AN AMERICAN WIZARD IN HOGWARTS
Chapter 10: Time is Running Out
Harry stormed into class that night in a foul mood. His good humor at finally getting even with Umbrage had been snuffed out due to the day's events.
Breakfast had been a happy affair with all the conspirators enjoying a secret laugh at Umbridge's expense but later in the day while he had been in Charms class, he been summoned to the headmaster's office.
Frowning in concern he approached the gargoyle that protected Dumbledore's sanctuary and said, "JuJu Beans." The statute jumped aside and the stairs appeared. As he climbed up he could hear raised voices through the door, one of them being Umbridge's.
His stomached tightened. 'Now what is going on?' He wondered sourly as he raised his hand and knocked. Dumbledore's voice called him in.
When he opened the door, he felt his heart jump and a headache begin as he saw Minister Fudge, Professor Snape, Umbridge, Shacklebolt, McGonagall and, of course, Dumbledore all staring at him as he entered. Swallowing down his trepidation and anger, he stepped into the room and chose to stand close to Fawkes, the headmaster's familiar, keeping some distance from the others.
Fawkes made a small chirr sound of comfort toward him. Harry spared the Phoenix a brief, friendly caress before giving his attention to those assembled.
"Ah Harry.....thank you for coming so quickly," Dumbledore said airily though his eyes held hints of anger and annoyance, but Harry knew that look wasn't directed at him.
"You needed me for something, sir?" Harry asked calmly.
"You are here to corroborate your involvement in an uprising against the ministry!" Umbridge's syrupy voice said firmly.
"What?" Harry blinked at her in stunned disbelief.
"I hope you have evidence for such an accusation, Madame Umbridge," Dumbledore said coldly.
"Over the last few months, I have noticed congregations of the same students meeting regularly. I grew suspicious when there were reports of these same students disappearing shortly after dinner and not reappearing until an hour before curfew. I questioned the students and finally had one inform me this group of students were secretly learning the dark arts in one of the rooms of the castle....right under your very nose, headmaster," she said triumphantly.
Dumbledore eyed her with cold disdain and disbelief. "Again I must ask if you have proof of this behavior. I'm afraid the word of one student isn't enough to accuse Harry and others of whatever it is you're accusing them of."
"Uhmph! Unfortunately, when I tried to break into the supposed Room of Requirement, the room had vanished and a strange other world appeared. Hogwarts was there but oddly altered, looking gloomy and deserted and evil. Before I could investigate something horrible came out of the mist to attack us. We were forced to retreat back the way we'd come and found ourselves outside in the corridor where we had started from," she was forced to admit.
Harry noticed Dumbledore's eyes widen briefly as if in recognition of the description Umbridge gave but quickly shuttered away his reaction.
"Another world? Come....come....you couldn't have made up something more believable than that?" The minister suddenly spoke, his words scathing, now not so sure his minion was all there in the head.
"I assure you minister, I and three of my aids did indeed see this other world. You may ask them yourselves," Umbridge said haughtily, affronted that she wasn't being believed. ".....and I intend to continue my investigation of the illegal activity of these few students until I have proof to prosecute them. But until I do, I insist Harry Potter and the others I will name, be restricted to classes and their houses until such an investigation has been completed."
Fudge glared at her then turned his attention back to the headmaster. "I'm sorry Headmaster Dumbledore but these are serious accusations and until they have been answered to my satisfaction, perhaps Madame Umbridge's suggestion should be followed."
Dumbledore smiled benignly, hiding his feelings as always. "I'm sorry Minister Fudge but since Madame Umbridge has no substantiation of her claims, I feel it inappropriate to restrict my students movements. Harry has done nothing to deserve being punished that I have heard or seen."
Umbridge blushed crimson with barely suppressed fury but kept her voice even as she said, "Harry is named as the leader of this group and the very one who is teaching these students the dark arts........"
"But you have failed to provide proof of this Madame Umbridge, so beware of false accusations," Shacklebolt warned her suddenly.
Umbridge gave him an angry glare but wisely shut up.
"I'm afraid he's right, my dear. Until you can provide evidence of this serious allegation, no action can be taken at this time," Minister Fudge reluctantly decreed. He had really wanted to pin Dumbledore with something bad enough to have him removed but so far nothing stuck. Time to back off.......for now.
"Then it appears this meeting is now over. Harry....you may return to your class," Dumbledore said blandly, seizing the moment to end this confrontation before anymore could happen.
Harry nodded his obedience and left hurriedly. Once outside, he heard voices raised once more but didn't stay to listen as he raced down the stairs and headed back to Charm's class. He sighed with relief. Umbridge had failed to prove what they were doing and he could get their training finished. But now they would have to be even more on guard. He wasn't happy that Cho had betrayed them but he understood that Veriteserum had been used on her giving her no choice but it made it hard to trust her now.
He briefed his friends and warned them to keep a lower than normal profile and to pass it on to the others.
Harry's day only got worse from there. At dinner, everyone received word that there had been a major breakout at Azkaban Prison. Voldemort's minions had escaped and the Dementors had also left the prison. There was no doubt in Harry's mind they had defected to the dark wizard's camp.
It was the escape of Bellatrix Lestrange that upset Neville the most. He confided in Harry that she had been the one to put his parents in the mental ward at St. Mungos. Harry was sorry for his friend but encouraged Neville to not give up hope. His parents would be avenged very soon. Neville gave him a wane smile of appreciation and swore he would work even harder to be worthy of everyone's confidence in him.
Harry's last annoyance of the evening was his required class on Legilimens from Snape. Annoyed and concerned that he couldn't seem to get through Harry's mind shield any longer, Snape chose to torment Harry with vile comments about Sirius before the start of the lesson.
Furious, Harry smashed past Snape's own shields and came across a scene that left him shocked and dismayed. Before Snape cast him out, Harry witnessed an event between his father James and Snape that was most revealing about why the potions professor hated Harry's father so much. In the scene, Harry's mother, Remus and Sirius stood by and watched as James proceeded to levitate Snape upside down and jeer at him in the most humiliating fashion.
The last thing he saw before Snape cast him out of his mind, was his mother's face and how unhappy and angry it was then he was flying backward and gasping for air from the abrupt expulsion.
Snape shook with fury and his face was red with humiliation. He roared at Harry to leave and never return. That was fine with Harry, he didn't need the lessons any longer anyway.
Though he was happy to be released from Snape's clutches, he wasn't happy to learn the man was justified in hating his father. It isn't a nice thing to learn that one's father was a bully after being told how great a person he was by everyone.
However, Harry was rather miffed at Snape for holding James' transgressions against him. After all, he was nothing like James except for looking like him and how was that his fault? Sighing in disgust, he shoved his unhappy thoughts aside and made for the Room of Requirement. Unfortunately, his bad wasn't done yet.
As he walked down a corridor leading to his destination, he ran into the Weasley twins trying to comfort young Colin Creevy. Apparently, Umbridge had punished the youngster with that illegal pen and that was corroborated when the nasty bitch appeared at the other end of the hall and said, 'I told you, naughty children must be punished!' eyeing Harry as she delivered that barbed statement before retreating back the way she'd come.
The Weasley twins eyed each other, an angry glint in their eyes, then they said, more to themselves than the other two with them, "I think there's nothing more we can learn from Hogwarts. Maybe its time to move on with our lives, eh?" George said to his brother, Fred, who nodded gravely in agreement.
Harry wondered what they meant by that but they wouldn't say anything more as they sent the child back to his dorm then followed Harry to their secret class.
When the group entered the room, Dresden could sense something was amiss. Before letting Harry start the class, he pulled him aside and talked with him.
At first Harry was unwilling to hash over the day but Dresden was adamant. When Harry explained the kind of day he'd had and finished with what had happened with the twins only moments ago, Dresden was frowning in concern. Things were heating up and the reports he'd received from Bob just hours ago, told him they might be seeing battle far sooner than he thought.
"Harry, you'll need to step up the last of the training. I have a strong feeling we'll be plunged into a major battle within days so make every moment count from now on," Dresden said gravely.
Harry sucked in a breath and eyed Dresden in surprises concern. "You're sure? I thought we might have a little more time left."
Dresden shook his head. "Bob brought me some behind the scenes things that are going on at this very moment. The centaurs are very angry and upset, Hagrid had tried to bring the giants over to Dumbledore's side without success, the escape from Azkaban was engineered by Voldemort but then we guessed that however, what you don't know is your enemy is planning some kind of trap, the nature of which, Bob couldn't find anything about so we must be extra vigilant and prepared. Something is going to happen really soon!" Dresden repeated.
Harry paled as he absorbed all the new information. "Okay.....I'm glad you're getting a better picture than I am about what's going on. Luckily, we've nearly completed all that I'm knowledgeable on and you've told me we're qualified with our guns and have given us as much help as you're able to so I think we're as ready as we can be considering we still don't know as much as our enemies about fighting a wizard's war," he said ruefully.
"I wish there was more time, but your assessment is correct. You and your friends have come a long ways and do stand a chance now than when you all started months ago. Just keep working hard and we'll do the best we can when the time comes," Dresden said encouragingly, clapping Harry on the back then shoving him toward his friends to get class started.