Chapter 29: Silver Linings 

 Umbridge strode in as usual to her defence against the dark arts lesson, looking up and down the classroom to make sure no imposter's were there, when she meant imposter's, she meant Shona who had obviously been told not to go to lessons today. Lucy and Umbridge met eye contact but Lucy didn’t break, her father had told her to be strong, and now he wasn’t there to back her up, Shona had been the next best thing. But now she was under ‘lockdown’ as people called it, Lucy was making sure Umbridge knew how vile she was feeling. Both kept the lock until Umbridge went to scribble something on the board.

"Now students," her teeth made a whistling noise on the ‘s’ that Lucy had never heard before, but guessed that when she was uptight it must flow out. Lucy looked around at her fellow classmates but none showed any happiness back, they were too scared to want to be a part of her WA anymore. "We shall be looking at how to do...NOTHING!"

Lucy woke up a startle. All stared at Umbridge who turned to eyeball them all, but her face kept pale and unreadable.

"As I was saying..." she coughed sweetly and walked around. "We shall be learning how to look for...IDIOTS LIKE UMBRIDGE!" Her voice increased in volume when she said this, making the whole class gasp. Lucy smiled.

 "What is going on?" she screamed and threw chalk at Neville who was unable to protect himself.  She was about to throw a quill when her arm stopped in mid throw and started to draw a moustache on her herself. The place roared with laughter.

"No!" She yelled defensively as the hand made big black lines on her face. "LOOK! IT SHOWS MY INNER PRINCESS!" she squealed happily and her face crinkled up. Ron had practically fallen onto the floor with laughter and Hermione had to read a book to ignore the matter. Lucy was the only one who could possibly remember who could do this. Harry looked at her and both mouthed the same name:

‘Shona’

 Ron laughed as he too remembered Shona had pranked Sn ape with a contort potion once in lesson. That had been for trying to give Lucy and herself a detention, but this time Umbridge did deserve it.

"SO CLASS! TODAY WE ARE GOING TO LEARNING A VERY SPECIAL TOPIC! ONE THAT INVOLVES USING OUR WANDS! No it doesn’t! YES IT DOES! No! I am in charge!" Umbridge yelled at herself. "OH REALLY MISS? DOESN’T LOOK LIKE IT..." Shona tutted back. Umbridge’s face went scarlet.

"Who’s doing this?!" Umbridge yelled in fright, she had no idea anyone who could do potions like this but Snape and no one seemed keen to tell her.

"YOU. IM YOUR INNER PRINCESS," Shona nearly giggled as Umbridge lost her balance and fell over. "OH NO MY SHOES, REALLY I MUST TRADE THESE IN FOR SOME OF SNAPE’S OLD HIGH HEELS."

That really did it. Umbridge screamed at everyone which halted the laughter; but only temporarily.

 "No one is leaving until we figure out who is doing this!" She screamed to high heaven. Then Shona bit back. "OH DEAR ME, I SEEM TO BE GETTING UPTIGHT! THERE'S NO NEED FOR THAT AT A HAPPY SCHOOL LIKE THIS! I SHALL DO SOME INNER CALMING REMEDIES!"

Then to everyone’s disbelief, Umbridge started to make stupid humming noises and twirl around the room. She skipped in and out of the desks and plonked herself on Draco’s desk, then stroked his hair.

"WHY HELLO THERE FERRET BOY," she purred and Draco seemed to faint with embarrassment. Harry couldn’t breathe where as Lucy could tell Shona was really enjoying this.  And as a fact Shona had told her all about the stupid calming exercises they had to do in the lockdown, so it made all the sense to her.

"Silence!" She yelled and waited to be interrupted. And she was; Shona wasn’t going to let her off "SO...I THINK WE SHOULD BEGIN THE LESSON. WE ARE GOING TO LEARN ALL ABOUT THE TALES OF THE KNIGHTS TODAY AND KNOW THAT UMBRIDGE HAS BEEN A SILLY BILLY FOR NOT LETTING YOU PLAY!"

So for the next half an hour the students flicked their wands to hearts content, Shona showing no signs of stopping her from talking. Somehow Shona must have powered the drink because when she had used it on Snape the effect had only lasted some minutes. Cruel, but funny.

Shona would regularly blurt out random sentences like ‘OH ISNT MR MINISTER YUMMY?’ or ‘TWINKLE TWINKLE I'M A STAR! I'M SO ANNOYING YOU COULD HIT ME UP THE —’ before stopping the sentence.

Eventfully after a fun filled lesson with Umbridge (which Lucy thought would be impossible) Shona ordered them all to sit down merrily. The bell rang over the school and the students went to grab their bags. Umbridge waved them all goodbye and sang a farewell song to them just to add inner insult. Lucy was the last to leave, when Shona shouted

"GOODBYE MERLIN'S DECENDENT! YOU HAVE MY FULL BACKING!"

 As she stepped out Lucy bolted towards the forbidden corridor were all the ‘dangerous’ five kids were being kept (she learned that Shona did in fact have companions in her permanent detention.) She avoided Filch with the help of Harry’s invisibility cloak and dodged Mrs Norris’ nose. When she arrived she did the 6 knocks that Shona had informed her about.

At once one of the kids opened it for her and she walked inside. She saw her friend standing proudly next to a monitor with three kids giggling with laughter.

"And that, children, is how to have order," Shona said in Umbridge’s tone, exact to the pinprick. Lucy revelled herself and Shona welcomed her in.

"You idiot!" she laughed as all clapped her. "You could get expelled! Get me expelled! Everyone expelled!"

"That’s doing all of us a favour!" One of the boys said cunningly. 

 "She had no idea," Shona laughed like Umbridge and imitated her, which was weirdly amusing.

"So how is her ladyship doing?" Lucy asked as Shona pointed to the monitor. Umbridge was jumping up and down and complaining to Filch, who seemed quite put off by this.

"Why don’t you take a look for yourself?" Shona shrugged, the potion was now beginning to wear off.

"I’m so glad you pulled that prank again, it’s done us all a lot of favours."

"That’s how McGuire rolls, you see."

Lucy smiled. "I think it’s time I busted you out of here, don’t you?"

"Really? I was quite enjoying myself here. Especially when I can make fun of Umbridge without anyone realising. Well, those who aren’t aware anyway."

"But don’t you want to get out of here?"

"Of course! But 

The room fell silent. Lucy stared at Shona. Shona stared back. 

"Just kidding!" Shona grinned and she ran out of the room, Lucy closely following behind. 

*      *      *

"Attention! Attention please!" McGonagall ordered to the group of fifth year Gryffindor students she had gathered in a spare exam room. The room fell silent as Lucy and Shona finished off their conversation. 

"What is it we're here for?" Shona asked and Lucy smiled, it was good to finally have her friend back. 

"I was just going to tell you, Miss McGuire," McGonagall sighed. 

"Yeah, shut up, Shona. Jumping to conclusions all the time." Lucy snorted. 

"Thank you, Miss Snape." McGonagall frowned. 

"Shut up, Lucy, being rude to teachers!" Shona laughed. 

"Both of you! Please!" McGonagall snapped and Lucy muttered a quick sorry where as Shona leaned back in her seat like nothing had happened. "Now, as I was going to say. You're all here for something very important."

McGonagall leaned against the desk behind her and sighed. 

"I must ask you all, have you ever thought about your future?" McGonagall asked and Lucy raised her hand. McGonagall turned to her. "Thank you for making it obvious that you wish to contribute, Miss Snape, but it was a rheotrical question — " Lucy's hand fell, " — but you may share what you wish to say." 

"What if some of us don't have futures?" Lucy asked miserably. 

McGonagall blinked at her as Harry shuffled awkwardly. "Well..." she paused again. "What have you always wanted to be?" 

"I'm not exactly sure." Lucy cringed. 

"This is what we're here for, to give you all ideas as to what career you want to take on when you leave Hogwarts." 

Lucy gave up and stared at her feet awkwardly as McGonagall continued to address the class. "There are many careers that you can persue when you get older, some could even be here at Hogwarts!"

"Who'd want to end up like Snape? One minute you'll be boring the hell out of your studnets and the next you'll be sacked!" Shona grinned and all the Gryffindors laughed, apart from Lucy who seemed to find her shoes very interesting.

"That's enough," McGonagall sighed. "Please, we're not here to mock others. We're here to discuss about your futures!"

The class remained silent as McGonagall stood up. 

"Now, please, has anyone got any suggestions regarding wizarding jobs?" 

Neville raised his hand. "A teacher?" 

"Yes," McGonagall nodded and wrote it on the blackboard with a piece of chalk. "Any more?" 

"A job at the Ministry! Where they think it's OK to come over to Hogwarts and mess up everything since Umbridge came here." Shona nodded, McGonagall smiled a little and wrote 'Ministry jobs' on the board. 

"An auror?" Harry said and McGonagall began writing down all the job choices that the students called out until they had filled the entire blackboard. 

"So you've all gathered ideas of jobs, is there any particular one you are fond of?" McGonagall asked. "Please, all of you think about what job you would like when you are older. If you have any questions about what requirements you need for a certain job, please let me know at the end — you are dismissed."

"Got any questions?" Shona asked Lucy.

Lucy shook her head solemnly. "No."

"Good, lets go."

Shona and Lucy walked out of the exam room where they were handed a timetable of some sort as well as a leaflet by a student who had volunteered to give them out. As soon as they made it to the main courtyard they sat down on one of the benches next to each other and had a look at what they had been given.

"Work experience forms?" Lucy wondered as she took a look at the leaflet. "That's interesting."

"Yeah, there's lots of options on here but none seem appealing." Shona cringed and Lucy had a look at the time table.

"Oh look, lots of exams to endure."

"What?"

Lucy held up the timetable. "This is our O.W.L timetable, the exams are closer than I thought!"

"I'm just going to wing it," Shona said proudly.

"Dad told me I had to study, he said he doesn't want me failing."

"Class nerd next to Hermione failing? No, I don't think so."

"If I don't study I'll fail!"

"Don't be silly, you couldn't fail even if you tried. If anyone's going to fail it'll be Neville."

"Don't be mean." Lucy snapped back just as Professor Flitwick approached them.

"Good afternoon Miss Snape and Miss McGuire," he said with a slight bow, respecting the gifted. "Is it OK if I borrow Lucy?"

"Sure, I don't need to be seen in public with one of the Snape's." Shona replied dramatically causing her to recieve a glare from Lucy. "I'm just joking!"

"If you would follow me please." Flitwick said kindly as Lucy stood up and shoved her timetable and leaflet in her bag. They walked towards Dumbledore's — Umbridge's office. Flitwick said the password and the climbed the stairs to the office where Flitwick paused. 

"If you would," Flitwick cringed, he was unfortunately to short to reach the door knocker. 

"Of course," Lucy replied, easing the tension. She knocked on the door twice and the door opened. There she found Umbridge sitting at her desk and Jessica as well as the Minister stood by her desk. 

"Ah! Fillius! I see you have managed to summon her," the Minister beamed. He was obviously either very fond of visiting Hogwarts or of talking to Lucy. 

Flitwick nodded quickly as the Minister beckoned her forward, Jessica looking rather miserable. 

"Have you been informed about work experience and job choices as such?" Fudge asked, Lucy nodded. "Good, which brings me to my next question. Would you like to take on your work experience at the Ministry? Working with I the Minister for magic?" 

Lucy thought for a moment. She remembered back to the time after the Yule ball when Snape had confessed the truth about how he hadn't known she had existed and how he seemed to daydream afterwards. Lucy remembered him saying about that he was going to get a job at the Ministry...if Lucy did survive, wouldn't she like to make her father proud?

"Yes, please." Lucy replied with a smile, thinking if Snape was here he'd be proud of her too. 

"Also, we have come to a conclusion." Fudge whispered. Jessica shuffled nervously. "That we may have to bring your father back to Hogwarts."

"Against all odds," Umbridge muttered under her breath. 

"Really!" Lucy almost shrieked in delight. 

"We feel Miss Wave cannot teach potions and every other person we have tried to get hold of who teaches potions, is not up for the job. So we need out potions master back." 

"Oh thank you, Mr Minister!" Lucy beamed. She couldn't believe her father was going to come back, she couldn't wait. 

"You are most welcome." The Minister smiled. "Now, I think when Mr Snape comes back Miss Wave shall resume her post as Dolores' secretary." 

Before Jessica could say a word, Lucy spoke up again. "When is dad coming back?" 

"It will most probably be after your O.W.L exams." Fudge replied. "You are dismissed, Miss Snape."

Lucy practically ran out of Umbridge's office in excitement. She couldn't believe that her father was coming back to Hogwarts. 

As soon as she got back to the dungeons she grabbed a piece of parchment, a quill and some ink and wrote in big letters on the piece of parchment before giving it to an owl: 

YOU'RE COMING BACK TO HOGWARTS.