There was a sharp intake of breath from the room. Professor Umbridge's face was blank. For a moment, Jack thought she was going to scream at them. Then she said, in her softest, most sweet girlish voice, "Come here, Mr. Frost, Mr Potter, dear." They glanced at each other, surprised. Jack shrugged, and walked up to the teachers desk. It felt as is the room itself was holding its breath. Professor Umbridge pulled a small roll of pink parchment out of her handbag, stretched it out on the desk, dipped her quill into a bottle of ink and started scribbling, hunched over so that Jack and Harry could not see what she was writing. Nobody spoke. After a minute or so she rolled up the parchment and tapped it with her wand; it sealed itself seamlessly so that they could not open it.

"Take this to Professor McGonagall, dear," said Professor Umbridge, holding out the note to Harry. "You go with him, Mr. Frost." They turned to go, but before they left Jack quickly froze her pink heels to the ground. The whole class watched as they left.

The two hurried down the corridor in silence for a moment. Harry finally spoke."Thanks." Jack quirked an eyebrow.

"For, you know, believing me."

Jack smiled. "Wasn't hard, you are telling the truth."

They turned the corner and ran into Peeves. Jack frowned at the poltergeist. They'd met before, and though Jack was quite the prankster, Peeves's taunting rubbed him the wrong way.

"Ooh, why its Potty Wee Potter!" He cackled, letting two of the inkwells he had been juggling fall to the ground. Harry and Jack jumped backwards to avoid being doused in ink.

"Go away, Peeves," snarled Jack.

"Oh, touchy are we." He grinned maniacally, zooming down to the boys. He turned his attention to Harry, "What is it this time, my fine Potty friend? Hearing voices? Seeing visions? Speaking in - " Peeves blew a loud raspberry "- tongues?"

"Leave us alone!" yelled Harry. Jack was about to grab his staff, before remembering that it was now very small, and strung on a necklace. He grabbed his wand instead. He remembered a spell he had seen in one of the books.

"Waddiwazi!" He cried, pointing the wand at the shattered ink well. The ink froze and zoomed at Peeves who, having recognized the spell, was zooming away as fast as he could. He flew around the corner and the boys heard a cry. Harry grinned.

"Nice."

"Why thank you," Jack laughed. The two arrived at Professor McGonagall's office a few minutes later and knocked. She stepped out looking grim and slightly harassed.

"Why aren't you two in class?" she asked.

"We've been sent to see you," Harry replied stiffly, any trace of previous humor gone.

"Sent? What do you mean, sent?"

Harry held out the horridly pink note. Jack decided he despised pink (sorry Cupcake.) Professor McGonagall took the note and slit it open with a tap of her wand. Her eyes zoomed from side to side as she read what Umbridge had written, and with each line they narrowed further, until they were flint-like slits.

"Come inside, boys." They followed her into the study, the door closing automatically.

"Is this true?" she demanded, rounding on them.

"Is what true?" Harry asked. Jack winced at his aggressive tone.

"Professor," he tacked on to Harry's statement.

"Is it true you two confronted Professor Umbridge?"

"Yes," they said together.

"You called her a liar."

"Not in so many words, but yeah."

"You told her you-know-who is back?"

"Yes," they chorused.

McGonagall sat down behind her desk, watching Harry and Jack. Then, to both boys shock, she said. "Have a biscuit."

Jack blinked surprised

"Have- what?" Harry asked.

"Have a biscuit," She repeated impatiently, indicating the tartan tin lying on top of her desk. "And sit down."

They sank into the chairs across from her, and Jack suspiciously accepted the cookie, some type of ginger snap like thing. McGonagall looked seriously at them.

"Potter," she addressed Harry, "You need to be careful," she warned anxiously. Harry and Jack sported identical looks of surprise. "Mr. Frost, could I please have a word with Mr. Potter?" She asked. Reluctantly, Jack stood and left the room. He took an extendable ear that the Weasley twins had lent him from his pocket. North had said it was his job to protect Harry, and his duty as a Guardian was one of the few things in life that Jack took seriously.

"... Umbridge's class could cost you more than house points and detention."

"What do you-"

"Potter, use your common sense," she cut Harry off. "You know where she comes from, you must know to whom she is reporting." Fudge, Jack realized. She must have been at Harry's trial. Suddenly the bell rang. Jack snatched back the ear. After a moment her heard raised voices, unfortunately still too muffled by the door to actually distinguish what they said. A minute later Harry came out, looking glum.

"What?" Jack asked instantly.

"Detention, every day this week."

"At least you don't have to suffer alone," Jack said cheerfully.

Harry groaned. "Keeper tryouts are Friday." Jack whistled.

"Angelina's going to have your head." Harry glared at him, Jack held his hands up in surrender. "At leased chaser tryouts are Sunday, you can still go to them, " he pointed out. Harry nodded, but still looked troubled. Jack could guess why. It was infuriating to tell the truth and not be believed. Or even listened to. Unfortunately, this wasn't about truth and lies. Moon, Jack hated people like Umbridge, who ignored the truth even though it was staring them in the face, because they were wrong, or scared, or for politics. He sighed, too.

"C'mon, lets get to the feast."