A Little Help from a Snake // Tomarry

59: Caught Pink-Handed!

Reposted: December 27, 2021

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Summary: goodbye, Umbridge; hello, Tomarry time (because I have been seriously neglecting them, I apologize); there's a brief scene ft. Wolfstar/Severus as well

"Harry, Harry! Wake up!"

Harry jolted upward, blinking, and found himself staring into dark eyes.

"We overslept," Tom said. "Breakfast will be starting soon."

Harry looked at the elaborate clock that hung on the wall and swore. "Good thing, I suppose. We missed dinner."

"You better hurry, then." Tom moved back to give Harry room to stand.

"I'll see you later." Harry pecked him on the lips and grabbed his cloak before taking off.

He entered the Great Hall as a leisurely pace, not looking at all as if he had run from the Chamber to his dorm and back out again.

"Where the hell have you been?" Tracey demanded in a low voice as he began piling his plate with food, her eyes glimmering with relief despite her tone.

"Chamber. Overslept," Harry said in a low voice.

He glanced up at the High Table. Umbridge giving Remus a look of ill-disguised hatred as he spoke with McGonagall. She seemed to clear her throat, causing Remus to turn toward her. They exchanged a few words, then Umbridge raised her voice slightly. It wasn't loud enough to be heard over the chatter of the students, but judging by the looks of those that were closest, it hadn't been pleasant.

Remus looked taken aback. He said something to Umbridge, who said in a carrying voice for everyone to hear, "I will not listen to a filthy dark creature! It's a miracle you survived the dementors!" Her eyes bugged and she clapped her hands over her mouth.

"And what do you mean by that?" McGonagall said in an even tone that fooled no one.

"The dementors I sent over the summer, of course," Umbridge said, horror dawning as she realized she couldn't stop herself. "We needed to get rid of that vermin!"

Gasps rang out around them. Harry could see no one was happy with this.

Remus stared at her for a long moment as if he hadn't already known this. "That— that was you?"

"Yes!" Umbridge shrieked. "But clearly they failed."

"How unfortunate," McGonagall said. "But not as unfortunate as you when the Aurors arrive."

Fear overtook the anger on Umbridge's face. She began blabbering incoherently, looking around for the support she'd never get.

Madam Amelia Bones arrived, her face a stony mask. She had been firmly against Umbridge coming, knowing how much she loathed Remus, his position as a teacher, and the fact that practically everyone loved him. But Cornelius Fudge had insisted she would behave herself. Clearly, Madam Bones thought wryly, she hadn't.

"I don't think this is necessary," Umbridge rambled as she was dragged down from the High Table. "Really, I hadn't done anything—"

A Silencio was thrown her way, cutting off her words. Students began cheering as she disappeared through the doors.

"I don't believe anyone will be able to concentrate today," McGonagall noted. "Classes should be canceled for the day."

"Yes, I believe that's a good idea," Dumbledore agreed, his eyes shadowed.