AN: Hey guys and welcome back to the next chapter. We are still going strong in fifth year. I will try to make it as entertaining as possible, so bear with me.
Enjoy!
Chapter 57
September 15th, 1995
Harry was dropped to the floor and quickly got up to check where Dobby had apparated them to. They stood on the seventh floor, in front of the ROR:
"Dobby is really sorry, Harry Potter, sir. But the nasty toad was coming and Dobby could not let Harry Potter get caught."
"It's fine, Dobby. You did well. Thank you for getting me out of there. Why don't you head back to the kitchens and please don't tell anyone what just happened, okay?"
The elf nodded and disappeared with a pop. Harry checked his surroundings and quickly entered the ROR. He had willed the room to simply provide a quiet place and found himself in a sort of library. Ahead of him, lay a table.
Harry quickly pulled out the two documents, which he managed to snatch and almost risk his expulsion for. He placed them next to each and almost buckled up in laughter:
Ordinary Wizarding Level Results:
Pass Grades:
Outstanding (O)
Exceeds Expectations (E)
Acceptable (A)
Fail Grades:
Poor (P)
Dreadful (D)
Troll (T)
Dolores Jane Umbridge has achieved:
Charms:
Acceptable (A) +
Defense against the Dark Arts:
Dreadful (D)
Transfiguration:
Acceptable (A)
Astronomy:
Exceeds Expectations (E) +
Care of Magical Creatures:
Troll (T)
Herbology:
Acceptable (A)
History of Magic:
Exceeds Expectations (E) +
Potions:
Poor (P) +
Divinations:
Exceeds Expectations (E)
We congratulate Dolores Jane Umbridge for the completion of six OWLs
Umbridge had failed to get an OWL in Defense against the Dark Arts and was now teaching the subject? Harry could not help but laugh at this. But it got even better when he looked over the NEWTs letter.
Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Test Results:
Pass Grades:
Outstanding (O)
Exceeds Expectations (E)
Acceptable (A)
Fail Grades:
Poor (P)
Dreadful (D)
Troll (T)
Dolores Jane Umbridge has achieved:
Charms:
Acceptable (A) -
Transfiguration:
Poor (P) +
Astronomy:
Acceptable (A) +
Herbology:
Dreadful (D)
History of Magic:
Exceeds Expectations (E) +
Divinations:
Acceptable (A) -
We congratulate Dolores Jane Umbridge for the completion of four NEWTs
Umbridge had barely gotten six OWLs and only four NEWTs. Her marks in DADA were horrible and yet she still somehow claimed to be qualified to teach? Harry knew he needed to share this with as many students as possible and he knew just the right people to do the job.
He pulled out the map and searched for his favorite set of twins. He found them in the Gryffindor common room and decided to head there immediately. There was no time to lose.
Luckily the common room was also on the seventh floor. He quickly headed over to the Portrait of the Fat Lady, just in time to see Dennis Creevey enter:
"Creevey!" Harry yelled after him before the Portrait could close: "Could you please tell Fred and George Weasley that Harry Potter needs to speak to them immediately."
The Gryffindor's head popped back out in the corridor. He looked at Harry warily before nodding and heading back inside.
"You know your parents were students in my house..." The fat Lady spoke up, watching Harry as he walked up and down the corridor in front of the entrance.
"Towards their seventh year, they were always sneaking out together late at night... Cost me a bunch of sleep, I tell you." She belittled him.
Harry snorted and ignored hearing about his parents' romantic adventures as best as he could, while he waited for the twins. It only took another minute until the Portrait swung open again and one flaming read head after another appeared. Just as Harry was about to open his mouth, the voice of Dumbledore carried through the entire castle, as if cast from invisible speakers in every inch of wall, floor, and ceiling:
"All students from all years are required to gather in the Great Hall in 15 minutes. Prefects, please make sure that each year in your house is fully present and no students are missing."
Fred and George frowned and looked at Harry expectantly.
"What, dear Harrykins..."
"... have you done this time?"
"Listen, guys, I need a favor..." Harry said as he pulled out the two pieces of parchment and cast a duplication charm on both of them. He kept the originals and passed the copies to Fred and George: "I need you to somehow pass these around the entire student population during whatever meeting is about to take place."
The twins were studying the parchments in their hands with wide grins. Harry pulled both of them aside, just as the first students started climbing out of the passageway behind the Portrait:
"I guess we will find out how exactly you managed to get your fingers on this, but rest assured, that they will be in the hands of every single student in the castle by tonight." Fred grinned.
"Indeed Harry. This seems like a job for the Weasley twins." His twin nodded in agreement.
"Perfect, I knew you guys would pull through." Harry grinned back: "Try not to get caught. I am certain whatever Filch always rambles about doing, you will look relaxed compared to what Umbridge will."
"No worries, Harry. We will see you in the Great Hall."
Harry nodded and quickly took off towards a shortcut down to the Great Hall. What he desperately needed right now was an alibi. He pulled out the Map and scanned the crowd of Ravenclaws making their way down from the tower to the Great Hall. He quickly found Terry. The boy was pretty much his only hope at providing him with an alibi. There was no doubt that Umbridge would be suspecting him for the break-in.
Harry reappeared behind a tapestry on the ground floor. He cast a disillusionment charm and hurried over to the Great Hall. The Slytherin from the dungeons and Hufflepuffs from close to the kitchens were slowly starting to enter the Great Hall by now. After a minute he could also spot a few Ravenclaws. Luckily Terry was walking by himself right now.
Harry, still invisible, sneaked in-between the incoming students until he reached Terry's side.
"Merlin, Harry." Terry gasped as Harry removed the charm and revealed himself: "Don't surprise me like that ever again... Do you know what going on here by the way?"
"Terry, I need you to provide an alibi for me, okay? Where have you been within the last 30 minutes since dinner?" Harry whispered as they moved into the Great Hall.
"I have been in our dorm, doing some reading." Terry frowned, but quickly caught on: "I will cover for you, no worries."
"Thank you, Terry, I owe you." Harry sighed: " Tell them that I was with you for a while before making my way to the Gryffindor tower, you understand? Also, just make sure to avoid eye contact in case either Snape or Dumbledore ask you about details."
Terry nodded while casting a confused look around the Great Hall. The house tables were removed and the teachers stood at the front. Harry could barely hold back a chuckle when he saw a fuming Umbridge glaring at the incoming Ravenclaws, probably looking for him.
Each house simply stood as a large group in the spot where usually their table would be. Exciting whispers were going around. Something like this has not happened during Harry's time at Hogwarts before. Then, Dumbledore turned towards the students:
"I apologize for calling you back down here so shortly after you have left dinner. However, there has been an incident, which needs to be discussed." Dumbledore waited a few seconds until the level of noise dropped reasonably low again:
"Professor Umbridge, if you would like to address the students?" Dumbledore asked the toad next to him.
Umbridge took a few steps forward. She was not even close to as imposing as she probably thought she was. She looked just as ever, perhaps her face had a bit more color. But her small eyes were narrowed even further than usual as she glared at the still confused students before her:
"Just a few minutes ago..." Umbridge started and there was nothing of the girlish sweetness in her voice now: "... a student broke into my office and stole some very private documents from me."
Exciting whispers broke out once more. Harry could make out a few people giggling.
"Silence!" Umbridge shrieked and the students shut up at once:
"I have been very lenient in terms of punishments before, so I will give you one chance." Umbridge grinned crudely: "If you know of anyone, who could be behind this, come forth now. Besides house points and other privileges, you will have my full gratitude and that of the Ministry of Magic. Just imagine the possibilities for yourself or even your family currently working there."
Umbridge expectantly looked at the crowd, as if she expected a multitude of students to come forth, all giving her various leads. Harry did notice, however, that by now a few students were shooting curious looks at him. That was no surprise... After all, everyone knew about the ongoing conflict between him and the High Inquisitor.
It seems Umbridge also noticed the subtle looks because her small angry eyes found Harry's: "Mr. Potter..." She returned to her fake bitter-sweet voice: "Step forwards."
Harry rose his brows in curiosity and calmly stepped in front of the Ravenclaws: "Yes, ma'am?"
"Empty all your pockets, now!"
A murmur went through the Great Hall, but Harry simply smiled and shook his head: "No, I won't."
Umbridge was fuming: "Empty your pockets right now, Mr. Potter. You are a student and will follow my commands! Do it now, or I will see you expelled from this school!"
"Again, you seem to forget an important detail, Ma'am. I am fully emancipated. Legally, I am an adult. As such, I am not required to hand over any of my personal belongings, unless you have concrete evidence?"
Snickers and chuckles went around the Great Hall. By now, most people were used to Harry outplaying the ministry woman in any verbal confrontation they had so far, Out of the corner of his eye, Harry noticed that Fred and George held up three fingers. Did that mean they needed three more minutes?
"Detention, Potter!" Umbridge spat: "Until you confess."
"I am afraid I cannot allow that, Dolores." Dumbledore finally stepped in. He had been watching the entire interaction with a look of curiosity and amusement: "Is there anyone here, who can confirm Mr. Potter's whereabouts over the last 30 minutes since dinner?"
After only a few seconds, Terry took a few steps forward: "I can, sir. Harry was with me in our dorm in the Ravenclaw tower. He was helping me with some reading. After that, he left for the Gryffindor tower."
To Harry's surprise, now Colin Creevey stepped forward: "I can confirm it, sir. I saw him up there in front of the Portrait.
Umbridge seemed about ready to strangle Terry and Colin. Harry couldn't hold back a smile: "Will that be all, ma'am?"
"No, it won't!" Umbridge growled once more: "I know it was him, headmaster! I want him expelled!"
"And how exactly do you know it was young Harry?" Dumbledore asked curiously: "You always seem rather quick to blame the young man, anyway?"
"Indeed, ma'am... You seemed to have taken an unnatural and obviously unhealthy interest in me. I am very sorry, but another woman has fully captured my heart already" Harry spoke up.
The students behind him snickered. A few even buckled up in laughter. Harry himself grinned widely.
"Detention, Potter!" Umbridge yelled: "For disrespecting a professor!"
Shit... That was perhaps too far. Harry searched Dumbledore's eyes, but the man shook his head ever so slightly. It seems there was no way out of this one: "If you insist, ma'am."
Umbridge was about to interrogate him even further when a single paper plane slowly floated from the ceiling of the Great Hall. The entire hall, professors and students, were watching as the plane flew lower and lower until it was so close, that Harry could snatch it out of the air.
He had a good idea of what he was about to see as he unfolded the piece of parchment.
"What is that, Mr. Potter?" Umbridge asked: "What do you have there?"
Harry could barely hold back a burst of laughter: "I'm terribly sorry ma'am... But this seems to belong to you."
With a flick of his wand, the paper folded back into an airplane, and Harry levitated it over to Umbridge who snatched it out of the air herself. Everyone was staring at Umbridge, waiting for her to reveal what she held in her hands.
The woman small eyes were scanning the documents and narrowed impossibly further. She turned a deep crimson as if someone had infused boiling hot water into her body. This time, her hand twitched to her wand, but before she could pull it, the large door to the Great Hall burst open and over a hundred paper airplanes shot through the air.
Everywhere students were shrieking in excitement, trying to snatch the planes out of the air. From the ceiling and an open window, even more planes started flying into the Great Hall.
Harry grinned... Fred and George had not held back when they mentioned that every student would be able to have his own copy of Umbridge's results.
The first students had secured a paper plane, gestured their closest friends over, and quickly began reading. Meanwhile, Umbridge was casting one Incendio after another and collected as many paper planes as possible to burn them in bulk. However, it seems that the more paper planes she burned, the larger the number of new ones that arrived in the Great Hall.
Many students had finished reading by now and started openly laughing at the irony of being taught by a professor who barely passed her OWLs and did not even manage a NEWT in Defense against the Dark Arts. Students were exchanging OWL and NEWT results with each other, allowing everyone to have a look at either document.
Even the other professors and members of staff had secured their own copies and were reading in amusement. None of them were even thinking about supporting Umbridge, who, by now, was running through the Great Hall snatching the documents out of the hands of various students and burning them to ashes. Harry searched for Fred and George, who were watching the entire scene, laughing wholeheartedly.
"Perhaps, it is best if everyone returned to their dormitories." Dumbledore declared after amplifying his voice so the excited students could all hear him. "Prefects, please stay behind to help the staff in cleaning up."
Harry watched as many students grabbed a copy for themselves and left the Great Hall with snickers and grinning widely. The supply of new paper planes soon stopped, leaving the floor of the Great Hall littered in parchment.
He mirrored the Headmaster's technique. With wide swings of his wand, he started collecting up the documents and leaving piles for other students to burn. This could not have gone any better.
September 15th, 1995
Overnight, Umbridge became the laughing stock of the entire castle. Harry could already imagine how she would combat the drop in her credibility. Indeed, the next morning, he was proven correct:
"The following is in accordance with Educational Decree 25:"
"Any student, in whose possession sensitive and or private documents of staff members are found, will be expelled."
Naturally, this was exactly was she should not have done. In any case, the students were far ahead of her. Everyone had seen the documents already. It was still the number once subject, even at breakfast table that morning.
The previous night, after cleaning up in the Great Hall, Harry had mirror-called Fleur and told her all about the little prank. The Veela found it very amusing but warned Harry to not push Umbridge's buttons too far. The woman could make his life even more complicated.
As he was forced to take DADA again, he was currently sitting in the back of the Defense room, acting like he was reading another chapter in the useless book. A few weeks ago, he had started going over the more complicated spells in Herpo the Foul's book about Parselmagic. Nowadays he could easily understand most of them. Right now, he was still reading the chapter and Herpo's notes about unsupported flight.
"No spell yet devised enables wizards to fly unaided in human form... Levitation is commonplace, but our ancestors were not content with hovering five feet from the ground. They wanted more: They wanted to fly like birds, but without the inconvenience of growing feathers."
Well... Soon, Harry would be able to fly in his Animagus form already... But the idea of unsupported flight was very promising. Was it too risky to ask DUmbledore about it?
"A broom is just like a wand. It is a magical tool, which channels the wielder's intent and powers. However, truly gifted wizards and witches have no need for tools like those."
Now, this is where things got interesting. Harry was very advanced in wandless magic already. Not on the same level as someone like Dumbledore or Voldemort, of course, but on a good path. He would definitely need to do some further research on this.
His thought process was interrupted as Harry noticed the students around him getting up and packing their bags. He followed their example.
"Mr. Potter..." Harry groaned as Umbridge was back to her sweet girlish voice: "Stay behind, we will discuss the matter of your detention."
Harry nodded and remained in his seat. As soon as all the other students left, Umbridge slowly walked over to him. "You will sit your detention tonight at 8:00 pm in my office. There is no need for you to bring anything."
Harry nodded: "Understood, ma'am. Will that be all?"
The woman nodded and turned back to her desk, allowing Harry to leave.
At 8:00 pm, Harry found himself knocking on the door to Umbridge's office. Soon after, she said, "Come in," in a sugary voice. He entered cautiously, looking around. The office seemed just like yesterday when he had broken in. It might be his imagination, but the kittens on the wall seemed a tat more aggressive towards him.
Umbridge spoke again. "Good evening, Mr. Potter."
Harry's eyes found the professor. She was wearing a luridly flowered set of robes that blended only too well with the tablecloth on the desk behind her.
"Evening, ma'am" Harry replied politely.
"Well, sit down," she said, pointing toward a small table draped in lace beside which she had drawn up a straight-backed chair. A piece of blank parchment lay on the table, apparently waiting for him.
She was watching him with her head slightly to one side, still smiling widely, as though she knew exactly what he was thinking. Harry shrugged and sat down on the straight-backed chair.
"Well now," she said finally, setting down her quill and looking like a toad about to swallow a particularly juicy fly. "What would you like to drink?"
"Excuse me, ma'am?" said Harry, quite sure he had misheard her.
"To drink, Mr. Potter," she said, smiling still more widely. "Tea? Coffee? Pumpkin juice?"
As she named each drink, she gave her short wand a wave, and a cup or glass of it appeared upon her desk. Was she really stupid enough to believe he would be accepting a drink from her?
"Nothing, thank you," said Harry with determination.
"I wish you to have a drink with me," she said, her voice becoming more dangerously sweet. "Choose one."
"And I am telling you that I will not share a drink with you, ma'am," Harry replied neutrally.
"Fine... Very well... Potter." Umbridge glared at him as she vanished the drinks with a flick of her wand.
"Now, you are going to be doing some lines for me, Mr. Potter."
"You have asked me not to bring any of my school supplies, ma'am," Harry reminded her.
"You won't need your own quill or parchment." Umbridge smirked at him: "You're going to be using a rather special quill. One of mine."
She walked over to a large wardrobe and pulled open a drawer. Harry could not see what lay inside from his position, but Umbridge seemed to be choosing between sets of quills. It took her an awful lot of time, but she finally returned with an ordinary-looking quill and placed it before Harry.
Harry was naturally a suspicious person. It had taken her very long to grab a quill. In addition, she even mentioned that he would be using a special quill, one of hers. He held eye contact with her and placed his hand above the quill, trying to sense if there was any magic embedded in it.
He could not feel anything. He doubted that Umbridge could cast a concealment charm strong enough to hide magical traces, so with shrug, he grabbed the quill and looked expectantly at Umbridge: "What would you like me to write?"
"I want you to write 'I must respect my betters,' " she told him softly.
Harry repressed his snort. "How many times?" He asked, with a creditable imitation of politeness.
"Oh, as long as it takes for the message to sink in," said Umbridge sweetly. "Off you go." She moved over to her desk, sat down, and bent over a stack of parchment that looked like essays for marking.
Harry did not move an inch.
"Well, Mr. Potter?" The fat woman sneered.
"You did not give me any ink, ma'am." Harry smiled coldly.
Umbridge seemed momentarily confused as she stared at Harry. Then, she quickly composed herself and said with the merest suggestion of a laugh in her voice: "Of course, Mr. Potter. Here you go."
She placed a bottle of ink in front of him. Harry dibbed the point of the quill in the small bottle with ink and wrote: I must respect my betters.
He paused for a second to see if anything would happen. Nothing... It appeared to be an ordinary quill, with ordinary ink and ordinary parchment then. He continued writing.
It wasn't the worst detention if he was being honest. He had written on his notes for spells and other projects for hours in earlier years. Besides, he could allow muscle memory in his hand to take over and let his thought drift to more important topics.
For example his next target... There was still a bunch of Death Eaters out there. Many of them were not rotting in Azkaban, as of now. The most prominent were Lucius Malfoy, Corban Yaxley, the siblings Amycus and Alecto Carrow, and Walden MacNair.
Like Avery, all five of them were skilled fighters. Especially for the Carrow twins, he would require Fleur's help once more. In addition, there was also the threat of Fenrir Greyback. The man might not be a Death Eater as of yet, but he was almost equally as skilled and with his pack of Werewolves, he might be a real threat.
Luckily, in terms of skill, the most dangerous followers of the Dark Lord were still in Azkaban. Harry knew of a few very high-ranking Deatheaters.
Bellatrix Lestrange: A lethal figter. The former Black girl could have become a world-class duelist if she had not been married off to another house like some piece of cattle.
Antonin Dolohov: One of the most skilled and very creative duelists the world has ever seen before he decided that actually killing people in a fight was more fun than stopping after some referee blows a whistle. He had been Harry's first dueling mentor after he purchased his book. He learned perhaps even more than from the man than from Flitwick.
Augustus Rookwood: A strategist and a genius in his field. He left Hogwarts as a prodigy in Ancient Runes and Arithmancy and with Outstandings in almost all other subjects. After completing his mastery in Germany, the British Department of Mysteries accepted him with open arms, where he acted as a spy for Voldemort. The man was not much of a fighter, but perhaps one of the smartest individuals with excellent logical reasoning skills.
Rodolphus and Rabastan Lestrange: According to Sirius, they were a few years above him at Hogwarts. Both were brutal and lethal fighters, however, neither of them had an ounce of logic
Gibbon and Jugson: Both were reasonably skilled, however not on the same level as Bellatrix and Dolohov. Apparently, they did enjoy killing though. They had murdered the Weasley's Uncles, the Prewetts.
Finally, there were Mulciber, Travers, and Rowle, all three were pretty much just additional manpower and muscle, similar to Crabbe and Goyle. Luckily those were both dead.
Finally, there were only two known Death Eaters remaining. One was Igor Karkaroff. The coward had fled, as soon as he felt the burn of the Dark Mark, at the beginning of last summer.
The other one... And the last Death Eater Harry knew off, was perhaps one of the most dangerous. He was close to Harry. In fact, he was right here in the castle, only a few floors below him.
Severus Snape was still a mystery to Harry. The man had been friends with his mother. Perhaps he would have liked to be more than friends, which would explain the dislike for Harry's father. According to Sirius, even as a child, he had been studying the Dark Arts and became the youngest potions master in Britain's history.
What led the man to stop pursuing his path as a Death Eater? What convinced him to join Dumbledore and spy against his former master? Could one really put trust into a man who served two masters? What were Snape's actual goals?
Harry was pondering over those questions, when Umbridge finally looked up, around 11.00 pm. "That will do Mr. Potter. I am certain the message has sunken in by now, hasn't it?"
"Definitely, professor," Harry replied his face blank of any expression.
"Well, off you go then. Let this be a lesson to you." Umbridge shot him a fake smile.
Harry wasted no time and left her office. This had been over three hours wasted on writing lines. He would need to make sure not to leash out on her in such a way again. His time was too valuable to be wasted like that.
October 4th, 1995
Harry stood outside the castle on the wide grounds, at the place, where the Beauxbaton carriage used to be last year. He was bouncing up and down on his heels in excitement to see Fleur again.
Over the last two weeks, Fleur had been incredibly busy with her preparations for her NEWTs. Harry knew very well how important those grades were to her, so he allowed her as much time as possible.
They had not seen each other since their mission against Avery, only having the occasional mirror call at night. That is why today they agreed to go on a date. Fleur would arrive shortly by Portkey and Harry would take her on a date for the Hogsmeade weekend that was today.
A sound behind him made Harry turn around. There she was... Looking as radiant as ever, maybe even more beautiful, ever since Harry could call the blonde French witch his.
She wore a similar outfit as she had on their very first date in the village. Knee-high dark boots. With the high waist jeans, Harry liked on her and her long dark blue cloak, under which Harry spotted the top of a turtleneck sweater.
Fleur landed gracefully and looked around. When her eyes found Harry, she started beamed and a large smile appeared on her face. Unable to hide their excitement, both ran towards one another and engulfed each other in a deep hug.
Her fresh scent filled his nostrils and nothing mattered anymore. Everything that was important to Harry was right here, tightly engulfed in his arms. Right now nothing mattered but Fleur.
After a minute, Fleur looked up with a bright gleam in her dark blue eyes. Instinctively, Harry leaned down to kiss her. Neither of them knew how much time passed before they broke the kiss, but both had goofy smiles on their faces. No words were needed right now, as Harry held out his hand and gestured for the road to the Village.
"How have you been?" Harry asked the Veela, as he pulled her closer by the waist and allowed Fleur to snuggle herself against his side.
"NEWTs are as exhausting as the name might suggest. But I am confident that I will be achieving excellent grades, once again."
"I am sure you will," Harry kissed the top of her head with a grin.
The couple drew a lot of eyes to them from the passing students. People had been speculating whether they had broken up or not. Many openly pointed their fingers at them to show their friends and fellow students when they spotted them.
As always, boys started drooling as Fleur passed them. By now she usually had exceptional control over her Allure, but being physically close to Harry after being separated for so long, meant that she couldn't quite control the small outbreaks of her passive allure.
Of course, Harry did not even notice it by now. The boys around them, however, did. More than a few needed to be slapped back into reality after Fleur had passed them.
"How are things over here?" Fleur asked as she looked around: "I have missed this small cute village, but certainly not the stares from the other Hogwarts students."
Towards the entrance to the village, the crowd thinned out as people spread into different directions. Of course, Fleur wanted to visit the Honeydukes and restock on her chocolate. Therefore, Harry and Fleur followed three familiar-looking students, who were also walking in the same direction.
Even from a couple of meters away, Harry recognizes Granger's bushy and Weasley's bright red hair. The third one had to be Longbottom. However, as Fleur and Harry came closer to passing them, they heard something very interesting.
"No, I am sure it is allowed," Granger says with determination. "I have checked the rule books multiple times and even asked Professor Flitwick. Students are allowed in the Hogshead."
"Alright, alright..." Weasley calmed her. "Let's see how many of them even come. I bet most are too scared of Umbridge anyways."
Harry tucked on Fleur's hand and gestured for her to wait a few seconds until the trio had put some distance between them. Fleur had a smirk on her lips: "Should we follow them? I always wanted to take part in one of Harry Potter's incredible adventures."