Chapter 5

Upon entering the Great Hall the next morning, I was assaulted with the noise that filled the Hall. I flinched as my headache intensified, today was going to be a long day. As I sit down in the seat that Ron had saved for me, I notice the looks that Hermione is giving me, I was right it will be a long day.

"Are you alright, mate?" Ron asks "You look a little pale,"

"I'm fine," I reply "Just a headache." I curse myself for making it so obvious,

"Maybe you should go to the Hospital Wing to get a headache potion," Ginny chimes in as she sits down next to me

I close my eyes as the air is filled with screeches as owls arrive with the morning post, "I think I will," I announce. Hermione, I notice is still looking at me, I didn't really want to talk to her after she had hurt me last night but I knew that, that wasn't going to be an option. There was something about the way that she was looking at me though, that was familiar; her chin resting on her hand, head tilted slightly and chewing lightly on her bottom lip.

Shaking those thoughts out of me head as I stand up from the table and say "I'll meet you in Defence," before striding out of the Great Hall and making my way towards the hospital wing. I stopped short in the middle of the hallway as I suddenly remembered why Hermione's look was so familiar to me, I resumed walking to the hospital wing, my steps lighter with this new knowledge.

I met Ron and Hermione outside the Defence classroom, "feeling better," Ron asks me,

"Much," I reply

"We need to talk," Hermione tells me

I turn to look at her as I reply, "Yes we do." She seems surprised that I have agreed with her and it takes her a moment to respond, no doubt she thought that I would argue or refuse to talk to her, before she can I say anything, I say, "Room of requirement, 8 o'clock."

She nods just as the door opens to the Defence room and we file in, taking a seat near the back, I notice that Neville and his gang, including my 'brother' Daniel, have again taken the seats near the front. I don't know why they insist on seating in the front when Umbridge isn't even teaching us anything and what with the way she hands out detentions to Neville.

The clicking of heels symbolises Umbridge's entrance into the classroom and almost immediately she begins with "Good morning class!" and there is a chorus of "Good morning Professor Umbridge," follows. "Open your books please to chapter 5 and begin reading," she says in her sugary sweet voice, her obvious prejudice towards what she considers inferior, which just so happens to include 'The Dark,' grates on my nerves more than her voice.

Of course today's chapter is about the misconceptions that the wizarding world has about the dark. About the creatures that the ministry calls dark to be more accurate 'The werewolf is considered a very dangerous creature due to their animalistic mindset…they should be put down to avoid them from hurting witches or wizards…' It has become almost impossible to kept my fury from showing, the absolute ignorance that this book and by extension the Ministry, is showing is utterly mind blowing.

They are portraying werewolves as creatures with subhuman intelligence; it is no wonder why so many dark creatures are joining my heir when this is how they are treated by the light. It is people like Umbridge that utterly believe in their superiority, that I despise and in some ways I agree with my heir that the wizarding world needs to change. If he weren't so prejudice as well I would have thought about helping him reform the wizarding world.

A large sign had been posted on the Gryffindor noticeboard when Hermione, Ron and I returned to the Common room after Dinner.

Educational Degree Number Twenty-Four

All student organisations, societies, teams, groups and clubs are henceforth disbanded.

I didn't bother to read anymore, my fury at Umbridge had gained new heights, her new power as the Hogwarts High Inquisitor, it was the Ministry's way of trying to control what happens in Hogwarts, had gone to her head. She stuttered around the school like she owned it, I had reached my limit, this was my school and she had no right to come into my school and demand changes, she would get what was coming for her, that was for sure. I would see to that.

"Does that mean that there's no more Quidditch," Ron's voice cuts into my thoughts, of course that would be his first thought.

"Don't be silly, it just means that the teams will have to seek permission from Umbridge!" says Hermione

"Oh,"

The silence that follows is broken by Dean Thomas, another Gryffindor in our year, asking if Ron wanted to play a game of chess with him, why anyone would want to play chess against Ron I can only guess but it gave Hermione and me the chance we needed to talk.

The walk up to the Room of requirement was made in silence, neither of us wishing to start off the conversation. Hermione had seemed to have gotten over her bout of silence and immediately upon entering had launched into an abundance of questions. "Whoa! One at a time Hermione," I say "But, before you go on, will you let me explain?"

Hermione nods so I continue "last night you caught me coming out of the Chamber of Secrets, where I tried to explain to you what was going on…" Hermione opens her month and I raise my hand to tell her to let me finish. "You didn't believe me and before I had a chance to explain how I knew, you told me that I should see Madam Pomfrey."

"You must admit that what you said is a bit hard to believe," she says

"Yes, it is," I reply "but you didn't let me explain!"

"Well I'm listening now"

"Ok" I say and reach into my bag and pull out The Amulet of Amaradh "this is the book that I found the rune in," I tell her and open the book to the page that the rune was on. Looking at it again, I now know that the rune means reveal in the magic of Merlin's time, the Old Religion.

Hermione seems drawn to the rune, "I've never seem a rune like this!" she says and starts to run her finger on the outline of the rune.

"Wait! Just let me explain something." I exclaim but it's too late, Hermione had already lost consciousness.