The atmosphere in the Room was thick with tension as I walked, each step taking me closer to the Common Room. The low hum of murmurs bounced off the stone walls, and the closer I got, the more pronounced the noise became. I could hear the worried chatter of students, the sharp edge of hushed voices barely containing their fear. I saw the cause of the commotion: a small group of Gryffindors had gathered around the noticeboard. They stood in a tight cluster, whispering among themselves, casting anxious and furtive glances at one another. Some faces were pale, others set with a kind of quiet defiance, but all shared the same nervous energy.
I felt an unmistakable pull of curiosity, and despite my reservations, I pushed my way through the crowd, maneuvering carefully until I could see what had captured their attention. At the center of the noticeboard, pinned against the wooden surface, was a large sheet of parchment, its edges slightly curling. The official Ministry of Magic seal was stamped in the top corner, and the letters printed in bold, black ink were enough to make my stomach drop.
BY ORDER OF THE HIGH INQUISITOR OF HOGWARTS
All Student Organizations, Societies, Teams, Groups, and Clubs are henceforth disbanded.
An Organization, 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 Organization, 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 Organization, 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
My eyes skimmed the text, my heart sinking with every line. A direct attack on the very thing we'd been planning. The weight of it hit me like a physical blow. Umbridge wasn't just trying to control the school; she was tightening her grip, making it clear that any form of resistance, any attempt at organizing outside her watchful eye, would be crushed.
I felt a cold knot of dread form in my stomach as I finished reading. The timing of this decree couldn't have been a coincidence. It was as if Umbridge had anticipated our next move—and had found a way to shut it down before it even had a chance to start. My fingers trembled slightly as I stepped back from the noticeboard, the blood draining from my face. The crowd around me continued to murmur, but their voices seemed muffled now, drowned out by the ringing silence in my head.
My gaze drifted over the gathered students, trying to make sense of the situation, until my eyes locked onto two familiar figures. Standing a little apart from the rest, Harry and Ron were deep in conversation, their faces grim. Without thinking, I moved toward them, weaving through the crowd until I reached their side.
"This isn't good," I murmured, my voice barely louder than a whisper as I stood next to them. "She's onto us."
Harry's expression darkened at the words. His jaw was set, his green eyes blazing with a fire that only seemed to burn hotter as he took in the notice. "It was only a matter of time," he said through clenched teeth. "But this... this is worse than I thought. She's trying to scare everyone."
Ron let out a harsh breath, crossing his arms tightly over his chest as he glared at the parchment. "Yeah, well, it's working. Look around. Half the kids here are too scared to even think about breaking the rules. They're terrified of her."
YOU ARE READING
human again / hp.
Fanfiction"I already forgave you, so why can't you forgive yourself?" She's a Malfoy. He's a Potter. Celeste Malfoy has always walked a fine line between the world she was born into and the one she chose for herself. At Hogwarts, nothing is simple. Not friend...
