Diggory Is Still A Loser (book 2)

33- Assassin

As the day went on, Celia began to plan how she was going to save the world from Fudge.
That evening Voldemort showed Harry a false image of Sirius Black being tortured, luring him to the Ministry.
This event injured Harry and the friends he had taken with him, it also caused the death of his Godfather, which greatly upset Harry.
Hermione and Ron had been so badly injured that they ended up sharing the hospital wing with Celia.
This catastrophe made Celia realise just how important her mission was.

Once Madam Pomfrey had removed her bandages and wished her good night, Celia got dressed and slipped out of the castle.
She then made her way out of the grounds, so that she could disapparate.
She'd been having apparition lessons all year, so even though she couldn't take her test until her birthday during the summer holidays, she knew how to do it.
And with everything that had happened that day, Celia felt sure that Fudge would be working late in his office.
So she planned to head to the Ministry, to confront him.

Although Celia knew that her plan was insane, she couldn't think of any other way to make things better.
She had suffered so much that year, because of Umbridge and Fudge, and she wanted someone to blame.
But despite this, she wasn't sure exactly what she was going to do when she confronted Fudge.
All Celia knew was that she wanted to make Fudge feel her pain, and realise how much he had hurt her.
And since her father worked at the Ministry, Celia had no problem getting in, as she knew the place like the back of her hand.
The building was mostly empty, and Celia kept her head down to avoid anyone looking at her, as she made her way towards the Minister's office.

When Celia reached Fudge's door, she gently pushed it open, and was relieved to find that it wasn't even locked, meaning that Fudge was inside.
As she stepped in to the dimly lit room, she saw Fudge sitting on top of his desk, with his head hunched over and his back to her.
Celia removed her wand and gripped it tightly in her sweaty hand.
Before her courage could fail her, she approached Fudge, making him jump when he saw her.

"Who are you?" Questioned Fudge, as he eyed her wand warily, and slowly climbed down off his desk.
Celia quickly grabbed hold of Fudge's wand, which was sitting on the table, stopping him from using it against her.
"You really don't recognise me?" Frowned Celia, as she pocketed his wand.
Fudge stared at her face, trying to think of where he might have seen her before.
"Wait, I do know you. You're Cedric Diggory's sister" announced Fudge.
"My name is Celia, but I guess I'm not suprised that all you remember about me is my dead brother, who's murder you covered up" replied Celia.

"What are you doing here?" Demanded Fudge.
"I'm here to talk to you" answered Celia.
"There are many ways you could talk to me, without pointing a wand at me" informed Fudge.
"I had to bring this, because I knew without it, you wouldn't listen to me"
"What is it that you wanted to talk to me about?"
"I wanted to know if you are to blame for my suffering, or Umbridge".

"What suffering?" Frowned Fudge.
"Don't act as if you don't know what your pet Umbridge has been doing at Hogwarts" spat Celia.
"She's been cracking down on discipline and disobedience" replied Fudge.
"Is that all you think she's been doing? Ha! She's created a totalitarian state in a school, on your behalf. She sent the Dementor after Harry last year. And she even threatened to use the Cruciatus Curse on him earlier today"
"I didn't know. But even if what you say is true, I don't see what this has to do with you".

"Umbridge didn't like anybody threatening her rule. And since I was Cedric's sister, and I knew the truth about his death, she saw me as somebody who needed to be constantly put down" revealed Celia.
"Well, I'm sorry if you received detentions from her that you didn't enjoy" apologised Fudge.
"Oh, you're sorry are you? And do you know what she made us do in her detentions?" Questioned Celia.
"No"
"Maybe I should show you".
Celia pulled up her sleeve and pointed her wand at the back of her left hand, illuminating her scars for Fudge to see.

"Merlin's beard" mumbled Fudge.
"I have more scars than anyone at Hogwarts. But Harry has a set that match the top line on my hand. Umbridge made us write lines in our own blood, and now we are scarred for life!" Shouted Celia.
"I didn't know, I swear. Dolores never told me exactly what she got up to at Hogwarts, or how she punished students" insisted Fudge.
"You really expect me to believe that? You are the Minister for Magic, and Umbridge was sent to Hogwarts to do your bidding" reminded Celia as she turned her wand to Fudge.

The Minister raised his hands, "I didn't know about any of this. And I'm sorry you have suffered".
"You're sorry? Well, sorry doesn't mean much. I am scarred for life, because of you. I never did anything to upset Umbridge or break her stupid rules, yet she punished me anyway. All because she wanted to please you" spat Celia.
"Dolores took things too far, I see that now. Please don't hurt me" begged Fudge.

"You deserve to suffer just like me!" Screamed Celia, as tears fell down her face.
"Miss Diggory, lower your wand".
Celia spun around and saw Dumbledore and Harry standing behind her.
She had been so wrapped up in screaming at Fudge, that she hadn't heard them enter the office.
"Let's get you back to Hogwarts" continued Dumbledore.
"No, he has to pay for what he did" insisted Celia.
"I know that you have been through hell, but Dumbledore is back now, and Umbridge has been fired" revealed Harry.

"That doesn't matter, because he will just replace her with someone even worse, unless we stop him" admitted Celia.
"No Ministry officials are going to be placed at my school ever again, you have my word" promised Dumbledore.
"So, he's just going to get away with what he did? He hired Umbridge. He sent aurors after you. He had the whole world mock Harry for telling the truth. He refused to believe that Voldemort returned. And in the end, because of his arrogance and stupidity, a good man died today" reminded Celia.

"Killing him won't bring Sirius back" Harry said quietly.
"Maybe not, but it will make me feel better. Because justice needs to be served. You and I both know that he won't be punished for his crimes. Which is why we have to take matters into our own hands" informed Celia.
"This is not the right way to go about getting justice. And hurting people, makes us just as bad as them. We're the good guys, remember" replied Harry.
Celia lowered her wand and stepped away from Fudge, before throwing his own wand back to him.

"I just want this pain to end" she cried.
"Dolores Umbridge will not hurt another student at my school ever again" reassured Dumbledore.
"Come on Celia, let's go home" encouraged Harry.
"I don't have a home anymore" mumbled Celia.
"Hogwarts will always be our home, because it's where the people who care about us are. And nothing will ever change that" replied Harry.
Celia began to cry as she threw herself into Harry's arms and allowed him to escourt her out of Fudge's office.
Dumbledore followed closely behind them, and apparated them all back to Hogwarts and away from the Ministry.