October 5th, 1995. Saturday.

A month passed, the weather becoming more cold and grey. The temperament of the students seem to go with it. On 9 September, it was announced that Umbridge had been declared High Inquisitor by the Ministry of Magic. Selena and friends had read the copy of The Daily Prophet that talked about it before Alisson crumbled it up and tossed it into the fireplace. While the rest of them grumbled, Selena just recalled what Anne had told her the day before about the quill that used blood to write. And then the inspections started up, the pink-clad professor walking through classes to observe the professors.

Not only that, but her friends were on edge for other reasons. The tension between Avery and Wendy grew so tight, it could've been walked on, not to mention Anne watching Harry over Fred's shoulder when she hugged the Weasley boy.

"Well," Selena said at breakfast, hoping the Saturday would cheer everyone up, "I think that it's a good day for Hogsmeade."

Renee squealed, setting her goblet of orange juice down. "I know! I'm so excited! Zonko's, Honeydukes, ah! It's going to be perfect!"

"And this time, we're actually going with permission," Selena laughed, Elizabeth giggling. Over the summer, the students had to have their guardians sign permission slips for them to go to Hogsmeade. Selena and her friends had already been before - some several times - though those excursions weren't exactly sanctioned by the school.

Tess laughed, re-lacing her boots. "Mm-hm. It'll be exciting. I think I'm going to go by the Shrieking Shack. That is, if someone's willing to go with me. Wendy, what're you going to do?" She began tying her hair up in a pouf atop her head.

Wendy, however, wasn't paying attention, Selena noticed. The Gryffindor was slowly mixing her porridge until she dropped the spoon into the cloudy mixture of grain, and finally sighed, exasperated.

"I think someone fell off the back of their broom," Alisson said quietly.

Sasha, who'd been silently watching, shook her head, blinking emerald eyes. She lowered her voice. "No... She's been down lately. When she got back last night, she said that Danny had been arguing with Draco Malfoy in class, and she doesn't know why. She's can't be too happy about it." She stopped whispering, glancing at Wendy again. "I feel bad for her."

Selena nodded, her heart aching a little. It was difficult to see Wendy so upset. She'd been having a tough year so it seemed, what with barely speaking to Danny - who had been her best friend since Selena had known them - to having him and her boyfriend argue. Wendy put her head down on the table, and finally just walked out of the Great Hall, carrying her bag.

Tess and Selena shared solemn glances. It seemed most relationships were on the bumpy road as of late. Avery and Danny had been having hushed conversations in the Gryffindor Common Room, neither of them looking pleased. Harry Potter still seemed to have feelings for Cho Chang, which made Anne's eyes glint like blades. Even Jo and Damon were arguing now-and-then.

The Great Hall began to empty as the bell tolled, and students began to flood through the doors (the older students had an usually jaunty bounce in their step, no doubt from Hogsmeade, and the younger students sighed, complaining about the age restriction.) As Selena walked by, people began to shout and glance at each other excitedly. A crowd soon began to form ahead, clotting in the corridor.

A rain of purple sparks erupted from the center, making the students cheer. Selena furrowed her brow, looking at Elizabeth. What was going on? Elizabeth shrugged, standing on her tiptoes to try to see around the wall of squirming students.

"What do you say two sickles on McCalaster?" one boy in front of Selena asked another.

McCalaster. "No," Selena whispered, her heart beginning to beat faster.

"Repulso!" a familiar voice ahead yelled.

"It's Danny!" Selena yelled over the noise, Elizabeth's eyebrows rising in surprise. Without another word the two girls maneuvered their way through the rowdy crowd, Selena getting elbowed in the ribs and nearly stumbling as the students shoved. When she was close enough to the front to see, her suspicions were only confirmed. Danny and Draco Malfoy were in the center, glaring at one another.

Draco raised his wand. "Stupefy!"

Danny jumped out of the way as a white-red bolt of light burst on the ground where he was. The crowd cheered, clapping and egging them on. Danny countered, and soon sparks were flying through the air.

Where is a teacher? Selena thought.

As if thinking the same thing, a blond boy in a Ravenclaw scarf cried "I'll get a professor!" and ran off.

"Stupefy!" Draco yelled.

A bolt of light hit Danny in the chest, throwing the fifteen-year-old onto the floor, his wand skittering across stone. Draco pointed his wand again, opening his mouth to cast yet another spell. Suddenly, Wendy flew out from behind the curtain of people. Selena gasped, Elizabeth grabbing her arm in surprise.

"No!" Wendy cried, flinging herself beside Danny. "Don't hurt him!"

Wendy tried to grab Danny's hand to help him up, but Danny recoiled like a snake had just bitten him. His brown eyes glowed with anger.

"I don't want your help, mudblood! I hate you," Danny spat.

A few people gasped, the cheering dissipating, and a whimper rose up in Wendy's throat. Her eyes filled with tears, and she looked up at Draco.

"Mudblood?" Draco echoed, his eyebrows raised at Wendy.

It was like kicking a puppy. She began to cry, sobs shaking her body, and she got up, shoving her way through the onlookers.

Danny breathed hard, sitting on the ground, his eyes dropping to the floor as Professor McGonagall rounded the corner, green robes swirling. She immediately swatted everyone away but Danny and Draco.

Selena spun on her heels, stunned. She felt Elizabeth's fingers still wrapped around her arm as the crowd split into different directions, leaving.

Alisson, Renee and Tess were waiting by a corner, looking up when the girls saw each other. Alisson's eyes flicked to Elizabeth holding Selena, seeming to make Elizabeth realize. The blonde apologized to Selena, prying her fingers away. Selena smiled quickly at her friend, rubbing her arm where a handprint was fading. Neither of them said anything, looking at their three friends. They all looked shocked, expressions expectant.

"What happened?" Alisson finally asked, her eyes watching Selena's carefully.

"Danny and Draco were having a duel. Wendy got in the middle of it, and Danny called her a - er... You-Know-What-Blood."

Alisson gasped, putting her hands up to her mouth. "He didn't! How could he?"

Selena shrugged, feeling a bit numb. "I don't know... But, Draco clearly didn't know. Wendy ran off crying."

Alisson bit her lip. "The Hogsmeade trip leaves in a few minutes... but we have to go check on her. We can't just leave her crying alone. Which way did she go?"

Selena sighed. "She ran off towards the East Wing, but I'm not sure where she went from there." She gave a nod. "But you're right."

Alisson nodded. "Let's go." She turned to Elizabeth, Tess and Renee. "You lot go ahead to Hogsmeade."

"But we can't just go without you all," Tess protested, her owlish, cocoa eyes sweeping between the girls.

Renee nodded. "Especially if Wendy is so upset."

"I don't want to make you all miss Hogsmeade," Alisson protested, glancing over at Selena for support.

Selena managed to smile at her friends, feeling the permission slip to visit the village in her pocket. "I think it could cheer Wendy up if you picked up something for her from Honeydukes. She loves it there."

Tess and Renee exchanged a not-completely-convinced look before Elizabeth sighed. "Wendy probably doesn't need too many people crowding around her. Sel's right, we can get some sweets for Wendy. Or butterbeer, she loves butterbeer."

The two friends finally gave in, agreeing to go with Elizabeth. Selena waved as Renee glanced back over her shoulder. And then they were gone, and it was just Selena and Alisson.

The two Gryffindors ran, Selena's charm bracelet jingling the whole way. Her heart raced so fast, she could practically hear it pulsing in her eardrums. What's going through Wendy's mind?

They ran down the corridor Wendy had run towards, searching for the girl.

"Do you think," Alisson said between pants, "Draco is going to break up with her?"

Selena sighed. "I don't know. He can be a real ninny and his family is... well, you know, but I hope he's not as shallow as that."

As they crossed through the corridors, they peered into empty classrooms, looking for anywhere Wendy may have gone.

Alisson paused. "I hear talking! Do you think she's speaking to someone?"

Selena closed her eyes, and listened hard. She did pick up a girl's voice, but a boy's as well... and then a shrill, bitter-sweet voice they knew all too well.

"Umbridge," the two girls said at the same time, Selena's eyes opening.

"Do you figure she's talking to Wendy?" Alisson asked quietly. Selena shook her head.

"Didn't sound like Wendy. Probably scolding some student." She listened again. This time, she could just make out: "expelled... Dumbledore... everything..."

"Who could she possibly be talking to?" Selena asked Alisson in a whisper. Her friend flicked her eyes towards the corner, and they said it all: look and find out.

Selena poked her head around the corner and her dark eyebrows rose as high as Draco's had. She was right, it wasn't Wendy speaking to their Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher.

It was Erebus and Iceyeyes.

Cliff-Hanger! Sort of!

What are they conspiring? Don't you just want to take a mallet and smash their heads open like a watermelon? I sure do.

Well, I'm excited to write the next chapter! What do you think is going to happen with Wendy vs. Danny vs. Avery vs. Draco?

I'm bursting at the seams to tell you! And it just seems like this group can't stay away from trouble! Remember, Anne is curious about Umbridge's quill. And apparently jealous of Cho. Or is she?

And what are the Terror-Twins up to this time? And what does Umbridge have to do with it? I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Thanks for reading, please review about the Umbridge and Wendy situations!

~Meghan

P.S. Due to my 4 E.O.G'S, my 1 E.O.C, and 1 S.G.T, I can't update at all next week Mon-Thur's and June 3rd, and May 27th... Or something in the 20's.

But, I'll try to post the next chapter, maybe... this weekend? Yeah! I will if I get four reveiws!

THANKS!

12/10/17: "Don't you just want to take a mallet and smash their heads open like a watermelon? I sure do." ... why weren't any of you more concerned by this?