Hey everyone,
So this is a chapter that, regardless of my hiatus, I have been looking forward to and working towards for quite a few chapters.
In fact, I am so excited for this chapter that I don't even care for the fact that I am writing in the POV of one of my most hated characters.
Wait, oh no,
Venquine1990
Chapter 15
Power In Place
3rd of August 1995
MoM, England
Umbridge's POV (Yuck)
How could things have gone so wrong?
The article declaring the brat to be sentenced to death – even if Amelia refuses to cooperate – was supposed to put that disgustingly arrogant family in their place.
It was supposed to prove the superiority of the Ministry and that no one is above the law. That those who are dead are supposed to stay dead.
What makes the fact that this didn't work even crazier is the fact that the Ministry has been slandering Potter over a similar issue for weeks now.
And speaking of Potter, or better said, the Potters.
The whole family were supposed to come trotting in with looks of shame and disgust aimed at their brat.
And the boy himself was supposed to be in the center of their group, his whole body slumped with shame and defeat and a look of utter fear on his face.
That was what Percy and I expected when we pronounced the sentence, decided to ignore how Amelia refused to let us into her office to officiate the declaration and decided to publish it in the Evening version of the Prophet.
What was not supposed was for almost all of England – and if what my sources just told me is true – almost every revived soul to come out of the Atrium's Floo grates, force their way through the Atrium and into the lifts.
Needless to say, while I had sent a few (disposable) employees out to investigate and gather any useful information, Percy didn't know how quickly he had to Floo himself a few floors down to the Department of Magical Law Enforcement.
Suddenly, just as I send out a notice to as many employees on our current floor as possible to keep the horde at bay, I remember something that makes me whiten.
Over the course of the last decade, simply because I supported his aversion to Amelia and her methods to get where she is today, I often convinced Cornelius to agree on Lucius' suggestions to cut the DMLE budget whenever possible.
"As if either of us could've ever expected that brat to use those accursed orbs to do something so destructive to the status quo.
He wasn't even supposed to have survived that night all those years ago. Let alone that attempt of Lucius to discredit that Blood Traitor Weasley."
And while I, yet again, silently celebrate the fact that I was able to save one of the kids from their father's embarrassing behavior, I can't help but wonder:
"How many Aurors do we really have available?"
At the same time, thanks to how the woman has been behaving all day, I suddenly wonder if she will even be willing to send her forces up to protect us.
After all, while the woman has never said anything, there have been several instances where she made me wonder if she wasn't onto me.
Yet I regain my confidence with the fact that, even if she does know, she has yet to do anything and probably never will.
"That woman is too Puffy to have the guts to go up against me.
She might be too noble for her own good, but at least she knows her betters."
Yet these very satisfying thoughts are disrupted by the loud sounds from the hallway sounding as if they got several kilometers closer in a matter of seconds; as if their owners somehow managed to Apparate within the Ministry.
What's worse is that, while I had enchanted my office door right after sending out the notices, they seem to suddenly be put under a huge amount of strain.
The combination of that, the raised sounds of voices and the fact that my beautiful mahogany door looks like the wood is creaking under a huge amount of pressure, utterly terrifies me.
Yet a look around my office reminds of where I am.
Of who I am.
And so, with my head held high, my usual sweet grin on my face and my hands held behind my back, I move around my desk.
I send a quick look down to make sure I look immaculate and the sight of my lovely pink dress with light pink cardigan increases my sense of assurance.
I pull my noble wand from my cardigan's small pocket (which I naturally enchanted with an Undetectable Extension charm) and undo my spell work.
It takes all my years working at the Ministry to keep my composure when a mass of people – both Noble Lords and disgustingly evil Mudbloods – rush into the office.
And before I can use my usual method of asserting my superior position, someone speaks up and snarls:
"You're out of luck, Umbridge. We came across Fudge on our way up here. He officially vowed on his magic that he played no role in your crazy scheme.
The Minister, your boss, denounced you and swore to us that he would never officiate your declaration."
The fact that Cornelius betrayed me, while I had expected him to work hard to get me out of this sticky situation – something I've had to do for him on more than one occasion – just knocks the wind straight out of my sails.
And then things get even worse.
Percy comes back from the DMLE – openly using the Floo when he knows that people aren't supposed to know that that grate even exists.
And while he seems oblivious to the angry crowd in my office – and I sincerely wonder how he can achieve even that – he makes my hopes for a safe solution to all this tumble even further down.
"You're not going to believe this, Ma'am.
Madam Bones is actually refusing to send Aurors to protect us. And her reason is just absurd. It's nothing like her.
And when I tried to tell her, she looked at me as if I was a First year caught out after curfew or something.
The nerve of that woman.
As if it matters that –."
Yet before the boy can finish explaining himself, a cold voice interrupts him. And the way that this voice, which sounds female and old, sends an endless amount of shivers running down my spine suddenly reminds me of something.
Dorea Potter was born a Black.
She was also Arcturus' sister.
And she was in Slytherin in her youth.
And had a reputation that even Lucius feared.
And apparently, being dead for almost two decades hasn't taken the viciousness out of the Black Widow of Slytherin.
"As if it matters that her entire family was brought back to life by my grandson? As if it matters that her niece is betrothed to my Heir? As if it matters that she actually cares for her family and not just for his own ambition?
I guess it's true.
One way or another,
A Weasley really is a Blood-Traitor."
In any other situation – or if the words were spoken by anyone else – I would've felt furious that anyone dared to redefine the definition of such a useful term.
But even though she doesn't have her wand out and while her face doesn't seem to portray the cold fury that comes through her voice, Dorea Potter scares me too much to speak up.
Unfortunately Percy instantly proves himself to be too much of a Gryffindor to properly understand the situation he is in.
"How dare you! You're at the Ministry! Therefore –."
But then a rumor I heard about the woman when she was in school is proven true.
The woman, who in her stance, the look on her face and everything else other than her voice proves that she truly is a Lady of two powerful and Ancient Houses, turns to look at the boy.
And just the deadly look in her eyes, which aren't the same Killing Curse color as her grandson's (but don't need to either), is enough to silence the boy with an eep escaping him.
"Know the code and know the law, Percival.
You and your companion here overstepped your bounds in regards to what your positions do and do not allow you to do.
Law 17524B, Section 15A, Chapter 155, Paragraph 2B. No Minor or witch/wizard who is 17 years of age or younger is ever to be sentenced to a sentence above 1 year stay in Azkaban Prison.
My brother brought this law into play in 1976, before I was killed and I was his main supporter together with my Charlus in gaining votes to bring the law into existence.
So, how do you plan to prove to me now that you got this job based on a convenience instead of talent, experience or intelligence?"
I really hope that the boy won't fall for such an obvious challenge from someone who has, obviously, dealt with more troublesome people than a pair of annoying brothers.
Again the boy disappoints me with how much he embodies the dumbest sides of those who were once in the House of Lion.
"Most of them really just don't know how not to jump into a challenge headfirst. Though I really thought that Percy wasn't one of them."
"Who do you –."
"It doesn't matter who I am. It doesn't matter who I think I am.
What matters, what you should worry about, is one simple thing.
Are these people here to support you – or the boy who reunited them with their families?"
I have never cared for my family. I always tried – and often failed – to educate those under me to prioritize reputation and power over the – sometimes – uselessness of family.
Yet thanks to my almost 20 years of experience, thanks to how the woman worded it and thanks to what was said about Cornelius earlier,
I already know the answer.
And the people in question seem to take this as their cue.
What really worries and also infuriates me is that it's Edgar Bones who steps up, puts a hand on Dorea Potter's shoulder and tells her to let them handle this.
The woman nods and while her face doesn't really show anything other than her noble pride and standing, I have no doubt that there is still more anger left inside of her.
And that, combined with the power that she was once known for (and that she obviously didn't lose over the decades that she aged), actually almost scares me.
I can barely believe my own thoughts, but I can't deny them either.
"I may be in a seat of power, but I have been put in my place."
And as the crowd turns on me, I hate how I am just too proud to speak this out loud.
The crowd then proves to me that, while they might have stormed up here, they actually made use of their time waiting while on the elevators.
As one they chorus: "Harry Potter revived us through the Dragon Balls. He undid the injustice done to all of us by Lord Voldemort and his Death Eaters.
He is a symbol of justice.
Not a criminal of any crime.
Never try to turn us against him.
You – will – always – fail."
I believe them.
That was FUN!
And don't worry, those two will absolutely get their due. It will just be more of the "A taste of your own medicine" kind.
After all, Dorea might have quoted that little law, but in future chapters I will further elaborate on that and on the fate that awaits these two.
Just wait and see,
Venquine1990
PS. Expect DBZ to make a return soon.
