't wait until Umbridge was gone. Hermione never put a lot of weight in the theory that the position of Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher was cursed, but she did now. It was her only hope that life at Hogwarts was going to get better.
Fred and George seemed oddly determined during detention. Hermione didn't think too much of it. She just assumed they wanted to be the first one done with their lines. They had considered writing whatever they wanted since Umbridge never checked their work. Like "I must always cause trouble." Hermione thought it was a terrible idea, but that never stopped Fred and George.
Half-way through detention, Cho Chang raised her hand and asked, "Professor, are you alright?" It was these words that caused everyone to glance up at Umbridge. Hermione's mouth dropped in happy surprise.
"I am fine, Miss Chang. Everyone back to your work," she ordered. But the chances of that flew out the window the minute fungus started to grow on Professor Umbridge's face. Seamus was the first to burst into laughter at the sight of it. The toad-like face was slowly being covered by a small blanket of fungus.
The former members of the D.A. were trying desperately not to laugh. Why on earth was fungus on Umbridge's face? Hermione instantly looked back at Fred and George, who were chuckling in the back of the room. When and how had they slipped Umbridge a Fungiface Potion? "Quiet," ordered Umbridge, causing everyone in the room to burst into laughter. "I WILL HAVE ORDER!" This did little to quell the cackles of laughter around the room. "Silence, all of you! Fifty point from each house!" Fred raised his hand.
"Er-Professor, you have something on your face," he said, barely being able to finish the sentence without laughing. Sighing, she reached into pink purse and pulled out a small mirror. Up to this point, no one had heard Umbridge shriek before. She looked for a moment like she was going to faint at the sight of her own face before giving a loud cry and walking swiftly out of the room to the Hospital Wing. "Looks like detention's been cancelled," Fred declared. "Reckon we best get out of here before she comes back."
The Gryffindors, Ravenclaws, and the Hufflepuffs jumped to their feet and raced out of the room. Hermione walked over to where Fred and George were talking quietly to themselves. "When did you give Umbridge a Fungiface Potion?"
"During dinner, slipped it into her drink," Fred told her proudly. "We thought about giving her a Hate Potion-"
"-but we figured that when the potion showed the taker's worst traits and habits-" added George
"-it would really just show Umbridge as her true self," they finished together. Hermione looked at them in exasperation.
"She's going to know it was you," Hermione informed them. They shrugged.
"I told you, Hermione," Fred said, "we're going to be leaving soon. She can keep giving us detention, but it doesn't matter."
"She could expel you."
"Not if we're not here," smirked George. Hermione sighed, she wished they would understand how important their education was. She knew Umbridge was going to punish them severely for what they had done. But they didn't seem to care.
-----
Fred and George continued their Umbridge's Days of Terror the following morning. They spent hours meticulously writing Howlers to her. And, in front of the entire school, Umbridge received numerous letters from Filch confessing his undying love for her. Filch then tried to deny it to the Great Hall, but no one was listening. They were too busy laughing that Filch had told Umbridge he thought of her whenever he saw the color pink.
Hermione was too busy laughing to shoot Fred, George, and Lee a disapproving look.
When Hermione walked back the Common Room later that day, she was surprised to find a poster hanging on the wall. "Career Advice," it read, "all fifth years will be required to attend a short meeting with their Head of House, in which they will be given the opportunity to discuss their future careers. Times of individual appointments are listed below."
Hermione was scared for a moment. Of course, she had thought about what she might do as a career one day. She thought about it too often. The problem was that she honestly had no idea what she wanted to do.
She didn't want to be an Auror like Harry and Ron. She wanted to do something that would truly impact a person's life. Something that would help others. She had considered Ministry work, but she wasn't sure she'd enjoy it. It wasn't something that particularly appealed to her. And while she admired her professors, teaching wasn't something she wanted to do. Perhaps one day, she would want to come back to Hogwarts to teach, but not just yet.
"Well, I don't fancy Healing," said Ron. "It says here you need at least an E at N.E.W.T. level in Potions, Herbology, Transfiguration, Charms, and Defense Against the Dark Arts. I mean...blimey...Don't want much, do they?"
"Well, it's a very responsible job, isn't it?" Hermione told him absently.
"'Are you seeking a challenging career involving travel, adventure, and substantial, danger-related treasure bonuses? Then consider a position with Gringotts Wizarding Bank, who are currently recruiting Curse-Breakers for thrilling opportunities abroad...' They want Arithmancy, though...You could do it, Hermione!" Ron suggested. Hermione just shrugged.
"I don't much fancy the idea of working with goblins," she answered, thinking of the conversations she'd had with Bill over them.
She took a deep breath. There were so many options. What was she going to do with the rest of her life? What if she chose wrong?
"Ron," Fred said walking over to where they were sitting reading job pamphlets, "do you still have those potions books that Hermione got you for your birthday that you swore you would never read?" Ron glared at him. Hermione glanced over at Ron.
"Ronald," she said in exasperation, "I gave you those to improve your grade-"
"Hermione, I don't read books," he muttered defensively.
"But do you still have them?" George persisted. "We need them." Ron hesitated.
"You said that you lost them," Hermione said watching Ron curiously. "That's why I never saw you reading them."
"So you do have them," guessed Fred. "Where are they?" Ron hesitated once more, thinking of how Hermione was going to react when he said this.
"They're in Harry's trunk." Hermione pursed her lips in annoyance. She had hoped that getting those books for him would help him with Potions.
"Why did you put them in Harry's trunk?" Ginny wanted to know.
"So that when Hermione asks if I've checked my trunk, I can say that I have and that it's not there." Fred and George left for a few moments to check for the Potions books. Hermione didn't want to know what they were going to use it for. Probably another nightmare for Umbridge.
Fred and George returned a moment later, identical grins on their face. They sat on either side of Harry with an outright giddy look on their faces. Fred held out a small wrapped item and handed it to Harry. "Harry, when we were looking through your stuff, we found this," George said, "what is it?"
Harry frowned and turned it over in his hands. "Sirius gave this to me before we left...after Christmas."
"What's inside?" Hermione asked.
"I'm not sure. He said it was a way we could communicate. I just put it in my trunk and I guess I just forgot about it."
"Ginny said that you were wanting to find a way to talk to Sirius. Maybe you could use whatever that is," Fred commented.
Harry slowly peeled the wrapping apart. He frowned and pulled out a mirror flowed by a note. "This is a two-way mirror. I've got the other. If you need to speak to me, just say my name into it, you'll appear in my mirror and I'll be able to talk in yours. James and I used to use them when we were in separate detentions."
"You reckon Sirius has been glancing through that thing for five months?" Fred asked them all. Hermione could see the guilt cross Harry's face. He was probably thinking that he could have spoken to Sirius all term, but was too worried about Sirius' safety that he didn't. Harry didn't say for a moment.
Sirius' face suddenly appeared in the mirror. "'Bout time, don't you think, Harry?" Sirius said. Harry grinned a little.
"You might want to take that conversation somewhere less conspicuous," Hermione whispered to Harry, glancing around the Gryffindor Common Room. She knew very few people in Gryffindor that would tell Umbridge about this conversation. But she didn't want to take the chance. Harry nodded, jumped up, and walked quickly to his dormitory.
-----
Fred found Hermione at breakfast. He knew exactly what this day would entail for him. He hadn't told Hermione that this was going to be the day that he and George would leave Hogwarts. They were going to give Harry the opportunity to use their prank as a massive diversion to use Umbridge's floo network to talk to Sirius. But, by the look of it, that wasn't going to be necessary anymore. Now, they were just going to leave Hogwarts. And Fred didn't know how to tell Hermione. "Let's take a walk, Hermione," he said. She frowned at him, but, seeing his seriousness, stood up and walked with him.
As they walked down the corridors, Fred couldn't help but notice how beautiful Hermione was. They found a slightly hidden alcove and sat down. He quickly planted a kiss on the side of her face. "Fred," she scolded, "you're going to get into trouble."
"I like to break the rules, Granger," he stated. She shook her head and pursed her lips.
"I do know that about you. What have you in store for Umbridge today?"
"Something that's going to get us into a lot of trouble." He grabbed her hand and gently lifted her chin so that she would look at him. "It's today, Hermione. George and I are leaving today."
She was quiet for a moment, taking a deep breaths. He knew she was probably trying to find a way out of this. She was probably thinking that if she pleaded enough, he would stay with her. He would stay for the education. But he couldn't stay at Hogwarts. The students needed to see someone really stand up to Umbridge. They were setting an example and leaving by their own terms, before she could even think of expelling them. Hermione didn't know it yet, but what they were doing was important.
"I'll miss you," she finally said quietly.
"It'll only be a few months, love," he answered. "But you're more than welcome to miss me. In fact, I encourage it." She looked like she was trying to keep the smile off of her face. He pressed his lips to her hand currently encased by his hands. "Make sure you get good seats. I reckon it'll be a good show."
She smiled at him sadly, wishing for moment that everything could be different. That they could have just one normal year at Hogwarts. A year where their Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher wasn't hiding something, a year where the biggest thing they had to worry about was exams. She didn't want Fred to go.
Before she could think anymore about it, he leaned down and kissed her gently. "You think too much, Granger," he said softly.
"Someone has to," she returned.
"Not right now, love," he muttered before pressing his lips to hers again. Soon, he would have to meet George. But for now, he was content kissing Hermione Granger soundly.
-----
Fred thought this day was like the day Trelawney was sacked. Students were standing all around the walls in a great ring, watching him and George. He could see Malfoy and the other members of the Inquisitorial Squad sneering at them from the crowd. Fred really hated Malfoy with everything inside of him.
Umbridge entered the scene, causing everyone to look at her. Fred wondered for a moment why Umbridge would ever have these dramatic scenes for everyone to watch. It only ever ended in humiliation for her. "So," she cried triumphantly. "You think it amusing to turn a school corridor into a swamp, do you?"
"Pretty amusing, yeah," Fred answered without the slightest hint of fear. He could see Hermione standing beside Harry at the edge of the crowd. Filch ran out to Umbridge waving papers around in his hands.
"I've got the form, Headmistress," he said. "I've got the form and I've got the whips waiting....Oh, let me do it now...."
"Very good, Argus," she said. "You two are about to learn what happens to wrongdoers in my school."
"You know what?" said Fred. "I don't think we are." He looked at George beside him. This was the moment they had talked about for years. Leaving Hogwarts with the biggest and loudest bang they could. "George, I think we've outgrown full-time education."
"Yeah, I've been feeling that way myself," George replied.
"Time to test our talents in the real world, d'you reckon?" Fred asked.
"Definitely." Before Umbridge could say a word, they raised their wands and summoned for their brooms together.
As their brooms came hurtling down the corridors, students instinctively ducked to avoid getting hit with the brooms. Malfoy, who was watching the scene unfold, was knocked out by the chains still tied around Fred and George's brooms. Fred considered it just payment for Malfoy getting them kicked off of the Quidditch team.
"We won't be seeing you," George informed Professor Umbridge as they swung onto their broomsticks.
"Yeah, don't bother to keep in touch," Fred stated. He looked around at the assembled students, the watchful crowd. "If anyone fancies buying a Portable Swamp, as demonstrated upstairs, come to number ninety-three, Diagon Alley- Weasleys' Wizarding Wheezes. Our new premises!"
"Special discounts to Hogwarts student who swear they're going to use our products to get rid of this old bat," George added pointing at Umbridge, who was standing in stunned silence. At George's words, she seemed to snap out of her reverie.
"STOP THEM!" she shrieked. She glanced over at McGonagall. "Do something, Minerva!"
"Sorry, Dolores, but according to Educational Decree Number Twenty-Six, I can only give students information related to the subjects I am paid to teach."
Smirking, Fred and George turned and began to fly away, shooting red, green, and gold fireworks behind them. Peeves was bobbing above the crowd. "Give her hell from us, Peeves," he said. Peeves nodded and saluted to Fred and George.
And that was the end of Hogwarts for Fred and George Weasley.