Twisted Tales

Someone Looking Out

"Would you pass the – "

A shrieking scream cuts through the babble in the Great Hall. Silence falls, people looking to the open doors, a few people daring to ask what's going on. As if following some kind of unspoken instructions, everyone stands, beginning to file out into the Entrance Hall half-eaten tarts and puddings left abandoned.

Draco shoves a few kids out of the way, getting us a spot right at the front. A trembling Professor Trelawney stands in the middle of the hall. She totters on her heels, a partially empty bottle of Sherry clutched in her hand. Tears stream down her thin cheeks as she sets bloodshot eyes on a figure hovering just up the stairs.

"No! No! This cannot be happening. It cannot. I refuse to accept it!"

Cold metal hits my palm. Looking down I see a few shining Galleons sitting there. With everything else going on, I'd almost forgotten about the bet I made with Draco. Ten Galleons if Trelawney gets sacked first. Maybe I'm not as bad at Divination as I thought.

"You didn't realize this was coming?" Umbridge lets out a scoff, stepping down so I'm able to see her. She's holding her head high, hands resting on her hips. Her voice fills the hall, bearing a new tone of self-importance. "Incapable though you are of predicting even tomorrow's weather, you must surely have realized that your pitiful performance during my inspections, and lack of any improvement, would make it inevitable you would be sacked?"

Trelawney's bottom lip trembles, her eyes now set on the tatty trunks at her feet, "You c-can't! You c-can't sack me! I've b-been here sixteen years! H-Hogwarts is m-my h-home!"

She's hiccupping terribly, knees shaking so bad I'm surprised she hasn't collapsed yet. A few students are shooting looks at each other, as if daring someone to step forward, to stand up for the teacher. No one takes up the challenge. We all knew Umbridge had the power to sack professors, but it was just a threat, something to scare teachers into complying with Ministry policy. She was never actually going to do it. Now, seeing it, having it actually happening, renders everyone speechless. This is above anything students can handle.

"It was your home until an hour ago when the Minister of Magic countersigned the order for your dismissal. Now kindly remove yourself from this hall. You are embarrassing us." Umbridge circles Trelawney like a snake about to strike at its prey, her eyes hungry, that same cruel smile from my detention sitting on her lips.

Professor McGonagall, who has been watching on the sidelines, now breaks away from the crowd. She gathers Professor Trelawney in her arms. She comforts the other teacher in a quiet voice. Once Trelawney has stopped letting out heaving sobs, McGonagall turns a stony glare to Umbridge, "You are not going to have to leave Hogwarts."

"Oh really, Professor McGonagall?" Umbridge questions, her tone like nails against a chalkboard. Even as she gathers herself to her full height she looks unimpressive in comparison to Professor McGonagall. "And your authority for that statement is?"

The doors at the end of the hall fly open. Shadowed against the setting sun, Dumbledore strides through the hall, students moving aside to create a path for him. "That would be mine."

"Yours, Professor Dumbledore? I'm afraid you do not understand the position. I have here – " Umbridge searches around in her robes, producing an official-looking piece of paper which she holds up so the headmaster can see "– an Order of Dismissal signed by myself and the Minister of Magic. Under the terms of Educational Decree Number Twenty-three, the High Inquisitor of Hogwarts has the power to inspect, place upon probation, and sack any teacher she, meaning I, feels is not performing up to the standard required by the Ministry of Magic. I have decided that Professor Trelawney is not up to scratch. I have dismissed her."