She had opened the door halfway before she stopped.

"One more thing Professor," she said, turning to face him, "….it is a request really. Please don't tell anyone, about me or whatever was discussed here today. Please let this be just between you and me."

His half-moon spectacles glinted in the dim moonlight coming from the window.

He looked exhausted.

"Are you still fully convinced on this?" He asked softly, as if giving her one last escape.

She bit her lip to stop it from trembling.

"Yes." She was sure he barely heard her.

The old teacher sighed.

"Very well Miss Lestrange."

…..

Oh no..!

A black robed figure was darting through the crowd. Her ponytail swung violently in the air as she pushed into people trying to get to the entrance, various curses following her. The crowd thickened as she moved closer but she still pushed on. She wanted to ascertain the truth herself; wanted it to be completely different from the topic of conversations, snippets of which caught in her ears.

"Did you hear..?"

This cannot be possible…

"Yeah…he vanished into thin air…."

How could you..?

"She was there too…I think they were trying to arrest him…"

You told me nothing….

"….I've heard Potter saw the whole thing..."

What am I going to do..?!

"What are we going to do?"

She stopped at the front of the line of students, just as a pink-laced and rotund figure came forward on the entrance of the Great Hall. She was wearing much more make-up than usual and the most satisfied smile Jade had seen on anyone. She turned her face over the whole crowd and it moved back as if repelled. Her smile grew wider.

"Good morning students! Now before you go into the hall, I want to announce to you that the Minister of Magic will speak to all of you after breakfast." She scanned the crowd again, "I hope you understand this entails that you will be on your best behavior throughout."

The crowd was still. Nobody moved or replied, all staring at her toad-like features and the sickening smile.

"What is he here for?" a small boy with wide eyes from the middle row croaked.

Umbridge turned her beady gaze on him. Her features were looking even more gleeful than before as if she had been waiting for this question.

"Well," Jade felt a headache build behind her right eye as Umbridge gave a small giggle, "he is here to make a very important announcement; a new appointment, to be precise."

She smiled brightly again as if the mere thought gave her joy. The crowd visibly recoiled again.

"B-but where's Dumbledore!? The minister never came to make appointments before."

That boy had obviously forgotten to think about his own safety in his terror; even-though Jade was thankful he had voiced her innermost thoughts. All went deathly quiet as the smile on Umbridge's face fell as if someone had wrenched it off. Her eyes narrowed and her mouth twisted in disgust.

"Albus Dumbledore," she started in a high voice, glaring at the boy, "is no longer Head-master of Hogwarts. He has been deposed by the Ministry of Magic" Umbridge raised her voice to a shout as the previously still crowd began to mutter loudly. "and by decree of the new Head-mistress, none of you will never mention his name again!"

A riot had begun at the entrance, Jade distantly heard the Inquisitorial squad taking house points with overwhelmed fervor, screaming above the noise. She should be helping to maintain the order, but her body remained numb as she slowly walked back, away from the crowd. Her appetite had disappeared long ago and now she was dreading the time she would have to go to her first class. She did not want to do anything, meet anyone. Maybe today she could sit in the back, away from Professor Filtwick's gaze. Right now, Jade needed more than a moment to collect her bearings.

Her feet carried her far away, walking opposite the stream of students that had woken up now and were heading to breakfast; until the only noise around her was the soft tap of her own footsteps. She had no particular destination in mind and her feet carried her away until slowing and stopping at a particular spot in a deserted corridor. She sighed, leaning against the wall next to a human-sized stone gargoyle.

A long, frustrated growl came out of her throat.

"….Oh my, it seems like somebody woke up on the wrong side of the bed today."

She should really get used to this. Really.

Jade's heart stopped for a full moment. She slowly turned her eye to the gargoyle statue on her left, where the voice had come from. But instead of the scowling beast, a certain freckled and grinning face greeted her. Her mouth opened to let out a scream.

"Oi!—"

"—mph!"

Then, the Head Girl was dragged inside what seemed like a secret passageway behind the gargoyle, a certain large, male hand covering her mouth. The door closed shut behind them, cutting off light from outside. Here and there a wooden torch burned, casting them in semi-glow. Jade involuntarily gulped. Her heart was beating as if she had run all the way from the Divination classroom to The Dungeons.

"Hello." George Weasley whispered in her ear.

Now her heart beat like it had made those particular rounds back and forth, in double-time.

What even…?

Jade narrowed her eyes. A wave of annoyance rushed through her. His hand was still on her mouth and he was holding with her back to him and seemed to have no intention to move. In one swift movement, she wrenched his hand away, simultaneously pushing her elbow back, driving into his midriff.

"Ow!"

These Auror lessons sure are useful….

"Your hands smell." She stated when the red-head straightened up, massaging his stomach.

He frowned at her.

"That's it..? All this time we've been apart, and that's your wholehearted greeting to me?" He put a hand on his chest and sighed dramatically, "My heart is shattering, Miss Lestrange."

Jade's lips twitched into a reluctant smile. Was it really that just a few minutes before she thought her entire life was breaking into pieces? She stared at the person in-front of her, who could not even let her be depressed in peace and took him in. He was dressed in his black uniform, robe nowhere to be seen. His hands were in his pant pockets, uniform sleeves were rolled back to his elbows. She should have told him to unroll them back right there and then, but she did not. Instead, she let her gaze travel over his long, sturdy legs, then back up his well built torso and then his handsome face.

Wait…..WHAT?

The red-head noticed her examination. He smirked.

Heat immediately rose to Jade's cheeks. What was happening?

"Like what you see, Lestrange?" he said, tilting his head slightly, a self-satisfied grin plastered on his face. The heat spread from the Head Girl's cheeks to the tips of her ears.

This bastard….

…He has rather nice lips….

Jade frowned at her inner struggle and shook her head vigorously to throw all unwanted thoughts outside. She closed her eyes, praying for calm and then folded her arms across her chest, her face still red.

"W-what do you mean, you kidnapping brute." She said in a tone not as menacing as she wanted it to be, "Moreover, what do you want?"

"Eh?" he said.

"I asked; what did you pull me in this detestable cavern for?" she opened her eyes. Didn't Weasley seem closer than before..?

"Oh? To see you of course! It has been eons since we last met!" he said, taking on the dramatic tone again. Jade's heart tingled a little at that statement. She looked up to see the red-head step closer to her. She stepped back involuntarily.

"Why ever would-" to her annoyance, her breath hitched slightly, "you want to specially see me?"

George looked genuinely confused for a moment. Jade took this chance to calm her erratic breathing. What was the matter with her?

"Why would I need a reason to see you?" The red-head was frowning. His pale eyebrows were bunched together and his mouth was pulled up in a very cute expression. Jade giggled before she could stop herself.

"Ah!" he wailed again, as if a great wrong had been committed against him, "Now you laugh at me too, Miss! Not only has my heart; but my pride been shattered too!"

Jade giggled again. And then she giggled some more; until she was covering her mouth and positively shaking with laughter. She could not pin-point why she had been so amused that day, when all doors of tyranny had been opened on her and she had possibly lost her only benefactor. But still she laughed. He had been confused at first but then he laughed with her.

When the Head Girl finally exited from behind the Gargoyle, a smile was permanently glued to her face. She tried to hide it, but from the horrified expressions of passing people one could determine that it did not work that well. However, it was a distant problem in her mind. She did not feel much like caring about what others thought about her at the moment. She grabbed her bag and sauntered (yes sauntered) off to Charms, taking a seat in the first row. Professor Filtwick had stared at her open-mouthed for at least two minutes when she had beamed at him in greeting.

This was happiness, she thought afterwards.

And in all such positive emotions, this one lasted long the least.

…

"The Head Girl-absent!" A small, pudgy hand thumped down on the brown desk in-front of her. Jade kept her eyes glued to it, not daring to look up.

"..While the Minister of Magic speaks at the podium…!" The owner of the hand shrieked, her voice resounding in The Headmaster's office where Jade had been unceremoniously beckoned after first period. No doubt, she would have been called earlier; but the Minister had only left moments before after making sure the new Headmistress was properly settled.

Bile surged through Jade's throat. The new Headmistress indeed…

"Do you realize, Miss Lestrange, what kind of beguiling and appalling impression your careless behavior has given to the Minister?!"

I am sure it isn't any worse than what he had before.

The high-pitched paused and huffed.

"This is a prestigious institution, Miss Lestrange and I plan to maintain that honor and nobility. That is exactly why; slackers with care-free attitudes like yours will not be tolerated!"

Jade's eyes widened. What had been a simple, monotonous tirade now was becoming dangerous. Her heart beat picked up.

"Indeed. You are—"

"-Would you like to consider…." a silky voice cut through Umbridge's voice. Jade's eyes turned to her side, where Professor Severus Snape was standing in his black robe, with his ever-present sour countenance. "….asking for her reason? Miss Lestrange has always been, diligent in her job." His smooth voice paused and he turned to look at her with his dark eyes. "This might be the first time she has failed to….come up to mark."

Jade finally raised her head up to see Professor Umbridge's pink face. Her eyes were wide and her mouth hung slack for a moment, as if Professor Snape had apparated from thin air and it was not she who had called him a few moments before. Meanwhile, The Head Girl looked on with hopeful eyes at her, heart thundering wildly in her chest.

No…not now…not now of all times….please!

"After all…" Professor Snape drawled on, impassive to the others' incredulity, "….the year is nearly ending. I would suggest…not changing such an important member of the student council. An important member, who…is rather well at controlling… the out-of-control mass of students." His lips morphed into a thin line, but Jade thought that she saw a twinkle in his blank eyes.

Behind her back, Jade nervously twined and un-twined her fingers. Professor Umbridge remained appalled for another minute, before something like a strangled cry escaped her throat. Professor Snape remained still, staring at her intently but still managing to look bored.

Then she raised a swollen and bejeweled hand to her face and delicately coughed in it.

"You heard what the Potions Master said, Miss Lestrange." She began in a prim, sweet voice. It seems all her unbridled anger had swooshed out of her open mouth from moments ago.

"Another blunder or over-sight from you, Miss Lestrange, and there will be consequences." Her saggy cheeks drew up into a full smile, "Remember that I am the Headmistress now….and I will rectify any and every over-sight done by my predecessors as I see fit."

Jade gulped. The waves of relief washing through were too immense for her to feel any hatred towards the arrogant woman in-front of her.

Thank Merlin she was in a good mood today…!

"Yes Professor! I will make sure nothing of that sort ever happens again." She said promptly, resolving herself to be extra careful for the next month. Only one month. And then she would be free.

Well. Free enough to plunge myself in more dangerous activities….

"Well then. Excuse us please." Professor Snape said silkily, turning in a swish and marching towards the door. It occurred to Jade that he would have behaved very differently if this had been still Professor Dumbledore's office. With these thoughts, she too moved behind the Potions Master. A sickeningly sweet called after as she reached the door.

"Oh, and Miss Lestrange?" Jade turned to see Professor Umbridge smiling at her, her dark eyes flashing, "See fit to address me by 'Headmistress Umbridge' or simply 'Headmistress' from now on."

Jade blinked.

"Yes, Headmistress Umbridge."

…..

The Head Girl was too occupied in her thoughts and in her urgency to get away from the Headmistress' office that she almost bumped into the dark figure standing just a little down the corridor.

"Excuse me Professor!" she jabbered in panic.

"Keep your voice down, Lestrange." was his curt reply.

Jade shifted on her feet, looking down. She realized just now Professor Snape had argued in her favor back then, a thing he had never done before. If it had not been for him, she probably would have been stripped from her position and chance at education and freedom.

"Professor I—"

"—no need for gratitude, Miss Lestrange. We do not have time for that." He cut her off. She looked up to him, lips pursing in apprehension. Professor Umbridge might have let her off easily, but her House-Head had probably only helped her so he could give her his own punishment. She had after all, quite nearly soiled the Slytherin name.

She gulped.

"Where were you?" he asked, dark eyes boring into her.

"I beg your pardon, Sir?"

Professor Snape made an odd clicking sound in his mouth.

"Do not make me repeat myself, Lestrange…we do not have time." He bit out. "Now tell me. Where were you this morning when the rest of the school was at breakfast!?"

Well not all of the rest…

"Um…." Jade cleared her throat. She could not lie. "I was strolling through the castle Sir, and seemed to have lost track of time."

Well….she could not completely lie.

The teacher's sallow nose turned up in what appeared to be a snarl.

"You." He accentuated; his voice low and threatening, "…were taking a stroll in the castle while the Minister of Magic was in the Great Hall?"

Jade gulped again.

"Yes, Sir."

"And why exactly did you do that, Miss Lestrange?"

Jade winced at the ice in his tone.

"Well, Sir. I was not feeling very well, Sir….Loss of appetite."

"You chose to skip the Minister's speech because of loss of appetite?"

This continued repetition of words was akin to torture for The Head Girl.

"Y-Yes, Sir."

Professor Snape straightened. She had not noticed that he had been leaning close to her, but that might explain the additional menace emanating from him.

"Indeed." He said; his voice silky smooth. "We shall have to talk about this more, Lestrange. I am extremely…dissatisfied at the moment. Monday evening, six o clock sharp…Do you understand?"

Jade gulped. She seemed to be doing a lot of that today.

"Understood, Sir."

With an ominous swish of cloaks, Professor Snape departed down the corridor. Jade waited till he had disappeared around the corner to let out her pent up breath.

…..

Phew..!

How is everyone? It has been longer than long, hasn't it?

My feelings exactly.

RxR!