Chapter 34: Unanswered Questions
"Have you seen this?!" Daphne asked incredulously, waving a copy of the Daily Prophet as Madeline sat herself down for breakfast.
Madeline furrowed her eyebrows, "Maybe if you stopped waving it about, I could read it?"
Madeline took the paper out of Daphne's hands, reading the title aloud;
"MASS BREAKOUT FROM AZKABAN.
MINISTRY FEARS BLACK IS 'RALLYING POINT' FOR OLD DEATH EATERS
"The Ministry of Magic announced late last night that there has been a mass breakout from Azkaban-"
"You're joking," Tracy gasped as she took a seat next to the trio, "That's-"
"Terrifying," Daphne nodded slowly.
"Something like that, yeah."
Madeline stared at the picture on the cover. Ten Death Eaters had escaped from Azkaban, and she was willing to put money on the fact that it couldn't have been a coincidence. No, not at all. Harry and Dumbledore were right; something was happening.
She surveyed the room, trying to see if anyone else had read the paper. Everything seemed normal, but when her eyes cast over the Gryffindor table, she locked eyes with none other than Harry Potter.
In the second they locked eyes, Madeline knew everything she needed to know; he was back.
Those who came from wizarding families had grown up hearing the names of these Death Eaters spoken with almost as much fear as the Dark Lords; except, for Madeline's family, their crimes weren't necessarily condemned. Her grandmother had a rule; if you agree with something that many don't, keep it to yourself.
The crimes they had committed during the days of Voldemort's reign of terror were legendary. SO much so, that Claude Bisset had more than once sung her a lullaby or two about it when she was younger. But now that she was in Hogwarts… There were relatives of their victims among the students. She might've been a relative of those victims…
Caradoc Dearborn. A name lost to history, but never lost in her heart.
The news from Azkaban spread through the school within a day. Madeline began to overhear more and more hushed conversations; some between students, some between teachers. It seemed that Umbridge didn't take kindly to the news, because within a day, a new decree had been posted on the notice board outside the Great Hall.
BY ORDER OF THE HIGH INQUISITOR OF HOGWARTS
Teachers are hereby banned from giving students any information that is not strictly related to the subjects they are paid to teach.
The above is in accordance with Educational Decree Number Twenty-six.
Signed: Dolores Jane Umbridge, High Inquisitor
"This is getting ridiculous," Madeline mumbled as she looked at the board, "She'll take over the whole wall in no time."
"No kidding," Theo mumbled.
Madeline looked around. Everyone seemed to have similar reactions to the decree, but she noticed something even curiouser. Multiple Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs seemed to be examining the contents of their pockets. Or, more specifically, each was looking at a galleon closely.
Madeline slid her hand in her pocket, feeling for the coin. She pulled it out of her pocket, looking at the ridges curiously. And that's when she'd noticed it.
The numbers had changed.
It wasn't a serial number; it was a date.
Fred continued to be distant throughout January. Gone were the evenings in the Gryffindor tower, and were instead replaces with quick kisses on her cheek at breakfast and chaste hand squeezing between classes. He was off, and it wasn't just her noticing it; George would meet her gaze warily, while Lee would look at Fred in confusion.
She was sick of this. She was going in circles; one day her and Fred were fine, and the next he was distant and keeping secrets. She had to confront this head-on, but she didn't know how.
"I'm stuck," Madeline admitted one evening in the privacy of the Slytherin common room, "How do I tell him to be honest with me?"
"Maybe try talking to him?" Daphne snorted, "He's not going to know your feelings unless you tell him."
"The issue is that he's been avoiding me, and the only time I actually spend with him is surrounded by people or between classes," Madeline huffed in frustration, stirring her tea, "I just don't know what to do anymore."
"You don't sound happy, M," Daphne confessed, Theo nodding along with her, "Seriously; I know Fred makes you happy, but I haven't seen that in a long time."
And Madeline knew her friends were right. How couldn't they be, when they've been watching her mope around about this for weeks. She wouldn't be going to the upcoming Hogsmeade trip with him; Angelina had called in extra practices before their game against Hufflepuff, apparently.
She ignored the fact that the Hogsmeade trip was on valentines day.
She played with her necklace, a nervous habit she'd begun to pick up this year. Maybe she should just ask him what he was hiding… Yeah, that was the right thing to do. Ask him, see what he said, and go from there. She shouldn't have been thinking about this all so often, not with O.W.L levels coming up.
"Hogsmeade," Daphne clapped her hands together, "Unless Theo has suddenly picked up the courage to ask out that Ravenclaw girl he keeps staring at-"
"Oi!"
"Then I suggest we set off bright and early and get some shopping done," Daphne finished off. She turned to look around the room, eyes finally landing on a familiar head of dark hair, "Oi, Parkinson. Are you going to Hogsmeade this weekend?"
"Obviously, Greengrass," Pansy sighed, "What's that to you?"
"Just wanted to know who I should be avoiding."
"Gee, you're a charmer."
Madeline watched the two girls curiously. Since when had they been so friendly? She didn't think much of it, and instead turned to look at Draco, who was looking at Pansy with amusement. Draco was definitely growing up; his face was becoming more defined, and he definitely looked better in his button-down shirts than his Quidditch uniform-
Stop it. Stop it right now.
Madeline forced herself to turn back to her friends, a small blush creeping up her neck. She just missed Fred; that was all. It was fine.
But Merlin, she was right about the button-downs.
Hogsmeade came with a flurry of scarves and excitement. The weather was finally taking a turn back to sunny skies, but the frosty wind was still as present as ever. Daphne, Theo and Madeline made their way down the path from Hogwarts with a couple other Slytherins, including Pansy and Draco, the former hanging onto Draco's arm as if it were a lifeline.
"Potter and Chang!" Pansy spotted them almost immediately, smirking as she called to them, "Urgh, Chang, I don't think much of your taste… At least Diggory was good-looking!"
A couple of the Slytherin girls giggled alongside Pansy, while Madeline could only shoot Harry an apologetic smile. They hadn't talked much this school year, not since Cedric. Cho seemed nice enough from the few conversations they'd had; hopefully it turned into something more. Harry needed it, in her opinion.
The Slytherin Trio split off from the rest of their house as they wandered through Hogsmeade. Madeline stopped in front of a Ministry poster, with pictures of the escaped Death Eaters from Azkaban. She stared at each face one by one, wondering which one had tormented her father in his last days.
"A thousand galleon reward," Theo whistled as he read the smaller print, "For 'information leading to the recapture of any of the convicts pictured.'"
"It's not like the Ministry is looking for them anyway," Daphne huffed as the trio began walking away, "Remember a few years ago, when Sirius Black escaped? Hogwarts was crawling with Dementors, but suddenly ten people escape and there's not a single Demetor to be seen?"
"You've got a point," Theo hummed, "A very good point, actually."
"As much as I love discussing theories about jailbreak with both of you, it's starting to rain," Madeline pointed out, wiping a spatter of rain off her face, "Shall we get a coffee or something?"
"You know, Quidditch was about the only thing in this place worth staying for," Fred admitted the next afternoon as he, George and Madeline busied themselves with essays, "We were watching their practice. They're going to be slaughtered. They're complete rubbish without us"
"Ginny's not that bad."
"Alright, so Ginny's not that bad," Fred corrected himself, "But Ron can't save a goal unless no one is looking."
"Stage fright?" Madeline asked, barely looking up from her essay.
"Something like that," George nodded, "All we have to do is ask the crowd to turn their backs and talk among themselves every time the Quaffle goes up his end on Saturday."
"I dunno if I even want to watch this match," Fred huffed, "If Zacharias Smith beats us I might have to leave Hogwarts."
"Days like this remind me how lucky I am that my happiness doesn't rely on Ron's goalkeeping abilities," Madeline mused, turning to look out of the rainy window onto the Hogwarts grounds. She wondered if Fred had noticed her looking anywhere but him.
George seemed to notice, however. He cleared his throat, quickly excusing himself and giving Fred a rather pointed look. Madeline waited for George to be completely out of earshot, taking a deep breath and turning to Fred.
"Alright, what's wrong?" she asked bluntly, Fred frowning in response.
"I don't know what you're on about-"
"You've been off with me for weeks, Fred," Madeline replied, exasperated, "It's like you're not even in the room half the time. I get it; if you don't like me or whatever-"
"I do like you," Fred quickly interrupted, catching her hand in both of his. He stared at her severely, and Madeline realised she hadn't looked him in the eye for quite some time.
"I really, really like you Maddie," Fred continued, softer, "The thing with my dad… It really shook me up, you know? I know I've been distant, I'm sorry, I just-"
"I need the truth, Fred," Madeline sighed, "It's been longer than Christmas- just, tell me the truth. Please?"
Fred stared at her, trying to find the right words, but nothing was right. This wasn't right. He- Merlin, he thought he was in love before Christmas, but now he didn't know if the person in front of him was the same person he'd built up in his mind. He just… He didn't know.
"I'm sorry," Fred didn't know what he was apologising for; lying, or still not telling her the truth, "It's nothing to do with you, I swear. It's… Family stuff."
Fred watched Madeline's gaze soften, and he felt his heart skip a beat. She was so beautiful, and he was lying straight to her face.
"Okay," Madeline nodded, squeezing his hands, "Yeah, okay. Just… You can always talk to me, you know that right?"
He wished he could.
BY ORDER OF THE HIGH INQUISITOR OF HOGWARTS
Any student found in possession of the magazine
'The Quibbler' will be expelled.
The above is in accordance with Educational Decree Number Twenty-seven.
Signed: Dolores Jane Umbridge, High Inquisitor
"Seriously? Banning a magazine?" Daphne scoffed, crossing her arms, "It's like a dictatorship."
"Not quite, but we're getting there," Theo corrected, "She's banned it because Harry Potter gave a biased interview about what happened last year."
"I read it," Madeline chipped in icily, "I have no doubt that everything he said was true."
"What, really?" Daphne hissed, pulling Theo and Madeline aside, "You mean-"
"I mean what I said," Madeline nodded, glancing at the the noticeboard, "And Umbridge is trying to silence our voices."
"And maybe with reason," Theo snapped, turning his back to his two friends, "I've got classes to get to. Don't the two of you?"
Madeline stared at her friend in confusion as he walked away, because what the hell?
Umbridge banning The Quibbler had done little to stop people from reading it. In fact, it made everyone want to read it. By lunchtime, Madeline could probably quote each line word for word from the amount of times she'd heard them spoken.
Harry had revealed the truth about what he'd seen in that graveyard; how Cedric had died, and how the Dark Lord was now back. Umbridge was stalking the school, stopping students at random and demanding that they turn out their books and pockets, desperate to put a stop to anyone believing Harry. But Madeline knew better; why would Harry lie?
But after Madeline had read the article herself, she'd realised why Theo was acting so hostile. Why he'd taken to whispered conversations with Draco, Crabbe and Goyle.
Harry Potter had named Theo's dad as one of the Death Eaters in the graveyard that night.
"It can't be right," Daphne shook her head as the two made their way to dinner, "Theo's dad would never pledge allegiance to You-Know-Who."
"He did before, didn't he?" Madeline asked, "And besides; between our three families, I wouldn't be surprised if any of our parents were in that graveyard."
Madeline didn't receive a reply. She knew Daphne agreed. She watched around the corridor as a few students from the other houses pulled out their galleons, looking at the engraving, before putting them back in their pockets. Ah, a new date, it seemed. Now she had to figure out what the date was, and for where.
And preferably, before anyone got hurt.