Marooned - Fred Weasley

Chapter 45: The Grand Exit

Fred and George quickly busied themselves with the setting up of the shop, Sarah and Selena dived back into the incessant studying for the NEWTs, Hermione and the boys for their OWLs. It was a stressing time, with mock exams happening left and right, the real ones approaching.

Umbridge must have felt it was enough, even for her, to torture them for more than a few months, detention for the DA had reached its limits around early April, just after the twins' birthday, it was almost ironic.

Sarah had a mandatory meeting with Umbridge and the other Head-Girls and Boys, where the malevolent headmistress instructed them on the new rules she'd set up, never letting them forget they had to obey to those impossibly moronic decrees she kept putting up around the walls.

She exchanged an uneasy look with Alexander, the Head-Boy from Gryffindor and others she knew well, the Head-Girl from Slytherin seemed to be alone in the nodding and agreeing, the Head-Boy was clearly resisting the urge to back away from this meeting.

Umbridge made Filch distribute parchments where all she told them was written, because why waste parchment or their time when she can do both.

And finally, after what felt like an eternity, she let them go, and they walked out of the Great Hall with their heads low, dispatching to their respective towers, Alexander threw a nonchalant arm around Sarah's shoulder and she questioned him quietly about his father on their way towards Gryffindor tower.

People had forgiven him after they'd heard the full story on why he had told Umbridge about the DA meetings, reminding everyone who the real enemy was.

Sarah walked into her dorm to find Selena and their other dorm-mates sitting onto one bed and gossiping, and she'd never been happier to see that. She took off her long robe, threw the rolled up parchment Umbridge distributed somewhere in the room, and crashed on Alicia's bed, begging them to tell her about whatever they were talking about, to take her mind off that alienating meeting she just attended.

_

Sarah was in the library when she heard Athena screech outside. She turned to the window and eyed carefully the woman surveilling the library. Letters weren't supposed to arrive anymore, but Athena didn't know that, and it can't be from Remus because he's been made aware of that.

Sarah got up discreetly and opened the window farthest away from the front desk.

"Here, girl," whispered Sarah, gesturing for Athena to come close and she dropped two letters in her hands, resumed to her screeching that Sarah shushed her for and Athena didn't make a sound after that, somehow understanding her and landed on the windowsill next to Sarah, and she started reading while she stroked her head gently. "What did you bring me, Athena?" whispered Sarah, turning the envelopes, seeing the seal from St Mungo's on one, and the name of the Healer she'd talked to last Christmas on the other.

Her heart stopped.

Getting a letter this early could only mean one thing for the Trainee program, she got in.

"Shoo, Athena, be careful, please," she whispered again and Athena flew away to the Owlery.

Sarah opened the first letter with the St Mungo's seal and her supposition had been right, she'd got in the Trainee program at the hospital.

What could the other letter be about? She tore apart the wax and read it, going through a multitude of different emotions in a short time space. She shook her head, not believing what written on this paper, and she quickly gathered her books and hurried out of the library.

She made her way up to the Astronomy tower. It was a Saturday, no one had class there. Most people were hanging around the courtyard or the common rooms.