I Know The End {Fred Weasley, ACT I}

Chapter 26- Hogwarts V. Umbridge

The room was stuffy. That was the only thing that Eleanor could concentrate on. She tugged on the neck of her robes as sweat dripped down her back. If she could only move her desk back a few feet she'd be able to lean her head against the cool glass of the window. She tried to scoot in the direction of the window but the sound of the chair legs scraping against the stone floor echoed loudly through the crowded classroom, blocking out Montague's voice momentarily. He turned his head swiftly in her direction and shook his head once before droning on again. The firework tattoo on her wrist burned her skin, fizzling out quickly after.

She'd never known a student council meeting to be so well attended. Not that she had personally attended any prior to that year, but it seemed that a quarter of the school was there to express their concerns. Alicia sat between Eleanor and Montague at the head of a spare classroom on the second floor where these meetings were typically held. The prefects were tucked away in the back corner, half appearing bored (Ron) and the other half taking notes as Montague had instructed (Hermione).

The desks in the classroom were pushed together in clumps of students, the heads of multiple clubs taking up most of these spots. Alfie, who led the Wizarding Chess club, was back by the prefects. He was listening, but not actively participating. Eleanor noticed him open his mouth multiple times to speak before his sentences were railroaded by others dying for their own turn. Athena Lovegood was situated right up front, being the editor of the school paper, her hand poised permanently in the air. Eddie Rhodes, head of the Astronomy club, sat next to Isabella Hart, who led more clubs than Eleanor could keep track of. Uncharacteristically, she was staying silent, which couldn't be a good sign. She was pissed. Everyone was pissed.

They'd changed the time and date of the meeting to avoid Umbridge. Technically, technically, they were not allowed to be having this meeting. The day and time were unapproved and there was way more than three people gathered in the dank room. However, the student council had been allowed to reform under Umbridge's guidelines. It was a grey area, and everyone seemed willing to risk the consequences of getting caught if only to voice their complaints this once.

"Look, Umbridge has allowed almost every club to rejoin," Montague repeated for the fifth time that night. Alicia rolled her eyes, huffing in tune with the rest of the room.

"Stop defending her!" Lee yelled out, which was immediately followed by a round of cheers. "My broadcast has been completely censored. I'm not allowed to speak on anything happening at Hogwarts and absolutely nothing about you-know-who, which is a pretty big topic whether you believe he's back or not. Athena, has she blocked Hogwarts Daily?"

"I wanted to do a piece on the student body's favorite professors," Athena quipped, nodding along with Lee. "We've done one every year and I've never run into an issue, but this year I can't print anything considered flattery toward Professor Dumbledore or improper toward Umbridge. Don't even get me started on the Ministry. I printed a piece on the changes the ministry made to the Defense Against the Dark Arts class and she suspended the paper. I'm still printing of course, but it's completely unreasonable that I have to keep it secret."

More cheers of agreement. Eleanor and Alicia nodded with the mob as Montague tried to keep order. He kept checking the door as though Umbridge might burst in on them at any moment. Eleanor's tattoo burned again. It was as though the firework had burst across her skin, crackling along her veins.

"I'm not defending her," Montague continued through snorts of disbelief, "but there is nothing we can do while she is receiving backing from the Ministry."

"Fuck the Ministry!" The figure of Angelina bellowed from the corner opposite of the prefects where she sat with the rest of the Quidditch Captains. Eleanor widened her eyes at Angelina, who was leaning back in her chair, hands cusped around the back of her head. Eleanor shook her head quickly and Angelina straightened in her chair. "I mean... well, I just love Quidditch and... it's not fair that she almost ruined the whole season for us! Ugh!"