You know, the only thing I remember from Sunday school is the martyrs... the saints, the saviors... they all end up the same way. Bloody and alone.

Chapter Nine

Martyrdom

It took no time for Umbridge to establish her power over the school as the following morning, the entrance of the Great Hall had been defaced. The stone statues that stood proudly beside the large door were now gone, and the gap where they used to reside had been filled in to create a smooth, stone wall. The few portraits that were there were suddenly gone as well.

However, there was no confusion as to the reason for this change of design, thanks to the sounds of a hammer banging against a nail that had been echoing around the Great Hall all morning. By the time Harry made it there - his brown satchel hanging from his shoulder as his emerald tie brazenly clashed against his white shirt and black pants - Filch had hung over thirty wooden plaques, each securing what looked to be official Ministry dockets.

Adjusting his glasses, Harry parted over the sea of black cloaks and grey sweaters that were huddled around the entrance, seeking to get a better look at whatever stunt Umbridge was pulling.

EDUCATIONAL DECREE N°0

All previous EDUCATIONAL DECREES, barring EDUCATIONAL DECREE N°23, have officially been put on hold for the High Inquisitor to review and determine whether they are up to Ministry standards, or if they need to be altered for the improvement of this institution.

EDUCATIONAL DECREE N°1

The High Inquisitor will begin personnel interviews on the first Monday of October, teachers and staff will have this time to make sure their methods, content, and ability is up to standard and within Ministry regulations, otherwise said personnel shall be fired and removed from the castle.

EDUCATIONAL DECREE N°2

All muggle or non-wizarding clothing is henceforth banned from the castle. Any student seeing wearing these type of clothes inside the grounds, regardless of the day of the year, will be punished by the High Inquisitor how she sees fit.

EDUCATIONAL DECREE N°3

All students must submit to random, routine searches, conducted by the High Inquisitor, in search of any dangerous or illegal items they might have in their possession.

The list went on and on, dozens of new decrees filled the lower section of the enormous wall, and Harry doubted it would be long before they would expand outside the limits of the entrance to the Great Hall. Umbridge really didn't take any time in changing the school into her image, banning products from pretty much every store in Hogsmeade to even enter the castle, regulating student's outfit and general lifestyle inside the castle, even forbidding extracurricular groups until they were each individually given permission, just like he warned Granger.

It was all a show, Harry knew it, and he didn't doubt others like Hermione knew as well. A way to prove her hold over the castle and undermine Dumbledore at the same time. However, the clear absence of the Headmaster's name or power was glaring, showing how there were still things outside the control of the High Inquisitor. The only thing keeping the castle from completely falling into her reigns was the presence of Dumbledore, though Harry had a feeling it wouldn't last long.

With great reluctance, he finally left the increasingly growing crowd and stepped into the Great Hall. The Headmaster's golden throne was absent, like it had been for every day except the Start-of-Term Feast, and all the teachers there had surly or even downright disgusted expressions on their faces - all but Umbridge, of course, who was cheerfully stirring her tea.

The students weren't happy either, the ring of distressed murmurs filled the Great Hall, the loudest coming from the Gryffindor table. The Golden Trio sat in acrimonious silence, avoided by everyone in their table as if they were the new plague. Not even the Slytherins were happy, not only was Umbridge unanimously considered to be the worst thing that ever happened to the school by all the houses, but she has shown that she doesn't care if you're a lion or a snake, she's happy to punish any student she can.

"Nice new decor," Harry commented to the others as he sat with the group. "It brings that fascist-dictatorial vibe the castle was missing."

"You're joking?" Daphne asked unamused. "Seriously? Now of all times?"

"Right, because brooding like the rest of you will help so much more."

"What do you want, Potter?" Malfoy drawled. "I don't know if you can tell, but we're not really in the mood to talk."

"Stick it up your arse, Malfoy, you're not the only one who's displeased." Harry bit back. "Besides, I'm not here to talk to you." He turned towards Nott. "What's going on with the try-outs?"

"What do you care? I thought you weren't interested in coming."

"I did say I'd come," he answered sincerely, before quickly continuing. "Even if it was just to get you to stop bothering me."

Theo studied him carefully, before relaxing slightly. "Captain's going to go talk to Umbridge later today, if we have luck, we can hold them tomorrow."

"I'll be there, then." Harry nodded.

"You think she'll let you?" Blaise asked. "She's banned the rec room, all the abandoned classes and broom closets, even the restricted section of the library is completely off limits now. Somehow, I don't think she'd allow for anything fun to happen in the school."

"At least she's making the job for us prefects much easier," Pansy shrugged.

"Much more boring, you mean," Draco grumbled.

"We don't know," Theo answered resignedly. "Doesn't hurt to try, though."

Blaise made a helpless gesture before slumping back to his food.

"Have you seen everything else she's doing?" Daphne asked impatiently. "Forget about your stupid game for a second, she's controlling how we dress, she's controlling which sections of the castle we can be at which time, she's even banning relationships!"

"She's also taking over all the subjects in the school," Pansy pointed out. "Soon enough, we'll be doing boring essays for all of them that take all of our time, rather than actually learning practical magic."

"Maybe she'll do some good, too," Davis said, as she scooted closer to the group. "She could fire Binns."

Draco snorted. "As if, she'll probably make Binns teach every class, and that's if we're lucky."

"Bugger off, Davis," Blaise snapped. "No one gave you permission to be here."

She looked at Daphne, who was staring back at her blankly. "But they can stay!?" She screeched, pointing at Pansy and Harry.

"Sod off," Draco snarled. "Don't make me tell you twice."

Davis blubbered incoherently, tears forming around her eyes, before she stood up and left the Great Hall altogether.

"Honestly, how pathetic," Malfoy rolled his eyes before he continued eating.

Harry caught Blaise's eye, and the boy didn't even have the decency to look away in shame, instead staring back right at him without an inch of shame.

"Well," Draco began the conversation again. "At least something good will come out of all of this."

"Umbridge and good are two words that no one has said in the same sentence." Theo said dispassionately.

"Oh, I agree. But with everything that is happening, Longbottom's life is only going to get so much worse." A smug smile grew on Malfoy's face. "I myself can't wait for our Defence class today."

"Surely Longbottom can't be that stupid?" Blaise scoffed. "Picking a fight with Umbridge? Knowing her, she'd probably expel him the second he steps out of line."

"That or much more of whatever torture she's been doing to him since the term started," Malfoy shrugged. "Either way, we'll get a show, and Longbottom will be punished. You must be thrilled about it, Potter." He told him, giving him a loud clap on his back.

"Yeah," Harry answered automatically. He had seen first-hand just how bad Umbridge's methods could be when she really wanted them to be, he had personally tended to Michael's wounds and had seen the effect it had on him. At one point, Harry would have felt happy about it, but after cleaning the blood from the young Slytherin's hand, and slowly healing his scar, he felt disgusted at the mere thought of it. "Exhilarated."

"Come off it," Malfoy scoffed. "You hate Longbottom just as much as I do, maybe even more."

"Not all of us are exactly thrilled about Umbridge torturing other students, even if it's someone as high and mighty as Longbottom," Theo said.

"You've heard what everyone is saying about detentions with her," Blaise added.

"Yeah, but it's all exaggeration." Malfoy rebuked. "It's probably just some small cuts that Madam Pomfrey could heal."

"Why don't you go and find out for yourself?" Pansy asked sardonically.

"I'm not stupid enough to go against Umbridge," a nervous laugh left Malfoy's mouth. "If my father even got a whiff of what I was trying to do with you lot…"

"Yes, yes, we all know about your daddy issues." Daphne waved him off before turning towards Theo. "Even if Umbridge's sessions are as bad as people say, you can't really expect us to feel bad for Longbottom, do you? I mean, we're not forcing him to pick a fight with her, we're not forcing him to put himself in the position where Umbridge gets to torture him almost daily."

"Umbridge does have it out for him, though." Theo commented.

"Oh, she most certainly does. But he's always looking for a fight with her. If he just stayed quiet and kept his head down, he wouldn't be constantly in detention, scarring his hand like a moron. If he acted just like us and didn't say shit, I might feel bad for him - might - but he doesn't. He has some sort of martyr complex and doesn't waste any time to place himself in danger for no reason, all the while making sure he's on the spotlight and everyone gets to admire and praise just how much of a hero he is, even if he's just an overhyped attention whore."

"But what about all the others who Umbridge has tortured?" Pansy asked seriously. "I'm not a fan of Longbottom by any means, but Umbridge hasn't cared about who breaks her rules, or the degree which they do, she punishes them in inhumane ways. Hell, she hasn't shied away from punishing Slytherins as well. Sooner or later, one of us could be next, your sister could be next. Will it be her fault when her hand ends up mauled by that bitch?"

"Yes," Daphne said coldly. "We of all people should know that life isn't fair, it doesn't acclimate to our needs nor does it show us sympathy, anyone who says otherwise is deluded or a four-year-old. My sister is smart, and she knows how to survive, and I hope you do too. But Longbottom, he's an idiot who thinks he can bend the world to his viewpoint through sheer self-sacrifice, there is no inch of intelligence in him that allows him to make actual change, instead he makes big speeches and theatrical gestures without actually helping. Dumbledore would have arrived to stop Quirrell regardless of Longbottom's involvement, Dumbledore came back to the school before Longbottom even left the chamber, if Longbottom hadn't been there the night Black escaped, the dementors might've actually caught him and the werewolf wouldn't have attacked the other stupid Gryffindors. All the times he's stuck his nose in someone else's business, he's only made things worse or has been inconsequential. If he wants to act the hero, make himself feel good about who he is by pretending as if he's making a difference and taking whatever suffering he's going through in stride, then that's his choice. I, for one, don't have an ounce of sympathy for him."

"You don't know that for sure." Harry said quietly.

"Maybe not, but I'd be willing to bet that in most of the instances where Longbottom has acted the hero, he's only made things worse for himself and others, and this year will be no exception."

"If you really think that he's inconsequential to everything he does, why the hell do you want us to partner with him and the other Gryffindors?" Malfoy asked.

"Because when it eventually goes wrong and someone gets caught, I'll be watching safely from the sidelines, while Longbottom pays for our conspiracy, once again willingly making himself the martyr."

"The way you say that, it's almost as if you have no remorse for basically throwing Longbottom under the bus." Harry said sardonically.

"Do you? You abhor the guy and have been more involved in this than even me."

"It's funny how you avoided the question." Harry pointed out.

"The answer's no," she said savagely. "I don't have a single ounce of remorse. Longbottom is taking on this on his own, I'm not forcing him to do anything. If anything, I'm making sure his self-sacrifice shtick actually saves someone rather than it being completely useless. But just because someone is willing to put themselves and the people they love in danger doesn't mean I am. I'll do anything to protect the people that I care about, Potter, wouldn't you?"

A quiet descended upon the group as the conversation came to a close, one which stayed with them all the way through breakfast and during the walk towards the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom. Time seemed to have slowed down during their journey, Harry could feel a slight tightening in his chest at the thought of being in the same room as Umbridge.

He had mostly ignored her, something that wasn't hard given how most of their class time was spent reading without the pink-robed toad actually saying anything. It was one of the things that made him keep his collected mind and not join the Gryffindors in attacking her. Because, unlike them, he actually had a reason rather than just complaining about their curriculum.

But today would be different, Umbridge had been resting, waiting for the perfect moment when she had a secure hold on the school's power before she flaunted it. It was a smart move, the Slytherin move, and a part of him wanted to commend her for her patience and forward-thinking. He was a bit too impulsive himself, even as a Slytherin, he could rarely manage to reign himself in, so he had a tendency to respect those who could manage to restrain themselves from doing something rash.

He had no idea what she would do, or how he would react, and that scared her. With the Slytherins, it had become easy, he'd just turn off his emotions towards them when dealing with them, though never missing a chance to take a sly shot at them. It wasn't personal, what they did; the bullying, the discrimination, all the times they stepped over him to climb higher. It was all part of the game, and he had learnt to understand not to take things like that personal. So even though he disliked them with a passion, he never acted upon that feeling.

But Umbridge, Umbridge was different. Umbridge made it personal when she decided to torture a child like Michael and all the others. There was nothing he hated more than seeing a child abused, crying in the corner of the room and having to go through physical and mental assaults at such a young age, that it takes away their innocence and shows them how fucked up a place the world really is. He didn't think he could ignore it, even if he tried.

So when he stepped into the classroom with the rest of the Slytherins, seeing that Umbridge was already sitting there with a superior smiles plastered all over herself, it took a lot of strength for Harry not to hex her right then and there. He avoided her gaze and sat at the seat furthest away from her, immediately taking out his book and forcing himself to read it with a vigour he'd never had before while staring at the tedious tome.

However, he didn't get very far as he was interrupted by the sound of the familiar fake cough echoing across the muted classroom.

"Children," she spoke with that faux-sweet voice she always put forward, making Harry's bile rise to the top of his throat faster than even Longbottom had ever managed. "I'd like to have a little chat before we continue your education. If you would all place your books back in your bags for the moment and turn your attention to the front."

Harry's hands were shaking as he grabbed the book, the beating of his heart reverberating inside his head, making his surroundings much more disorienting.

"Potter!" Pansy's hiss snapped him out of his trance.

"What?" Harry mouthed back, putting the book back in his bag, as Pansy nodded to the front with a glare.

He rolled his eyes but turned to the front, where it seemed that Umbridge had thankfully been unaware of his quick conversation with Parkinson. Harry began controlling his breathing as he calmed himself down while the professor waited for everyone to pay attention to her.

"Now, I know that some of you have plenty of questions about what Educational Decree Number Twenty-Three means for this school and all of you personally, which is why I've decided to use the beginning of this class to dispel any negative rumours you might have heard of it and show you all the good it will bring to your Hogwarts experience and education. I will start by talking to you before I allow you to ask a few questions."

When the response was met with silence, Umbridge continued her speech.

"Over the past four years, there have been a series of troubling events that have left the magical community worried about the safety of students at Hogwarts. You might not have known that we have come to learn about these events, and to most of you, they might have even been nothing more than tall tales spread around by friends for fun. It can't be ignored any longer that there is something deeply wrong with Hogwarts, and it's unfortunate that it took the death of one of Hogwarts' most recognized students for the Ministry to finally spring into action. We were asked not to interfere by Headmaster Dumbledore, but after all the failures in part of the staff to protect the students and keep Hogwarts' reputation as the most prized institution of the country and one of the safest places in Magical Europe, we're afraid that the status quo must be changed."

Umbridge began to pace around the room, and Harry spotted Longbottom's rage-filled expression as she continued to talk.

"We at the Ministry realise that change is a daunting direction, especially for young minds such as yourselves, but change is necessary for improvement, change is necessary to make sure that no more tragedies like the one at the end of last year never happen again. Which is why, it's crucial to first quell all the rumours and tell you the truth. You have been told that a certain dark wizard has suddenly risen from the grave, with the intent of terrorizing magical Britain like he did all those years ago. This. Is. A. Lie."

"It's not a lie!" Longbottom roared as he stood up, his face flushed red. "I saw him, I fought him!"

"Detention, Mister Longbottom!" Umbridge snapped, dropping her nice facade.

"If Voldemort isn't behind these attacks, then who is!?" He shouted. "You can't say that Hogwarts has become unsafe and then deny the existence of a perpetrator!"

"I'm not saying anything of the sort," Umbridge said primly.

"Then who killed Cedric Diggory!?" Neville bellowed.

"Silence!" Umbridge slashed her wand in the air, casting a silencing spell at Longbottom, before casting another one that pushed him down on his chair and another one that stuck him to it.

"You can't do that!" Granger shrieked as she stood up to help her friend.

"Yes, I can! Now back to your seat, young lady! Or you'll end up in detention just as Mister Longbottom."

Granger stared back at the professor, a burning ire in her eyes as her face filled with determination. Harry suddenly felt as if time had completely stopped, he could feel Granger about to talk back to Umbridge, but the event never happened - constantly feeling as if it was milliseconds away from occurring. He felt himself grapple with the choice, he knew what would happen if Granger answered defiantly against Umbridge. She would be forced to detention, she would be forced to write down lines with the cursed quill until her hand was dripping with blood and the words were completely etched onto her skin. He could see her like he saw Michael all those times, slumped on the floor, trying to contain the tears that rushed to escape as a myriad of emotions assaulted them. And she wouldn't be the only one, Weasley would surely follow, as would everyone else who would be stupid enough to stand against Umbridge.

Harry felt that he shouldn't care about it, he could feel as his brain implored him to stay out of it, as his Slytherin side tried to reign in his rashness and recklessness. But his body could not be contained, and a scream from deep within left his throat, unwilling of his own mind's wishes.

"Stop!"

The shout shocked the entire classroom, even Granger turned to look at him, quizzically and suspiciously. He could see the glare from Pansy, the slightly worried expressions from Theo and Blaise, the excited expression of Malfoy, and Daphne's disappointed look, but he ignored them as his eyes settled on his target.

He felt a raging fire burning inside him, urging him to unleash everything he had been bottling up on Umbridge. It was way past the point of control, and his brain knew it, as it didn't try to contain him anymore. Instead, he was fully unleashed against Umbridge, something he knew he would come to regret, but didn't have any shits to give at the moment.

"Yes, Mister Potter?" Umbridge asked, her voice once again sweet and kind, but the hint of danger was not lost on Harry.

This was it, he knew. The most important decision he would make all year, there would be no going back after this. He could either stand with the Gryffindor trio and openly antagonize Umbridge, earning a target on his back. Or he could withdraw his statement and look like a fool, but lower the amount of punishment he'd receive from Umbridge. The rage inside him was still there, but as the consequences were becoming more clear, the anger began to dissipate.

He had chosen wrong, he should've kept his mouth shut, he had allowed himself to be as brash and stupid as Longbottom had, and he would pay the price. And even though he abhorred Umbridge with all of his being, he didn't want her to know that, nor did he want her to consider him a threat to her just yet.

He had already fucked up, but there was no need to continue digging his grave.

He wasn't like them.

"What I meant," Harry spoke, his voice raspy. "Is that we should stop this meaningless discussion and go back to talking about the changes the school will be facing, and how they will affect us."

A predatory grin spread across the professor's mouth. "Oh, did you?" She asked with faux innocence, slowly making her way across the room towards him. "Yes, we should get back to it. I will be overseeing all the curriculum's taught by each of the teacher's and adjusting it to the Ministry standard. I will root out threats to the safety of the students and staff, and make sure that they won't hurt the other, righteous students of this institution. I will punish the wicked and make sure the school rules, the ones made for the safety and general betterment of this institution, are followed."

She arrived at the foot of his desk, her small figure looming over him given his seating position.

"Not only have you just talked back to a teacher, raising your voice and trying to determine what they should do, but you're also not wearing the proper attire for the school."

"I have my uniform on," Harry said carefully.

"But not all of it, my dear. You see, the uniform is supposed to represent unity and pride of this school, pride of being a witch or wizard studying in the hallowed walls of Hogwarts. And yet, you have chosen not to wear your robes which display the school insignia, you have chosen to dress yourself in what would be considered by some as a fairly muggle attire - which only seems to hint that you are deserting your wizarding upbringing. Or was that not your intent since the beginning."

"No," Harry said through gritted teeth.

"Whether it was your intention or not, it doesn't matter. As of today, stated clearly by the Educational Decree Number Thirty-Seven, no student is allowed to walk the halls of Hogwarts without wearing a full uniform at all times. You are breaking those rules, Mister Potter, which means that you must be punished - you'll serve two weeks of detention with me."

"Yes, ma'am," Harry forced out, a part of him regretting not going with the other option.

A fake laugh left Umbridge's toothy grin before she leaned in and whispered into his ear in a voice so low, he could barely make it out.

"We can speak more later tonight, in case you have any more questions about how the changes will affect you."

This chapter was supposed to cover other events, but it got longer than I expected. Next chapter we'll see the fallout to Harry's mistake, the reaction from the people around him, and his first detention with Umbridge.