Umbridge made sure she’d tell Albert that the papers were finishing up, making his ears heat red. Some students secretly came up to them when Umbridge wasn’t around or when the girls were in the bathroom and told them some ideas:

‘What if someone breaks into the office that does the confirmations and all and they burn it?’ a Gryffindor boy suggested confidently (‘What if they get caught?’ Amelia denied. ‘Umbridge could make new ones anyway.’). 

‘Maybe we put a magical creature and make it eat the paper, so no student would get blamed!’ a Ravenclaw girl proposed (Isabell didn’t agree that a magical creature’s life would get risked for eating confirmation papers, she said that Umbridge could burn the poor animal or bury it alive for all they knew).

‘Uhm, what if one of us disguises as one of the people and takes the papers?’ a Hufflepuff boy advised hesitantly (‘We don’t know who the people are in the first place to disguise as one of them,’ Olivia frowned). 

All hope seemed lost since nobody had a fully fledged plan where nothing could go wrong. In each plan was either a huge or small flaw that would completely shred it to pieces. The trio’s motivation lowered dramatically, and so did Albert’s, who became more nervous by the day. Umbridge always welcomed Albert with a terrible smile whenever she informed him about the papers, and she made sure she’d say her “extremely fortunate” news in a horrible sing-song voice. Forrest wasn’t anywhere to be seen. Not during breakfast, lunch, optional dinner, or their Transfiguration classes. The girls and Albert just assumed he decided to stay in the Slytherin common room and shut himself in the dungeons until the end of the year, if that was even an option that was available. The extra pile of homework and studying broke their backs more. Nobody was seen near the Great Lake to smell the fresh air of damp Spring or smell the spreading fragrance of the flowers. Albert was studying, as though he had hope that he wouldn’t be expelled. The girls and Albert were in the common room, with Isabell completely forgetting about what her mother ordered her once again. Amelia was reading notes she copied down from Transfiguration and compared them with Olivia’s (mostly because she was shooting Forrest cold glares every now and then and wanted to check if what she copied down was correct). She continued reading them when from the corner of her eyes, she thought she saw a faint glimmer in the distance. She looked around, and her eyes locked with the marble statue of Rowena Ravenclaw. 

‘Amelia, don’t just admire that statue, we have to study-’ Isabell snapped, but Amelia had got up from the comfy red velvet chair and walked towards the statue. 

She cautiously walked towards the statue and touched Rowena’s cheek: it was warm…

She scanned Rowena’s serene face, from the strong jaw, high cheekbones, pointed nose, grey eyes- 

Grey eyes. 

Amelia looked at the grey eyes that Rowena magically had. Deep through those gems, she sensed a dark glitter. And she knew that glitter only too well. Forrest’s eyes looked at her, shocked that he had been exposed. Amelia wanted to gouge out his eyes with her wand, but she stuffed it back in her pocket. 

‘Isabell, might have found your spy,’ she chirped, her blue eyes looking through the grey ones on the statue. 

‘Who?’ Isabell jolted up from the chair and stood next to Amelia. ‘A statue can’t- what are those eyes? It’s not… Forrest?’ 

‘He must have something in the Slytherin Common Room that connects to the statue…’ Olivia said in a hushed voice, joining Isabell and Amelia.

‘But why him?’ Isabell frowned. ‘Why is he the sp-’

The grey eyes vanished, and the white orbs of Rowena replaced them. 

‘The coward left,’ Amelia growled. 

A minute later, one of Rowena’s eyes disappeared, and a black circular void revealed in front of the girls and Albert (he came up to them). The hole magically expanded, and a hand with long fingers slipped a letter through. Amelia got it just as it fell on the blue rug and she and the others read it:

You caught me… nice observation, Amelia, never knew that you can figure something like this out with the brain the size of a peanut. You want to know why I’m the spy? You want to know why I was supposed to keep an eye on you, Isabell? Remember when your mother told you once that she had a sister? Celine Moon. And that she was married to a wizard man named Henry Osborn? And that they both had one son… but she never told you the name… Because her sister shamed her for marrying a magical man when she herself married one. I hate to break this to you, Isabell, but… I am your cousin. Son of Celine Moon and Henry Osborn… I helped your mother because I knew she suffered from her own sister, the mother that I wished was caring… I won’t tell your mother anything from now on, just for your sake and your friends’, maybe not Foxglove so much because of… you know…

Sincerely,

Forrest Osborn.

Isabell felt her heart go up her throat. 

‘He can’t be, no-’ she gasped.

The hole on Rowena Ravenclaw’s statue shrunk, and her eye appeared once again. Isabell collapsed on the floor, breathing heavily. Her friends were rooted to the spot, petrified.

‘It can’t be true!’ both Amelia and Isabell blurted at the same time. 

‘Why would Forrest lie about his family?’ Albert whispered. 

‘He’s saying the truth,’ Olivia followed along. 

‘That dimwit can’t be my cousin, he just can’t!’ Isabell yelled. ‘I don’t believe any of this!’

‘But did your mother tell you about her sister?’ Amelia questioned.

‘Y-yes…’ Isabell mumbled sadly. 

‘Did she tell you her sister’s son was magical?’

‘She didn’t go into details… But dad told me all about magical blood and all. Pureblood and pureblood produce pureblood. Halfblood and Muggle produce halfblood… So, I figured that my cou- I mean, Forrest the dimwit was a halfblood…’ 

Silence creeped in for a while. 

‘If Forrest had been spying on us all this time, then he would have known about the D.A. a while before Umbridge found out about it…’ Amelia realised.

‘But why didn’t he tell her beforehand-’ said Olivia.

‘Because… I told you, not all Slytherins are bad,’ Albert replied. 

‘He literally got you expelled.’

‘It isn’t his fault! I’m the one who kicked him!’

‘You’re defending-’ Amelia thundered.

‘Even if I got expelled because I did something to do with him? Yes. Even if I don’t like that jerk because he thinks he’s everything? Yes. Even if he spied on us like a good little obedient boy? Yes.’

‘Why? Did he ever do something nice to prove that he’s a “good Slytherin”?’

‘He said in the letter that he won’t tell on us to my mother,’ Isabell responded firmly.

‘Well, Albert defended him before that. And your mother apparently thought she was doing that for your own good, so Forrest must be thinking the same, that’s why he wouldn’t tell your mother. Because he doesn’t care if you hang out with “evil people who work with Voldemort”.’

Nobody argued against Amelia's case. 

‘The filthy remain filthy,’ she rumbled and stormed off to resume studying. 

‘You’d think he hit her or something,’ muttered Isabell. ‘He only kissed her on the cheek, and it’s not like she’s reserved for someone.’

Amelia heard her and gasped. 

‘Isabell, what the heck.’

Isabell shrugged.

‘Well, believe it or not, I am reserved for someone. So, shut up and don’t ever talk about that again.’

‘For who?’

Amelia’s lip trembled. 

‘No one important. Not to you, anyway.’

Olivia, Isabell and Albert watched as Amelia stood up and climbed the stairs of the Girl’s Dormitory.

‘You know, sometimes I really feel sorry for that girl. But at the same time I feel curious to know what’s going on in her mind all the time,’ sighed Olivia, taking out a book which said:

Study Planner

‘You have a study planner-’ said Albert, his eyebrows raised to their utmost.

She nodded and opened it, showing them a timetable.

‘But why do you need that?’

‘The O.W.Ls are closing in. There’s only like… two months left.’

‘Two months are a lot, you don’t need that many.’

Olivia’s eyes widened in shock.

‘Of course I do! Two months pass by faster than a lightning bolt! Trust me, Isabell. A while later when you decide to study, the next day it will finally be time for the tests!’

Isabell simply ignored Olivia, who raised an eyebrow. She turned to Albert.

‘Are you going to start studying?’ 

He nodded slowly, taking out his Charms book from his bag and pretending to read a chapter. 

‘But all this studying will be useless if I will be… you know.’

Albert looked down at his shoes sadly. 

‘You need a studying timetable,’ Olivia said after a while, gesturing towards Isabell, who was fidgeting with her wand. 

She groaned at the thought of a timetable and shook her head. 

‘Olivia, you’re not going to convince me to start studying two months before the test.’

‘Then when are you going to start studying?’

‘Maybe three or two weeks before that specific test. Look, I’ll prove that you don’t need two months to study by getting more O.W.Ls than you.’

‘No one can get more O.W.Ls than Olivia, Isabell,’ Albert reasoned. 

‘Fine then, if it's not me, then it’s going to be Amelia.’

‘It’s not going to be me, that’s for sure,’ mumbled Albert. 

‘It could be. For all we know something might happen to me and I might skip a test, not that I ever will do that on purpose, of course.’

They heard footsteps coming from the stairs leading to the Girl’s Dormitory. A moment later, Amelia appeared, holding a letter in her hand. 

‘Forrest just sent me an apology letter.’

‘Forrest Osborn the dimwit sends Amelia Clearwater an apology letter?’  Isabell scoffed. ‘It must be a prank!’

‘It isn’t,’ Amelia said as she rolled her eyes. 

‘Wow, you like Forrest Osborn now,’ said Isabell.

‘I do not. I just forgive him now,’ Amelia snapped. 

Right, this will seem like a ridiculous prank to you, but this is an apology letter. I know I’ve been an idiot in every encounter we’ve been through. I know I shouldn’t have done that dare. I know I shouldn’t have held you like that in The Three Broomsticks and I know I made Umbridge ban you from Hogsmeade… You might think that I’m a bad Slytherin, and I know you really do, but the real story is… I’ve only been bad because I’ve endured… problems. Not only with my family, but with friends… You see… before all this, I was just… weak. Everyone would aim for me to be their victim. They hit me… punched me… made we wish I were in Hell instead… So, now you know and I hope you would at least forgive me… and hopefully be friends who would stand next to each other.

Forrest Osborn

‘I’m not sympathetic,’ Isabell threw up her hands. ‘Fine, maybe I am,’ she added after she saw Amelia’s tense look. ‘What? You’re the one who forgives people too easily.’

‘You should go talk to him,’ said Olivia.

‘Uh, I will. Maybe tomorrow, though.’

Olivia read through her study planner.

‘How is a piece of paper useful for studying?’ Isabell snorted.

‘I’m a witch, remember?’ Olivia smiled. ‘And it’s a timetable, what else could it be, a drawing of Albert?’ 

‘Yes, it could be that,’ Isabell grunted. 

Olivia showed her the timetable, which had seven columns and ten rows. The subjects for the studying were coloured differently. The colour green, for Potions, suddenly started changing to red, which meant Transfiguration according to a key at the back. 

‘I tell the timetable when I’m free and it tells me what and how much I should study for the day,’ Olivia beamed. 

‘Even though that’s smart, I still won’t need a study planner. I already have one, thank you very much.’

‘Really?’

‘It is my brain,’ replied Isabell simply. ‘C’mon Olivia, I think you’re capable enough to study without a study planner.’

‘Isabell, yes, she is capable, but that doesn’t mean she doesn’t want one. I might need one too,’ said Amelia, beckoning towards Olivia.

‘At least one of you cares about studying.’

‘I do care! Just not as much as you nerds.’

‘I’m not a nerd,’ said Amelia, offended. ‘And neither is Olivia!’ 

Olivia mumbled something unclear.

‘Yeah, right, totally.’

Olivia, Amelia and Albert stared at Isabell in shock.

‘What?’

‘That was rude,’ muttered Olivia.

She and Amelia got up and headed to the Girl’s Dormitory, ready to enter the world of dreams.

It was April twenty-second, Albert was hyperventilating in his dormitory, about to get expelled for good. 

‘We’ll find a way…’ Olivia whispered when he got out, though she wasn’t assured at all like Albert. 

Amelia was with Forrest and he had just finished apologising. 

They awkwardly shook hands. They were about to walk away when a bang, as well as a scream, was heard. They ran to the Great Hall; it was filled with a green slimy goo. Amelia spotted Olivia and Isabell standing there. It was just like the night when Trelawney had been sacked. Students were standing all around the walls in a great ring and teachers and ghosts were also in the crowd.

Prominent among the onlookers were members of the Inquisitorial Squad, who were all looking exceptionally pleased with themselves, and Peeves, who was bobbing overhead, gazed down at Fred and George, who stood in the middle of the floor with the unmistakable look of two people who had just been cornered. 

‘So!’ said Umbridge triumphantly, whom the girls realised was standing just a few stairs in front of them, once more looking down upon her prey. ‘So… you think it is amusing to turn a school corridor into a swamp, do you?’

‘Pretty amusing, yeah,’ said Fred, looking up at her without the slightest sign of fear. 

In fact, he smiled. 

Filch elbowed his way closer to Umbridge, almost crying with happiness. 

‘I’ve got the form, Headmistress,’ he said hoarsely, waving a piece of parchment in his hand. ‘I’ve got the form and I’ve got the whips waiting. Oh, let me do it now…’

‘Very good, Argus,” she said.

Umbridge took the parchment from Filch and scanned it with her bulging eyes. She then handed it back to Filch and looked at the twins.

‘You two are about to learn what happens to wrongdoers in my school.’ ‘You know what?’ said Fred. ‘I don’t think we are.’

He turned to his twin. 

‘George,’ said Fred, “I think we've outgrown full-time education.’

‘Yeah, I’ve been feeling that way myself,’ said George lightly, looking at his twin and imitating his cheeky grin. 

‘Time to test our talents in the real world, d’you reckon?’ asked Fred. ‘Definitely,’ said George. 

And before Umbridge could say a word, they raised their wands and said together: ‘Accio Brooms!’ 

There was a loud crash heard somewhere in the distance. Looking to the left, the girls ducked just in time as Fred and George’s broomsticks, one still trailing the heavy chain and iron peg with which Umbridge had fastened them to the wall, were hurtling along the corridor toward their owners. They turned left, streaked down the stairs, and stopped sharply in front of the twins, the chain clattering loudly on the flagged stone floor. 

‘We won't be seeing you,’ Fred told a red-faced Professor Umbridge, swinging his leg over his broomstick. 

‘Yeah, don't bother to keep in touch,’ said George, mounting his own. Fred looked around at the assembled students, and at the silent, watchful crowd. 

‘If anyone fancies buying a Portable Swamp, as demonstrated upstairs, come to number ninety-three, Diagon Alley. Weasleys’ Wizarding Wheezes,’ he said in a loud voice. ‘Our new premises!’

‘Special discounts to Hogwarts students who swear they're going to use our products to get rid of this old bat,’ added George, pointing at Professor Umbridge.

‘STOP THEM!’ shrieked Umbridge, but it was too late. 

As the Inquisitorial Squad closed in, Fred and George kicked off from the floor, shooting fifteen feet into the air, the iron peg swinging dangerously below. Fred looked across the hall at the poltergeist bobbing on his level above the crowd. 

‘Give her hell from us, Peeves.’

And Peeves, who was never seen taking an order from a student before, swept his belled hat from his head and sprang to a salute.

‘And, Albert!’ George yelled. 

Albert jerked his head up. 

‘We burned the papers and they won’t make copies!’ Fred shouted.

Fred and George wheeled about to tumultuous applause from the students below and sped out of the open front doors into the glorious sunset like two birds set free from a cage. Albert laughed in surprise, unable to believe that the Weasley twins had saved him from expulsion. He heard the echo of his shocked laugh from the girls, their faces bright. 

‘And the Weasley twins have done it again,’ Isabell gushed, squinting at the orange sunset from the open gates. ‘Well, we won’t get to see them again.’ 

Umbridge had fallen back when Fred and George set off. Her curls were stuck up like she was hit with a lightning bolt. Her hideous use of makeup was smudged all over her furious face, her bulging eyes having red veins creep up. Her jaw was set, her fists clenched tightly, as though about to let out a raging fire from her mouth. 

‘EVERYONE, OUT! BACK TO YOUR LESSONS THIS INSTANT OR ALL OF YOU WILL BE EXPELLED! And Foxglove, I will find a way to expel you!’

The girls looked at Albert then at Umbridge.

‘One day, that hag will pay,’ growled Amelia, clenching her fist. 

Albert merely smiled calmly at Umbridge.