October 7 1995
Harry felt happier for the rest of the weekend than he had done all term. He and Ron spent much of Sunday catching up with all their homework again, and although this could hardly be called fun, the last burst of autumn sunshine persisted, so rather than sitting hunched over tables in the common room they took their work outside and lounged in the shade of a large beech tree on the edge of the lake.
Harry and Ron headed downstairs from their dormitory on Monday, still in a mightily good mood despite the prospect of having all their least favourite classes in one day today.
It wasn't until they were halfway across the sunlit common room that they noticed the addition to the room that had already attracted the attention of a small group of people.
Aurora, Elizabeth and Victoria were standing a few feet away from the crowd, glaring at the board and talking quietly among themselves.
This got Harry curious. He made his way to the front and saw that a large sign had been affixed to the Gryffindor noticeboard, so large it covered everything else on it - the lists of second-hand spellbooks for sale, the regular reminders of school rules from Argus Filch, the Quidditch team training timetable, the offers to barter certain Chocolate Frog Cards for others, the Weasley's latest advertisement fot testers, the dates of the 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.
An 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.
Any student found to have formed, or to belong to, an organisation, society, team, group, or club that has not been approved by the High Inquisitor will be expelled.
The above is in accordance with Educational Decree Number Twenty-four.
Signed:
Dolores Jane Umbridge,
High Inquisitor
"Does this mean they're going to shut down the Gobstones Club?" An anxious-looking second-year asked his friend.
"I reckon you'll be OK with Gobstones," Ron said darkly, making the second-year jump. "I don't think we're going to be as lucky, though, do you?" He asked Harry as the second-years hurried away.
Harry was reading the notice through again. The happiness that had filled him since Saturday was gone. His insides were pulsing with rage. "This isn't a coincidence," he said, his hands forming fists. "She knows."
"She can't." Said Ron at once.
"There were people listening in the pub. And let's face it, we don't know how many of the people who turned up we can trust...any of them could have run off and told Umbridge..."
And Harry had thought they believed him, thought they even admired him...
"Zacharias Smith!" Said Ron at once, punching a fist into his hand. "Or - I thought that Michael Corner had a really shifty look, too-"
YOU ARE READING
The Princess of Light
同人小說Death's supposed to be final. But a true Black doesn't bow down to any rule, not even that one. Aurora was rescued from dying, caught by her mother, by magic, by a golden glow cast by an angel. Finally back, things have drastically changed. Lord Vol...
