Chương 88: Chapter 106 - Deja Vu
It was early morning when Tifa opened her eyes, looking towards the window, and a whisper left her mouth, "Cloud…."
She closed her eyes, wondering what he was doing, but she held herself back. Every time she missed him, she opened the Log, seeing him hard at work to provide for all those girls and more he planned to save.
If possible, she wanted to run back and help him out, but she couldn't leave things here, not with Umbridge and Ministry on a rampage.
She sat up, realising that someone was sobbing, and she looked over, blinking confusedly, "Angie?"
Angelina lifted her head from the pillow, wiping her tears, "Oh, good morning Teef."
"What happened?"
Angelina shook her head as Tifa went over and sat down on her bed, hugging her, stroking her head, and asking again, "What happened?"
"Umbridge…she already permitted to reform teams to other houses, but she wouldn't give it to me! Tifa! This is my first year becoming a Captain, and everything is already a mess. We don't have a Keeper, and you are not playing because you are too busy. Harry keeps getting detentions, and Fred and George's brother…don't make me start about him. It's all a mess, and I am failing pitifully!"
"Shh, shhh," Tifa wiped her tears, hugging her closely, "It's ok. It's not you…your problem source is Umbridge and not you. You are doing wonderfully even with someone like her trying her best to create every hurdle she can for us."
"That bitch," Angelina wiped her tears with a fight, "I don't care. I am going to Professor McGonagall and ask her to help reinstate the team."
Tifa narrowed her eyes, "Wait for a day. I am sure she'd give the permission."
"I doubt it, but fine…I'll wait," Angelina stopped crying, pulling away, "Teef, wake me up in a while? I didn't get a good night's sleep."
"Yeah," Tifa smiled, tucking her in, making Angelina curl her lips mischievously, "Thank you, Mom."
Tifa chuckled and bent down, kissing her forehead, "Good night. Child."
Angelina pushed her away, giggling, "Go away."
Tifa grinned, "Sleep. You'd need the energy."
She walked out of the room, down the stairs, fuming, marching toward Umbridge's office when someone tugged on her clothes, "Are you going to go in your pyjamas?"
Tifa froze, "Yup. I'll get changed first."
She turned to see Aerith, dressed in school dress, wearing the wizard robes, "You are early."
"Well…Angie had been crying for a while. Couldn't sleep," Aerith pressed her lips, "You didn't plan to go to Umbridge's office to give her a piece of your mind, right?"
"That's what I plan to do," Tifa made a fist, "I am going to teach that vile woman a lesson."
"Oh, I know," Aerith stroked Tifa's palm with her thumb, focusing her gaze on it, "I dislike the woman as much if not more. But let's not pick a fight with her. Not directly."
"What do you suggest then?"
"Echo, can we see the log when Harry was being tortured by Umbridge and take a photo?"
[You can see. But are you taking a photo? It's not that simple. It would help if you had Cloud's power for something like that.]
"Ah, it would count as an interference," Aerith puffed her cheek, "But I don't want to worry Cloud either."
[You need Cloud's powers. Not him.]
"You could do that?]
[Yes. I already have his permission in case such a situation arises. But it could only be achieved when I have permission from both users.]
"Ah, then do so," Aerith blinked, turning the stand into a camera, "Could you show me anything before I entered?"
[Not too far, only when you were near the gate and a few seconds before.]
"Great," She felt her view go inside the gate, and it was when Harry felt pain in his hand and dropped the pen; she got a few seconds moving click, showing everything.
"Ok, that should do," Aerith took the photo, shaking it as it dried and got printed, and gave it to Tifa, "You need me to write an article?"
Tifa curled her lips in a mischievous smile, "Nah. I think I know the perfect one. Although, I'd have to reprint everything."
"Worth it," Aerith grinned, and Tifa agreed.
Tifa wrote an article, and she had to make a few corrections. She sent it to the editor, reminding him she wanted the paper re-printed with this article, so it happened.
They later got their Daily Prophet edition, but this article caused those who read to become abuzz. The whole Great Hall was whispering, looking toward Harry with pity, and shooting angry looks towards Umbridge.
Sitting at the staff table with other teachers, Umbridge noticed something, but she ignored it. If only other teachers did the same.
Professor McGonagall walked over to a group nearest to her, first years, with fearful looks on their face. She took the newspaper they were reading, and soon her eyes widened. She read through the article on the first page, looking at the picture and then rereading it to ensure it was true. She marched over to Harry, raising his hand while he obliviously ate, but didn't find anything.
She put the newspaper in front of him, letting him see the picture, "Is this true?"
Harry looked at the newspaper in shock, reading the headline.
"When Ministry is torturing students, who need You-Know-Who?"
"POTTER! I asked you if this was true!"
"Yeah, yeah," Harry blankly said, "Though Aerith came and helped me…so it didn't go that far."
"Didn't go that far?! THAT FAR?! IT WENT FAR ENOUGH!"
McGonagall turned back, marching to the table, folding the paper, slamming in front of Umbridge, "What is the meaning of this!"
Umbridge already had an idea but couldn't understand the paper part. She picked it up and got on her feet, though that didn't make a difference. Her eyes darted and landed on Tifa, sitting with her friends, talking and eating.
She squeezed her lips together, shouting in her high-pitched voice, "Lies! These are lies!"
Umbridge walked around the table, shouting at Tifa from halfway, "Tifa Lockhart! How dare you spread these lies!"
"Ah, this is familiar," Tifa muttered, "It's like déjà vu."
"With what happened with Rita, right?" Fred agreed with her even though he didn't understand the meaning of déjà vu.
"What did you write?" George grinningly whispered.
"Tifa Lockhart! I am talking to you!"
"Yes, yes," Tifa stood up, "What is it?"
She took the newspaper from Umbridge, reading the article detailing how she tortured Harry because he said that Cloud's not the dark wizard and Cloud wasn't lying, and You-Know-Who is back. Besides that, after the newest amendment in the law, Ministry banned any gathering with more than three people. Though the other three houses have been able to get permission, High Inquisitor still holds the permission for Gryffindor House's Quidditch team until Harry changes his statement.
That was the gift of the Article that her Chief Editor rewrote, "I think it turned out well. Don't you?"
"Cornelius— Minister made it clear you shall not write inflammatory articles and try to protect Cloud Strife from his punishment!!"
Tifa tilted her head, "And I also said that I wouldn't write anything without proof. It just so happens someone gave me this proof, and so I wrote the truth about that. About you torturing a student and holding his whole team hostage until he changes his statement?"
"I am not holding the team hostage!"
"Then I don't see why only Gryffindor hasn't gotten their permission."
"I AM THE HIGH INQUISITOR!!! I ONLY ANSWER TO THE MINISTER!"
Tifa covered her ear, wincing at her shrill voice, "Gee, fine. Don't tell me. I bet soon the parents will start asking questions. I hope you have a good reason for it."
"You will not write this…this garbage any longer!"
Tifa shrugged as she narrowed her eyes, "I told the Minister. I will write nothing without proof. But if I have proof... You better not leave any proof behind. Cuz I assure you. My eyes are everywhere…as much as this picture would tell you."
Umbridge gave another look to the picture and gasped, she crumbled it, tightening her jaw, and it seemed she would burst apart, leaving in a huff.
"I am assuming that Gryffindor's Quidditch Team has permission too?"
She didn't get a reply to her loud inquiry, and she said again, "I will take your silence as yes."
Umbridge nearly stumbled, but she didn't stop; she couldn't since McGonagall was after her.
"Stop right there, Professor Umbridge! We have to talk about your methods of punishing students here! I said stop!!"
Once their voices disappeared, a few students started clapping, and then Gryffindor House jumped on their feet, cheering as Tifa was surrounded by the members of the Team who pulled her in a group guy.
"Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!" Angelina was the one who was jumping in joy the most while Alicia and Katie were hugging her, and Fred and George were hugging all of them with their hands stretched out.
"Awesome! So awesome!"
Tifa grinned, "There is someone else you should thank."
"Right," Angelina managed to get out of the hug and rushed over to Harry, and she hugged him.
"I know it's horrible to say, but thank you for going through that torture. Btw, you didn't get too hurt, right?"
"No, only once or twice," Harry laughingly said, since he still couldn't believe it was real.
Angelina kissed his cheek two times, grinning, "Well, hopefully, that's enough repayment for that."
Harry's face flushed red when a girl rushed over from Ravenclaw's table, hugging him, "Oh, Harry. You should have told me about it!"
Angelina raised her eyebrows, seeing Cho Chang hug Harry, and grinned, mouthing, 'Enjoy.'
She walked back to her place at the table while the students in the Great Hall clapped and celebrated. It was about time that someone taught Umbridge a lesson.
Tifa sat back down, seeing Aerith raise her palm under the table, and she slapped it, sharing a sneaky grin with her.
She refocused her attention on the food, enjoying the jubilant atmosphere, but her mind was still somewhere else, 'Cloud…how are you? Actually…should I be more worried about those girls?'
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