The week following their second D.A. meeting settled into an exhausting sort of routine. The next D.A. meeting had originally been planned for Wednesday, but a last-minute Ravenclaw Quidditch practice had forced them to rearrange it. Cho had passed the message along, Hermione had coordinated everyone else, and Friday evening had eventually been agreed upon.
Calli didn't mind.
If anything, having to move meetings around made the whole thing feel strangely legitimate and harder to get caught. Thirty-one students from four Houses meant four different Quidditch teams, prefect duties, homework, clubs and Merlin knew what else to work around.
Apparently organising an illegal Defence group required more scheduling than actually running Hogwarts.
Umbridge, unfortunately, seemed determined to make every Defence lesson more unbearable than the last.
Calli was equally determined not to give her the satisfaction of another detention.
It became something of a personal challenge.
Umbridge had spent the entire week testing the limits of her self-control, and Calli had somehow survived every lesson without telling the woman exactly where she could shove her Ministry-approved curriculum.
During their final Defence lesson of the week, Umbridge made another comment about practical magic encouraging unnecessary aggression.
Calli's quill snapped.
Stella looked down at it.
Then slowly towards Calli.
Calli smiled tightly.
"I'm fine."
Lucy leaned over.
"Your quill disagrees."
Calli silently reached into her bag for another.
At the front of the classroom, Umbridge continued speaking in that breathy, sickeningly sweet voice.
Calli imagined several illegal uses for the Stunning Spell.
She wrote none of them down.
Dumbledore's Army was the only thing keeping her quiet.
Every time she wanted to argue, she reminded herself that thirty-one students were secretly learning the very magic Umbridge was trying to prevent them from using.
That helped.
Slightly.
By Tuesday, Umbridge had moved on to questioning whether students truly needed practical defensive experience at all.
Calli's hand shot halfway into the air before she caught herself.
Stella grabbed her wrist and slowly lowered it back onto the table.
Calli looked at her.
Stella shook her head.
Calli mouthed, I was going to ask a question.
Stella mouthed back, No, you weren't.
Lucy silently nodded in agreement.
Calli glared at both of them.
Umbridge's eyes passed over their table.
The three immediately looked down at their textbooks.
"Very good, Miss Nott." Umbridge said sweetly. "I am pleased to see that you are finally learning when it is appropriate to remain silent."
YOU ARE READING
Callidora ☆ Fred Weasley
FanfictionCallidora Nott has always known exactly what is expected of her. As the daughter of one of Britain's oldest pure-blood families, her future has already been carefully planned; alliances, power, and a life shaped by tradition she never chose. At home...
