enchanted • draco malfoy

Year 7: Nightmares

Felicity's POV

The elevator took us exactly where we wanted, and soon, we were stepping out into the courtrooms. The walls were tall, black, and sinister, and looming towards the ceiling far above us were Dementors. I tried to ready positive memories in case it came to a fight.

"Bloody cold down here," Ron muttered. I nodded in agreement, avoiding the urge to wrap my arms around myself to preserve warmth.

"I'm a half-blood," a frantic voice claimed, "My father was a wizard." A middle-aged man was being dragged between two men wearing the uniforms of the Ministry-sanctioned supremacist grunts. "William Alderton," he continued desperately, "He worked here for thirty years. Perhaps you know him. Always wore his jacket inside out. No, no, there's been a mistake. I'm a half-blood, you see, we must go back. I'm a half-blood!"

I exchanged looks with Harry and Ron, both of whom looked as sick to the stomach as me as we emerged fully into the cavernous chamber.

"Mary Elizabeth Cattermole?" Umbridge was saying. Her Patronus lingered next to her, and I was very unsurprised to see that it was a cat. Cattermole's wife Mary nodded and said almost imperceptibly, "Yes."

"Of 27 Chislehurst Gardens, Great Tolling, Evesham?"

"Yes."

"Mother to Maisie, Ellie, and Alfred?"

"Yes."

"It's here," Harry said confidently, surveying the Dementors carefully. I was about to say something when Umbridge asked, "Wife to Reginald?" Mary sounded close to tears as she replied, "Yes," before Umbridge caught sight of us. Mary turned around in confusion, before she spotted Ron and almost slumped over in relief. "Reg?" she said hopefully.

Ron didn't move until Harry forcefully grabbed his lapel and dragged him forward, shoving him towards his 'wife' in the middle of the room. Umbridge regarded me and Harry coolly. "Thank you, Albert," she said in that sickly-sweet voice of hers. Harry just nodded as I kept my gaze averted. We moved to the very edge of the room, praying she'd return her attention to the Cattermole's.

Sure enough, Umbridge said. "Mary Elizabeth Cattermole. A wand was taken from you upon your arrival at the Ministry today. Is this that wand?"

I tuned her out, casually searching the hall, until- there! Hermione sat near Umbridge, eyes widened in fear. I tried to nod to her subtly. Yes, Mione, we are in the lion's den. Or the snake's den, I suppose.

Harry began moving, slowly making his way around the perimeter of the room. I shot him a look, but he just shook his head, and motioned for me to stay put.

"Would you please tell the court from which witch or wizard you took this wand?"

My head snapped toward Umbridge at that preposterous question. What the hell?

Mary Cattermole didn't seem shocked as I did, though. She seemed afraid. "I didn't take it," she said, chin raised but voice shaking, "I got it in Diagon Alley, at Ollivander's, when I was 11. It chose me." Her voice broke, and I felt a sudden surge of anger at these corrupt people turning our beautiful world into something this wretched and ugly.

"You're lying," Umbridge responded calmly. Just listening to her voice made the scars on my hand from her cruel punishments burn. "Wands only choose witches," Umbridge went on, "and you are not a witch."

"But I am," Mary insisted, tears flowing freely down her face, "Tell them, Reg. Tell them what I am."

I wanted to tear my eyes away from Harry to watch the Cattermoles, but then Harry's wand slid into his hand. I took a deep breath, withdrawing my own as Umbridge asked, "What on earth are you doing, Albert?"