Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix: Jade and Emma's Story

Chapter 7

Jade was tense as she sat in her seat for Transfiguration - Umbridge sat at the back of the room, her beatle-like eyes scanning the students. She watched Emma, Hermione, Ron, and Harry enter and make their way to their desks up front, shooting dark glances at the Professor. She made eye contact with Harry, who noticed and smiled warmly at her. She was glad he looked away before her cheeks reddened.

Professor McGonagall marched into her classroom without so much as a peek at Umbridge. She began giving out orders, the room falling silent in her wake. "Hem hem," Umbridge sounded from the back.

McGonagall seemed not to hear, and she gave a few instructions before beginning, "Now today we will be -"

"Hem hem," Umbridge's annoying trill came again.

"Yes?" McGonagall snapped.

"I was just wondering, Professor, if you received my note telling you of the date and time of your inspec -"

"Obviously I received it, or I would have asked why you were in my classroom." And with that, McGonagall addressed her students once more. "As I was saying, today we will be practicing the altogether more difficult vanishment of mice. The Vanishing Spell -"

"Hem hem."

"I wonder," Professor McGonagall said coolly, "how you expect to gain an understanding of my usual teaching methods when you continue to interrupt me? You see, I usually don't allow people to talk while I'm talking."

Umbridge looked like she had been slapped in the face. She stayed quiet, though her quill scratched furiously across her parchment. They continued the rest of the lesson, the Gryffindors along with Jade hiding their smiles of delight. Jessica and Jade concentrated on their mice - Jade believing she had succeeded in making her mouse fully disappear before she noticed the whiskers on the desk. She shrugged - Jessica's had left behind its entire tail.

As they went to leave, a hand brushed across Jade's shoulder. She looked up at Harry, willing her face to stay its usual fair color. "Hey," he greeted quietly. "We're going to talk to more people about this idea we have." Jessica's brows pulled together in confusion as Harry gestured to her. "Is she coming?"

"I haven't asked yet."

"Okay. Well, you can bring anyone you think will agree with our plan."

"The Slytherins?" Jade asked cautiously.

Harry shrugged. "If you trust them, I trust them." Jade beamed to herself. "Hermione came up with an idea to meet up at the Hog's Head. I'm not sure when exactly, but I'll tell you when we plan everything."

"Okay."

Seeing he had nothing else to inform her of, she waved for Jessica to walk with her. As they continued to the Slytherin Chambers, Jade caught her friend up on the plan Emma, Ron, and Harry had for learning about defense. She was worried the tightly wound girl would tell her not to get involved. Instead, she just smiled. "Count me in."

"Really?" Jade couldn't help but feel a bit surprised.

"You want to go, so I'm coming with you."

-

Late that night, Jade sat in one of the black leather chairs in the common room, curled up and reading The Count of Monte Cristo, one of her favorites. She heard someone enter the chambers and craned her neck to see Draco strolling in late. She watched with a brow raised as he seemingly searched the room, but missed her in her corner. "What are you doing?" she murmured.

His eyes widening were the only indication that she shocked him. "Oh! You're here." He brightened visibly. He twisted something between his fingers as he made his way to her.