Throughout his life, Blaise had developed several habits and had adopted some certain ideas and philosophies. Partly because of his mom's infamous reputation and partly because of Slytherin and how it was expected of him to have some sort of degree of self-preservation. Always keep your ears to the walls, never burn any bridges, and in the event that a dubious situation may befall someone that has crossed you, make sure there is nothing that can be traced back to you, and other such ideas.
Truthfully, he had scoffed at the thought that he ever needed to listen to his mother's advice when he was younger, but now he realised the importance of such lessons and now he makes it a point to keep memos on his mother's advice and life lessons. So much so that someone not privy to his position may think he was a so-called "Mama's boy."
But that wasn't important, what was important was that; after Hogwarts, he would take on the mantle of being the head of the family. So the hat had put him in Slytherin, where people just like him can socialize and make connections.
All at the age of eleven, which of course was a horrible idea.
Had he known that the Malfoy scion was such a headache, he would have told the Hat to put him anywhere but where Draco was. Unfortunately, the younger Blaise thought that other houses were not on par with his dreams and ideals, and so chose Slytherin because of its reputation as the cunning and ambitious house, and so he wished desperately for the Hat to put him in Slytherin, and debuse the Hat's idea to put him in Ravenclaw.
And after a week of being near Draco, he wished he could have bashed his younger selve's brain in.
But it wasn't all rain and hail; he got to know Daphne and Tracy, two girls that had detested Draco the same as him. Along with the acquaintance of one Theodore Nott and several other noteworthy people he had made connections with.
Then Umbridge entered the frame and it made being in Slytherin all the worse.
Having had to listen to Draco and his entourage constant blathering of being better than everyone because of them being a part of Umbridge's Inquisitorial Squad; and Umbridge being, at best, a pathetic excuse of a teacher, Blaise quickly tried to find another avenue so that his time was not wasted and salvage his education.
Enter one Harry Potter.
He of course heard the rumors circling the Boy-who-lived and his secret club, it would have been ludicrous not to owing to Draco's obsession with the Gryffindor boy, and quickly sought him out. Bringing with him Tracy and Daphne, just in case he wasn't able to convince Potter.
And now he was a part of a conspiracy to take down the High Inquisitor and her merry band of imbeciles.
"Never stick your head out for someone unless you gain a massive benefit befitting the sacrifice."
Tracey's light tone bounced in his head. He took a glance at her and Daphne, both sitting on the common room couch and saw them holding his aforementioned book filled with the words of his mother and other advice from different people throughout his life.
"I hope you're reading that out of interest and not out of critique." Blaise said, his body lounging on a chair, his body draping it like a cat.
"Well it's just that this means that you think he's worth the sacrifice, and to be fair he has taught us quite a fair bit." Tracey lifted the book and tossed it next to a table next to him. He clicked his tongue and carefully reached for the book and shrunk it into the size of a matchbox with his wand and pocketed it.
"If you're having second thoughts, I'd be more than happy to tell him that you would like to opt out." At that, Tracey glared at him, although he couldn't tell as he swerved his head towards the entrance of the Boy's dorm room.
He waited for a moment, letting the ambient sounds of the room drone out and he patiently waited for any sounds in the dorm he shared with the other boys, as the silence continued, Daphne spoke out in a soft monotone voice, "I'm feeling a bit peckish."
Blaise heard Tracey scoff softly, "Well what do you want us to do?"
"Accompany me to the kitchens."
Daphne's blunt statement might have caused anyone else to be taken aback, but Tracey just sighed and jumped up to her feet. Taking a hold of Daphne's arm, she pulled her up to her feet as well and took a stance in front of Blaise, "Are you coming with us or not?"
Not sparing them a glance, Blaise waved her off, "Nah, go on ahead. I'll catch up in a bit."
With a huff, Tracey walked out with Daphne in tow. As he heard the walls close after their departure, he stood up and pushed the chair into the corner, then with a wave of his wand, he dispelled the flames in the fireplace. The only source of light was the window that showed the underlying vastness of the Great Lake. As he took his spot on the chair once again, he heard the heavy steps of a group coming down into the common room.
"Come on! We'll be late if we take any longer!"
Draco's voice echoed in the faux empty room. He was accompanied by the constant presence of Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle.
"Can't we take a detour and get something to eat?" Vincent's words caused Draco's face to take on a red hue out of anger.
"Can't you keep your gullet down for a bloody minute! Someone has finally blabbed and this is our chance to give Potter the embarrassment he deserves. Now come on!"
The sad looks of both Vincent and Gregory did not deter Draco from quickly exiting the Slytherin Common Room, and the two hefty boys followed along with a trudge in their step.
Blaise mused to himself as he contacted Harry and the others with the coin he was given.
'Well, at least there's some benefit in being in the same house as that idiot.'
Dumbledore sat in the office of Healer Pomfrey, the school nurse of Hogwarts. After his meeting with Harry, he had been hesitant to reach out again to the young man, and he decided the best course of action was to see if the young Gryffindor's words held some sort of truth in them.
"Good Morning Albus, apologies for taking a while, some of my potion stock has been running low as of late."
Dumbledore adopted his trademark smile and twinkle as he greeted Pomfrey, "No trouble at all. It is I who should apologize for taking some time out of your busy day."
"Then we should cut to the point to remedy that." Pomfrey took a seat across from him, "So, why the sudden meeting Albus?"
A sigh escaped the lips of the old wizard, "I have come across a conundrum; I have been told that I have been lax in my overseer of the school and that several students may have come into unfortunate circumstances under my watch. It took the cutting words of a student I know to be sound of mind to make me finally have to investigate their claims and see to it if it has any basis in facts."
The word maze that Dumbledore constructed did not help in any way in informing Madam Pomfrey what he was getting at, but she could guess the gist of it. She opened a drawer and took hold of a few pieces of parchment.
"I want you to take a look at these. Read them carefully and you'll get your answer."
Perturbed but also curious, Dumbledore took a hold of the parchments and carefully surveyed the inked words. One piece of parchment contained the names of several students and their time of entrance into the infirmary, the other parchment was a list of potions and lotions that Madam Pomfrey had in stock.
Last week, two students entered, Pomfrey used two healing saps. Further back a student came in with their head transformed into a goat, Polyjuice and a cleansing potion was used on that day. Further back, three students entered and three healing saps were used.
It wasn't long before Dumbledore noticed the pattern.
"Why has the populace suddenly found themselves in demand of healing sap?"
The question was directed at Madam Pomfrey, who only had a stern frown on her face.
"I don't know. All of the students who have come to borrow the healing saps have not disclosed why they needed it, just that they do need it. I usually wouldn't give my stock to so many students, but the unusual frequency and the way their body language suggests that something has been happening in this school that we haven't been privy to. And it isn't a coincidence that it has happened since Umbridge has taken her post in the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom."
Dumbledore took a moment to massage his forehead to stem the oncoming headache he could feel coming. Madam Pomfrey continued on, "They also share a certain trait; they always hide the back of their hands, whether it be with a bandage or a piece of cloth. I do not want to pry into their privacy, but it doesn't take someone with the intellect of Merlin to guess what has happened."
Much to his displeasure, Dumbledore surmised as much from what he had seen, "The days never get any easier, huh?"
'Oh Dolores, what have you done…' The melancholic thought had Dumbledore regret taking in the vile woman.
Without warning, the castle shook. Surprising both Madam Pomfrey and Dumbledore.
"It looks like we have a chance for interrogation, shall we?" Dumbledore jutted out his arm, leaving space for her to take a hold of it.
"Oh we shall." Playing along with a smile, Madam Pomfrey circled her arm around his and they left with haste towards where the shaking was originating.
The hallway that contained several pieces of armour, now in tatters, was a host of a menagerie of people. They all stood in front of the painting of one Barnabas The Barmy, who had taken solace inside another portrait as the shaking continued to ruminate in the castle. The cause of the shaking was from the bombarding of a wall by Umbridge and her High Inquisitors, along with a hidden-faced Marietta Edgecombe.
"Come on, put your backs into it!" Umbridge's words heightened the efforts of the High Inquisitor Squad, who were using a conjured battering ram to open the wall said to be the hiding place of the rumored illegal organisation that one Harry Potter was a leader of.
Dumbledore and Madam Pomfrey were met with the scene with identical stunned expressions as they viewed the destruction of Hogwarts' bricks.
Without hesitation, Dumbledore palmed his wand and silently conjured away the battering ram Crabbe and Goyle were using.
"Dolores, what has gotten into you?" Dumbledore's shocked tone did not seem to faze Umbridge, who donned on a simpering smile.
"Headmaster Dumbledore, this does not concern you. We were informed that an illegal organisation had been meeting inside this particular spot and I, as a representative of the Ministry of Magic, am obligated to make sure that they are to be put in front of the law and punished for their misdeeds"
With a dubious look at the wall with no door, Dumbledore asked carefully, "Er, you mean at this particular spot or…?"
"Ehem, it may look like a normal wall, but we were informed by a reputable student that this is the spot where they gather. Hence why we needed to break down this wall." She patted the wall gently, which only further cemented the thought that she had gone insane.
"Be that as it may, I believe this is a poor showing by you, and I demand you put a stop to this immediately." Umbridge's eyes squinted in anger at Pomfrey's no-nonsense tone.
"Ehem, again I have jurisdiction to put a stop to any illegal activities in this school, may I remind you; and if a student is conducting any such actions in this school then I believe this is the best course of action." Umbridge's glare sparked with Madam Pomfrey's own.
With the intent to not let any wands fly out in anger, Dumbledore stepped in, "If you don't mind me asking, Dolores; to whom are you referring to?"
Dolores' smile simpered further, "Oh, don't act coy Dumbledore, you know Potter is the ringleader of the illegal group, and you are the mastermind behind it. In fact, I believe they are hiding behind this wall right now, scurrying in fear."
"Er, should I come back or…"
Several heads whipped around to see the aforementioned Harry Potter, standing in front of them all holding a…
"Harry, why are you holding an ice lolly?" Dumbledore's confusion deepened when Harry looked at the sweet as if he too did not know how he attained such an item.
"Potter? But how…" Harry stared at the gathering Malfoy and his squad, and he focused his attention at Umbridge.
"I… don't know what's going on, but if you guys needed to find me then you could have just gone to the library, that's where I've been for the past few hours."
Harry plopped the ice lolly back in his mouth with a relaxed demeanor, angering Umbridge.
"You… We have concrete information that you are a part of an illegally organized group and I demand you confess!" Dolores shouted, spluttering with rage.
Harry's gaze towards the, now stiff and rigid, traitor of the D.A. was cold and unforgiving, he took the ice lolly out of his mouth, "Ah, yes, but with all respect Professor; you shouldn't trust the words of a sneak."
With that, Harry respectfully nodded at all of them and made his way out of the hallway.
Dumbledore calmly gestured at the retreating back of Harry, still enjoying his sweet, and said, "See, it seems as though you were woefully mistaken, Dolores. Now please, I implore you to stop causing damage to the castle."
A venom-filled glare was given by Dolores, but Dumbledore did not flinch, his stance straight and poise.
"All of you, go back to your dorms." Dolores' orders to the students around her were clear. Draco walked away chaperoned by his entourage, a deep and unsettling frown on his face. Marietta simply skulked away, being careful not to let her face be shown to anybody.
"Now that that is out of the way, I would like to speak to you, in my office. There seems to be many disturbing facts of your tenure here as a teacher, Dolores; and I would like to get to the bottom of it."
For her part, Umbridge let out a giggle that tried to be cute but came out more sinister, "Oh, Dumbledore. I don't think you understand your position, I am here as a representative of the Ministry, and as such I am free to do what I deem is beneficial to the Wizarding world as a whole. You, on the other hand, seem pleased to just let them rebel against society and build up chaos."
Madam Pomfrey was ready to take her down a peg or several, how dare she talk to Dumbledore that way! When Dumbledore stopped her with a placating gesture, giving her a significant look.
"Regardless, I am still the Headmaster of this school, and it is my duty to ensure that no student here is being hurt or scarred by anyone, especially those of authority." Dolores noticed his choice of words and stewed in contempt, "But this is no place for such discussion, how about we convene at my office. Poppy, I apologize for taking too much of your time once again, you may return to your station if you wish."
"Of course, Albus." With one last glare directed at Umbridge, she made her way back to her infirmary, but as she turned the corner, she missed the presence of an invisible individual, watching from afar. The lone person watched Umbridge and Dumbledore walk away, presumably to Dumbledore's office. Making sure that no one else was near, the individual silently walked away.
And in their spot was a single ice cream stick.
A/N: Mysterious Ice Lolly. Leave a review and get a chance to get one!