Chapter 242 - The Legends

Fred and George's mayhem was definitely a pain for Umbridge. Just after a few seconds, the afternoon classes were over a terrible noise came from the entrance of the north tower. There were screams and yells reverberating all around the castle. Then Umbridge came pelting out of her classroom as fast as her short legs would carry her. Pulling out her wand, she hurried off towards the north tower. The Inquisitorial Squad arrived after some time and got covered by a slimy substance blasted by Fred and George. There was a huge swap on the corridor. Nobody seems to understand what was going on. Students were pushing yelling, pushing people around. Umbridge, Filch and the Inquisitorial Squad were trying to look for the culprit while saving themselves from slimy green balls. The entire thing was pretty fun until Fred and George got caught or maybe they let themselves be caught. Who knows? Nonetheless, the Inquisitorial Squad, Umbridge and Flich looked proud and satisfied by themselves as they cornered Fred and George near the entrance hall.

"So!" said Umbridge triumphantly. "So . . . you think it amusing to turn a school corridor into a swamp, do you?"

"Pretty amusing, yeah," said Fred, looking back up at her without the slightest sign of fear.

"You two," Umbridge went on, gazing down at Fred and George, "are about to learn what happens to wrongdoers in my school."

"You know what?" said Fred. "I don't think we are." 

He turned to his twin. 

"George," said Fred, "I think we've outgrown full-time education."

"Yeah, I've been feeling that way myself," said George lightly.

"Time to test our talents in the real world, d'you reckon?" asked Fred.

"Definitely," said George.

And before Umbridge could say a word, they raised their wands and said together, "Accio Brooms!"

There was a loud crash somewhere in the distance. People ducked just in time as Fred and George's broomsticks, one still trailing the heavy chain and iron peg with which Umbridge had fastened them to the wall, came hurtling along the corridor toward their owners. They turned left, streaked down the stairs, and stopped sharply in front of the twins, the chain clattering loudly on the flagged stone floor.

"We won't be seeing you," Fred told Umbridge, swinging his leg over his broomstick.

"Yeah, don't bother to keep in touch," said George, mounting his own.

Fred looked around at the assembled students, and at the silent, watchful crowd.

"If anyone fancies buying a Portable Swamp, as demonstrated upstairs, come to number ninety-three, Diagon Alley — Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes," he said in a loud voice. "Our new premises!"

"Special discounts to Hogwarts students who swear they're going to use our products to get rid of this old bat," added George, pointing at Umbridge.

"STOP THEM!" shrieked Umbridge, but it was too late. As the Inquisitorial Squad closed in, Fred and George kicked off from the floor, shooting fifteen feet into the air, the iron peg swinging dangerously below. Fred briefly looked at where Chris, Ginny, Hermione were standing before turning to the poltergeist bobbing on his level above the crowd.

"Give her hell from us, Peeves."

And Peeves, who had never be seen take an order from a student before, swept his belled hat from his head and sprang to a salute as Fred and George wheeled about to tumultuous applause from the students below and sped out of the open front doors into the glorious sunset.

The story of Fred and George's flight to freedom was retold so often over the next few days that Chris could tell it would soon become the stuff of Hogwarts legend. Within a week, even those who had been eyewitnesses were half-convinced that they had seen the twins' dive-bomb Umbridge on their brooms, pelting her with Dungbombs before zooming out of the doors. In the immediate aftermath of their departure, there was a great wave of talk about copying them so that Chris frequently heard students saying things like, "Honestly, some days I just feel like jumping on my broom and leaving this place," or else, "One more lesson like that and I might just do a Weasley . . ."  

The only thing wasn't nice was Hermione's temper after the twins' departure. She had taken it so hard that she barely spoke the next day then as the shock wore off she didn't talk without stomping her foot or spitting every word angrily. On the other hand, Chris was having a different issue, she realized that something was definitely wrong with her sudden anger. It wasn't natural. She decided to ponder over it rather than Umbridge.

Though she hardly had time for that, before she could know their exams started and ended.

"How was your History of Magic exams?" Colin asked Luna as they sat down for dinner after their last exam.

"Good, how was your Divination?" Luna said.

"It was better than expected. Firenze is really cool, isn't he, Chris?"

"Uh-huh," Chris nodded munching down some food.

"Hey!" Ginny smiled as Harry, Ron and Hermione came to the Gryffindor table.

"How were your exams?" asked Ron.

"Good, how about you three?" Ginny said.

Ron and Harry exchanged a dark look before sighing.

"We are going to fail in Divination, for sure," said Harry.

"Well, you were never good at divination, were you?" Hermione said stabbing her Turkey leg with her fork.

Nobody was foolish enough to snap back, so she was unable to vent her spleen on any of them and was reduced to telling off some first years for giggling too loudly beside them.

That night, the fifth years left the common room at ten o'clock for their Astronomy exams. But apart from them and the seventh year, everyone had finished their exams so no one seemed to interested in going to bed early. Colin and Ginny played Exploding Snap with Dennis and his friends while Chris sat near them, staring at the window. It was barely half-past eleven when Chris was still star gazing and nodding about something Ginny and Colin saying. Most people had gone to bed.

Something moved down the shadowy grounds, Chris didn't notice at first but as the moonlight glided over, Chris squinted down and saw half a dozen figures walking over to Hagrid's hut. Chris stood up very fast and pressed her face on the window. There were lights on in Hagrid's windows and the people were now silhouetted against them. The door opened and she distinctly saw six tiny but sharply defined figures walk over the threshold.

"What's up?" Coin asked coming beside Chris.

"Who are they?" Ginny said looking out of the window as well.

"No idea but I don't like them," whispered Chris.

There was a loud BANG from the grounds. The people left in the common room looked at each other and then joined Chris, Colin and Ginny by the window.

"What's going on?" Alex asked Colin in a terrified voice.

But before Colin could answer, Hagrid's door burst open and by the light flooding out of the cabin they saw him quite clearly, a massive figure roaring and brandishing his fists, surrounded by six people, all of whom, judging by the tiny threads of red light they were casting in his direction, seemed to be attempting to Stun him.

"No!" screamed Ginny.

"Let's go."

Without waiting Chris ran out of the common room. 

"Should we transform?" Colin said catching up with her.

"We should use the invisibility cloak," Ginny answered.

"You can if you want but I am not sneaking today," Chris said sprinting down the stairs. "What does she thinks attacking Hagrid like this? I had enough."

Just then Chris heard Hagrid giving a howl of fury, she fastened her speed. But as reach the last corridor near the entrance hall, they found Flich waiting for them.

"Well, well, Headmistress knew you would come—"

Flich had barely finished her line before Chris stunned him.

"Go to hell," Chris spit looking at him before racing towards the entrance hall.

The double door of the entrance hall was open, someone was already marching towards Hagrid's hut, screaming.

"How dare you! How dare you!"

"McGonagall!" said Chris, Ginny and Colin together as they reached the door.

"Leave him alone! Alone, I say!" said Professor McGonagall's voice through the darkness. "On what grounds are you attacking him? He has done nothing, nothing to warrant such —"

Ginny screamed and Chris skipped the last four stairs. No fewer than four Stunners had shot from the figures around the cabin toward Professor McGonagall. Halfway between cabin and castle the red beams collided with her. For a moment she looked luminous, illuminated by an eerie red glow, then was lifted right off her feet, landed hard on her back, and moved no more. 

"Professor!" Colin yelled as they reached McGonagall's unconscious body.

But Umbridge was too busy with Hagrid to notice them.

"COWARDS!" bellowed Hagrid. "RUDDY COWARDS! HAVE SOME O' THAT — AN' THAT —"

Hagrid took two massive swipes at his closest attackers; judging by their immediate collapse, they had been knocked cold.

"Get him, get him!" screamed Umbridge, but her remaining helper seemed highly reluctant to go within reach of Hagrid's fists. Indeed, he was backing away so fast he tripped over one of his unconscious colleagues and fell over. Hagrid had turned and begun to run with Fang still hung around his neck; Umbridge sent one last Stunning Spell after him but it missed, and Hagrid, running full-pelt toward the distant gates, disappeared into the darkness.

Furiously Umbridge turned to McGonagall's body and saw Chris, Ginny and Colin kneeling beside her. She marched towards them as the others with her still stared at the place where Hagrid just disappeared to.

"What are you doing here? Do you know I can expel you three, right now, right here," growled Umbridge.

Chris looked up at her, fury in her eyes.

"And do you know I can kill you, right now, right here," muttered Chris through her clenching teeth.

Umbridge looked taken aback for a moment.

"But you are a fourteen years old kid," she tried to say it firmly but her voice shook as she gazed at Chris' eyes.

"You think so?" Chris said so coldly that Umbridge retreated a few steps.

"What is going on?"

A sharp voice came behind them.

"Snape!" 

Umbridge looked relieved to see him.

Snape surveyed the scene, and rest his black glinting eyes on McGonagall and Chris.

"I think if you don't want any more problems with others, Headmistress, you should send Professor McGonagall to the hospital wing," said Snape in a bored neutral voice.

Umbridge suddenly looked as realization had dawned on her and she nodded.

"Take her Severus," she said.

"I think I will take the students too?" Snape sneered.

"Yes, yes, absolutely."

"Follow me," Snape looked at Chris, Ginny and Colin then pointed his wand towards McGonagall's body and it rose from the ground.

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To be continued. . .