wanderlust ☆ n.longbottom

.:35:.

The next DA meeting was upon them. Neville was enthusiastically detailing the progress he had been making to Daisy on the route there.  He halted mid-sentence when he saw Umbridge. She had hold of Harry's ear and her inquisitorial squad had had a firm grip on everyone else. 

"Brilliant," she smiled sweetly. "There's more of you. Perhaps you can all enlighten me on this little club you have going on."

"You can't stop us from hanging out!" Daisy yelled, shrugging Crabbe's chubby hand off her shoulder. 

"There's something else going on here and I know that because there's no way someone like you  has this many friends." Umbridge folded her arms across her luridly pink blouse. 

"She has a point," muttered Vivienne. 

Daisy elbowed Crabbe and rounded on her heel to view Vivienne. "You're still here? I bet it was you that dobbed us into her!"

"Guess again, loser. Hermione put the charm on me just like she did with everyone else!"

"Everyone shush, this isn't helping," Hermione hissed.

"Too right it's not helping. Since you're all acting very secretive, I'm going to have to take you all for an interrogation in my office."

Her inquisitorial squad grabbed all the DA members and carted them off to her office. They all gathered outside as she took them all in one by one. 

"Walshaw, you're first," she sneered. 

"Don't tell her anything!" Hermione gasped.

"Do you think I'm stupid?" replied Daisy. Her thoughts were stopped as she entered Umbridge's office. It was as bright pink as her clothes and had an overbearing scent of cats and roses. 

"We'll see what you're willing to disclose after this meeting." Umbridge smiled. "Have a sit."

Daisy sat on the velvet chair that faced Umbridge's desk. 

"Tea?"

"Oh, how delightful, Professor," Daisy replied, mocking her sickly sweet tone.

"FEET OFF MY TABLE YOU DISGUSTING CHILD!" she yelled, making Daisy jump and remove her muddy black boots from her desk. "Here's your tea."

Expectantly, Umbridge watched Daisy take a sip of her tea. It tasted delicious and she took another big gulp. 

"Lovely. So, is there anything you'd like to tell me? Any secrets you've been keeping?"

Daisy's face creased. "There is actually."

Umbridge leaned forward in her chair. "Yes?" 

"It's my friend Neville."

"That weedy one stood outside?"

Daisy nodded. And then burst into tears. Tears encased in mascara and eyeliner dragged themselves down her face, staining it. 

"Deary me, what's got you so upset? Is it because you feel so bad keeping such a big secret from me?"

Daisy nodded. "I'm just so in love with him."

"Who?" asked Goyle curiously.

"That's not important," snapped Umbridge.

Daisy performed an entire dramatic monologue to the group. Goyle was listening intently, but Umbridge and the other cronies had practically fallen asleep from boredom. Suddenly, Daisy rubbed her eyes and looked around the room, as though she had just been awoken from a dream.

"It's wearing off, send in another one," Umbridge demanded, as Pansy grabbed hold of her.

"What's wearing off?" bellowed Daisy.

Before getting pushed out of the office, she saw Umbridge lean into Malfoy and say: "This vertaserum isn't very good. Must be out of date. She just told us her biggest secret, not the answer to what their secret meetings are about."

"Daisy, have you been crying?" Hermione gasped as Neville was dragged in for his interrogation.

"I don't know. I don't remember. I drank her tea and I don't remember what else happened."

"There must be something in her tea!" 

"Yeah, she said something about vertaserum."

Hermione gasped. "That's truth-telling serum!"

"Isn't that illegal?" asked Ron.

"Of course it is! But why would that stop her." Hermione climbed on the bench and clapped her hands and announced to the group that no one can drink the tea.

Meanwhile, Neville had just taken a sip of tea. He was consumed by a thick daze. 

"So, anything you'd like to tell me? Any secrets you have been keeping?"

"Yes, actually, it's about Daisy." Goyle gasped at this new titbit. " I'm so in love with her but I can't tell her-"

Umbridge swore bitterly. "Not you too! Send him out and get another one in!"

Pansy pushed the boy out of the office and he toppled to the ground in front of his friends. Daisy offered out her hand.

"Did you drink the tea?" she asked nervously. He nodded. 

"Looks like he's still being affected by it," Ron observed. 

"How do you know that?" Hermione said.

"You mentioned it once," Ron asked awkwardly.

The brunette shone with pride. "You listened to me?"

Daisy interrupted the moment. "So that means he tells the truth about anything?" She took hold of the boy's sleeve and dragged him away.

"Daisy, don't! This is really wrong of you!" Hermione yelled, but Daisy was blinded by the opportunity.

"Neville, what did Vivienne say? When she broke up with you? She said something to me about me winning you. What did she mean?"

"She said you'd won me. She was jealous of you and asked me if I was in love with you."

"And what did you say?"

"I said no but she could tell I was lying. And that's the real reason we broke up." With that, Neville rubbed his eyes. The vertiserum had worn off. The question of if he loved her was still left unanswered.