The Untold Story of Marietta Edgecombe

Chapter 8 (finally)

okay ik it's been months so i'll just get on with the story

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Why is Dumbledore confessing, it hadn't even occurred to the Minister that it was his idea. I saw who I'm pretty sure is called Shacklebolt and McGonagall exchange worried glances. "Statement? What - I don't - ?" the Minister replied, befuddled. "Dumbledore's Army, Cornelius. Not Potter's Army." Dumbledore waved the paper in front of the Minister's face. "Dumbledore's Army." "But - but -" The Minister's eyes grew wide as he realized what the implication was, and he leaped backwards and yelped, as he had landed in the fire. "You?" he said, as he stamped on his cloak. "That's right," Dumbledore said pleasantly. "You organized this?" "I did." "You recruited these students for - for your army?" "Tonight was supposed to be the first meeting, merely to see whether they would be interested in joining me. I see now it was a mistake to invite Miss Edgecombe, of course." I nodded. Fudge looked from me to Dumbledore, and his chest swelled. "Then you have been plotting against me!" he yelled."That's right." Dumbledore said cheerfully. "NO!" Harry, who had been silent the whole time, burst out. "No - Professor Dumbledore!" "Be quiet Harry, or I am afraid you will have to leave my office," Dumbledore said quietly. "Yes, shut up, Potter!" the Minister said delightedly. "Well, well, well - I came here tonight expecting to expel Potter and instead -" "Instead you get to arrest me," Dumbledore interrupted with a slight grin." It's like losing a Knut and finding a Galleon, isn't it?" Fudge ignored him, and turned to his scribe and cried, shaking from happiness. "Weasley! Weasley, have you written it all down, everything he's said, his confession, have you got it?" "Yes, sir, I think so, sir!" Weasley replied joyfully. He had a small blot of ink on his nose. "The bit about how he's been trying to build up an army against the Ministry, how he's been working to destabilize me?" He scanned through his notes, and said, "Yes, sir, I've got it, yes!" "Very well, then. Duplicate your notes, Weasley, and send a copy to the Daily Prophet at once. If we send a fast owl we should make the morning edition!" Weasley left the room running and slammed the door behind him. The Minister turned back to Dumbledore. "You will now be escorted back to the Ministry, where you will be formally charged and then sent to Azkaban to await trial!" "Ah, yes. Yes, I thought we might hit that little snag," Dumbledore replied calmly. "Snag? I see no snag, Dumbledore!" the Minister replied, still excited. "Well," Dumbledore said, almost like he was apologizing, "I'm afraid I do." "Oh, really?" "Well - it's just that you seem to be laboring under the delusion that I am going to - what is the phrase? 'Come quietly'. I am afraid I am not going to come quietly at all, Cornelius. I have absolutely no intention of being sent to Azkaban. I could break out, of course - but what a waste of time, and frankly, I can think of a whole host of things I would rather be doing." Umbridge's face started to go red, and grew steadily redder. The Minister looked as if he'd received a blow to the head, made a funny little noise and looked desperately at Shacklebolt and another man. The latter gave the Minister what looked like a reassuring nod, stepped away from the wall and moved his hand towards his wand. "Don't be silly, Dawlish," Dumbledore said kindly. "I'm sure you are an excellent Auror, I seem to remember that you achieved 'Outstanding' in all your N.E.W.T.s, but if you attempt to - er - 'bring me in' by force, I will have to hurt you." Dawlish blinked, and looked towards the Minister. "So, you intend to take on Dawlish, Shacklebolt, Dolores and myself single-handed, do you, Dumbledore?" Fudge sneered. "Merlin's beard, no," Dumbledore said with a smile. "Not unless you are foolish enough to force me to." "He will not be single-handed!" Professor McGonagall exclaimed, reaching for her wand. "Oh yes he will, Minerva!" Dumbledore said sharply. "Hogwarts needs you!" "Enough of this rubbish!" The Minister exclaimed, pulling out his wand. "Dawlish! Shacklebolt! Take him!" A streak of silver erupted from somebody's wand, and it flew around the room. There was a loud bang like a gunshot, and the floor trembled. I felt a hand grab my collar, and I was forced to the ground as a second silver light flashed. I heard portraits yell, what sounded like a bird screeched and the room filled with dust. I shut my eyes and didn't breathe in for about a minute. I heard somebody fall to the ground in front of me, then heard a shriek, a thud and somebody screaming, "No!" I opened my eyes slightly, then when I heard the breaking of glass shut my eyes again. There was a set of scuffling footsteps, a groan and then it went silent. I opened my eyes, and saw a wall in front of me. I tried to turn around, and found that I was still being held by my neck. I heard somebody approach, who said, "Are you all right?" The person holding my neck, who sounded like Professor McGonagall, said, "Yes!" and pulled me up, minorly choking me at the same time. I saw that almost everything in the office had been wrecked, and the Minister, Umbridge, Shacklebolt and Dawlish lay on the ground, unconscious. Dumbledore turned to McGonagall and Harry, and started speaking very quickly and quietly, so much so that I couldn't hear anything he was saying. I saw Dawlish stirring, then Dumbledore quickly finished speaking. A magnificent red and gold bird that I hadn't noticed before swooped overhead and flew towards Dumbledore. When it reached him, he grabbed its tail, and the two of them disappeared in a flash of fire. "Where is he? Where is he?" the Minister cried, jumping to his feet. "I don't know!" the man called Shacklebolt yelled, getting up also. "Well, he can't have Disapparated!" Umbridge shouted. "You can't inside this school -" "The stairs!" Dawlish cried, and he threw open the door and quickly disappeared, followed by Shacklebolt and Umbridge. Fudge hesitated, and turned around. "Well, Minerva, I'm afraid this is the end of your friend Dumbledore," he said nastily. "You think so, do you?" Professor McGonagall said scornfully. The Minister ignored her, looking around the room. A couple of the portraits hissed at him. He gave a slight nod towards Harry and I, and said, "You'd better get these two off to bed." Professor McGonagall didn't respond, but she grabbed my arm and Harry's and marched us out the door. As we left, I heard a portrait say, "You know, Minister, I disagree with Dumbledore on many counts...but you cannot deny he's got style..."

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and that's the end! it might be a bit long, but that's so i don't not upload with the ending again for like 21441 years. anyways, yeah, this was just a little thing i wrote for my english class, and i was considering writing in (one) more chapter(s) that is/are mainly marietta's reactions to bits from OOTP, so if you'd be interested let me know! as always, leave any questions/comments/suggestions below, and i hope you guys enjoyed!!

- paige