Discovery

65.

"I think mine will be a dragon," Fred said, giving me a look that radiated cockiness.

Fred and I were standing in a corner in the Room of Requirement, where a DA meeting was ongoing. We were working on our Patronus Charms, but neither of us had much success.

"Really? I was thinking a rat was more your type." I smirked. "Or better yet— a weasel!"

"Very clever, Hart," Fred rolled his eyes, "totally hilarious."

Suddenly, the door of the Room of Requirement opened and then closed again. 
A house-elf entered, wearing an abnormal amount of hats on his head. I recognized him as Dobby, whom Harry had freed in his second year.

Dobby walked up to Harry with a look of panic on his face.

"Hi, Dobby!" Harry said. "What are you — what's wrong?"

"Harry Potter, sir . . ." squeaked the elf, trembling from head to foot, "Harry Potter, sir . . . Dobby has come to warn you . . . but the house-elves have been warned not to tell . . ."

"What's happened, Dobby?" Harry asked.

"Harry Potter . . . she . . . she . . ."

"Who's 'she,' Dobby? Umbridge?"

Dobby nodded.

"What about her? Dobby — she hasn't found out about this — about us — about the D.A.?"

Dobby didn't answer.

"Is she coming?" Harry asked quietly.

Dobby let out a howl, and began beating his bare feet hard on the floor. "Yes, Harry Potter, yes!"

Harry straightened up and looked around at us. I felt my stomach drop, and my heart started racing. I was already on the verge of expulsion, what would she do if she found me?

"WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?" Harry bellowed. "RUN!"

Fred grabbed my hand and we sprinted toward the exit; Lee and George weren't far behind. As we ran down the corridor, I saw no sign of Umbridge, but I knew better than to stop now.

We didn't stop running until we reached the common room. I was so thankful we hadn't been caught, I didn't even care that I could barely breathe.

When we all caught our breath, Lee turned to us with a baffled expression.

"What— the hell— was that—"

***

In no time at all, Hogwarts went to hell.

After Marietta Edgecomb snitched on the DA, Dumbledore had been confronted by the Ministry of Magic. They wanted to send him to Azkaban, but Dumbledore is a genius, and he Apparated right out of the castle. However, this led to an unfortunate turn of events: Umbridge was now Headmistress.

"Dumbledore will be back before long," said Ernie Macmillan confidently on the way back from Herbology. "They couldn't keep him away in our second year and they won't be able to this time. The Fat Friar told me that Umbridge tried to get back into his office last night after they'd searched the castle and grounds for him. Couldn't get past the gargoyle. The Head's office has sealed itself against her."

"Oh, I expect she really fancied herself sitting up there in the Head's office," said Hermione viciously, as they walked up the stone steps into the entrance hall. "Lording it over all the other teachers, the stupid puffed-up, power-crazy old —"

"Now, do you really want to finish that sentence, Granger?"

Malfoy slid out from behind the door, followed by Crabbe and Goyle.