My Father's Only Rule {DRACO MALFOY X SNAPE'S DAUGHTER}

Chapter Twenty: I Must Not Tell Lies

March 1996 - Hogwarts

We were all sent to our common rooms while Harry was dragged into Dumbledore's office with Cho. Ron, Hermione, and I all waited patiently by the fire for Harry to return. Umbridge was out of her mind. And we were a little out of our mind for doing what we did. But what would Umbridge do about it? What would our punishment be?

Harry swung the common room door open as he stomped through. I stood up eagerly.

"Well?" I asked.

"Dumbledore's...he's gone."

"Gone?" Hermione asked. "Harry, what happened?"

"Umbridge dragged me into Dumbledore's office. Fudge was there. Umbridge started ranting to Fudge about Dumbledore's worrying about Voldemort. He tried to take the blame for the whole thing. They were going to send him to Azkaban-"

"Azkaban?" Ron interrupted. "Blimey, Fudge really has lost his mind."

"And then he just...disappeared. I really can't do this right now. How many people are getting in trouble because of me?"

"You could think of it like that," I said. "But Harry, how many people can defend themselves now because of you?" He stopped and looked at me. "I can cast the Patronus charm. A week ago, I didn't even know what that was. That's because of you, Harry."

"What was the memory?" he asked.

"What?"

"The memory. It must have been really powerful." The memory? The really powerful memory? The happiest moment of my life? I internally panicked as I recalled.

"The day I realized I liked you," I said. Lies. All lies.

*

The next day, we all witnessed Filch climbing to the very top of his ladder to put another educational decree on the wall.

Dolores Jane Umbridge has replaced Albus Dumbledore as head of Hogwarts School Of Witchcraft and Wizardry

She went totally power-hungry. There were new rules at every second.

Boys and girls are not permitted to be within eight inches of each other.

Those wishing to join the inquisitorial squad for extra credit.

Students will submit to questioning about suspected illicit activities. Any student in noncompliance will be expelled.

It became very clear that Hogwarts needed Dumbledore.

When the time for detention came around, we all gathered in the great hall, and were each given a "special quill."

I must not tell lies.

I must not tell lies.

I must not tell lies.

We wrote it over and over for the better part of an hour while Umbridge sat at the front of the great hall on her throne. Just when my original scar was beginning to heal, it became certain that I would have I must not tell lies on my hand forever. Cho was waiting for us when we all exited the great hall. She wanted to say something. But we avoided her like the plague.

As I stared at the scar on my hand, I realized that surely my father might object to this, right? I ran immediately out of detention to his classroom. I opened the door swiftly and slammed it shut as I marched right up to his desk and shoved my hand in his face.

"So tell me," I said. "Does this bother you?" It didn't look like it bothered him. But he usually had a disturbing lack of emotion on his face.

"I-," he stuttered. "As...as much as I would...like to tell you what you want to hear...I'm sorry to say that...I cannot say anything."

"Does it bother you?" I repeated. "Yes or no?" He hesitated to answer.

"Yes," he said.

"As a teacher or as a father?"

"As a father...it angers me. As a teacher, and someone in direct communication with Dumbledore, I cannot do anything." 

What was that for? What was I wanting to get out of that interaction? I really didn't know. I walked away frustrated.