It was a cold morning the day following Harry's little fight with his friends after they tried making him go to Dumbledore regarding Umbridge's detention methods. They decided to let him cool off, knowing all too well that he had been quite moody since summer for multiple reasons.

Fortunately, allowing Harry to calm down on his own was very helpful to him, as well as a nice talk with Luna Lovegood. He had woken up earlier than his friends to send a letter to Sirius, so he spent his free time strolling through the grounds before breakfast. He happened to come across Luna at the edge of the Forbidden Forest, feeding the creatures he was told were called thestrals. He also learned that only people who have seen death and accepted it could see thestrals. Although he had been a mere baby when his parents died before his eyes, perhaps seeing their ghostly figures during his duel with Voldemort that night at the graveyard made him accept their deaths in a different light.

The Great Hall was bustling with students getting ready for another day of school. Ron was somehow able to shove mouthfuls of food into his mouth while cramming an assigned reading at the same time. Analeigh and Hermione kept giving him disgusted looks, but Ginny was more than used to her brother acting that way and didn't speak up. However, Hermione just had to say something.

"Do you ever stop eating?" she cringed.

"What? I'm hungry," Ron said. Just then, Harry walked up to them tentatively. They all stopped what they were doing and stared at him.

"Harry," Hermione acknowledged him.

"Can I join you?" he asked carefully. Before they could even reply, a shrill voice from outside the hall caught their attention.

"Pardon me, professor, but what exactly are you insinuating?"

"I am merely requesting that when it comes to my students, you conform to the prescribed disciplinary practices."

Those were undoubtedly Professor Umbridge's and Professor McGonagall's voices. Many students seemed interested in the commotion and began filing out of the hall, including Analeigh, Harry, Hermione, and Ron. When they had left the Great Hall and joined the crowd that formed, they found the two teachers in the middle of a heated discussion by the stairs.

"So silly of me, but it sounds that you're questioning my authority in my own classroom..." Umbridge took a step higher to give herself some height. "... Minerva."

"Not at all..." McGonagall mimicked her and stepped up. "... Dolores, merely your medieval methods."

"I am sorry, dear. But to question my practices is to question the Ministry, and by extension, the minister himself. I am a tolerant woman, but the one thing I will not stand for is disloyalty."

McGonagall didn't even try to mask the offense she felt at those words. Stepping back down, she repeated in disbelief, "Disloyalty?"

Analeigh exchanged troubled looks with her friends. The nerve Umbridge had to call McGonagall disloyal of all people... she was truly one nasty woman.

Taking note of the spectators watching, Umbridge faced them and said, "Things at Hogwarts are far worse than I feared. Cornelius will want to take immediate action."

★ ★ ★

That morning was when everything started to go downhill. It was only a few days later that the Hogwarts students saw Mr. Filch pinning up a notice that stated: Dolores Jane Umbridge has been appointed to the post of Hogwarts High Inquisitor. This news was also on the front page of various newspapers, even showing up multiple times on the Daily Prophet. It gave off the false image that Cornelius Fudge was a saint because he was apparently putting much importance on the youth's education.

Apparently, Umbridge's new job gave her the power to remove unsatisfactory teachers from the school based on the Ministry's standards, as well as to ensure that all Educational Decrees were followed. In Analeigh's eyes, this basically just meant that Umbridge could fire any staff she disliked and to suck all the fun out of Hogwarts.

Analeigh was unfortunately right. The weeks that followed Umbridge's appointment as High Inquisitor were horrible. She would observe classes and make side comments that disrupted lessons, and she even began patrolling the halls and restricting students from doing things that were fun and harmless. She'd use magic to tighten loose neckties and tuck in shirts or to turn enchanted items into dust if they were being used in the corridors. She even stopped the Weasley twins from playing with their fireworks, one of their latest creations, at the courtyard where a bunch of students of all ages came to watch and relieve some stress.

Analeigh fought the urge to roll her eyes when Umbridge observed their Potions class one Friday. However, it did amuse her that even Snape looked more displeased than usual because of the woman's presence. They were in the middle of a lecture when Umbridge decided to question Snape while walking around him in circles.

"You applied first for the Defense Against the Dark Arts post, is that correct?" she smiled.

"... Yes."

Umbridge scribbled something down on her clipboard.

"But you were... unsuccessful?"

"Obviously," Snape drawled. Ron couldn't control his snicker, and Analeigh half-expected Snape to lash out on the boy right then and there. But he didn't — that is, not until after Umbridge exited the room. Once she was gone, Snape hit the back of Ron's head with his notebook. Ron grumbled under his breath in annoyance as the man stalked away from him with a swish of his cloak.

"Serves you right," Analeigh whispered teasingly.

"Prick," Ron mouthed back with a glare.

Analeigh was grateful when her classes for that day finally came to an end. She had agreed to meet up with Cedric at the Transfiguration Courtyard that afternoon, the both of them hoping to get away from all the nonsense Umbridge was upholding inside the castle's halls.

She found the seventh year boy lying down on a bench with an open book covering his face and his hands comfortably resting on his stomach. He looked so at peace there that she almost didn't want to disturb him — after all, being in your seventh year while also holding a several positions with a lot of responsibilities was not easy — but she decided that now was better than later. She reached a hand out to carefully remove the book from his face, only for his hand to shoot out and grab her wrist.

"Bloody hell, Cedric," Analeigh said, startled. The boy used his free hand to remove the book himself before looking up at Analeigh.

"Sorry, Seeker reflexes," he said shamelessly. He sat up and pulled Analeigh down next to him so closely that they were pressed up against each other. She tried to move away and farther down the bench, but Cedric put an arm around her to stop her from doing so.

"What's gotten into you?" Analeigh said curiously. She knew Cedric wasn't shy when it came to physical affection, but what he was doing still struck her as a bit odd.

"What, can't I be physically close to my girlfriend?" Cedric teased. "But if you're uncomfortable, I won't push it."

"No, no, it's fine," Analeigh said a little too quickly. She blushed when Cedric smirked at her reply.

"Actually, it's because we can't be like this in the halls anymore."

"What are you talking about?"

"Educational Decree No. 26 says so."

"There's another decree already?" said Analeigh disbelievingly. "What does it say?"

"'Boys and girls aren't allowed to be within six inches of each other'," Cedric said in a posh voice. "And as Head Boy, I'm afraid I'll have to follow it sooner or later."

"That is way more specific than I expected," Analeigh scoffed. "Is Umbridge actually serious?"

"Dead serious. She had Filch put up the decree just this afternoon. It's only a matter of time before everyone else sees it."

"That's insane."

"Glad to see you're affected by it. I thought I'd be the only one upset at not getting to do this anymore," Cedric pouted.

"You are so dramatic," Analeigh made fun of him. "It's not like we won't see each other at all."

"Well, if you let me kiss you right now, I'll stop complaining," Cedric said cheekily. Analeigh rolled her eyes but gave in anyway. Cedric shifted in his place and gently placed both his hands on her face. They were a bit cold from being outside for some time, but they warmed up pretty quickly when they came in contact with Analeigh's blushing cheeks. He then leaned down for the kiss, their lips meeting one another's eagerly as if they had been waiting for this the whole day. This kiss was longer and much more feverish than their previous ones, Analeigh realized with her eyes closed, and she couldn't deny that she loved it. Butterflies would not stop exploding in her stomach, and her heart would not stop beating at an abnormally fast rate either as Cedric kissed her even deeper.

When they finally parted for air, Analeigh was a bit dazed. Cedric grinned at her reaction and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear.

"Cute," he couldn't help but mumble. That did not help Analeigh's racing heart at all. Of course, the moment just had to be ruined when Cedric was suddenly pulled away from her by some unknown force. It was so strong that he slid off of the bench, landing on the grass with a small thud. He and Analeigh whipped around to find Umbridge approaching them with a sickly sweet smile.

"Perhaps you aren't aware of the latest decree, children," she said. "But you are not permitted to be within six inches of each other."

"Oh, yes, we'll keep that in mind, Professor," said Cedric, getting up on his feet. "It won't happen again."

"I certainly hope not, seeing as you are the Head Boy after all." Cedric's jaw clenched; he felt both irritated and embarrassed. He wanted to defend himself so badly, but what good would it do? He couldn't afford to get on Umbridge's bad side. He was Head Boy, Quidditch Captain, and a graduating student — there was a lot on the line if he chose to talk back to her. It took all his willpower not to do anything rash.

"Have a good day, Mr. Diggory and Miss Heart," Umbridge ended the conversation with yet another one of her infuriating giggles. Her smile dropped for a split second to give them a warning glance, and then she was spinning on her heel and walking back into the castle.

That last look Umbridge sent them gave Analeigh the impression that the woman disliked them almost as much as she disliked Harry, most probably because of their involvement in the Triwizard Tournament. Analeigh still couldn't believe that woman was their teacher for such a crucial subject. She wanted to find some way to fight back more than ever — to stand up to Umbridge and to learn how to really defend herself from when the real threat inevitably arrived.

A/N: Oooo Umbridge is making things interesting now 👀 Damn I really hate her HAHA