A Dementor's Kiss - Phan

Life in Pink

 

La Vie en Rose – Life in pink, viewing life through rose-tinted glasses, seeing the bright side of life.

Sophie had come up with the code name, Operation: La Vie en Rose, while listening to Edith Piaf in the shower, and the student body had taken it up with gusto. Plans could be discussed in broken French without fear of being overheard, and some students had even taken to wearing items of pink around the castle to show support for the cause. Umbridge could be seen eyeing the sudden array of pink scarves and socks with suspicion, and Dan wondered shrewdly how long it would take before the colour pink got banned too.

 “This has worked out really well,” Sophie said, shovelling porridge enthusiastically into her mouth between breaths. “Life in Pink translates pretty well to the overall goal of the plan – you know, everything is gay and there’s nothing that witch can do about it – and it’s given people a structure to their attack. It’s also given me the best idea for phase two.”

Before she could reveal her plan however she was interrupted by the arrival of the post owls. A large Tawny with a black crest landed with a thump in front of Sophie and ruffled its feathers importantly.

“Isn’t that one of the Hogwarts owls?” She said, confused. “Why would someone send a letter to me from school, when I’m in school?”

Dan shrugged. “Only one way to find out. It’s sealed with the Hogwarts crest so I don’t think it’s anything malicious.”

“So it is,” Sophie said, bemused, slipping her finger under the thick parchment and unrolling it. Her eyebrows receded into her hairline briefly, and she turned to Dan and PJ.

“It’s McGonagall,” she said, half afraid, half excited. “She wants to speak to us. Four of us. I asked her specifically about Chris and Phil, so I’m guessing she means you Peej, and Dan. Carrie should come too.”

PJ nodded. “I’m in her next lesson, I’ll let her know. When and where?”

“Today at lunch time. Dumbledore’s office.”

“Oh.”

~

The walk to Dumbledore’s office was a tense one. They knew where it was, of course, but when they reached the stone gargoyle they were stumped.

“Er,” Carrie said after a moment’s silence, awkwardly addressing the gargoyle. “We’re supposed to be meeting Professor McGonagall?”

Nothing happened.

“Well,” she said, pushing her hair behind her ear. “It was worth a try.”

“You need a password,” PJ said with a shake of the head. “So I guess we should just wait here.”

“I’m nervous.” Dan said. “Is anyone else nervous?”

PJ nodded. “I’ve never exchanged more than two words with Dumbledore.”

“We don’t know he’s in there,” Sophie interjected. “For all we know, this might be the only place that Umbridge can’t listen in to, so McGonagall wanted to meet us here.”

“Maybe,” PJ murmured, but he didn’t sound convinced.

Dan shifted his hands from his trouser pockets into his robes. “I haven’t ever spoken to Professor McGonagall outside of lessons, let alone Dumbledore.”

“She’s a good egg,” Carrie said with a smile. “Just a terrifying one.”

“Yeah, like a dragon egg just about to hatch.” PJ winked. “Did you know, it took five and a half minutes for the Sorting Hat to decide whether to put her in Gryffindor or Ravenclaw.”