The Dark Mark (The Girl Who Lived part II)

The Inquisitorial Squad

The next day was the hogsmeade trip. Like usual, I worked at Honeydukes. Only during the second portion of the trip did I see any familiar faces. Harry, Ron, and Hermoine all sat at a table. Harry would glance over at me sometimes. But once our eyes met, he'd immediately look away. The rest of the hogsmeade trip was like this. In between customers, I would talk to Neville. "He's just really concerned about you. That's all". "Thanks, Neville".

The next couple of days dragged by. I now sat on the the bleachers watching the quidditch game. Gryffindoor vs. Slytherin. I didn't care much for quidditch, even though every member of the Weasley family loved it. I thought of Oliver's reaction. He'd go ballistic. After the game was over, Neville and I made our way inside. From a distance, I heard my name being called. I ignored this at first, not knowing whether or not my name had actually been called. The voice came closer, and now I was sure that my name haad been called. A voice that I hadn't heard in quite a while. Harry. "I'll give you two some privacy. I'll see you inside, Scarlet". Neville headed inside and left me alone with Harry. 

"Scarlet... I want to apologize for how I reacted. I was being stupid. This whole Voldemort returning is getting to my head and-" I pulled him into a hug before he could finish. "I should've told you about it". "How many times did she make you write with that black quill?" I saw that same worry in his eyes that I'd seen the day before. I gulped. "Only ten times. The words are almost gone. Don't worry about it". Even though I told him not to, he did otherwise. He massaged my hands with his. At the next meal, Harry and I were back to the way we had been before I had replaced him in detention. Harry held one of my hands and made no sign that he would be letting go anytime soon. 

"I can't believe we got banned from Quidditch" Said the twins. "For how long?" I asked. "For life" Harry answered. "What happened?" Apparently I was the only one out of the loop. "Draco was being....well, his usual self. He provoked Fred, George, and Harry. This resulted in George and Harry attacking him. Umbridge confiscated their broomsticks and banned them from quidditch for life". Neville answered. "Neville, how do you know this? You weren't there". Hermoine was amazed at how he knew this bit of information. "When I was working in the greenhouse, I heard the conversation between two girls who were gossiping. I didn't mean to eavesdrop, but I suppose it just happened. They didn't seem to notice me, so I heard the whole entire conversation". Neville said, proud of his newfound ability. I felt a light tap on my shoulder. So light that in fact, I could barely felt it. The only thing that really got my attention was the change in atmosphere, and the change in direction of the focus of my friends. 

Everyone's eyes focused on the shoulder tapper. The atmosphere quickly shifted from a cheerful one to a serious one. "What do you want, Malfoy?" Harry asked this. Though according to the daggers in my friends eyes, anyone would've asked the same exact thing. "Don't think so highly of yourself, Potter. My business isn't with you, but Scarlet". Draco said. "What do you need?" I asked him. "It's not that I specifically need to see you, but Umbridge. She'd like to see you in her office right away". He said. As much as I didn't want to go, I knew that there'd be some sort of punishment that she could dish out if I didn't go. "Well, I suppose I should get going. Excuse me". I walked with Draco down the corridor and up a flight of stairs."Do you know what she wants me for?" I asked him, as we stood outside her office door. "She's going to bestow upon you, the highest honor". He said this as he opened the office door.

He gestured for me to enter the office. I'd only been in this office one other time, and that one experience was enough to make me terrified. Underneath that hideous pink hue that covered the walls, were stone walls with spikes on them that one would only find in some sort of underground space used for torture. Underneath that creepy smile that Dolores Umbridge always had plastered on, was something far more sinister than possibly the Dark Lord, himself. "It's nice to see you, Mrs.Weasley. Please take a seat.". The wooden desk from the detention session was no longer there. Instead, a horribly pink antique chair sat in the center of the room. I sat in the chair, still as stiff as a board. Umbridge must've sensed this. "Don't hesitate to make yourself comfortable". These words did not soothe me one bit. My skin crawled. Nothing she could do or say could make me feel comfortable.

"Mrs. Weasley, you're quite a model student. Which is why, I'd like to give you a membership to the Inquisitorial Squad". She slid a silver "I" across her desk towards me. "Excuse me?" I'd never heard this term before. "The Inquisitorial Squad is a select group of students supportive of the Ministry of Magic". I was about to immediately decline. I didn't even want to be a prefect, much less be a member of the Inquisitorial Squad. Plus, if Umbridge was leading this group, than I would much rather take another session in detention than be a part of it. "I'll think about it". I said, not wanting Umbridge on her bad side. "Well, I've kept you long enough. Please reconsider". She said this as I stood. On my way out, she stopped me. "And Mrs. Weasley, you do realize that in order to be admitted to the squad, you must break off all ties to those who oppose of the Ministry. That includes, Mr. Potter. That is all". I was escorted out by Draco who was still there.

"Why me?" I asked. I'd seen the few select members of the Inquisitorial Squad with the silver "I". All of them, Slytherin. So why would she ask me, a Gryffindoor? And more importantly, someone who was surrounded by people who were "against" the Ministry. "Because I suggested to her that you should be a member". Draco answered. "Why would you do that?" We were walking down the corridor and now stood outside the Fat Lady painting leading to the Gryffindoor common room. "Because, I-" Just then the Fat Lady painting swung open. It was Harry and the twins. "What do you want, Malfoy?" Harry asked this as he stepped in between the two of us. "Where have you been, Scarlet? We've been looking for you all over. Isn't that right, Freddie?" "Right George". "Let's leave these two alone before Umbridge decides to show up and revokes our breathing privileges". They said, grabbing my arms on either side, and practically carrying me up the stairs to the common room.

Only did my feet hit the ground when the twins placed me down on one of the sofas in the common room. "What was your meeting with Umbridge like?" George asked. "George and I have a bet with each other. Now, did she bear fangs or grow horns?" Fred asked me. "Neither of those". I answered. Ron took a seat near us. "I told you it'd be neither. Cough it up". The twins grumbled, and produced a few sickles from their pockets. By the time the twins had handed over the bet winnings to Ron, Neville, Hermoine, and Harry joined us. "What happened with Umbridge?" Neville asked. "She wanted me to be a part of the Inquisitorial Squad. But to do so, I have to cut all ties with everyone "against" the Ministry. Do you think I should do it? If I do this, then I could give you information on them". I'd known about Dumbledore's Army from Hermoine, but I only attended a few of the meetings. It wasn't that I didn't believe what it stood for, because I did. It's just that I hadn't learned of the D.A. until quite a bit later. In fact, I was so new that my name still wasn't on the list that Hermoine made everyone sign that made everyone promise that they would keep the meetings a secret.   

"Absolutely not". Harry declared. "It's too risky. Even though it'd be useful for us to keep tabs on them, I still don't like it". He continued on. Ron and Neville agreed with Harry that it wasn't a good idea. The twins then took the opportunity to voice their opinion. "I think it's a good idea. Even if they were to find out, Freddie and I wouldn't let anything happen to our dear Scarlet". George said. Fred nodded in agreement. "Come on, the positives outweigh the negatives. It'll be good to have someone on the inside". Hermoine said this, trying to persuade Harry, Ron, and Neville to switch sides. "Looks like the vote's fifty fifty". I said. Neville, Harry, and Ron against the twins and Hermoine. "Well, I wouldn't necessarily say that. Fred and George really should count as one". Said Ron in between bites of a biscuit. "Why don't you say that again, dear brother?" The twins threatened, as they cracked their knuckles. This arguing between the two sides continued until Ginny entered the room. We told Ginny of our plan and asked her what she thought on the matter. "After adding in all of the factors, then I'd have to say that it's a good idea to have someone on the inside". She answered. So, it was settled. I would be the newest member of the extremely corrupt Inquisitorial Squad. And that, was the end of that.