" тАУ clean up the grounds, but scrub тАУ"
" тАУ the Great Hall with a toothbrush? That's тАУ"
" тАУ a new record, Harry!"
"Well, at least he didn't get away with it this time," Lavender whispered to Parvati, a bit too loudly.
"And what exactly do you think he's 'gotten away with' in the past?" Hermione rounded on the other girls like an avenging fury.
They squeaked and cowered back. Nobody messed with Granger. "We didn't mean anything!" Parvati hurriedly backpedaled.
"It's just that Professor Umbridge was saying that heтАж" Lavender's voice trailed off at Hermione's expression.
"You should know better than to listen to Umbitch," Neville said reproachfully. "She's had it in for Harry from the start."
"But he has done a lot of stuff. I mean, like facing that troll and flying around inside the castle," one of the upper years protested.
"What's the matter with you, Spencer?" Oliver Wood demanded angrily. "Didn't you see the whack Snape gave him for that stunt? And that was just what he got in public! Or d'you think old Snape just let him off with a warning? You think he's a soft touch, do you? Maybe you'd like Snape to be your guardian?"
"What's wrong with you people?" Ron demanded. "It's not like Harry's the only one that Umbitch is nasty to! Why are you listening to her all of a sudden? She's an awful teacher and tells a bunch of lies to boot. Even my brother Bill says that he's had to use DADA spells, and he's not an Auror or anything."
"Well, yeahтАж" The other Gryffindors were starting to look a little guilty and embarrassed.
"It's okay." Harry was feeling a little embarrassed too. He wasn't used to having people defend him or take his side. "She's just trying to make trouble for us."
"And we're letting her!" Katie Bell wasn't in a conciliatory mood. "We should be rallying behind Harry and the other lions that she's insulting, not believing her lies. She's a toad and should be stepped on!"
An evil grin stole over Hermione's face. "Splat the toad!" she exclaimed suddenly.
"Huh?" Ron asked.
"I think we should have a student movement," she announced. "Splat the toad! We can spell our shirts to say it and put up signs and that will help all of us remember that she's an awful person that we shouldn't believe! It would drive her mad to realize no one was listening to her anymore!"
"Oooh, we could have special colors to wear to show our support!" Lavender exclaimed.
"And we could wear buttons!" Parvati was getting excited too.
"It's like a whole underground movement," Oliver grinned.
"We know where we can get a few тАУ "
" тАУ harmless pranks that would help!" the twins volunteered.
"Good thing Percy's out with Jones," Ron grinned, nudging Harry. "This way he doesn't have to hurt his neck looking the other way."
By the next morning, the faculty were bemused to see many of the students sporting flashing "STT!" buttons. Initially they appeared limited to Gryffindors, but after breakfast, as the students from the other Houses demanded to know what they were, the numbers increased exponentially, and by lunchtime, students in every House were sporting buttons, affixing banners to their book bags, or otherwise declaring their allegiance to the odd movement. Whenever a teacher would inquire as to the meaning, the students only mumbled vaguely about something to improve school spirit.
Snape had been as puzzled as the rest, but unlike the other faculty, he had no scruples about eavesdropping on his House, and within a few hours, he was happily sharing the secret with Minerva. The witch laughed so hard her hair nearly escaped its bun. "Oh, my! Those clever students. No wonder they all seem in such high spirits!"
Whether Umbridge ever realized the hidden meaning of the buttons, no one knew, but she definitely was displeased to realize that her campaign against Harry had been derailed. The sidelong looks and disgruntled mutterings that she had begun to hear abated, and instead the students seemed to be discussing nothing but this "STT" nonsense.
The combination of Umbridge's discontent and Harry's giddy relief that the rest of the school had stopped hating him was a dangerous one, and Umbridge finally got the opening she'd been waiting for about a week later.
They were reading the chapter in the textbook that dealt with poltergeists, ghosts and other spiritual phenomena, and Harry was too curious to restrain himself. "Professor," he asked politely, raising his hand, "is there a spell to banish evil spirits? Y'know, like Voldesnort?"
Half the class gasped at The Boy Who Lived's daring in so referring to the Dark Lord, while the other half laughed themselves sick at the term.
"That will be five points from Gryffindor for speaking out in class, Mr Potter, and another fifteen for asking silly questions," Umbridge snapped. "If you haven't anything sensible to say, you will keep your mouth shut."
"That was sensible!" Harry protested indignantly. "When we killed Professor Quirrel, old Voldesnort turned back into a floaty spirit-thing. I just wanted to know if there were any spells that can hurt him when he's like that, before he comes back and tries to hurt us again."
"That's enough of your wild stories, young man!" Umbridge said angrily. "Minister Fudge," she paused long enough to glance fondly at the Minister's portrait which hung over her desk, surrounded by smaller pictures of kittens and puppies, "has told the Daily Prophet that there is nothing to fear from You Know Who. You are just a silly little boy trying to attract attention with your wicked lies!"
Harry surged upright in outrage. "That's not true! I'm not telling lies! All the real professors saw him. And Voldesnort is dangerous. The Headmaster said that тАУ"
"The Headmaster says a great many things, but the Minister is the one to whom we must all listen," Umbridge shot back. "He says there is no danger, and saying otherwise is wrong and disloyal."
"So if he says the sky is green, we can't say it's blue?" Harry demanded incredulously.
"Don't you dare say another word, you horrible child!" Umbridge's eyes were practically popping out of her head. "That's another twenty points from Gryffindor and a week of detention with me for such positively seditious statements."
Harry subsided, mostly because he had no idea what "seditious" meant.
Umbridge smoothed her hair and resumed her seat. "You can all thank Mr Potter for tonight's extra assignment: a two foot essay on why our system of government, including our dear Minister, is the finest in the Wizarding world."
She was heartened by the annoyed looks that were directed at Potter, but then the little Malfoy boy тАУ such a bright child, as she regularly informed his father тАУ coughed, though the noise sounded oddly like "Splat!" and the rest of the class dissolved in sniggers and mutters and the only angry looks were now targeted at her. She glared at Harry and decided it was high time to use the special punishment on the little troublemaker.
After dinner that night, Harry morosely got ready for his detention. He wasn't looking forward to whatever that horrible woman would make him do, but he vowed to do what he was told and keep his mouth shut, lest he lose more House points.
"I still think you should have told Professor Snape or Professor McGonagall," Hermione fretted. "Then they could have taken over your detention from Her."
He shook his head. "Nah, I can't go running to them every time I've got a problem," he argued. "And I mean, she's a teacher. What's the worst she can do? Yell at me? Have me kiss her portrait of Fudge?"