A/N: I do not own anything Harry Potter. Hey, everyone! I'm sorry it took me so long to publish a new chapter. I've been working a lot and very little time to write. Hopefully I'll be able to post again soon. Thank you to everyone who has read the story so far and has added it (and me) to your favorites and alerts. You all rock! I really hope you enjoy this next chapter. Happy reading! XO

Chapter 65

It was late. Everyone had long since gone to bed and Annie and Harry were sitting in the common room, a dying fire next to them and a dim moonlight streaming through the window. Annie was leaning against the arm of the couch, her knees tucked up against her chest and the mirror Sirius had given her lying on top of her book on the coffee table next to her. Harry sat at the other end of the couch, staring into the dying embers of the fire, explaining the dream he just had to Annie.

"So Bode was trying to fight the Imperius curse?" Annie asked, picking at a piece of fuzz on the couch.

"Yeah, whatever he was trying to steal, he knew he couldn't. And Avery knew this too," Harry explained. "Avery told Voldemort that Bode would be able to remove the weapon no problem."

"And Rookwood told Voldemort this? How did Voldemort react?"

"He was pleased, I guess. With Rookwood," Harry added after seeing Annie's confused face. "With Avery, not so much."

"What happened to Avery then?"

"Dunno. That's when I woke up."

"That's heavy, mate."

The two sat in silence for a moment while Annie digested the information. Harry picked up Annie's mirror and turned it over to get a better look.

"Sirius gave you this?" he asked, running a thumb over the etched in letters of "Mischief Managed".

"Yeah, he has the other one. He said he and Uncle James used to use them when they were in separate detentions," Annie answered, watching Harry. "He told me if I needed him, to use this instead of the fire. Safer this way."

"Is that what you were doing before I came down? Talking to Sirius?" Harry questioned, placing the mirror back on the table. Annie nodded and blew a piece of hair out of her eyes. "Couldn't sleep again?"

Annie shrugged. "I've had a lot on my mind," she answered quietly. "And it's too dark in the room for me to sleep. My blue flame jar burned out and Lavender and Parvati keep the curtains closed on the window."

"Why don't you make a new jar then?" Harry suggested, swinging his feet onto the coffee table.

"Mine don't last as long as Hermione's do and she made my last one," Annie replied with a yawn. "I didn't want to wake her up."

"So what are you going to do now?" Harry asked.

Annie shrugged again. "I might stay up and read down here," she said, picking up her mirror. Harry gave her a pointed look. "What's that look for, Potter?"

"The last thing you need is less sleep."

"I could say the same about you."

"Hey, I thought you were on my side with the whole Occlumency thing," Harry accused, slapping her lightly on her knee.

"I am. I'm just saying your 'visions' or whatever you want to call them keep you up at night too," refuted Annie.

Harry rolled his eyes. "Alright, well I'm going back to bed. Do whatever you want, mate. Just try to get some sleep tonight."

Harry stood up and walked around the couch, messing up Annie's hair on his way to the stairs. Annie sighed and stretched her legs out in front of her, picking her book off of the coffee table. She flipped open to her dog-eared page and started reading well into the morning.

"Have you been up all night?" a voice sounded in Annie's ear, making her shiver.

"What time is it?" Annie asked, turning around to find a grinning Fred crouched down and leaning against the couch.

He looked at his watch and said, "About seven o'clock. Answer the question, pup."

"Seven you said?" Fred nodded. "Then yes."

Fred jumped over the back of the couch, landing next to her and wrapping his arm around her shoulders. "Annie, Annie, Annie. What are we going to do with you?"

"What you're going to do is leave me alone. I already got lectured by Harry last night," Annie replied, closing her book and putting it aside. "I'll be perfectly fine with no sleep today."

"Yeah, you think so?" Fred asked with a wicked grin.

"I've done it before." Annie raised an eyebrow in confusion.

"Ah, but have you ever gone to quidditch practice with no sleep?"

Annie hung her head in defeat. "Damn. I forgot about practice tonight."

Fred laughed and pulled Annie into a headlock and ruffled her hair. "Honey, you are so screwed. What are you going to do?"

Annie groaned and fell onto Fred's lap, looking up at him with a tired grin. "I don't know, sweet cheeks. Suck it up, I guess."

Fred looked over to the staircase where Angelina had just come down. He looked back down at Annie who had her eyes closed and jostled her awake. "Come on, hon, get up. Go upstairs and get dressed, and at breakfast we'll pour a gallon of coffee down your throat," he joked as his girlfriend made her way over to them.

"Today's gonna suck isn't it?" Annie asked tiredly. She opened her eyes and found Angelina staring down at her with a bemused smile. "Morning, cap! Can't wait for practice today!"

"Morning, Annie! Are you finished talking to Fred? We were meeting for breakfast," Angelina asked, ignoring Fred's chuckle at Annie's comment about practice.

Annie looked back up at Fred. "Freddie, are you done with me? Where's Georgie by the way?"

"George is still upstairs," he answered, pushing her off his lap and onto the floor. He grabbed her hand and pulled her to her feet and gave her a push towards the stairs. "Get dressed and wait for him. I have a date." Annie stuck her tongue out at her friends and made her way upstairs to her dorm.

Annie was making her way around Professor McGonagall's classroom, aiding the first years as they transfigured mice into snuffboxes as the professor sat at her desk and graded a stack of papers. She had arranged the students into pairs and watched each set as they attempted to perform the spell.

"Okay, so why didn't that work?" Annie asked Robbie, a small Hufflepuff boy who was new to the tutoring sessions.

"Um, I'm not sure," he answered quietly.

"Your wand movement," Annie corrected, smiling at his bashfulness. Since he walked into the class, Annie noticed how shy he was and hoped his partner, a fellow Hufflepuff named Amy, would bring him out of shell.

"Oh," he responded, his cheeks reddening.

"Here, watch again," Annie instructed. She waved her wand and the two first years watched in awe as the mouse in front of them transfigured into a snuffbox.

"You can do nonverbal spells?" Amy asked as Annie turned the snuffbox back into a mouse.

"Only on a few spells," Annie shrugged as the rest of the tutoring group looked over.

"Can you do it again? We didn't get to see," a Slytherin girl named Sylvia asked as the other first years nodded enthusiastically.

Annie glimpsed over to Professor McGonagall who was still grading papers but with a hint of a proud smile on her lips. "Alright, but just this once, okay? Then you all have to get back to work," she conceded. The kids nodded again and came in closer to watch. Annie pointed her wand at the mouse and waved her wand. The first years gasped as the mouse transfigured before their eyes. She waved her wand once more and they broke out into applause.

"Thank you! Thank you!" Annie said, taking a bow. "Now get back to work."

The first years scurried back to their tables and went back to practicing their spellwork. At the end of the tutoring session, Annie dismissed them with a flourish of purple sparks emitting from her wand. The kids waved good bye as they walked out of the classroom, discussing Annie's spellwork.

"Nonverbal spells aren't taught until sixth year, Ms. Black," Professor McGonagall commented when Annie made her way over to the front of the room to collect her backpack.

"I know, but I just wanted to get a head start on a few simple charms," Annie shrugged, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Very well done," Professor McGonagall commended. "I see you've-"

A scream sounded from down the hall and Professor McGonagall jumped to her feet.

"Who the bloody hell was that?" Annie swore, swinging her bag over her shoulders and looking toward the door.

"Language, Black," Minerva chastised, making her way around her desk. "Did you see anything unusual on you way to my classroom?"

"No, Professor," Annie answered, her grip tightening on her wand as she followed the professor out of the classroom and down the corridor.

They arrived at the scene of the disturbance in the entrance hall and Professor McGonagall rushed down the stairs to Professor Trelawney's side.

"Dolores, what is going on here?" Professor McGonagall asked. Annie stood with the crowd surrounding the scene. Professor Trelawney sobbed loudly and Minerva placed a comforting hand on her shoulders.

"Well, it's quite simple," Professor Umbridge started with a fake sweet smile, "I've dismissed Sybil from her position at Hogwarts."

"You've what?" Professor McGonagall snarled incredulously, her nostrils flaring in anger.

"I've dismissed Sybil from her position," Umbridge repeated.

"I c-c-can't leave," Professor Trelawney stammered as she wept. "Hogwarts is my home! Sixteen years!"

"Well, it's your home no longer," Umbridge stated, looking down at the disheveled woman kneeling on the floor.

"She can't be serious," Annie said to the fifth year Ravenclaw next to her.

"I know," Julie said. "I don't even take Divination and I feel so bad. How can she get away with this?"

"Fuck if I know," Annie answered. "I never had her either but I heard she's pretty interesting."

"Eccentric more like" Julie countered.

"Professor Dumbledore will not allow this," Professor McGonagall said sternly.

"I'm afraid there is nothing he can do," Umbridge informed smugly. "Being the Hogwarts High-Inquisitor gives me certain rights appointed to me by the Minister."

"Yeah, bullshit rights," Annie shouted loudly. A couple students giggled and Julie gave her a low-five.

Just then Annie felt the crowd of students shuffle around and Professor Dumbledore pushed forward into the clearing.

"Professor Umbridge, do tell me what is going on," he said calmly, eying the situation carefully.

"I have found Sybil Trelawney unfit to continue her career at Hogwarts as a Divination professor," Professor Umbridge replied, gesturing to Professor Trelawney on the floor. "Leave now, Sybil, or you will be forcibly removed. And I beg you stop your hysterics. You are embarrassing us," she spat as Trelawney howled louder.

"Minerva, please help Sybil to her feet and bring her back to her rooms," Professor Dumbledore instructed. Professor McGonagall lent her arm to colleague and Professor stood up shakily.

"Excuse me, Albus, but she cannot stay here. She has no job here. She must leave the grounds immediately," Professor Umbridge spat.

"Ah that is where you are wrong, Dolores," the headmaster corrected. "The Ministry may have granted you the right-"

"The bullshit right!" Annie interrupted loudly. Professor Dumbledore ignored Annie's outburst and continued.

"To dismiss my staff, but you cannot banish them from the castle. That power lies with the headmaster alone." Professor Dumbledore smiled at Professor Trelawney and she lunged forward and wrung his hand in gratitude. "Minerva, please help Sybil with her luggage. She will remain at Hogwarts as my guest."

"Th-th-thank you, Professor Dumbledore," Professor Trelawney stuttered as Professor McGonagall led her away. Professor Flitwick trailed behind them, his wand flourished and the trunks floating up the stairs.

Umbridge watched the group disappear through the crowd before turning back to Dumbledore. "That power may remain with you for now, but if you will excuse me, I have to fill the Divination professor vacancy," she said with an air of importance.

"No need for that, Dolores," Professor Dumbledore interceded. "I have already found a replacement."

"You have?" Umbridge replied, astonished.

"Yes, as a matter of fact I was just having a conversation with him just a few moments ago," Professor Dumbledore gestured to the grand doors where a proud centaur had just stepped inside the castle.

"Oh, Dumbledore is amazing," Annie whispered excitedly to Julie. "Umbridge hates half-breeds. Look how pissed she is. Merlin's pants this is great."

"This is Firenze," Dumbledore introduced to an astounded Professor Umbridge. "He will be taking over the post of Divination professor."

Professor Umbridge's nostrils flared in anger and she gave a disapproving nod toward the centaur.

"Is there anything else you wish to discuss, Dolores?" Professor Dumbledore asked an irate Umbridge.

"The Minister will be hearing about this," she snarled before turning on her heel and marching away.

Professor Dumbledore watched her leave for a moment before sweeping around to make his way through the crowd of students. Annie turned back to her Ravenclaw friend.

"I can't believe I got away with yelling 'bullshit'," Annie commented.

"I know. I think it's because all of the professors know it's true so they can't really punish you," Julie suggested. "Anyway, I have to get to the library. I'm meeting Anthony so we can study for Transfiguration."

"Yeah, I was headed to the Great Hall anyway. Have fun 'studying' with Anthony," Annie said with a wink.

Julie laughed. "See you in Muggle Studies, Annie." Julie walked off in the direction of the library. Annie pushed through the small crowd that was still hanging around and found her friends in the Great Hall.

"That was a ballsy move by Dumbledore, wouldn't you say?" she commented as she sat down next to Hermione.

Ron laughed. "Yeah! Umbridge was so mad. Did you see her face?" Ron did his best impression of Umbridge and Annie let out a snort of laughter.

"I can't believe Umbridge did that in front of the whole school," Hermione said, spooning carrots onto her plate.

"I can," Harry commented, joining them at the table. "Pass the butterbeer, Annie."

Annie handed Harry the pitcher of butterbeer. "But is it true though? Can Umbridge really sack professors?"

Hermione nodded as she swallowed her food. "Educational Decree Number Twenty-Three. It grants her power to sack any professor she finds 'unfit' for the position. I may not agree with Professor Trelawney's teachings, but she doesn't deserve to get sacked. Professor Umbridge is a real, well, she's a real-"

"Real what, Hermione?" Annie urged. "Go on say it. You know you want to."

"She's a real bitch," Hermione concluded.

"Yes!" Annie exclaimed as Harry and Ron laughed. "I thought Dobby would become Minister of Magic before I ever heard Hermione curse."

"Oh, shut up, Annie."