If This Isn't Love (Fred Weasley Sequel)

Chapter 14 | High Inquisitor

Tuesday, September 26

Hermione and I have decided that since there's always a party on Halloween, we should try to get McLaggen to drink the potion then. That will be more than a month from now, which is bearable. We can wait.

That means we can have a break from trouble.

It's been so intense lately, that I'm ready for a break. After we poison McLaggen, I think I just want to lay off from all this mayhem.

The scar on my hand is healing quicker every day. It's almost unnoticeable. Thanks to Snape's every day dose of pain relief and drowsiness, it hasn't bothered me one bit. Though, since it's been healing so much, tonight is the last night I get the potion.

At least he still allows me to come in and clean his cauldrons. A few days ago, he let me sort out some bottles of potions from A-G. Tonight it'll be from H-P. I think I can handle it.

I decided to tell the one person I trust the most about this: Hermione. She agreed that it was weird for a Gryffindor, but she could accept it. Of course. Hermione is one of the most caring people I know.

Of course, the twins are too. I'm lucky that I became friends with them so quickly.

Even right now, as they walk with me to Umbridge's class, they're being nice. Today, they don't have DADA. They just walk me to this class every time I have it.

Umbridge isn't too intense today. Of course, her class is boring, but everyone does their share of the work respectably.

At least after Umbridge, I have lunch and then a free period. After that is Muggle Studies, which I'm excellent in. Tuesday's afternoon classes may be my favorite.

Followed by Monday's afternoon classes, because I have Potions and Muggle Studies.

The twins find me in the Great Hall, a sour look on their faces.

"What happened?" I ask.

"Snape deducted points." Fred scowls and takes a seat next to me.

"Well, what did you do?" I already know Snape wouldn't have taken away points for nothing. Like I've said before, sometimes he's fair.

"He caught us with an airplane. A paper. Airplane." George sits on Fred's left. I teasingly toss a piece of broccoli his way.

"How many times did he tell you two to knock it off?" Angelina asks. She's in their Potions class and she most likely witnessed all of it.

Fred and George, who's filling up his mouth with garlic rolls, look at each other. "Only a couple of times," they say.

Angelina and I share an exasperated look and continue to eat. As always, we eat decently and use our manners while the boys gobble everything up.

Honestly, I'm used to it by now.

~~~~
The Divination teacher, Trelawney, is out in the courtyard, shaking from her tears. Since Umbridge has been appointed High Inquisitor...

She has the right to dismiss any unsatisfactory teachers.

I don't like the class, and I don't like the teacher, but Trelawney deserves some respect. Throwing her out of Hogwarts when she's been teaching for so long is just wrong.

I may have been highly pissed at Umbridge for just being straight up annoying and pissy, but now I'm genuinely frightened.

If she can kick out teachers like this now, what's going to happen in a few months?

Surely, she won't be content with just this. Especially since she keeps adding these "Educational Decrees." The Ministry sure is a bitch these days. And Umbridge is no exception.

Not that I know much about the Ministry.

Lavender and Padma are crying, but they don't do anything. They can't, anyway. Not a lot of people can really stand up to Umbridge and get away with it.

That's why I'm glad when McGonagall tries to stop her. Not because she failed, but because Dumbledore comes out a few seconds afterwards.

He tells McGonagall to help Trelawney unpack. Umbridge questions him about it.

"You have the right to dismiss my teachers as you see fit," Dumbledore announces. "But you don't have the right to banish them from the grounds. That power remains with the Headmaster."

"For now," Umbridge threatens. She leaves the quart yard with a bright smile.

Dumbledore leaves as well and shouts to us, "Don't you all have studying to do?"

I grab Fred's hand and and we leave.

"How can she do that?" I ask while we walk around the school.

He shrugs. "What a git."

"She's so awful," I continue, frowning. "Someone needs to stop her."

In response, Fred grabs my hand again and kisses it, as he usually does. "I won't let her do anything to you."

I smiles at the gesture. "You're very sweet."

After that, we get back to the common room. I have to study for an Astronomy test on Thursday, so I do that while Fred sits criss cross on the floor next to me.

Hermione bursts in the door with a sour face and comes next to us. "We have got to do something about this."

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Published 5-9-20