Muggle | 𝐹𝑟𝑒𝑑 𝑊𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑙𝑒𝑦

Chapter 79

I stared at her in horror, finding myself incapable of speaking as I sat there motionless, feeling my heart throbbing hard against my chest.

     "Well, Miss Hooper?" Umbridge smiled at me. "Are you up to cooperating?"

     I saw she was just about reach out for her wand as her eyes lingered on me, but both our heads turned when we heard the door to the hospital wing jerk open.

     Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle ran inside, panting as they reached Umbridge.

     "Mr. Malfoy," said Umbridge sharply. "I'm in the middle of someth —"

     "It's Potter, Professor!" Draco panted. "We think he's up to something."

     By the mention of his name, Umbridge's smile faded and she got to her  feet promptly. "What is it, Mr. Malfoy? What has Potter done?"

     "We think that he wants to get into your office," said Draco. "We heard that the Weasley girl is patrolling your corridor with her friends, starting a rumor that someone has let off a Garroting Gas there."

     "Mr. Crabbe, go and call out the rest of the Squad members with the help of Mr. Goyle and take them to my office," said Umbridge, walking hurriedly towards the door. "Mr. Malfoy, kindly lead Miss Hooper and follow me."

     Draco looked hesitant at first as he looked between me and Umbridge, but then he paced quickly towards me and grabbed my arm firmly in his hand and pulled me off the bed.

     I tried to shake my arm out of his grasp as we followed Umbridge out of the hospital wing, but he was holding onto it so tightly that I winced in pain as he dragged me along.

     By the time we had reached the corridor in which Umbridge's office was, the rest of the Inquisitorial Squad arrived and soon, they surrounded Ginny and Luna who were standing on watch out and grabbed onto them.

     Umbridge ran up towards her office and snapped the door open. Millicent Bulstrode grabbed Hermione forcefully as the rest of the Slytherins dragged Ginny, Ron, and Luna inside.

    Harry's head was still inside the fireplace, probably asking Kreacher where Sirius was.

     But just then, Umbridge paced forward and grabbed his hair and pulled him harshly, bending his neck roughly back that now he was facing the ceiling.

     "You think that you're smart, do you?" she whispered. "With whom have you been communicating?"

    "No one —"

     "LIAR!" she shouted and threw Harry from her and he slammed into the desk.

Horror stroke me and so I tried to break free from Draco's grip to do something, to help Harry.

     "Leave him alone!" I shrieked, trying to jerk away from him, an urge to punch Umbridge surging from within me as I stared at her with a hatred I'd never felt before.

But Draco took my other hand and pinned them both behind my back. He then leaned forward and snarled dangerously in my ear, "Be a good girl and stand still."

Umbridge then sent one of the Slytherins to fetch Snape and when he came, she asked him for some Veritaserum, which Snape informed her that he was fully out of them.

And just when he was about to walk out of the door, Harry shouted, "He's got Padfoot! He's got Padfoot at the place where it's hidden!"

     "Harry, that's a lie!" I yelled at him before I could stop myself, causing everyone's eyes to turn on me.

Snape had stopped with his hand on Umbridge's door handle.

"Padfoot?" Umbridge cried out, looking from Harry to Snape, ignoring me completely. "What is Padfoot? Where what is hidden? What does he mean, Snape?"

Snape looked around at Harry. "I have no idea," said Snape coldly. "Potter, when I want nonsense shouted at me I shall give you a Babbling Beverage." And with that, he left the office.

"Very well," said Umridge, pulling out her wand. "Very well... I am left with no alternative.... This is more than a matter of school discipline... This is an issue of Ministry security... Yes... yes... The Cruciatus Curse ought to loosen your tongue," said Umbridge quietly.

"No!" shrieked Hermione. "Professor Umbridge — it's illegal!"

Umbridge took no notice. There was a nasty, eager, excited look on her face as she raised her wand. "Cru—!"

"NO!" shouted Hermione. "No — Harry — Harry, we'll have to tell her!"

"No way!" yelled Harry.

"We'll have to, Harry, she'll force it out of you anyway, what's... what's the point...?"

"Well, well, well!" said Umbridge, looking triumphant. "Little Miss Question-All is going to give us some answers! Come on then, girl, come on!"

"He wanted to speak to Dumbledore." Everyone turned to stare at her, bewildered at the sudden lie.

"Dumbledore?" said Umbridge eagerly. "You know where Dumbledore is, then?"

"Well... no!" sobbed Hermione. "We've t-tried the Leaky Cauldron in Diagon Alley and the Three Broomsticks and even the Hog's Head —"

"Idiot girl, Dumbledore won't be sitting in a pub when the whole Ministry's looking for him!" shouted Umbridge, disappointment etched in every sagging line of her face.

"But — but we n-needed to tell him something important!" wailed Hermione, crying silently. "To t-tell him that his weapon is ready."

"Weapon?" Umbridge repeated. "What weapon?"

"We don't r-really understand it," said Hermione, sniffing loudly. "We j-just did what P-Professor Dumbledore told us t-to do . . ."

Umbridge straightened up, looking exultant. "Lead me to the weapon," she said.