A/N: Hi, long time, no update I know, I know, but University has been crazy busy and I've only really gotten around to getting back on here properly in the last few days, and I went to post this as I've been sitting on this chapter trying to round it off but it ended up as a kind of filler chapter, but hopefully you can forgive me. I cannot apologize enough. Sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry :).

Anyway, I hope you like this and I will get updating on Chapter Five very soon. Please read and then review if you please.

- D x

Lexie shuffled around slightly, the light from one of the delicate arched windows slowly creeping through, she remembered getting back from Hogsmeade late, reaching the common room and deciding to just rest on the chair for a moment or two. It had only seemed like a moment or two, she stretched out and then jumped. Instead of students being dotted around the room, either studying or using their free time less productively, they all appeared to be crowded around the notice board.
Shoving herself up, Lexie crossed the room and stood on tip toe attempting to read it over a seventh years shoulder before noticing Sian and wandering over.
"What's going on?"
"Umbridge, that's what." Sian nodded in the direction of the board. "Using her fancy new title to appoint what she calls an 'Educational Decree'," Sian made quote marks in the air then studied Lexie waiting for a reaction.
"Educational what now?"
"Oh yeah, all organisations, societies, teams, and so on are disbanded, permission to be re formed must be given by Old Toad features herself, Expelled if we don't follow it," Sian threw an arm in the air "I mean really who does she think she is?"
Lexie's thoughts immediately drifted to the previous day's meeting. She caught the eye of the other Ravenclaws who were present at the meeting, wondering if they too thought this coincidence was too odd. Next to her Sian was still talking unaware that Lexie had drifted off into her own thoughts.
"I suppose that's the Quidditch teams right? I didn't think it would bother her but maybe she has some sort of agenda, maybe she thinks teams and clubs aren't needed for…."
"Somehow I don't think it's Quidditch she's concerned about," Lexie grimaced and Sian shot her a curious look, which went unnoticed. Lexie was busy eyeballing the other Ravenclaws present at the meeting, surely one of them hadn't told….She hovered over the thought then shook it from her head. It's probably just Umbridge seeking out more control.

Umbridge and her desire for control were not limited to societies and school teams, Lexie later found out in Potions. In the corner of the classroom, sat Professor Umbridge herself, perched on a stool, clipboard to hand, smiling sweetly as the Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs filed in and found their seats.
"It may have occurred to you," Professor Snape started with a sneer "that Professor Umbridge will be a guest in my classes today," He paused. "This is not a signal to change from our usual lesson, continue please with your…" he waved his wand at the board "solutions from last lesson,"
Lexie began determined not to mess up in front of Umbridge, her hand was still stinging from her previous meetings unfortunately it was near impossible to concentrate. It wasn't until she'd added an extra dose of powdered Griffin claw that she realised she'd slipped off into a world of her own. Her potion was now producing a hot purple steam.
Umbridge took this as an opportunity
"Hem-hem"
Snape swiftly turned around from his desk
"Yes," he spoke curtly
"It seems the class is studying content the Ministry has removed from the syllabus," she simpered, "and they also appear to be unable brew such potions,"
Lexie could have sworn Umbridge looked in her direction.
Professor Snape did not answer her, instead he spun around on his heel and began inspecting the potions.
"Ah, MacMillan, no marks and I think…five points from Hufflepuff," he turned on Ernie MacMillan before pacing over to Sian and Lexie and sneering down "Miss Fortian and Miss Turner… I am very disappointed," he emptied their cauldrons with a wave of his wand "Ten points from Ravenclaw," and he continued down to the front of the classroom, commenting cuttingly as he passed.
Lexie sat in silence until the end of the class when she jumped at the chance to talk to Sian about what had happened in the class.
"Can you believe Umbridge?" Lexie protested as the exited the class. "I mean really, we're perfectly capable of brewing a Strengthening Solution, I doubt anyone could concentrate with HER there, tutting every minute! I am not unable to brew a potion…I mean," They had barely left the classroom a minute when Sian's elbow in Lexie's side diverted her attention away from classroom inspections to the scene in front of her. The Slytherins and Gryffindor fifth years were outside of the classroom, and in the middle of it all. Harry and Ron were holding back Neville, whilst Draco and his two friends looked both confused and menacing. Before Lexie had a chance to speak, she heard the smooth voice of the Potions professor from the door of the classroom.
"Fighting, Potter, Weasley, Longbottom?" he sneered. "Ten points from Gryffindor. Release Longbottom, Potter, or it will be detention. Inside, all of you."
Lexie turned to Sian "What the hell was that all about," she muttered as the Gryffindor boys separated and exchanged words before heading into the classroom.
"Beats me," Sian shrugged "Why don't you ask Draco later,"
Lexie raised her eyebrows "Believe me, if it's anything major, I'll hear Draco talking about it soon enough,"

And as predicted, later that day, as left they left to head towards the Great Hall, Lexie noticed the familiar group crowded around a spot on the Slytherin table. "Did you see it! The three of them! Practically caused me a serious injury," Draco was exclaiming loudly to Pansy and his burly looking friends Crabbe and Goyle. "I don't know why they're still allowed to roam around the castle! Potter is now getting his friends to attack people,"
Pansy nodded enthusiastically, "Oh I know Draco darling! It was brutual,"

Lexie shuffled past, hoping not to be spotted as she made her way towards the Ravenclaw table. No such luck. Draco spotted her and waved her over. She made her way over and stood whilst Draco relived his tale of peril to her. Pansy gasping and sighing just as dramatically as she had the first time, he told her. Lexie merely nodded and pretended to look interested.

"Sounds like it was quite the…incident, Draco," she tried, when really she didn't have the faintest idea of what to say.
"Oh it was," Pansy interjected fiddling with Draco's hair. "It was," She shot Lexie a look, which made her step back. "Aren't you normally in Potions before us, didn't you see it,"
This caused Draco to look curiously at Lexie "That's a point, Alexandria, where you there?"
"Um, no, I um…I must have missed it, I left quickly, y'see," Lexie looked over her shoulder at Sian who was sitting at her house table "Sian's kind of waiting…so I'm going to the Ravenclaw table, I'm kinda hungry." Lexie burbled and left before Pansy could ask her any more uncomfortable questions. She walked away feeling a relief at escaping the uneasy situation.

Sian suddenly paused mid walk and turned to Lexie. "I've only gone and left my bloody Transfiguration book in the Great Hall, you go on… I'll catch
you up in the common room,"
Sighing deeply, Lexie shook her head and laughed. "Alright I'll catch up with you, I think I need to leave these back to the library, before I do," she gestured with the books she was holding.
Sian nodded. "I'll meet you in Ravenclaw Tower,"
The girls split and headed in separate directions, Lexie was emerged in her own thoughts until she noticed a familiar face up ahead and jogged up to them

Hello, Neville," Lexie smiled, as she neared. "Are you headed…" she pointed in the direction she was going and Neville nodded. The pair set into a walk "Are you looking forward to these meetings, only we've still to find a place big enough for all of us," Lexie asked. "I can't wait to get started," She flicked a wave over her shoulder. "I can't believe Umbridge," Lexie shook her head "Still with this theory only and classroom inspections,"

"I am, only, I'm not really that smart like the others, so I think I'll be useless," Neville admitted and diverted his gaze from Lexie to the floor.
"You are smart," Lexie remarked. "You're brilliant at Herbology, I mean if you hadn't helped me out there, I'd still be in the library looking for books on shrubs," she smiled at him. "Plus with practice you'll be brilliant,"

Neville shrugged "I don't know…"
"I promise you will be," she reassured. "A few meetings and you'll soon see all you needed was practice, I'll work with you if you want, Defence Against the Dark Arts is one of my stronger subjects,"
"Yeah, thank you," He beamed at her, grateful for her reassurance. "Lexie," he started "Are you going home for the holidays," Lexie had forgotten the winter holidays were fast approaching and remembered her father's note.
A look of uncertainty crossed her face "Yeah, I mean, I don't normally, but my father wants me home this time, no idea why, they'll just take off to someone elses and leave me and my brother alone with the elves," she stopped herself, suddenly aware she was probably going too indepth.
"You have house elves?" Neville asked her surprised.
"Two, they're my grandmothers, now my fathers, if they hadn't overheard half of his conversations he says he'd let them go," she shrugged. "Are you going home for Christmas?"
"I don't think so, think my gran would think it best I stayed here and read over some books, I think she wishes I was more like my dad,"

"So you live with you grandmother? Don't your parents live wi-,"
Nevile looked panicked then before Lexie finished "So do you have any ideas for where these meetings will take place?"

Lexie was confused but decided to take up the change of conversation "I really have no idea, if we got one of the teachers on board, we could use a classroom but they might not exactly be on board," she laughed.
"I suggested the Shrieking Shack but it's far too small," Neville said
"I think we just have to wait, someone is bound to find somewhere soon, and the sooner the better," Lexie spoke with determination. "You know, I'm quite looking forward to this."
Neville looked at her "Me too,"

She had by this point reached the stairs she'd need to taketo the library "Well this is me, I'll see you soon, Neville," she spoke then paused.
"Goodnight Lexie," Neville nodded then turned to head in the direction of Gryffindor Tower.
Lexie paused for a minute then just blurted out
"Do you want to come to Hogsmeade? Next weekend? Only I'm completely out of Cauldron Cakes and Sian won't go, we could go there, hang out afterwards?" she trailed off and looked hopefully at Neville who looked at her as if he was expecting some sort of joke at the end, when he saw Lexie was smiling, he nodded shyly.
"I'd like that,"
Lexie beamed "Great! Goodnight,"

"Goodnight, Lexie," he smiled back at her.

After leaving her books back, she headed back to Ravenclaw Tower and found Sian still up in bed, head in a pile of books.
"What took you so long!" she remarked to Lexie, who had quickly pulled on her pyjamas and lay down on her bed
"Ran into a friend, going to Hogsmeade next weekend,"
"A friend,eh?" Sian teased.
Lexie gave her friend a withering look "Yes, Neville, he's my friend, you know, two people who hang out or talk, kind of like we are now,"
"You like him, don't you," Sian put down her book and Lexie raised her eyebrow "Is it a date Alexandria Fortian?"
"Really Sian, he's my friend," Lexie lay down and shut her eyes hoping this would end the conversation.
Sian looked disbelieving "Oh, whatever, you totally like him," she cocked her eyebrow "I can tell," before she got back to reading Hogwarts, A History.
Lexie sighed and rolled her eyes. Sian was way off...or was she? Even Lexie wasn't sure anymore.