An American At Hogwarts: Book Three

Chapter Thirty-Two

When I got back up to the common room, it was dead silent. That was the first sign that something was seriously wrong.

Normally, after a Gryffindor win (especially over Slytherin), the whole place would be one big party. The twins were especially good at quickly getting fun stuff set up to celebrate, and the lack of that energy sent me to the edge of panic.

As soon as I made it completely through the portrait, everyone turned to look at me. The common room was mostly empty, but I recognized a few faces sitting around the fire. Harry, Hermione, Alicia, Katie, and the twins were spread around the couches looking glum.

The twins didn't hesitate before getting up and heading my way, and we ended up in a secluded corner of the room for a little privacy. Behind the twins, I could see Alicia and Katie heading up the stairs to bed, but I barely cared.

"Thank God you guys aren't packing," I said, sighing as some of the tension eased out of my body. Both the twins gave me curious looks, so I explained. "I thought Umbridge might've taken the opportunity to expel you."

"No, not her style," said Fred, a sour expression on his face. "She wants to keep us here and make us suffer as long as she possibly can."

"Shit, I knew it. So what did she do?"

"We've been given a lifetime ban from Quidditch, along with Harry," said George. He looked absolutely murderous, but I was too shocked to register the unique expression on his face.

"She gave you a what?"

"No more Quidditch," George repeated, flapping his arms around for emphasis. "Poof, gone. For good. Forever."

"Wait... okay, I'm sorry, like, even after Hogwarts? How can she possibly do that?"

Fred and George shared a look, then turned back to me.

"I don't think it applies to after Hogwarts," said Fred.

"Although it might as well have, because it's not like we were planning on going pro," huffed George. I shook my head, trying to process how this could be real.

"Guys, that means our team is gutted," I said. "The two of you and Harry... holy shit, what are we even going to do without you?"

"Looks like you'll be getting some more playing time, Alexa," said George. Horror started to dawn on my face, but Fred spoke up again before it could really set in.

"Hold the shock and upset, it gets worse." I glared at him, but his gloomy expression didn't break. "There's a new educational decree backing Umbridge up."

"Excuse me?"

"'Educational decree number twenty-five,'" George quoted, taking on a mocking tone like he'd already had to do this a thousand more times than he wanted to. "'The High Inquisitor will henceforth have supreme authority over all punishments, sanctions, and removal of privileges pertaining to the students of Hogwarts, and the power to alter such punishments, sanctions, and removals of privileges as may have been ordered by other staff members.'"

"What the fuck?" I couldn't help yelling. The twins both nodded back to me. Clearly I was preaching to the choir, but I didn't care. "So you're telling me there were 21 Educational Decrees passed in the history of the current government before August, and they've passed another four since then? In less than three months?"

The twins just gave me grim looks. I raised my hands up in the air and shouted, drawing the attention of a few people in the common room. At this point, I really didn't care.

"So what do we do?" I asked, turning back to the twins once I'd vented a bit of my frustration. "What's the next step?"

"There's not one," said George, sounding absolutely furious. "There's nothing we can do to reverse this, Alexa."