75. Chat With Fire
**Hermione's POV**
"What's happening?" I asked.
Everyone was heading towards the courtyard and Fred, George, and I didn't know why.
"Harry! What's happening?" Fred asked.
"Hold on. Cho. What's going on?" Harry asked her.
"It Professor Trelawney" She answered and they walked outside with the rest.
I looked at Fred and he, George, and I all followed the others.
We walked towards Harry and Ron and I looked to find Trelawney in tears.
Filch came out with Trelawney's bag. She continued to cry and Filch set the bag next to her.
Umbridge came out and Trelawney stepped forward tripping on her bag.
"Sixteen years I've lived and taught here. Hogwarts is my home. You can't do this" She sobbed.
"Actually, I can," Umbridge said with a smile showing her deed.
Trelawney then cried again and McGonagall went to comfort her.
"Something you'd like to say, dear?" Umbridge asked her.
"Oh there are several things I would like to say. There... Shh. Shh" McGonagall said comforting Trelawney.
The doors opened and Dumbledore came out walking towards them.
"Professor McGonagall, might I ask you to escort Sybil back inside?" He asked firmly.
"Sybil, dear. This way" McGonagall said leading her inside, but stopping at Dumbledore.
"Thank you" Trelawney said and she and McGonagall headed inside.
"Dumbledore" Umbridge started. "May I remind you that under the terms of Educational Decree Number 23, as enacted by the Minister-"
"You have the right to dismiss my teachers. You do not, however, have the authority to banish them from the grounds. That power remains with the headmaster" Dumbledore snapped at Umbridge.
"For now" Umbridge said happily with a smile.
What is wrong with her?
"Don't you all have studying to do?" Dumbledore asked and he headed inside.
"Professor!" Harry said, running after him.
"Harry" I muttered.
"Come on, 'Mione. Let's get inside" Fred took my hand and we headed for the common room.
Harry came back and sat down at the table.
"That foul, evil, old gargoyle!" I exclaimed.
"We're not learning how to defend ourselves, we're not learning how to pass our OWLs, she's taking over the entire school!" I said taking a seat next to Fred.
"Security has been and will remain the Ministry's top priority. Furthermore, we have convincing evidence that these disappearances are the work of notorious mass murderer, Sirius Black" Fudge said on the radio.
"Harry!" We heard a voice say.
"Sirius!" Harry said running over to the fireplace. "What are you doing here?"
"Answering your letter. You said you were worried about Umbridge. What's she doing? Training you to kill Half-Breeds?" Sirius asked in the fireplace.
He was using the 12 Grimmauld Place fireplace to contact Harry again.
"Sirius, she's not letting us use magic at all" Harry explained.
"Well, I'm not surprised. The latest intelligence is that Fudge doesn't want you trained in combat" Sirius said.
"Combat?" Fred asked in shock.
"What does he think, we're forming some sort of wizard army?" George asked.
"Well, that's exactly what he thinks. That Dumbledore is assembling his own forces to take on the Ministry. He's becoming more paranoid by the minute. The others wouldn't want me telling you this, Harry, but things aren't going at all well with the Order. Fudge is blocking the truth at every turn, and these disappearances are just hot. Voldemort is on the move" Sirius finished.
"Well, what can we do?" Ron asked.
The door opened and Sirius said "Someone's coming. I'm sorry I can't be of more help. But for now, at least, it looks like you're all on your own."
A second later, the flame burned out.
I walked over to the window and thunder struck.
"He really is out there, isn't he?" I asked.
"He is, 'Mione,'" Fred answered.
"We've got to be able to defend ourselves. And if Umbridge refuses to teach us how, we need someone who will" I said while I turned around to look at Harry.
The thunder crashed once more.
