Rosabella Black |Daughter Of Sirius Black| (Book 5)

Snape's Worst Memory

Rosabella's Point of View:

BY ORDER OF THE MINISTRY OF MAGIC
Dolores Jane Umbridge 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 for Magic.

This was what I was afraid of.
    "Winter, I think you need to have an extended stay in the Forbidden Forest." I said and sent Winter to the Forbidden Forest.
She was only allowed here because I had permission from Dumbledore but now Umbridge is head.
The notices had gone up all around the school overnight, but they did not explain how every single person within the castle seemed to know that Dumbledore had overcome two Aurors, the High Inquisitor, the Minister for Magic and his Junior Assistant to escape. No matter where I went within the castle, the sole topic of conversation was Dumbledore's flight, and though some of the details may have gone awry in the retelling. I felt extremely vulnerable not having Winter walking by my side. She had become like a second shadow.
(Harry and I 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 knew, for instance, that Harry, Marietta and I were the only students to have witnessed the scene in Dumbledore's office and as Marietta was still in the hospital wing, Harry and I found ourselves besieged with requests to give a first-hand account.
    "Dumbledore will be back before long." Ernie Macmillan said confidently on the way back from Herbology, after listening intently to Harry's story.
    "They couldn't keep him away in our second year and they won't be able to this time. The Fat Friar told me–" Ernie said and then he dropped his voice conspiratorially, so that Harry, Ron, Hermione and I had to lean closer to him to hear.
   "–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 said smirking.
I burst into hysterics.
   "Oh, that's just what I needed! Thanks, Ernie!" I said laughing uncontrollably.
    "I expect she really fancied herself sitting up there in the Head's office." Hermione said viciously, as we walked up the stone steps into the Entrance Hall.
   "Lording it over all the other teachers, the stupid puffed-up, power crazy old –" I said but was cut off.
   "Now, do you really want to finish that sentence, Black?" Draco Malfoy said as he slid out from behind the door, closely 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 Gryffincor and Hufflepuff." Malfoy drawled.
  "It's only teachers who can dock points from houses, Malfoy." Ernie said at once.
  "Yeah, we're prefects, too, remember?" Ron snarled.
   "I know prefects can't dock points, Weasel King. But members of the Inquisitorial Squad —" Malfoy sneered.
Crabbe and Goyle sniggered.
    "The what?" Hermione said sharply.
    "The Inquisitorial Squad, Granger. A select group of students who are supportive of the Ministry of Magic, hand picked by Professor Umbridge." Malfoy said, pointing towards a tiny silver 'I' on his robes just beneath his prefect's badge.
  "Anyway, members of the Inquisitorial Squad do have the power to dock points . . . so, Black, 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, your shirt's untucked, so I'll have another five for that. Oh yeah, I forgot, you're a Mudblood, Granger, so ten off for that." Malfoy said maliciously.
Ron pulled out his wand the same time I pulled mine out, but Hermione pushed Rons away as Harry grabbed my wand arm, glaring at Malfoy.
   "Don't!" Hermione whispered.
   "Wise move, Granger. New Head, new times . . . be good now, Potty . . . Weasel King . . ." Malfoy sneered, laughing heartily as he strode away with Crabbe and Goyle.
   "He was bluffing. He can't be allowed to dock points . . . that would be ridiculous . . . it would completely undermine the prefect system." Ernie, looking appalled.
But Harry, Ron, Hermione and I had turned automatically towards the giant hour-glasses set in niches along the wall behind them, which recorded the house-points.
Gryffindor and Ravenclaw had been neck and neck in the lead this morning. Even as we watched, stones flew upwards, reducing the amounts in the lower bulbs. In fact, the only glass that seemed unchanged was the emerald filled one of Slytherin.
    "Noticed, have you?' Fred said coming up from behindus.
Fred, George, Jason and Jacob had just come down the marble staircase and joined Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ernie and I in front of the hour-glasses.
    "Malfoy just docked us all about fifty points." Harry said furiously, as we watched several more stones fly upwards from the Gryffindor hour-glass.
   "Yeah, Montague tried to do us during break." George said.
    "What do you mean, 'tried'?" Michael said as he came down marblestone case with his friends.
   "He never managed to get all the words out.' Jason said with a smirk.
   "Due to the fact that we forced him head first into that Vanishing Cabinet on the first floor." Jacob said withva smirk off his own.
Hermione looked very shocked while I high fived both sets of twins. Michael shook his head and was fighting a smile.
    "But you'll get into terrible trouble!" Hermione said.
    "Not until Montague reappears." Fred said grinning.
    "And that could take weeks." George said also grinning.
   "Dunno where we sent him.' Jacob said cooly with a shrug and a smirk.   
   "Anyway . . . we've decided we don't care about getting into trouble any more." Jason said.
   "Have we ever?" I asked.
Michael rolled his eyes as Jason and Jacob grinned. 
  "Course we have. Never been expelled, have we?" George said.
    "We've always known where to draw the line." Fred said.
    "We might have put a toe across it occasionally." Jason said.
     "But we've always stopped short of causing real mayhem." Jacob said.
    "But now?" Ron said tentatively.
    "Well, now—" George said.
    "–what with Dumbledore gone–" Fred said.
    "–we reckon a bit of mayhem–" Jason said.
    "–is exactly what our dear new Head deserves." Jacob said.
    "You mustn't! You really mustn't! She'd love a reason to expel you!" Hermione whispered.
    "You don't get it, Hermione, do you?' Fred said, smiling at her.
    "We don't care about staying any more. We'd walk out right now if we weren't determined to do our bit for Dumbledore first. So, anyway . . ." George said as he checked his watch and showed it to Fred. 
    "Phase one is about to begin. I'd get in the Great Hall for lunch, if I were you, that way the teachers will see you can't have had anything to do with it." Fred said.
  "Anything to do with what?" Hermione said anxiously.
    "You'll see." Jason said.
    "Run along, now." Jacob said.
    "Jay, Jake, I'm all for giving Umbitch a hard time but she'll be the least of your worries if you get expelled. You'd have to deal with Moony and worse Lucas." I warned.
    "Don't worry. Unlike Fred and George we need our NEWTs." Jason said.
    "We're just acting as lookouts." Jacob said.
Jason, Jacob, Fred and George turned away and disappeared into the swelling crowd descending the stairs towards lunch. Looking highly disconcerted, Ernie muttered something about unfinished Transfiguration homework and scurried away.
   "I think we should get out of here, you know. Just in case . . . Ro you definitely should." Hermione said nervously.
I practically sprinted into Great Hall with the trio laughing behind me.
But we had barely glimpsed the day's ceiling of scudding white clouds when somebody tapped me on the shoulder and, turning, I found myself almost nose-to-nose with Filch the caretaker. I took several hasty steps backwards, Filch was best viewed at a distance.
    "The Headmistress would like to see you, Black." Filtch leered.
   "I didn't do it." I insisted, thinking of whatever Fred and George were planning.
Filch's jowls wobbled with silent laughter.
    "Guilty conscience, eh? Follow me." Filch wheezed.
I glanced back at Ron, Hermione and Harry, who were both looking worried. I shrugged, and followed Filch back into the Entrance Hall, against the tide of hungry students.