Disclaimer: All things you recognize from the seven Harry Potter books belong to J.K. Rowling. I am merely borrowing for my own entertainment and do not earn anything for writing this story.
I'm not supposed to update again this month because I usually only update once a month, and I already updated this month. But I guess it doesn't really matter.
Reviews are appreciated, whether you're criticizing me or complimenting me. Thanks.
Also, I mentioned this already, but I would greatly appreciate it if you would check out my story at FictionPress. It's called Katherine G: To Open Your Heart Again, and my username is the same as here. Thanks a lot!
2021.3.6.
A Bloody Hand: Things Just Seem to Happen Together
Chapter 7
The moment Harry had shut the door behind him, Minerva turned to Dumbledore, fuming as she looked at the old man. "Albus, you need to take action!" she repeated angrily.
"I know, Minerva," replied Dumbledore calmly.
"Then do something! Fire her! Kick her out of the school!" said Minerva furiously. "She's hurting the students, Headmaster!" She spat "Headmaster."
Albus had the grace to look ashamed. "I know that now," he said. "We can't just 'kick her out,' as you put it, however."
"Then what can we do?" demanded Minerva angrily.
"I'm going to inform the Ministry of this new discovery," said Albus. "You need to inform the other Heads of House of this discovery. Do not let Dolores get wind of what is going on, be discreet."
Minerva gave a slightly haughty sniff and said, "As if I wouldn't be, Headmaster." Then she asked, "Severus too? Shouldn't we let him rest?"
Albus shook his head. "He has mostly recovered from his illness, and no one can 'catch' it, so we're safe. It is only the injury from the werewolf now. He will want to know."
Minerva nodded, and she turned and left the office, raising her wand as she reached the bottom of the stairs. She produced three cat Patronuses and watched as they vanished swiftly. They would find Professors Flitwick, Sprout, and Snape and deliver her message.
Minerva strode off towards her office and proceeded to put up privacy spells and other spells to prevent eavesdropping and overhearing. Very soon, Snape, Sprout, and Flitwick had arrived, and she also locked the door and added spells to the lock, muttering the charms under her breath.
"Right," said Minerva, turning to face her three colleagues who had already conjured armchairs for themselves and were sitting in them. "Now we're all set."
"All set for what, my dear Minerva?" asked Flitwick.
"Yes, Minnie, what are we here for?" said Sprout. "I was at the greenhouses when I received your message."
"I hope this isn't going to be a waste of time, Minerva," said Snape with a slight sneer, despite his . . . condition. "I would hate to have to brew a potion again because of some trivial matters."
"I assure you, Severus, this is no trivial matter," replied Minerva coolly.
"Well then, what is it?" asked Snape impatiently.
Minerva hesitated. "There's no way to put this lightly," she said finally. "Dolores Umbridge, the current DADA professor, has been making Mr Potter and likely many others write lines with a blood quill."
Snape stiffened and sat up even straighter in his seat. "A blood quill?" he said, disgusted.
"Yes, a blood quill," said Minerva patiently.
"A blood quill?" said Sprout, confused. She, as the Herbology professor, did not know much about these kind of things and had never taken an interest in them either.
Flitwick sighed. He was very pale. "Pomona dear," he said, "a blood quill is a dark object." He paused, then said, "Whatever you write with it will appear on the hand you wrote with. The words would be carved into your skin."
"It doesn't need ink," said Snape hoarsely, his voice barely above a whisper. "It uses one's blood. Prolonged use of it can result in scars."
Minerva nodded, conjuring her own armchair and sitting down. "Mr Potter has a scar, Severus," she tells him quietly.
Snape blinked and stared at her. "A scar?" he asked. "But it's been barely a month since school began!"
"Exactly," said Minerva. "I've already informed the Headmaster, and right now, he is contacting the Ministry. Hopefully, Dolores Umbridge will be gone from this school—and the wizarding world—for good soon."
"Maybe not for good," pointed out Flitwick. "From schools, most likely—but they might not sentence her to Azkaban forever. And we can't be sure she'll even go to Azkaban."
Sprout frowned. "They have to. It's illegal—a Dark object! We'll have to hope they sentence her for a long time, if not forever," she said.
Snape scowled. "I should think . . . twenty years at the very least," he said, "and even then not enough." Then he looked at Minerva. "Did Potter go to you crying and whining about his hand?" he asked, sneering the name "Potter." Obviously, his emotional state was back to normal after the shock it had received.
Minerva glared at him. "Of course not, Severus," she said, irritated. "I found out after one of his detentions. He refused to show me his hand when I asked and I had to force him to show me."
Snape sneered. "Of course," he said softly, his tone sneering. "Poor, brave, heroic Potter, always playing the hero."
"Be quiet, Severus," said Sprout, her tone unusually sharp. "I'm sure it wasn't like that."
Snape scowled, but before he could reply, Minerva spoke. "Of course it wasn't like that, don't you dare say that again, Severus," she said, glowering slightly. Then she straightened herself and said, "The Headmaster should have finished contacting the Ministry by now. Let's join him."
She stood up, unlocking the door and cancelling the various charms, watching as one by one, her colleagues left her office and hurried off toward the Headmaster's office. Minerva quickly banished the four armchairs before following them.
Soon, all of them had joined Dumbledore, who was already speaking to two serious-looking Aurors. He looked at them when they entered.
"Severus," he said, "please fetch us some Veritaserum, we are going to need it for interrogating Dolores."
Snape dipped his head silently and swiftly left their company, his robes billowing behind him.
Dumbledore turned to the remaining three professors and said, "Filius, Minerva, prepare yourselves. If Dolores attempts to make a run for it, restrain her." He now focused on Sprout. "Please fetch Dolores, Pomona. I think you're the only who won't lose their temper if they spoke to Dolores. You won't, will you?"
Sprout shook her head and hurried off in search of Umbridge.
Minerva and Flitwick both held their wands at the ready and positioned themselves on either side of the door.
Ten minutes later, Snape came back, entering with a billow of his robes. He reached into a pocket of his robes and pulled out a small vial. "As you requested, Headmaster," he said, his voice quiet.
Dumbledore nodded, calling for a house-elf. The house-elf that appeared soon produced some tea and two cups. Dumbledore poured some tea into each cup and added a few drops of the potion to one cup. Then he motioned for the two Aurors to step into the shadows and cast a recording charm.
After another five minutes, Sprout returned with Umbridge in tow.
"You asked for me, Headmaster?" said Umbridge, giving him a sickly sweet smile. She glanced around at the other four. "What are they here for?"
"Professor Umbridge, some people have come to me with an accusation," said Dumbledore, not answering the question. "I would like you to confirm if they are true or not."
"I see," said Umbridge. "Are these . . . accusations . . . bad?"
"Not necessarily," said Dumbledore. "Now, won't you have some tea?" He pushed the cup with the Veritaserum towards her, taking a sip out of the one without.
Umbridge hesitated, then took a sip as well. "So, what is this accusation?" she asked.
"Some people have accused you of making students write lines with a blood quill," said Dumbledore calmly, and Minerva silently applauded him for having such self-control. "I thought the accusation outrageous, of course, as the blood quill is a dark object and therefore it is unlikely a Ministry official such as yourself would possess it, let alone force others to use it."
"A blood quill is a dark object," said Umbridge, hesitating. She took a large sip of her tea and said, "And of course, Dumbledore, I would possess it." She froze in surprise, and the four Heads of House exchanged looks.
"I mean," she stammered. "Of course I—Of course I—!" She stopped. "Have I been given truth potion?" she demanded.
Dumbledore glared. "Did you force students to write lines with a blood quill?" he asked.
"Yes," said Umbridge immediately. "Mr Potter most of all."
Minerva lost her temper at that and shouted, "How dare you harm a member of my house!" She jumped forward, glaring, but Flitwick and Sprout hastily grabbed her arms, and she was restrained.
Dumbledore gave Umbridge an icy look and turned to the two hidden Aurors. "Please remove her from this school," he said, and the two stepped out of the shadows.
Umbridge paled. "You can't!" she shrieked at the Aurors.
"I'm afraid we can," replied one of them, a bearded man with thin eyebrows.
The other, who had no beard but did have a moustache and a rather mean face though his eyes showed he was a good person at heart, said, "My partner is right. You'll have to come with us."
Umbridge was swiftly led from the office, struggling and screaming. One of the Aurors raised his wand and suddenly, Umbridge fell silent. The four Head of Houses guessed he had cast a Silencing Charm on her.
Dumbledore gazed after the three for a moment, sighed, and waved his wand, ending the recording charm. A small glowing blue ball hovered in front of him, and Dumbledore conjured up a small glass vial with a cork, capturing the glowing ball with it. "Alright," he said, corking the vial. "Now, if the Ministry requests it, we can give them this recording. I'll keep it safe."
Minerva hardly heard him, and glowered after Umbridge. She so wanted to have a go at the woman, but couldn't. Harming James and Lily's son! Hurting one of her Gryffindors! Hurting her students! That woman had better hope they sentenced her to Azkaban for a long, long time, for Minerva vowed she would hex her to bits the first chance she got, the next time they met.
Dolores Umbridge had better hope indeed, for Minerva McGonagall could be as patient as a cat and would wait for her prey until it appeared. Until then though, Minerva would content herself with ensuring no further harm befell her students.
Dumbledore sighed. "You may all leave. Umbridge's trials should be over in a few days, and meanwhile, I will contact St Mungo's Hospital for some professional help."
The four Heads of House nodded and departed, each feeling outraged and highly protective of all their students, including Severus Snape, the cold-hearted Head of Slytherin House.
I mentioned this already, but I would greatly appreciate it if you would check out my story at FictionPress. It's called Katherine G: To Open Your Heart Again, and my username is the same as here. Thanks a lot!