Edelgard found herself thinking of the ancient hero Marth as she was staring around at the Hogwarts students.
Marth was her complete opposite: he had been overthrown from power at a young age and forced into hiding. Whereas she had practically been enslaved by her status as a powerless Emperor's daughter, the Prince Marth was free to do as he pleased until it was time to reclaim his throne. He had had no forces to his name other than a devoted brand of his most loyal knights, but due to his own natural charm and charisma formed armies out of the ranks of his defeated enemies. Marth did not truly conquer his Kingdom: He reclaimed it, to the joy of all the people of Altea.
At least, that was how the story went. Perhaps the true story was completely different, or perhaps it wasn't true at all. Edelgard wasn't sure.
The people of Altea were not happy under their new rulers, and were eager to return to the old ways. A symbol of the old order, the Prince Marth, was all the encouragement they needed to rebuild their homes and civilization. It was not necessary for Marth to overthrow and subjugate a corrupt bureaucracy, the people already knew who was to blame for their suffering.
Harry, she felt, had more in common with Marth than she did. The Magical World did not need a complete overhaul, a complete burning. It did not need to be razed to the ground and built up again. It needed a leader that would stand up and protect the interests of the people.
"You need to stop thinking about how all of this effects you." Edelgard said to Harry. "And think about how this effects everyone around you."
She waved her arm around the Great Hall. "Everyone here is at risk of Lord Voldemort." She said, ignoring the startled gasps and looks in her direction. "These are all people that are going to lose things precious to them, if he ever truly regains power in this country. We cannot let that happen. By any means necessary."
Ron and Harry were staring at her, enraptured. Ron had a look of awe on his face. He had been easy to convince that Edelgard knew the right way to go about things. Harry, although very interested in what she had to say, was more reluctant. Especially since she was demanding that he take charge of the situation.
"If you truly care about these people, you WILL put your life on the line." Edelgard said. "You WILL show them that you are willing to risk expulsion, imprisonment, and death for what you believe in." She did not bother lowering her voice. People all around her were staring at her. Even some of the teachers at the staff table, Dumbledore included, were giving them curious look. Edelgard did not mind them. They needed to hear this too.
"Voldemort is not going to simply wait and-"
"Excuse me."
A loud, simpering voice hit her ears. Harry and Ron froze up, clearly completely horrified. Edelgard stopped talking about turned around.
Standing before her was the ugliest woman she had ever seen in her life. Her first thought was that she was looking at a giant toad, rather than a person. She had clearly spoken, however, And to her. Edelgard stared up at her.
"Yes?" She asked. "Can I help you?"
"I'm sorry, Miss Granger." The Toad said. "Forgive me, I was just passing by and couldn't help but overhear…"
This woman hadn't seem to be informed that Edelgard had switched bodies with Hermione. Edelgard was about to correct her, but before she could the Toad kept speaking.
"But I believe that you were talking about He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named…. Is that correct?"
"What?" Edelgard said blankly. She could tell that Ron and Harry were trying to get her attention, but they were sitting across the table from her and had no idea what they were trying to tell her.
"I thought you were having a conversation about He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named?" The woman repeated herself, as if she were stupid. "I believe I have had this conversation with you before, Miss Granger. And you, Mr. Potter. He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named is gone. He is no longer a threat. There are currently no Dark Wizards in the country."
Draco Malfoy from the Slytherin table was snickering at them. Edelgard was quick to catch on. This must be Dolores Umbridge, the Ministry Spy planted at Hogwarts. And, it seemed, a known propagandist.
"Oh yes." Edelgard said pleasantly. "I'm aware, Professor."
Umbridge stared down at her. Edelgard stared back. Harry and Ron had spoke about this woman with complete disdain, and she could see why. Edelgard had a burning disdain for anyone associated with the Church (Aside from her beloved Professor, of course) but she could not recall taking such a dislike to them so quickly. If she had not been aware of Rhea's more underhanded actions, she doubted that she would dislike her as much as this woman.
"Then why, may I ask, where you discussing this in the classroom?"
"Well, we were just discussing…" Edelgard said. "If he DID come back, what would the Ministry do to combat him?"
She could see that Dumbledore was watching them very intently now. McGonagall and Snape too. And they were not the only ones. Students from all around were observing her, smiling pleasantly up at the witch above her.
"Such things are not appropriate for school, Miss Granger." She said. Her air still had that sickly sweet quality. She spoke as if she had an air of absolute authority. "I must ask you not to speak of such things."
Edelgard's first instinct was to refuse. This was ridiculous. Who was this woman to try and make demands of her? But she was aware that she already had considerable power and influence in the school. However, she instead decided to sidestep the issue.
"Well, this isn't school work." She said. "It's an intellectual discussion." Behind her he could hear Ron snort with laughter. She could not see what was so funny, other than perhaps the slight tinge of pink on Umbridge's cheeks.
"There is no place in my classroom-"
"This isn't your classroom, Professor." Edelgard said. "We had no intention of discussing this in your quite useless classes. Goodbye." And just like that she whirled around to re face her companions. "Now." She said, raising her voice slightly so that the whole hall could hear. "The Ministry is clearly unprepared for an assault not just from Voldemort himself, but from any Dark Wizard-"
"Detention, Miss Granger." The voice behind her said, coldly. "For a week. Longer, if you keep going."
Edelgard fell silent. A twinge of irritability ran through her. She had never, in her life, gotten punished at a school. She was about to whirl on the Toad and give her a piece of her mind, but her silence seemed to be taken as a sign of compliancy.
"Good." Umbridge whispered. "You will come to my office at Five o'clock sharp tonight." And then she was off to the staff table.
Edelgard looked bemused at Harry and Ron, who were gaping at her.
"Detention?" Ron repeated, bemused. "You're not even going to school here."
"Must I go?" Edelgard required. "May I refuse?"
Ron laughed humorlessly. "You don't just refuse to go to detention."
"But I'm not a student."
"But she thinks you are." Ron said. "For a reason. Dumbledore didn't tell her about you, did he?"
"He didn't?" Edelgard asked. "Why not?"
"It's probably not necessary for her to know." Harry said. "So he didn't bother. I don't talk to her if I don't have to."
"I can see why." Edelgard said dryly. "I Suppose I'll have more of a chance to get on her bad side during detention."
She spoke as if she were amused by the entire thing. She was keenly aware that the crowd surrounding her was still watching her warily.
"Do what must be done." She told him. "Do not hesitate: Show no mercy."
She found herself putting a liberal amount of ketchup on her eggs.
…
A disgruntled Hermione was led up to the cafeteria by an overeager Dorothea, who was already peppering her with questions about her love life. (Who is he? How tall is he? Does have money? Is he a great wizard?) She was relieved to find an out when she caught sight of a group of students she had not seen before.
"Who are they?"
Dorothea turned her head to look.
"Golden Deer Students." She breathed. "Ooooooh, no. Here comes Claude. He's a handful."
One of the students had caught sight of them and stood up. The others turned to look at him as he crossed the hall and approached them.
"Hey Beautiful." He said cheerfully, as he stopped right in front of Hermione. "Oh, and you too, Dorothea." Hermione couldn't help it. She blushed.
"Hello Claude." Dorothea said. "I take it you've heard?"
"No, I just wanted to compliment Edelgard today." He said casually. "Woah. Is that a smile?"
Hermione raised a hand to her mouth and covered it.
"I guess it really is true." He said. "You really aren't Edelgard. I've NEVER seen her smile."
"Because she finds you annoying, Claude." Dorothea said. "I have seen her smile several times."
"Yes yes, we know you're charming." Claude said. "Anyway, Hermione… that's your name, right? You're free to sit with us if you like. I've told everyone from our house to do anything they can to help you feel welcome. You can talk to us about anything… at any time! We don't have a Hubert or a Bernie in our House, so you shouldn't have a problem finding people to talk to-"
"Claude, she's doing quite well for herself." Dorothea said. "I'm helping her out quite a lot."
"She really is." Hermione said. "But thank you anyway, Claude. I deeply appreciate it." And she smiled at him. Claude smiled back.
"Hey, no problem." He said. "I'll be sure to talk to Dimitri when he gets back about getting the Blue Lions up to speed about you too. I'll see later, alright? Don't be a stranger!"
He smiled, gave a smile wave, and then walked off. Hermione watched him go.
"What happened to liking men with red hair?" Dorothea teased her. Hermione looked up at her, surprised.
"He was nice!" She exclaimed, indignantly. Dorothea giggled.
"Nice enough to be with?"
"I don't know…. Maybe?" She didn't have the slightest clue about what Claude was like. He seemed nice enough, and very helpful, but she had learned a long time ago that she was a horrible judge of character. She had thought Ron and Harry complete idiots when they had first met, and now they were inseparable. And her first real crush, Gilderoy Lockhart, who she had loved before she had even gotten to Hogwarts, had turned out to be a complete flake…
"I'll tell you all you need to know about him." Dorothea promised, as she grabbed her arm. "You'll be so WONDERFUL together…"
"That will be enough, Dorothea." A cold voice said, from the shadows. Hermione and Dorothea both jumped as Hubert appeared, as if out of the stone itself, to coldly stare at them.
"I will not allow you to defile the Princess." He declared coldly, Dorothea seemed rather put off by this pronouncement.
"Well… she isn't actually Edelgard." Dorothea said. "So-"
"Most people do not have a… loose definition of how a woman should behave, Dorothea." Hubert said. "You will cease this talk at once. Or I will be forced to file an order to stay away from her."
"No!" Hermione said quickly, glancing at Dorothea. "You don't need to do that-"
"I may need to." Hubert said. "If she continues pushing you down this dark path."
He spoke ominously, and seriously. Apparently preserving Edelgard's purity, or at least an image of it, was a concern of his in this trying time.
"I would never do that." Hermione said quickly. She had a horrible image of her, in Edelgard's body, marrying Claude and then starting a family with him. The very idea kind of creeped her out.
"Be that as it may." Hubert said. "I will step in and prevent any… funny business, between you two. And I will be watching, Dorothea! Step one more toe out of line and you will be punished."
And he disappeared just as suddenly as he had come.
"Is he just following us around?" Hermione asked, shocked.
"Following YOU around." Dorothea corrected, rolling her eyes. "He's trying to protect Edelgard, I'm sure… I'm sure she's never had a boyfriend because of him."
"I can see why." Hermione said. "He's quite scary, isn't he?"
"Oh, very." Dorothea said. "Now about that tea…"
Hermione groaned.