Author's Notes: Yay, an update! This chapter wasn't planned out at all…I kind of read the chapter in OotP and just wrote whatever came to mind as I read it, and I kind of like how it turned out. I'm quite proud of this story because it's really different from everything else I've done, so it really means a lot when you guys review this one. Just wanted to let you know I appreciate it.
Oh great and wonderful Talyn, thank you for your eloquent review and request. FanFictionFantom, I'm glad that you don't think that this is one of those things where Hermione is busty and hot and has a passionate affair with someone. We'll leave that to Omelet(te) of Desire. The Hazlenut, I am also lazy and irresponsible, huzzah! P.D. Yerf, glad you understand the ways of the FU now! Crimsonslayer, clearly there is room, and glad you liked the martinis line. Welcome to the FU, all of you!
Monday, 9 October
7:26 a.m.
I can't stop thinking about how well the meeting went on Saturday! We're actually doing something now and you can tell everyone's excited about it. I actually caught Ron flipping through a Defense Against the Dark Arts book from the library yesterday, and I haven't seen Harry this happy or excited about anything all year. After classes today Ron, Harry and I are going to get together and brainstorm locations for our meetings, if we don't have too much homework, that is. I was thinking of - what on earth was that?
??? a.m. (left dorm in a hurry to get away from Parvati and Lavender, forgot to put on Viktor's watch)
Breakfast
Argh How did she find out?! I checked everyone as soon as we came into the Great Hall; no one was sporting purple spots so I know none of the people who came to the meeting told Umbridge anything. How, then? We were so careful…
I was writing in here this morning before class when all of the sudden there was this god-awful, loud, wailing noise. Parvati and Lavender rushed out of our dorm to see what was happening.
"Oooh, someone must have tried to get up the stairs!" Lavender said gleefully.
"Wonder who it was?"
"Why on earth would you try to sneak up here at 7:30 in the morning, though?"
"I know, it would be so much more romantic at night…"
I sighed, got my things, pushed past the great gossiping duo and slid down what used to be the stairs.
"It's not fair!" I heard Ron say as I was sliding down. "Hermione's allowed in our dormitory, how come we're not allowed?"
"Well, it's an old-fashioned rule," I explained once I'd reached the bottom. "Anyway, why were you trying to get in there?" I asked Ron, an eyebrow raised.
"To see you," said Ron. I blinked in surprise for a moment, getting entirely the wrong impression like the silly thing I am, before he added, "Look at this!" and dragged me over to the bulletin board.
Umbridge passed another ridiculous educational decree, disbanding – oh bollocks, Ernie's trying to come over here again, the fool.
History of Magic
I feel like such a hypocrite, writing in here when I've been glaring at Harry all class for sitting there and doodling on his notebook instead of listening. But I, unlike Harry, have already read ahead about Frunzelfork the Fierce, so I, unlike Harry, can afford to take a brief reprieve from taking notes in order to chronicle today's events.
So as I was saying, Umbridge passed a decree disbanding all clubs, teams, etc., and each organization has to obtain permission from her before they can re-form. They cannot "exist without the knowledge and approval of the High Inquisitor." It's obviously no coincidence. Someone overheard us at the Hog's Head.
After Ron snapped at me for being honourable and trustworthy (two extremely horrible vices, I know) I explained to them that I jinxed the parchment we all signed and that no one could have blabbed. Ron actually seemed rather impressed then, and was really eager to know what would happen to them if – is that Hedwig at the window?
Lunch
Hedwig wasn't hurt too badly, thank goodness. The poor thing's wing was all bent out of shape when Harry brought her into the classroom, but he brought her to Professor Grubbly-Plank and she said that she would fix Hedwig up. Clearly someone has been reading Harry's mail. Luckily it wasn't anything too revealing, but it could be dangerous nonetheless. The letter was from Sirius, and all it said was: Same time, same place. I suppose he's going to come to the fire in the common room again tonight, although I wish he wouldn't take such stupid risks. Not only was Hedwig injured because of his letter, but now there's a chance that someone (namely Umbridge) has read it, and it's not like we can send a message to warn him because there's a chance that will be intercepted too.
Speaking of everyone's favourite person today, Umbridge was in Potions and – oh, here comes Neville, I have to talk to him…what in the world was he thinking, charging Malfoy like that?
Defense Against the Dark Arts
Well if I'm going to sit here and pretend to re-read the dullest textbook ever created I might as well write in here and pretend to also be taking notes from the dullest textbook ever created while I'm at it. I still don't know what got into Neville in Potions; he didn't exactly want to talk at lunch.
"Hi Neville," I said as he sat down.
"Hi," Neville muttered. He had looked furious when he was trying to go at it with Malfoy, but at lunch he just looked deflated.
"Is something wrong?" I tried.
Neville murmured something incomprehensible, staring at his plate.
"You're just not acting like yourself today…"
Neville said nothing.
"Harry and Ron were just trying to help in Potions today, you know," I said reasonably. "Crabbe and Goyle would've killed you if you'd tried to hit Malfoy…"
Nothing.
"Why…did you try to hit Malfoy?" I asked in a last-ditch effort.
"I dunno," Neville muttered, hanging his head. I gave up and decided to let him be.
Umbridge was in Arithmancy too, but she seemed to decide that Arithmetic equations won't help any of us overthrow the Ministry, so she didn't give Professor Vector a hard time. She was, however, particularly nasty to me when I tried to pitch in with an answer to a question she asked Justin Finch-Fletchley about the class. She was asking – what on earth is Parvati doing? Oh honestly, is she trying to pass me a note? She probably wants to know what we're going to do now that the educational decree has been passed (we're going to do it anyway, of course). Brilliant, Parvati, right in front of Umbridge. I'm just going to ignore her and hope she gets the message.
Oh perfect, now she's tossed it on my desk.
Dinner
Here was Parvati's note:
Mione
O.K. so Emily Cameron told me that Jessie Laurence told her that Marguerite Beauregard told her that Ron Weasley told her that he was the one who was trying to get upstairs this morning! To see you!!! What's going on???
P & L
Firstly, where did she come up with the ridiculous abbreviation "Mione"? And here I thought that Parvati and Lavender actually cared about our Defense Against the Dark Arts group – oh, what do you want, Ron?
Still Dinner
For someone who can't take notice of other, infinitely more important things, Ron is oddly observant.
"Hermione!" Ron yelled in my ear, for what I assume was probably the third or fourth time, since I was busy writing and ignoring him.
"What?" I asked irritably, slamming my journal shut.
"You haven't eaten anything all day because you've been writing in that bloody book at every single meal," Ron pointed out. He peered over my shoulder at my closed journal. "What are you writing about, anyways?"
"Ideas for locations for the meetings," I lied. "You should be brainstorming, too," I said accusingly.
"Oh," Ron said, rather lamely. "Well…we'll all brainstorm later. Eat something."
"I didn't know you were so concerned about my eating habits," I replied, raising an eyebrow and yet feeling oddly pleased at the same time.
"I'm not," Ron said quickly, turning a bit pink. "It's just that you're…grumpy when you don't eat," he said matter-of-factly. I rolled my eyes at him. He shrugged then got up to go talk to Fred and George at the other end of the table.
Well maybe I wouldn't have to be writing furiously at each meal if I would stop getting interrupted. I'm just trying to chronicle the day's events in an organized fashion and – oh for the love of – GO BACK TO YOUR OWN TABLE, ERNIE!
8:15 p.m. (ran up to dorm to put on watch – stairs are back to normal)
We're back in the common room, except Harry's busy writing the Potions essay Snape assigned him and Ron's busy making up rubbish for a Diviniation assignment, so I guess we'll have to brainstorm ideas for the Defense group's meeting locations later. Now, where was I? I can't even remember what I was trying to write about. Arithmancy? Oh, yes. Umbridge asked Justin Finch-Fletchley about the independent study assignment, and Justin told her that Checkpoint #2 is due next week, when really it's Checkpoint #3, and it's not as if I was trying to prove anything to Umbridge, I just thought Justin should probably know he's a checkpoint behind.
"It's Checkpoint #3, actually," I supplied helpfully.
"…It is?" Justin said, turning white. "Bollocks," he said under his breath.
"Excuse me, Miss Granger," Umbridge said in her sickeningly sweet tone, "but I believe I was asking Mr. Finch-Fletchley a question."
"I know, I was just - "
"Is your name Mr. Finch-Fletchley?" she interrupted sweetly.
I sighed. "No."
"You will answer, 'No, Professor Umbridge'."
I took a deep breath. "No, Professor Umbridge," I repeated in a clipped voice.
"Very good," Umbridge said with a smile. "We must learn not to speak out of turn, musn't we? Speaking out of turn is against school rules, and as a prefect, we wouldn't want to break any school rules now, would we?"
I could have sworn I saw a glint in her eye. I clenched my teeth. "No, Professor Umbridge."
"Good girl," she said approvingly, then went off to speak to Dean and Seamus.
She knows I was there at the Hog's Head, and she knows that I helped organize the meeting. How did she – IF THE TWINS VOMIT INTO THAT BUCKET ONE MORE TIME…
11:57 p.m.
Well they've finally gone to bed, so now I can finally finish my thought.
What was my thought?
Maybe Ron's right. I do write in here too much. Mrs. Crick would be dancing in the streets for joy if she found out I spent half the day writing in the journal she recommended I start keeping. But I'm not writing about my repressed teenage angst or anything! I just…like to write things down…and organize my thoughts sometimes – Sirius!
12:12 a.m.
That was such a close call! Too close. I knew this was a bad idea! There's no doubt left. Umbridge has been reading Harry's mail. I suspected it when Harry told us that story about Filch and the Dungbombs. It seemed too strange for Filch to just randomly check Harry's mail for something like that.
My stomach is all in knots now. I can't believe how great things seemed this morning and the horrible turn for the worse everything's taken. Maybe…maybe this whole Defense group isn't such a good idea. I know it was my idea to begin with, but what if we get found out…or expelled…Sirius may be right, at least we would know defense, but to be expelled - NO I DO NOT WANT TO DISCUSS THE FACT THAT RON TRIED TO GET UP THE STAIRS THIS MORNING, LAVENDER!
That's it. I'm going to bed.
Oh…
Weekly Goals
1. Brainstorm location for – oh forget it, those two are still pestering me, I'm going to bed.
