Chapter 22 Fifth Year: Rampage
Harry peered between the twin's shoulders at Trelawney. The shawl draped woman was sobbing into her hands while Flitch tossed her suitcases behind her. A chill went down Harry's spine and his lips twisted into a look of disgust mirrored by most of the school as Umbridge toddled down the stairs. "P...pl...please...you can't...you can't do this...I've always...Hogwarts is my home." Trelawney wailed.
If anything Umbridge's smile widened. Harry's fingers curled around his wand, itching to jinx her from across the courtyard. Something had to be done about Umbridge. He didn't even like Trelawney all that much, but seeing Umbridge treat her like this, in front of the entire school was horrific. Umbridge was rapidly approaching Voldemort as Harry's least favourite person.
"I am sorry dear, but according to Ministry regulations your teaching is not...ahem, up to scratch and given my position as High Inquisitor it is well within my power to dismiss inadequate teachers." Far from looking sorry Umbridge looked like the cat that had got the cream.
Trelawney gave another heavy round of sobs into her cupped hands as McGonagall pushed her way through the crowd of students and enfolded the distraught professor in her arms.
Harry didn't think he had ever seen McGonagall look so angry and he had been on the receiving end of her temper several times.
"Is there a problem Minerva?" Umbridge tittered sweetly, her smile only widening. Harry could almost see what she was thinking and judging from the whispers around him he wasn't the only one. Umbridge wanted McGonagall to tackle her, she wanted a reason to throw Dumbledore's most loyal teacher out of the castle.
"Oh there are many problems Delores, but I have no desire to give you further ammunition." McGonagall spat. Harry let go of his held breath.
"I am simply doing what my job entails. I have the authority to dismiss unsuitable professors..." Umbridge didn't get a chance to finish as a booming voice cut her off.
"You do not however have the ability to evict them from the grounds. That ability remains the Headmaster's alone." Dumbledore swept through the crowd which huddled back away from him quickly. Several students high-fived behind Umbridge and smiles spread across the school. Harry's heart lifted, it was about time Dumbledore stood up to Umbridge.
Umbridge's sneer was almost lethal as Dumbledore looked over his glasses at his two distressed teachers. "Minerva will you please take Sybill back to her rooms and make her some tea." He said gently, setting a comforting hand on Trelawney's shoulder. The Divination professor almost burst into tears again as she thanked him profusely.
McGonagall gently led her back into the castle, sending a last scathing look at Umbridge as she passed. Umbridge had a look on her face that made Harry's blood run cold. She looked pleased, as though somehow this was all allowing her plans to fall into place. Harry looked desperately at Dumbledore. The Headmaster didn't look concerned, but Harry knew that Dumbledore had an excellent poker face and if he was worried there was no way that he was going to show it in front of Umbridge and the entire school.
"Headmaster, if you will remember. The Ministry is responsible for filling any ahem vacant teaching positions." Umbridge smiled a little wider.
Dumbledore smiled genially back at her. "The Ministry may chose a new professor if I am unable to locate a suitable replacement. I have done so; I think you will find that he is more than capable of the task." The Headmaster turned in a swirl of heavy plum robes towards the courtyard gate.
Harry's head swung to look towards the open gate. Merlin ducked aside to stand next to Hagrid, a smug smile barely repressed. The newcomer who strode in behind the sorcerer caused whispers to make their way around the courtyard.
Harry wasn't sure if he should smile or start worrying. Firenze, the centaur who had saved him in the forest in his first year, walked sedately into the courtyard. He towered over the diminutive Umbridge, but none-the-less he inclined his head politely. Umbridge's lip twisted into an undisguised sneer. "This is your replacement?" She spat.
Dumbledore smiled comfortably and raised his voice, now obviously addressing the entire gathered school. "May I introduce your new Professor of Divination, Firenze." A polite and slightly nervous smattering of applause echoed unenthusiastically around the courtyard. Firenze seemed unconcerned with the less than warm welcome. Instead he followed Dumbledore calmly as the Headmaster turned and climbed the steps to enter the school.
As soon as they had vanished inside, voices filled the courtyard. Most people seemed to have forgotten that Umbridge was still standing there, her eyes fixed on the point where Dumbledore's back had disappeared, but Harry was watching her. Beside him he could feel Hermione and Ron watching her as well. Slowly a wide, sick smile split Umbridge's face and she too hurried off through the crowd of students.
"I have a bad feeling about this." Hermione sighed. "I think Dumbledore has managed to really make Umbridge angry this time."
"No kidding, I thought you said Umbridge hated half-breeds." Ron asked as the three of them began the walk to Transfiguration.
"She does, hiring a centaur...I think he may have hammered the last nail in his coffin." Hermione sighed again. Harry looked at his friend and couldn't help but smile a little. He knew that look, and judging from the look on Ron's face the red head did as well, Hermione was trying to think of a way to help Dumbledore.
"Psst."
"We will have to be careful about the DA now, Umbridge is going to be on a war path." Hermione told Harry and Ron firmly.
"Psst."
"Right, cause we haven't been being careful so far." Ron muttered back.
"Oi you three." Harry spun towards an irate Merlin. Their lanky friend stopped suddenly and backed off a step.
"Sorry Emrys, I didn't hear you." Harry said, throwing a cautious glance around.
Merlin rolled his eyes. "Good to know that some things haven't changed." He muttered.
Harry and Ron exchanged a confused look, while Hermione merely looked interested. "What?"
Merlin shook his head. "Never mind, what I wanted to tell you is that Dumbledore wants to see all three of you in his office after lights out tonight. The password is Liquorice wand."
"What does he want to talk about?" Harry asked desperately.
Merlin shook his head. "I can't tell you here, but I promise everything will get explained tonight." He yelled the last over his shoulder as Merlin jogged off to join Hagrid. The half-giant noticed them watching and gave them a smile and waved. The three students waved back automatically wondering what they were in for tonight.
Harry and Ron snuck quietly down the dorm stairs to find Hermione pacing in front of the fire. "Where have the two of you been? What took you so long?" She demanded.
"Calm down Hermione, Neville just took ages to go to sleep." Ron muttered. "Are we all ready?" He asked.
Harry pulled his Invisibility Cloak out of his pocket and handed over the Marauder's map to Hermione who quickly opened it and tapped her wand against the aging parchment. "I solemnly swear I am up to no good." After a long and slightly anxious moment Hermione nodded. "Alright there isn't anyone in the corridors around the Gryffindor tower, but Harry please keep the Cloak out and ready just in case."
Harry nodded and bundled the silvery material in his arms. His heart was thumping against his rib cage. Nervous excitement, he told himself as they set off, shutting the portrait as quietly as possible to avoid waking the Fat Lady.
With Hermione guiding them towards Dumbledore's office with the map they didn't encounter anything except a few portraits who muttered about the light from their wands. Harry was, as always, grateful that the Hogwarts portraits seemed to be more on the side of students out of bed than the teachers trying to keep them in. In all his years at Hogwarts Harry had yet to be turned in by one of the various pictures.
Despite the lack of teachers Harry felt the tension melt out of his shoulders as soon as the griffon statue jumped back into place behind them, sheltering them in the safety of Dumbledore office. Harry stowed the Marauder's map back in his pocket along with the invisibility cloak before they reached the top of the stairs. The door was open so the three of them walked into Dumbledore's office without knocking.
The Headmaster was sitting behind his desk slowly flicking through a large leather bound book. He glanced up as Ron closed the door behind them. "Ah, welcome please sit. I'm afraid we are still waiting on Merlin. Would you like some tea?" Dumbledore picked his wand up from where it lay next to his quill. "Thank you Professor." Hermione said politely accepting the tea cup which floated obligingly over to her. "Sir, what exactly is this about?"
"In a minute Miss Granger, I would prefer not to repeat myself."
"What's taking him so long?" Ron asked, taking a noisy sip of tea. Harry shrugged. He wasn't particularly worried about Merlin, after all he was powerful and technically he was a teacher so he didn't have to be in bed at a certain time.
"Umbridge." Merlin chirped as he threw the door open. He looked very pleased with himself and strode happily into Dumbledore's office before flopping happily onto the last available armchair.
"Was there a problem?" Dumbledore asked politely, his blue eyes twinkling.
Merlin beamed. "Have you ever seen someone vomit toads, it was funny the first time and hilarious the second." Merlin stretched out his legs and slumped into his chair. "I should have done that to her ages ago."
"You made Umbridge vomit toads?" Ron asked in disbelief.
"Sure, she won't be bothering us for a while. Apparently it makes you feel pretty rotten for a day or so." If Merlin smiled any wider the top of his head would fall off, but as Harry allowed his mind to catch up with the ridiculousness of the statement a smile started on his own face. He could imagine Umbridge vomiting toads and it was certainly a happy image. Merlin glanced at Harry. "So how have your mind reading lessons been going?"
Harry grimaced Snape hadn't gotten any nicer the more lessons he took. "Alright I guess. Apparently I'm getting better, but it's hard to tell when..." Harry cut himself off when Dumbledore gave him one of his patented x-ray stares. "Sorry Professor. What was it you wanted to talk to us about?" Harry threw in hurriedly, trying to get the attention off of himself.
Dumbledore leant back in his chair with a faint smile. "Indeed. It is my belief that Umbridge will make her move to remove me in the next few weeks."
"She can't." Hermione insisted.
Dumbledore tilted his head to look at her over his glasses. "I'm sorry Miss Granger, but she can and she will. Now I have no intention of being taken by the Ministry, however I will not be able to assist you once I am gone." Harry hoped he wasn't imagining that Dumbledore's eyes lingered just a little longer on him before the Headmaster continued. "However as you are aware there are several members of the Order of the Phoenix here at the school and while I urge you to go to them with your problems..."
"Come to me first." Merlin cut in. His blue eyes were serious and he rubbed his fingers through his hair. "The other teachers...they need to stay here, to help the other students and because their livelihoods depend on it. Mine doesn't and I'm here to help you three pretty much exclusively."
"Alright." Harry said carefully, "But sir where will you go?"
Dumbledore sighed and shook his head. "I'm not going to tell you Harry." The Headmaster cut them all off before any of them could do more than splutter in confusion.
"If I tell you and Umbridge uses, shall we say less savoury methods of questioning, then you cannot tell her what you don't know. I trust you three, but I do not trust Delores Umbridge."
"If she thinks they know, it doesn't matter how much they protest." Merlin pointed out.
"Yeah." Ron spoke up for the first time. The red head didn't look particularly comfortable in Dumbledore's office. Harry remembered that the last time his friend had been in here had been at the end of second year after the Basilisk. "Professor, sir, isn't there something we can do to stop her?"
"There are many things we could do Mr Weasley. However until Voldemort makes himself known to the general public we will all continue to be branded liars. So until then we must fight a more silent war." Dumbledore said. "Now it would be best if you got back to bed before someone notices you are missing."
Harry rose along with Merlin and his two friends. He wondered what the ancient sorcerer thought of all this. He had to ask. "Merlin, isn't there something you can do?"
Merlin looked between Harry and Dumbledore. "Sure, there are lots of things I could do, but I don't think any of them are going to help much." He scuffed his toe against the ground. "Dumbledore is right Harry, until Voldemort shows up and people start to believe in what you are telling them anyone who speaks out against the government is just going to have their name sullied." He shrugged and looked Harry in the eye with a look of hurtful anger. "Fudge isn't the first person to have their mind so heavily clouded with fear and guilt that they turn on their own people and I'm sure he won't be the last." The sharp emotions were shut down and Merlin's eye regained their usual optimistic sparkle. "Come on, I'll walk you back to your dorms. Goodnight Professor." Merlin called over his shoulder.
Harry spared a glance back before the heavy door closed between them. Dumbledore looked thoughtful and, Harry hoped he was imagining this, a little worried.
My dear devoted readers I can only apologise for just how long it has taken me to get this chapter out to you. I have some mixed news. I've got a job, however that job is on the other side of the country which means a big move. Unfortunately I now have no idea how I'm going to get access to the internet to update this story.
So I suppose what I'm saying is this story is going on a temporary hiatus, just until I get myself settled and work out the internet situation. I'll still be writing so what will probably happen is I'll scab some wifi off somewhere and update several chapters at once at uneven intervals.
This story will be finished, I've invested far too much into it to stop now.