Chapter Nine: Give Her Hell

The day after our gruelling detention, Fred, George and I stayed in the common room alone, while everyone else was outside enjoying the spring weather. Katie had been spending a lot of time with Angelina recently, seeing as how we were graduating this year and she might not be seeing old Hogwarts friends as much; this gave me lots of time with my boyfriend and his twin brother.

"So what were you two talking about yesterday?" I asked as we sat on the carpet in front of the fireplace. Fred and George smirked at each other.

George decided to answer. "We're dropping out, mate."

"Dropping out?" My eyes went wide. "You're not graduating? Why not?"

"Now Dumbledore's gone, Umbridge is Headmaster; we don't need this rubbish." Fred laughed. "We have the money to start up our shop."

"But how do you know..."

"93 Diagon Alley. We rented it out with the galleons Harry gave us from when he won the Triwizard Tournament."

I stopped for a moment. They had it all figured out. "What if it goes under?"

George perked up again. "What's the difference? It's worth a try."

"You'll need an education!"

"We can come back if we need to."

I didn't want to say anything. It was their decision, and I would be a supportive friend, even if I wouldn't choose the same for myself. "That's great!"

Fred beamed at me. "Will you come with us?"

"What?" My heart stopped. I didn't want to turn them down, but in this case, I had no choice. "You want me to drop out of school?"

"You don't have to," George shook his head. "But you're invited to come with us and tell Umbridge off one last time – y'know, make a splash."

"Oh boys, I wish I could, but..."

Fred pulled me over so I was leaning on his chest. "Don't worry about it, Sara. I know you have to stay and finish school for what you want to do."

"Yeah, sorry."

"What do you want to do?" George asked, feeling quite out of the loop.

Fred smirked at me and nodded as if telling me it was okay to tell George. "Potions Master."

George burst out laughing. "Oh!" Once he regained his composure, he exhaled once more. "I'm sorry, but that explains why you like Snape's class so much even when he treats you like a Flobberworm."

"He's a good teacher regardless." With hopes of flawlessly changing the subject, I brought up the escape again. "So what are you going to do?"

The twins leaned over me to look at one another. "Stop by Umbridge's office after dinner tomorrow and take a look."

It didn't take long for the word to spread of the Weasley twins' farewell and the crowd around Umbridge's office after dinner filled the corridor. Even Peeves the poltergeist showed up to see the take down of Hogwarts' latest Headmaster.

No one was prepared for what was going to happen or when, but as the toad-like witch approached her office, the show had begun. Two figures darted passed the crowd and their Headmaster, making her jump back, away from the door and look around like a cat that may have seen a squirrel's shadow. "What was that?" The figures flew by again. "What was that?" Her eyes grew narrow as she glared at the people surrounding her. "Someone tell me what is going on here." Umbridge's tone went from stern to wild and shrill. "What is going on?" Fred and George glided up to her on their Comet 260s. "You can't fly your brooms inside the castle!" She shrieked. "I will not tolerate this! You have committed far too many offenses; you are expelled!"

"No need, we're out of here." Fred shouted as he and his brother spiralled upward toward a window. Their confidence made not only me, but everyone else laugh. Someone was finally standing up to Umbridge. George tossed a Portable Swamp package just beyond the crowd. As it began to grow, they soared upward and out of the nearest window. "Oy!" screamed Fred, "Give her hell from us, Peeves!" The poltergeist, who never usually obeyed anyone's orders, sprung to attention and saluted them before they flew off into the sky. Everyone clapped and cheered, sending Umbridge into a fit, locking her in her office, and sending me into a personal high.

That individual high immediately fell to a low as I realized on my walk back to the common room that Fred and George would be gone for the rest of the school year.

"That was bloody brilliant, mate!" Ron chuckled as he and Hermione came in the common room right after me. "Did you know about that?"

I forced a smile. "Yeah, I knew they were going to do something – didn't know what exactly. They really have outdone themselves."

"Yeah, tell that to Ron." Hermione giggled. "Fred turned his teddy into a spider when he was little."

I burst out laughing. "Oh, Ron." He looked genuinely terrified. "You can't be serious. That scared you?"

He decided he'd change the topic. "What're you going to do without your boyfriend, Sara?" he teased.

Hermione scoffed with a grin. "Great retaliation, Ronald."

"I guess I'll be spending a lot more time with you blokes."

"Wicked!" Ron pushed into my elbow as he walked passed me. "See you for breakfast, then?"

I sincerely beamed. "You know it, mate."

"Try not to miss him too much," Hermione said on her way passed me to the girls' dormitory. "It'll make the wait that much longer."

"Thanks, Hermione; I'll see you in the morning."