Changing Destiny

Seventy-Four: I Must Not Tell Lies

Harry

One month of detentions almost non stop from Professor Umbridge, and all because she was tightening her grip on the school. Angel helped a great deal, and even though his nighttime Occlumency lessons were getting better, he still dreamed that his godfather Sirius Black was being hurt by Voldemort's goons...just to get to him. At first, the wound on his left hand where he had to keep writing 'I Must Not Tell Lies,' healed up just fine with soaking it daily in murtlap essence, but over time, his skin keep scarring up. But, the straw that broke the camel's back for him was when she banned him from playing Seeker, even though she favored the Slytherins greatly. But no, she did it solely out of spite, and so Draco Malfoy had to take his place.

Things got worse when Umbridge began outright interrogating the students illegally with veritaserum potion. Cho Chang broke her silence on where everyone was training in their secret DADA classes, and Hermione slapped the girl hard across the face, and called her a 'traitor.' The Weasley twins continued their mischief targeting only the pink toad for once, but during OWL testing, they let off their own brand of fireworks just before leaving Hogwarts behind for good. Their last order to Peeves the poltergeist was 'give her hell, Peeves,' and for once, the poltergeist obeyed the command of a student.

Hermione, Neville Longbottom, and himself were then forcefully brought to the DADA office by Crabbe and Goyle, but to their credit Crabbe murmured, "This ain't personal, Potter. Don't hate us."

Harry grinned. "I don't, big guy. Just do what you have to do."

Goyle grunted, "At least my dad ain't datin' her."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Um, maybe now isn't the best time to air out that dirty laundry, guys."

Neville sighed, "You don't think she's going to like...I dunno, force feed us some nasty poison or something? She honestly scares me worse than Snape, and that's saying something."

"Snape isn't so bad, Neville," Hermione reassured him. "Crabbe, Goyle, let's go."

They herded them into the pink and fuschia colored DADA office where Umbridge's cat plates were all in attendance. Goyle made a show of dragging them in front of Umbridge, and Crabbe held Hermione around the waist tightly so she wouldn't get away.

Umbridge calmly stirred in her pink sugar into her pink flowered tea cup, and purposely hit her spoon against the tea cup in an annoying way. She sipped her tea, and her smile was that same smug, satisfied grin Harry always hated.

"Excellent work, Goyle, Vincent, dear," Crabbe winced at that, but said nothing. She continued in her saccharine sweet voice, "I assume you two know why you are here, Mr Potter, and Miss Rosier: I want to know where that fiend is who is teaching you students his repulsive form of magic, and I want to know now."

Professor Snape appeared within a few minutes and said calmly, "You summoned me, Professor?"

"Yes, Severus. I require more veritaserum for these two delinquents," Umbridge ordered. "I trust that you have more on hand."

His dour Head of House betrayed nothing on his face, but he shared some kind of secret look with Hermione that unsettled him. "Unfortunately, you used the last of my supply on Miss Chang. Unless you wish to poison Mr Potter, and believe me, you would have my support if you did. Alas, I cannot help you. However, I believe that I will take Miss Rosier in hand. I assure you, her Aunt would be most wroth if you laid a finger on her."

Umbridge rose an eyebrow. "Fine. Take the little tramp, she is nothing to me."

"Tell her, Harry!" Hermione suddenly shouted to buy time. "Tell her about the...the weapon. Like, the very special one Dumbledore doesn't want any of the students but you to know about, because he like trusts you above any one else?"