Hermione Granger and the Order of the Phoenix

Chapter 14 - The first of many Educational Decrees

Hermione felt very pleased with herself the whole way through the weekend. Members of their little society kept giving her knowing smiles as she passed them in corridors, and every time she did she felt that funny giddy feeling that accompanied breaking rules

She had no idea that it would go wrong so fast

The Monday morning started not too dissimilar from many a Monday morning - with the alarm going off signifying that a boy had tried to get into the girls dormitories
"I wonder who it was this time?" wondered Ginny, sounding unconcerned
"A seventh year, probably" said one of her peers - Hermione could never remember their names "trying to see their girlfriend"
She giggled and left the dormitory with her friends, sliding down the stairs that had flattened into a slide. Ginny followed suit and, after a moments hesitation, Hermione slid down too

When she reached the ground, Ginny's friend was talking to the culprit - Ronald, of all people
“Oooh, who tried to get upstairs?” Ginny's friend exclaimed eagerly
“Me” said Ron, going red “ I didn’t realize that would happen. It’s not fair!” he turned to Harry “Hermione’s allowed in our dormitory, how come we’re not allowed-?”
“Well, it’s an old-fashioned rule” said Hermione, making Ron jump “but it says in Hogwarts A History, that the founders thought boys were less trustworthy than girls. Anyway, why were you trying to get in there?”
“To see you - look at this!” said Ron

He took her over to the noticeboard. There a huge poster covered almost everything, reading:

BY ORDER OF THE HIGH INQUISITOR OF HOGWARTS
All student organizations, societies, teams, groups and clubs are henceforth disbanded.
An organization, 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 organization, 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 organization, society, team, 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

She finished reading and scowled. It was fairly obvious what that was about. Beside her, Ron was seething
“Someone must have blabbed to her!” he hissed
“They can’t have done” said Hermione
“You’re so naive” said Ron “you think just because you’re all honorable and trustworthy-”
“No, they can’t have done, because I put a jinx on that piece of parchment we all signed” said Hermione, glancing at him “Believe me, if anyone’s run off and told Umbridge, we’ll know exactly who they are and they will really regret it”
“What’ll happen to them?” said Ron
“Well, put it this way” said Hermione darkly “it’ll make Eloise Midgeon’s acne look like a couple of cute freckles. Come on, let’s get down to breakfast and see what the others think… I wonder whether this has been put up in all the houses?”

They clearly had. The atmosphere in the Great Hall was a lot more tense than usual. The moment Hermione, Ron and Harry sat down at the Gryffindor table, they were bombarded by Ginny, Fred, George, Neville and Dean
“Did you see it?”
“D’you reckon she knows?”
“What are we going to do?”
They were all asking Harry, who checked that the coast was clear before talking
“We’re going to do it anyway of course” he said
“Knew you’d say that” said George genially
“The prefects as well?” said Fred, raising an eyebrow at Hermione
“Of course” said Hermione
“Here come Ernie and Hannah Abbott” said Ron, glancing over behind “And those Ravenclaw blokes and Smith… and no one looks very spotty”

“Nevermind spots, the idiots can’t come over here now, it’ll look really suspicious - sit down!” she swung round too and mouthed frantically at them “Later! We’ll - talk - to - you - later!”
“I’ll tell Michael” said Ginny, rolling her eyes and getting up “the fool, honestly…”
She went over to the Ravenclaw table. Ron scowled after her
“Harry! Ron!” called a voice
Angelina Johnson had come over to them, looking worried
“It’s okay" Harry tried to reassure her “We’re still going to -”
“You realize she’s including Quidditch in this?” she interupted “We have to go and ask permission to re-form the Gryffindor team!”
“What?” said Harry, thunderstruck
“No way” said Ron
“You read the sign, it mentions teams too!" she cried "So listen, Harry… I am saying this for the last time… please, please don’t lose your temper with Umbridge again or she might not let us play any more!”
“Okay, okay” said Harry quickly “Don’t worry, I’ll behave myself…”