Unity & Perseverance

Educational Decree's

Amelia woke up on Tuesday morning, not quite knowing what had woken her. Shaking it off, she decided to just get up. She had noticed a few smudges of dried blood on her right hand - which usually meant her hand had bled overnight. She sighed irritably, and went to clean it before she then applied another Burn Paste on it.

As she finished getting dressed, she went to reach for her wand, but then had an idea: to practise her wandless magic. She had barely had a chance to work on it since school resumed, which was annoying, but she vowed to find more time. So she saw an opportunity and held her hand out, thinking of the Accio wand incantation in her head as she willed it to work. It took a good few attempts, and she almost gave up, but then she felt a wave of magic flush out of her hand. She still wasn't used to the feeling of it. Her wand now in her hand, she felt accomplished, but clearly needed tonnes of practise at it still. Amelia thought she could start with first year spells, and work her way through the curriculum wandlessly. Satisfied with that plan, she got up.

Tying the curtains around her bed back up neatly, she realised that Hermione was already up.

Her bag on her right shoulder, Amelia descended the stairs and entered the common room, where she quickly saw Harry and Ron gathered near the bulletin board and looking at it over the heads of some anxious looking first and second years.

Dorea was shocked when she read what they were looking at:

" BY ORDER OF THE HIGH INQUISITOR OF HOGWARTS

All student organisations, societies, teams, groups and clubs are henceforth disbanded.

An organisation, society, team, group or club is defined as a regular meeting of three or more students.

Permission to re-form may be sought only from the High Inquisitor (Professor Umbridge).

No student organisation, society, team, group or club may exist without the knowledge and approval of the High Inquisitor.

Any student found to have formed, or belong to, any of the above that has not been approved by the High Inquisitor will be expelled with immediate effect.

The above is in accordance with Educational Decree Number 24.

Signed: Dolores Jane Umbridge, High Inquisitor"

"Does this mean Gobstones Club has been shut down?" a first year boy, who she vaguely recognised from the Sorting ceremony as being Euan Abercrombie, asked his friend.

"I reckon Gobstones will be OK to reform," Ron said nervously, to the surprise of little Euan, "I don't think DA will be as lucky though."

"Oh no, they surely can't stop DA, can they?" A second year boy piped up, looking sad.

"Wait, does it say anything about the Frog Choir?" A third year girl asked from the armchair.

"Everything extra-curricular has been disbanded, so yeah." Amelia supplied.

Hermione was standing in the doorway, and looked concerned. Ron dragged her over to read the notice.

"That means... Oh, Harry, all your hard work to get the DA up and running.." Hermione said in a low voice.

"Didn't you read it, you lunatic," Ron said angrily, "he just needs to get permission to reform it and voila, it'll be up and running again. It's hardly shut down forever!"

"Didn't you read who's made this decision in the first place?" Hermione replied shrilly, and pointed to the words High Inquisitor. "She's hardly going to say ' oh yes, Harry, you of course have my permission to reform ', with the way she treats him!"