Chapter 17: I must not tell lies

"Quidditch?" Snape asked as Lucy walked down the stairs dressed in her Quidditch uniform holding her trusty firebolt. 

"Oh how I've missed it..." Lucy sighed. "Would of preferred it to the tri wizard tournament last year, then I wouldn't of seen Zuc." 

"I know it was terrible seeing Zuc, but you did discover some thing and acquired that knife." 

"The knife!" Lucy gasped all of a sudden, she dropped her broom and ran upstairs again and was back in five seconds, holding the piece of paper that she had written down Zuc's quotes on. "I found out what the knife said!" 

"You did?" Snape asked and she handed him the piece of paper. "Relish your life, fight with might...we never fail, one day we'll all have a tale...that's interesting." 

"That's what it said, it seems very...Zuc like." 

"Agreed. Now hurry up and get to Quidditch tryouts, otherwise you might not be the seeker." 

"Please, the whole school would complain if I wasn't seeker." Lucy joked. 

She headed down to the Quidditch pitch where she met Fred, George, Katie Bell, Angelina Johnson,  Alicia Spinnet and Ron Weasley. Angelina waved at her but Lucy was slightly confused. She peered behind the other members of the team and then looked at Angelina. 

"This it?" Lucy asked. 

"These are the only one's who showed up and if we're all good enough, we'll be the team." Angelina shrugged and George thumped Ron on the back. 

"Come on, Ron! You could actually make the team!" George laughed but Fred snorted. 

"I think we'd be better with one short...how about I be a beater and a keeper?" Fred laughed and Ron looked away awkwardly. 

"Oh keep your trap shut, Fred!" Katie snapped and walked over to Ron. "It's OK, Ron, you're going to do fine!" 

"Right, who's going for seeker?" Angelina prompted. 

"Me!" Lucy waved her hand in the air proudly. 

"Well, I know you're good at catching the snitch...Oliver would probably kill me if I didn't put you on the team anyway...or your dad..." Angelina cringed and Lucy nodded but couldn't help but feel a little sad that Oliver Wood had left Hogwarts last year and had got himself a job now. For his sake, she hoped it revolved around Quidditch. 

"I guess we're all the original team except for Ron," George shrugged. "Guess we've just got to train up Ron..." 

"Ooh! Can I help?" Lucy asked. "I'd love to see what being a keeper is like!" 

"Alright, Fred and George you'll go with Lucy over to those goal posts — " Angelina pointed to one set of goal posts. "Ron, you'll go to the other goal posts with Alicia, Katie and me." 

Everyone got on their brooms and went to where they were told by Angelina. Fred and George threw quaffles at the goal posts which Lucy attempted to knock out of the way, while Alicia and Katie did the same thing with Ron as Angelina assessed Ron's keeper skills. 

"You think Ron will make the team?" Lucy asked the twins, George nodded but Fred looked amused. 

"He's not very good at being a keeper, look at him!" Fred pointed to Ron who was having trouble at saving quaffles. 

"Don't be nasty," Lucy frowned and George glared at his twin. "Shall we head back?" 

"We shall," Fred agreed and the three of them flew to the ground. Fred took Lucy's hand and they all carried their broomsticks back up to the castle and into the entrance hall where they saw Umbridge had added at least six new educational decrees, which Filch had willingly hung up for her. 

"Oh I do hate her," George shook his head. "Our mischief making duties call, Fred." 

"They do, George." 

Fred and George were about to discuss a plan to give Umbridge hell when students began swarming through the corridors, heading towards the main courtyard. Fred, George and Lucy looked around at them but then the twins shrugged and went with the flow. Seconds later, Snape and Shona approached Lucy. 

"What's going on?" Lucy asked. 

"I was about to ask you the same thing!" Shona frowned. "I thought Snivels had got up on the roof and everyone was going to scream 'jump!' So I was going to get out here and scream 'DO A FLIP!'" 

"Come on," Snape hissed and guided the girls into the main courtyard where Lucy sat up on a wall and Snape and Shona stood behind her. 

As soon as they took their positions, however, they saw Filch walking into the middle of the courtyard and placing down one of Trelawney's suitcases in front of the woman herself. Trelawney tried to say something but it came out as a stutter as well as inaudible for everyone else to hear. 

Umbridge walked out of the castle and towards Professor Trelawney who was clutching onto one of her bags. Umbridge's footsteps echoed in the courtyard, making some students quake with fear. Trelawney stepped forward and almost tripped on one of her suitcases, but no one laughed at her misfortune today. Not even the Slytherins. 

"Sixteen...sixteen years I've lived and taught here..." Trelawney whispered. "Hogwarts is my home! Y-You can't do this!"  

"Actually I can," Umbridge replied with no remorse and waved a bit of paper in the air that was clutched in her hands. 

Trelawney began to cry as McGonagall rushed forward to comfort her. McGonagall glared at Umbridge and her pink clothes, despising the woman with every fibre of her being. 

"Is there something you would like to say, dear?" Umbridge asked McGonagall. 

"Oh there are several things I would like to say!" McGongall hissed. But before she had time to voice her displeasure the front doors of Hogwarts opened and out walked a very annoyed Dumbledore. His robes flowed behind him and everyone backed out the way in respect for their headmaster. 

"Professor McGonagall, might I ask for you to escort Sybil back inside." Dumbledore said, but it wasn't really a question; it was more of a demand. Yet, he wasn't angry at McGonagall nor Trelawney. He was more annoyed at umbridge for thinking she had the power of giving teachers the sack. The power that Umbridge thought she had was non existent. 

 "Dumbledore, may I remind you that under the terms of educational decree number 23 as enacted by the minister — " Umbridge began but was interrupted by Dumbledore as Trelawney was escorted inside. 

"You have the right to dismiss my teachers. You do not, however, have the authority to banish them from the grounds. That power remains with the headmaster."

The smile that had been wiped off Umbridge's face when Dumbledore interrupted her, returned. "For now." 

Dumbledore looked a little baffled and began to walk away from the scene, as well as the students who thought there was no longer anything to see here. Snape, Shona and Lucy stayed put. 

"Power hungry, isn't she?" Lucy asked Snape. 

"More so than I thought," Snape replied with venom in his voice, which was in no way directed at her. 

"She can't give teachers the sack, she just can't! She can't even sack Snape, which although is an absolutely fantastic idea — " Shona began but received a glare from Snape, her shoulders slumped. "Is completely agaisnt the rules..."

"Professor Snape, Miss Snape and Miss McGuire...what are you doing here?" 

While they had been talking amongst themselves, the three hadn't noticed Umbridge sneak up on them. She looked so angry about being bossed around by Umbridge that there was steam practically coming out of her ears. 

"We're just talking," Lucy shrugged. 

"About what, may I ask?" 

'None of your business,' Lucy thought and she saw Shona smirk which Umbridge was confused about. 

"Just about the islands." Shona said. 

"The islands?" Umbridge repeated. "Please elaborate, Miss McGuire." 

"You know," Shona said awkwardly because the subject seemed so obvious. "The medieval islands...where Zuc and his knight buddies hang out?" 

"Oh, so you're discussing a myth, I see." Umbridge smiled. 

"A myth? Are you serious?" Lucy asked and hopped down from the wall. 

"I am quite serious, the medieval islands are a myth." 

"Are you bl — " Lucy was about to call Umbridge blind when Snape clamped a hand over her mouth and stepped forward. 

"What my daughter and Miss McGuire were trying to say was that, we are discussing the medieval islands. We cannot let them go amiss now that Zuc has returned and broken the portal to France." 

"Oh, Professor Snape! You surely must be fooling yourself!" Umbridge laughed. "The islands are most definitely a myth along with Lord Zuc." 

"YOU WHAT?!" Lucy screamed. She wanted to tear Umbridge's head off there and then. "So you're telling me that the islands are a myth? They are not a myth! I have fought Lord Zuc! I have seen him in the flesh! He tried to kill me!" 

"Lucy!" Snape barked just as Jessica rounded the corner and gasped but Umbridge saw her before she could hide herself. 

"Ah! Miss Wave! What an appropriate time that you show yourself!" Umbridge said and Jessica walked forward miserably. "Myself and these three are just having a little discussion about the myth of the medieval islands! Care to join us?" 

"Do you need my input?" Jessica asked nervously. 

"Do you know a lot about the myth of the islands then?" 

Jessica cringed. "Yes..." 

"I suppose you were taught the myth at school. I have now forbidden Professor Binns from teaching the subject to all students, now, as I know he taught the subject beforehand. Such nonsense!" 

"Yes, such nonsense..." Jessica laughed nervously as Snape glared at her. 

"As you know so much about the islands, Miss Wave, do you think they are real?" Umbridge asked all of a sudden and everyone turned to look at Jessica. 

A lot of pressure fell down on Jessica's shoulders as they all waited for her answer. Jessica twiddled her fingers around a loose bit of her hair before composing herself. 

"Fact or fiction?" Umbridge prompted. 

Jessica gulped. "Fiction." 

"There we are then," Umbridge smiled as Snape, Lucy and Shona's mouths hung open. "An expert on the myth of the islands has spoken." 

"BUT I SAW LORD Z — " Lucy screamed. 

"ENOUGH!" Umbridge yelled and silenced Lucy. "And may I ask what you're wearing, Lucy?"

"Quidditch uniform..." Lucy said and grabbed her broom that she had lent up on the wall for proof. 

"She's the seeker for Gryffindor," Snape said. 

"Well, I suggest she gets rid of the silly outfit before it gets confiscated. You wear school uniform in school or your normal clothes in school." Umbridge began to walk off when she turned around and faced Lucy again. "Remember, Miss Snape, you must not tell lies."

And with that, Umbridge walked off. 

*      *      * 

"OK, go, Neville." Lucy encouraged as Neville and Lucy stood side by side, everyone with a partner behind them waiting to attack the figure of the death eater in the room of requirement. (Since their absence, a knight figure had been added to attack as well.) 

"Expelliarmus!" Neville said weakly and his wand was thrown back, everyone ducked. His wand hit the door, missing Nigel by inches. "I'm hopeless..." 

"No you're not," Lucy said. " You've just got to say it a bit like this..." Lucy took out her wand and aimed it at the death eater figure. "Expelliarmus!" 

The spell hit the death eater figure squarely in the chest and it flew back a little. 

"Huh?" Neville wondered. 

"OK, that wasn't a strong enough spell but what you've got to focus on is flicking your wrist as you say the spell." 

"Like this!" Shona yelled and stepped out of line. "Expelliarmus!" 

Lucy screamed and fell over. Everyone laughed as Lucy picked herself up. "Thanks, Shona, thanks for the help." 

"You're welcome!" Shona winked. 

"I think it's appropriate if we start the stunning spell now," Harry said. "Shall we?" 

"Good idea," Lucy nodded and brushed herself off. "And they'll be no volunteers until asked." Lucy glared at Shona who saluted her. 

"Yes, miss!" Shona smiled as Harry stood one end of the room and Lucy the other, everyone else cleared out the way and watched. 

"Lucy, you're going to fire the stunning spell at me." Harry said. 

"Oh, so it's my turn to attack you this time?" Lucy asked. 

"It's only fair, I hit you last time." 

Lucy shrugged and aimed her wand at Harry. "Stupefy!"  Harry flew backwards and fell on the floor, Lucy cringed but laughed at the same time. "You OK?" 

"I'm OK." Harry nodded and picked himself up off of the floor. "That wasn't bad, not bad at all...except maybe your use of spells are a little weak. They're enough to knock me off of my feet, that's all." 

"Hmm, I suppose that I've got the logic I just need to combine the logic and the spells together. After all, if I didn't have the logic, Zuc would have killed me." 

"Yes, exactly. Now, try that spell again but say the spell like you mean it...just pretend that I'm Kingston and I've just killed your dad and — " 

"STUPEFY!" Lucy screamed and Harry once again Harry fell backwards but this time with a bit more power. 

"Excellent!" Harry said and a few people clapped. "Now we know how to make you angry, shall we get everyone else practicing?" 

"Most certainly!" Lucy agreed. 

"Hermione! Ron! You're up!" Harry said and Lucy and Harry stood next to each other and waited. Hermione and Ron stood opposites end of the room as Fred and George began taking bets with each other. 

"Don't worry, I'll go easy on you." Ron said to Hermione. 

"Thanks, Ronald." Hermione replied sarcastically as Ron prepared himself. Then, without warning, Hermione whipped out her wand. 

"Stupefy!" Hermione yelled and the spell hit Ron. He flew backwards and everyone laughed. 

"Nice try, Ron," Lucy said as Ron got up and she patted him on the shoulder. "Better luck next time." 

"Yeah..." Ron nodded. "Maybe next time."