Chapter 34: Chapter 34. Prophets and prophecies.
I was finally able to finish my transfiguration work. As long as Dumbledore was in power, I had to hurry. The opportunity to obtain the title of master should not be missed - so I decided. Submitted my work to the director for a review. There was no doubt in my work, if when writing a diploma for enchantment my mistakes and shortcomings were corrected by Flitwick, then when writing a diploma for potions I already understood well what should be paid attention to and how to write.
Yes, I will become a master, the greenest master in the history of the ministry. My head was not dizzy with prospects and achievements, the vampire knocked the crap out of me. There are masters among the devourers. Nott, Travers and Dolokhov are the masters of enchantments, besides them there is Bellatrix, who will not yield to the master in the fight, one cannot write off Snape, who is a master of potions, but claims to be a master of enchantments. He seems to be on the side of Dumbledore, but at any moment he can be on the side of the winner. Yaxley is also a master, but not enchantment, and ritualism is a very rare skill in modern times. Voldemort himself did not receive any official title of master, but in absentia he can be considered a senior master. A collision with someone from the inner circle or the Dark Lord will not be easy.
The call to the Order of the Phoenix meeting came to me with Dumbledore's patronus in the form of a phoenix. I was asked to be at Place Grimmauld at 12:00 am. Sirius, who was the guardian of fidelius, had already initiated me into the secret earlier. Dumbledore took care in advance to bring Sirius back under his influence, I confess I contributed a lot to this by giving the cage with the "rat" to the director. Dumbledore was already planning to turn Grimmo 12 into the headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix. Immediately after the imposition of fidelius, Sirius initiated the secret of both me and Anrietta.
There was no concern about possible assignments from Dumbledore. They won't send me to kill Voldemort, will they? Moreover, Dumbledore believed in the prophecy and the main role of Henrietta.
The defenses of House Grimmauld 12 let me in with a scan. All the same corridor-hallway, trash can for umbrellas, gloomy dark color of walls, stairs up.
The members of the order gathered in the kitchen, everyone was familiar to me. Lupine and Snape were professors at Hogwarts. Molly and Arthur Weasley practically did not differ from their film images. Mundungus looked different, but it would have been easy to identify him by his habits. His gaze slid, seemingly without clinging to anything, relaxed and easy, but an experienced person could see that he professionally notes the most valuable and liquid things. I knew everyone, if not personally, then from Dumbledore's memory.
Sirius brought me up to date: - Anrietta was attacked by the Dementors. She used a Patronus to defend herself. Now she faces a Wizengamot trial. Fudge is thus trying to put pressure on Dumbledore.
"You will travel with the escort to Little Winging," Lupine said, "to escort Henrietta Potter here. Alastor Moody and Kingsley Breastwork are to arrive in the evening with several other members of the order.
Having asked if I had a broom, they sent me to rest until the evening.
It was already clear to me that in the absence of Dumbledore, anarchy reigns in the Order, orders and orders were given by everything and everyone. My persona did not belong to any group in the Order, although nominally I could be enrolled in Sirius's wards, but the "order" was given to me by Lupine. It is clear that all this is Dumbledore's plan, but no one introduced me to the hierarchy, no one appointed a direct superior, everything was so simple, family-like.
It turned out that the entire Weasley family is here in the house of Sirius. The makeweight was Hermione Granger, whom Molly had already accepted as a family member. After talking with the younger generation, I spent time with interest. Ginevra and Ron were not interesting to me, but there were common themes with the twins and Granger.
In the evening, Moody and Breastwork showed up, along with Nymphadora Tonks, Dedalus Dingle and Emmeline Vance. All of these wizards made up the escort group that Moody recruited. Dumbledore himself signed up to accompany me in order to somehow involve in the activities of the order.
"I know you," Tonks said instead of greeting. - We went to Hogwarts at the same time. For the third year you were sent to France at Beauxbatons.
"Arrakis Black," I introduced myself. - Champion and winner of the Three Wise Tournament, master of spells and master of potions.
"Wow," Tonks said in admiration, spreading her arms, but the irony was impossible not to notice. - When managed?
"My spell teacher was Filius Flitwick, and my Potions teacher was Master Snape," he nodded at the Potions professor who was in the kitchen.
My answer did not fit in with Nymphadora's joking tone, and the mention of Snape, in general, unsettled. At one time, she was tortured in potions with this professor. Perhaps she would have continued to pester me with questions and tips anyway, but it was time to go to work.
"Stop fooling around, Nymphadora," Moody reined in the girl.
"Don't call me Nymphadora," Tonks snapped.
- Pull yourself together, trainee, - finished the verbal skirmish Moody, - being silly on a mission can cost us dearly.
After careful instruction on the rules of escorting, each was assigned a place in the formation, and I was appointed as the rearmost. We started straight from the doorstep of Grimmauld 12. The Anti-Muggle Charm worked perfectly, no one paid any attention to us.
Fly to Little Winging and we are outside the Dursleys' house. No one but Potter herself was at home. Alastor decided to arrange another check for the trainee, gave Tonks an assignment to break into the house. Nymphadora checked the area for protective and tracking charms and opened the front door with alohomora. Climbing up to the second floor, she carefully began to unlock the door to Potter's room, locked from the inside. Potter greeted us with her wand at the ready.
- Professor Moody? - the heroine was surprised. - What are you doing here?
- We save you, of course, - the old Auror declared from the doorway. "We're here to escort you to safety.
- Where are we going? I was expelled from Hogwarts! - In the emotions of Henrietta, there was both reproach (Where you were) and hope (All is not lost yet).
"You haven't been expelled yet," Moody dismissed the questions as he walked. "Kingsley, explain to her.
"Dumbledore convinced the minister to postpone your expulsion until a formal hearing," Breastwork issued authoritatively.
"Don't worry, Henrietta," reassured the heroine of Nymphadora, "we'll explain everything to you at the headquarters.
"Shh… Not here, Nymphadora," Moody interrupted her.
"Don't call me Nymphadora," Tonks snapped.
"We're flying in strict order," Moody said without listening to Tonks. - Even if someone is killed, do not disturb the formation. Potter, you're in the center.
Our departure from the Dursleys' house was watched by the old woman Figg, who was staring at us from the window of her house. On the way to London, despite all Moody's fears, no one attacked us. The time for Voldemort's active actions had not yet come, while he was gathering strength and hiding from detection. Lucius Malfoy provided the necessary attitude of the ministry and the minister himself.
Potter liked to fly, even now, forced to observe the formation, she glowed with happiness, a smile never left her lips. She would gladly ride on a broomstick, performing all sorts of tricks and maneuvers, but we had a specific goal, and the entertainment was not at the right time.
As soon as they arrived, Molly Weasley took Henrietta into circulation from the doorway:
- You have lost weight ... With lunch you will have to wait until the end of the meeting ... Upstairs - the first door on the left ... Tra-ta-ta-ta-ta ...
The meeting was full of verbiage. I didn't expect anything else, as soon as I learned that Dumbledore wasn't, and would not be at the meeting today. Sirius got excited and demanded action, but he could not offer anything concrete. Molly Weasleys, who spoke for herself, and for Arthur, and for all the Weasleys combined, urged the congregation to act prudently and put safety first, to summarize her words. The rest spoke out cautiously, supporting one of the two sides, or preferred to remain silent, as I did.
The roles of most of the members of the order have already been defined. The old guard, which did not have any vivid fighting qualities and position, became an observation detachment. Kingsley Breastwork, Alastor Moody and Nymphadora Tonks became the power acting part of the Order of the Phoenix, as Aurors they could operate quite legally and freely. The rest provided material resources, support and reserves. I don't mention Snape, he has his own special role.
Sirius may have been supported by the majority in one way or another, but the reasonableness of Molly's arguments could not be denied. What exactly should have been done? Introduce reinforced patrols, check and search the homes of pureblood wizards who have ever been suspected of aiding the Dark Lord, and establish surveillance of such wizards. It would be nice to voluntarily and forcibly oblige all suspected complicity and "former" death eaters to take an oath of abdication, but this is from the realm of fantasy. It would be necessary to organize a search for the Dark Lord, determine the alleged places of his hiding place, establish observation posts there. All these measures could not stop the Dark Lord, but they would greatly complicate his life, delay the execution of plans. But, according to Molly's fair opinion, all these measures are hardly feasible and, in general, illegal, while the ministry publicly and in fact denies the revival of Voldemort. Even simple surveillance is illegal and you can complain about it. And there are not enough people in the Order to keep an eye on even the most suspicious.
I was sent upstairs to call the children for dinner. Now, English conventions, it's kind of like dinner time, and they call this meal lunch. First I went into the twins' room, and Ginevra was also there. Having warned about the end of the meeting of the order, he sent them to the kitchen. Entering the next room, he interrupted some heated discussion between Potter, Granger and Ron Weasley.
- What did you discuss there? Potter asked to fill the awkward pause.
"Sirius insists on action," I replied, as if by the way, "but as Molly Weasley says, given the current position of the Ministry, we can hardly do anything, we are tied hand and foot. Only Breastwork, Tonks and Moody, as Aurors, can do something.
- The Ministry is not going to do anything? Granger protested.
- Hermione, can I call you that? - I clarified and, having received permission, continued: - Have you seen what they write in the newspapers? The Minister does not believe in the revival of the Dark Lord and is campaigning in the press against Henrietta and the director. At Hogwarts, when we were interviewed after the Dark Lord was revived, I tried to make the right impression in retelling those events, but I did not succeed.
Potter walked into the middle of the room, looked down at the floor, drooping her head. Running her fingers through her hair, she ruffled them with her usual gesture, stood there for a couple of moments, and then, stretching out her hand forward with outstretched fingers, spoke in a voice that was not her own, clearly imitating someone:
- He took off from the cauldron in a fetal position, but after a few seconds he straightened up. Darkness enveloped him, creating a robe that covered his naked body.
After a moment, Potter grabbed the pillow I threw at her and, smiling, finished speaking: - You impressed the Aurors, and even Dumbledore was impressed. It's not your fault that the minister doesn't want to believe in the revival of Voldemort.
Granger and Weasley laughed, and Henrietta cheered them on.
- Why did I come in, - translated the topic, - everyone is called down to eat.
It's funny, they find it funny, but I noticed that Ron was very nervous when Anrietta began her speech, unlike Hermione, who simply did not immediately understand what was happening. Purebreds almost everyone will have a similar reaction to Ron. Henriette was wrong when she said that Fudge was not impressed by my passage. Fudge was very scared. The fact is that the prophets express their visions in a similar manner. Even a not very pure attempt at imitation will have some effect.
I have a peculiar problem with Potter. The image that I tried to build initially did not suit me now. I was too much like Sirius, so no matter how hard I try, my image will be associated with Sirius, not Dumbledore. There were some advantages to these changes, if I had to try to "screw" the image of Dumbledore, then "Sirius" turned out by itself. Potter had already begun to feel very free with me, although we rarely spoke.
At lunch and dinner, the meeting of the Order continued in a different format. Several members of the order left the Sirius home, but discussions on real matters have just begun. The discussion was now not on how to counter Voldemort, but on Henrietta's case. Tonks entertained Ginevra Weasley by demonstrating her metamorphic ability. Ron was gorging himself. Breastwork was frankly bored, and Moody was present simply as a senior.
"Why did the Ministry of Magic turn against me? - I heard the question Potter, which she asked Lupine.
Moody told him to show Henriette the newspaper. Henrietta did not have time to read anything except the headings, but that was enough to understand the situation. Sirius entered the conversation.
- The Minister attacks Dumbledore. Declares that everything is fine, uses all his power and puts pressure on the "Daily Prophet", shames everyone who says that the Dark Lord is back. Why?
"Fudge thinks Dumbledore is aiming at his place," Lupine added.
"Nonsense," said Potter, "Dumbledore will never ... Nobody would believe it.
"You're right," Lupine smiled, raising his finger significantly, "Fudge is just out of his mind, he's completely mad with fear. He would do anything to hide the truth.
"We think," Sirius intercepted the conversation, "that Voldemort wants to reassemble his army. Fourteen years ago, he summoned to his side not only many witches and wizards, but also many vile creatures. He gathers supporters, we do the same. But gathering supporters is not the only thing he does. We believe that he is pursuing some goal.
"Sirius," Black Moody tried to pull back.
"He didn't get it last time," Sirius continued, oblivious to the interference.
"What is it," Potter asked naively. "Is he looking for any weapon?"
Sirius was about to answer, but Molly intervened more decisively than Moody.
- Enough. She is still a child. Right now, accept as a member of the order.
"I want to join," Potter said. - I will fight the army of Voldemort.
But Sirius didn't go through with it.
That night I stayed at Sirius' house, intending in the morning, when Sirius and Arthur accompanied Henrietta to the ministry, to return to my forest home. I had to decide with Megan whether she would stay with me or return home. After the imposition of fidelius, the house became a completely safe place. The food would be enough for a couple of months. I only needed to warn her about my, possibly, prolonged absence and provide her with a portkey. It is difficult to get out of that wilderness in another way.
When we went upstairs, Potter sat on me:
"Arrakis, you probably know what Sirius wanted to say before Molly interrupted him.
- Of course I know, - did not deny, - he is looking for you.
All these games with omissions and allegories seemed to me nonsense, so I didn't see the point of going around and around.
- Why is he looking for me?
- To kill, of course, - smiled, showing that the question is not worth a damn. - You will find out soon anyway, so I see no reason to be silent. You and Voldemort are bound by a prophecy. I do not know the text of the prophecy, - I lied, - but the essence is this: you are the chosen one, and you are dangerous for him. He has previously tried to kill you and failed. Now he wants to remove the obstacle that stopped him. But now you need to think not about this, - I cut off a possible stream of new questions. "Your case will be heard tomorrow. Try to stay calm no matter what happens.
- What could happen?
"Lupine described everything quite accurately," I smiled. "He just didn't mention that the Dementors are under the Ministry. Someone sent them to attack you. In general, all this nonsense around you is very strange. What prevents the same Voldemort from finding you?
- Maternal protection, - Anrietta looked uncertainly into my eyes.
"The protection was put on you, not on the house or the area, and, as you can see, it is not an obstacle for Dementors and owls.
- What then?
- Voldemort is afraid of you, - answered a little out of place. - Or rather not you, but prophecies. Some prophecies are very powerful, usually the stronger the beings the prophecy touches, the stronger they are. You can load a revolver and point it at a person protected by this power. Pulling the trigger six times will get six misfires. Then you will want to look into the barrel and press it again. This is how this protection works.
- Am I invulnerable? - Anrietta asked uncomprehendingly.
"Not at all," I said. "But until Voldemort finds out the exact text of the prophecy, he will be wary of attacking you, well, I think so.
- Who knows this text? Hermione asked.
"Good question," he praised her, "but I think I can't tell you about everyone. Your mind is not protected. Anyone can take this knowledge from your heads. If I tell you, I can put someone in jeopardy.
"Tell me who you can about," Ron suggested.
- The first one is the prophet himself, I will not say his name, - having said, I understood what Trelawney could be hiding from. But already at the interview with Dumbledore, she began to play the role of an ugly old woman. In advance? It happens to prophets.
"The second person to hear the full prophecy is Headmaster Dumbledore. I won't tell you about the others, but a copy of the prophecy is kept in the Department of Secrets. A copy of the prophecy can only be read by the person concerned. That's it, it's time to sleep, - I finished the conversation and went to my room. I was supposed to have Ron in my roommates, but he lingered for a while in the women's bedroom, discussing new information.
I also had something to think about before going to bed. My aspirations to legalize home ownership in the forest were of little use. For a long time already it was necessary to finish viewing the memory of Dumbledore, then I would have mastered not only his knowledge of magic, but also would have seen some changes in the laws and rules of voting. I won't say that the changes are unfair, but they took away a small piece of power from the old purebred families. Now it was no longer possible to vote from the elected part of the Wizengamot and from the lords, the vote for land ownership was also not counted. Voting took place only in person, one wizard present - one vote. The additional vote of the lord for the ownership of land was taken into account only at the full meeting of wizards - this, for example, decisions on the level of adoption of the Statute of Secrecy. Therefore, we can say that the additional vote does not give anything but honor.
In the morning, when Potter and company left for the Ministry, I returned to my home in the woods. Megan didn't miss me too much. The ability to conjure without restrictions has not yet become boring to her. After talking about this and that, he made two portkeys for Murphy and returned to Grimmauld. The Sirius house was still full of strangers.
With Sirius, I already understood everything by the fact that Potter was still placed with the Dursleys for education. There could be no protection on that house, as I said. The point in her stay with the Dursleys is only in the educational effect. The fact that Sirius, in spite of my warning and persuasion, still "cleaned up" in the house - also goes into the piggy bank of claims. The last stone was what I saw in the house on Grimmauld 12 - the fact that Molly Weasley practically commanded here, shouted at Sirius, put things in order. This creeping tank practically ruled here.
Mordred with the Horcrux and the new order, but most importantly, I saw that Sirius did not take me seriously, it would not be possible to agree with him about anything. Rather, he will agree with my arguments and say yes, but he will act in his own way, as the moment turns up.
Dumbledore made me head of the school, as I learned from reading his letter. I did not feel joy about this. Umbridge will be at Hogwarts, and therefore her orders. I don't give a damn about her and her order - I can, but there will be friction.
Henriette and Sirius returned. Potter was acquitted. Sirius described in detail how the hearing took place. Before they even started, they met Fudge in one of the corridors of the ministry. The Minister was talking to Malfoy about something. Lucius insisted on some "correct understanding," and Fudge agreed. The meeting itself was postponed three hours earlier, forgetting to notify Dumbledore about it. But, the insidious plan of the minister, to prevent the director from attending the hearing, failed. Dumbledore, most likely, suspected of possible mischief on the part of the minister, so he arrived much earlier than the deadline, and upon learning that the hearing was postponed, he hastened to fulfill his duty as a defender.
Fudge himself presided over the hearing. Dolores Umbridge took a position of accusation, tried to turn the hearing into a talking shop, as a result of which it would be clear that Potter's guilt is obvious, and the altercations stem from the desire of the director of Hogwarts to protect his man, a malicious violator and troublemaker.
Bones, in turn, prevented the game from going into one goal. Even before Dumbledore showed up, she asked Anrietta a few questions, which dotted the i's for those who can think.
- Under what circumstances did you perform magic in front of a Muggle?
"I drove the Dementor away," Potter replied. "They attacked me and Dudley.
- Dudley - this is the Muggle in whose presence you performed magic?
"Yes, this is my cousin Dudley Dursley.
Then Umbridge climbed in, who actually accused Anrietta of lying, albeit without dubbing out loud. Umbridge's rhetoric was practically the same as in the Daily Prophet. It has already become clear to everyone that the minister has rigged the attack and the trial is an attack on Dumbledore. When the director appeared, nothing concretely changed, all the arguments in a circle were voiced a second time. Bones got fed up with this empty-to-empty process and initiated a vote. The court established the innocence of Henrietta Potter by a majority vote.
It was decided to leave Henriette at Sirius' home until September. There was no point in bringing her back to the Dursleys - by the way. Dudley was taken to the hospital to be treated for a nervous breakdown. Vernon and Petunia spend almost all their free time with their son. The Dursleys will not have the necessary educational effect from the heroine's stay.
I was assigned a very important mission - to accompany Potter to Hogwarts on September 1st. The fact that Sirius saw her off and she was surrounded by friends was not considered.
"Oh, what are these games of secret agents and important assignments," I thought, but carried out the assignment with all diligence.
Draco Malfoy found me on the train. He turned to me when I was making the rounds according to the rules:
- Arrakis Black, - he drew my attention, - on behalf of his father, Lucius Malfoy, I am entrusted to invite you to visit at any time convenient for you.
Draco's message was official, but without any admiration or sophistication. He invited, but did not understand what he was actually doing and why - he was instructed, he did it.
"Thank you for the invitation," I began to refuse just as formally, "but I have to refuse. Now I cannot accept your invitation. Other guests may appear in your house, meeting with whom I do not want. - The allusion to the Dark Lord was more than transparent.
Bowing to Malfoy, we parted like ships at sea. It would be permissible for some to start a double agent game, flirt with the Dark Lord. I didn't need a branding on my forearm, in general, I'm against tattoos. I can understand army tattoos or small female tattoos in the form of flower butterflies. Magical runic tattoos as protection from curses are also understandable. But not a thoughtless hobby of Muggles, when the body becomes completely covered with painting, like an African or South American sorcerer, only without a magical component, but simply for the "rat". The human body is beautiful in itself, if beautiful, decoration in the form of tattoos is unnecessary. And besides the stigma, the doctor did not prescribe preventive cruciatuses for me.
The new world that Voldemort wanted to build seemed to me very well. He himself is at the pinnacle of power. The circle of confidants becomes local rulers, his confidants and ministers who recruit their retinue. The retinue is engaged in control and supervision, as well as bringing orders and instructions down to the executors. The performers are magicians and useful Muggles who are not included in the circle of the Dark Lord's entourage and the retinue of the entourage. Among the performers there is a division according to the degree of usefulness and purity of blood. The division of people by class becomes apparent. The system is similar to that installed by Grindelwald. Actually, the result can be predicted. The idea of a "golden billion" fits well with Voldemort's plans. Voldemort blows the spirit of the ghettos and concentration camps.
Dumbledore's designs have similarities and significant differences. He, too, sees the future of wizards in the disclosure of the world of magic. Self-isolation is already destructive. The wizarding world began to lag far behind. The attraction of the Muggleborns to power did not meet the expectations. The pureblood resistance is still too strong to act directly. The difference from Voldemort's path is that when Dumbledore's policies are implemented, the wizarding world will fall under the Muggles. Otherwise, there would be war, Dumbledore believed.
This was the complexity of Dumbledore's plan. How to return wizards to the common world, having done it without war, and preserving at least some of their originality? Dumbledore himself saw that something was wrong with him, but he did not know what to do. Issues such as overpopulation and possible resource constraints were familiar to him, too. After all, these questions were raised at the beginning of our era. Quintus Septimius Tertullian wrote: "We burden the world with ourselves; his wealth is barely enough to sustain our existence. As our needs increase, so does the murmur that nature is no longer able to provide our food. "
Unification with Muggles could give a breakthrough in all branches of the economy and science, which would make it possible to make another leap forward in the development of all mankind. The prospect of space exploration would become available now. But the wizarding world would be sacrificed. The wizards have a poorly developed economy and culture, the number is much inferior to the Muggles. The result of the unification, even if there are no laboratories in which inhuman experiments are performed on wizards, and there are no oaths that entangle every magician from head to toe to obedience, still leaves little freedom. Wizards won't do that, not even Muggleborns.
I liked the current state of affairs better. When wizards have a certain degree of freedom from Muggles, there is also some cooperation. The only possible and acceptable changes I saw only in increasing cooperation with Muggles. Allowing Muggle money to circulate in the wizarding world of Britain. Breaking the Gringotts monopoly in the financial world of wizarding Britain. Greater rapprochement with other magical enclaves. Selectively offering certain goods and services to Muggles.
The fact is that wizarding Britain, in its self-isolation, began to pursue a policy of ever greater separation and isolation, not even from the Muggle world, but from the world of magicians. It was destructive. All these prohibitions of "dark magic" practically squeezed out from the territory of Great Britain the guilds of artifacts, ritualists and necromancers. Okay, the guild of blood, which remained only in China and some countries of South America, but artifactors and ritualists are needed by everyone and always.
Potter didn't see the Festrals, but Lovegood's canonical remark: "You are as normal as I am," was. Only she treated me (He is the same as we, only without a tail). On the way, Luna talked about the thestrals, which was not too important for the canon right now, but confirmed the preservation of the line, calming me.
At Hogwarts, right after the traditional distribution, interrupting Dumbledore's speech, Dolores Umbridge showed that she was not going to somehow comply with the established order in the school - she got in with her Ministry propaganda. A rather rich and convincing speech "about nothing", in fact, it showed well the policy of the ministry and her own course, which she will conduct as a school inspector.
From the very first days, Umbridge began to issue decrees that had nothing to do with the educational process, had no basis in the school charter and were not confirmed by either the director or deans. In essence, these decrees were of a recommendatory nature. Even Dumbledore's decree on the abolition of physical punishment for students, in fact, was a recommendation, albeit confirmed by the deans of the faculties. If any of the teachers wanted to physically punish a student, it was required to obtain permission from the dean of the faculty of this student - this is even without the director's decree, just according to the charter.
When I noticed on Henrietta's hand there are very remarkable marks from the Black Bloody Feather. Then, as the headman of the school, he grabbed Potter by the elbow and went to Umbridge.
She was just starting a lesson with sophomore Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw when I burst into class.
- What do you allow yourself? - Umbridge was indignant at my invasion.
"I am Arrakis Black, headman of the school," he introduced himself. - I declare that Henrietta Potter is the last of its kind, under the auspices of Sirius Black and the Black family. I demand an answer: on what basis was physical punishment applied to Miss Potter? I'm sure the Dean of the Gryffindor House didn't give her permission!
Umbridge, smiling a sugary smile, replied in her own manner:
"Miss Potter accepted the punishment voluntarily, without threats, fully aware of her guilt. When asked to speak, she did not reply.
Looking at Potter for confirmation, I realized that Potter simply did not understand the essence of what was happening, so she took everything for granted.
"I declare to you that there is someone to intercede for Miss Potter," I said, pointing my finger at Umbridge. - If you once again allow something like that in relation to Henriette, then you will not be able to hide behind the formalities. Just give me a reason, and we'll see if your fighting skills are as good as the household charms.
- Are you threatening me? Umbridge smiled even wider. "You can fly out of Hogwarts for that, Mr. Black.
"Ha, try it," I chuckled back. - You could not expel Miss Potter from Hogwarts, do you think it will be more successful with me? The Blacks are among the trustee families of Hogwarts, even when Sirius was in Azkaban, there were deductions every year. I already have the title of Master of Enchantments and Potions. As soon as the meeting of the Wizengamot knows the circumstances of this case, I will claim the right to duel, for the insult, but for now, I will write an open letter to the minister, in which I will express everything I think about your methods, Miss Umbridge.
After leaving the classroom, I treated a rather terrible-looking wound on Henrietta's arm with mountain ash broth. Telling her not to endure such things in the future, but immediately inform me, my dean or director, took her to class, explaining to the professor the reason for the delay.
I wrote the letter, sending copies to the Quibbler, the Daily Prophet and, just in case, the French La Depeche de Magic. The Prophet added cautious comments to my letter, justifying Umbridge while expressing regret at her arbitrariness. The minister chose to ignore my appeal. In pursuit of my letter, Sirius also wrote, confirming all my words. The press campaign launched by Fudge against Dumbledore subsided somewhat after all this, but did not subside, as one might have hoped. Umbridge, on the other hand, began to act more carefully, already within the framework of her authority and without direct attacks.
Dumbledore praised me for my intervention. In turn, I told him about the invitation from the Malfoys. The director was not a fool, so he understood the possible background of this invitation. I immediately confronted Albus with the fact that I did not want to be a double agent, so I refused.
I didn't know exactly what the director's plans were. Many suspected Dumbledore of constantly interfering with the minds of other wizards, that he alters memories, leaves mental bookmarks, replaces imperatives. In fact, he tried not to get into other people's heads unnecessarily, preferring to influence people without using magic, acting by persuasion, forcing them to look at the picture from a different angle. Even his dissatisfaction with my actions during the resurrection of Voldemort could well have been ostentatious. One way or another, I completed my task - Potter is alive and well. But a hint of discontent made me make excuses and join the Order of the Phoenix without looking back, without any conditions. Now, Dumbledore's praise again made him look for the second and third bottom in his plans.
Umbridge, having received a rebuff from the impact on Potter, took up the teachers. She drove wedges to Snape, behaved frankly ugly and defiantly towards Flitwick. Despite her ostentatious actions, she could not do anything with the deans, they met all the rules and requirements, were masters in their fields. Kicking them out is a fight with the Enchant and Potions Guilds. Umbridge's attack fell on a defenseless divination teacher.
This was to be a victory for the Inspector and the Ministry over Dumbledore - the public expulsion of Sybil Patricia Trelawney from Hogwarts for inconsistency. Umbridge lined everyone up in front of the main entrance to make an announcement. Argus Filch, willingly cooperating with the inspector, "helped" Sibylla to take things out.
Potter, at the forefront of the students, watched the sentimental picture of exile.
"Don't worry," I put a reassuring hand on Henrietta's shoulder, "Dumbledore will not let the prophet be banished from Hogwarts. Even if Sibylla did nothing at all in her lessons, he would keep her at Hogwarts. She's hiding here yourself-you-know-from-whom by tacit agreement. To drive her out now is to hand her over to the enemy.
Potter was surprised, her return look could be understood as: "Is she a prophet?"; which almost made me laugh.
And in fact, Dumbledore suddenly showed up and, by his decision, left Sybil at Hogwarts, settling the whole situation. It was already clear that Umbridge would not calm down. It was not clear yet how to proceed, but there will be no peace. And Fudge, too, began to spin Dumbledore's baiting in The Prophet again.
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