The following days are torturous. Professor Umbridge makes it a routine to inspect multiple classes a day. Just this week I've had my Transfiguration, History of Magic, and Herbology class all sat in on. She hasn't inspected Potions yet — I'm sure Snape is the only Professor she fears.
Harry, Ron, and Hermione have become somewhat distant towards me. They still greet me when I see them, but whenever I approach them they look flustered and quickly change the topic of conversation. I'm too apprehensive to ask them the reasoning behind this sudden change and I only hope that they'll come around soon enough.
Saturday morning dawned and the first annual Hogsmeade visit was happening today.
"What happened to your Gryffindor friends?" Pansy sneers as I walk in pace with her, Blair, Daphne and Millicent. "Shouldn't you be with them?"
The only person who knows that they've been ignoring me is Blair. "I want to be with my own house today, is that a problem?" I ask.
"Not at all! You're always welcome with us!" Daphne says excitedly, quickening her pace.
The five of us go to The Three Broomsticks. It's not nearly as crowded as it usually is. In fact, there only seems to be Slytherins in the area.
"That's odd . . . the Hufflepuffs always come to The Three Broomsticks during Hogsmeade visits," I say skeptically to the girls.
Millicent rolls her eyes. "Who cares? Now we have this entire place to ourselves!" She says gleefully.
We find a large table and soon enough Draco, Crabbe, Goyle, and Zabini all come to join us. Draco looks at me the longest before opening his mouth:
"I saw some of your Gryffindor friends headed to Hog's Head. Of course Weasley was there with him, we all know he can't afford anything else," Draco says, causing the group of Slytherins to snicker.
"They have been hanging out together an awful lot without you, Amelia," Blair muses.
"Which is weird . . . I hate to say it but you're actually a likable person, why would they be ignoring you?"
Zabini laughs. "It's about time you realize that the Gryffindors are truly the worst ones in Hogwarts. They're so arrogant and prejudice," He tells me, lifting up his drink gingerly in the air. "Cheers to Amelia for finally not being stupid."
The rest of the students raise their drinks. "Cheers to Amelia for finally not being stupid!"
******
By Order Of
THE HIGH INQUISITOR OF HOGWARTS
All Student Organizations, Societies, Teams, Groups, and Clubs are henceforth disabled.
An Organization, Society, Team, Group, or Club is hereby defined as a regular meeting of three or more students.
Permission to re-form may be sought from the High Inquisitor (Professor Umbridge).
No Student Organization, Society, Team, Group, or Club may exist without the knowledge and approval of the High Inquisitor.
Any student found to have formed, or to belong to, an Organization, Society, Team, Group, or Club that has not been approved by the High Inquisitor will he expelled.
Signed:
Dolores Jane Umbridge - High Inquisitor
The Slytherins crowd around the notice board in the common room, murmuring anxiously with hushed tones. I read the notice over the heads of some nervous-looking second years.
"Do you reckon they'll shut down Quidditch?" I ask Miles Bletchley, who is standing right behind me. We haven't had an individual conversation since our almost-kiss and I have the feeling that a certain someone is the reason for that.
"Not Slytherin Quidditch," He tells me coolly. "Although we can't be too sure she'll permit Gryffindor Quidditch. She'll find one way or another to claim it as wrong."
"I wonder if Montague's seen this yet?" I ask him curiously. "I'm sure he'll have a lot to say."
"Don't be stupid, Grey," Draco sneers, pushing two small first year boys out of the way in order to read the notice board. "Professor Umbridge will obviously permit Quidditch. It's Potter and his crew that she's worried about," He tells me.
"What do you mean?" I ask. Even though Harry and his friends are continuing to ignore me, I still feel the need to defend them every time their names come up in conversation.
"Why do you think they've been so cold to you? They're obviously organizing something and it's up to us as Prefects to find out," He responds.
"Harry wouldn't organize something and not tell me," I tell Draco confidently. "We're friends. Besides, Hermione and Ron are Prefects also? Remember? I'm sure if Harry were doing something unlawful Hermione would have reported it."
"Believe what you want," Draco says ominously, elbowing Ryan Harper, a fourth year boy, right in the face as he walks away from me.
The Great Hall is uneasy and filled with nervous chatter. Even the lively Gryffindor table is seldom, especially Angelina Johnson, captain of the Quidditch team. I'm so busy watching Harry, Ron, and Hermione's every movement that I don't even notice Willow come flying in to hand me a letter.
Amelia,
Don't think for a second that I've forgotten about you. I'm still watching.
From, a dear friend
"Oooh! You got a letter! Who's it from, Amelia? You're so lucky. I never get letters," Daphne pouts.
"Er — just a friend from America," I say casually.
"Well I'm surprised you were able to get sent a letter. The Ministry is monitoring the Oweleries," Blair tells me. "My mum's friend works at the Ministry and she's told her all about it!"
"They what?" I ask, my panic heightening. Harry has been communicating with Sirius via owls for months now. Surely he doesn't know about this. "I'll be right back," I say, excusing myself from the table.
Harry, Ron, and Hermione are chattering quietly amongst themselves when I approach them. The whole Gryffindor table goes silent at my entrance.
The three of them look up at me expectantly. "Could I speak to Harry for a moment?" I ask them awkwardly. Harry clears his throat and nods, standing up and pulling me into an empty corridor.
"Er — yes?" He asks me.
"Look, I don't know why you've all been ignoring me but I don't care. The channels of communication in and out of Hogwarts are being watched," I tell him rapidly. "You have to be careful when writing to Sirius," I say, my voice barely above a whisper.
"Thanks, Amelia. And we aren't ignoring you it's just — it's complicated. Walk with us to Potions."
I eye him warily. "Fine."
The four of us have made a mutual unspoken agreement to not discuss them avoiding me. Instead, we engage in gossip about Professor Umbridge's ultimate decision to cancel clubs and organizations.
"Umbridge gave the Slytherin Quidditch team permission to continue playing straightaway, I went to ask her first thing this morning. Well, it was pretty much automatic. She knows my father really well, he's always popping in and out of the Ministry . . . It'll be interesting to see whether Gryffindors are allowed to keep playing, won't it?" Draco brags to the group of Slytherins outside the door.
"I mean, if it's a question of influence with the Ministry, I don't think they've got much chance," Draco says, eyeing Ron. "From what my father says they've been looking for an excuse to sack Arthur Weasley for years . . . And as for Potter . . . my father says it's a matter of time before the Ministry has him carted off to St. Mungo's . . . apparently they've got a special ward for people whose brains have been addled by magic."
I step towards him. "That's rubbish! You know your father has never said any of that!" I tell him.
"Neville, no!" Harry screams, seizing the back of Neville's robes. Neville had just made a mad dash to attack Malfoy, but seeing his path of direction he could have easily attacked me instead.
"Fighting Potter, Weasley, Longbottom?" Snape drawls. "Ten points from Gryffindor."
"You will notice that we have a guest with us today," Snape says, gesturing to the back of the room. My eyes follow his motions only to see a fluffy pink cardigan enclosed around a specific lady.
Professor Umbridge.
—
Hi!! Third chapter of the day, hopefully I can get you guys a fourth one before I have to go out tonight!
Also 50 CHAPTERS ???!!!! WTF I STARTED THIS LAST WEEK BYE -