(23. falling out )

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THE NEXT morning felt surreal. When they were finally allowed to leave their common rooms, the Slytherin prefects led them up in groups, as if they were first years again. Pansy seemed to be taking particular pleasure in her role, barking orders with newfound authority.

"Keep moving," she snapped at a group of second years. "And remember - any unauthorized gatherings will be reported directly to our new Headmistress."

Iris and Jade found the corridors unnaturally quiet, students speaking in whispers as they passed. Even the portraits seemed subdued, their occupants huddling together in frames, whispering behind their hands.

"Did you see Filch this morning?" a Hufflepuff girl whispered to her friend. "Practically skipping with joy..."

The Great Hall was equally hushed, save for the sound of Filch's ladder scraping against stone as he hung yet another Educational Decree. He was humming to himself, a discordantly cheerful sound in the tense atmosphere.

They found Harry, Ron, and Hermione already there, watching Filch work. The new sign made Iris's stomach drop: "Dolores Jane Umbridge, New Headmistress of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry." The words seemed to gleam mockingly in the morning light streaming through the high windows.

"What happened to Dumbledore?" Iris asked quietly, noticing the dark circles under their eyes. None of them looked like they'd slept.

Harry's face darkened. Without a word, he turned and stalked away, leaving tension in his wake. Cho Chang started to follow him but thought better of it, hovering uncertainly nearby. She caught Iris's eye briefly before looking away, guilt written clearly across her face.

"They tried to arrest him," Hermione explained in hushed tones. "Fudge himself came with Aurors. They were going to send him to Azkaban. It was awful - they had Percy Weasley there taking notes, like it was just another Ministry meeting..."

"But Dumbledore wouldn't go quietly," Ron added, his voice a mixture of pride and worry. "He just... disappeared. Right in front of everyone."

"Umbridge wasn't too pleased either," Hermione continued. "Now she's worried he might come back."

"Good," Jade muttered. "Let her worry."

Hermione glanced around nervously before moving closer to Iris. "Listen, about our research... I think we need to put it on hold. With Umbridge in charge, it's too dangerous. She'll want to know everything we're doing, and who knows whose side she's really on."

"What if we found somewhere else to work?" Iris suggested halfheartedly. "The library in Hogsmeade, maybe..."

"She'll be watching everything," Hermione shook her head. "All the mail, all the trips to Hogsmeade... we can't risk it. Not now."

Iris nodded, trying to ignore the sinking feeling in her chest. "You're right. It's not worth the risk."

୨ৎ

The morning post arrived in the great hall with an ominous flutter of wings. Among the usual owls, Iris recognized her father's eagle owl swooping toward the Slytherin table, its black feathers gleaming ominously. Next to her, Jade had gone pale at the sight of her own family's owl.

"This can't be good," Jade muttered, taking her letter with trembling fingers. "Mother never writes during term unless something's wrong."

Iris broke her father's seal, her heart pounding. The parchment was thick and formal, his precise handwriting covering nearly the entire page:

Iris,

Your recent behavior has brought unprecedented shame upon this family. Consorting with blood traitors and participating in seditious activities against the Ministry? I thought we had raised you better than this.

Your mother is beside herself. After everything we have done to manage your... condition, this is how you repay us? By associating with Weasleys and engaging in juvenile rebellion?

You will return home immediately for the Easter holiday. We clearly need to remind you of your place and obligations. I have already made arrangements with Professor Umbridge. She has been most understanding about our need to address this situation personally.

Do not think that your condition exempts you from proper behavior. If anything, it should remind you of how precarious your position is, and how much you rely on this family's protection and resources.

Do not disappoint me further.

Augustus Greer

Iris looked up to find Jade's face equally stricken. "You too?"

Jade nodded, crumpling her letter. "Easter holiday. Can't wait," she said bitterly. "Mother's 'deeply concerned about my choices' and Father thinks I need 'guidance to avoid further mistakes.'"

"At least they didn't mention-"

"George?" Jade's laugh was hollow. "Oh, they did. Apparently, someone was kind enough to inform them about that too."

୨ৎ

Detention with Umbridge was held in the Great Hall that evening, the house tables replaced by rows of single desks spaced far apart. The scratching of cursed quills filled the air, accompanied by barely suppressed winces and occasional sharp intakes of breath.

Ron sat at the desk next to Iris, his jaw clenched as he wrote. She could see the words appearing on his hand, red and raw: I must not defy authority. Her own hand bled steadily, but she had long practice at hiding pain. When Ron glanced at her worriedly, she kept her face carefully blank.

Across the room, Neville was clearly struggling not to make a sound, while Luna seemed to be humming softly to herself as she wrote, as if the pain was just a minor inconvenience. Even the usually stoic Jade's hand was shaking slightly.

Umbridge walked between the desks, her heels clicking on the stone floor. "Tut, tut," she said softly, pausing beside Ginny whose eyes were bright with unshed tears. "I do hope the message is... sinking in."

It felt like hours before they were finally dismissed. As they filed out into the corridor, Iris noticed Jade's hands were shaking as she tried to wrap a handkerchief around her bleeding hand.

"Hey," Iris said softly, touching Jade's arm. "Are you okay?"

Jade didn't look up, her dark hair falling forward to hide her face. "Am I okay?" Her voice was quiet but had an edge Iris rarely heard. "No, actually. I'm not okay."

"Jade-"

"Do you know what my mother's going to do when she sees this?" Jade held up her bandaged hand. "All because I followed you into this. Again."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Iris asked, feeling defensive now.

"It means this is your fault!" Jade burst out, finally looking up with tears in her eyes. "None of this would have happened if you had just listened to me! But you had to go play hero with your precious Gryffindors, didn't you? And of course I had to follow you because that's what I always do - follow you into whatever mess you've created!"

"That's not fair," Iris shot back, her own temper flaring despite her exhaustion. "You didn't have to join. I only told you-"

"Of course I had to!" Jade's voice cracked. "Because that's what we do - we stick together! But now..." she gestured at her bleeding hand, "now we're both going home to face our parents, and for what? Some stupid rebellion that didn't even work? All because you couldn't resist playing at being one of them!"

"Don't act like you were dragged into this," Iris snapped. "You made your own choices. Just like you made your choice about George-"

"Don't you dare bring him into this!" Jade's voice echoed off the stone walls. "At least I admit how I feel instead of dancing around it for months like some coward-"

"Jade, please-"

"No. I can't... I can't do this right now." Jade turned and ran, tears finally falling freely. George hesitated only a moment before following after her.

Iris started to follow but stumbled as pain shot through her arm, forcing her to grab the wall for support.

"Iris!" Ron was there immediately, steadying her. Harry appeared on her other side, ignoring Cho's attempt to get his attention as he passed.

"I'm fine," Iris said automatically, though the corridor was starting to spin. "I just need..." But she didn't know what she needed. Everything felt like it was crumbling - her careful plans, her hopes for a cure. And now maybe even her oldest friendship.

"We can help-" Ron started.

"Please," she cut him off. "I just... I need to be alone."

They hesitated, but finally stepped back. She waited until their footsteps faded before sliding down the wall to sit on the cold stone floor. Only then, in the empty corridor with everyone gone, did she finally let a single tear fall.

It wasn't fair, she thought bitterly. None of it was fair. But then, when had fairness ever mattered in her world?

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