𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐬 | l. lovegood

xix

"𝐂𝐀𝐔𝐆𝐇𝐓 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐎𝐍𝐄 𝐓𝐑𝐘𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐓𝐎 𝐇𝐄𝐋𝐏 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐓𝐎𝐍𝐊𝐒 𝐆𝐈𝐑𝐋."

Umbridge had alerted the Inquisitorial Squad that someone had entered her office. She had extra defenses set up to notify her if her office was broken into after those nifflers had been placed in it.

Neville had come to see what Luna and Dorothea were doing, not knowing that he had showed up at the wrong time. When he saw one of the Slytherins capture Luna, he tried to help Dorothea escape, only to get them both caught by Draco and Pansy.

Dorothea tried to break away from Pansy's grip on her arms, but the older girl only held onto her tighter.

"Stop squirming, mutt," she snarled.

"It hurts." Dorothea struggled harder. "I-I don't like being touched."

"Stop being a baby and shut up," Pansy hissed as she tightened her hold even more, her nails digging into the younger girl's skin.

"You were going to Dumbledore, weren't you?" Umbridge asked Harry, who was sitting in a chair in front of her in her office.

"No," Harry answered truthfully.

"Liar." Umbridge slapped him across the face. Dorothea gasped, her eyes widening with horror as she exchanged a look with Neville beside her.

"You sent for me, headmistress?" Snape questioned as he appeared in the doorway. He noticed the group of teens and frowned.

"Snape, yes." Umbridge straightened her posture and turned to face him. "The time has come for answers whether he wants to give them to me or not. Have you brought the Veritaserum?"

"I'm afraid you've used up all my stores interrogating students, the last of it on Miss Chang," Snape said. "Unless you wish to poison him, and I assure you, I would have the greatest sympathy if you did...I cannot help you." He turned to leave Umbridge's office.

"He's got Padfoot!" Harry called out desperately. Snape paused and turned around. "He...He's got Padfoot at the place where it's hidden."

"Padfoot?" Umbridge frowned. "What is Padfoot? Where what is hidden? What is he talking about, Snape?"

If Snape knew what Harry was talking about, he was very good at hiding it. He shrugged his shoulders lightly and shook his head. "No idea."

"Very well," Umbridge said as Snape left. She paced a few steps, contemplating her next move. "You give me no choice, Potter. As this is an issue of Ministry security, you leave me with...no alternative. The Cruciatus Curse ought to loosen your tongue."

"That's illegal," Hermione said, her voice shaking. Dorothea tensed at the mention of the curse. She briefly glanced over at Neville, who gulped.

"What Cornelius doesn't know won't hurt him." Umbridge flipped the picture of the Minister face-down on her desk.

Dorothea took a deep breath and imagined Umbridge's wand flying out of her hand. She had to do something to keep Harry from getting hurt. She focused on moving the wand, which began to shake slightly in the woman's hands. However, her grip was so tight that it couldn't move a lot.

"Tell her, Harry!" Hermione suddenly cried out. Umbridge's head whipped in her direction, her grip on her wand loosening enough for Dorothea to get it to fall out of her hand and onto the ground.

"Tell me what?" Umbridge asked, scowling as she bent down to pick up her wand, unsure of how she dropped it.

"Well, if you won't tell her where it is...I will."