FOURTH YEAR- Thirty-six- on the train
James
Sirius
Remus
Peter
Remus! The book?
Why do you always ask when you know it's at the bottom of my trunk?!
Looks like Remmy needs to reorganize his trunk so his books AREN'T at the bottom, because every time he does that, Sirius goes through the trunk and un-organizes everything himself!
…Did you just speak in third person?
That I did!
Come on! We should get the Notebook before we miss the conversation!
I'm on it!
NO! SIRIUS! PUT THE TRUNK DOWN, I'LL GET IT!
I'm sorry, but you're already too late. My patience for the book ran out ten minutes after I woke up this morning. Catch!
Sirius, would you mind NOT throwing shoes at me?
I gave you fair warning.
Whatever.
Found it!
…Why won't it open? HOGWARTS 1944!
NOOOO!! MCGONAGALL MUST HAVE CHANGED THE PASSWORD!
Try '37.
Whew! I thought we'd have to figure out the password again!
Ah! Here they come!
Teachers' Notebook
McGonagall
Dumbledore
Sprout
Flitwick
Slughorn
Gross. Classes tomorrow.
Maybe you should try to have an optimistic outlook on it! Might improve the situation.
Maybe you should leave me in peace.
Where's the fun in that?
I find it sad what amuses you, Dumbledore.
Well there's the pot calling the kettle black.
Oh, this is just disturbing…
How is me saying that Pomona is being hypocritical disturbing?
No, not that. I wasn't even paying attention. Has anyone read the Prophet today?
No, I was working on class plans.
I was reading Transfiguration Today. Why?
Happy little family of four, little boy and girl. Boy's eight, the girl is five. Parents COMPLETELY disappeared, no sign of them, but the Ministry suspects foul play, and rightly so. The little boy and girl were bitten by a werewolf!
No one saw anything?
Nope. Well, both children said they saw their door get blown apart, but then they were stunned before they saw a face.
…They didn't even have a CHANCE to try and get away? DISPICABLE!
I don't understand how someone could be so cruel. Honestly, innocent children!
Where was this?
The paper doesn't say anything other than Britain. I can ask Alastor, though.
Well this isn't good news for us, either.
I doubt it's good news for anyone!
Do you know who is going to take this event and use it as an advantage?
Who would be messed up enough to do that?!
Dolores Umbridge.
NO! No, no, no, no, NO! She's going to spin it! She's coming back! Ugh! I can just hear her little twittering, "Considering recent events, I'd like to pressure you even more to expel that little wolf that you're sheltering. It's just far too dangerous! For all we know, he was the one that bit those poor children over the summer!" Now she's going to try to bring the Minister into this! Can we just… like… hire someone to silence her?
MINERVA!
Don't pull your beard out, you know I wouldn't.
I would, but –
Pomona…
for the sake of the school and its reputation and the fact that my brother wouldn't ever let me forget it, I won't.
Anyway, yes, this is going to cause problems. I don't know how we're going to fend her off.
I'm still not letting her take Lupin out!
You may not have a choice!
That's where you're wrong. If she took him out just because she's too prejudice and everything has to be her way, I'd go, so would several other of our coworkers –
You know this how?
I asked around last year. Anyway, and if Lupin left, Potter, Black and Pettigrew would leave, and they would let everyone else know that they left because Lupin was taken out unfairly, several other students would leave on the principle too. That'd just have a domino effect until half the student body transferred to Durmstrang or Beaxbatons, or were homeschooling. So Umbridge still won't dare.
I bet she will. She never knew when to lay off, and I doubt that's changed.
Hey, does anyone know where Greyback was the night that family was attacked?
No one ever knows where he is!
Well maybe he visited the family.
You think Umbridge will even bother investigating him?
Probably not, but it's worth a shot.
Now you'll have an 'I told you so' from Minerva hanging over your head when you suggest Greyback.
I would say I don't care… but that'd be a lie.
I have some absolutely horrible news!
Do we really want to hear it?
Probably not, but it'd be wise to know it.
What is it, Horace?
I've just gotten the Evening Prophet, and do you know what it said?
Get on with it!
Dolores Umbridge just got a promotion!
Now, I'm just guessing wildly here. Pomona, you're screaming into a pillow, Minerva, you're letting out some very… choice words, and Filius… well, I don't think you'd be doing anything too destructive.
Just sitting here taking deep breaths and trying to convince myself I'm having a nightmare.
Umm… I think I've done my fair bit of destruction here. I'm just going to… You know what? MORE NEWS!
Don't want to hear it!
The students are almost here! Look, the carriages are leaving to pick them up!
Well this is shaping up to be a fine year already! Half the staff will have commit suicide by the end of the year, and the other half will be completely insane!
In a carriage
James
Sirius
Remus
Peter
… Well, I agree with Sprout. This year is going to blow if this kinda stuff keeps up.
Why? WHY did Umbridge have to get a promotion? WHHHHYYYY??
Relax a bit! You read what McGonagall wrote! You aren't going anywhere!
You know, it probably WAS Greyback that attacked those kids.
What about the parents?
I don't know. He doesn't bother with adults. Too heartless; he only preys on the defenseless.
So that means he has an accomplice now…
Which means that wherever he is during full moon, some family is doomed.
Sounds like society is doomed.
Especially with Umbridge being promoted.
No, society isn't doomed. Just 'filthy half breeds'.
She probably is a half breed. Half human, half toad. There's no other explanation for how toad-like she looks.
I say we let her know how we feel next time she visits!
Come on boys, it's plotting time! We need to make our professors proud!
I don't think I should help with the pranks.
Why? Think that Umbridge will say that you're going to kill everyone by pranking her?
Probably.
Well, we'll have to 'silence her', just not in the way Minnie meant.
Hey! Does Umbridge wear heels?
Probably.
We should totally make them shrink, while still on her feet!
Brilliant, Pete!
We're here! Moving out, men!
Salute McGonagall as you go past her. Just see how much that confuses her.
She'll figure it out once Umbridge comes.
That's the idea. -grin-
Sorry about the seriousness! It gets better!
I've got Umbridge coming in a few chapters, don't worry! Fun stuff!
Sorry I didn't respond to the reviews! I somehow blocked fanfiction from emailing me, so I wasnt notified of new reviews and such! I fixed it now though, so I will be responding again! YAY!!
Save a writer, review; she'll give you e-galleons.