Harry and Ron ate their dinners in record time. And Ron hated eating fast. You never got to enjoy the food, and Ron always looked forward to a good meal. But tonight they had detention. McGonagall had said- "Dinner then strait to my office," and then she said -"No Mr. Weasley". What was that about?
"What do you think she meant by that?" Ron asked Harry as the passed the Slytherin table on their way to the Great Hall doors.
"Well, that depends. Who is she and what did she say?" Harry pushed his glasses up his nose as one Slytherin third year stuck out his leg, cause the black haired Gryffindor to stumble. The third year won a round of laughter from his friends.
If it weren't for this being the Great Hall Ron would have had a few choice words for that Slytherin brat, but they were not suitable for teacher's ears.
"McGonagall. She said 'No Mr. Weasley' just before she walked away," Ron pushed open a door and held it as Harry skirted out of the Great Hall. With a bang the oak door shut behind Ron, effectively separating the noise of students from the silence of the halls.
"I think she expected you to ask something, or maybe she is expecting you to. But who knows? It's McGonagall. For all we know it could have been some strange spell made to transfigure your liver into a dancing peppershaker and all we heard was 'No Mr. Weasley,'" Harry grinned over at Ron who was trying to imagine his liver in such a state.
"If that were true, I think I would ask her to also transfigure your lung into a self-playing trumpet, so my liver would have some music for its moves," Ron said thoughtfully. Both boys proceeded to fall into an uncontrollable laughter. It was possible to stop, they did it quite often, but once they looked at each other they would be compelled to laugh once again, as if they were possessed.
Because of the emptiness of the corridors their whole walk to McGonagall's office was field with laughter echoing throughout ever corner of the castle. And though they enjoyed hearing there own obvious joy despite probably an all night detention, some teachers, like Snape, did not appreciate happiness within the walls of Hogwarts.
Ron and Harry turned a corner to run into one of these teachers.
"Bloody Hell!" Ron yelled as he jumped from the surprise of almost running into a pink blob.
"Mr. Weasley, that kind of language is inexcusable within Hogwarts. That will be 10 points from Gryffindor," Dolores Jane Umbridge said with a smile stretching from one ear to the other.
"You can't do that!" Harry started, hatred burning in his green eyes. Ron has only seen his best friend this angry once or twice throughout their friendship, both times at Snape. But Ron knew that Harry saved his hatred for those who really deserved it; Umbridge, who was on the top of that hate list. Well, after He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, but he was a special case.
"Oh, but you will find Mr. Potter that I can and I will. And another 10 points from Gryffindor, for judging a teacher's decision. And Mr. Potter, let us think what we are going to say before this becomes another detention, shall we? I don't think we need more…ah, scars between our relationship," Harry was shaking with rage, but he clamped his mouth tight and tightened his fist so his knuckles turned white.
Thank Merlin's Beard, Ron thought with relief. For a minute there he was afraid Harry would receive detention, again. And normally Ron wouldn't be too concerned about his friend getting a detention, he had to face that it happened quite often. But there was something about those detentions Harry received with Umbridge that felt off to Ron. He just couldn't figure out the reason behind it though.
"There, now that is much better. See how nice it is when we can all just get along?" Umbridge gave a girlish giggle of joy and very sweetly asked, "Now, I just wanted to know where you two were off to at this time. You ate dinner quite hurriedly, and the Gryffindor common room is on the 7th floor. It would have been much faster if you took the stairs back there, but you passed them instead. So I was just curious where you were heading," Umbridge tipped her fat head to one side, as a little girl would when asking a question. Ron felt ready to puke.
"We got detention." Harry answered shortly.
"Oh? And, may I ask, who gave you detention?" Umbridge said with her most sugar coated voice.
"Professor McGonagall." Harry answered with venom.
"And, may I ask, why?"
"We were late for class."
Umbridge look absolutely delighted, "Is that so? Well, if you two don't mind, I would love to join you. I too have to visit Professor McGonagall and would love to accompany the both of you," and with that she started walking behind them, trailing them all the way to McGonagall's office.
When they arrived Harry knocked tentatively on the door. Ron understood his hesitation. Bringing Umbridge along…he wouldn't be surprised if they got another detention.
"Come in," McGonagall called from the other side. The two fifth years walked in ahead of Umbridge, Ron with a little more then pure terror in his heart. At first he was looking forward to this detention. Yeah, imagine that.
But now that Umbridge was involved, and after what she done to Harry, even among the bravest of people some fear was allowed. But Ron would not show it, because he, after all, was a Gryffindor.
"Ah boys, glad you didn't dawdle. Let us be off, we have got a long night ahead of us. And if I even see one attempt to sleep on the job you both will be helping Professor Sprout trim the Devil's Snare," McGonagall stood promptly and began to walk right out the way the trio entered.
Until it happened. She coughed. A sickly sweet little thing, just enough to catch the attention of someone, but not enough to cause concern. Something like a cute little girl would do if she wanted to ask a candy seller for a licorice wand. But this was worse. Because it was Umbridge's cough.
"Pardon me, Minerva, but I have some business with you first, if you don't mind of course," Umbridge smiled up at McGonagall with expectation in her eyes. Expectations for a yes.
However, this being Professor McGonagall, and her being Dolores Jane Umbridge, what were the chances of that happening? Ron already got a figure of 0.
"Yes, in fact Dolores, I do mind. As you can see I am a little busy at the moment. These two have a detention to serve with me and I do not plan on postponing it for a chat," McGonagall practically spat it out.
Ron was highly amused at the moment. He had been excited to see Umbridge take on McGonagall ever since their first class. And here he was with the best seats in Hogwarts. A con though, it made him right in the line of fire.
"Actually that is what I wished to talk to you about. You see you have given these two a detention. But as a teacher here for the Ministry, I must be informed of when, why, and what you shall be doing," Umbridge said everything real slowly, as if Minerva were a kindergarten student.
"And, may I ask, why?" Ron backed away an inch or two. He saw Harry do the same. It wasn't their fault; McGonagall was not a force to be reckoned with.
"It is all to help make the appropriate changes to the Hogwarts in a way that will help the students and teachers alike. So you see, if I were to know these things, I could be the judge of as to weather the punishment for the crime is too harsh," Harry made a loud noise of disbelief. Ron would normally have smacked him for such a thing, but now he couldn't bring himself to do it. Really, after what she did to Harry night after night, what wasn't too harsh?
"Very well, Dolores. These two were 45 minutes late to my class. Therefore we are going to the 7th floor where we shall be cleaning the whole corridor without magic. I shall merely be a supervisor," McGonagall said it very short, each word cut off to make it faster.
"But I thought-" Ron started. And then Harry punched him in the shoulder. Ron had to think about it for a second before he remembered they weren't suppose to tell anyone. Including Umbridge.
Especially Umbridge, Ron made a mental note to watch his mouth more carefully. But now it is was to late, his tongue had slipped and the witch in the pink cardigan certainly did not miss it.
"You thought what Mr. Weasley?" Umbridge smiled up at him, like a toad watching her fly. It was unnerving.
"I-I…I thought we only had to clean the bathrooms. The whole corridor is a bit much without magic," Ron ended lamely. He kept his eyes on his shoes and refused to look back into the black pits Umbridge used for seeing. They were about as effective as Dementors in sucking happiness.
"Yes, you are quite right. Minerva, I request that these two do only the rooms in the corridor, excluding the Gryffindor common room. But not the halls. After all, tomorrow is a school day. We can't have them working all night." Umbridge said all this as if she were helping the boys take down a mighty enemy. Ron held back the urge to punch her. He could only imagine what Harry wanted to do right now.
"Very well. Then we shall take our leave now, Professor Umbridge," McGonagall sounded like an angry tabby.
The walk up to the 7th floor corridor was a silent one. Not even Peeves came to visit. Ron thought the anger crashing out of McGonagall was enough for even him to sense.
"THAT MISERABLE DOG OF THE MINISTRY!" McGonagall yelled as soon as they stopped in front of the Room of Requirement. Ron and Harry pressed themselves against the farthest wall. McGonagall yelling, that was not McGonagall's thing. She was supposed to stare deep into your soul and make you cause your own guilt. That
she was good at. Yelling? That was horrifying.
"You two had better not repeat that to her," McGonagall quickly told the boys once she regained her composure.
"Professor, you know we would never rat you out to her!" Harry said quickly. He almost sounded offended. Ron could have sworn, but maybe it was just the flickering torchlight, McGonagall almost smiled.
"Yes, well, the school will be much better once she is gone. I have never found myself hoping that the said curse on the Defense Against the Dark Arts position would work," McGonagall said quietly.
Ron and Harry and McGonagall approached the wall. Ron was baffled at what to do next. Their real mission was to get Hermione out of the Room of Requirement, but how?
"Could we try asking for her?" Ron suggested after five minutes of silence.
"Honestly Mr. Weasley, I know you have problems remembering transfiguration spells and potion ingredients, but I'm sure even Mr. Potter remembers what Professor Snape said when you asked the exact same thing yesterday," McGonagall scoffed, eyes never leaving the wall.
Ron looked at Harry baffled. What did Snape say?
"He said that it wouldn't work because of something or another," Harry shrugged and resumed his staring contest with the stone wall as well.
At least I tried to think of something, Ron thought to himself before, too, continuing his stare down of the wall.
Five more minutes passed, then ten. No one said anything. No one moved. If someone were to pass by they would think the three Gryffindors were placed under a spell. But no one passed, though it was not yet after curfew for the third years.
Maybe if we just break the wall with a spell-Ron started thinking before some loud, dreamy, insane voice broke into his mind.
"Minerva! What are you doing? I was just reading the cards and they said that great danger awaits those who stand for too long! How long have you been standing? Quickly now, quickly, you must move, lest death arrive here soon!" Trelawney was practically sprinting down the hallways; her beads and shawls clicking together like an offbeat drum.
Ronald let out the most exasperated sigh he could manage without attracting negative attention from the Professors. Harry took off his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose before rolling his green eyes.
"Sybill, this really isn't the best time for your predictions," McGonagall refused to look away from the wall.
It was as if she was trying to win the control of a dog, Ron thought. His Dad always said Muggles would stare into the eyes of dogs to show dominance. Ron thought that was silly when you could just cast a spell to make the animal understand. Now that he understood Muggles more he was still a little skeptical about the practice, but Muggles will be Muggles.
"But, Minerva, the cards don't lie! I flipped three, and each one pointed to death fro those who stay in one place for too long!" Sybill was certainly more panicked then usual. However, this did not concern Ron in the slightest.
"Well then Sybill, the real problem is the two students stuck inside this confounded Room of Requirement!" McGonagall rubbed her temple slowly, as if messaging away a headache. Ron didn't doubt she was.
"Students? Trapped inside the Room? Well why didn't you say so? I can find them and communicate with them through my crystal ball! I shall save them in a jiffy, don't even worry about it anymore!" And Professor Trelawney walked away, muttering some nonsense about how the tea leaves forewarned of something drastic.
Ron kicked the wall again. This was getting them nowhere!
"Mr. Weasley I understand, but I ask you to refrain from kicking our castle's walls," McGonagall said it with something like sympathy in her voice.
"Professor, can't we just blow it up? All we have to do is make an opening!" Ron was practically on his knees begging. The ginger released he must have looked ridiculous, but that was okay. It was Hermione on the line after all.
"Can your memory reach back as far as to the last thing I said to you yesterday?" McGonagall still had not removed her eyes from that wall. Ron didn't get how she wasn't itching from holding still too long.
"You said 'No, Mr. Weasley,'" Ron said instantly. After all it has been bugging him ever since she said it.
"This is what I meant no too, Mr. Weasley," the professor took of her emerald witch's hat and pulled a loose piece of hair to the top of her head before replacing the hat. Ron was having doubts as to weather she was blinking or not.
It must be from becoming a cat Animagus, Ron concluded with the only explanation he could find. It would do for now.
"So what do we do now, Professor?" Harry asked from the ground where he had taken a seat a little after Trelawney arrived.
"I told you this would be a long night, Mr. Potter. We think, and we work on ideas. Two things are most important right now. First: get the students out. Yes even Mr. Malfoy," McGonagall said pointedly as both Gryffindor students opened their mouths. Still she did not turn round, "And second: do not let the Ministry find out. If they discover that two students got trapped inside and enchanted room with no food or water or means of communication we shall never hear the end of it. Inquires will be made and Lucius Malfoy shall surly use his gold to get the advantage over us," McGonagall, finally, turned and looked at the students.
Ron suddenly felt much more relaxed. He just realized that he was staring at McGonagall staring at the wall so intently that he must have not moved for the same amount of time as she. The thought made him want to go jogging, or swimming, or something that involved some type of activity.
"So, all night, we are going to brainstorm?" Harry asked, mouth slightly agape at the idea.
"Very good Mr. Potter. If you want to get to bed earlier, I suggest you come up with a few ideas short of destroying the entire building. It wouldn't work anyway. That room is enchanted, our spells will be useless on the place they were sent to. If only we could know if they got my patronus," McGonagall ended talking to herself and turning back to the wall.
"But Professor, we could be here till 4 in the morning!" Ron complained. He cared about Hermione for sure, and he wanted to save her more than anything. But there was no way that lacking sleep was going to help him come up with good ideas. He was having trouble enough while wide-awake.
"If you'd stop talking and start thinking we could be done much sooner!" McGonagall ended the conversation like that, and Ron fell into deep thought.
But at the back of his mind he still had something else pulling at him.
I wonder what Hermione is thinking right now. I bet she already knows a way out, she just doesn't know how to make it work. And then the strangest thought came to mind, has she kissed Malfoy! Maybe they are purposefully stuck inside together!
Ron shook his head, red locks of hair landing in his sight of vision. Stupid ideas, that's all they were, stupid ideas.