A/n Hey guys I know this is a bit of a wait. Like I said this one most likely won't be weekly updated. I'm having a really hard time finding time to write. My mini-me is 3 and quite active. By the time he goes to bed, I'm exhausted myself. I normally write on the weekends but last weekend was a bit busy for me. I know this chapter is only about half what the other one was. That's because it doesn't have the legend in it and where it ended made sense. I can't force the word count. I apologize ahead of time some chapters will be shorter than others. I will not be doing 1k chapters in this fic like I'm doing in one of my others, however. These will all be at least 2k usually more. I'm kinda going with the flow of this fic. I think I said it before, but I had an idea and it kind of exploded into more on me. Oh, and for those of you who reviewed, I am so glad you liked it. Also, I don't usually name specific reviewers but Hollowg1rl your review actually made me want to get the next chapter out as soon as possible. Your encouragement really made me happy so thank you. Anyway, hope you like it. And again sorry it's kinda short. Oh, and as always, I hope you enjoy reading as much as I love writing!
Hermione made it down to the great hall only minutes before Ginny. Her hair still wet. Luckily the Rainbow Crow was able to be glamoured. Ginny looked Hermione over for only a minute, "Hermione you do remember you are a witch right?"
Hermione started and dropped her spoon of cinnamon apple topped Irish oatmeal, "Yes why?" Ginny pointed at her still dripping wet hair, without asking permission Ginny cast a drying spell on her hair. Hermione laughed, "Ginny! Maybe I wanted to let it air dry." Ginny didn't say anything just raised an eyebrow. "Okay fine, maybe I was in a bit of a rush." Hermione shrugged. "I overindulged in the prefect's bath."
Ginny just shook her head, "I would have waited, you know."
Hermione smiled, "I know but I like being first." Ginny giggled. It was one way to leave off the tension. "Okay Gin. Let's finish up and eat so we can hit the room of requirement before classes." Ginny nodded and they finished eating quickly. They were in and out of the great hall before any professor other than Flitwick even made it in.
They walked up to the room of requirement side by side. As they entered the door they shared a smile. The room had turned into a cozy living room setting. Ginny looked at Hermione a minute before she spoke, "Okay so what do we do? I mean obviously we keep her as mad at us as possible which should be easy enough, but we'll need healing supplies as well. We also can't cover and protect every first year it's just not possible. We should recruit more people."
Hermione instantly shook her head, "This isn't like the DA Gin. We aren't just asking students to break the rules, we'd be asking them to specifically draw punishments to themselves. I can't do that. That's why I was going to do this alone. As for the healing supplies, don't worry." She closed her eyes and thought briefly of what she needed. A rather large cupboard appeared in a corner of the room. With a wave of her wand, the cabinet opened to reveal five full shelves of dittany, four of blood replenishing potion, a couple shelves of bruise paste, one of burn cream, and a few other of non-specific healing potions. "I've been busy over the summer. I figured with everything Harry, Ron, and I had been through to date it was probably a good idea to get supplies ready. I mean each year gets consecutively worse." She cringed slightly. Losing Dumbledore was definitely going to be worse. Heck Death Eaters in the castle was going to worse. But she didn't fancy a coma. So she would do her best to help out. "I'm not sure how we are going to protect everyone but we have to try."
Ginny looked shocked at the number of potions that Hermione had made over the summer. Especially considering she had been the most hurt at the Department of Mysteries. She supposed maybe that was how she'd had time. Sitting and stirring a cauldron didn't take much energy and would give Hermione something to do so she wouldn't be going insane. "Okay fine no recruiting then. We'll figure something out. I've got my first class with her for the second class of the day. Luckily from what I saw, they are all single hour classes no doubles."
Hermione nodded she had noticed that as well. "I have her tomorrow. A mixed class with the Slytherins." Ginny scrunched up her nose at that and Hermione mentally sighed. This was going to be fun. Working with Draco behind everyone's backs. "Anyway, luckily I have the first period free today. So I'm gonna go loiter around her classroom and cause a distraction if anyone gets too on her nerves." Hermione couldn't help the smirk that crossed her face. She almost hoped someone frustrated her because bursting into her first class of the year really was an opportunity she didn't want to waste. However, she wouldn't do anything unless it needed to be done. This was officially war and what Umbridge didn't know was that Hermione Granger didn't lose anything she set her mind to. That included putting evil women in their place. Besides the castle was on her side. There was no way she was going to lose.
Ginny saw the smirk and cringed. Hermione was downright scary sometimes and she was just glad that she was on her side. "Alright well come on you might not have a first class but I do. Defense against the dark arts. With Professor Snape." She made another face and Hermione had to fight not to smack the slightly younger girl in her head. At least she had used his actual title, unlike the boys.
"You go on ahead Gin. I'll be down in a minute." Ginny nodded and headed out to get to her first class. Hermione stood in the middle of the room, "Okay Hogwarts I need your help. I need to get Harry in here without alerting anyone else."
She felt the room shift and a door appeared in the wall. She opened it to see the boys shower from their dorm. Harry was the only one in there. Luckily fully clothed. She grabbed his shirt and pulled him into the room and shut the door. Harry let out a yell until he realized where he was and who had grabbed him. "Geez, Hermione you couldn't have sent a Patronus or something? Did you have to give me a heart attack?"
Hermione giggled a little bit, "Sorry Harry but I know you have first class off and so does Ron. I didn't know when you would be by yourself. And for what we need to talk about I don't think you want Ron listening." Harry conceded to her point easily enough. "Okay so now what all this with Slughorn?"
Harry groaned, "Dumbledore wants me to get a memory off of him. Something about Voldemort while he was still in school here. I just don't know how I'm supposed to get close enough to do that since I can't even take his class!"
Hermione shrugged, "Don't fret we'll come up with something Harry. Now go get breakfast before its too late. I've already eaten."
Harry nudged her playfully, "Well, I would already be on my way, except someone had to kidnap me." Hermione giggled and Harry started laughing as she pushed him towards the main door. She didn't know why but she felt it was important to keep the fact that it wasn't just the room but Hogwarts itself was sentient to herself. "Okay, okay, I'm going." He laughed again and began walking to the door on his own power. When she walked out behind him and shut the door it disappeared once again.
As she and Harry parted at the great hall she made it look like she was on her way to the library. However the moment she was out of Harry's site she ducked into an alcove. "Hogwarts, help me protect your students. I need a shortcut to Umbridge's classroom." It wasn't more than a few seconds when a passage opened in front of her. With a hand on the wall in thanks, she walked through the passage. A few short minutes later and she was in front of the new Wizarding Laws classroom.
As she stepped from the passage it disappeared again and Hermione once again place her hand on the castle and whispered a thank you to it. As she watched the first years approach the classroom she pretended to look busy. No use getting them worried if nothing was going to happen. After everyone was in the room and Umbridge had started teaching Hermione pulled out the extendable ear she had bought from Fred and George. They'd been shocked but she'd simply shrugged and said she liked knowing what was going on before it became an issue. They'd left it at that, after all, she was a paying customer.
Admittedly when she bought them she thought she'd be spying on the likes of Draco. She shook her head at the pact they had. She'd have never have suspected that in a million years. She removed the glamour on her wrist and looked at the crow. It truly was beautiful for a magical tattoo she was surprised it didn't move. Then again maybe bonding tattoos were different? She didn't know for all her knowledge she had no idea about bonding tattoos. She'd have to research it if she ever found the time. She reglamoured it before someone could walk down the hall and see it.
Just when she thought that nothing would go wrong one of the first year muggle-borns commented on how unjust the creature laws were. "Shit." Well, it wasn't unexpected but she'd wished it had been any law but that one. Umbridge really hated creatures of all kinds. "Well Hogwarts, wish me luck." And with a final push off the wall, she strolled into the classroom looking all the world like she should be right where she was. Confidence was important after all. "Madam Umbridge." The look she got could have killed Voldemort if he'd been standing where she was. As it was she just let the malice pour off her and used it to fuel her next words. "I hope I'm not interrupting anything but as a prefect, I just had to come 'Inspect' your class. I felt that our first years should only be taught by the best you see."
She saw the exact moment the words registered because the look of malice became one of such dangerous loathing that if Hermione hadn't done it on purpose she would be terrified. "Class dismissed! Miss Granger, you will stay here!" Hermione couldn't help the cringe as the tone in her voice rose. The first years not knowing exactly what was going on but not willing to get in between the obvious showdown between teacher and student scurried out the door. Hermione looked calm like for all the world she wasn't bothered at all. Inside however she was worried. Not terrified, but definitely worried. This woman liked torturing students. "100 lines Miss Granger. All of them will say I will not interrupt my betters. I believe you are already familiar with this quill?" Hermione grimaced but didn't say another word. She had protected the first year and that was her only goal this time. "Good sit down and write lines. Oh and I suggest you be quick about it because I won't write you a note if you are late to your next class.
The saccharinely sweet tone of her voice made Hermione want to punch her. Instead, she sat down and started writing the lines. She bit her lip to avoid making any noises in pain. She would not give that vile woman the pleasure of hearing her pain. Even biting her lip, however, she couldn't hold in the hisses of pain. She wondered if they equated to anything in parseltongue. She had to bite back a giggle for a second before the pain again became the foremost thought in her brain. At the eighty-fifth line, she started to get dizzy. She was losing more blood than she would of thought. Umbridge must have changed her quill. As she finally finished she knew she wouldn't be able to make it to her next class without stopping in the Room of Requirement first.
She turned the paper in, placed the quill on the desk, and staggered out the door. The moment she stepped into the hallway and shut the door behind her she felt the magic of Hogwarts leading her to an alcove. The moment she was safely hidden inside the door appeared and she stumbled inside. She didn't even have to accio the blood replenisher it was there on a table next to a couch for her to lay down on. She swallowed the potion quickly and lay down. "Thank you, I know I say that a lot but without you, I'd have been in real trouble back there." She felt the magic hug her before a blanket appeared over her and she fell asleep.
