Chapter 16
Shots Fired
(Opening song. Danger Danger by FZMZ feat. icy.)
(Entrance to Hogwarts)
The trio slowly turned around and saw Yuno standing there leaning against the entrance, his arms crossed, and the familiar smirk on his , Ron, and Hermoine instinctively grabbed their wands under their robes. Despite the Cloak, Yuno could still sense them and knew exactly where they were, which only made the trio's anxiety grow. Harry gulped as he was the one who finally spoke.
"Yuno…" said Harry slowly. "What are you doing here?"
"Nothing really, just got tired of listening to Professor Umbridge inspecting Professor Hagrid," said Yuno, his smirk never leaving his face. The three instinctively took a step back from him, still gripping their wands so tightly they might snap.
"You've been spying on us," Hermoine said gritting her teeth.
"Of course, I'll give credit to Potter for deducing that Blue was the shooter in that little skirmish over in Knockturn." Yuno taunted. "Though I don't like that the big guy knows that much about it. Be ashamed if something happened during one of his lessons first day back, wouldn't you say Granger?" Yuno taunted.
Despite her fear, Hermoine mustered up the courage to glare at Yuno. "What do you care about Hagrid anyway? You've never even met him."
"True, but the giant is a moron. If he's stupid enough to show everyone a dangerous animal, it's a good opportunity to exploit" Yuno chuckled darkly. Harry's anger boiled, knowing Yuno's callous words had a hint of truth. Hermoine, feeling protective, gripped his wand even tighter, ready to draw it out from his robes if necessary.
"We'll stop you," she growled.
"Can you?" Yuno said raising a mocking eyebrow. "I find that hard to believe that even you three and your little club can fight a war on two fronts"
"What do you mean, war on two fronts?" asked Hermione still holding her scowl.
"Oh come on, it's obvious, you have to deal with me and my comrades, and you also have to deal with Umbridge's powertrip at the same time. Sure you could go after us, but that leaves Umbridge unchecked, or go after Umbridge and leave us alone. Either way, your little club doesn't have the manpower to deal with both situations at the same time." Yuno taunted.
Hermione bristled at the comment, her fear replaced with anger. "We can handle both you and Umbridge. We've faced worse than the likes of you before," she said defiantly.
"Cute you have the "power of friendship" Yuno chuckled " This ain't the movies Granger...yet again, it would be like you to believe in something as naive as that."
Hermione clenched her fists, her anger now at its boiling point, but before she could retort, Ron placed a hand on her shoulder, silently signaling her to calm down.
"Why are you here, Yuno?" Harry stepped in, trying to make his voice sound calm. "What do you want?"
"Simple Potter," Yuno said. His fingertip glowed with his otherworldy magic as he traced a circle in the air. The trio then suddenly found themselves falling through a portal that had opened up beneath their feet. As they fell, Harry felt The Cloak of Invisibility ripped from his grasp before he, Ron, and Hermoine hit the stone floor, now finding themselves in a different part of the castle, on some unknown floor.
"Professor Umbridge, there are students over here!" Yuno called out from the portal about 15 feet above them. The trio spun around and noticed they were right outside her office. A pang of fear gripped the trio, realizing they had fallen right into Yuno's trap.
"What are you doing?!" Harry hissed as they scrambled to their feet.
"Fanning the flames," Yuno said as he gave a mocking smile, holding up Harry's cloak of invisibility. He then let go of the cloak, as a gust of wind picked it up and swept it away out of the castle. The trio's eyes widened in horror as their only means of concealment vanished before their eyes.
"No!" exclaimed Hermione, her voice filled with panic.
Harry heard rushed footsteps coming from further down the hallway. He didn't even have to guess, he knew who was coming their way.
"Hide! Quickly!" he urgently whispered to his friends. They looked around desperately for any place to blend in, but the hallway was bare. Footsteps echoed closer and closer, growing louder by the second.
"There!" Hermione gestured towards a broom closet nearby. The trio quickly darted into the cramped space, squeezing themselves behind the stacks of cleaning supplies. They closed the door silently, leaving a small crack to peer through.
Umbridge emerged from the shadows of the corridor. Her gaze was stern and her expression cold. She scanned the hallway, her eyes narrow, as if she were looking right through the closet door. She looked at her office door and saw a note on the front of it. She picked up the note, and scanned the words on it. The trio could faintly see the words scribbled on the paper, but they were too far to make out what was written on it.
"No one bans the Weasley twins and gets away with it ... Payback time bitch. signed... Zacharias Smith!?" she read aloud her voice filled with a bit of anger and confusion. As she read the last part the paper began to glow white green as well as several different spots all over the walls of the hallway.
Hermonie gasped at the sight "Protego Maxima" she casted quickly. The glows then exploded like giant fireworks in succession as pieces of the wall were destroyed. Harry didn't even know what was happening, all he could hear and see were blinding flashes of lights and loud pops and booms. The only distinct sound was Hermoine screaming strenuously trying to keep the shield up as the explosions continued.
The broom closest blew to pieces, letting Harry see Umbridge, looking like a blur, as she was sent careening into the far side wall of the hallway. She hit into the wall creating a plum of grey dust, leaving a crater in the stone. The Protego charm flickered, letting small pieces of rubble fly by, leaving small cuts on the trio. It felt like an eternity until the explosions finally ceased, and that remained was rubble and smoke. Harry, Ron, and Hermoine stumbled out of the remnants of the shattered closet. Their eyes widened in horror as they saw Umbridge lying motionless in front of the wall that she hit. Pieces of the walls had been blown completely off exposing classrooms along the hall. Smoldering debris was scattered everywhere, and the banners had been completely disintegrated.
Suddenly, Hermoine fainted, her skin was pale, contrasting with some of the cuts on her face, and arms.
"Hermione!" Harry called out as Hermione crumpled to the ground. Before he could do anything, a familiar laugh echoed above them.
"Not bad kid. You not might be as weak as you seem"Yuno cackled. "Anyway, hope you enjoy the show tomorrow, Potter," Yuno laughed as the portal closed above them. Harry didn't have time to curse at him as he could hear Umbridge start to move again. She grunted in pain as she struggled to stand.
"We need to go, now!" Harry shouted at Ron. He could hear running coming from the other end of the hall, obviously being other teachers rushing to see what had happened.
Ron nodded, understanding the urgency. He grabbed Hermione and tossed her onto his back, quickly making their way down the hall. The footsteps grew louder and closer every second, coming to investigate the disturbance. They turned corners, sprinted down corridors, and even ducked behind statues to avoid being spotted.
"Wait Harry, the Hospi-" Ron started.
"That's exactly where he wants us to go! We go there, Umbridge will see us, and she'll think we caused the explosions!" Harry yelled back as the two kept running. "Here turn left!"
Ron followed Harry as they bolted down the empty corridor. Fear and adrenaline coursed through their veins, pushing them to keep going, despite the exhaustion creeping in. They sprinted down the unfamiliar corridor, their footsteps echoing loudly in the darkness. They glanced behind them, their hearts racing, expecting to see their pursuers gaining on them at any moment. Then, Harry spotted a door up ahead.
"In there!" he panted, pointing towards the door. Ron and Harry pushed their legs to run even faster, despite feeling like being on the brink of fainting. They reached the door and flung it open just in time, slipping inside. The door slammed shut behind them, and they found themselves in a dimly lit, dusty room. They panted heavily, chests heaving, as they tried to catch their breath. The silence was deafening.
It was Harry who finally broke the silence. "How is she?" he asked quietly still trying to catch his breath.
"Still unconscious," Ron replied, gently setting Hermione down on the ground. Her face was pale and beads of sweat trickled down her forehead along with a few shallow cuts from flying debris.
Harry knelt beside her, checking her pulse. It was weak but steady. "She overexerted herself with that spell," he murmured, his worry evident in his voice.
"Saved our arse's though," Ron said. "We owe her big time for this"
"Yeah we do," Harry said looking at Hermoine
"So, What now?" asked Ron, looking around the dark room. Panic and worry etched on his face like a mask.
"We have to keep going," Harry replied, his determination overshadowing his anxiety.
Harry pulled out The Marauder's Map, its familiar lines and markings showing the various parts of Hogwarts. Harry hastily searched the map, trying to find a safe route to the Room of Requirement.
"There!" he said pointing at a section of the map. "There's a secret passageway a few corridors away. We can take that to the Room of Requirement. It's the safest bet right now."
Ron nodded, and he carefully lifted Hermione, supporting her as much as they could. They cautiously opened the door, peering out into the dimly lit hallway. It seemed deserted for the moment.
The group moved discreetly, sticking close to the shadows. As they neared the Room of Requirement, Harry felt a wave of relief wash over him. They stopped in front of the large, blank expanse of the wall where the entrance to the Room was concealed. Harry, Ron, and Hermione had been there multiple times before, but it felt different this time, heavier. They knew the safety it promised was a temporary respite in the unfolding chaos.
Without a word, Harry paced back and forth three times in front of the wall, envisioning the safe space they needed inside. The wall shimmered and then shifted, revealing the entrance to the Room.
They quickly entered the Room, the heavy door closing behind them. The cozy, comforting space was a haven from the chaos that had just unfolded. They laid Hermione down on the soft couch, her breathing still shallow. Harry and Ron sat on either side of Hermione, their worry etched on their faces. Silence hung heavily in the air, broken only by Hermione's occasional, soft moans. The adrenaline from their chase was slowly fading, replaced by an exhaustion that seeped into their very bones.
"Is she going to be okay?" Ron asked his voice barely above a whisper. His gaze was fixed on Hermione's pale face.
Harry looked at Hermione's face, seeing her like this infuriated him, his rage coming through again in waves. He then looked at one of the training dummies. "CONFRIGO!" Harry shouted as he cast the spell at the dummy, imagining it was Yuno.
A ball of fire erupted from Harry's wand, hitting the training dummy with a blazing force. The dummy was engulfed in flames, the heat and brightness filling the room. Harry watched as the dummy was consumed by his spell, his anger fueling the strength of his continued to cast the spell at the remaining dummies in rage.
"CONFRIGO! CONFRIGO! CONFRIGO! CONFRIGO! CONFRIGO!" he shouted as he cast the spell multiple times. Each fireball from Harry's wand hit its target with deadly precision, each dummy burning with intensity. The room began to fill with smoke as the dummies burned, the scent of singed wood and burnt fabric filling the air.
Ron ran up to Harry worried about the fire, "Mate stop! You'll fill the room with smoke!"
Harry's breathing was ragged, his heart racing as he looked at the dummies, now little more than smoldering heaps. The anger that had fueled his magic slowly subsided, replaced by a pang of guilt.
"I'm sorry," he said cursing himself for getting angry again.
Ron placed a hand on Harry's shoulder, "Don't be," He said his voice soft but firm "She's going to be okay, alright."
Harry's gaze flickered back to Hermione, lying motionless on the sofa. His anger was immediately replaced with worry, and he nodded slowly. Ron was right. Harry sighed and sat down on the floor, leaning against the wall. Ron sat beside him, his eyes still on Hermione. They sat in silence for a few moments, each engulfed in their own thoughts.
"What's wrong with me Ron? Why am I getting like this all of a sudden?" Harry asked leaning back against the wall. "First Umbridge, that outburst with you guys, then at Malfoy and Arianna, and now this. It's almost like my anger is taking over me,"
"Well can't say I'd blame you for this one," Ron said. "I'd like nothing better than to do… that, to that punk." he continued looking at the charred dummies. He let out a small dry laugh.
"That's putting it mildly," Harry leaned his head back against the wall, closing his eyes. The adrenaline rush from the chase and the explosion of his magic had left him exhausted. There was a long silence between the two. Until Ron finally broke the silence.
"Look mate…this year sucks with everything going on, and quite honestly I don't know if it's gonna get any better. But, we have to keep holding onto hope that it will" he said.
Harry knew Ron was right, they could only hope right now that things would start going their way. He ran his fingers through his hair, trying to soothe himself. He looked over at Ron and gave a joking smirk.
"Wise advice coming from the guy getting down about a game this morning," Harry remarked jokingly.
"Oh shove off it," Ron said punching Harry in the shoulder lightly, with a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.
Harry punched Ron back, which resulted in the both of them chuckling.
"Thanks, Ron, for everything. I don't know where I'd be without you and Moine" Harry said.
"Aye, that's what brothers are for, mate," Ron said. The two of them grabbed the other opposite hand and embraced, giving the other pats on the back. Despite the chaos and the tension, Harry was glad to have them. No amount of adversity could break the bond between the three.
Ron then suddenly looked at Harry strangely, "Harry your cuts are healing!" he exclaimed.
Harry was taken aback, not understanding what was happening. He touched his forehead, feeling where the shallow cut had been. His bruises from yesterday were also healing, as well as the pain rapidly subsiding. The same was happening to Ron, his own cuts were glowing and healing right before their eyes.
"Yours too!" Harry exclaimed back.
They both sat there, stunned, as their injuries miraculously healed at a swift pace. It was an incredibly strange sight - watching their bruises and cuts fade away rapidly. They were both bewildered by this unexpected turn of events.
Hermoine stirred a bit, making Harry and Ron look over. Their eyes widened when saw her.
"H-Hermione?" Harry stuttered, completely taken aback by her new appearance. Her cheeks were marked with red tribal lines, her ears were pointed, sticking out of her brushy brown hair, and a gentle, golden glow enveloped her. Her wounds had sealed up the same as Harry's and Ron's. As her stirring increased, her eyes began to flutter open. When she came to her appearance returned to normal.
"Harry? Ron?" Hermione's voice was hoarse as she tried to sit up on the sofa. Her eyes widened as she looked at them, taking in their shocked expressions. "What happened? Why are you both staring at me like that?" she asked, confusion in her voice
"Hermione, you... you had..." Harry began, but his words trailed off, unsure how to explain what they had just witnessed. Ron, equally dumbfounded, just nodded. They both looked at each other, bewildered and baffled.
"What are you two talking about? What happened?" Hermione repeated, growing increasingly worried at their cryptic behavior. "Ah, my head" she grimaced.
"Your... your face, it..." Harry struggled to get the words out, still in disbelief at what they had seen. Hermione's hand flew to her face, touching her cheek where the markings had been. It was smooth and unmarked now.
"What about my face? It's fine. There's nothing there," she said, now utterly perplexed.
"Oh, never mind...how are you feeling? Do you remember what happened?" Harry asked
Hermione sat up, her hand still on her cheek, feeling the smoothness of her skin. "I... I'm fine, I think." She paused for a moment, trying to recollect her memories. "I remember... Umbridge," she shuddered, "The paper note, and then..." she trailed off, confusion in her eyes.
"The explosions..." Ron finished her sentence, his memories of the incident still fresh.
"Yuno" Hermoine said with disdain in a low voice
Harry and Ron nodded in agreement, their eyes filled with anger at the mere mention of Yuno's name. "Yeah," Harry said, gritting his teeth, "It was him. He sent that note to Umbridge and then set off those explosions."
"He's getting aggressive now, That brick to the face was bad, but this was outright attempted murder for Merlin's sake!" Ron exclaimed.
"And she'll be out for blood this time," Hermoine added, clenching her fists. " She's going to want to make an example out of someone."
"D.A. meetings are going to be crippled because of this. Who knows what she's going to do this time with her educational decree's" Ron said, not wanting to know the answer.
"She's probably going to amp up the surveillance and tighten control over the school," Harry said his anger building. "She'll want to ensure nothing like this can happen again."
"Look, we can focus on that later, we just have to find a way to get back to the dormitory... Harry your cloak-" Hermoine trailed off with a sad tone.
Harry's heart sank as he remembered the fate of his invisibility cloak. It was a precious treasure and the last connection he had to his dad. "Yeah, it's gone. he made sure of that." His voice was laced with disappointment and resentment.
"Great," Ron groaned, frustration evident in his voice. "Now how are we supposed to get back to the dormitories without being seen?"
"It's not impossible. I think mostly everyone is trying to figure out what happened, let me check" Harry said.
Harry unfolded the Marauders Map, his eyes darted across the various names moving across the parchment. He looked for the name "Dolores Umbridge," scanning the surroundings of her office. The map was a lifesaver in times like these, helping them navigate the school without being detected.
"Looks like all the Professors and Filch are near her office. I'm guessing they're gonna take her to the hospital wing"
"That means the coast should be clear for us," Ron said, glancing over the map. "Everyone will be focused on the explosion and Umbridge's condition."
"Then no time to waste," Hermoine said getting up slowly. "Let's go"
With a collective nod of agreement, the trio carefully got up and moved towards the exit of the Room of Requirement. Harry took the lead, checking the map one last time to ensure the path was clear.
They exited the room quietly, their footsteps almost silent on the stone floor. The corridor was eerily silent, the only sound came from the occasional creak of the castle. The air was heavy with tension, the adrenaline from earlier still coursing through their veins.
They continued to slink through the shadow but finally found themselves at the portrait of the fat lady. Standing in front of the portrait of the Fat Lady, the trio breathed a collective sigh of relief. They were nearly back to the safety of Gryffindor Tower.
"We're almost there," Harry whispered, looking at Ron and Hermione.
The Fat Lady in the portrait looked at them with a curious expression, noting their disheveled appearances. But before she could say anything, Ron quickly gave the password, and they darted inside through the portrait hole. The Common Room was blissfully empty, the only light coming from the flickering fireplace. The trio took a moment to let out a sigh of relief, savoring the brief respite they had. They flopped down on the comfortable couches, allowing their bodies to relax slightly.
The exhaustion and stress of the situation had finally taken its toll on Harry. He drifted off into a deep sleep almost immediately, the adrenaline wearing off.
Ron and Hermione exchanged worried glances, but they were also tired. The events of the night had left them feeling exhausted. They huddled together on the couch, covering themselves with a nearby blanket.
(Monday Morning, The Great Hall)
At breakfast the next morning, the atmosphere in the Great Hall was a stark contrast to the usual hustle and bustle. Everyone was talking in hushed whispers, their eyes darting around, speculating on the events of the previous night. The explosions around Umbridge's office had woken everyone up, and that hallway was now sealed off, for repairs. The news had spread rapidly, and students were visibly shaken. The student's rumours and speculation, had the teachers looking grave.
Harry, Ron, and Hermione entered the Hall, their eyes immediately scanning the room. Umbridge's chair at the High Table was conspicuously empty. There was no sign of her.
"Looks like she's not eating with us peasants this morning," Ron muttered under his breath, a hint of bitterness in his tone. The lack of Umbridge's presence was both a relief and a cause for suspicion. Her absence from the High Table was a stark reminder of the events of last night.
"She's probably still in the hospital wing," whispered Hermoine
Suddenly, Dumbledore stood at the podium, his eyes sweeping over the sea of students. The hall fell silent, the collective attention of the entire school now upon him. His voice, though usually calm and whimsical, held a hint of solemnity this morning.
"Good morning," he said. "As you are all aware, last night, several explosions occurred near the office of Professor Umbridge."
The hall was a silent, expectant vacuum. Every student eagerly waited for Dumbledore's next words. Some held their breaths, others exchanged anxious glances.
"I know you all have questions. And let me assure you, we are doing everything we can to find out what happened." Dumbledore continued, his calm exterior concealing the turmoil beneath.
"As of now, Professor Umbridge is recovering in the hospital wing," he said, his voice firm. "She was injured in the explosions, but she is expected to make a full-"
"ALBUS!" Umbridges voice yelled from the entrance of the Great Hall cutting off Dumbledore.
Some of her hair had been signed off as bandages covered her face, She had a cane with her to keep her balance. "I WILL NOT STAND FOR THIS!" she shouted in her shrill girly voice "PUNISHMENT MUST BE HANDED OUT! IMMEDIATELY!"
Her outburst shattered the uneasy silence in the hall. Every student and teacher turned to look at her, stunned by her sudden appearance. The contrast between Dumbledore's calm, measured words and Umbridge's shrill, outraged voice was stark.
"Professor Umbridge..." Dumbledore began, but she cut him off, hobbling towards the high table with as much speed as her injuries would allow.
"PUNISHMENT!" she repeated, her cane thudding on the stone floor with each hobbled step. As she approached, her face twisted in a mixture of pain and indignation. The students, teachers, and even the portraits on the walls watched as Umbridge came to a stop before Dumbledore, panting slightly from the effort.
Dumbledore's eyes were hardened by Umbridge's outburst, but his voice remained calm. "Professor Umbridge, you're not well enough to be out of the hospital wing. You need rest."
Umbridge, however, refused to be pacified. "I AM MORE THAN CAPABLE OF CARRYING OUT MY DUTIES, ALBUS!" she thundered. "I WILL NOT BE BEDRIDDEN WHILE HAVOC REIGNS IN MY SCHOOL!"
Dumbledore looked at Umbridge with a mixture of frustration and concern. "Your school Dolores? This is not the time for your brand of discipline," he said, his voice steady but stern. "The safety of the students is of the utmost importance right now, not your quest for control."
"MY BRAND OF DISCIPLINE IS WHAT THIS SCHOOL SORELY LACKS," Umbridge shouted back, her cheeks flushing red with anger. "STUDENTS RUNNING RAMPANT, NO RESPECT FOR MY AUTHORITY, CHAOS IN THE CORRIDORS-"
"Enough, Dolores! I assure you, the school's well-being is something I take very seriously. But this situation requires calm and level-headedness. Not drastic, reactive measures." Dumbledore said, growing irritated with the toad-like woman.
Umbridge didn't say anything but trembled in anger. She swiftly turned towards the students scanning the Great Hall. Her eyes then fell to the Hufflepuff table.
"ZACHARIAS SMITH!" Umbridge barked.
The silence in the Great Hall deepened. All eyes now turned towards Zacharias Smith, a fifth-year student from Hufflepuff House, who was sitting in the middle of the house's table. He slowly stood up, a mixture of fear and confusion on his face.
"Y-Yes professor?" he managed to stammer out, clearly uncomfortable under Umbridge's intense gaze.
"I WILL HAVE YOU SENT TO AZKABAN FOR THIS!" she shrilled. Harry, Ron, and Hermione eye's widened as well as the other students, followed along by a collective gasp. The room fell even more silent, the tension in the air so thick it could be cut with a knife.
"Professor Umbridge," Dumbledore said, his voice carrying a hint of warning now. "Handing out a punishment like that-" But Umbridge cut him off.
"I have evidence! his signature was on a crude note that triggered the explosions!" she cried.
Dumbledore frowned now, the patience in his eyes slowly being replaced by disappointment. "I'm sure there is a logical explanation," he said, trying to maintain a reasonable tone. "Zacharias, do you know anything about this note?"
"NO! I was studying all night in the common room for an exam coming up in Professor Binns's class!" Zacharias yelled.
"It's true he was" a Hufflepuff girl yelled out as well. "It was a study group!"
It was now the Hufflepuff students' turn to come into the fray, the Hufflepuff table bursting into affirmations of Zacharias' claim and defense of their classmate.
"He was studying with us!"
"We were all there!"
"He didn't even leave the common room!"
Dumbledore watched as the Hufflepuffs spoke up in defense of Zacharias. Their words were firm, their faces sincere.
Umbridge, on the other hand, was flushed a deep red. Her eyes moved from the Hufflepuffs to Dumbledore, and her voice was scathing when she spoke.
"You cannot believe the words of teenagers over a member of The Ministry!"
"Dolores, do you even hear yourself right now? You just threatened a child with prison time, and even worse with no concrete evidence. Evidence mind you, that was just contradicted" Dumbledore scolded, his usually calm expression turning into a subtle scowl.
The Great Hall echoed with the weight of Dumbledore's words. The students were now watching the exchange as if they were at a fast-paced Quidditch match, their eyes wide and faces full of shock.
Umbridge, however, was unperturbed. She clutched her cane tightly, her knuckles turning white. "I will have order!" she retorted. "I am within my rights to punish as I see fit!"
"I'm well aware of your position of High Inquisitor, but I am the headmaster of this school. You best remember that the next time you threaten one of my students" Dumbledore said, his tone dark and menacing.
The room went silent. Never, in the countless years Dumbledore had stood as the Hogwarts headmaster, had he ever been this stern.
Umbridge, her face now a brighter shade of scarlet, opened her mouth to speak but was beaten to it by Dumbledore.
"Enough, Professor. You need rest. You're going back to the hospital wing. Now."
There was a moment of tension, a pause where it seemed Umbridge might refuse. But the combined weight of the students' gazes, Dumbledore's firm stance, and her injuries seemed to finally sway her.
"Fine," she spat, her voice quivering with anger. "But this... this isn't over, Albus."
As she turned and started hobbling out of the Great Hall, supported by the cane, the tension in the room slowly began to melt. Dumbledore's eyes followed her, his expression serious. The students seemed to let out a collective breath, the initial shock slowly being replaced with whispers of disbelief.
"You're all dismissed, Mr. Smith a word in my office if you will?" Dumbledore said, before sitting down.
The students started to get up, their voices rising again as they discussed the unprecedented exchange they had just witnessed. Their eyes darted everywhere, trying to make sense of the whirlwind that had just occurred.
"She's mad, sending a student to Azakan?" Hermoine said in a hushed, but furious tone.
"She's madder than a rabid Hippogriff," Ron said, his expression a mix of anger and disbelief. "She didn't even have any solid proof."
"We need to hold a D.A. meeting tonight. We're gonna have to accelerate everyone's training" Harry said grimly
"You're right," Ron agreed. "With Umbridge out for blood like that, we need to prepare."
Hermione, her face set in determination, nodded. "I'll start on the lesson plans."
"Right, and you two make sure you're keeping up with your defense work... I have a feeling she's preparing for war" Harry said darkly. He knew Umbridge was going to do something even more drastic now, with everything that had just happened in The Great Hall.
Both Ron and Hermione nodded, their eyes reflecting their resolve. They understood the gravity of the situation and the potential consequences of the ongoing power struggle. Their conversation was cut short by the sound of the morning bell, signaling the start of classes.
"We'll discuss the details later," Harry whispered, gathering his things. "But for now, we gotta look normal. We don't want Umbridge on our trail even more."
Right," Ron said, trying to mask his anger. "We've gotta play it smart."
They parted ways, each heading to their morning classes, their minds still whirling with the morning's events.
As Hermoine walked to her class, she passed Yuno in the hallways, He gave her a knowing smug smirk.
Hermoine's eyes narrowed as she passed by him, the sight of Yuno's smirk sending a twinge of anger through her. His audacity to act so casually after the previous night infuriated her, but she held her tongue, not wanting to give him any more satisfaction.
"Arrogant bastard," she muttered under her breath. She quickened her pace towards her class, determined to focus on her studies and prepare for the D.A. meeting later in the evening. But the image of Yuno's smug expression stayed in her mind, nagging at her.