Forbidden [d.m.] || rewritten

chapter 14

Just one month into our fifth year and we already were having enough of this nonsense with the toad-lady. Professor Dolores Umbridge. Callous. Sadistic. Power-hungry. And intolerant. Shall I go on?

I swear she disliked children. She uses any means to gain power and flaunts it as she tortures children through discipline. She spoke to students in this condescending tone that made her sound like she thought she was above everyone. In each detention I had with her she resorted to a new form of torment.

First, Harry and I had to write lines using a Black Quill, which carved words into the back of our hands.

In the second detention we received, we did the same.

She made us write the same lines every bloody time.

Then, things took a turn for the worse. She banned all house Quidditch teams. She monitored the mail only Harry and I received. She kept a close eye on Harry, Ron, Hermione, and I so that we wouldn't visit Hagrid. She banned Harry and I from trips to Hogsmeade. God, I didn't know I could hate someone so much in such short time.

Lord, from the moment I saw her, I hated everything from that fluffy pink cardigan and high-pitched, shrill voice.

The only thing that kept me sane were the people around me. The four of us grew closer to the Weasley twins this year, spending almost every meal with them. Ginny came around a lot more often this year than the last two, which I thoroughly enjoyed.

A new face turned up when we established Dumbledore's Army. A Ravenclaw unlike the most of us, her name was Luna Lovegood. The fourth-year girl had unkempt, light-ash blonde hair that fell down to her waist and silvery eyes resembling Draco Malfoy's. She was quite the quirky girl, bit of an odd character. But, I loved her.

Majority of the time, she seemed very distant from the world in front of her. Other students started calling her "Loony Lovegood." I even snapped at Hermione once when she said it in conversation. She was a brilliant addition to Dumbledore's Army.

Another thing that put a grin on my face was seeing how Harry handled the first girl he was infatuated with. Ever since we played Ravenclaw in our third year, Harry got all giddy any time Cho Chang was in the room. From stumbling when he saw her in the corridor or missing his mouth when he went for a drink at dinner, I genuinely started to feel sorry for the poor boy.

"Harry, do you need me to like... hold you up when she walks by?" I asked sarcastically as he nearly tripped after passing by Cho in the hallway.

"Shut up." He looked at the three of us, Ron and Hermione chuckling at my sides, and groaned. "I— It just caught me by surprise."

Hermione scoffed. "We see her every Friday at this time. How does it catch you by—"

"We have a DA meeting later today. We have to find somewhere to practice." Harry said in a hushed voice to change the subject.

We had discreet meetings in the common room for the past week since the organization was actually formed. The four of us, Ginny, Neville, Fred and George deliberated by the fireplace several nights a week to think of where we could go so that Filch and Umbridge wouldn't catch us.

It was getting exhausting. We had to keep a close watch for any two-faced snakes that could possibly rat us out. Anytime the common room door opened, we nonchalantly dispersed and met up at the next meal to try and discuss.

The four of us headed to lunch that afternoon in between our Potions and Charms lessons. I was surprised Umbridge didn't ban social meals yet and still let us sit wherever we wanted.

We sat at our usual table, talking quietly amongst ourselves as more students settled into the Great Hall. Luna and Cho joined us at the Gryffindor table to determine where our practice tonight would be.