PHANTOM FIGURES | harry potter

75. educational decree number twenty-four

     Aspen felt a strange sense of happiness that she hadn't experienced in a long time for the rest of the weekend. She spent much of Sunday working on her homework, and rather than sitting hunched over tables in the common room, she took her work outside and lounged in the shade of a large beech tree on the edge of the lake with Harry, Jasmine, Ron, and Hermione (who had already finished her work and brought knitting supplies).

     Aspen told them of her plan to host the Defence lessons in the Room of Requirement. She told them where it was located and how to enter.

     "Why did you not tell us this sooner?" Ron demanded, looking offended. He glanced sideways at Hermione's bewitched knitting needles that kept flashing and clicking in midair beside her, producing more hats and scarves.

     "It was just my little secret," Aspen said, shrugging slightly. "It was kinda fun having a hideaway place, but I'll give it up for the greater good."

     "How long have you known about this?" asked Hermione.

     "Since the Triwizard Tournament started," admitted Aspen.

     Harry turned to Jasmine, who obviously wasn't shocked at the news. "Why aren't you freaking out? You would be the first person to scream at information."

     "'Cause I knew about it, duh," Jasmine rolled her eyes.

     "How long have you known?" Hermione rounded on the Hufflepuff.

     "Erm - since the Yule Ball, I think," Jasmine scrunched her eyebrows together.

     "Absolute traitors," grumbled Ron.

     "Better to be told late than never," Aspen said apologetically, grinning.

     The knowledge that they were doing something to resist Umbridge at the Ministry, and that she was a key part of the rebellion, gave Aspen a feeling of immense satisfaction, but also extreme anxiety. She appreciated how all those people who came to the meeting on Saturday (maybe with the exception of Zacharias Smith) didn't think she was a lying weirdo, but someone to be admired, and this idea buoyed her so much that she was still cheerful on Monday morning, despite the imminent prospect of her least favourite class.

     She headed downstairs from her dormitory to discover a large sign affixed to the Ravenclaw notice board, so large that it covered everything else on there - the lists of second-hand spellbooks for sale, the regular reminders of school rules from Mr. Filch, the Quidditch team training schedule, the offers to barter certain Chocolate Frog cards for others, the Weasley's new advertisement, the dates of Hogsmeade weekends, and the lost-and-found notices. The new sign was printed in large black letters and there was a highly official-looking seal at the bottom beside a neat and curly signature.

BY ORDER OF

THE HIGH INQUISITOR OF HOGWARTS

All Student Organisations, Societies, Teams, Groups, and Clubs are henceforth disbanded.

Any Organisation, Society, Team, Group, or Club is hereby defined as a regular meeting of three or more students.

Permission to re-form may be sought from the High Inquisitor (Professor Umbridge).

No Student Organisation, Society, Team, Group, or Club may exist without the knowledge and approval of the High Inquisitor.