𝑜𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑢𝑝𝑜𝑛 𝑎 𝑑𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑚 \\ 𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗿𝘆 𝗷. 𝗽𝗼𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿

𝑋𝐿𝑉.

— ✩ ☽ ✩ —

𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙮-𝙛𝙞𝙫𝙚

— ✩ ☽ ✩ —

CAROLINE SAT NEXT to Ron, across from the empty seat next to Hermione at breakfast the next morning. According to Ron, Harry hadn't been there when he woke up. He was being stubborn, and Caroline understood, but she still wished he wouldn't disappear during a stressful time. The pain in Caroline's hand had diminished, and all that was left was a healing scar over her other scar.

"Eat, Car." Ron said, breaking Caroline out of her thoughts. He pushed a plate over to her, prompting her to put her book down.

"Ron, did Harry mention going anywhere when you went to bed last night?" Caroline asked, watching as Ron swallowed his food. She didn't notice the light smile on Hermione's face from across the table.

Ron shook his head. "He was asleep when I got in." he said, shoveling more food into his mouth, holding a magazine in his hand.

Hermione scoffed. "Do you ever stop eating?" she asked. Caroline pushed her plate away. She wasn't in the mood for it.

"What? I'm hungry." said Ron, offended.

Hermione rolled her eyes as Caroline turned back to her book. "Harry." Hermione said, and Caroline looked up immediately.

"Can I join you?" Harry asked. Caroline and Hermione met Ron's eyes, all three of them carrying the same expression.

Just as Caroline was about to tell Harry to sit down, the annoying voice of Professor Umbridge could be heard out in the corridor. "Pardon me, professor, but what exactly are you insinuating?" Caroline and her friends began walking out in the corridor, where Professor Umbridge was talking to Professor Mcgonagall.

"I am merely suggesting that when it comes to my students, you conform to the prescribed disciplinary practices." said Professor Mcgonagall, who had quickly become Caroline's favourite professor after the tournament. Professor Sinistra used to tail ahead Professor Mcgonagall ever so slightly.

"So silly of me, but it sounds as if you're questioning my authority in my own classroom... Minerva." Professor Umbridge challenged, walking a step above Professor Mcgonagall on the stairs.

"Not at all, Dolores," Professor Mcgongall retorted, standing on the same step as Umbridge. "merely your medieval methods."

"I am sorry, dear. But to question my practices is to question the Ministry... and by extension, the Minister himself," said Umbridge. A light crowd had gathered by now, all hoping Professor Mcgonagall would put Umbridge in her place. "I am a tolerant woman. But the one thing I will not stand for is disloyalty."

Professor Mcgonagall stepped down a step. "Disloyalty?" she gaped.

Umbridge stepped up the stairs, now addressing the students. "Things at Hogwarts are far worse than I feared. Cornelius will want to take immediate action."

— ✩ ☽ ✩ —

THINGS HAD GOTTEN worse at Hogwarts, as if that was even possible. With Dumbledore nowhere to be found, Umbridge was given the post of High Inquisitor. No one quite knew what it meant, but what they did know was that her reign of terror was just beginning. Every day, new decrees of education were posted. Umbridge was questioning all of the professors during classes, which put all of the professors in a rather sour mood.