Unforgivable Umbridge

Chapter 9

The castle was quiet, the usual hustle and bustle of students absent due to the late hour. The only sound was the soft echo of his footsteps against the stone floor, a rhythmic beat that seemed to match the pounding of his heart. The torches lining the walls cast long, dancing shadows, their flickering light painting an eerie picture on the ancient stone walls. The air was cool, a stark contrast to the warmth of his quarters, and he pulled his robes tighter around him as he walked.

He passed by numerous portraits, their inhabitants either asleep or engaged in quiet conversation. A few of them nodded in his direction, their expressions varying from respectful to wary. He paid them no mind, his thoughts focused on the meeting ahead and the boy he had left behind.

He finally arrived at the designated classroom, a room that had been abandoned for years and was now used for clandestine meetings such as this. The door creaked open, revealing a room bathed in soft candlelight. A large, round table sat in the middle, surrounded by chairs. Three of them were already occupied.

Filius Flitwick, the diminutive Charms professor, was engaged in a hushed conversation with Pomona Sprout, the matronly Herbology professor. Minerva McGonagall, the stern Transfiguration professor and Head of Gryffindor House, sat alone, her gaze focused on a parchment in front of her.

Severus took the empty seat next to Minerva, his arrival drawing the attention of the other two professors. He nodded in their direction, a silent greeting that was returned with varying degrees of warmth. He turned to Minerva, a sarcastic remark already on his lips.

"Minerva," he drawled, his voice dripping with feigned cheerfulness. "I see you've managed to tear yourself away from your beloved Gryffindors for this meeting. I'm touched."

Minerva merely raised an eyebrow, a small smile playing on her lips. "Always a pleasure, Severus," she replied, her tone dry. "I'm glad to see you've managed to maintain your sunny disposition."

"Now that we're all here," Minerva began, her voice clear and commanding, "let's get started."

Minerva, in her usual stern and commanding tone, turned to Filius, "Filius, how are the house elves doing with the wands? Is it having any effect on Umbridge?"

Filius gave her a sly smile, clasping his hands together. "Oh, they're having a grand time indeed," he chirped, a glint in his eyes. "One elf, in particular, has been having an enormous amount of fun following Umbridge around this evening. He's been conjuring water from the castle walls, ensuring she gets drenched at every turn."

"And that's not all," Filius continued, the smile widening. "I've heard they're planning on asking the castle itself for help. Imagine, the corridors shifting and changing so Umbridge ends up lost on her way to classes. What a delightful chaos that would be!"

Severus snorted, a glimmer of amusement in his normally cold eyes. "I'm almost disappointed I haven't had the pleasure of witnessing this," he said, the corners of his mouth twitching slightly. "I do hope they ensure she gets particularly lost when attempting to find the Slytherin common room."

Pomona, who had been listening to their exchange with wide eyes, shivered. "I never thought I'd say this, but I wouldn't want to be on your bad side, Severus. Or even the house elves', for that matter."

A chuckle filled the room, breaking the tension and filling the space with a warmth that felt almost foreign, given the circumstances. For a moment, the four Heads of Houses allowed themselves the luxury of amusement, a small respite from the storm that was Dolores Umbridge's reign at Hogwarts.

For Severus, however, the moment was short-lived. His thoughts quickly turned back to Harry, alone in his room, his condition still an enigma. He sighed inwardly, his mood turning somber once more.