Servitium| Theodore Nott

Chapter Eight

Before Ivory had fallen asleep, the night before, after some long hours in the library, she had penned an almost poetic letter to Narcissa Malfoy, in which she graciously accepted her invitation to spend Christmas with them, not because she wanted to, but because she didn't want to give Draco the satisfaction of having a good Christmas, she didn't say that to her though. She also gracefully accepted her help with her 'future'. She did not want any help in that regard but she knew her mother would be disappointed if she refused, and it was best not to argue. So, she scribbled her undying gratitude for the help Narcissa was offering down on a piece of parchment and had Artemis, her snowy white owl send it off.

"How was your day yesterday? I was asleep when you got back," Fabiola said fastening her tie around her shirt collar.

"Oh nothing too bad, I got a lot done in the library, what about you, how's your sister and her friends?" Ivory replied packing her bag for the day, she grimaced as she threw Slinkhard's book in, a sign of the most boring Defence lesson to come later that afternoon.

"Yeah, actually I bumped into Susan Bones on my way back from chilling with Mariposa so we ended up hanging out a bit, she's quite nice actually and she supports Harry so that's always a plus," Fabiola informed.

"Susan Bones? I didn't know you two were friends," Ivory didn't really know the girl, she didn't share any classes with her apart from Herbology, she had expressed her support for Harry in the Hog's Head meeting. "Think her aunt works at the Ministry."

"We're not friends, yesterday was probably the first time I've properly spoken to her, we've actually arranged to meet after classes today," the dark haired girl said nonchalantly.

Ivory opened her mouth before shutting it once more, she had no idea what to say to that, she was happy Fabiola was making other friends, it would give Ivory more time to focus on her various trainings and feel less bad about spending little time with Fabiola outside of classes.

"Have you guys seen Umbridge's new Educational Decree?" Neville asked as Ivory descended down the last of the steps from the girls dormitories and into the common room. Ivory sighed and shook her head to answer Neville's question, she couldn't say she was surprised. "It's on the notice board."

Sure enough a large sign was stuck on the pin board covering up all the other notices.

BY ORDER OF THE HIGH INQUISITOR OF HOGWARTS

All student organisations, societies, teams, groups and clubs are henceforth disbanded.

An organisation, society, team, group or club is hereby defined as a regular meeting of three or more students.

Permission to re-form may be sought from the High Inquisitor

(Professor Umbridge).

No student organisation, society, team, group or club may exist without the knowledge and approval of the High Inquisitor.

Any student found to have formed, or to belong to, an organisation, society, team, group or club that has not been approved by the High Inquisitor will be expelled.

The above is in accordance with Educational Decree

Number Twenty-four.

Signed: Dolores Jane Umbridge, High Inquisitor

At the bottom of the page was the Ministry approved seal stamped next to the Inquisitors signature. Ivory clenched her jaw in annoyance, there was no way this was a coincidence, evidently someone at the Hog's Head meeting had spilled.