Of Constellations → 𝘥. 𝘮𝘢𝘭𝘧𝘰𝘺

xix. death eaters' sons

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chapter nineteen

death eaters' sons

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The Inquisitorial Squad reigned over the school for the rest of the term. But, I didn't mind. I managed to stay out of the way.

Still, I was a bit sad that the D. A. had been disbanded. I no longer had much to look forward to. So, it was a welcomed distraction when Fred and George Weasley decided to wreak havoc throughout the castle and effectively set off a revolt amongst the student body much larger than the D. A. had ever been in the first place.

The twins set off fireworks that caused Umbridge to have to constantly run around the castle for several days. The other professors (who absolutely could take care of things on their own) called her in to get the Catherine wheels, never-ending Roman candles, and green and gold sparkling fire-breathing dragons out of their classrooms.

Most of the professors would look the other way when students set off the Weasleys' Wildfire Whiz-Bangs off in the corridors or sparklers that spelled out swear words in the Great Hall.

Even Snape was going along with it, though I already knew he hated her. I could have sworn I saw the corners of his mouth twitch into the shadow of a grin while he watched Umbridge dart around the Potions classroom, desperately trying to corral a pink firework pig.

Either way, the distraction carried me through the final stretch of the terrible year. When the O.W.L.s came around, the fifth-years retreated full time into their common rooms or the library, their faces in their textbooks. So, Luna, Ginny, and I spent a lot of our time outside as the summer term neared its end.

We'd relax under the shade of a tree or chat as we walked the grounds. One afternoon, a Hufflepuff boy in our year, a Muggle-born named Emmet Orcott, brought out a football and taught the three of us to play. We passed it around to each other on the grass near the greenhouses. Ginny, a natural athlete, was able to do tricks with it in no time.

On the other hand, I'd nearly got my nose broken when she kicked it too aggressively passing it to me. I think she was still seething about the night before. Hagrid had been removed from Hogwarts's grounds and McGonagall ended up in St. Mungo's after she tried to stop it.

After Ginny kicked the ball into my face, leaving me supine on the lawn, I found her, Luna, and Emmet standing over me.

"Are you okay?" asked Emmet, offering me a hand.

"Yeah," I said as he pulled me to my feet again.

"Sorry about that, Mars. I think we should go back inside. Let's find Harry, Ron, and Hermione. I bet they're out of their last exam by now."

We thanked Emmet for sharing his football with us and went inside to check the library first. None of them were there, so we started our way to the Great Hall, figuring we would just wait for dinner to start.

However, on the landing of the first floor, we all stopped walking. There was distant shouting echoing off of the stone walls.

Ginny and I looked at each other, confused. "I think that's Harry," she said, and then started following the voice.

Eventually, outside of the same empty classroom Theo and I used to practice Defense, Harry's next bellowed sentence came loud and clear through the closed door.

"WELL, I'D EXPECT HE'D SAY SOMETHING DIFFERENT IF HE KNEW WHAT I'D JUST—"

It didn't sound like a conversation we should intrude upon, but Ginny opened the door anyway and Harry's screaming stopped instantaneously. Luna and I followed her in. Besides Harry, Ron and Hermione were in the room too, looking nervous.