found ➸ h.p.

chapter nine

The weekend after all the drama rolled by quite nicely, Charlie and Roxanne hiding in a corner of the library most of Sunday to avoid Roxanne getting in any more trouble. They talked about everything under the moon, Roxanne even laughing at one of his jokes. He had taken great pride in his accomplishment, bragging to the others when they had sat down at dinner. No one seemed remotely interested in what the two had to say, Ron and Harry whispering to Hermione quietly while the Weasley Twins sold their newest gags to the Gryffindors.

Annoyed with the group, Roxanne pulled Charlie over to the Ravenclaw table where she had sat once since the year had begun. Cho Chang had grinned when she saw the duo and motioned them over, inviting them to join her and her friends. More than once, Roxanne had looked over her shoulder to see Harry practically drooling in Cho's direction.

That night, Roxanne tucked herself into bed and stared at the royal blue fabric above her bed until a ray of sunlight lit up her dorm room. In a way, she was like a zombie. She never slept, ate maybe a piece of fruit each meal, went to class, repeat. Her life was on a repeat button every single day except the weekends, then being the only time Roxanne has the freedom to choose what she'd be doing that day.

Her feet dragged her out of bed and into the washroom, mindlessly taking a shower and changing into her robes before any of the other girls had stirred. She made her way into the common room, tripping over a few misplaced books her housemates had left out before stumbling to bed at two in the morning. The notice board had a bunch of different coloured flyers, not one being white except for one that sat smack dab in the middle.

EDUCATIONAL DECREE NUMBER TWENTY FOUR

All Student Organisations, Societies, Teams, Groups, and Clubs are henceforth disbanded. An Organisation, 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 Organisation, 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 Organisation, Society, Team, Group, or Club that has not been approved by the High Inquisitor will be expelled.

Roxanne's blood was practically boiling by the time she was done skimming the page, her mind clouded with disbelief. Surely Umbridge didn't mean Quidditch teams were to be disbanded as well. At this point, watching, not even playing Quidditch was one of the only joyful moments she'd experience for the rest of the year.

She angrily clenched her jaw and stomped down the stairs until she reached the Grand Hall, plopping down on the bench next to an irritated Golden Trio and Charlie. No one said anything for a while, all too focused on eating their breakfast or reading ahead in lessons. Roxanne, however, was glaring at the spot where Umbridge usually sat, wishing the old toad would come in so she could give her a piece of her mind.

"She's got to know," Hermione spoke first, saying what everyone had been dreading to say. Roxanne knew that Umbridge must have found out from Malfoy and Pansy, the Slytherins probably finding it odd that Charlie and the twins had dragged her into the Hog's Head instead of the Three Broomsticks. But she had promised herself that she wouldn't rest until Umbridge had met her demise, whether it be death or a tragic accident— Preferably her being found dead.

"She's been after me since she first set eyes on me. It's like she wants me gone," Harry mumbled, catching Roxanne's attention. He was right; Umbridge was practically obsessed with Harry. She stared at him while he ate like he was a piece of meat, called him out in class, did everything she could possibly do to make sure he was expelled. However, Dumbledore adored the boy, and would do anything to make sure he stayed in Hogwarts.