Chapter 77
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Quidditch tryouts were taking place.
Rebekah stood with the Quidditch team, Graham Montague to her right while Draco stood to her left.
Her hair was slicked back with gel she borrowed from Draco, her earrings dangling daintily from her lobes as she tilted her head in displeasure and watched the new recruits. Her rings glistened in the early morning light as she tapped her nails against her bare forearm. With only being a trial for the new people wanting to join, Montague didn't expect anyone to wear the full uniform but have the robe to distinguish the formal players from the tryouts.
This resulted in Rebekah wearing a black sports bra and matching shorts with the uniform boots and robe open. She wasn't the only one wearing as little clothing as possible. Two of the older boys were shirtless and Montague even had his shirt open with the robe over the end of his broom.
Rebekah had to tuck the locket into the front of her sports bra, feeling the warmth as the sun rose on the very hot day. The Time Turner had been placed onto her bracelet so it wouldn't be seen.
There were a few more people trying out this year, even some trying out for the Seeker position. Everyone not on the team had to do two laps around the stadium with their brooms, three if they were going for the Seeker position.
"People going for Chaser position, go with Malfoy and Warrington. Beaters, Derrick and Bole. Keepers with Bletchley. Finally, Seekers with Potter,"
There were only ever a handful of people trying out each year, so Rebekah only had to deal with four people. All tall and willowy with limbs for days. Rebekah stared at them for a moment. They looked like they had no muscle, something that wasn't needed in Quidditch but if they were hit by a Bludger, they needed the upper arm strength to lift themselves back onto their brooms.
Something Rebekah had learnt in her first year.
"You have ten minutes to catch the Snitch," Rebekah allowed the Snitch to fly away, gaining distance before nodding for the first person to mount their brooms. After a while, she called for them to come back. "That was rubbish! Seventeen minutes and twelve seconds? Needs to be under ten to have a chance."
Draco smirked, already knowing they couldn't be able to beat Rebekah's score and that was what she was comparing them with.
"How low does it have to be to be considered?"
"Less than seven minutes is best, the record is four minutes and seven seconds,"
Another asked, "Who holds that?"
Rebekah shifted her weight onto her other leg, the scar on her thigh still pink in colour and slightly darker than her natural skin. "I do."
No one got under seven minutes so Rebekah asked the person with the closest score to substitute Seeker.
A waste of a good two hours.
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Almost two hours past curfew and an hour since they finished the rounds of the castle, Rebekah was silently walking up the stairs and into the main body of the castle. She was in her lioness form, always finding that this form was easier to walk in and was a great comfort to her instincts.
"Miss Potter,"
Rebekah cringed, quickly shifting back into her human form with ease and turning to the pink clad Witch. She felt Umbridge run her eyes down at her clothes disapprovingly. Rebekah had changed into dark denim shorts and a blue t-shirt with only her school robe thrown over it.
"What are you doing up here so late at night?" Umbridge blinked excessively as she pursed her lips at the young Witch. "Regardless of your Prefect status, you shouldn't be out after curfew if you are finished patrolling."
"Professor Snape asked me to harvest some Moon berry plants at the Astronomy Tower, ma'am," Rebekah said, quickly reaching into the back pocket of her shorts to take out a piece of parchment. "I have written permission to come up here."
She hummed, opening the parchment to look at the note. "Why doesn't Professor Snape get them himself?
"He's working on a potion at the moment," Rebekah shifted her weight onto one foot and then the other, itching to go back to the task at hand. "Professor Snape wants the berries done at midnight because it's a full moon and the moonlight is strongest then, the berries will be most potent and better for potion making."
"Is that right?" Umbridge handed Rebekah the parchment back with a hum. "I have been wanting to speak to you, Miss Potter. Will you be free tomorrow at breakfast? I can have some food be brought to my office so we can talk and eat."
"That's fine with me," Rebekah smiled, already knowing that Umbridge was planning something. "Is this all? I have only a few minutes to get upstairs before midnight comes."
"That's all." Umbridge said curtly, quickly turning on her heels and going back into her classroom.
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The sky was barely lightening when Rebekah woke up and couldn't fall asleep. Tom seemed really moody in the dreamscape, enough so that even Rebekah wanted to leave him alone for a while to let him cool down.
She spent most of the morning outside as always.
It was rare for Rebekah to not be outside or not be with her friends but there were hours that she just needed to be alone. Those hours outside of the norm were the best because they were silent, the morning hours always were.
And she did not look forward to the conversation she was going to have with Umbridge.
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Rebekah dressed up smartly for the occasion, knowing that Umbidge was a woman who liked professionalism and neatness.
She sat at the desk, watching as Rebekah walked curtly into the room with a polite nod and smile.
"Good morning, Professor Umbidge," Rebekah greeted, her face all smiley and pleasant.
"Good morning, Miss Potter," Umbridge said, gesturing for the chair across from her. "I hope you slept well."
"I did, thank you," Rebekah took the seat, tucking herself in like Mrs Malfoy showed her. She told the Potter Witch that every woman should know when to act like a lady and be polite.
"One of the HouseElves will be bringing the trays in a minute or two." She waved a hand towards a tray to the side, two cups and a kettle already there with a sugar pot. "Tea?"
"I'd prefer coffee however. Thank you." A cup drifted over to her with a teapot, the liquid was steaming and a rich brown as it poured itself into her cup. Rebekah took four spoons of sugar, gently mixing it in before pouring a bit of milk.
"How… Muggle…"
"I'm a HalfBlood raised by my Muggle relatives, ma'am," Rebekah sipped at the coffee, loving the fact that it seemed to offend the older Witch to drink it. "Was there any particular reason you wanted to speak to me? I hope it isn't because of our last lesson, I don't know if I was stepping out of line or not."
"No, it isn't because of that lesson," She shook her head an inch. "It is about the Dark Lord. As you know, I was there when you were giving your evidence about his return and I wanted to ask you a few questions."
"I'll answer whatever you want me to,"
Umbridge cleared her throat obnoxiously. "Let's start with Death Eaters. What do you know of them?"
"They are the followers of Voldemort," Rebekah didn't smile when Umbridge frowned at her use of the name. "Most are either dead or in Azkaban, very few are roaming free now. One of the most famous was Bellatrix LeStrange because of her loyalty to Voldemort and her willingness."
"And do you know of any others that are alive still?"
"A few. Most of them are in Azkaban now anyway,"
"Did you know that most of his followers were Slytherins?"
"I do," Rebekah bit the inside of her lip to keep from making a snarky comment that would land her in detention. "I believe there are a few families that have traditions for staying within a certain House. Usually the Darker Families are in Ravenclaw and Slytherin. Voldemort himself was in Slytherin in the 40s."
"Yes, tradition. Many of us at the Ministry are scared of having the children of Death Eaters, those convicted or not, join the Dark Lord as he is back," Umbridge nodded to herself. "You survived and ended the Wizarding War. You were sorted into Slytherin, a House with a Dark reputation and which has been linked with the increased chance of creating Death Eater. The Ministry has decided to crack down on Defense against the Dark Arts because it could fascinate those that could be inclined to join the Dark Lord. Your group…"
Rebekah was not happy when Umbridge continued to speak ill of her friends and their family. Nonetheless, Rebekah acted like she agreed and kept nodding alone.
At the very least, Rebekah knew she wouldn't allow this woman to control her use of Magic.
Rebekah would do whatever she needed to be prepared.
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MINISTRY SEEKS EDUCATIONAL REFORM
DOLORES UMBRIDGE APPOINTED FIRST-EVER "HIGH INQUISITOR"
In a surprise move last night the Ministry of Magic passed new legislation giving itself an unprecedented level of control at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. 'The Minister has been growing uneasy about goings-on at Hogwarts For some time,' said Junior Assistant to the Minister, Percy Weasley. 'He is now responding to concerns voiced by anxious parents, who feel the school may be moving in a direction they do not approve.'
"This is not the first time in recent weeks Fudge has used new laws to effect improvements at the Wizarding school. As recently as August 30th Educational Decree Twenty-two was passed, to ensure that, in the event of the current headmaster being unable to provide a candidate for a teaching post, the Ministry should select an appropriate person.
" 'That's how Dolores Umbridge came to be appointed to the teaching staff at Hogwarts,' said Weasley last night. 'Dumbledore couldn't find anyone, so the Minister put in Umbridge and of course, she's been an immediate success, totally revolutionizing the teaching of Defense Against the Dark Arts and providing the Minister with on-the ground feedback about what's really happening at Hogwarts.'
"It is this last function that the Ministry has now formalized with the passing of Educational Decree Twenty-three, which creates the new position of 'Hogwarts High Inquisitor.'
" 'This is an exciting new phase in the Minister's plan to get to grips with what some are calling the "falling standards" at Hogwarts,' said Weasley. 'The Inquisitor will have powers to inspect her fellow educators and make sure that they are coming up to scratch. Professor Umbridge has been offered this position in addition to her own teaching post, and we are delighted to say that she has accepted.'
"The Ministry's new moves have received enthusiastic support from parents of students at Hogwarts.
" 'I feel much easier in my mind now that I know that Dumbledore is being subjected to fair and objective evaluation,' said Mr. Lucius Malfoy, 41, speaking from his Wiltshire mansion last night. 'Many of us with our children's best interests at heart have been concerned about some of Dumbledore's eccentric decisions in the last few years and will be glad to know that the Ministry is keeping an eye on the situation.'...
"What kind of bullshit is this?" Blaise chucked the newspaper onto the empty pace he left on the couches, pacing before the length of the window wall in Rebekah's room. "'Bek, what do you know?"
Rebekah was laying on her front on her bed, her shoes by the side of the bed as a book was propped up in front of her. Fidele wrapped himself around one of her calves, Emperor in the middle of her back in his kitten form with Enyo in the front of her shirt.
"Umbridge spoke to me this morning," Rebekah flipped the page of the book as she read. "The Ministry is limiting resources of Dark Magic at Hogwarts, wanting to prevent a few generations of Death Eaters. She wants me to be a spy for her, for me to spy on you and the rest of the Slytherin House. I agreed to do it."
"And you agreed?!" Theo almost screamed. "What were you thinking?"
"Look at your fucking palms, Theo!" Rebekah snapped, a growl in her voice as Emperor shifted until he sat in his large cat form and was strangling her back. "That is the mark that binds us all together."
"Have you seen your one lately, Rebakah," Theo came over until he stood by the bed, taking one of her hands and showing her the golden marks compared to his. "Yours is different to ours. Why's that?"
"What the…?"
Rebekah shook his hand off and quickly traced her finger down one hand. She unhooked the Morgan book and unshrunk it, opening the pages to the right one.
Her hands were different to his and everyone else's.
Instead of the chain link that zigzagged around their wrists and up their palms to their fingertips, Rebekah's chain was a rope chain that stopped at the base of both middle and ringer fingers and went around the base to create a ring type design.
"I don't know…"
But she had a good idea.
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