A/N: Really sorry for the long wait.
Disclaimer: Harry Potter belongs to the wonderful J.K. Rowling.
Chapter 10: Educational Decree Number Twenty-four
The next morning everyone saw that there was a rather large sign on the Gryffindor noticeboard, so large that it covered everything else on it. The new sign was printed in large black letters and there was a highly official-looking seal at the bottom beside a neat and curly signature.
BY ORDER OF THE HIGH INQUISITOR OF HOGWARTS
All student organisations, societies, teams, groups and clubs are henceforth disbanded.
An organisation, society, team, group or club is hereby defined as a regular meeting of three or more students.
Permission to re-form may be sought from the High Inquisitor (Professor Umbridge)
No student organisation, society, team, group or club may exist without the knowledge and approval of the High Inquisitor.
Any student found to have formed, or belong to, an organisation, society, team, group or club that has not been approved by the High Inquisitor will be expelled.
The above is in accordance with Educational Decree Number Twenty-four.
Signed: Dolores Jane Umbridge, High Inquisitor
Harry and Ron read the notice over the heads of some anxious-looking second-years.
"I don't think we're going to be lucky, though, do you?" Ron asked Harry as the second-years hurried away.
Harry was reading the notice through again. The happiness that filled him since Saturday was gone. His insides were pulsing with rage.
"This isn't a coincidence," he said, his hands forming fists. "She knows."
"She can't," said Ron at once.
"There were people listening in that pub," said Anna coming up behind them, "And let's face it, we don't know how many of the people who turned up we can trust. Don't you think it's weird that she does something like this just a couple of days after we had that meeting? Anyone at the meeting could have run off and told Umbridge. My moneys on that Smith character."
"Zacharias Smith!" said Ron at once, punching a fist into his hand. "Or – I thought that Michael Corner had a really shifty look, too –"
"I wonder if Hermione's seen this yet." Harry said, looking round at the door to the girl's dormitories.
"She still up there. I'm pretty sure boys aren't allowed up there so I guess I'll have to go get her." said Anna.
Anna came back a few seconds later with Hermione in tow.
"Look at this!" said Ron.
Hermione's eyes slid rapidly down the notice. Her expression became stony.
"Someone must have blabbed to her!" Ron said angrily.
"They can't have done that," said Hermione in a low voice.
"You're so naïve," said Ron, "you think just because you're all honourable and trustworthy –"
"No, they can't have done, because I put a jinx on that piece of parchment we all signed." said Hermione grimly.
"So that's what you did to it when I saw you with your wand to the parchment." said Anna.
"Yeah. Believe me, if anyone's run off and told Umbridge, we'll know exactly who they are and they will really regret it." said Hermione.
"What will happen to them?" asked Ron eagerly.
""Well, put it this way," said Hermione, "it'll make Eloise Midgeon's acne look like a couple of cute freckles. Come on, let's get down to breakfast and see what the others think … I wonder whether this has been put up in all the houses."
It was immediately apparent on entering the Great Hall that Umbridge's sign had not only appeared in Gryffindor Tower. There was a peculiar intensity about the chatter and an extra measure of movement in the Hall as people scurried up and down their tables conferring on what they had read. Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Anna had barely taken their seats when Neville, Dean, Fred, George and Ginny descended upon them.
"Did you see it?"
"D'you reckon she knows?"
"What are we going to do?"
"Will everyone just shut it for a minute!" yelled Anna, "of course we saw it."
Everyone was still looking at Harry. He glanced around to make sure there were no teachers near them.
"We're going to do it anyways, of course," he said quietly.
"Knew you'd say that," said George, beaming and thumping Harry on the arm.
"The prefects as well?" asked Fred, looking quizzically at Ron and Hermione.
"Of course," said Hermione coolly.
"Here comes Ernie and Hannah Abbott," said Ron, looking over his shoulder. "And those Ravenclaw blokes and Smith … and no one looks very spotty."
Hermione looked alarmed.
"Never mind spots, the idiots can't come over here now, it'll look really suspicious – sit down!" she mouthed to Ernie and Hannah, gesturing frantically to them to re-join the Hufflepuff table. "Later! We'll – talk – to – you- later!"
"I'll tell Michael," said Ginny impatiently, swinging herself off her bench, "the fool, honestly…"
She hurried off towards the Ravenclaw table; Harry watched her go. Cho was sitting not too far away, talking to the curly-haired friend she had brought along to the Hog's Head. Would Umbridge's notice scare her off meeting them again?
"When are you going to ask her out?" asked Anna, making harry blush a little bit.
"What are you talking about?" said Harry.
"I see the way you look at her. Just go ask her out." said Anna nudging him a little bit.
"I don't know. What if she says no?" said Harry.
"She'll be a complete idiot for saying no and I see the way she looks at you. Trust me, she'll say yes for sure." Anna said, making Harry a little bit more confident.
"Really? Thanks Anna." Said Harry.
"No problem," said Anna getting out of her seat, "we better go, or we'll be late for History of Magic."
Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Anna made their way to the classroom.
A/N: Please review!