Written for the Harry Potter Chapter Challenge (OotP12 - Professor Umbridge. Write about Umbridge)
Written for 60 Prompts Competition (Imagination. A character is actually the figment of another character's imagination)
Umbridge, On My Mind
Harry Potter would wander the school muttering and rubbing is right hand. At times it seemed he didn't even notice the others around him.
"I guess it's all that extra stuff about You-Know-Who, you know," Ron said to Seamus and Dean over breakfast as they watched their friend scratch at the unscathed hand.
Hermione, who sat beside Ron, watched on with concern. "Are you sure he is alright?" she asked. "Maybe someone should go to McGonagall or Dumbledore.
"He's fine, Hermione," Ron said with ease. "Just You-Know-Who and stuff. Don't blame him really."
Ever since they had returned to school at the start of the New Year Harry had been acting strange. It began just after the Sorting of the new first years; he had almost jumped out of his skin as if he had seen a ghost.
"Who… I know her," he had whispered to Ron and Hermione, seemingly pointing into thin air.
"Who?" Ron had asked.
"Her!" Harry said. "She was at my hearing."
Ron and Hermione shared a look and shrugged. The journey from King's Cross to Hogwarts was always a long one. They put it down to tiredness.
It continued, though. Every day Harry was adamant that there was this lady wandering the school – Professor Umbridge, he said. She was cruel, wore a lot of pink, and was in love with Cornelius Fudge.
Now, he insisted that she tortured him in detention by making him use his own blood to write lines.
Ron mightn't have been concerned, but Hermione certainly was.
"It's not like Harry," she insisted. "I've searched the library and there is no one called 'Dolores Umbridge' in existence. I'm worried. What if it's someone from his past? You know how badly treated he is when he's with his aunt and uncle. This isn't what Harry needs right now."
Ron only shrugged. "Well, even if you do go to McGonagall, what's she gonna do? Harry's imagining this crazy lady, remember."
Hermione bit her lip in concentration, eventually succumbing to shaking her head in defeat. "This is ridiculous," she said. "There has to be an explanation!" And she was on her feet before the others could react, racing to where they assumed was the library.
"It's not that bad, is it?" Ron asked Seamus and Dean as he looked back to Harry who apparently had seen this Umbridge woman heading his way.
Seamus shrugged. "Dunno," he said. "But I don't think imaginary friends are common at this age."
Ron didn't know how to respond. Perhaps Seamus was right.
…
Harry didn't have many fears in his life, but she was one of them. Her toad-like features were enough to frighten anyone, not to mention her fake-sweet voice and her clothes which were always pink. It was confusing as to why no one else was frightened of this woman employed by the Ministry to spy. Sometimes it seemed no one else even saw her.
"Now, Potter," she began in her sweetly sick tone. "Tell me, why are you here again?"
Harry defiantly ignored her, as he always did. He would not give her the satisfaction of letting her know he was afraid. If he did, she would win.
Umbridge seemed undeterred by his ignorance and turned to face her office window which looked out over the Hogwarts grounds. "Very well," she said. "You know what to do." She set an hour glass on her desk in front of him and once again moved to stand by the window.
Harry was not going to let her win, so he began writing with a constant urge to scream out in pain. This was torture; she could not do this. But going to Dumbledore would do nothing.
After an hour of writing the pain had become unbearable to the point he knew he was going to pass out. Dropping the quill onto the parchment and gasped and suddenly woke in his bed with Ron, Seamus, Dean and Neville all standing over him.
…
"You alright, mate?" Ron asked with concern.
Harry sat up, scratching at his hand where the words I must not tell lies were etched into his skin.
"She… she…." He held his hand out in front of him as if to show his friends. They only looked on in confusion.
"Bad dream, I suppose," Dean said, patting Harry on the shoulder. "Don't blame you, really."
Harry frowned as they forced him to lay back down. "Get some rest, yeah," Ron said. "See you in the morning."
They must have thought Harry was asleep again because he heard them whispering to each other a while later.
"This is getting really bad," Ron said.
"Yeah, Hermione's right, I think," Seamus added.
"What are we meant to do, though?"
"Tell someone."
"Yeah."
"I don't think we have a choice."
…
Harry sat opposite Dumbledore's desk as the headmaster looked on. Behind him, seemingly being ignored, stood Umbridge in one of her many distasteful pink outfits. Harry glared at her.
"Harry," Dumbledore said kindly. "Harry, look at me, please."
Harry turned his attention away from the horrid professor and to the headmaster.
"Harry, please tell me what is bothering you. Is it Voldemort?"
Umbridge let out a quiet gasp, which Dumbledore ignored.
"No," Harry said. "No." He glared at Umbridge once again.
Dumbledore was silent for a moment, taking no notice of Umbridge's quiet ahem as he thought. After a moment, he sighed.
"Your classmates have told me of a certain situation that has gotten worse over the past weeks."
Harry subconsciously put his scarred hand in his robe pocket.
"Who is Dolores Umbridge, Harry?" Dumbledore asked.
Glancing behind the headmaster at the lady in pink for only a brief second, Harry returned his gaze to Dumbledore and said flatly, "Nobody of importance." Just someone who is trying to run you out of the school.
"Is she a relative of yours, Harry?"
"Merlin, no!"
"Reports tell me that you have been refusing to go to Defence Against the Dark Arts classes because you are afraid of this woman."
"I'm not afraid of her!" Harry shouted. Umbridge gave a wry smile, but remained silent.
Dumbledore held up a hand to calm him. "Okay, Harry," he said gently. "I understand."
Harry felt his body raging with anger and frustration. Why couldn't Dumbledore just kick her out? He was the headmaster!
"Is there anything else?" Dumbledore asked.
"No," Harry replied shortly.
"Okay, well good day to you, Harry."
Harry stood up and left the office without a second glance. When he reached the bottom of the spiral staircase Umbridge was waiting there for him.
"Good day, Mr Potter," was all she said before she turned and headed in the direction of her office.
…
"GO AWAY!"
All heads in the Great Hall turned to where Harry was seemingly shouting to an empty space across from him. Rage brewed in his eyes as he got to his feet and jabbed a finger at the thin air.
"IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT!" he continued as if someone was talking to him. "IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT THAT DUMBLEDORE IS GONE!"
Eyes turned for a brief moment to where the headmaster sat on the teachers' table with mild curiosity on his face. They returned to Harry when he started shouting again.
"Mate, come on. Let's go back to the common room."
Harry shook off Ron as his friend tried to lead him from the Hall.
"Harry," Hermione also tried. "Come on."
Harry shook her off, too.
Harry opened his mouth to talk to no one again when Dumbledore rose to his feet, silencing the Hall.
"Students, if you please, I ask that you all begin to make your way to your classes."
Harry glared furiously at whatever – or whoever – he was seeing in front of him.
The Hall began to move, the only sound the shuffling of feet as students promptly departed, giving Harry a wide berth. Ron patted Harry on the back as Dumbledore made his way towards the three friends who remained.
"Mr Weasley and Miss Granger, I think you should head to class too. Mr Potter is safe with me."
Hermione and Ron nodded and parted with grim looks on their face. Dumbledore clasped Harry on his shoulder, a move that shook Harry from his reverie. The teenager looked up at Dumbledore whose blue eyes twinkled through his half-moon spectacles. He smiled.
"Come with me, Harry," he said.
Harry obeyed without question, following the headmaster from the Hall. He looked around, but there was no sign of Umbridge anywhere.
Good, she wasn't following.
…
It was almost as if Harry was seeing the world clearer now. It had been two hours of sitting in silence in Dumbledore's office, and it felt peaceful. Umbridge wasn't there to annoy him, and… wait….
"You're back!"
Dumbledore didn't say anything for very long time; only watched Harry with curiosity. Eventually, he smiled, wrinkles etching his face, signifying that he was, in fact, a very old man.
"I never went anywhere, Harry," he said calmly.
"Yes you did," Harry argued. "Umbridge made you go away. She is working for the Ministry, for Fudge. They want you out!" It sounded stupid coming out of his mouth now, even though an hour ago he had truly believed it.
"No, Harry," Dumbledore continued, keeping his voice an even tone. "No, Harry. It is true, the Ministry is not happy with me right now, but no one is trying to kick me out of the school."
Harry blinked, not understanding. He had been so sure….
"Harry, it was Voldemort," he explained.
"No, Umbridge, she…."
Dumbledore shook his head. "He was making you see things," he continued. "Making you believe something that wasn't there to confuse you, to discredit you. If people thought you were crazy, they wouldn't believe that he was back."
Harry still didn't understand.
"You have a connection, Harry," Dumbledore said. "You and Voldemort, and he discovered that long before I did, giving him an advantage. It took me a very long time to work it out, but by me touching you in the Great Hall, it broke the connection."
Harry frowned. "How?" he asked.
"Voldemort fears power he does not possess. By me touching you, our powers – for the briefest moment – connected. And that was too strong for Voldemort to handle."
Harry still wasn't sure he understood, but he nodded.
"You're okay now, Harry," Dumbledore assured him. "I've already spoken to Professor Snape. He'll begin teaching you Occlumency immediately. Until then, you need to be on your guard, Harry. Be aware, and know that anything that doesn't seem real, isn't real."
"She felt real," Harry whispered, bowing his head. How had he let this happen? How had Voldemort tricked him so easily?
"You'll know for next time," Dumbledore promised. He got to his feet. "Now, I think it's best if you take the day off and return to your dormitory for some much needed rest. I will have Professor McGonagall come to check on you after class." He looked at Harry seriously. "This is nothing to be ashamed of, Harry," he said.
Harry nodded. "I know, Sir."
Dumbledore smiled and walked Harry to his office door.
"If it happens again, Harry, come straight to me, okay?"
Harry nodded and descended the spiral staircase, feeling much more relaxed now. Umbridge, that awful, horrible, toad-like woman, didn't actually exist. She had been a creation of Voldemort to get to him (and it had worked).
Dumbledore hadn't been fooled, though. Dumbledore had worked it out.
Instead of returning to his dormitory like the headmaster had instructed, Harry decided to take a walk to the Quidditch pitch to clear his head. And to think he had missed the most recent match because he was convinced he had been banned. How on Earth….
He shook his head. No, he was not going to think about it anymore. It was over, Dumbledore had stopped it. There was no more –
A hand stopped Harry from going any further than the doors to the grounds. Harry froze. Snape, he thought, almost sighing. Shouldn't he be terrifying poor first years in Potions? He almost fought Snape's hold, but decided against it.
"Alright," he said, relaxing. "I'll go back to my dormitory." He made to turn around, but the hand held him firmly in place, not letting him move.
"Not so fast," the voice that came with the hand said, and Harry felt his chest tighten as fear and anger returned to him.
"No!" he all but shouted as he suddenly did try to fight the hold of the toad woman who had terrorised him for the past few weeks.
This was actually so much fun to write. Actually, the whole prompt of one character being another character's imagination was quite intriguing, which is why I chose the prompt to begin with. I really hope you found this fic interesting, and possibly a little bit different to what you've read before. Please leave a review if you read it.
These challenges can be found on the Harry Potter Fanfiction Challenges Forum (link on my profile) if you are interested in checking them out.
Thank you!