Return of the Stag :: Book One #wattys2016

Chapter 14 - The Ministry pt. 1

EDITED

Of course, the plan failed. Umbridge didn't believe Ron and the inquisitorial squad caught them, dragging the three, Ginny, Luna and Ron, into Umbridge's office, while she sot to tie Harry to a chair and question him. "Where is he? Where is he?!" She demanded of Harry. "Who?" He asked bewildered. "Dumbledore! You were contacting him! Where is he?" "I don't know. I wasn't talking with hi-" he was cut off by her hand connecting with his cheek. "Don't lie to me, Potter." She snapped. "Draco, go and fetch professor Snape for me. And tell him to bring a bottle of vertiserum." She said. Harry paled, and he could tell his friends were worried too. His eyes followed Draco out of the room, as the grinning boy walked away. The room fell into an uneasy silence as they waited for Draco to return. It seemed like hours but in reality, it was only five minutes. Draco walked in, Snape trailing behind him, empty-handed. "Professor Umbridge. You called for me?" He asked, his voice full of disgust. "Yes. Do you have the vertiserum?" Severus sighs with a shake of his head. "No. I am all out, seeing as you used the last of it on Miss Chang." He said. "Unless you wish to poison him, and I assure you I would have the greatest of sympathy if you did; I can not help you." He said before turning to leave. "He's got Padfoot. He's got Padfoot at the place where it's hidden." Harry blurts out hoping Snape would know what he meant. "Padfoot? What is Padfoot? Where what is hidden? What is he talking about, Snape?" Umbridge blunders looking between Harry and Snape. "No idea." He says before sweeping away quickly. "Very well. 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." Umbridge says slowly turning to face Harry after pacing away from him. "That's illegal," Hermione says attempting to pull away from the Slytherin holding her. "What Cornelius doesn't know won't hurt him," Umbridge responds to Hermione, settings the picture of the minister face down. "Tell her, Harry!" Hermione shouts. "Tell me what?" "Well, if you won't tell her where it is...I will." "Where what is?" "Dumbledore's secret weapon."

Umbridge forces Hermione and Harry to show her to where the secret weapon was, leading her deep into the forbidden forest. "How much further?" "Not far. It had to be somewhere students wouldn't find it accidentally." Hermione replies nervously as she led the other two into the forest towards where Hagrid kept Grawp. "What are you doing?" Harry hisses at her, staying close behind. "Improvising." "Well? Where is this weapon? There isn't one, is there? You were trying to trick me. You know...I hate children." She says as the heard of Centaurs appear, bows loaded to fire at the group. "You have no business here, centaur. This is a Ministry matter. Lower your weapons." She threatens them, holding her wand in front of her, but standing behind Harry and Hermione. "I warn you, under the law, as creatures of near-human intelligence..." She says before one fires an arrow at them, Harry and Hermione ducking, Umbridge waving her wand and creating a shield. "Protego. How dare you? Filthy half-breed. Incarcerous." She fires rope at the Centaur, the rope wrapping around its neck and causing it to start choking. It falls down the hill it was standing on, coming to a stop at the base, Hermione rushing to its side and dropping to her knees, trying to pull the rope away from its neck. "Please. Please stop it. Please." She begs Umbridge. "Now, enough. I will have order. You filthy animal. Do you know who I am?" "Leave him alone. It's not his fault."

Grawp intervened, lifting Umbridge up by the collar of her pink jacket. She lets out a scream demanding he set her down. The centaurs fire arrows at Grawp and Umbridge, one arrow lodging itself in Grawp's arm. "No, he doesn't understand!" Hermione shouts, Harry, pulling her back from the danger of getting trampled. Grawp breaks off what of the arrow is sticking out, dropping Umbridge into the centre of the herd of Centaurs. They circle around her, umbrage trying to get away from them. "Potter, do something. Tell them I mean no harm." She cries as they lift her off the ground. "I'm sorry, professor. But I must not tell lies." Harry says watching them. "What are you doing? I am Senior Undersecretary Dolores Jane Umbridge. Let me go!" Umbridge screams as the Centaurs carry her away into the forest. "Thank you, Grawp." Hermione says before Harry starts to pull her away. "Hermione. Hermione, Sirius." He says and they run back through the forest. They cross the bridge connecting grounds and castle, stopping halfway, being met by the other four.