Chapitre 53: Chapter 49: Departure
But it didn't end there.
Their departure inspired a wave of imitators. Students vied for the now-vacant title of chief prankster, engaging in ever-escalating mischief. Dropping dungbombs or stink pellets in the corridors became routine. Some even threw foreign objects into Umbridge's office or deliberately caused chaos in her classes by collectively using the "Skiving Snackbox," feigning nosebleeds, fainting, or catching colds.
Even Umbridge's Inquisitorial Squad was not spared. Unfortunate incidents befell them one after another, with Pansy Parkinson recently being carried off to the hospital wing after inexplicably growing cow horns and mooing like a real cow.
However, none could match the relentless antics of Peeves. He hounded Umbridge day and night, clinging to her back and constantly pestering her. He demanded she leave the school, ordered deliveries in her name without permission, set fire to her office, and shredded her important documents. Sleep-deprived and on the verge of a nervous breakdown, Umbridge was left teetering on the edge. Once, when she dared to let her guard down and sleep, Peeves even tried to toss her into a fireplace. His actions seemed like the embodiment of years of pent-up frustration, released all at once.
Still, not everything was fun and games. Looming over all fifth years was the most feared event of their school life: the O.W.L. exams, now only days away.
Edith, for one, hadn't decided on her future career path yet. But she understood one thing: good grades would open doors. The better her results, the broader her options would be.
The exams went reasonably well. There were a few answers she might have gotten wrong, but overall, she felt she had done decently. She hoped to secure at least an "E" (Exceeds Expectations) in every subject. However, the Astronomy exam was a different story. During the test, Hagrid had been ambushed by Umbridge and her team of Aurors, and Professor McGonagall had been struck down by a barrage of Stunning Spells while trying to intervene. The commotion made it impossible for Edith to concentrate, and she ended up leaving many answers blank.
As for the History of Magic exam, Harry suddenly cried out during it, disrupting everyone's focus. This, too, threw Edith off, leaving her results satisfactory overall but with lingering regrets.
"Ugh… This time, I really blew it," Edith muttered.
"You always blow it," Mirabel replied matter-of-factly. "That's what happens when you only start cramming three days before the exams."
"Ugh... Leave me alone," Edith groaned.
Walking back to their dormitory, Edith trudged along, her disappointment visible. Mirabel, watching her friend's dejected demeanor, chuckled as if dealing with a child.
"I told you to study properly before the exams. But no, you never listen," Mirabel said, shaking her head.
"But there were so many things distracting me! I couldn't focus at all!" Edith protested.
"Stop blaming others for your lack of discipline."
"Hey, Mirabel, can't I open that present yet?" Edith asked, her voice laced with curiosity.
"Nope," Mirabel replied firmly. "Like I said before, it only has meaning if you open it at the end of the school year."
Edith puffed out her cheeks in frustration at Mirabel's teasing tone. The "present" she referred to was the Christmas gift Mirabel had given her. Unlike last year's gift—a statue of a three-headed dragon—this year's gift was an enigma. It was magically sealed, ensuring it couldn't be opened until the right time. Edith had claimed this mystery was why she couldn't focus on studying, though, of course, it was just an excuse.
"Don't worry, there's nothing bad inside. Look forward to it," Mirabel reassured her with confidence before walking ahead.
But remembering last year's peculiar statue, Edith couldn't help but feel a bit uneasy.
"Edith!" a familiar voice called.
"Ah, Hermione!" Edith turned to see Hermione, along with Harry, Cedric, Ron, Ginny, and Luna Lovegood—all looking tense and hurried. They momentarily froze upon seeing her, but their expressions softened when they realized who it was.
"Edith, perfect timing!" Hermione exclaimed.
"Wh-what's going on, Hermione?" Edith asked, sensing the urgency.
"It's an emergency! We need your help!"
Though taken aback by Hermione's frantic tone, Edith could see the situation was serious. She straightened up and nodded.
"What happened?"
"Sirius has been captured by Voldemort! He's being tortured!" Harry blurted out, his voice trembling with urgency.
"What!?" Edith's eyes widened in shock.
She knew Sirius Black well—she'd encountered him in the Shrieking Shack during her third year. That he, Harry's godfather, was now in grave danger was terrifyingly plausible.
"But… something about this doesn't sit right with me," Hermione interjected, her voice heavy with doubt. "Sirius should be in a place no one can reach. I can't help thinking this might be a trap set by Voldemort."
"Harry, you've been having visions of… him, haven't you?" Edith asked cautiously.
"Yeah," Harry admitted, nodding.
"That's the problem," Hermione continued. "Dumbledore has been urging Harry to learn Occlumency—to block his connection with Voldemort. What if Voldemort is using that connection to lure Harry into a trap?"
Hermione's concern was valid. She had a sharp grasp of the situation. If Harry's visions were only a one-way window into Voldemort's plans, learning Occlumency wouldn't be necessary. The very fact that Dumbledore had insisted on it suggested the connection posed a significant risk.
"To verify whether Sirius is truly missing from where he's supposed to be, we need to enter Umbridge's office. But to do that, we must find a way to lure Umbridge away from her office."
"Wait."
Mirabel interrupted Hermione's explanation. While Mirabel was a fearsome student, it was reassuring to know she wasn't on Umbridge's side. Though not an outright ally, Mirabel had been spending a lot of time with Edith lately, which gave the group some hope that she might help.
"Since that Niffler incident, Umbridge has become extremely cautious. She might have cast something like Concealment Detection Charms around her office."
"Well, that's true, but… what can we do, then?"
"It's simple. There's no need for some roundabout method to lure her away."
Mirabel flashed a confident smile as purple sparks crackled from her right hand.
"We'll just remove her—by force."
"What!?"
It was, in a sense, a characteristically straightforward answer from Mirabel. While everyone else was shocked, Harry's expression carried a glimmer of expectation. After all, Harry had borne the brunt of Umbridge's tyranny more than anyone else at Hogwarts. The idea of Mirabel taking Umbridge head-on likely brought him some grim satisfaction.
"Wait, Mirabel! If you do something like that, our grades—"
"It doesn't matter. That woman will soon lose all her authority at Hogwarts anyway."
Edith tried to stop her, but Mirabel was resolute. In her mind, taking down Umbridge was already a foregone conclusion.
"Whether Harry's dream is true or a trap, the fact remains: Voldemort is on the move. When that becomes public knowledge, all the lies the Ministry has been hiding will come to light.
Once that happens, do you really think there'll be a place left for Umbridge here?"
If Voldemort's resurgence were revealed, it would confirm everything Harry and Dumbledore had been saying. The public would quickly turn against the Ministry. Naturally, Umbridge, who had actively obstructed Dumbledore at Hogwarts, would have no reason to remain.
"In other words, even if she deducts house points now, it'll all be nullified soon enough. Including all the points her Inquisitorial Squad has deducted so far."
"So… you mean…"
"That's right. There's no need to worry about Umbridge's evaluations anymore."
Mirabel declared confidently and strode forward.
There was no need to ask what she intended to do. Upon reaching Umbridge's office, Mirabel blew the door off its hinges without hesitation.
"Alright, isn't this the place you need? Hurry up and get it done."
At this moment, Hermione's meticulous plan fell apart.
The original idea had been to locate Umbridge, lure her away, and then ensure no one else approached the office during their infiltration. But this? It was practically inviting discovery.
This reckless approach made it clear that Mirabel truly didn't care about Umbridge's authority or consequences.
"I'll stand by the entrance. If any of her lackeys show up, I'll deal with them."
True to her word, Mirabel stationed herself near the doorway. The first unlucky person she spotted was Draco Malfoy. Naturally, she didn't let him go.
Before he could react, she pointed her wand and sent him flying with a Stupefy spell.
"Like this. Now hurry up."
Harry swallowed hard and approached the fireplace. Mirabel's boldness was undeniably reassuring.
He quickly grabbed some Floo Powder, tossed it into the fire, and knelt to shout, "Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place!"
As Harry's head disappeared into the flames, Mirabel turned her attention to the entrance.
Sure enough, Umbridge herself came rushing in, looking flustered.
Her expression shifted to one of shock when she saw Mirabel standing there.
"Mi-Miss Beresford!? What in the world is going on!?"
There was no need to respond.
For this woman, Mirabel had no words to offer—only violence.
Without uttering a sound, Mirabel drew her wand and struck Umbridge's face with a forceful punch, catching her off guard and sending her sprawling to the floor. She followed up by casting multiple Stupefy spells on the fallen woman, leaving her unconscious with her eyes rolled back. Then, dragging Umbridge's limp body up to the second floor, she unceremoniously shoved her into an Invisibility Cabinet with a powerful kick.
"That should do it."
"Wow, Mirabel… You're as intense as ever. No holding back, huh?"
"Hmph. This is still letting her off easy."
Mirabel glared at the cabinet where Umbridge had disappeared with clear disdain in her eyes. However, she quickly turned away and headed back toward the room where Harry and the others were waiting. Edith, flustered, hurried to follow her.
When they returned, Crabbe and Goyle had somehow appeared and were tussling with Neville. Judging by the situation, it seemed the two members of Umbridge's Inquisitorial Squad had tried to capture Harry, only for Neville to stumble onto the scene and, without fully grasping the situation, jump in to help his friend.
Mirabel wasted no time. From behind, she struck both Crabbe and Goyle with Stupefy spells, knocking them unconscious. Then she tossed their limp bodies into a nearby trash bin.
"Well, Potter? What's the verdict?"
"They… they weren't there! Sirius isn't there! He's in the Department of Mysteries after all!"
At Mirabel's question, Harry practically shouted in despair. He then turned to glare at Hermione, whose expression sank under the weight of his anger, and began pacing the room in frustration.
"I was right! If we don't go to the Department of Mysteries now, Sirius will be killed!"
"But, Harry… how? Your broomstick is being guarded by the trolls."
Even in his agitation, Harry wasn't blind to reality. Hermione's practical observation silenced him.
It was a simple fact: reaching the Department of Mysteries required transportation. And the broomsticks, their only means of quick travel, were locked away in the basement under heavy guard. Without them, getting to the Ministry of Magic was impossible.
"Then we'll just have to go get them," Harry said impatiently.
He was itching to act. If his dream was accurate, Sirius was being tortured as they spoke. Every second wasted could mean the difference between life and death.
Without waiting for a response, Harry dashed toward the basement, and the others followed closely behind. On the way, they came across a groggy Malfoy, who was starting to regain consciousness. Mirabel casually stomped on him, ensuring he was knocked out again before they continued.
When they reached the basement, a massive troll stood guard in front of a heavy iron door.
To Mirabel, however, a troll was nothing more than an oversized weakling. There was no reason to fear it.
"Reinagle!"
"Got it! Let's go!"
Before Harry or the others could even raise their wands, Mirabel and Edith moved faster.
Mirabel always said that magical duels ultimately came down to speed. Quick-drawing, aiming, and firing faster than the opponent were the essence of combat magic.
Adding speed to the velocity of the spells made them impossible to dodge or block. This was the secret technique Mirabel had imparted to Edith.
Thus, they unleashed their ultimate attack.
"Voltage Raid! Strike with lightning!"
Blue and golden lightning shot from their wands, striking the troll square in the chest.
The spell carried a charge of 100,000 volts at 1 ampere—more than enough to kill a human instantly. Even a troll, known for its incredible vitality, couldn't withstand such an assault. Its massive body wavered, foam forming at its mouth, before it collapsed unconscious.
It was absurd that the troll survived at all, a testament to its resilience.
"Alright, it's down!"
"Next, we break down that door! Stay in sync with me, Reinagle!"
Stepping over the unconscious troll, the two prepared their next spell.
This time, it was Mirabel's customized Patronus Charm. Normally, the spell was purely defensive, used to ward off dark creatures. But Mirabel's modified version turned it into an offensive weapon—an Aggressive Patronus.
After years of relentless training, Edith had finally mastered this powerful technique.
"Invident Patronum!"
"Go get 'em!"
Emerging from behind Mirabel was a shimmering, silver, shapeless Patronus. It twisted and transformed like a Boggart, taking the form of a knight in Western armor.
Meanwhile, from behind Edith appeared her Patronus—a winged white Pegasus. That such a creature represented her Patronus was strikingly uncharacteristic for a Slytherin.
The knight mounted the Pegasus, forming a majestic flying cavalry, and charged directly toward the door. The Pegasus seemed to grimace as if the knight's weight was a burden, but surely that was just an illusion.
As the two Patronuses reached the door, they began a relentless assault, using arms and legs to strike it repeatedly.
"Blow it away!"
Rush, rush, rush!
Under the combined attack of the two Patronuses, the steel door groaned, cracked, and finally shattered into pieces.
All Harry and the others could do during this time was stand by in stunned silence.
"Edith… that's amazing," Hermione said in awe.
"When did you learn magic like this…?" Harry added, his eyes wide as he stared at Edith.
Mirabel's strength was already expected, but Edith's display was nothing short of astonishing.
To be honest, Edith had never left much of an impression as particularly powerful, so this revelation came as a surprise. With all the training they'd done in Dumbledore's Army (D.A.) this year, Harry and Hermione had assumed they were well ahead of her.
"Well, I can explain while we fly. Right now, every second counts, doesn't it?"
Scratching her cheek with a slightly embarrassed smile, Edith gestured toward the brooms.
Realizing she was right, Harry quickly shifted his focus and grabbed his broom.
"Alright, I'm going, but… you all need to stay here," Harry said firmly, looking at Ginny and the others.
Where they were headed—the Ministry of Magic, possibly face-to-face with Voldemort—was unimaginably dangerous. The risk of not returning alive was high, and Harry had no intention of dragging everyone into such peril.
To be honest, he didn't feel confident about this group. If he had to choose rescue team members from the D.A., aside from himself, Hermione, and Cedric, Ginny, Luna, Neville, and Ron would likely not have been his first picks.
On the other hand, Edith wasn't a D.A. member, but she was a trusted companion, and her skills had been proven just now. As for Mirabel… well, her skills were unquestionable. In fact, her sheer capability was reassuring—she seemed like the type who could handle Death Eaters single-handedly if left alone. Her tenacity made her a welcome ally in this situation.
"With all due respect, I'm just as worried about Sirius as you are!" Ginny protested.
"You're still—"
"I'm three years older than you were when you fought You-Know-Who over the Philosopher's Stone!" Ginny snapped.
Harry tried to use Ginny's age as a reason to make her stay, but she wasn't backing down. Neville, Luna, and Ron all nodded in agreement with her.
"Harry, we've all been together in D.A. Everything we've done was to prepare for fighting You-Know-Who," Neville argued.
"This is our chance to actually do something. Please, let us come!"
"Yeah!" Luna chimed in.
"No way we're getting left behind now, Harry!" Ron added.
In the end, none of them had any intention of staying behind.
Harry couldn't tell if he should be exasperated or proud of his friends' bravery, and his expression wavered with uncertainty. Eventually, he gave up, running a hand through his hair in frustration before conceding.
"Okay, fine. Do whatever you want," he said, sounding resigned.
There was no more time to waste arguing.
Harry mounted his Firebolt, and with his companions following closely, they soared high into the air, heading straight for the Ministry of Magic.
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État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
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