In the Melancholy Moonlight

Chapter C: Oh My Dear

A/N: Merry Christmas to those who celebrate! And happiest of holidays to those who don't.

Thank you all for joining me on this incredible journey this year. Some of you have been here since March, while others have been here for only a couple weeks. Regardless of how long you've been reading this story, thank you so much for supporting me and my wild idea. Thank you for loving this story. Thank you for encouraging me to keep doing what I do, because I truly love doing it.

I know this part of the story is so incredibly dark. But I wanted to try to share a little bit of light this Christmas. So... here you go. Chapter 100, "Oh My Dear." I hope you all enjoy.

HARRY:

Lucy didn't appear in the Great Hall until a couple minutes before we had to head to our first class. She slid into the open seat between the twins and immediately pulled a small glass vial from her bag.

"Did Professor McGonagall already come by with the schedules?" she asked breathlessly, shaking the glass up and down.

"Yeah, she gave me yours," I said as I slid it across the table.

"Thanks." Lucy popped the cap and downed whatever was inside in a single swallow. She grimaced as she set it down, shaking her head in disgust.

I was about to ask what it was when Neville spoke up. "Lucy, was that...?"

"Just something that might help with the shaking," she said quickly — too quickly — holding a hand up for emphasis. "It started over summer and it's been rather annoying, really, but it hasn't been serious enough to go to St. Mungo's." Neville looked as if he wanted to say something else, but Lucy glanced down at her schedule and sighed. "Defense Against the Dark Arts first? Didn't we get a week's worth of class lectures from her speech last night?"

"A month's, more like," Ron retorted.

"We have her second, if that makes you feel any better," Fred volunteered with a shrug. "We can wallow in our misery together at lunch."

The bell tolled over our heads, and we made our way to the DADA classroom. We entered silently, unsure as to how lenient or strict Umbridge would be as a teacher.

"Well, good morning!" she said once we had all settled in.

A couple people mumbled a half-hearted "Good morning."

Umbridge shook her head. "Tut, tut. That won't do, now, will it? I should like you, please, to reply 'Good morning, Professor Umbridge.' One more time, please. Good morning, class!"

"Good morning, Professor Umbridge," we replied robotically.

"There, now. That wasn't too difficult, was it? Wands away and quills out, please."

Lucy's hand clenched around her wand. Rather than tucking it into her bag, she tucked it into her pocket with her right hand as she got a quill and ink and parchment from her bag with her left. I followed suit. I had gotten in the habit of having my wand on me at all times. I didn't want to tuck it away, especially not while Lucy was beside me.

The words Defense Against the Dark Arts: A Return to Basic Principles appeared on the board.

"Well now, your teaching in this subject has been rather disrupted and fragmented, hasn't it? The constant changing of teachers, many of whom do not seem to have followed any Ministry-approved curriculum, has unfortunately resulted in your being far below the standard we would expect to see in your O.W.L. year. You will be pleased to know, however, that these problems are now to be rectified. We will be following a carefully structured, theory-centered, Ministry-approved course of defensive magic this year. Copy down the following, please."