I Solemnly Swear That I Am Up To No Good

[alt_draco]

Harry and I took the cloak to Bumbridge's office. We were in the middle of ransacking the place when my Father showed up with Professor Dolohov and Crouch. Now they're ransacking the place.

In case further explanation is required:

- Cloak, barely large enough to fit both of us these days.
- Budged up against a cupboard that they're probably going to search, eventually.
- Do I need to say more?

Comments

[alt_neville]

Hang on. Help is coming. Distracting help.

[alt_justin]

Right.

Hydra, Sally-Anne, grab Daphne and head up to Madam Umbridge's office. You're looking for Professor Raz for Duelling Club, now that Madam Umbridge is gone. Ron, Evelyn: meet me and Susan just round the corner from there so we can draw them out while Harry and Draco slip away. I'll see if I can get Ernie to come with us, on the theory they might wish to speak to him.

-Justin

[alt_neville]

Good luck.

Marvolo, Malfoy, let us know when you're safely away.

[alt_sally_anne]

It's going to be me, Hydra, and Pansy, because Daphne is not on ISS and there has been no galleon message and while I could WRITE a galleon message we don't actually want the entire crew showing up, now, do we?

[alt_sally_anne]

I mean if the goal is to AVOID making Auror Crouch think that there is something at Hogwarts that needs intensive investigation, anyway.

[alt_evelyn]

I'm so sorry I let them get by.

I was trying to keep some second-years from going to the office because they wanted to make sure she was really gone, and Professor Dolohov and the rest of them must've come down the other corridor.

[alt_evelyn]

I could try crying, if that'd help.

Really loudly.

[alt_harry]

We got things that said Strangeweale on them. Letters, mostly. And a few notebooks that had lists of students on the first few pages.

We didn't get a chance to really do a lot of digging around or actually read the notebooks, and we had to stuff the papers under the cloak so they're sort of crumpled, but it's something.

Who was screaming?

[alt_sally_anne]

That was Evelyn, trying to make sure that no one noticed that the cloak had slipped and someone's leg was visible.

[alt_sally_anne]

So did you make it back to Gryffindor without Auror Crouch running after you to glare at you for being Alice Longbottom's daughter some more?

[alt_evelyn]

I pretended to see Umbridge's ghost.

Auror Crouch was not amused.

I'm so sorry, Harry. For not giving you a proper warning.

[alt_harry]

You all did a good job getting them out of the room. And if we had been caught, they would've thought I was covering something up, which they already think I'm doing anyways.

So it's okay.

[alt_evelyn]

I really don't like him very much at all.

I've a feeling it's mutual.

[alt_sally_anne]

I'm trying to think if anyone does like him. There's Professor Dolohov, I suppose.

I'm pretty sure Daphne's been over her crush since Sophie Fleet.

[alt_sally_anne]

We couldn't think of a good way to get Auror Crouch to come out. But we figured if we got Mr Malfoy and Professor Dolohov out and kept them out for long enough, eventually Auror Crouch would come out to fetch them back.

He did, too.

[alt_ron]

I couldn't get into Umbridge's rooms. They'd warded them.

Really well.

Must have been Dolohov. Which made me think about stuff he's said about wards registering when they've been tampered with. So I figured they'd know someone had been there.

So I wrote on the door.

All the names I could remember that we've ever called Umbritch.

So they'd figure someone was just taking the mickey. Not trying to get in.

[alt_sally_anne]

So you put graffiti on a door and THEN you came to her office and did a spot-on imitation of Percy being officious.

The imitation of Percy was pretty funny but the fact that you did that RIGHT AFTER WRITING INSULTS ON A DOOR really makes it even better. (And you managed to steal Evelyn away from Auror Crouch while making him pleased you were doing it, so, really. Good on you.)

[alt_evelyn]

I certainly hope so.

And I guess that says something about Professor Dolohov. I wonder about him. He's so

He's not how I imagined when I first heard about him. Some people are easy to sort out. Like the Carrows or Auror Crouch. And you know right away what they're all about.

But he saved Cedric Diggory. And he's not

It's interesting. I guess.

[alt_evelyn]

And what does Sterick mean, I wonder? They were calling him that. Auror Crouch and Mr Malfoy.

He gets called an awful lot of things, doesn't he?

[alt_ron]

'What are you lot doing here? Don't you have homework? Exams coming up?

Evelyn, Mr Crouch is a very busy wizard!

Let these wizards work! They don't have time for your nonsense. Can't you people see that?'

Heh. It was totally Percy, wasn't it?

[alt_draco]

Ugh, I'm all sweaty now. And I smell like Harry.

I hope none of them are suspicious about all that fawning and arse-kissing.

[alt_evelyn]

And thank you for that, Ron.

[alt_sally_anne]

Don't you prefects have a really fancy bathroom where you can take baths in magic rainbow-coloured bubbles or something like that? Or do only girls get that? Daphne was telling us about it in the autumn.

Anyway I don't think they'll be suspicious unless you took anything that they were expecting to find. Did you find anything interesting?

[alt_justin]

It all worked out fine, Evelyn.

Though I well agree about Auror Crouch. He's dashed imposing.

-Justin

[alt_harry]

See, now, I thought you were smelling extra wonderful tonight and couldn't quite figure out why. And now I know.

[alt_sally_anne]

Yeah it was TOTALLY PERCY. I almost expected you to say 'by God, I am a prefect!' Good thing you didn't, though, since you aren't.

[alt_ron]

Any time, Evs.

I could get to like calling people out like that.

Never understood Percy before, but it's sort of satisfying being a complete berk.

[alt_draco]

Uh-huh. Why does nearly escaping dire trouble always leave you in especially good humour, is what I'd like to know.

Must be a Gryffindor defect.

[alt_ron]

Oi!

[alt_justin]

Mr Malfoy seems to like him well enough.

I say, I nearly laughed when you asked him to demonstrate the Eberstark disarm and he glared at you as if you were something he'd scraped off his shoe, what? I've never seen you look so puppy-eyed.

And EVELYN! 'Oh, that's just a kitten. By the way, would anyone like a kitten?' I say. It wasn't easy to keep a straight face, what!

-Justin

[alt_draco]

We can have magic rainbow-coloured bubbles if we want them, yes. I don't typically bother with the colours, though.

A load of parchments. Looks like they're about "expendable people." There isn't much in the way of specifics but there are a few extra notes about Finch-Fletchley and Lovegood.

[alt_ron]

Well, and really, who wants to be?

Oh. Sorry, Malfoy.

[alt_harry]

I have no defects! I am a Beacon on a Hill.

Who smells fabulous.

[alt_draco]

Calm down. I've read back and seen how Sally Anne makes multiple digs at Gryffindors over the years. If you can get used to it from her, you can get used to it from me.

[alt_sally_anne]

It's because he's half Russian. There's some Russian custom that means everyone has about two dozen nicknames. Like if strangers addressed you as Evelyn Longbottom Daughter of Alice and acquaintances called you Evelyn Daughter of Alice and your friends called you Evelyn and your good friends called you Ev and your brother called you Evvie, except it's about ten times more complicated than that and also I think the more affectionate names get LONGER instead of SHORTER which is just ... backward.

Thank goodness I only ever had to call Viktor, 'Viktor.'

[alt_justin]

Careful, Ron.

That's the sort of thinking that leads to the Umbridges of the world.

Luckily you've us to remind you when you're puffing yourself up for real, what?

It was well brilliant, mate.

-Justin

[alt_ron]

Hang on. Really?

What do they say?

[alt_draco]

See?

It's like he's drunk on mischief.

[alt_ron]

Yeah. Let's just say you're no Sally Anne.

[alt_sally_anne]

They thought Justin was expendable? After he defected?

Who was she writing about this to?

[alt_ron]

A proper appreciation for the art!

[alt_draco]

I'm glad you can tell the difference.

[alt_ron]

...

Yeah, I can't even write what that-

nevermind.

[alt_luna]

Notes about me?!

My goodness. I'd like to see what they say. Would you allow me to see them?

Why was she keeping notes about me?

[alt_neville]

Yeah, thanks for rescuing her.

And good on you, Marvolo and Malfoy, for getting away.

You know, we're getting rather good at this sort of thing. Using teamwork to extricate each other from dodgy situations.