Magical Love 2

Umbridge's Reign of Terror

                  Just when I thought things couldn't get any worse, they definitely did. In the hallway, we saw Filch nailing a framed notice on the wall. It announced that Professor Umbridge was now the High Inquisitor of Hogwarts.

        "The High Inquisitor announces that there will be no magic allowed outside the classroom setting, if anyone is caught using magic outside of class they will automatically receive detention and lose House points." "What?" I said in disbelief. Cedric and I were looking at the horrible sign on the wall. "How are we supposed to learn magic if we can't use it?" Cedric objected in shock. "It's absurd," I agreed.  "We're not going to let her ruin our learning," he said determined. "Cedric Diggory, are you suggesting we break the rules?" I asked flirtatiously.  "Maybe." he replied flirting back. "Well, let's work together." I kissed him on the cheek. "We do make a great team." he kissed me back.

                   Turns out, Harry had the same idea as us. We were going to need to find someone who could teach us. Lots of our classmates were tired of not being taught anything because of the Ministry's irrational fear that Dumbledore is leading an uprising against them. That's why they refused to believe that Voldemort had returned.  I wasn't too keen on being under Umbridge's tight fist that seemed to be getting tighter everyday. "All Quidditch and extra curricular activities will be canceled until further notice." the Quidditch players of our school were furious, and we were expressing our anger as Filch was putting up the notice, but Umbridge threatened to take away House points if we "continued to defy her."  Another notice was put up the next day. "All students are forbidden to be within eight feet of each other." notices were getting put up so often that all the moving paintings were gone and replaced.

One of the worst things she did was sack Professor Trewlawney, the entire school was gathered in the courtyard watching the ordeal happen. Professor Trelawney was shaking with tears, "Sixteen years, Hogwarts is my home." she sniffed and looked at Umbridge in pain. "You can't do this." "Actually I can." She smirked evilly. Professor McGonagall walked quickly onto the courtyard in anger to comfort Professor Trelawney. "Is there anything you'd like to say?" Umbridge asked mockingly. "There are plenty of things I'd like to say to you!" The headmistress got tears in her eyes and hugged Professor Trelawney.
"Dolores!" Professor Dumbledore had showed up to stop the ordeal. Umbridge looked at the headmaster with her fake smile, "Yes?" "You have no authority to banish my teachers from school grounds, that authority is for the headmaster." he warned. Luckily that spared Professor Trelawney from getting sacked and she cried in relief.

    Cedric and I held each others' hands like our lives depended on it. We wouldn't let her reign of terror keep us apart. She suddenly was walking down the hall patrolling like a vulture preparing to catch its prey, and her blue eyes turned to me and Cedric holding hands and she cast a charm that was supposed to separate us, but to her dismay it didn't work.  Umbridge casted the charm again, and it still didn't work. She briskly walked away muttering angrily under her breath.

           Even I was in awe, "Her Charm didn't work." I held his hands in excitement. "We are too strong for her." he touched my face. "Indeed we are." I smiled happily.  We kissed each other in bliss, like we discovered last year. Nothing can keep us apart.

  After Defense Against the Dark Arts, we were off to Hogsmeade. I never thought I would be happy to get away from school. A couple of friends of ours met at the Hog's Head to discuss what we would do about the chaos at school. Cedric and my brothers would be the oldest among the group.

  I had never been in Hog's Head and I now saw why I never did, it was an empty dingy place where the roughest wizards and witches hung out. Hermione got up from her chair and began to talk.

"Um... Hi. You all know why we're here, we need a teacher. A proper teacher. One who has real experience defending themselves against the Dark Arts." she awkwardly said.

      "Why?" Zachariah Smith asked. "Why? Because You-Know-Who is back you tosspot." Ron retorted. "So he says." he rolled his eyes at Harry. "So Dumbledore says." Hermione corrected. "So Dumbledore says because he says, the point is where is the proof?" Zachariah demanded. "Proof? You want proof?" I glared at him. "Yeah Weasley, I know Diggory didn't really die and you just imagined it like Umbridge said." he insulted. I got up ready to punch him in the face, but Cedric gently took my hand and sat me back down. "Don't assume things you don't understand." Cedric told Zachariah. "Knock it off, everyone. If you're going to fight amongst yourselves then you might as well clear out now." Harry warned.

       "Is it true that you can produce a Patronus charm?" Luna asked innocently. "Yes, I've seen it." Hermione answered. "Blimey, Harry! I didn't know you could do that!" Dean Thomas exclaimed. "And he killed a basilisk, with the sword in Dumbledore's office." Neville added. "It's true." said Ginny. "Third year he fought off about a hundred dementors at once." Ron praised Harry.  "And last year he really did fight You-Know-Who in the flesh." Hermione added more praise.

"Wait...look, it all sounds great when you say it like that, but the truth is most of that was just luck. I don't know what I was doing half the time." "He's just being modest." Hermione interrupted. "No, Hermione, I'm not. Facing this stuff in real life isn't like school. In school, if you make a mistake you can try again tomorrow. But out there, when you're a second away from dying or watching a friend die right in front of your eyes...you don't know what that's like." Harry said grimly.   

The room was silent for a long time. Hermione looked at Harry with sympathy, "You're right Harry, we don't. That's why we need your help, because if we have any chance at beating Voldemort." she finally said the evil wizard's name. "He's really back?" Nigel, a second year Gryffindor said. Both Harry and Cedric nodded.

   We all signed up to be part of the D.A. which stood for Dumbledore's Army. If the Ministry wanted to think Dumbledore was leading an uprising, well they could think what they wanted. The difficult task at hand was to find a secret place to train without Umbridge finding out. Luckily, Neville happened to stumble upon the Room of Requirement. It only revealed itself to those at their greatest need. This was the perfect time for it to show up.