Bonded

Twenty-One

Umbridge was appointed the very first 'Hogwarts High Inquisitor' merely a few weeks into term. This quickly promoted outrage amongst both the students and the staff.

The morning that the decree was published in the Daily Prophet, the teachers were seen scurrying up to one another and speaking in low voices, whilst casting surreptitious looks over their shoulders- no doubt on the lookout for Umbridge. The students, however, made no attempt to hide their disgust at the new rule.

"Umbridge?" George said loudly upon reading the article, "inspecting other teachers? "

"She can't even pick clothes that go together, how is she supposed to see that all the teachers at Hogwarts are better than she could ever be," Natalie complained, "well, maybe Binns is an exception, but his lessons give me my much-needed naptime!"

"I wonder if she'll be inspecting any of our lessons," Calliope wondered aloud as she took her Daily Prophet back from George, who had disregarded it in disgust.

Umbridge did indeed inspect one of their lessons, their first lesson before break; Charms, with Professor Flitwick. The woman lurked in the corner of the class making notes on some pink parchment upon her clipboard. She ventured out of her corner when Flitwick set the class the task of practising the Atmospheric Charm to make it rain in the classroom, there was a flurry as the students packed away their books, quills and parchment and stowed their bags under their desks to stop them getting soaked by the rain.

In the noise that followed as the class chatted and practised the spell, Umbridge moved out of her corner and towards where Alicia Spinnet and Angelina Johnson sat together. The woman asked them a few questions about Flitwick's usual classes and noted down their positive responses.

"Flitwick has nothing to worry about," muttered George, "it's ones like Trelawney and Hagrid who have to look out."

"Trelawney because she's an old hag, and Hagrid's giant blood," said Lee, "she'll be itching to get rid of all the halfbreeds."

Calliope shot him a reproachful look.

"Of course not you, Callie. Umbridge loves you," Lee replied sarcastically. 

********

The first Hogsmeade visit of the year was scheduled for October 5th. Calliope and Natalie had planned to spend the day with the twins and Lee, but a few days prior to the visit they had been approached by Hermione Granger who asked them if they would be interested in learning Defensive magic from Harry, as Umbridge still didn't allow anyone to use wands in her classroom.

Of course, all five of them immediately registered their interest, as all of them had already grown very tired of Umbridge and her anti-wind policy.

Hermione asked them to meet her, Harry and Ron in the Hog's Head, where a small group of people who had said they were interested would be meeting to talk through how they could approach doing these lessons.

So, Calliope, Fred, George, Natalie and Lee found themselves trudging towards Hogsmeade together with the Hogs Head as their destination. 

"So what's this meeting going to be about then?" Natalie asked loudly as they walked down the road from the castle to Hogsmeade, "of course, I know it's about having Defence lessons, but are we forming some kind of anti-Umbridge movement? Can we have a cool name? Can I-"

"Nat, please be quiet," Calliope eyed the group of Slytherin Fifth years ahead of them, the group was laughing loudly at something that the blonde boy in the middle had said, but Calliope knew that Natalie's voice would carry, as the group was downwind from them, "it's a secret meeting, remember?"

"I'm so bad at keeping secrets," Natalie sighed, "stamp on my tow if I get near to blabbing about this."

"Of course."

"Nats," said George, "your laces are undone."

"I know," replied Natalie, "I never tie my shoelaces."

"Because she doesn't know how," Calliope finished with a grin at the twins, who she was sure would exploit this knowledge to prank Natalie in the near future.

"Way to grass me out Callie," Natalie grumbled.