A/N: Ok so I know it's two days late, but it's a pretty long chapter as I've started to join short ones together. Do you prefer that than lots of shorter ones? Enjoy, review, keep reading etc. Z-Nugget xx
Over the next few weeks Mia noticed several things happening. The first, and probably most obvious was Umbridge being present in most of her lessons, quizzing the teachers on everything from why they didn't get the job they originally applied for to giving a prediction about the future. The second thing the Slytherin noticed was all of the sudden new rules, ranging from no kissing in the corridor (not that that really applied to her) to the banning of all 'Weasley Wizard Wheezes' which were all nailed into the wall just outside the great hall. And the third was that after every defence against the dark arts lesson Umbridge felt duty bound to give her a detention in which 'I must not be bad' was cut into her hand so many times it would permanently leave a scar. She vaguely wondered if Harry was having the same treatment.
So it was no real shocker to find a crowd gathered outside the courtyard, professor Trelawney and Umbridge standing within the circle of students. Trelawney had what looked like to be all of her possessions packed into five trunks in front of her and was begging to stay,
"Please. Please. Hogwarts is my home. You- you can't do this" She whispered numbly, clutching her flowery scarf in her hands.
"Actually, I can" replied Umbridge, holding up a folded piece of paper. From where Mia was stood, which was behind several tall fourth years so really wasn't much (the downsides of being short) she could just make out the ministry seal on the side. At that point, whilst she was on tiptoes, professors McGonagall appeared, pushing her way through the crowd and over to Trelawney. "Something you'd like to say dear?" Umbridge almost challenged, still smiling.
"Oh there are several things I would like to say," She began, but was cut off by the castle doors banging open as the head master walked out. Umbridge, wearing the pink coat once more, didn't look remotely phased.
"Professor McGonagall, might I ask you to escort Sybil back inside." McGonagall nodded, gently taking her by the arm and leading her back towards the doorway. Trelawney gratefully grabbed Dumbledore's hand as she passed, thanking him before disappearing inside.
"Dumbledore," Umbridge started rudely in her high, uptight voice. "Might I remind you, that under the terms of the education decree number twenty three, as I am appointed by the minister-"
"You have the right to dismiss my teachers. You do not however, have the authority to banish them from the grounds. That power remains with the headmaster." Umbridge didn't say anything at first, and it was almost as though you could see the clogs turning within her messed up pink head. Then she glanced around and tilted her nose high in the air.
"For now" And with that she trotted off quickly into the castle. Dumbledore wasn't far behind, disappearing before anyone could say anything about what had just happened. Mia stood still for several minutes, watching as everyone started to disperse back into the building. She had a free hour until her defence against the dark arts lesson, and vaguely wondered if she'd still be given detention if she didn't bother to turn up. Or maybe Umbridge would just forget about her. That wasn't very likely though was it. Subconsciously she ran a finger across the slightly raised, bumpy cut on her hand. She'd started to write smaller and lighter in the detentions in an attempt to minimise the scar, but it really hadn't worked. Glancing up, green eyes catching icy blue, the Slytherin quickly dropped her hand. Not that it really made any difference as the blonde turned instantly and stalked off, seemingly oblivious to anyone but himself.
ZNZNZN
"They're not going to want me there." Mia stood, arms crossed over her chest, wearing a stubborn look as the twins tried to drag her out of the castle.
"Of course they are. You're great at defensive spells. No one could touch you!" She glared at George.
"That is exactly why this is a bad idea. I'll put people off if they know i'll be using magic. They'll be too scared to show up" She muttered, digging her heels into the snow which had covered the ground within the last few days. It wasn't thick yet, and only really went up to the bottom of their shoes but it was bound to get higher.
"Or more people might come to see what actually happens!" she glared at George again.
"Come with us now, and decide afterwards" Fred suggested finally, looking at the Slytherin square in the face, his hand dropping from her arm. Reluctantly Mia nodded, sighing loudly for exaggeration and shoving her cold hands deep into her black coat pockets. As they walked part of her wished she'd worn one of the hand-knitted jumpers off Mrs Weasley like the twins were, the fabric of her coat not really doing much against the wind. Though it did look better than the twins did... yellow, green and orange really wasn't a good mix in one top.
"Why did they pick such a secluded place" The brunette complained not liking to have to clambered through now thick piles of snow that hadn't been cleared away. "Couldn't we just have used the Hogs Head or the Three Broomsticks considering it's only a meeting? I mean, it's not like anyone's going to be doing any actual spells today." Fred shrugged, offering his hand back to help Mia over a section of snow which reached just under her knees. "At least there's no way Umbridge will over hear us here. I can't see her walking through this."
Once they'd found the little pub and sat down, most people had already arrived. Mia recognised a few, over eighty percent were fifth years, though she realised she was the only Slytherin.
"Uhm, Hi" Hermione said, standing up. The trio were all sat at the front facing towards the crowd who filled the small space. "So, you all know why we're here. We need a teacher." She paused, correcting herself "A proper teacher. One who's had real experience defending against the dark arts."
"Why?" Someone in the group asked, who Mia couldn't place except that they were maybe in Hufflepuff.
"Why?!" Ron asked back sounding incredulous, "Because you-know-who's back you toss-pot" Mia smirked and received a light shove from Fred who had also grinned.
"Hypocrite" She whispered. He didn't respond.
"The point is, where's the proof?" The same boy in the crowd asked again. "If Potter could tell us more about how Cedric Diggory died..." Harry stood up,
"I'm not going to talk about Cedric, so if that's why you're here, you might as well clear out now." He turned to mutter something to Hermione, though Mia was only able to pick up 'They think I'm some kind of freak' and 'leave.'
"Is it true you can produce the patronus charm?" A voice asked near the back. Everyone turned to the white haired Ravenclaw who Mia was almost certain was called Luna. Her last name had escaped her though.
"Yes." Hermione answered for Harry who was standing very still "I've seen it"
"And- and he killed a basilisk, with a sword in Dumbledore's office." Neville added in trying to be helpful. Mia swallowed as she remembered the event clearly, from thinking Ginny might be dead to the hug Draco had given her when he'd actually seemed like he'd cared. No. She scolded herself. Don't even start thinking about that.
"And in the third year he fought off a whole group of dementers single handed" Thank fully they were still listing Harry's achievements, so it gave her a distraction.
"And last year he really did fight off you-know-who-"
"Alright!" Harry half shouted, stopping Hermione. "Look, it all sounds great, but the truth is most of that was just luck. I didn't know what I was doing half the time, I nearly always had help. Facing this stuff, in real life is not like school. In school, if you make a mistake, you just try again tomorrow. But out there, when you're a second away from being murdered or watching a friend die right before your eyes. You don't know what that's like." Harry took a big breath in after his speech and sat back down, all the previous excitement now drained from the room.
"You're right Harry, we don't. That's why we need your help." Hermione smiled down at him, then addressed the rest of the room, "Because if we're going to have any chance of beating You-Know-Who, we need you" And just like that, everyone was convinced to sign up.
"Right" Harry said as the group walked back to the castle. Most had chosen to stay in Hogsmede for a while, so it was only the trio, Neville, Ginny, the twins and Mia who were now walking along the bridge. The two girls were holding onto each other to stop skidding on the icy bridge, which was working fine until Ginny lost her footing and fell down backwards, dragging the Slytherin down with her. Mia let out a squeal as she bumped onto the wood before bursting out in laughter, grateful for Fred to suddenly be behind her, hands under her arms to haul her back upright. Ginny looked more embarrassed than anything that Harry had just seen her fall over and quickly scuttled to stand up.
"First we need to find a place where Umbridge won't find out." Potter carried on once everyone was walking again.
"The shrieking shack?" Ginny suggested directly to Harry. Mia blinked. That was the first time in history that she could remember Ginny actually saying something besides hello to him.
"Too small" He dismissed though, which caused the little red head to frown.
"The forbidden forest?" Hermione questioned, but was shut down by Ron,
"Not bloody likely."
"Harry, what about if Umbridge does find out?" Wow. Ginny seemed to be on a roll today. Not that Harry was the one who answered. It was Hermione,
"Who cares! I mean, it's kind of exciting isn't it, breaking the rules."
"Who are you and what have you done with Hermione Granger?" Ron asked, causing the group to laugh. Mia missed the end of the conversation as she turned to the twins.
"Is that why you always break the rules, because it's exciting?"
"Not exciting as such" George began, letting Fred finish.
"More, just incredibly fun to annoy teachers."
ZNZNZN
Mia stood two places behind Neville and Ron as everyone stared at the wooden target in front of them. Surprisingly it had been Longbottom who'd found a place to practice, 'The room of requirement' which appeared whenever someone was in need. The room itself was quite bare, and vaguely reminded her of the Slytherin common room. There were several stained glass windows that let in light, mirrors and wooden death eaters with targets on their chests to practice on. And the best part was it was almost impossible for Umbridge to find them!
"Maybe this isn't such a good idea" she whispered to the twins who were just behind her as Neville's wand barely went flying over their heads, several people having to duck to avoid getting hit in the eye.
"You'll do fine!" They encouraged, and she did. It took two attempts, but when it was the Slytherin's tern (and she was still the only Slytherin in there) to disarm the death eater, after one mishap of her own wand nearly flying from her hand, she then managed to perform a decent expelliarmous, a grin taking up residence on her face for several hours afterwards.
Lessons carried on this way for several months, doing little, meaningless work in Umbridge's Defence Against the Dark Arts lessons and then practicing actual spells in the D.A. Mia's birthday came and went with little celebration, not that she really minded. The twins got her separate presents this year, which was a little strange. George gave her more of the treats they'd been working on whilst Fred got her a scarf. It looked handmade, and quite possibly by Fred himself as by the end of it it had somehow doubled in size from the start. But it was the thought that counted.
She had to sit out for the one to one D.A lessons, all participants in agreement that it would be too dangerous. But she was still able to take part in group activities of levitating people, as long as she wasn't the one being levitated. In fact, the only difference in the next few months was when Umbridge had began to question everyone. It started with the first years, and slowly the second years, third years, fourth years and finally it was the fifth years turn. It was done in alphabetical order, and once one of the D.A members had been they'd instructed the rest not to say or do anything and you'd be fine. Mia was roughly in the middle, and did not enjoy the experience one bit. She was already far too familiar with the pink, cat filled office and subconsciously gripped her left hand when she sat down. But there was no quill on the desk today, only a cup and saucer recently filled to the brim with steaming tea.
"Do drink up dear, standing in that room must have made you parched." It was true. For some reason the Defence Against the Dark Arts room had been stiflingly hot, an odd occurrence considering it was winter, which just made her determined not to drink the tea.
"No thank you, I'm not thirsty." Umbridge's smile momentarily slipped into a frown.
"But I insist, just one little sip and you might find you're desperate for a drink." Now Mia was getting suspicious. Though there was no way she could say no. Instead she lifted the cup slowly to her lips, making sure to keep them firmly shut as she pretended to drink it before placing it back down. "There we go" Umbridge said, sitting down behind her desk, smiling again. "Now dear, are you involved in any out of school activities?" The brunette blinked. Was she expecting anyone to actually say yes to that question? Who would willingly out themselves and friends like that? But it seemed like she was certain people wouldn't be lying to her, and completely certain Mia wouldn't be lying now. Was that because she assumed she'd be too worried about getting another detention? Or had she spiked the tea. Given Umbridge's reputation, it could be either.
"No. That would be breaking the rules" She replied coolly, keeping her voice steady. How did Fred and George do this lying thing so easily?
"And would you know anything about anyone breaking the rules with clubs?"
"I must not be bad, and it would be bad to tell lies, isn't that right professor?" Umbridge looked rather smug at that reply, nodding in agreement.
"Yes, that's right Miss Lestrange. I'm glad to see your detentions are sinking in"