Chapter 54
Rosalie's POV
Bella, Hermione and Ron walked side by side with Harry slightly lagging behind with Cho, each and all of them surrounded by their classmates who, like them, were walking out of from their previous classroom and littering the hallways; their chatty voices bouncing off the stone walls, each individual conversation lost in the cluster that was combining voices.
"Bella, Hermione! You guys!" Ginny yelled waving as she pushed her way through the crowd, making her way towards them, "Hagrid," She panted, "Hagrid is back."
The news of their previously absent and favourite gamekeeper returning to school grounds after a weak explanation of his non-attendance at the beginning of the year provoked a smile out of all them. Both Bella and Harry's mouths twitched up into wide grins; then the four locked eyes with one another and, without having to say anything, ran out. Harry of course yelling a quick 'Gotta go!' to Cho beforehand.
They sped down hill, past the large pumpkins and towards the small and raggedy hut that sat by itself just outside the Forbidden Forest. As they edged closer, a familiar squeaky voice could be heard from inside. It was Umbridge, ew, and she didn't sound happy. "I'm asking you to tell me! Where have you been?" Umbridge spoke one word at a time.
The four ran to the back of the house to watch through the dirty steamed windows. Inside was Umbridge, her pink attire in no way a surprise, and Hagrid who stood looking dirtier and more beat up than usual.
"I told ya, I was getting fresh air. For ma health." Hagrid grunted.
"Ah yes. Because as game keeper, fresh air must be really hard to come by." She said in a sarcastic tone with a scowl on her face, "Now if I was you I wouldn't bother unpacking." Then she turned on her heel and left. Ron, Hermione, Harry and Bella ran round the other side so that they were unspotted by the pink troll herself.
"Where do you think Hagrid really was then?" Alice asked as we followed them inside.
"How can you tell he was lying?" Emmett shrugged.
"Because he obviously was. Why would he have to go out for fresh air? His job practically requires him to be outside. Plus, look at his face. It's bruised." Jasper pointed out.
"Hagrid." Harry smiled as they walked in.
Hagrid grunted a happy reply as he squatted down into his wooden chair beside the dining table. In his hand he held a frozen uncooked slice of meat which he held pressed up against his black and blue eye.
"Hagrid, what happened to you?" Hermione asked concerned, her eyes racking over his large face to where it was littered with bruises and cuts. Her eyes were wide and her hand was placed over her heart.
He took a deep breath and then leaned forwards in his seat.
"Fine, but what I'm about to tell yer ya cannot tell anyone else."
"We won't." Ron spoke for all of them.
"Well… I've been partying with the giants."
They gasped.
Partying with the giants?
As in meeting them?
"But Hagrid... how on earth did you find them?"
"Well they are particularly easy ter find when ya know where they are, they're not too difficult ter miss."
"But what were you doing?" Bella partly whispered.
"Dumbledore sent me to try and get some of them to join our side, before the Death Eaters got to them."
So they were preparing for a war.
"Well did you get any?" Ron asked him.
"I did manage ter get a few. Some were easier to convince than others." Hagrid stood, his large figure up against the wall, "There's a storm coming. It's just like last time." Outside the sky had turned a deep grey and it let out a low rumble.
Back in the Room of Requirement where another D.A lesson was unfolding. The litter of students separated the room into two, parted on either side in two straight lines. Harry stood at the top and a young bronze haired boy stood facing him. The boy had his wand pointed at him whilst Harry just stood there with his arms spread out beside him.
"Give me your best shot."
"Stupefy!" He shouted, stepping forward and directing his wand out. A wispy blue ball shot from the tip of his wand and flew towards Harry at lightning speed. It hit him square in the chest and he went spiralling backwards, as did the young boy.
Bella ran over to her brother and helped him up. "You okay?" Harry nodded.
"That was good." Harry gasped.
"Ron, Hermione. Your turn." Bella told them and they nodded getting into similar positions.
From the other side, George and Fred were whispering to one another and betting on how long either one would last.
"Don't worry Hermione, I'll go easy on you." Ron called to her and she smirked.
Oooh, bad move Ron.
Alice shook her head.
"What?" Jasper asked turning to face her.
"You never tell a girl that you're going to go easy on her." Alice said with both hands on her hips.
Hermione and Ron stood there for a moment, neither of them moving nor talking. Ron went to raise his wand but so did Hermione; and she beat him to it. "Stupefy!" Hermione called, flicking her wand and sending Ron backwards through the air.
Hermione turned, smirking and pleased with herself, and went to join the other giggling girls who were grouped together. Ron got up and strolled over to his two brothers; muttering as he went by.
"I let her do that, good manners you know."
There was a bang, followed by another one. And another one. The room went deadly silent as everybody stopped talking. Harry and Bella joined together and walked to where the source of the sound was coming from. The opening wall.
There was one final bang and then more stale silence; the two of them continued to walk until they reached the wall and crouched down to investigate. Through a small hole in the wall was a crowd of people, however the only face which stood out was the one that belonged to Umbridge. She glared back at the two of them with that devious smile of hers plastered on her face. Then she brought her wand back, ready to cast a spell.
"Go!" Bella yelped as she got up from the floor, dragging Harry up with her running back into the opposite direction. They got about half way before the remains of the wall blew up and smoke emerged from the ground; pieces of brick flying off too.
Now that the wall was fully gone I could see everyone else who was there. Beside Umbridge was Filch who had hold on Cho, who by the looks of it had been crying. Then there was Draco, Goyle and Crabbe who were stood there proudly and silently laughing as they watched the scene fold out in front of them.
"You and you in my office. Now!" Umbridge squealed in her high pitchy squeaky voice, completely uncaring of the fact that she had almost blown two students up who now sat huddled on the floor, dull ash cloaking their jumpers.
When they didn't move Umbridge squealed again, "Draco, Crabbe, Goyle: get them." She instructed. Draco grabbed onto Harry and the other two hurled Bella forwards, all whilst everyone else watched in silence, frozen in space. They fought back but got pulled away anyway.
"Get. Your. Hands. Off of me!" Bella spat loudly.
"Pipe down Potter." Crabbe laughed.
Hurled like criminals down the school corridors they stopped in front of the stairwell which led to Dumbledore's office. She stood there with a straight posture and her hands tightened into balls.
"Dumbledore! Let us in!" She screamed, expecting something to happen yet nothing did, "Dumbledore!" She tried again.
"It doesn't work like that." Bella sighed with a relaxed face despite everything, her eyebrow raised into a questionable look.
Umbridge looked utterly frustrated at the concept of not knowing something before a student though she did her best to hide it, "Well then how does it open?"
"You need the password."
"And what's the password?"
"I don't know. Only the teachers have the password."
"I'm a teacher, why don't I have the password?"
"Oh I'm sorry, I meant REAL teachers." Bella smirked and the trolls face only bloomed a darker shade of frustrated red.
A moment later the spiralling stairwell revealed themselves. "Here." Umbridge perked under her breath. Dumbledore was already awaiting when they arrived.
"Dolores."
"Dumbledore, Dumbledore! I found these students of yours breaking my rules. They started their own club, that is against the code!" She whined. He nodded with a straight face. This man refused to showcase any emotions in times of distress, "And what do you intend to do?" As he finished speaking the door thumped open where a dark skinned man and Fudge came swirling in.
"Dolores. I got here as soon as I received your owl."
"Minister." She blushed her cheeks turning crimson red, her glaring pearly white teeth showing off in a twisted bashful smile.
Fudge turned his glared attention to the elder man over pinks shoulder as Dolores continued. "Well Albus the only thing I can do, expel them and everyone involved."
Well maybe they wouldn't have to start their own club if you were in anyway capable of doing your job and the Ministry weren't butting their unwanted heads in at every turn.
"However, you see the thing is, I asked them to form this…this secret club." Dumbledore smirked.
"What is he doing?" Alice asked but no one answered.
"Professor. No-" Harry hollered. During this entire time they had been restricted in place by the three Slytherins, only now breaking their silence at Dumbledore's absurd statement.
"It is called Dumbledore's army is it not? Not the Potter's army."
"I knew it. I knew all along that you were trying to overpower me. After all this talk of nonsense, I was right. Well, let's see how you like it in Azkaban."
"Isn't that a little extreme?" Esme asked curiously.
"Well he is a man overpowered by power. He'll do whatever it takes." Carlisle spoke from a place of experience, disappointment quietly lacing his voice.
"Professor no!" Bella protested loudly doing her best to break away from the strong grip both boys had on her. Dumbledore however said nothing as he silently walked to behind his desk, and with almost no emotion what so ever he said his next line as the others stared at him wearily.
"But the thing is Fudge, I have no intention of going to Azkaban." With one prominent smirk he clapped his hands tighter above his head and from the corner of the room, a flame red and bright gold phoenix flew forwards and towards Dumbledore's entwined hands; with a bright glow, he disappeared.
A strong blast followed behind him, powerful enough so that it knocked everybody down onto their knees.
"You might not like him Minister but you have to admit, Dumbledore's got style." The dark skinned man dressed in blue said from the floor.
"True that!" Emmett laughed.
"Where? Where's he gone?" Dolores cried frantically searching around her.
"You can't dissaperate from inside of Hogwarts, he's still here." Bella whispered silently into Harry's ear.
Flinch and the boys ran out the room leaving Bella and Harry alone with Umbridge and Fudge who were both glaring at them with cold eyes. "Dolores, I now appoint you as the new headmistress of Hogwarts." He snarled as she gave a toothy smile.
Bella and Harry still half squatted on the floor with horrified looks on their faces. If the school was bad before then it was only about to get worse.
Short chapter, not too much going on but the final two chapters of this year are coming next and in Edward's POV as promised. As always, thank you to my beta :)
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