Ever so sorry I didn't update yesterday, folks! You can have two parts today instead :)
Al was waiting patiently in Umbridge's office for the other people to come. She should be at a DA meeting right now, not wasting time with Umbridge. It was only when one of the members came in, covering her face that Al realised what was going on. Umbridge knew about the DA. But how could she warn them in time?
"Now you're probably wondering why you're here," Umbridge said, glancing at the group of students that was comprised mostly of Slytherins. "Marietta here has informed me that there is a secret group formed by Mr Potter meeting tonight. It will be your job to help me apprehend these individuals right now."
Al tried a grin but none came. What happened if her friends were caught? Could they be expelled? Surely Harry would be?
The group set off in the direction that Al knew was the correct way to the room of requirement, when something occurred to her. But she'd never tried it so far away. Except that one time last year... Harry, she thought hard, Umbridge is coming.
I know, came the reply, sounding like an echo, Dobby told us. Al almost heaved a sigh of relief - they were going to get away, when the group turned a corner and spied a group of Ravenclaws heading down the corridor at a sprint.
"Get them!" Umbridge shrieked.
Thriving in the chaos that followed, Al ran in the direction of the Gryffindors, hoping to ward them off. She sprinted straight into a group of Hufflepuffs. "Go," she hissed, "Hide in the library." They nodded and scrambled off in the other direction.
Al continued on her sprint and ploughed straight into Harry. "Al! What are you-?" But before Harry could finish, and before Al could hurry him along, Umbridge hurried around the corner.
"Excellent work, Miss Dursley!" Umbridge said, "Fifty points to Slytherin. I'll take it from here." Al watched wordlessly as Umbridge seized Harry's arm and pulled him along the corridor. "We're going to the headmaster's office, Potter."
*****
"Dumbledore's gone?" Al repeated numbly to Lee Jordan, who had just told her what he'd overheard in the common room last night.
"Yep," he said, biting his lip, "Ministry tried to arrest him and he's done a runner. It's on all the notice boards - Umbridge is in charge now."
"Bollocks," Al hissed, "Alright, well send word around that Weasley's Wizard Wheezes are still up and running and that the Quibbler's still for sale. Just...get people wreaking havoc on Umbridge."
"Got it," Lee Jordan said, before jogging off down the corridor.
"Stop running!" Al called as Umbridge made and appearance, "Five points from Gryffindor."
Umbridge smiled at her as she approached. "Excellent work, Miss Dursley...I see you're making good use of your new badge." Al looked down at her chest, where her badge for the inquisitorial squad was pinned underneath her Duelling Captain badge and her Prefect badge. Hogwarts was about to get a whole lot more difficult.
*****
Al was really enjoying this Transfiguration lecture, when Theo nudged her and pointed at her watch. She was late for her careers meeting with Snape. She thanked him and headed slowly down to the dungeons, wanting to put it off as much as possible.
To be honest, Al didn't have a clue what she wanted to do. She'd had a look at banking and healing, but neither of them seemed particularly exciting. Healing would involve her problem solving skills, she supposed, but it didn't sound very fun.
She knocked on Snape's office door, and went in on his command, sitting down in the chair opposite his desk. "So, Miss Dursley," Snape began, "Firstly, you seem to have good grades for the most part. History of Magic and Astronomy could do with some improvement. Predicted As in Astronomy and History of Magic, Es in Ancient Runes, Herbology and Potions and Os in Arithmancy, Transfiguration, Charms and Defence Against the Dark Arts. Have you got any idea what field you'd be interested in?"
"Not really, no," Al said, wanting nothing more than to leave.
"Well, what subjects do you enjoy?" Snape asked impatiently.
"Arithmancy, Transfiguration, Charms..." Al listed.
"Not Defence Against the Dark Arts?" Snape asked her.
"Well it would be a bit stupid taking that, considering we have a different teacher every year," Al snapped.
"Hmm," Snape said, "I seem to remember you used to be particularly adept at Potions?"
Al didn't really know what to say. Oh, yeah, but you make it rubbish. "Er...thanks, Professor."
"Have you considered teaching?" Snape asked, "Or research?"
"Well there aren't that many teaching posts available," Al said, "But I didn't see any leaflets on research."
"Some potions firms or book publicists will pay for researchers," Snape informed her, "If you were interested in teaching then a career in writing textbooks for people might be suitable for you."
"Right," Al said, "What publishers are there?"
"Obscurus books and Whizz Hard books are the most famous. There's the Ministry Press associated with the Ministry of Magic. The Daily Prophet have a publishing firm attached to them," Snape said and Al pulled a face, "Gringotts bank too. Most big businesses will see it as an investment. So what NEWTs would you be interested in? I think with your ability and some hard work you could easily manage six or seven and get high grades in them."
"Oh right," Al said, "Well, Arithmancy, Transfiguration and Charms are my favourites."
"I would seriously consider taking two of Potions, Herbology and Defence Against the Dark Arts," Snape pushed, "They are all vital and highly commended. You're consistently getting high Es in Potions and Herbology and Os in Defence, whereas your last grade in Transfiguration was a low E.
"You might also want to consider some of the new electives available at NEWT level. We need at least five students on a course for it to go ahead. There's Alchemy, Ancient Studies, Art, Ghoul Studies, Magical Theory, and Music. Would any of those interest you?"
"What's Ancient Studies?" Al asked.
"The study of old magic," Snape informed her, "only available to students who achieve an E or higher in Ancient Runes, and take Ancient Runes at NEWT level, so you would be eligible to apply." Al wasn't sure about that one, but it might help with the horcruxes.
"What about Alchemy?" she asked, having heard of that before.
"That particular course doesn't have a minimum student limit," Snape said, "And is available to students who receive an O in Potions and Transfiguration and study them at NEWT level, so again you could be eligible. The course concerns the practice of transforming one raw material to another. You may be familiar with the Philosopher's Stone - that was created by alchemists." This sounded fascinating, but Al couldn't imagine getting an O in Potions.
"What's Magical Theory?" Al asked.
"The study of the theory of magic," Snape said, growing increasingly exasperated, "It requires an O in Arithmancy and an E in Charms and Transfiguration, and you must take those courses at NEWT level. You would be eligible."
"OK," Al said, having a think, "Could you register my interest in Alchemy and Magical Theory?"
"Yes," Snape sighed, "Thank you for coming."
"Thanks," Al said, before rolling her eyes and leaving. She hated Snape.
*****
"Excuse me," Al said, shoving through the crowd that had gathered in the corridor, Draco right behind her.
Al looked into the circle that the students had formed to see Fred and George stood in the centre, Umbridge glaring at them and looking smug, and a slight look of panic on their faces. Filch came tearing through from the other direction, sending students flying and waving a bit of parchment in the air. "I've got it!" he shouted, practically skipping and looking stupid. "And I've got the whips ready!" Whips? That couldn't be legal! Al looked nervously at George, but despite the look on his face, he had a glint of mischief in his eye. Oh no.
"You two are about to learn what happens to wrongdoers in my school," Umbridge declared. Her school? Her school? It would be Voldemort's school before that happened.
"You know what, Fred?" George said, "I don't think we are."
"I think we've outgrown the bounds of academic achievement," Fred continued.
Before Umbridge could say anything, they'd raised their wands and shouted, "Accio brooms!" There was a thunder deep in the castle, and Al knew she'd have to duck moments before she did. The iron bolt trailing behind one of them hit Draco in the head and many students including Al laughed.
As they mounted their brooms, George blew a kiss her way and she grinned, pretending to look around so Umbridge didn't get suspicious. "Give her hell from us, Peeves!" the twins chorused, before they rode off into the distance, with the poltergeist saluting them as they went.