Two Souls

Chapter Fifty

       The following days are torturous. Professor Umbridge makes it a routine to inspect multiple classes a day. Just this week I've had my Transfiguration, History of Magic, and Herbology class all sat in on. She hasn't inspected Potions yet — I'm sure Snape is the only Professor she fears.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione have become somewhat distant towards me. They still greet me when I see them, but whenever I approach them they look flustered and quickly change the topic of conversation. I'm too apprehensive to ask them the reasoning behind this sudden change and I only hope that they'll come around soon enough.

Saturday morning dawned and the first annual Hogsmeade visit was happening today.

"What happened to your Gryffindor friends?" Pansy sneers as I walk in pace with her, Blair, Daphne and Millicent. "Shouldn't you be with them?"

The only person who knows that they've been ignoring me is Blair. "I want to be with my own house today, is that a problem?" I ask.

"Not at all! You're always welcome with us!" Daphne says excitedly, quickening her pace.

The five of us go to The Three Broomsticks. It's not nearly as crowded as it usually is. In fact, there only seems to be Slytherins in the area.

"That's odd . . . the Hufflepuffs always come to The Three Broomsticks during Hogsmeade visits," I say skeptically to the girls.

Millicent rolls her eyes. "Who cares? Now we have this entire place to ourselves!" She says gleefully.

We find a large table and soon enough Draco, Crabbe, Goyle, and Zabini all come to join us. Draco looks at me the longest before opening his mouth:

"I saw some of your Gryffindor friends headed to Hog's Head. Of course Weasley was there with him, we all know he can't afford anything else," Draco says, causing the group of Slytherins to snicker.

"They have been hanging out together an awful lot without you, Amelia," Blair muses.

"Which is weird . . . I hate to say it but you're actually a likable person, why would they be ignoring you?"

Zabini laughs. "It's about time you realize that the Gryffindors are truly the worst ones in Hogwarts. They're so arrogant and prejudice," He tells me, lifting up his drink gingerly in the air. "Cheers to Amelia for finally not being stupid."

The rest of the students raise their drinks. "Cheers to Amelia for finally not being stupid!"

******

By Order Of
THE HIGH INQUISITOR OF HOGWARTS

All Student Organizations, Societies, Teams, Groups, and Clubs are henceforth disabled.
An Organization, Society, Team, Group, or Club is hereby defined as a regular meeting of three or more students.
Permission to re-form may be sought from the High Inquisitor (Professor Umbridge).
No Student Organization, Society, Team, Group, or Club may exist without the knowledge and approval of the High Inquisitor.
Any student found to have formed, or to belong to, an Organization, Society, Team, Group, or Club that has not been approved by the High Inquisitor will he expelled.

Signed:
Dolores Jane Umbridge - High Inquisitor

The Slytherins crowd around the notice board in the common room, murmuring anxiously with hushed tones. I read the notice over the heads of some nervous-looking second years.