Chapter 11

Career Advice

The palpable stress among my fellow fifth years during weeks leading up to mid April seemed to worsen every day. Madam Pomphrey was kept busy making Calming Drafts for students who succumbed to the stress.

After dinner, just a couple of days before Easter break, Draco, Pansy, Zabini, Crabbe, Goyle and I were studying in the library. We were all working silently, only the sound of quill on parchment filled the room. That is, until we were interrupted by a small hem hem. I looked up to see Professor Umbridge standing at our table.

"Professor," Draco said, "how can we help you?"

"I require you all in my office, follow me." She said in a soft whisper. We gave each other questioning looks, but packed up and followed Umbridge out of the library. A few minutes later we arrived at Umbridge's office. She ushered us in where we saw a few other, large, Slythrins, including Montague.

"It has come to my attention that we have a large illegal group of students practicing forbidden magic," she said in her regular voice. "Led by your brother," she added, giving me a disapproving look. "I need a group of students who will help me enforce the rules. I am forming a group of students with the power to dock House points, and give out harsher detentions." All the people in the room grinned at each other. "From now on, you will be my Inquisitorial Squad. And right now, I need your help in capturing as many students as we can that are in this group."

"We are going to the seventh floor to catch your brother and a rather large group of students. I received some insider information, and they are supposed to be meeting tonight in the Room of Requirement."

I had never heard of the Room of Requirement, and apparently neither did any of my friends. We all shared glances of confusion and curiosity. Umbridge told the group to head out. Draco and I were the second to last to leave, Umbridge right behind us.

"Your father," Umbridge said from behind us, "Draco, has assured me you would do anything I asked."

"My father?" Draco said, turning his head to look at her.

"Well?" Umbridge said, sounded a bit impatient.

"I - yes," he said, "whatever you need." I knew he would do whatever his father wanted him to.

"He also mentioned that you," she turned towards me, "were nothing like your brother."

"No, I'm not." I agreed.

"Good," she walked past us, heading for the front of the group.

When we reached the seventh floor, Umbridge had us spread out to cover more ground. There were some students lazing about, and others with a more alert look on their faces. Some even seemed out of breath. Moments later I heard a yell coming from the left corridor, and immediately headed that way.

On the ground was my brother, Draco was standing over him. He said something to Harry before yelling, "Hey, Professor - PROFESSOR! I've got one!"

Umbridge came bustling around the far corner, breathless but wearing a delighted smile.

"It's him!" she said jubilantly at the sight of Harry on the floor. "Ex cellent, Draco, excellent, oh, very good - fifty points to Slytherin! I'll take him from here… Stand up, Potter!"

I watched Harry get to his feet, glaring at the pair of them. I had never seen Umbridge looking so happy. She seized his arm in a vice like grip and turned, beaming broadly, to Draco. "You hop along and see if you can round up anymore of them, Draco," she said. "Tell the others to look in the library - anybody out of breath - check the bathrooms, Miss Parkinson and Miss Potter can do the girls' ones - off you go - and you," she added in her softest, most dangerous voice, as Malfoy walked away towards me.

"You can come with me to the headmaster's office, Potter." She led Harry out of sight, a grin still plastered to her face.

"You heard her," Draco said gleefully, "let's go look for more of the idiots who were a part of this meeting."

"You guys won't believe what I found," Pansy said happily after we finished looking for students, we didn't find any. We gave her questioning looks. "I found a list of all the students who took part of," she let out a giggle, "you won't believe what they called themselves, Dumbledore's Army!" She let out a shriek of laughter.

"Dumbledore's Army?" I said, shaking my head. "Are they stupid? Calling themselves that will certainly get Dumbledore in trouble, whether or not he was a part of it."

"What'd you do with the list?" Draco asked, "I'd like to see who's on there."

"As soon as I found it, I gave it to Umbridge. Just before you caught Potter." Pansy grinned. "They are so getting in trouble."

It wasn't until the next day that we found out what happened after last night's events. All over the school a new notice was posted. This notice, by order of the Ministry, named Dolores Umbridge the new Headmistress of Hogwarts.

Rumors of what happened to Dumbledore spread around the school. Harry and someone named Marietta Edgecombe were the only students present in Dumbledore's office when the incident took place. Apparently Dumbledore took on two aurors, Fudge, Fudge's Junior Assistant, and Umbridge in order to escape. No one knows where he is, but many students think he'll be back.

Draco, Pansy, Zabini, Crabbe, Goyle, and I were walking to through the entrance hall, heading to the Great Hall for lunch, when we heard Harry, Ron, Hermione, and a Hufflepuff I believed was named Ernie talking not too far behind of us. When I turned to glance at them, they had their heads close together as Ernie whispered something to them. I nudged Draco and nodded towards them.

"You guys go on ahead," Draco said with a sly smile, "I'm going to do some eavesdropping." He, Crabbe, and Goyle stayed behind, near the Great Hall doors as the rest of us found a spot on the Slytherin table.

After I sat down, I looked over to where I saw Draco last and he was having a conversation with the four friends. Ron grabbed his wand, but Hermione put her hand on his arm and I could tell she whispered something angrily at him. Draco let out a laugh and strode away from the group.

"What was that all about?" I asked as he sat down next to me.

"Just wanted to teach your brother and his friends to not talk bad about our new Headmistress," Draco said with a grin.

"You docked them some points?" I asked with a small chuckle.

"I had no choice," Draco shrugged, still grinning.

Near the end of lunch, there was a loud boom that echoed throughout the castle. Many students looked around for the source of the commotion, but it wasn't near the Great Hall. It wasn't until we were in our next class that I found out what made the noise. Apparently somebody, my money was on the Weasley twins, set off magical fireworks and they were running rampant throughout the castle. Our new Headmistress spent her entire first day chasing around the fireworks and putting them out.

The entirety of Easter break was filled with students speculating what was going to happen to Hogwarts now. I had more important things to worry about, the O. .

All of the studying I was doing was finally starting to get to me. I stayed up late reading and rereading my textbooks until the words seemed to float off the page. Several times, I fell asleep in the common room slumped over my books.

"You really need to start going to sleep in your bed," Draco said as he woke me up after I fell asleep, again.

"Huh?" I mumbled as I tried to rub the sleep out of my eyes. Draco was in the middle of putting his, and my, books away. I glanced around the room to find we were the last ones up.

"I said that you need to go to bed."

"No, just a few more minutes." I reached out for my History of Magic textbook. "I'll just move to one of the couches." Draco tried to stop me, but I slipped past him and made myself comfortable on the couch in front of the dying fire.

"I'm serious Chloe," Draco followed me. "You need to sleep, in your bed."

I ignored him and opened my book and began reading about the Giant Wars. I just needed to finish this chapter, then I could go to sleep. Draco attempted to grab my textbook from my hands and I glared at him.

"I just need to finish this chapter," I said drowsily.

"Fine, but then you are going to bed." Draco said, sitting down next to me. "How much do you have left?"

"Just," I felt my eyelids getting heavy, "a couple," my head started falling over, "pages…" Sleep washed over me and I didn't wake up for a few hours.

When I finally came to, just a couple of hours later, the fire in the fireplace was completely out and the common room was almost completely dark. I was laying on something soft and warm and breathing?

I sat up and looked to my right. Draco was sitting next to me, his eyes closed, breathing shallowly. He groaned at my movement, and slowly his eyes fluttered open.

"What time is it?" He mumbled in a sleepy voice.

"Draco," I said in a panicky voice, "we fell asleep." I grabbed my wand and lit it so we could see the room better. Draco squinted his eyes at the bright light.

"Calm down," he said while glancing at his wrist watch. "It's only been a couple of hours. No one's awake, we can just go to bed."

"I can't believe…" my voice trailed off. I just realized that I fell asleep on Draco. A blush crept up my cheeks as I thought about it.

"Are you ok?" Draco asked, looking up at me. "You look a little flushed."

"We were…" I looked at the couch. Realization dawned on his face and his face turned a light shade of pink too.

"Oh - I - uh -" Draco stumbled on his words.

"I should -," I bit my lip, "I should go."

"Yeah," Draco nodded, "me too."

I grabbed my belongings, thankfully most of it was already put away. Draco also gathered his things and we awkwardly said good night to each other.

The next day we were supposed to have a Quidditch practice, but for some reason Montague didn't show. We waited for him to show up for nearly an hour, in which we flew some laps and did some basic drills, before leaving.

"It's not like him to not show," Draco said as we walked back to the castle.

"Agreed," I said, "he's always here on time."

Soon the news of Montague's disappearance was spread through the Slytherin House. Teachers were informed, but had no clue where he could have gone. It was like he vanished from the school.

Fortunately for me, Montague's absence gave Draco and I something to talk about that wasn't about the night before. There were still awkward glances at each other, and every so often my heart would skip a beat if I thought about it too long.

The rest of Easter break went by in a flash, and we were all feeling overworked. In addition to our regular homework, studying, and spell practicing, Umbridge had tasked those in the Inquisitorial Squad to check the mail going in and out of Hogwarts. Not to mention the fact we needed to start researching career options. All fifth year students were required to attend a small meeting with their heads of house to discuss career options.

I had no idea what I wanted to do after school. The thought hadn't crossed my mind until now. I looked over a pamphlet that listed careers within the Ministry.

"Any of them catching your eye?" Draco said as he looked over my shoulder. I felt his breath graze my ear and I shuddered slightly.

"N-no," I said. "You?"

"I'm not making a decision quite yet," he answered. "My father expects me to pass all my courses with at least an Exceeds Expectations."

"That'll keep your options open," I said nodding. "I wonder what Sirius would advise me to do." I said softly.

Sirius and I hadn't spoken since his last letter. I knew part of the reason he wasn't writing was due to all our mail being checked. I turned to face Draco quickly, an idea springing to my head. He raised his eyebrow at me.

"I can ask Sirius what I should do," I whispered to him.

"How?" Draco leaned his face closer to me.

I looked around the common room, it was full of students chatting. We needed somewhere to talk privately, I couldn't risk being overheard. I took Draco's hand and led him out of the common room and into a nearby abandoned classroom.

"In here," I said, opening the door. Draco followed me in, and shut the door behind him. "Okay, so you and I are assigned to check the mail Monday mornings." He nodded. "So, if I just send Sirius a letter during that time, I don't risk anyone checking the letter. I just also have to make sure he knows to only send a reply back that will arrive on a Monday too. That way either you or me will find it first." I grinned at Draco.

"Hmm," he said thoughtfully as he considered my idea. "That could work, but why do you want to write Sirius? Wasn't he trying to convince you to stop hanging around me?"

"Yeah…" my voice trailed off. "I just don't know what I want to do with my life, and I'd like to talk to the person who has tried to be a father figure for me." I said after a pause. "I just want his opinion on what kind of job he thinks I would do well in."

"Okay," Draco said after thinking for a moment. "Write up a letter and we can send it out Monday morning."

I was glad Draco supported me in my decision to reach out to my Godfather. Even though I won't get a reply back in time for my meeting with Snape, I was still looking forward to what Sirius would say. I spent that night working on my letter with the curtains around my bed pulled down to give me some privacy.

Dear Sirius,

I know this letter may come to you as a surprise. I want to make it clear I am not writing you to discuss my decision to stay with the Malfoy's. That is something we are just going to disagree on, and not talk about. I would, however, like to talk about other subjects.

We are at the part of school where we need to consider what we want to do when we leave school. This week we are meeting with our head of houses to discuss this. If I am being truly honest, I haven't even considered doing anything out of school. I'm seeking your advice on what jobs you think would suit me.

As you may be aware, mail to and from Hogwarts is under strict surveillance of the new Headmistress. She has tasked a group of trusted students to help her, I am among those chosen. Every Monday I check the mail in the morning. Make sure to send your response to arrive on a Monday so I may receive it without the risk of someone else reading it.

Chloe

Easter break ended and classes resumed Monday morning. Draco and I got up early to screen the incoming mail. I took the letter I wrote to Sirius with me, my heart beat nervously as we walked to a previously empty classroom on the fourth floor. There owls would fly in, we would check the packages and letters, rewrap them, and then send them to Great Hall for mail delivery.

I took my opportunity and sent my letter attached to a regular barn owl. I watched the owl fly out the window and disappear over the horizon. I knew I wouldn't hear back from Sirius for at least two weeks as it takes days for a letter to be delivered.

My meeting with Snape was scheduled for the following day during History of Magic. When the time came I headed to the dungeons where Snape's office was located.

"Miss Potter," Snape said as I entered the room.

"Professor Snape," I greeted as I sat down opposite him.

"As I am sure you are well aware of why we are meeting today." I nodded. "Good, then tell Miss Potter, what kind of career do you see for yourself in the future?"

"I actually haven't really thought about it," I confessed. There was no point in lying to him.

"I see," he narrowed his eyes at me. "Is there a reason you haven't put any effort into thinking beyond school?"

"I - no," I was starting to feel guilty for not having an idea of what I wanted to do. "I guess I haven't found anything inspiring to work towards."

Snape rustled some papers in front of him and looked down what appeared to be a list of subjects. "I see here you are doing well in Charms, Defense Against the Dark Arts, and Potions. If you put a little more effort in, perhaps, Transfiguration, and Herbology, you would be an excellent candidate for a healer, or an auror. Or you could focus on improving in Care of Magical Creatures and Herbology to go into Magizoology."

"I don't see myself going into Magizoology," I said. "What subjects would you suggest I focus on in order to give myself the most options later on?"

"The five I have mentioned already," Snape said.

"Okay," I said, "then that's what I'll do."

"Most of those subjects will require an Exceeds Expectations in order to qualify for the N.E.W.T course. However, for Potions I require an Outstanding to continue on to N.E.W.T. While you are performing well in class, I would suggest spending some time reviewing and practicing various potions." Snape continued on listing the potions I needed to work on before our time ran out.

I was feeling a bit better about my prospects out of school after the meeting, and took Professor Snape's advice and began reviewing the potions he listed for me.

Just after the last class on Friday there came a loud bang from the east wing of the castle. Screams and students running followed the noise. Out of curiosity, I walked through the sea of students, Draco, Pansy, Zabini, Crabbe, and Goyle not far behind me.

Harry POV

With Umbridge out of her office I was able to use the knife Sirius gifted me to break into her office. I looked around the fireplace until I found the small box containing Floo powder.

I crouched down in front of the fireplace, my hands shaking. I had never traveled with just my head using Floo powder. I stuck my head in the fireplace, threw down the powder and after a burst of green flames engulfed me I said, "Number twelve, Grimmauld Place!"

My head spun around until eventually landing in the kitchen fireplace. Feeling sick, I opened my eyes to see someone seated at the table.

"Sirius?" I asked, ash spilling out of my mouth. The figure jumped and turned to look at me. It was Lupin.

"Harry!" he said, looking thoroughly shocked. "What are you - what's happened, is everything all right?"

"Yeah," said Harry. "I just wondered - I mean, I just fancied a - a chat with Sirius."

"I'll call him," said Lupin, getting to his feet, still looking perplexed.

"He went upstairs to look for Kreacher, he seems to be hiding in the attic again..."

I watched Lupin hurry out of the room and returned moments later with Sirius at his heels. My knees dug into the stone floor back in Umbridge's office and I wondered why Sirius never told me how much doing this hurt.

"What is it?" said Sirius urgently, sweeping his long dark hair out of his eyes and dropping to the ground in front of the fire, so that we were at eye level; Lupin knelt down too, looking very concerned. "Are you alright? Do you need help?"

"No," said Harry, "it's nothing like that… I just wanted to talk… about my dad…"

I went on to explain how I saw Snape's memory of being bullied by my dad and Sirius. Sirius assured me that my dad was a good person, that his acts were those of idiotic youth. He grew out of jinxing most people, Snape was apparently the only exception, by the time he and my mom got together.

"Before you need to return," Sirius said after calming down from the news that Snape was refusing to continue teaching me Occlumency, "your sister has written me."

"What? How? All of our mail is being monitored." I was surprised.

"She is one of the students doing the monitoring," Sirius answered. "Interestingly enough she asked what I thought she should do as a career. Oh, and that she knows I disagree with her staying with the Malfoys and won't discuss that."

"Of course she did," I said, rolling my eyes. "You know, having Umbridge around hasn't seemed to change her mind about anything."

"I figured as much since she has the privilege of monitoring the mail," Sirius said. "I plan on writing her back."

"I can't believe she'd reach out to you," Sirius squinted his eyes at me, "no offense, instead of me."

"That girl can hold a grudge," Lupin said, shaking his head.

"I'll try to nudge her to talk to you," Sirius said. I heard footsteps approaching

"Is that Kreature?" I asked. Sirius looked around.

"No, must be somebody on your end."

"I better go," I said quickly and pulled my head out of the fireplace. "Quickly, quickly!" he heard a wheezy voice mutter right outside the office door.

"Ah, she's left it open..." I barely got under the Invisibility Cloak before Filch entered the room.

"Approval for Whipping… Approval for Whipping… I can do it at last… They've had it coming to them for years…"

Filch rummaged around Umbridge's desk. He pulled out a piece of parchment, kissed it, then shuffled rapidly back out of the door, clutching it to his chest.

I followed him out, safely hidden under the cloak. Once I reached the landing below Umbridge's office I took off the Invisibility Cloak. There was a great deal of shouting and movement coming from the entrance hall. I ran down the marble staircase and found what looked like most of the school assembled there.

It was just like the night when Trelawney had been sacked. Students were standing all around the walls in a great ring (some of them, I noticed, covered in a substance that looked very like Stinksap); teachers and ghosts were also in the crowd. Prominent among the onlookers were members of the Inquisitorial Squad, including Chloe, and Peeves, who was bobbing overhead, gazed down upon Fred and George, who stood in the middle of the floor with the unmistakable look of two people who had just been cornered.

"So!" said Umbridge triumphantly, whom Harry realized was standing just a few stairs in front of him, once more looking down upon her prey. "So, you think it is amusing to turn a school corridor into a swamp, do you?"

"Pretty amusing, yeah," said Fred, looking back up at her without the slightest sign of fear.

Filch elbowed his way closer to Umbridge, almost crying with happiness.

"I've got the form, Headmistress," he said hoarsely, waving the piece of parchment Harry had just seen him take from her desk. "I've got the form and I've got the whips waiting… Oh, let me do it now."

"Very good, Argus," she said. "You two," she went on, gazing down at Fred and George, "are about to learn what happens to wrongdoers in my school."

"You know what?" said Fred. "I don't think we are."

He turned to his twin.

"George," said Fred, "I think we've outgrown full-time education."

"Yeah, I've been feeling that way myself," said George lightly.

"Time to test our talents in the real world, d'you reckon?" asked Fred.

"Definitely," said George.

And before Umbridge could say a word, they raised their wands and said together, "Accio Brooms!"

I heard a loud crash somewhere in the distance. Looking to my left I ducked just in time - Fred and George's broomsticks, one still trailing the heavy chain and iron peg with which Umbridge had fastened them to the wall, were hurtling along the corridor toward their owners. They turned left, streaked down the stairs, and stopped sharply in front of the twins, the chain clattering loudly on the flagged stone floor.

"We won't be seeing you," Fred told Professor Umbridge, swinging his leg over his broomstick.

"Yeah, don't bother to keep in touch," said George, mounting his own.

Fred looked around at the assembled students, and at the silent, watchful crowd.

"If anyone fancies buying a Portable Swamp, as demonstrated upstairs, come to number ninety-three, Diagon Alley - Weasleys' Wizarding Wheezes," he said in a loud voice. "Our new premises!"

"Special discounts to Hogwarts students who swear they're going to use our products to get rid of this old bat," added George, pointing at Professor Umbridge.

"STOP THEM!" shrieked Umbridge, but it was too late. As the Inquisitorial Squad, except for Chloe I noticed, closed in, Fred and George kicked off from the floor, shooting fifteen feet into the air, the iron peg swinging dangerously below. Fred looked across the hall at the poltergeist bobbing on his level above the crowd.

"Give her hell from us, Peeves."

And Peeves, whom I had never seen take an order from a student before, swept his belled hat from his head and sprang to a salute as Fred and George wheeled about to tumultuous applause from the students below and sped out of the open front doors into the glorious sunset.

Chloe POV

"I've got to admit," Draco said over breakfast the next day. "The Weasley twins do know how to leave with a bang."

And that was the sentiment of the entire castle for the following weeks. I overheard many students whispering about doing a 'Weasley', or flying away on their brooms. Even the swamp they set off on the fifth floor east wing was still there. Flitch was stuck with the task of ferrying students across the corridor in order to get to classes.

Adrian Pucey took the role of captain after Montague was found stuck inside of a fourth floor toilet. He appointed a new chaser to take his place, his name was Vaisey. He was a year ahead of me, and had plenty of experience with Quidditch.. He fit right in with the rest of the team, and we were feeling confident in our ability to win the next Quidditch match.

Montague wasn't allowed visitors for nearly a week after he was taken to the Hospital Wing, and even then only a few people were allowed to see him. Of course anyone in the Inquisitorial Squad was given permission to visit.

Draco made time to go and visit him and came back with the most interesting story.

"Those Weasley twins did it," he said to me as we walked down a corridor. We were heading towards the library for a study session. Everyone else stayed back in the common room, giving us some time alone.

"Did what?" I asked.

"Attacked Montague," Draco answered. "He told me this afternoon when I visited him."

"They attacked him?" I asked.

"He was about to dock points from Gryffindor because, like usual, they were breaking a school rule. And before he could finish, they shoved him in a Vanishing Cabinet on the first floor. He was stuck there for a while before he managed to apparate out."

"Does he even have his license?"

"He doesn't," Draco said, "he managed to apparate out despite not having finished the lessons. It's impressive, really."

"Did he say what it was like in the Vanishing Cabinet?"

"That's where it gets interesting," Draco said in a hushed voice. "He told me that he was moving between two places, the castle and Borgin and Burkes."

"Borgin and Burkes?"

"Yeah," Draco nodded. "That means the matching Vanishing Cabinet is there."

"What exactly are Vanishing Cabinets?" I asked. I had never heard of one before, and wasn't sure how they worked.

"They were made during the last war. Many wizarding families would purchase a pair of Cabinets in order to have a quick escape. You know, in case their homes were attacked."

"I see," I nodded in understanding.

We finally reached the library, and the rest of the night was spent studying for the upcoming History of Magic exam.

The following Monday was the day I finally heard back from Sirius. I was looking through the mail with Draco, we were nearly done, when he exclaimed loudly, "Chloe!" I turned and looked at him questioningly. "You've got a letter."

I grabbed the envelope from his outstretched hand. I had to force myself to not rip it open right then and there. I placed the letter in my robe pocket.

"Thanks," I smiled gratefully at Draco.

I didn't get a chance to read the letter until that night, in the privacy of my bed. Once I was all settled in, and had the drapes drawn around my bed, I opened the letter. I anxiously unfolded the parchment and began to read:

Chloe,

I am glad to hear from you, truly. Our last conversation ended on a bad note. While I understand why you don't want to discuss your activities this last summer, I do want you to know that I am here for you. I only wish to be a part of your life.

As for the reason you wrote to me. I believe you can succeed in any career of your choice. You have always been ingenuitive, and resourceful. To help you narrow your choices, think of the classes you already excel at and use those to choose a career that uses those subjects.

Good luck during your O. . Don't forget to take breaks from studying and do something you enjoy, it'll increase your morale. I look forward to hearing from you again.

Sirius

I read and reread his letter. I felt warmth knowing that he still wanted to be a part of my life even though I made decisions he disagreed with. Even though he didn't give me a direct answer to my question, he did give me good advice.

I went to sleep that night feeling better about my relationship with my Godfather, and looking forward to writing him again.

AN: Thank you for reading! Please leave a review :)