Chapter 18

And so it happened. The 'Golden Trio' became the 'Golden Quartet'. I had seemingly abandoned my Slytherin roots and joined the 'light side' - the school just excepted me. Well, excepting is a bit of a strong word, they thought that my brother and myself were two twigs short of a broomstick.

Over the summer the truth about Lord Voldermort's return to body had been widely published. However, the lies of the Prophet - and the quill of one Rita Skita - had come back to haunt me. The Minister for Magic, Fudge (in the head), was out rightly denying the Dark-Lord's return. His fist was firmly grasped around the Prophet's neck and only the news he wanted to see was being digested. My twin and I were being portrayed as two 'attention seeking orphans' - Rita obviously had lost her liking for Harry - and complete liars. I was used to being hated by the school, I was a Slytherin after all. However, Harry was finding it difficult. Some of his Griffindor 'friends' were shunning him because they were idiots - they believed what they read. I was lucky. Everyone in Slytherin were either serving the man himself, or knew somebody that was.

The only thing that seemed to believe us was the sorting hat. At the sorting feast it had spun a song about sticking together and that we'd be stronger as one. Most of the school thought it was going mad, but we knew better. Actually, talking about the sorting feast, we also had a new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher introduced to us - the 5th to date. Her name is Dolores Umbridge. She, according to Draco, works for Fudge and he's heard from his father that she has been instructed to teach us how to do no magic! We have our OWLs this year! How do they expect us to pass the practical with no practice? I was so relieved when Montague agreed to teach us in secret - though he has to work for his NEWTs so he won't have much time.

I was having breakfast at the Griffindor table, again, and was talking to a Ravenclaw girl in the year below- her name was Luna Lovegood and, apparently, she was a friend of Ginny's. However, she seemed to be talking more to Neville Longbottom, Harry and myself. Ron and Hermione thought she was a bit weird. She was nice enough though and her dad is the editor of a magazine called the 'Quibbler' - a slightly mistrusted article that published slightly strange tales.

The first Defence Against the Dark Arts lesson was a bit of a joke. The women really had no idea of how to control a class. She just barked at us to read what ever chapter some guy had written. It was honestly not useful to do anything other than clean the bottom of a cauldron! I couldn't believe that I had wasted 7 galleons on it! Even Hermione couldn't stand it - and she knows books!

I didn't learn very much. However, I spent my lessons trying to get Harry to calm down. The toad faced women was continually making jibes at us, calling us liars and so forth. Harry seemed to have taken it personally and his outburst in the first lesson cost his house points and him a detention. When he told us he'd been writing lines Hermione and Ron thought it was a soft punishment. But I knew that women, it had to be something worse.

"Harry, can I have a word?" I whispered the morning after his third evening with the women.

He nodded and followed me out of the great hall and out into the grounds. The morning sunshine shone down on us as I lead him away from the castle.

"What is it?" he asked impatiently, "We got lessons soon!"

"Harry," I replied shortly, "What happens in those detentions? Everyone refuses to say!"

"Lines," he told me offhandedly, "I told you!"

"Harry, you can't lie to me. It's something more."

He paused briefly and I watched the inner turmoil in his eyes. The next thing he did was offer up his left hand. I looked at him, slightly confused for a moment, before pushing back the robes that covered it. A gasp escaped me as I read the words I I must not tell lies /I that were etched into his hand.

"Harry!" I exclaimed, "She's using a blood quill! That's illegal! Even Death Eaters refuse to use them."

"How do you know so much about Death Eaters?" he asked suspiciously.

"I read Harry," I lied smoothly.

He nodded before turning and stalking back into the castle.

There wasn't a lot to live for at Hogwarts anymore. The only glimmer of hope was escaping this hell hole a year early - I couldn't wait! The Grey's were filing in one of their friends to become my legal guardian - it couldn't be them as that would make any marriage between Montague and myself illegal. Though I had no idea who they had chosen, I was looking forward to it all the same. They were going to use their high ranking Ministry contacts to get it done quickly just before my OWLs - then if Dumbledore got wind of it he would have no chance to appeal against it.

Hermione and Ron had been nominated as Prefects for Gryffindor house. However, Hermione was more in control. The twins had decided to test their joke products on 'innocent' first years - even though they were being paid. Hermione was having none of it - though Ron didn't want to oppose his brothers. Mum's gonna go mental if she finds out. She wants them to work at the ministry - but they want to open a joke shop. There're going to use my winnings - I had plenty of money without the 1000 galleons prize money that I got for coming first in the tournament.

I've ended up hanging around with just Ron and Hermione really. Wish they'd just pluck up the courage to tell each other how they feel - it's really awkward! Harry's been off with Cho - don't even want to think about what they're getting up to! It's not fair! Harry and Cho can be all lovey dovey in public and I have to hide my relationship with Montague! Harry gets everything. It's not my fault I'm a Slytherin!

Quidditch tryouts also filled up a bit of space on Friday evening. Ron had finally decided it was time to try out for the team, he got keeper - though Harry couldn't be there because he was in yet another detention with You-Know-Who. I swear to Merlin she's worse than he is! At least I can have a polite, sometimes friendly, conversation with him.

One morning, a couple of weeks before Halloween, I spotted my fellow Slytherins on my house table grinning broadly.

"Hermione, what's happened?" I questioned the girl beside me, she had the Daily Prophet open in front of her.

It turned out that some guy from the Order named Sturgis someone-or-another had broken into Ministry property! Harry supposed he must have been doing something for the Order - he must have been really stupid to get himself caught!

A few weeks after that, all Hell broke lose. The announcement in the paper stated that Umbridge had been made I Hogwarts High Inquisitor/I! This gave her the power above that of normal teachers. She was given the responsibility of making sure that Hogwarts had 'decent' teachers - A.K.A those who match the Ministry's bizarre standards. Looking up at the high table, I could see that she was grinning evilly. I had to keep on the right side of her now. Especially as I was going to live with the Greys. I couldn't risk giving them a bad name because I'd been rude to a ministry official.

I discussed the idea with Montague that evening. Apparently the rest of the house had gone for the same idea. All I had to do now was be careful that Dumbledore didn't see it as suspicious; that could prove rather difficult.

So it was, at the end of my next Defence Against the Dark Arts lesson, I stayed behind at the end. I had spent the entire lesson pretending to look nervous and being on my best behaviour.

"Professor Umbridge," I greeted politely, "can I have a word please?"

She nodded in what she probably wanted to be a comforting way, "of course Miss Potter. What can I do for you?"

"Well, Professor. I've come here to apologise for my past behaviour," I breathed deeply before continuing, "it was immature and rude and, now you have this position bestrewed upon you by the ministry, I can see you must have been doing a good job - it was just so different to what I was used to I just couldn't see it. I really am sorry."

The grin on the women's toad like face made her even uglier, but she'd brought it.

"Of course I accept your apology," she simpered, "I really recommended, however, you spend less time with your brother. I believe it was him that influenced you in such a dire manner. However, I do wonder why you don't spend much time with your house?"

"That's Dumbledore's fault Professor," it was time to tell the slightly fabricated truth and get my own back on the old codger, "promise you won't say you got this from me?" she nodded eagerly, "he's got this ridiculous notion that Voldermort's back. He's convinced me to believe I saw his rebirth! I was in a relationship with Master Grey. We have it now in secret as Dumbledore is convinced the entire Slytherin house are Death Eaters in the making! It's preposterous! They're all from respectable families!"

"What's he threatening to do if you don't conform?" she questioned, her eyes wide.

"I don't know," I lied, "but it can't be good…."

"You know," she began, "I could bring in a rule that houses must not mix unless given permission by the High Inquisitor…."

I nodded eagerly, "that would be fabulous….you're truly amazing!"

My life had suddenly become a little brighter.

Just after Halloween, I received a note from Harry at breakfast.

"Who's that from?" question Montague, who was sitting beside me - though still not showing affection in public.

"Twin," I replied shortly. Then I scribbled a 'No' on the back of his request to meet in Hogmeade. It was something to do with a secret society they were forming. I was certain half of the people who signed up for this Defensive magic club would end up fighting in the war. I wasn't taking sides, I wasn't going to….

"You still not talking to him?" muttered Draco from my other side.

I shook my head, "he keeps coming up with stupid ideas that are going to get him killed. I'm not getting involved."

This 'not taking sides' idea was getting really hard.

A/N So How's it going? How are you lovely lot?

TBC……