The Hidden One

room of requirement

"Umbridge has been reading your mail, Harry. There's no other explanation."

"You think Umbridge attacked Hedwig to read my mail?" Harry asked Hermione.

"Almost certain of it," Hermione said firmly with a nod.

"Harry, please stop letting your frog get away. I don't want to touch it," Rose pleaded. Harry had been distracted all Charms class, meaning that his frog had gotten away many times. Rose didn't have a problem looking at frogs, she just didn't want to touch them. Harry summoned the poor frog back into his hand.

"I've been suspecting this ever since Filch tried to catch you ordering dungbombs," Hermione whispered over the crowing of ravens and croaking frogs. "Once your letter had been read it would've been clear that you weren't ordering dungbombs. Such a feeble lie, right?"

"It's just a lie to read his mail," Rose gasped as she realized Hermione's hypothesis.

"Exactly," Hermione confirmed. "It's a perfect lie. Umbridge tips off Filch and then he comes and reads your mail and reports back to Umbridge. That way he does the dirty work for her."

"Harry, your frog is being squished," Rose sighed again. Harry sent her a sheepish smile and released his poor frog that he had been squeezing.

"It was a very close call...I wonder if Umbridge knows that," Hermione said before turning back to her frog. "Silencio!"

The frog immediately stopped croaking, somehow glaring at Hermione through his frog eyes.

"If she'd caught Snuffles..."

"He'd probably be back in Azkaban this morning," Harry sighed as he waved his wand. His frog blew up and let out a high pitch whistle.

"Silencio!" Hermione said as she pointed her wand at his frog, which deflated. "We just can't do it again. I don't know how we'll let him know. We can't send an owl."

"I don't think he'll risk it again," Ron spoke up. "He's not stupid. Silencio!"

The raven in front of Ron continued to caw loudly.

"It's the way you're moving your wand!" Hermione chastised as she turned to help Ron.

"I wonder why my mum wouldn't come see us. It's weird," Rose muttered to Harry while Ron continued to struggle.

"I don't know...that is weird," Harry agreed.

"Silencio," Rose muttered. The raven in front of her opened its mouth to caw, but nothing came out.

"Very good, Miss. Black, Miss. Granger!" Flitwick complimented as he walked over.  "Mr. Weasley, you try."

Ron stammered out a reply before attempting the spell again. He jabbed the frog so hard in the eye that it jumped off the table, croaking the whole time. Needless to say, Ron and Harry both got homework.

It was raining outside again, so the students all sat in an overcrowded classroom and started their homework. Harry barely had time to sit down when Angelina came barreling through the students to him.

"I've got permission!" Angelina said loudly. "To reform the quidditch team!"

"Excellent!" Ron and Harry said together. Rose pouted a little, knowing that she would have less time with Harry now that he would be playing quidditch again.

"Yeah, I went to Mcgonagall and I think she went to Dumbledore- anyways! I want you two down to the pitch tonight at 7 because we have to make up for lost time. The first match is only three weeks away!"