After All This Time - Book 2

Thirty Seven

Dolores Umbridge and the Ministry of Magic had an iron grip on Hogwarts. Shirts were tucked in, ties tied tight, house points were being docked left and right. Allegedly, for the first time in years, Slytherin was actually on the way to win the house cup by a mile. This of course was due to Hogwarts take over by the Inquisitorial Squad being completely compromised of Slytherin students. Along with this, students were also finding themselves in detention almost daily. The line to Umbridge's office seemed to wrap twice around the castle sometimes and for once in my life I was beyond thankful for Draco. Countless times Pansy had tried to give me detention with Umbridge or dock points from my house for "being alive" and each time Draco had come to my rescue and put Pansy in her place. This, however, did also have its downside. Students from all years who had spent the past year gossiping about me because of my relationship with Draco were now trying to befriend me in hopes of avoiding detention. The constant crowd of students surrounding me quickly became so unbearable that I even asked Draco to make a scene of granting me detention. Infront of as many students as possible Draco laid it out to me, announcing that just because I was his girlfriend I still had to follow the rules and would be spending a week in detention with my head of house. McGonagall was just as surprised by my receiving detention as everyone else was, but was still very understanding when I explained my situation to her in confidence. I hadn't actually broken any rules, but having to spend a week helping McGonagall grade transfiguration essays and homework quickly got everyone off my back.

Now here I was, my first night in McGonagall's office marking away at a first year's essay on turning a rat into a cup. The castle was deadly silent, odd considering dinner had just ended. Typically at this time the halls would be crowded with students chatting as they made their way to the library or their common rooms. With the Inquisitorial Squad patrolling the halls students walked, practically ran, from the Great Hall to the safety of their common rooms after dinner.

As I finished grading my final essay I glanced over at the time keeper sitting atop McGonagall's desk, noticing that I still had about an hour left.

"I realize that I do not have to keep you the full two hours, seeing that you did not actually commit any infractions of the school rules, but if you don't mind I would like to have a chat with you about some things. Tea?"

"Yes, thank you" I replied. I quickly scribbled a grade on the top of the parchment and set it aside on top of the stack of the others. I wasn't exactly sure what McGonagall wanted to talk to me about and I also didn't know what Dumbledore had told her either before or after he made his grand exit.

McGonagall came sweeping back into her office, two steaming cups of tea on a tray following close behind her.

"I wasn't sure how you took your tea dear. I also brought a few biscuits incase you were hungry."

It was fairly obvious that McGonagall didn't have tea with others often. In addition to the typical milk and sugar, she had also brought a quite large assortment of cookies and other small pastries. I quickly made up my tea and placed a pastry on my plate, waiting eagerly and nervously for what McGonagall wanted to talk to me about.

"One last thing" she said as she placed her spoon down on the edge of her saucer. With one swift wave of her wand the door to her classroom shut and locked and undoubtedly a silencing charm had been placed over the room as well.

"Don't look so worried dear" she said to me as she placed her wand back down on her desk. "I am not keeping you to pry into your personal life. I rather have a few things to discuss with you."

"Has Dumbledore-"

"Yes" she said, cutting me off. "He had known that events such as these were upon us and informed me of your situation. While I am not a fan of it, and do not agree with it, I do realize that there is nothing that could have been done to prevent it."