Lucille Rose Potter

Chapter 41

"Rennervate."

Lucy's eyes opened to a bright light over her head.

Sluggishly, she sat up and looked around, a sickening amount of pink met her gaze.

She was in Umbridge's office.

The small office was crammed with so many people, there was hardly any room to sit, Umbridge, a handful of Slytherins, Harry, Ron, Hermione, Luna, Neville, Ginny and Sawyer were all watching Lucy as she struggled to sit up.

"What happened?" She asked, looking over to see Sawyer, who's nose was various shades of red and purple and very broken.

"Ah, nice of you to join us, Ms. Evans," Umbridge approached her with an evil look in her eye, "we were just discussing how to discover who Mr. Potter here was using my fire to communicate with...would you like to share? I'm sure you know, don't you dear?"

Lucy glared, "if I knew," she spat, "why would you think I'd tell you?"

"Fine, then," Umbridge frowned, "we'll do this the hard way then, since nobody seems to know who it was Mr. Potter was trying to contact, we might just have to offer some...inspiration, to get their memories functioning correctly, and you, Ms. Evans are the perfect candidate."

"Leave her out of this," Sawyer threatened.

"You see, Ms. Evans," Umbridge continued, ignoring Sawyer, "everyone seems to care so dearly for you, the Cruciatus Curse will do to jog a memory or two..."

"Don't you dare touch her," Harry seethed.

"Professor Umbridge!" Hermione tried to reason, "the Cruciatus Curse is illegal!"

A smirk was on Umbridge's toadish face as she raised her wand.

"The Minister wouldn't want you to break the law, Professor!" Hermione was frantically trying to shove Millicent Bulstrode off her.

"What the Minister doesn't know won't hurt him," Umbridge said, as she pointed her wand at various parts of Lucy's body as if picking which would be the best target, "such a small girl..." her wand settled at Lucy's chest, "he never knew I ordered the Dementors after Potter last summer, but he was delighted to be given the chance to expel him, all the same..."

"It was you?" Harry gasped, "you sent the dementors after me!"

"Someone had to act," Umbridge said, "now unless you tell me what I want to know, be quiet," she took a deep breath and cried, "Cruc—"

"Stop!" Hermione shrieked, "stop! Harry we have to tell her!"

"We can't!" Harry looked sick to his stomach.

"Ms. Granger," Umbridge approached Hermione who was near to tears, an expectant look on her face.

"I'm sorry Harry!" Hermione gasped, "she would've gotten it out of you one way or another! I can't let Lucy get hurt!"

"Well, well, well," Umbridge signaled for Millicent Bulstrode to stop trying to crush Hermione against the wall, "Miss Question-All is going to give us some answers! Come on then, girl! Come on!"

"Hermione, no!" Ron protested, managing the gag out of his mouth.

"Talk," Umbridge threatened, pointing her wand at Lucy once again, "or I won't hesitate this time..."