Harry ran as far as he could from Snape's office. He hadn't meant to see into Snape's mind, he had just been angry and had so badly wanted to show Snape how painful it was to have someone you didn't trust watching your memories. Practically falling through the portrait hole, Harry wiped his forehead and realised that the evening's Occlumency session had left his grey t-shirt mostly black and sticking to him with sweat. Brilliant, he thought.

"Harry? You're back early." Hermione stood up from the sofa.

"Oh. Uh, yeah." Harry stammered, moving over to her and Ron, who was sitting on the sofa,"Snape thinks I'm done. Says I've mastered it and don't need to, er, come back."

"So, you've stopped having the dreams?" Hermione pressed suspiciously as the pair sat down.

"Pretty much." Harry couldn't look at her, but he didn't want her on his case all the time about Occlumency and the dreams, even if she did mean well.

"Well, I don't think Professor Snape should stop until you're absolutely sure you can control them!" She said indignantly,"Harry, I think you should go back to him and ask-"

"No." Harry said forcefully,"Just drop it, Hermione, okay?"

Ron suddenly gasped.

"What?" Hermione asked.

"There's only six weeks until exams!" Ron yelped.

Hermione rolled her eyes,"How can that come as a shock? Look, I've made you both revision timetables. I tried to make them more interesting by colour-coding them and making them flash. That's about the best I could do, I'm afraid." She handed the boys their timetables.

"Ooh, you've given me a night off a week!" Ron beamed.

"Yes, that's for Quidditch practice."

"Oh." Ron grouched,"Well, then."

"Harry, I've been meaning to do this spell for a while." Hermione changed the subject suddenly,"It's a good one, I think. It's easy, too."

"Go on, then," Harry said,"what is it?"

"Rennervate. It counters Stupefy. Um...Ron, would you like to be a test dummy for this?" Hermione asked.

Ron looked like he had been asked to shave all of his hair off,"No way!"

Sighing irritably, Hermione scanned the room. The only other people there were Neville and the twins. "Do any of you three want to be a test dummy?"

"Nope." Fred stood up and left.

"Thanks for the offer, though." George followed suit.

"Neville?"

"Er...well, I've got somewhere to be...I'm tired. Sorry. Bye." Neville hurried upstairs nervously.

Hermione exhaled angrily. Later that night, Harry decided to tell Hermione the real reason for Snape stopping his Occlumency lessons. She had not been very pleased with him at all.

***********

"Facing this stuff in real life is not like school. In school, if you make a mistake you can just try again tomorrow, but out there - when you're a second away from being murdered or watching a friend die right before your eyes - you don't know what that's like." Harry said grimly.

Twenty-four solemn faces started back at him in silence. Suddenly, there was a loud CRACK and someone appeared in front of Harry.

"Harry Potter, sir!" Dobby squeaked,"Dobby has come to warn Harry Potter! Harry Potter...she is coming!"

Harry bent down to talk to Dobby,"Who's coming?"

"She...her!" Dobby looked frightfully torn,"The professor! The mean one! The pink one!"

"Umbridge." Hermione breathed.

"Dobby, go back to the kitchens, so you hear?" Harry said firmly,"We'll be all right up here."

Dobby nodded violently before apparating away again.

Hermione sprung into action. She ran to the middle of the room, where a metal grate sat in the floor. Heaving one side up, she revealed a secret trapdoor,"WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?" She bellowed,"MOVE!"

One by one students climbed into the hole. Harry and Nigel kept watch through a tiny peep-hole in the wall of the room. "Did you make that trapdoor appear?" Harry asked Hermione.

"Yes."

"Brilliant." Something pink blurred Harry and Nigel's vision. Umbridge was outside.

"Hermione!" Ron hopped anxiously between his feet peering into the hole,"There's no more room!"

Hermione scrunched her eyes up and something popped beneath them. Everyone shifted around in the extra space in the hole.

"Thanks." One of the twins called up.

By the time Ron, Padma, Parvati, Hannah and Alicia had jumped in, Umbridge could be heard talking to the Inquisitorial Squad about how they would get in. It was only at this time that Harry realised Cho hadn't been at that day's meeting.

"Nigel!" Hermione hissed.

Nigel dashed over to the trapdoor with Harry not far behind. Trying to swing his legs through the gap, however, Nigel got his foot stuck in the grating. Harry kicked Nigel's calf as Hermione pushed down on his toes. Nigel finally broke free and climbed down. Knowing better than to argue with Hermione about who would go first, Harry placed his hands on the underside of the metal grate, ready to swing himself under.

"Bombarda Maxima!" Umbridge simpered from outside.

Hermione dropped the door in shock. Harry held it up so that it didn't fall on his fingers. Slowly lowering the trapdoor to its original position, Harry straightened himself up.

"I've got you two now!" Umbridge grinned wickedly. "You can come with me to the Headmaster's office." She said triumphantly.

Harry and Hermione bolted. Just as he made it out of the door, however, something caught Harry around the ankles and he fell spectacularly, skidding on his front for six feet before coming to a halt. Someone behind him was laughing. He rolled over onto his back and saw Malfoy, Millicent and Pansy.

"Trip Jinx, Potter!" Malfoy snarled. Millicent and Pansy both had a tight grip around Hermione, who was struggling against Millicent's strength. Pansy pulled at Hermione's hair to get her to be quiet. "Hey, Professor - PROFESSOR! We've got them!"

"Stand up, Potter." Umbridge snapped.

Within minutes, Umbridge, Harry and Hermione were in Dumbledore's office. The Inquisitorial Squad had been replaced by Ministry workers. Percy Weasley was holding onto Hermione and a wiry-haired man whom they did not know had a tight grip on Harry. Cornelius Fudge was standing just in front of Dumbledore's desk.

"I suppose you know why you are here?" He directed this question at Harry.

"No." Harry replied flatly.

"Oh. Are you aware of why you may be in trouble? Are you aware that you have broken any school rules?"

"No."

"Or Ministry Decrees?"

"Not that I'm aware of." Harry said coolly.

"So it is news to you, is it," Fudge pressed angrily,"that an illegal student organisation has been discovered within this school?"

"Yes." Harry said, hoisting an unconvincing look of innocent surprise onto his face. He saw Hermione shake her head slowly from the corner of his eye.

Umbridge giggled a little,"Perhaps it would do to fetch our informant?"

"Yes, I think that would do nicely."

Not long later, Cho Chang had been led into the room. She had her face buried in her hands.

"Don't be scared, dear, don't be frightened," Umbridge said softly, patting her on the back,"it's quite all right, now. You have done the right thing. The Minister is very pleased with you. He'll be telling your mother what a good girl you've been. Now, now, don't be silly dear. Look up, don't be shy, let the Minister hear what you've got to - galloping gargoyles!"

Cho's face was covered in horribly close-set purple pustules that had spread across her nose and cheeks to form the word 'SNEAK'. Harry heard Hermione grunt triumphantly. Something told him this was her doing.

"Dear, dear, don't worry about those spots now. We shall get them off quickly later." Umbridge said,"Now, you've been attending these secret meetings for...how long did you say?"

"Since October." Cho said, suddenly confident,"He's been leading them. They both have. We went to the Hog's Head and they talked to us and asked us to sign up. I didn't know what I was letting myself in for."

Umbridge looked positively ecstatic,"And what did they call it, dear, the organisation?"

"They called it Dumbledore's Army. No idea why."

Harry wanted to badly to smack Cho Chang around her pimply face, but the Ministry worker was really rather strong. "Professor, this is my fault. I've been running it and it was my idea-" Harry started.

"That's not true." Hermione sounded almost angry at him,"It was my idea. I talked him into it and planned all of the meetings. He only went along with it because I told him to. I promise, Minister, he had nothing to do with-"

"Ahem." Dumbledore - who Harry had forgotten was in the room, despite it being his office - cleared his throat,"I think, Minister, that you shall find the organisation to be called Dumbledore's Army. Not Potter's Army, and certainly not Granger's Army. Dumbledore's Army. I am Dumbledore, they are not Dumbledore."

Understanding suddenly spread across Fudge's face.

"NO!" Hermione shouted,"That isn't - it's not true, Minister! Dumbledore didn't - we just named it-"

"Miss Granger, please be quiet or I shall have to ask you to leave my office." Dumbledore said slowly.

Hermione fumed.

"Yeah, shut up, Granger!" Fudge barked.

"Don't say that to her!" Harry snapped.

"Harry," the headmaster said calmly,"the same goes for you."

"Shut up, Potter!" Fudge taunted,"Well, well, well - I came here expecting to expel Potter, but instead I get to arrest Dumbledore! It's like losing a Knut and finding a Galleon! Professor Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, you shall now be escorted back to the Ministry, where you will be formally charged, then sent to Azkaban to await trail for plotting against the Minister for Magic!"

Harry and Hermione had both been about to object, when Dumbledore stood up,"Ah," he sighed,"yes. Yes, I thought we might hit that little snag."

"Snag?" Fudge was still vibrating with joy,"I see no snag!"

"Well, I am afraid I do." Dumbledore said,"It seems that you are labouring under the delusion that I am going to - what is the phrase? - come quietly. I am afraid I have absolutely no intention of going to Azkaban. I could break out, of course - but what a waste of time, and frankly, I can think of a whole host of things I would rather be doing."

"Miss...Miss Chang!" Umbridge said quite frantically,"Leave, you must leave!"

Cho scarpered, hiding her face once more.

Fudge was no longer smiling,"Weasley, you leave too. This isn't...we've got no need for...oh, just go!"

Percy did as he was told.

"Enough of this rubbish! Dawlish, Shacklebolt, take him!" Fudge raged.

The man - Dawlish, apparently - who was holding Harry let go of him and began to creep forwards alongside Kingsley. Harry was confused, for he had been certain that Kingsley was working for the Order. He didn't have time to ponder it. A streak of silver light flashed around the room; there was a bang like a gunshot and the floor trembled; Harry gripped the scruff of Hermione's neck and forced her to the floor as he dived; a second silver flash went off; several of the portraits yelled, Fawkes screeched and a cloud of dust filled the air; Hermione shrieked and there was a thud and somebody cried,"No!"; then there was the sound of breaking glass, frantic scuffling footsteps, a groan...and eerie silence.

***********

"Headmistress? Headmistress?" Ron fumed at the newest Educational Decree that Filch was hanging up on the wall the following day. After the night in Dumbledore's office, no one had seen the headmaster anywhere.

"Oh, I expect she really fancied herself sitting up there in the Head's office." Hermione said viscously, rubbing at the fresh scars on her hand as she and Harry joined Ron for dinner after their first detention of many more yet to come,"Lording it over all the other teachers, the stupid puffed-up, power-crazy old-"

"Now, do you really want to finish that sentence, Granger?" Malfoy slid out from behind them, smirking,"I'm afraid - as prefect - I'm going to have to dock a few points from Gryffindor, you three."

"Oi, I'm a prefect too! You can't take points from me!" Ron said proudly.

"I know, but I am also a member of the Inquisitorial Squad." Malfoy brandished the Squad badge on his robes,"So I may dock points from whoever I like, Weasleby! Granger - five points from you for being rude about our new Headmistreess. Five because I don't like you, Potter. Weasley, five for contradicting me. Finnigan," Malfoy nodded at Seamus across the table,"your shirt's untucked, so I'll have another five for that. Oh yeah, I forgot, you're a Mudblood, Granger, so twenty more off for that."

Harry pulled out his wand, but Hermione pushed it away, whispering,"Don't!"

"Wise move, Mudblood." Malfoy hissed,"New head, new times. Be good now, Potty...Weasel King...take good care of your pet. Or don't. No one's bothered. Watch your backs." And, with that, Malfoy had stalked off to report the latest point deductions.

"Bloody prat." Ron grumbled,"Ooh, look, I've got a letter!" Suddenly high-spirited, Ron tore open the envelope that now lay on his desk, neglecting Pigwidgeon, who had crashed into Harry and Hermione's goblets. "It's from Dad. He says we've got a new telly. What's a telly?"

Harry and Hermione tried their best to explain, having to draw examples on their napkins before Ron finally got it.

"Oh, one of them! A screen-box! Those are cool, aren't they?"

"Yes, Ron, very cool.

***********

"IF YOU THINK I'M JUST GOING TO ACT LIKE I HAVEN'T SEEN SIRIUS-"

"Harry, listen to me-" Hermione panicked.

"I'M GOING TO HELP HIM WHETHER OR NOT YOU TWO COME WITH-"

"Hi..." Ginny and Luna walked in tentatively,"What's...everything all right? Can we help?"

"No." Harry said shortly.

"Wait, Harry," Hermione said suddenly,"they can help. First, we need to establish whether Sirius really has left Headquarters."

Harry was positively furious by this point,"I've told you, I saw-"

"Harry, I'm begging you, please! Please let's just check that Sirius isn't at home before we go charging off to London. If we find out he's not at Grimmauld Place, then I swear I won't try to stop you. I'll come, I'll help, I'll do whatever it takes. I just don't want you putting yourself at risk when Sirius is sat safely at Headquarters reading the newspaper."

"He's being tortured NOW!" Harry shouted,"We haven't got time to waste!"

Hermione was persistent,"But if this is a trick of Voldemort's, Harry, we've got to check, we've got to."

"And how will we do that?"

"Umbridge's fire. We'll see if we can contact him." Hermione put her game face on,"We can draw Umbridge away from there, but we'll need lookouts, which is where Ginny and Luna come in." She turned to Harry, her face hard,"Harry - last chance - are you completely sure about this?"

"Completely." Harry replied aggressively.

"Okay. Ron, you can distract Umbridge-"

Ron jumped happily,"I'll tell her Peeves is smashing up the Transfiguration department. That's ages away from her office. Actually, if I pass him on the way, I might be able to persuade Peeves to do it."

It was a mark of the seriousness of the situation that Hermione made no objection to the smashing up of the Transfiguration department. "Good. Luna and Ginny, you both stand at each end of the corridor and watch out for students. Don't let anyone past. Harry and I will get into the office. If anything goes wrong - anything - break into a loud chorus of Weasley Is Our King and everyone will retreat. Got it?" Everyone nodded. "Let's go!"

Ron gaped at her,"Now?"

"Of course now!" Hermione snapped,"Sirius could be being tortured right now!"

"Oh, all right."

"Harry, do you have the invisibility cloak? And the pocket knife?" Hermione asked.

"No." Harry sighed,"I'll go and get them. Meet you all in the corridor in five minutes." He sprinted off to his dorm.

Five minutes later, Harry and Hermione were huddled under the cloak, Ginny and Luna were at either end of the corridor and Ron was leading Umbridge out of her office. It was time. The pair ran to the door. Harry slid the pocket knife into the crack and moved it up and down. Throwing the cloak off, Harry ran to the fireplace as Hermione guarded the door.

"Number twelve, Grimmauld Place." Harry said urgently, sticking his head into the fireplace. No one was there. "Sirius? SIRIUS?"

Kreacher waddled in angrily,"What?"

"Where's Sirius?"

The elf let out a low laugh,"Master Sirius is gone."

"Where?"

"You know where."

"Where's everyone else?"

"Gone."

"Where?"

"Kreacher doesn't know! But Kreacher does know that Master will not be coming back from the Department of Mysteries. Kreacher and his mistress are alone again!"

"YOU!" Someone ripped Harry's head from the fireplace. It was Umbridge. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN MY OFFICE?"

"Get-ting my-y Fire-bolt-t!" Harry's words slurred as Umbridge held his head even further back.

"Liar! Take his wand!" She barked. Harry felt someone grope in his pocket and pull out his wand. "Hers too!"

A shriek from the door told Harry that Hermione's wand had just been wrestled from her too. "Get off, you little-"

"You," Umbridge interrupted her,"had your head in my fireplace. With whom were you communicating?"

"No one."

"Liar!" Umbridge threw him from her and he slammed into the desk.

Hermione screamed.

Now able to see behind him, Harry glanced at Hermione. She was being pinned to the wall by Millicent Bulstrode, and was struggling in vain to break free. Malfoy stared at Harry maliciously, both of the pairs' wands in his hand.

Someone suddenly burst through the door. Six more Slytherins entered, each holding a part of either Ron, Ginny, Luna or - to Harry's surprise - Neville.

"Got this one," Crabbe jabbed a finger at Neville,"trying to help her." He nodded to Luna,"And got this one," he pointed at Ginny,"trying to help him." Crabbe shook Ron, whom he had a very tight grip on.

"Excellent!" Umbridge beamed,"Line them all up with her. I want to talk to Potter." She rounded on Harry,"Who were you talking to?"

"It's none of your business who I talk to."

"Very well." Umbridge sighed,"Draco - fetch Professor Snape." She picked Harry up off of the ground by the scruff of the neck and flung him into a chair.

"You wanted to see me, Headmistress?" Snape entered the room swiftly.

"Yes. I require a bottle of Vertiaserum."

"I am afraid you used my last bottle to interrogate Mister Potter and Miss Granger last night in their detention. Surely you have not used it all, I told you three drops each would suffice."

Umbridge flushed,"I expected better, Severus! You are on probation! I require a batch of Veritaserum, so you shall brew me a batch of Veritaserum. Get out of my office!"

"He's got Padfoot!" Hermione shouted suddenly,"He's got Padfoot in the place where it's hidden!"

Genius, Harry thought. Snape knew who Padfoot was, that we certain, and he must know where that thing - whatever it was - that Voldemort so badly wanted.

"What's Padfoot? Where is what hidden? Severus!" Umbridge demanded.

Face inscrutable, Snape said coldly,"I have no idea. Miss Granger, when I want nonsense spouted at me, I shall give you Babbling Beverage. And, Goyle, loosen your hold a little. If Longbottom suffocates, that means a lot of paperwork for me, and I shall have to mention it on your reference paper should you ever wish to get a job." With that, Snape left the room.

"Very well. I suppose...no, I have no alternative." Umbridge stood up and pulled out her wand,"If you won't speak, Potter...the Cruciatus Curse ought to loosen your tongue."

"That's illegal." Hermione's voice jumped with fear.

Umbridge raised her wand, turning over the picture of Cornelius Fudge on her desk. "Last chance, Potter. Confess or take the consequences."

"I'm not telling you anything." Harry said in a strained voice."

Face pink with glee, Umbridge said,"Very well. You leave me no choice. Cruc-"

"NO!" Hermione shouted from behind Millicent Bulstrode,"No - Harry - we have to tell her!"