This chapter is on the short side, but this was the best place to end the chapter, so I did. :) As always, thanks for reading. I hope you enjoy.

Chapter 33

By the end of breakfast, seven other students had joined Harry and Hermione. Madame Pomfrey muttered dark promises under her breath as she treated hands in various stages of healing. Released from Umbridge's orders to conceal everything students came forward to their Heads of Houses with tales of threats against their parents if they didn't comply with her insane rules and demands for information about other students. Her blood prejudice and obsession about rich pureblood families became the highlight of the investigation.

Sitting in Dumbledore's office listening to Adelina Edgecombe's daughter recount Umbridge's interest into the activities of seventh year and recent graduated male purebloods, Narcissa felt her skin crawl. Even if she hadn't known most of the young men since childhood, she didn't need that much information about their exploits.

"Thank you, Miss Edgecombe." McGonagall cut her off. "We understand. You may go." The girl fled the office.

Narcissa massaged her forehead. "I'm still unclear what her goal was. Did she want blackmail ammunition, or did she want to snare herself a randy young buck?"

McGonagall frowned, "That's irregardless. It was still inappropriate of her to have other students spying on them for her, or hunting up gossip."

"Lucius told me she tried to keep her hospital discharge a secret. Unfortunately for her the mediwitches were more impressed with Sirius's good looks and charming ways than her empty threats."

"Sang like canaries to him the second she fled?"

"Before she even left the floor." Both women chuckled. "Lucius demanded a meeting with her and Fudge this afternoon. Albus insisted it take place here at the school."

McGonagall nodded her head. "Wise of them, cut her off from escape routes. I approve."

"I thought you might. How are the students dealing with their scars?"

"None of the rest of them used Hermione's loophole, though Fred and George Weasley each wrote both sets of lines so they remain identical. Most of the males students wrote emotionally neutral lines. They have been coping by making light of it and cracking jokes. It is the girls I worry about. Second year Olivia Kinley's hand now tells the world that 'no one loves ugly girls.' Ginny Weasley's says that 'poor girls stay poor.' And Essence Broadmoor's hand declares 'poorly planned is poorly executed.' I do not condone their earlier behavior, but those are horrible things for someone to carve into their own skin." McGonagall shook her head. "Thank Merlin Albus blocked her from including Miss McGuinness in the love potion punishment."

"How are she and Mr Cole doing? Hermione told me they went on a date."

"They did. While it had a rocky start, they seem to be building a fairly stable relationship."

"Good for them. At least something positive came from all of this." The two women gossiped until Narcissa left to freshen up before they ambushed Fudge in Dumbledore's office. She intended to flatten the toad and the toadie.

In Dumbledore's office, Sirius paced back and forth in front of the desk. Growing annoyed by his constant motion, his cousin finally snapped. "Sirius, sit."

Obediently he sat in one of the chairs next to her. "You could have asked. You don't have to order me around like a dog."

She laughed, "I believe the muggle saying is if the shoe fits-wear it."

"Touche, madam." he conceded the point. Before Sirius could grow restless again and resume pacing the fireplace flames flared green and two figures stepped out.

Umbridge held back a bit, while Fudge surged forward with the confidence of a man who believed himself to be among allies. "Albus, Lucius, wonderful to see you. Black, McGonagall, hello. Narcissa, radiant as ever."

"Shut it." the radiant woman snapped. "No one is in the mood for your bumbling glad handing right now." Fudge fell back as if she had slapped him. "Now, sit down. We have serious allegations to discuss."

"Nothing too serious, darling Narcissa. No real harm done."

"No real harm? No real harm! Cornelius, have you lost what little brains you had? Nine students have permanent scarring on their hands! Scars Delores forced them to create. Scars saying horrible things!" Narcissa raged.

Fudge frowned, concern and confusion plain on his face. "We're not here to discuss Delores's snake bite?"

"We are here to discuss Delores's spy ring and use of illegal blood quills in detentions. And her use of coercion and compulsion charms to hide her nefarious deeds." Sirius remarked, leaning forward.

"What?" The minister looked helplessly at Dumbledore.

"Sit down, Cornelius." Dumbledore pointed towards a chair as he sat behind his desk. "We should all sit." He gestured towards Lucius and Umbridge. The former gracefully slid into the seat besides his wife. The other plunked down as far from the others as possible.

"What exactly has been going on inside this school, Albus?" demanded Fudge.

"A question the school administration, board, and concerned parents want answered. What has been going on since you appointed your under secretary high inquisitor? You removed her from my control and now we have these dire reports from multiple sources."

Fudge looked at Umbridge, clearly flustered by having his question turned back on him. "I, uh, have no idea what you are referring to, Albus, but, I assure you we will look into the matter."

"We all ready have." Lucius stated flatly. "And as a school governor I refuse to allow the Ministry to further abuse these students with your bumbling investigation. You will not traumatize them further to cover this up on my watch."

"Further abuse? Traumatize?" Fudge looked around wildly around the room. "Delores, what are they talking about?"

"Beyond her unbelievably draconic educational decrees, and abhorrently out of date curriculum, there is the matter of torture. She knowingly used compulsion charms to force nine students to write lines with a blood quill, the use of which is illegal. A fact she is very well aware of, being the under secretary of the minister. A twelve year old girl has to see 'no one loves ugly girls' in her own handwriting on the back of her hand for the rest of her life. Her crime? Saying her uncle taught her more about defense over the summer than she had learned in class. Her real crime? Reminding Delores Umbridge who her uncle was, a man that spurned young Delores's romantic advances years ago. The other students bear similar sayings." Lucius reported.

Sirius picked up the narrative. "Your under secretary has repeatedly referred to muggleborn and muggle raised students as mudbloods and stated flat out they stole their magic. And as such have no rights to be educated at all. She accuses them of trying to destroy the wizarding world.

McGonagall glared, "And then, there is the little matter of her spy ring. She blackmailed the children of ministry employees to report back certain activities of specific seventh year students, and romantic gossip about other recent graduates. She threatened to have their parents fired." She raised an eyebrow. "I approve of neither her obsession, nor her means of feeding it. Both are predatory in the worse manner."

Fudge stared blankly. Narcissa growled deep in her throat. "She forced underage students to report back which of age pureblood males were having trysts in broom closets and classrooms, you dolt. She wanted to know who they were with and how often they were together. Extra points if the student could report back the specific acts."

Fudge slowly turned to face Umbridge, his expression full of horror. "Delores, please tell me that you have have a very rational reason for all of this?"

"Dumbledore is training his own army to use against you. You said it yourself, You-Know-Who has not returned. Just lies dreamed up between Dumbledore and Potter. I did it for you, to help you. Stupid git was suppose to be expelled over the summer But, no, he had to go hire a barrister to get the charges dropped." Umbridge shrieked. Her eyes grew wide and she covered her mouth with her hand in horror when her brain caught up to her mouth.

"You what?" shouted Fudge. "You sent dementors against a child?"

"For us." Umbridge sobbed. "For us, I did it for us."

"There is no us, you daft woman." Fudge looked at the others. "At no point did I know of her plans, or deeds. Nor would I have condoned them if I had."

"You told me to deal with Hogwarts. You said use any means necessary."

"Did I say attack underage wizards and muggles in broad daylight with dark creatures? Did I tell you to torture students with illegal items? To make them write horrible things for lines?"

"You didn't have to! I know you, if it accomplished your goals you wouldn't have cared what means had been required! You never have before. You're helpless without me. I do the hard things you can't. All of your accomplishments are my doing. I made you."

"You inflate your ego and importance, Delores. I'm terrified of what an investigation into your past deeds will find, but I have no choice but to start looking."

"You do not." Narcissa told him in a flat, steely tone. "Step up and handle this properly, or the combined might of the Houses Black and Malfoy will support Hogwarts in dealing with you both." Fudge visibly swallowed, then nodded. "Verbalize that you understand me. None of you political double talk."

"I understand to avoid lawsuits being brought against Umbridge and myself, a full investigation needs to be conducted." Her glare darkened when he stopped. "A nothing can be covered up." Narcissa nodded.

Dumbledore spoke up, "Perhaps, given the prejudice vein of some of the things that Umbridge has been saying, any legislation she has been involved in should be reviewed as well." Sirius glared at the man, while he would love to make it so Moony could hold down a job; this was not the time.

Umbridge scowled at Fudge. "You are going to throw me to the wolves to safe yourself? How could you do this to me? Especially after all these years, everything I've done for you?"

"I think you'll find, madame, you've done this to yourself. Your actions have left me with no choice." Fudge growled. "Albus, would you be so good as to allow me use of your floo to summon aurors to take Ms Umbridge into custody." Later Sirius would show the teenagers his memories of her shrieks and threats as she had to be dragged away, followed by a sickly green Fudge.

"Now we come to the dilemma of what to do about Defense Against the Dark Arts." Dumbledore remarked to McGonagall and Lucius.

The former snorted, "Her class was already a glorified study hall. The students couldn't do worse with proper information."

"Perhaps tutors?" suggested Lucius.

"That helps the wealthy students." Sirius remarked. "What about poorer students or muggleborns?"

Narcissa drummed her fingers against the armrest, an idea taking shape. "What if wealthy families sponsored a tutor for each grade level? They could stay at the castle, or not. And since they are only responsible for one year, it should not require a large salary."

Lucius nodded, "We could easily procure one, as could Sirius. So could several other families. Put out some feelers if you would, Albus. I'll secure the funding."

Sirius smirked, "You all ready have one on retainer if you wanted to tweak some noses."

Narcissa raised an immaculately groomed eyebrow. "Remus is on our payroll as Hermione's bodyguard. Give him morning classes and that negates full moon concerns."

McGonagall nodded thoughtfully. "That could work. The entire fifth year has morning classes. We can stress to any concerned parents that Lupin does not reside at the castle. He is gone and somewhere safe long before dark."

"I intended to ask Remus to help me with a project of mine, one that would take him out of the country."

"Unfortunately, he's on retainer with us until Hermione graduates. Then I can't make her have a bodyguard." Lucius reported. "But I will floo him about tutoring the OWL students, and the other governors about Umbridge and the tutors." He offered Narcissa his arm and escorted his wife out.

Dumbledore waited for the door to click shut before turning to Sirius. "With Voldemort returned, it is imperative we reconnect with the werewolves first. Sirius, you must get Remus to reconsider his employment with the Malfoys."

"Why? So he can risk life and limb convincing a group that mostly wishes to be left alone, to join us in a fight they doubt we can win?" Sirius shook his head. "No, not this time. During the last war we blindly followed your whims. To what end? James and Lily are dead. Your left their son with magic hating muggles. You then bought off your guilt with their money and forgot about him until he was old enough to be of use to you. One word from you could have granted me the trial all criminals deserve, even the worst of the Death Eaters got a mockery of one. Remus nearly died numerous times during your little werewolf missions last time. And the best he ever accomplished was promises of neutrality that Greyback had them breaking months later. No more wild goose chases, no more pointless risks."

"Sirius," Dumbledore tried again, "we need to be prepared."

"Then start looking into how he survived all those years ago. When you have a concrete plan to deal with that, notify me. Until then, do your jobs: run the school and clean up the corruption on the Wizengamot." Sirius stormed from the office.