Dumbledore was gone. It happened one night in March when the D.A. was discovered by Umbridge. She dragged Harry up to the Headmaster's office, ready to rid the school not only of Harry Potter, but Dumbledore as well. The rest of the D.A. were forced to flee, eventually returning to their respective houses, waiting anxiously to hear what would happen to them.
Cynthia, instead of returning to Ravenclaw Tower, ran with Draco to the Gryffindor Common Room, the closer option. She laid her head on Draco's shoulder while the entire room held its breath for Harry and his return. Hermione was worse than anyone, Draco could see that, as she continually paced the room, huffing every few moments, complaining about Umbridge and her tyrannical rule.
Eventually, Harry returned, praising Hermione for her brilliance, declaring loudly to everyone what Hermione had done to the person who sold them all out. Draco had, naturally, assumed that it was Zacharias Smith that had told Umbridge of the D.A., but he was wrong. It was Cho Chang's stupid friend, the one who was always worrying that they would be found out.
And then, Harry told them all what had happened to Professor Dumbledore, that he had taken the fall for them, claiming that it was he would started the D.A. instead of the fifth year Gryffindors. Dumbledore lied for them, keeping them safe. Well, as safe as he could given the circumstances. Professor Dumbledore had just left them with Professor Umbridge.
Following this, Professor Umbridge declared herself the new headmaster of Hogwarts. Yet, even Hogwarts did not believe that vile woman should be in charge as she was permanently locked out of the headmaster's office. She made their lives horrible, going through their mail, forcing anyone who even acted out to write with that disgusting blood quill of hers. Life at Hogwarts was horrendous and, for maybe the very first time since his first year, Draco wanted to leave Hogwarts, he wanted to go home and never return.
Fred and George Weasley, the heroes that they were, began making strides before the entire student body to practice their various pranks on the woman. They were right, after all. A little chaos was exactly what Professor Umbridge needed. The woman did not know how to deal with them. Their hands were now permanently scarred, but even her blood quill could not deter the joy and energy that surrounded the Weasley twins. There was no doubt in Draco's mind that they would do well. They would leave Hogwarts, but they would be widely successful their lives. And right now, they were heroes among the students for showing Umbridge that there was still hope for the young witches and wizards. They showed her that she could not control Hogwarts, it was a place of freedom and expression. And this was something she could simply not take away. And it was something that she simply could not understand.
But then, even Fred and George left, a glorious rebellion on their heels. She was willing to let Filch chain up the two of them, but she was not able to anticipate the mass exodus they had been planning. They had outgrown Hogwarts, they were moving on to something better, something wonderful. The left with the message to the students that they did not need to take the torture she was inflicting upon them. That they could stand up against her. She could not tame the Weasley twins, and this was her downfall.
Of course, Fred and George had been correct about one other thing. Studying for the O.W.L.s. was brutal. Every night, Draco met Cynthia and Hermione in the library in order to prepare for their rapidly approaching finals.
Draco did not understand Hermione's frenzied studying. The witch knew everything about everything, the return for her overachieving attitude during their years at Hogwarts should have been little to none studying. Of course, any time this was brought to her attention, she dissolved into a long lecture about the necessity of studying. She was only asked to join them in the library the first few days. Following this, she started to snap at anyone who spoke to her. Cynthia pleaded with her to stop accompanying them. She and Draco were working hard to do well on their O.W.L.s, but Hermione was taking the devotion to studying in a whole different and unnecessary direction.
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The Brave at Heart
Fanfic"He could only imagine what his father was going to say when he heard. Oh, he had really done it this time. His father had once told him he was a disgrace to the Malfoy name and now he really was. It wasn't supposed to have gone this way. He was sup...
