dream lighting: Glad you're liking it! :D
EgyLynx: I have many reasons why I did it. :)
Chapter Playlist:
- Burn ~ Ellie Goulding
- Not Ready to Make Nice ~ Dixie Chicks
Umbridge has changed Hogwarts. And not for the better.
She had Filch take down all the talking portraits and install speakers for her PA system. The Inquisitorial Squad had more power than the Prefects or the Head Boys and Girls. She was running this ship similar to a dictatorship.
Messages played overhead all day. Things like, "Boys and girls are not permitted to be within eight inches of each other." or "Those wishing to join the Inquisitorial Squad for extra credit. Students will be submitted to questioning about suspected illicit activities. Any student in noncompliance will be expelled."
What's even worse was that all the DA members except Cho were headed to the Great Hall right now. As I walked in, I saw desks for all of us and surprise surprise, parchment with Blood Quills. Eva looked up at me, scared.
"Don't worry Ev. My lily petals will heal whatever will appear on your hand." She nodded and kept walking. I assured my friends like George, Fred, Luna, Neville. They all said they'd find me later. Umbridge sat where the teachers table would be, but it was gone.
Instead, the Headmaster's —Dumbledore's— chair sat there holding the toad herself, sipping a cup of tea. When we all sat down she sat up and told all of us, "You will be writing 'Disobeying rules leads to punishment.'"
I sat there, grinding my teeth against the pain my left hand was feeling. The words were clearly written, angry, red, and raw. I could hear weeping coming from somewhere, but didn't dare look to see who it was.
As we walked out of the Great Hall, we all saw Cho standing there. I shot her the dirtiest of looks and kept walking. I heard her call out to Harry, but he kept walking, ignoring her. They were obviously done.
He turned his back to us and looked over the side of the bridge. "Harry. You did everything you could. No one could win against that old hag. Even Dumbledore didn't see this coming." I comforted him. "Harry, if it's anyone's fault, it's ours." Hermione reassured. "Yeah, we talked you into it." Ron agreed.
"Yeah, but I agreed." He retorted bitterly, "I tried so hard to help, and all it's done is make things worse. Anyway, that doesn't matter anymore. Because I don't want to play anymore. All it does is make you care too much. And the more you care, the more you have to lose. So maybe it's just better to…" He trailed off.
"To what?" Hermione asked, drawing him out of his daze. "To go it alone." A psst came from somewhere. Ron turned around and furrowed his eyebrows. "Hagrid?" He motioned for us to follow him. I shared a look with Hermione and started after him.
He led us to the Forbidden Forest. Where the hell is he taking us?
"Hagrid." I persisted. He ignored me and kept walking. "Any idea where he's taking us?" Ron asked exasperated. I knew he didn't like the forest. We all shrugged. "Hagrid, why can't you just tell us?" Harry sighed. Hagrid stopped and just in time for us see the Centaurs run by angrily.
"I've never seen the Centaurs so riled. And they're dangerous at the best of times. The Ministry restricts their territory much more they'll have a full uprising on their hands." Hagrid spoke in shock. "Hagrid, what's going on?" Hermione asked again.
"I'm sorry to be so mysterious, you four. I wouldn't be bothering you at all with it, but with Dumbledore gone I'll likely be getting the sack any day now. And I just couldn't leave without telling someone about him." He led us a few feet farther and we all looked up.
He'd brought us to a giant. He was about 15 feet tall and wearing dirty scrubs. He was tied to a tree with a rope that went around his middle. "Grawpy. Down here, you great buffoon. Grawpy. Brought you some company. I couldn't just leave him, because…Because he's my brother." Hagrid explained. "Blimey." I mumbled.
"Well, half brother, really. He's completely harmless, just like I said. Little high-spirited, is all." Grawp was chasing butterflies when they were above our heads he reached out and clapped his hands around them. Of course, we ducked so he wouldn't smash our skulls with his hands the size of Hagrid's hut.
"Grawpy, that is not polite." Hagrid scolded to a not listening Grawp. Hermione stumbled backwards. Grawp reached out and picked her up in his hand. She screamed. "Hagrid, do something." Ron protested. "We talked about this. You do not grab, do you? That's your new friend, Hermione."
I groaned into my hand that was placed against my forehead. Everything Hagrid was saying to Grawp was going in one ear and out the next. Ron picked up a large stick and ran at the giant. It swung it at his leg. I had to refrain from laughing because it broke in two. Grawp looked down a Ron, but didn't do anything.
Hermione, plucking up courage, pointed a finger at the giant. "Grawp. Put me down. Now." Surprisingly, Grawp set her down and went to go do something. It was then I realized that Hagrid's injuries were from Grawp.
"You all right?" Ron and I asked at the same time. Hermione wrapped her arms around herself. "Fine. Just needs a firm hand, is all." "I think you've got an admirer." Harry commented, watching as Grawp came back with a bicycle handle.
He ringed the bell attached to it, then extended it to Hermione. She took it in her hands and rung the bell. Grawp looks pleased and took it back, ringing it several more times. 'You just stay away from her, all right?" Ron called one last time. I put an arm on him and joked, "Easy tiger." He blushed, shooting me a glare.
"He gets his own food and all. It's company he'll be needing when I'm gone. You will look after him, won't you? I'm the only family he's got." Hagrid told us. We looked at each other and then back at Hagrid.
For some crazy reason, we said yes.
I watched as Snape pointed his wand at Harry, attempting to penetrate his mind, and, obviously, succeeding. "Feeling sentimental?" he drawled. Harry pulled out and panted. "That's private." "Not to me. And not to the Dark Lord, if you don't improve. Every memory he has access to is a weapon he can use against you. You won't last two seconds if he invades your mind."
Snape winced in annoyance, "You're just like your father. Lazy, arrogant." "Don't say a word against my father." Harry roared. "Weak." "I'm not weak." "Then prove it. Control your emotions. Discipline your mind. Legilimens."
I sat and watched as Snape looked through Harry's memories. "I may vomit." He commented snarkily. "Stop it." Harry exclaimed. "Is this what you call control?" Snape sneered. Harry walked across the room. "We've been at it for hours. If I could just rest." Snape cornered him against a table. "The Dark Lord isn't resting. You and Black, you're two of a kind. Sentimental children forever whining about how unfair your lives have been. Well, it may have escaped your notice, but life isn't fair. Your blessed father knew that. In fact, he frequently saw to it."
"My father was a great man." Harry argued. Snape threw Harry back in his chair and readied his wand. "Your father was a swine. Legilimens." "Protego." I gasped. Harry had blocked Snape's spell and was probably watching one of Snape's memories.
Harry fell backwards and watched Snape in horror. What had he seen? "Enough." Snape grabbed Harry by the collar of his shirt. "Your lessons are at an end." He said in the coldest, deadliest, and scariest voice I've ever heard.
"I—" Harry protested. "Get. Out." He shoved Harry towards the steps. I watched as he ran up, sweating and pale. He turned to me, making me curl up in the chair I was sitting in. "Legilimens." He said. He caught me off guard for a split second.
I saw an image of Aslan before I shut off everything. Oh shit I was in trouble. Snape pulled out and stood over me. "What was that?" he demanded. "What was what?" I asked in a small voice. He grabbed me by the collar too, slightly choking me.
"What was that memory before you blocked it out?" He said in the same tone he used with Harry. Somehow, I found my voice and quietly replied, "It was just a dream I had." It was more or less true. It was a dream...that had actually happened...
"You dream of lions?" His doubt was obvious, meaning I needed to be very convincing. I shrugged, gasping for air. "You are dismissed. Get out." I grabbed my bag and ran as fast as my legs could carry me.
I ran my fingers through my hair. If Dumbledore was here, luckily he wasn't, Snape probably would've told him about Aslan. I silently sent my apology to the Great Lion, hoping He could hear me. Shit shit shit. I was so screwed.