Supported & Torn (HP) {Book 3 of the Wild & Free Series}

23. The Interrogation

— by order of —
THE MINISTRY OF MAGIC
Dolores Jane Umbridge (High Inquisitor) has replaced Albus Dumbledore as Head of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
The above is in accordance with Educational Decree Number Twenty-eight.
Signed:

Cornelius Oswald Fudge
Minister for Magic

The notices had gone up all over the school overnight, but they did not explain how every single person within the castle seemed to know that Dumbledore had overcome two Aurors, the High Inquisitor, the Minister of Magic, and his Junior Assistant to escape. No matter where Harry and I went within the castle next day, the sole topic of conversation was Dumbledore's flight, and though some of the details might have gone awry in the retelling, it was surprising how accurate the rest of their information was. Everybody seemed aware, for instance, that Harry, Marietta and I were the only students to have witnessed the scene in Dumbledore's office, and as Marietta was now in the hospital wing, Harry and I found ourselves besieged with requests to give a firsthand account wherever we went.

"Dumbledore will be back before long," said Ernie Macmillan confidently on the way back from Herbology after listening intently to our story. "They couldn't keep him away in our second year and they won't be able to this time. The Fat Friar told me..." He dropped his voice conspiratorially, so that Harry, Rowan, Ron, Hermione and I had to lean closer to him to hear, "...that Umbridge tried to get back into his office last night after they'd searched the castle and grounds for him. Couldn't get past the gargoyle. The Head's office has sealed itself against her." Ernie smirked. "Apparently she had a right little tantrum..."

"Oh, I expect she really fancied herself sitting up there in the Head's office," said Hermione viciously, as we walked up the stone steps into the entrance hall. "Lording it over all the other teachers, the stupid puffed-up, power-crazy old —"

"Now, do you really want to finish that sentence, Granger?"

Draco Malfoy had slid out from behind the door, followed by Crabbe and Goyle. His pale, pointed face was alight with malice.

"Afraid I'm going to have to dock a few points from Gryffindor and Hufflepuff," he drawled.

"It's only teachers that can dock points from Houses, Malfoy," said Ernie at once.

"Yeah, we're prefects too, remember?" snarled Ron.

"I know prefects can't dock points, Weasel King," sneered Malfoy; Crabbe and Goyle sniggered. "But members of the Inquisitorial Squad —"

"The what?" I said sharply.

"The Inquisitorial Squad, Potter," said Malfoy, pointing toward a tiny silver I upon his robes just beneath his prefect's badge. "A select group of students who are supportive of the Ministry of Magic, handpicked by Professor Umbridge. Anyway, members of the Inquisitorial Squad do have the power to dock points... So, Granger, I'll have five from you for being rude about our new headmistress... Macmillan, five for contradicting me... Ten because I don't like you, Potters . . . Weasley, Van Beek, your shirts are untucked, so I'll have another ten for that... Oh yeah, I forgot, you're a Mudblood, Granger, so ten for that..."

Ron pulled out his wand, but Hermione pushed it away, whispering, "Don't!"

"Wise move, Granger," breathed Malfoy. "New Head, new times... Be good now, Potties... Weasel King..."

He strode away, laughing heartily with Crabbe and Goyle.

"He was bluffing," said Ernie, looking appalled. "He can't be allowed to dock points... that would be ridiculous... It would completely undermine the prefect system..."