Umbridge's Folly
On the Seventh of March, a Ravenclaw Edelweiss recognized from her defense group joined Umbridge at the front of the Great Hall just as dessert appeared. Violently red boils covered his face. They printed a single word bright and bold for the student body to read: SNITCH. Edelweiss glanced at Ron and Hermione; both appeared horrified, though only the former was shocked. The latter blanched, a few faint freckles standing out as she stared. She had not known the hex she devised to trigger should any sell them out had been boldly modified without her knowledge or permission.
"This young man came forward to tell me of a dangerous anti-Ministry group operating within the walls here," began Umbridge. Her voice was stern and serious, a departure from the girly tone she often used. "Before he could tell me everything he knew, this jinx activated. He has been unable to tell me anything further about this group. To anyone who knows something, I wish for you to come forward immediately so that you may be helped and the guilty party punished for their treachery."
She waited several long seconds as if any within Hogwarts would be bold enough to step forward so with all watching. Edelweiss was unsurprised nobody dared something. After what they had witnessed, everyone in her defense group would reconsider daring to cross her. They would be angry—she could feel their horror and fear, thick and potent throughout the Great Hall—but for now, she ensured their protection through this daring act.
Umbridge sighed. She sent the boy to the Ravenclaw table. His housemates gave him a wide berth. Most in her defense group stared at him as though he carried the plague. Only Luna Lovegood, who had experienced a brief moment of popularity thanks to the article about Edelweiss in The Quibbler, remained near him. Then again, she appeared completely unaware that the disgraced boy had sat down beside her as she stared at the candles hovering above.
Ron's mouth opened, mostly filled with chewed food. "Later," Edelweiss hissed.
He nodded while Hermione shot her a pointed look. Edelweiss ignored her friend, for she felt Umbridge's furious gaze upon her. She would be candidate number one for operating a secretive group posed against the Ministry. Odds were she would come under suspicion.
But what shall Umbridge do? Edelweiss pondered. I know my way forward. She has been an obstacle to my ascension as a Sith Lord from the beginning. Perhaps the time is ripe to raise her up. But that means removing Dumbledore from the castle.
An idea of how to get the ball moving came to mind. The only problem with her first move was that it required her to do something she had not done since September when she modified Umbridge's mind.
She had to attend Defense.
"Miss Potter, if I may have a moment."
Edelweiss finished packing her bag before turning to face a watchful Umbridge. She had ignored the estranged and confused stares as she entered the Defense classroom that afternoon. She needed to be in this position if she were to advance this next portion of her plot.
"Yes, Professor?" she asked, overly polite. "Can I help you?"
"Please, come into my office. I wish to speak with you."
Edelweiss glanced at the door into the professor's office, then back to Umbridge. "What for? Is this about my progress in your class? I've done everything you've assigned."
Umbridge's face scrunched up, her anger and hatred poorly concealed behind a thin veneer of worry. "It's about your Defense OWL. I doubt you will be ready, even with your… admirable progress."
A trap. She wishes to question me—and to do so within her own framework. I doubt she's broken through the compulsions I've slotted into her mind, though I cannot know until she confronts me.
Edelweiss nodded, curious what trick Umbridge had in store and confident in her ability to slip around it. She turned to Ron and Hermione. "Go on. I'll be on my way soon enough."
She ignored their feeble protests, layered with confusion over her actions, and followed Umbridge up to her ghastly pink office with the kitten plates strung along the wall. Edelweiss ignored them in favor of taking a seat where months prior she had been subjected to an insidious form of torture. She watched Umbridge waddle over behind her desk and take a seat across from her.
"Could I interest you in tea?"
Edelweiss glanced at the small pot set on a white box. She suspected it was a heater of some kind. Brushing it with the Force confirmed her suspicions—and drew her attention to the pot. She frowned at it, wondering what it was she sensed. It dawned upon her a moment later. A potion and not one she recognized.
In for a shilling, in for a pound, she thought, turning back to Umbridge. Edelweiss forced a smile and said, "I'd love a cup, Professor. Professor Lupin did the same for me, back in my third year."
Umbridge paused as she reached out to lift the pot and pour them each a cup. "Oh? He did?"
"He did. I was the only third year who couldn't go to Hogsmeade. Because of Sirius Black, of course." Edelweiss watched as Umbridge regained her composure and went forward with pouring them each a cup. "He told me stories about my parents and their time at Hogwarts. It was nice, for I was raised by muggles that would cheer on witch burnings."
Umbridge nearly spilled tea onto the desk as she flinched upright. Her eyes bulged wide and her lips moved aimlessly. No doubt the woman had assumed Edelweiss had a nice, cushy childhood. Spoiled, no doubt. She would have never suspected the truth.
"But when you're the ugly sister, hatred builds up." Edelweiss smirked before taking a small sip of her tea. She waited for the potion to begin taking effect before grasping it with the dark side. It was deeply uncomfortable holding both. The sensation was as if she had stuck a dozen live wires into her torso. But it was effective. Whatever the tea possessed would not work. Yes, it was meant to make her tongue slip and utter truths she would otherwise not mention, but now she could bypass it.
And Umbridge would be none the wiser.
"Do tell me more," said Umbridge.
Edelweiss nodded as though she were pleased to talk. "They made me do all the chores from a young age. Clean the bathroom, iron Uncle Vernon's clothes, wash the dishes, cook their food, take care of the garden—"
"Pardon me, Miss Potter, but 'cook their food'? Did I hear you correctly?"
"Oh yes! Why, it wasn't until I received my Hogwarts letter personally from Hagrid that I learned I was a witch. They always called me a 'freak' and punished me for my 'freakishness'. Like the time I turned a teacher's wig blue or apparated onto a roof." She shrugged awkwardly, as though she were a simple fifteen-year-old girl. "Should've realized then I was truly special."
Umbridge mouthed "apparated onto a roof" with stunned shock on her face. Edelweiss wondered what witches and wizards assumed about her house life. She had no reason to suspect they knew the truth. Dumbledore had every reason to keep her out of the public's eye. He had been raising her to be his sacrificial lamb. He had never told her so, but it was clear to her now. Had he wanted her to be victorious over Voldemort, regardless of the prospects against her, he would have seen to that. But he had not.
"And nobody thought to take you away from that?" asked Umbridge.
Edelweiss shook her head. "Dumbledore told me I had to return after my first year. I even begged him to send me anywhere. But I had to return because of the blood wards."
"Blood wards?"
"Yes! My mum's sacrifice allowed him to establish special wards around where I was raised. I have to go back every summer to make sure they stand, though I don't think they're much good anymore."
"And why ever not?"
Edelweiss's lips twitched; she could not smirk. Not now, as she acquired an unforeseen victory over Umbridge. "Because Voldemort used my blood to regain his body. I said as much in the article The Quibbler published."
"But those… those are lies, Miss Potter," Umbridge said, sounding more like she was trying to convince herself than Edelweiss. "Dumbledore has convinced you that is true."
"But he didn't," she replied with furrowed brows. "Dumbledore has done many things to me, but he's never meddled with my mind. He's never needed to, since I was more than happy to do what he wished." Edelweiss then blinked slowly and glanced at her tea. "Professor… I… My mind feels…" She swayed in her chair and noticed from the corner of her eye that Umbridge had risen to her feet. "I'm… sle…sleepy…"
And with the quality of acting only a Slytherin should be capable of, Edelweiss fell from the chair and plunged into a Force trance. To Umbridge—or to any witch or wizard—it would appear that she had fainted and collapsed.
A faint smile still found a way to grace her lips as all else faded to black.
Naturally, Edelweiss was spirited to the Hospital Wing. That incident sent waves of gossip and suspicion through the school. She sensed the interest and confusion already spreading through the student body, despite having only woken from her temporary trance. Lavender and Parvati slipped into the Hospital Wing while Madam Pomfrey was discharging her to ask what had happened. Ron and Hermione appeared off put by their appearance, though Edelweiss was greatly—and secretly—pleased they sought her out.
"You'll need to ask Professor Umbridge," she replied after a moment to feign thoughtfulness. "I don't recall much after I entered her office, though she did pour me a strange-tasting cup of tea."
Predictably, Lavender and Parvati exchanged a look that expressed fear of what might have slipped from Edelweiss's lips. It would not be what they feared, but she would allow them to brew in their fear for a time. She had no doubt it would play into her plans for Umbridge, raising the woman high so she could be cast down and ruined. There was no doubt in Edelweiss's mind that Dolores Umbridge would grasp any and all power given to her. She had shown a tendency toward abusing it as early as September—and she had yet to repay the professor for her torture.
Madam Pomfrey made an odd hissing sound. A moment later, she waved her wand over Edelweiss's head. Pomfrey's brows furrowed, for no color appeared. Edelweiss possessed a vague understanding of the woman's inspection spells thanks to her trips to the Hospital Wing. She knew her use of the Force to ignore the effects of the potions Umbridge spiked her tea with succeeded—and that Madam Pomfrey might figure it out.
I should be able to handle this minor trial. Lies are supposed to be a Sith's bread and butter, or so my masters have suggested.
"How strange," the nurse murmured.
"What's strange?" asked Hermione, ever curious.
"If a potion had been used on Miss Potter, then something should have reacted to my spell. Yet it received no reaction."
"Pardon me, but I do have an explanation for what you're seeing," Edelweiss said. "Back in my third year, I began using the Chamber of Secrets for my personal use." Hisses of surprise filled the room. Edelweiss ignored them, focused solely on Madam Pomfrey's doubtful expression. "But it was only last year that I stumbled on a hidden chamber. It was filled with texts written by Salazar Slytherin, in what I think is a written form of parseltongue. One of them concerned a series of trances witches and wizards can use to quicken their healing or subvert the effects of potions." She then shrugged. "I guess they actually work."
Edelweiss's words were met with varying doubtful expressions. Lavender and Parvati looked almost awestruck by what they heard. Their spellcasting and dueling abilities had grown by leaps and bounds thanks to the defense group, though Edelweiss would never trust them in a fight unless necessary. Ron had a strange look. One that led to the suspicion she would need to head off another sprout of immature, jealous nonsense. Hermione looked doubtful, though she did know things that pointed toward the truth of the Force. Only Madam Pomfrey accepted her words. Her lips remained pursed despite the fact her suspicion was now gone.
"If you could pay me a visit another time, Miss Potter, to explain this trance skill, I would be greatly pleased," said Madam Pomfrey. When Edelweiss raised a sharp brow, the nurse sighed. "And yes, I'll keep this secret from Albus.
"You're free to go." She gave the others pointed looks. "All of you."
The five students were swiftly shooed from the Hospital Wing. Edelweiss shot the two Gryffindor gossips a wink before pulling her friends aside into an alcove.
"Not a word from either of you," she hissed, raising a hand. "Everything is going as I wish, and I do not need you two making an error that derails my plot."
"Plot for what?" asked Ron suspiciously.
"Why, I'm going to propel Umbridge to the greatest height she can reach here at Hogwarts. And then I will tear her down from her lofty perch. Best of all, by the end, nobody will care. Her foundation will be so faulty and weak I shall be seen as a hero for removing her by whichever means I wish."
"Murder," accused Hermione.
"Justice, Hermione. Umbridge's departure from the castle shall be justice. I will not even stain my hands with blood."
The dark side is powerful enough that she will not even bleed. I can crush her like a bug and leave no sign of what I have done.
Still, Ron's face was slightly green while Hermione looked furious. Edelweiss considered the merits of modifying their memories of this little conversation. But she sensed an uneasy, reluctant decision from them both to go allow her plan to move forward. She would need to keep a careful eye on them. Should they ever come to the wrong conclusion, all she worked to build as a Sith could come crumbling down if she failed to act appropriately.
"That's why you want Lavender and Parvati to spread a rumor that she dosed you with a potion," Hermione said. "So you can deceive others."
"She did dose me. Umbridge will believe that she got away with it. All the while, the student body will whisper and wonder when it will be their turn to be taken into her office and given a potion in their tea." Edelweiss peered back out into the corridor near them and reached out with the Force. Nobody lingered close enough to eavesdrop or even wonder. Good. It would be inconvenient to deal with them. She returned her attention to Ron and Hermione. "I have a plan in the works, and the student body must believe what I wish them to. The article in The Quibbler was a good start, but it is not enough. And it does nothing to raise her higher in the world."
"Edie," whispered Hermione. "What are you planning?"
"Nothing you need to worry about, Hermione. Only repeat the line I put forward, and try to not get in my way."
Her friends exchanged a worried look. Edelweiss held back a frown, especially when she sensed a plot. The plot was against her and not coming from one of her enemies. She glanced around. It was still only the three of them.
Would they dare…?
"Do not get in my way," she hissed before storming off. Edelweiss tried to tell herself that Ron and Hermione would never dare plot against her, but she had no evidence to the contrary. She knew she should trust her feelings, and yet what they told her and what her mind said came into conflict. Even her heart was conflicted, and she had not heeded its wisdom in some time.
Edelweiss huffed and made her way to Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. She could expend her anger and frustration safely down in the Chamber of Secrets, away from prying eyes and untrustworthy minds.
March dragged on. Edelweiss remained open to the churning undercurrent of Hogwarts. She was pleased the school slowly turned completely and utterly against Umbridge and her Inquisitors. There had been a moment, back in January, when she thought the school might accept the power Fudge's pawn had seized for herself. The grace period granted to a new professor had been long over. Many had been alienated by her decision to not teach spells in class and instead have them read from a worthless book and take notes during their class periods. Hogwarts was not primed yet for Edelweiss to act, but that would come soon.
In the meanwhile, she focused her defense group on being capable of defending themselves. She noticed new members were brought into the fold by those Edelweiss could almost actually trust. Luna Lovegood was the first, followed by some Ravenclaws and even a few more Slytherins. One of them had the same auburn hair as Daphne Greengrass. A sister, she presumed. There was no need to check the list of names that every new member signed. That was not its purpose, regardless of how Hermione began to badger her about taking attendance as the numbers waxed and waned each session.
The purpose of that list of names had first been to ensure none could betray her. The hex placed upon it—and thus upon every member—was still active. Few suspected how it worked, for she had calmed the nerves of most during the first session following the Seventh.
"As many of you know," she began, emerald eyes drifting across the fifty or so gathered before her. "A member of this group was discovered by Professor Umbridge. I do not believe her tale that he came forward. We were fortunate that whatever he said violated a particular oath all of you, one way or another, have sworn as part and parcel of joining this group." Several shifted awkwardly, but she continued. "It was a difficult piece of magic to establish. But it remains necessary for ensuring our security and secrecy, especially now in the face of Umbridge's ongoing effort to hunt us down and expose us. I trust all of you will remain silent… though you are welcome to bring more into the fold, who happen to be honest and trustworthy."
She later approached those few who remained reluctant and harbored uncertainties. With some, words sufficed. With others, the gentle touch of the Force swayed them to 'see the light'. In the end, she drew them all to her position, despite the fact she would soon violate their trust through means honest and dishonest alike.
And now, the list would ensure her plot worked. Umbridge was a simple creature, and once she saw the little modification Edelweiss would apply, she would take the bait happily and willingly.
The end of the month was fast approaching when Edelweiss decided the time was right. The Daily Prophet increasingly printed articles desperate to paint her and Dumbledore as crackpots and fools. Their editors and journalists were as furious over what she published in The Quibbler article as they were over the fact she dared go to The Quibbler in the first place. Competition was greatly frowned upon in magical Britain. She would use that truth to advance her position.
Thus, she sensed disquiet and uncertainty among the student body. They had all read The Quibbler article. Even those who professed their certainty that she was a mad fool, stoking tension and fear in a doomed attempt to seize power or influence. Having different views presented to them—especially among those in her little defense group—meant that their minds were stretched to near breaking. Several had come down with sudden bouts of mental fatigue or stress, bullying Madam Pomfrey out of her already limited stores of potions. For some odd reason, Professor Snape could no longer brew enough.
Perhaps for that same reason, Professor McGonagall was slower to answer the summons of Gryffindors when they had problems beyond the academic.
Edelweiss had selected her tool of manipulation weeks before she decided the time was ripe. Marietta Edgecombe, Cho Chang's obnoxious friend with red-blonde hair, had stood out fairly early as an ideal candidate for sacrifice. The girl irritated Edelweiss with the way she acted. Apparently, Edelweiss's role in Cedric Diggory's death had affected Cho long into the school year. There were rumors about attempts to hunt her down on the Hogwarts Express and odd stories about a strange obsession that Edelweiss sensed no sign of ever existing.
Not that it truly mattered.
Still, those rumors seemed to be enough for Marietta to hate Edelweiss. Thus, she had made herself ideal for Edelweiss's plot. Better yet, some alleged that her mother was a ladder-climbing official at the Ministry. No doubt Marietta received letters from home, urging her to aid Umbridge in her effort to cleanse Hogwarts of those who opposed the Ministry.
As a defense session wrapped up, Edelweiss called out, "Edgecombe. If you could remain behind, I need to speak with you."
There was a moment where the girl hesitated, staring at Edelweiss with a look of befuddlement. She looked almost ready to turn and leave when Cho Chang whispered something frantically before pushing Marietta toward Edelweiss. She even winked for good measure, as though that might keep Marietta out of trouble.
A shame she is anything but safe from trouble.
"What do you want, Potter?" asked Marietta, already on edge. She, unlike Cho Chang, understood there was reason to be wary around Edelweiss Potter. "I have a good book and—"
"I do not care," said Edelweiss, interrupting Marietta. She waved her hand toward the girl, keeping it low enough that nobody but that most observant watcher would notice. She remained careful with her application of the Force, in case any beyond the absent Luna Lovegood was Force-sensitive.
The girl's eyes went dull, dazed as she swayed slightly where she stood. "When the next date for a defense meeting is scheduled," Edelweiss continued, "you will go to Umbridge that day and tell her about the meetings you have been attending. That you are worried about your mother's post at the Ministry. That she has suggested you go to her for protection."
Marietta Edgecombe nodded before mumbling, "When the next date for a defense meeting is scheduled, I will go to Professor Umbridge that day and tell her about the meetings I have been attending. That… That I am worried about my mother's post at the Ministry. That she has told me to go to her for protection."
Several seconds passed before Marietta blinked. She shook her head, frowning, before asking, "Was there something you wanted me to know?"
Edelweiss smiled sadly. "I realized it was nothing. You should go before the other Ravenclaws leave you behind."
Marietta Edgecombe nodded hesitantly, as though expecting another trap. But she reached the doors without issue. She glanced back at Edelweiss with a frown. Shortly after, she stepped out of the Come-and-Go Room, unable to say anything as the Force compulsion sunk into her mind and implanted itself deeply enough that Marietta would never suspect it to be anything but her own decision.
Edelweiss smirked once the Ravenclaw was gone. She waited for the rest to leave before locking the doors and drawing out her lightsaber and working through her Ataru katas, crimson blade humming. The strain on her limbs made her impending victory all the sweeter. She had won this victory and deserved the fruit of her labors.
The next meeting was set for the spring solstice. Edelweiss heard grumbling from a few Ravenclaws and Slytherins—there was some old tradition day called "Ostara" then that she had never heard of—but they begrudgingly retracted their complaints when pressed and promised to be present. She told them in parting, "If you celebrate it, then certainly the Inquisitors will celebrate it as well. They will not be able to thwart us that night."
They drank her words like milk from the breast, utterly unaware of what she planned. Marietta Edgecombe had gone stiff when the announcement went out. Her eyes flickered between Edelweiss and Umbridge during most meals. And though her friend Cho did her best to draw her friend into conversation, it was clear to anyone minding Marietta that the girl was deeply troubled by something.
Something known only to her, and to Edelweiss Potter.
Cho Chang approached Edelweiss minutes before the Ostara session was set to begin. She shifted from side to side as though consumed with a thick, anxious energy. A few glanced her way with concerned looks, but most were too caught up in their pre-session conversations to notice. Edelweiss knew why Cho acted as she did; the Force told her the plot was already in motion. Yet she met the Ravenclaw with a slight furrow between her brows as if she were genuinely concerned. "Is something the matter? You normally don't come over to speak with me."
"I'm sorry, but there's something that's troubling me," said Cho, as though she were attempting to convince herself at the same time. "It's about Marietta. She couldn't come today. In fact, I haven't seen her since dinner."
A dinner during which Marietta Edgecombe made an effort to slip away, wishing nobody would spot her as she went.
Edelweiss had seen Marietta depart and smiled to herself.
"Okay?" asked Edelweiss, seeking genuineness in her tone. "There have been a few who have not attended every session. I doubt this is anything to worry over. Perhaps she'll arrive late or you'll catch up with her in your common room. I doubt it's anything to worry over."
Her point about those not attending every session happened to be true. Hermione grumbled about absences, but none had proven disastrous yet. The Ravenclaw who had been caught had been dutiful in his attendance beforehand. He now avoided Edelweiss as though she were Death incarnate.
"If you say so," Cho mumbled, sounding as uncertain as always. Thankfully, most of her anxious energy had gone away. "Still, I thought you should know."
"Of course," said Edelweiss. "And Cho?"
The girl perked, confused and curious while on the verge of turning away.
"Thank you for letting me know."
And now I know all shall go according to plan.
For twenty or so minutes, Edelweiss went through the motions of teaching. She had chosen to return to Patronuses for this session. There had been requests for a second lesson on them, and she needed something that would be easy to handle while awaiting her promised hour. She felt the Force churn and bubble. She knew something monumental was at hand. Annoyingly, the currents of the Force resisted her efforts to parse what would come to pass. Would her plan move as she expected or had she made an error in judgment? Perhaps the hex would not activate properly. That meant Umbridge would be free to move against them at her leisure instead of crashing the meeting, as Edelweiss desired.
The Great Hall would be the venue for that worst possible outcome. Umbridge would have near absolute control over events. Not like here on the seventh floor, where Edelweiss could wield both the natural proximity to Gryffindor and the multitude of routes to Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff to ensure few of those loyal to her were punished for daring to follow her. The Slytherins would have no choice but to fight unless they were willing to follow the Hufflepuffs into the bowels of the castle.
She owed her followers whatever security she could buy them. Though their pain could be used to further bind them to her.
And for those who decided to stand by her, they would reveal to Edelweiss the birth of her greater powers: the ability to create genuine and lasting loyalty. What did it matter if one was all-powerful, yet could not sway even one to take up arms on their behalf?
Twenty-six minutes into the session, Dobby suddenly popped into the Come-and-Go Room. Several students, most only spraying silvery mist, shrieked and stepped aside as the Dumbledore-mimicking house elf scurried her way.
"Missy Potter! Missy Potter!" shouted Dobby as he reached her. The chamber had otherwise fallen silent, gazes on her and the strange elf. "Terrible news! She's coming! Professor Umbridge has learns of yous meeting here! She's coming! Terrible news!"
Edelweiss sighed and nodded, playing the aggrieved role for her audience. "I feared this might happen, but I thought we would be safe. Thank you for telling me, Dobby. Go. Before she learns you warned us."
She focused her mind on a particular image and then snapped her fingers. Four doors appeared along the walls of the Come-and-Go Room. Three bore the house symbols of Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, and Ravenclaw. The last was the usual door into the room, set where they always entered.
"Soronus," she whispered, touching her throat with only a hand. A moment later, she boomed, "If you are unwilling to stand by my side, go through the door that bears your house's symbol. For you Slytherins, follow the Hufflepuffs. This is the best I can do on short notice. If you move quickly, you should return to your common rooms before anyone notices. I doubt many will be willing to sell out their fellow housemate.
"For any who wish to remain behind, know that I will face Umbridge and her Inquisitors. I will not flee. I will not be passive. And I will fight them this night should they dare cross wands with me."
She released the magic amplifying her voice. She felt the power of the dark side of the Force rise, banking her with excess strength. Edelweiss watched most of her "students" flee through the door representing their house. Her lips pursed tightly for several long heartbeats before releasing with a soft sigh. She had assumed most would go, and they acted just as she predicted.
Yet a number remained behind to fight with her. Cho Chang stepped forward first, tension held heavily in her face. Guilt drove her; Edelweiss could almost taste it, sweet and divine.
The Weasleys remained, though Ron shot the Gryffindor door a brief, longing look. Neville stood by them, and they were joined by a remarkable surprise.
"Davis. You I did not expect to remain."
Tracey Davis sniffed, holding her wand tightly. "I'm a halfblood, Potter, just like you. I have no protection in Slytherin without Daphne and Theo. They'll be too busy rebuilding their position after tonight to adequately protect me from Malfoy and his goons. Better I fight with you. They won't dare cross you without a guarantee you will do nothing. And I've seen enough to know you can curb his worst impulses."
Edelweiss smiled with flashing teeth. "Good to have you with us, Davis." She turned to Ron. "You have the Map. Get it out."
He went red as he scrambled through his pockets to yank out a poorly folded Marauder's Map. He had frowned when she entrusted him with it earlier in the evening. Fred snatched the Map from Ron, tapping it with his wand with an amused grin. "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good!"
The Map bloomed to life, showing almost all within the walls of Hogwarts. Only a few places, like the Chamber and the Come-and-Go Room, did not appear. Edelweiss took the Map from Fred and scanned for Umbridge and her Inquisitors. She found them climbing up from the fifth floor, far enough from Ravenclaw and Gryffindor that those sent back to their common rooms would return without being caught.
"Okay," murmured Edelweiss as she scanned the routes up to where the Come-and-Go Room normally let out. She pointed to a weave of corridors between them and Umbridge. "Over here. This will be prime for an ambush and to then sneak away." She gestured to three points, all near enough to be probable, but not so close as to guarantee their escape. "We'll make for these places after the initial engagement. A fighting retreat before vanishing into the castle's maze."
The Weasleys nodded, believing in her as their parents believed in Dumbledore. She handed the Map to the Twins. She trusted their ability to keep it secret and safe. They approached the door with Neville and Davis—Tracey—following behind them. Cho Chang followed after a few seconds of hesitation, leaving Edelweiss and Hermione alone in the room's center.
"What is it," she demanded of her friend. "You would not be lingering if you didn't have something to say."
"I'm worried for you, Edie!" Hermione hissed, keeping her voice low enough. "Fighting Umbridge? Like this? She's going to expel—"
"She's going to get rid of Dumbledore," boasted Edelweiss, unable to restrain her mad grin. "Umbridge's entire purpose in this castle is to get rid of him, not to ruin me." She raised the parchment they had every member of their group signed, which she had kept in her pocket for just this moment. "Watch."
Edelweiss waved a hand over the page. Ink rose to the surface at the top, boldly declaring:
DUMBLEDORE'S ARMY
"When she sees this, she will act just as I wish."
Hermione glanced between Edelweiss and the page, blinking several times before gaping. "You— You set us up!" she hissed with thunderous realization. Miraculously, she kept her voice down. "You set us up with Marietta—"
"You promised, Hermione!" whispered Edelweiss, intensity burning in her emerald eyes. She could sense the others glancing their way. She waved a hand and their gazes left them. Hermione paused, completely befuddled for once in her bloody life. "You promised to not get in my way. The die is cast, Hermione. Will you stand by me"—the Gryffindor door reappeared—"or will you depart?"
Hermione stood there for several long seconds. And then she sighed and grimaced. "Fine," Hermione muttered, almost snarling. "I'll go along with your madness. Someone has to protect you."
Edelweiss beamed as she laid a firm hand on Hermione's shoulder. She ignored how her friend flinched. "You have always been my dearest friend, Hermione. Even when I was closer to Ron than to you. I am happy you have decided to remain true to our friendship."
She received a stiff nod, as though Hermione were making a deal with the devil and not backing a dear friend. In a way she had. Edelweiss was that devil, and she had long since claimed ownership over her friend.
They joined the others, all with wand in hand. Edelweiss approached the main door, which had remained visible throughout the departures and her brief argument. She gazed upon all gathered to support her and noted their stiff faces and white-knuckled grips.
"Thank you all for supporting me. I will not forget your loyalty."
She received nods and smiles, none of which were stiff. Not even from Hermione, who had good reason to be stiff and unwilling. None could change course now. Not without risking their dignity, their honor, and whatever meager standing they still possessed. By now, the rest of the defense group should have returned to their common rooms. A chance still existed they would be tracked down and persecuted for joining her. But Edelweiss knew on this night, Umbridge would prefer to pursue and attack the symbols of opposition against her than to bother hunting down every minor peasant who dared align with her opposition.
They left the Come-and-Go Room, hurrying quickly to the ambush point Edelweiss had chosen. She took up a position on the far corner with Ron, Hermione, and Tracey beside her. The other Weasleys, along with Cho and Neville, took up positions across from them. The girls kneeled while the boys remained standing, all bearing wands ready to cast.
"Wait until you see them all," whispered Edelweiss, holly thrumming in her hand.
The others nodded.
A few impatient minutes passed before the sound of loud footsteps echoed their way. Soon enough, Umbridge and her Inquisitors appeared at the end of the hallway, marching forward without issue or opposition. A victorious air hung around them. Only Edelweiss peered around the corner, the Force masking her from the gazes of her enemies. Thankfully, Marietta was not with them. The girl had to be held elsewhere. Either Umbridge's office or, as Edelweiss secretly hoped, Marietta had been sent to Dumbledore's office. No doubt Minister Fudge had been summoned to the castle, awaiting his agent and the capture of the architects of this act of defiance against them.
Striding at the very front was Umbridge, flanked by Malfoy and Bletchley, a seventh-year Edelweiss knew from Quidditch. He had been a fixture of the Slytherin Quidditch team since she joined the Gryffindor one. Hatred bubbled within her. How fascinating that a past of sports could inspire such violent emotions within her, despite the fact they otherwise never crossed paths.
Several other Slytherins trailed them, chatting excitedly as if they were about to surprise their enemy. Edelweiss saw only silver and emerald on their robes. Snake badges on their chests. No Ravenclaws were present. They, she assumed, were off guarding Edgecombe.
"Three," she whispered.
The others tensed.
"Two.
Wands slid around the corner as lips began to move.
"One."
In one moment, the corridor was clear and peaceful. In the next, almost a dozen spells raced down the corridor at Umbridge and her Inquisitors. Edelweiss rolled from one spell into the next, her connection to the dark side augmenting every spell she cast. They were darker, faster, and more powerful. Her lips did not move. Her wand barely shifted from her firm grasp. And contrary to all they had been taught at Hogwarts, spell after spell, unique and powerful, shot forth. Smoke and dust quickly filled the corridor, blinding their foe and delaying their counterattack.
"Break away," hissed Edelweiss once a few stray spells returned their way. When none of her companions moved, she barked, "Go! Fly you fools!"
Cho moved first. The girl had been brave, daring even, risking everything to face Umbridge so. But with Marietta elsewhere, no reason existed for her to remain with them. She dashed off to the nearest exit route Edelweiss had pointed out earlier. Surprisingly, Neville followed her. He looked ready to continue fighting with his white-knuckled grip around his wand.
A protector to the end, and unfortunately unsuitable for my apprentice.
"Go!" she had to shout at the Twins and Ginny, breaking up her offense for several seconds. That brief window proved enough for the Inquisitors to rally and take the offensive, for spells suddenly splashed around her. Her left hand sprung forward awkwardly, twisting around her body to slip around the corner without fully exposing her body. The Force responded to her will immediately. As spells reached her, they were absorbed into her outstretched palm. She felt the confusion of her friends. "Go! Fly now!" she had to shout again, even as she mentally cursed how they remained with her.
"We aren't going!" shouted Ron. "We'll fight—"
Damned fool!
Edelweiss was dearly tempted to stun him. Davis saved her from having to expend effort to remove Ron and Hermione, dragging them off.
"Come on, you idiots!" she snarled, yanking their arms. "Potter has it in hand!"
Edelweiss sensed their departure away from her location. She noticed movement out of the corner of her eye. Her focus returned to the enemies arrayed before her. The Inquisitors performed better than she expected. But then her expectations for them had been subterranean. Wherever Umbridge was in the miasma, only the Force could tell her.
And frustratingly, her Force senses were being obtuse where it concerned Umbridge. She sensed and understood the many forms before her, but sensing the particular in each figure remained slightly out of reach. She felt as if the Force mocked her effort. She believed in her power and the domination the dark side allowed for.
She churned with anger and hatred, wrath and fury; the dark side consumed her—and suddenly she knew where each Inquisitor was. She even knew where Umbridge was.
A moment later, Edelweiss realized her friends were in trouble. And while one was not a problem, the other could threaten her plot.
With a growl, Edelweiss slammed her left hand at the Inquisitors still fighting her. The Force responded to her will. A bubble of power shot forth. The enemies before her flew backward, rising briefly into the air before crashing painfully to the ground. With them handled, she turned to where she sensed her friends and moved. The dark side filled her, heady and brilliant, allowing her to cross several spans in the flash of a second. Never had she known such power could be available so simply. This was not a power her masters had spoken of, though they had alluded often to how the Force could augment the body.
She reached where she sensed her friends and came up short. Umbridge stood there, escorted by Crabbe and Goyle. They had their wands drawn and pointed at Hermione and Ron, both of whom had empty hands.
Tracey Davis was nowhere to be found.
Good.
"Tell me where Potter is," demanded Umbridge. "Tell me, and I will let you two go."
"We'll never tell you!" shouted Ron.
His loyalty warmed her heart. But it was now misplaced.
"Your father has a good career at the Ministry, Mister Weasley," said Umbridge. She briefly turned her wand toward Hermione before restoring its aim to Ron. "You wouldn't want to ruin that for him. I know it must be difficult for him, especially with his elder son, Percy, being so loyal to his country and Ministry. I fear dear Percival understands where his loyalty should be, and has acted accordingly."
As Ron's mouth opened wide to respond, Edelweiss emerged from her hiding place. Her wand moved quickly and harshly, ripping three wands from three hands. She caught them with graceful ease and stepped between her friends and Umbridge.
"Let them go, Umbridge," she demanded.
"Why should I do that?" asked Umbridge. "I know what you have done. One call to the aurors and—"
"And if I were to surrender, would you release them?" offered Edelweiss as she twirled her wand. Her grasp on the wands she had taken tightened. She heard the gasp of her friend's; Ron's was horrified while Hermione's was one of realization. "It's a simple deal I'm offering you, Dolores. Me for them. Certainly, the Minister is awaiting me in Dumbledore's office. He must already be raving about me and my defiance."
Umbridge frowned as she glanced between Edelweiss and the two behind her. After a long while to think, she smiled widely. "You have a deal, Miss Potter. The wands."
"My friends?"
"Go on, Mister Weasley, Miss Granger." Umbridge then shot them a malicious smile." Your punishments will come down once we know the extent of your crimes."
Ron and Hermione shot Edelweiss an uncertain look when she did not protest the comment about punishment. She nodded reassuringly. They hurried off, heading for Gryffindor Tower. She watched them go, feeling tendrils of lingering defiance. They had just gotten their first taste of resistance, of truly fighting for their lives. She felt a sensation ripple off them akin to an addict coming off his first high and wondering when he might get his next fix.
Umbridge suddenly cleared her throat. Edelweiss turned to her and spotted the outstretched hand, small and demanding. She could cut it clean off, but she had made a deal. More so, she needed to see her plot to the end. Any deviation now would end in its ruin—and by proxy, hers.
She handed over four wands, bitter to hand over her holly wand when she had the upper hand. But it had to be done. Better yet, her choice maintained the illusion others believed of her. Umbridge beamed proudly as she pocketed Edelweiss's wand of holly before handing Crabbe and Goyle theirs. They glowered at her, looking ever more like trolls compared to that day so far ago when she first met them.
"Come along, boys. Miss Potter is right. The Minister is expecting her."
Malfoy and the other Inquisitors caught up with them a few minutes later, about halfway from the seventh floor to Dumbledore's office. They happened to be on the far side of the castle, distant from where the Headmaster could be found on the fifth floor. The pack of Inquisitors were bruised and battered, many with robes seared or cut. Edelweiss smirked at him. She might be in their custody, but it was her victory.
The others had all escaped.
"Potter," Malfoy said, sneering at her. "I should have assumed you'd be behind this."
She smiled sweetly. "I always am, Malfoy. I always am. You should know by now I am behind half of what happens in the castle." Edelweiss then tilted her head. "And Dumbledore is responsible for the other half. Not even your father has the same influence as I."
Malfoy's jaw clenched. Edelweiss could feel the repressed fury within him at the dismissal of his lorded father. How fascinating that Draco Malfoy's entire sense of self, purpose, and power relied on the influence and power of his father. Were she not a 'prisoner', she would laugh in his face and mock him.
"Have you checked Potter yet?" asked Parkinson, looking Edelweiss up and down with a strange, almost predatory look. "She certainly has something up her sleeve." Parkinson's gaze flickered to Malfoy. "She always does."
Umbridge paused and considered Edelweiss in a new light. She had not planned for how 'Dumbledore's Army' would be revealed to the woman in question. It had not mattered to her, for it would have come up regardless. Somehow. This was a fortunate occasion, driven solely by a girl's desire to impress the boy she fawned over. "I had planned to take her to the Minister immediately. You are right, Miss Parkinson. We should check her. Take ten points for Slytherin for your quick thinking."
Parkinson preened. She turned to Edelweiss with an amused sneer on her face. "Arms up, Potter. This will go quickly if you don't resist."
Edelweiss did as told. She knew what Parkinson would find. That would light a fire in Umbridge. Catching Edelweiss Potter leading an anti-Ministry group was one thing, but to have confirmation it went all the way up to Dumbledore? That was the sole reason Minister Fudge sent her to Hogwarts.
She wanted to burst out laughing. This was too easy. She almost felt bad about how well her plot played out.
Parkinson took her time inspecting Edelweiss. She fondled her legs and breasts, with a particularly slow hand lingering around her groin. Edelweiss had to clear her throat and glower at the pug-nosed girl to get her to finally inspect the pockets of her robe.
"Madam Umbridge!" Parkinson said as she removed the folded, hexed parchment from Edelweiss's right pocket. "I found something!"
Umbridge waddled forward and took the parchment from Parkinson. A thrill ran through the woman. Edelweiss felt sick sensing that thrill through the Force. More and more, she knew she would enjoy killing Dolores Umbridge.
The woman in question unfolded the parchment. She froze, staring at the title at the top. She then smiled viciously, beaming with malice at Edelweiss. "Well, Miss Potter. I doubt you will be getting out of this one."
"We'll see," she replied coolly.
Umbridge's smile did not falter. In fact, she grew even smugger.
They continued to Dumbledore's office. Two aurors loitered before the stairwell, emptied of the statue that usually guarded it. They were tall with closely cropped hair and hard faces. They seemed dull and Edelweiss felt their boredom and annoyance.
"Madam," the one on the left said. His eyes were dark and his hair darker. "The Minister has insisted only you and the ringleader can go up."
"I understand," Umbridge said. She turned to her Inquisitors. They all straightened, surprising Edelweiss. Was there something competent within this gang of hooligans and Death Eater wannabes? "Return to your common room. Keep an eye out for anyone acting suspicious. I will send you names—"
"Madam," the man repeated harshly. "Minister Fudge is waiting."
Umbridge grimaced. Edelweiss felt the woman's contempt for the auror's interference. "I'll send a message in the morning," she told her Inquisitors. Her gaze turned to Edelweiss. The contempt shifted figures and expanded swiftly. "Come along, Miss Potter. The hour of judgment is at hand."
Edelweiss did not respond; there was no point in responding. She had no reason to think she would be expelled from Hogwarts this night. Certainly, that would be what Umbridge would push for, but she was not the only party involved. Minister Fudge was here, and she could sense his frustration and fury. Once he saw that title—once he read the words "Dumbledore's Army"—he would do exactly as Edelweiss wished.
And Umbridge? The best she would get would be the office they would be entering. Their feud would continue, bitter to its fatal conclusion.
They scaled the spiraling stair up to Dumbledore's office, Umbridge's wand hovering close to Edelweiss's back. She nearly rolled her eyes at the paranoia driving the squat witch. Umbridge had already made her error. The trap had been sprung, and only Edelweiss knew it.
The door had been left open. Edelweiss blinked at the large gathering before her: Dumbledore and McGonagall were behind his desk with an anxious Professor Flitwick lingering nearby. Over beside Fawkes' perch were two aurors, both familiar from the visit over the summer hols. One of them was a member of the Order. Shacklebolt glanced her way with a knowing look.
She ignored him.
On the other side of the room were the Ravenclaw Inquisitors guarding a slightly swaying Marietta Edgecombe, SNITCH emboldened across her face in bright pustules. Edelweiss almost felt bad for how she used the girl. But once Marietta woke the coming morning, the girl's mind would be cleansed of any trace of Force manipulation. And even better, the girl would be utterly convinced of the story that had been planted into her mind with the Force.
Pacing across the chamber was Minister Fudge. He muttered angrily to himself, no doubt waiting on Umbridge to return with the discovered ringleader. A familiar woman with red hair and a monocle stood off to the side, watching her boss warily. Madam Bones looked exhausted. Edelweiss almost felt bad for her.
Dumbledore rose the moment he spotted them, smoothing out his robes. They were golden, edged with reds and oranges. He looked dangerous for once. Edelweiss briefly felt awe and dread at the sight. She destroyed that feeling and resurrected her hatred, spiced with spite. "Professor Umbridge. Miss Potter. It is very late for both of you to be out of bed."
"I am more curious about why Dolores insisted I bring a contingent of aurors," said Madam Amelia Bones. "For she has brought in only a single witch, and one untrained at that."
Umbridge glowered at Madam Bones. "You're mistaken if you think this 'untrained witch' is no threat, Amelia." She turned to Minister Fudge. "I'm afraid the state here at Hogwarts is more rotten than any of us suspected." She then stalked around Edelweiss to occupy the office's center. "I have uncovered Dumbledore's plot against both the Ministry and Britain herself."
Dumbledore's face remained impassive, despite the accusation. "I'm afraid, Professor Umbridge, there is no plot."
"Ha! That's what you want us all to think!" She unfurled the parchment Parkinson had found and displayed it for all to see. Everyone shifted to get a better glimpse of the page. "Dumbledore's Army! Not Potter's Army! No. This says Dumbledore's Army. You've had Miss Potter training students to overthrow the Ministry!"
The professors looked shocked, glancing between the page, the Headmaster, and Edelweiss. Madam Bones looked resigned, while the Minister's face had gone bright red. Dumbledore stood passive and solemn. He glanced between the parchment and Edelweiss, his brilliant mind swiftly reaching understanding. She met his gaze with a soft smile. He held back any reaction as his gaze returned to Umbridge.
And yet the moment of realization resonated in the Force, thick with shock and disappointment.
"I was surprised when Miss Potter agreed to my proposal," Dumbledore said. Edelweiss was a touch surprised he would play along with her trap. "She had expressed discontent with your lessons, Dolores, and I suggested she teach her peers. Miss Potter was hesitant. But when she explained her detentions with you, I suggested a Defense Association. She took that name in another direction. No doubt to irritate you and Minister Fudge."
"No doubt indeed," said Madam Bones with crossed arms. She shot Edelweiss a knowing glare. "But why her? Why not another student?"
"Miss Potter has long been a leader among the student body and has developed a wide and strong repertoire of spells."
"Her Inquisitors learned the hard way," Edelweiss said, unable to help herself. She smiled, glancing at offended face after offended face. "I was quite surprised by their poor showing, but I guess that is what the Ministry's methods produce when applied to their fullest." Her gaze slipped from Bones to Fudge. "Maybe you should have your Department of Education go back over their curriculum. A practical education could have prevented everything happening here. Would have even weakened Dumbledore's position, too."
Minister Fudge growled, face burning a bright red. He looked between her and Dumbledore, as though he were challenged to determine which to blame more for the undercutting of his power and influence. Edelweiss was certain he would choose wrong, but then only Dumbledore—and perhaps those in the Order—would know the truth: the defense group was all her doing. Marietta would not say a word. The hexes affected her so that she could no longer speak on the matter, especially not now when it mattered.
And then the Minister made his choice. He turned his back to Edelweiss. "Dumbledore. I have long held respect for you. Before the previous year, I would have counted you among those whom I could go to for advice. But this has gone too far! It was bad enough when you claimed that You-Know-Who had returned from the dead. But this? An army? In your name? I wish I could believe your story, but it does not match what I have seen with my own eyes." He sighed and uttered the words Edelweiss had been waiting for. "Dawlish. Shacklebolt. Arrest Albus Dumbledore on the charges of conspiracy and treason against the Ministry. I thought he might one day confess his crimes. It appears I regarded him too highly."
"And what about Potter?" asked Dawlish.
Minister Fudge glanced back at her, face pruning as he thought. "I will leave her punishment to Dolores. She will be the interim headmistress—"
"You cannot do that!" shouted McGonagall. "I am the Deputy Headmistress, Minister. If anyone should take charge in Albus's absence, it would be me."
"And you are not questioning me arresting Dumbledore?"
She paused, glancing at Dumbledore. Edelweiss bit her tongue. This was going even better than she had expected! She had known there would be protests and arguments about who would take charge of Hogwarts following Dumbledore's expulsion from the castle—there was no getting out of arrest for him beyond flight—but she had not expected the Minister to dare impose his will on Hogwarts! Perhaps she should have. He had been doing as much since the autumn when the first ministry proclamations came to the school.
"I see," Minister Fudge said with a sigh. "Minerva. Please, step aside. For the sake of your students." He glanced at Edelweiss again.
Before Professor McGonagall could argue her point again, Dumbledore stepped forward. He looked grave, severe. This was the man Voldemort feared. This was the man who defeated Grindelwald, a dark wizard so dangerous he had nearly conquered all of Europe. Edelweiss tingled with excitement. She would kill this man one day.
And oh, did she look forward to that day.
"I am afraid there will be no need for you to defend me, Minerva. I appreciate the support, but Cornelius is right. You must think about the students—and Miss Potter in particular." He smiled at her and nodded his head. Damn the man for understanding. Damn the man twice over for being amused by her plot's success. She was removing him from his place of power, and he was amused! "As I have said before, as long as there are those loyal to me here at Hogwarts, I will never be fully removed from the castle. You can put whoever you wish in the Headmaster's seat, Minister, but they will never command Hogwarts as I have."
Minister Fudge turned to his aurors, who remained near Fawkes. "Dawlish! Shacklebolt! Now!"
They stepped forward with their wands drawn. Edelweiss sensed Shacklebolt's uncertainty; the man was a member of the Order. He awaited any sign from Dumbledore to act against the Minster's wishes. Whatever orders he had did not include the scenario of Dumbledore being arrested. That or he assumed Fudge would never dare that.
"Gentlemen, please step back," Dumbledore warned the aurors. "I do not wish to injure either of you."
Edelweiss watched how McGonagall skirted away from the Headmaster, followed by Flitwick. The Charms professor reeked of worry; for his students, for Hogwarts, and most particularly for the aurors daring to stand against Dumbledore. Somehow, goodwill persisted between the two wizards. Edelweiss would have thought any kind of feelings between them would burn away this night.
Dawlish frowned. "What can you—"
Dumbledore raised his hands above his head with a giant clapping motion. Fawkes leaped from his perch with a vivid, burning glow and descended upon his master in a blaze of glory. The room bloomed with light and song, blinding all. Edelweiss flinched at the song. Her Sith markings burned as though they were potent dark magic. She had never heard of phoenixes possessing powers of this nature, but then her knowledge of them had come from Dumbledore explaining what Fawkes did for her in the Chamber of Secrets so long ago.
When the office dimmed to normal, they discovered that Dumbledore vanished in the fiery inferno. Edelweiss watched with an amused smirk as the others looked around. She knew none would catch him this night. She doubted any would see sight or sign of Albus Dumbledore until the night of her ascension.
Or so she believed, thanks to currents in the Force.
Minister Fudge eventually turned on the aurors present and demanded, "Go find him!" They hurried from the office, cloaks rippling behind them. With that done, the Minister turned to the gathered professors. The students, Edelweiss included, were no longer his concern. "From this moment forward, Dolores Umbridge is the Headmistress of Hogwarts. You can begin searching for a new Headmaster once the summer hols begin. But until the end of term, she is in charge."
Professor McGonagall straightened and said, "I am afraid that I cannot allow that, Minister. As I said, I am—"
"Must I have you arrested as well, Minerva?" the Minister asked. He sounded annoyed. Disappointed. "Your loyalty to Dumbledore is well known. Under his tenure, Hogwarts has become a hotbed of anti-Ministry sentiment. It's bad enough that You-Know-Who grew powerful while Dumbledore was holed up here over twenty years ago. But now? In a time of peace? People may begin to get ideas! It's bad enough that Potter's lies have been exposed to the public." He paused to glower at Edelweiss. "But to have one of Albus's loyal supports as Headmistress? I am afraid I cannot allow that. Not as long as Dumbledore is in the wind."
"Minerva," said Flitwick, appearing exhausted. "Let the matter rest. We can worry about a permanent headmaster once the summer begins. Until then, our students will need a return to normalcy… or the best we can give them."
McGonagall sighed and nodded. "You're right, Fillius. It's only that there are rules. Laws by which we are meant to abide. The Charter—"
"Should be rethought and revised," Umbridge declared. "It's an archaic document. One that predates the modern Ministry and our entire way of life. Perhaps it is time that a new charter be drafted, allowing for better relations between the school and London."
Edelweiss watched on as the adults argued and bickered over the charter and its legitimacy. She grew bored waiting for them to remember why they gathered on this night and in this place. Her plot was all but complete. Now, she had to find a way out of trouble—and to protect those who swore fealty to her, whether they knew it or not.
"Professor Umbridge?" asked one of the Ravenclaws after about thirty minutes. The adults all froze and turned to him. "May we be dismissed to bed? I wanted to study—"
"Yes, yes," Umbridge said, waving off his concerns. "You three can go. See if you can find some help for Marietta. She"—and here Umbridge smiled widely, nastily—"has done her mother proud. Loyalty should be rewarded, after all."
Marietta, her forehead still marked with SNITCH, nodded dizzily. Her hazy eyes glanced at Edelweiss, as though she were expecting orders from the one who twisted her mind and used her as a pawn. The Sith apprentice's gut twisted and her veins chilled. The pawn should not have any sense of who had pulled her strings.
Had Edelweiss made an error while planning commands in Marietta's mind?
No. She had been careful and thorough in using the Force and its influence to mask her trail. If she had been messy, someone would have figured her out by now.
Edelweiss watched the three Ravenclaws depart. An Inquisitor shot her a foul glower. Her nose wrinkled in response. Once the sound of their footsteps vanished, she stepped toward the adults, drawing their gazes to her. "What of me?" she asked, grasping the Force. "Am I free to go, or do you have questions for me?"
"Yes, we do," said Minister Fudge. "Dumbledore took most of the blame for your group, but that does not mean you are not partially responsible for violating—"
"Oh, I violated nothing," Edelweiss interrupted. "I realized that from the moment I read your little declaration concerning student groups." She smirked. "It defined organizations as having 'three or more members who gather at regular intervals for a set purpose outside of studying Ministry-approved curriculums'. We did not meet at regular intervals. You can question every name on that list"—and she gestured to the parchment that brazenly declared her group to be named 'Dumbledore's Army'—"and you'll discover the same story: we met whenever we could. Never regularly, and never at a set interval or even for the same amount of time." She then shrugged as if she were perfectly innocent. In a way, she was. "It was an oversight on your part, Minister."
And a grievous one, as well. While Dumbledore had taken flight thanks to her efforts, Edelweiss would be able to remain within the walls of Hogwarts. Minister Fudge's face went bright red while Madam Bones covered her mouth with a hand. Umbridge looked ready to flay Edelweiss, while her professors merely shook their heads. She felt amusement and disappointment ripple from them, though their feelings favored the former over the latter.
"Still, your group—"
"—was organized to teach defensive spells, Minister. I know you were worried about Dumbledore gathering a force here at Hogwarts. But frankly, my goal was to pass along the knowledge I've accrued during my time here."
"Oh, what could—!"
Edelweiss summoned her wand from Umbridge's loose grip and instantly cast, "Expecto Patronum," energized not by the happy joy that Lupin or Dumbledore would prescribe, but by the violent joy of victory that was inherent in all who walked the path of Sith Lord. The strange flying creature she had called on the previous time emerged, fluttering about the Headmaster's office for several seconds before being allowed to vanish.
Her gaze fell upon the adults arrayed around her. Minister Fudge was shocked. Madam Bones looked impressed. McGonagall and Flitwick considered her with wary, almost estranged looks, while Umbridge only gaped, astonished the wand could be retrieved without brute force.
"If that is all, I would like to get some sleep. It must be nearly midnight."
It was nowhere close to that late hour. But Edelweiss wanted to keep them off balance. The moment any thought over her actions in both the past and the present rationally, she risked losing all she sought to gain. She was on the verge of victory. And while reprisals were possible, she did not fear them any longer.
"No, no!" Umbridge shouted, pointing a pudgy finger at Edelweiss. "You cannot just go on your merry way! You have—"
"Done nothing wrong, than perhaps skirt curfew," Edelweiss drawled. "As I told the Minister, I have violated no laws. Had my little group met consistently on a schedule, then yes, I would have violated your rules. But I did not, and thus I have done nothing wrong." She glanced about the office, regarding the countless portraits that watched. One of them had grey eyes identical to Sirius's. "You must realize the great accomplishment that's fallen into your lap, Umbridge," continued Edelweiss. "Dumbledore was forced out of Hogwarts, not because of Voldemort, but thanks to you."
The woman flinched and then smiled coyly. It was as though she had not realized that her actions effectively brought about the Headmaster's sudden and impromptu dismissal. Decades of Dumbledore guiding Hogwarts had come to an end. The woman gazed about her new office with poorly constrained greed in her beady eyes.
Edelweiss glanced at the fuming minister. No doubt Fudge would go about rectifying the error she had taken advantage of once he returned to London. The school would wake to learn Dumbledore was replaced with Umbridge and a change to one of the policies forced upon the castle.
Few would be happy about either change.
And better yet, Edelweiss could easily shape her narrative about this night. Honest, forthright Edelweiss Potter, foolishly unaware she laid the foundation for a conspiracy that led to the ouster of long-time Headmaster Albus Dumbledore from Hogwarts. Those who knew her well, along with the Slytherins in her pocket, would see through the lie. After all, they knew she had rejected a name to begin with.
But for the rest of the school? They would eat that up just as easily as they accepted other tall tales about her.
"However," said Umbridge, drawing Edelweiss from her thoughts, "your disregard for authority cannot go unpunished. You are hereby stripped of your privileges. No more Quidditch for the rest of your tenure at Hogwarts, along with three weeks of detention." She glanced at Edelweiss's right hand, long barren of scars created by cursed quills. "It appeared the lesson from our previous sessions never sunk in."
Edelweiss raised an eyebrow. "Will you not be too busy with your new duties as Headmistress? I already dread telling the captain I'm off the team. Plus, I'm so busy with preparing for the OWLs that I'm afraid I will forget those detentions as I buckle down and study."
Umbridge looked ready to reject the proposal, but then something dawned on her. Edelweiss felt a cold ripple of cruelty from the woman. Her gut swooped before the pronouncement. "I will drop your detentions on one condition: Every other member of your group, except Miss Edgecombe and Mister Tanner, will have a week of detention with me at my choosing."
A cold fury bloomed in Edelweiss's veins. She could be a good little Gryffindor and accept the burden of saving those sworn to her from Umbridge's wrath. Yet handed to her now was a way to spread the pain and misery of Umbridge's tortures, a way to inflame the school as a whole against their new usurping headmistress. And best of all, none of those with her would believe Umbridge's claim.
Not when she could explain everything.
"Remember that you shall reap what you sow, Headmistress." She sighed and muttered, feigning defeat, "Your terms are acceptable."
Umbridge giggled, believing she had been handed a great victory. "Then you are dismissed, Miss Potter. Tell Mister Weasley and Miss Granger that they will attend detention with me tomorrow night. Seven o'clock, on the dot."
"Both of them?"
For a moment, the woman pondered her options. And then she nodded, pleased with the decision already made. "Both of them. Mister Weasley and Miss Granger should be on time. Else I revoke their prefect badges."
Professor McGonagall released a squawk of offense while Minister Fudge glanced between Umbridge and Edelweiss with a confused look. Madam Bones had taken a step back, appearing to understand what was playing out before her. Something guarded lingered in her gaze; Edelweiss sensed little from the woman and found herself impressed by the degree of emotional control.
"I will." Edelweiss turned her gaze upon Minister Fudge. "Have a good night, Minister. And please, reconsider your positions of the past year. There is still time to salvage your legacy from the ruin you approach. I have never lied to you. Not in my third year, nor last year."
Before Fudge could respond, she departed, descending the spiral stairs swiftly. Cloaked in the dark side, Edelweiss passed the squabbling aurors and returned to Gryffindor Tower. She passed through the Fat Lady's portrait hole to find the common room filled with muttering, grumbling bodies.