During one DA meeting, Isabella transformed Justin Finch-Fletchley into a mouse. After that, students from the DA kept coming up and asking her for Transfiguration advice. Colin Creevy had asked her to tutor him, and even a few of the old students wanted help with their homework.
"Perhaps you should ask Professor McGonagall," she kept saying, until one day McGonagall asked her to tutor them.
"Frankly, I think it would be the best solution," the teacher said bruskly, collecting spell books with a flick of her wand. "I am very busy, you see."
"But Professor, I'm not qualified..." she began. Professor McGonagall shoved a book into her arms.
"Everything you need to know is in there," the professor said. "Come to me if you have questions."
And so it was that Isabella knocked on Professor Umbridge's door to ask about setting up a Transfiguration Society.
"Come in," the sickly sweet voice commanded. Isabella walked into the office and tried not to visibly flinch. It was covered in pink and lace with kittens gambling across a collection of plates.
"Good afternoon, Professor Umbridge," Isabella recited.
"Good afternoon, Miss...?" It really annoyed Isabella when teacher didn't know her name after a few months. That just meant they weren't trying.
"O'Reagan, professor," she supplied.
"And how can I help you, Miss O'Reagan?"
"I'd like to set up a Transfiguration Society," Isabella said. Professor Umbridge sat back in her pink armchair and looked over the Ravenclaw with her beady eyes.
"And you believe yourself qualified to teach, Miss O'Reagan?"
"Um, well, not really Professor," she answered honestly. "But Professor McGonagall asked me to tutor her students, not really teach them."
"Professor McGonagall?" Umbridge asked, her voice a little sharper than normal.
"Yes, Professor."
"Hem, well, I'll think about it and get back to you, Miss O'Reagan," Professor Umbridge said sweetly.
"Thank you," Isabella said, happy to escape the horrible pink interior of Professor Umbridge's office. "Have a nice afternoon Professor Umbridge."
"One moment." Isabella stopped in her tracks. "Would you mind turning out your pockets?" Professor Umbridge asked.
"Not at all, professor," Isabella replied. She undid the flap of her bookbag and allowed Professor Umbridge to paw through it. Then she emptied the contents of her pockets, including the fake Galleon Hermione had given all the members of the DA. The numbers along the side of the fake coin reflected the time and date of the next meeting (tomorrow night at seven thirty).
Professor Umbridge passed over the coin without so much as a second glance, but she picked up a piece of parchment and unfolded it.
"What is this?" she asked, sounding triumphant. Isabella frowned at the sight of her father's letter in Professor Umbridge's hand.
"A letter from home," she replied.
"And why is it written in code?" Professor Umbridge demanded, waving the parchment around.
"It isn't, professor. It's written in Italian."
"We'll see about that!" the toad-like woman said. She tapped the parchment with her short, fat wand. "Reveal your secrets!" she ordered it. Nothing happened.
"I'm sorry, miss, but I am Italian," Isabella tried again. "It's my first language so that's what my parent's write to me in."
"Translate it!" Professor Umbridge said, giving the parchment back to Isabella. The Ravenclaw did not admit that she couldn't translate it on the spot. But she did know enough of what it said to pretend for Professor Umbridge, and also enough of what it meant to avoid saying certain things.
"Very well," Professor Umbridge said when she was finished. The High Inquisitor looked slightly disappointed. "You may go."
Isabella collected her things and left, closing the door behind her and leaning against the wall with a sigh.
Castro arrived at dinner carrying a heavy parcel. He looked flustered and refused to leave, eating the pieces of mince pie that Morgan and Luna fed him.
Isabella unwrapped the package with a cry of delight. "Uncle Luigi's lasagna!" she told her friends. "Come on, everyone have some!" The meal provided by the Hogwarts house-elfs was immediately set aside in favor of the lasagna.
Isabella gave huge slices of the thickly layered noodles, cheese, sauce, and meat to Anthony, Terry, Michael, Luna, Morgan, and Alex. Everyone dug in with appreciative murmurs.
"Uncle Luigi is the best pasta maker in Venice," she told them, watching their delighted faces. "He usually sends me some every week. But Papi says that mail is being delayed coming into Britain. This looks like there was a Preserving Spell on it."
"It tastes great," Anthony assured her. "God, I wish I had an Uncle Luigi!"
"What is it, Castro?" The augury had been nuzzling her, and now her had pushed his way under her hand.
"Didn't Harry's owl get hurt when he was intercepted?" Luna asked.
"Hurt?" Isabella asked, setting Castro on the table in front of her. "You're not hurt, are you boy?" Castro ruffled his feathers and blinked mournfully. Then he opened his mouth and wailed.
The sound filled the Great Hall, echoing and magnifying. People shouted and covered their ears, looking around wildly.
"Please don't! Bad Castro, very bad!" Isabella screamed over the wailing, her fingers blocking her ears. Professor Dumbledore stood up and swept down from the dais.
"Silencio!" he ordered, pointing his wand at Castro. The augury's mouth continued to move, but no sound came out.
"I'm sorry, Professor!" Isabella said, gathering Castro into her lap and stroking his ruffled feathers. "He shouldn't have been able to do that!"
"It is quite all right," Professor Dumbledore assured her softly. Then he announced to the room at large, "Everything is under control."
"What was that?" Anthony asked, taking his hands from his ears.
"It appears that someone had taken the Silencing Charm off of Miss O'Reagan's pet," Professor Dumbledore said calmly. Isabella nodded, embarrassed. "Can you tell me, where exactly he was before tonight?"
"He was in Italy, sir," Isabella explained. "At the Villa Petrroci, near Padua."
"I see," Professor Dumbledore said. "If you will be so good as to bring your augury and come to my office, Miss O'Reagan?" Isabella stood up and followed Professor Dumbledore out of the Great Hall.
They were halfway across the Entrance Hall when Professor Umbridge intercepted them.
"So close," Isabella sighed. Professor Dumbledore smiled slightly at her comment and turned to face the Professor.
"May I help, Professor Dumbledore?" she asked in her most poisonously sweet voice.
"Help?" Professor Dumbledore asked politely. "No, I think I can handle this."
"Clearly not," Professor Umbridge insisted, moving forward a little. "As I can see you have already allowed Miss O'Reagan certain exceptions to the school rules."
"Now she remembers my name," Isabella thought wryly.
"Exceptions?" Professor Dumbledore asked innocently.
"Why, yes," Professor Umbridge said. "The rules clearly state that a student may bring an owl, rat, or a toad to Hogwarts. It does not include... other creatures."
"Ah, yes," Professor Dumbledore nodded. "But you see, cats are also not mentioned Professor."
"What?" Professor Umbridge asked, looking at little disconcerted.
"Well, I'm afraid that if you have an objection to..."
"Castro," Isabella supplied.
"Castro," Dumbledore continued. "Then you would have to extend that objection to the cats of Hogwarts. Fair is fair." Her face turned red as she thought about this.
"Well, I suppose, technically," she spluttered.
"I'm so glad you agree," Professor Dumbledore beamed, sweeping past her. Isabella scurried in his wake, glancing over her shoulder at a thoroughly subdued Professor Umbridge.
"Nice," Isabella commented.
"Thank you," Professor Dumbledore said with a smile. They arrived at the two gargoyles who sprang aside at the mention of fizzing whizbees.
"Now, Miss O'Reagan," Professor Dumbledore said as he went to stand behind his desk. "Let me see that augury." Isabella handed Castro over and Professor Dumbledore handled him gently.
"Is he all right?" she asked anxiously.
"Oh yes, I think so," Professor Dumbledore assured her. "But I believe he has been examined and, in the process, the Silencing Charm your father placed on him was taken off." He handed Castro back and she took the green bird, petting him comfortingly.
"I think it would be most unwise to send him out of the country again," Professor Dumbledore said, peering at her over his half-moon spectacles. Isabella gaped back in horror.
"But... Professor... they're family!" She gasped. "You can't honestly be suggesting..." Dumbledore held up a hand for silence.
"I am merely suggesting it for your own, and of course Castro's, safety," he said softly. "More and more letters are being intercepted. It would be very unfortunate if some information better left between the Petrroci's fell into the wrong hands."
"I suppose so," Isabella said after a long pause. Sometimes it was so very difficult being an ambassador's daughter.
"Now, off to bed," Professor Dumbledore said. "Pip pip!"