Ok, this was TOO fun to write. Working on the next chapter. Don't you just love summer?

Disclaimer: ...

Chapter 20:

When I got up the next morning, I found Harry in the Common room. He got up when he saw me.

"I don't need this today, Harry," I said, speeding up as I headed to the portrait.

"Wait," he said. He swallowed and leveled his gaze with me. "I just wanted to apologize. I don't understand what you're going through. But I'll try, if you just stop being so secretive."

I bit my lip. Then I sighed. "I guess, um, I'm sorry too. You have to go through a lot, and I shouldn't be taking out my frustration on you."

He stretched out his hand. "Friends?"

I snorted at the cheesy gesture, but shook his hand. "Of course."

We walked down to the Great Hall. Christmas decorations had permeated the castle, down to the very last corridor. I didn't mind, as I was more than ready for break. But it was annoying when shining knights in armor tried to serenade me repeatedly on my way to breakfast.

As Harry forked eggs onto his plate he gave me a sideways glance. "Not to push my luck, but is there anything you can tell me?"

I bit my lip. "Small hints, but that's it. If I'm wrong about the more dangerous stuff, I don't want to be responsible whatever you decide to do to stop it. Kind of like Hermione's interesting necklace two years ago. Sometimes trying to fix things only makes them worse."

Hermione frowned at me. "How do you know about that?"

I buttered up some toast. "I saw it."

She huffed. "I'm serious."

"Me too."

Ron frowned. "Can you read my mind? What am I thinking right now?" He clenched his eyes shut and I snorted.

"Not much."

Hermione laughed, and I was thankful when she didn't push it further. A few minutes later, we headed to class.

It was the first time I'd been in a class while Umbridge did her evaluation. I'd almost forgotten about it, though I was still steaming about the Diadem. To make things worse, it was Trelawney's class, a teacher who I'd grown to love. Ron and Harry watched, furious, as Trelawney was made a fool of. Granted, she said ridiculous things on a daily basis, but this was just humiliating.

"And have you ever made a correct prediction during your time here at Hogwarts?" Umbridge asked, voice sugary sweet as Trelawney pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose.

"Well, er, that's a matter of interpretation," Trelawney finally coughed out. Then she drew herself up to full height. "The art of divination is not one that can be quantified."

"Interesting." Umbridge made a note on her parchment and I clenched my fists.

"She can't get away with this," Harry said, glaring.

"Just watch," I said under my breath. He heard me and frowned. "She's backed by the minister himself. He may be a moron, but he's a powerful moron."

"Hem hem." The sound came from behind me, and I realized I hadn't lowered my voice enough.

I turned to Umbridge just in time to see her smiling at me, and, oddly enough, Harry. "Did either of you have something to add? Perhaps Professor Trelawney has taught you to predict the future?"

I cleared my throat as Harry shook his head. My anger and frustration of the past week welled up inside of me until I couldn't suppress it. "Actually, I feel a premonition coming on."

Umbridge raised her eyebrows as Trelawney took a tentative step forward. She loved my premonitions.

"Does it have anything to do with the grim?" Umbridge's question was punctuated by a sidelong glance at Trelawney.

I narrowed my eyes. "No. But you will regret coming to Hogwarts. There is a curse on the position you hold, and by the end of the year you will have fallen victim to what you fear most. A fate you completely deserve, if you ask me." I should have held the last sentence back, but the look on Umbridge's face was priceless.

"That was stupid," Harry said as we walked downstairs after class.

"That was brilliant," Ron said at the same time. "But what did that last bit mean, about what she fears most?"

I allowed myself a small smile. "She hates half breeds. She's going to have a nasty little encounter with the centaurs in the forest by the time the year is out. And she's not going to like our new divination teacher, either."

"We're getting a new divination teacher?" Harry asked. "Did you," his voice dropped, "see it, or something?"

I frowned, but covered it up quickly. "I didn't have to see anything but that horrific evaluation. Were you not watching Umbridge at all?"

Harry shrugged as we headed to lunch. "Well, whether or not your premonition is true, you're definitely getting another month of detention."

"At least I'm consistent," I grumbled.

Later that evening, I told Fred everything. Almost. "You finally found it?"

I nodded, lounging on the couch next to him in the common room.

"And then she caught you?"

Again, I nodded.

He frowned. "Rotten luck." He paused. "What, exactly, did you find?"

I sighed. "You know I can't tell you. And trust me, it's better that you don't know. Ignorance is bliss, or whatever."

Fred looked past me and I turned around.

A first year walked up with a small letter in her hand.

I glared at her. "It's from Umbridge, isn't it?"

She nodded, shaking slightly, and I saw the scars on her hand. I must not speak during class.

My gaze softened as I took the letter. "Don't let her get to you."

"I won't," she said, jaw set in determination. Perfect Gryffindor, I thought.

I muttered a small healing charm and the scar melted away.

As she strolled off, Fred smiled at me. "That was nice."

"What?" I said as I scanned the letter.

"Healing her hand."

"Yeah, well," I grumbled, getting up. My body was cold where it had been touching his, and I stretched. "I've got to do something about Umbridge, even if I can't kick her out myself."

"Like try to scare her with fake premonitions?" Fred was smiling. "Ron told me about class."

"She was asking for it, and speaking of, this is an official summons to her office. Gotta go."

I gave him a quick kiss but he stood up too. "What, are you going to come with me to face the big bad bitch?"

"Not in a million years, love," he said, smiling. "Got a D.A. meeting." Almost on cue, George came down the stairs, hand in hand with Angelina.

I stared.

"How'd you get up to the girl's dorm?" I said.

George wiggled his eyebrows. "I have my ways."

"He flew up," Angelina said, her hair slightly tousled.

I snorted. "On his broom? Awesome. Well have fun at the secret meeting."

"Are you ever going to one of those?" George said. "You keep raving about it."

I shrugged. "If I ever have an evening to myself, then maybe."

George laughed. "Keep it up and you'll catch up to us by the end of the year."

"I hope not," Angelina said. "She has quidditch to worry about. Unlike some people," she glared at the twins.

I shook my head and made my way down to Umbridge's office. Every step I took I felt closer to doom, even if "doom" meant a lecture in her patronizingly sweet voice. So I took my own sweet time, making it there a full fifteen minutes after I left the common room.

"You're late," she said after offering me something to drink.

I shrugged, taking a seat. "Yeah, sorry. Major traffic and all."

She leveled her gaze with mine, and I fought to keep from blinking.

"You, Miss Dumbledore, are what the ministry likes to call a problem student."

"Am I now?"

"Indeed." She strolled around her desk and stood directly in front of me. "Do you know what we do with problem students, Miss Dumbledore?"

I took a casual look around. "Subject them to poor interior decorating?"

Her smile grew. "We get rid of them."

"Expulsion is up to my head of house, and the headmaster. You are in neither position." Yet, I didn't add.

"Being a relative of one and a favorite of the other, there is no subjectivity in relation to your very precarious situation. I've taken the liberty of speaking with the minister about this, and he's given me the authority to expel problem students as I see fit."

I swallowed as she handed me the parchment, complete with Fudge's signature.

I couldn't leave Hogwarts. Not now. It wasn't fair.

"Are you going to expel me?" I breathed.

She raised an eyebrow. "It seems I finally have your attention." She waited a long moment before answering. "No," she said finally, and I let out a breath I didn't know I'd been holding. "However, you will serve all of your detentions hereafter with me."

I frowned. "But—"

"You are on thin ice, Miss Dumbledore. I would choose my words very carefully if I were you."

I clenched my jaw and sat down as she shoved a piece of blank parchment at me.

"Let's see. Today I think you shall write, 'I must not speak out of turn.'"

I put quill to parchment and prepared for a few hours of trying not to wince. It was going to be a long night.

"Wake up!"

I blinked and opened my eyes to see Angelina standing over me. Outside, the sun was just beginning to rise.

"This qualifies as torture, in case you didn't know" I said, sitting up.

"If you hadn't gotten detention all the way through Christmas break you wouldn't be in this mess. You're my most inexperienced player. You can't afford to miss practice."

I scratched my head and pulled my hair back into a pony tail. "Well thanks for that touching sentiment," I yawned, "Why don't you just replace me?"

She stared a moment at my hand, which had Umbridge's words etched into it. She recovered quickly. "We both know that as inconvenient as it is, you're the best beater we've got."

"Besides the twins." I pulled a sweater over my head, then slipped into sweatpants.

"Where are your quidditch robes?" she asked.

I grabbed the broom I'd ordered after she convinced me to join the team. "If you're dragging my ass out of bed before the crack of dawn, I'll wear what I damn well please."

She didn't argue with me as we headed down to the common room, and I wasn't surprised when the twins were up waiting.

"We have to train our new protégé," Fred said, giving me a peck on the lips.

"He wants a chance to snog is all." George fell into step next to Angelina as Fred shrugged.

"Yeah, no surprise there," I said, rolling my eyes. A small grin crept up my face though, and Fred caught it.

Two hours later, Angelina was a bit less angry at me.

"Well you won't lose us the game," she said, just barely dodging a bludger I sent her way.

"Who's the other beater?" I ignored her comment.

"Some second year. He's hopeless, so if you can, make sure he doesn't get near a bludger."

"Noted. Now can we please get some breakfast?"

We trudged back through the snow and walked into the great hall, where McGonagall and Umbridge were arguing. McGonagall's lips were nothing more than a thin line. Her fierce eyes made me take a step back, but Umbridge was too stupid to be afraid.

"It's an unacceptable form of punishment, Delores."

Umbridge smiled. "Am I to understand you do not support the ministry's methods, Minerva?"

"If they involve physical harm to our students, then I most certainly do not!"

"I'm sure you don't mean this, but it seems just a bit as though you don't support the minister himself. He'd be quite displeased to understand that anyone at Hogwarts was against the ministry."

McGonagall paled slightly. "That is not—"

"Then perhaps you should choose your words more carefully, Minerva. I wouldn't want the Minister to come to the wrong conclusions about where your loyalties lie." She walked away before McGonagall could speak, and the crowd dispersed as Snape walked through.

"Enough!" he said, glaring at us all. "Go about your business elsewhere."

We filed into the great hall and I piled food onto my plate. Harry and Hermione talked with muted voices a few seats down, glaring at Umbridge every so often. She seemed perfectly content, however. McGonagall was nowhere to be seen.

"Leave some food for the rest of us," George said, smirking as I shoveled food into my mouth.

I flipped him off. "All this early morning crap is wearing me out. It better pay off."

Angelina raised her eyebrows. "We'll find out tomorrow."

Twenty four hours later, I flew around the pitch with a club firmly in hand. I'd knocked three Slytherins off their brooms, and despite the chaos and stress of the past week, I felt ecstatic. I saw Fred and George in the stands, and I grinned, flying towards the bludger zooming at Ginny. One well placed hit and it soared towards Draco. A dull thud later I let out a whoop. He almost fell off his broom, and I heard him cussing at me.

"And the git finally gets what he deserves, the rich prat," Lee Jordan said.

"Do try to control yourself," McGonagall said, and I could hear the frown in her words.

Draco flew off, glancing behind me once before looking away. I turned to see Lucius, but he wasn't watching his son. He was watching me. I swallowed and flew after Malfoy, wincing as Flint scored another goal. A chorus of "Weasley is our king" rose up from the stands. Ron was losing it.

Then I saw it. The snitch. As soon as I noticed it, Ginny did. Malfoy too. They went tumbling after it and the crowd seemed to pause. So did the rest of the game. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Flint take advantage of the distraction and grab the quaffle.

I swung my arm back and felt the impact of my club on the bludger. It went zooming towards Flint, who would have scored if he hadn't dodged at the last second. A moment later cheer rose up.

We won.

"YES!" I screamed, spinning in the air as the crowd roared mixtures of cheers and obscenities. I tackled Ginny along with the rest of the team and Angelina smiled at me. Had Flint scored, we would have lost, even with the bonus 150 points. Ron was doing that badly. He sulked over, very aware of that fact, as Fred and George enveloped me into a hug.

"That was bloody brilliant!" Fred said, as the team raised Ginny and I up in the air.

Harry managed a few consolatory words to Ron before joining the throng. The team changed quickly in the locker room, congratulating each other on the win.

"We have to practice harder," Angelina said. "Kat's got to spend some time with the team if we're going to win next time. Ravenclaw isn't nearly as sloppy as Flint and his drones. From now on, we have morning practice twice a week."

The rest of the team groaned. I smiled a little. "That's harsh, Angelina."

She ignored me. "Weasley, you'll be coming to morning practice with Dumbledore the entire week."

Ron turned red and scowled. "That's not fair—"

"Considering your performance, I'm letting you off easy."

"He'll get better," George said, traipsing into the locker room with Fred. "It's in his blood."

"Somewhere," Fred added.

"Deep down," George finished.

"Lay off," I said, punching Fred lightly on the arm.

Ron stalked off and Ginny frowned at the twins. "Right. Bloody well done." She followed Ron.

"Party in the common room, compliments of us," Fred said, unperturbed by his siblings.

"Where you can purchase our newest items of interest," George said.

"I wouldn't be caught dead near your items of interest," Angelina said, grinning at George.

He took her into his arms. "Aw Love, are you sure? I might have one item you'd be interested in."

Angelina blushed at the catcalls, but they walked back to the castle together. Fred smirked and slowly the team started to trickle out of the locker room.

"So what about you?" he said, watching me with a grin on his face. "Any items of mine you're interested in?"

"Are you trying to seduce me with bad sexual puns?"

He stood up. "Depends. Do you like Weasley's Wizard Wheezes?"

I snorted with laughter. "Totally lame." We kissed anyways, and it took a half hour for us to make it back to the castle.

Ron never made it to the party, but Harry did. We got loud enough that McGonagall walked in at two am to tell us to shut up, in not so many words.

Finally, I made my way back to the dorm, where snow had covered the windowsill with deep drifts.

"Good game, Kat," Angelina said groggily. I could hear her smiling.

My own face broke into a grin for the umpteenth time that night. "You too, Captain."

I fell asleep almost as suddenly as I woke up.

My whole body shook with the terror of a forgotten memory, but in seconds, the dream rushed back into my mind. I took one greedy gulp of air before letting out a scream, and then I couldn't stop. The curtains swept back and Angelina peered through.

"Kat, what happened?" she sounded half asleep.

I couldn't say anything as my screams faded into choking sobs. "I have to see Dumbledore," I said, getting past her. Dimly, I could tell that Angelina was following me, but I didn't care. I bumped into someone at the bottom of the stairs, nearly losing my balance.

"Kat?" Fred stood there, holding Harry up by one arm. It looked like he was having a fit. Ron held up Harry's other arm, staring at his friend with worry.

"Mr. Weasley," Harry gasped out, a thick layer of sweat covering his face.

I tried to control my sobs, but I couldn't.

"Did you have a dream about my dad?" Ron asked.

I shook my head. "No," I managed. "It was worse." Much worse.

So? What do you think? Review below. Takes however long you want it to. Thanks for reading and reviewing! Will post the next chapter As soon as possible!