Chapter Twenty Two
Harry didn't fancy another butter beer, so opted for a pint of hot chocolate with whipped cream and marshmallows as he settled into a chair at the Three Broomsticks.
"Are you worried you're going to lose it?" Pansy asked.
Hermione frowned at her in confusion, "What?"
"The bit of parchment with all the names on." Pansy clarified.
"I'm not likely to leave something like that just lying around." Hermione said, rather defensively.
"Then why were you so worried about everyone signing it?" Draco asked.
Harry knew he had missed something and leaned in a little, Hermione was picking at the label on her bottle and avoiding their eyes.
"Hermione?" Harry asked.
Hermione sighed and looked up, tucking her escaping hair behind her ear, "I might of, put a sort of… jinx on the parchment." she said, very quietly.
Harry blinked, "What?"
Hermione looked around the group, her friends looking at her with a mixture of confusion and horror, "I needed to make sure that no one would betray us, and that if they did… we would know who it was."
"Hermione… what's going to happen to someone who told on us?" Pansy demanded to know.
"They will get 'sneak' written in spots, on their face." Hermione said, she was starting to believe that she'd made a mistake, it sounded terrible when she said it out loud.
"Hermione!" Neville gasped.
Draco leaned in closer, glaring at Hermione, "Hermione, that isn't a 'jinx', that's a curse and from the look on your face you know that!"
"We need to know if someone betrayed us!" Hermione pointed out.
Harry shook his head, "Honestly, that's besides the point."
"No, she's right." Daphne said, "We do need to know. But it was wrong of you to get people to sign it without letting them know what they were signing up for."
Hermione nodded, "We can tell them then, at the first meeting."
"Are there any loop holes?" Pansy asked, "I mean what if they're forced to say something?"
Hermione shrugged, "I didn't think of that, but I can rework the spell so that we can remove the effects, even now that everyone has signed it."
Harry sighed and leaned back; this was an added stress that he'd not been expecting. The last person he would of thought capable of cursing someone was Hermione, she'd put that curse on them as well.
"You don't do anything like this again." Harry said, the fierceness in his voice made Hermione move back a little.
"Harry, I'm sorry. I didn't think." Hermione said, trying not to cry at the way he was looking at her.
"That's clear. You put that spell on us as well!" Harry snapped.
"Harry!" Daphne hissed, "Keep your voice down!"
"What if they'd threatened Danica? Or Astoria to get us to tell? You're really happy with us being maimed for a stupid group?" Harry snapped, his voice barely any lower.
People at the tables around them were starting to look around at the noise.
"Harry, that's enough." Draco said, "There is no reason to go off like that."
Harry took several deep breaths, "Sorry. I don't know why I exploded like that." he knew it sounded like a pathetic excuse but didn't know what else to say.
Hermione forced a smile, "It's OK, I know you're stressed right now."
Harry nodded. It felt like more than just stress; he felt like he was angry for the whole world at the moment, or maybe it was that he was angry at the whole world. Either way it was always there, his rage bubbling just below the surface.
His anger at Hermione shocked him, even more so when he realised that part of his anger was of that of a master to a servant that had done something wrong. It was anger that the fact she'd dared to act without first asking for his permission.
Harry took several deep breaths and tried not to panic. He had to get control of his anger.
Harry managed to relax for the rest of the weekend. It was still warm enough during the day for him and his friends to spend the day studying out by the lake.
Monday morning arrived and Harry felt the air cool, he never seemed to get used to how quickly winter could come, being so high up and hidden in the hills.
He dressed and wandered down to breakfast with Draco, Pansy and Daphne. It wasn't long before he felt his bracelet warm on his skin. Neville had just popped his head through the door. Harry wrapped up his slices of toast and left the Great Hall.
"What's up?" he mumbled, trying not to spray Neville with crumbs.
Neville looked grim and led them through to the entrance hall.
"We spotted this on the Gryffindor board this morning, we were hoping it was a joke but it's out here as well." Hermione said, her arms crossed protectively over her chest.
Harry swallowed, with some difficultly, as he read over the official looking note with neat seal attached to the bottom.
BY ORDER OF THE HIGH INQUISITOR OF HOGWARTS
All student organisations, societies, teams, groups and clubs are henceforth disbanded.
Organisations, societies, teams, groups or clubs is hereby defined as a regular meeting of three or more students.
Permission to re-form may be sought from the High Inquisitor (Professor Umbridge).
No student organisation, society, team, group or club may exist without the knowledge and approval of the High Inquisitor.
Any student found to have formed, or to belong to, an organisation, society, team, group or club that has not been approved by the High Inquisitor will be expelled.
The above is in accordance with Educational Decree Number Twenty Four.
Signed:
Dolores Jane Umbridge
High Inquisitor
Harry read over it again, just to make sure he wasn't have some sort of fit and imagining things.
"Do you think we'll have to stop chess club?" a young Hufflepuff asked, standing on tip toes to read the declaration.
Harry shook his head, "I think chess club is safe."
Harry gestured for them to move into a quiet corner, "This can't be a coincidence. She has to of found out somehow."
Hermione shrugged, "Well no one has told her that signed the parchment, someone else in the pub maybe?"
Harry sighed, they couldn't tell Umbridge about him teaching DADA, she'd never consent to it.
"We can just back out," Harry suggested, "if you think it's not worth the risk."
"I'm in." Draco said quickly, "We can keep it hidden from the old bat."
Harry grinned, "We're going to need a better way of letting people know when we're meeting, no offence to your bracelets, they've been brilliant but we need something with a time, and hopefully a date."
Hermione smiled, "Worry not, I've been working on that."
Harry grinned again, "Thanks."
"For what?" Daphne asked, as the bell rang, summoning them all to class.
"Just being my friends." Harry shrugged, "You've never left me feeling alone."
"Harry, you will never stand alone." Pansy promised, "Now come on, Professor McGonagall will kill us if we're late."
Harry nodded, the last thing he needed was a detention with McGonagall, although at least she was more likely to turn him into a ferret than force him to carve into his own skin.
He took his seat next to Draco and focused on turning his snails into little jewellery boxes. Harry was fairly pleased with his progress, even though his box seemed to be leaving a slim trail still.
"Harry look!" Daphne said worriedly, from the desk in front of him.
Harry looked at her, following her arm to where she was pointing to the window. Harry jumped from his seat, flinging open the window and cradling a shaken Hedwig in his arms.
"Mr Potter, is that not your owl?" Professor McGonagall asked, walking over, "Continue with your work class, this isn't a side show."
Harry nodded, "She's been injured." he said, noticing the blood on her wing.
He could feel his heart racing, they had just been at breakfast and Hedwig had a letter tied to her leg. She must have been attacked on her way, but who would attack an owl?
"You should take her to Professor Grubbly-Plank." Professor McGonagall said, she wrote out a note excusing him from class, "Take this, she should be in the staff room. If not then she will be in her quarters, they're in the north wing."
Harry smiled, "Thank you, Professor."
Professor McGonagall looked at him kindly, "Run along now Potter, it's clear you care for your owl very dearly."
Harry nodded and left the room. Thankfully the corridors were fairly empty as nearly all the students were in class. Harry found the staff room and hammered on the door.
"Quietly boy!" one of the gargoyles that flanked the staff room door, "you should be in class anyway boy!"
"It's urgent!" Harry snapped, holding Hedwig close as she snuggled into his arms, cooing quietly.
The staff room door was opened by a rather annoyed Professor Vector, "What is it?"
"It's urgent." The second gargoyle mocked.
"I need to see Professor Grubbly-Plank… please." Harry said, "I have a note from Professor McGonagall."
Professor Vector took the note and looked it over, "Wilhelmina, there's someone here to see you."
Professor Grubbly-Plank looked up from her copy of the Daily Prophet and took the pipe out from between her teeth.
"Mr Potter, what's the matter?" she asked, walking over.
"It's my owl Professor, she's been injured." Harry said, reluctantly letting go of Hedwig.
"Looks like she's been attacked." Professor Grubbly-Plank mused, "Thestrals will sometimes go for birds, but Hagrid's got the ones here well trained, they'd never go after an owl."
Harry didn't really care what had attacked Hedwig, he just wanted to make sure she was going to be all right. There was a horrid sinking feeling in his stomach that he knew who'd attacked Hedwig anyway, and as Professor Grubbly-Plank had said, it wasn't a Thestral.
"How far has this owl travelled, Potter?" Professor Grubbly-Plank asked.
"Umm, London I think. That's where Mum lives." Harry said.
Professor Grubbly-Plank nodded, "Well it think she'll be all right. She's not going to be flying long distances for a few days but I can get her fixed up."
Harry breathed a sigh of relief, "Thank you, thank you so much."
Professor Grubbly-Plank smiled, "No worries Potter, I'll get her back to you as soon as I can, should be by the end of the day. What did you say her name was?"
"Hedwig." Harry said, "She likes chicken flavoured treats the best and doesn't like fish, apart from tuna sometimes."
"No worries, Potter. I'll look after her." Professor Grubbly-Plank said, walking back into the staff room with Hedwig.
"One moment." Professor Vector said, she took the letter from Hedwig, "Seems you have a letter Mr Potter."
"Oh yeah." Harry said, he'd completely forgotten about the letter.
Professor Vector handed him the envelope and he took it, forcing his hand not to tremble at the sight of the specks of blood on the paper.
He thanked Professor Grubbly-Plank again and headed back to Transfiguration.
"Will your owl be all right Mr Potter?" Professor McGonagall asked, as Harry took his seat.
Harry nodded, "Yes. Thank you for allowing me out of class."
Professor McGonagall nodded, "Everyone may pack up now. Harry a few words after class, just to catch you up please."
Harry was surprised at being told to pack up with a whole two and a half minutes left of class, it was most unlike Professor McGonagall to let them even think about packing away until the bell rang.
Harry waited back until everyone but Draco, Pansy and Daphne had left. Professor McGonagall gestured for him to move over to the desk.
"These words I am about to tell you, will not leave this room. Am I understood?" Professor McGonagall asked.
Harry nodded, as did his friends.
"You three may also stay." Professor McGonagall conceded, "Firstly, I think you have worked out that your owl may not have been in a simple accident."
Harry nodded, but didn't say anything, he didn't completely trust McGonagall, even if she was a member of the Order of the Phoenix.
"I would warn you that all communication in, and out, of Hogwarts is being watched and to take the greatest of care. Do not put anything on paper you wouldn't want certain Hogwarts staff to read." Professor McGonagall said, not taking her eyes off her marking.
"Thank you Professor, we will bare that in mind." Harry said.
Professor McGonagall nodded, "Good. The next is, I have been tasked to give you this." She handed over a small, folded note in Severus's distinctive spidery hand writing.
"Thank you Professor." Harry said, taking the paper.
"I expect an improvement next lesson, Mr Potter." Professor McGonagall said, more loudly, "Traditionally jewellery boxes do not, in fact, produce slime."
Harry nodded and left the room quickly.
"Could you imagine the annoyance of jewellery boxes making slime!" Pansy said, wrinkling her nose.
"My platinum earrings wouldn't stand for it!" Daphne smirked.
Harry rolled his eyes and smiled at them. Thankfully it had been a double period of Transfiguration, giving them enough time during their break to wonder outside, next to the lake so Harry could read the notes without fear of being spied on.
"Anything interesting?" Draco asked, checking his watch.
Harry shook his head, "Not really. Dad was saying that Quidditch is also being included in the banning of clubs, apparently Bletchley was having a hard time trying to get the Slytherin teams permission, Umbridge has said she'll think about it. The letter Hedwig was carrying was just a picture from Danica, but I'm sure it was Umbridge who attacked her."
"Be careful who you say that to." Daphne warned.
Harry nodded, "Yes. Come on, we'd better head back to class."
Harry trudged up the grass back towards the castle and History of Magic.