Chapter Two: The Truce
The seventh year students in McGonnagal's class spoke in hushed whispers as they entered into the class, filling the seats. The rumor was that inspections were to begin with their class. They were simultaneously curious and horrified at the thought. Fred and George Weasley, ever the pranksters, vowed to be on their best behaviour until they had enough information on this Umbridge woman.
After all students had arrived, a tabby cat with markings around her eyes hopped down from the stairs and sat perched on her desk. Nobody said a word. Nobody questioned it. After a beat of uncomfortable silence and suspense, the doors burst open, and the Pink Nightmare announced her arrival very loudly. She looked around the class at all the students, who couldn't mask the horror on their faces.
"Well, where is Professor McGonagall. This class was due to start five minutes ago, and she is not yet here? I'll be making note of this in my report."
Fred hid a laugh in a cough, which drew her attention to him. He apologized mutely.
The woman looked around the room and chose Adrian Pucey, a Slytherin 7th year, to interview.
"Is Professor McGonagall often late to her own classes?" she asked.
"She is never late, ma'am," he said.
"Never? Well, she appears to be late now. How can she never be late when she's not here?"
"Begging your pardon, ma'am, but she absolutely is here, and has been here since the start of class."
Umbridge looked around the room. She gesticulated, showing that he was, indeed, wrong.
"Is she invisible?"
"No ma'am, I see her right now."
She followed his line of sight to the front of the class.
"I don't see her, Mr. Pucey. Would you like a detention for lying?"
With that, McGonagall sprang into her human form, standing in front of her desk with her arms crossed in front of her chest and a very severe look on her face. None of her students had ever seen her so angry before, and they had seen her plenty angry, including one memorable Slytherin vs Gryffindor match where Montague took a beater's bat and tried to knock George off his broom after George hit a well aimed bludger at the Slytherin seeker and kept him from getting the snitch and winning the game.
"Why, pray tell, did you barge into my classroom, disrupt my lesson, and treat my students with such disrespect?"
Umbridge stuttered, tripping over ums and wells.
"Are you incapable of speech when confronted with someone who won't let you talk down to them?"
Umbridge's face turned the same shade of pink as her dress and bow. She looked as though a toad had hopped into a pink paint tin.
"Professor McGonagall, I apologize for the intrusion. I was a little late leaving my previous class. Apparently Professor Binns is unable to answer many questions. It took a while to conduct my interview with him and his class," said Umbridge, finally finding her voice.
"Well it's not just me you need to apologize to. It's my entire class for wasting our valuable class time, and Mr. Pucey for not believing him when he was telling you the truth."
"Class, I apologize for wasting your time. Mr. Pucey, it turns out you were correct. I apologize for doubting you." Her face was strained, as though every word was tormenting her. She moved to the back of the classroom and took notes.
"Alright class, back to what I was telling you. Becoming an animagus is an incredible talent that can really come in handy. But I warn you, it takes years of dedication and practice, and even then, if you don't have the natural ability, you won't be able to do it…"
As McGonagall talked, Umbridge took notes. She didn't say a word the entire time, and quietly slipped out of the room five minutes until the end of the lesson.
"Great job you did on taking her on, Minnie," said Fred, teasing her.
"Hush, Mr. Weasley, or I'll give you detention."
"I love it when you flirt with me," he said.
She rolled her eyes.
"Class dismissed."
Everyone packed their things and started emptying the room. Fred and George caught up with Adrian and looped their arms around his.
"What do you say," said Fred.
"We come to an agreement," said George.
"Get your hands off me and I'll hear you out," said Adrian, pushing them off of him.
"Fair enough," said Fred.
"You see, Freddie and I were thinking," said George.
"This woman is a danger to us all," said Fred.
"Can you stop talking like that?" asked Adrian.
"No can do," they said simultaneously. Adrian rolled his eyes.
"How about we call a truce. Just for this year, we put our rivalry aside to focus on the biggest rival of all."
Adrian nodded mutely.
"I think I can get the rest of the house to agree to that."
"Brilliant," Fred and George said together.
It didn't take long for word of what happened in the 7th year transfiguration class to spread throughout the castle. Even word of a Slytherin/Gryffindor truce was spreading like fiendfyre. When Fred and George walked into the Great Hall, they were bombarded with questions from the Gryffindors.
"Do you really think the Slytherins will be willing to participate in a truce?" asked a shy third year, who looked at the Slytherin table with apprehension.
"Who knows. They might not, but we figured we'd plant the seed. That Umbridge woman is vile," George said, shuddering at the memory of class.
Hermione, ever the know it all, repeated what she told them last year.
"It's not going to work," she said, flipping through one of her books.
"Oh yeah, Granger?" Fred sat next to her, stealing her book from her and passing it behind her back to George.
"Why's that?" George sat on the other side of her, taking the book and placing it back in front of her.
"I don't know that there's anything that will get the Slytherins to cooperate. That's all." She looked over at the Slytherin table, watching a group of Slytherins, including Adrian Pucey and Draco Malfoy, huddled together in quiet conversation. "In any event, even if they do lay off of us for the year, how's that going to help with the… situation?"
George rolled his eyes.
"Granger, I like you, but you need to broaden your mind."
"You know, Ginny taught me her bat bogey hex. Say that to me one more time and I'll practice it on you." She glared at him so ferociously that he backed down, throwing his hands up in surrender.
Fred nudged her side with his elbow and pointed behind them when she looked back at him. Draco Malfoy and a brigade of Slytherins were headed toward the table. Hermione kicked Ron and Harry. They looked up from their food, frowning at the sight.
Draco stepped forward once they reached the table and held his hand out to Hermione. She looked at him apprehensively.
"You lot wanted a truce, right? We're willing to agree to a one year cessation of conflict in order to make it through the year. Is that okay with you lot?"
Hermione looked around the table, seeing various nods and head shakes. She bit her lip, then looked up at Draco. She nodded, and reached her hand out, grabbing his. A shiver ran down her spine at the touch.
"One year cessation of conflict. We appreciate it. This will allow us to focus on the real enemy here."
They all looked up at the staff table. All eyes were on them, except for one Dolores Umbridge, who was not in the hall. Wide, disbelieving eyes stared at them. Hermione looked back at Draco and smiled.
"Wipe the grin off your face, mudblood. I still don't like you."
He jerked his hand back from hers and wiped it on his pants, as though he'd gotten something foul all on his hand. Hermione turned red and turned away from him. Fred placed his hand on her shoulder, comforting her silently while glaring daggers at Draco. The Slytherins walked away from the table and out of the hall.
"Well," said Harry, "this will definitely be an intriguing year."