The Price of Love

Chapter 3: Unexpected Emotions are Ticking Time Bombs

"…Unexpressed emotions tend to stay in body

like small ticking time bombs – they are illnesses in incubation."

~ Marilyn Van Deebar

Hermione's breathing was heavy.

Beside her, Charlie exchanged a glance with Bill.

Hermione leaned forward toward the table. Her fingers loosened as she fell forward toward the table. Charlie moved her plate, so she could rest her head on her folded arms.

"Hermione," Bill said, "Are you telling us that Dolores Umbridge to-"

"Tortured children" Hermione finished. "Even first years," she snapped, unable to keep the venom out of her tone. "She made first years…" She choked, a fresh wave of tears falling down her cheeks.

She took a shaky breath. "She made first years drink Veritiserum." Her voice was horse. "Well tea. She invited them to drink tea with her."

"Are you serious?" Bill growled. His chair shrieked against the floor as he stood.

Hermione flinched. "Y-yes. Ginny figured it out. She was supposed to go to tea with Umbridge after another member of our Defense group, Marietta told her all about our meetings."

"If these meetings were private, how did you figure it out?"

Hermione reached for a paper towel, wiping her nose. "We had a sign-in sheet for the Defense Group." She didn't look at them. "I put an advanced Boils Hex on it. If anyone betrayed our meeting they would break out in boil that spelled the word Snitch."

The admission hung between them. Hermione seemed to shrink into herself. She hear the tap turn on. Then the patter of feet. A glass was set near her hands. She could smell Bill's aftershave, and feel the water splash on her hands when he set the glass down.

"So, he said, pacing away from her. "I'm assuming Harry and Ron didn't know you had bewitched the sign-up sheet."

Hermione nodded. She slowly lifted the glass to her lips. She closed her eyes, focusing on her hands so they didn't shake. She swallowed several sips, before setting down the glass.

"I didn't know who to trust," she whispered. "Even as a Prefect, I didn't have much authority. She imposed the Inquisitorial Squad, which was one of her Decrees supported by the Ministry."

"Inquisitorial Squad?" Bill and Charlie asked in unison.

To Hermione's surprise, Fleur answered. "Yes. Ginny wrote about it. Mentioned that other students, a majority of them Slytherin, were given liberties to order Detentions and report other student's activities to Umbridge, if they were under suspicion of supporting Dumbledore."

"And this torture she subjected students to?"

Hermione set her hands down again. The faint scars stood out white against her dark skin. "The quills," she lifted her head, to look Bill in the eye. "They wrote in our blood."

"And Ron? Ginny?" Bill asked. Hermione could see the vein in his neck pulsing.

Hermione took a breath. "Yes. They have them to."

Bill growled. He turned and kicked the bottom of the cabinet, wood splinters littered the floor.

"First years?" Fleur whispered. "She used these quills on first years?"

"And the spiked tea," Hermione confirmed.

"Was there no-body you could report her to?" Charlie asked.

"We tried. Professor McGonagall, Flitwick, Sprout and Snape knew."

"And they did nothing?" Charlie sounded incredulous.

"They c-couldn't," Hermione said. "Umbridge was doing investigation into them. Especially Professor McGonagall, who was closest to Headmaster Dumbledore."

"And what about the Ministry?"

Hermione's laugh was bitter. "You think Minister Fudge cared?" Hermione said. "He's the one who stationed Professor Umbridge at Hogwarts." She shuddered. "And Percy…he was her assistant during all of it."

Charlie frowned. "Okay. So, you felt you were on your own." He pressed the heels of his hands against his eyes. "Was there no way to get one of us mail?"

"I mean sure," she said. "But, we were sure that the mail was being read before it was delivered to us. And, the Floo Network was being monitored and shut down expect for Professor Umbridge. She could contact people whenever she wanted."

Hermione's eyes flickered around the room. She looked between the three of them. For a moment, no one spoke. Hermione had reached for Charlie's hand again to gain comfort.

"Those are serious claims," Bill finally said. "If we could prove them, she would spend the rest of her days in Azkaban."

"How?" Hermione asked.

Charlie squeezed her hand. "Well…If you were to bring forward a statement…"

"A-and be the center of attention?" Hermione interrupted. "No…I don't…I'm trying to stay out of the spotlight."

"I know. But," Charlie said. "We'd be here to help you. I'm sure Bill will help me keep the crowd off your back. And..Fleur is really good with handling the public relations and communications."

Hermione frowned. "When? Before or after the funerals?" Her tone was flat. Empty.

Charlie shrugged. "If you aren't ready, or don't want to do it now, you can wait. But, at the end of the day it should be your decision. We'll support whatever you choose."

Hermione didn't respond. She reached for her plate and started polishing off the rest of the food she had taken.

After a few minutes, Bill and Charlie rose and started to clear the table.

Disclaimer: Harry Potter does not belong to me, but to J.K. Rowling, Arthur A Levine Publishing (an Imprint of Scolastic Inc.). Any material used directly form the book will be quoted at the end of each chapter. For other disclaimers see Chapter 1.

Thank you to anyone who is reading! I appreciate any reviews. I am going to try to update this fic regularly this year. Thanks for any new and continuing support.

~ Jazz E. Roisin