Incendio

Chapter 12: Good Intentions

"First you suggest I teach everyone Defense Against The Dark Arts, and now you want to have me tell Samantha everything about my detentions so she can publish it for the whole school?" Harry Potter gritted his teeth and looked nervously at Hermione.

"Harry, please you can trust Samantha." Hermione argued at him.

"Yeah, I'm not exactly in the mood to give Umbridge the satisfaction. She will say I'm seeking attention." Harry argued back. He was being slightly aggressive and Samantha just stood there listening. Hermione had tricked Harry into meeting her and Samantha to discuss what Umbridge had done to him in detention. It made Samantha sick, to know that moments before she interviewed Umbridge, she'd been torturing her classmate. She knew it'd be a hell of a story, but it would need evidence. She also knew she couldn't say anything unless Harry consented to it, it would go against her integrity.

"Yes, but the parents deserve to know." Hermione continued arguing.

"I don't have any parents to care Hermione." Harry snapped back.

"It can be anonymous." Samantha interrupted. "She'd have no proof it's you."

They both stopped and looked at Samantha.

"She'd know it was me." Harry slumped in his posture. "Who else has come out of detention with her with scars in their hands?"

Hermione and Samantha looked between each other. They didn't know anyone else who had.

"It's obvious she's targeting you." Samantha interjected. "I can offer a little protection, it would only be alluded and you would only be known as an anonymous student."

"What if you get asked?" Harry asked. "What if someone asks who the student is?"

Samantha looked at Hermione then back to Harry. "I won't tell. On my honor as the Editor-In-Chief. It won't leave this room."

"You could get in trouble." Hermione said softly.

"I know." Samantha agreed. She knew Umbridge wouldn't be pleased, but she also knew if the parents and teachers knew, they would put a stop to what was happening to Harry. They'd have to listen if it was in print. She could report it, but she worried no one would believe it. They had to stop this before it became worse. Supposedly, Umbridge had been made High Inquisitor of Hogwarts and had some kind of new power. Samantha couldn't help but feel that anyone who tortured students shouldn't be in any position of power.

"Alright." He conceded.

Samantha had never worked on an article so much in her life. She was worried, but excited. This was something that could make a difference. This could change the course of their school year. She wrote it in a way that wasn't exactly damning of Umbridge, but merely looking at her from all perspectives.

She decided since it would be controversial, that she would first present it to the other Gazette members. She was nearing the end of their meeting and she knew she had to spit it out.

"Two more orders of business left for tonight. The first is of course the auditions. We all discussed next Saturday, are we all still on board for that?" Samantha asked.

Everyone agreed again before Colin added, "Of course, my brother is auditioning again."

"I've had a few friends who have been interested as well." Ernie continued.

"That's great. I know I've spoken to a few interested parties." Samantha thought to her conversations with Luna and Lee.

"One of them is Lee right?" Ginny asked.