I certainly have no rights to Harry Potter, but this won't stop me writing this story. However, you probably already know this. As it is my specialty, and as in my other big stories, this shows how things go if something went different right at the beginning. Please note that I'm not a fan of bashing and also don't expect the two main pairings to differ from canon. However, the path to them certainly will be quite different. I also want to try and subvert certain plots and things that became common in the fandom over the years.
I do my normal rythm of publishing every second Saturday, until the year is complete. Then the story will go on hiatus again to give me time to write ahead so I can have a publishing schedule.
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Chapter 63: The Sacking of Dolores Umbridge
Sitting behind his desk, Cornelius Fudge felt like the whole world was turning against him.
Yesterday something had happened that should have been in the realm of the impossible. Lord Voldemort had returned and had announced so to a huge crowd in Diagon Alley, openly declaring war on the Ministry before going through with a very public and bloody execution to show that he was dead serious about it.
It meant a world collapsing for Fudge. Up until the very end he had not wanted to believe that something was threatening the stability of Magical Britain, even after the terrible things like the attacks on the students and the events at Azkaban. Now however all denial was in vain: he had been wrong on many things and now was in deep trouble.
He looked down at the newspapers that covered his desk. Yesterday's events had sent shockwaves through Magical Britain and since had done everything to deny there was any kind of serious threat, it now was his head being on the chopping block. He was still trying to understand how he could have been this wrong, but the effects of this disaster were clear in the headlines.
While every publication was reporting in fat headlines about the return of Voldemort and what had transpired in Diagon Alley, the opposition press was also tearing into him, his supporters and the Daily Prophet. They openly called him an insane moron who had willingly let Magical Britain fall into a dark abyss, his supporters a hive of the worst corruption and the Daily Prophet a castrated propaganda department of the Ministry.
How unfair the world can be, Fudge thought, still trying to not see any fault on his part, regardless how impossible that was.
There would be a full assembly in two days and Fudge knew damn sure that he would be removed from his position at that date. He felt it was deeply unfair that all those people who before didn't feel like doing so now couldn't do so fast enough. Coveniently he ignored that it was his own fault that he even was in such a terrible position in the first place.
To make things worse, he had gotten news that there was something going on at the opposition press. His sources had told him that there was utmost secrecy and while of course the return of Voldemort would be the top story for the foreseeable future, something else had come up that would make the storm even worse for him. Tomorrow those news would be published.
They were unable to even glimpse what those damaging news are about. That does not bode well, Fudge thought, having the feeling things would only get worse.
To be honest, he was desperate.
He would do anything to escape the worst of it, but all of a sudden people kept away from him, almost like a zone of emptiness. All the normally helpful people were not available. He had tried to contact Dolores, but that had not went well, the news instead seemingly having thrown her into a hysteric fit before cutting the call.
No, Dolores seemed to take the news worse than he did, so he honestly couldn't burden her with his problems. Going through the list of supporters in his head, Fudge realized that he had not yet tried the biggest source of help he's gotten over the years: Lucius Malfoy.
Walking to his fireplace, he quickly threw in some powder and called Malfoy Manor. However, to his surprise, instead of Lucius or Narcissa answering, it was a female house elf. "Leafy is very sorry, but Master Lucius and Mistress Narcissa are not taking any calls from the Ministry," the elf excused the situation.
"But I'm the Minister! I'm one of Lucius' closest allies!" Fudge gasped at that unexpected stumbling block.
If anything, Leafy's answer made this even worse. "Master told Leafy that Minister Fudge especially is not to contact him. Leafy is a good elf and Master's word is law. Please have a good day."
The fire went out, and Fudge all of a sudden felt more alone than ever. It was like no one wanted to be near him.
That actually was close to the truth. What he didn't know, was, that Lucius felt that Fudge had served his purpose and was now dropping him like a hot potato. Umbridge indeed had suffered a meltdown when hearing the news and thus was unavailable. As for everyone else... It was the old truth that the rats would abandon the sinking ship.
...at the same time at Hogwarts...
In theory Hogwarts had been under a strict communications block. In theory. However this was one of those things where reality quickly showed that it was never that simple, as yesterday's chain of events had shown.
The students had yesterday noticed Umbridge all of a sudden go silent and then lock herself into her rooms. Then the teachers had started to look really grave, like something really bad had happened. It was then when news came from Hogsmeade and the students finally understood the sudden change. They learned of what had happened in Diagon Alley and that Lord Voldemort had officially returned.
Those news had changed everything at the school.
For one, they now knew that Umbridge's days at Hogwarts were numbered. Fudge would not survive the fact that his actions had only helped Voldemort gain the time to gather strength for a new war. With her backer gone, Umbridge, and all of the decrees she had dumped onto the school, wouldn't last for much longer.
It now was the day after that and the changes already were visible in the great hall.
"None of them have shown the faces?" Harry asked while looking at another newspaper, Dumbledore having lifted the communications block without caring about Umbridge's rules.
"They have holed themselves in. I guess they do get it that the toad won't last for much longer, now that Fudge is on the chopping block, and without her they know they are fucked,"Ginny said, having heard that from some other students.
"Ginny..." Hermione sometimes despaired at Ginny's use of dirty language. That girl made no effort to censor herself. "But it's true, without Umbridge they are utterly impotent. I don't think however it has yet dawned on them what the future is holding for them."
"For my part, I'm simply relieved that we won't have to deal with all of that for much longer," Luna said while reading an article. "However, it only means we are finally able to concentrate on the real problem."
They knew what she meant with that.
"Granted, we knew in advance, but this makes it feel more real," Ron admitted. "You think Dumbledore is going to address the students about all of this? It would help calm nerves."
"I think he right at the moment has other priorities," Harry remarked while looking to the faculty table. There was lots of activity there. "I think he now wants to make sure that Fudge and Umbridge are going to be gone for good.
"I hope he does so," Neville said while putting down another newspaper, then spotted another wave of owls entering the hall. "Ever since he lifted the communications block, it's owl traffic non-stop."
"Doesn't wonder me. After that shock, parents of course want to make sure their children are all right." Ginny's expression then darkened. "I also know that many students are writing their parents, telling them what was going on at the school during the block. After all, Ron and me did so as well, despite Mum already knowing a good part of it."
"Pig seemed really happy with how much we've written, despite it looking weird that the mail almost was bigger than him," Ron added, no longer wondering about his weird owl.
It was at that moment that Dudley walked over to them.
"Ah, hello Big D," Harry greeted his cousin.
Dudley for his part looked at the newspapers strewn all over the tables. "It's the same at the other house tables, even though all newspapers report the same thing. From whispers I know that Malfoy is said to rant that this was way too early."
"Of course he'd known something, considering who his old man is, but clearly not enough. It's impressive that he managed to keep silent about it the whole time," Harry said with a snort, being very unimpressed with Malfoy. "Really dumb of him that he had not thought of what would happen once Voldemort stops the hiding game."
"That's the opinion in Slytherin as well." Dudley then chuckled humorlessly. "I also heard that there is no way they will any longer tolerate him, Pansy and the others who did all that crap in the dorms as soon as Umbridge is gone. Let's see how they like it."
They knew what that was about. Those from Slytherin that had been forced to live in the guest building due to being in danger in the dorms - like Dudley and his friends - now wanted their tormentors to feel how that was like, being forced to live in an exile. They couldn't blame Dudley for how he felt. Any hint of smypathy with the members of the Inquisitorial Squad was long gone from the students.
"But enough of them... Brrr... I experienced the teenage version of that psycho. How bad is the real deal?" Dudley's experience with a young Tom Riddle made him very wary of the news.
"Trust me, you don't want to know," Neville said, having paled a little at the memory. "I didn't experience the teenage version, but Voldemort at age seventy is downright frightening. Him acting like all the terrible things he does are an everyday task had raised my neck hairs."
There was no reaction to the topic of the conversation at the Gryffindor table. Yesterday, after the news had broken, the Six had gotten the OK to finally reveal the truth about their previous encounters with Voldemort. Now that the genie was out of the bottle, the adults felt that trying to hide it wouldn't amount to much anymore. Voldemort at the back of Quirrell's head, the shade of a teenage Voldemort and the horrible meeting at the ambush on the Express.
Students, despite their protests, were starting to see them in a different light. To get out of all three situations alive after all either was the biggest amount of dumb luck, or they were just that good. Of course some things had stayed secret - like the magical bond they shared. That information was too dangerous to reveal.
"It's actually kind of annoying how often we are asked about our confrontations with him," Ron said, looking to certain people at their house table.
"Can't imagine how annoying it must be for you. People constantly asking me what happened in the chamber is already bad enough and Millie really doesn't want to be reminded of that," Dudley said with a sigh.
"How are they taking the news in Slytherin, you know, apart from the usual suspects?" Hermione asked, knowing at least some students had to be affected.
"Nervous would be a good answer. They know what Voldemort stands for and reading of his speech about his magical supremacism has not helped." Dudley himself knew that under Voldemort he would be part of a servant class at best. "But some are more nervous than the rest. I think Nott has it the worst. His old man used the Imperius-defense years ago, so he knows that man is a Death Eater."
"He's afraid his old man could try to force him to go that way?" Harry asked.
"You better believe it. Nott's old man is said to be one of Voldemort's original followers. No wonder Nott has no wish to have anything to do with him." Dudley then looked to the Slytherin table. "Look, I have to go back. It's really chaotic right now."
Watching him leave, Neville reached for the next newspaper. "Thank all goodness there are no classes for the time being. No way any of us could have concentrated on them on top of this."
"As much I want to deny it, we wouldn't have learned anything," Hermione reluctantly agreed. "Especially considering how busy the teachers are."
That also was true. Ever since the reveal, the teachers had become very busy. Even at the moment at the faculty table there was lots of discussion, the teachers brooding over documents and at times one of them hurrying away, most likely to do something that required outside contact. The faculty took their responsibility of protecting the students very seriously.
Ron for his part sighed. "Sounds really weird, but this is the first time I wish we actually had classes. They would take everyone's mind off the upcoming war."
Some time ago they would have thought the world had gone around the twist with Ron actually not wanting days free of classes, but considering the reason for it, his reaction was much more understandable.
While the students were talking, Umbridge was pacing in her chambers.
This had not went like she had imagined. True, unlike Fudge she had believed the entire time there were dark powers wanting to make trouble - no other conclusion was possible - but she had not taken it especially serious, thinking the Ministry could take care of it. Even after the disaster at Azkaban she had still believed there would be more than enough time since she had not wanted to believe the worst case.
Big error, as she now saw.
How the hell should she have know that Lord freaking Voldemort would somehow return from the dead and make such a public announcement which showed the Ministry as utterly impotent?! No way she could have foreseen this, but now the damage was done. She had imagined waiting out the tail end of Fudge's term and then jump ship in order to dump all the blame onto Fudge while attaching herself to the next powerful dupe.
However, that now no longer was possible for her. The sheer scale of that particular failure, the shock that had went through Magical Britain, now meant it was only a matter of days before Fudge would be thrown out of office in grave dishonor. Him being removed so fast meant that she was now in a serious fix. Right at the moment all those special decrees were still protecting her, but the way those decrees had been made - and especially her personal involvement - made her vulnerable once they were all declared null and void due to how they came to be.
Those little brats I employed will be better protected than me, Umbridge thought darkly, seeing the biting irony.
She needed to wait and see what would happen. It all depended on who would become the next Minister. If it was some weak-willed consensual candidate, then perhaps she still would have a chance to deflect the worst of it. Of course, should the new Minister be some lawful, stubborn goody-goodshoes, then things would look bad for her.
She was not lacking in enemies in the Ministry, and should one of them take the post, then she had to think of some kind of emergency plan.
...April 19th...
Dumbledore looked around the chamber, noting how the atmosphere was heated. It was not that often that a full assembly was being called, but it was inevitable if there was a motion to remove the Minister for Magic from his post and replace him with a candidate of the assembly's choosing. As Chief Warlock - a post he had managed to retain despite many dirty tricks from Fudge's side - it was his duty to preside over the assembly.
Looking to where Fudge seemed to shrink into his seat, Dumbledore knew that things had become even worse for the man - a development which Dumbledore had helped to gain traction.
While many students might have revealed to their parents what had happened at Hogwarts during the mail block, it was the newspapers reporting it that caused it to have a great impact. Granted, the return of Voldemort and the beginning of the new war would dominate the news for the foreseeable future, but that didn't mean the revelation of all the horrible things that had taken place at Hogwarts, of the secret decrees and how the students had suffered didn't ignite a blaze.
Contrary to what Umbrige might think, we were never helpless, Dumbledore thought.
While they'd had no means to directly go against Umbridge during her reign, there were other means of ensuring all of her deeds would come back to bite her. Over the past weeks, all of the faculty had been busy with writing down all of the terrible deeds, secretly make photos, collect witness accounts and even collect memories of the worst incidents. Mr. Percy Weasley and Miss Clearwater had been especially diligent in gathering evidence, something that would gain them a raise.
All the information had been given to the opposition press shortly after Voldemort's reveal. Considering the already low opinion they had of Fudge, it was like a shark feeding. Fudge's complete failure in the case of Voldemort and then enabling Umbridge to create her terror regime in Hogwarts had sealed the man's fate, today would only be a formality. As for Umbridge herself, she had jumped to one of the top spots of the most despised and hated people in Magical Britain. Her future did not look very good.
Unlike Fudge, Umbridge was not present. Dumbledore had told Moody to keep an eye on her until she would be removed from the school - which now only was a matter of days, especially considering what his contacts had told him about who could become the next Minister.
Seeing how everyone now was present, on a sign from him the orderlies closed the doors. -dong dong dong- A bell called for attention, showing that things were about to start.
Dumbledore stood up.. "In my function as the Chief Warlock, I call this meeting of the full assembly to order. As everyone is present, I announce the one and only point on the agenda: the motion to remove Cornelius Fudge from the post of Minister for Magic of corrupt behavior as well as serious incompetence which has brought Magical Britain at the brink of disaster. The motion also calls for the assignment of a new Minister. The motion has been brought forward by Lady Augusta Longbottom."
Only few were surprised that Augusta Longbottom had brought forward that motion. She was known to be vehemently opposed to Fudge and now that the true consequences of Fudge's actions were revealed, no one could blame her that she wanted him gone. If looks could kill, the ones Lady Longbottom was giving Fudge would have turned the man into a smoking hole in the ground.
Augusta then stood up. "Dear members of the assembly, I will now bring forward my case, why Minister Fudge is not worthy of his position..."
What followed was highly humiliating for Fudge She was literally listing off all his failures and corrupt behavior - behavior for which proof that before would have been swept under the rug had turned up almost as if by magic. It was all very damning and the once so mighty had fallen deeply by the time Augusta Longbottom was done.
"...and thus he is neither worthy of his position, nor can we tolerate a man like him on the position for even one more day," Augusta Longbottom concluded, actually getting strong applause for her stance.
"That... that was..." Fudge was trying to find words.
"Minister, you now have the opportunity to defend yourself against the points brought forward against you," Dumbledore told Fudge.
Fudge tried to compose himself, which was difficult due to him knowing very well that there was little chance of him turning things around. "Ehm... yes, thank you... Those accusations against me..."
"You are actually trying to deny them?" called someone from the assembly.
Fudge was thrown off, not used to something like this. "It's just that... accusations."
"That's rich, considering the huge mountain of evidence!" came from someone else.
If anything, this made Fudge only more nervous and he was starting to lose it. "I always have done everything to ensure the safety of our people!"
Now Fudge was answered with many voices mocking and condemning him and looked around frantically, searching for any supporters, but he didn't find any. Those from conservative circles who had supported him, now looked at him like seeing a cockroach. He realized to his horror how they were now denying him support.
"But I... but I..." Fudge now stammered, looking around frantically.
He saw Lucius Malfoy sit not too far away and felt a spark of hope, but that was quickly dashed when Lucius looked to him as well. The man was giving him a cold smirk, like someone enjoying seeing others get hanged. To top in then off, Lucius then pointed his thumb down, like the Roman emperors did to condemn gladiators they didn't like.
Seeing the one person who had helped him to rise to Minister for Magic now coldly drop him like a hot potato finally hammered home to Fudge that Lucius Malfoy had never been his ally or friend. The man had only seen him as useful, and now that he was about to lose that usefulness, Malfoy no longer had any reason to support him.
That realization finally caused Fudge a meltdown. "How can that be, but my friends..."
"Most of the people in here are not your friends," someone called.
If anything, Fudge fell apart even more. "I... I'm sorry. Believe me! I love all - all people! I really do! I set myself before you!"
Those stammered sentences finally made it clear to everyone that Fudge had cracked and was sliding down the slope quickly. Taking pity on the man, Dumbledore gave a signal to the orderlies to gently escort Fudge away, most likely to a room in St. Mungo's.
Dumbledore knew things had to get back on track. "Now, we move to the vote on the motion." He knew considering the general mood and especially after Fudge's meltdown, this was a simple formality. And indeed, the result was very clear.
"As of this moment, Cornelius Fudge no longer is the Minister for Magic. Since the seat has to be filled as soon as possible, especially in light of the newly arisen crisis, the assembly has to vote on a successor. Candidates can be put forward now," Dumbledore announced.
Over the next few minutes a few candidates were suggested, but they either were people who would have no chance, or in the case of the candidate from the conservative block, was more likely to have policies that Voldemort would enjoy.
Then Rufus Scrimgeour stood up. "I nominate Amelia Bones for the post of Minister for Magic."
That caused much whispering, since Bones was very much high-profile and her stances were well-known. Many had thought that Scrimgeour himself would run for the post, seeing him as the type of leader needed in such a situation. However, they couldn't have known that Scrimgeour didn't think he was a good fit for the post and instead had managed to convince Madam Bones that she was better suited for the job. Thing was, she indeed was a good choice.
Dumbledore looked to where Madam Bones sat. "Madam Bones, are you accepting that nomination?"
"Yes, Chief Warlock, I do," she confirmed.
Soon enough it came to the voting process and while it wasn't nearly as much of a majority as the vote to throw Fudge out of office, the result nonetheless was clear. Even with other candidates and many of the fanatical block voting against her, Amelia Bones did manage to gain over 60% of the votes in the end, meaning that she would become the next Minister for Magic.
"Madam Bones, do you accept this result?" Dumbledore asked.
"I do."
Though deep inside she knew that this would be a very thankless and hard job. However, someone had to do it. She already knew the very first day would be hard. She also dreaded her visit to Downing Street and having to explain all of this to the Prime Minister.
o
Let's see what my first impression of her will be. It honestly can't be worse than the one Fudge gave me, John Major thought while waiting.
Thanks to being informed in advance by MI-X, John Major was expecting the visit. So when the ugly portrait announced that the new Minister for Magic, Amelia Bones, was asking for an audience with him - the wording already being different from how Fudge announced himself - he told the portrait to give him ten minutes to get everything ready for her visit.
While waiting, he had to think of the past days.
Ever since Voldemort's return - a fact of which he had been informed of right away - it was like the phone lines were running hot in his office. After all, it meant that this was for real now and they very soon would have to brace themselves for a wave of magical terrorism. Being the sick people they are, Voldemort and his followers were dead-sure to not only strike against magical targets, but also cause death and destruction to the general population.
MI-X, while already having become more active in recent months with a risen activity to weaken the faction which would wage that terrorism campaign, was activating all the reserves they had created over the years. However, even then, the very nature of terrorist attacks - and especially magical ones - meant that it was impossible to prevent or stop the majority of them, and in some cases there even wouldn't be enough time to do damage control.
After all the experiences with the IRA-terrorism - something that hopefully in the near future would be a thing of the past forever considering hopeful signs - they knew perfectly well that it was impossible to prevent a majority of terrorism attacks.
That alone told him that the rest of his term - he had no illusions that he would win the elections next year - was going to suck big time.
-woooshhhh- He looked up when he heard the roar of the flames. Out of the green fire, Amelia Bones emerged. Compared to Fudge and his horrifying lack of fashion sense she looked outright normal, even if somewhat old-fashioned, though the monocle she was wearing looked somewhat odd to him.
"Mr. Major, please excuse the suddenness of my visit, but it is urgent," Madam Bones greeted him.
That was another difference, which told him right away she was very different from that bumbling idiot Fudge. "Considering that Mr. Fudge didn't visit me before leaving office, this indeed is unusual. Has something happened?" He played dumb in order to see how honest she would be.
"That is no wonder, since Cornelius Fudge was removed from the post of Minister for Magic by a vote of no confidence a mere two hours ago. Shortly later I was named the new Minister outside of regular elections," Bones explained.
Major nodded, knowing that this matched the information he'd gotten. "Removed, you say? I assume that Fudge must have done some serious errors for that to happen," Major said, still checking how honest she would be with him.
"You can say so. That will be a slightly longer explanation, Sir," Minister Bones apologized.
Indeed, nothing like her predecessor, Major thought. "Where are my manners, Minister? Please take a seat," Major said while indicating at the comfortable seats that were near one window.
Bones then did start to explain that Fudge had been removed not only due to highly doubtful decisions and suspicion of corruption - something an investigation had been opened about - but mainly due to his willful denial and ignorance, despite many warning signs, enabling the country to be completely unprepared for the return of a highly dangerous terrorist group under a Lord Voldemort.
While listening to her explaining the dangers this was posing for the general population due to the beliefs of said terrorists, Major was gaining a more precise picture of Bones. While she had left out some details she must have deemed irrelevant for the matter at hand - which was understandable - she otherwise was very frank, direct and honest about what was going on.
He waited until she was done. "Minister, I'm very relieved that unlike your predecessor you are not blowing around a lot of hot air and instead treat me as an equal."
A small grimace flashed over Bones' face for a moment, showing that she was informed of those disastrous meetings. "Mr. Major, even if it weren't in my nature to treat things seriously, the crisis at hand does not allow for any kind of fooling around."
She had proven herself so far, now time for me to drop a little bomb of my own, the Prime Minister thought, knowing that now was the best moment.
"Minister Bones, while I'm pleased you are so open with me about these things, allow me to enlighten you to a fact. I was already in the know about everything you told me," Major told Bones.
Bones blinked, barely stopping herself from dropping her monocle. "B-but how?"
Major knew it was a bit unfair, but he decided to only tell as much of the truth as what he felt was safe. "Unlike what the Ministry and the majority of the wizard population might think, we are not uninformed or even ignorant. I do have one or two sources of my own who did keep me in the loop on what really is going on."
"They why didn't you say anything?" Besides still trying to wrap her head around the fact that the Prime Minister had sources on the magical side, she felt a bit annoyed she had wasted time explaining things to him he already knew.
"Because it showed me if you are serious about it," Major explained.
Bones realized it made a disturbing amount of sense. The Prime Minister, after having to deal with all of Fudge's bullshit, not to speak other things souring his opinion of the magical side, must have become rather mistrustful. No wonder he had used a secret test of character to see how earnest she was about all of this. It told her how serious Major was about this, but also shed a depressing light on how bad official relations between both sides had become.
Bones then sighed. "Mr. Major, it feels like you just made things even more difficult for me."
He felt a bit sorry for her, as dumping that onto her lap was a bit unfair considering this was her first day of term. "You are not alone with that feeling. I have the distinct feeling both of us will have a hard time ahead."
...office of the Minister for Magic, two days later...
It's even worse than I feared, Amelia Bones thought with growing dread while going through the papers.
Cleaning up the Ministry was made very difficult by the sheer amount of corruption that had grown during Fudge's years in office. The once hidden rot was now laid open to her - ironically by papers which that disgusting Umbridge woman had created, most likely in case she needed to either blackmail Fudge or push all the blame onto him.
The even worse thing was, those papers most likely were only the things Umbridge had felt were effective blackmail material, so question was how much other stuff had happened? That the Ministry was compromised had become very obvious when she had forced a security check, since she knew the Dark Mark tattoo was a damning piece of evidence and unlike before now there was a good reason to check all people working in the Ministry.
That had resulted in a number of people - some of them in quite high positions - to vanish. Clearly they knew they otherwise would have been caught. That was highly suspicious, but their estates and families gave lame excuses and otherwise stonewalled any attempt at finding out what really happened.
Some really urgent business that made all of them 'leave the country'. Sure... she thought with biting sarcasm.
Problem however also was, that she had no idea how many unmarked helpers of Voldemort were in the Ministry by this point. The best she could do was to undo highly questionable hirings which had not followed procedure and try to win back those that Fudge had fired in his paranoia. Right now the Ministry was not equipped at all to deal with the threat.
Pushing that pile of papers aside for the moment, Bones instead concentrated on something that was easier to deal with, but was really nasty as well.
What Umbridge had done at Hogwarts was, to put it mildly, monstrous. The evidence left no other interpretation. Alone the abuse of power that Fudge did to silence the Board so that all of it could happen in the first place was alarming, but what came out of it had made many people cry for Umbridge to be hanged outright. After all, when it came to children many became highly protective.
While the things that had been made public were bad enough, there were some things that only had been reported to her by Dumbledore directly, and there was good reason for it. She honestly didn't want to imagine the reaction of the public should they learn how Umbridge had forced Harry Potter to carve open his own hand with a highly illegal blood quill - which had been modified even further - in an attempt to extort Sirius Black and Dumbledore. Several other incidents which had been kept out of the press completed the horrifying picture.
She knew something had to be done about it NOW.
The news could not be allowed to reach Umbridge. Due to technical reasons, what she was about to enact - namely declaring all of the legal messing around Fudge and Umbridge did with the school null and void due to all of it having been done in a way that violated the correct procedure - would only come into effect the next day, which meant starting from midnight.
That also meant that exactly one second after midnight Umbridge would be arrested, her legal protection then gone.
However, the best-laid plans always do run into a problem.
In that case about an hour later, it was in the form of a certain Mr. Stone who was bound to Umbridge in an Unbreakable Vow. Having already suspected something and thus being bound by his vow to help his benefactor, he had kept his eyes open and did learn enough to know that his benefactor would be in real trouble come midnight, with all of her protection then being gone.
His vow dictated that he had to help her, and he would. There were other ways to get a message to her after all.
...shortly later at Hogwarts...
"How dare they..."
Umbridge was pacing in her quarters. She had gotten the message from Mr. Stone through the secret channel that none of the teachers knew of. The news he had gotten to her were not good; that Bones woman was intending to arrest her. In her mind that was a travesty, since she felt she had done no wrong at all. However, the facts could not be ignored, she was in danger.
Thankfully, her protection would only go away at midnight, meaning she still had several hours to make her exit. Yes, but before she also had to take care of unfinished business. The events of the past weeks had convinced her of one fact: Potter was behind the sabotage and rebellion that had stopped her from controlling the school.
In her mind there was no doubt that he and his friends had organized the whole thing in order to bring her down. She had been way too soft on them and this was the result. It however was not too late to make them pay for what they had done. In her mind it was pretty simple: if she was - in her mind - unjustly sentenced for life imprisonment anyway she could go for broke and cut off lose ends before making her exit.
I know those brats are hanging out with the oaf right at the moment, but first I have to get rid of that pest Moody. He needs a distraction, Umbridge thought.
Mad-Eye Moody had been keeping an eye on her - literally - ever since Voldemort had reappeared. The man clearly was sent to ensure she would not do a runner and in order to get to her targets and then away, he needed to be out of the way. It didn't need to be perfect, just distract Moody for about ten minutes and he would be hard-pressed to find her.
It wouldn't be easy due to him being a paranoid bastard, but she already had an idea how to accomplish that.
Some minutes later, Moody was on one of his patrols in the wing of the castle that held Umbridge.
Dumbledore had voiced his concern that Umbridge could try to flee before the consequences of her actions would hit her, and Moody agreed that since she was a coward she would try that. That was why he wanted to make sure she would stay where she was. Just until midnight, Dumbledore had just relayed to him, then she was done for.
He was about to check on Umbridge with his magical eye, when... "Aaaarrggghhh!"
A high-pitched scream pulled Moody out of it. Walking as fast as he could with his fake leg, he discovered the source of the scream. It was one of the elves - which he identified as female - and she was bleeding a lot from a wound on her back. Being on high alert now, he approached the unfortunate elf.
"What happened?!" Moody barked.
"Lofty doesn't know... Argh! Lofty was doing her work... when suddenly a pain..." the elf tried to explain.
"I see." Moody knew that had been an attack. He growled when realizing that it had to have been one of those snots taking out their frustration at having lost by becoming murderous.
Judging by the wound the elf needed help right away or she wouldn't make it. Priority was to get her help, since unlike other people, he despite his reputation was not in the habit of dismissing the well-being of other creatures. "Hold on."
While he was carrying the elf to get help, he did not notice Umbridge having left the castle.
At Hagrid's hut meanwhile, the Six were talking with Hagrid while he was taking care of his pumpkin patch. They had decided to visit him, since even if at the moment classes were still being suspended due to all the chaos that had been caused by recent events, it was a Sunday anyway and they thus had time on their hands. After all what happened in past months at the school, they needed the time to slowly go back to a form of normal... If there was a normal in current times.
"I'm honestly glad we'll soon be rid of her. Ruddy woman, caused nothing but problems and pain," Hagrid commented while making sure his pumpkins would grow the right way. "Sad thing is, that it took something like that to finally rid us of her. Things do look bad."
"You lived through the first time it happened. Was it really that bad?" Luna asked while watching Neville inspect the pumpkins, showing his interest in all plant-related things.
"Oh yes, better believe it!" Hagrid shuddered a bit at the memory. "You are too young and can't imagine it. Not only the constant danger, but also the knowledge that anyone could be next. That's why many didn't want to believe it could start again, since they were afraid of that constant low-level terror returning."
They tried to imagine it - not a pretty thought.
"Let's deal with that once we have to." Harry honestly didn't want to have deal with that at the moment. "I'm more surprised you managed to keep Grawp a secret from Umbridge."
"Oh yes, a REALLY big secret," Ron added.
"She never bothered with entering the forest." Hagrid really felt that was the explanation. "But speaking of Grawp, once I'm done with the pumpkins, I want to visit him in the forest. Want to come along?"
"Hagrid, has his grasp of the English language improved?" Hermione asked, not wanting Ron to tease her over 'Hermy'.
"Quite a bit actually, though it's still a work in progress..." Hagrid's expression showed that it was more like there still needed to be significantly more progress before a meaningful conversation could be held with Grawp. "Though I believe..."
"Stupefy! Stupefy! Stupefy! Stupefy!"
"Ahrrghhhh!" Hagrid roared in pain when suddenly no less than four stunners hit him in the back, before he fell over, landing hard in the pumpkin patch.
"Hagrid!" Ginny screamed in fear when seeing their friend being felled like that.
"Don't even think of going for your wands." Looking up, they saw Umbridge pointing her wand at them. She looked deranged and dangerous. "Slowly drop your wands now, or one of you will die here and now."
There was little other choice. Sure, they could all have drawn their wands at the same time, but it would have meant one of them dying for sure and they didn't dare to bet on getting saved by their bond like the last time when being threatened with a deadly spell. Carefully, one after the other took out and then dropped them to the ground until there was a small pile of six wands.
"What do you want?!" Harry asked directly.
"What I want? I want to make my exit. But before I do so, I'll kill all of you," Umbridge told them coldly, no longer bothering with hiding how rotten she truly was.
"Why?"Neville asked, feeling quite afraid now.
"You have to ask?" Umbridge's anger seemed to grow. "I know it's thanks to you brats that my plans ended in failure. My work and my life are destroyed, but at least I will have the satisfaction of ensuring you get the proper punishment by dying in the forest, where the beasts will eat your corpses. Now move!"
Completely at Umbridge's mercy, they had no choice but to comply and walk to the age line, where Umbridge made a temporary opening for them to pass through.
However, Umbridge in her bigotry had overlooked something. While she had used four stunners because she was really fast at casting them instead of using a different and lethal spell, she honestly thought that four stunners in such quick succession were lethal as well. In her bigotry however she had forgotten that Hagrid's nature made him much more sturdy than a normal man and thus the stunners had not killed him, not even knocked him out.
Despite that, he still was unable to move, having been forced to hear what Umbridge wanted to do to the Six. They needed him now more than ever and he was unable to help them. Then he noticed that Fang had dared to walk out of the hut and now was giving him concerned looks.
"Fang..." Fang gave his master his full attention. "Fang... get help. I need help..."
Fang was a coward at heart, but seeing his master down like that gave him a courage that he himself wouldn't have thought possible. The dog made a run towards the castle and Hagrid hoped he could get help in time.
The Six meanwhile were wondering how they could get out of this one. If they tried anything, one of them would die for sure, since Umbridge would be able to let loose at least one deadly spell. However, if they did nothing, they very much were guaranteed to all die. They honestly could not think of a solution that wouldn't cost them and they hardly could hope that help could arrive in time.
Shit, we survived Voldemort multiple times, only to now die at the hands of the toad, Ginny thought, knowing all of them were realizing their dangerous situation.
"Since we are at your mercy anyway... Was it you who sent the dementors last summer?" Harry asked, hoping he could stall.
"Of course it was me. I anticipated that regardless the outcome, it would benefit me. Sadly, your cursed godfather ruined all of it." Umbridge still seemed disappointed over that failure.
"You just accepted the damage those monsters could do?" Hermione was frightened how Umbridge could do so without blinking an eye.
"Sometimes sacrifices have to be made for progress," Umbridge waved that aside. "After all, you can't make an omelette without breaking some eggs."
That just drove home what kind of total sociopath Umbridge was and the danger they were in.
Ron meanwhile was thinking hard on any kind of way out of this. Crap, regardless what I think of, it's useless! Damn, why did we have to visit Hagrid now of all days... Wait!
Ron suddenly did have an idea after thinking of Hagrid. Granted, it was not exactly a great idea, but it was better than nothing and he felt it couldn't get worse. "You know Harry, we should hope she doesn't find that stash..." he mock-whispered to Harry, loud enough so that Umbridge would hear it.
"Ron, what are you...?" Harry started to wonder.
"Harry, you know, that giant stash..." Ron insisted, putting the emphasis on one word in particular. He then saw that Harry finally understood.
"What are you talking about?!" Umbridge barked, having heard the exchange. "Out with it, now!"
Ron gave a faint nod to the others to show they should let him talk first. "I talk! The Headmaster has something hidden away in the forest. It's a really giant thing he wanted you not to stumble upon!"
The others finally understood and Luna actually faked trembling quite well, while adding "He feared you could steal it if you know."
Umbridge's expression changed, her greed getting the better of her. "Perhaps you can buy yourselves a little more time. What has that old goat hidden away in the forest?"
"Valuable stuff! Not only a part of the Hogwarts funds, but also some really old artifacts and books," Ron said, hoping that his acting was good enough that Umbridge would buy it.
For her part, Umbridge was thinking about it for a moment. Having money and valuables at hand would make her leaving the country so much easier. In her mind Dumbledore had been smart and dumb at the same time in hiding something like that in the Forbidden Forest. Smart, because no one would bother to look here. Dumb, because once someone knew, it was all too easy. Her decision was made.
Tellingly for them, Umbridge did buy it. "That would sweeten my exit. Potter, do you know where to find that stash?"
Harry nodded quickly. "Y-yes! I could lead you to it."
"As I thought, you are that old goat's little soldier. Then better start walking, as I don't want to waste anymore time." They knew it had worked, Umbridge's greed had overridden her common sense.
They did start to walk again and knew where to lead Umbridge to. Remembering their last visit to Grawp, they knew that the clearing where Hagrid met Grawp in the forest would not allow anyone to see what was in it until you actually were on said clearing. They honestly hoped that it was Grawp's normal habit to arrive early and wait on the clearing for Hagrid.
The minutes went by in silence, them not wanting to make Umbridge have any different thoughts. They guess Umbridge preferred the silence, since she couldn't stand them anyway. Instead they prayed to the powers there be that Grawp would be early as Hagrid had said he always was.
When they finally reached the clearing, they saw that Grawp indeed was present and Umbridge couldn't see him yet because she was behind them. Seeing Grawp, they decided just by nodding to each other that now was the best moment and jumped to both sides so that Umbridge would be confronted with the sight of a grown giant.
As expected, her reaction was quite explosive. "Aaaargh! What is that beast doing here?!"
Grawp for his part had watched the whole thing in confusion, but he understood enough of the words and the way it was said that it bothered him. He then saw Hermione. "Hermy? Where is Haggers?"
Hermione knew it was playing dirty, but she honesty wanted to survive. "She hurt him!" Hermione called, pointing at Umbridge. "She hurt Hagrid and she wants to hurt us!"
Those words finally caused Grawp's temper to flare, after all, he was a giant, and he started to walk menacingly towards Umbridge. "You hurt Haggers?! YOU HURT HAGGERS?!"
"Stay away you dirty, dimwitted monster!" To underscore the threat, Umbridge did let loose a spell.
"Raaargh!" Grawp howled in pain.
Then another error of Umbridge became obvious. While her severing charm would have severely hurt a normal-sized person, the much bigger and magic-resistant Grawp only only got a bleeding gash on his left shoulder. The only thing it did accomplish was to now truly enrage Grawp, something which Umbridge realized a bit too late.
"You hurt Grawp!" the giant screamed, then attacked.
Before Umbridge could cast another spell, Grawp backhanded her extended wand arm hard and... -CRAC!- "Ahhhhh!" The huge hand not only reduced Umbridge's wand to tiny splinters, it also shattered her right arm utterly, reducing it to a mangled something that was no longer useful for anything.
However, Grawp was not done yet, and a second hard slap not only caused Umbridge more serious injury, but also catapulted her backwards and she impacted hard against a tree. -CRAAAAC!- That ugly sound heralded that the impact had broken her spine somewhere on the height of her waist.
Grawp was about to rip her apart, when... "Grawp, STOP!"
That voice shook Grawp out of his anger and he saw Hermione waving her arms to get his attention. "Hermy?"
"Don't do it! She's no danger anymore!"Hermione pleaded with him, since as much as they despised Umbridge, they didn't want her dead. Seeing Grawp look to where Umbridge was laying, Hermione knew she had to be more direct. "You want to be like the giants who treated you badly?"
While Grawp didn't understand all of that, he understood enough to know what Hermione wanted to tell him. He flinched back, looking highly uncomfortable. Then he noticed something. "Dumby?"
The Six looked to where Grawp was looking to and saw that help had arrived in the form of Dumbledore, Moody and McGonagall, all three of them looking at what they were seeing with an expression of that needing an explanation. The Six only now managed to finally relax, relief pouring into them that they had managed to get out of this without injury.
Using the language of the giants, Dumbledore started to talk with Grawp, while McGonagall was checking on Umbridge. Moody meanwhile held out six wands. "I honestly have to hammer into your heads how important it is to not lose those," Moody told them.
"There's hardly something we can do about it when being forced at wandpoint to drop them," Harry reminded Moody while they accepted their wands back.
Moody however would not accept that answer. "My motto is 'constant vigilance'! I'll make sure you won't forget that."
"It's not like we can be alert all the time." Ron then remembered something. "Hagrid, is he...?"
Moody seemed to have expected that question. "Don't worry about him. He's made of really stern stuff. A night at the hospital wing and he'll be as good as new."
"Thank all..." Harry then noticed Ginny approach and then without warning she hugged and kissed him. When they finally separated again, Harry looked a bit surprised. "Not that I mind, but...?"
"I don't care if we have an audience. I'm just relieved we got out of this alive." Ginny then looked around. "Not like we are the only ones."
Indeed, right now Ron did a very good imitation of trying to suck out Hermione's tonsils - something she was eagerly participating in - while Luna and Neville had a back-and-forth in an oral battle where no sound was being made. Once the kisses were done and they all separated, none of them looked ashamed at all of how they had acted now that they were safe. Thankfully, Dumbledore and McGonagall were still busy, so only Moody had witnessed it.
"Hormonal teenagers..." Moody commented.
"God, Ron, I don't want to imagine what would have happened without you getting that idea..." Hermione only now had processed properly that without Ron making that plan on the fly, at least one of them would be dead now.
"It just came together in my head. I remembered Hagrid saying he wants to visit Grawp later and that Grawp always is early. I took the chance and thanks to all of you for playing along with the ruse, it worked." Ron himself also felt like this had been too close.
"So you came up with it on the fly? Impressive," Moody said, then saw McGonagall approach, the still Umbridge hovering behind her. "What's with her?"
"Oh, she's alive, but she'll wish she weren't." Looking at the state Umbridge was in, her words made sense. "I know magical healing can do wonders, but as your missing body parts prove, it does have limits. A shattered spine is something that would need a specialist and a very expensive procedure and doubt she'll get that."
"Couldn't have happened to a nicer person," Harry snorted, feeling not a shred of compassion for Umbridge.
"Will make it much harder for her to flee. She injured one of the elves, and while I was busy with that she gave me the slip," Moody growled, being disappointed with himself for not sending out a message when discovering the wounded elf.
"She did what?!" Hermione looked angry at that revelation. "She hurt one of them just because she wanted a distraction?!" She then noticed Ron's hand on her shoulder and calmed herself. "That's nasty."
"Don't waste your anger on her." Ron looked to Umbridge. "She won't bother us anymore and considering how she looks now, she won't enjoy her remaining life."
There was a feeling of grim satisfaction. None of them could feel sorry for Umbridge after all the things she had done. Luna for her part gave Umbridge an interested look. "The curse on the position of Defense professor had been challenged by her sheer arrogance and her wanting to teach all years by not actually teaching them."
"Makes a sick amount of sense. She dared the curse to go hard on her," Neville added, feeling that karma was really a bitch.
...the following day...
It was right away at breakfast that Dumbledore addressed the students. Unlike how the atmosphere was in the weeks prior, it was like a massive weight had been taken off everyone's shoulders. Granted, there was a new burden, that of the beginning war, but getting rid of Umbridge and her terrible system was a relief for everyone.
Hagrid also was back at the faculty table, though he still looked a bit pale from his recovery. However, he had assured everyone who asked that he just needed a bit more time and then he was back to normal. Of course the story of what had happened yesterday had spread like wildfire through the school, but there still was no official confirmation.
"You think he will address everyone? He said nothing about it yesterday," Neville wondered at the Gryffindor table.
"The Headmaster indeed looks quite eager for something, so we can expect him to speak up shortly," Luna agreed, watching the faculty table.
After what happened yesterday, their scared parents had arrived at Hogwarts to make sure they were alright. Their parents had also used the opportunity to have some frank words with the Headmaster, but thankfully they conceded he couldn't have foreseen Umbridge literally trying to go for the kill. Still, Dumbledore had looked a bit smaller afterward.
"Ah, he's about to say something!" Hermione said, pointing to the Headmaster getting up from his seat.
"May I have your attention?" Dumbledore called, and the students went silent to listen to him, hoping for answers.
"I am sure there are many rumors circulating and that the news were unable to still your thirst for information, since they themselves only learned of the facts today." Dumbledore knew he now for sure had their attention. "Yesterday, Dolores Umbridge attacked our gamekeeper and Creatures Professor, Rubeus Hagrid, before forcing several students at wandpoint into the forest to murder them."
There were gasps of horror and though no names were given many looked to the Six, who were uncomfortable with the attention.
"Crap, she wanted to murder you?" Dean gasped, the rumors not having gone in that direction.
"Was it really scary?" Lavender asked, though as usual she also was a bit too nosy.
"Please stop that! We'll talk about that later!" Harry said with a raised voice, uncomfortable with the attention. Thankfully, the Gryffindors understood and stopped their questions.
Dumbledore waited a bit before he continued. "Thankfully, she ran afoul of the inhabitants of said forest and the teachers arrived in time to return our students safely. The same however can not be said about former High Inquisitor Umbridge, whose injuries forced a relocation to St. Mungo's. The prognosis is, that she will never fully recover from her injuries."
"And good riddance to her..." Ginny made no secret she felt Umbridge deserved her fate.
Dumbledore saw relief that the students would never have to deal with Umbridge again. "The Minister for Magic, Amelia Bones, has declared that due to the way all decisions regarding Hogwarts were made in the Ministry outside of proper procedure, not to speak being of highly questionable content that would never hold up when challenged properly, all the changes are declared null and void."
Now there was a big reaction in cheers breaking out from the students! The knowledge that they had weathered the storm and things would finally return to normal was the news they had waited for so long to hear. Many of them had suffered and would need time for their scars to heal. A lot of trust in the authorities of Magical Britain had been lost and would never return.
In later years people would say that that had been one of the signs that the beginning of the end had arrived.
Dumbledore knew he now had to give the news the students wouldn't like. "While the former High Inquisitor is already under investigation, it for complex legal issues is sadly impossible for the law to persecute the students that have actively participated in her regime at Hogwarts."
That was answered with a cacophony of angry shouts. The shouts only stopped when Dumbledore raised his hand.
"The faculty does understand your anger, since the dark deeds of those students are undeniable. As of this morning, the students that had been housed in the guest building are back in their dorms, while the students that caused them to live there in the first place are now in said guest building under the watchful eye of Alastor Moody. They will stay there for the remainder of the school year. Their wands have been confiscated and they can only use them in lessons under close watch. The students themselves are also under watch at all times," Dumbledore announced.
"That sucks!" Seamus grumbled, having come to despise the members of the Inquisitorial Squad.
"It does," Kellah agreed. "Even that move feels like they only got a slap onto the wrist, despite Moody acting as their prison warden."
There still was grumbling and Dumbledore really understood them. "Additionally, I implore all of you to not give in to the temptation of seeking your pound of meat, regardless how understandable such a reaction would be. On a positive note, I already got a number of requests from the parents of the students in question on my desk. Regardless the outcome of their academic success, the number of them who will leave Hogwarts after their exams at the end of the year is growing."
The students were not exactly happy with that outcome, feeling those jerks got away way too lightly. However, while the Headmaster had told them not to attack them, there was nothing about making their remaining stay to be as uncomfortable as possible. After all, while they no longer would do what they had done against the Inquisitorial Squad, they still could treat them like complete pariahs.
"You don't look surprised," Parvati noticed when seeing the Six not react much.
"To be honest, we already expected that," Hermione admitted. "We also predicted the former members of the Inquisition won't enjoy their remaining stay at Hogwarts."
"You better believe they won't. Two more months for them in a school where everyone hates their guts," Ron added, making no secret he was going to enjoy every moment of it.
There were Ooohs of understanding from others, suddenly realizing how unpleasant of a situation that would be for the former Squad members.
"On other business. Due to all decisions being null and void, Professor Trelawney is ready to again teach everyone in her course with all her energy." There was applause and Trelawney, who looked much better now that there no longer was the danger of losing her job, looked flattered. "Additionally, Professor Snape is now again teaching Defense to students fifth year and up. He has some words for you."
"Indeed, I do have," Snape said, addressing the students. "I know you learned proper Defense without our disgraced High Inquisitor noticing. Regular classes resume tomorrow, so all of my students report to the Chamber of Secrets today as soon as breakfast is over. Then show me what you've learned and what I need to correct."
Several students gulped, knowing that Snape's critical eye would be upon them.
"Thank you very much, Professor." Dumbledore thanked him. "Since Madam Umbridge has parted ways with us, we needed to find a temporary replacement to not only teach our lower years for the rest of the term, but to also repair the damage done to their education in that topic. Thankfully, we did manage to find a volunteer who is very qualified and who has already proven he can do the job."
"Yes, and that would be me."
Students looked to the doors and then thundering applause rose when they saw Remus Lupin walk into the hall. Many held very good memories of his teachings, so having him take over, even if only for two months, gave many hope the lower years could make up for their lack of teaching thanks to Umbridge.
"Did you know of that?" Colin wondered while looking at Harry. He was excited since he held good memories of Remus as a teacher.
"No, not a single word from him. He kept it completely secret," Harry said, also being a bit baffled. "He must have made the decision short-term."
"Great for them. Though Remus does have to do a small wonder in order to fix the damage the toad did. Any bets if he can do that in mere two months?" Ron suggested and some people actually were willing to make bets.
"Remus Lupin graciously decided to help the school and will stay as a free contractor for the remainder of the school year. It was very easy to convince the Ministry to give permission. I'm sure many of you are eager to experience his teachings once more." Then however Dumbledore became serious. "Finally, however, I have to address the dark shadow that now is cast over Magical Britain."
Everyone became silent, feeling the gravity of what Dumbledore was talking about.
"Hard times will be ahead of all of us. Lord Voldemort and his followers want nothing less than complete and absolute power over Magical Britain and its inhabitants. I do not have to explain to you the danger they represent. It was Lord Voldemort who murdered Cedric Diggory and his fate should already give you an idea that if that is how they treat the innocent, then their treatment of those they see as their enemies is much worse."
Many remembered the condition Cedric's corpse had been in when being returned to Hogwarts. If that was not even the worst the Death Eaters could do... Many lacked the imagination to get an idea of those worse things, but some did manage to think of it and looked sick.
"The Death Eaters do not care who they harm or kill in their quest for power and they see the population with no magic as little more than cattle to either enslave or slaughter." Dumbledore knew his words were drastic, but he had to make things clear. "It was not in the news, but the terror has already started. Last night, a very outspoken proponent for more connection to the non-magical world was found murdered in a manner that can only be described as a ritual slaughter and the Dark Mark set above his corpse."
Students gasped when hearing how quickly things were going downward.
"I do not intend to frighten you. I only want to prepare you for the darkness ahead. Those are difficult times and all of us will have to pull our weight." Dumbledore even looked a little depressed, like he was tired of this being the third war he was being involved in.
...May 18th...
The past month had not been fun for Draco and Pansy.
That was little wonder considering they had been trapped in a school where the overwhelming majority of the students hated them outright. That of course had not resulted in them reflecting on how their own actions had resulted in them becoming pariahs. Instead, they and many other former members of the Inquisitorial Squad were wallowing in self-pity.
"I hate this... No wands. And why do we have to be escorted to everything?" Pansy complained.
"Have you considered that it is your own fault, young lady?" That was Ms. Spencer, Dumbledore's secretary. They had learned very fast to not cross her. "Also remember that it is for your own safety."
"I do remember..." Pansy grumbled.
It indeed was not safe for them to go anywhere on their own. Not that the students would do them actual harm - Dumbledore had made sure to prevent that from happening - but they nonetheless found ways to make life highly unpleasant for their former tormentors. It wasn't like before, it was way more low-key to just give them constant reminders that the other students now only tolerated them until they would leave.
It was the height of humiliation that they even had to be escorted to the restrooms, but after a toilet had erupted into a water sprout from under Pansy - and many speculated someone had asked Myrtle to do that - they had teachers always check first.
"Calm down, Pansy. We only have to get through a few more weeks of this, and then we are rid of this school," Draco reminded Pansy.
Pansy knew of that of course. "That's the one thing that gives me the strength to go through this."
Draco and Pansy knew of the promise their parents had given them that they would pull them out of school as soon as the school year was done - during it would be way too much of a hassle - and knew they would not be present at school as soon as the OWL exams were done. For the sake of internal peace all former members of the Inquisitorial Squad could go home as soon as the exams were done.
Pansy and Draco were fully willing to throw in their weight behind Voldemort's cause due to the huge disappointment that they had lost their power and now suffered the consequences of their actions. They actually were deluding themselves. All of the things they had done up until this point paled compared to the murderousness of the real cause, but they were oblivious of that for the moment.
Ms. Spencer for her part could only shake her head.
She could see without a problem that there was not one bit of self-reflection. Instead of trying to understand how their own actions had landed them in their current pariah status, the former members of the Inquisitorial Squad were bellyarching loudly, feeling a big injustice was being done to them. Malfoy and Parkinson were most prominent in showing their self-pity.
What she could not have known was how many of the former members of the Inquisition had also tasted blood and felt a wish to 'play in the big league'. It was just as Voldemort had planned.
"You know why you are being escorted to the pitch anyway?" Pansy then asked Draco, her just tagging along to keep Draco company.
Draco shrugged. "No idea. I haven't even trained with the team in a while. Makes me wonder why they want to see me before the game starts."
To be honest, the request puzzled him, since he didn't have anything to do with the Quidditch team for months. Every since the last game, he'd first been more busy with being a member of the Inquisitorial Squad and thus neglected Quidditch, and after Umbridge's fall he didn't bother with appearing, knowing he would not be welcome. Thus them wanting him to appear was strange.
They finally reached the changing room and were escorted inside. To their surprise, it was not the Slytherin team, but also their opponents from Ravenclaw as well as the other two teams - those not in Quidditch gear - waiting for them. The room was quite packed and Draco all of a sudden had a bad feeling about all of this.
"Ah yes, Draco Malfoy," the Syltherin Captain said.
"I'm here. What do you want from me?" Draco asked, not wanting to be here any moment longer than needed.
"Right away to business? All right then..." The Captain then held something in his hand and Draco realized it was his team patch, ripped off the uniform. "Some might see this as a formality. However, I feel this has to be done."
That damn wanker... Draco now knew what this was about.
"Draco Malfoy, you have brought great shame over the Slytherin team. It started with you bribing your way into the team, then by being very unfair player and ended with you brutalizing a player while being under the protection of Dolores Umbridge," the Captain said. At the last part he looked to Ginny, who grimaced when remembering the pain she had went through.
"Get over with it..." Draco growled, already feeling humiliated.
"Gladly. As of this day you are no longer part of the Slytherin Quidditch team." The Captain then tore the patch in two and threw the pieces at Draco's feet. "You also will never be accepted into the team again."
"Now you feel powerful, while mere months ago you would've pissed your trousers at the mere idea of removing me. Real brave of you," Draco accused the Captain.
The Captain gave him a cold look. "No, what has changed is, that you have lost the protection of Umbridge and the protection of your father. Umbridge is gone and we now couldn't care less what your old man says. It's obvious after all, where he stands."
Draco would have loved to give them a piece of his mind, and judging from how angry Pansy looked, she felt that a grave injustice was being done to him.
"Ah yes, Malfoy, there is one final issue..." That was Dudley speaking up.
Dudley and Millicent walked forward, their arms loaded with brooms. Draco recognized the Nimbus 2001's which his father had 'donated' to the team to facilitate his entry. Then suddenly they threw the brooms at Draco's feet, where they landed in a heap, not caring about the damage it could cause.
"Here, take the bribe back which you used to worm your way into the team. Their very sight makes us sick," Millicent spat.
"They weren't great brooms anyway, collecting dust. Even your bribes are shitty," Dudley added.
Finally, Draco snapped. "YOU LITTLE BASTARD!" he screamed, actually managing to slug Dudley with a fist into the face.
Not to be outdone, Pansy threw caution in the wind and on Draco's behalf attempted to scratch Millicent's face. "BITCH!" was the only thing she screamed.
Things were confused for a few moments before those two could be restrained. Dudley was sporting a big bruise in his face and Millicent had several scratches marring her face. Ms. Spencer for her part looked angry at what she had been forced to witness.
"You better believe that the Headmaster hears of that," Ms. Spencer told both of them coldly while escorting them away, forcing them to carry the brooms, saying she doesn't care what they do with those.
They both didn't care about that. The only thing they cared about was getting even for what saw as a grave injustice.
to be continued...
Next Episode:
"Ministry Under Siege, Part I - Apology Gone Awry"
Notes:
Here the notes.
Now it sucks to be Fudge, doesn't it?
As you can see, the news reached Hogwarts quite fast and as expected pretty much crumbled Umbridge's remaining power so badly that people now openly defy her without any fear of consequences. Of course it now dawns on Umbridge and her lackeys how fucked they truly are.
All right, Fudge is a goner. In case you wonder about his words, I modeled this very closely after a disastrous attempt of Erich Mielke, who was the leader of the infamous Stasi, to speak to the now very confident members of the GDR parliament, who no longer feared him. As hinted, the new Minister is someone else, namely Madam Bones, who really is better suited for the job.
Of course the job is hard for her, as the meeting with John Major as well as her realizing how deep the problems run at the Ministry.
Yeah, Umbridge of course would try that. Look at the sheer irony that her racism at the end meant her doom as she got crippled by Grawp, who represents all the things she hates.
Things finally return to a sense of normal at Hogwarts. If felt that with al lthe damage Umbridge has done, they do need someone experienced to fix things at Defense for the lower years. Since Remus wouldn't be in any danger for this year after Umbridge's exit, he took the job.
Oh and Draco and Pansy start to experience how that feels. Of course they see no fault with themselves. Also, you thought I would remember Draco's bribe way back in second year?