Moments in Love

Moving Pictures

When the Potters arrived at the Mingling Table for breakfast, they found an annoyed Lavender dressing down an abashed looking Neville. Lavender had a very Hermione-ish expression on her face, of the sort that Hermione wore when telling someone off for doing something which they might possibly regret doing later. Harry recalled being on the receiving end of some of those looks in first year - especially before the Troll Incident - and he didn't envy Neville.

"...Honestly Neville, we're both prefects," Lavender was saying crossly. "You should have supported me..."

"I'm sorry Lavender... I know I should have said something. It's just - Fred and George - they're our friends..." Neville moaned.

"Neville, you have to be able to stand up to people, even if they are your friends... What they're doing could be dangerous - even if they don't mean it to be. You wouldn't want them to get in trouble for accidentally hurting someone do you?"

"No," said Neville in a small voice, looking very much like he wanted to crawl under a rock and hide.

"What's going on?" asked Hermione. Harry thought he had a very good idea of what the Twins might be up to.

"Fred and George," Lavender answered with a scowl. "They're trying to rope students into being test subjects for some of the skiving-off sweets they're making. The sweets supposedly make you temporarily sick enough to ditch class..."

Harry smirked as Hermione bit her lip and thought for a moment; he was fairly certain that Fred and George would be very soon forced to alter their plans.

"That does sound a bit unsafe," Hermione agreed. "I suppose if Fred and George want to test them on themselves they're entitled to, and I'd say the best way to stop them from using other students as guinea pigs is to tell them you'll inform their mother... I doubt either of them would want to receive a Howler from Mrs Weasley."

"I think you're on your own on this one Lavender, but I know you're up to the task," said Harry, grinning. He raised his eyebrows at Neville. "And I'm sure Neville will have your back from now on... right Neville?"

"Er... yeah! Of course! ... I promise!" said Neville, peering pleadingly at Lavender.

"Oh alright!" Lavender huffed. "I'll deal with the Weasleys myself then. But I'll hold you to that promise Neville."

Neville breathed a sigh of relief and shot Harry a grateful look as the others began to arrive for breakfast. Fred and George took one look at Lavender, deciding that perhaps it might be best to eat at the Gryffindor table. Harry was just digging into his scrambled eggs and bacon when the Wiz-vision screen flickered to life.

The Ministry flag rippled in the wind above a country manor as a rousing march played. A large gathering of witches and wizards saluted Minister Umbridge as she rode a carriage pulled by a number of miserable looking house-elves.

A single row of wizards and witches of regal bearing stood at attention in front of the crowd. Harry presumed that they were the most prominent heads of the Pureblood Houses as one of them looked like Lucius Malfoy.

Senior Undersecretary Percy Weasley bowed to the Minister, then introduced her to the acquiescent throngs, extolling the virtues of loyalty to the Ministry, and of an orderly society in which everyone knew their proper place.

At the end of the sequence the Wiz-Vision displayed a new message for Hogwarts staff and students:

Educational Decree #24:

Henceforth, all Student Organisations, Societies, Clubs, Teams, or Groups are hereby disbanded. An Organisation, Society, Club, Team, or Group is defined as a regular meeting of three or more students.