Something Panic Worthy

Ok…gonna find out some stuff about Leah...but you're not gonna find out why so HA HA!

Leah looked up when the owls came to deliver the morning mail. Hermione's Daily Prophet arrived. Leah had had a bad feeling for the last two days so she grabbed the paper before Hermione could open it. She opened it instead and stared at the front page. Hermione looked at it and yelped.

"What?" Harry and Ron asked. Leah put the paper on the table and the boys looked at it. Ten black and white photographs filled the whole front page, nine showing wizard's faces and the tenth, a witch that Leah recognized right away.

"Bellatrix." She muttered. Leah looked at the headline. "Mass breakout from Azkaban. Ministry fears Black is 'rallying point' for old death eaters."

"Black?" Harry said, loudly. "Not…"

"Shh." Leah and Hermione said.

"Not so loud." Hermione said. "Just read it." Leah couldn't so she got up and left a little too quickly. Attention got drawn to her.

Draco watched as Leah left then looked at Blaise. Blaise was watching her too.

"What do you think that was about?" Draco asked.

"I dunno…but that girl is cute when she does something like that." Blaise said. "She's hot all the time though."

"Uh huh…hey." Draco said, finally getting a look at the paper. "I get it now."

"Explain then man." Blaise said.

"Her father is Sirius Black." Draco said. Blaise nodded. "Use your brain man. She says he's innocent."

"Oh…so seeing something like this would piss her off." Blaise said.

"Right." Draco said.

"It's probably true though you know." Blaise said. "Because Black's her dad she thinks he's innocent." Draco shrugged. "Hey Drake…what's up man?"

"Nothing." Draco said.

"You sure? You've been down or something ever since you came back from…wherever you went at the beginning of the year." Blaise said. "First you were pissed off but now you're just down."

"What's your point?" Draco asked.

"No point." Blaise said. "Just curious. You're my friend…I'm allowed to wonder about you."

"You…are an idiot." Draco said, getting up. Harry, Ron and Hermione had already left.

A few days later, Umbridge passed a new decree. Leah was given instructions from her grandfather not to give Umbridge any reason to get her in trouble so Leah restrained herself from marching into Umbridge's classroom again and demanding what the hell was going on.

Leah was slightly startled by how determined Neville had become. The next DA lesson, he didn't talk…all he did was focus his hardest. Leah couldn't blame him. She hated Bellatrix too…but for the sole purpose because she was related to her and Leah hated being related to someone like that.

By the time the Hogsmeade trip came, Leah sat with Harry, Ron and Hermione in the morning. Hermione had a letter and she was reading it.

"And about time! If it hadn't come today…" She said. "Listen Harry, this is really important. Do you think you could meet me in the Three Broomsticks around midday?"

"Well…I dunno." Harry said. "Cho might be expecting me to spend the whole day with her. We never said what we were going to do."

'Well, bring her along if you must." Hermione said. Leah looked at her curiously. "But will you come?"

"Well…alright, but why?" Harry asked.

"I haven't got time to tell you now, I've got to answer this quickly." Hermione said, hurrying out of the Great Hall.

"You two coming?" Harry asked Ron and Leah.

"Can't." Leah said. "Angelina wants a full days practice."

"Not like it'll help. We're the worst team I've ever seen." Ron said. Leah frowned at him. "You should see Sloper and Kirke, they're pathetic, even worse then I am." Ron sighed and Leah's frown only deepened. "I dunno why Angelina won't just let me resign."

"It's because you're good when you're on form, that's why." Harry said. Leah sighed before grabbing Ron by the elbow and yanking him to his feet. Harry rose too and they all left the great hall.

"See ya later Harry. Have fun." Leah said.

"Yeah…you too." Harry said.

"You kidding? The most fun I'll have is if I manage to pull a prank on Angelina." Leah said. She dragged Ron to the quidditch pitch. They sat together with Ginny in the change room.

"Ok guys…" Angelina started.

"Hold up Ang." Leah said. Angelina looked at her. "If you're gonna try and give us a pep talk…don't even start. No offence…but you're no better at them then Wood was. Besides…it's only practice. So let's just get out there."

"Ok fine." Angelina said. Leah looked at Ron who gave her a 'thank you' look. She smiled and grabbed her broom before following Ginny out onto the pitch.

The practice was a disaster, especially because of the weather. Leah couldn't think of a time during the practice when no one was muddy. They were slipping and sliding all over the place in the change room when they got back. Ron slid and fell backwards, making Leah fall over as well. That was about the most fun they had the whole time. Ron was the first to leave the change room, then Ginny, then the beater guys. Leah sat with Alicia and Angelina, all three of them drying off their hair.

"That was a disaster." Angelina said. Leah looked at her and wasn't sure if she was crying or not. Either way, her face was wet.

When the game came, Leah tried her hardest but it didn't work. Angelina got hit in the face by Sloper's bat, Ron missed fourteen saves, and Kirke shrieked and fell backwards off his broom when Zacharias Smith flew at him with the quaffle. All in all though, Gryffindor only lost by ten points. Ginny managed to get the snith right from under Hufflepuff Seeker Summerby's nose. The final score was two hundred and forty verse two hundred and thirty.

"Ron quit beating yourself up." Leah said, back in the common room. She and Ron were sitting alone in a corner. Ron was staring at his knees with a bottle of butterbeer in his hand. "If you want to get beaten up, I'll do it for you."

'I thought you were supposed to comfort me." Ron muttered.

"I've given up on that." Leah said. "God…everyone knows you can do it…you just don't know it. So instead if trying to convince you…I'm just gonna agree with you."

"Well that's just…" Ron said.

"Oh for crying out loud. You are hopeless." Leah said. Ron looked up at her, his jaw wide open. "Angelina won't let you resign so why don't you prove those stupid Slytherin's wrong and try." Ron gave Leah a look and she looked away from him. She had more reason to be pissed off at Draco then any of the others and she put a lot of emotion into that last sentence. "I'm going to bed." She stood up and went off to her dorm.

The next morning, the four of them got down to the great hall just when the owls showed up. Leah looked around the hall and saw that crazy chick, Luna, looking at them. She smiled when Leah caught her eye. Leah had heard about the interview and now she was pretty sure what Luna was getting at.

After they had sat down, Harry had about twelve owls land in front of him and soon Leah, Ron and Hermione were opening letters from people who either didn't believe Harry or did believe him.

"This ones in two minds." Fred said. He had joined in the letter opening. "Says you don't come across as a mad person, but he really doesn't want to believe You-Know-Who's back so he doesn't know what to think now. Blimey, what a waste of parchment." Leah smiled.

"Here's another one you've convinced, Harry!" Hermione said, excitedly. Leah took it from her.

"Having read your side of the story, I am forced to the conclusion that the Daily Prophet has treated you very unfairly." She read. "Little though I want to think that He Who Must Not Be Named has returned, I am forced to accept that you are telling the truth."

"Oh, this is wonderful!" Hermione said.

"Another one who things you're barking." Ron said, through a crumpled letter over his shoulder. "But this one says you've got her converted and she now thinks you're a real hero. She's put in a photograph too…wow!" Leah punched Ron's arm. "Ow!" He gave Leah a look and she just smiled sweetly.

"What is going on here?" Umbridge said in her falsely sweet, girlish voice from behind Fred and Luna. Leah rolled her eyes and glared at Umbridge…she was gonna ruin everything. Behind her, a lot of other students were watching them. "Why have you got all these letters, Mr. Potter?"

"Is that a crime now?" Leah asked. "Getting mail?" She looked at Fred to see he was giving her that 'I was about to say that' look. Leah was glad she said it first then. Umbridge just gave her a cold look.

"People have written to me because I gave an interview." Harry said. "About what happened to me last June."

"An interview?" Umbridge repeated. "What do you mean?"

"My god you are dense." Leah muttered.

"I mean a reporter asked me questions and I answered them." Harry said. "Here…" He threw the copy of The Quibbler to Umbridge, who caught it and stared at the cover.

"When did you do this?" Umbridge asked.

"Last Hogsmeade weekend." Harry said. Leah laughed at how calmly Harry was acting and at how easily he was answering the questions.

"There will be no more Hogsmeade trips for you, Mr. Potter." Umbridge whispered. Leah's jaw dropped. "How you dare…how you could…" Umbridge took a deep breath. "I have tried again and again to teach you not to tell lies."

"It's not a lie you bloody cow." Leah said. Umbridge's eyes shot to Leah for a second but returned to Harry almost instantly. Leah couldn't stand how Umbridge refused to do anything to her.

"The message, apparently, has still not sunk in. Fifty points from Gryffindor and another week's worth of detentions." Umbridge said before stalking away.

She made another decree about how, if any student was found with The Quibbler, they would get expelled. Every time Leah or Hermione saw one of those signs, they smiled.

"What exactly are you two so happy about?" Harry asked.

"Oh, Harry, don't you see?" Hermione asked.

"If she could have done one thing to make absolutely sure that every single person in this school will read your interview, it was banning it!" Leah said. "Because now, people are gonna read it, just to find out why Umbridge has banned it."

The girls were right. By the end of the day, though none of them had seen so much as a corner of the magazine anywhere in the school, the whole place seemed to be quoting the interview to each other.

Leah laughed at the reaction Draco, Crabbe and Goyle gave. It was hilarious because Harry named all their fathers as Death Eaters.

"And the best bit is..." Leah said, finally calming down from her laughing fit which got them kicked out of the library. "They can't contradict you, because they can't admit they've read the article!" Halfway through the hall, Leah was trailing along behind her friends when someone grabbed her and pulled her into a closet. It was Draco. Leah sighed and rolled her eyes.

"You're having fun with this aren't you?" Draco asked.

"If you're talking about making fun of you…then yeah…I am." Leah said, smiling. "And you can't do anything about it. Or else you'll get in trouble."

"I have other ways of getting even with your boyfriend." Draco said.

"Ok…Harry is not my boyfriend." Leah said. "In case you haven't noticed…I haven't really been as friendly with him as I was last year…or for most of the previous years. This year is just messed." Draco made a noise and Leah looked at him. "Why am I even here?"

"Because I pulled you." Draco said.

"Well fine…then I'm pulling myself back out of here." Leah said. She then thought about what she said. She shook her head and left the closet.

A few days later, Leah stood with Fred and George and watched with a mixed expression on her face as Professor Trelawney stood in the middle of the Great hall with her wand in one hand and an empty bottle in the other. She looked utterly mad. Two large trunks were on the floor beside her.

"No!" Professor Trelawney shrieked. Leah looked around and Spotted Harry near McGonagall. "NO! This cannot be happening…it cannot…I refuse to accept it!"

"You didn't realize this was coming?" Umbridge said. Even though Leah disliked Trelawney, her hatred for Umbridge was greater. George held onto Leah's upper arms. Even though she didn't move, he still held onto her, making sure she wouldn't. "Incapable though you are of predicting even tomorrow's weather, you must surely have realized that your pitiful performance during my inspections, and lack of any improvement, would make it inevitable that you would be sacked?"

"You can't!" Trelawney said, tears streaming down her face. "You…can't sack me! I've been here for sixteen years! Hogwarts is my home!"

"It was your home." Umbridge said. George's grip on Leah tightened.

"You unemotional hag…" Leah muttered. Fred shushed her.

"Until an hour ago, when the Minister for Magic countersigned your Order for Dismissal." Umbridge said. "Now kindly remove yourself from this Hall. You are embarrassing us."

"There, there, Sybill…" McGonagall said, marching up to Trelawney and pulling out a large handkerchief. "Calm down…blow your nose on this…it's not as bad as you think, now…you are not going to have to leave Hogwarts…"

"Oh really, Professor McGonagall?" Umbridge asked in a deadly voice, stepping forward. George yanked Leah back as she moved to go forward as well. "And your authority for this statement is…?"

"That would be mine." Leah looked at the oak front doors to see Dumbledore enter.

"Yours, Professor Dumbledore?" Umbridge asked, laughing. "I'm afraid you do not understand the position. I have here…" She pulled a piece of parchment out. "…an Order of Dismissal signed by myself and the Minister for Magic." Leah glared at the back of Umbridge's fat head, wishing she could make her hair catch fire. "Under the terms of Educational Decree Number Twenty-three, the High Inquisitor of Hogwarts has the power to inspect, place upon probation and sack any teacher she…that is to say I…feel is not performing to the stands required by the Ministry of Magic. I have decided that Professor Trelawney is not up to scratch. I have dismissed her."

"Yeah…keep talking you toad…just wait till I get my hands on you." Leah muttered.

"I thought you didn't like Trelawney." Fred said.

"I don't…but I hate Umbridge even more." Leah said. She was surprised to see Dumbledore still smiling.

"You are quite right, of course, Professor Umbridge. As High Inquisitor you have every right to dismiss my teachers. You do not, however, have the authority to send them away from the castle. I am afraid…" Dumbledore said, with a small bow. "That the power to do that still resides with the Headmaster, and it is my wish that Professor Trelawney continue to live at Hogwarts."

"No…no, I'll go, Dumbledore! I shall…leave Hogwarts and seek my fortune elsewhere…" Trelawney said. Leah looked at her with a great look of pity. Trelawney was a pathetic seer and Ron had more potential in seeing things then she did…but to see her break down like this…

"No." Dumbledore said, sharply. "It is my wish that you remain, Sybill." He looked at McGonagall. "Might I ask you to escort Sybill back upstairs, Professor McGonagall?"

"Of course." McGonagall said. "Up you get Sybill…" Leah's attention followed the three woman, Professor Sprout was helping, going past Umbridge and up the marble stairs. Flitwick followed them, carrying the luggage with his wand. Leah didn't even hear what was said afterward.

"This is Firenze." Dumbledore said, happily. Leah's attention was pulled to the half man, half horse that had just entered the school. "I think you'll find him suitable." Leah remembered Firenze. She had seen him that time back in first year when she had to go into the Forbidden Forest for a detention.

The next DA lesson was cut short when Dobby ran in and told them that Umbridge was on her way.

"WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?" Harry yelled. "RUN!" Everyone bolted to the door.

"Harry, Leah, come on!" Hermione shrieked. Leah grabbed Dobby and dragged him out of the room.

"Dobby…this is an order…get back down to the kitchen with the other elves and, if she asks you whether you warned me, lie and say no!" Harry said. Leah let go of the elf. "And I forbid you to hurt yourself!" Leah slammed the door behind them.

"Thank you, Harry Potter!" Dobby said, running off.

"Good elf." Leah said, looking around. Everyone else was gone. "Come on." She went one way and Harry went another. Leah got around the corner and ran into Umbridge. "Oh great."

"PROFESSOR! I've got one!" Draco's voice called. Umbridge smiled and grabbed Leah's arm before running back the way Leah came.

"It's him!" She said. Leah struggled and caught Draco's eye. She mouthed 'you are so dead' to him before he looked away. "Excellent, Draco, excellent, oh very good…and I have her too. This just keeps getting better!" Leah clamped her mouth shut to stop herself from speaking. "Fifty points to Slytherin! I'll take him from here…stand up, Potter!" Harry got to his feet and joined Leah in glaring at Draco and Umbridge. Umbridge grabbed Harry's arm as well. "You hop along and see if you can round up any more of them, Draco."

Whether Draco was listening or not, Leah couldn't tell. He was looking at her again and Leah was giving him nothing but cold looks. She really hated the fact that Umbridge held the arm that had the bracelet on it. It made it harder for Leah to hide her arm behind her back. Soon Umbridge was pulling her and Harry to Dumbledore's office.

"Fizzing Wizzbees." Umbridge said. The gargoyle jumped aside and Umbridge pulled the two teens up the spiral staircase. "Black…open the door."

"Bite me." Leah muttered, but opened the door anyways. Inside the office was Dumbledore, McGonagall, Fudge, Kingsley and, Leah's frown deepened at the sight of him, Percy. Leah and Harry pulled themselves free from Umbridge as the door closed behind them. Leah matched Fudge's glare with one of her own, although hers was hatred, where as Fudge's was one of vicious satisfaction.

"Well…" He said. "Well, well, well…" Leah glanced at Harry to see him glaring as well.

"Both of them were heading back to Gryffindor Tower." Umbridge said. Leah caught McGonagall's eye and restrained herself from elbowing Umbridge in the gut. "The Malfoy boy cornered Potter."

"Did he, did he?" Fudge said. Leah wondered why he kept repeating everything. "I must remember to tell Lucius. Well, Potter…Black…I expect you two know why you are here?"

"ye…no." Harry said. Leah stuck to shaking her head.

"I beg your pardon?" Fudge asked.

"No." Harry said, Firmly

"You don't know why you are here?" Fudge asked.

"I'm pretty sure that's what no means." Leah said.

"So you have no idea." Fudge said. Leah rolled her eyes and once again restrained herself from hurting someone. "Why Professor Umbridge has brought you to this office? You are not aware that you back broken any school rules?"

"School rules?" Harry asked.

"Nope." Leah said. Fudge glared at her but Leah kept her face straight and in a curious look.

"Or Ministry decrees?" Fudge asked, angrily.

"Are you not listening?" Leah asked.

"Not that I'm aware of." Harry said, shooting Leah a look. Leah rolled her eyes and looked at Kingsley, suddenly realizing that he was trying to grab her attention. He gave a quick jerk of his head towards Percy. Leah frowned then looked at Percy. She was unaware of Umbridge leaving. She watched Percy for a long time, even after Umbridge came back with Marietta.

"…She has been helping us police the Hogwarts fires, you know." Umbridge said. Leah shook her head and looked around, her gaze landing on Marietta.

"Jolly good, jolly good." Fudge said. "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!" Leah's eyes widened when Marietta raised her head. Fudge cursed but Leah wasn't sure why. Marietta wailed and pulled the neck of her robes up to her eyes but not before everyone saw her face. A series of close-set purple dots had spread across her nose and cheeks to form the work 'SNEAK'. Leah was amazed by Hermione's jinxing ability.

Something in her head clicked and everything went quiet. Everyone was still talking, Leah could tell, but she couldn't figure out what they were saying.

Oh so happy...the dark lord is happy.

Leah looked around, trying to figure out who said that. No one paid her any attention.

He will be pleased. Wonderful plan.

"Bella…" Leah muttered quietly.

Harry looked at her but his attention was drawn back to what was going on in the room. His eyes staying on his friend though. Why were her eyes clouding over like that? He was afraid she was going to faint again. This was the worst time for her to do that.

If it works…we'll be rid of him…get closer to Potter.

Leah's head swam with different things Bellatrix was saying. She didn't know who she was saying them to, if she was saying them to anyone at all. She didn't hear any replies…all she heard was Bellatrix's voice.

"Well the game is up." Dumbledore's voice erupted in Leah's head and she jumped before shaking her head and looking at the headmaster. "Would you like a written confession from me, Cornelius…or would a statement before these witnesses suffice?"

"Statement?" Fudge asked, slowly. "What…I don't…"

"Dumbledore's Army, Cornelius." Dumbledore said, smiling. He waved the list of names before Fudge's face. "Not Potter's Army. Dumbledore's Army."

"But…but." Fudge said, before understanding dawned on his face. "You?"

"That's right." Dumbledore said.

"You organized this?" Fudge asked.

"I did." Dumbledore said. Leah stared at them in confusion. What the hell had she missed?

"You recruited these students for…for your army?" Fudge asked. Leah suddenly understood and her eyes flew wide.

"Tonight was supposed to be the first meeting." Dumbledore said, nodding. "Merely to see whether they would be interesting in joining me. I see now that is was a mistake to invite Miss Edgecombe, of course." Leah looked at Marietta to see her nodding.

"Then you have been plotting against me!" Fudge yelled, making Leah jump again.

"That's right." Dumbledore said.

"NO!" Harry and Leah shouted.

"No…Professor Dumbledore…" Harry said.

"Be quiet Harry, Leah, or I am afraid you will have to leave my office." Dumbledore said, calmly.

"Yes shut up you two!" Fudge said. Leah's glare was back in place. "Well, well, well…I came here tonight, expecting to expel Potter and instead…"

"Instead you get to arrest me." Dumbledore said, smiling. "It's like losing a Knut and finding a Galleon, isn't it?" Leah was giving Dumbledore a look of shock but he ignored her.

"Weasley!" Fudge said. "Weasley, have you written it all down, everything he's said, his confession, have you got it?"

"Yes sir, I think so, sir!" Percy said. Whatever respect Leah had left for him, was gone instantly once she saw how eager Percy was to please Fudge.

"The bit about how he's been trying to build up an army against the Ministry, how he's been working to destabilize me?" Fudge asked.

"Yes, sir. I've got it, yes!" Percy said. Once again, Leah's mind shut off what was happening around her.

Bad…she knows…sees things, yes.

What was Bella going on about? Gone…that woman was loonier then people made Sirius out to be.

Dreams…oh she will…won't work…loves her father.

Leah realized that Bellatrix was talking about her. Or at least…in that last part she was. Leah wasn't sure what was going on outside of her head, all she knew was that she had gotten pulled down to the ground by someone.

Ministry are fools…yes…won't suspect…she knows.

Leah groaned and looked around. Harry and Marietta had been pulled down by McGonagall and Harry, on instinct no doubt, pulled Leah down with him. Leah was pulled up and Dumbledore was standing in front of them. He was talking too. Leah stared at him before hitting herself in the side of the head, trying to hear. She looked up when Dumbledore put a hand on her shoulder.

She knows…she hears…now.

Leah gave Dumbledore a look as he was saying something to her before turning to Harry and said something to him. Dumbledore then grabbed Fawkes' tail and was gone in a flash of fire.

"Where is he?" Fudge yelled. Leah jumped again at the sudden noise. Fudge stood up. "Where is he?"

"I don't know!" Kingsley shouted, leaping to his feet.

"Well, he can't have Disapparated!" Umbridge said. "You can't do that from inside the school…"

"The stairs!" Dawlish said. Leah shook her head at the stupidity of these people. Dawlish, Kingsley and Umbridge all ran out the door.

"Well, Minerva." Fudge said. "I'm afraid this is the end of your friend Dumbledore."

"You think so, do you?" McGonagall asked.

"You better get those three off to bed." Fudge said. McGonagall said nothing but took the three teens out of the office. She dropped Harry and Leah at the portrait.

"What happened?" Leah asked.

"What do you mean?" Harry asked, walking into the common room with her.

"I mean just what I said." Leah said. "Most of the time in that office…I didn't hear anything."

"Is that why you hit yourself in the head?" Harry asked. They sat by the fire in the empty common room.

"Yeah." Leah said.

"So it's like…you were deaf to pretty much everything?" Harry asked.

"Yeah…what did Dumbledore tell me?" Leah asked.

"He told you to believe or something like that." Harry said. Leah stared at him. Harry shrugged. "So you didn't hear anything? Nothing at all?"

"Well…I heard…someone." Leah said. "But it wasn't anyone in the room. It's like…for most of the time…everything was silent…then I'd hear snippets of what…" Her voice faded.

"Who did you hear?" Harry asked. Leah was spared answering by the arrival of Hermione.

"What happened to you two?" Hermione asked, rushing over to the table. Harry told her everything and Leah listened as much as Hermione did. She didn't know how she was supposed to feel about now hearing what happened. Damn Bellatrix!

Ok…pretty long chapter and I know it seems pretty rushed at times but…You'll find out why Leah heard what Bellatrix was saying by the time where they go to the ministry.