Hogwarts Express. Day. The Hogwarts express rushes past the moors of Scotland on its way to Hogwarts. Soon it is night again.

Hogsmeade Station later. The trio left the train. As they walk, Malfoy creeps behind them.

"I'm surprised the Ministry's still letting you walk around free. Better enjoy it while you can. I expect there's a cell in Azkaban with your name on it. What'd I tell you? Complete nutter".

Harry wants to pounce on Malfoy, Ron quickly stops him. Hermione clutches her bag on chest.

"Just stay away from me!"

They watch Malfoy walk away. "It's only Malfoy. What'd you expect?"

Harry, Ron and Hermione exit the Hogwarts express and move quickly through the crowd of students to the carriages that would take them to the castle.

Hermione and Ron stood between Harry, watching the carriages leave. Neville walks behind them.

"Hi, guys".

"Hey, Neville".

"Hey there, Neville".

As they waited for other carriages. Harry stops, something breathing back of his neck, he slowly turns. There is a large reptilian, horse-like creature harnessed to the front whereas always before there was nothing.

"What is it?"

Hermione and Ron are looking where Harry points. "What's what?"

"That. Pulling the carriage".

Ron and Hermione stare for a long moment, then look at harry.

"Nothing's pulling the carriage, Harry. It's pulling itself, like always". said Hermione.

She saw Harry circling around the carriages.. until..

"You're not going mad". A silver-haired girl lowering the Quibbler magazine she read. Her eye on them. "I can see them too. You're just as sane as I am".

The trio and Neville turn into a silver-haired girl. She is a spacy-looking girl, yet pretty in her own right.

They clamber into the carriage, Hermione introduced. "Everyone, this is Loony Love..." She stops, eyes blinking as Luna turns to her. "Luna Lovegood".

Hermione breaths and sighs, her eyes then on Luna's necklace. "What an interesting necklace".

"It's a charm, actually". She leaned towards and whispered. "Keeps away the Nargles". They nod curiously. "Hungry. I hope there's pudding".

The carriages start moving. Ron asks Hermione what Luna was talking about earlier. "What's a Nargle?"

"No idea".

Dumbledore office. Snape stood. "The hearing? How is it going?" ask Snape.

"I'd try to convince you. You know Umbridge.. she kept pointing out that Harry conjured his magic for fun".

Silence. "He's been attacked by Dementors, Severus. What would you do if Miss Granger had the same problem like Harry is".

"I'm the one who will feed that foulest creature if it touches Miss Granger, Headmaster. Or should I reckon.."

"What I'm confused about, Severus. Dementors.. in Little Whinging? We have witnesses who saw everything happen".

Dumbledore sighs as he leaned back on his chair. "Arabella Doreen Figg is our only witness".

"You know Dementors will take orders from the Ministry, Headmaster. It will not attack unless.."

"That was what I'd say to Umbridge, Fudge and the others in that room. Must certainly follow logically that someone in the Ministry ordered the attack".

Pause. "What...? Dementors got holidays from the Ministry, that's why it was in Little Whinging.. having some fun before going back to work with the Ministry again".

"Should I laugh at your words, Headmaster?"

"If you want".

"Haha". Snape breathed, he spoke. "Self-defense if you ask, Headmaster". Snape walking out. He bumped into McGonagall".

She looked at him. "So? Are there any good ones? Potter hearing drop off. I think it is good".

"Clearly someone you hate, Minerva".

"Oh certainly, Severus. That plump pink Umbridge. I'd never liked her, even after my death I swear to Merlin I hate her forever".

McGonaggall studied Snape. "If you don't mind I ask you, Severus. I am concerned about your relationship with Miss Granger".

"Nothing but student and professor".

"I don't hear like that. They talk about you and Miss Granger. C'mon, Severus. Miss Granger is a nice girl and sorted into my house. I couldn't bear to hear anything like this anymore, Severus. Have you forgotten.."

Snape never forget for the first time he been sorting into a Slytherin house. She.. Lily's in Gryffindor. Snape became jealous when he saw Lily forget about him, be friends with the Marauder's, especially James Potter.

His mouth hanging open, eye on McGonagall. "I will never forget those days, Minerva ''.

"That would do. Just stay away from Miss Granger, because I'm afraid you will hurt yourself twice".

McGonaggall tapped Snape shoulder and smiled.. both went separate ways.

Later moment. Great Hall. Night. Dumbledore, a wizened old man with a great white beard to his belt and long white hair, stands to address the school.

"Good evening, children. Now, we have two changes in staffing this year. We're pleased to welcome back Professor Grubbly-Plank... who'll be taking Care of Magical Creatures... while Professor Hagrid is on temporary leave".

Hermione, Harry and Ron exchange glances. Where did Hagrid go?

"We also wish to welcome our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher... Professor Dolores Umbridge. And I'm sure you'll all join me in wishing the professor good luck. Now, as usual, our caretaker, Mr. Filch, has asked me to remind you... "

At this, Umbridge stands and clears her throat. "She was at my hearing. She works for Fudge".

Harry whispers to Hermione. She turns to look at Umbridge, she knows... that she could not trust this plump pink woman. Even her smile was so evil to see.

"You knew we couldn't trust her right?"

She turns to Harry as he nods his head. Hermione stares back at Umbridge. Meanwhile, her eyes see Snape who sits beside Umbridge. He looks frown at Umbridge who now takes a stand beside Dumbledore.

One of the teachers whispers to him. "That plump always makes us look like an idiot!"

"Indeed. She tries to take over Hogwarts".

Hogwarts day. The lake. Hermione and Ron throw a rock towards the water. While Harry sits on the rock, his mind is a mess. Really he is. With Umbridge.. the ministry.. Everything is pathetic.

"I hear Seamus.. well, after your hearing with the Ministry, the Daily Prophet wrote.. completely mental".

"Yeah, Seamus had a problem with Harry. His mum won't allow him back to Hogwarts because of Harry".

"Because he'd never known what it is like to be Harry". Hermione almost screamed, she threw another rock inside the water. "It's difficult to be Harry!"

Her eye on Harry. "Thanks, Hermione". said Harry.

"Seamus is an idiot. NO! His mum are". Her eyes back to the water, she saw a giant squid swim towards her and Ron. "I should push Seamus mum and let this squid eat her alive".

Her finger point. Ron saw it, he quickly backed away, out of the water. Ron stood beside Harry.

"Come here.. how gorgeous you are".

From far, Snape sees Hermione playing with the giant squid. Alone. Harry and Ron retreat back inside the castle. He gently creeped behind her, stood between the trees as he watched her back.

Snape smiles.

"Look at you". Hermione gives the squid sandwich. "How I wonder what Fred, George and Lee did to you for fun".

The squid tentacles splash Hermione's body with water, she is now half wet and shocked. The squid must be happy after she mentions the boy's name.

"You miss them don't you?" She let go of her bushy hair freely. "Now I'm wet thanks to you". She gives a squid patted then retreat back to ground.

"Arghhh!"

She backed away, suddenly tripped over and fell inside the water. Hermione gasps and angry, she is completely wet.

She screams. Her eye on Snape. "You..!" Coughing, Snape laughed at her. "You did this!"

"I didn't make you fall inside the water, you fall by yourself".

"Because you are standing watching me! Silently!" She got up, walk to the ground. "Look at me.. I'm wet!"

Snape didn't say anything, he slipped his hand inside his robes, pulled out his wand then pointed at her. He cast a spell.. immediately her school clothes dried itself including her bushy hair.

"There... better?"

She sighs out loud. "I'm still mad at you!"

"You wouldn't.. Trust me". He was smirking. "Miss Granger?" Hermione looked up. "Never mind.. I'd just like to say please be careful no matter what you do, never risk your life and don't die. I'd rather die for you.. just don't".

Snape turns and walks back inside the castle. Hermione blink curiously, what does Snape mean by that?

Hogwarts day. Defense Against The Dark Arts Classroom. Classes are silent, they see Umbridge smiles, toad-like in pink.

"Good morning, children. Ordinary Wizarding Level examinations". She drew her wand on the board. "O-W-Ls. More commonly known as OWLs".

She stood looking around the class.

"Study hard and you will be rewarded. Fail to do so, and the consequences may be severe".

Students exchange glances.

"Your previous instruction in this subject has been disturbingly uneven. But you'll be pleased to know, from now on... you will be following a carefully structured, Ministry-approved... course of defensive magic".

Umbridge's eyes look around the class. "Yes?"

"There's nothing in here about using defensive spells?"

"Using spells? Well, I can't imagine why you would need to use spells in my classroom".

"We're not gonna use magic?" Ron asks her.

"You'll be learning about defensive spells in a secure, risk-free way".

Harry looked uncomfortable. He spoke. "What use is that? If we're attacked, it won't be risk-free".

"Students will raise their hands when they speak in my class". Her eye on Harry. "It is the view of the Ministry... that a theoretical knowledge will be sufficient... to get you through your examinations... which, after all, is what school is all about".

"And how's theory supposed to prepare us for what's out there?"

"There is nothing out there, dear. Who do you imagine wants to attack children like yourself?"

"Oh, I don't know. Maybe Lord Voldemort".

"Now, let me make this quite plain. You have been told... that a certain dark wizard is at large once again. This is a lie".

"It's not a lie. I saw him. I fought him!"

"Detention, Mr. Potter!" She walked a bit. "Cedric Diggory dropped dead of his own accord? Cedric Diggory's death was a tragic accident".

"It was murder. Voldemort killed him!"

"Enough!"

Hermione jolted, she really wanted to kill her right now.

"Enough". Her eye on Harry again. "See me later, Mr. Potter. My office".

Corridor. Hermione and Ron walk in the corridor. She shake her head unbelievable, this is not Defensive class but a murdered class.

"Like Harry says, if something is attacking us, should we stand there doing nothing to defend?"

"She's mental. Obviously no one likes her". says Ron.

"Now Harry got detention with her. Honestly! This is outrageous! Why did Dumbledore accept her as a teacher".

Hermione and Ron then walk to the Great Hall.

Gryffindor common room night. Harry sits in front of the fireplace. Hermione saw him, she sat beside him. While Ron is on the sofa.

She admires the fire, and suddenly her eye drops on Harry's hand. "What's wrong with your hand?"

"Nothing". Harry tries to hide his hand. Hermione frowned.

"No, on the other hand".

She reached his hand. There's a word, torture word, on Harry skin. It happened when Harry got detention with Umbridge.

"You've got to tell Dumbledore".

"No". He looked up at Hermione. "Dumbledore's got enough on his mind right now. I don't want to give Umbridge the satisfaction".

"Bloody hell, Harry. The woman's torturing you. If the parents knew about this..."

"I haven't got any of those, have I, Ron?"

Hermione and Ron sigh. "Harry, you've got to report this. It's perfectly simple. You're being..."

"No, it's not. Hermione, whatever this is, it's not simple. You don't understand!"

"Then help us too". Hermione patted his hand. "Surely you can".