Chapter Thirty-Seven:
Taking Action
Keeping people from heading down along the corridor turned out to be pretty easy. Ginny and Elizabeth stood on one end while Ron and Luna were at the other, and they only had to warn a few people before others stopped showing up. Elizabeth soon kept glancing at her watch, knowing they couldn't keep this up for long. There was no telling when Umbridge would be back.
"I think I'm going to go warn them to hurry up," Elizabeth said, starting towards Umbridge's office.
She'd barely made it halfway down the corridor when she heard something behind her. She turned around just in time to see Malfoy, Umbridge, and Millicent Bulstrode coming down the corridor. Elizabeth swore and turned, starting to run off to warn Harry, but she barely got a few steps when she felt something snag around her ankle and yank her down. Elizabeth hit the floor hard, her glasses nearly bouncing off her face. As Elizabeth started to push herself up, she felt someone grab her arms and pin them behind her back and shove something in her mouth as a gag.
"Good work, Mr. Malfoy," Umbridge said behind her as Elizabeth was forced to her feet. Elizabeth glared over her shoulder.
"Why don't we go see why they wanted to keep me away from my office," Umbridge said simply and Malfoy pushed Elizabeth forward. Elizabeth's heart was pounding. She kept thinking about Sirius, wondering what was going on and how they were going to be able to help him now.
Umbridge went into her office and Malfoy shoved Elizabeth in behind her. She saw Hermione spin around from where she was at the window and her eyes widened. Before she could do anything, though, Umbridge marched towards Harry and grabbed him by his hair and pulled him back.
Elizabeth went tense, struggling against Malfoy to try and get loose. Seeing Umbridge treat Harry like that was horrible. Elizabeth was rare to anger, but something like this definitely set her over the edge. Especially since it was Harry.
"Did you really think that after two nifflers I was going to let one more foul, scavenging little creature enter my office without my knowledge?" Umbridge asked in a hiss, pulling Harry back so that he was nearly bent double. Elizabeth jerked against Malfoy's grip again and could swear she heard him chuckle behind her.
"I had Stealth Sensoring Spells placed all around my doorway after the last one got in, you foolish boy," Umbridge went on, then turned to Bulstrode. "Take his wand. Hers too."
She gave a sharp nod to Hermione at the window, who still had her wand raised. Bulstrode snatched Harry's wand from his hand then went to Hermione and pinned her to the wall. Elizabeth glared at the girl.
"I want to know why you are in my office," Umbridge said with a shake of her hand, jerking Harry's head slightly. Elizabeth was shaking in anger now.
"I was—trying to get my Firebolt," Harry managed.
"Liar! Your Firebolt is under strict guard in the dungeons, as you very well know, Potter! You had your head in my fire. Which whom have you been communicating?"
"No one—"
Liar!" Umbridge snapped, shoving Harry hard enough to slam him into the desk where he hit the floor.
"Toh hoo oh how!" Elizabeth's protests came out as nothing more than a group of mumbles. Umbridge spun on her, but before she could say anything, the office door opened again and several Slytherins—which included Crabbe, Goyle, and Pansy Parkinson—came in and they were holding tight grips on Ron, Ginny, Luna, Helene, and Neville of all people. Elizabeth saw all of them had been gagged as well.
"Got 'em all," one of the Slytherins said, then nodded towards Nevil, "That one tried to stop me from taking her." He motioned to Ginny, struggling against her captor, "So I brought him along too."
"Good, good," Umbridge was grinning brightly and studying Ginny closely, "Well, it looks as though Hogwarts will shortly be a Weasley-free zone, doesn't it?"
Ginny glared at Umbridge as Malfoy laughed behind Elizabeth. She stomped him on the foot, which gained her a sharp jab in the back. Elizabeth saw Harry tense and his gaze narrow at Malfoy.
Umbridge settled herself down at her desk, looking around at the group. She was grinning the same way she did when she had discovered the D.A. It made Elizabeth's stomach churn in a completely different way than her feelings of dread. They were losing time here. Sirius was in trouble.
"So, Potter, you stationed lookouts around my office and you sent this one," Umbridge nodded towards Helene, who was struggling hard against Parkinson, "to tell me the poltergeist was wreaking havoc in the Transfiguration department when I knew perfectly well that he was busy smearing ink on the eyepieces of all the school telescopes, Mr. Filch having just informed me so.
"Clearly, it was very important for you to talk to somebody," Umbridge went on, leaning forward on her desk, "Was it Albus Dumbledore? Or the half-breed, Hagrid? I doubt it was Minerva McGonagall, I hear she is still too ill to talk to anyone..."
The Slytherins were laughing. Elizabeth, still shaking, resisted the urge to stomp on Malfoys foot again.
"It's none of your business who I talk to," Harry hissed. Umbridge glared at him.
"Very well," she said softly, "Very well, Mr. Potter...I offered you the chance to tell me freely. You refused. I have no alternative but to force you. Draco—fetch Professor Snape. You can bind Miss. Martin's hands behind her back before you leave."
Elizabeth glared at Umbridge and heard Malfoy mutter something behind her, then felt ropes snake around her wrists and tighten together before Malfoy left the office. Harry, surprisingly, looked suddenly hopeful. Elizabeth stared at him, and he quickly mouthed 'Snape!' and Elizabeth understood. Snape, no matter how much they hated him, was still a member of the Order of the Phoenix. Her heart was racing. Maybe they had a chance to save Sirius after all.
Malfoy returned with Snape not too long afterwards, and Elizabeth watched as he took in the group of captured students as if there were nothing unusual going on.
"You wanted to see me, Headmistress?" Snape asked simply.
"Ah, Professor Snape," Umbridge rose to her feet and came around the desk with a grin, "Yes, I would like another bottle of Veritaserum, as quick as you can, please."
"You took my last bottle to interrogate Potter," Snape said simply, "Surely you did not use it all? I told you that three drops would be sufficient."
"You can make some more, can't you?" Umbridge asked, which was enough of an answer to Snape's question.
"Certainly. It takes a full moon cycle to mature, so I should have it ready for you in around a month."
"A month?" Umbridge's high voice rose even higher, "A month? But I need it this evening, Snape! I have just found Potter using my fire to communicate with a person or persons unknown!"
"Really?" Snape's voice changed slightly as he glanced towards Harry, "Well, it doesn't surprise me. Potter has never shown much inclination to follow school rules."
"I wish to interrogate him!" Umbridge shouted, slamming a hand down on her desk, "I wish you to provide me with a potion that will force him to tell me the truth!"
"I have already told you that I have no further stocks of Veritaserum," Snape said coolly, "Unless you wish to poison Potter—and I assure you I would have the greatest sympathy with you if you did—I cannot help you. The only trouble is that most venoms act too fast to give the victim much time for truth-telling..."
"You're on probation!" Umbridge screamed, "You are being deliberately unhelpful! I expected better, Lucius Malfoy always speaks most highly of you! Now get out of my office!"
Elizabeth struggled against the ropes around her hands. Snape was their last chance and he was about to walk out the door...
"He's got Padfoot!" Harry called out, "He's got Padfoot at the place where it's hidden!"
Umbridge's face brightened at that and she moved forward.
"Padfoot?" she asked quickly, "What is Padfoot? Where what is hidden? What does he mean, Snape?"
"I have no idea," Snape said, glancing towards Harry, "Potter, when I want nonsense shouted at me I shall give you a Babbling Beverage. And Crabbe, loosen your hold a little, if Longbottom suffocates it will mean a lot of tedious paperwork, and I am afraid I shall have to mention it on your reference if you ever apply for a job."
Elizabeth glanced over to see Neville was very purple in the face, struggling against where Crabbe had him pinned with his thick arm against his neck. Crabbe loosed just slightly and Neville gave a gasp, shaking.
Snape left and Umbridge was shaking herself, looking furious as she took several deep breaths.
"Very well," she said, grabbing her wand from her pocket, "Very well...I am left with no alternative...This is more than a matter of school discipline...This is an issue of Ministry security...Yes...Yes..."
Umbridge moved around towards Harry, aiming her wand at his face.
"You are forcing me, Potter...I do not want to, but sometimes circumstances justify the use...I am sure the Minister will understand that I had no choice...The Cruciatus Curse ought to loosen your tongue."
"NO!" Elizabeth shrieked against her gag. She started forward—hands still bound—but Malfoy grabbed her by the back of her robes and yanked her backwards. Elizabeth nearly fell over, then began to struggle against Malfoy. She couldn't believe Umbridge was going this far. The woman was foul, yes, but this was an illegal curse.
"The Ministry wouldn't want you to break the law, Professor Umbridge!" Hermione cried out, struggling against Bulstrode.
"What Cornelius doesn't know won't hurt him," Umbridge said, moving her wand slowly from one part of Harry's body to another, "He never knew I ordered dementors after Potter last summer, but he was delighted to be given the chance to expel him, all the same..."
"It was you?" Harry asked, his eyes widening, "You sent the dementors after me?"
"Somebody had to act. They were all bleating about silencing you somehow—discrediting you—but I was the only one who actually did something about it...Only you wriggled out of that one, didn't you, Potter?" Umbridge aimed her wand directly at the scar on Harry's forehead and Elizabeth felt as if her heart stopped, "Not today, though, not now...Cruc—"
"NO!" Hermione screamed, "No—Harry—Harry, we'll have to tell her!"
"Fuah?" Elizabeth managed against her gag, staring at Hermione in shock. Her friend had her hands over her face now and was trembling behind Bulstrode.
"We'll have to, Harry," Hermione managed, "She'll force it out of you anyway, what's the point...?"
Hermione started crying against Bulstrode, who leapt away from her in disgust. Elizabeth was still staring at Hermione, wondering what she had to be up to. There was no way Hermione could be actually selling them out. Hermione had to have some type of plan up her sleeve.
"Well, well, well!" Umbridge was grinning brightly again as she turned to Hermione, "Little Miss Question-All is going to give us some answers! Come on then, girl, come on!"
"I'm—I'm sorry, everyone," Hermione sobbed, "But—I can't stand it—"
"Er—my—nee—no!" Ron managed through his gag. Ginny, Helene, and Neville had all stopped struggling and were staring at Hermione now in shock.
"That's right, that's right, girl!" Umbridge said, pulling Hermione over and pushing her down in the chair at the desk. "Now then...with whom was Potter communicating just now?"
"Well, he was trying to speak to Professor Dumbledore..."
The room grew very silent. Helene and Ginny had both stopped struggling completely and Ron's eyes widened. Elizabeth grew still as well, trying to figure out what Hermione was up to. Saying Harry was in contact with Dumbledore would be even worse than Sirius. She was digging them deeper.
"Dumbledore?" Umbridge asked quickly, leaning closer to Hermione, whose face was still hidden in her hands, "You know where Dumbledore is, then?"
"Well...no! We've tried the Leaky Cauldron in Diagon Alley and the Three Broomsticks and even the Hog's Head—"
"Idiot girl!" Umbridge snapped, "Dumbledore won't be sitting in a pub when the whole Ministry's looking for him!"
"But—but we needed to tell him something important!" Hermione said weakly, and Elizabeth started to realize Hermione was hiding her face to hide a lack of tears.
"Yes?" Umbridge leaned forward again eagerly, "What was it you wanted to tell him?"
"We...We wanted to tell him it's r-ready!"
"What's ready? What's ready, girl?"
"The...The weapon."
Malfoy was staring intently at Hermione now. Elizabeth noticed nearly all of the Slytherins were watching Hermione. The idea of a weapon was obviously very tempting to them.
"You have been developing some method of resistance?" Umbridge demanded, "A weapon you could use against the Ministry? On Professor Dumbledore's orders, of course?"
"Y-y-yes," Hermione sobbed, "But he had to leave before it was finished and n-n-now we've finished it for him, and we c-c-can't find him t-t-to tell him!"
"What kind of weapon is it?" Umbridge demanded, gripping Hermione by the shoulders now.
"We don't r-r-really understand it...We j-j-just did what P-P-Professor Dumbledore told us t-t-to do..."
"Then lead me to the weapon," Umbridge said, straightening back up.
"I'm not showing them," Hermione glanced around the room through her fingers, looking at each Slytherin in turn.
"It's not for you to set conditions."
"Fine! Let them see it, I hope they use it on you!" Hermione hid her face completely again, "In fact, I wish you'd invite loads and loads of people to come and see! Th-that would serve you right—oh, I'd love it if the wh-whole school knew where it was, and how to u-use it, and then if you annoy any of them they'll be able to s-sort you out!"
Umbridge paused, glancing around the room. Elizabeth saw the Slytherins were all looking far too eager. Umbridge studied them before turning back to Hermione.
"All right, dear, let's make it just you and me...and we'll take Potter too, shall we? Get up, now—"
"Professor," Malfoy moved forward, letting go of Elizabeth's robes, "Professor Umbridge, I think some of the squad should come with you to look after—"
"I am a fully qualified Ministry official, Malfoy, do you really think I cannot manage two wandless teenagers alone? In any case, it does not sound as though this weapon is something that schoolchildren should see." Umbridge said, the greed clear in her voice as she studied Malfoy, "You will remain here and make sure none of these students escape."
Malfoy didn't look at all happy, but didn't protest as Umbridge left with Hermione and Harry, the door closing behind them. Almost immediately, Malfoy and the others started theorizing on what the weapon could be. Elizabeth noticed that they were all starting to talk so eagerly, they were losing their grips on Ginny, Helene, Ron, and Neville—Luna wasn't being held at all.
They all seemed to notice it, too. Ron was reaching for his wand, as was Ginny. Neville, rubbing his neck, already had his wand in his hand, and Helene was moving closer towards Elizabeth, starting to undo the ropes around her wrists.
Elizabeth's heart raced. As soon as she felt the ropes loosen around her hands, she went for her wand as well. The others seemed to realize what was happening just a moment too late—Elizabeth yanked her gag from her mouth and aimed her wand at Bulstrode and shot off a Leg-Locker Jinx.
Hers wasn't the only spell. Five other curses and jinxes shot around the room, and in moments several Slytherins were unconscious, some were stumbled over unable to move, and Malfoy—to Elizabeth's endless amusement—suddenly had a face full of bat wings.
"Let's get out of here," Ron said quickly.
"Wait," Elizabeth hurried over and snatched Hermione's and Harry's wands from the ground before slipping out with the others. They slammed the door shut and Helene turned, casting off a spell to melt the door handle.
"Zat should keep zem occupied for a while," she said, turning to the others, "Who 'it Malfoy wiz zat Bat Boogie 'ex?"
"Me," Ginny said, "Come on, we need to find out where Hermione and Harry went."
"I saw them heading for the forest," Neville said.
"Good, thanks Neville," Ron said, "Listen, you—"
"Don't you dare start, we're coming," Ginny hissed and Helene nodded in agreement.
"Look, we don't have time to argue," Elizabeth said, her mind going to Sirius at the Ministry of Magic, "Let's just go find Harry and Hermione."
Ron grudgingly agreed. They hurried on down the stairs and out the front door of the castle. The grounds were starting to flush with the red of the setting sun, and as they raced towards the forest, Elizabeth couldn't help but think about how confusing this had to be for Neville, Helene, and Luna. They had no idea why all this was so important, yet they were coming anyway. That's where true friends were found.
And Elizabeth's sense of dread was growing stronger as well. Her sickening feeling was churning more and more, but there was so much going on, she couldn't stop to focus on it. Not now.
Once they were in the forest, however, they had another problem to worry about.
"Where are we supposed to go now?" Neville asked, looking around.
"Why would Hermione come out to the forest?" Ron asked, making a face.
Elizabeth frowned, looking around, then heard shouting from further in.
"That sounded like Umbridge," Ginny said, "Do you think Harry and Hermione are okay?"
Elizabeth didn't respond. She hurried off through the trees. All she could think of was Harry and Hermione further in, with the centaurs and who knew what else. Or even Grawp, if he got loose...
It wasn't long, however, before they heard Harry and Hermione up ahead of them, and Elizabeth felt a wave of relief.
"We need to get back up to the castle," Hermione was saying.
"By the time we've done that, Sirius'll probably be dead!" Harry shouted.
"Well, we can't do anything without wands. Anyway, Harry, how exactly were you planning to get all the way to London?"
"Yeah, we were just wondering that," Ron said as they reached the clearing. Elizabeth saw Harry and rushed forward, throwing her arms around him in relief.
"What happened?" she asked, "Where's Umbridge?"
"The centaurs got her," Harry said, looking surprised, staring around them, "How did you get away?"
"Couple of Stunners, a Disarming Charm, Neville brought off a really nice little Impendiment Jinx," Ron said with a shrug, "But Ginny was the best—"
"Harry, you're covered in blood!" Elizabeth said suddenly when she finally pulled away from the hug, looking over his robes, "What happened?"
"It's not mine, don't worry," Harry said, "It's Grawp's, it got on me when he chased off the centaurs."
"Who's Grawp?" Luna asked curiously.
"Hagrid's little brother," Ron said, then turned to Harry, "Anyway, Harry, what did you find out in the fire? Has You-Know-Who got Sirius or—"
"Yes," Harry said instantly, "And I'm sure Sirius is still alive, but I can't see how we're going to get there to help him."
"There has to be some way," Elizabeth said, her stomach churning. They had a chance. It wasn't like Cedric, where Elizabeth tried to ignore it. She had a chance to actually stop it this time. She couldn't let it slip away.
"Well, we'll have to fly, won't we?" Luna commented as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
"Okay, first of all, 'we' aren't doing anything if you're including yourself in that," Harry replied sharply, "And second of all, Ron and Elizabeth are the only ones with broomsticks not being guarded by a security troll—"
"I've got a broom!" Ginny cut in.
"Yeah, but you're not coming," Ron shot back.
"Excuse me, but I care what happens to Sirius as much as you do!"
"You're too—"
"I'm three years older than you were when you fought You-Know-Who over the Philosopher's Stone," Ginny cut in, "And it's because of me Malfoy's stuck back in Umbridge's office with giant flying bogeys attacking him—"
"Yeah, but—"
"We were all in the D.A. together," Neville spoke up, "It was all supposed to be about fighting You-Know-Who, wasn't it? And this is the first chance we've had to something real—or was that all just a game or something?"
"No—of course it wasn't—" Harry started.
"Zen we will all go," Helene said determinedly.
"No!" Elizabeth spoke up now, "Helene, you're barely fourteen, Alain would kill me if I let you—"
"'E isn't 'ere," Helene cut in, "We're all members of ze D.A. We want to 'elp."
"Exactly," Luna said simply.
Harry was still frowning. Elizabeth didn't like the idea of bringing Helene along, even if she did have to remind herself Helene was the same age she was when she helped save Sirius from a fate worse than death.
"Well, it doesn't matter anyway," Harry said finally, "Because we still don't know how to get there—"
"I thought we'd settled that?" Luna cut in, "We're flying!"
"And we've pointed out that two brooms aren't going to take all of us," Elizabeth replied. They were wasting time here. The longer they argued, the more risk Sirius was in. Glancing to Harry, she could see he was becoming more and more frustrated for that very reason.
"They can fly," Luna said, pointing past Harry, "And Hagrid says they're very good at finding places their riders are looking for."
Elizabeth turned to look past Harry, but saw nothing. Glancing around, she noticed Helene and Ginny looked just as confused, but Neville and Harry were both staring at the same spot. Ron raised an eyebrow at them and Hermione's eyes widened in understanding.
"Is it those mad horse things?" Ron asked after a moment as Harry started patting at a spot in midair, "Those ones you can't see unless you've watched someone snuff it?"
"You mean the thestrals?" Elizabeth asked hesitantly.
"Yeah, just two, though," Harry said.
"Well, we need four," Hermione said weakly, looking around.
"Five, Hermione," Ginny cut in.
"I think there are eight of us, actually," Luna added.
"Don't be stupid, we can't all go!" Harry shouted, turning to Neville, Luna, Helene, and Ginny, "Look, you four, you're not involved in this, you're not—"
They started to argue, and Elizabeth turned to Harry.
"We can't sit here and argue," she said, "Not with Sirius in trouble."
Harry glared, but it was clear he had already been thinking the same thing.
"Okay, fine, it's their choice," he snapped, "But unless we can find more thestrals you're not going to be able—"
"Oh, more of them will come," Ginny said, staring off between trees. Elizabeth was looking around, too, trying to see if she could see some sign of the invisible horses.
"What makes you think that?" Harry asked bitterly.
"Because in case you hadn't noticed, you and Hermione are both covered in blood," Ginny shot back, "And we know Hagrid lures thestrals with raw meat, that's probably why these two turned up in the first place."
"Okay then," Harry said suddenly, "Ron and I will take these two and go ahead, and Hermione and Elizabeth can stay here with the rest of you, Hermione'll attract more thestrals—"
"Don't you dare leave us behind!" Elizabeth spoke up, stepping forward.
"There's no need," Luna said, "Look, here come more now. You two must really smell..."
Harry looked towards the trees again and sighed.
"All right," he snapped, "Pick one and get on, then."
"Er, Harry? Most of us can't see them," Elizabeth said slowly.
"Don't worry, we'll help," Luna said.
It was an awkward process, having to have someone guide Elizabeth to an empty spot, then feel something solid in front of her. Elizabeth didn't like being on the thestral. She knew it was there—she could feel it under her. But any time she looked down, she was just floating in midair.
"Okay, everyone ready?" Harry called, looking down at his own invisible thestrals, "Er, can you lot take us to the Ministry of Magic?"
For a moment, there was nothing. Then, Elizabeth felt herself jerked upwards and she let out a scream, clinging around the invisible neck of her thestral. This was not going to be a fun experience.