Disclaimer: Everything belongs to J.K.R!

This story is a collaboration's work between Avoranger and Cal the Wandcrafter!

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Hope you like this chapter!

Enjoy! \(OvO)9

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The room was a soft hue of pink, a colour often associated with femininity, expression, and passion. Adorned with charming cat paintings, their playful meows lent an air of liveliness. Some believed that one's choice of colour reflected their character; in this case, it hinted at a neat, protective, and nurturing persona. However, for those who saw beyond the surface, her actions contradicted the supposed meaning of her favourite colour. Instead of embodying warmth and gentleness, she exuded an aura of intimidation and danger, perhaps using the pink decor as a facade to conceal her true nature.

Delores Umbridge sat behind her desk with a glare that would have made Medusa pause, her large, pudgey hand grasped around a pink teacup in a near death grip, oblivious to the scorching heat against her palm radiating off the liquid. Her mind was focused elsewhere, as it was.

The trial from the previous summer left a lasting impact, a humiliating experience she had never endured, especially not from a child. The audacity! If Potter had simply been a good little halfbreed and died, it would have saved her so many headaches…

Seeking solace, she took a deep breath, savouring the calming aroma of jasmine tea. Fudge was a moron, that much she was certain of. Albus Dumbledore was not the target they should aim for. It was obvious to anyone with at least two brain cells to rub together that the old man was not after the position of Minister, he was just a bumbling, senile, old fool that had rotted his brain away on top of many muggle sweets. No, he was no threat. The real issue was Potter. It was as if he knew things he should have at that trial.

Somehow the boy had mounted a stellar defence against her, and worst of all, had threatened her station. She could abide insults to herself, they had never bothered her before and could be dealt with harshly in time… but she had spilled too much blood to gain her power and she would not give it up to the whims of a mere child, Cornelius be damned! The Potter boy had to be silenced, and if she couldn't outright kill him, she would have to find another way to deal with him. She set her cup down and reached for an empty piece of parchment and a quill, and began her nightly routine of forgery.

As High Inquisitor, her first (self proclaimed) duty was to filter the information her students received about the outside world. Maintaining the illusion of being a mere teacher appointed by the Minister, she shielded the parents from the truth, ensuring they believed their children were safe in her care. After all, people were stupid and had no concept of what was best for their own lives, and Dumbledore's trustworthiness was questionable, after all.

It was a tedious process to determine the letters that were problematic, even with the filtering runes Cornelius had given her to detect key phrases on parchment. Ms. Bones religiously sent her aunt a letter once a week, containing updates about the castle and her activities, however, these had since stopped… curious, but not unwelcome.

She discovered that Harry Potter had asked the oldest Greengrass sibling to inquire about the trial proceedings regarding his follow-up lawsuit against her Ministry, which had infuriated her to no end. Despite his detention, he had not met his demise, leaving her frustrated but determined to try again. Maybe it was time to switch tactics - if going after Potter would not quell his treason against her, maybe she should make an example out of someone close to him.

The youngest Greengrass sister's letter provided a potential answer she sought: the oldest sister was dating Harry Potter. It was a challenging situation. Should she choose to go after the Greengrass heir, the consequences would be dire, even if Cyrus Greengrass held no real ministry power. They were a dangerous family, and could prove to be more trouble if she were to act against them. So that was off the table.

She paused with a long exhale through her nose as her grip on the quill tightened. There were also rumours about a study group. A few weeks after assuming her teaching role, she heard whispers about a defence against the dark arts study group, led by Harry Potter, so naturally she was eager to apprehend them; the group needed to be disbanded immediately. It was undoubtedly one of Potter's schemes to undermine her once again, but she remained patient, knowing that patience yields greater rewards. Thus, she allowed the group to operate, with an elf discreetly monitoring them. Under the guise of detentions, she had managed to glean information from a few first and second years, but so far, several students she had 'interviewed' only implicated Granger as the leader. She refused to believe it; they must be lying.

Her musings were brought to a stop as a soft knock on her door broke her out of her thoughts - a feeble little elf had cracked the door and made its way inside her office, trembling as he approached her. "Madam," the timid elf said, handing her a letter with a trembling voice. "This is the letter from the student you instructed Cio to watch out for, the one who attempted to free us."

Umbridge paused her hand, mid-sip of her sweet jasmine tea, upon hearing about the letter from the Potter boy's friend. She was well aware of certain students' attempts to free the house-elves by knitting and spreading clothing throughout the tower. 'Good for her', she thought with an internal laugh. 'Free them all, kill off the disgusting species. After all, such menial labour was more for filthy half breed mudbloods. How noble of that Granger girl to desire her place beneath the feet of proper magicals.' Despite the elves' low status, their fear of losing their jobs, and subsequently their magic, outweighed any other concerns. Placing her cup on the coaster, she waved her wand to open the letter.

"Oh... oh... What's this?" she exclaimed with a wide, menacing smile as she read the letter, appearing pleased. The elf flinched at her reaction, sensing trouble for the letter's author. Her smile hinted that repercussions would soon follow. Cio gulped nervously.

"You've done well, elf!" she praised, waving the letter onto her desk, noting it was neatly folded, not copied as usual. "You may go," she dismissed him, and he eagerly complied.

"How dare he! Getting the Granger girl to do his dirty work, no doubt." She sipped her tea deliciously. "I could use it… but I still need more reason to get him out. However, Granger….," she drummed her fingers on the table until one idea flashed into her mind. She smiled widely. "Lets see how Potter," she spit the name out like it was a bitter poison on her tongue, "Copes with this." She hummed happily. "Kill a few birds in one stone, how fun."

Hermione had eagerly fulfilled Harry's request. Honestly, she was surprised when he approached her to handle something as crucial as sharing information about last year's events with the entire Wizarding World. Despite months passing, the Daily Prophet had continued to smear his name and Dumbledore's, albeit less intensely than during the summer holidays. Determined to help clear his name, Hermione knew just the person for the job: someone who she was certain wouldn't refuse the opportunity to interview someone she had always wanted to… Plus a little blackmail material always helped with persuasion.

Watching the owl from the Owlery confidently carry the letter to Rita Skeeter, Hermione could only wait, a tense moment indeed. However the weeks stretched on and as March arrived and the air began to warm, Hermione grew increasingly worried. Weeks had passed, yet there was still no response from Skeeter. Did she receive the letter but dismiss it as a joke? Hermione doubted Skeeter would overlook such a significant scoop. Or perhaps the letter remained unread, buried under other correspondence. Despite her temptation to send another letter, Hermione refrained, not wanting to appear needy. Anxiety gnawed at her; she was becoming impatient.

"Are you okay, Hermione? You seem on edge lately," Harry asked, noticing her constant vigilance for owl arrivals during meal times. "Are you waiting for a letter from your parents?" he guessed.

Shaking her head, Hermione replied in a hushed tone, "No, Harry. I'm waiting for a letter from someone who will help us with the interview," ensuring only he and Ron could hear.

"Interview?" Ron interjected, looking puzzled. "What interview? This is news to me," he squinted at Harry and Hermione, demanding an explanation.

"I'll explain later," Harry said, noticing a few students eavesdropping. "Let's talk about it where we won't have an audience."

And so it was that the trip had found their way to a secluded corner of the castle courtyard, protected by standard security spells cast by Harry, they resumed their conversation.

"So, I asked Hermione to find me a journalist to help me. I want to release a statement about what happened last year," Harry explained, noticing Ron's changing expressions from anger to surprise to sympathy. "I'm tired of everyone judging me, and Daphne is feeling the pressure too. Her housemates are not too happy about our relationship, and I'm worried Malfoy is inevitably going to say something to set her off. I don't want her to face any more trouble beyond the occasional slap to Pansy's face. She's not dangerous, but Malfoy could be an issue," he added, imagining Daphne defending their relationship. "It's been months, and the smear campaign won't go away. I've tried to ignore it, but it's affecting my relationship with Daphne, and that's unacceptable."

Understanding Harry's frustration, Ron offered his support. "I get it, Harry. Maybe there's something I can do to help. I can't just stand by and watch you guys work."

"For now, I don't have anything specific, but having you around provides moral support," Harry acknowledged, with Hermione nodding in agreement and gratitude.

"Fine! But if there is anything at all, just let me know," Ron reluctantly agreed with a heavy sigh.

"But what about Daphne? Wasn't she involved in your plan?" Ron pressed, still sceptical of Daphne's absence in the discussion.

Harry raised an eyebrow. "She trusts me. We've got it covered, don't worry."

"So she wasn't involved at all?" Ron persisted, finding it hard to believe Daphne wasn't included.

"No, you can ask her later," Harry reassured, before turning to Hermione. "So, any progress? Has your contact not responded yet?"

Hermione's shoulders slumped in frustration. "Not yet. She should have received the letter two weeks ago, but..."

"Where did you send it from?" Ron interrupted before Harry could ask the same question.

"From the Owlery, of course! Where else would I send it?" Hermione replied incredulously. "But it's odd; the Owlery has been unusually empty this year."

Silence fell between them until Harry and Ron simultaneously exclaimed, "Hermione!"

Startled, Hermione asked, "What? What's wrong?"

"Umbridge has been monitoring the letters," Ron informed her.

"Monitoring letters?" Hermione frowned, puzzled by her friends' panic. "Isn't that excessive? I mean, people have always said mail is watched. Remember Fred and George complaining about Filch blocking their orders to Zonko's and Honeydukes? That's just a rumour, right?" She grew anxious as she observed her friends' expressions. "Wait, is it true this time? Are you sure?"

"One hundred percent," Harry confirmed.

"So what do we do? Can we retrieve it before she uses it against us?" Hermione asked hopefully.

"Is that even possible? We don't even know how she intercepted the letters or where she's keeping them," Ron said sceptically.

Harry sighed in frustration. "It's been weeks; she's likely already read the letter and kept it as 'evidence.' This time, she didn't bother with a fake response like usual. Merlin, I don't have time for her games!" He rubbed his face, feeling exasperated.

"Maybe ask Winky or Dobby? Maybe we could ask them to steal it?" Ron suggested with a sour expression. "I mean, we could still stop her plan. If she doesn't have the letter anymore, she won't have evidence to harm us, even if she's already read it."

Harry considered Ron's suggestion. "What do you think, Hermione?" he asked, seeking her opinion first.

"Though I dislike involving house-elves in our problems, none of us can enter her office without raising suspicion except for them. Plus, she could have made a copy of the letter… but if she doesn't have any copies of it…" Hermione replied bitterly. Reluctantly, she admitted that Ron's idea was a practical one in this situation.

"There's no harm in trying, right?" Ron persisted, trying to convince them both.

"Fine, let's ask them," Harry agreed, summoning Winky and Dobby, who appeared almost instantly, as if they had anticipated his call.

"Master is calling Winky?!" Winky exclaimed eagerly, her eyes sparkling with readiness to serve. Dobby nodded in agreement, equally excited.

"Hello, you two! I hope I'm not interrupting anything," Harry greeted them.

"Not at all, sir! Winky and Dobby were just relaxing after cleaning the Great Hall," Dobby replied happily.

"That's good. Can we ask you to do something for us?" Harry asked.

"What does Master want us to do? Winky is ready to serve!" Winky exclaimed enthusiastically.

"So, Winky, Dobby... There's a letter that Hermione sent, but I believe Umbridge intercepted it. Could you retrieve it for me?" Harry requested.

Instantly, the two elves exchanged anxious looks, silently communicating about who should speak. "Retrieve a letter from Professor Pink, sir?" Winky asked, her voice tinged with fear, while Dobby weakly nodded in agreement. "Could Winky not do it, sir?" she pleaded. "She's cruel, sir! She's been forcing the elves to intercept the owls, threatening us with clothes if we don't comply. But because Winky is Harry Potter's elf, she could avoid her, unlike Dobby! So Winky doesn't like her!"

The revelation of how Umbridge intercepted the letters shocked all three of them, especially Harry. He never imagined that Umbridge would resort to using house-elves, especially considering her disdain for magical creatures.

"It's okay, Winky, Dobby," Harry reassured them with a warm smile. "You two don't need to do that. You can rest now." He decided to dismiss them. "I don't want to risk putting you both in danger. Let's find another idea."

After spending almost a day discussing and brainstorming how to retrieve the intercepted letter from Umbridge, unfortunately, they had not yet produced any results and always seemed to hit a dead end. Frustration mounted among them.

"Harry!" Daphne looked surprised as her boyfriend approached her after Charm class, sensing that something was amiss. 'Did something happen?' she wondered, concerned.

Before Daphne could inquire further, Harry swiftly pulled her away from the crowd, avoiding any potential questions from others or insistence from Tracey to join them. Daphne followed him, her mind buzzing with questions. "Harry, what's wrong?" she asked, but he remained silent, increasing her annoyance. She wanted answers, but she recalled that this behaviour often preceded something important. Did Harry have something significant to discuss with her? Was he upset with her? She couldn't recall doing anything to upset him, which only added to her confusion. Nevertheless, she opted to stay silent and follow him, trusting that she would soon find out.

And she was right.

They arrived at the secluded south courtyard of the castle, a desolate area rarely frequented by students. Apart from being far from the main gate, it exuded an eerie atmosphere. Daphne couldn't help but wonder how Harry had even found this place.

Surveying her surroundings, Daphne raised an eyebrow upon spotting two figures engaged in a heated discussion on one of the stone benches: Harry's best friends, Ron and Hermione. Daphne felt a wave of relief wash over her.

Giving them a polite smile upon reaching the meeting spot, Daphne couldn't help but voice her irritation. "So, what's this about? You dragged me here in secret to meet your best friends?" she scolded him, slightly annoyed. Harry responded with his characteristic charming smile, causing her to almost roll her eyes if not for Ron's interruption.

"You haven't told her yet?" Ron asked, puzzled.

"Tell me about what?" Daphne inquired curiously, turning her attention to the three of them, especially Harry.

"I didn't have time to explain to her; I saw Tracey about to approach us from her table, and I didn't want her to tag along," Harry reasoned, shrugging.

"So this is something she's not entitled to know?" Daphne frowned at his explanation.

Harry shook his head, his expression conflicted. "No, it's more about keeping you uninvolved to prevent any potential fallout. Plausible deniability is the best defence for her right now. This is big, this is messy, and this is dangerous." he explained reluctantly.

"Alright, so what is this about?" she crossed her arms, demanding their answer.

Harry glanced at Hermione and Ron before addressing Daphne apologetically. "We decided to involve you in our discussion about 'the letter'," he said.

She raised an eyebrow. "What letter?"

"That 'letter', Daphne!" Harry stressed the word.

Her eyes widened at the mention of 'letter'. "It worked then? So what do you need me for? Isn't Hermione dealing with it for you?"

Hermione gave her a frustrated look. "Yes, I did. But there's a problem with that," she admitted.

"A pink problem?" Daphne sighed, already anticipating the answer. Harry just grinned apologetically.

"You seemed to know what happened already?" Ron frowned, then turned to Harry. "Harry, you said you hadn't told her yet?"

"I haven't told her anything yet!" Harry clarified, growing irritated.

"I took a guess. What's the cause of all of our troubles in the castle this year? Why should this one be any different? So what is the plan?"

"We're trying to find a way to reclaim 'the letter' from Umbridge," Hermione explained, her tone determined.

Daphne sighed heavily before replying, "Just forget it. I can't possibly think of a way we could get it. She is definitely going to have monitoring charms all over her office, probably having portraits to watch out for intruders. Didn't you say it was covered with paintings of cats, Harry?" seeing his knowledge of agreement, Daphne hung her head low. "We need to focus on damage control at this point, making sure the fallout is minimal."

"No! I'm sure there is still a way!" said Hermione stubbornly, refusing to accept defeat. She firmly believed that there had to be a solution. They had called upon Daphne to contribute her insights to solve the problem, and her suggestion to give up didn't make sense to Hermione.

"We've hit a lot of dead ends, which is why we asked for your help!" Ron chimed in.

"Why not ask Winky and Dobby to do it then? They're the only ones who could do it without arousing suspicion from Umbridge," Daphne suggested.

"See! Daphne agrees with me!" said Ron happily. "We already summoned them, but Harry dismissed them."

"I don't want them to get hurt. Umbridge has been forcing the elves to intercept the letter and punishing them by giving them clothes," explained Harry, irritated by Ron's insistence on using his elves for such a risky task. He couldn't bear the thought of putting them in harm's way again, especially after what happened to Dobby in the last timeline. "What do you think would happen to Winky when Umbridge realises clothes will not work unless I give them to her? And what about Dobby? He is a free elf, and is going to be much harder to remove from the castle. It's likely she would just kill them, because who would believe my word over her, and on top of that, what evidence would there be?"

"My father would kill me if I used our family elf. He's our owl-elf for the time being," Daphne added, understanding Harry's reluctance to involve his elves. She made a mental note to apologise to him later for the suggestion. "We could always try to kill her?" Daphne suggested, only half-seriously.

Harry chuckled at the suggestion but received a swat on the shoulder from Hermione, who widened her eyes in disbelief. "Are you mad?! That's too extreme!" she exclaimed, turning to him with an angry tone.

Harry just shrugged, not offering any further explanation. Deep down, he knew that taking such drastic measures wouldn't solve anything. 'If it were that easy, I would have done it long ago. But the consequences would be far too great. Harry Potter, convicted of murdering a high-ranking Ministry employee, sentenced to life in Azkaban as Bellatrix Lestrange's new cellmate, he thought bitterly. That would make a front page headline for sure, and even Dumbledore would not be able to get me out of that.'

"You said you've hit dead ends, right?" asked Daphne casually, crossing her arms.

"Yes, but I don't want to give up yet!" Hermione insisted, glaring at Daphne with irritation.

Daphne sighed. "I understand, Hermione. But we're dealing with Dolores Umbridge here. How do you think she managed to climb to her current position? Becoming the Minister's undersecretary isn't something an ordinary person achieves without connections in the ministry. You're still a threat to her since you're friends with Harry Potter," she explained calmly. "Actually, I'd say this probably has nothing to do with you and is all about trying to get at Harry and Dumbledore."

"What Daphne said is right, Hermione," agreed Harry. He didn't regret involving her in the matter, but he couldn't shake the frustration of her lack of caution.

"You had no intention of taking the letter back from the start, right? Every time Ron and I give you an idea for it you just keep rejecting it and giving lots of excuses! Why did you just give up like that?!" Ron nodded, agreeing with Hermione's.

Harry didn't want to erupt another fight between them so he explained carefully, "No! Of course I want the letter back! How do you think I feel about this, it's my fault we are in this situation! I'm the one who asked Hermione to write it, so I'm blaming myself more than anything! Just think about it for a minute, please. There are only three quick ways you can take it; first, with the house elves but there's a risk of us losing them and I don't want that to happen! The second is that we get detention in her office and secretly take it but the chance to get caught is also greater, and the third one is to kill her and then throw the body away. Are you sure you want to take the last path?"

"How about we tell Dumbledore?" suggested her, desperately.

Harry shook his head sadly, "Dumbledore can't do anything, if he does something clashing with her she will not hesitate to sack him, we don't want him to go from this castle don't you?"

Hermione slumped defeatedly.

Daphne embraced her and then patted her back. "Actually, it may be a good idea to let Dumbledore know. Maybe we can get ahead of all of this before it explodes?"

Ron looked over at her with a pained expression, and shook his head. "Wouldn't that just give Umbridge more fuel for the fire? To her it would look like a conspiracy with Dumbledore if we were to tell him."

The three others paused and gave Ron a contemplating look before Harry let out a sigh. "Damn it, you are both right." He rubbed at his chin, as if scratching a non-existent beard before swearing under his breath. "Look, if the worst happens, I have a way I can get a hold of Madam Bones. I'm pretty sure she has been investigating Umbridge outside of the castle, and I've been reluctant to involve her unless it's desperate - Susan is too big of a target to get caught in that crossfire. But if anything happens to you, I'll get a letter to her telling her everything that's happened. We can break the lid off this entire thing, and get Umbridge under so much scrutiny that she can't sneeze without being investigated."

That seemed to settle Hermione's nerves somewhat, but the stress was still evident in her face. "At least we know that Dumbledore's won't let anything too bad happen to me, I guess. Let's go back, dinner is almost here, I don't want us to get into trouble because you weren't in the great hall for dinner."

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"Dolores, how is the Hogwarts project coming along?" Minister Fudge inquired.

"Well, Potter has received the message, I believe. It seemed to have sunk in," Dolores Umbridge replied.

"I don't care about Potter; he's a foolish child merely parroting Dumbledore's words. Potter is inconsequential. It's Dumbledore who's after my position!"

"But minister… we can't—," Dolores began to interject.

"Just do as I've instructed, Dolores! I trust you to remove Dumbledore from his position at Hogwarts!" Minister Fudge interrupted. "I don't care what it takes. I want results and I want them soon!"

Cornelius Fudge wasn't taking her warnings about Harry Potter seriously. While she understood that Dumbledore was a significant threat, Fudge seemed to forget that Potter was no less of a menace! Didn't he recall what Potter had done at the trial last summer? The humiliation still stung...

"Fine. I can act tomorrow. Expect my floo call." And with that, she ended the call.

If Cornelius wasn't willing to assist her in ridding herself of the deceitful boy, she would have to take matters into her own hands. Cornelius would surely approve. She smiled broadly, savouring the aroma of her jasmine tea as she slowly sipped it with her eyes closed. If she played her cards right, it would be a two-fold victory. The plan was bound to succeed! Dumbledore would be gone, and soon, so would Potter.

Those liars had to be dealt with.

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Daphne sat at the Slytherin table as usual for dinner. Beside her, Tracey kept pestering her to spill the details of where she had gone with Harry after Charm class and what they had been up to. Daphne simply rolled her eyes in annoyance and responded with vague, mysterious answers, much to Tracey's frustration. As entertaining as it was to see her friend's exasperation, Daphne couldn't help but miss the cheerful Tracey from the past-future.

However, amidst their dinner banter, Daphne's attention was drawn to an unusual sight: Dolores Umbridge was smiling broadly, looking unusually content as she sipped from her pink cup. While it wasn't uncommon to see Umbridge smiling while drinking her tea, the extent of her happiness seemed suspicious. After finishing her tea, Umbridge stood up from the teachers' table and made her way to the center of the Great Hall.

Umbridge cleared her throat, instantly capturing everyone's attention. The atmosphere in the Great Hall grew tense as all activity came to a halt. Umbridge's smile widened, sending a shiver down Daphne's spine.

"Do you know what she's up to?" Tracey whispered, also noticing Umbridge's strange behaviour.

Daphne remained silent, her gut telling her that something was very wrong. Her mind flashed back to their conversation less than thirty minutes ago. 'This can't be good,' she muttered anxiously. Glancing at Harry, she saw that he shared her unease. 'This isn't good.'

"Thank you for your attention," Umbridge began, still smiling widely. "A few weeks ago, something came to my attention that was deeply disturbing, prompting me to address you all. One of you has engaged in a seditious conspiracy against our esteemed Ministry, a plot to undermine our national security and spread panic and fear, fermenting an insurrection. Fortunately, such reprehensible and dishonest behaviour was caught before it could spread further. Treasonous activities are not to be taken lightly," she exclaimed dramatically. "To set an example, let it be known that such behaviour warrants no apology, because no apology could be enough to undo the crime of attempting to destroy our entire way of life. Normally the punishment for such treason is quite harsh. But as this is an institution of learning, I will let this be a learning opportunity instead. Maybe one day, the traitor will have learned her lesson and will earn repentance." She stated, her tone laced with disappointment.

Hermione looked at Harry with horror, but he shook his head, urging her to remain calm and assuring her that everything would be alright. However, deep down, he knew that things were far from fine. Umbridge wouldn't go to such lengths unless she had something significant planned. He had underestimated her thirst for revenge.

"Hermione Granger and Harry Potter, you will accompany me to the headmaster's office at once."

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It was oddly different than the first time they had gone through this, Harry realised with a bit of oddity. Sure, just like the first time all the portraits were making it known of their obvious interest in the proceedings, and just like before, Professor Umbridge and Cornelius Fudge looked as if Christmas had come early on their birthdays. But from all of his memories, he could not recall distress, panic, and fear on the levels he was feeling at this time. At least last time, Kingsley Shacklebolt have been there, providing at least an extra friendly face in the mix, but this time it was just Umbridge, Fudge, Dawlish, McGonagall, and Dumbledore.

Umbridge's eyes gleamed with a zealous fervour as she pointed an accusatory finger at Dumbledore. "Headmaster, you stand accused of inciting rebellion through dissemination of false information to the students, fueling unrest and discord within these walls, and attempting to create the military force to overthrow the ministry."

Dumbledore's eyes twinkled with a quiet resolve as he met Umbridge's gaze. "I stand accused of nothing but upholding the truth and fostering a spirit of inquiry within Hogwarts. And speaking of inquiring, I would very much like to know the basis of these claims you have made against Miss Granger."

The Minister of Magic interjected with a stern voice, "Enough! We have evidence to support these claims. You have endangered the stability of my government with your recklessness and deception, Albus.

Hermione stepped forward, her voice trembling with suppressed indignation. "But I didn't do anything! I just tried to send a letter!"

Umbridge cut her off with a disdainful wave of her hand. "Silence, Miss Granger. Your words hold no weight here. As for you, Dumbledore, your tenure as headmaster ends now. You are dismissed from Hogwarts, effective immediately."

Dumbledore's expression remained unchanged, his gaze steady and unwavering. "So be it. But know this, Dolores, the truth cannot be silenced forever. How do you think the public will react when their children return in the summer, and their parents learn of what you have been up to with their children? Do you really believe you will still hold any power by the time the next term rolls around?"

"Oh I hope that is a threat, Dumbledore. Because there is nothing I would like more than to lock you up for threatening Ministry officials performing their lawful duties. This is exactly what I have been saying since the start, you are out to destroy me and take my job!" Fudge had once again turned a rather unflattering shade of purple that Harry would always associate with his uncle.

At this, Dumbledore let a little more displeasure crawl onto his face, as he crossed his arms and stepped forward to match the minister's glare. "Cornelius, you know as well as I, that I have never desired the position of minister, and if I did, I would have taken it in the many times it was offered to me. I have been your friend and advisor for many years, and if you want to lock me away then so be it. But at least do me the courtesy of telling me exactly why you have chosen to go after one of the most brilliant and academically minded students that I have ever seen walk through these halls?"

To his credit, the minister had the decency to look somewhat ashamed, and nodded in uncertainty. Slowly, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a slip of parchment and began to unfold it. "Very well, I suppose I can grant you that at least. Miss Granger was found to have sent a letter to an anonymous outside source, requesting a meeting of, 'the utmost importance to the future of wizarding britain, and a very lucrative opportunity that you would not want to pass up on.'" he read in a slightly confused tone, making it blatantly apparent it was his first time actually viewing the contents of the letter. "She says it involves uncovering lies by the ministry, a murder cover-up by the minister, and the truth of You-Know-Who's return! You see right there! She is attempting to incite a panic, it is clearly an attempt to oust me as minister! Don't play dumb, Albus, we both know you are behind this attempt!"

"So a student sends a private letter, and somehow the ministry appointed Professor winds up with private correspondence, and is using it as justification to fuel your own paranoia. And in the process of trying to remove Albus from his position in a school, you would stoop so low as to involve an innocent student. For shame, Cornelius! You have grown so power hungry that you would now destroy the life of a young girl! I will not tolerate this despicable behaviour!" It was the first time McGonagall had spoken, and it was very obvious she was angry. Sure, Harry had seen the transfiguration professor irritated or upset, but this was a whole new level that he was witnessing, and honestly it scared him a bit.

Umbridge turned her attention to Hermione, her lips curling into a malicious smile. "Unfortunately Minerva, you have no standing to testify for the intentions of Miss Granger. She is a known rule breaker, a poor excuse for a student, blatantly disobeying the educational decrees I have enacted by running a private fight club! No doubt an order by Dumbledore to raise a fighting force against Cornelius! Make no mistake about it, this is treason and will be treated as such.

"Mr. Potter, as we cannot prove your exact role in any of this, I will be lenient with you this once. You are no longer afforded the privileges of hogsmeade visits, and are hereby banned off the Gryffindor Quidditch team. You will have detention with Mr. Filch everyday starting immediately after your classes and lasting until dinner time, from which you are then to be placed under curfew in the Gryffindor Tower.

"And as for you, Miss Granger, your association with Dumbledore's insurrectionist activities has not gone unnoticed. Consider yourself expelled from Hogwarts. You will present your wand to be snapped , and you will be sent back into the Muggle world and are never to contact anyone in this society that you have tried to destroy ever again."

Hermione's eyes widened in shock, her breath catching in her throat as the weight of Umbridge's words settled upon her. Harry reached out a comforting hand, but it was too late.

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Let's join 'Avo & Cal's Pages' ➡ discord .gg/Y34hGyFZWg

By the way, for whoever wants to read three chapters ahead, it's already on my Pat-site. Besides that, there's also exclusive oneshots in the same universe as 'The Time Bomb'. Fifth oneshots already released! The newest is 'Detective Tonks'!

www. pat-reon. c-om/Avoranger88

(type the link without the space and - before you enter it. You know what to do! lol)

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Let's join in and enjoy the stay!

(˵ •̀ ᴗ - ˵ ) ✧