Headmaster Black's Arrangements

Oren sent Will, the laborer, back with the Philosopher's Stone and Professor McGonagall; the speed of Hogwarts ' repairs depended entirely on Will's speed.

Kreacher appeared in the Headmaster's Office carrying a large platter of pastries.

"Young Master, I've recently heard rumors about Gryffindor House..."

Oren interrupted, "Why listen to rumors when you have nothing better to do? Gryffindor is a bunch of idiots."

"But young master..."

"There's no 'buts' about it. I'm from Gryffindor House. Do you think I don't know whether they're simple-minded or not?"

Kreacher...

"Young master, Professor Hagrid overheard a fox saying at the edge of the Forbidden Forest..."

"Stop, stop, stop! It's not surprising that a talking fox from the Wizarding World can do that."

Kreacher...

"Young master, you probably don't know, but someone unearthed a stone statue at the Quidditch Pitch..."

"With an old castle like Hogwarts, I wouldn't be surprised if you dug up a Gundam."

Kreacher...

"Young Master, it's getting chilly, please put on another layer."

"Isn't this Headmaster Dumbledore's favorite robe? Oh, Kreacher, you've really put me in a difficult position!"

Before Oren could even pick up his little cake, Madam Pomfrey arrived at the Headmaster's Office.

"A little witch suddenly developed a face full of pimples, which even formed the word 'whisperer'."

"I suspect she may have broken some oath and needs to be sent to St Mungo's's for examination."

Oren waved his hand. "No problem, then send it over."

"Also, Headmaster Oren, do you see that the Hospital Wing is short of some Potions this year..."

Oren!!! I knew it!

Will was called back to the Headmaster's Office; his hands were trembling slightly, and his arms were still tapping.

"A young wizard broke some damned oath; could it be related to Umbridge?"

Will for a moment. "Yes, that's true."

"It's so annoying, anything related to pink toads is always so bad."

Will explained, "Umbridge used Veritaserum to force a little witch to reveal the secret of Dumbledore's Fungus. Maybe those mushrooms really do taste good."

"Ahem, Will, we can use the Great Memory Restoration spell, but let's not go too far. Using Veritaserum on a novice wizard? That's a bit too outrageous. Why don't you go down and rewrite it?"

"Young master, this isn't something I made up, it's all true. Would I lie to you? The Veritaserum was provided by Professor Snape; you can ask him about it."

Oren rubbed his temples and said, "I know, tell me all the other bad things the pink toad did."

"That guy even organized an Inquisitorial Squad, but I immediately had Pink Toad disband the organization, though it seems like we're missing one member."

"And one more thing, unrelated to the pink toad, is that the Weasley twins are setting off fireworks everywhere."

Oren waved his hand. "Go back to helping Professor McGonagall break the gold. After you're done, go find Madam Pomfrey; she needs funding too."

Will...

Silence fell again in the Headmaster's Office. A portrait of the principal in the Black family read, "My child, you shouldn't have spoiled these professors. Back in my day, when I was principal..."

"The professors still want funding? They'll only get a palm-sized piece of parchment and a palm-sized piece of parchment deduction from their paychecks."

Oren curled his lip. "If I did the math, you'd definitely be the most unpopular headmaster."

The portraits on the wall chimed in, "Absolutely right!"

Phineas Black...

Oren took out his voice-activated quill and, as usual, handed the work over to the portrait artists, while he himself returned to the Gryffindor Tower.

The atmosphere in the common room was eerie. Oren grabbed the twins' ears and said, "I heard you've been setting up fireworks all over the place?"

"Are they planning to blow me up as principal so they can take over?"

George hurriedly explained, "No, no, we're frying pink toads! Let go or your ears will fall off!"

"Confess honestly what other bad things you've done."

Fred: "We also Montague from the investigation team into the Vanishing Cabinet."

Oren said, "I'd deduct ten points from your pay for the bad things you did, but this was so well done, I'll add ten more."

"Anything is fine, but could you let go first?"

Hermione asked, "Has our Dumbledore's Army been exposed?"

Oren retorted, "Of course, to be honest, Hermione, you really don't have the talent to be a dark wizard."

"Or I could bring Umbridge over here, and all of you in the Dumbledore's Army could stab her in the back. That would be a token of our loyalty."

Hermione rolled her eyes and said, "No, thank you."

"The main problem is that the pink toads lacked sportsmanship and used Veritaserum to force a confession; otherwise, you could have hidden for a few more days."

Hermione...

Ron suggested, "Could we rescind all of Umbridge's Educational Decree?"

"No problem," Oren summoned Kreacher and ordered, "Revoke all of Umbridge's worthless Educational Decree, cancel all the points deducted from recent solitary confinement, and grant a general amnesty to demonstrate the new dynasty's refined governance."

Kreacher complimented, "The school history will surely call you a wise and sagacious principal."

Everyone...

"Does Harry want to go back to the Quidditch team?"

Harry shook his head and said, "No need, let's go back next year. We've already lost most of the competitions this year."

"I might feel better if I could get Umbridge kicked out of Hogwarts."

"No way," Oren retorted. "If I kick her out, who will I control as principal?"

The three little ones...

"Well, I guess I should go get my Occlumency," Harry said, walking out of the Gryffindor Tower with a look of utter despair.

Inside the dormitory, Oren was fiddling with the soul of an Acromantula.

Ron pushed the door open and said, "Oren, you'd better go out and check."

Oren???

In the common room, Harry sat blankly in a chair, looking completely lost.

Hermione asked worriedly, "Harry, what's wrong?"

"It's okay, I'm fine."

Oren scoffed, "Nothing's wrong, my foot! Even Peeves could tell you're preoccupied."

"Really, I have nothing on my mind," Harry quickly denied.

Ron slapped his thigh. "I know, he was too embarrassed to say it because there were so many people around."

Harry...

The three of them led Harry to an empty classroom. Harry leaned against the wall that read "Confess and you'll be treated leniently; resist and you'll be punished severely," and began to recount his memories of secretly seeing Snape.

Hermione looked troubled after hearing this. "You mean your father brought people to bully Snape, and then your mother tried to stop him and protect Snape?"

"This isn't right! Judging by this plot development, shouldn't it be Harry Snape?" Oren slapped his thigh and exclaimed, "I know! Your mom was taken back by your dad!"

"That can't be... right?" Harry said uncertainly.

Oren scoffed, "Now that you mention it, Snape is quite a guy. He can even tolerate being cheated out of his wife. If it were me, Harry, I would have been dumpling filling by now."

"Hiss~" Ron gasped. "So, Snape, who likes to target Harry, is actually a magnanimous person?"

The three chattered away about Snape's gossip, while Harry slumped against the wall in dejection.

He thought to himself, "Indeed, people's joys and sorrows are not shared."