The Protector

Umbridge At It Again

"When will you ever stop eating?" 

I tried to stifle a laugh as Ron looked up to Hermione in shock, "Hey! I'm hungry."

Harry and I had come back inside after I told him I was starting to get rather hungry. I smiled at our friends, "Can we join you? Or is this a date for two?" 

"Oh shut up," Hermione hit me with her hand. I looked to Ron who gave me a look of disgust. I looked to Harry who wore a smile. A smile I hadn't seen in a couple of months. 

Shouting from the halls took away my attention. A voice sounded like Umbridge's so I went to see who she had been shouting at this time. Everyone else went to see as well. Soon I made my way to the source of the noise. Outside the Great Hall, Professor McGonagall and Umbridge were having an argument on the stairs. 

"If you feel the need to punish students, then you will do so according to the guidelines of our disciplinary practices," McGonagall argued.  

"From what this sounds like, is you trying to instruct me how to teach in my own classroom," Umbridge almost seemed offended. She took a step up. 

Well someone needs to if you're going to use illegal disciplinary practices, I thought to myself. 

McGonagall also took a step up, "Why, not at all. Just your ancient methods of punishment." 

"To question me and my practices," Umbridge was getting rather upset, "is the same thing as questioning the Ministry itself." 

"Actually," I cleared my throat, "it's not. You might've been sent from the Ministry but I assure you they did not command you to use Black Quills, which are dark objects meant for the use of torture," I raised my hand to show everyone the scars I still had. "And if I were to call you, let's say for example, a prissy bitch, I would not be calling the Ministry a prissy bitch." 

All the students began to gasp or make the sound, "Oooo." Professor McGonagall tried to hide her smile but she couldn't. Umbridge looked to me with anger on her face as she took another step up, "Not only are you disrespecting the Ministry, but also the Minister. I can hold my anger against anything, but the one thing I cannot stand is disloyalty and disrespect." 

"Disloyalty and disrespect?" McGonagall backed down. Wait, why'd you do that for? Don't let her take that power away from you. 

"Things here," Umbridge took another step up to look down at us, "are far worse that we've feared. Cornelius will want to action immediately." 

She went on towards her office I assumed. I rolled my eyes, "What's she going to do? Make herself Queen of Hogwarts?" 

A couple kids next to me laughed. I smiled. I stopped when I felt a hand slightly grab my shoulder. I turned. McGonagall was smiling, "Come with me, Ms. Meadows." 

I turned to my friends, who were all standing and waiting for me to follow, "I'll catch up with you guys later." They nodded and headed inside. Professor and I traveled into her office without a peep from either of us. 

She closed the door behind her, "Have a biscuit, Ms. Meadows." 

I sat at the chair in front of her desk. In a small ditch that appeared in front of me stood assortments of biscuits. I did as she told and nibbled on it as she sat down in front of me. "I would like to say, I thank you for standing up for this school and for me." 

"No problem." 

"But you cannot be using," she chuckled, "those words to teachers. You need to give your teachers as much respect as you would your parents." 

"My parents are dead." 

"If they were alive," she looked at me with raised eyebrows. "You could get into serious trouble." 

"If she gives me to respect, none will be given back to her," I answered. 

"I know," she nodded, "but you need to be the bigger person." 

"I am," I chuckled. "Have you seen how short she is?" 

She laughed, "I'm serious." 

"Me too." 

"Meadows," she got serious, "I also brought you here to talk about something else." I sat still and waited for her to continue. "Dumbledore is away dealing with Ministry things. If you notice anything out of the ordinary, or Harry starts to get rude or violent, you let me know immediately. Understand?" 

"Yes, ma'am." 

"Also, Hermione Granger told me about a dream that you've been having recently," she took a breath. "But the first time you had it, when was that?" 

"A couple months ago." 

"And you were being choked?" 

I thought for a moment, "Yeah, I guess so. I was being choked from behind by long, bony fingers. I had bruises for a week." 

"I noticed them," she nodded. "Who do you think it was choking you?" 

I shrugged, "Voldemort maybe. Could be death? I don't exactly know." 

She nodded, "I'll have Professor Snape give you some stuff to help with that. Is it every night?" 

I nodded, "Yeah. Sometimes it changes, but almost the same thing happens." 

"And one time you woke up with something carved into your arm?" she asked. I nodded. She continued, "Where is it? What did it say?" 

I pulled my sweater over my left shoulder. On my left upper shoulder, the scars were almost healed. "Filthy Squib offspring," I read to her. 

She shook her head, "That's aweful..." 

I covered it back up, "Can I go now? Or do you need me for something else?" 

"No, you're free to go," she waved me off. I stood up about to walk out when she called for me again, "Before you go, one more thing." I turned back to her. She continued, "If you and your boyfriend are going to be together, go somewhere you won't get caught." 

I felt my face turned red and get heated up. I turned and walked out the door, Well that was a bit embarassing, wasn't it Bridget?