Chapter 28
"You want to start an illegal Defense club!"
"Yes, with you and Harry teaching."
"Who are we going to teach?" asked Harry.
"Just a few people."
"A few?" asked Ewan looking at twenty different people.
* * *
"We're going to get in so much trouble." complained Ewan. "I'll lose my badge!"
"What's more important, your badge or your life?" asked Hermione.
Weeks and Dumbledore's Army was having another meeting in the room of requirement.
"Come on Hermione!" said Ewan, siding with the girls that Hermione will get Ron first with Stupify, he was right.
More weeks past, and a new decree was made.
Educational Decree Number 82:
ALL STUDENTS WILL SUBMIT TO QUESTIONING ABOUT Suspected ILLICIT Activities.
Ewan, along the entire seventh year class was currently in line, in Professor Umbridge classroom, to be questioned. "Next!" came a sqeak. Ewan stood from a desk and made his way into Professor Umbridge's office.
"Ah, Mr. Potter. Do let me tell you how happy I'am that you're not behaving as naughty as your brother." She smiled, making Ewan want to gag.
"Yes, ma'am."
"Would you like a cup of tea?" asked Umbridge.
"No, thank you."
"Pumpkin Juice?"
"No, thank you."
"Butterbeer."
"I'm not thirsty."
"Oh come dear. Hydration is good."
"Ah, okay, then. Tea is fine." He finally said. Umbridge smiled, pour Ewan a drink then herself one. Ewan put the cup to his mouth but didn't drink it.
"Now dear. Do you know anything of any illegal activites?"
"No ma'am."
"Take another sip dear, there you go."
"You know nothing of anyone getting together with friends, meeting, secretly."
"No ma'am." Ewan said, shaking his head.
"Okay, dear. You may go."
Ewan put down his drink and fled the office.
* * *
By Christmas, everyone in the DA, was able to stun and disarm. It was rather enjoying to see. Everyone was leaving the Room, when Ewan turned to see Harry with Cho Chang. Cedric and Cho had spilt up due to an argument, at the end of last year, and knowing full well that Harry had a crush on Cho, well, Ewan wasn't going to bother him.
* * *
It was close to three in the morning when Professor Flitwick woke Ewan up to go to the Headmaster's office.
"What's going on sir?" he asked the small Professor.
"You're find out soon enough, Potter."
"Sugar Quills." Said the Professor to the stone gargoyle.
Harry and all the Weasley's were already there. The Headmaster was looking away from Harry.
"What's going on?" asked Ewan again.
"Harry, he had some sort of dream." whispered Ron. "About my dad."
Dumbledore was currently speaking with a few of the portiats.
"…children will be arriving there soon, by portkey."
"We got him, Albus." said one portrait. "It was close, but they think he'll make it. Once more, The Dark Lord failed to acquire it."
Ewan was really confused. Harry, dream, Arthur Weasley, Dark Lord… nothing made sense anymore.
Harry then yelled at Dumbledore. "What's happening to me?" he asked the Headmaster.
Then Snape arrived. "You wished to see me Headmaster?"
"I'm afraid it can't wait, not even till the morning, or else, we'll all be vulnerable." Said the Headmaster.
Snape grabbed both Ewan and Harry by the back of the neck and was pulling them down to the dungeons.
Once there, Ewan got his neck relaxed. "What is going on!?"
"it appears there is a connection between you brother and the Dark Lord."
"Okay… so why did I have to be awoken, at three in the morning!?"
"If your brother is suffering then you might also." Explained Snape
"So you're making me suffer now!? On a chance. Can't I just go back to bed?"
"No, this connection is dangerous. Whether the Dark Lord is aware of this connection, is unclear, pray he remains ignorant."
"Wait, with this connection, he can read my mind?" asked Harry.
"Read it, control it, unhinge it. In the past, it was often the Dark Lord's pleasure to invade the mind of his victims, creating visions designed to torture them into madness. Only after, retracting the last exquisite ounce, only after he had them begging for death, would he finally kill them. Used properly the power of occulmancy will shield you from access or influence. In these lesson's I will attempt to penetrate your minds, you will attempt to resist. Prepare yourself." Snape pointed his wand at Harry. "Leginians."
Harry looked rather uncomfortable. "Concentrate Potter, focus."
This continued for hours, at the end, both Harry and Ewan were sweating profusely. Only once, did Ewan block out Snape, and even then Ewan had no idea how he did it. Harry on the other hand, wasn't so good at it.
The next day, Harry and Ewan were allowed to go to Grimmauld place. They came in when the Weasleys and Hermione were exchanging gifts.
* * *
Sooner than anyone liked, it was time to go back to Hogwarts. The air was changing, everyone seemed happier. Harry, Hermione, and Ron, ran up to him interrupting his conversion with Liam.
"Hagrids back." Hermione whispered with a smile on her face. The four then ran down to meet him. Professor Umbridge was currently there, so they had to hid. When she left, Hagrid told them that he went to go meet the Giants. But Hagrid wasn't the only one looking, so was Death Eaters. Hagrid wouldn't tell them how he got hurt but considering that he was with Giants, Ewan assumed it was because of them.
"It's changing out there. Just like last time. There's a storm coming, and we all best be ready when she does." Hagrid said to them before they left.
* * *
The next day, they learned that ten Death Eaters had escaped Azkaban Prison, including Sirius's cousin, Bellatrix Lestrange.
At breakfast the morning after the escape, Seamus Finniagan, a Gryffindor fifth year with Harry, had apologized and admitted that he believed Harry. Now that the death eaters escaped, it was more important than ever to have more people believe the side of light.
The next DA meeting, the one where they were to learn Patronus, Ewan couldn't make it to. He was currently in Snape's office, working on his occumancy, Harry apparently had a row with Professor Snape, and so they didn't continue his lessons. It was during this meeting at Ewan and Snape learned that the DA members were caught, and Harry was currently in the Headmaster's office with the Minister of Magic.
The next day, Dolores Umbridge was made Headmistress.
* * *
Things got even worse at the school, most students were afraid to even laugh in fear of the new Headmistress. Even Hagrid was afraid, so that was probably why he had them introduced to his apparent half-bother, Grump.
* * *
Ravenclaw students were preparing for next week's N.E.W.T.s when they heard an uproar from the Great Hall, where the fifth years were taking their O.W.L.s.
Roger, Le, Liam, and Ewan all got up to investagate, only to find, Fred and George Weasley setting off firework and spells, on their brooms. One of the fireworks burst into a dragon that chased after Professor Umbridge all the way to the hallway, making all the decrees, all one hundred and sixteen of them smash and shatter onto the ground, while, Fred and George flew away from the school, marking the end of their schooling.
* * *
It wasn't long after Ewan's N.E.W.T.s were finished, that Harry received a vision of Sirius being tortured by Voldemort.
"It might be a trap!" said Hermione. "Voldemort knows you, Harry! He took Ginny down into the Chamber of Secrets to lure you there, it's the kind of thing he does, he knows you're the – the sort of person who'd go to Sirius's aid! What if he's just trying to get you into the Department of Myst-?"
"Hermione, it doesn't matter if he's done it to get me there or not, this is Sirius we're talking about." said Harry.
"So what do you suppose we do, just take our broomsticks and fly to the Ministry, break into the Department of Mysteries, and save Sirius all by ourselves?" asked Ewan.
"We can alert the Order." said Harry.
"How?" asked Ron.
"Floo." answered Harry.
"But Professor Umbridge is the only one with Floo access." said Hermione.
Of course, that didn't stop Harry from breaking into Umbridge's office, and of course, they were caught, therefore also getting Ginny, Luna, and Neville caught.
"You were going to Dumbledore, weren't you?" asked Umbridge to Harry.
"No." Harry responded, getting slap by Umbridge.
"Liar." She hissed.
"You sent for me, Headmistress." said a new voice to the group.
"Snape! Yes!" said Umbridge. Snape meanwhile, was looking at Ewan, a look of disappointment in his eyes.
"The time has come for answers, whether they want to give it to me or not. Have you brought the veriterserum?" asked Umbridge.
Ewan looked Snape in the eye. 'Please help, Professor Snape.'
"I'm afraid you used the last of it interrogating Miss Chang. Unless you wish to poison him, then I assure you I would have the greatest sympathy if you did, I cannot help you."
Snape looked one last time at Ewan, and then turned his back to leave.
"He's got Padfoot! He's got Padfoot, at the place where it is hidden." said Harry.
"Padfoot? What is Padfoot? Where what is hidden? What is he talking about Snape?" asked Umbridge. Snape looked to Harry, then to Ewan.
"No idea." Snape said leaving. Ewan rolled his eyes. 'Of course he knows, he'll contact someone, we just have to wait.' thought Ewan. But apparently, Umbridge didn't want to wait.
"What about you Mr. Potter, what is your brother talking about?" Umbridge asked Ewan.
Ewan stayed silent. He stared at Umbridge with a nonchalant face. She got mad.
"You've given me no choice Potter." Umbridge said looking at Harry again. "As this is an issue of ministry security, you leave me with no alternative. The Cruciatus Curse ought to loosen your tongue."
"That's illegal." said Hermione.
"What Cornelius doesn't know, won't hurt him." said Umbridge.
"I won't let you torture my brother!" said Ewan, struggling against Montague, one of the Inquisitor squid members.
"You can't stop me." said Umbridge, pointing her wand at Harry.
"Tell her, Harry!" said Hermione.
"Tell me what?" asked Umbridge.
"Well, if you won't tell her where it is I will." said Hermione.
"Hermione?" whispered Ewan, earning a punch in the gut.
"Where what is?" asked Umbridge.
"Dumbledore's secret weapon." answered Hermione.
* * *
Hermione lead Harry, Ewan and Professor Umbridge through the of the student had their wands. Ewan caught on pretty quickly where Hermione was taking them. "How much further?" asked Umbridge.
"Not far." answered Hermione. "It has to be where student wouldn't find it accidently."
Soon the group came across the rope that once held Grump, but Grump wasn't there.
"Well? Where is this weapon?" asked Umbridge. "There isn't one, is there? You were trying to trick me."
Harry, Hermione, and Ewan all looked at each other.
"You know, I really hate children." Umbridge said.
Suddenly, the sound of a dozen hoofs penetrated the air. Umbridge got behind Ewan, using him as a shield. Ewan moved away from her as though she were a contagious animal. Ewan soon noticed a few dozen centaurs in a clearing, looking at the group.
"You have no business here centaur. This is a ministry matter." Said Professor Umbridge, her voice laden with fear. A centaur, armed with an arrow and bow, pointed his weapon at the group. Ewan moved closer to Harry and Hermione.
"Lower your weapons. I warn you, under the law, as creatures of near- human intelligence -" Umbridge never finished her sentence as a centaur fired his bow. Ewan, Harry, and Hermione all fall to the floor trying to avoid the arrow, but thankfully, Umbridge cast a shield around them, deflecting the arrow.
"How dear you, you filthy half-breed. Incarcerous!" Ropes secured the centaur, it started chocking. Hermione, Harry and Ewan ran over to it. Harry and Ewan tried to get the ropes off but they were too tight.
"Stop it!" cried Hermione. "Please!"
"Now enough!" yelled Umbridge. "I will have order!"
Then suddenly, Umbridge was in the air, held up high by Grump. The centaurs rushed at Grump with their weapons.
Harry, Hermione, and Ewan got out of the way. Grump dropped Umbridge on the ground, and ran away from the centaurs. Some of them chased after him, but few grabbed Umbridge up.
"Potter!" she cried. "Do something? Tell them I mean them no harm!"
Harry looked at her with an evil glint in his eye. "I' m sorry Professor, but 'I must not tell lies'."
Ewan snorted. The centaurs ran away with Umbridge in tow.
"Let's go." said Harry. Together the three teenagers ran back to the castle, meeting Ginny, Luna, Neville, and Ron in the Entrance Hall.
"How did you get away?" asked Hermione, while Ron passed out their wands.
"Puking pastries." answered Ginny. "It wasn't pretty."
"Told them I was hungry, and wanted some sweets, of course they told me to boger off and ate the lot themselves." said Ron.
"So how are we getting to London?" asked Neville.
"Look, it's not that I don't appreciate everything you've done, all of you, but I've got you in enough trouble as it is." said Harry, leaving on his own.
"Harry." said Ewan. "Don't think that you're going to get in more trouble without me, your own brother."
"Yeah, Dumbledore's Army was able to something for real, or was all that just words to you?" said Neville.
"You don't have to do this all by yourself, mate." said Ron.
"So how are we going to get to London?" asked Harry.
