Chapter 21

The fraud of a Professor was eventually sacked, however, Dumbledore used what remained of his powers as headmaster to let the poor women remain in her quarters. A centaur from the forest, called Frienze, was called in to replace her. Not that it had effected me at all, I didn't believe in that stuff so I hadn't taken it - though Umbridge had been furious at the appointment.

I The Quibbler /i seemed to be making a fair amount of galleons. Though this was probably because of a little muggle thing known as 'reverse psychology'. Umbridge had, without thinking about the consequences, banned the magazine from school grounds. This had meant everyone had wanted to read what was in it. However, the article had meant an almost constant stream of fan--mail was being delivered to my dormitory. Parkinson thought it was hilarious - realising the irony of these people thinking I was a 'brave little hero' for surviving the encounter, when actually I had met the man again on friendly terms. However, Voldermort hadn't been to happy at the idea of his rebirth being published.

"You should have stopped him," he hissed angrily.

"It's not like he asked me first! He never does! He's impulsive and he doesn't know my position, we can't blame him!" I exclaimed.

The Dark Lord scrawled at me, "don't tell me you're supporting him on this move?"

"You seem to forget I'm neutral!" I spat back, "he's my brother and naïve with no idea. I can't blame him. It's much his fault as it is yours! I'll talk to you again when you've calmed down." I shut the mirror.

My relationship with Montague was still was still as strong as always. We were spending more and more time together, sat side by side on the sofa revising - how romantic. Montague had his NEWTs coming up, which he had to pass with top marks so that he could get the position of Assistant Secretary in the Department of International Cooperation. It had been organised by his father and was a brilliant position for any Hogwart's graduate. I was working hard for my OWLs. I had achieve at least an Acceptable in all of them to be able to take them on for NEWTs with a Ministry approved tutor - though I was aiming for Outstanding, purely because of my determination to prove I was better than my over glorified twin.

Much to my surprise, Harry and Cho had also lasted. They were rarely seen apart now and I watched with envy as the showed open affection around the grounds or quizzed each other in the warm sunshine. He really did seem to get everything I so desperately craved, including a place in this world and acceptance by everyone.

Their group, now known as 'Dumbledore's Army', DA for short, was still going strong - as far as we knew. However, I had not spoken with my brother about it until one day when he corned me in the corridors.

"Hi Kirsty," he greeted, his eyes flashing mysteriously.

"What is it?" I asked, bored, "you want something."

He tried to appear innocent, but failed miserably, "I was only wondering if you wished to join us. Room of requirement, 6:30pm tonight. Patronus's is our revision subject."

"How do you expect me to get there without being caught?" I hissed, "that room's on the 3rd floor, I'm in the dungeons."

"You've got the invisibility cloak this week haven't you?" I nodded, "use that."

I nodded, giving in. There was no harm in one meeting - surely? Without another word, I turned on my heel and headed down the corridor. It was a Saturday night, so I had no other commitments. However, I would have to inform Draco so he could provide me with a cover story. There was no point telling Montague as he would forbid me from going - he still hadn't forgiven my brother for the incident with Crouch in the forest last year.

"Draco, can I have a word?" I asked, when I arrived in the common room.

"You ok?" Montague asked, looking up from his notes.

I nodded, smiling, "just want to compare some notes with Draco," he nodded as Draco wondered towards me.

Using my hand, I gestured for him to come over to a secluded corner.

"What is it?" he asked, looking slightly confused now.

"I need to ask you a favour….."

I snuck up to the Room of Requirement at about 6:00, leaving the common room with Pansy as a pretence for studying in the library. Leaving a pile of books beside her and smiling to the librarian as we entered, we found a hidden corner that no one usually noticed. We then placed a 'notice me not' charm so no wondering students would notice Pansy was on her own. I whispered a quick 'thanks!' before then throwing over the cloak and watching as my body disappeared from sight.

Harry and I had received the cloak from Dumbledore in our 1st year at Hogwarts. It had belonged to our dad and we had made an agreement to each take turns using it. It had been on one of our adventures that we had discovered the Room of Requirement on the 3rd floor. If you walked past it three times, whispering what you wanted to find, a door would appear to you. My twin had obviously decided this was a good choice for a room to hide a secret defence group - hardly anyone knew about it.

As 6:30 approached I arrived at the blank wall opposite a tapestry. Harry was waiting outside the room for me. When I slipped off the cloak he flashed me a grin, then grabbed my hand and dragging me through a newly formed door.

Inside was a huge room. The walls were covered in mirrors and the room was full of students. I could even make out a few of the younger Slytherin students!

"You can still remember how to make a Patronus, don't you?" whispered Harry as we entered.

I nodded, "of course! Remus showed us in third year! So we could fight off the Dementor's that guarded the school. I'm not stupid Harry."

He grinned, "just checking," the announced, "this, as most of you know, is my twin - Kirsty. She here as another demonstrator for the Patronus charm. Her form is one of the most powerful."

My grin matched my brother's, I had beaten him in something. Not only had I mastered the advanced technique faster than he, but I had a greater form as well, "Expecto patronum!"

Concentrating on the happy memory, the first time I had kissed Montague, my protector erupted from my wand in a ball of flame. My phoenix flew from my wand and circled the heads of the room's occupants before dissolving.

"Now," Harry instructed to the amazed audience, "go and try it yourself, I'll come round and help anyone who's struggling."

A loud buzz of conversation picked up as the group turned to go and find their corner. They all seemed to be enjoying themselves. Indeed, I was slightly shocked when one of the 2nd years produced a shining silver mist - something of a feat.

By the end of an hour some of the older students had managed it. I already knew that Harry's patronus was a stag, dad's animagus form, but I was surprised to see that Hermione's was an otter and Ron's a dragon. Even the 4th year, Luna Lovegood, had managed to produce a hare.

CRACK!!

The entire room's conversation stopped in its tracks as the occupants turned to see a small houself. It was tiny, with floppy ears and seemed to be wearing an unusual amount of hats and socks.

"What is it Dobby?" asked my twin, kneeling beside the creature so they were on eye level.

"Umbridge…..she knows….." he whispered, shaking, "coming……run…."

The entire group froze. Getting caught would mean certain explosion! Why did I agree to come tonight? All mine and Montague's plans would be dashed…..however….

"You heard what he said!!" I shouted over the panicked screams, "run! In twos and threes. Some go the library, it's closer. You two Slytherins, Hart and Piers - you're with me."

The group rushed to obey and Harry gave me a thankful smile. Once the room had emptied to just Harry, my two charges and me, I throw the cloak over me and the two small firsties - I was pleasantly surprised that it covered all of us well. I then somehow managed to slip us past the gathering Inqustrail squad and about half way towards the Slytherin dormitories.

"Consider the group officially shut down," I whispered, "don't talk about it, you've been outside walking the entire time. I'll vouch for you."

I slipped the cloak off us and stuffed it in my robe pocket. A Slytherin always looks after their own, I couldn't have left them to fend for themselves. Now I had to turn on my heel and make towards the scene.

"Sorry I'm late," I whispered to Blaise Zambini, a Slytherin in my year who was also a member of the squad, "I've been in the library and just heard. what's happened?"

"Your brother's been cornered in this room," he hissed back, "he's been running an illegal defence group. Umbridge is furious as it's been running under her nose. Apparently a Ravenclaw girl confessed to it under pressure."

I nodded thankfully, at least I knew I could trust Draco, before slipping closer to Umbridge.

"Do you want me to coax him out of there Professor?" I asked shyly, "he might listen to me."

She turned to face me, "he might, but where have you been?"

"Studying with Pansy in the library professor, the OWLs are coming up after all," I replied convincingly.

The woman nodded and gestured for me to come forward.

"Harry," I called, "it's your sister. Come out, please. It'll be worse for you if you don't. See sense, all you need to do is apologise….You can't stay in there forever!"

The door opened slowly, he seemed to have taking the idea. He was going to be found out at some point anyway. However, he did something quite unexpected, he made a run for it. My stunning spell purposely just missed him. Though Draco was lucky, Harry went crashing to the ground.

Less than 20 minutes later - Umbridge marched Draco, Harry and myself the entire way - we were in Dumbledore's office. When we entered, the headmaster looked up, surprise evident on his face, as we filled the room. I allowed his blue eyes to scan though the events of the night in my mind, his face relaxed slightly and I knew he had something prepared - as well as knowing I was not to blame for anything. While this was happening, Umbridge had dashed to the fireplace to call upon the Minister.

Cornelius Fudge appeared mere moments later, excitement like a child at Christmas sparking in his eyes. He scanned the room and smiled, seemingly satisfied with the evenings events before asking,

"Who caught the perpetrator?"

Umbridge smiled at Draco and I, allowing us to answer.

"Draco did sir," I replied, "My stunner just missed."

The following morning everyone was talking about Dumbledore's disappearance. I heard some of the first years whispering that he had tried to turn the minister into a chocolate frog before escaping though the flow system. Giggling to myself, the events of the previous night rushed back to me. Dumbledore had announced to the room that the group had been his idea. This had taken the accused light off Harry as the Minister had called for a pair of Aurors, one who was in the Order, to arrest him. However, the old man had already planned an escape root and had disappeared in a ball of flames with the help of Fawkes, his phoenix. Umbridge and Fudge had been royally peeved off with his escape - though Umbridge was then given the position as Headmistress so her smile soon returned. She had then escorted Draco and I, Harry was left to find his own way, back to our common room - each receiving 50 points for Slytherin.

With Umbridge's new position came a new Hogwarts. By the time the second day of her headship had dawned new instructions had been given to Hogwart's many students. One of many privileges that had been given to the Inqustrail squad, along with new shiny badges, was the permission to add or dock points as we saw fit. This almost guaranteed Slytherin the house cup this year! For some reason the Headmistress had also taken it upon herself to quiz the students under the truth potion - though I knew for a fact that Severus was purposely brewing it incorrectly. I think she was trying to find out were Dumbledore was. That search would be like trying to find a needle on a Quidditch pitch.

However, the peaceful life the Umbridge had accustomed herself to (aside from the day were she had tried, and failed, to get into the head's office) was shattered with a series of loud explosions.

It all began at the end of a Herbology class. I was working with Cho to try and re-pot a shoot of the venomous tentacular (Sprout wanted to grow some more - no idea why) when a loud explosion, along with a bright flash of colour, filled the school grounds.

The entire group of Slytherins and Ravenclaws turned their heads to the skies. Lights of all colours flashed above us. The fireworks that were going off all around the grounds - a pink flash produced a group of piglets who flew through one of the open castle windows and into the school. We were dismissed from the greenhouse early, much to our delight, and we quickly made our way into the building.

It was like arriving into chaos. We weren't the only class to have abandoned our lessons and I had to duck to avoid a passing rocket - which exploded at the end of the corridor. My eyes scanned over the passing crowds of students to attempt to spot someone I recognised - this person happened to be Hermione.

"Hermione!" I exclaimed, finally catching up with her, "what's happening?"

She turned and grabbed my arm - so we wouldn't loose each other in the tide of students moving towards the great hall - before shouting back, "Fred and George, they hate Umbridge because she confiscated their broomsticks and fancied causing some chaos."

I nodded, that sounded exactly like them. I would have to thank them someday, this was brilliant! When we eventually arrived at our destination we found the Great Hall lined with students. In the centre of the room stood the headmistress and her helper - the Squib caretaker, Flitch. Umbridge was brandishing her wand at the fireworks as they entered the hall. The students watched in great delight as her efforts seemed to be wasted. Every time the women tried to vanish the things their number would suddenly increase, stunning also didn't help - it only resulted in a large explosion. These things were really a great bit of magic!

Somehow the boys managed to get away with their escapade - no one had any proof that they had started it and only the Headmistress was out to get them. The teachers seemed content to want to watch the hated women flounder in her home made mess.

A couple of weeks after the incident pamphlets arrived on the tables in the common room. These sheets of paper were dedicated to informing us on what careers we had the option of taking once we left Hogwarts, as well as the grades we would need. Along with this every 5th year was obliged to attend a meeting with their head of house to discuss their options. This was what brought me to the door of Snape's office on a rather gloomy Wednesday morning.

I was quickly invited into the room and offered a seat before the desk, Umbridge also happened to be in the room, before the interview began. For the first few minutes the three of us sat in silence. It was Snape who began the conversation,

"So, have you had any thoughts on what you would like to do Miss Potter?"

I shrugged, "I was planning on becoming an Auror or Potions Mistress, want to do something practical."

"Personally," simpered the women, "with your active involvement in the Inqustrail squad I would recommend you for the Auror training program."

"Thank you Headmistress," I answered, smiling politely.

"However," cut in my Head of House, "I believe, with your excelling skills in the field of potions, that you would go far in the field of potions making."

"But, Severus," argued Umbridge, "I do believe you have a rather bias view about the field."

"This is not meant offensively Headmistress," Snape replied testily, "but this student has never achieved less than full marks in a potions assignment, written or practical, she is a natural and it would be a shame for the entire wizarding world if these talents were wasted."

I had sat, in slight shock, listening to the two adults argue. However, I decided to cut in, "excuse me," the two stopped bickering and turned to face me, "I was wondering, but, how about we wait until I receive my OWL results back. Then we can see which one I get higher in and I'll choose that field?"

The two teachers nodded in agreement and the meeting ended soon after - thank Merlin! I excited the room fairly quickly - only to spot my twin who was leaning against the wall opposite.

"How'd it go?" he asked, sounding interested.

I shrugged again, "same old. They argued like an old married couple for the most part."

He nodded, "can I have a word? In private?"

After glancing both ways down the corridor, I grabbed him by the arm and dragged him into an empty classroom - placing a silencing charm on the door.

"My Occlumency lessons have been cancelled," he told me quickly, somehow I understood though.

"You what?!" I shouted, "Harry, those were important! You need to learn how to barricade your mind!"

"I have," he said feebly, "he says I don't need training anymore…."

"Stop lying!" I exclaimed, "he's always telling me that you're hopeless Harry. What have you done?"

It was then that my twin confessed to the memory he had seen. It had been a scene after the end of Snape's OWLs. He'd been bullied by my father (Prongs), Sirus (Padfoot), Remus (Moony) and Peter (Wormtail) and Harry had been forced to watch, having no way to escape the memory, as the boys turned Snape upside down and showing the school his pants - causing horrible public humiliation.

"Sirus is still as bad," I muttered.

"He's brilliant! Completely changed!" Harry argued back.

I shook my head, "he still hates Slytherins. He's still prejudice against them."

"If you'd just give him a chance…."

"I've given him plenty Harry!" I shouted, storming out of the room.

The next time I spoke to my brother was on Easter Sunday. Mrs Weasley had sent all of us an Easter egg each and Harry came over to deliver mine.

"Hi sis," he greeted, handing my a large chocolate egg wrapped in red tissue paper, "this is from mum."

I nodded, "thanks Harry."

We smiled to one another as he returned to his table. I turned to spot Montague staring at the egg in my hands - he looked like he was trying to remember something, but couldn't quite remember….

"Got it!" he exclaimed, half way though my bacon roll, "My parents and cousin, you remember the one you met over the summer? They've sent you an egg. I'll get it later."

I smiled. Our relationship was back out in public now that Dumbledore wasn't there to watch our every move. It was lovely to be able to kiss him in public again, though glares from jealous peers had started up. We spent a lot of time in the library with Draco and Pansy, another loved up couple, studying for our exams. Though not particularly romantic, it was nice to revise with someone else there.

The group of us fell into this routine for a good couple of weeks. However, my revision session one Saturday was interrupted when a paper aeroplane landed on my desk. I picked it up and unfolded it to find a note from the twins,

I

We're outside the Library. Yer we need to talk to you…..

More like ask her a favour George….

Yer, what he said…

All the best,

Gred and Forge.

/I

I got up from the table with the excuse I needed to grab something from my trunk. The library was silent as a grave so it was nice to have a change in the slightly louder, echoing corridors. It didn't take me long to find the twins - they were hidden in a passageway behind the bent knight - supposedly the person who had owned the armour had been gay.

"What do you want?" I whispered, "I was trying to revise."

"We have a plan," explained George.

"To escape school," finished Fred.

"As we both feel,"

"Are talents lie outside the academic field, However,"

"We're not going to leave quietly."

"What are you planning on doing?" I asked, though I could tell it would be something big.

"Well, Miss under-prankster-extraordinaire…."

"We have invited a miniature swamp, which,"

"With your help,"

"We are going to block the third floor, left wing," finished George with an air of finality.

"But that's the most used corridor in the entire school!" I exclaimed, horrified, "It'll cause…."

"Chaos! That, honorary sister, is the plan," explained Fred, "we want to be remembered. To be honest I believe it is one of out more subtle pranks."

"I agree Forge," commented George, nodding happily, "only Fitwick will have the skill to get rid of it. He hates toad-face. She'll be in flaps about it so he'll be only to happy to watch."

I nodded, understanding what they wanted to achieve, "that's brilliant! What do you want me to do?"

A/N: See this one was longer :D Hope you all enjoyed it….Wonder what's going to happen in the next chapter?