Lost Memories

xl. chaos

Harry and I haven't spoken since our little outburst last week and I think Hermione and Ron are absolutely over it. Regardless of our argument, I still kept my word to them about telling Headmistress Umbridge of all the horrible secrets they tell me– all lies, of course. Along with being Umbridge's lap dog, it was a requirement that all students needed to meet with their Head of Household to talk about careers; Professor McGonagall suggested I be a Professor at Hogwarts or an Arithmancer for the Ministry of Magic.

A little while after the meetings had ceased, Harry got the idea to try to talk to Sirius again; this time, about looking into Snape's memory.

"Harry, don't do it, please don't do it!" Hermione said in anguished tones as the bell rang at the end of the class.

Harry wanted to go into Umbridge's office to use her fireplace to speak to Sirius about it. Hermione was seriously against it whereas Ron seemed determined to not give neither his opinion nor advice– neither did I, not like Harry would listen to me being that we weren't on speaking terms.

"Charlotte, tell him something!" Hermione asked me as we trailed behind him towards the main floor.

"Let him do it. I have nothing to say, not like he'd listen," I shrugged. Hermione shot me a glare and continued to attempt to talk him out of it.

Ron rolled his eyes at Hermione, he said in a low voice, "Give it a rest, okay? He can make up his own mind."

Before Hermione could respond to Ron, there were screams and yells reverberating from somewhere above us. People exiting the classrooms all about us stopped in their tracks and looked up at the ceiling fearfully. Umbridge sped out of her classroom, and in that second, Harry bolted towards her office.

Fred and George flooded nearly the entire school. I kept my smirk to myself as Draco forced me to stay in line with the rest of the Inquisitorial Squad instead of allowing me to stand with my friends.

"George," said Fred, "I think we've outgrown full-time education."

"Yeah, I've been feeling that way myself," said George lightly.

"Time to test our talents in the real world, d'you reckon?" asked Fred.

"Definitely," said George.

And before Umbridge could say a word, they raised their wands and said together, "Accio Brooms!"

There was a loud crash somewhere in the distance and I ducked just in time to see Fred and George's broomsticks hurtling along the corridor toward their owners.

"We won't be seeing you, Umbitch," Fred told Professor Umbridge, swinging his leg over his broomstick.

"Yeah, don't bother to keep in touch," said George, mounting his own.

"If anyone fancies buying a Portable Swamp, as demonstrated upstairs, come to number ninety-three, Diagon Alley — Weasleys' Wizarding Wheezes," he said in a loud voice. "Our new premises!"

"Special discounts to Hogwarts students who swear they're going to use our products to get rid of this old bat," added George, pointing at Professor Umbridge.

"STOP THEM!" shrieked Umbridge, but it was too late. As the Inquisitorial Squad pushed me forward in attempts to closed in on them, Fred and George kicked off from the floor, shooting fifteen feet into the air, the iron peg swinging dangerously below. Fred looked across the hall at the poltergeist bobbing on his level above the crowd.

"Give her hell from us, Peeves."

And Peeves, whom I'd never seen take an order from a student before, swept his belled hat from his head and sprang to a salute as Fred and George wheeled about to tumultuous applause from the students below and sped out of the open front doors into the glorious sunset.