The New Regime

by SlytherinHoney

Ginny must navigate the treacherous halls of Hogwarts castle after Severus Snape becomes headmaster. This is the untold story of what happens under the regime of the Carrows, the revival of Dumbledore's Army and the rebellion of the students. Slightly AU with the addition of a new character but follows the main plot points JK left for the pickings.

14. Chapter 14

Aristophanes stopped in his tracks. Then he retraced his steps backward to the nearest window and peered furtively across the castle grounds. Ginny was walking quickly down the sloping lawn to the game keeper's hut. Longbottom and Lovegood soon came into view as they hurried after her.

His breath fogged up the window and he quickly rubbed his sleeve across the glass to clear his view… but she had disappeared. Neville was already closing the door behind him.

"No! I swear it won't happen again!" he heard someone scream distantly within the castle. All thoughts of Ginny's furtive behavior vanished and he ran down the corridor, passing up the classroom he was supposed to be entering.

He took the stairs two at a time and had to push several terrified students out of the way who had retreated to the stairwell for cover.

Amycus Carrow was dragging a third year boy by the scruff of his neck down to the dungeons by wand-point.

"Think it's funny! I'll give you somethin' to laugh about!" Amycus spat. The boy's nose was bloody and dripping down the front of his robes.

"What's happening?" he demanded of one of the boy's fellow classmates. She seemed ready to jump out of her skin but she swallowed hard and answered.

"He put a niffler in the Dark Arts classroom. Carrow caught him. He is bringing him to the dungeon for detention," she whispered and her voice quivered. "And they think it's funny."

She pointed to Crabbe and Goyle who guffawed at the look on the terrified boys face as he was forcibly removed from the corridor. Dislike immediately boiled in the pit of Aristophanes' gut and he clenched his jaw.

"What is all the commotion?" McGonagall suddenly demanded as she stepped outside her classroom. "Why is everyone standing around instead of in class?"

One of the third year students rushed over to her and whispered in her ear. Her nostrils flared and she reached for her wand.

Without a word, McGonagall took off like a Firebolt through the crowd of students after Amycus and the third-year boy, who had already disappeared.

No wonder my father had me home-schooled, Aristophanes thought with a rising sense of disgust.