When Snape and Dumbledore arrived, neither of them seemed pleased. While Snape's fury seemed directed at Harry, Dumbledore seemed more concerned with Fudge.
"Cornelius, how surprising to find you here," Dumbledore said quietly. "I would expect that the Minister of Magic has more important things to attend to than the affairs of schoolchildren, particularly at this hour of night."
Fudge bristled at Dumbledore's implication. "Dolores summoned me this evening with news that she had discovered something disturbing. After seeing young Ms. Chang in the hospital room, I have to agree."
"Why don't we all sit down?" Dumbledore said. He conjured a trio of chairs for himself, Snape, and Harry. Once the three were seated, Dumbledore calmly folded his hands in his lap. After a few moments, when it became clear that Dumbledore would not be conjuring a chair for Fudge or Umbridge, the two Ministry employees summoned a pair of chairs from their position next to the wall and took seats, as well. "Excellent," Dumbledore said. "Now, please enlighten me: what is Mr. Potter's involvement with Ms. Chang's malady?"
"I… er…" Fudge sputtered for a moment, then turned to Umbridge. "Dolores?"
"Mr. Potter organized an unsanctioned student group known as 'the D.A,'" Umbridge said. "Ms. Chang was in the process of providing information about the D.A. when she was silenced by the curse you witnessed earlier this evening."
Dumbledore raised a hand. "Let me interrupt you at this point, Dolores. It was my understanding that you and Ms. Chang were alone when she was afflicted by the curse."
"We were," Umbridge said.
"And yet you attribute its effects to Mr. Potter?"
"I do," Umbridge said. Harry marveled at Dumbledore's ability to control the conversation. Umbridge was trying to expel Harry for running an unsanctioned organization, but Dumbledore was forcing them to talk about Cho instead.
Umbridge continued. "Knowing that criminals often return to the scene of the crime, I waited here in the Hospital Wing, under cover of disillusionment charms. I asked Cornelius to join me, along with Aurors Dawlish and Shacklebolt."
"A stakeout?" Snape said, snorting with laughter. "For a juvenile? Minister, such an action seems… beneath you."
Umbridge snapped. "You will set the Minister's schedule when you are elected Minister of Magic!" she shouted. "Until then, hold your tongue!"
Snape smirked—he seemed less interested in poking holes in Umbridge's argument than in antagonizing her, causing her to lose her composure as well as her narrative flow. Harry was beginning to realize the real power of the wizards and witches around him. Dumbledore was casually controlling two of the most powerful politicians in Britain. Meanwhile, Snape had destroyed Umbridge's veneer of calm; Harry had managed to do the same, but only after several minutes of direct confrontation. Snape triggered Umbridge's outburst with only a few calm sentences.
Umbridge smoothed the front of her pink robes before continuing. "At approximately three-thirty, Harry Potter entered the Hospital Wing and performed a counter-curse on Ms. Chang. Her mouth reappeared-"
"Well done, Harry," Dumbledore said. "Fifty points to Slytherin."
"WHAT?" Umbridge shouted.
Dumbledore looked at Umbridge, bemused. "Harry was able to rescue a fellow student from a curse that had thwarted not only you, but also Madam Pomfrey, Professor Flitwick, and myself. I think such an action is worthy of at least fifty house points." Dumbledore paused, briefly. "Perhaps a hundred. Yes, make it one hundred points to Slytherin."
"POTTER WAS THE ONE WHO CURSED HER!" Umbridge yelled.
Snape looked at Harry, a stern expression on his face. "Is this true, Potter?"
"No!" Harry lied. "You heard Professor Umbridge—I wasn't anywhere near Chang when it happened!"
"Then how did he know the counter-curse?" Umbridge said. "How did he even know that Chang was in the Hospital Wing?"
All heads turned toward Harry once again. "I was in the library, and I usually see her when I study," Harry said. "When I asked where she was, none of her friends had seen her since dinner."
"You expect us to believe that you are friends with Ms. Chang?" Umbridge asked, slightly incredulous.
"We are," Harry said. "We… ever since…" Harry's hesitance was only half-feigned as he looked down. "We talk about Cedric, sometimes. That's why I came to check on her."
"How did you know the counter-curse, if you weren't the one who cursed her?" Fudge asked. Harry was reminded of Snape's comment earlier in the year—Fudge did not become Minister of Magic through stupidity. The Minister was a shrewd man.
"I studied a lot of defensive magic this summer," Harry said. "Trying to protect myself from dementors, you know. It just happened to be something that I studied." A lame excuse, but one that couldn't be disproven.
Umbridge sensed the weakness of Harry's excuse. "Pardon me, Mr. Potter, but your explanation leaves a bad taste in my mouth," she said testily.
"The truth isn't always pleasant," Harry replied snappily. "But it's still the truth."
"Enough," Snape said. "Why don't we ask the girl, and be done with it?"
"What do you mean?" Fudge said.
"Ms. Chang is right outside," Dumbledore said, smiling beatifically. "Why don't we call her in, and ask if Mr. Potter is responsible for her recent malady?"
"Er… yes, why not?" Fudge said. "Dawlish, bring the girl in."
Dawlish opened the door, and Chang stepped inside. As she looked from Snape to the Headmaster to the Minister to the High Inquisitor, she seemed intimidated by the status of the wizards collected in the Hospital Wing.
"Don't be afraid, dear," Dumbledore said. Harry could see him peering over his half-moon spectacles, giving Chang the gentlest expression possible. Harry had been on the receiving end of Dumbledore's blue gaze frequently enough to understand the calming effect it could have. "You've done nothing wrong. We were merely wondering—do you have any reason to believe that Mr. Potter caused the curse afflicted you earlier this evening?"
Chang shook her head, and Harry thought that she was using the action to compose her answer. "I hadn't seen Harry all day," Chang said, finally. "I don't think he's responsible for what happened to me. I certainly don't blame him for it."
Dumbledore turned back to Umbridge. "There you have it. Hogwarts is a place of powerful magic, and not all strange occurrences can be blamed on Harry Potter." Dumbledore stood. "I am sorry you wasted your time tonight, Cornelius."
"The hearing is concluded, then?" Umbridge said.
"There are no issues left to be settled," Dumbledore replied. "I fail to see how a longer hearing would shed any additional light on the subject."
"Very well," Umbridge said. Her voice surprisingly upbeat for a person who had just been outwitted, and Harry began to feel nervous. "With the expulsion hearing concluded, it is the verdict of the High Inquisitor that Harry Potter is guilty and shall be expelled from Hogwarts."
"WHAT?!" Harry leaped to his feet. "You can't be serious!"
Dumbledore reached out and gently placed a hand on Harry's shoulder. "Please remain calm, Harry," Dumbledore said. He turned to Umbridge. "While I might disagree with Mr. Potter's volume, I believe that he has expressed my feelings quite succinctly: you cannot be serious, Dolores."
"But I am," she said. "Harry Potter is the leader of an illicit and unsanctioned organization, and the punishment for participation in such an organization is expulsion."
"I hardly think that Ms. Chang's malady is evidence that Harry participating in an unsanctioned organization," Dumbledore said. "Wouldn't you agree, Cornelius?"
Fudge stood and folded his arms. "I appointed Dolores to the position of High Inquisitor because I trust her judgment. It is not my place to second-guess her."
"Yes, it is," Dumbledore said firmly. "That is the duty of executive who manages subordinates—when they are wrong, you must make it right."
"I am not wrong," Umbridge said, raising her chin proudly. Dumbledore ignored her.
"You sat through the same hearing that I did," Dumbledore said to Fudge. "Dolores's fear of an unregistered student organization is not supported by the facts. I will not allow Harry to be expelled because of baseless paranoia."
"Paranoia?" Umbridge said. "I think not. Both Harry and Chang admitted to being part of 'The D.A.,' which is clearly fits the definition of an unregistered student organization!"
"Does it?" Snape asked quietly. "Registration is required for organizations with regular meetings of three or more members. I see only two students before me."
"Potter admitted that Hermione Granger was part of this organization," Umbridge said. "A third member, by his own admission."
"But do all three of them meet at the same time?" Snape said. "Or do they only meet each other in pairs? Do they meet regularly, or are their meetings irregular due to the demands of schoolwork and quidditch practices?"
"Potter is no longer a member of the quidditch team," Umbridge said.
"But Ms. Chang is," Snape replied. "I fail to see how Mr. Potter and Ms. Chang have violated your Educational Decree in any way."
"Which is why I am High Inquisitor, and you are not," Umbridge said haughtily.
Dumbledore sighed. "I am sorry it has come to this," he said, "but once again I must quote the Hogwarts Bylaws."
"I know the bylaws," Umbridge said, clearly annoyed.
"Perhaps," Dumbledore said. "But you fail to see their applicability. Which is why I am Headmaster, and you are not." Umbridge's jaw dropped open at the insult, and Dumbledore once again smiled serenely. "Bylaws, Article VI, Section 42.037 reads as follows: 'No student shall be expelled for an action performed under the direct order of a member of the Hogwarts staff or faculty.' And 'D.A.' is obviously an abbreviation."
Harry suddenly realized what Dumbledore was planning to do. But how did he know the D.A.'s real name? Had Dumbledore known about the group all along? Regardless, Harry couldn't let Dumbledore fall on this sword—as Snape had said, keeping Dumbledore at Hogwarts prevented Voldemort from seizing one of the most powerful magical locations in Britain.
"Don't do this," Harry said, grabbing Dumbledore's wrist.
Dumbledore gently brushed Harry's hand away. "Harry, I understood from the first that things might one day come to this. I know very well what I am doing."
Harry looked at Snape, desperate for some sort of support, but Harry's Head of House said nothing, did nothing. Lips set in a thin line, Snape transfixed Harry with a glare that could only be described as murderous hatred. Harry knew exactly why: he had failed Snape, failed Dumbledore, and failed the entire Order.
Meanwhile, Dumbledore was once again speaking. "Ms. Chang, would you be so kind as to tell Minister Fudge the full name of the D.A.?"
Everybody in the room had forgotten about Cho, and all heads turned slowly in her direction. She looked at Dumbledore with panic in her eyes. "I don't think…"
Dumbledore nodded. "I understand, my dear. But I am the one making this request, not the Minister or the High Inquisitor. It can hardly be considered a betrayal of the D.A."
Cho's voice trembled as she spoke. "It stands for… Dumbledore's Army."
"Thank you, my dear," Dumbledore said. Then, to Fudge: "Not Chang's Army, or Potter's Army, or even Granger's Army. Dumbledore's."
"I knew it!" Fudge said. He began backing away from Dumbledore, pointing at the taller wizard. Fudge knocked over his chair, stumbled, and raised one hand to hold his lime green bowler hat to his head. "I knew it! Treason! You've been recruiting! Trying to seize control of the Ministry!"
"A brilliant deduction," Dumbledore said dryly.
Fudge had now backed behind Dawlish and Shacklebolt. "Arrest him!" Fudge said, leaning forward to pointing at Dumbledore between the two aurors. "Take him into custody!"
Neither of the aurors moved, but Dawlish spoke. "Albus Dumbledore," he said, "you are under arrest."
"Thank you for informing me of that fact, Dawlish," Dumbledore said. Dumbledore reached inside his robes, and Dawlish and Shacklebolt quickly drew their wands.
"Stop right there!" Dawlish ordered. Dumbledore smiled, but did not stop. Instead, he drew his wand, as well.
"What are you waiting for?" Fudge said loudly. "Arrest him!"
"It's Dumbledore," Shacklebolt said in a low voice.
"There are two of you!" Fudge said.
"It's Dumbledore," Shacklebolt said again, and Harry saw realization dawn on Fudge's face. The Minister finally recognized the absurdity of demanding that the most powerful wizard alive be taken into custody.
"Gentlemen, I will not be going with you today," Dumbledore said. "And if you attempt arrest me by force, I certainly will not, as they say, 'go quietly.' The decision is yours, but I do hope that you choose to simply stand aside."
Dumbledore took a step forward, Dawlish's wand snapped up. There was a bright flash of light and an incredibly loud bang, and Harry shied away, raising his arms. When he lowered them a moment later Harry saw that Dawlish, Shacklebolt, Fudge, Umbridge and Chang were all lying on the floor, stunned. Only Harry, Dumbledore, and Snape were still conscious.
Dumbledore sighed. "Dawlish always did have too high an opinion of himself," he said quietly. "Severus, would you apologize to Kingsley later? I had to stun him, as well, or it would have seemed suspicious."
"Of course," Snape said.
Dumbledore turned to Harry, but it was Harry who spoke first. "I'm sorry!"
Dumbledore shook his head. "I was not lying when I said that I had prepared for this eventuality. I have been prepared, in fact, from the very first moment that Dolores set foot in our school," Dumbledore said. "Now that I am gone, you must be doubly careful, Harry. Tread lightly around Dolores Umbridge. And above all else you must stay at Hogwarts. It is the safest place for you."
Harry nodded. "I understand."
Dumbledore patted Harry on the shoulder. "Very good. Would you care to take a step away from your chair?"
"Sure." Harry was puzzled, but he stepped forward. "Why?"
"Because I wouldn't want you to bump your head when I stun you," Dumbledore said.
Harry's whole world went black.
*!*!*!*
Harry would have never thought it possible, but it seemed as if some of the magic had gone out of Hogwarts. Such was the enormity of Dumbledore's absence.
With Dumbledore gone, the D.A. disbanded and Harry's occlumency lessons on indefinite hiatus, there was nothing left for Harry to do except attend classes and revise for his OWLs. Per Dumbledore's last orders, Harry treaded lightly around Umbridge, quashing all defiance and antagonism. He earned his share of detentions, but they were the unavoidable sort that stemmed from the whims of Umbridge and the Inquisitional Squad.
With the D.A. now defunct, Harry saw far less of Ron, Ginny and Luna. He had grown accustomed to their presence, and was surprised by how much he missed them. He still had Tracey and Theo, of course, but Harry's friendship with Tracey just hadn't been the same since their fight earlier in the year.
Harry and Hermione, however, still spent plenty of time together in the library. Perhaps more time than ever; now that Harry was responsible for nothing other than his classwork, the library had become his most frequent haunt. Not only was it a good place to revise, but it was generally safe from the Inquisitional Squad, as well, as Madam Pince was incorruptible and unbiased.
In the first week of June, on the evening before Harry's OWLs for Charms, Harry took a walk down to Hagrid's after dinner. Everybody in Slytherin was frantically revising for tomorrow's exams, but Harry had no need—Charms was easily his best subject, other than perhaps Defense. The uneasy energy of Slytherin students studying had begun to grate on Harry's nerves, and Harry thought that he would be better served by relaxing. A nice cup of tea with Hagrid would help Harry unwind before bed, and maybe then he would be able to get some sleep.
It was almost dark when Harry arrived, and Hagrid welcomed him warmly. Harry could already feel the stress leaving his body as he stepped inside Hagrid's cabin. Yes, his friend still had an inordinate number of bruises due to his efforts with Grawp, but Hagrid insisted that he was making progress with his half-brother. Despite the obvious evidence to the contrary, Harry let the comment go without dispute.
Hagrid and Harry were on their second cup of tea, chatting happily about the horklump infestation that Hagrid and Professor Sprout had finally conquered, when a knock came on Hagrid's door. Harry and Hagrid both fell silent, and the only sounds in the hut were the crackling of the fireplace and Fang's rhythmic snoring.
"Were you expecting somebody?" Harry asked quietly.
"No, I wasn'," Hagrid said, looking curiously toward his door.
The knock came again, this time accompanied by a voice. "Rubeus Hagrid, come out!"
"Umbridge," Harry muttered. "What does she want?"
"I dunno," Hagrid said, heaving himself to his feet. "Stay here." Before Hagrid could reach the door, there was a third knock.
"We have a warrant for your arrest!" Umbridge cried out. "If you do not come out in twenty seconds, we will break down your door!"
Harry leaped to his feet and drew his wand. Hagrid placed both hands on Harry's shoulders and pushed him away from the door. "Don't. Dumbledore wouldn't want it."
Harry remembered Dumbledore's last order: "Above all else, you must stay at Hogwarts." Reluctantly, he lowered his wand.
"What are you going to do?" Harry asked quietly.
"I'm goin' outside," Hagrid said with a grin. He stepped toward the door and plucked his pink umbrella from its hook on the wall. "Yeh'd better hide, Harry."
Harry stepped into the darkest corner of Hagrid's hut. Curfew was over an hour away, so he hadn't brought his Invisibility Cloak, but a disillusionment charm provided all the camouflage Harry needed. Outside Hagrid's door, Harry could hear Umbridge speaking again. "Blast the door on my mark. Three, two-"
"I'm coming out!" Hagrid bellowed. He waited a moment to ensure that Umbridge wasn't going to blast away, then threw open the door.
"What do you want?" Hagrid asked.
"Rubeus Hagrid, we have a warrant for your arrest," Umbridge said again. Through the door, past Hagrid's bulk, Harry could see that Umbridge was flanked by four wizards, two on each side.
"An' what have I done?" Hagrid asked.
"Damaging Government Property and Obstruction of Official Business," Umbridge said.
"I've bin here, drinkin' tea all evenin'," Hagrid said. "Don't see how I could've managed any o' that."
"I KNOW YOU RELEASED THOSE NIFFLERS IN MY OFFICE!" Umbridge yelled.
"Almos' half the school knows about nifflers," Hagrid said. "I teach about 'em in 4th year."
"Complicity!" Umbridge yelled triumphantly. "He admits it!"
"But I didn't let any nifflers-"
"Enough!" Umbridge shouted. "Arrest him!"
An auror with a large mustache stepped forward. "Mr. Hagrid, if you'll hold out your hands, I'll bind them with rope."
"No," Hagrid said, also stepping forward. "I won' be doin' that." Hagrid suddenly seemed taller and broader, if that were even possible. In the space of a moment he had gone from awkward and oafish to imposing and ominous.
The auror looked back at Umbridge, and the toad-faced witch urged him forward. "You're an auror," she said. "Do what you need to do! Arrest him!"
The auror took a step back, then another. Once he was in line with Umbridge and the other three aurors, the mustached man drew his wand. He waited, looking around at his cohorts, and the other three aurors slowly drew their wands, as well.
"Rubeus Hagrid, submit to your lawful arrest," said the mustached auror. "If you do not, we will arrest you by force."
"Just 'cause it's lawful don' make it right," Hagrid said. He raised his pink umbrella, still closed, and pointed it at the mustached auror. They stood there for a moment, neither saying a word. "Looks like yer goin' ter have to use force," Hagrid said quietly.
Once again, the mustached auror glanced at his colleagues to ensure that he would not be alone in his attempt to subdue Hagrid. Seeing his reluctance, Umbridge lost her patience.
"Just stun him!" Umbridge yelled. She drew her own wand and lashed out. A red jet of light struck Hagrid in the shoulder, and he took half a step back. Hagrid blinked, twice, then once again rose to his full height. "NOW!" Umbridge shouted.
The aurors began firing spells, but Hagrid was ready. Hagrid seized the shaft of his umbrella and pushed it open, holding it in front of his body like a shield. The stunners deflected harmlessly away, and Hagrid began backing toward the Forbidden Forest.
With the attention of the aurors turned away from the door, Harry felt safe stepping out of the corner of Hagrid's hut. As he crossed to the threshold of the door, he once again drew his wand. Regardless of what Hagrid and Dumbledore had wanted, Harry would intervene if his friend appeared to be in trouble.
Hagrid was halfway to the Forbidden Forest, and stunners were still bouncing off his umbrella. The aurors had spread out slightly, making a halfhearted attempt at flanking, but Hagrid's constant retreat prevented them from truly surrounding him.
"Shoot his feet!" Umbridge yelled. Taking her own advice, she fired a stunner at Hagrid's shins. This was a mistake.
Hagrid snapped his umbrella shut and turned his body sideways. As the stunner arrived, Hagrid swung his umbrella like a golf club and sent the spell rocketing back at Umbridge's face. Umbridge shrieked and dove to the ground as the stunner went sizzling over her head before disappearing in the distance. Hagrid laughed—a booming, echoing guffaw—and Harry had the impression that his friend was somewhat enjoying the battle. Perhaps Hagrid understood the violence of giant society more than he wanted to admit, even to himself.
With Hagrid's shield gone, the aurors attacked with renewed vigor. Hagrid swung his umbrella around with the ease that Harry would swing his wand, and with equal effectiveness. The aurors suddenly found themselves under assault by their own deflected stunners, and Hagrid had a momentary respite as the four ministry wizards turned their focus from offense to defense. Hagrid used the lull in the duel to make his way past the first line of trees in the Forbidden Forest. Even with his enormous bulk, his form faded quickly into the darkness.
"After him!" Umbridge yelled, finally picking herself up off the ground. The aurors looked at one another, but nobody moved toward the forest. Umbridge, standing now, stomped her foot with fury. "NOW! OR I'LL HAVE YOU FIRED!"
One of the aurors, the youngest of the lot, winced and began to jog into the forest. He faded from sight, then cried out with surprise. A second later he was flying through the air, having been bodily hurled out of the trees by Hagrid. He crashed into the mustached auror and they fell on the ground in a heap.
There was a loud whistle from the darkness of the forest, followed by Hagrid's booming voice. "FANG! COME!" A moment later the large hound came bounding out of Hagrid's house, loping quickly into the woods. Harry had never seen the dog move so quickly. Or at all, really.
Umbridge had turned to the two aurors who remained standing. "Well? What are you waiting for?"
"How about an army?" said the taller of the two. Umbridge began to tremble with rage.
"He's gone," said the other auror, a stoutly built fellow. "Hagrid's been the groundskeeper for Hogwarts since before my first year. He knows this forest better than anybody. We'll never find him, not unless he wants to be found." He looked over at the two aurors who were moaning and groaning on the ground. "And if he wants to be found, I don't want to be the one finding him."
Umbridge spun on her heel and began stalking toward Hogwarts. "Issue a warrant for his arrest!" she shouted.
"We already have one, remember?" said the tall auror. Then, under his breath, so that Umbridge couldn't hear: "I'll post it right next to Dumbledore's." Neither of the standing aurors made a move to follow Umbridge back to the castle; instead, they helped disentangle their fellows from the ground.
Harry moved slowly toward the woodpile at the side of Hagrid's hut and crouched down in the shadows. He would wait until the aurors had left before making his way to the castle—no reason to put his disillusionment charm to an unnecessary test.
As Harry waited, watching the aurors limp slowly toward Hogwarts, he ruminated on Hagrid's getaway. Harry was happy that his friend had successfully escaped, but he was not happy that his friend was gone. The stout auror had been correct—Hagrid was a fixture at Hogwarts. In Harry's mind, the two were inextricably intertwined. Hagrid was as much a part of Hogwarts as Dumbledore had been, and now both had been removed by Umbridge. There was a growing feeling of unease in Harry's heart. At the beginning of the year he had thought it impossible, and at Christmas he would have said it was unlikely… but Dolores Umbridge appeared to be winning.
The Inquisition had seized control of Hogwarts.
A/N: Happy New Year!
