"The most beautiful people we have known are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss, and have found their way out of the depths. These persons have an appreciation, a sensitivity, and an understanding of life that f...
Ups! Tento obrázek porušuje naše pokyny k obsahu. Před publikováním ho, prosím, buď odstraň, nebo nahraď jiným.
They had barely reached the door of Professor McGonagall's office when she came marching along the corridor behind them. She was wearing a Gryffindor scarf, tore it from her throat with shaking hands as she strode towards them, looking livid.
"In," She said furiously, pointing at the door. George and Harry entered, Fred and Aurora followed them in, Professor McGonagall was the last to enter. She stroked around behind her desk and faced them, quivering in rage as she threw the Gryffindor scarf aside on her desk.
"Well?" She said, "I have never seen such a disgraceful exhibition. Four on one! Explain yourselves!"
"Malfoy provoked us," Harry explained.
"Provoked you?" Professor McGonagall shouted, slamming her fist on the desk, she turned her attention to Aurora, "We already spoke about this, Miss Black. This is your last year at Hogwarts. You need to turn down your anger if you don't want to get suspended and fail your N.E.W.T.s.... What on earth could he have said that provoked you all like that?"
"He insulted our parents," George snarled, "And Harry's mother. As well as Aurora's Godfather."
"But instead of leaving it to Madam Hooch to sort out, you four decided to give an exhibition of Muggle duelling, did you?" Professor McGonagall bellowed, "Have you any ideas what you've-"
"Hem, hem,"
The four Gryffindor students spun around. Dolores Umbridge was standing in the doorway of McGonagall's office. She was smiling in a horrible, sickly, ominous way that caused Aurora's anger to flare up again.
"May I help, Professor McGonagall?" Professor Umbridge asked, in her usual sickly sweet voice.
"Help?" Professor McGonagall asked, blood rushed to her face, "What do you mean, help?"
Professor Umbridge walked into the office further, still smiling as her eyes scanned the four students, "Why, I thought you might be grateful for a little extra authority."
"You thought wrong," Professor McGonagall sneered, she turned her attention back to the students, "Now, you four better listen closely. I do not care what provocation Malfoy ordered you, I do not care if he insulted every family member you possess, your behaviour was disgusting and I am given each of you a week's worth of detentions! Do not look at me like that, Potter, you deserve it! And if either one of you ever-"
"Hem, Hem."
Professor McGonagall squeezed her eyes shut for a couple of seconds before she turned her attention back to Professor Umbridge, "Yes?"
"I think they deserve more than just a weeks worth of detention," Professor Umbridge said.
"But unfortunately, what I think counts, as they are in my House, Dolores," McGonagall said, Aurora could see her jaw tightening as she stared at the pink woman.
"Well, actually, Minerva," Professor Umbridge cackled, "I think you'll find that what I think does count. Now, where is it? Cornelius just sent it...I mean," she gave a fake laugh as she looked through her pink handbag, "The Minister just sent it....ah yes...." She pulled out a piece of parchment which she unfolded whilst she cleared her throat, "Hem, hem....Educational Decree Number Twenty-five."
"Not another one!" Professor McGonagall exclaimed.
"Well, yes," Professor Umbridge said, smiling, "As a matter of fact, Minerva, it was you who made me see that we needed a further amendment...you remember how you overrode me, when I was unwilling to allow the Gryffindor Quidditch team to re-form? How you took the case to Dumbledore, who insisted that the team would be allowed to play? Well, now, I couldn't have that. I contacted the Minister at one, and he agreed with me that the High Inquisitor has to have the power to strip pupils of privileges, or she - that is to say, I - would have less authority than common teachers! And you see now, don't you, Minerva, how right I was in attempting to stop the Gryffindor team re-forming? Dreadful tempers....anyway, I was reading out our amendment...hem, hem... 'The High Inquisitor will henceforth have supreme authority over all punishments, sanctions and removal of privileges pertaining to the students of Hogwarts, and the power to alter such punishments, sanctions and removals of privileges as may have been ordered by other members of staff. Signed, Cornelius Fudge, Minister for Magic, Order of Merlin Fist Class, etc, etc.'"
With that, she rolled the parchment back up and placed in securely into her handbag, the smile on her face never wavering.
"So....I really think I will have to ban these four from playing Quidditch ever again," Umbridge said, looking between the four. Her eyes lingered longer when she saw Fred's hand placed comfortingly on Aurora's waist.
"Ban us?" Harry asked, his voice raw, "From playing....ever again?"
"Yes, Mr Potter, I think a lifelong ban ought to do the trick," Professor Umbridge said, her smile widening, "You, Miss Black and both of Mr Weasleys here. I will want their broomsticks confiscated of course. I shall keep them in my office, to make sure there is no infringement of my ban. But I am not unreasonable, Professor McGonagall," She continued, eyeing McGongall up, "The rest of the team can continue playing. I saw no signs of violence from any of them. Well.....Good afternoon to you," And with a disgustingly sweet smile, Umbridge left the office, giggling as she walked away.
★★★★
"Banned?!" Angelina's hollow voice yelled, "Banned. No Seeker, no Beaters, Only two Chasers left...what on earth are we going to do?"
Aurora sighed sadly and leaned her head into Fred's shoulder. The couple were sharing one of the armchairs in the Gryffindor common room, as they listened to the Quidditch team captain becoming furious.
"It's just not fair," Katie Bell sighed, "I mean, what about Crabbe and that Bludger he hit after the whistle had been blown. Has she banned him?"
"No," Ginny told them miserably, she and Hermione were sat on either side of Harry on the couch, "He just got lines, I heard Montague laughing about it earlier when he walked past me."
Angelina rubbed her face, her shoulders were tense and she shook her head, "I'm going to bed," she said turning around and making her way over to the stairs, mumbling to herself, "Maybe this will all turn out to be a bad dream.....maybe I'll wake up and we haven't even played yet...."
Aurora sighed as she watched Katie also going up to the dormitories. She knew she wouldn't be able to go in there whilst they were awake, just in case of any of their questions or comments about what'd happened. Instead, the black hair witch opted to snuggling closer to Fred, whose strong arms immediately wrapped around her small frame, bringing her warmth and comfort.
When Aurora eventually did go up to the dormitories, the first thing she did was she was she scribbled down what had happened onto three different pieces of parchment, then placed them gently into some envelopes she kept in her bedside table draw and left them on there to send off in the morning.
