Sirius and Remus stared in horror at Madam Bones and Bill Weasley. The tea Kenneth had just gotten them lay untouched. Kenneth himself looked worriedly between the two parties. After the horcrux had been removed from Harry, he had been filled in on what exactly a horcrux was, but it seemed that the horrible complexities of splitting a soul were still a little over the head of a Muggle who had horrified Sirius by stating that until he had heard of the horcrux, he hadn't believed in a soul at all.
Remus was still running interference between Sirius and Kenneth on that conversation and anything regarding spirituality.
Regardless, Kenneth seemed to understand that whatever information Madam Bones and Bill had just brought was serious, and he was doing his best to be supportive.
"So . . . this unknown Tom Riddle is the same person as He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named," Sirius repeated after a few minutes. "And that he . . . created more horcruxes?"
"Seven in total," Bill stated, glancing at a copy of his report. "But one seems to have been made recently. I've figured 'cobra' or means snake. If I remember correctly, You-Know-Who had a snake familiar."
"Nagini," Sirius replied. "Mother and Father had the . . . the monster here a few times when I was a child and he would bring the snake with him. Regulus and I couldn't stand the beast, even though Regulus was a Slytherin."
"Liking snakes isn't a prerequisite to being in Slytherin," Remus admonished. Sirius waved off the comment.
"It's no wonder he went mad near the end," Sirius said. "He always seemed suave and calculating . . . but then as the war progressed it seemed that there was no rhyme or reason to half the stuff he was doing anymore. If he was cutting his soul in half, then half again, and again . . ." he shuddered.
"And here I thought your family was mad," Remus murmured.
"Do you think Dumbledore knows?" Madam Bones asked. Sirius and Remus shared a look.
"I don't know," Remus admitted. "He plays so much close to his chest." He frowned, staring into his cup of rapidly cooling tea. Sirius cast a Warming Charm on Remus' tea cup.
Further conversation was interrupted by the rapping of Hedwig on the window of Grimmauld. With a flick of his wand, Remus had the window open and Hedwig landed on the back of the couch, dropping a letter in Sirius' lap. It was thick, probably holding multiple letters at once. Upon opening it, two other sealed envelopes fell out, one addressed to Kenneth in Aria's handwriting, the other a Muggle-styled envelope addressed to the Franksons.
"How is Harry and Aria doing?" Madam Bones asked. "I've gotten some interesting reports from Susan about the first few days of school."
Sirius glanced at his letter, brows knitting together.
"Umbridge had passed several Educational Decrees," Sirius told Madam Bones.
"Susie hasn't said anything about those yet."
"There are three so far," Sirius said, still looking at the letter. "The first one prohibits the use of the Spell Check Quill—,"
"Why?" Remus asked. "That sounds downright miserable for the professors. Reading some of those handwritings are bad enough!"
"The second prohibits certain brands of sweets with the threat of detention, suspension, or expulsion—,"
"I'd've been expelled long ago," Bill quipped.
"And the third states that Hogwarts is under an official ministry investigation into the habits and standards of professors. Led, of course, by an approved member of the ministry."
Madam Bones pinched the bridge of her nose and made a frustrated groan.
"Such ministry investigations usually involve the DMLE to ensure the safety of all involved," she muttered. "There has been no requests to me which means this is hardly a sanctioned investigation, more like a harassment. Umbridge and Fudge are truly pushing the line here. I have half a mind to complain to the Board!"
"Are there more decrees to come?" Kenneth asked. He opened Aria's letter and scanned it.
"The bitch," he muttered. "That Umbridge lady accused Aria of cheating and gave her detention for back talk. Well . . . I've grounded her before for that so that's no surprise . . . but cheating?"
Remus shook his head.
"Ah," Kenneth continued, "Snape got the detention cancelled."
"Favorite of his?" Remus muttered teasingly.
"That's not fair," Bill pretended to complain, "I was absolutely McGonagall's favorite and she never got me out of detentions with Snape!"
Another bird came swooping in and dropped a letter in Kenneth's lap.
"This one's from Severus," he said. "Probably complaining about my child. Understandable really. I mean, what exactly is one meant to do with such a girl?"
"Give her a library and unlimited potions ingredients," Remus answered. Sirius got up and went over to the Floo, sticking his head into the fire. Madam Bones looked at him curiously.
"Oh to be a fly on the wall," Kenneth laughed, holding up Snape's letter. "Severus said he and the other professors compiled all their records of Aria's work and grades and all but destroyed Umbridge's argument against cheating at an emergency staff meeting. Dumbledore even pulled through and declared that such accusations were to be brought to his attention not made to the student body. Umbridge was not pleased."
"She's never pleased," Remus and Madam Bones said at the same time. Sirius pulled out of the Floor and returned to Remus' side. A moment later the Floo flared to life and Percy Weasley stepped through, looking unusually casual in his trousers and knitted jumper that was clearly Oliver's. He wore no robes which showed just how casual he was being. He paused seeing Bill.
"Hiya, Percy," Bill greeted with a smile. "It's good to see you."
Percy nodded, clearly unsure how to react to his older brother at the moment.
"Percy," Sirius said, "I've received a letter from Harry about Umbridge and some Educational Decrees?"
"Oh, those," Percy said with a scowl. "Fudge and Umbridge are under the impression that they have . . . more power at Hogwarts. I doubt either of them have even read the charter. Besides, I have it on good authority that Dumbledore's just playing nice to try and get Fudge off his back."
"Well it'll backfire, mark my words," Madam Bones warned. "And the public will go back to supporting Dumbledore over Fudge if he and Umbridge keep this up."
"Are there anymore decrees about to go into effect?" Remus asked.
"Yes, Fudge just signed off on two. Hogwarts professors found wanting can be dismissed at the pleasure of the High Inquisitor of Hogwarts and Dolores Umbridge has been appointed the High Inquisitor of Hogwarts."
"Now that definitely goes against the charter," Remus said. "Only the headmaster or the Board of Governors has the right to hire and fire."
"Like I said, they're being given a false sense of security," Percy replied.
"And who exactly is your informant?" Madam Bones asked. Percy sniffed, looking pleased that he knew something no one else did.
"I cannot say at this time, Madam Bones," he replied.
"No, suppose not," Madam Bones muttered, only a little disappointed. "I only wish that Fudge and Dumbledore would take this fight out of Hogwarts. Susan's quite stressed already about OWLs."
"I don't think Umbridge or Fudge is going to stop," Percy said. "The only way to stop Umbridge is to get her out of the school or stop Fudge. And the only way to stop Fudge is to make him see reason and at the moment . . . he's too caught up in whatever power struggle he's got going on with Dumbledore." He hesitated for a second.
"Is You-Know-Who really back?" he asked. "It's not that I disbelieve Harry or Cedric . . . but I just haven't been able to actually talk with them and . . ."
Remus patted Percy's shoulder.
"Unfortunately, it is true," Sirius answered.
"Your brother is helping me with the investigation," Madam Bones told Percy. Percy eyed Bill suspiciously.
"I'm not a part of the Order if that's what you're wondering," Bill said. Percy's face went pink. "Not that Mum and Dad and the headmaster haven't asked. I just prefer to not be a part of a group that may ask me to go against the vows and contract I have with Gringotts. At least helping Madam Bones has been sanctioned by the goblins."
Percy folded his arms, still looking at Bill with suspicion but not as much as before.
"Well . . ." Percy seemed to struggle with his words for a moment. "Whatever you need from me . . . I'll help as best as I can. I don't want . . . I don't want anything to do with Dumbledore or his Order . . . but if You-Know-Who is back . . . I don't want to hinder any fight against him."
Bill's face split into a wide smile. Madam Bones looked especially pleased.
Ginny and Ron had both received letters from Percy warning about two incoming Educational Decrees. So, it was not a surprise to the 5th year Slytherins or Gryffindors when the decrees were hung out front of the Great Hall. Aria watched Filch nail the Educational Decree in place, Mrs. Norris winding around her ankles meowing pitifully until Aria picked her up.
Sirius, Remus, and Kenneth's letters had also warned Aria and Harry about the Educational Decrees and how there were probably more to come. Kenneth warned Aria to keep her head down as much as possible, to be above reproach because if someone was out to get her, then she had to show that she was a better model of a person than the other. It was the same conversation she had had with him since primary school though that one had involved "you're from Spinner's End so the teacher's already think your trouble without even knowing you, so you've got to watch your back and be so good that if they do accuse you of something, they'll look extra stupid when it's proven that you didn't do it".
Same conversation, now just applying to Hogwarts. She was really starting to hate that conversation. It had seemed reasonable when she was a child, but she was growing to resent it a bit. Not that she didn't understand why her dad was telling her these things. He was trying to keep her out of trouble, trying to protect her the best way he knew how because the odds were stacked against her. It didn't mean she had to like it though.
What no one warned the students about was that, as High Inquisitor, Umbridge was going to sit in on other classes to inspect the professors. It was clear to every student that every professor resented this. Aria couldn't blame them. It was one thing to have Dumbledore pop in and watch a class, that was part of his job, but to have Umbridge do it because the Minister of Magic was on some kind of power bent was ridiculous and insulting.
The first indication that Umbridge was doing this was with the 7th years NEWTs Charms class. NEWTs classes were different from other classes at Hogwarts, as most of them combined all four houses instead of just two. So multiple reports about the ordeal came from Slytherins, Gryffindors, Hufflepuffs, and Ravenclaws. The Ravenclaws especially were incensed.
According to Cedric, who was more than willing to talk to Susan who then went and told the other 5th years, Umbridge had come into the class with a clipboard and had been taking notes throughout, interrupting Flitwick multiple times to ask him questions about his methods, whether or not it was appropriate to be teaching certain advanced charms, especially charms that crossed over into Defense. Then, according to Cedric, the woman actually took out a tape measure and in the middle of the lecture, measured Flitwick's height!
"Why did she do that?" Harry had asked.
"Because she's got a thing against people with magical creature heritage," Susan had explained with a disgusted sneer which was very out of place on her pretty face. "It's rumored that Professor Flitwick has goblin heritage."
"Oh . . ." Aria had shared a look with Harry who in turn had shared a look with Lisa and Justin and Dean.
"I . . . I guess I thought he was a dwarf," Justin had said. Their wixen-raised friends had laughed.
"Dwarves aren't actually real," Hannah had cried.
"No, no," Lisa had cried, "in the Muggle world there are people who, because of a medical condition at birth, don't grow much taller than Professor Flitwick. They're sometimes called dwarves, but Mrs. Goulding down the road prefers the term 'little person'."
Their friends had stared at them in shock.
"Do you think the goblin nation is actually marrying into the Muggles?" Tracey had asked.
"I didn't say that," Lisa had argued. "I'm saying that in the Muggle world, there is a medical condition that keeps people from growing very tall. Granted, Mrs. Goulding and her friends aren't as . . . proportionate as Professor Flitwick is, but there's no reason to discriminate against him goblin heritage or not!"
The students, regardless of year, were properly outraged at the insult against one of the favorite professors. Daphne had even muttered that she hoped Flitwick would demand an honor duel.
"He was a Champion Dueler," she had explained to Aria.
"So, he can teach Defense!" Aria cried. Even with the new textbooks, which were just the normal 5th year Defense textbooks that had been used for years prior to Umbridge, the ministry official was still having them read the chapter and write summaries on the information. No magic in class, no practicing in class.
The next class Umbridge appeared in was the 5th year Gryffindor-Slytherin Care of Magical Creatures. Professor Grubbly-Plank had managed to coax a unicorn into the paddock. Aria was unsure exactly what had happened, Harry refused to tell her, but according to Draco, Harry had tripped over a hole in the ground as they had approached the paddock and the unicorn had been momentarily spooked. Umbridge had given Harry a detention for disrupting class.
Which was why Aria and the other Slytherins stayed up waiting for Harry to come back from detention. He had gone after dinner with their well-wishes ringing in his ears and had yet to return even though curfew had passed by an hour ago.
"Should we get Snape?" Tracey wondered, twiddling with her Spell Check Quill. "What if she's torturing him?"
"Maybe he just went to the kitchens to get a snack," Blaise suggested. "You know, stress snacking?"
"Harry doesn't eat when he's stressed," Aria pointed out. "I say we wait until another hour's passed and then we go to Professor Snape."
The friends waited in the empty common room. Theo and Draco snuck down after Crabbe and Goyle were asleep, and Tracey dozed on the couch, her head in Daphne's lap. Pansy and Millicent sprawled out on another couch looking at magazines, but Aria was too worried to sit for long even though at one point Draco tucked her up against his side and played with her hair.
Just before the next hour was up, the portrait of Salazar Slytherin opened and Harry stepped into the common room. A collective sigh went through the gathered 5th years and Aria rushed to his side, throwing her arms around him.
"What a welcome!" Harry teased, spitting hair out of his mouth.
"It's not funny!" Aria cried, pulling back. "You're two hours past curfew! Teachers don't ever keep detention running that long. We thought you were dead!"
"We did not think that," Blaise corrected. "The girls like being dramatic."
"Umbridge just had me writing lines," Harry assured Aria. "Awful lines to be sure, but just lines. Granted, I would've appreciated being let out in time for curfew, but the detention's over and done with."
"Just lines?" Daphne questioned. "She didn't have you reading some kind of strange propaganda for the ministry?"
"No? Is there such a thing?"
"I don't think so, but with her I wouldn't be surprised."
"What'd you make you write?" Theo asked. "'I shall not trip over holes in the ground'? 'I shall not startle unicorns'?"
"No," Harry said with a grimace. "She made me write 'I will not tell lies'."
"What've you been lying about?" Millicent asked.
"You-Know-Who," Pansy said, hitting Millicent gently with a rolled-up magazine. "Even though Harry's not said anything publicly."
"It's what I get for somehow being associated with Dumbledore," Harry muttered bitterly. "Anyway, I've got homework left to do. And don't two of you have rounds soon?"
Aria glanced at the clock.
"We've got to go in thirty minutes," she said.
"So, we'll just . . . leave you then," Daphne said, nudging Tracey up the stairs, motioning for Pansy and Millicent to follow. Blaise and Theo waggled their eyebrows at Draco while Harry used two fingers to show Draco that he was watching him. Aria stuck her tongue out at Harry.
"Such maturity," Draco teased, pulling Aria to his side. "Some friends they turned out to be."