Many thanks to those who continue to review. please enjoy the next chapter! ~F
Chapter Eight
Umbridge Rising
Harry walked groggily down to breakfast the next morning. After their rather long stay in the room working on homework, he, Hermione, Ron, and Faykan had bid farewell to Draco and went directly back the Gryffindor common room and were about to go up to their dormitories when Sirius' head had appeared in the fireplace, beckoning them back.
Hermione had commented immediately with how reckless and risky Sirius was being, contacting them via the Floo network, and Harry silently agreed with her. Sirius had waved it off, and they discussed the various subjects Harry had cryptically mentioned in his letter. Namely that he shouldn't worry about his scar, Umbridge was evil, but not a Death Eater, the Ministry set her there to prevent the student from 'forming a wizard army to take on the Ministry,' Fudge was losing his mind, and to not ask too many questions about Hagrid, as they didn't want attention drawn to his absence.
Finally, Sirius tried to get the dates of the Hogsmeade weekends to see about sneaking off, but they all vehemently told him off about it, citing that Lucius Malfoy had recognized him on the platform, which Draco had confirmed earlier that night, and that it wasn't safe. Sirius looked rather disappointed at that, and had cut the call of rather shortly afterward.
The four Gryffindors sat down for breakfast, silently pulling food onto their plates, when the mail arrived. They all paused when Hermione's paper arrived, and they took several second looking for the article that Percy's letter had referenced multiply times. It wasn't that hard to find, with a big picture of the ugly toad headlining, 'MINISTRY SEEKS EDUCATIONAL REFORM, DOLORES UMBR1DGE APPOINTED FIRST EVER HIGH INQUISITOR.'
"Oh, this is going to be good," Faykan said sarcastically.
Hermione, who was in the best position to see the article, read it aloud, "'In a surprise move last night the Ministry of Magic passed new legislation giving itself an unprecedented level of control at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
"The Minister has been growing uneasy about goings-on at Hogwarts for some time," said junior Assistant to the Minister, Percy Weasley. "He is now responding to concerns voiced by anxious parents, who feel the school may be moving in a direction they do not approve of."
This is not the first time in recent weeks that the Minister, Cornelius Fudge, has used new laws to effect improvements at the wizarding school. As recently as 30 August, Educational Decree Number Twenty-two was passed, to ensure that, in the event of the current Headmaster being unable to provide a candidate for a teaching post, the Ministry should select an appropriate person.
"That's how Dolores Umbridge came to be appointed to the teaching staff at Hogwarts," said Weasley last night. "Dumbledore couldn't find anyone so the Minister put in Umbridge, and of course, she's been an immediate success…"'
"She's been a WHAT?" said Harry loudly.
"Wait, there's more," said Hermione grimly.
"'…an immediate success, totally revolutionising the teaching of Defence Against the Dark Arts and providing the Minister with on-the-ground feedback about what's really happening at Hogwarts."
It is this last function that the Ministry has now formalised with the passing of Educational Decree Number Twenty-three, which creates the new position of Hogwarts High Inquisitor.
"This is an exciting new phase in the Minister's plan to get to grips with what some are calling the falling standards at Hogwarts," said Weasley. "The Inquisitor will have powers to inspect her fellow educators and make sure that they are coming up to scratch. Professor Umbridge has been offered this position in addition to her own teaching post and we are delighted to say that she has accepted."
The Ministry's new moves have received enthusiastic support from parents of students at Hogwarts.
"I feel much easier in my mind now that I know Dumbledore is being subjected to fair and objective evaluation," said Mr. Lucius Malfoy, 41, speaking from his Wiltshire mansion last night. "Many of us with our children's best interests at heart have been concerned about some of Dumbledore's eccentric decisions in the last few years and are glad to know that the Ministry is keeping an eye on the situation."
Among those eccentric decisions are undoubtedly the controversial staff appointments previously described in this newspaper, which have included the employment of werewolf Remus Lupin, half-giant Rubeus Hagrid and delusional, ex-Auror, 'Mad-Eye' Moody.
Rumours abound, of course, that Albus Dumbledore, once Supreme Mugwump of the International Confederation of Wizards and Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot, is no longer up to the task of managing the prestigious school of Hogwarts.
"I think the appointment of the Inquisitor is a first step towards ensuring that Hogwarts has a headmaster in whom we can all repose our confidence," said a Ministry insider last night.
Wizengamot elders Griselda Marchbanks and Tiberius Ogden have resigned in protest at the introduction of the post of Inquisitor to Hogwarts.
"Hogwarts is a school, not an outpost of Cornelius Fudge's office," said Madam Marchbanks. "This is a further, disgusting attempt to discredit Albus Dumbledore."
(For a full account of Madam Marchbanks' alleged links to subversive goblin groups, turn to page seventeen.)'"
"Well, that explains a lot…" Faykan commented blandly, speaking around his pipe, "Fudge is defiantly insane if he thinks this will last for long though…"
Ron started grinning madly.
"What?" Harry and Hermione asked, looking at him.
"Oh, I can't wait to see McGonagall inspected," said Ron happily, "Umbridge won't know what hit her."
~~Sina tea kirma : This is a line break~~
Draco watched Will Stanton earnestly during their Monday double Potions lesson, sitting in the assistant's chair. His godfather was currently handing back the moonstone essays to the class, smirking as he passed the children who received poor grades. Harry, who was sitting next to Draco, grinned at him and showed the solid 'E' that his paper had received. Draco himself had gotten an 'O' for outstanding.
"I have awarded you the grade you would have received if you presented this work in your O.W.L," Professor Snape said, smirking at Nott as he gave the boy his essay, who returned a murderous glare. "This should give you a realistic idea of what to expect in the examination."
When he reached the front of the class, Snape turned sharply on his heel to face them.
"The general standard of this homework was abysmal. Most of you would have failed had this been your examination. I expect to see a great deal more effort for this weeks essay on the various varieties of venom antidotes, or I shall have to start handing out detentions to those dunces who get 'D's"
He smirked as Draco sniggered and said in a carrying whisper to Harry, "Some people got a 'D'? Ha!" Nott was flushing in repressed anger, and Draco had a fair guess at what his grade was.
They then set to work on their newest potion, the Strengthening Solution. Draco watched as his godfather leaned over to watch something that Will was writing, and whispered an instruction while pointing to something on the parchment. Will grinned up at him and scribbled furiously to change whatever it was he was writing. Draco growled softly, he really didn't like his own godfather being close with someone else, someone he wouldn't even tell him about.
Hermione chattered on about O. and their recent grades all the way up to lunch after the class. It was quite obvious that she wanted to know their grades as well, but Draco was going to wait her out and make her ask for it. "Well, the homework didn't go too badly today, did it?" she asked. When no one answered her, she simply continued on, "I mean, all right, I didn't expect the top grade, not if he's marking to OWL standard, but a pass is quite encouraging at this stage, wouldn't you say?"
Harry made a non-committal noise in his throat, causing Draco to snigger slightly.
"Of course, a lot can happen between now and the exam, we've got plenty of time to improve, but the grades we're getting now are a sort of baseline, aren't they? Something we can build on. Obviously, I'm thrilled that I got an 'O,' but…"
"Hermione…" Ron said sharply, "If you want to know our grades just ask…"
"I don't… I didn't mean… well, if you want to tell me…"
"I got an 'A'," said Ron, scowling at Hermione, "Happy?"
As Hermione continued to chat on about their grades, Draco chose to watch Will, who had remained aloofly silent, almost off in his own little world. He was staring toward the head table, grinning to himself.
Draco scowled, and then moved toward the Slytherin table. There was defiantly something up with that kid, something he wasn't telling anyone except Severus.
~~Sina tea kirma : This is a line break~~
Harry was rather disheartened to learn that he would be seeing Umbridge earlier than he would have wished. He was pulling out his dream diary in a seat at the very back of the shadowy Divination room when Ron elbowed him in the ribs and, looking round, he saw Professor Umbridge emerging through the trapdoor in the floor. The class, which had been talking cheerily, fell silent at once. The abrupt fall in the noise level made Professor Trelawney, who had been wafting about handing out copies of The Dream Oracle, look round.
"Good afternoon, Professor Trelawney," said Professor Umbridge with her wide smile. "You received my note, I trust, giving the time and date of your inspection?"
Professor Trelawney nodded curtly and, looking very disgruntled, turned her back on Professor Umbridge and continued to give out books. Still smiling, Professor Umbridge grasped the back of the nearest armchair and pulled it to the front of the class so that it was a few inches behind Professor Trelawney's seat. She then sat down, took her clipboard from her flowery bag and looked up expectantly, waiting for the class to begin.
Professor Trelawney pulled her shawls tight about her with slightly trembling hands and surveyed the class through her hugely magnifying lenses.
"We shall be continuing our study of prophetic dreams today," she said in a brave attempt at her usual mystic tones, though her voice shook slightly. "Divide into small groups, please, and interpret each other's latest night-time visions with the aid of the Oracle."
She made as though to sweep back to her seat, saw Professor Umbridge sitting right beside it, and immediately veered left towards Parvati and Lavender, who were already deep in discussion about Parvati's most recent dream.
Harry opened his copy of The Dream Oracle, watching Umbridge covertly. She was already making notes on her clipboard. After a few minutes she got to her feet and began to pace the room in Trelawney's wake, listening to her conversations with students and posing questions here and there. Harry bent his head hurriedly over his book.
"Think of a dream, quick," he told Ron, "in case the old toad comes our way."
"I did it last time," Ron protested, "have Will do it…"
"Ok," Faykan said, from the other side of Harry's chair, "Um, well a few nights ago I dreamt of a barren white tree, in the middle of a courtyard of stone. It was nearly dead, except for a small branch on the top with a tiny white flower preparing to bloom…"
But Harry wasn't listening; he was trying to focus on Umbridge and Professor Trelawney, who were a few tables away now. He looked away, pretending to study his book as they arrived at their table. Trelawney said nothing as Ron did the calculations on Faykan's dream, but Harry noticed that his best friend's eyes weren't focused. Instead, they seemed to be pure white, and staring off into the distance.
Then he started to speak, his voice hoarse and varying from deep to lofty with every breath. Harry remembered hearing something similar only once, two years ago, coming from Professor Trelawney herself.
"When Light back from the Lost Land's shore shall in the end return,
Six Sleepers all shall ride again, six signs shall brightly burn!
And where Midsummer's Tree grows up all silver, fair, and tall,
Pendragon's Sword against the Dark shall bring Dark's final fall!"
Professor Trelawney was ecstatic, praising Faykan for his Second Sight, and speculating what the prophecy could possibly mean. Umbridge watched coolly on, jotting things on her notebook with a small frown on her face.
Finally, Umbridge cleared her throat and started to ask questions of Professor Trelawney, namely how long she had been working at Hogwarts and whether it was Dumbledore who had hired her.
Even with the excitement of a student making a true prediction in her class, Professor Trelawney was left upset and rather angry by the time Umbridge had left her classroom, humming wickedly under her breath. When the bell rang she was the first down the silver ladder and already waiting for them when they reached the Defense Against the Dark Arts room ten minutes later.
She was still humming as Harry, Ron and Faykan informed Hermione in quiet whispers what had transpired in Divination as they took out copies of 'Defensive Magical Theory', but she didn't get the chance to ask any questions, as Umbridge called them all to order and silence fell.
"Wands away," she instructed them all with a smile, and those people who had been hopeful enough to take them out, sadly returned them to their bags. "As we finished Chapter One last lesson, I would like you all to turn to page nineteen today and commence 'Chapter Two, Common Defensive Theories and their Derivation.' There will be no need to talk."
"No need to think is more accurate…" Faykan whispered in Harry's ear, causing them both to grin. The class gave an audible sigh as it turned, as one, to page nineteen. Harry wondered dully whether there were enough chapters in the book to keep them reading through all this year's lessons and was on the point of checking the contents page when he noticed that Hermione had her hand in the air again.
Professor Umbridge had noticed, too, and what was more, she seemed to have worked out a strategy for just such an eventuality. Instead of trying to pretend she had not noticed Hermione she got to her feet and walked around the front row of desks until they were face to face, then she bent down and whispered, so that the rest of the class could not hear, "What is it this time, Miss Granger?"
"I've already read Chapter Two," said Hermione.
"Well then, proceed to Chapter Three."
"I've read that too. I've read the whole book."
Professor Umbridge blinked but recovered her poise almost instantly.
"Well, then, you should be able to tell me what Slinkhard says about counterjinxes in Chapter Fifteen."
"He says that counter-jinxes are improperly named," said Hermione promptly. "He says 'counter-jinx' is just a name people give their jinxes when they want to make them sound more acceptable."
Professor Umbridge raised her eyebrows and Harry knew she was impressed, against her will.
"But I disagree," Hermione continued.
Professor Umbridge's eyebrows rose a little higher and her gaze became distinctly colder.
"You disagree?" she repeated.
"Yes, I do," said Hermione, who, unlike Umbridge, was not whispering, but speaking in a clear, carrying voice that had by now attracted the attention of the rest of the class. "Mr. Slinkhard doesn't like jinxes, does he? But I think they can be very useful when they're used defensively."
"Oh, you do, do you?" said Professor Umbridge, forgetting to whisper and straightening up. "Well, I'm afraid it is Mr. Slinkhard's opinion, and not yours, that matters within this classroom, Miss Granger."
"But…" Hermione began.
"That is enough," said Professor Umbridge. She walked back to the front of the class and stood before them, all the jauntiness she had shown at the beginning of the lesson gone. "Miss Granger, I am going to take five points from Gryffindor house."
There was an outbreak of muttering at this.
"What for?" said Harry angrily.
"Don't get involved!" Faykan whispered urgently to him, squeezing Harry's knee with his hand under the desk Harry distinctly heard him mumbling some else after, and it sounded vaguely like elvish.
"For disrupting my class with pointless interruptions," said Professor Umbridge smoothly. "I am here to teach you using a Ministry-approved method that does not include inviting students to give their opinions on matters about which they understand very little. Your previous teachers in this subject may have allowed you more licence but as none of them, with the possible exception of Professor Quirrell, who did at least appear to have restricted himself to age-appropriate subjects, would have passed a Ministry inspection…"
"Yeah, Quirrell was a great teacher," said Harry loudly, "there was just that minor drawback of..."
But the tirade that Harry had planned about Quirrell having Voldemort in the back of his head was forestalled by an unearthly howl that sounded from the back of the room. Umbridge's eyes bulged even further and everyone in the room whipped around to see.
The jet black Kitsune was there, white teeth bared and growling menacingly, six tails spread wide and displaying four quartered circle markings. If Harry wasn't feeling Faykan's hand on his knee right now he'd have sworn that it was the boy there in the doorway. But the animal glaring at Umbridge had pure white eyes, and Harry could tell from Faykan's faint muttering that it was an illusion.
The Kitsune illusion howled again, a long and agonizing sound, and bounded forward at Umbridge, causing her to scream and stumble backward, snatching at her wand and casting a haphazard stunner that missed completely. The illusion bounded over her, spitting red-orange fire at the teacher's desk, igniting it. The Kitsune then turned, leaping through the nearest window, and it shattered, exploding outward as the illusion vanished from sight.
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Hermione heard the rumors that flew on the winds of Hogwarts the rest of that Monday, regarding the strange creature attacking Umbridge in her own classroom. Most people, teachers included, found the news both humorous and unusual. Most Gryffindors thought it was a prank of Fred and George, but the twins denied it, claiming that 'as much as they'd love to be responsibly for pranking the old toad; they did not know who conjured or let in the fox-wolf creature.'
Both Harry and Will had been nearly silent on the subject, and Hermione presumed that they might have had something to do with it, less Harry and more Will. Regardless, she was thankful that the prank had interrupted Harry from getting into trouble for talking back to the awful woman again.
Tuesday morning was rather uneventful. Most people were still talking about the Kitsune, but Hermione was over it, and ready to return to lessons again. Charms went on undisturbed, and Hermione was looking forward to Transfiguration until she saw Umbridge in the corner with her clipboard.
"Excellent," whispered Ron, as they sat down in their usual seats. "Let's see Umbridge get more of what she deserves."
Professor McGonagall marched into the room without giving the slightest indication that she knew Professor Umbridge was there.
"That will do," she said and silence fell immediately. "Mr. Finnigan, kindly come here and hand back the homework… Miss Brown, please take this box of mice, don't be silly, girl they won't hurt you, and hand one to each student…"
"Hem, hem,"said Umbridge, employing the same silly little cough she had used to interrupt Dumbledore on the first night of term. Professor McGonagall ignored her.
"Right then, everyone, listen closely… Dean Thomas, if you do that to the mouse again I shall put you in detention… most of you have now successfully Vanished your snails and even those who were left with a certain amount of shell have got the gist of the spell. Today, we shall be…"
"Hem, hem,"repeated Professor Umbridge.
"Yes?" said Professor McGonagall, turning round, her eyebrows so close together they seemed to form one long, severe line.
"I was just wondering, Professor, whether you received my note telling you of the date and time of your inspect…"
"Obviously I received it, or I would have asked you what you are doing in my classroom," said Professor McGonagall, turning her back firmly on Umbridge. Many of the students exchanged looks of glee. "As I was saying: today, we shall be practising the altogether more difficult Vanishment of mice. Now, the Vanishing Spell…"
"Hem, hem."
"I wonder," said Professor McGonagall in cold fury, turning on Umbridge, "how you expect to gain an idea of my usual teaching methods if you continue to interrupt me? You see, I do not generally permit people to talk when I am talking."
Umbridge looked as though she had just been slapped in the face. She did not speak, but straightened the parchment on her clipboard and began scribbling furiously.
Looking supremely unconcerned, Professor McGonagall addressed the class once more. Hermione saw all three Gryffindor boys flash their head of house large grins.
"As I was saying: the Vanishing Spell becomes more difficult with the complexity of the animal to be Vanished. The snail, as an invertebrate, does not present much of a challenge; the mouse, as a mammal, offers a much greater one. This is not, therefore, magic you can accomplish with your mind on your dinner. So, you know the incantation, let me see what you can do..."
Professor Umbridge did not follow Professor McGonagall around the class as the boys had reported that she had done to Professor Trelawney; perhaps she realised Professor McGonagall would not permit it. She did, however, take many more notes while sitting in her corner, and when Professor McGonagall finally told them all to pack away, she rose with a grim expression on her face.
Unfortunately, they were not rid of the vile woman so quickly, as she was there for Care of Magical Creatures as well, already digging into Grubbly-Plank for there whereabouts of Hagrid.
"You do not usually take this class, is that correct?" She was asking as they arrived at the trestle table where the group of captive Bowtruckles was scrabbling around for woodlice like so many living twigs.
"Quite correct," said Professor Grubbly-Plank, hands behind her back and bouncing on the balls of her feet. "I am a substitute teacher standing in for Professor Hagrid."
Hermione exchanged uneasy looks with Ron, Will, Draco and Harry. Nott was whispering with Crabbe and Goyle; he would surely love this opportunity to tell tales on Hagrid to a member of the Ministry.
"Hmm," said Professor Umbridge, dropping her voice, though everyone could still hear her quite clearly. "I wonder, the Headmaster seems strangely reluctant to give me any information on the matter, can you tell me what is causing Professor Hagrid's extended leave of absence?"
Nott look up eagerly and watch Umbridge and Grubbly-Plank closely.
"Fraid I can't," said Professor Grubbly-Plank breezily. "Don't know anything more about it than you do. Got an owl from Dumbledore, would I like a couple of weeks' teaching work. I accepted. That's as much as I know. Well... shall I get started then?"
"Yes, please do," said Professor Umbridge, scribbling on her clipboard.
After setting them all to work, Professor Grubbly-Plank stayed extra close to them, and started up a small conversation with Will about pipe weed when the boy pulled out his own pipe to relax after finishing his drawing of the Bowtruckle. "Always was particular to corncob pipes myself," she said, eyeing the clay pipe that Will was holding, "but to each their own, am I right… You do seem rather young to be smoking though… Might I inquire as to what weed you use?"
"Longbottom Leaf, mostly," Will replied, offering the small pouch of dried herbs for her to see, "But Old Toby when I can get it… not much grows around these parts unfortunately, its more common down south."
Hermione noticed that Neville turned and looked at Will when he mentioned 'Longbottom', but the boy said nothing, and quietly turned back to his drawing.
By then, Umbridge returned to question Grubbly-Plank more, and Hermione noticed the looks that the older witch was giving, and insinuated that she'd rather continue discussing pipe smoking with Will than speak to the old toad.
"Oh, yes, Dumbledore's excellent," said Professor Grubbly-Plank heartily in response to Umbridge's questions of Hogwarts in general. Looking politely incredulous, Umbridge made a tiny note on her clipboard and went on, "And what are you planning to cover with this class this year assuming, of course, that Professor Hagrid does not return?"
"Oh, I'll take them through the creatures that most often come up in O.W.L.," said Professor Grubbly-Plank. "Not much left to do, they've studied unicorns and Nifflers, I thought we'd cover Porlocks and Kneazles, make sure they can recognise Crups and Knarls, you know..."
"Well, you seem to know what you're doing, at any rate," said Professor Umbridge, making a very obvious tick on her clipboard. "Now, I hear there have been injuries in this class?"
Goyle gave a stupid grin. Nott hastened to answer the question. "That was me," he said. "I was slashed by a Hippogriff."
"A Hippogriff?" said Professor Umbridge, now scribbling frantically.
Harry opened his mouth to argue, and Hermione grabbed his arm, but a loud baleful howl echoed from the surrounding trees. "My word," Professor Grubbly-Plank said, and even Umbridge looked slightly frightened at the noise. "That sounded like a Kitsune… but why would one be this far west?" Grubbly-Plank commented absently.
Umbridge gathered herself, she had looked on the verge of running from the sound, and turned back to Grubbly-Plank, "I think that's all I need here. You will be receiving the results of your inspection within ten days."
"Jolly good," replied Professor Grubbly-Plank, and they watched, sniggering slightly, as Umbridge set off back to the castle rather faster than she normally walked.
~~Sina tea kirma : This is a line break~~
Draco watched Hermione fume as they settled in the Room of Requirement for the evening of homework, and some minor workout of sparring with blades, Ron attempting to practice with Aiglos.
"She's an awful woman," Hermione burst out after letting several arrows fly into the farthest target, smacking all near dead center, "Did you hear her trying to get information on Hagrid and Dumbledore from Grubbly-Plank. We've got to do something about her…"
"How about poison? I bet Snape or Will would help." Ron said hopefully, and both Harry and Draco laughed.
"No, I mean, something about how dreadful a teacher she is, and how we're not going to learn any Defence from her at all," clarified Hermione.
"Well, what can we do about that?" said Ron, stretching. "S too late, isn't it? She's got the job, she's here to stay. Fudge'll make sure of that."
"Well," said Hermione tentatively. "You know, I was thinking..." she shot a slightly nervous look at Harry and then plunged on, "I was thinking that, maybe the time's come when we should just - just do it ourselves."
"Do what ourselves?" said Harry suspiciously, but Draco saw where Hermione was going with her idea. "Are you suggesting we form some sort of club for Defense Against the Dark Arts, Hermione?" he asked point blank.
"Well, yes… I was going to suggest something along those line…" Hermione said.
"We can't do much by ourselves," said Ron in a defeated voice. "I mean, all right, we can use the room to create instructions and books on spells and try and practice them, I suppose…"
"No, I agree, we've gone past the stage where we can just learn things out of books," said Hermione. "We need a teacher, a proper one, who can show us how to use the spells and correct us if we're going wrong."
"If you're talking about Lupin..." Harry began.
"No, no, I'm not talking about Lupin," said Hermione. "He's too busy with the Order and, anyway, the most we could see him is during Hogsmeade weekends and that's not nearly often enough."
"Who, then?" said Harry, frowning at her. Hermione heaved a very deep sigh.
"'Isn't it obvious?" Draco said, getting irritated by Gryffindorish stupidity. "She's talking about you, Harry."
There was a moment's silence.
"About me what?" said Harry.
"She's talking about you teaching us Defence Against the Dark Arts." Draco said, exasperated.
Harry stared at him, then at Hermione, as if hoping for someone to shout out 'April Fools!'
His awkward smile faltered when no one did, and he stammered, "But… but I'm not a teacher, I cant…"
"Harry, you're the best in the year at Defence Against the Dark Arts," said Hermione.
"Me?" Harry said, voice rising slightly in desperation, "No way, you and Fay beat me in every test…" Draco noticed that Harry didn't show anymore pain in his face when mentioning Faykan.
"Actually, I didn't," Hermione replied coolly. "You beat everyone in third year, the only year that really counts as the teacher was competent. But I wasn't talking about test results. Think about what you've done!"
"How d'you mean?"
"You know what, I'm not sure I want someone this stupid teaching me," Ron said to Hermione, smirking slightly, which caused Draco to snort in laughter.
"Let's think," Ron said, pulling a face rather like Goyle concentrating. "Uh... first year, you saved the Philosopher's Stone from You-Know-Who."
"But that was luck," said Harry, "it wasn't skill and…"
"Second year," Ron interrupted, "you killed the Basilisk and destroyed Riddle."
"Yeah, but if Fay hadn't been there, I'd…"
"Third year," said Ron, louder still, "you fought off about a hundred Dementors at once…"
"I wouldn't have been able to without the Time-Turner or the Phial hadn't…"
"Last year," Ron said, almost shouting now, "you fought off You-Know-Who again…"
"Listen to me!" said Harry angrily. "Just listen to me, all right? It sounds great when you say it like that, but all that stuff was luck, I didn't know what I was doing half the time, I didn't plan any of it, I just did whatever I could think of, and I always had help…"
Both Ron and Hermione were smirking at him, and Draco could see the anger rising in Harry's face, and sure enough he was soon on his feet yelling at them both.
"You don't know what it's like! You, none of you, you've never had to face him, have you? You think it's just memorizing a bunch of spells and throwing them at him, like you're in class or something? The whole time you're sure you know there's nothing between you and dying except your own, your own brain or guts or whatever, like you can think straight when you know you're about a nanosecond from being murdered, or tortured, or watching your friends die, they've never taught us that in their classes, what it's like to deal with things like that, and you two sit there acting like I'm a clever little boy to be standing here, alive, like Faykan is stupid, like he messed up. You just don't get it… that could just as easily have been me, it would have been if Voldemort hadn't needed me, or if Faykan hadn't been there at all…"
Ron's face paled and he started sputtering, trying to backpedal madly, and Hermione looked stricken. Draco felt uncomfortable, but he also felt it odd that Harry referenced Faykan as though he was still alive.
"Harry," Hermione said timidly, "don't you see? This... this is exactly why we need you... we need to know what it's r-really like... facing him... facing V-Voldemort."
Draco saw the anger drain immediately from Harry's face as he slowly sat down again. He refused to speak, and Hermione took that as a good sign. "Well, think about it," she said quietly, "please?"
Harry nodded, trying to not meet any of their eyes. Both Ron and Hermione stood, and Draco saw that they were going to give Harry some time alone, so he decided to follow their lead, exiting through the door directly into his dormitory.
The other fifth year Slytherin boys were fast asleep, and Draco crept silently over to his own bed, changed, and laid down, still thinking about the minor inaccuracies he had heard from Harry. It could be simple coincidence… but somehow Draco didn't think it was. Harry seemed to know something as well. Perhaps Draco was being overly paranoid, but it didn't seem that farfetched with the way Harry, Will and Severus were acting. Draco drifted off plotting ways to figure out their secrets for himself.
Potential Spoilers Ahead: You Have Been Warned!
Posted a day early, due to traveling that will prevent any online activity on the typical Thursday. Additionally, the Veneficus Trilogy is finished, so I am in the process of deciding on whether to further augment both my posting schedule for AoM, as well as toying with several fics to casually write from the list of ideas on my profile. None may be posted for a while, due to heavy commitments on both Project Raven's Flight and The Stormreaver, but I'd still like to hear what fic catch people's interest. Until next time! ~F