SuperPotterLock - The Order of the Phoenix

Grawp

The next few days, following the twins' dramatic departure, were nothing short of complete chaos.

Cas received his documents a lot more quickly than Dean had expected, though the Ministry seal on the large, thick envelope most likely sped along Umbridge's screening process. Dean spotted the smart Ministry eagle owl flying through the air towards them before Cas did, and nudged him.

'You expecting something from the Ministry?' Dean asked, barely able to keep his voice under control.

'No,' Cas frowned. He picked up the letter as soon as it was dropped in front of him and opened it, then promptly spat pumpkin juice all over the sheaf of parchment he pulled out. He swore, then siphoned the juice off the parchment before it could cause any damage.

Several people turned to look at him, having never heard such foul language come out of his mouth before.

'What is it?' Dean asked, knowing full well what it was.

Cas turned the parchment over, as though expecting to find proof that it was a fake - a joke. 'It's - it's my mother's will,' he said in shock. 'And the deed to the house... my house... I don't understand...'

'You okay?' Dean asked.

'I - yes - yes, I'm okay,' Cas said, still staring at the parchment. 'I have to go, I just need a moment.'

'Sure thing,' Dean said, watching him leave the Great Hall, reading the parchment over and over again as he went. A few forks and goblets flew off the tables in his wake but he didn't seem to notice.

Dean gave him some space, but was happy to see him in Charms later that day, and once again asked him if he was all right.

'Yes,' Cas whispered, smiling. He squeezed Dean's hand. 'I don't know how this happened, but... I'm free.'

Dean grinned. 'Yeah. You are.' He thought that Cas was handling everything remarkably well.

Fred and George had made sure nobody was likely to forget them anytime soon. For one thing, they had not left instructions on how to remove the swamp that now filled the corridor on the fifth floor of the east wing. Umbridge and Filch had been observed trying different means of removing it but without success. Eventually, the area was roped off and Filch was given the task of escorting students across it to their lessons. Teachers like McGonagall or Flitwick could almost certainly have removed the swamp in an instant but, just the case of Fred and George's Wildfire Whiz-bangs, they seemed to prefer to watch Umbridge struggle.

Inspired by Fred and George's example, a great number of students were now vying for the newly vacant position of Troublemakers-in-Chief, including Sherlock.

While Cas never actively participated in the troublemaking, not wanting to tarnish his reputation as Prefect, he turned a blind eye whenever he saw someone up to mischief on his patrols. Once, however, he couldn't help himself. He was patrolling with Dean one afternoon, when they came across Lee Jordan attempting to open the door to Umbridge's office, his robes wiggling suspiciously. Cas slowed to a stop, looked around, then raised his hand and pushed open Umbridge's door with his power.

'Oops,' he said, watching Lee delightedly dashing inside and releasing whatever it was that he had concealed in his robes.

Dungbombs and Stink Pellets were dropped so frequently in the corridors that it became the new fashion for students to perform Bubble-Head Charms on themselves before leaving lessons, which ensured them a supply of fresh air.

Filch prowled the hallways with a horsewhip ready in his hands, desperate to catch miscreants, but the problem was that there were now so many of them he never knew which way to turn. The Inquisitorial Squad attempted to help him, but odd things kept happening to its members. Warrington of the Slytherin Quidditch team reported to the hospital wing with a horrible skin condition that made him look as though he had been coated in cornflakes, and Pansy Parkinson missed all her lessons the following day after sprouting antlers.