Ursa spots the horses from the carriages flying and follows them into the forest. She finds Harry on her way. "Following those things from the carriage too?" Ursa asks.

     "Yeah. I wish I knew why no one else can see them."

     "Luna seems to know. I keep meaning to ask her." They walk together. They find Luna among the horses, barefoot. "Hello Harry Potter. Ursa Malfoy." Luna says.

     "Your feet. Aren't they cold?" Harry asks.

     "A bit." Luna replies. "Unfortunately all of my shoes have mysteriously disappeared. I suspect Nargles are behind it."

     "Or other students." Ursa suggests. "What are they?" Ursa asks motioning to the horses.

     "They're called Thestrals." Luna answers. "They're really quiet gentle, really, but people avoid them because they're a bit..."

     "Different." Harry finishes. Luna starts walking towards them and Harry and Ursa follow. "But why can't the others see them?"

     "They can only be seen by people who've seen death."

     "Cedric." Ursa says.

     "So you've seen someone die?" Harry asks.

     "My mum." Luna replies. "She was quite an extraordinary witch, but she did like to experiment... and one day one of her spells went badly wrong. I was 9."

     "I'm sorry." Ursa says. "And now know to be extra careful when I experiment."

     "Yes, it was rather horrible." Luna says. "I do feel sad about it sometimes, but I've got Dad." They stop in front of a baby and Luna takes an apple from her bag. "We both believe you, by the way. That He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named is back and you fought him... and you were cursed by him... and that the Ministry and Prophet are conspiring against you Harry."

     "Thanks." Harry says. "It seems you're about the only ones who do."

     "Yeah." Ursa agrees.

     "I don't think that's true." Luna replies before rolling the apple to the baby testral. "But I suppose that's how he wants you to feel."

     "What do you mean?" Harry asks.

     "Well, if I were You-Know-Who I'd want you to feel cut off from everyone else because if it's just you alone you're not as much as a threat."

     "True." Ursa says. "Though he's not trying to kill me."

     "Just get you to join him." Harry says.

     "Yeah."

***

     Ursa is sitting with the Gryffindors studying in the Great Hall. "Did anything interesting happen to you this summer Ursa?" Hermione asks.

     "Pretty much uneventful except for one thing and Draco and my birthday party." Ursa replies. "My father thinks Pansy and I are more than friends so he took me into the garden shed and threatened me. I overreacted, thinking he was about to hex me, that I hit him with a binding curse and locked him in the shed. Then I went back to the garden and I kissed my best friend."

     Pansy comes up behind Ursa. "Well since I wasn't there," Hermione starts. "Your only other best friend is Pansy."

     "Yep." Pansy says.

     "Oops." Ursa says with a chuckle. "He was right."

     "Wait you locked him in the shed too? You're psychotic."

     "You're gay?" Ron questions.

     "Yes." Ursa replies.

     "So that's what you meant when you said none of the boys here were your type." Hermione says.

     "Yep." Ursa replies.

     "And Ron she literally told us when she was talking about how she and Draco were laughing at Harry and the veela."

     "She did?" Harry questions and Ursa rolls her eyes.

     "Oblivious boys." Ursa says. "I said it's not hard to resist the draw of the veela and that it only works on people who are attracted to females. I have to resist it, it works on me. Hence I'm attracted to females."

     Everyone's heads turn to the Great Hall doors as they hear McGonagall and Umbridge talking outside. "Pardon me Professor." Umbridge says. "But what exactly are you insinuating?"

     "I am merely requesting that when it comes to my students..." McGonagall starts.

     "This is going to be good." Ursa says as she stands. They go out into the hall. McGonagall and Umbridge are on the stairs.

     "You conform to the prescribed disciplinary practices." McGonagall finishes.

     "So silly of me," Umbridge says. "But it sounds as if you're questioning my authority in my classroom." Umbridge steps up one step. "Minerva."

     "Not at all, Dolores," McGonagall steps up so she's on the same step. "Just your medieval methods." Ursa is holding back laughter at this point.

     "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 steps down. "Disloyalty?"

     "Things at Hogwarts are far worse than I feared." Umbridge says to everyone. "Cornelius will want to take immediate action."

     "Oh shit." Ursa whispers.

***

     "Your father's in the paper Ursa." Hermione says as Ursa sits at breakfast. Lyra lands on her shoulder.

     "Oh great." Ursa groans. "What did he do now?"

     "Supports Umbridge becoming the High Inquisitor." Harry says.

     "Of course he does. What else do you expect? Let me see." Hermione hands Ursa the paper.

     "'I feel much easier in my mind now that I know Dumbledore is being subjected to a fair and objective evaluation,' said Mr Lucius Malfoy, 41, speaking from his Wiltshire mansion last night.'" Ursa reads aloud. "Objective my ass."

     "I didn't know your dad was that old." Harry says.

     "Not everyone has children at 20 like your parents." Ursa replies. "Although they were trying. I was their miracle child until Draco. My mother hadn't kept a pregnancy until me."

     "Why not?"

     "You've seen my mother. She's a stick. Her body couldn't handle it." Ursa continues to read. "'Many of us with our children's best interests at heart have been concerned about some of Dumbledore's eccentric decisions in the last few years and will be glad to know that the Ministry is keeping an eye on the situation.' I mean he does have Draco and my best interest at heart. The fact that Dumbledore is involved is an added bonus to him."

     When the trio arrive for Double Potions, Ursa is already at the table. "Had Umbridge yet?" Ursa asks.

     "No. Just boring old Binns." Ron says.

     "Not like you can fire a ghost teacher anyways." Ursa replies. Snape hands back their moonstone essays. Ursa smiles at her O before putting it in her bag.

     "I have graded your essays as they would have been if you had submitted it in your O.W.L." Snape says. "It should give you an accurate representation of what to expect. The general standard of this homework was abysmal. Only one O. I expect to see better effort on your essay this week of various varieties of venom antidotes or I will start to hand out detentions to those idiots who get D's."

     "Someone got a D?" Draco asks with a snicker. "Hate to be that loser."

     "Oh, I would have expected it to be you with your horrible essay." Ursa snaps

     "Sorry we can't all be perfect."

     "Aww thanks for calling me perfect."

     "Well at least I'm a prefect."

     "Thanks for reminding me to-"

     "Malfoys!" Snape snaps. "Cease your bickering."

     "Yes sir." Draco and Ursa both say.

     "Instructions for Strengthing Solution is on the board. Get to work."

     At the end of the class, Ursa's potion is a clear turquoise and Draco's is blue. "Good try Draco. It's at least blue." Ursa pats Draco's back and he glares at her. Ursa smirks in reply.

     After class, Ursa walks with the trio to lunch. "I didn't expect to get the best grade, especially if he's grading to O.W.L. standards." Hermione says.

     "If you want to know what we got just ask Hermione." Ron says.

     "Well then what did you get Ronald?"

     "A P. Not bad for Snape standards."

     "Doesn't P mean 'poor'?"

     "Not as bad as a D." Ursa notices Harry's face turn red and she knows his grade.

     "What did you get Ursa?" Hermione asks.

     "Probably the O." Ron mutters.

     "He's not wrong." Ursa says.

***

    That evening, Ursa goes to Dumbledore's office for her lesson. "So Umbridge got power." Ursa says.

    "Yes, Fudge's paranoia is overwhelming." Dumbledore replies.

    "Any news on Hagrid? Shouldn't he be back by now?"

    "Him and Madame Maxine were together but got separated. I am not too worried. Hagrid can handle himself."

    "I know Fang misses him."

***

     The first class Ursa finally has Umbridge evaluating is Transfigurations. "Excellent." Ursa hears Ron whisper as they sit, Hermione next to her and the boys behind them. "Let's see Umbridge get what she deserves."

    "This is going to be good." Ursa replies.

    McGonagall walks into the room and gets started without any indication that she notices Umbridge. "Silence." The room falls quiet. "Mr Finnigan, please come here and hand back homework. Miss Malfoy, please take this box of mice and hand one to each student."

     "Yes ma'am." Ursa says as she gets up and gets the box of mice. Umbridge clears her throat, but McGonagall ignores it.

     "Right then, everyone listen closely." Dean Thomas picks his mouse up by its tail and shakes it a bit. "Dean Thomas if you do that to the mouse again, I will put you in detention. Most of you have successfully vanished your snails and even those who were left with a bit of the shell have the basics of the spell. Today we will be-" Umbridge clears her throat again. "Yes?"

     "I was wondering whether or not you received my note telling you the date and time of your inspec-"

     "Obviously I received it, or I would be questioning your presence in my classroom." McGonagall turns back to the class. "As I was saying. Today we will be practicing the harder vanishment of mice. Now the Vanishing Spell-" Umbridge clears her throat a third time and McGonagall turns to her again. "I wonder how you expect to get an idea of my usual teaching methods if you keep interrupting me. Normally I do not permit people to talk when I am talking." Umbridge turns a shade of red and straightens the parchment on her clipboard before scribbling furiously. "As I was saying, the Vanishing Spell becomes more difficult with the complexity of the animal that you are vanishing. You know the incantation, let me see what you can do." Ursa and Hermione smile at each other before pointing their wands at their mice.

     "Evanesco." They cast at the same time. The tail of Hermione's disappears while Ursa's disappears completely.

     "I see someone has been practicing." McGonagall says. "Well done Miss Malfoy."

     "Thank you, Professor. I found a few mice in the dungeons and practiced." Ursa notices Umbridge write something down after looking at Ursa.

     "Show off." Draco mutters in front of her.

     "I heard that, Dray."

     "Good."

     "Don't make me curse you."

     "You wouldn't dare."

     "Try me Fer-"

     "Malfoys!" McGonagall snaps.

     "Sorry Professor." Draco and Ursa say.

     After Transfiguration, Ursa goes down the lawn to Care of Magical Creatures. "Anything new Lyra?" Ursa asks as she walks up to Hagrid's hut. Lyra shakes her head. "Good." Ursa opens the door to Hagrid's hut and goes inside. "Hey Fang." She feeds Fang before going back outside. She finds Umbridge with Professor Grubbly-Plank.

     "What were you doing in there Miss Malfoy?" Umbridge asks.

     "Feeding Fang." Ursa replies. "Something Professor Hagrid asked me to do." Umbridge humphs and turns back to Grubbly-Plank.

     "You do not normally teach this class, do you?" Umbridge asks.

     "Correct. I am a substitute teacher standing in for Professor Hagrid."

     "Perhaps you can tell me where Professor Hagrid is. The headmaster seems strangely reluctant to tell me." Draco looks up eagerly.

     "Afraid not. I know as much as you do. Shall I start?"

     "Yes please." While Grubly-Plank teaches, Umbridge wanders the class and asks students questions. Ursa tunes her out until she reaches Goyle. "Now I heard there have been injuries in this class."

     "That was me." Draco says. "A hippogriff attacked me."

     "A hippogriff?" Umbridge questions.

     "Only because he was too stupid to listen to Hagrid's warnings and what he was told to do." Ursa says.

     "How would you know?" Draco says. "You weren't here."

     "Cause my friends told me."

     "Do you need detention Miss Malfoy?" Umbridge asks.

     "But she's not wrong!" Harry exclaims. Hermione and Ron both groan.

     "Extra night of detention for you Mr Potter."

"Haha." Draco says.

"Why you little-" Ursa starts as she moves towards Draco. Draco yelps and hides behind Crabbe and Goyle. "Coward."

"Malfoys!" Grubly-Plank says. "Do I need to separate you two?"

"Please do." Ursa says. "Otherwise Lyra is going to have ferret for dinner."

"You wouldn't."

"Oh I've been practicing. One day I'll turn you back into a ferret. Maybe leave you that way."

That evening, Ursa is laughing with Draco at dinner. "Do the Malfoys always fight?" Umbridge asks Snape.

"The Malfoy children fight often." Snape says. "But they are best friends. It's a sibling thing."