Continued from Mayfair's piece...

~

"Among others. But Umbridge is under particularly close scrutiny because she has been demoted from 'Chief Undersecretary to the Minster' to 'Chief
Administrator of Azkaban Detention Centre'. I'm sure you are well aware of her obsession in protecting her high profile post as the Minister's Under Secretary. Now she has lost her influence over various prominent
personalities in society. Her duty now is to ensure the smooth running of Azkaban, which means she rarely has anything of importance to do. She has
gone from being a figure of power to a lowly caretaker, stranded on that island with insane criminals and those eerie dementors."

Hermione was taking in this startling bit of news very guiltily, because as sorry as she felt for Umbridge's dramatic decline from power she couldn't
help but feel satisfied that least that woman was in longer a position to abuse her supremacy over others. But wait …

"But sir, I mean Dawlish. If she is now in charge of Azkaban, that means she might have helped those Death Eaters escape..."

"That would be true, if and only if she is working for The Dark Lord," Dawlish cut her short. "I should remind you that she is only a suspect still, and her surveillance is most discreet. I need not remind you that she also
poses a great threat with all those dementors at her command. That is the reason Professor Dumbledore has placed her under extra scrutiny."

"I understand Dawlish, er- you also mentioned a motive."

"Minister Fudge dismissed her the day she rejoined the Ministry, because the fact that she had ordered the Dementors to attack Harry Potter near his Muggle home had become public knowledge. The Minister was most reluctant to let her work for the Ministry again after her actions had put us in disgrace. I fear that she blames Harry Potter for her downfall."

"And knowing Professor Umbridge, she will go to any length to get revenge."

Dawlish smiled at Hermione.

"So you understand why I want you to personally investigate her. In that file you will see daily reports of her activities from my sources. No opinions I'm afraid, just the stats. Whom she meets, where she goes for
lunch and what time she leaves her office .. routine information of that kind. Its now up to you to figure out any irregularities or to catch anything suspicious. I was told that you are quite the detective."

Hermione's face lit up with pride.

"I'll get right to it sir."

"Call me Dawlish, Hermione," he said, as he motioned her towards her desk.

~

"I wouldn't touch that if I were you, boy," growled Alastor Moody as he watched Draco from the back of his head. "Not unless you'd want yer hands to go all rotten and green."

Draco instantly snapped back his hand, away from the file that he had been about to pick up from Moody's desk.

"Why do you keep such dangerous things lying around like that, where anyone can touch them?" Malfoy was scowling.

Moody's magical eye glanced at him while his normal eye continued to pore over the morning's Daily Prophet.

"So I'd know who likes to prowl around in my office," Moody replied with a snarl. "People tend to innocently go through my files, and then foolishly give up that information to Voldemort."

Draco looked away, towards the small metal door of Moody's office. What wouldn't he give to run out that door right now! He was careful not to let his gaze rest upon the posters of the escaped Death Eaters, behind Moody's back and on the adjacent wall, too.

"Sir, I've just been sitting here since morning. You haven't given me any assignment or any idea of what it is you want me to do. I mean, why are youkeeping me idle?"

Once again Moody's electric blue eye was looking straight at Malfoy, who found it very unnerving,
"Because all the assignments and reports I have now are too important and secretive to be entrusted to you."

"Why are you training me if you still don't trust me?" Draco sounded offended.

Moody did not even glance in his direction this time,

"Because I know your father very well and it is his blood that runs in your…"

"I've left him FOR GOOD!" Draco interrupted in a raised voice.

Moody lifted his face and stared, penetrating Draco with both eyes, magical and normal.

"You better learn to control that temper of yours, laddie. I'm not used to being talked to like that."

It was a threat, not an order and Malfoy knew that, so he kept his mouth shut, pushing back a lot of things he'd like to have said then and there. Moody returned to his paper but his magical eye shot up instantly in the
direction of the door. He picked up the file from his desk and prodded it with its wand, sealing it magically shut. He then held it out towards Draco, who plunged both hands behind his back in horror.

"It won't do any harm to yeh now. I want you take it down on the second floor to Mr. Bradley Forshythe. If he is not at his desk, wait for him in his office but don't leave it lying there or give it to anyone else either…Understand?"

Malfoy nodded as he hesitantly, took the file into his hands and headed towards the door. When he pushed it open, he was greeted by a tall blond wizard with short spiky hair and a sneering expression much like his
mother's. The wizard simply stepped aside in order to let Draco walk on. Draco passed him silently and turned around to watch him step into Moody's office, slamming the door shut in Draco's face.

~

Three grueling hours later, Hermione was to be found crouched over at her desk, intently poring over the contents of the file on Jane Dolores Umbridge.

She clutched furiously at her hair in righteous frustration, unable to find any abnormality in Umbridge's daily routine. She registered her attendance daily at eight in the morning, before Apparating to her cabin on the Azkaban grounds from where she returned without fail, every day at 5 pm. Apart from the day of the outbreak, her punctuality had been almost robotically precise. But even if she wasn't a spy for Voldemort, it made sense for her to stay late on the night the Death Eaters had escaped. There was even a report from one Kingsley Shacklebolt stating that "Chief Administrator Umbridge had tirelessly assisted all the aurors to recapture the escaped Death Eaters and was most distressed when all of them managed to
escape."

Perhaps that was a false rouse…perhaps. What clicked most with Hermione was the fact that Umbridge had almost no social life. Apart from the inevitable meetings with co-workers and superiors within the Ministry, none
of the Order's spies tailing her had managed to produce a single account of her meeting anyone after or outside of work.

Dumbledore had checked in on her a number of times, but Hermione would no sooner believe that Dumbledore was in league with Voldemort than she would believe in the existence of Krumple Horned Snorkacks.

Although she couldn't deny that Umbridge definitely had a strong motive, she also couldn't deny that her former Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher's behavior was clean, very clean …… suspiciously clean.

~

Bellatrix Lestrange waited on bent knees for her master to speak. He knew she was kneeling there, but he was still gazing intently into the dense fog which lay spread out over the lake, engulfing the watery body into its
sinister, misty depths.

"Did he go to Alastor's office again today, Bella?"

"Yes, my Lord, and guess who he saw coming out of the office. Malfoy's son!"

Voldemort waited a minute before replying.

"That is insignificant; what is important is that was he SEEN?"

Bellatrix lowered her voice to a happy purr.

"Yes, both times when he went into that lunatic's office and later when he met me."

The satisfaction was obvious in Voldemort's voice when he answered, "Excellent, the Order's dogs have picked up our fake trail. Let them bark up the wrong tree. It shall be payback for all the times Alastor Moody has put
my loyal Death Eaters in Azkaban."

"You are unmatched, my lord."

"I know that Bella, my dear. In the meanwhile get in touch with our real spy and see what he has to report. I get impatient waiting for that fool to come to me with news."

Bellatrix Lestrange vanished with a swish of her cloak.

~

"He is a FREAKING WIERDO!" Ron wasn't exactly overwhelmed with Abelard Williamson, his boss. "He would make Luna Lovegood seem like very normal and
sane company."

Harry let out a laugh, "Good for you Ron. I think you two might be great buddies in the future!"

Ron punched him on his shoulders, but Harry and Ginny were still laughing as if there was no tomorrow. Back in the Gryffindor common room, the trio, along with Ginny, were eagerly discussing their first day at work. The rest of the students had retired into their dormitories leaving these four to talk uninterruptedly. Ron was still in a state of disbelief over his appointment.

"We spent three hours discussing the best recipe for cauldron cakes. At first I thought that nutter might be trying to throw me off track. But then he couldn't stop ranting on about the Weird Sisters and how their music
seems really deep to him. And guess what he likes to do every spare minute he gets? He buries his nose into The Quibbler."

Ron was gaping wide eyed at the rest of them, as if waiting for some sincere and well deserved sympathy. Hermione was the first one to say something (apart from the constant snickering of Harry and Ginny).

"Well I'm sure that he isn't permanently like that. Imagine someone like that in charge of Strategy and Planning for the Ministry?"

Harry spoke up in a very bitter voice, "Imagine someone like Fudge in charge of the whole Ministry."

There was an uncomfortable silence following this remark. Ginny put a comforting hand to Harry's cheek.

"That's all over now Harry. He is on our side now."

Harry smiled a very Karkaroff like smile, one which didn't reach his eyes at all.

"That still doesn't mean I'll forget the torture I went through trying to make the whole world see the truth, and all because of Fudge's stupidity."

"And let's not forget Miss hem hem."

A fire lit up in Harry's eyes at the mention of Dolores Umbridge, as he involuntarily touched the back of his hand remembering Umbridge's detentions and her quill. Hermione sensed what was going through Harry's head.

"Speaking of her, guess what my first assignment is?"

"What, you have to find a toad which we can use as her double?" replied Ron. No one laughed.

"Very funny Ron...she is now Chief Administrator of Azkaban and also the top suspect. My job is to investigate her."

Ron's mouth hung lower than it was humanly possible, and Harry instantly shot up from the couch, his hand still clutching Ginny's.

"Now I know Fudge is mad ! How can he leave that woman in complete control of the Dementors and all those Death Eaters after all she has done?! No wonder all of them escaped so easily!"

"From what I gather, she overworked herself that night to assist the Aurors," Hermione recalled Kingsley's report.

Ron let out a sarcastic "ha".

"The day I believe that Umbridge helped someone without any personal ambition is the day I'll believe in Krumple Horned Snorkacks."

Hermione shot Ron a startling expression here, but her shock instantly turned into pleasure filling her with warmth and joy. Maybe there was something between them … She was jerked back to reality when she realized what she had been thinking at the time this expression had come to her mind.

"Dumbledore, he is the one who persuaded Fudge to appoint Umbridge for that post."

"WHAT?!" there was a combined inquiry from all three.

"Yes I read it in her file today, she was posted in Azkaban upon Dumbledore's insistence. He vouched for in front of the whole Wizengamot. She was being tried for sending those Dementors to your home, Harry."

"Why would Dumbledore do that?" Ron asked bluntly.

Harry was however speaking to no one in particular,
"First Snape and now Umbridge. Dumbledore definitely has a weird sense of choosing his allies."

All four were silent, racking their brains over this puzzle. Why, why would Dumbledore give Umbridge his vote of confidence? After five nerve rattling minutes of immense concentration Harry spoke up suddenly, excitement ringing in his every word.

"DON'T you all see? Umbridge can't be Voldemort's spy."

"Aww, c'mon mate. We know she is evil enough!" Ron replied.

"And Dawlish said she had a strong motive in wanting to avenge her downfall, Harry," Hermione added.

"Yes, yes, but don't you see? She is locked up on that dreaded island all day long. She doesn't meet anyone there. Right?"

Hermione nodded, Harry continued in his stride.

"And I don't think they keep the entire Ministry's secret information over there either."

"Uh-huh," came a loud murmur of agreement from all three.

"And you don't need her to control the Dementors, either. Not when they themselves are literally dying to kill people side by side with Voldemort. I...I think she is being used, someone is trying to misguide you into
investigating her Hermione. While keeping you busy enough to not notice the real spy."

Hermione's face was rigid with shock, so were Ron and Ginny's.

"But why would Dawlish try to mislead me Harry? He said he is the one who informed Dumbledore of a leak in the Ministry's espionage."

Harry frantically scratched his head.

"I dunno Hermione. Either Dawlish has sent you astray on purpose or someone else is feeding him with wrong information about Umbridge. I just can't help but trust Dumbledore, he is the only hope we have."

Suddenly Ron locked Harry with a piercing gaze,
"Hey, how was your day with Kingsley?"

Harry hesitated before answering,

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and the jigsaw piece...

"You won't believe this but..."

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This piece was written by...LeoThugs