𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐫 | n. tonks

xiii

"Keep your fucking hands off of me," Hadley spat, ripping her arms out of Draco's hands when he tried to hold them behind her back.

"I don't take orders from you, Weasley." Draco scoffed. He grabbed Hadley's arms and pulled them behind her back. She grunted and tried to break free, but he only held onto her tighter.

Umbridge had the Inquisitorial Squad fetch some of the other members of Dumbledore's Army, including Neville, Ginny, and Luna. She apparently wanted all of them to be there when she punished Harry. She placed her hands on her knees and leaned down. "You were going to Dumbledore, weren't you?" she asked Harry.

"No," Harry said.

"Liar!" Umbridge striked Harry across the face.

"You sent for me, headmistress?" Snape asked as he appeared in the doorway. He looked at the room of teens in confusion, his brows furrowing.

"Snape, yes." Umbridge stood up tall and turned to face him. "The time has come for answers whether he wants to give them to me or not. Have you brought the Veritaserum?"

"I'm afraid you've used up all my stores interrogating students. The last of it on Miss Chang."

Hadley exchanged a look with Ron. It made sense now that Cho Chang was under a truth serum when she told Umbridge about the secret meetings. They should've known that she never would've ratted them out on purpose.

"Unless you wish to poison him, and I assure you I would have the greatest sympathy if you did...I cannot help you." Snape turned to leave.

"He's got Padfoot!" Hadley blurted out, and Snape turned back to them. Even if what Harry saw wasn't true, that didn't change the fact that Sirius meant as much to her as he did to him. To Harry, Sirius was his godfather, and to Hadley, he was like an uncle figure.

"He...He's got Padfoot in at the place where it's hidden," Harry said, choosing his words carefully.

"Padfoot?" Umbridge frowned deeply. "What is Padfoot? Where what is hidden? What are they talking about, Snape?"

Snape looked between Hadley's worried ocean orbs and Harry's anxious face. He noticed the redhead's bracelet glowing from behind her back. He looked at Umbridge. "No idea."

"Very well." Umbridge turned towards her desk as Snape left the room. "You give me no choice, Potter. As this is an issue of Ministry security, you leave me with...no alternative. The Cruciatus Curse ought to loosen your tongue."

"That's illegal," Hermione said as the tension in the room thickened.

"What Cornelius doesn't know won't hurt him." Umbridge tilted the framed picture of Cornelius Fudge face-down. She picked up her wand, pointed it at Harry, and opened her mouth to recite the curse.

"Tell her, Harry!" Hermione cried.

Umbridge turned her head in her direction. "Tell me what?"

"Well, if you won't tell her where it is...I will."

"Where what is?" Umbridge asked impatiently.

"Dumbledore's secret weapon."

─── ⋆·✧·⋆ ───

Hadley Weasley was always prepared for a sticky situation – one of the pros of being a known prankster. She knew from growing up with 6 brothers that boys are always hungry. She and Ron told the Inquisitorial Squad that they were hungry for some sweets, but of course those greedy Slytherin boys took it all for themselves, unaware that they were eating some of the triplets' Puking Pastilles.

While Draco, Crabbe, Goyle and the rest of Umbridge's student minions were busy puking their guts out, Hadley, Ron, Ginny, Neville, and Luna made a run for it. They sprinted out of the school and across the bridge, meeting Harry and Hermione halfway.

"How'd you get away?" Hermione asked, surprised to see them.

"Puking Pastilles." Hadley grinned, wiggling her brows mischievously.

"It wasn't pretty," Ginny said.

"Haddie and I told them we were hungry and wanted some sweets," Ron told Harry and Hermione as he handed him their wands. "Of course they told us to bugger off and ate the lot themselves."

"That was clever, guys," Hermione said, smiling at Hadley and Ron.

"It was brilliant." Neville grinned. "So, how are we getting to London?"

Harry was quiet for a moment before speaking. "Look, it's not that I don't appreciate everything you've done, all of you...but I've got you into enough trouble as it is." He walked past them and started to make his way back to the castle.

"Dumbledore's Army was supposed to be about doing something real," Neville stated, and Harry turned back around. "Or was it all just words to you?"

"Maybe you don't have to do this all by yourself, mate," Ron added.

"Even heroes need help sometimes." Hadley smiled softly at Harry.

Harry looked between the faces of all his friends before giving in. "So, how are we going to get to London?" he asked.

Luna smiled. "We fly, of course."

─── ⋆·✧·⋆ ───

a/n

this was purposely short, but i can confirm that the next chapter will be longer since it's the last one of act i!

thoughts?