Sorry. I am sorry that I didn't upload the past few days. Truth be told, I just wasn't that interested in writing for a few days. I needed a break. I will try make this chapter the best I can.

Chapter 20: Hazel

The next few weeks were uninteresting, unless you count all seven of us, and we suspected Harry, were all having the exact same dreams. Apparently, the scene where we learnt about Rookwood and Voldemort, was shared by Harry. I knew that those events actually happened, but the question was, what was their significance? Anyways, with our OWLS drawing nearer, we were still giving mountains of homework and revision. While Ron and Jason had Quidditch Practice, Harry had those Occlumency lessons.

Many times, at breakfast, the day after an Occlumency lesson, he would complain about how Occlumency didn't help at all. How it made his mind feel more exposed, as opposed to feeling more protected. Today however, something tragic, but quite unsurprising. The Seven and Hermione were just walking around the Hogwarts grounds, enjoying the nice weather. We came back in, until a shrill screech echoed throughout the courtyard. We hurried to see what happened, only to see a sobbing Professor Trelawny. I knew what was happening. It was quite expected, but it still was sad to see our Divination teacher reduced to this.

"Did you really think otherwise?" A high-pitched girlish voice simpered. I saw Umbridge, smiling nastily at Trelawny, while she mumbled incomprehensible words under her breath. "Your failure to demonstrate your ability to predict the future, and your inability to improve, wouldn't it be obvious that you would be sacked?"

"You ca-can't do this! Hogwarts, Hogwarts is my home!" Trelawny shouted.

"It was your home. Now, you are no longer welcome," Umbridge said, grinning, obviously pleased with herself for bringing this all about.

Lavender and Parvati were both crying quietly, their arms round each other. Then I heard footsteps. Professor McGonagall had broken away from the spectators, marched straight up to Professor Trelawney and was patting her firmly on the back while withdrawing a large handkerchief from within her robes.

"There, there, Sybill ... calm down ... blow your nose on this ... it's not as bad as you think, now ... you are not going to have to leave Hogwarts ..."

"Oh really, Professor McGonagall?' said Umbridge in a deadly voice, taking a few steps forward. "And your authority for that statement is ... ?"

"That would be mine," said a deep voice.

The oaken front doors had swung open. Students beside them scuttled out of the way as Dumbledore appeared in the entrance. Dumbledore looked as impressive as ever. However, what surprised me, was the friendly twinkle that was always present in his eyes, had suddenly disappeared. It appeared to be replaced by anger and … well, I didn't know what else. Clearly he wasn't feeling courteous towards Umbridge at that time. He strode forwards, the crowd parting before him, towards Trelawney, tear-stained and trembling, on her trunk, Professor McGonagall alongside her.

"Really Professor Dumbledore?" She asked, exasperated. "I thought I made it quite clear to you, that under Educational Degree Number Twenty-Three, I certainly do have the power to sack, or dismiss a particular teacher from a teaching position, or have you forgotten?" To my surprise, Dumbledore's smile returned, and he smartly answered back.

"That much is true, but you do not have the authority to banish them from the grounds. That power still remains with the Headmaster"

"Oh is that so? Well, what happens when I manage to appoint a new Divination Teacher. The teacher will obviously need her lodgings."

"That won't matter, as I have already found a replacement," Dumbledore boomed, the twinkle slowly returning for good. Smiling he gestured to the doors at the front of the school, through which he had entered. "This is Firenze, I would assume that he would be suitable," A brilliant white bodied stallion erupted through the front doors. With white-blond hair and astonishingly blue eyes; the head and torso of a man joined to the palomino body of a horse, he looked vastly different from the other centaurs that I had seen. Dumbledore announced, chuckling softly at the look of disbelief etched onto Umbridge's face, we knew that she hated Half-Breeds.

Firenze's lessons were very erratic. He would start on one topic and then keep changing his mind on what different things meant. Until he usually came to the conclusion that what we were seeing may take many years to interpret. In my opinion, Divination was very imprecise, unlike Rachel, our Oracle and Camp Half-Blood.

Our DA Lessons were still going strong, until today. We were working on Patronuses. We had all managed to produce a Patronus. Percy's was a Horse, Annabeth's was an Owl, mine was a Dove, Jason's was an Eagle, Hazel's was a Screech Owl, there were noticeable differences between Annabeth's and Hazels. Frank's was a boar, and Leo's was a Donkey, which we made fun of him for. All of a sudden, Dobby came into the Room of Requirement. Obviously, we were all mystified, and laid down our wands. Harry initiated conversations. Annabeth, seemed to be calculating what was happening.

'Hi, Dobby!' he said. 'What are you-What's wrong?'

The elf's eyes were wide with terror and he was shaking. The members of the DA closest to Harry had fallen silent; everybody in the room was watching Dobby. The few Patronuses people had managed to conjure faded away into silver mist, leaving the room looking much darker than before.

'Harry Potter, sir ...' squeaked the elf, trembling from head to foot, 'Harry Potter, sir ... Dobby has come to warn you ... but the house-elves have been warned not to tell ...'

He ran head-first at the wall. Harry, made to seize him, but Dobby merely bounced off the stone, cushioned by his eight hats. I, and a few of the other girls let out squeaks of fear and sympathy.

'What's happened, Dobby?' Harry asked, grabbing the elf's tiny arm and holding him away from anything with which he might seek to hurt himself.

'Harry Potter ... she ... she ...'

Dobby hit himself hard on the nose with his free fist. Harry seized that, too.

'Who's "she", Dobby?'

But realization dawned on Annabeth's face. Harry and Frank also seemed to read Dobby's fear and realise what he was warning us about?

'Umbridge?' asked Annabeth, horrified.

Dobby nodded, then tried to bang his head on Harry's knees. Harry held him at arm's length.

'What about her? Dobby-she hasn't found out about this-about us-about the DA?'

He read the answer in the elf's stricken face. His hands held fast by Harry, the elf tried to kick himself and fell to the floor.

'Is she coming?' Harry asked quietly.

Dobby let out a howl, and began beating his bare feet hard on the floor.

'Yes, Harry Potter, yes!'

Harry straightened up and looked around at the motionless, terrified people gazing at the thrashing elf.

'WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?' Harry bellowed. 'RUN!'

I ran for the door. The Seven of us legged it towards the exit. We formed a crowd at the exit, but we managed to force ourselves forwards.

Harry scooped up Dobby, who was still attempting to do himself serious injury, and ran with the elf in his arms to join the back of the queue.

'Dobby-this is an order-get back down to the kitchen with the other elves and, if she asks you whether you warned me, lie and say no!' said Harry. 'And I forbid you to hurt yourself!' he added, dropping the elf as he made it over the threshold at last and slammed the door behind him.

'Thank you, Harry Potter!' squeaked Dobby, and he streaked off. We glanced left and right, the others were all moving so fast he caught only glimpses of flying heels at either end of the corridor before they vanished; Jason and Percy took off to the right, running far further than us. I was running alongside Frank, as Annabeth and the rest took off at top speed. They turned the corner, while Frank and I were quite far behind them. Suddenly, both of us tripped up as rope-like objects ensnared our legs. I cried out in pain as my knee hit the ground hard, jarring it. I was about to turn around and see who tripped us up, but he spoke before.

"Ooooo… Lots of trouble makers. It's two of the Americans!" A drawling voice called. I turned around and saw the sleek blond head of Malfoy.

"PROFESSOR I'VE GOT TWO!" Malfoy shouted. Umbridge scuttled around the corner, and a look of incredulous delight spread over her toad-like face.

"Fifty Points to Slytherin Draco. Just nip about and see if you can find more of them. I'll take these lot from here. Malfoy nodded, and ran down the corridor that everyone else escaped through. We arrived at the Gargoyle outside Dumbledore's study after a long speech about misbehaving students. When we entered, the room was full of people, many I had never seen before.

Dumbledore was sitting behind his desk, his expression serene, the tips of his long fingers together. Professor McGonagall stood rigidly beside him, her face extremely tense. A wide man, with a small bowler's hat over his was rocking backwards and forwards on his toes beside the fire, apparently immensely pleased with the situation; Kingsley Shacklebolt and a tough-looking wizard with very short wiry hair whom I did not recognise, were positioned either side of the door like guards, and the freckled, bespectacled form of a Weasley hovered excitedly beside the wall, a quill and a heavy scroll of parchment in his hands, apparently poised to take notes. I assumed this was Percy and the man with the bowler's hat was Fudge, Minister for Magic. I also saw Harry in the corner, looking grim, flanked by Malfoy. However, the attention was not on us, it was on Harry.

'He was heading back to Gryffindor Tower,' said Umbridge. There was an indecent excitement in her voice, the same callous pleasure I had heard as she watched Professor Trelawney dissolving with misery in the Entrance Hall. 'The Malfoy boy cornered him.'

'Did he, did he?' said Fudge appreciatively. 'I must remember to tell Lucius. Well, Potter ... I expect you know why you are here?'

Harry changed direction mid-word.

'Ye-no.'

'I beg your pardon?' said Fudge.

'No,' said Harry, firmly.

'You don't know why you are here?'

'No, I don't,' said Harry.

Fudge looked incredulously from Harry to Professor Umbridge. He then proceeded to glare at us, before quickly returning his attention to Harry.

'So you have no idea,' said Fudge, in a voice positively sagging with sarcasm, 'why Professor Umbridge has brought you to this office? You are not aware that you have broken any school rules?'

'School rules?' said Harry. 'No.'

'Or Ministry Decrees?' amended Fudge angrily.

'Not that I'm aware of,' said Harry blandly.

'So, it's news to you, is it,' said Fudge, his voice now thick with anger, 'that an illegal student organisation has been discovered within this school?'

'Yes, it is,' said Harry, hoisting an unconvincing look of innocent surprise on to his face.

'I think, Minister,' said Umbridge silkily from beside him, 'we might make better progress if I fetch our informant.'

'Yes, yes, do,' said Fudge, nodding, and he glanced maliciously at Dumbledore as Umbridge left the room. 'There's nothing like a good witness, is there, Dumbledore?'

'Nothing at all, Cornelius,' said Dumbledore gravely, inclining his head.

Umbridge strode past us, completely ignoring us to open the door. Several minutes past where Fudge interviewed us and we echoed Harry's responses and feigned ignorance as to what had happened. Soon Cho's friend, Marietta came through the door, sobbing, with her face in her hands.

'Don't be scared, dear, don't be frightened,' said Professor Umbridge softly, patting her on the back, 'it's quite all right, now. You have done the right thing. The Minister is very pleased with you. He'll be telling your mother what a good girl you've been. Marietta's mother, Minister,' she added, looking up at Fudge, 'is Madam Edgecombe from the Department of Magical Transportation, Floo Network office- she's been helping us police the Hogwart's fires, you know.'

'Jolly good, jolly good!' said Fudge heartily. 'Like mother, like daughter, eh? Well, come on, now, dear, look up, don't be shy, let's hear what you've got to-galloping gargoyles!'

As Marietta raised her head, Fudge leapt backwards in shock, nearly landing himself in the fire. He cursed, and stamped on the hem of his cloak which had started to smoke. Marietta gave a wail and pulled the neck of her robes right up to her eyes, but not before everyone had seen that her face was horribly disfigured by a series of close-set purple pustules that had spread across her nose and cheeks to form the word 'SNEAK'.

'Never mind the spots now, dear,' said Umbridge impatiently, 'just take your robes away from your mouth and tell the Minister-'

But Marietta gave another muffled wail and shook her head frantically. I suddenly knew the jinx that Hermione had put on the parchment, and I learnt to never get onto Hermione's bad side.

'Oh, very well, you silly girl, I'll tell him,' snapped Umbridge. She hitched her sickly smile back on to her face and said, 'Well, Minister, Miss Edgecombe here came to my office shortly after dinner this evening and told me she had something she wanted to tell me. She said that if I proceeded to a secret room on the seventh floor, sometimes known as the Room of Requirement, I would find out something to my advantage. I questioned her a little further and she admitted that there was to be some kind of meeting there. Unfortunately, at that point this hex,' she waved impatiently at Marietta's concealed face, 'came into operation and upon catching sight of her face in my mirror the girl became too distressed to tell me any more.'

'Well, now,' said Fudge, fixing Marietta with what he evidently imagined was a kind and fatherly look, 'it is very brave of you, my dear, coming to tell Professor Umbridge. You did exactly the right thing. Now, will you tell me what happened at this meeting? What was its purpose? Who was there?'

But Marietta would not speak; she merely shook her head again, her eyes wide and fearful.

'Haven't we got a counter-jinx for this?' Fudge asked Umbridge impatiently, gesturing at Marietta's face. 'So she can speak freely?'

'I have not yet managed to find one,' Umbridge admitted grudgingly, and Harry felt a surge of pride in Hermione's jinxing ability 'But it doesn't matter if she won't speak, I can take up the story from here.

'You will remember, Minister, that I sent you a report back in October that Potter had met a number of fellow students in the Hog's Head in Hogsmeade-'

'And what is your evidence for that?' cut in Professor McGonagall.

'I have testimony from Willy Widdershins, Minerva, who happened to be in the bar at the time. He was heavily bandaged, it is true, but his hearing was quite unimpaired,' said Umbridge smugly. 'He heard every word Potter said and hastened straight to the school to report to me-'

'Oh, so that's why he wasn't prosecuted for setting up all those regurgitating toilets!' said Professor McGonagall, raising her eyebrows. 'What an interesting insight into our justice system!'

'Blatant corruption!' roared the portrait of the corpulent, red-nosed wizard on the wall behind Dumbledore's desk. 'The Ministry did not cut deals with petty criminals in my day, no sir, they did not!'

'Thank you, Fortescue, that will do,' said Dumbledore softly.

'The purpose of Potter's meeting with these students,' continued Professor Umbridge, 'was to persuade them to join an illegal society, whose aim was to learn spells and curses the Ministry has decided are inappropriate for school-age-'

'I think you'll find you're wrong there, Dolores,' said Dumbledore quietly, peering at her over the half-moon spectacles perched halfway down his crooked nose.

'Oho!' said Fudge, bouncing up and down on the balls of his feet again. 'Yes, do let's hear the latest cock-and-bull story designed to pull Potter out of trouble! Go on, then, Dumbledore, go on-'

'Willy Widdershins was lying, was he? Or was it Potter's identical twin in the Hog's Head that day? Or is there the usual simple explanation involving a reversal of time, a dead man coming back to life and a couple of invisible dementors?'

Percy Weasley let out a hearty laugh.

'Oh, very good, Minister, very good!'

'Cornelius, I do not deny-and nor, I am sure, does Harry—or anyone else, for that matter that he was in the Hog's Head that day, nor that he was trying to recruit students to a Defence Against the Dark Arts group. I am merely pointing out that Dolores is quite wrong to suggest that such a group was, at that time, illegal. If you remember, the Ministry Decree banning all student societies was not put into effect until two days after Harry's Hogsmeade meeting, so he was not breaking any rules at all in the Hog's Head.'

Percy looked as though he had been struck in the face by something very heavy. Fudge remained motionless in mid-bounce, his mouth hanging open.

Umbridge recovered first.

'That's all very fine, Headmaster,' she said, smiling sweetly, 'but we are now nearly six months on from the introduction of Educational Decree Number Twenty-four. If the first meeting was not illegal, all those that have happened since most certainly are.'

'Well,' said Dumbledore, surveying her with polite interest over the top of his interlocked fingers, 'they certainly would be, if they had continued after the Decree came into effect. Do you have any evidence that any such meetings continued?'

As if by impulse, while everyone's attention was on Dumbledore, I pulled my hands up, and began to manipulate the mist. I knew that it would take a lot of energy, but I used all of my willpower and plunged into the depths of Marietta's mind. With a great deal of energy, I managed to pluck out the memories of the past six months worth of DA Lessons. However, I felt as if an iron was pressed against my sternum. After extracting these memories I promptly collapsed. The thud attracted everyone's attention, but I ruefully smiled.

'Sorry, I tripped on the carpet.' Umbridge shook her head, and continued on her path.

'Evidence?' repeated Umbridge, with that horrible wide toad-like smile. 'Have you not been listening, Dumbledore? Why do you think Miss Edgecombe is here?'

'Oh, can she tell us about six months' worth of meetings?' said Dumbledore, raising his eyebrows. 'I was under the impression that she was merely reporting a meeting tonight.'

'Miss Edgecombe,' said Umbridge at once, 'tell us how long these meetings have been going on, dear. You can simply nod or shake your head, I'm sure that won't make the spots worse. Have they been happening regularly over the last six months?'

I thought this was the end, unless my mist warping abilities worked, which I was not sure of. Marietta shook her head, causing Umbridge's smile to morph to a frown. However, my smile grew, and I knew that I had successfully manipulated the Mist on such a precise level to do this.

'Miss Edgecombe, did you understand me? My question was whether these meetings have continued over the past six months?"

However, again, Marietta shook her head.

'What do you mean by shaking your head, dear?' said Umbridge in a testy voice.

'I would have thought her meaning was quite clear,' said Professor McGonagall harshly, 'there have been no secret meetings for the past six months. Is that correct, Miss Edgecombe?'

Marietta nodded.

'But there was a meeting tonight!' said Umbridge furiously. 'There was a meeting, Miss Edgecombe, you told me about it, in the Room of Requirement! And Potter was the leader, was he not, Potter organised it, Potter-why are you shaking your head, girl?'

'Well, usually when a person shakes their head,' said McGonagall coldly, 'they mean "no". So unless Miss Edgecombe is using a form of sign-language as yet unknown to humans-'

Professor Umbridge seized Marietta, pulled her round to face her and began shaking her very hard. A split second later Dumbledore was on his feet, his wand raised; Kingsley started forwards and Umbridge leapt back from Marietta, waving her hands in the air as though they had been burned.

'I cannot allow you to manhandle my students, Dolores,' said Dumbledore and, for the first time, he looked angry. Umbridge released her, and Fudge started to talk again.

'Dolores,' said Fudge, with the air of trying to settle something once and for all, 'the meeting tonight-the one we know definitely happened-'

'Yes,' said Umbridge, pulling herself together, 'yes ... well, Miss Edgecombe tipped me off and I proceeded at once to the seventh floor, accompanied by certain trustworthy students, so as to catch those in the meeting red-handed. It appears that they were forewarned of my arrival, however, because when we reached the seventh floor they were running in every direction. It does not matter, however. I have all their names here, Miss Parkinson ran into the Room of Requirement for me to see if they had left anything behind. We needed evidence and the room provided.'

I drew audible breath as they pulled out the list with all of our names on it. I tried to use the mist, to cover up the names, but I was too tired. I couldn't do it and collapsed again, using the tripped excuse once again.

'The moment I saw Potter's name on the list, I knew what we were dealing with,' she said softly.

'Excellent,' said Fudge, a smile spreading across his face, 'excellent, Dolores. And ... by thunder ...'

He looked up at Dumbledore, who was still standing beside Marietta, his wand held loosely in his hand.

'See what they've named themselves?' said Fudge quietly. 'Dumbledore's Army.'

Dumbledore reached out and took the piece of parchment from Fudge. He gazed at the heading scribbled by Hermione months before and for a moment seemed unable to speak. Then he looked up, smiling.

'Well, the game is up,' he said simply. 'Would you like a written confession from me, Cornelius -or will a statement before these witnesses suffice?'

I saw McGonagall and Kingsley look at each other. There was fear in both faces. I did not understand what was going on, and nor, apparently, did Fudge.

'Statement?' said Fudge slowly. 'What-I don't-?'

'Dumbledore's Army, Cornelius,' said Dumbledore, still smiling as he waved the list of names before Fudge's face. 'Not Potter's Army. Dumbledore's Army.'

'But-but-'

Understanding blazed suddenly in Fudge's face. He took a horrified step backwards, yelped, and jumped out of the fire again.

'You?' he whispered, stamping again on his smouldering cloak.

'That's right,' said Dumbledore pleasantly.

'You organised this?'

'I did,' said Dumbledore.

'You recruited these students for-for your army?'

'Tonight was supposed to be the first meeting,' said Dumbledore, nodding. 'Merely to see whether they would be interested in joining me. I see now that it was a mistake to invite Miss Edgecombe, of course.'

Marietta nodded. Fudge looked from her to Dumbledore, his chest swelling.

'Then you have been plotting against me!' he yelled.

'That's right,' said Dumbledore cheerfully.

'NO!' I shouted

Kingsley flashed a look of warning at me, McGonagall widened her eyes threateningly, but it had suddenly dawned on me what Dumbledore was about to do, and he could not let it happen.

'No-Professor Dumbledore-!'

'Be quiet, Hazel, or I am afraid you will have to leave my office,' said Dumbledore calmly.

'Yes, shut up, Levesque!' barked Fudge, who was still ogling Dumbledore with a kind of horrified delight. 'Well, well, well-I came here tonight expecting to expel Potter and instead-'

'Instead you get to arrest me,' said Dumbledore, smiling. 'It's like losing a Knut and finding a Galleon, isn't it?'

'Weasley!' cried Fudge, now positively quivering with delight, 'Weasley, have you written it all down, everything he's said, his confession, have you got it?'

'Yes, sir, I think so, sir!' said Percy eagerly, whose nose was splattered with ink from the speed of his note-taking.

'The bit about how he's been trying to build up an army against the Ministry, how he's been working to destabilise me?'

'Yes, sir, I've got it, yes!' said Percy, scanning his notes joyfully.

'Very well, then,' said Fudge, now radiant with glee, 'duplicate your notes, Weasley, and send a copy to the Daily Prophet at once. If we send a fast owl we should make the morning edition!' Percy dashed from the room, slamming the door behind him, and Fudge turned back to Dumbledore. 'You will now be escorted back to the Ministry, where you will be formally charged, then sent to Azkaban to await trial!'

'Ah,' said Dumbledore gently, 'yes. Yes, I thought we might hit that little snag.'

'Snag?' said Fudge, his voice still vibrating with joy. 'I see no snag, Dumbledore!'

Well,' said Dumbledore apologetically, 'I'm afraid I do.'

'Oh, really?'

Well-it's just that you seem to be labouring under the delusion that I am going to-what is the phrase?-come quietly.I am afraid I am not going to come quietly at all, Cornelius. I have absolutely no intention of being sent to Azkaban. I could break out, of course-but what a waste of time, and frankly, I can think of a whole host of things I would rather be doing.'

Umbridge's face was growing steadily redder; she looked as though she was being filled with boiling water. Fudge stared at Dumbledore with a very silly expression on his face, as though he had just been stunned by a sudden blow and could not quite believe it had happened. He made a small choking noise, then looked round at Kingsley and the man with short grey hair, who alone of everyone in the room had remained entirely silent so far. The latter gave Fudge a reassuring nod and moved forwards a little, away from the wall. Harry saw his hand drift, almost casually, towards his pocket.

'Don't be silly, Dawlish,' said Dumbledore kindly. 'I'm sure you are an excellent Auror-I seem to remember that you achieved "Outstanding" in all your NEWTs-but if you attempt to-er-bring me in by force, I will have to hurt you.'

The man called Dawlish blinked rather foolishly. He looked towards Fudge again, but this time seemed to be hoping for a clue as to what to do next.

'So,' sneered Fudge, recovering himself, 'you intend to take on Dawlish, Shacklebolt, Dolores and myself single-handed, do you, Dumbledore?'

'Merlin's beard, no,' said Dumbledore, smiling, 'not unless you are foolish enough to force me to.'

'He will not be single-handed!' said Professor McGonagall loudly, plunging her hand inside her robes.

'Oh yes he will, Minerva!' said Dumbledore sharply. 'Hogwarts needs you!'

'Enough of this rubbish!' said Fudge, pulling out his own wand. 'Dawlish! Shacklebolt! Take him!'

Suddenly, a flash of gold erupted around the room, and I did the only sensible thing. I hit the deck. Frank followed my example and so did the teachers. Harry, however, didn't catch on, neither did Marietta. McGonagall grabbed them both, and shunted them towards the ground. A gunshot-like sound exploded throughout the room.

When the dust cleared, Dumbledore beckoned us forward and addressed us.

"Listen, you two," he said, indicating Frank and I, "aid Harry and the others, if my sources are right, the attack is coming soon." I froze up, and so did Frank, Harry had a puzzled expression, but understanding, as if he knew what he was talking about. He then turned to address Harry. "Harry, listen. Study Occlumency as hard as you can. Close your mind at night to prevent the bad dreams. Listen to Professor Snape and do whatever he says. You will soon understand—"

Dawlish and Umbridge were beginning to stir…

"Close your mind!" He said. Before turning around and marching to Fawkes, the brilliant phoenix spread his wings, and Dumbledore latched onto his magnificent tail feathers. Red light flashed around the room, and suddenly everyone was shaken out of their stupor.

'Where is he?' yelled Fudge, pushing himself up from the floor. 'Where is he?'

'I don't know!' shouted Kingsley, also leaping to his feet.

'Well, he can't have Disapparated!' cried Umbridge. 'You can't do it from inside this school- '

'The stairs!' cried Dawlish, and he flung himself upon the door, wrenched it open and disappeared, followed closely by Kingsley and Umbridge. Fudge hesitated, then got slowly to his feet, brushing dust from his front. There was a long and painful silence.

'Well, Minerva,' said Fudge nastily, straightening his torn shirtsleeve, 'I'm afraid this is the end of your friend Dumbledore.'

'You think so, do you?' said Professor McGonagall scornfully.

Fudge seemed not to hear her. He was looking around at the wrecked office. A few of the portraits hissed at him; one or two even made rude hand gestures.

'You'd better get those four off to bed,' said Fudge, looking back at Professor McGonagall with a dismissive nod towards us. We marched out of the office. Frank and Harry went off towards the Gryffindor common room. However, Frank ran back and gave me a kiss, before heading off.

Finally. It took me ages to do this. Chapter 21 coming out tomorrow. Don't hate me, I tried my best. Hope you enjoy, Review. Also, we hit 10K Views!

~RedGods