-By Order of -

The Minister of Magic

Dolores Jane Umbridge (High Inquisitor) has replaced Albus Dumbledore as Head of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

The above is in accordance with Educational Decree Number Twenty-eight.

Signed:

Cornelius Oswald Fudge

Minister of Magic

Persephone groaned… the only thing worse than reading the new educational degree was walking into detention for the very first time in her educational history. She should have felt shame, but with the pink parasite poised perfectly at the front of the Great Hall Persephone wasn't going to give her the satisfaction. The entire DA took their seats before them simple paper, quill, and a line on the chalkboard 'I will not break rules'. She took up the quill and wrote one… two… three...four...five when her left arm start to irritate her. After briefly scratching it Persephone continued… six… seven...eight

"Ow!" Colin Creevey cried out. Steadily cries of pain and the stifle of it echoed through the room. Persephone glanced at George who showed is arm; the hard lines were already starting to show. A steady sensation drew down her right arm. When she flicked the pen to continue writing the chalkboard flickered to the back side hiding the simple sentence.

"No wands!" Umbridge screeched. Everyone looked at each other curious who had their wand tucked in their sleeve. Persephone had to keep writing each stroke on the paper a deeper engraving on her arm. Eighteen… nineteen.. Twenty. Around twenty-five is when the desk before her started to blur. Just the edges then in the fifties it was a brown blob.

"That's enough for tonight. Everyone return to your dorms. No idling in the hallways, or my inquisitorial squad will escort you."

Of course everyone was eager to get up. Even the twins who thought Persephone was close in heel.

"Is there a problem Miss Black?" the form of pink and tan asked.

"Professor, where does these pens go when their done?" she rubbed her eyes as the sharpness started to come back.

"Locked in my office in a place you will not find." The Headmistress smugly replied.

"G-good." Persephone replied seeing a just as smug green and black figure in the distance.

She stood at the archway with her father. The same sense of fear and anxiety.

"Isn't she beautiful?" He asked. Again Persephone saw nothing wondering why he would call the mist beautiful as it was haunting and mysterious.

"Dad…" She put a hand on his arm to shake him. That hand fell rigid as though she could not flex anything, not even the slightest movement.

"It's time for you to go." When he finally addressed her the dream faded.

"Love, are you alright?" the fire asked.

"Tired," Persephone replied, "Everyone's been getting up early." with a yawn. It was five in the morning, but with OWLS a day away everyone was using the common room late and early so there was only a small window for their father-daughter chats, "What were the OWLS like for you?"

"Heh, well I recall Moony forcing study sessions. Your mother drawing comics of his over seriousness only to stress him out more. James skipping out on said sessions to be at quidditch practice. The actual tests weren't so bad. Passed most excelled in muggle studies and defense against the dark arts, I did get a dreadful in history, divination, and uhhhhhhhh potions."

"What bout mum?"

Sirius chuckled, "Your mum darn neared excelled in everything except she fell asleep during the astronomy exam. Moony blamed that one on me."

"How so?" Seph asked.

"She uhh… didn't sleep well the night before exams." He replied taking a hand to scratch his face flickering the embers.

"Nerves?"

"Oh well…. You could- you could say that."

Persephone jumped at the sound of the slam of a dormitory door.

"You better go. You'll do amazing. I love you." he smiled.

"Love you dad." she flung herself away from the fire on to the couch pretending to have fallen asleep there. She was relieved to find Harry but less so seeing his sour disposition. "Hey."

Harry jumped,

"Jeez, Seph."

"Sorry…," she replied, "Your up early."

"Mione has a schedule for Ron and me." he took a seat to her left, "You talk with padfoot?"

"Just for a few minutes. I miss him a lot."

"Same." Harry said shortly, "So… what do you plan to do to fill your um… blocks?"

Persephone kept her eyes on the maroon rug trying to condense the sadness that filled her about losing her students, "I'm not sure if it'll pan out but I've got an idea."

Harry raised a curious brow.

"It's best if I keep it to myself." She answered. There was a weariness to Harry that Persephone hadn't noticed before. One that she knew well. "Have you been having visions again?"

Harry shook his head, "No, well not really visions. I just…. I feel him; snippets anyway. It's like having someone else be present in my mind popping in whenever they please. It's maddening."

Quietly despite being alone, "I know exactly how you feel."

Harry looked as though to disagree with her as his posture went defensive, "He… he can't be still with you," his tone in disbelief, "Is he?"

Persephone gave a nod, "We don't know why, or how to stop it. I don't even think he has control over the visits."

Harry got up from his seat and joined her on the couch seeing the grey eyes of his friend start to pool with tears. He hugged her.

At breakfast Fred tried to make light of Persephone's free time,

"You could rummage us up some business, or paint a giant mural entitled 'The Toad in Pink'. There's a nice empty wall right next to Umbridge's classroom."

"I think I'll stay out of trouble instead of diving straight in thank you." Persephone replied, "Besides I already have an idea."

She walked with George to Herbology. He offered to skip and they could spend some time together that wasn't detention or a meal.

"I don't think you want to anger one of the good Professors. I'm going to see Professor Flitwick anyway."

He gave her a curious glance and in return all he received was a mischievous grin. Thanks to Antigone and Chante, Persephone knew that the charm's Professor had an empty block between nine in the morning and ten.

"Ah, Miss Black!" the Professor smiled under his mustache with his greeting.

"Good morning Professor, I'm sorry to disturb you." She noticed the piles of paperwork scattered on his desk.

"Nonsense, what can I help you with?" his tone as cheerful as ever.

"Well that is what I came here for; help," She started awkwardly, "You see, I-I, have this horrible burn that comes to my wand hand. When-.." Persephone noticed the proud grin emanating from the Professor.

"I have been waiting a while for you to bring this to me." He admitted.

"I'm afraid I'm going to hurt myself or someone else." She thought back to lighting Parkinson's hair on fire, "Well… hurting more people."

"Hand magic is where it all began way back in the time of Merlin himself," Flitwick said thoughtfully, "It's instinctive coupled with emotion and the power of will. It's a raw power which is why we evolved to use wands to direct and control it."

"Could you help me control it?" Persephone asked earnestly.

"There are few in our society who have studied and mastered the art of hand magic," the Professor said slowly raising his left hand over his desk and with it floated all of his papers, "I just so happen to be one of them." The papers followed the almost fluid motion of his hand, "I cannot train you traditionally as the Ministry see's this form of magic as unnecessary and offense based along with Umbridge's rules, but as your Professor I am allowed to assign you extra homework. I want you to pick a spell that doesn't need to be cast on a person but one like aquementi or lumos practice with it as often as you can. Make the motion that your wand would, say the words and focus."

Persephone couldn't help the growing thump of excitement, "Thank you, Professor."

Flitwick winked, "You didn't hear any of that from me."

She tore straight from the classroom to Myrtle's bathroom. The ghost lashed out at her,

"Here to destroy more of my home are you!"

Persephone ignored her taking a seat cross legged. Her mind went between the two spells Flitwick had recommended; with lumos she wouldn't have to clean up, and the room was dark enough. She stuffed her wand in her bag and brought her right hand outward.

"Lumos! And nothing happened. Nothing happened for the countless attempts during her afternoon.

"Found you." George said.

It was around three in the afternoon and Persephone had been laying on the bathroom floor lazily and frustrated with little progress.

"Was I hiding?" Persephone asked sitting up noticing the time, "Aren't you due in Defense Agains-."

Before another syllable could be uttered George's lips were against hers. It was a long kiss deep and warm as if George wasn't going to see her for a while and wanted to remember it. They both came away a bit breathless and smiling like idiots.

"How are you going to survive when Freddie and are gone next year?"

"I have other friends you know." Her reply resulted in an overdramatic shock.

"What! Other friends? You?"

They laughed, but it slowly died both releasing how much they would miss each other since Persephone had two more years yet.

"Oh merlin," Persephone sighed at the time, "I promised Hermione I'd meet her for a study session before detention."

"No worries on that. I promised Freddie I'd help him with something."

Persephone was skeptical of him, but they both parted saying they would see each other in detention.

She and Hermione stopped short of the Great Hall as a gigantic ring of students were gathered.
"They couldn't have all gotten detention." Hermione said quietly. It reminded Persephone of the night Trelawney got sacked. Teachers and even ghosts were in the mix with Peeves bobbing above everyone. She leaned on her toes to get a better look to feel everything in her stomach drop. George and Fred were the center of it with the inquisitorial squad and Umbridge looking triumphant at the scene; despite the swamp brewing beneath their feet.
"So!" Umbridge said loud and proud, "So…. you think it amusing to turn a school corridor into a swamp, do you?"
"Pretty amusing, yeah." Fred said without the slightest hint of fear.

"You two are about to learn what happens to wrong doers in my school."
Both of the twins met eyes with Persephone an extreme mischievous but certainty about them.
"You know what?" said Fred, "I don't think we are." he turned to George, "Georgie, I think we've outgrown full-time education."
"Yeah, I've been feeling that way myself." He replied.

"Time to test our talents in the real world don't you reckon?" Fred asked. It was like they were speaking directly to her in explanation.
"Definitely." George answered. And before Umbridge could say a word, they raised their wands in unison summoning their brooms. There was a loud crash in the distance. Not everyone on the staircase ducked in time to miss - George and Fred's broomsticks.
"We won't be seeing you." Fred directed at Umbridge, while swinging his leg over.

"Yeah, don't bother keeping in touch." said George, mounting his own. Once they were above the grasp of Flinch's gnarly fingernails Fred looked at the assembled crowd,
"If anyone fancies buying a portable swamp, as demonstrated, come to number ninety-three Diagon Alley- Weasley's Wizard Wheezes. Our new premises."
"Special discounts to Hogwarts students who swear they're going to use our products on this old bat." George added pointing to Umbridge. Persephone couldn't help the enormous smile that was carving into her face.
"STOP THEM!" Umbridge shrieked. It was too late of course. Fred drew a bright and small red package from his pocket. Persephone grabbed Hermione's arm and yanked her down into a squat. Her friend didn't protest and the loud BANG the firework produced disarmed and frightened the entire inquisitorial squad. Those who were not blow away by the sound of the flaming dragon gave a roaring applause to the twins as they set off in the distance.

Umbridge forced everyone back to their dorms, even her own cronies. All of Gryffindor was a light with pride, and Persephone was too but there was a small piece of her that was saddened by their departure.
"Umm… Per-Persephone?" Colin Creevey emerged from the thick of students who hadn't been able to grab a seat in the common room. He held an envelope in his hand.
"You can call me Seph, Colin." She replied.
"I was supposed to give you this earlier, but it didn't develop in time." the boy admitted ashamed, "You can tell George he can have his galleon back if he wants."

Persephone took the envelope from his and slide out a photograph. She was for a moment confused. The picture was located in the library with Persephone hard focused on a book about charms. Fred was to her left staring clearly with a smile into Colin's camera. George, was utterly focused on her with a content smile.
"Thank you Colin. I love it."


A bit longer chapter here. Thank you to the guest who has posted almost every chapter. I will say you caught something very important in one of your reviews and I don't want everyone to see that yet, so I didn't approve it; I apologize for that.

I have to say this is one of my favorite chapters lately. I hope you all enjoy.

Cheers!