Chapter 13
Making an undetectable linking charm had been a challenge but Hermione still managed to pull it off and teach it to everyone. However, the surprising lack of result the whole operation had made her second guessing every of her decision. Her self-confidence was eroding at a threaten speed as most of the paper were remaining desperately white, except for those destined to Draco, which proved she actually got it right but also made the wrong decision.
She assumed that Lucius Malfoy being a politician as well as a business man would write a lot of letter to a lot of people, every single day. But it seems like the man was already cautious about his mail and might be handling most of his business face-to-face. He only occasionally wrote undecipherable notes and some occasional, formal letters.
"Why can't we have it easy for once?" Hermione asked lamenting.
"At least, I think it's settle the point that we wouldn't have found out anything at the Malfoy Manor." Harry pointed out. "This man is a real paranoid. Even his own personal notes aren't wrote in any language known to man."
"He bribed his way out of Azkaban. What did you expected?" Ron muttered, equally defeated, playing with a quill on a inclined board. "At least we got lucky with his son. Look at how much we got." But he was equally desperate about this one as it turned out that unlike Malfoy Sr, Draco was writing about everything and anything that came to his mind. And it wasn't captivating.
"I got something!" Neville screamed disbelieving. "I got something!" He repeated, cackling like a mad man before explaining. "This is Narcissa Malfoy."
"What about her?" Ron asked, seemingly unconcerned.
"She just write something amazing!" Neville said, totally ignoring Ron. "A whole list of rendezvous. We have all her social life until Christmas."
"Incredible!" Hemione explained, rushing to see at the duplicate timetable that appeared before Neville eyes. "With this, we have names to work with. Most of them Slytherin, no surprise here... We could have guessed that much from Draco friends alone... but still."
"Hurrah for Narcissa Malfoy then." Ron muttered, still ironically.
"Can you at least try to be positive?" Hermione lectured him.
"Sure... It has been a week we are at it and we got nothing we didn't already knew." Ron retorted "Cornelius Fudge and Lucius malfoy are close. Wow... what a scoop. It's not like Draco brag about it on our very first day! Crabbe and Goyle are on the list? I'm so freaking surprised."
"At least, gave it a look before spitting nonsense." Hermione tried.
"You know what?" Ron asked rhetorically while standing up. "I'm giving up. What can we possibly do? You already admit that Dolores Umbridge must have a lot of supports. What are we going to do? Expose them? Personally spy on any of them? Like I said: I'm out."
And then, he walked out.
§§§
"He is right." Harry said defeated once Ron was gone. "We barely made any progress. We are all worn out. This isn't working, Hermione."
"We need to be patient. Those things take time." Hermione tried to motivate both Neville and Harry who got dishearten by Ron, quitting.
"Time for what?" Harry argued back. "He is right about it. Even if we collect enough data, what we possibly will do with it? It's not illegal to have friends. Even a lot of shady friends."
"We already talked about it. If we are to get Sirius involve, we need to come with names and a bit of groundwork to the table." Hermione reminded him.
"And hope that Sirius and Remus would come up with something better?" Harry asked. "Sound like wishful thinking, even from you."
"She is right" Neville said, taking Hermione side. "I was first to doubt her plan but we are trying to bite more than we can chew. If we want to do anything, and not just given up the school to her, we need to be patient."
Neville had taken Harry's hand while saying this, the hand he got the scar from that bitch.
"I'm not giving up." Harry retorted. "But Ron is right. We tried and we failed. We need another plan."
"Unless we got a lead on whom did the sabotage or found something to blackmail her, I don't see how we can prevent her from taking over, sooner or later." Hermione said, honestly. "I know it's not a good or even an efficient plan. But I don't have any other."
"Actually..." Neville started, getting Harry and Hermione attention. "If we can't directly attack her, maybe we can just try to... give her a hard time... attack her reputation... anything and everything to distract her and buy some time"
Hermione considered the idea.
"You know what? You are right. What we are doing is beyond us and we need help to carry the next stage anyway. But we can at least try to give her a hard time. She attacked the Twins first because she perceived them as an immediate threat. So it might be time to think a little more like Fred and George."
"She likes rules and discipline above all. She is a total maniac." Harry pointed out. "She will completely lost it if things starts not to go her way any more."
"She is totally abusing her authority." Neville contributed. "No one like her. I'm sure most of the students dream of getting rid of her. If we make her look incompetent and weak, If we make it so it look better to drop the school than staying under the ministry rules, then they would have no choice. Hogwarts without its students is just an old castle."
"So this mean war." Hermione concluded. "Are you sure you want to go for it?"
"At least, we can try our best." Harry shrugged.
And then, that was settle. They had absolutely no plan. Not even the beginning of an idea. But they wanted nothing else but to start a rebellion. It was still a little bit too ambitious, but at least they tried.
§§§
Hermione, with the help of Dobby and Winky was trying to start an elf strike in response to Dolores Umbridge mistreatment, but to say the elves weren't ready for this was an understatement. While technically, the only one they had to answer to was the Headmaster who was currently suspended, the elves were too attached to their work to actually even consider making a pause for the sake of protesting. They weren't ready to stand for themselves yet. While some of them had been welcoming the idea, the large majority of them simply didn't saw the point and hadn't realised yet how much vital their work was to the castle.
Dishearten by this new failure, Hermione went to met with the boys whom had faced similar results. Just as the Weasley Twins which were keeping low profile, no one was willing to make a first step to protest against the Head of Security, and such, despite being told what was in store for them in the near future. No one was actually willing to believe them.
As for trying to imitated the Twins and try to humiliate Dolores Umbridge by doing so, every potions ingredients were now under restricted access and they didn't knew enough about spells to manage anything close to what the Twins were capable of. To sum it up: true talent wasn't easily duplicable especially when it came to the Weasleys Twins.
Hermione tried to ask the Twins to teach her but they simply said no. That everything they had got seized and never returned really crushed their spirit and they were waiting for a chance to go home to start over. They still had the money from that bet they made for the Quidditch World Cup and planned to legally and steadily make some more so they could quit Hogwarts and open their joke shop as soon as possible. She couldn't blame them on that one but couldn't imagine the Weasley Twins admitting defeat like that and not taking revenge on that bitch.
Look like it was the theme of the month. While everyone knew that what was happening was wrong, everyone will to fight was close to non-existent. And soon, Dolores Umbridge would find a way to get the Headmaster sacked and to take his place for whatever reason. But then... here came the light.
Dumbledore had been suspended! After a preliminary investigation about the sabotage! So whatever it was, their headmaster must know something!
If she could found out what it was and do her own investigation with Harry and Neville, then, there was still hope. She went straight to the boys to talk about her new angle. Breaking into an office? They already did that. Talk to the Headmaster who was confined for weeks already? Why wouldn't he want to help if he wasn't responsible? There was still hope.
§§§
The only flaw in her plan was that there was only one way in to the Headmaster office and the Gargoyle was under strict order not to let anyone enter.
"In second year, he sent Fawkes and the sorting hat. He wasn't even at Hogwarts but he knew what was happening." Harry stated. "I'm sure that if he is barred inside, then, its on us to find our way in." He pointed at the sky.
"So you want to break in Dumbledore office by the window?" Hermione exclaimed.
"Do you have anything else you wanna try?" Harry asked and Hermione shake her head. "So, that's it or giving up on yet another idea" He concluded.
He went for his broom and looked at her, expectant.
"Not really my thing Harry." Hermione retorted. "Go ahead. I don't even have your history with the Headmaster. Plus, he might be more willing to talk to you alone... if you find you way in."
"I will be right back." He promised and went for it.
§§§
"So?" Hermione asked expectant as Harry was finally back.
"The professor Dumbledore is unconscious. He won't help one bit." Harry said.
"What? But he was fine, right after the task." Hermione exclaimed.
"I know. But something must have happened between that moment and the investigation. That's why he is neither blame or clear for anything. He saw something but someone silenced him, permanently."
"So, what do we do?" Hermione asked, even more desperate than before.
"I don't know. At this rate he will simply lose his job without his condition being revealed."
"Isn't he supposed to be the most powerful wizard of Great Britain? How could he have end up like this?"
"He must have fall under a trap. Or trust the wrong person."
"I suppose that trying to brew a vial of wiggenweld potion won't do?"
"If you want to waste your time. I'm pretty sure McGonagall is aware of this. She would already have tried anything in her power to wake him up. Plus, someone must be tending to him. The room was clean and there were fresh flowers too."
"But waking him up should still be a priority."
"I told you. Someone is already taking care of that. I'm sure of it. Why else would they take care of him if it were to let him die afterward?"
"You are right." Hermione admitted, reluctantly.
"So I guess that now, it's rather what do we wanna do than anything else. No one will make a move, Dumbledore won't help this time... so... what's the plan?"
"We are going home for Christmas." Hermione stated. "And I will have to prepare myself in case I would need to attend another school next year."
That's right. Even if it might be the end for her when it came to Hogwarts, it wasn't the end of everything. If no one wanted to fight for Hogwarts as it was, then, she saw no point in staying there. It wasn't the end of the world. Just the end of a chapter. She won't let a single defeat wear her down.
§§§
One week day to day before they were set to live, Ron went back to ask for forgiveness. Harry welcomed him back and everything was once again as it always as been. They couldn't really said anything to him as truth to his word, nothing they tried actually worked. There was no team-mates, there was no objectives, just four friends trying to enjoy their time together. They really tried to bite more than they could chew, discovered some disturbing truth while going down that path but there was no point left trying.
Even if they found out who was responsible for the sabotage, put an end to the investigation and for the reason Dolores Umbridge got her job, Dumbledore was still in his office, lying on a bed, unconscious. It would be up to Minerva McGonagall to take over until the Board of Governors decided either to appoint her as the new Headmistress or to pick someone else for the job. There was no point trying to save Hogwarts from Dolores Umbridge at all.
This woman might have a lot of ambition but if she didn't manage yet to take the job of an unconscious man, then, there was hope she won't manage to do anything at all, without their intervention. She was sure a cruel woman, horridly competent at her job as she managed to completely dissuade anyone to oppose her.
As Professor Moody put it, she had a thing for wearing people down, torture them in her own way and destroy anything proper to Dumbledore's ruling in a matter of a week. She was there to make the transition, prepare the school for radical change with the next headmaster and as she hope, getting a promotion as a result. She never was here to stay, as she claimed. She was just a woman on a mission, a mission that Hermione and her friend disliked very much but couldn't do anything about it.
§§§
It was finally time to take the Hogwarts Express back home. Despite the Yule Ball which was still scheduled, a lot of students chose to put their names on the go-home list. That was yet another effect of Dolores Umbridge presence and the first task fiasco. While the Triwizard Tournament was still going on, everyone just wanted to forget, move on and hope for a brighter future.
The second task was set for February. Only two of the three golden eggs were still functional. Cedric Diggory would walk to that task with a triple penalty: he was injured, he would go in the blind and he would get an actual real penalty for failing the first task. There was no hope left for Hogwarts and the two others champions just wanted to do their parts and be done with it. The Triwizard Tournament was already a failure.
To be honest, Hermione felt some kind of sympathy for the Three champions. None of them signed for it thinking it would be so bad, right of the bat. That someone went out of their way to sabotage the tournament, apparently to take over the school, was the fact of an aberrant will. It was dragging all the responsibles for the tournament in the mud, Dumbledore included. At this moment, at the ministry, the power must be starting to change hands, taking advantage of the power vacuum to overrule the minister, as someone must have promise Dolores Umbridge.
The same thing that was happening to Hogwarts must certainly be happening to the ministry as well. And since the Deatheater attack during the World Cup, Sirius warning about something happening and the head of security objectives for the school. It was clear who was trying to take over. Voldemort might not be ready to come back but his former followers were apparently fed up waiting and planned to get the job done themselves. And so far, no one was able to stop them, or even seems willing to try.
If anything, it seems like the Deatheaters, after repeated failures, just decide to make a statement to the world before taking over Great Britain the legal way. If Hermione was right about this... then, she was truly done with Hogwarts and even, would be soon out of the country, if anything, out of self preservation.
Harry knew her reasoning already. She had not said a word to Neville and Ron yet. But she knew Harry and Sirius would follow while Neville, Ron and their families probably couldn't. But none of their lives were in immediate danger while that might be her case. As for Harry, he had a target painted on his forehead since that fateful Halloween, even if he didn't knew about it before he turned eleven.
So Hermione was taking the Hogwarts Express with no certainty that she would go back ever again. It was quite a depressing moment but Harry hand holding hers helped her keep going.
§§§
Only five minutes after meeting Sirius on the Platform, they were already home and telling him everything they discovered while at Hogwarts. Sirius news on his side weren't bright either. He could still confirmed that Voldemort return shouldn't be near, but the remaining Deatheaters taking over the ministry the legal way seemed really likely.
Cornelius Fudge had already been a straw man for Lucius Malfoy for years. And now, Malfoy Sr seemed like he wasn't satisfied with the arrangement any more and was thinking of someone more malleable for the job. That Dolores Umbridge was a possible candidate didn't surprise him in the slightest. She had the worst kind of reputation for anyone but purebloods. She was a Slytherin but wasn't really appreciate, even by her housemates. Her ambition knew no limit but she hadn't the skill to achieve it herself. So she was indeed the perfect candidate for Malfoy.
Everything pointed out to Lucius Malfoy: as a leader to the Deatheater, as the main responsible for transfer of power that was currently happening, as the master schemer behind the Triwizard Tournament fiasco. He probably initiate the whole idea only to set it up for failure and take that excuse to put the head of security in charge. As for someone in which the Headmaster had trust but could easily betrayed him while being also more than an acquaintance to the Malfoys. They always suspected Severus Snape, why would it be any different this time?
"Hermione is right about it." Sirius said truly dishearten. "It can go really far, really quick and you won't have the means to run away or anyone to call for help there. Arguably, there is Moody but he is an old retired Auror who will be as much trapped as you would. If the Deatheaters are aiming to take the power legally, the Aurors won't help. We are alone in this and the best thing we can do for now is to go for the strategic retreat while we still can."
"So, that's it?" Harry asked. "We are really giving up? Leaving Hogwarts and going into hiding?"
"Let's say we stay here" Sirius said. "You go back to Hogwarts. Even if nothing happens there, if the Deatheaters win politically, Hermione would be a target as soon as she step a foot on the platform nine and three quarter. As for you, they would find something. If they need an excuse, they can always frame you. However, if Dolores Umbridge get what she want, everything else would follow, very smoothly afterward. The school might become your prison, the new pureblood order might think that Hermione would make a good target practice. If you manage to escape, you will be charge for underage magic, and they won't just snap your wand for dropping the school. Except if I'm with you the whole time, there is no way I would be able to come to help you in time. So yeah, sometime, you must accept a loss to win the war."
"I feel wrong about it." Hermione said, out of the blue.
"What?" Sirius and Harry said at the very same time.
"It was my idea but it feel wrong. We know who are responsible for this. We know their plans. We know what is at stake. And we know no one will help. We are even considering going into hiding without having done nothing wrong... yet. We kept failing, and failing. But we are still acting like the good guys. So, If deatheaters want to play it the legal way, why can't we just take the criminal route and you know... get rid of them, permanently."
They both looked at her like she had gone crazy.
"You are sure about it, Hermione?" Sirius asked.
"Tell me Sirius, we go into hiding, we prepared and then, what? Whatever we do, we would be criminals from the moments they take over. That's what Professor Moody told us about. We are the criminals, everyone is against us. What do we do? It's happening right now."
"So you say we don't go anywhere and start murdering people, that's your plan?" Harry asked as he could still not believe his ears.
"It would be a last resort but yes. I was thinking of using their own tactics: what if Dolores Umbridge suddenly fall hill? what if Lucius Malfoy lost his mind? We can also, I don't know, sabotage everything we can and put the blame on them? We can just send the paper we found in Dolores Umbridge Office straight to the minister and see what he think about it? I say we screw their plan whatever way we got."
Hermione was fed up of their repeated failure. They got it wrong, beat around the bushes, tried to call Dumbledore for help once they got desperate. They knew who the targets were. Now, what the had to do was simple: get rid of the threat and move on to the next one.
If I were in position of power and wanted to get rid of someone, I would set them for failure by giving them an impossible task like... making a project with the absolute worst track-record a success... while ensuring myself that they won't get a chance. That way and after putting all the blame on them for good measure, no one would argue about it. So yeah, that's why I choose that twist all along.
And of course, Lucius Malfoy was the perfect candidate to impersonate 'the schemer behind it all'. He had the motives as he already tried but fail. He is influential and rich. He had the right personality for it. He doesn't have one bit of loyalty to Voldemort despite being a true Deatheater to the bones.
As for the way this chapter goes down and down and down... I felt like my characters had to fail. They set themselves to an impossible task and the only way for me to escape it was to make them failed repetitively, and give up, while still learning something from the whole experience.
They discovered what the bad guys were up to. They discovered that Dumbledore won't be able to help this time. They put the piece of the puzzle together by confirming each one of them with Sirius. They know the truth, but they can't act on it. But feeling powerless, hopeless and depressed would give them a new motivation and make them grow.
PS: I'm sorry for deleting instead of updating that chapter. I will try to see how it goes down that line and see if I like the result more.