Chapter 186: Blame Game (1/2)

”You know what to do, Mr Potter,” Umbridge said. ”Miss. Norton, I want you to write, 'I should respect my superiors and I should behave myself.'”

Harry looked angry but Chris nodded. A long sentence was going to hurt more and Chris expected something like that from Umbridge.

Chris took the quill, placed the point on the paper and wrote: I should respect my superiors and I should behave myself.

Chris felt a burning pain from her right forearm to her wrist. Like a hot blade was marking the words on her hand.

Umbridge was watching her with a smile. Harry was looking concerned. To give Umbridge a little satisfaction Chris pulled up robes her right-hand sleeve. Harry gasped. Chris winced a little. The words were still shining at her hand and didn't look like they were going away any sooner.

'Looks like she upgraded her punishment a little bit for me.'

”You have to repeat that, Miss Norton.” Umbridge smiled at Chris.

Harry opened his mouth angrily but Chris glared at him and he closed his mouth.

Chris looked back at the parchment, placed the quill upon it once more, wrote I should respect my superiors and I should behave myself.

This time Chris felt the pain in her left hand. Umbridge started to drink a cup of tea and looked at Chris so happily that Chris doubted that if Umbridge is a human being or not. After writing four more times Chris felt her both hands were on fire.

'That's it.'

Chris looked at the quill in Harry's hand then muttered, ”Novis scare.”

And next second as Harry wrote: I must not tell lies, Umbridge gasped and winced cupping her toad-like face.

Harry looked confused at first but then as he saw Umbridge's face, realization dawn upon his face.

A bright print of I must not tell lies was cut across Umbridge's cheek. Before she could recover from the shock, Chris had cast the spell on her quill and already scribbling her line on the parchment. Umbridge screamed this time, pulling her sleeves where Chris's line was appearing.

”What did you do? What did you do?” Umbridge screeched and Chris looked at her chair. The chair turned upside down knocking Umbridge on the ground.

Harry tried to stop himself from laughing as Umbridge tried to get up and slipped again.

”Inform the Minister! Inform the Ministry!” Umbridge screamed at a portrait while trying to get up and slipping again and again. She looked like a fish out of the water as she kept trying to steady herself.

Finally, Umbridge shot a boiling look at Chris and Harry and pulled out her short wand from her pink robes.

Chris and Harry got up from their chairs. Umbridge tapped her wand on the floor and ultimately got up. She rounded on Chris and Harry looking furious.

”Accio wands,” she cried and Harry and Chris's wands flew out from their bags. Umbridge caught them.

Harry was giving multiple expressions while Chris kept her face completely blank.

”Now, Dumbledore's office,” she said pointing her wands towards them threatening.

Harry nervously looked at Chris. Chris gave him assuring nod and they walked out of the Umbridge's office. She was following them holding her wand tightly.

On the way, Peeves saw them and zoomed away noisily. Chris was sure he was going to inform the entire school about this.

”Cockroach clusters,” sang Umbridge, and the stone gargoyle in front of Dumbledore's office jumped aside, the wall behind split open, and they ascended the moving stone staircase. They reached the polished door with the griffin knocker, but Umbridge did not bother to knock, she pushed Harry and Chris inside and strode after them.

Dumbledore was sitting idly behind his desk, on his usual chair. Upon seeing them he didn't look surprised at all. He merely looked up and looked at them then turned to Umbridge.

”Anything I can help you with Professor Umbridge?” He asked.

”These two were using Dark Arts on me,” Umbridge said triumphantly. ”The Minister is on the way, Professor Dumbledore.”

Dumbledore looked at Chris over his half-moon glasses. This time, Chris let him use Legilemency on her mind. Dumbledore understood what happened within few seconds as Minister of Magic Fudge entered with Percy and another Auror. Professor McGonagall on their tow. She was looking pale and furious.

”Well. . . well. . .” Fudge smiled broadly at Dumbledore then turned to Harry and Chris. ”I knew it was a matter of time we caught you again Potter.”

”What's going on?” Professor McGonagall asked sternly.