Future Nostalgia / Harry Potter Fanfic

Meeting with Umbridge

~ By Order Of ~

The Ministry of Magic

Dolores Jane Umbridge (High Inquisitor) has replaced Albus Dumbledore as Head of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

The above is in accordance with Educational Decree Number Twenty-eight

Signed:

Cornelius Oswald Fudge

Minister of Magic

The notices had gone up all over the school overnight, but they did not explain how every single person with the castle seemed to know that Dumbledore had overcome two Aurors, the High Inquisitor, the Minister of Magic, and his Junior Assistant to escape. No matter where Estella went with the castle the next day, the sole topic of conversation was her grandfather's flight, and though some of the details might have gone awry in the retelling (Estella overheard one second-year girl assuring another that Fudge was now lying in St. Mungo's with a pumpkin for a head), it was surprising how accurate the rest of their information was. Everybody seemed aware, for instance, that Harry, Estella, and Marietta were the only students to have witnessed the scene in Dumbledore's office, and as Marietta was now in the hospital wing, Estella had found herself besieged with request to give a firsthand account wherever she went.

"Dumbledore will be back before long," said Ernie Macmillan confidently on the way back from Herbology. "They couldn't keep him away in our second year and they won't be able to this time. The Fat Friar told me..." He dropped his voice conspiratorially, so that Estella, Harry, Ron, and Hermione had to lean closer to hear him, "...that Umbridge tried to get back into his office last night after they'd searched the castle and grounds for him. Couldn't get past the gargoyle. The Head's office has sealed itself against her." Ernie smirked. "Apparently she had a right little tantrum."

Ernie turned to Estella. "She even almost summoned you so they'd open but the other teachers refused to let her fetch you," he said.

Estella laughed. "Like I'd ever help her."

"Oh, I expect she really fancied herself sitting up there in the Head's office," said Hermione viciously, as they walked up the stone steps into the entrance hall. "Lording it over all the other teachers, the stupid puffed-up, power-crazy old-"

"Now, do you really want to finish that sentence, Granger?"

Draco had slid out from behind the door, followed by Crabbe and Goyle. His pale, pointed face was alight with malice.

"Afraid I'm going to have to dock a few points from Gryffindor and Hufflepuff," he drawled.

"You can't take points from fellow prefects, Malfoy," said Ernie at once.

"I know prefects can't dock points from each other," sneered Malfoy; Crabbe and Goyle sniggered. "But members of the Inquisitorial Squad-"

"The what?" asked Hermione sharply.

"The Inquisitorial Squad, Granger," said Malfoy, pointing toward a tiny silver I upon his robes beneath his prefect's badge. "A select group of students-"

"You mean Slytherins who kiss up to Umbridge," said Estella. Draco simply glared at the girl.

"-A select group of students who are supportive of the Ministry of Magic, hand-picked by Professor Umbridge. Anyway, members of the Inquisitorial Squad do have the power to dock points....So, Granger, I'll have five from you for being rude about our new headmistress....Macmillan, five for contradicting me....Five because I don't like you, Potter...Weasley's your shirt's untucked, so I'll have another five for that....Oh yeah, I forgot, you're a Mudblood-"