Author's Note: There is a lemon in this chapter. It's not as descriptive as some of my other works. If such things offend you, then don't read.

Apparently Umbridge could do more than just run Dumbledore out of the castle. This time, she managed to kill two birds with one stone.

I stared at the decree, the twenty-eighth one, as rumors and speculations stirred the air around me. Several students had approached me this morning about what happened last night, about Dumbledore's flight from the castle, and about the sudden appearance of the new decree. This one she had hung up all over the school, not just in the Entrance Hall with the others. I could not answer the students. All I could say was that the decree was real, and that they should not cause trouble for themselves. I pointed out the other decree, the one that said teachers could get in trouble for offering information unrelated to teacher's subject to the students. I didn't want to disappoint them, but I was in no mood for anything anymore.

The front doors opened as students came in from their outside classes. I was supposed to help Professor Sprout with the fifth years today, but, thanks to Umbridge's reign, I could not. I could not even take points from the Slytherin students who had joined her Inquisitor Squad and were abusing the power of taking points from the other Houses. The Inquisitorial Squad . . . what a fuckin' joke. A first year would sneeze, and one of those bastards would dock twenty points from the student's house.

"Tal - Mr. Creary, are you okay?"

I blinked. How long had I been standing there, I had no clue. I twisted slightly to the right to see a small cluster of Gryffindor fifth years staring at me with concern. Harry's emerald eyes flashed with worry as I gazed absentmindedly at them. "Hm?"

"You've been standing there for a few minutes," said Lavender, "since we came in."

"Have I?" I gave myself a shake. "It appears I have been." I sighed quietly. "You've all seen the new decree, right?"

There was a grumble of agreement from the students.

"Well, it appears our Headmistress -" I spat out the word. "- has taken a great disliking for me." I reached into my pocket and pulled out a rolled piece of parchment. There were scorch marks on it from where I tried to set it on fire with several curses, but apparently she had placed a spell on it to prevent me from doing so; each time I tried, the flames would bounce off. "I received this this morning," I said. "It's effective immediately."

"What does it say?" asked Ron, peering over the heads of his fellow Gryffindors.

"I am terribly sorry, my friends. I did not know it would come to this." I sighed again. "I am no longer an assistant teacher to the professors at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I have been dismissed by our Headmistress, as she does not feel I am qualified to help teach the students."

There were sounds of protest from more than the cluster of students. The Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs passing through had paused on their journeys to hear the news. The shocked looks almost broke my heart.

"There's something else, isn't there?" Hermione moved forward and stretched out a hand. I hesitated but handed over the parchment. She unrolled it and scanned the contents. After a moment, she lowered it. Her mouth had dropped into a little 'o' shape. "You have to leave the school?"

"What?"

"You can't just leave!"

"Who does Umbridge think she is?"

"But we've learned so much from you."

I held up a hand to hush the students. "I just have to leave the castle, not the grounds, so I'll still be around if any of you need anything. You know I will still help or talk to you if you need me. I would never turn you away."

"Where will you go?" asked Parvati.

"I have a small setup near the edge of the forest." I looked around at the students. "I may not be your assistant teacher, but I will always be a friend to you." I glanced at Harry. "My quarters have already been emptied. I doubt I will be returning to the castle anytime soon." I took the parchment from Hermione. "Good luck on your O.W.L.s. You will need them in the years to come. I have the utmost faith in all of you." With one last glance around the Entrance Hall, I walked away from the gaping students and out the door.

I headed straight to my new living quarters, a small cabin that had been erected at the very edge of the Forbidden Forest, just a stone's throw from Hagrid's garden. I wandered down the sloping grounds with purpose, taking the path through the giant stones. Some students milled about on the lawn, taking advantage of the warmth, and I could feel their eyes on me. I ignored them the best I could, but returned greetings when they were spoken.

My cabin grew closer and closer. I had not been inside it yet, but from the looks of the outside, I knew the inside was going to need some tending to.

Hagrid was digging a hole deep enough to bury an elephant in his garden when I reached the front door. I offered a wave of greeting then opened the door to my new living space.

The smell of rotten wood filled my nostrils immediately, and I sneezed. It was small. The main room was a combination of a living room and kitchen. It was furnished with rusty-looking utensils and mismatched furniture. Two doors were on the right side. The first one led to a tiny bathroom that housed a toilet, sink and shower. The second, to a bedroom that had a small chest of drawers near the door and a full-sized bed on the floor against the back wall. A patched blanket and a lumpy-looking pillow were sitting on the bed haphazardly as if someone had literally thrown them onto the bed.

With a groan of annoyance, I withdrew my wand from its sheath. This will not do. I may be wild, but I need something a bit better than this. I waved my wand through the musty air. The dresser became a bit bigger and polished itself until it had a sleek shine. A new blanket, black as night, and soft-looking replaced the old blanket on the bed. The pillow became longer and smoothed itself. A rug appeared on the wooden floor between the mattress and the door.

I backed out of the room.

Waving my wand like a conductor's baton, I set to work refurbishing the cabin to my liking. It took over an hour, but at least the cabin was now more comfortable. A fire crackled merrily in the hearth as I sat down on the repaired sofa. The silence was comforting in its own way, but I did miss the companionship of the wolf portrait. She was a kind soul, and a great listener.

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"It's actually kind of cozy in here." Hermione looked around the main space of the cabin. "Has it always looked so inviting?" She sat down in one of the rocking chairs I had conjured for her and Ron. Harry was cuddled against my side on the small sofa. "I mean, I imagined something a little . . . worse."

"It wasn't the greatest," I admitted. "I had to work a little magic to get it the way it is now." I gently stroked my hand down Harry's side. "What I would like to know is why you risked your necks coming down here to see me."

Ron looked up from the book he was browsing through. It was nice to see him showing interest in Dark Creatures. "It's about Umbridge. We don't know who to trust in the school, especially now that D.A. has been cancelled." There was a hint of sadness in his voice. "And you don't really have an affiliation with the school anymore."

I sighed quietly. "What is Umbridge doing?"

"She's taking us to her office, and offering us drinks," said Hermione.

"Offering you drinks?" I asked, confused.

"Yes, and she acts so nice when she does it. It's scary. And she always asks the same question. 'Where is Albus Dumbledore?'"

"Do you drink it?"

"Of course not!"

"Good," I said. "She's probably laced it with something. Veritaserum is a potion used to force people, usually convicts, to tell the truth, no matter how damaging or revealing it is. Snape usually has a stock of it in his private stores," I added thoughtfully. "But it's illegal to use on students." I doubted Umbridge even asked the Minister for permission to use it, if she did. "But Umbridge has ways around the Ministry," I muttered to myself.

"Do you really think she would do that?" asked Hermione, earning looks from the rest of us. "Okay, we all know she would. Should we tell one of the staff about it?"

"I don't think that's a good idea," said Ron. "She may try to use that stuff on the teachers. We won't know who to trust."

"I agree," Harry piped up quietly, his breath fanning across my neck.

I shuddered a bit at the feeling. It felt fantastic to have him so close to me again. "Has she been asking you other questions?"

"The whereabouts of Harry's godfather," said Hermione.

"You godfather is well hidden, isn't he?" I asked Harry.

He nodded against my shoulder.

"You know about Sirius?" Ron sounded nervous.

"Yes, I do."

"What else do you know?"

"A lot."

"I keep forgetting you two have been together for while," said Ron with a roll of his eyes but a small grin. It seems he had gotten over the fact that his best friend is in a relationship with another male. "It's still something I'm getting used to."

I smiled at the redhead. "That's okay. We understand."

We fell into a calm silence, broken occasionally by small spurts of chat. A question about a Dark Creature. A surreal plot to overthrow Umbridge. It was just four friends hanging out. But soon the sky was starting to get dark. The prefects and Inquisitorial Squad would be doing their rounds, and I knew the three non-corrupted Houses would lose points if any students were caught after hours.

"Come on," said Ron, getting up from his chair, setting the book on the small side table next to him. He stretched, yawning. "We need to get back to the castle."

Hermone got up as well, but Harry would not budge. "Harry, we need to go." She glanced out the window at the sky. "If we don't, we'll get into trouble."

"I don't want to go," Harry growled, digging deeper into my side. "Hogwarts is no longer a haven for me."

I shared a look his friends, rolling my eyes playfully. "Harry James Potter, you need to get your ass up to that castle now."

"No. Maybe I'll get dismissed as well." Green eyes peered up at me. "Then I can stay here with you."

"That's not how it works," I replied with a shake of my head. I untangled myself from the younger teen and stood up. Harry grumbled, folding his arms over his chest. "Come on, love." I held out a hand to him. He stared at it with narrowed eyes for a moment then reluctantly took it. I pulled him to his feet, into my arms. "One minute?" I asked the brunette and the redhead.

"Make it fast," said Hermione.

I looked down at the beauty in my arms. He was frowning, eyes searching mine. I leaned my head down and kissed him gently. "You can always come back during the day," I said quietly. "But please do not skip any of your classes just to see me. Then Umbridge really will send me away. She's already banished Uncle Salo; he's staying in Hogsmeade. I don't want that to happen, and neither do you." I kissed him again. "I promise we'll find time for us soon."

Harry sighed against my lips. "Okay," he said. "I love you, Talis."

"And I love you, Harry. Now go." I gave him a final squeeze then released him. I walked them to the door and watched them hurry up the castle. Harry glanced back more than once as night settled on the grounds.

I shut the door then turned to lean my back against the rough wood. I glanced about the living area of my cabin. It was cozy and warm, but below the seemingly comfortable atmosphere, I only saw a place that could resemble the Underworld. Here, there was no sound of the hustle and bustle of the students. Crickets and the sounds of the creatures in the Forbidden Forest replaced them. The questions of the students had been shunted to the side, to make room for the silence that was slowly taking over my mind.

Shaking my head to clear the negativity, I pushed off the door only to stumble and plop down on the sofa. With my face buried in the cushions, I growled quietly.

This was complete torture.

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The departure of the Weasley twins was something that can only be described as extravagant. Their lovely firework display proved they could make it outside of the castle even without a complete education. But after they left, flying on broomsticks and cackling like madmen, the castle seemed to take on a completely different aura. There were no more mischievous pranks awaiting someone who walked around a corner. No students randomly bursting into canaries. No blasts from supposed empty classrooms. It was as if the happiness of the castle left with them.

I did not have the power to dock points anymore, thanks to that bloated toad of a woman. But, even if I did, I would not have the heart to take points away from the students who did some of their own pranks; I knew they were trying to liven up the school, even if the Inquisitorial Squad did not approve at all. Three of the four hourglasses in the Great Hall showed the proof of that. Damned Slytherins.

Since I was no longer a teacher's assistant, I did not get the chance to oversee many classes; though Hagrid did let me partake in his Care of Magical Creatures classes. He told me I was too useful to be sitting on the sidelines. This seemed to please the Dumbledore's Army students, whom would greet me with smiles and waves whenever they saw me.

"Talis!"

I blinked myself back into the present. "Hm?"

"What are you thinking about?"

I turned my head slightly to look at Harry. His small smile was contagious, and I found myself smiling back. "Not much," I answered. "I miss the Weasley twins."

"I'm sure they're okay." Harry rolled over onto his side and bent his elbow to prop his chin on his hand, still smiling. He was in a decent mood, having sneaked away from the hustle and bustle of the castle to come see me.

"It seems so different without them here. Since I can't assist teachers anymore, I was going to team up with them to scare Umbridge out of Hogwarts."

Harry snorted a laugh. "That would have been something, but you could get into trouble with the Ministry."

"They don't really scare me."

"They don't?"

"Nope."

"Is it because you're a big bad wolf?"

My turn to laugh a little. "Ha. Ha. You're so damn hilarious, Harry."

"Oh, I know I'm hilarious."

"Wow. A man with a sense of humor! How did I get so lucky?"

With a huff, Harry sat up and swung a leg over my waist to straddle my thighs. He smiled down at me. "And here I thought you were with me for my good look."

"That's just an addition to the package."

Harry shook his head but his smile widened. "Maybe you're Irish and that's why you're lucky."

"I'm not Irish, though," I corrected with a smirk.

"But you are lucky."

"Don't you mean 'I'm going to get lucky?'"

"Not if you keep up that sassy attitude."

My mouth dropped open a bit in fake astonishment. Harry's smile morphed into a devious smirk. "Are you going to keep being an arsehole?"

"You are such a brat. Are you sure you're not suppose to be in Slytherin?"

"I was supposed to be, but luckily I'm not."

"Thank the gods."

"Would you still love me if I were a snake?"

"Harry, I would love you beyond death."

Harry blinked his eyes rapidly a few times. Then he rested his hands on my shoulders, leaned down and pressed his lips against mine. I sighed quietly and reached up to thread one hand through his inky hair, and rest the other on his lower back. When he drew away a soft hiss came from his mouth. I cocked my head a bit to the side in amusement.

"What did you just say?" I murmured to him.

"I wasn't speaking English?"

"No. Parseltongue."

Harry's confused expression cleared. "I said i love you."

"I love you too."

This time, making love to Harry felt like a release. It had been a month and a half since our last time; that may not seem like long but, with everything that has happened, it felt like an eternity. Maybe that's why we took our time relieving each other of our clothes, hands sliding and grazing across smooth and scarred skin. His soft sighs as I kissed his ridged scar. My whispers as he dragged the tip of his tongue across my pounding pulse. Saliva roped between our lips as we broke from long kisses. His hands were everywhere: my shoulders; my chest; my thighs. I returned the favor in caresses and open-mouthed kisses to his collarbones and neck. The air between us was getting heavy as we panted to catch the breath that evaded us. His hiss of Parseltongue as I carefully stretched his tight heat; my growl as he dug his fingernails into my shoulder blades. I gently sucked on his neck to distract him. A stuttered burst of my name joined my deep breathing as I slowly pushed myself into his body. The sheer heat and tightness was exhilarating; I had to pause for a moment to prevent myself from bursting. Harry clung to my shoulders, holding me, our chests pressed together, as I slid in and out, in and out, of his body in strong but slow thrusts. My mouth met his as I raised my head from his neck. Our kiss was sloppy, but we did not care. I slid an arm between our bodies, and stroked Harry in time to my thrusts. His eyes slammed shut, and he threw his head back with a loud hiss. Sweat formed on our flesh as the temperature around us started to become overwhelming.

Then it was over.

I could feel Harry twitch in my hand then a warmth appeared between our stomachs. I gave one, two more thrusts before joining him in orgasmic euphoria.

With a groan I pulled myself from his spent body and flopped down beside him. We fought to catch our breathing, panting wildly, but I managed to cast a cleansing charm on our bodies. I closed my eyes as I rested an arm across Harry's stomach. He patted my forearm a few times then slowly turned to bury his face in my chest.

"I'd love you beyond death," I repeated quietly once I caught my breath then kissed that top of his head.

"Hopefully that won't be for a long time," Harry whispered.

I smiled gently and nuzzled his hair. Silently, I agreed.