when i met you

116

Fudge was asking questions now, but Marietta would not speak; she merely shook her head again, her eyes wide and fearful. Eventually, Umbridge just continued for the girl.

"You will remember, Minister, that I sent you a report back in October that Potter —" indicating Harry — "had met a number of fellow students in the Hog's Head in Hogsmeade —"

"And what is your evidence for that?" cut in Professor McGonagall for the first time.

Umbridge explained something about Willy Widdershins, but Lexi was watching Kingsley closely, he was discreetly mouthing words to her—unfortunately for him, Lexi couldn't read lips to save her life.

'What?' she mouthed back with bemusement, brows furrowed.

He rolled his eyes and attempted to communicate with her again but after receiving only puzzled stares, he gave up and resumed his Auror position. Percy Weasley let out a hearty laugh at that moment at the Minister's very bad joke.

"Oh, very good, Minister, very good!"

"I could kick him between his legs right now," said Lexi quietly again to Harry who instantly agreed as they glared at Percy, their best friends' brother.

Dumbledore spoke again, "Cornelius, I do not deny—and nor, I am sure, does Harry or Alexis—that he was in the Hog's Head that day, nor that he was trying to recruit students to a Defence Against the Dark Arts group. I am merely pointing out that Dolores is quite wrong to suggest that such a group was, at that time, illegal. If you remember, the Ministry Decree banning all student societies was not put into effect until two days after Harry's Hogsmeade meeting, so he was not breaking any rules at all in the Hog's Head."

Percy looked as though he had been struck in the face by something very heavy. Fudge remained motionless in mid-bounce, his mouth hanging open. Umbridge recovered first.

"That's all very fine, Headmaster," she said, smiling sweetly, "but we are now nearly six months on from the introduction of Educational Decree Number Twenty-four. If the first meeting was not illegal, all those that have happened since most certainly are."

"Well," said Dumbledore, surveying her with polite interest over the top of his interlocked fingers, "they certainly would be, if they had continued after the Decree came into effect. Do you have any evidence that any such meetings continued?"

Lexi, who was still glancing at Kingsley, saw him spelling Marietta—what spell? She didn't know.

"Evidence?" repeated Umbridge, with that horrible wide toad-like smile. "Have you not been listening, Dumbledore? Why do you think Miss Edgecombe is here?"

"Oh, can she tell us about six months' worth of meetings?" said Dumbledore, raising his eyebrows. "I was under the impression that she was merely reporting a meeting tonight."

Umbridge asked Marietta bout this and the girl—to the Potters' surprise—shook her head. Pressing a few more times but still getting the same answer, Umbridge was becoming increasingly very angry, pushed on by McGonagall's comments.

Professor Umbridge seized Marietta, pulled her round to face her and began shaking her very hard. A split second later Dumbledore was on his feet, his wand raised and Kingsley started forwards, but they were all three steps behind Alexis who had already pulled Umbridge back from Marietta in a fit of incandescent rage.

"Put your hands on her one more time and I'll cut them off— without magic. I — dare — you." Lexi threatened dangerously, leaning over Umbridge with as much grace and elegance one can have in such situations.

McGonagall pulled Lexi away from Umbridge, practically shoving her back between Harry and Marietta, adopting a protective stance. Lexi then pulled Marietta by her hand so that the two were pressed shoudler-to-shoulder, fingers intertwined comfortingly.