Dolores Umbridge hummed with glee as she processed the file sitting on her desk.
The document had been handed to her by Amelia Bones, a woman she loathed with every fiber of her being, but even that bitter rivalry could not dampen the joy this particular folder brought her.
Ever since Dolores had orchestrated the article in the Daily Prophet claiming Hagrid was safe to be around children, she had become a target for a vocal minority of staunch Rita Skeeter supporters.
Rita herself had been foolish enough to pen a backhanded insult aimed directly at Dolores in a recent column, questioning her administrative judgment and her fitness for office. It was a slight Umbridge did not intend to forgive.
Now, laid out before her was a case file provided by Bones that contained the ultimate weapon. Evidence that Rita Skeeter was an unregistered Animagus.
"Such a diligent boy, Draco," she muttered to herself, her eyes crinkling behind her spectacles.
The information had arrived from Hogwarts via an anonymous student, accompanied by a glass jar containing a single, frantic beetle.
In her mind, Umbridge had already decided the sender was Draco Malfoy. She viewed it as his way of defending her honor after she had assisted him with his own press interests.
In her twisted logic, this was exactly what made those of pure blood worthy of her protection and patronage. Without a second thought, she scheduled the trial and appointed herself as the lead interrogator.
The summons were dispatched immediately, and by the very next day, the most influential figures in the Ministry had gathered within the walls of the courtroom.
Umbridge was uncharacteristically generous, allowing Amelia Bones a high seat and a significant amount of authority for the proceedings, simply because she was too intoxicated by her own impending victory to be petty about seating charts.
Cornelius Fudge presided over the trial, looking suitably serious, while Umbridge took her place as the interrogator.
"I would like to welcome the esteemed Minister of Magic, the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, and the members of the Wizengamot for giving their valuable time to the court and the pursuit of justice," Umbridge began, her voice reaching that sickly sweet, high-pitched register that made many in the room grimace.
She let out a small giggle and adjusted her pink cardigan as she introduced the subject of the trial.
She even went so far as to publicly credit Amelia Bones for the investigation, a move born purely of spite to ensure Rita knew the entire Ministry had turned against her.
Umbridge was a woman who thrived on grudges, and Rita Skeeter had occupied a top spot on her list because of just one comment.
With a flourish, she placed the magically restrained beetle onto the witness stand. A sharp flick of her wand sent a Homorphus Charm crashing into the insect.
In a blur of shimmering light and distorted limbs, the beetle expanded into a woman wearing a garish, bright green outfit.
Rita Skeeter slumped on the stand, disoriented and still bound by invisible magical restraints. Beneath her flashy clothes, she bore the faint bruises and stiffness of having been kept in a jar for days, but her predicament drew little sympathy from the court.
The transformation alone was a death knell for her career.
Vindictively, Umbridge produced the official Animagus Registry, reciting the names inside with agonizing slowness to emphasize that Rita's name was nowhere to be found.
She then produced a stack of Rita's most infamous articles, those containing impossibly private details that could only have been gathered by a literal fly on the wall.
"I would like to summarize all the charges that have been compiled against Rita Skeeter through my thorough investigation," Umbridge said, clearing her throat before unfurling a long sheet of parchment.
She began to read aloud, her voice full of triumph. She listed one count of Willful Failure to Register a Magical Transformation, three counts of Unlawful Interception of Private Communications, and fourteen counts of Criminal Trespass via Unsanctioned Animagus Manifestation.
She folded the parchment with a final, triumphant giggle as he nose pointed up in pride.
With another wave of her wand, copies of her findings were distributed to the people in power, starting with Fudge.
"This is a farce! Have I no rights?" Rita croaked, finally finding her voice through the shock.
"Of course you have rights, my dear. We are in a court of law, after all," Umbridge replied with a condescending tone as if placating a child.
Amelia Bones had come prepared to fight for justice, assuming Umbridge would attempt to derail the proceedings with her usual brand of bureaucratic interference.
However, as she watched Umbridge systematically dismantle the reporter, Amelia simply leaned back in her chair and decided to enjoy the spectacle.
"I was brought here unlawfully! I demand a proper defense!" Rita screeched.
"Order! Order!" Fudge interjected, Flicking his wand to produce a loud, canon-like bang to demand silence as he saw Umbridge's face sour at the noise. "Mrs. Skeeter, you will mind the intensity of your voice in this chamber."
"Yes... forgive me, Minister," Rita said through gritted teeth, her eyes darting around as every neuron in her brain fired "May I have time to compile a defense for myself and be more presentable for the court at a further date?"
A low murmur broke out among the Wizengamot as members discussed the request. Umbridge's smile widened, appearing more like a predator than a public servant.
She approached Fudge and used magic to ensure their conversation remained private. After a brief exchange, Fudge nodded and made the canon-like voice once more.
"The court has considered the defendant's request and shall grant a stay until the sixteenth hour of the following day for the trial to continue," Umbridge announced.
Rita let out a shaky breath of relief, even if the time was meager.
"However," Fudge added, giving Umbridge a glance "the defendant must sign a Magically Binding Contract immediately. This will prevent the use of her Animagus transformation or any other method to avoid the trial or flee these premises."
"This is a violation of my freedom of movement!" Rita protested.
"Yes, dear. You are on trial, after all," Umbridge shot back sweetly, making no effort to hide her enjoyment of the woman's distress.
| Aaric's Dormitory |
"Holy shit, I never thought I would find myself rooting for Umbridge," Aaric muttered as he and the girls watched the trial from a projection he had formed.
Daphne and Fleur giggled at the irony of the situation, while Luna rested her head on Aaric's shoulder.
Even for a woman like Rita Skeeter, Luna felt a small flicker of pity seeing her state. Aaric reached out and gently caressed Luna's cheek with his thumb.
"I am surprised they even agreed to her demand considering all the evidence they have," Daphne commented with a tilt of her head.
"Umbridge just likes to play with her prey," Aaric said with a chuckle. "By tomorrow at four, Rita will wish the trial had just been finished today." He waved a hand and the screen disappeared, leaving the image of Rita glaring at a smiling Umbridge as its final frame.
"Come on now, let us see the planet Luna's mother made before we go to zleep," Fleur suggested, and Luna gave an emphatic nod of agreement.
The four of them found themselves on the planet Pandora a moment later. Luna was proud of the direction the world was taking and the positive ripple effects caused by her mother's touch.
The planet was already vast, significantly larger than Earth, and its flat expanse provided enough space for massive, distinct biomes. They soon found that the light beings Pandora had created had increased in number.
"Mum calls them the Luminets," Luna explained as one of the small glowing entities hovered just above her palm.
Aaric observed the beings closely. He noticed some of them drifting toward the massive trees of the planet, connecting themselves to the trunks and branches.
"They seem to be connecting with the world at a fundamental level," Aaric observed.
The little beings were weaving themselves into the very fabric of the environment. They were effectively forming a global consciousness for the entire world, acting like individual neurons in a vast network that would transmit thoughts and store the collective memory of Pandora itself.
A/n: Give me your thought on the chapter and reviews on the fic.
And.. you got any power stones? Well, hand em over then..