A/N: Once again thank you all for the support! I had a question about how long this story is going to be, at the moment I have 32 chapters written and I'm still writing. I'm hoping to make this story long enough that it won't finish until March/April...then I will take a couple of months break whilst I graduate from University and then I might do a sequel during the summer next year, depending on how this story ends. Many thanks! :)

A/N: Chapter Warnings – Sexual Situations, Bad language, discussions of rape, suicide and cutting

Chapter 20: The Inquisitorial Squad, a Chat with Harry, and Normalcy

Dolores Umbridge was in her classroom looking at her Inquisitorial Squad, they would be her eyes and ears about the castle and hopefully, they would help her bring down Harry Potter, Albus Dumbledore, and any wizard army that they may have formed.

She looked at the list of names that had been given to her from the pupils that had gathered for this meeting. These students were interested in helping her however; she would not be able to put the squad into effect yet. Albus Dumbledore was still in control, but that would change soon. She grinned as she looked at the main names of the students who were interested in the squad:

- Draco Malfoy

- Pansy Parkinson

- Millicent Bulstrode

- Daphne Greengrass

- Vincent Crabbe

- Gregory Goyle

- Argus Filch

- Astoria Greengrass

- Blaise Zabini

She was rather unsettled that a squib had signed up but she wasn't in the position to be picky, she needed all the help she could get.

"As you know, there are going to be changes put into place around here soon. Dumbledore's position at this school will fail and he will be forced to stand down. It is then that we will put this little group into effect. Your main duties will be to make sure that all new rules are being upheld, and to keep an extremely close eye on Potter and his allies. We do not want him trying to revolt against the ministry. For the moment, do not be obvious about your actions but if you do happen to hear of any information that is of significance, you will report it all back to me. I will send owls to you all when I believe another meeting is necessary. Remember what I said, discretion is key, do not go looking for trouble because at the current time, I will not be able to protect you. However, when the time is right your services will be rewarded" Umbridge told the few students, who were sat gleefully on the edges of their seats.

Umbridge was counting on the rivalry between Gryffindor and Slytherin to get many more people on board with her squad. She grinned at the enthusiasm she had already received and dismissed the group with a smile.

She got out the piece of parchment from her desk drawer and looked at it, smiling wickedly at her own handwriting. She had been writing decrees that she would enforce when she had the power. She was prepared to wait because she knew she had to pounce at the opportune moment or her whole plan would fall to pieces. She had been adding to the list whenever she thought of something, and would occasionally laugh at the thought of how catatonic she could make the students at the school. She would ensure that there would be no fun, colour or happiness any longer. There would only be education from a ministry approved point of view. A school that would not fight back or form a resistance.

She sat smugly in her office with her cup of tea.

'Oh yes, things would be changing around here' she thought with a giggle.

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Sometime after midnight, Severus Snape was sat in his office; he was reading through a set of awfully attempted assignments that he had set for the third years. He wondered over the changes that had subtlety been taking place. Draco had come by his office some time ago to inform him of this new group that Umbridge was beginning to assemble.

'And the drama continues' Severus sighed as he marked a giant 'T' across some imbecile's paper.

There was an Order meeting tomorrow and he was slightly concerned. Gryffindor's were known for their impulsive behaviour, and with these turn of events and this new information about Umbridge and her intentions, this meeting could end in disaster.

Severus could see the shrieking banshee impressions now and it was already giving him a headache. Then after the meeting, he would be expected to accept his summons from the Dark Lord, give information and then be tortured for it.

'Some life' he thought to himself.

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On the other side of the castle Ron Weasley woke with a start, he could hear something and looked around the dormitory for the source. His eyes found his best friend, who was currently in the midst of what looked like a nightmare.

Harry was sweating and breathing deeply; he was walking down a long corridor and eventually came across a door. He was going through the door and found himself in a large room with what appeared to be miles and miles of rows of crystal balls. He then caught sight of himself in a reflection, he was a snake. He had been slithering around these corridors, he was searching for something but he didn't know what.

Suddenly the face of Voldemort popped up into his view, and Harry screamed.

Harry launched into an upright position and found himself in his bed at Hogwarts. He looked over and saw Ron staring at him with a concerned expression.

"You alright mate?" Ron asked.

Harry, who was still out of breath and sweating heavily, nodded.

"You sure?" Ron asked again, not fully believing him.

"Honestly Ron, I'm fine. Go back to sleep, your eyes are drooping already" Harry said with a laugh.

Ron was already snoring before his head hit the pillow, and Harry couldn't help but laugh at his best friend's expense. Ron would never change.

Harry sat and thought about his rude awakening by his own dream. He had been having the same dream for weeks; he couldn't work out where he was in these dreams or what they meant. He was finding it increasingly frustrating, and was getting tired of being forced awake most nights.

He was also worried about Hermione. He knew she had woken up, and was due to be back in classes on Monday. It was a Hogsmeade weekend and the weather held a promise of torrential rain.

Harry cast a tempus charm and saw that it was 5:00am and knew that there was no point in going back to sleep so he got up and headed for the common room. He was hoping for some peace and quiet before everyone else got up. It was rare that anyone ever got up before 8:00am on a Hogsmeade weekend, which meant that he had a few hours of brooding that he could do.

He stepped into the common room and froze.

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Hermione had been up since 3:00am, even after the calming draught she had been given by Severus. She couldn't help but sit and think about the past events.

She sat with her journal open on her lap as she tried to catch up in her diary. Today was the 28th of October, and she felt...good. For the first time in nearly three months she finally felt relaxed.

The people that she cared most about now knew about what had happened to her, and she was getting medical help, emotional help, and her self-esteem was beginning to pick up again. She had Severus, Draco, Neville, Minerva and Remus all back in her life. All of them were brilliant and she accepted that she could be happy if it was just her and them for the rest of her life.

She was unsure what would happen between her, Harry and Ron now. Harry knew the truth but she would never force him to choose sides.

Hermione closed her eyes and tried to relax, but was only like that for a few minutes before she heard footsteps coming down the stairs and into the common room, and then the footsteps stopped.

She turned to look at the person who was also awake ridiculously early on a Saturday and was surprised to see Harry stood in the common room.

The two teenagers stared at each other for what felt like an eternity before Hermione spoke.

"Hi Harry" she said steadily, summoning her Gryffindor courage.

"Hi" Harry said hesitantly. He was fully expecting her to attack and kill him right there and then.

"Everything alright?" She asked, she could feel the tension between them and wished nothing more than to ease it.

"Am I alright? Hermione...I, it's me who should be asking you that! I wanted to apologise for everything but I felt that an apology was such a pathetic thing to do after how much I have hurt you. When I found out you'd been taken to the hospital wing in a severe condition, I didn't know what to do. Snape forbade me from going anywhere near you...apparently I had done enough damage, and he didn't want me doing anymore. Hermione, I'm going to speak to Sirius, I want to have my way with him after everything that he has done to you. He may be my godfather but I have only known him for less than two years. You, Hermione, have been my best friend, my sister, my logic, and sanity...when mine decided to leave…and you are the person who has kept me alive for nearly the last five years. Hermione, if there is anything I can do for you, I will do it. I know I will never be able to fully redeem myself for what I have said and done over the last few weeks, but I will do anything for you now. I will never fully forgive myself for this and I don't expect you to forgive me either" Harry said without really pausing for breath.

Hermione had stopped breathing awhile back, and was struggling to cope with the speed in which Harry was giving her information. When he finished, she only just managed to conceal a sob and she ran towards him.

Her intention had been to hug him but Harry was unprepared for the force and speed in which she came at him, and so the pair fell to the floor hugging and laughing.

After they had hugged it out, they headed back towards the more comfortable seats and began to talk through everything.

"Harry, I never wanted you to take a side in all of this, I didn't expect you, to and I never wanted you to feel as if you had to take sides. I just wanted to tell you, I wanted you to realise that there was no scandalous affair going on between myself and your godfather, I wanted you to know that I wasn't trying to steal him from you. I also just wanted to tell you the truth and I'm sorry that it all happened this way. Also, please don't confront Sirius, it will just give him the satisfaction that he had gotten to me, and you know my pride is much higher than that. Also Harry, there is nothing really to forgive you for, you were reacting to the information you had and logically, you wanted to believe the most plausible story, which wasn't mine and you reacted to that accordingly" she said to him gently.

Harry felt a stab to his gut. He didn't want her to forgive him, he wanted her to shout at him, tell him he was an arsehole, a bastard, and that she never wanted anything to do with him ever again. At least he could accept that. But to forgive him? That was painful and he would spend the rest of his life paying for his behaviour, even if he had to do it secretly.

"Alright, I won't do anything about Sirius but if you change your mind...tell me and it will be done. However, I make no promises for what McGonagall, Remus and Snape might do to him at the Order meeting tonight" Harry said to her. He was slightly irritated that he wouldn't get to do anything to Sirius for quite some time. Probably Christmas, which was ages away.

Harry tried not to show his discontent so instead, he changed the subject.

"You coming to Hogsmeade today? Just me, you, and Ron...just like old times?" Harry asked.

Hermione smiled, finally there was some normalcy in her life and she quickly agreed to the offer. They might even be able to sneak into the pub for some Butterbeers. Hermione was suddenly very excited about her weekend.

"It will be a great day out!" Hermione exclaimed happily.

"I will have to probably leave you a bit early though; Draco and I like to hang out for a bit on weekends, if we can. Our friendship is sort of under wraps, for obvious reasons" she said with a slightly seething tone to her voice at the situation Draco was practically being threatened into. She was worried for her unlikely friend.

"It still creeps me out that you and Malfoy are friends" Harry said with a grimace.

"He was there for me when I had no one else Harry, he is in my life now, whether you like it or not. You need to accept it and move on. I don't expect you to make daisy chains together or paint each other's nails. Just be civil, that's all I ask" she told him sternly, leaving no room for argument.

Harry nodded and held his hands up in a surrender gesture. Well at least she still had her brilliantly terrifying nature.

"So why are you up so early? Normally I have to drag you out of bed at weekends" Hermione joked.

"I had a dream, it woke me up and I couldn't get back to sleep so I came down here" Harry answered honestly.

"You're having nightmares again?" She asked, quickly taking on the role of a concerned mother.

Harry shook his head.

"It's not exactly a nightmare. I've been having the same dream for weeks. I am a snake and I slither through a long corridor, it seems familiar but I can't quite place it. Then I go into a massive room that is full of crystal balls, like I'm searching for something in particular but I can never find it. Then the image of Voldemort springs up into my dream and that's what startles me awake. It's very confusing, I just don't understand what it all means, it's probably nothing anyways, just me being paranoid" he told her, secretly hoping she would have an insight to the situation.

"You shouldn't ignore it Harry, you don't think Voldemort is trying to get into your head again. Didn't he try that last year when you had nightmares about the graveyard?" She asked him.

Harry grimaced, the death of Cedric in the graveyard was still like an open wound and Harry still felt exceptionally guilty.

Hermione noticed and apologised.

"Maybe you should keep a log of when you have these dreams, maybe there is a connection between the dates that you are having them" she suggested.

Harry agreed with her, it was worth a try at least.

"Any more trouble from Umbridge?" Hermione asked Harry.

"Aside from the fact we are not learning any defence? Nope" Harry said angrily, he wanted that woman gone more than he did Voldemort, and he didn't think he was the only one who felt that way.

"You're right Harry, we need to do something. We aren't learning how to defend ourselves, something needs to change or we are all fucked" Hermione said.

Harry visibly recoiled when Hermione swore; she had been spending way too much time with the serpent house.

He chuckled at her cursing as she realised that she had casually sworn and joined in with Harry's laughter.

The pair eventually began to hear movement and looked at the time. They noticed that breakfast had just begun and Harry went to fetch Ron stating that the three of them should go to breakfast together.

Hermione waited patiently for the boys, still really excited that she was going to have a nice weekend.

Minutes later, Harry returned dragging a barely conscious, and barely dressed, Ron behind him.

"Mornin Mione" Ron yawned sleepily.

Hermione instantly felt bad, she and Ron had built up their friendship once more, and things were going well. Ron had been completely oblivious to all the drama but Hermione sort of liked that. However, she knew she would have to tell him, if word got out about what had gone on, Ron would most definitely hear about it, and Hermione wanted him to hear it all from her and no one else, he at least deserved that after being kept completely out of the loop.

"Good Morning Ron" Hermione exclaimed excitedly at her friend, and hugged him.

This shocked Ron and he immediately woke up, fully alert and smiled, his stomach then let out a massive growl, so loud that he actually looked embarrassed and flushed red.

Hermione and Harry laughed as they all headed towards the great hall and the Gryffindor table.

They say down and all grabbed some food. For the first time in ages, Hermione's plate was full and she ate her fill on Sausages, eggs, beans and bread.

The trio were so engrossed in each other and their breakfast, that they barely noticed four sets of eyes staring down at them from the head table.

Minerva and Poppy were looking at the trio; finally things were beginning to feel normal again.

Albus looked at the trio somewhat guiltily; he had been using the three of them for the past four years for their personal resources that would help 'the greater good'. But finally seeing them like this, happy and carefree, showed him just how young they all still were, and he couldn't help but feel like he had taken complete advantage of all of them. Albus Dumbledore pushed his plate away, he was no longer hungry.

Severus looked at Hermione, and could practically feel her delight at finally having something normal in her life, and he couldn't help but be delighted for her. He saw her look his way for a moment and he gave her a secret smile that he reserved only for her. Things were finally turning around for the young woman and it was all for the better.

As the trio were finishing breakfast the call for Hogsmeade began and they swiftly moved to their feet and headed for the carriages, the three of them were in a world of their own.

Anyone else who was sat at breakfast watched the trio and for the first time since the term began, no one had anything to say about them. Things felt normal for the first time in what felt like forever.