Chapter 34: The F&G Society and OWLs Insanity

The whole school went into total chaos as Peeves, Hogwarts' resident poltergeist, took the twins' parting words by heart. Nikki and I went on further with our plans to unleash pranking in school. We have a number of recruits from, surprisingly, all four Houses. Most of them are from lower years, who revered the Weasley twins; they themselves gave the name of our secret club --- The F&G Society --- a fitting name indeed. Nikki and I had more of the joke products that were yet to be tested, so we used the opportunity to test them inside the castl, and the twins sold many joke products based on the turn out of the people who used the Skiving Snackboxes. Poor Draco and his cronies had no idea about what really was occurring, or who were the pranksters trying to live up to the names Fred and George Weasley.

"It's fun, isn't it?" Ianthé smiled to Nikki. Someone just released Dungbombs near the staircase (that someone had a name --- Jeremiah Turner, a third year Slytherin, who also happened to be one of my distant cousins).

"It's good to take a break from studying for the OWLs…" Nikki put a book on her school bag.

The Inquisitorial Squad, surprisingly without Draco Malfoy, went past them.

"Hello, Pansy."

"Oh hi, Ianthé," the pug-faced Slytherin kissed Ianthé's cheek, "You okay?"

"Yep, just peachy over here… No worries…."

"Draco left instructions, he wanted us to guard you against those filthy Mudbloods and half-breeds running about in your House," Pansy looked Nikki from head to toe.

"Did he now?" Ianthé raised her eyebrows. Temper, Ianthé, temper. Inhale deeply, exhale.

Pansy nodded.

"Tell your boyfriend I don't need guarding. I can handle myself, thank you." Ianthé left the group, grabbing Nikki by the arm.

"That girl! I promise you, she will be our next target!" Nikki whispered to Ianthé while they were walking.

Ianthé rolled her eyes and waved her hand carelessly, "Don't worry about her… So there's the final Quidditch match that we should look forward to…"

"Well, not really… It's us versus Gryffindor…"

"Hey, look on the bright side, Gryffindor's star players are banned… That should even out the odds… Especially when Ron Weasley has the nerves every time they sing that annoying song…"

"True, but what about our seeker by the name of Cho Chang… Honestly! She can't even play well!"

"Well, she's on this emotional turmoil drama thingy. She lost her boyfriend last year, and then dump her current boyfriend this year…."

Nikki shook her head, "I pity her sometimes… There was something I said to her that I think was rather insensitive…."

"What did you tell her?"

"That she should drink tons of water before she shrivels up because of her endless crying…."

Ianthé laughed, "You're so tactless!"

"Well, I couldn't bear to see her cry one more time!"

"Just try watching the game and you'll see…." Ianthé looked at Nikki mysteriously.

"Okay…. Spill."

"You do know that Ginny Weasley is the current seeker?"

Nikki nodded.

"I will place a huge bet that Gryffindor will win despite the odds of Potter not playing."

Nikki looked at her, "You sure?"

Ianthé smiled once again, "Dead sure."

I won the bet placed by the members of the F&G Society. We all know that rampant betting business is a part of the Weasley twins tradition, so we played part in illegal betting on who will win the House Cup. They told me I was a House traitor because I placed a huge bet that Gryffindor will win, and I won…. by five hundred Galleons. I told the F&G Society I would donate the money to "our cause" anyways. Papa already contacted me and told me that Dumbledore already left Bulgaria and is heading back to Hogwarts, that I should think of a plan to somehow manipulate Umbridge's downfall. I just had the perfect idea, but I knew I couldn't do anything before the OWLs.

"Oh Merlin! Ianthé, I think I will fail all my OWLs! I will be scrubbing bedpans in St. Mungo's! That would be my career!" Nikki ranted as we got out of our Care of Magical Creatures practicals.

"Here, take this." Ianthé handed her a small vial, "It's your Calming Draught. Take two drops, and you'll be fine."

Nikki swallowed two drops, "Thanks… So, what next?"

"Astronomy tonight."

"Oh…."

"Eyes on your telescope, Miss Herze," the tester warned Ianthé.

It was their Astronomy OWLs, shouts and series of wand sparks ensued near Hagrid's hut. A couple of Ministry Aurors were confronted by the half-giant.

"Look, there's Professor McGonagall!" Nikki whispered nearby.

Ianthé focused her telescope on Hagrid's hut. The Ministry officials both shot McGonagall square on the chest. Ianthé gasped.

"That foul woman!" Ianthé quickly left her telescope.

"Utter shame on the Ministry!" one of the examiner (Professor Marchbanks, I think) was now also focused on Hagrid's hut.

"That's absolutely insane!" Nikki bit down a Chocolate Frog to calm her nerves.

Ianthé concentrated on writing a letter to her father.

"Do you think McGonagall would still be alive?"

Ianthé shrugged, "There are tons of eyewitnesses. The students, that would also include us, the examiners…. Umbridge would be in a fat lot of trouble if McGonagall died."

"So, what are you telling your father about?"

"How McGonagall 'met an accident' and how wonderful Umbridge is doing here in Hogwarts…."

Nikki nodded, "We have got to study for History of Magic tomorrow!"

Ianthé dutifully complied by opening her notes, but she cannot concentrate.

How am I going to bring down Umbridge? Enlist the help of Harry Potter? Or maybe Hermione Granger? I need to find the perfect excuse to get that cow out of this castle!

Our History of Magic exam as usual as any history class was soporific. It was a balmy day and all we wanted was to go out near the lake, splash a bit…. Then, something happened that could help me in my task…

Ianthé looked at the raven-haired boy on the nearby aisle. He seemed to have half-dozed while taking the exam. Suddenly he got up and placed his hand on his scar, as if it was bothering him. He quickly left the testing room.

There's something going on here…

What I speculated turned out to be true as the Inquisitorial Squad caught what they thought was the mischief makers --- Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, Ginny Weasley, Neville Longbottom, and surprisingly, Luna Lovegood.

"It's really weird!" Nikki whispered as they have seen Ginny Weasley being dragged away by Pansy Parkinson.

"Did you see where Hermione Granger led Umbridge and Potter?"
Nikki shrugged.

A small Hufflepuff boy whispered to them, "I heard they were going to the Forbidden Forest and Umbridge confiscated their wands! Maybe she will leave them there to be eaten by werewolves!"

Nikki winced.

Ianthé grabbed her arm, "Now come on!"

They went to where the Inquisitorial Squad cornered Ginny and the others.

"Nikki, wear my cloak. Put a Trip Jinx on Crabbe and Goyle. Let me take care of Malfoy…"

Nikki nodded and grabbed Ianthé's bag.

Ianthé walked inside the room, "Draco, Pansy, what happened here?"

"We caught this lot doing something! They were trying to get through Umbridge's office…" Draco Malfoy said in a boasting manner.

Ianthé walked towards Ginny Weasley and grabbed her face, "She's pretty, isn't she Draco? What a pity… Too pretty for a blood traitor…" She looked Ginny in the eye and mentioned her exposed wand and an attached small note.

Ginny saw Ianthé's gesture. She got closer and managed to get Ianthé's wand.

Ianthé gave a quick small nod, "Well, Draco, I was just snooping around to look at your captives… I must be going, I think I have stained my hands enough with this filthy blood traitor." She let go of Ginny's face.

Pansy smiled at her, "You should have been one of us, Ianthé… With your talent…"

Ianthé walked towards the door and smiled at her, "I'm afraid I haven't got the time, dear Pansy. I better get going. Bye."

Ianthé left the room and felt Nikki squeeze beside her as the door shut.

After a few minutes, a lot of shouting, spell casting and wand sparks ensued inside the room as Ianthé waited outside.

The door opened.

"It's done," an invisible being walked beside her.

"Did you get my wand?"

They walked to a deserted corridor and Nikki removed the Invisibility cloak.

"Here," she handed Ianthé her wand.

"We must contact Dumbledore at once!" Ianthé said as she ran to the Owlery.

On the highest step of the Owlery, Ianthé pointed her wand to the sky.

"Expecto Patronum!" a silver image of a dog shot out of her wand and onto the sky in the direction of Hogsmeade.

"That's how you contact Dumbeldore?" Nikki looked at her puzzled.

Ianthé got a small paper from her school robes and wrote fast.

"Razilia!"

An eagle owl swooped down and perched on her shoulder.

"Bring this to Hog's Head Inn in Hogsmeade. You'll find Dumbeldore there. Quickly!"

The eagle owl flew with Ianthé's note.

The two of them walked towards the school.

"Well, my Patronus was a signal for Dumbledore. The letter explained everything that happened here today. I told him to go to the Forbidden Forest first."

"To save Granger and Potter?"

Ianthé smiled and shook her head, "To save Umbridge."

Nikki looked at her as if she had just sprouted a tail.

"The Forbidden Forest is also home to the other centaurs that banished Firenze. Imagine their fury if Umbridge addressed them as filthy mutants!"

Nikki laughed, "I think she deserves it!"

Ianthé shook her head, "Now, come on, I have a letter to write to Edmond."

What will transpire that night, or what would be the result of what would happen… It was what I greatly feared.