Chapter Ten
"Patronuses"
If it hadn't been for the D.A., Lizzie would have relapsed back into her depression after doing so well for several months. Sometimes she felt like she was simply living for the hours she spent in the Room of Requirement or in the stables with Flicka and Hayden, working hard, but thoroughly enjoying herself at the same time. It was good to be amongst friends, although Smith still continued to give her the occasional scathing look from time to time, and Parvati and Lavender's never-ending pursuit of Hayden, and their attempts to make Lizzie jealous whenever they paired up with him for Stunning practice.
During one D.A. meeting, Zacharias made a rather cruel comment about Lizzie's physical appearance, and Hayden, who had tolerated Smith's bullying of Lizzie up to this point with no reaction, had had enough.
"I don't know why you keep trying with him," Smith sneered at Lizzie. "He'll never want….." All of a sudden, Smith stopped talking and suddenly made a choking, gagging, retching sound, both hands clasped over his throat as he struggled to speak, but could not.
At first, Lizzie had no idea what was going on, until she looked behind Smith's shoulder and saw Hayden standing a few feet behind him with his hand outstretched, as though trying to grab him, as Smith continued to choke.
To Lizzie, it looked like Hayden was attempting to Force-choke him. After a few more seconds, Hayden released him, and much to his relief, Harry gave Smith a final warning: Keep his mouth shut about Lizzie and accept her for who she is, or get out and don't come back.
"I won't tell you again," said Harry aggressively. Smith was so shaken by Hayden jinxing him that he gave him one terrified and scurried off to the other end of the room.
"What was that?" asked Lizzie. "It looked like you were trying to Force-choke him." Hayden laughed. "Langlock Curse," he said. "It binds the person's tongue to the roof of their mouth so they can't speak."
"But…..non-verbally and without a wand?" asked Lizzie. "Mm-hmm," said Hayden casually. Lizzie looked very impressed. "Amazing," she breathed.
Behind her, both Lavender and Parvati mimed vomiting, but only stopped when Hayden cast them a warning look.
They both blushed and scurried away.
Since then, Smith, and even Parvati and Lavender had refrained from speaking to Lizzie, something that she was grateful for. She was getting tired of them running their mouths.
They had finally begun to work on Patronuses, and since Hayden was the only other member of the D.A. apart from Harry that knew how to cast a corporeal Patronus, he was asked by Harry to demonstrate for the group at the beginning of the lesson.
Hayden reached into the inner pocket of his robes and withdrew his wand. He stood in front of everyone in the middle of the room as he took a deep breath, and closed his eyes for a moment, and Harry knew that he was thinking of a memory or thought that would be happy and powerful enough to produce a Patronus.
After a moment, Hayden opened his eyes and sighed deeply before setting his eyes on Lizzie. He never took his eyes off her as he raised his wand.
"Expecto Patronum!"
There was a blinding, dazzling flash of light as an enormous silver stallion erupted from the tip of Hayden's wand, and galloped around the room, rearing and whinnying.
The silver horse cantered around Lizzie and walked up to her, nickering. But as she reached out to touch it, it vanished.
The class erupted in applause, as Hayden smiled appreciatively. Lavender and Parvati were squealing and swooning as they applauded vigorously. Lizzie rolled her eyes.
Harry was looking very impressed. "Fantastic, Hayden! Well done!" he said. "Thanks, Harry," said Hayden.
Then everyone began to try and conjure their own. Though as Harry kept reminding them, producing a Patronus in the middle of a brightly lit classroom when they were not under threat was very different to producing it when confronted by something such a dementor.
"Oh, don't be such a killjoy!" said Cho brightly, watching her silver swan shaped Patronus soar around the Room of Requirement. "They're so pretty!"
"They're not supposed to be pretty, they're supposed to protect you," said Harry patiently. "Harry's right, Cho," said Hayden. "Think of your Patronus like a lightsaber – nice to look at, but it's really meant for self-defense." Cho frowned. "What's a lightsaber?" she asked curiously as her Patronus vanished.
"What we really need is a boggart or something, that's how I learned, I had to conjure a Patronus while the boggart was pretending to be a dementor," said Harry.
"There's an idea," said Hayden. "But that would be really, scary, Hayden!" said Lavender, who was shooting puffs of silver vapor out of the end of her wand. "And I still – can't – do it!" she added angrily.
Lizzie was struggling too. Her face was screwed up in concentration, but only feeble whisps of silver smoke issued from the tip of her wand. "I'm trying!" she moaned desperately as Hayden came over to help her. "I know," he said kindly. "What was the happiest memory you had with Raven?" Lizzie licked her lips thoughtfully.
The happiest she had ever felt with him had been when they won their first horse show together in her third year, and then learning that Raven had been signed over to her. She remembered the joy and exhilaration at the idea that Raven was her horse. She wasn't borrowing him anymore…
"You got something?" asked Hayden, noticing the smile that was creeping across Lizzie's face.
"Yeah, I think so," said Lizzie. "There was this one time…We won our first show together….it was the happiest I'd ever felt with him…."
"Is it powerful?" asked Hayden. "I'll never forget it," said Lizzie. Hayden nodded. "All right, try again,"
Lizzie nodded as she focused with every fiber of her being on the memory of riding Raven during Regionals two years ago…the cheers of the crowd…..the way her heart did a backflip whenever they went over a jump….the feeling of disbelief and ecstasy upon learning that Raven was officially her horse…..
She sighed deeply and raised her wand.
"Expecto Patronum!"
An enormous silver mare burst from the tip of Lizzie's wand and cantered around the room, everyone stopped what they were doing to watch Lizzie's Patronus continue to canter around the room before stopping and vanishing.
Harry grinned as Lizzie stood there with her wand still raised, looking stunned at the fact that she had just cast a corporeal Patronus. What's more, it perfectly complimented Hayden's…..
The entire room shook suddenly as everyone else's Patronuses vanished and the torches on the walls flickered, and the hanging crystals on the chandelier above their heads tinkled.
There was a deafening banging noise as the mirror on the far end of the room that concealed the door shattered. Curiously, Hayden and Lizzie approached the wall where there was a tiny hole in the wall that showed the corridor outside. They peered through the tiny hole, and what they saw on the other side made their hearts drop like stones.
Professor Umbridge was standing outside with Filch and a couple Slytherins, including Draco Malfoy. "Allow me," said Umbridge, pointing her wand at the wall. "Bombarda Maxima!"
Hayden grabbed Lizzie and both of them flew backward as the wall was blasted apart, Hayden falling on top of her to shield her from the flying chunks of stone that littered the room.
Umbridge came bustling around the far corner, breathless, but wearing a delighted smile.
"Get them!" she said to Filch and the Slytherins as they rounded up the group.
Umbridge walked over to Hayden and Lizzie, while Hayden did his best to shield her. "Step aside, Mr. Chamberlain," said Professor Umbridge smoothly. Hayden didn't move. "Step aside, or I will have no choice but to put you in detention, and I daresay you and your little friends are already in a world of trouble – especially, this one," said Umbridge, nodding at Lizzie. "Do not make matters worse for yourself."
Lizzie gazed desperately at Hayden. She looked absolutely terrified. As much as he loathed Professor Umbridge, and hated to think of what would happen to Lizzie, he knew by now not to try and challenge her. Hayden sighed as he very reluctantly stepped aside.
Umbridge seized Lizzie's arm in a vicelike grip, so hard Lizzie cried out, "Ow! Get off me! You're hurting me!"
Hayden watched helplessly, tears stinging his eyes as Lizzie was dragged out of the room towards the gaping hole in the wall that used to be the door.
Umbridge was walking so fast that Lizzie could barely keep up with her, and tripped halfway as she fell to the floor.
"Get up, girl!" said Umbridge, as she kicked Lizzie so hard that she cried out. Hayden wanted to intervene, but he just stood there, rooted to the spot. He watched in utter horror as Umbridge seized a handful of Lizzie's dark red hair, and pulled her to her feet again, dragging her out of the room by her scalp, but not before Hayden caught sight of Lizzie's face. All the color had gone, and tears were streaming from her eyes.
They were at the stone gargoyle of a gryphon within minutes. Lizzie still crying silently as she wondered what was going to happen to Hayden or any of the others. She would be expelled without telling Hayden her feelings for him…she would never see him again….. and she wouldn't compete in Nationals either…..Umbridge would make sure of that now….all her hard work gone to waste….And just when she was beginning to come to terms with Raven's death…
"Fizzing Whizbee," sang Umbridge and the stone gargoyle began spiraling upward, revealing a revolving stone staircase.
Lizzie remained silent, tears continuing to stream from her eyes as they reached the polished door, but Umbridge didn't bother to knock, she strode straight inside, still keeping a tight grip on Lizzie's hair, her nails digging deeper and deeper into her scalp.
The office was full of people. 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, Cornelius Fudge, Minister of Magic was rocking back and forth on his toes, beside the fire, apparently immensely pleased with the situation. Kingsley Shacklebolt, a tall wizard with longish hair and beard that reminded Lizzie strongly of Obi-Wan Kenobi in Episode II of Star Wars, and a tough-looking wizard Lizzie did not recognize with very short wiry hair were positioned on either side of the door like guards, and the freckled bespectacled form of Percy Weasley, Ron's older brother, hovering excitedly beside the wall, a quill, and a heavy scroll of parchment in his hands, apparently poised to take notes
All of the portraits of old headmasters and headmistresses that lined the walls of the office were not shamming sleep tonight. All of them were watching what was happening below, alert, and serious.
It was the first time in her entire school career that Lizzie had ever been summoned or sent to the headmaster's office for anything. Up until this point, her record was spotless, apart from the detentions with Umbridge. This was the first serious infraction on her record and she shuddered to wonder how this was going to end.
Maybe Dumbledore would prohibit her from competing in the show, and or revoke her riding privileges, or maybe suspend her from Hogwarts? The worst case scenario that she could possibly think of was expulsion, and from the way things were looking, it seemed like a very real possibility she was heading in that direction.
Umbridge finally released her grip on Lizzie's hair, taking several large chunks of it with her, fragments of her scalp still attached, as she clasped the locks of red hair in her stubby fist, grinning at her with satisfaction as though nothing pleased her more than to keep a trophy from this occasion.
Massaging her scalp, Lizzie could feel the bald patches where Umbridge had ripped out her hair and as she withdrew her hand, her fingers were covered in blood….
Cornelius Fudge was glaring at her with a kind of vicious satisfaction on his face. After Raven had died, Fudge had done everything in his power as Minister to have animal cruelty charges brought against Lizzie at the demand of the Malfoys. Kingsley and the rest of the Order had questioned Lizzie at great length about Raven's death and concluded that there was insufficient evidence to support the charges. Much to Fudge's chagrin.
Lizzie replied with the dirtiest look she could muster. Her heart drummed madly against her ribcage, but her brain had oddly become cool and clear after everything that had happened.
"She was heading back to Gryffindor Tower," said Umbridge. There was an indecent excitement in her voice, the same callous pleasure she had during Lizzie's detentions. "Was she now, was she now?" asked Fudge, appreciatively. "Well, Miss Brooks….I expect you know why you're here?"
Lizzie fully intended to respond with a defiant 'yes'; her mouth had opened and the words were half formed in her head when she caught sight of Dumbledore's face. He was not looking directly at Lizzie; his eyes were fixed upon a point just over her shoulder, but as Lizzie stared at him, he shook his head a fraction of an inch to each side.
Lizzie changed direction mid-word.
"Yeh – no," she said.
"I beg your pardon?" asked Fudge.
"No, Minister," said Lizzie firmly, while still attempting to sound polite.
"You don't know why you are here?" asked Fudge.
"No, sir," said Lizzie.
Fudge looked incredulously from Lizzie to Professor Umbridge. Lizzie took advantage of his momentary inattention to steal another quick look at Dumbledore, who gave the carpet the tiniest of nods and a shadow of a wink.
"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, sir?" asked Lizzie. "No."
"Or Ministry decrees?" amended Fudge angrily.
"Nope, none that I'm aware of," said Lizzie. Her heart was hammering very fast. It was almost worth telling these lies to watch Fudge's blood pressure rising, but she could not see how on earth she was going to get away with them. If someone had tipped of Umbridge about the D.A. and even though she wasn't the leader, Fudge knew how close Lizzie and Harry were and would be quick to label her as second-in-command of the group, and if that be the case, she might as well be packing her bags right now.
"So, it's news to you, is it," said Fudge, his voice now thick with anger, "that an illegal student organization has been discovered within the school?"
"Absolutely," said Lizzie calmly. "I had no idea up until you told me just now, sir,"
"I think, Minister," said Umbridge silkily from behind her and Lizzie could feel her stroking her hair as though fighting the temptation to seize it again, "we might make better progress if I fetch her little friend. You know – the Canadian."
Lizzie's heart sank as she prayed that Hayden wouldn't betray the group. "Yes, yes, do," said Fudge as 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.
There was a wait for several minutes, in which nobody looked at each other, then Lizzie heard the door open behind her. Umbridge moved past her into the room, gripping Hayden's arm, for he was much taller than her. But Hayden wasn't the only person with her. Hiding her face in her hands was Cho Chang's curly haired friend.
"Marietta?" whispered Lizzie. "Lizzie," said Hayden, breaking away from Umbridge's grasp and running to hug her. "Are you okay? Did she hurt you – Oh, my God!" Hayden gasped as he saw the large bald patches on Lizzie's scalp and that her hair was tinged with blood. He then looked over at Umbridge who was fondly stroking a braided piece of dark red hair in her hands, and an expression of sadistic satisfaction.
Hayden felt anger such as he had never felt in his entire life flood his chest. Umbridge had already put Lizzie through the wringer with the detentions, getting pleasure from watching her slice her hand open, now she was keeping trophies.
Marietta was crying as she continued to hide her face. "Don't be scared, dear, don't be frightened," said 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 Madame Edgecombe from the Department of Magical Transportation, Floo Network office – she's been helping us police the Hogwarts 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 backward in shock, nearly landing himself in the fire. He cursed and stamped on the hem of his cloak which had started to smoke, and Marietta gave a wail and pulled the neck of her robes up to her eyes, but not before the whole room 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"
With a chilling realization, Lizzie recalled what Hermione had said when she told them that she had jinxed the parchment that all the members of the D.A. had signed, and what would happen if someone ratted out the group: 'Well, put it this way, it'll make Eloise Midgen's acne look like a couple of cute freckles'….. She certainly had been right in that assertion.
"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.
Lizzie had only seen Marietta hanging out with Cho, but no formal introductions had been made between the two of them, and she couldn't help but feel sorry for her. No one would want the word 'sneak' branded on their face by a series of pimples.
"Oh, very well, you silly girl, I'll tell him!" snapped Umbridge. She hitched her sickly smile back on 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 anything more."
"Marietta, how could you?" Lizzie snapped. "Silence, girl!" said Umbridge dangerously, extending her arm as though threatening to grab hold of her hair again. "Well, now," said Fudge, fixing Marietta with what he evidently imagined was a kind of 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?"
"Don't tell him anything, Marietta!" said Lizzie desperately. "If you speak one more word, Miss Brooks," said Umbridge threateningly. "I will have no choice but to remove you from this room, and you will be severely punished."
Lizzie swallowed hard and fell silent.
But Marietta refused to speak. She merely shook her head again, her eyes wide and fearful.
"Haven't we got a counterjinx 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 Lizzie felt a surge of pride in Hermione's jinxing ability. She really knew her stuff.
"You will remember, Minister that I sent you a report back in October that Potter, Miss Brooks, and Mr. Chamberlain had met a number of fellow students including those from the Toronto Institute of Witchcraft and Wizardry in the Hog's Head in Hogsmeade…."
Lizzie and Hayden exchanged equally shocked glances.
"And what is you 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," and Umbridge smugly. "He heard every word Potter, Miss Brooks, and Mr. Chamberlain 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 that 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 nose.
Lizzie stared at him. She could not see how Dumbledore was going to talk either her or Hayden out of this situation. If Willy Widdershins had indeed heard every word that she, Harry, and Hayden said in the Hog's Head that day, there was simply no escaping it.
"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 and Miss Brooks out of trouble! Go on, then, Dumbledore, go on – Willy Widdershins was lying, was he? Or were Potter, and Miss Brooks' identical twins in the Hog's head that day? Or is there a simple explanation involving a reversal of time, a dead man coming back to life, a couple of invisible dementors, or a girl murdering her own horse in cold blood?"
Percy let out a hearty laugh. Lizzie felt her face get very, very hot.
"Oh, very good, Minister, very good!" said Percy.
Lizzie wanted to kick him, to do something. Then she saw, to her astonishment, that Dumbledore was smiling gently too.
"Cornelius, I do not deny and not, I am sure, do Harry, Lizzie, or Hayden – that they were in the Hog's Head that day, nor that they were trying to recruit students in Defense 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 their Hogsmeade meeting, so they were not breaking any rules in the Hog's Head at all."
Percy looked as though he had been struck in the face by something very heavy. Fudge remained motionless in mid-bound, his mouth hanging open.
Umbridge recovered first.
"That's all very fine Headmaster," she said, smiling sweetly. But we are now 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, "there certainly would be, if they had continued after the decree came into effect. Do you have any evidence that these meetings continued?"
As Dumbledore spoke, Lizzie heard a rustle behind her and rather thought Kingsley whispered something. She could have sworn too that she felt something brush against her side, a gentle something like a draft or bird wings, but looking down, she saw nothing there.
"Evidence?" repeated Umbridge with that horrible, wide toadlike smile that both Hayden and Lizzie detested so much. "Have you not been listening, Dumbledore? Why do you think Miss Edgecombe, Miss Brooks, and Miss Chamberlain are here?"
"Oh, can Miss Edgecombe tell us about six months' worth of meetings?" said Dumbledore, raising his eyebrows. "I was under the impressing 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?"
Lizzie felt a horrible plummeting in her stomach. She wanted so badly to tell Marietta not to say anything, that she had the right to remain silent. – something. She opened her mouth to speak, but automatically closed it when Hayden whispered, "Don't!" in her ear.
This was it, they had it a dead end of solid evidence that not even Dumbledore, a great a wizard as he was, would not be able to shift aside.
"Just nod or shake your head dear," said Umbridge coaxingly to Marietta. "Come on, now, that won't activate the jinx further…."
Everyone in the room was gazing at the top of Marietta's face. Only her eyes were visible between the pulled-up robes and her curly fringe. Perhaps it was a trick of the firelight, but her eyes looked oddly blank.
And then – to both Hayden and Lizzie's utter amazement – Marietta shook her head. Was she shaking her head because she didn't understand the question? Or was she shaking her head in response to the question.
Umbridge looked quickly at Fudge and then back to Marietta.
"I don't think you understood the question, did you, dear? I'm asking you whether you've been going to these meetings for the past six months? You have, haven't you?"
Lizzie bit her lip as she gazed desperately at Marietta. Hayden saw the look on her face and gently slipped his hand into hers, gripping it tight and wouldn't let go. Again, Marietta shook her head.
"What do you mean by shaking your head, dear?" asked 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 and Miss Brooks, second-in-command, were they not? They organized it. They – 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 around to face her and began shaking her very hard.
"Oh, my goodness!" Lizzie gasped. She was angry and upset that Marietta had sold out the group, but she didn't want to see her get hurt either.
A split second later, Dumbledore was on his feet, his wand raised. Kingsley started forward and Umbridge leapt back from Marietta, waving her hands in tha air as though she had been burned.
"I cannot allow you to manhandle my students, Dolores," said Dumbledore, and for the first time, he looked angry.
Lizzie had to agree with this. Manhandling and browbeating students was certainly not the way to resolved the situation or get the answers one desired. As her dad used to say: 'anger is not the solution.' And Umbridge thought that she and Harry had bad tempers. Talk about pot meets kettle, thought Lizzie bitterly.
"You want to calm yourself, Madame Umbridge," said Kingsley in his deep slow voice. "You don't want to get yourself in trouble, now."
"No," said Umbridge breathlessly, glancing up at the towering figure of Kingsley. "I mean, yes – you're right Shacklebolt – I – I forgot myself….."
Lizzie snorted derisively but managed to turned into a very convincing sneeze. Marietta was standing exactly where Umbridge had released her. She seemed neither perturbed by Umbridge's sudden assault, nor relieved by her release. She was still clutching her robes up to her oddly blank eyes, staring straight ahead of her. A sudden suspicion connected to Kingsley's whisper and the thing she had felt shoot past her, sprang into Lizzie's mind.
"Dolores," said Fudge, with an 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. I have all their names here…we needed evidence and the room provided….."
And to both Lizzie and Hayden's great horror, she withdrew from her pocket, the list of name that had been pinned upon the Room of Requirement's wall, and handed it to Fudge.
"The moment I saw Potter's name, as well as Miss Brooks' and Mr. Chamberlain's names on this list, I knew what we were dealing with," she said softly.
"Miss Brooks, what happened to your head, you're bleeding…Merlin's beard!" Professor McGonagall gasped, walking over to Lizzie, and eyeing the bleeding bald patches on her scalp where Umbridge had ripped her hair out.
"She attempted to run, Minerva," said Umbridge, smiling wickedly. "Not that she could get very far, of course, seeing as she's crippled, but I had to stop her. She continued to affectionately stroke the braided lock of Lizzie's hair.
This was a bold-faced lie, and Lizzie knew it. She hadn't attempted to run at all. On the contrary, she was so shocked at the idea that they had been found out, that running, or even attempting to run had completely slipped her mind. And it was probably a good thing she hadn't in any case.
"Excellent," said Fudge, a smile spreading across his face. "Excellent, Dolores. And…..by thunder…"
He looked 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, the name of which Hayden had come up with, 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 would a statement before these witnesses suffice?"
Lizzie saw McGonagall and Kingsley look at each other. There was fear in both their faces. She did not understand what was going on, and neither apparently did Fudge.
Hayden, however, did seem to understand. "No, Professor Dumbledore!" he said. "He – he had nothing to do with it, it was Lizzie, Harry and I – we came up with the group!" Dumbledore smiled at Hayden. "Most noble of you, Hayden to shield me," he said in a commending voice. "But as this parchment clearly states, the name of the group is called Dumbledore's Army. Not Potter's Army, not Brooks' Army, not Chamberlain's Army: Dumbledore's Army."
"But – but…."
Understanding blazed suddenly in Fudge's face. He took a horrified step backward, yelped and jumped out of the fire again. "You?" he whispered, stomping again on his smoldering cloak.
"Tha's right," said Dumbledore pleasantly.
"You organized this?"
"I did," said Dumbledore.
Lizzie and Hayden were gazing at each other with expressions of utmost bewilderment. "What's going on?" Lizzie mouthed at Hayden, who shook his head in response, seemingly just as confused as her. Lizzie had always admired and had great respect for Dumbledore. But was he really willing to take the rap for something his own students did?
"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!" shouted Lizzie. Kingsley as well as Hayden flashed a warning look at her. It was now only beginning to dawn on her what was happening and what Dumbledore was about to do, and she couldn't let that happen.
"No, Professor Dumbledore!" Lizzie cried, tears, beginning to build in her eyes.
"Please, be quiet, Lizzie, or I am afraid you will have to leave my office," said Dumbledore calmly.
"Yes, shut up, girl!" barked Fudge, who was still ogling Dumbledore with a kind of horrified delight.
"Well, well, well – I came here tonight expecting to expel Miss Brooks, and while I cannot expel Mr. Chamberlain, here, I will certainly be writing to his headmistress, informing her of his activities."
"You can't do that!" snarled Hayden. "You better believe I can, boy!" sneered Fudge. "But 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 notetaking.
"The bit about how he's been trying to build up an army against the Ministry, how he's been working to destabilize 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!"
You heartless son-of-a-bitch! thought Lizzie, glaring murderously at Fudge. "And are you going to refile charges against Miss Brooks for the death of her horse, sir?" asked Percy eagerly.
"Yes, yes, I think that would be a good idea," said Fudge. "What?" shouted Hayden. "Minister, Miss Brooks has been cleared of any wrongdoing in the death of her horse!" said the long haired Auror in a heavy Scottish accent. "She put her horse in a dangerous situation, and caused his death, McKinnon!" said Fudge defiantly. "She must be held accountable for her actions!"'
"Miss Brooks," said Professor McGonagall. "Did you ever at any time intend to cause harm to your horse?" "No, Professor," said Lizzie. "Draco Malfoy said some horrible things to me in the warmup ring, and I allowed my emotions to cloud my judgement. I cannot go back and change what happened or what I did – I wish so badly that I could. But the only thing I can do now, is learn from the mistake I made and make sure it doesn't happen again. I have to live the rest of my life knowing that I could have prevented this from happening, and that the only reason that Raven is dead is because of my recklessness. Don't you think that's punishment enough…..Minister?
Hayden felt a rush of pride toward Lizzie as he smiled. She had stood up for herself, and accepted responsibility for her actions in regards to Raven's death without raising her voice, getting angry, or emotional. She had remained calm, yet assertive.
"But – but – you…" Fudge spluttered angrily at Lizzie. Lizzie raised her eyebrows at him, as thought curious if he was going to continue. "Very well!" said Fudge furiously, turning back to Dumbledore. "You will now be escorted back to the Ministry where you will be formally charged and set to Azkaban to await trial!"
"Ah," said Dumbledore gently, "yes. Yes, I thought we might hit this little snag."
"Snag," said Fudge, his voice now vibrating with joy at the prospect of arresting the Headmaster of Hogwarts. "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 laboring under the delusion that I'm going to – what's 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."
Lizzie would have laughed if the situation were not so dire. 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 been stunned by a sudden blow and could not quite believe it had happened. He made a small choking noise, and then looked around at Kingsley and the man with short grey hair, who apart from everyone in the room, had remained silent so far.
The latter gave Fudge a reassuring nod and moved forward a little, away from the wall. Lizzie saw a hand drift, almost causally toward 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's' in all your N.E.W.T.s, but if you attempt to – er – 'bring me in' by force, I will have to hurt you."
"I'd like to see that," Hayden muttered to Lizzie, and it took every ounce of willpower she possessed not to laugh.
The man called Dawlish blinked, looking rather foolish. He looked toward 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, Ewan, 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. Lizzie and Hayden likewise did the same, despite the two of them having half the experience of their counterparts.
"Oh, yes, he will, Minerva!" said Dumbledore sharply. "Hogwarts needs you! And Lizzie, Hayden, this does not concern the pair of you," he added in Lizzie and Hayden's direction. They both stowed their wands back into their robes. "Sorry, Headmaster," mumbled Hayden. "You must take care of Lizzie," said Dumbledore seriously. "She needs you."
"Enough of this rubbish!" said Fudge, pulling out his own wand. "Dawlish! Shacklebolt, McKinnon! Take him!"
A streak of silver light flashed around the room. There was a bang like a gunshot and the floor trembled, two hands grabbed Lizzie's shoulders and pulled her down onto the floor as a second silver flash went off – several of the portraits yelled, Fawkes, Dumbledore's beloved pet phoenix screeched, and a cloud of dust filled the air. Coughing in the dust, Lizzie saw a dark figure fall to the ground with a crash in front of her. There was a shriek and a thud, and somebody cried, "No!" Then the sound of breaking glass, frantically scuffling footsteps, a groan – and silence.
Lizzie felt Hayden pull her to her feet as the pair of them gazed around to see what had just happened. Dust was still floating gently down through the air onto them. Panting slightly, Lizzie saw a very tall figure moving toward them.
"Are you two all right?" asked Dumbledore. "Yeah," said Hayden as he got to his feet after Lizzie.
The dust began to clear. The wreckage of the office loomed into view. Dumbledore's desk had been overturned, all of the spindly tables had been knocked to the floor, their silver instruments in pieces.
Fudge, Umbridge, Kingsley, Ewan McKinnon and Dawlish lay motionless. Fawkes the phoenix soared in a wide circle above them, singing softly.
"Unfortunately, I had to hex Kingsley and Ewan too, or it would have looked very suspicious," said Dumbledore in a low voice. "Ewan was remarkably quick on the uptake, modifying Miss Edgecombe's memory like that while everyone was looking the other way…."
Lizzie suddenly recalled how she had seen Ewan wave his hand casually, though it had remained stationary at his side, just before Marietta's eyes went blank and fixed.
"Thank him for me, would you, Minerva?" asked Dumbledore as his tone became much more urgent.
"Now, they will all wake very soon, and it will be best if they do not know that we had time to communicate – you must act as though no time has passed, as though they were merely knocked to the ground, they will not remember…."
"Where will you go, Dumbledore?" whispered Professor McGonagall. "Grimmauld Place?" "Oh, no," said Dumbledore with a grim smile. "I am not leaving to go into hiding. Fudge will soon wish he'd never dislodged me from Hogwarts. I promise you….."
"Professor Dumbledore…" Hayden began. He did not know what to say at first: how sorry he was that he ever got involved in the D.A. to begin with, and contributing to this whole mess, and how Lizzie had gotten roped into it too. Or how terrible he felt that Dumbledore was leaving to ensure that the others stay at school? But Dumbledore cut him off before he could say another word.
"Hayden you have done very well with Lizzie this year, and she is going to need you more than ever after I leave. Protect her. You must promise me….."
The man called Dawlish was stirring. Dumbledore put a firm hand on Hayden's shoulder. "Promise me Hayden!" he said. Hayden couldn't say anything and nodded. "I promise, Professor," he said finally. "Good," said Dumbledore.
Fawkes circled the office and swooped low over him. Dumbledore released his grip on Hayden's shoulder, raised his hand, and grasped the phoenix's golden tail. There was a flash of fire, and the pair of them had gone.
"Where is he?" yelled Fudge, pushing himself up on the ground. "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 inside the school….."
"The stairs!" cried Dawlish, and he flung himself upon the door, wrenching it. open, followed closely by Kingsley. Ewan and Umbridge.
Fudge hesitated, then got to his feet slowly, brushing dust from his front. There was a long and painful silence. "Well Minerva," said Fudge nastily, straightening his torn shirt sleeve. "I'm afraid this is the end of your friend Dumbledore."
"You think so, do you?" asked Professor McGonagall scornfully. Fudge seemed not to hear her. He was looking around the wrecked office. A few of the portraits hissed at him; one or two even made rude hand gestures, earning suppressed sniggers from Lizzie and Hayden.
"You'd better get those two off to bed," said Fudge, looking back at Professor McGonagall with a dismissive nod towards Lizzie and Hayden.
She said nothing, but marched the two of them to the door. As it swung closed behind them, Lizzie heard Phineas Nigellus's voice. "You may not like him, Minister…But you can't deny….Dumbledore's got style."
"Quite a night we're having, eh?" asked Hayden as he walked Lizzie back to Gryffindor Tower. "So I guess this means no more D.A. meetings. There's no way Umbridge will allow it to continue now that she knows about it…."
"I can't believe Marietta did that!" said Lizzie furiously. "What I can't understand though, is why?" "Umbridge mentioned something about her mom working for the Ministry," said Hayden. "Maybe she intimidated her – threatened to fire her from her job or something!"
"By the way, what was Dumbledore taking to you about?" asked Lizzie. "He…..made me promise to protect you," said Hayden. "Protect me?" asked Lizzie. "I was just as confused as you," said Hayden.
When they reached the portrait of the Fat Lady, Hayden gave Lizzie an extra-long hug, holding her tight as though he were afraid to let her go. When he finally did release his grip on her, he put a hand on her face and gazed intensely into her eyes. She really is gorgeous, he thought. It was remarkable really, just how much the two of them had been through together in just seven months.
"Night," said Lizzie as she uttered the password and the Fat Lady's portrait swung forward to let her in. Hayden watched her as she clambered through the portrait hole and out of sight.
— BY ORDER OF —
The Ministry of Magic
Dolores Jane Umbridge (High Inquisitor) has replaced Albus Dumbledore as Head of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
The above is in accordance with Educational Decree Number Twenty-eight.
Signed:
Cornelius Oswald Fudge
MINISTER OF MAGIC
Lizzie felt like she was going to burst into tears. The notice had gone up all over the school overnight, but they did not explain how every single person within the castle seemed to know that Dumbledore had overcome three Aurors, the High Inquisitor, the Minister of Magic, and his Junior Assistant to escape.
No matter where Lizzie or Hayden went within the castle next day, the sole topic of conversation with Dumbledore's flight and though some of the details might have gone awry in the retelling (Hayden overheard a second year assuring another that Fudge was now lying in St. Mungo's with a pumpkin for a head), it was surprising by how accurate the rest of their information was.
Everybody seemed aware, for instance, that Marietta, Lizzie, and Hayden were the only students to have witnessed the scene in Dumbledore's office, and as Marietta was now in the hospital wing, as Madame Pomfrey attempted to rid her of the word 'sneak' that had been tattooed across her face in ugly purple zits.
Hayden was beginning to understand why Dumbledore had made him promise to watch over Lizzie and protect her.
Since that day in Dumbledore's office, Umbridge had been taken to carrying around the long braided lock of Lizzie's hair around like some grotesque totem, and smiling maliciously at Lizzie in classes and whenever they passed each other in the corridors.
Hayden treated Lizzie's scalp with Essence of Dittany to heal it, before performing a series of Hair Growth Chams on her to cover up the bald spots. Her hair regrew to its original length within half an hour, yet she still appeared shaken. She also had an ugly purple bruise on her lower back where Umbridge had kicked her.
It wasn't just that Umbridge had taken her hair as a trophy, but now that she was Headmistress, both her and Hayden were certain that she would find any and all excuses to make Lizzie's life at Hogwarts miserable – whether the punishment was justifiable or not.
Her worst fear above all things, was that Umbridge would find some way to ban her from riding, and disqualify her from the show in a few months.
"Dumbledore will be back before long," said Ernie Macmillan confidently on the way back from Herbology after listening to Lizzie's story. "They couldn't keep him away in our second year, remember, Liz?" "Yeah, that's true," said Lizzie. "They won't be able to this time. The Fat Friar told me….." He dropped his voice conspiratorially so Lizzie, Harry, Ron, and Hermione had to lean in closer to him in order to hear. "…that Umbridge tried to get back into his office last night after they'd searched the castle and the grounds for him. Couldn't get past the gargoyle. The Head's office had sealed itself against her!" Ernie smirked. "Apparently she had a right little tantrum…."
Lizzie couldn't help but crack a smile at this. "Oh, and I expect she really fancied herself sitting up there in the Head's office," said Hermione viciously as they walked up the stone steps to the entrance hall. "Lording over all the other teachers, the stupid, puffed-up, power-crazy old…"
"Now, do you really want to finish that sentence, Granger?"
Draco Malfoy had slid out from behind a door, followed by Crabbe and Goyle. His pale, pointed face alight with malice.
"Afraid I'm going to have to dock a few points from Gryffindor and Hufflepuff," he drawled.
"It's only teachers that can dock points from Houses, Malfoy," said Ernie at once. "Yeah, we're prefects too, remember?" "I know prefects can't dock points, Weasley," sneered Malfoy; Crabbe and Goyle sniggered. "But members of the Inquisitorial Squad…"
"The what?" asked Hermione sharply. "The Inquisitorial Squad, Granger," said Malfoy, pointing to a tiny silver I upon his robes just beneath his prefect's badge. "A select group of students who are supportive of the Ministry of Magic, hand-picked by Professor Umbridge. Anyway, members of the Inquisitorial Squad do have the power to dock points….So, Granger, I'll have five from you for being rude about our new headmistress…..Macmillan, five for contradicting me….five because I don't like you Potter…Weasley, your shirt is untucked, so I'll have another five for that….and I forgot, you're a Mudblood, Granger, so ten for that, and fifteen from you Brooks because you're crippled, and lets see…another twenty because you killed Raven."
Lizzie felt cold. It just occurred to her by the look of satisfaction on Malfoy's face that he had been wanting to do this for a very long time.
"You've been waiting to do that for the entire year, haven't you?" she demanded, as she began to shake with rage. "Not as daft as you look, are you, Brooks?" Malfoy sneered. He strode away laughing heartily with Crabbe and Goyle.
"He was bluffing," said Ernie, looking appalled. "He can't be allowed to dock points….that would completely undermine the prefect system….."
But Lizzie was gazing at the giant hourglasses set in niches along the wall behind her, which recorded the House points Gryffindor and Ravenclaw had been neck and neck that morning. Even as they watched, stones flew upward, reducing the amount in the lower bulbs. In fact, the only glass
that seemed unchanged was the emerald filled one of Slytherin.
"You've noticed too," said Hayden as Lizzie turned and saw him staring at them all with a look of purest sympathy. "Malfoy took fifteen points from me because I'm disabled, and another twenty because of what happened to Raven! How is that fair? How?"
Hayden pulled Lizzie close into a bone-crushing hug as Harry Ron, Hermione and Ernie smiled.
As they made their way to their afternoon classes, Lizzie ran into Cho Chang as Hayden was walking her to Charms. "Umbridge hasn't been asking you about the D.A., has she?" asked Lizzie. "Oh, no!" said Cho hurriedly. "No, it was only…well, I just wanted to say….I'm so sorry, Lizzie, Hayden I – I never dreamed that Marietta would tell…"
"Well, then you obviously don't know her very well," said Hayden. "You need to chose your friends a bit more carefully."
Lizzie felt grateful that Hayden was saying this and not her. "She's a lovely person, really," said Cho. "She just…..made a mistake, that's all….."
Both Hayden and Lizzie stared at her incredulously. "A lovely person who made a mistake? No, a mistake would be picking up the wrong canter lead or knocking down a rail, or failing to save a goal at Quidditch!" Lizzie snapped, glaring at her. "What she did was beyond a mistake! She fu….." She closed her eyes, stopping herself to rephrase the rest of her sentence.
"She screwed up! She sold all of us out, including you!"
"Well, we all got away didn't we?" asked Cho pleadingly. "Small comfort," mumbled Hayden. "You know her mum works for the Ministry!" said Cho. "It's really difficult for her to…."
"Ron's dad works for the Ministry too!" said Lizzie furiously. "And in case you hadn't noticed, he hasn't got 'sneak' written across his face…."
"That was a really horrible trick of Hermione Granger's!" said Cho fiercely. "She could have told us she jinxed that list!" "Or maybe you should have been smart enough to know not to tell!" said Lizzie as she gave a mock gasp of surprise. "What a brilliant concept!"
They glared at each other for a long moment, before Cho turned on her heel and stalked off. When she had gone, Hayden turned to Lizzie looking impressed. "Took a lot of guts to say that," he said admirably. "It was the truth," said Lizzie as they continued to walk.
They were halfway down the Charm corridor, when Hayden felt a tap on his shoulder, and turning, he found himself almost nose to nose with Filch, the caretaker. He took several hasty steps backward. Filch was best viewed at a distance.
"The headmistress would like to see you, Chamberlain," he leered.
"I haven't done anything," said Hayden automatically. Fiches jowls wobbled with silent laughter.
"Guilty conscience eh?" he wheezed. "Follow me….."
Hayden glanced back at Lizzie who was looking both scared and worried as Hayden gave her hand a reassuring squeeze before following Filch down the corridor, leaving Lizzie to walk the remaining way to Charms alone.
Filch seemed to be in an extremely good mood; he hummed creakily under his breath as they climbed one of the moving staircases to the upper floors. "Things are changing around here, Chamberlain."
"I've noticed," said Hayden coldly.
"Yerse….I've been telling Dumbledore for years and years he's too soft with you all," said Filch, chuckling nastily. "You filthy little beasts would never have dropped Stinkpellets if you'd know I had it in my power to whip you raw, would you now? Nobody would have thought of throwing Fanged Frisbees down the corridor if I could've strung you up by the ankles in my office would they? But when Educational Decree Twenty-Nine comes in, Chamberlain, I'll be allowed to do them things…..And she's asking the Minister to sign an order for the expulsion of Peeves….Oh, thing are going to be very different around here with her in charge….
Umbridge had obviously gone to some lengths to get Filch on her side, Hayden thought. If Umbridge could get rid of Peeves, then it was only a matter of times before she made attempts to try and get rid of Lizzie.
"Here we are," he said, leering down at Hayden as he rapped three times upon Professor Umbridge's door and pushed it open. "The Chamberlain boy to see you ma'am."
Hayden immediately recoiled as he walked into Umbridge's office, grimacing at the lace covered tables, and the horrid plates with kittens frisking about with sickly cuteness.
Umbridge was sitting behind the desk, busily scribbling upon some pink parchment on her desk, but looked up and smiled widely at their entrance.
"Thank you, Argus," she said sweetly.
"Not at all, ma'am, not at all," said Filch, bowing as low as his rheumatism would permit, and exiting backward.
"Sit down, Mr. Chamberlain," said Umbridge curtly, pointing toward a chair, and Hayden satd. She continued to scribble for a few moments. He watched some of the foul kittens gamboling around the plates over her head, wondering what fresh horror she could possibly have in store for him.
"Well," 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?"
"What?" asked Hayden, quite sure he had misheard her.
"To drink, Mr. Chamberlain," 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.
"Nothing, thank you," said Hayden.
"I wish you to have a drink with me, Mr. Chamberlain," she said, her voice becoming more dangerously sweet. "Choose one."
"Fine…coffee then," said Hayden, shrugging.
She got up and made quite a performance of adding milk with her back to him. She then bustled around the desk with it, smiling in sinisterly sweet fashion.
"There," she said, handing it to him. "Drink it before it gets cold, won't you? Well, now, Mr. Chamberlain….I thought we ought to have a little chat after the distressing events of last night."
He said nothing. She settled herself back into her seat and waited.
When several long moment had passed in silence, she said gaily, "You're not drinking up!"
Hayden raised the cup to his lips, and then, just as suddenly, lowered it. The thought occurred to him what Lizzie would think if she knew that he accepted anything to drink from her. It also occurred to him that in the time it took for her to prepare his drink, she could have easily put something in it. Poison perhaps, or something that would force him to answer any question she asked…..
"What's the matter?" said Umbridge, who was still watching him. "Do you want sugar?"
"No," said Hayden.
He raised the cup to his lips again, and pretended to take a sip, though keeping his mouth tightly closed. Umbridge's smile widened.
"Good," she whispered. "Very good. Now then….." she leaned forward a little. "Where is Albus Dumbledore?"
"No idea," said Hayden promptly.
"Drink up, drink up," she said still smiling. "Now, Mr. Chamberlain, let us not play childish games. I know that you know where he has gone."
"I really don't know where he is," said Hayden as he pretended to drink again.
"Very well," said Umbridge looking displeased. "In that case, let's talk about your little friend Miss Brooks."
Hayden almost dropped the cup in his hand and he felt her heart sink. "What about her?" asked Hayden, the hand that was holding the teacup shook so that the cup rattled in its saucer. He tilted the cup to his mouth with his lips pressed together so that some of the hot liquid trickled down onto his robes.
Umbridge smiled widely as she reached into the pocket of her robes and withdrawing from it a folded piece of parchment.
"I have the results of your inspection with Miss Brooks," she said, giving it a tap with her short wand, breaking the seal as the parchment magically unfolded itself. Hayden's stomach turned over.
"I daresay, I was most unimpressed with your friend, as well as your…..abysmal training, Mr. Chamberlain. The Minister himself agreed with me that Miss Brooks not only demonstrated an inability to ride a horse – much less one as dangerous a mustang…."
"Flicka is not dangerous!" said Hayden firmly. Umbridge ignored him. "She also demonstrated an inability to comprehend and follow direction," she said.
Hayden had to fight not to snort derisively. He knew exactly what she was doing. She was trying to make Lizzie out to be some dim-witted vegetable, because she was autistic and had Cerebral Palsy and looking for a reason to ban her from riding and participating in the show. "She did follow directions," said Hayden. "You asked her to go over the jumps, and she did, she cleared all of them. And she answered your questions perfectly well!"
"That was not the way I heard it, Mr. Chamberlain," said Umbridge. Hayden stared at her thinking about how he could outsmart her. Then remembered something Professor McGonagall had said after the inspection of Lizzie's riding lesson: 'No educational decree permits her to inspect extracurricular activities!' And Hayden had gone through Educational Decree Number Twenty-Four, which named Umbridge High Inquisitor, and giving her the authority to inspect classes with a fine toothed comb, looking for any clauses or fine print that granted her permission and the authority to inspect extracurricular activities and there were none. It was only after she inspected Lizzie's riding lesson that a new educational decree was passed that did give her permission to inspect such activities.
"Educational decree naming you as High Inquisitor gives you the power to inspect classes, does it not?" asked Hayden. "Yes, Mr. Chamberlain, it does," said Umbridge sweetly. "Well, I'm sorry to contradict you, Headmistress," said Hayden. "But while Educational Decree Number Twenty-Four does permit you to inspect elective classes, it does not however permit you to inspect extracurricular activates."
Umbridge blinked at him, looking quite surprised, but recovered almost immediately. "Yes….. But another educational decree was passed that does permit me to inspect extracurricular activities, Mr. Chamberlain," she said. "But you inspected Lizzie's riding lesson before that decree was put into effect, and therefore, you had no authority to inspect her lesson," said Hayden. He knew that what he was saying was treading a fine and dangerous line, but he didn't care. The very worst Umbridge could do would be to send him back to Canada before the end of term.
Umbridge's face looked extremely tense. Like she was searching for a way to contradict him, but after a moment, it seemed that she could not.
"Very well, Mr. Chamberlain, I will leave the matter alone for now. Now, run along, Professor McGonagall will be worried."
Hayden placed the half empty teacup onto Umbridge's desk, got up, and left without saying another word.
Out in the corridor, his heart was thumping like mad as he walked. So Umbridge had it in for Lizzie because she was disabled. This explained everything. How much harder she was on Lizzie during the detentions, her unethical inspection of her riding lesson, ripping her hair out when the D.A. was discovered…
Of course Fudge would be on her side. After all, it was he who almost had her thrown in Azkaban with those trumped up animal cruelty charges.
Hadn't Umbridge said at the very beginning of the year that her intention was to clean house? Rid the school of anything and anyone she found unsatisfactory? Be it teachers or students?
She had already managed to put two teachers on probation, now she was going after the only disabled student in the entire school. She had not succeeded in getting her banned from riding, either recreationally or in the show, that was good. But she had also failed to get her booted from the school.
It was only now that Hayden was beginning to realize what Dumbledore meant when he had made him promise that he would protect Lizzie.
