Chapter 16: Taking Power
Harry sat with his feet up on the table in the library leafing through a book on curses.
He'd realised when Draco had dragged them up to the library that he'd been in the musty book covered room more times during that year than he had overall in the other years combined.
It was a daunting thought.
"Can you believe Umbridge chose to fire Trelawney instead of Hagrid. I smell Dumbledore's sticky fingers over that one," Blaise said shaking his head.
"You should have seen her in the observation though, mate. She came apart like a badly stitched up teddy bear when Umbridge inspected her," Neville said with a shrug.
"Either way what does it matter? She's going to fire the half breed oaf as well eventually," Draco snorted.
"My wonder is who Dumbledore is going to get to replace the old bat. Umbridge is going to be furious when he does. Especially after he publicly proved his superior power over Hogwarts when he kept the batty cow on school premises," Harry said absentmindedly.
"I still don't know why he did that. Was it a power play or does he really have that much fate in Trelawneys 'inner eye'?" Blaise wondered aloud.
"Well she must have some skill with divination if she predicted the out come of third year," Neville pointed out.
"Prophecy and fortune telling is a very absent subject. It all depends on the analysis of the words and with each person they'll be a new analysis. Dumbledore is the kind of fool that will go for shit like that though," Harry supplied.
"Most prophecies are self fulfilling," Draco added.
Later that night Harry tossed and turned in bed before he was pulled under to an unyielding scene.
"And you're sure nothing more can be done?"
"My Lord every measure we have taken has failed. It can not be removed without you or the child touching it," Lucius murmured, his head bowed.
"Get me Rookwood," Voldemort hissed, fury lacing his tone.
Lucius didn't hesitate to obey his master's order.
As the haggled looking man entered the room in front of Lucius it was easy to see the fear pulsing off him.
"You did not inform me of this glitch, Rookwood. You told me all would be fine," Voldemort hissed.
"My Lord please forgive me! I did not know! I…please milord. It wasn't my room!" Rookwood whimpered.
"Then you should have warned me of what may happen! Others have had to make up for your incompetence," Voldemort snarled. "Crucio!"
As the man writhed in front of him Voldemort turned to Lucius.
"Get things into position, I will make the boy come,"
Harry wrenched himself from the vision and sat up panting and kneeding his forehead.
His head felt like it was on fire.
Breathing through it he headed to the shower.
What on earth had Voldemort meant?
Over the next few days the Deviants watched as Umbridge continued to tighten her hold on Hogwarts and Hadrian was nearly purring in satisfaction.
The stress that Umbridge was putting on Dumbledore was keeping the meddling old coot from interfering with Neville.
Harry hoped that Voldemort would be at ease to leave Neville alone so long as Dumbledore was unable to stick his claws in.
The thought of Neville been in the cross fire still set Harry's teeth on edge.
He wanted to know just what was making Neville a key interest.
"Are you brooding again?" Draco asked plopping down next to where Harry was sat in the courtyard.
Harry watched as Draco bit into an apple and shook his head.
"Just wondering when the best time to reveal everything to Umbridge. At the moment Dumbledore isn't posing a threat to Neville but it will only be a matter of time. Unravelling everything will no doubt get the Ministry to run the fool out of here," he stated idly.
"Then we wait until either Umbridge gets pushy or Dumbledore starts nosing around again," Draco shrugged. "It's not just that though is it,"
"I had a vision the other week," Harry admitted looking out onto the grounds.
"What about?"
"Voldemort wants something that only him and one other person, a child, can retreive. He's moving into position to lure the child to him," Harry answered with a sigh.
"But the only child that Voldemort is interested in is…"
"Neville, I know," Harry responded looking back to Draco's horrified face.
"Why didn't you tell me?" Draco demanded looking frightened and angry.
"Because I was hoping moving forwards with the plans, getting Dumbledore forced out would give him more time," Harry snapped.
"You're a fool, Hadrian," Draco growled. "If he wants Hulk then this thing with Dumbledore isn't going to be able to stop him. You know that!"
"It could lessen the urgency!" Harry snarled.
"Or Dumbledore's absence could quicken it up," Draco pointed out furiously.
"Dumbledore's absence would make no difference. The old man is past his prime and there are ways in and out of this castle that he doesn't know of," Harry snapped.
"So removing Dumbledore has the chance of keeping things the same or making them a little better. While doing nothing leaves us vulnerable to what they decide. To me the decision is clear, Hadrian," Draco said firmly.
Harry looked at Draco for a long moment before inclining his head.
Draco was right.
Pondering and wondering wouldn't solve anything.
If the only chance in getting Voldemort to back off Neville was to get rid of Dumbledore then that was what they had to do.
"Umbridge is already on her power rampage. If we set it up right then the plan to get Dumbledore out will be foolproof," Harry stated standing up.
"How are we going to do it?" Draco asked with a small smirk on his face.
He loved watching the dominos fall just right into place. He knew that the last domino normally fell askew but he had faith in Harry to have already planned for it.
Umbridge smirked as the Slytherin group gave her the information to crack open the rebelling group. All of Dumbledore's most loyal students would be out of Hogwarts for good.
"And you're sure?" she asked in a sickly sweet voice.
"Marietta Edgecombe is definitely a part of the group. We overheard her speaking about it with another student. Her parents work for Minister Fudge," Hadrian smirked.
He watched as the plan formed in Umbridge's mind with only gentle pushing from him.
He knew about the cursed parchment that Granger had made all the group sign and as soon as Edgecombe told Umbridge the curse would activate and her name would glow. All that would be needed to ensure that Umbridge was given a run for her money would be an anonymous letter to either Granger, the Weasley twins or Indigo.
He knew Indigo would be more likely to heed by the letter than the others. She would have an inkling of who sent the letter and would know he meant her no harm.
"Fetch the brat to me, dears," Umbridge instructed with a broad grin on her face.
"You three go find her, I'm going to put the rest of the plan into motion," Harry said as they exited the office.
The other three nodded.
Indigo looked at the letter in her hands with horror.
Get out of there. Marietta Edgecombe is spilling your secret to Umbridge. The room will be surrounded within moments and all of you expelled if you do not leave now.
"Hermione, is the parchment glowing?" she demanded interrupting her best friend's lecture.
Hermione looked at her for a moment before pulling the parchment out.
There was a vivid red glow coming from it.
Indigo snatched it from Hermione's hand and grimaced.
She had hoped to Merlin it was some trick but it was obvious it wasn't.
"What's happening?" Hermione demanded obviously not liking not been in the know.
"Umbridge knows. We need to get out of here, now," Indigo snapped.
When no one moved, looking at her with surprise and horror she glowered.
"Get moving then!" she growled.
In an instant everyone within the room started heading towards the door.
"How do you know?" Hermione asked whispered.
Indigo pushed the letter at Hermione.
"Who sent it?" Hermione breathed, her eyes wide with fright at the thought of being expelled.
"No idea," Indigo lied.
Hermione nodded accepting the answer before heading out of the room with the rest of the group.
Indigo pushed the parchment into her pocket, heading after her friend.
The shouts of different students around told her the Slytherins and Umbridge were fast approaching.
She went to run but was pulled into an alcove, a hard muscled body pressed into her own.
She looked up into the bright green eyes of the boy who never left her mind.
"You sent the warning," she stated breathily.
Harry nodded once.
"You need to be quiet if you don't want the others to find us," he muttered quietly.
"Why did you send it?" she demanded, ignoring him.
Before he could answer the smirking face of the defence professor was looking at them as if she was the cat that had just got the canary.
It was no secret that Umbridge despised Indigo and Hermione.
"I see you caught the leader, Hadrian dear. Come along fetch her to the Headmaster's office," Umbridge said sweetly.
Indigo looked at them in horror.
Harry groaned inwardly.
He had hoped they would catch Granger instead of Indigo but if the plan stayed on track then it wouldn't matter.
The look on Indigo's face as he lead her after Umbridge made him dread the retaliation he would no doubt get off her.
AN: I know it's been forever since i updated and i'm so sorry guys! My laptop totally died on me and it's only by sheer luck that my files weren't all deleted. I nearly exploded in happiness when I realised this morning that everything was ok. Hopefully my updates should be back to normal as from today :)
Dragons-Twilight1992 - A hell of a wait but more is finally here :)
cocobyrd87 - Haha Daphne's schemes will definately come more into play further into the series :) Hell is definately one word for it haha :) The twins and Dumbledore are definately like oil and water, they never mix well ;)
RonnieX5 - Thanks so much! :) I'm just sorry that you've had to wait so long on the edge of your seat, i know that can't be comfortable ;) I'm really glad you're enjoying the twists that I've brought into the books :) The twins have a foggy and hard path ahead the question is if they'll come out whole ;)
NCIS FTW - Revelations is one word for it :) Hope you enjoyed it :)
NavyGirlNuc - Lucius is definately one to watch ;) He truly loves the twins but isn't always able to show it in the way he wants unfortunately. Glad you're enjoying it :D
Saphiretigger - I am definately going to be doing a book 6 & 7, I'm half way through writing book 6 and hopefully i'll have that story completed before i've finished posting book 5 :) As for your questions on who's side Neville is going to be on you'll just have to keep reading to find out ;) The Deviants, if anything, enjoy to cause chaos ;)