Coup de Foudre [Fred Weasley] [7]

⚡️ Chapter 17 ⚡️

Vega remained quiet as she stood next to Umbridge, who was busy talking to her companion. She glanced over at the toad-like woman, noticing the chain around her neck, and she narrowed her eyes at the locket that sat at the end of it – it was just what they were looking for, the locket that belonged to Salazar Slytherin. It was just right there, within grasp.

"Everything alright, dear?" Umbridge asked suddenly, her sickly smile present on her lips, as the lift continued move down the floors. Vega smiled cloyingly in response.

"Yes, of course," Vega confirmed normally. "May I ask who we are hearing today?"

Umbridge's smile widened as if she was excited to talk about the ten people they would be possibly be sending to Azkaban. And Vega felt sickened as she listened Umbridge list them off. But Vega's mind was in another place. Salazar Slytherin's locket.

It was sitting mere inches from her fingers. Vega wanted to get it as soon as possible, and she was only relieved that she had not taken the Polyjuice Potion. She glanced around – was there any possibility of hr overtaking Umbridge and the two men? Vega was certain that she could. But what if the lift opened up to more people and she was caught?

Before Vega could think about it any longer, the cool voice overhead spoke up again, the disembodied feminine voice ringing out –

"Level nine –
Department of Mysteries,
Wizengamot Court Chambers,"

There were some individuals there, who stepped aside as Vega, Umbridge and the two wizards piled out of the lift just as the grilles moved away. Vega found herself in a very familiar place. She was standing straight at the door towards the Department of Mysteries.

But instead of heading there, they turned around to the left-hand side door, which opened onto the flight of stairs down to the court chambers. An unnatural chill overtook Vega's senses, telling her to turn back but she continued to walk next to Umbridge and the two wizards. It was becoming colder and colder with every step she took; a cold that reached right down her throat and tore at her lungs. It was then that it dawned upon Vega what this was.

Dementors...
There are Dementors here...

"Expecto Patronum!" Umbridge said, taking out a new short wand, and Vega raised her eyebrows as she turned to look at the sickly woman next to her and her wand.

From it, a large silver cat emerged onto the floor, prancing around. Vega did not say or do anything as her Patronus would give her away. Her insides were swimming with the sense of despair and hopelessness that lingered in the corridors and inside her own heart.

And as she reached the foot of the stairs and turned to her right, Vega saw a dreadful scene.

The dark passage outside the courtrooms was packed with tall, black-hooded figures, their faces completely hidden, their ragged breathing the only sound in the place. They all moved away from Umbridge's Patronus and let them through.

But Vega's eyes were on the humans.

All the petrified Muggle-Borns brought in for questioning sat huddled and shivering on hard wooden benches. Most of them were hiding their faces in their hands, perhaps in an instinctive attempt to shield themselves from the dementors' greedy mouths.

Some were accompanied by families, others sat alone. Vega bit her lower lip, a horrible feeling ripping through her body, but she could do nothing but try and send them feeble assuring smiles. She felt like it was much more horrible to try and assure them in this situation.

Dementors were gliding up and down in front of them, and the cold, and the hopelessness, and the despair of the place laid themselves upon Vega like a curse. She would've liked to cast her own Patronus to leave it with them but Umbridge would recognise her at once.