Chapter 196: A New Notice

"Something is wrong, you know," Chris said pulling her school robes over her skirt and shirt.

"Everything is wrong," Ginny said looking frustrated, as she tried to pull her hair into a ponytail and her hair got strangled again. "I am never going to achieve a perfect sleek ponytail."

"Really Gin?" Chris rolled her eyes and crossed the room. She stood behind Ginny and neatly pulled her hair back into a sleek ponytail. They were getting ready in their room before heading out for breakfast. It was Saturday so they were not in a hurry.

"Thanks," Ginny grinned looking satisfied with her hair.

"Your welcome. Also, I was talking about Umbridge, not your hair," Chris said wearing her shoes. "But is this hairstyle has anything to do with Michael?" 

"Nope, I wanted to try something new with my hair. No Michael involved."

"Gin, do you really like Michael?" Chris asked suddenly looking serious. "You know, sometimes you seem so distant with him —"

"Well," Ginny looked away from Chris. "He is an interesting guy but I don't know how much I can take."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean he's a good guy but he acts so weirdly sometimes, that at some point I feel like he is not my type."

"Weird?" Chris raised her eyebrows.

Ginny shrugged.

"Leave it. We will discuss my relationship problems another time. Right now we are late for breakfast."

"Gin —"

"Relax Chris. I will dump him if he really annoyed me. For sure." Ginny winked and walked out of the room.

Chris followed. They were only halfway to the common room when it happened. There were a loud, wailing, klaxonlike sound and the steps melted together to make a long, smooth stone slide. Ginny slipped first then Chris. They slid on the stone slide to the rug in the common room.

"It was your third time Colin, why the hell do you try?" Chris said without looking up. 

Colin had tried to enter the girls' dormitory two times before and every time he reached the fifth or sixth step the stairs turned into a slide, preventing boys from getting up to the girls' room. Both of the time Chris was on the middle of the stairs and well, suddenly the stairs changing into smooth slide beneath you feet wasn't exactly a good feeling.

"It wasn't me this time," Colin said as he helped Chris to get up.

"Yeah, it was me," said Harry who was helping Ginny.

"Still, It's not fair!" said Ron. "You girls are allowed in our dormitory but how come we're not allowed —"

"The founders thought boys were less trustworthy than girls. Anyway, why were you trying to get in there?" Chris said.

"To call you two and Hermione," Harry replied pulling Chris towards the Gryffindor notice board. "Come here — look at this."

A large sign had been affixed to the Gryffindor notice board. It was printed in large black letters and there was a highly official-looking seal at the bottom beside a neat and curly signature.

——— BY ORDER OF ———

The High Inquisitor of Hogwarts

All Student Organizations, Societies, Teams, Groups, and Clubs are henceforth disbanded.

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 be expelled.

The above is in accordance with Educational Decree Number Twenty-four.

"I told you something is wrong," Chris muttered. "No way Fudge is going to give her powers this soon. Dumbledore clearly stated he will not tolerate it."

"You never know Chris. Fudge is a kind of a funny person," Colin said.

"But there is nothing funny about this notice," Harry said gritting his teeth. "She knows. She knows, Chris but how?"

"Do you think that Smith told her?" Ron said.

"No, that's impossible." Hermione had appeared behind them.

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"Yes, Hermione and I had jinxed the paper and the quill before the meeting. If anyone tried to say something, then we'll know exactly who they are and they will really regret it," said Chris darkly.

"What will —" Ron began excitedly but Ginny stopped him.

"Hang on a second, look at this. The list includes teams. That means we have to reform our Quidditch team."

"What!" said Chris, Harry and Ron together.

Chris asked Colin and Hermione to inform the other D.A. members to be careful, Ron and Ginny went to talk to Angelina and Chris with Harry went to look for Cedric.

"Where do you reckon he will be?" Harry said as they left the great hall. "I am sure he saw the notice. I don't think Cedric will give up that easily."

"Me too," Chris said. "Melvin said Cedric left the Hufflepuff common room early in the morning. So let's check outside first."

They walked around the castle, in the Quidditch field, near the edge of the forbidden forest, even around the Whomping Willow but Cedric was nowhere to be found. 

They returned to the castle and were discussing where to look next when Chris noticed a ghost was watching them. Chris was very surprised when she realized that the ghost was none other than Ravenclaw tower ghost The Grey Lady, Helena Ravenclaw. But as soon as Helena discovered that Chris had noticed her, she tried to float away.

"Hey! Hel— grey lady! Wait up," Chris called running towards her.

Helena Ravenclaw pretended that she hardly heard her.

"Hey, listen. It's important," Chris said loudly. Few passing students stopped looking curious which annoyed Helena. She turned to face Chris very fast.

"What is it?" She hissed.

"Er. . . I wanted to ask — have you seen Cedric Diggory. . .  a Hufflepuff boy," Chris said awkwardly. That was not the reason she called Helena but as she expected the question made most of the students walk away looking uninterested.

Helena looked as though she was trying to decide whether she was amused by Chris's question or annoyed.

"No," She replied finally and started to turn away.

"Right, I will ask Nick or someone else." Chris sighed. "You know, I really thought after knowing that Malgino is still alive and he attacked me, you will try to talk to me at least once."

Helena looked at Chris for a few moments, her expression was unreadable.

"I can say the same," she said and without waiting floated away.

"Wait, really?" Chris stared after her for several seconds before Harry called her.

"Chris! Cedric."

Chris followed his gaze and saw Cedric was making his way towards the north tower.

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To be continued...