SCARLETT: THE ORDER OF THE PHOENIX

Chapter 12: Minerva's Inspection and Educational Decree Twenty-four

"So this is me swallowing my pride
Standing I in front of you saying I'm sorry for that night" - Taylor Swift, 'Back to December'
__________________________________________________

When we walked into Transfiguration that same day, we were all shocked to see Umbridge sitting in the corner of the room - this was going to be bad. It was common knowledge through the school that these two women loathed the sight of one another and you could nearly feel the tension in the air as soon as you walked in.

"This is going to be good," Eliza smiled. "I can't wait to see McGonagall go off on her."

"Alright, enough talking," McGonagall said as the bell rang to start class. "Mr. Finnegan, I ask that you pass back the graded homework while Miss Brown may pass out a mouse to everyone."

They both did as they were told and it was obvious to everyone that Lavender detested the thought of having to touch the mice in the first place. Once everything had been passed out - I had managed to receive an Outstanding on my homework - McGonagall started class up.

"Now, today we shall begin using the Vanishing Charm on mice," she said. "As you have been doing better with snails, I decided that it was best to start - "

"Hem, hem."

I glanced over to the corner of the room where Umbridge was sitting and she was trying to get McGonagall's attention. However, much to my own amusement, our Transfiguration teacher acted as though she hadn't heard anything at all.

" - on something more advanced," McGonagall said while raising her voice an octave. "Although some of you weren't as successful as others, I believe you all understand - "

"Hem, hem."

"Do you need a cough drop Dolores?" McGonagall snapped.

Everyone's attention turned to the woman in the pink cardigan who seemed to be slightly baffled at McGonagall's tone. From where I was sitting, Eliza and I were doing everything in our power not to laugh at the scene in front of us.

"I was wondering if you got my letter regarding your inspection - " she started.

"Don't you think that I would have sent you out by now if I hadn't?" McGonagall scoffed shortly. "Now, as I was saying - today we will be vanishing mice. This practice may come more difficult to some of you - "

"Hem, hem."

"Do you honestly expect me to get anything done if you continue to interrupt me?" McGonagall asked in disbelief.

If Umbridge had looked surprised before, nothing compared to how she looked now. She looked like she wanted to say something back, but something overcame her and she just returned to writing notes down on that clipboard of hers.

Once we began vanishing our mice, I took note that Umbridge didn't seem to follow McGonagall around like she had done with Trelawney.

"You would think she was afraid of her," I laughed quietly.

"What?" Eliza asked when she looked up from her mouse that didn't seem to want to vanish.

"Umbridge," I said. "She seems to be treating McGonagall differently than she did Trelawney."

"That's because McGonagall wouldn't put up with it," Eliza said. "I'll give Umbridge that much - she has some common sense."

"I don't know about all that," I scoffed.

By the time class ended, the two women hadn't spoken to one another outside of the last few questions that Umbridge had for her inspection that she gave just as the bell rang for class to end.

*
"Scar, listen to me."

"Only friends call me Scar. Last time I checked, YOU weren't one!"

"Please listen to me."

"No!"

"Scar-"

"I said no!"

"I swallowed all my pride to stand here. Even though I'm the Boy-who-lived or whatever they're calling me these days, you'd be surprised how much it took me to come here. I'm sorry, okay? What else do you want me to do?"

"Prove it."

"I don't know how I can do tha-"

"Then it's too late. It's too late to apologize. Just-just leave me alone Harry!" I left him standing there with a confused expression on his face.

*

Eden's P.O.V

I was sitting on my bed, reading a book and casually drinking a smoothie that I'd made earlier. Scarlett suddenly came storming in. At first she looked angry, but then her face crumpled and she flopped on her bed and started crying. I put my book down and ran over to her.

"What happened?" I said softly.

"I messed up!" she wailed, sounding quite muffled because she was sobbing into her pillow.

"Everyone messes up, Scar. Me especially. But it gets better."

"I should of just forgiven him! Why didn't I just forgive him? Why did I say prove it? Of course he won't be able to prove it, he's a boy! They have no sensitivity at all!"

"You know, this is sort of funny. You're normally comforting me about stuff, and here I am returning the favour. Well, trying to. I'm not great at advice. Anyway, who's 'he'?"

"Harry."

"Then you never know he may come up to you tomorrow and apologize again. You'll have to wait and see. I'm sure he will, though. Don't worry."

Scarlett rose from her now mascara stained pillow and hugged me.

*
Wednesday
[Taken directly from the book, skip if you want. All rights to JK Rowling]

BY ORDER OF THE HIGH INQUISITOR OF HOGWARTS

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 belonged to, an organisation, society, group or club that has not been approved by the High Inquisitor will be expelled.

The above is in accordance with Educational Decree Number Twenty-four.

Signed: Dolores Jane Umbridge, High Inquisitor.

"Someone must of snitched." Eliza said shortly.

"They couldn't of. Hermione told me that you get really bad acne with the word 'TRAITOR' on your face."

We headed into the Great Hall for breakfast. Sure enough, no one was spotty. Everyone was there.

Hannah Abbot, Zacharias Smith, Terry Boot and Michael Corner trued to go over to the Gryffindor table, but Hermione was shooing them back. "It's suspicious!" she mouthed.

After breakfast, I suddenly had a thought. This included quidditch teams too!

Just then, Angelina Johnson went up to Harry. Probably to plead him to control his temper today.

We headed off to our first class of the day. Just a few hours until the meeting tonight!