Chapter 21 – Beyond the Pale
When Harry woke from his fitful sleep the next morning the first thing he wanted to do was go to see Dumbledore, but he couldn't. Not without walking right up to the old wizard at the beginning or end of breakfast, anyway, and that would alert Umbridge to what he was doing.
And Umbridge certainly didn't need any excuses to meddle in business that wasn't hers.
So Harry got ready for the day ahead and dragged himself off to breakfast with everyone else, keen to get on with his usual routine even with the pressing matters kept at the back of his head,
Harry and Tracey's Educational Decree was still scrawled over the doors to the Great Hall the next morning. Harry knew the elves would get rid of it eventually – they'd managed to scrub off every other message, after all – but it was still nice to see it there. It should take even the very industrious Hogwarts elves a few days to rid the doors of the message, anyway, and that was enough.
And by then most people around the school had seen the other messages Harry and Tracey had written, so the topic of resistance was well and truly out there.
Harry expected Umbridge to have another announcement at breakfast the morning after Hallowe'en, especially after Dumbledore had overruled her and allowed the Feast to occur, so he waited patiently as he helped himself to a breakfast of eggs and toast.
"Harry, I think you'd like to read this," Daphne said, nudging Harry's arm. He turned towards her. She was frowning.
She held a copy of The Daily Prophet and passed it to him.
"What is it?" he asked.
"Skeeter. She's written an article. Not about you—directly, anyway. It's about Dumbledore. Page three," said Daphne.
Harry turned to the page and scanned the article.
Chaos at Hogwarts
There is chaos at Hogwarts this year. Not the usual sort of things – gnomes in the greenhouses, Nifflers under the lawns, the sort of things we all remember from our own school days – but something much more sinister, much more dangerous. This year, Hogwarts has been graced with the presence of the High Inquisition, a Ministry taskforce charged with bringing the school up to the standards we all require from the premier institute of magical education in these islands. To that end the Inquisition, led by Dolores Umbridge, formerly Senior Undersecretary to the Minister, has been attempting to wrangle the students and staff into some semblance of order.
She has made, I am told, excellent progress. So why, then, is there still chaos at Hogwarts? A good question. The answer may shock you.
Sources tell me that the culprit is none other than Albus Dumbledore himself! To understand what's happening we have to go back a few weeks to the beginning of a campaign of vandalism enacted by an unknown group of students. These students, their identities unknown, have been writing messages and painting seditious artworks around the school with a decidedly anti-Inquisition message. Despite vandalism of school property being against school rules, and despite the messages themselves bordering on treasonous, Dumbledore has done nothing to stop the students. Indeed, a source close to the Headmaster has told me Dumbledore has remarked more than once that the messages are 'funny' and 'an interesting method of peaceful protest'.
This, on top of his refusal to work with the Inquisition in improving student educational outcomes and experiences.
It is understood by this reporter that Albus Dumbledore is actively obstructing the Inquisition's attempts to bring order to Hogwarts. Indeed, I have been able to obtain documents suggesting that Dumbledore has fought against the Inquisition's recommendations seven times since the beginning of term. Even when it came to the presence of the dangerous half-giant, Rubeus Hagrid. Fought hard enough that the Ministry has had to pass several new Educational Decrees, taking precious time away from the business of governing these magnificent islands.
There have even been reports that Dumbledore is spending excessive amounts of time favouring certain students at the school over others. He has regular meetings with none other than Harry Potter along with a few others whose names I shall not relay here for privacy reasons, as they are not public figures like Potter.
As the Headmaster of Hogwarts it is indeed Dumbledore's job to ensure the success and well-being of his students, but in a manner that is rather less selective than what is actually occurring. It is wholly unacceptable for a small selection of students to benefit from Dumbledore's attentions, not when that same opportunity has not and will not be afforded to others. It is a dereliction of duty for Dumbledore to behave in such a way.
This is not to suggest that Dumbledore hasn't been hard at work. It's clear that Dumbledore is up to something. No, Dumbledore has by all accounts been very active in his many roles, having been seen around the Ministry more often these past months than he has done in years. Sources which I will not reveal for their own safety have shared with me evidence that Dumbledore is planning a run at the Ministerial post.
'But, Rita,' I hear you cry, 'there isn't an election any time soon!' No, dear readers, there isn't. And that's what makes this all the more chilling: who in this country would have the power, the connections, to brew up an early election?
That's right. Albus Dumbledore.
As Minister, Dumbledore would have the final say on any Ministerial taskforces such as the High Inquisition. Albus Dumbledore would be in charge of Dolores Umbridge and her staff.
And Hogwarts – and all its students – would suffer for it.
"Ugh, what a load of shit," Harry complained. "And how'd she know I'm meeting with Dumbledore, anyway? I've not exactly been shouting about it."
As if Harry didn't have enough to be worried about. Strange visions of Voldemort, the Inquisition, and now a seemingly all-knowing Rita Skeeter.
"How does Skeeter find out about anything?" Blaise said. "People must have seen you going up to Dumbledore's office and someone said."
"Yeah, maybe," Harry said. He didn't think anyone had seen him, but it wasn't against any rules for students to meet with the Headmaster. It was one of the functions of the Headmaster to meet with students, even. And Harry's cover story was that he was having pastoral sessions in the wake of the assault and the trial the previous year, at his aunt's urging. That was a perfectly legitimate reason for Dumbledore to meet with Harry, and wholly within the bounds of his job description to boot.
"It's just an attack piece," Daphne said. "I bet Umbridge told her about the meetings, anyway. This has her fingers all over it."
"Skeeter's been doing loads on Dumbledore lately," Tracey added. "This one is a bit worse than usual, mind. I'll bet you five galleons this whole article is because of Umbridge."
"She's such a bitch to Mr Hagrid," Millicent said. "Seems like she's always sitting in on his lessons as well. More than other teachers, I mean."
"I think she's got a thing against part-humans," Harry murmured. "As well as, you know, the general, er, unpleasantness she brings everywhere."
"I can't say I blame her when it comes to half-giants," Blaise said. "I mean, it's not like giants are known for their even temper and good judgement, is it? There's a reason they've been exiled to bloody Siberia."
"Mr Hagrid is harmless," said Millicent. "You know he is."
"Hmm," said Blaise. "If you say so."
Harry didn't think Hagrid was especially dangerous either, but he didn't want to get drawn into an argument about something so irrelevant, so left it alone. Instead, he watched Umbridge for any of the tell-tale signs of making an announcement… but none came. Breakfast ended and Umbridge walked out of the Great Hall as if nothing unusual had happened, as if she hadn't manoeuvred an anti-Dumbledore article into existence. As if nothing at all was wrong.
Harry wanted nothing more than to hurry off to see Dumbledore at the earliest opportunity but given the content of the attack piece in the Prophet, that hardly seemed like a good idea. To do so would only put fuel on an already blazing fire, and Harry didn't want to make things any worse.
If Harry hadn't already had an occlumency session scheduled for the very next day he might have risked meeting with Dumbledore right after breakfast, but given that nothing in the vision was especially urgent even if it was all very worrying, Harry thought it could wait for a single day.
He kept an eye out for Umbridge and any of her shenanigans during his lessons, just in case.
But nothing happened. At least nothing related to Umbridge – Dumbledore sent him a self-immolating paper crane as usual on Thursday, summoning Harry to his office for Occlumency lessons.
It felt like Harry had been waiting an eternity to attend his occlumency session with Dumbledore. When it came, Harry made his way to the old wizard's office early. He'd been going over and over just what to say to Dumbledore regarding his dream. Vision.
Whatever it was.
He didn't want to outright state he was practising legilimency – not after Dumbledore had warned him against it. Instead, Harry felt like he needed to come at the subject in a more roundabout way. Mention perhaps he'd been having trouble with the occlusion and had instead ended up pushing outwards.
Accidentally.
"Good evening," Dumbledore said once Harry had sat down. "I trust your journey here was uneventful?"
Harry nodded.
"Yes, sir. I didn't even see anyone tonight."
"Good," Dumbledore said. He said nothing of the article in the paper, nor of Umbridge and her business. "I had thought this evening we might begin to try some more aggressive incursions. I think it would do wonders for your control."
That was decent enough news. Not exactly fun, or good, but it was exactly the kind of progress Harry had been hoping he'd made. But before any of that could happen, Harry needed to tell Dumbledore about his vision. And do it without incriminating himself.
"Er, that sounds great, sir," Harry said. "But I did want to say, first, that, um… Well, last night I had a dream. It wasn't a normal kind of dream."
"A dream?" asked Dumbledore, his tone unusually sharp. "And you say that it was unusual, even for a dream?"
"Actually, I think it was more of a kind of … vision?" Harry offered. "But not like a prophetic vision or anything like that. It seemed more like it was, er, something that was currently happening. Like, outside of the dream. And I think I might know why? Er… when I was doing my occlumency on Hallowe'en Night I might have accidentally pushed out instead of in. I was just distracted with, er, everything. And I think maybe… well, it felt like the opposite of occlusion, so…" Harry paused. "So for the first time in ages I went to bed without doing my occlusion. And I'd never felt like—like my mind was—er—out there before, either."
"Ah," Dumbledore said after Harry's jumbled explanation. "I see. I am beginning to understand what may have happened. What did you see?"
"Er, I saw… well, it was really weird, actually," Harry said, keen to get all of the details across to Dumbledore. "I was looking at Lucius Malfoy. Only, I think I was looking out of Voldemort's eyes. And I could feel what Malfoy was feeling. Except it's almost like… there was me, the Harry who was having the dream, and then there was the me who was looking out of Voldemort's eyes… I'm not sure how to explain it," Harry said.
At that, Dumbledore appeared very concerned indeed. He was frowning, his brow furrowed. One of the silver instruments on his desk, those inscrutable artefacts whose function Harry didn't understand at all, even began whistling.
Dumbledore ignored it.
"And you say this was not like an ordinary dream?" Dumbledore asked. "In what way?"
Harry had thought he'd explained exactly how, but evidently Dumbledore wanted something more. Or something else. He thought about how best to explain.
"It's like… you know how dreams are usually a bit… weird?" Harry said. "This was just normal. Like watching someone have a conversation. And when I woke up my scar was hurting. That's never happened from a dream before."
"I see…" Dumbledore paused. "Describe to me the contents of the dream in as much detail as you remember."
Harry nodded. He gave Dumbledore all the details he'd memorised about the vision, from what Voldemort had said to Lucius-Voldemort and even the exchange with Wormtail at the very end. When he was done Dumbledore looked just as unhappy as when they'd started.
"I am concerned," Dumbledore said eventually. "But I am afraid I can offer no reassurances, no explanations that would be satisfying to either of us. I can only suggest that you double your efforts to learn occlumency. It is, now more than ever, of the utmost importance. Can you do this?"
"Er, yes, sir," Harry said. "I'll… I'll do more practise." In truth, Harry felt like the occlumency was going very well. He hadn't had any problems with occlusion on Halloween Night. Not that he could say that to Dumbledore given the lie he'd told. But… "But sir—what was the dream? Or vision? Why did it happen?"
Silence, and for longer than Dumbledore ordinarily let silences go on.
"There is, of course, a connection between you and Voldemort—created by the Killing Curse and represented by your scar," Dumbledore said. "From what you have described it appears that in your attempts at occlusion you have stumbled upon the rudiments of legilimency, sending your mind outwards. In so doing you have activated the connection between yourself and Voldemort and saw through his eyes."
That was more or less what Harry had thought had happened. But it was good to know that Dumbledore thought so as well. And that he believed – or was at least pretending to believe – the legilimency had been accidental.
"Is it dangerous?" Harry asked. "Er, the connection, I mean."
"It has the potential to be," Dumbledore said. "Understand: if it allows you to look through Voldemort's eyes, it is likely that it would allow Voldemort to look through yours."
Harry swallowed. He hadn't followed the thought to that most logical of conclusions, but of course Dumbledore had. If Voldemort could simply see what Harry was doing, saying, and who was doing and saying it with…
"It is the kind of thing that we will not wish to explore further," Dumbledore said. "No, we shall redouble our efforts with occlumency. A mastery of occlumency will be all the protection you will need. The lesson I had intended for this evening is no longer appropriate—we will instead work through some more and different meditative techniques. I think it is time for a deeper discussion on aspects of theory. But I shall not practice legilimency upon you tonight; we should not risk it."
Disappointing, but Harry supposed not altogether unreasonable. If Harry was connected to Voldemort it seemed appropriate for Dumbledore to avoid knocking about in Harry's head. At least until Harry was better at occlusion.
"Yes, sir." Harry paused. "But what about… why was I able to feel what Lucius Malfoy was feeling? Is it because we're both… connected to Voldemort? Just in different ways?" That sounded right to Harry, at least, but he still wanted Dumbledore's opinion on things.
"Yes, perhaps," Dumbledore said eventually. "I would think that the connection between Voldemort and Lucius is strong, very strong indeed—given their close proximity to one another, and the nature of their connection. It would not be at all surprising that there is a… shall we say… bleeding. A kind of muddling. That, along with the connection between you and Voldemort through your scar…"
"And since I was already in Voldemort's head anyway," Harry finished, "I could feel what Lucius was feeling. Ugh. Sir, I hope that never happens ever again."
"Good. Then let us begin…"
Dumbledore took Harry through the basics of occlumency again, working through different meditative techniques. Every so often he stopped to discuss a point of theory, but there was little practical application to be done without Dumbledore making an active incursion.
And Dumbledore was reluctant to do so given Harry's vision. Or more specifically, Harry's unwitting activation of the latent connection between Harry and Voldemort. Which was fair enough.
Even if it was frustrating.
"You've done remarkably well in so short a time," Dumbledore said to Harry at the end of their session. "Soon, I think, you will be where we need you to be."
Harry nodded.
"Thank you, sir. I keep feeling like I should have learned already—I mean, if Draco learned over the summer, it's already taken me longer…"
"Young Mr Malfoy likely spent most of his days learning occlumency," Dumbledore said. "You have only a handful of hours each week. You are making wonderful progress, Harry. Indeed, I think that by Christmas you will have improved enough to finish learning with Professor Snape. And should certainly have gained the requisite skills for me to begin sharing some of the things I have had to keep from you."
"I hope so, Professor," Harry said. The idea that Dumbledore had secret knowledge that Harry couldn't know because he lacked skill in occlumency was maddening. Knowledge was often quite literally power in the wizarding world, and Dumbledore knew a lot of things. "I'm still a bit worried about the connection. And that vision—sir, what if Voldemort noticed me last night? I don't think he did, but…"
"From what you have said it seems as if he did not," said Dumbledore. "We must hope that is the case. I suspect that if Voldemort has any inkling that he was not quite alone on Hallowe'en Night he will assume the culprit to be Lucius—or his counterpart residing inside Lucius's head. That is the simplest explanation, after all."
Dumbledore paused.
"But we are becoming side-tracked. For now, I want you to concentrate on your occlumency. It is your single greatest defence in this. With sufficient practise, and skill, your mind will be an unassailable fortress, connection or no connection. Now, is there anything else you wish to discuss before we end the session? It is getting quite late, and you have done enough this evening."
Harry had half a dozen questions on the vision alone he wanted to ask, but he got the sense Dumbledore wasn't prepared to speak more of that yet. So Harry put those questions aside to ask them at another time. One perhaps when the business of the vision and of Harry's connection to Voldemort was less raw.
But there were other questions that needed to be asked, questions Harry didn't want to wait around to get answers to. And Harry thought they would be questions Dumbledore was prepared to answer, too.
"Er, yeah, actually, sir—I wanted to ask about Umbridge and the Inquisition. You knew that we were, um—you know, the messages…?"
"I was aware that was you and your friends' doing, yes," Dumbledore said. "It is an interesting method of peaceful protest—or so I have been quoted as saying in the papers. That is a rare truth coming from Rita Skeeter's quill. But that wasn't all you wanted to discuss, was it?"
"No, sir," Harry continued. "I just wanted to check if it's… er… alright? Since obviously now the Inquisition and Umbridge are getting really annoyed, and there was that article… I didn't want to cause any problems for you, that's all."
Dumbledore leaned back in his chair.
"What you are doing has caused some problems for me," Dumbledore said. "That is inevitable. I do not think that at this point, however, those problems are large enough that either of us should worry about them. In truth you are the least of the reasons why the Ministry would be annoyed with me. Did you know that the High Inquisitor has requested the dismissal of Mr Hagrid five times already?"
"I didn't, sir. But that does sound like something Umbridge would do," Harry said. "Is it because he's a half-giant?"
"Ah, well, Harry—that is mere rumour and speculation. I could not possibly comment on what is clearly the personal business of Mr Hagrid," said Dumbledore. "But it is illustrative of my point that your campaign of peaceful protest is not the source of my largest or worst headaches."
"I understand, Professor," Harry said. That was helpful. Assuaged some of Harry's guilt, at least. If Dumbledore was happy enough to suffer through the articles, Harry wouldn't worry too much about it. "I was wondering, as well—have you been able to learn anything more about what the Inquisition is doing here? And what it's got to do with Voldemort?"
"Some things," Dumbledore said. "Some I will wait to share with you until you are better protected, but this I will share. Voldemort has attempted to use the Inquisition's presence at Hogwarts as a means to infiltrate the castle. It is quite clever, as the particular situation we find ourselves in this school year means that there are many new members of staff across all of our departments, whether teaching or otherwise. Some of these posts have been filled by the Ministry itself—a Ministry which has been, I need not remind you, infiltrated by Voldemort's followers. But as we have discussed before, I do not think the Ministry is fully compromised. Instead, there are a few operatives in key positions—such as Lucius Malfoy—who are able to manipulate events to their liking. As to what Voldemort is after specifically, it remains unclear. Why orchestrate such a thing? That, I believe, is the question we must answer."
Voldemort's followers in the castle.
Again.
With dozens of new staff members, hundreds of new students, and all the Inquisitors, Harry supposed it could be anyone. Literally more than a thousand different suspects. But surely Dumbledore would have realised who the interloper was…
"A Death Eater here, in Hogwarts?" Harry asked. "Do you have any ideas who?"
Dumbledore remained silent. Then, eventually, shook his head.
"Alas, no. As tempting as it would be to suspect those amongst the Inquisition, it is not so clear that the culprit is there. There are some new additions to the staff I can discount, but others…" Dumbledore sighed.
"Sir, in the vision—when I saw Voldemort talking to Lucius—they mentioned Draco. Draco is doing something in the castle this year. Again. But they seemed to think he was going to be better at this than what he was meant to do last year. Do you think he's their man on the inside?"
"I remember what you said of Draco," Dumbledore said. He seemed unconcerned. "Do not trouble yourself with this, Harry: I can assure you the situation is well attended. Continue doing what you are doing. Maintain your studies. Progress further in alchemy—dear Nicolas has expressed his interest in your career moving forward. You have impressed him," Dumbledore said. "And that, as I am sure you know, is not easy."
That was a distraction from the question of Death Eaters in Hogwarts, Harry knew. A way to get him to stop thinking about it, to make him ignore whatever it was that Draco was doing… but it worked. Harry knew exactly what it was, and it still worked, because Nicolas Flamel was impressed by his progress in alchemy.
"Did he really, Professor? That's… I never thought…" The idea that Nicolas Flamel had been at all impressed by Harry's fumbling around with alchemy was some of the best news Harry had heard in quite some time.
"Indeed," said Dumbledore. "Professor Dee has been quite complimentary also. Now, is there anything else? I have an … appointment … I must see to."
"No, just what I asked," Harry said. Then he thought on it. "Er—this isn't about Umbridge. Or the Inquisition. But… you were an alchemist, weren't you? So that means you've used the Salve of Clear Sight? I was just wondering why…"
"Why I still wear glasses?" said Dumbledore, smiling. "A clever question. Of course, I could do without glasses. You are correct in your assumptions: I have produced a successful Salve of Clear Sight. My glasses are enchanted so that I may see things even a master alchemist cannot. Traces of certain kinds of magic, for example. Other things I shall not discuss with you." Dumbledore paused. "And I must confess, for fashion."
Fashion. Dumbledore wore his half-moon spectacles for the sake of fashion. Well, Harry supposed they were among the least controversial aspects of Dumbledore's fashion sense. The purple velvet robes and towering hats with glowing stars, however…
"What sort of enchantments?" Harry asked. "If you don't mind saying."
"Ah. Well. I do," said Dumbledore. "You had best run along—as I said, I have an appointment to keep."
"Yes, sir. Thank you." Harry got up and left.
As he made his way back to the dungeons, Harry remembered he'd wanted to ask Dumbledore about Skeeter and how she kept finding things out. He could ask next time, he supposed. He considered nipping back to the office to ask another question, but Dumbledore had that 'appointment' of his and it was getting quite late, so Harry left it alone and settled in amongst his friends in the Common Room.
On Saturday morning of that week, the response from Umbridge to Dumbledore's interference that Harry had been waiting for came – plastered over the front page of The Daily Prophet. Harry read the article himself in the paper he'd taken from Blaise.
EMERGENCY WIZENGAMOT SESSION VOTES 'YES' TO NEW INQUISITORIAL POWERS
Last night's emergency session of the Wizengamot has voted to provide the High Inquisition landmark new powers to target sedition and poor practice at Hogwarts School, it is understood. Already possessed of a wide remit, the High Inquisition now has the power and authority to conduct unannounced searches of staff members and their quarters at school in an attempt to crack down on subversive teaching and seditious activities.
Chief Warlock, Albus Dumbledore – also Headmaster of Hogwarts School – was reportedly not present at the vote.
"This is the next step in ensuring the safety and academic integrity of our school system," said High Inquisitor Dolores Umbridge, former Senior Undersecretary to the Minister, when asked for comment. "We are all lucky to have such a forward-thinking and responsive government watching over us."
It is understood that the first of these searches will be carried out this weekend without forewarning so that staff members are unable to remove any illicit or compromising materials before inspection.
"This is mad, even for the Ministry," Harry said, putting the paper down. "Searching teachers' rooms? It's a bit far, isn't it?"
"I wonder what Dumbledore's going to do about it," said Blaise, glancing up at the High Table.
Harry followed his gaze. Dumbledore didn't look especially happy with his own copy of the paper in hand, but Harry didn't think there was much he could do. The Wizengamot had passed a law. If he refused permission for Umbridge and her goons he'd be breaking the law. Harry doubted the Ministry would try to put Albus Dumbledore into Azkaban, but…
Umbridge wasn't at breakfast.
Now Harry understood why.
"This is a mess," Harry said.
"What do you reckon they're hoping to find?" Tracey asked from Harry's other side. "There must be a reason Umbridge has pushed for this. I can't believe it's just random."
Harry nodded slowly. That made a lot of sense. Umbridge must have been looking for something. Must have had some idea that one or more teachers or other members of staff had something she needed to find. Maybe she wanted proof Hagrid was part giant.
"I think she must have an idea," Harry said. "I don't imagine Dumbledore will be stupid enough to leave anything the Ministry wouldn't like on display anyway. Maybe some of the other teachers…"
"Could just be trying to show off her authority," Blaise said. "Maybe it's not about finding anything—maybe it's about being seen to do the inspections."
"Mm," agreed Harry. "That could be it." But Harry had a feeling it wasn't. Umbridge was looking for something specific.
Or maybe Umbridge did just want to flex her authority, and there was a reason for the searches coming from Voldemort and Lucius Malfoy. Something they wanted to find, something that their operatives in the castle knew about, and the Inquisition was just a good excuse to get the law passed.
There were too many unknowns.
"I think we'll just have to wait and see what comes out of this," Harry said after a few moments spent staring up at the High Table. "Maybe she just wants an excuse to sack some of the teachers. Dumbledore mentioned she'd asked for Hagrid to be removed loads of times already."
"She probably is looking for an excuse," Blaise said. "I wonder when they'll do the first of the inspections."
"After breakfast, by the look of it," Tracey said. "And it makes sense, doesn't it? Give the teachers any time to prepare and everything they'd hope to find will be gone. In fact, I bet that's where some of the Inquisitors are right now…"
"Shit. You're probably right," Harry said. "I wonder if we could sneak off to the Teachers' Wing and…" he trailed off.
Students generally avoided the part of the castle where all the teachers who lived on site resided. Harry had only wandered through there a handful of times, all under cover of his Invisibility Cloak, but he knew where it was. Many members of staff lived elsewhere and commuted, but Harry thought all the Department Heads – the Professors – were residential. Dumbledore himself lived in the castle, although his quarters were reportedly attached to his office in the Headmaster's Tower. The House Heads lived close to their respective House Common Rooms, but the rest were centralised into one part of the castle.
"Sounds risky," said Tracey. "I reckon the teachers would throw a fit if anyone went to watch."
"You're probably right," Harry said, "but I don't think they've got much choice. Look." He looked towards the rest of the Hall where, as the news of the Wizengamot vote percolated, students were leaving the House Tables in droves.
Even up at the High Table some of the teachers were making a hasty exit from the Great Hall, heading towards the staff quarters. Professor Flamel was already out the doors to the Entrance Hall.
Harry glanced around at his friends.
"Want to make a move before the teachers say something?" he asked.
"Oh, go on then!" said Tracey.
Harry, Blaise, and Tracey followed the rest of the students in their exodus from the Great Hall. They followed the mass of students and several staff members towards the staff quarters at a quick pace, hoping to see something in the process of happening. It was all a bit ghoulish, but Harry didn't want to miss such an event. Not when the Inquisition had gone to so much effort to put it all together.
When they arrived all they could see was chaos.
Portraits concealing entrances had been opened and stood ajar; statue guardians had stepped aside; even the doors had been opened. Inquisitors moved about the rooms searching inside cabinets, drawers, cupboards. Most of the Inquisitors had no one there to argue with them, but some of the teachers were present and arguing.
"You've got no right to search through my things!" said Professor Sinistra from the doorway to her rooms, brandishing her wand at Inquisitor Weekes, a burly middle-aged wizard in a pinstripe suit. "Get out!"
"New law," said Weekes. "Take it up with the Minister."
It was a similar story elsewhere. Harry saw Professor Babbling block the portrait hole to her suite, wand in hand while Inquisitor Vipera tried to gain entry.
All around the atrium were groups of students watching the events unfold. Harry and his friends ducked into a little alcove housing a tapestry to watch.
"This is ridiculous," Harry said. "I'm surprised no one's been cursed yet…"
"The way Babbling's holding her wand," said Blaise, "looks like someone's about to be."
"Forget about Babbling," said Tracey, nudging Blaise with her elbow. "Look at the Flamels."
Harry looked. The Flamels had a suite hidden behind a great, big statue of a hippogriff. The statue itself had stood aside, moved into a sitting position, and stared away from the doorway. The doorway that it revealed was open, and inside was Inquisitor Arlecchino – along with both Flamels.
"Lad," said Mr Flamel, "you will regret it if you step one foot further into this room."
"On the orders of the Ministry of Magic-" Arlecchino started to say but was interrupted.
"I've had it up to here with this Ministry of Magic," Professor Flamel said. "Let me tell you something about your Ministry of Magic—"
"My dear," said Mr Flamel. "Perhaps now is not the time. Tell me, young man—would you prefer to become a squirrel or a rat? Quickly, now—my patience is running out."
"He will do it," said Professor Flamel. "If I were you I'd turn around and leave. Write your little report, pass it along to that odious little toad of a superior of yours and save yourself a trip to St Mungo's."
"God, I wouldn't want to be him right now," muttered Blaise. "Can you imagine all the nasty spells a pair like that will have learned over the centuries? If he's got an ounce of self-preservation instinct he'll scarper…"
"I think you'll find me more than capable of defending myself," said Arlecchino calmly. "Step aside and allow me to search your rooms. If you have done nothing wrong there will be nothing for me to find, and you will suffer no consequences. If, however, you refuse me permission to inspect your quarters the Ministry will take that as an admission of guilt. Which would you prefer?"
"I'd prefer turning you into a rat," said Mr Flamel, "or perhaps an especially fat slug. Step one foot closer and I shall decide."
Harry watched as Arlecchino considered it.
"My dear Inquisitor, of course you may enter my chambers!" said Lockhart, loudly and with a wink, to the approaching Inquisitor. Lockhart's rooms were behind a tall, thin painting of a Veela, but the painting hung open. "I am ever a friend to the Ministry and its taskforces—serving on them as I have—but I am afraid there is nothing interesting to find!"
Harry doubted that. Or, rather, he realised that Lockhart would keep all his unmentionables hidden away properly. And there would be unmentionables. Harry had seen more than a few hints at what they were in his 'homework' sessions with the man. At any rate the Inquisitor – a middle-aged witch – seemed quite flattered to be invited inside.
"This has gone on quite long enough," said Dumbledore suddenly, striding into the atrium. Umbridge followed him, an old book held in her hand. She looked happy – genuinely happy, not that false smile she usually wore.
That didn't bode well for anyone in Harry's opinion. Especially since Dumbledore looked furious.
"All Inquisitorial staff will cease their investigations at once, under my authority as Headmaster of Hogwarts School. I take full responsibility for obstructing Ministry officials in the course of their duties." Dumbledore paused and waited for his words to sink in. Some of the Inquisitors ignored him, carried on with what they were doing.
Dumbledore lifted his wand.
CRACK!
Sound emanated from the tip of his wand. Light flashed.
Everyone in the atrium and its attached rooms – students, staff, Inquisitors – stopped what they were doing, and those who hadn't already been doing so turned to look at Dumbledore.
"This is wholly unacceptable," Dumbledore continued. "All Inquisitors are to remove themselves from this area of the castle at once. I speak not as the Headmaster of Hogwarts but as the Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot when I say this recent law is unconstitutional. It is a most egregious overstep and I will not tolerate it. Leave, now."
"Hem, hem," interrupted Umbridge. "That is not, strictly speaking, correct, Headmaster Dumbledore. The Ministry has passed the law in accordance with the constitutional principles which have been developed over the centuries, and I think you shall find that it is—"
"Madam, you have found that which you sought," said Dumbledore, "and so I advise you to cherish your success while it lasts. Do not test me on this, Dolores."
Umbridge fell silent.
Whatever was in that book clearly was something the Ministry could use against Dumbledore. Harry peered closer to see if he could read its title, but Umbridge held it in such a way that he couldn't. Harry could ask Dumbledore, he supposed.
Or just wait for The Sunday Prophet, as it would probably leak to the press if it was something banned or controversial.
One by one the Inquisitors in the atrium and its adjoining chambers gave up on their duties. Harry supposed many of them had been at Hogwarts themselves, would have experience of an angry Dumbledore, so naturally defaulted to listening to him.
And the others would be worried at the Chief Warlock making such announcements, no matter what Umbridge herself said. No matter how happy Umbridge was with that book she'd found. Still, if the law remained on the books Harry didn't doubt the Inquisition would use it again and again to inflict fear and flex its authority.
It was only sensible.
"I suggest everyone who does not live in one of the rooms adjoining this chamber leave," continued Dumbledore with a pointed look at the students gathered in the room.
"Well, that's us," muttered Harry. He, Tracey, and Blaise slipped away with the rest. Harry was keen not to gain Dumbledore's ire, anyway.
"I wonder what that book Umbridge has is," Blaise said as they walked away. "Did you notice it?"
"I did," said Harry. "I wouldn't have thought Dumbledore would leave anything really incriminating just lying around…"
Harry hoped not, anyway. Umbridge finding Dumbledore with a book about Horcruxes or something like that was entirely the wrong direction for the Ministry to go in and could derail years of Dumbledore's careful planning. Could send it on a war footing, even, and against the wrong wizard.
"It's probably nothing really bad," Tracey said. "Just, I don't know, maybe something embarrassing…"
"I hope so," Harry said. "But he didn't know about that law, did he? They kept it secret from him. Didn't even invite him to the vote or anything like that. So maybe he really did leave something he shouldn't have had out." And Dumbledore probably did own rather a lot of things he shouldn't own. Harry had no doubt Dumbledore's image was cleaner than the wizard himself.
Unfortunately for everyone, Dumbledore had been caught out with something. Something that Umbridge was happy to have found. Something that was, admittedly, unlikely to be any of the worst things Dumbledore could have been found with, but which was probably going to cause problems moving forward. Harry just hoped it didn't interfere with his occlumency and the secrets Dumbledore had promised to share with him.
"We'll just have to wait and see," Blaise said. "Maybe there'll be something in The Sunday Prophet about it." He shrugged. "Want to go hang out in the Music Alcove? I heard one of the new teachers taught the instruments new songs."
"Oh, go on then," said Tracey. "Might as well."
Harry was about to decline – he had so many things to do that sitting listening to enchanted instruments play music was low on his list of priorities – but decided to go along with it. With all the stress and the fuss caused by Umbridge and the High Inquisition, Harry felt like he could do with a bit of time off.
"Yeah, alright," Harry said. "I think there's a shortcut if we go this way…"