Out in the Open

Dolores moved into Hogwarts before the term began. She spoke with each member of staff, getting any useful information out of them, then telling them there was no longer a place for them in Hogwarts. There were a few exceptions to this; she didn't bother meeting with either Divination professor or the Care for Magical Creatures "professor".

She reviewed the budget when she was finished, then starting marking places where they could easily save money.

"Muggle Studies is a waste of time," she said to her empty office. "Divination is all nonsense it seems. I haven't the time to teach Defence Against the Dark Arts again, so I'll have to bring someone in for that. History of Magic should be carefully taught, we can't have them filling students' heads with ridiculous ideas."

While she went over the curriculum, along with the O.W.L. and N.E.W.T. requirements, she kept an eye on the clock and one of the new portraits in her office. There were still many changes she had to make to Hogwarts before it met the new standards. First, the surveillance eyes had to be put back into place, but this time, she wouldn't offer anyone the privilege of privacy. That was hers and hers alone. Second, they needed more disciplinary staff. She knew just who to bring in to work on it.

A man appeared in the portrait she'd been watching.

"They're here, Minister."

Dolores stood up from her desk and made her way through the castle. She still got the feeling it was watching her, but it wasn't something that bothered her. She was its new mistress, and it would have to learn to live with that. She'd ruled over Hogwarts before, and it was nothing to do so again.

She arrived not at the front gate, but at one of the towers. On a platform, she met a team of Aurors carrying another person with them. Said person had a hood over her head and was bound with magic. Magic she couldn't break.

"Very good," she said. "Bring her to the holding area."

She didn't lead the way; that was for the help. Instead, she walked with the Aurors, who dragged the unconscious prisoner. They were smart enough not to ask questions. After all, they had no need to know about this prisoner.

They walked into the Dungeons, into a secret passageway she'd been made privy to last time she was at Hogwarts, and down a corridor with rooms around it.

"Holding cells" Filch had called them. Back when they could put students in solitary confinement. The area had been sealed off, but Filch knew the school better than almost anyone. He knew where the secret passages were, which made him a valuable asset, and the only member of staff Dolores had kept around. She wouldn't take risks of the staff turning on her again.

The Aurors deposited the prisoner in her cell, then locked it up. Dolores took the keys from them, then ushered them out. She saw them out of the castle, ensuring their memories were wiped before they left, then returned to the holding cell just in time for her prisoner to wake up.

"Welcome to your new home, Mrs. Perks," Dolores said. "I'm sure you're wondering where it is."

"Hogwarts."

Dolores reminded herself once again that Sarah Perks wasn't to be underestimated.

Perks and her friends were all fugitives, but despite her best efforts, she'd been unable to locate them. Shawx had been right; they'd slipped right out of Azkaban as if it were nothing, not that different than escaping her two years ago. Four of them escaped on a guard transport, while Granger and Lovegood had simply disappeared from the island. Dolores had found the answer while digging through the staffs' notes and getting information out of Filch.

Rose Peta-Lorrum had possessed a unique ability to apparate despite any wards put up. However, Granger had worked out how this had been done and put a ward in place around Hogwarts. That made Hogwarts the only place in the world into which Granger, who herself had worked out Peta-Lorrum's trick, couldn't enter. Unfortunately, Dolores didn't know where the wards were located, but she had her best people scouring the castle to find out. Once they found them, it wouldn't be hard to copy them and put the same protections into place around the Ministry of Magic and Azkaban.

Until then, she had to keep special interest prisoners in Hogwarts. It was no matter; after she'd been there a while, she could make it just as pristine as the Ministry of Magic. After all, she had a lot of responsibility as Headmistress and Minister of Magic. It was only fitting that she was treated with the respect that came with such responsibilities.

Dolores began taking meetings in her new office, both to recruit new staff, and meet with her other department heads. As she had with Hogwarts, she'd dug into the Ministry budget and found a lot of pointless restrictions and departments. It was easy; any protections for Muggles had been stripped away. That saved plenty of money for the renovations of Hogwarts, as well as improving the DMLE. They needed better spells and personnel if they were to maintain order in her new world.

Today, she was meeting with the Head of the DMLE, who had not been successful in locating Perks and her friends. It had also become clear that the Muggles were moving against them. She had received repeated requests for meetings with the Muggle Prime Minister, who wasn't worth her time. She had far more important things to do.

"What about Lovegood? Do you still have surveillance on him?" she asked.

"The portraits are still in his house. The moment his daughter makes contact, we'll know."

That was one thing that reassured her. Xenophilius Lovegood was one of those who was easily manipulated. All they'd had to do was promise him that they'd drop any criminal charges on his daughter, so long as he handed over Granger and anyone else with her.

What they hadn't told him was that there were other charges on her, specifically obstruction of Ministry business. For months, Dolores's attempts at finding and removing the Centaurs from the Forbidden Forest had been thwarted by Lovegood. That being the case, she still had to be taken in. There was simply nothing they could do.

As her DMLE Head left her office, he was met by one of his people. Dolores watched them carefully as they spoke, then saw the color drain from his face.

"Something wrong?"

He turned to her, and she already knew what he was going to say.

"Granger and Lovegood made contact, but… but they knew something was wrong. They were gone before we could get to them."

Dolores narrowed her eyes at him, and he took a step back.

"Such a shame."

She dismissed them both from her office, then got to work on finding more staff. On top of handling Hogwarts, she now had to find a new Head of DMLE. She wouldn't tolerate failure. Speaking of which, she had another appointment that afternoon to which she was looking forward. Hopefully, it would prove more promising.

Dolores sat back in her chair and watched the clock tick. Her next appointment wasn't late, but it never hurt to remind people who was in charge. Not that she needed to tell him he was late; she already had plenty of reasons to punish him.

The door creaked open, and Dolores smiled to herself.

"Thank you for meetin' with me, Minister."

She turned her chair around to face the man, and suppressed a grimace upon looking at him. The man didn't look like he knew he was supposed to bathe. His hair was greasy, there was dirt on his face, and he slouched when he looked at her. What was wrong with him? He knew who he was addressing.

"Mr. Shawx, I understand that your last position was in Azkaban, where they don't enforce hygiene, but if you want to work here, you'll have to do better a better job than that."

Dolores considered dismissing him for this newest slight, but she had questions for him first. On top of that, the only reaction he had was that he stood up straighter.

"Now, I understand that you let six fugitives escape Azkaban."

"That's right."

Dolores's face moved ever so slightly. What an intriguing man this was. He'd let the six most important people escape his custody, and he didn't deny it.

"Most people would deny that, Mr. Shawx."

"I ain't most people, Minister. See, I got a good look at what Granger could do." He tapped his temple. "Got inside 'er 'ead, too. She's got some good tricks, she has, but I've got better."

Once again, Shawx intrigued her. He was right; the only reason he was getting this meeting at all was because he'd seen Granger escape, which meant he had information that Dolores needed.

"People like me, they don't get fooled the same way twice. Like you, I reckon. Granger got out of here because she can use magic without a wand. It's this ooze stuff. That's how she got out."

Dolores mentally tallied her open positions. Filch was a good caretaker, but he could use a hand. Even he'd said so. And Shawx would have the most hands-on experience with her new disciplinary staff.

"How does 'Hogwarts Disciplinary Officer' sound to you, Mr. Shawx?"

The man's mouth curled into a smile. There was a gleam in his eye, something Dolores had seen in others' eyes before. Not the desire for power, that she snuffed out. No one took her place. No, it was the look of someone who wanted to be where they were. Who'd take joy in their place and never want to leave it. That's what she wanted; willing pawns.

"Good. I'm glad to have you on board. There are certain duties I expect of you, Mr. Shawx. But first, I'll need everything you know about Hermione Granger."

By the time term started, word had spread that Hogwarts was under new, better management. The Minister of Magic herself was directly overseeing its management. Some students had the nerve to be concerned about it. Dolores made notes of which families had expressed concerns. Naturally, those that knew her and respected her heralded the changes she was making.

She'd finally gotten her office decorated the way she wanted, so now it was time to talk to the students. She'd have to whittle them down, of course. There was no sense wasting money on Muggle-borns or half-bloods that would only turn out to be delinquents anyway.

She made a note of every remaining member of her old Inquisitorial Squad. Apart from Perks, she could trust them to get things done. Unfortunately, Draco Malfoy was no longer there, but she could work with that. The Parkinson family was always reliable, so long as she took measures to remind them of their place in the world. Crabbe and Goyle were professional henchmen families, and she always needed more of those. It was nice to have people you could rely on to not try and overthrow you. It was exhausting having to deal with them.

Her first meeting was with Parkinson. For reasons about which Dolores neither knew nor cared, Parkinson hated Perks almost as much as she did. That meant she'd be useful in getting information from the students about which Dolores did care: their whereabouts.

As always, Dolores faced away from the door when Parkinson walked in. She knew it wouldn't unnerve her to have Dolores staring at her the moment she walked inside, so it was better to remind her that Dolores Umbridge, Minister of Magic waited for no one.

"Ms. Parkinson, a pleasure to see you again."

Parkinson curtsied, then took a seat when Dolores offered it.

"As I recall, you're reliable, so I've got an important task for you. While I question the students about the whereabouts of Perks and her friends, I want you to listen to what they have to say outside of this office."

"I'm honored that you would choose me for this task, Minister."

"Of course you are. Before I assign it to you, though, I want to know anything you already know about them."

Parkinson's lips curled into a small smile before fading.

"I know something that no one else does. Perks was dosing Malfoy with love potion last year. She was trying to win them over, to get at the Malfoy fortune."

Dolores began to wonder who else could handle this, because Parkinson clearly could not.

"I've no time for gossip, Ms. Parkinson."

"It's not gossip. Lucius Malfoy invited Sally-Anne Perks to sit with them during Draco's funeral. I saw it."

Now that was interesting. Lucius wasn't above staying in Sarah Perks's good graces, but he wouldn't make a public show of it like that. He'd always taken a more subtle approach. Why invite a mudblood to sit with him at his own son's funeral? Unless Perks had already gotten to him. From Shawx's recollection of Granger's escape, she'd used a curse to force puppet strings on him. Perhaps they'd done something similar to the Malfoys.

If that were true, that meant the Malfoys had been compromised. While that was somewhat troubling, it meant that Dolores had a new spot to search for her favorite fugitives. She'd secured everywhere else they could possibly be. Yes, that did make sense.

"Thank you, Ms. Parkinson. I don't believe it will be necessary to ask the students now. You've been a great help. I'll be sure to remember you and your family next time a position in the Ministry opens up."

Parkinson gave her another smile before Dolores dismissed her.

The moment she'd gone, Dolores started on orders to round up as many Aurors as she could. She wouldn't underestimate Granger or Perks this time. If she couldn't trust Malfoy to remain loyal to the cause, she couldn't trust anyone. No matter; she didn't need anyone.

Dolores knocked on the door to Malfoy Manor. Behind her, nearly 50 Aurors spread out around the mansion. She knew the moment they were discovered that Granger would slip through her fingers, but she didn't care. As always, she had a plan.

Narcissa opened the door. Good. She would not be greeted by some lowly house-elf. That wasn't how the Minister of Magic was treated.

The other woman's eyes darted around and saw the array of people Dolores had brought with her. Given Weasley's persistence with his foolish games, the Malfoys weren't strangers to the Ministry showing up at their door. Unlike the many, many times Weasley had wasted Ministry time and resources, Dolores knew they were harboring fugitives.

"Good afternoon, Narcissa. I've received word that several fugitives have taken refuge in Malfoy Manor." Dolores walked inside, allowing Narcissa enough time to get out of her way. "I'm sure neither you nor your husband had any say in this. Never fear, you won't be blamed for this."

Had it been anyone else, Dolores would've arrested them anyway, but Lucius was a useful asset to her cause. There was no need to pick a fight with someone that provided the support he had.

Her people filed into the room, moving around and searching everything and everywhere. Dolores couldn't be sure how many of Dumbledore's people were there. If McGonagall was there, she could easily turn any of them into a pot or a spoon and no one would know.

Lucius walked into the room and asked what was going on.

"We have reason to believe that a group of fugitives led by Sally-Anne Perks and Hermione Granger have hidden themselves here."

She paused and assessed Lucius's demeanor. He'd always been an excellent liar, so it was no surprise that she couldn't tell what he was thinking.

"I'm afraid you've heard wrong, Minister," he said, his voice cool and calm. "You of all people can't be suggesting that I would take in a pair of mudbloods."

"I'm not saying you did by choice, Lucius. Naturally, an upstanding citizen like you would never do such a thing."

"Obviously not."

She took a step towards him.

"Lucius, be reasonable. I know they're here. If you're capable of telling me where they are, then do so now. Unless, of course, you're really hiding them. That would be a shame, for such a prominent member of society to be caught harboring mudblood fugitives."

Lucius hesitated for a moment, hopefully fighting some curse and not whatever passed for a conscience in that head of his. How deep did the strings Perks had on him go?

"This way," he said.

He led her through the mansion, past a hidden passageway behind a bookshelf, then down a concealed compartment under the floor.

"It's straight down that corridor," he said. "Do you need me to guide you the rest of the way?"

Dolores motioned to her team of Aurors and led the way down into the dark corridor. Torches came to life as she walked, keeping her way lit, but still dim enough to create the atmosphere she suspected Lucius intended. There was little doubt in her mind that Lucius had hidden Voldemort in this same passageway.

They reached a door at the end of the corridor, then Dolores nodded to it. One of her people walked up to it, then pushed it open.

It opened into a vast chamber, with a long table in the middle. Sitting around the table were most of her favorite people.

"What a pleasant surprise," Dolores said, looking up and down the table.

The Weasleys, Amelia Bones, Alastor Moody, Sirius Black, Xenophilius Lovegood, Remus Lupin, Rubeus Hagrid, various people she vaguely recognized, and one or two she didn't, were all sitting around the table. Many had wands in their hands before she'd walked inside. When she did, her Aurors spread out, training their wands on everyone present. Dolores wouldn't underestimate these people again, even if they no longer had the advantage of being familiar with the battlefield.

As she did another headcount, she realized there were people missing.

"Where is Sally-Anne Perks?" she asked.

As she'd anticipated, her question was met with silence.

She turned back to Lucius.

"Lucius. I know she and her friends are here. Where are they?"

"They're long gone, Umbridge," Bones said. "You missed them by moments. We knew Granger's curse wouldn't keep Malfoy under control for long, so they'd been planning their escape."

That trick of Granger's again. Dolores was starting to tire of it. It was no matter; she had plenty of space for them all in Azkaban. She wasn't sure she trusted moving any of them into Hogwarts with Sarah Perks. Besides, after a few days with the Dementors, they wouldn't have any fighting spirit left in them.

"No matter," she said. "I'm sure I'll be getting a visit from them all very soon."

She looked over the table of prepared fighters. Blood traitors, criminals, one and all. Filth. A stain on her perfect world.

"Take them all alive if possible."

She turned around and walked out of the chamber as a battle erupted behind her. A few flashes of spells came close to her, but there was nothing she needed to worry about. Before long, they'd all be captured, stripping away any resistance against her. She still had to find McGonagall and her lot, but that could wait. She had other business to which she needed to attend first.

Dolores stood behind a podium in a room at Hogwarts. She would've preferred the press room in the Ministry, but until the fools she had searching the castle finished, she was stuck there. Or until Granger was dead. That would've been the easier solution.

With her were reporters from the Daily Prophet, along with selected members of the public. She'd invited them, then had them checked and double-checked by security. Disguising herself and walking into Hogwarts was just the sort of arrogant tactic that Granger would've used, so there was no being too careful. For all she knew, Granger had already made her way into Hogwarts.

No, that wasn't possible. She had them on the run, and it would only be harder for them to fight back after today.

"Thank you all for meeting with me," she said. "I have many announcements to make."

She glanced down at the papers in front of her. Her prepared speech.

"I come with grave news. As some of you are aware, Hermione Granger, Sally-Anne Perks, Ronald Weasley, Ginevra Weasley, and Harry Potter escaped Azkaban. They were aided by none other than Sirius Black, Amelia Bones, Alastor Moody, and others. Given these individuals' collective knowledge of Azkaban, it came as no surprise that our brave guards were outmatched. They fled from Azkaban, to the Malfoy Manor, where Granger cursed the Malfoys and forced them to assist her efforts."

She spared a thought to Malfoy, whom she still didn't trust entirely. He'd be dealt with later if necessary.

"However, due in part to the efforts of the Parkinson family, we were able to see that this has been part of a larger effort to gain control of one of our most prominent pureblood families. Armed with this information, I personally led a raid on the Malfoy Manor, liberating Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy, and apprehending most of these criminals."

She paused for a moment as many reporters and witnesses applauded.

"I do have bad news. Granger, Perks, and their friends escaped. They are still at large. After interrogating those we did capture, we learned that the attacks of those claiming to be 'New Death Eaters' were orchestrated by none other than these criminals!"

By now, she had her audience's undivided attention.

"This chaos, led by Granger and Perks, is an attempt to claim power for Muggle-borns. Muggles aren't simply happy with suppressing us, forcing us to live in the shadows, ruled over by a Statute of Secrecy. No, this has been a long standing attempt to subjugate us!"

She paused once again, imagining the look on Sarah Perks's face. That arrogant Muggle, walking around like she mattered. Muggles weren't the same as Witches and Wizards. They were inferior to them, meant to be ruled over by the superior race.

"Even past administrations, led by Cornelius Fudge and Rufus Scrimgeour, were subjugated by them, enslaved by the Statute of Secrecy. These proud men were forced to bow and scrape to a Muggle Prime Minister, watched over by an organization that Muggles designed to keep us in line. They treat us like animals, like something to be studied. We are more than they are. We were given the gift of magic, while they were kept in the dark. There is nothing to fear from these people any longer."

She turned a page in her notes. She needed to ensure she had what followed correct.

"Henceforth, I, Dolores Umbridge, Minister of Magic of our Golden Age, declare that the Statute of Secrecy is no more. No longer will we live in fear of these people. They will live in fear of us, as it should be. We mustn't allow people like Hermione Granger or Sally-Anne Perks to believe they can rule over us. Instead, they must be brought to justice. Therefore, I also put into effect the Decree for the Freedom of Magic."

She picked up her notes and began to read the new decree.

"The first section of this decree abolishes the Statute of Secrecy, as I have already stated. Section Two: Without the Statute of Secrecy, steps must be taken to ensure that magic is never subjugated by those without it. Therefore, it is deemed necessary to monitor all contact with Muggles. Anyone who has had contact with a Muggle must submit to questioning, and, if necessary, detainment. Any such contact is a security risk, as they may attempt to infect others with ideas of subjugation."

She listened to the sound of furiously scribbling quills, and made sure to look her best for the repeated camera flashes. This was a historic moment. Future textbooks would have those pictures of her reading the Decree for the Freedom of Magic. This was the day that Muggles learned their place in the world.

"Remember, that this is necessary to ensure our continued existence without the chaos that Muggles and their kind bring to us. They believe that they can rule us. There is a secret Muggle organization that is designed to police us and keep us in line. Fortunately, through heroic efforts of the Ministry of Magic, led by me personally, we have taken the head of this organization prisoner. Remember how afraid these 'New Death Eaters' made you, how the fear of these fugitives would keep you up at night, and rest easily now that your Ministry of Magic is protecting you."

She walked out from behind the podium, then waited for the cameras to catch up before continuing.

"This is a new age, and I, your Minister of Magic, will lead us into a shining new future. One of purity and perfection."

She posed for more pictures, holding up the decree for a few of them. It would be a bright, shining future of purity and perfection.

A better world. Her world. This was the fate for which she'd always been destined. Her life had led to this, as it was always meant to. No one would stand in her way. Not Sarah Perks, not Sally-Anne Perks, not Lucius Malfoy, not Hermione Granger.

No one.