Toad Takes Power
Ministry of Magic
Dolores Jane Umbridge (High Inquisitor) will succeed Albus Dumbledore as Headmistress of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
The above regulations are in accordance with Educational Decree Number Twenty-Seven.
--Minister for Magic, Cornelius Oswald Fudge
The next morning, the students opened their eyes to find that Hogwarts had been completely transformed.
The <Educational Decree Number Twenty-Seven>, symbolizing the absolute authority of the Ministry of Magic, was posted in all prominent places, from the entrance of the Great Hall to the entrances of the various common rooms, to the stone walls of the corridors, and even on the doors of the restrooms.
Everyone in the castle seemed to have heard that Dumbledore had fled after subduing two Auror, the High Inquisitor, the Minister for Magic, and his junior assistant, but the notices offered no explanation. A tense atmosphere permeated the place; people whispered among themselves, and various rumors began to circulate, but one thing everyone knew— Dumbledore was gone.
Dumbledore, once hailed as the greatest headmaster in Hogwarts' history, was not only stripped of his title by the Ministry of Magic but also became a high-ranking fugitive, forced to begin a life on the run. Of course, whether the Ministry of Magic had the guts to organize a manhunt for him is another matter entirely.
What truly unsettled all the students was the new principal's identity.
Dolores Umbridge, a name once despised and hated by everyone, has overnight become a figure feared by all. Under the influence of the Educational Decree Number Twenty-Seven, she has now replaced Albus Dumbledore as the supreme ruler of Hogwarts.
--And her first step in seizing power was to reshape the order.
"From this day forward, I am the supreme authority at Hogwarts."
Umbridge's voice echoed through the Great Hall, announcing the official start of her reign. She appeared in the center of the High Table, her repulsive smile still on her face, but the cold glint in her eyes was now undisguised, sending chills down the spines of everyone, including the professors.
Her first order was to dismiss the once sharp-witted Hogwarts warden, Filch, and replace him with her own trusted confidant, Willie Windsing. This habitual prankster, who loved to play tricks on Muggle, finally had a chance to put his skills to use. He was proficient in almost every kind of evil curse, and students caught by him violating school rules would be severely punished.
Her second order was to strengthen the power of the "Justice Inquisitorial Squad," placing them above the student council and Prefect. They could deduct points from other students at will, and even other Prefect and the Head Boy were not exempt. The Prefect system, which had been in place for centuries, gradually lost its authority, and the Prefect were reduced to security guards and patrolmen to maintain order, and the deans of the Four Houses were powerless to stop it.
Moreover, under Umbridge's deliberate indulgence, the Justice Inquisitorial Squad's power expanded to an unprecedented level—
All members of the disciplinary squad wore a gleaming silver Ministry of Magic badge on their left arm, symbolizing their official entry into the Ministry of Magic 'Ministry of Magic ranks as expatriate staff. This elevated their actions and enforcement to the legal level of regulating underage wizards; for the first time, they possessed the power of judgment and conviction. Once they determined someone had violated school rules, they could decide on the punishment of solitary confinement on the spot—a highly deterrent measure, as no one wanted to clean every toilet in the school or gather materials in the dangerous Forbidden Forest.
Every change of power brings joy to some and sorrow to others, and this time is no exception.
Umbridge's supporters were overjoyed. They no longer needed to hide in the shadows and secretly inform on others, nor did they need to worry about being obstructed by the Headmaster or Prefect. The Justice Inquisitorial Squad had gained official recognition from the Ministry of Magic, which gave them the real power to "govern" the students.
In contrast, seemingly as a display of power by Umbridge, the Hogwarts student council underwent a shocking change—
The two Head Boy, Cedric Diggory and Elusi Montgomery, were stripped of their positions by Umbridge without cause and demoted to ordinary Prefect for refusing to join the Justice Inquisitorial Squad and obey the unreasonable orders of the new headmaster. This forced them to live under the tyranny of Umbridge and the Justice Inquisitorial Squad, just like the other students.
The new Head Boy are Roger Davis and Skyler Fawcett from Ravenclaw, both of whom are Umbridge's most loyal supporters and key members of the Justice Inquisitorial Squad.
While neither of them were as domineering McLaggen, they were certainly not benevolent men and women either.
Davis, the captain of the Quidditch team, has always resented being rejected or dumped by beautiful female students. Now that he finally holds power, he'll see who dares to refuse him so easily. Fawcett, from a poor Half-blood family who couldn't even afford the cheapest ticket to the Quidditch World Cup, has now tasted the power of authority and is unable to extricate herself from it. Any young wizards she catches are forced to pay a hefty fine, though whether the fines are ultimately paid in full is unknown.
People like Davis and Fawcett were not uncommon, which led to the rapid expansion of the Justice Inquisitorial Squad. Many previously lowly and unknown individuals took this opportunity to climb to high positions and begin to enjoy the thrill of power.
The fate of Cedric and Elusi terrified many students —Cedric Elusi were considered "elites" among Hogwarts students, excelling in both character and academics and deeply respected by their classmates and professors. Yet Umbridge was able to ruthlessly expel them, demonstrating that under her control, Hogwarts had no room for resistance.
Next, we'll discuss the fate of the Dumbledore's Army.
"The rebels must pay the price." These were the first words Umbridge uttered at the trial, essentially foreshadowing the tragic fate that the captured members of the Dumbledore's Army were destined to face.
Although Dumbledore took all the blame upon himself, thus sparing the Dumbledore's Army from expulsion, they still faced extremely severe punishment. They were all sentenced to two weeks of confinement, and Umbridge's confinement was unlike Snape's or Professor McGonagall's, which involved merely writing post-lesson reflections—
The backs of their hands were covered in gruesome wounds, and blood seeped through the parchment. Umbridge's vicious quill had etched the words "I Will Comply" deep into their flesh.
When the arrested members returned to the common room, their hands were covered in blood, their faces were pale, and they sat there silently, not uttering a word. The other students who saw this were all filled with fear, and many did not even dare to look them in the eye.
Dumbledore's Army —a name that once symbolized rebellion, has now become synonymous with terror.
The annihilation of the Dumbledore's Army was a painful lesson.
Although Dumbledore took full responsibility and the members were not expelled, the weeks-long, horrific confinement had silenced the entire school, completely robbing them of the courage to resist.
The students began to realize that courage and justice alone were not enough.
Harry Potter's impulsiveness, Hermione Granger's idealism, Ron Weasley's indecisiveness... all these flaws appear fragile under Umbridge's iron-fisted rule.
Those who once believed in the Dumbledore's Army began to question: Was Harry truly worthy of their unwavering loyalty?
They need a new leader, someone smarter, more visionary, and better at navigating the darkness.
Amidst this chaos, Skylar Malfoy became another option.
His silence and composure set him apart from the rest of the campus, which was gripped by panic and unease.
It's not hard for observant people to notice that even though Umbridge and the Justice Inquisitorial Squad wielded immense power, and Skylar and McLaggen had a long-standing feud, surprisingly no one dared to provoke him. This gave hope to the students who were unwilling to submit to Umbridge but dared not openly defy Umbridge.
Thus, the Sleeping Dragon Society, an underground organization buried deep underground, began to expand in the shadows.
The existence of the Sleeping Dragon Society has always been a secret. Although the shrewd Dumbledore had begun to notice it not long ago, he was still Dumbledore. In comparison, Umbridge was far inferior in terms of intelligence, talent, and control over Hogwarts.
Besides, unlike Dumbledore's Army which always gathered in the Room of Requirement, the Sleeping Dragon Society at Hogwarts had various hiding places, including the fifth-floor Secret Passage, the Ravenclaw Chamber, the Chamber of Secrets, and the Suitcase Space. Peeves patrolled outside, and with surveillance tools like the Marauder's Map, the Foe-Glass, the Sneakoscope, and the Alchemical Magic Eye, how could those useless guys like McLaggen possibly catch them? They were dreaming!
Skylar issued a strict order forbidding members of the Sleeping Dragon Society from having any conflict with Umbridge or the Justice Inquisitorial Squad. Judging from Skylar's conversation with Umbridge that day, Umbridge absolutely loathed him, but he was not a pushover like Cedric or Elusi who could be manipulated at will. As long as he did not break school rules and did not give her any leverage, she would be completely helpless against him.
The Sleeping Dragon Society's primary task now is to seize this rare opportunity and fully assist the only new Gryffindor student, Katie Bell, in recruiting new members and expanding the Sleeping Dragon Society's influence in Gryffindor.
While everyone thought Umbridge had completely taken control of Hogwarts, she herself was unaware that the real power struggle had moved underground.
In this school that seems to have already submitted to the Ministry of Magic, the real war has only just begun.