Lily Potter (Harry Potter's Twin)

Chapter 19

I felt happier for the rest of that weekend than I have all term. First, I got in some girl time with Hermione and Ginny as we all did our homework together. We went to the lake, did our nails, and read books under the shade of a large beech tree. Hermione and I knitted some more elf hats and I started on my first sweater for myself.

Harry was in a much better mood and more pleasant to be around. It probably was comforting to know that numerous people didn't think he was a prat. The knowledge that we were doing something to resist Umbridge and the Ministry, and that I was helping the rebellion, gave me immense satisfaction. I kept reliving Saturday's events in my mind, especially the part when Fred and George offered to clean out Smith's ears with the tool.

"So, what does that tool do, exactly?" I asked them that night in the common room.

The two exchanged looks before saying in unison, "We're afraid that you are not qualified to know that information just yet."

Hermione and I headed down stairs from our dormitory together, discussing the possible whereabouts of the meetings. Not until we were halfway across the sunlight common room did we notice the addition to the room that had already attracted the attention of a small group of people.

A large sign had been fixed to the Gryffindor notice board, so large that it covered everything else on there; the list of second-hand spell books for sale, the regular reminders of school rules from Filch, The Quidditch team training schedule, the offers to barter certain chocolate frog cards, the Weasleys' new advertisement for testers, etc. The sign was printed in large black letters and there was a highly official-looking seal at the bottom beside a neat curly signature.

'------BY ORDER OF------

THE HIGH INQUISITOR OF HOGWARTS

ALL STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS, 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.

NO STUDENT ORGANIZATION, SOCIETY, TEAM, GROUP, OR CLUB MAY EXIST WITHOUT KNOWLEDGE AND APPROVAL OF THE High Inquisitor.

ANY STUDENT FOUND TO HAVE FORMED, OR 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.

SINGED:

Dolores Jane Umbridge

HIGH INQUISITOR'

"This isn't a coincidence," Hermione said nervously. "She knows."

"She can't," said Ron when he joined Hermione and I.

"There were people listening in that pub," Harry pointed out. " And lets face it, we don't know how many of the people who turned up we can trust... Any of them could have run off and told Umbridge.."

"No they can't have done because I put a jinx on that piece of paper we all signed," said Hermione grimy. "Believe me, if anyone's run off and told Umbridge, we'll know who they are and they will really regret it."

"What will happen to them?" said Ron eagerly.

"Well, put it this way," she said. "it'll make Eloise Midgen's acne look like a couple of cute freckles. Come on, let's go down to breakfast and see what the others think... I wonder whether this has put up in all the Houses?"

It was immediately apparent on entering the Great Hall that the notice didn't just appear in the Gryffindor Tower. We had barley taken our seats when Neville, Dean, Fred, George, and Ginny descended upon us.