A Sliver of Change | S. Black

Part 1: Chapter 8

Nodding her head, Emilia felt the same as Harry did, suddenly needing to protect Sirius for some reason.

It was the name she decided. The name made her feel a way that nothing else had before.

"Well Mr. Potter, Ms. Griffin, it is quite lovely to see you both here," Emilia heard a screechy voice to her left say.

Whipping her head up, she watched as Draco and a few other Slytherins dragged Hermione, Ron, Neville, Ginny, and Luna into the room, Snape walking behind them.

Immediately running over to Harry, Emilia drew her wand, pointing it at the witch in pink.

"Tsk, tsk Ms. Griffin. Pointing your wand at a superior can cause you the kind of trouble you couldn't imagine," Umbitch said before casting a non-verbal wandless spell that had Harry and Emilia's wands flying from their hands.

"Oh! Professor Snape, how good it is to see you. I was wondering if you had what I asked for," Umbitch said too sweetly, greeting Snape at the door.

Professor Snape shot a withering glare at her, "No headmaster, I ran out of my supply. It will be another few weeks before I can provide you with more," Snape drawled out in his nasally tone. A frown took over Umbitch's face, "well I guess we will have to turn to more unconventional methods then."

Her pink figure turned towards Harry and Emilia, before pointing her wand in Harry's direction.

"Was that Dumbledore you were talking to through my floo? Where is he?" She said to Harry.

Harry shrugged his shoulders, "I don't know where Dumbledore is."

Umbitch's smile turned to an uneasy frown as fire lit in her eyes.

"Well, maybe a Crucio might help you remember."

Shock shot through Emilia's core at the witches' words, wondering how the Ministry could ever allow someone like her act as Headmaster at Hogwarts.

Shouts were heard around the room as Harry quickly turned to Snape, "He's got Padfoot! He's got Padfoot at the place where it's hidden!"

Confusion ran through Emilia as she watched Umbitch turn towards Snape.

"What does that mean? Is that some sort of code as to Dumbledore's whereabouts?" She screamed.

Snape continued to stare at Harry, his eyes blacker than the night sky, before turning to the headmaster.

"Childish nonsense." Snape rejected, "I will go check my stock to see if there might be some more Veritaserum."

Before turning away, Snape caught Emilia's eye, holding it for a second as if waiting for a reaction from the girl. Finding nothing, the professor left the room.

Umbitch, unsatisfied with her results as of yet, turned back to Harry, "Now, back to the matters at hand."

Horror filled Emilia as she realized that the crazy witch was planning to go along with her plan.

"STOP!" Emilia heard a voice say.

Turning towards it, she noticed Hermione fight against Goyle.

"I know where Dumbledore is. I promise I do," Hermione cried out.

Umbitch turned to Emilia's friend, "Then you and Mr. Potter can show me his whereabouts. If this is some sort of joke, then the both of you might need a lesson on how not to tell lies."

Hermione cast the professor a dark look before grabbing a hold of Harry's hand and leading the professor out of the office.

But not before turning back to Emilia and mouthing a word to her.