Chapter 14: The Best Laid Plans
Harry, Ron and Hermione were sitting in the Great Hall for breakfast. It was one of the rare occasions Hermione decided to lift her head from her notes to interact with the world around her. Ginny had pretended not to know who she was as a joke and considering how much time she spent hidden away in the library it was well received. Harry had seen Hermione go into overdrive, but this seemed like overkill, not even when the chamber was opened did she consume knowledge at this rate and her life was on the line. When he had mentioned that to her she reminded him that she was serious all those years ago when she said being expelled was worse than being killed.
Harry was glad to see more of his friends, constantly training and scheming was time consuming and he missed the light-heartedness that seemed so absent from his life now. Currently Ron was badgering Hermione about something trivial but all he could think about was the fact that he was planning to kill someone in the next few days. Searching for his co-conspirator and finding her absent, he wondered how she felt about what they were planning to do. She had suggested it so nonchalantly as if taking a life was a simple task. However, when he thought about the life they were going to take, he conceded that it was one that was worthy of a violent end. He was brought out of his reverie by Ron's expectant expression.
"Sorry, what did you say?"
"I said, are you looking forward to double Umbridge? Hermione said it should be illegal to slot two periods of Umbridge in one day" Ron repeated jovially.
"Haha too right Hermione, child endangerment and neglect bundled into a nice pink package."
They shared a laugh and went back to their breakfast. Watching Ron wince every time he tried to use his dominant hand caused a rattle in the cage that held back his rage. That vile woman would be gone soon but there was nothing he could do to his friend's pain or the pain she has caused others. It was going to be a long morning and he'd be damned if he was going to endure it on an empty stomach.
"Alright class, Chapter 34: History of ministry protocols. Copy it twice for maximum retention hehe." Umbridge said from the front of the classroom. Harry marvelled at the fact that she wore the same damn pink outfit every day and didn't get tired of it. All was going well until about an hour into their double period Umbridge stopped in front of Ron's desk.
"Mr Weasley, I do believe I asked you to copy down the required chapter. May I ask what this is?" Umbridge said, pointing towards Ron's parchment.
Confused, because that's exactly what Ron had been doing, he responded "er Chapter 34."
"Are you calling me a liar Mr Weasley?"
By now everyone in the class was watching the altercation with bated breath. Harry flicked his eyes to Daphne who was watching him as well, this was a set up and they both knew it. He started to move his hand towards his wand as that familiar feeling of rage warmed his body. Daphne shook her head indicating him to chill out, they have a plan and that he should stick to it.
"Professor really I-"
"Detention! Mr Weasley. For insulting a professor and back chat, I'll see you in my office tonight at eight, after dinner." Umbridge declared smugly with a sinister smile. Oh, how Harry wanted to wipe that smile off of her face permanently.
"You can't do that! He did nothing wrong!" Hermione cried out in defence of her partner. She was right but her outburst only worsened the situation.
"Talking out of turn, Miss Granger? Tut tut, I'm afraid you'll have to join him in detention tonight as well and for your disruption of class learning I think I'll make it a week's worth of detention for the both of you. Maybe then the message will sink in. Now back to your seats there is still an hour of the lesson left and you have work to do hehe."
Harry could feel his magic rolling through his body, thrashing to be released in response to his intense emotions. He could hear the blood pumping through his body and his muscles tensing and relaxing repeatedly. It took great effort to calm himself down, but he managed to do it by focusing on breathing.
'Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale. This bitch needs to go tonight, no more kid games, just need to get it done and move on.'
Harry knew by the expression of understanding on Daphne's face that they were going to do this tonight.
Harry and Daphne met in the Room of Requirement right after dinner. They had to construct a new plan, a plan that had holes in it but one that they could enact tonight. It would mean that Harry would need to take a more active role in the woman's death, but he found himself content with that fact. Daphne on the other hand had reservations on moving the plan forward.
"I understand that they're your friends, but can they not endure this small amount of pain so that we can be certain that there will be no complications?" Daphne tried to reason, she knew it was unlikely that he'd agree to it but she felt that if she didn't try then she wasn't doing well as an advisor.
"No. We will do it tonight. I will not leave my friends to get tortured by that fiend any longer, would you not do the same for your sister?" Harry argued. He was still riding the rage form earlier this morning and just wanted to get this done whilst he still had vengeance in his heart.
"Of course"
"Then let's go."
The pair of them left the room of requirement disillusioned with one goal in mind, the death of Umbridge. They came upon Umbridge's office door at the same time as a sullen Ron and Hermione, the two shared a kiss and a hug before entering the office holding hands. The sight renewed the anger that had left him in the hours prior, these two were pure and they were good and they didn't deserve this.
"Harry" he heard whispered softly next to him. This was the first time she had used his first name and it didn't go unnoticed. Unfortunately, in his fury he simply didn't care. "Are you sure you're ready for-"
He cut Daphne off with a steely reply "Yes. Play your part and play it well, Umbridge dies tonight."
The command reinforced Daphne's decision to throw in her lot with him. This is the strength that she had felt when duelling him and for the first time she felt confident in his leadership. This was a leader who cared deeply about those around him and one willing to get the dirty work done himself if it meant keeping them safe. An admirable trait and one that Daphne deeply respected, she was going to offer to kill the woman herself, but she now felt like he needed to do this to prepare for what's coming.
Removing her disillusionment charm and jumping up and down to get heart racing and blood pumping, she made an effort to look puffed out as if she had just climbed several flights of steps quickly. Once she was happy with her state she turned to the door and knocked frantically. An irate Umbridge opened the door but seeing it was a pure blooded Slytherin she hid it immediately.
"What can I do for you dear?" She asked sweetly.
"I'm sorry to disturb you Professor Umbridge but I was sitting down by the lake reading chapter 35 for class tomorrow and as I was about to leave I saw Potter and some students walking across the grounds towards the forest. They were saying something about Dumbledore and a weapon. I raced up here as quickly as I could." Daphne said quickly, playing up her apologies and concern.
"Potter and Dumbledore? Oh, Cornelius will be so pleased! Who was with him?" Umbridge asked, eating it all up.
"I don't know, I did see some red heads though, so I assume those twin trouble makers were with him too."
"Of course they are, I have to call the aurors immediately." Umbridge said, turning to go for her fireplace.
Blanching but thinking quickly Daphne exclaims "Ma'am by then they could have whatever weapon they possess operational, I dread to think what Dumbledore could accomplish in the time it takes for aurors to arrive. I could take you to them now and you can take them in yourself."
She can practically taste the hunger for glory Umbridge is exerting at the possibility of being 'The Ministry's Hero' so she pushes further.
"It's only school children but you will be credited for stopping Dumbledore's plot."
"You're right, take me to them now child and I will see to it that you get a high place in the ministry after school."
"Of course Professor, I managed to see their path from a window on the way up."
Umbridge nodded and left the room. Daphne noticed Ron and Hermione standing slowly from their chairs inside the office, having heard everything and determined to protect their friend. Daphne realised they could be a real thorn in her side if they managed to delay this too long so she took a gamble.
"Don't interfere, this is a Quirrell you don't want to be a part of'' Daphne implored towards Granger. She was meant to be the smart one after all and she surely caught the Quirrell/Quarrel swap. By the way her eyes lit up and her inquisitive gaze met Daphne's earnest stare she seemed to have understood the gesture. It was confirmed when she held Ron's wand arm down and nodded with her head for Daphne to leave.
Daphne bolted out of the room and caught up with Umbridge quickly. They walked briskly in silence down the stairs, through the entrance hall and out onto the grounds. When they came closer to the forest's border, they could make out a silhouette of a lanky male. Upon catching notice of this, Umbridge picked up her pace and made a beeline for the figure.
To Daphne's surprise she raised her wand and yelled 'Bombarda!' when they were in range. The spell sailed over the figure's head and collided with a tree causing a loud crunch as it tore apart bark. The figure responded by running deeper into the forest.
"Come my dear, we mustn't let these traitors continue their little scheme." Umbridge beckoned as they reached the border of the forest themselves.
'This wasn't the plan but who could say no to front row seats?'
Daphne followed her into the dark forest. The figure was still in sight, just out of range for effective spell casting and ducking between trees. They followed it deeper and deeper into the forest for what felt like ten minutes before they reached a clearing where Harry was standing, hands at his sides staring impassively at Umbridge.
"Potter! Greengrass you were right! Well done girl. Now where are your traitor friends Potter?"
"Good evening, Professor, Greengrass. Lovely night wouldn't you say?" Harry greeted them like they weren't in the middle of a deadly forest. Really that should have been the first clue for Umbridge that something was amiss.
"Stop stalling, Potter. Tell me where they are and where the weapon is." So focussed on her chance to capture Harry, she failed to notice the thick black fog rolling in around the clearing.
"Oh, the weapon is on its way, how about we talk about you? Tell me, what are you scared of, Professor? Snakes? Spiders? The dark?"
"Your riddles won't matter soon Potter, this time I'll have you kissed by dementors properly. I have no idea how you escaped in the summer, but you and your friends will all be soulless shells by night's end!" She screamed, sounding more deranged by the second.
"You see," Harry said, walking slowly towards her menacingly. "That right there is the problem, if you had just left me and my friends alone, I probably wouldn't have stepped in. But you made it personal and for that I'm going to make you fear me" Harry said now mere metres away from her. He nodded his head at Daphne who disillusioned herself and climbed a nearby tree.
"That's enough! 'Crucio!'" she cried out at Harry but before the blood red unforgivable curse could connect, he disappeared in a puff of smoke. Mocking laughter filled the clearing directed at Umbridge.
He reappeared a few metres to her left, leaning on a tree. "You cannot escape tonight, Professor, make peace with your gods… while you still can"
"'Bombarda!'" The tree exploded but just like before Harry was gone in a puff of smoke. Umbridge growled in anger but prepared to strike again.
Multiple Harry's appeared around her in the clearing, paralysing her momentarily. As they advanced on her they spoke in turn. "Bigot," Harry said behind her. "Torturer" another spoke coldly to her right. "Murderer" one said in front of her, referring to Dudley. Shooting off spells at the decoys and into the dark, Umbridge was beginning to sweat, her upper lip was trembling and her wand arm was shaking.
"Miss Greengrass we must leave." Receiving no response, she turned to see that she had been abandoned. The fear truly set in then, all alone in the dark Umbridge realised this was a setup, just like the detention she gave his friends and countless others.
"You're all alone now, just me and you. Tell me Professor, are you scared yet?" The multiple Harry's asked simultaneously
Panting from exhaustion and fear, Umbridge refused to be seen as a coward. Standing tall she raised her wand and yelled "No. No. No. I said enough! I WILL HAVE ORDER!" sending out a shockwave which made all of the illusions puff into smoke.
For a moment she thought she had won, the clearing was quiet, her erratic breath the only thing filling the silence. But then she heard the cracking of leaves and twigs behind her and a voice devoid of emotion said in response.
"No, all you'll have is death. Nothing more, nothing less."
Umbridge whirled around but it was too late, Harry snatched her wand from her hand and kicked her knee so hard it bent backwards. Standing over her he snapped her wand in two and stomped it into the ground. He could see the desperation in her eyes which fuelled his righteous anger further.
"Are you afraid Professor? Afraid to die? Afraid of the pain that is to come?" Harry asked.
Screaming in pain and hoping that the waterworks will save her she cried freely and replied a watery "yes." Harry tilted his head and looked at her impassively. Having accomplished what he promised he truly thought about what this woman deserved. In this moment he couldn't draw upon a drop of sympathy for someone so pathetic, so his reply was simple.
"Good." He said, before fading back into the smoke. He could hear the stampede of spiders coming their way, so he located which tree Daphne was in with thermal vision and climbed up next to her They both watched Umbridge squirm in pain and attempt to claw her way out of the clearing. Neither said a word as the black fog rolled back and the arachnid colony swarmed the clearing. Not a single syllable was uttered when Umbridge shrieked in agony as she was torn limb from limb and eaten alive. They simply watched and found peace in the fact that Dolores Jane Umbridge, Senior Undersecretary and High Inquisitor of Hogwarts, was no more.