How was detention with Umbridge?' Harry heard Hermione ask Ron and Dean when they emerged from the dormitories, the latter still rubbing his eyes.
'Didn't you hear?' Ron exclaimed in delight.
'McGonagall cancelled it,' Dean grinned. 'Apparently she had a blazing row with Umbridge on Friday about it.'
That was interesting. Harry had never known McGonagall to cancel the detentions of another teacher before, she'd been fine for him to spend many hours in Snape's company for a whole array of offences that included, but were not limited to, talking too loudly, silent insubordination and malicious breathing.
'Yeah,' Seamus nodded, slightly less exuberant than the other two, but pleased all the same. 'Umbridge can't give you detentions and dock points for trying to practice spells we'll be tested on this summer.' Harry shook his head and shared a knowing glance with Neville. Ron and Dean had been attempting to cast the shield charm, very poorly if he recalled correctly, in the empty classroom before their Defence class. Neither of them had the wit to see what was really taking place at Hogwarts this year, and for some reason Hermione hadn't told them either.
He was more disgusted by how terrible their shield charms had been, a damp paper plane could have breached them. Ron's had been a very faintly luminescent patch of air all around him, barely noticeable until all the curtains were drawn across the windows and the lights extinguished, and Dean, he had created an almost impenetrable, blindingly bright area of protection about the same size as Harry's palm. Even Neville's first attempt had been better.
'Well we've got her again now after breakfast,' Hermione reminded them, 'so try not to let her antagonise you into doing something she can actually give detention for.'
'Still can't believe McGonagall cancelled your punishments,' Seamus shook his head. 'I heard that Umbridge was absolutely furious. I bet she's even nastier than normal this morning. You should keep your heads down and stop standing up for him.'
Him was, of course, Harry. Seamus persisted in his belief of what the Ministry said, though he seemed to take the more vicious rumours about Harry and Dumbledore with at least a small pinch of salt. He hated Umbridge, along with almost every other student in the school, and, to maintain peace in the dormitory, he and Ron had agreed not to argue about who was right about Voldemort's return.
'I'm not defending him,' Ron replied, puzzled. 'I believe Dumbledore, and I'm sick of th rubbish that hag spouts at us every lesson. Professor Lupin was our best teacher, though it was a given since he wasn't a moron like Lockhart and was at least slightly sane.'
'Well you should probably keep it to yourself, Ron,' Hermione advised. 'She's going to be going after anyone who appears to advocate Dumbledore's side. Harry's being very clever in not openly disagreeing with her, but still clearly opposing Umbridge.'
It's nice to be appreciated.
Neville nudged him, picking up his stuff and moving in the direction of breakfast. Harry tipped his head in the direction of the other Gryffindors and mouthed Katie at him. He nodded and moved to join the others in their discussion of how unlikely it was they'd pass their OWL with Umbridge around. They drifted out past Harry in a few moments and he caught a few suggestions from Dean that they practice their spells somewhere Umbridge wouldn't notice. Neville gave him a hesitant nod as they went, and Hermione's hand twitched towards a wave before she thought better of it and slipped it back into her pocket.
It was a few minuted before Katie appeared, slightly disheveled, and bleary-eyed. Harry waved a couple of times until she noticed him and stumbled over, smoothing her hair back.
'Morning Harry,' she grumbled. 'Are we going to breakfast now?'
'I was waiting for you,' Harry reminded her. Katie was normally grouchy until she'd had something to eat.
'Let's go then,' she decided, making a vague attempt at fixing the disarray of her uniform before giving up completely with a shrug.
Harry swept his stuff up from beside his chair in the common room and squeezed out behind the portrait of the fat lady next to her.
'Ah,' Katie cackled, her mood suddenly improving as impressionable first years edged away from Harry, 'vulnerable children, ripe for sacrifing in dark rituals.'
'You are not helping,' Harry told her, grinning in spite of himself. The first years edged further still.
'If you become a Dark Lord I'm volunteering myself as Dark Lady,' she decided. 'I love watching them scatter.'
'I think you're likely to get immolated talking like that,' Harry reminded her, pulling her arm to drag her towards the Great Hall rather than letting her stalk down the corridor towards a large group of second year Hufflepuffs.
Katie flushed slightly, realising what she'd accidentally implied, but allowed herself to be steered away with little more than a pout. 'Spoilsport,' she groused. 'They're adorably easy to scare.'
'Have I ever told you that I sometimes worry about you?' Harry quipped.
'Oh, all the time,' she grinned. Katie adopted her most imposing, menacing face, but it fell a long way short of Voldemort's inhuman, pale face. 'And you should,' she whispered dangerously.
Katie slid onto the Gryffindor bench across from the Weasley Twins.
'Morning, Dark Mistress,' they greeted her, bowing low over their breakfasts. 'What evil deeds have you planned for today?' 'She's been scaring the first years again,' Harry grinned, waving a hand towards the nervous huddle that were considering whether to squeeze on the end, or risk walking past their spot.
'Ah,' the leftmost twin sighed, 'that's our Katie, they won't be free from terror until the quidditch season starts.'
'It's about time Angelina sorted tryouts, don't you think?' The rightmost commented. 'Maybe you should tell her?'
'Me?' The girlfriend!'
leftmost
disagreed.
'She's
your
'You're quite right, George,' the other twin replied, 'that's why you have to tell her.'
'Hush,' Katie ordered. 'I'll remind her later.' 'Yes, Dark Mistress,' they replied, bowing low again. Fred misjudged his bow slightly and accidentally dipped the front of his robes in his eggs. Katie giggled and helped herself to toast.
There was a brief lull in conversation as they ate and Errol, the ancient Weasley family owl, collapsed onto the table in front of the twins. They read the letter together, mirroring expressions of disgust growing more pronounced.
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