Huh, this is a little sooner than I wanted, but I can make this work.

“Headmistress!” shouted Filch, grabbing Harry by the scruff of his neck and shaking him, as if that made him more noticeable. “Lookie at what I caught ‘ere. A pack of miscreants, I did. I bet they’re the ones causing all these problems.”

Right, because you certainly didn’t catch us at the scene of the crime.

Frogs ribbited. Flies buzzed. Umbridge strode out of the mess, her bright green hair askew. Her army fatigue slacks were ruffled and covered with frog guts and excrement. Her expression was pinched with fury. She glared at the group, her short, squat body trembling. Filch pushed Harry forward. The rest of the group followed. Ron leaned towards Harry, his chin facing downward.

“Why didn’t we think of your cloak?” muttered Ron, trying to not draw attention to himself. “I can’t believe we actually forgot that.”

“Oh, yeah,” whispered Harry with a forced grimace. “Oops.”

Sorry, Ron, but then my plan wouldn’t work.

“Hem, hem,” hissed Umbridge, her normally breathy voice hard as stone. “If you have something to say, then do say it so that all may hear.”

Silence was her answer.

“Who is the leader in all this?” demanded Umbridge, putting her hands onto her hips and staring at each one in turn. “I want names. Anyone who gives me names will not be expelled for this.”

The way Umbridge looked at him, Harry could tell that she needed no identification of who was the leader in all this. She wanted them to turn on him. She didn’t think he would give himself up. Harry glanced between the others. Ron was slightly pale, but his eyes were fired with determination. Hermione’s chin was lifted, that same determination in her eyes. Luna’s airy smile never wavered.

They were prepared to go down.

Draco, on the other hand, was pale as a ghost. His fists trembled at his sides, yet his expression was blank.  But it was obvious that he wasn’t ready for this – that much Harry could tell.

It’s time.

“It was me,” said Harry, stepping forward. “I’m the one who dragged them along.”

The woman stared at him, her eyes boring into him. Something flickered in their light.

“I should’ve known,” whispered Umbridge, her lips thinning. “It was too good to be true, wasn’t it?” She sighed. “You could’ve been so much more, Mr. Potter. The-Boy-Who-Lived has become nothing more than a simple vagrant. What would your parents say about this?”

Something twisted inside Harry’s gut. How dare she use his parents like that, as if she were anywhere near their brilliance – as if she had the right to criticize him.

All his second guessing of himself disappeared.

No, it’s because I’m the stupid Boy-Who-Lived that I’m doing this.

“All of you, into my office,” snapped Umbridge, when Harry remained silent. The group walked through the mass of frogs. Draco grimaced as he stepped on one of the frogs.

Once inside, Umbridge slammed the door shut. Harry repressed a grin at the shattered plates on the floor. While most of the images were beyond recognition, he could catch glimpses of the mewling kittens – though, now, they had been transfigured into a zombie kittens, complete with the rotting skin and the decaying bones.

Even if she could repair her plates, she was in for a treat.

“Draco Malfoy,” said Umbridge, looking at the boy. Draco looked as if he were about to pass out. “I have heard nothing but good things about you from your father. How low you have fallen.”

For a moment, Harry thought he would say something. It was in those grey eyes: Draco wanted nothing more than to retort with something snarky. But he didn’t. Draco cast his eyes downward, avoiding her gaze.

Umbridge sighed, looking towards the remaining members of the group. She sneered at Luna. “I should’ve known you were a part of this, Miss Lovegood. You are always filled with such tales. You fit right in with this group.”

“Oh, I do?” said Luna brightly. She clapped her hands together. “Ah, how nice.”

Harry put a hand over his mouth, while Ron snorted and looked away.

“This isn’t a laughing matter!” shouted Umbridge, rounding on the boys. “You have chosen to attack the Headmistress of this school. What have you to say for yourselves?”

“It wasn’t an attack,” protested Ron. “They were just some harmless pranks—”

“Harmless?!” shrieked Umbridge. She motioned wildly to her office. “Any one of these could have landed on me and injured me.”

“We just don’t like how you’ve been running this school,” said Harry, speaking up so that the others wouldn’t have to explain. “You nearly poisoned all those students with that quill. You blamed Dumbledore for something you did. There are still two students in the hospital who haven’t woken up. You’re no better than Voldemort here.”

The air pressure dropped ominously.

Umbridge stared at him for a long moment. Her fingers curled around her wand.

“Very well, you’re true colors have been shown,” whispered Umbridge, looking between the group. “You all have obviously chosen. Detention for your crimes. With me. Right now. We’ll start with the blonde here,” she said, pointing her wand at Luna, whose smile didn’t fade whatsoever. “You all will learn that in this school, we do not tolerate troublemakers… I just received my latest Educational Degree this morning.”

She looked at Harry directly in the eyes.

“I may use whatever means necessary to maintain control over this school.”

A burning chill rushed through Harry’s entire body.

She’s going to hurt Luna. She’s going to hurt my friends for this. She’s going to—

“A small taste will set you straight.”

She’s insane!

“Cru—”

NO!

He didn’t think about it. He threw out his arm. He didn’t have a wand, but it didn’t matter any more. All that mattered was protecting his friend. This woman would not be allowed to have free reign of this school any more. The flood of magic poured through his arm.

They wanted a hero, didn’t they?

“Expelliarmus!”

They wanted a savior from evil, didn’t they?

All those hopes, dreams, and expectations placed on a fifteen month old baby – what a horrible fate for such a child. But it was a fate he would now accept.

Light burst from Harry’s hand, slamming into Umbridge’s chest. She shrieked, falling onto her back. Her wand shot into the air. Harry leapt forward on instinct and grabbed it. A second later, the wand exploded in his hands, a number of splinters embedding inside his hand.

Relief bloomed in his heart.

I did it.

There was a horrified gasp from Umbridge.

“Oh, sorry,” said Harry amiably; his heart thudded against his chest. This is it. She can’t hurt us any more. “That was an accident. Ah, well. I guess you can’t fight any of us.”

“You… You destroyed my wand,” gasped Umbridge.

“Yes, yes, we’ve established that,” said Harry, swallowing down his anxiousness. He smiled down at her. “Could you get up now? We’ve got a little field trip to take – to the Headmaster’s office.”

Hermione frowned, while Ron and Draco raised their eyebrows. She came to Harry’s side, pausing for a moment to remove the splinters from his hand. “Harry,” she whispered. “What’re you thinking? This isn’t part of the plan.”

“Uh… Well, it kind of is,” said Harry with a soft smile. He flexed his hand as she healed his skin. “Sorry, I didn’t mention this, but my real plan is only just beginning.” Before she could question him further, he turned his gaze onto Umbridge. “Now, Dolores – you don’t mind, do you? – let’s go for a nice walk, shall we? Let’s have some… mother and son time together, yeah?”

Umbridge looked like she wanted to spit fire. Harry’s amiable smile never left his face. Poking at her like this was fun.

“What are you doing, Mr. Potter?” whispered Umbridge, her voice shaking with suppressed rage. “You’re in a huge amount of trouble because of this.”

“Oh, am I?” asked Harry with a light drawl. “I don’t see why. I’m doing what I should’ve done the day I entered Hogwarts. After all, the entire Wizarding World looked at me as if I were some kind of hero, some kind of savior. You wanted a hero?” he asked, his tone dropping. His eyes narrowed and he glared at the woman. “Well, you got one, even if I have to save you all from your own stupidity.”

Hopefully before Snape finds out and kills me.

“I won’t try to convince you of anything,” said Harry, shaking his head. “It’s obvious that you’ve got your own agenda. But I’m not going to stand by and watch you hurt these students. There are two who still won’t wake up and it’s all your fault! So, start walking. Or you’re going to regret it.” Harry glanced at Hermione and smiled darkly. “How about a frog? Is Crookshanks hungry? Dinner time for the kitty.”

Harry looked back at Umbridge. She glared back at him. She took a step forward, keeping her hands into the air. Harry’s kind smile returned.

“There we go, that’s nice. Come on all, let’s go to the Headmaster’s office.”

The other four had their wands out, pointing them to Umbridge. Harry was pleased to see that even Draco had some determination in this. Together, the group left the office and began to walk through the corridors towards Dumbledore’s old office. Harry could feel Hermione’s eyes on him, as is she were trying to read his mind for the answers that she wanted. It didn’t matter. She was going to find out soon enough.

Once they reached the gargoyle outside the office, Harry stepped forward and bowed to it.

“Hi, there,” said Harry, lifting up. “I don’t know the password. I could stand here for hours and list off as many sweets as I could count, but instead I offer a deal.”

The stone shifted ever so slightly. Harry grinned.

“We’re going to remove Umbridge from the position of Headmistress and set up a temporary Headmaster in her place, until Dumbledore comes back. Is that good enough for you?”

There was a short pause.

The gargoyle shuddered. It started to turn upward, revealing the stairs from where it stood. Harry stepped forward, looking back at the others. He was met with dumbfounded expressions.

“What?”

The others followed him. They ascended the stairs, walking into Dumbledore’s office. The portraits on the wall woke up, a number of them eyeing the group with narrowed eyes.

As they walked into the center of the room, Harry stopped.

“Harry,” began Hermione breathlessly. She stared at him, her eyebrows furrowed deeply as the intense worry etched across her features. “If you’re planning on replacing Umbridge with a Headmaster… Where is Professor Snape or Professor Flitwick? Or another male professor?”

Harry turned around and looked into her brown eyes. He didn’t answer her. The alarm grew further on her face.

“Harry, no,” whispered Hermione, shaking her head in jerky motions. “No, you can’t be serious about this. That would be ridiculous. You can’t.”

“I am one hundred percent serious about this,” said Harry, wishing Sirius were here, just to lighten the mood at that moment.

“Are you insane?” snapped Hermione. “This wasn’t the plan. What on earth are you thinking?! Never before in all of Hogwarts’ history has a student ever attempted such a thing!”

“What’s going on?” asked Ron, glancing between them. “What am I missing?”

“I want to know what we’re doing here, too,” said Draco, folding his arms. He looked around the room, taking in the details of Dumbledore’s office. Nothing was out of place from the last time Harry had been in here. “What’s the point of getting into the Headmaster’s office?”

“We’re appointing a new Headmaster,” said Harry with a smile. “And, Hermione, this was my plan from the beginning.”

Draco frowned, unfolding his arms. For a long moment, he studied Harry. Then, shock and horror slammed into his face. “Have you gone barking mad, Potter!” he nearly screamed.

“What’s going on?” demanded Ron, becoming alarmed.

“This goes beyond anything I signed up for!” shouted Draco. “This is going to be worse than getting expelled. Forget turning on a teacher – this will get us all thrown into Azkaban!”

“What?!” yelped Ron.

“You don’t think I’ll make a great temporary Headmaster?” asked Harry, the side of his lips sliding upward in a delighted smirk. “I can’t be any worse than this thing,” he said with a snort, jabbing a thumb towards Umbridge. She puffed up in indignation.

“When Cornelius gets word—”

“Yeah, yeah, shut up, would you?” said Harry with a dismissive wave. “We’re talking here.”

Umbridge turned purple.

Ron stared at Harry, his jaw dropping. “You’re going to be the new Headmaster? Blimey, that quill did a number on your head.”

“Finally something I can agree on with the Weasel here!” shouted Draco, throwing his arms into the air.

“I nominate Harry Potter for Headmastership,” said Luna, her blithe voice cutting the tension.

Ron slammed a hand against his forehead. He shook his head for a moment, before he looked up and lifted a hand into the air.

“I second it.”

“You’ve gone insane!” cried Draco. “All of you! This is insane!”

“There’s no turning back now,” said Harry, keeping his tone even. “I wanted to do something drastic, something that would create a ripple in all this. I’m tired of adults acting like bratty children. I’m tired of everyone expecting us to do as we’re told and to follow the rules, yet they won’t do that themselves.”

Emotion struck Harry’s heart. His fists clenched at his sides. He turned his gaze onto Umbridge. She visibly flinched from the hated glare that he sent her way.

“Adults are supposed to protect children, right?” asked Harry, his voice a low whisper. “You’re supposed to teach us, to protect us, to care for us – yet, instead, you hurt us. And you’re not the first. That’s not right.”

And I’m done with it.

“So, are you with me?” asked Harry, looking to Hermione and Draco.

“You are absolutely barking mad, Potter,” said Draco with a sigh, running a hand through his blond hair. He shook his head. “But… I’ll support it. You better not get me thrown into Azkaban, though.”

“Hermione?” asked Harry, looking at her.

She sighed. “I third the nomination.”

Harry smiled brightly. “Passed! All right, ready, then? Let’s do this.” He pointed to his neck, tapping a finger against his neck. “Would you cast a spell on me, Hermione? I want the whole school to hear my voice.”

She huffed, but rapped her wand against his neck – probably a little harder than she needed to – and said, “Sonorous.” Hermione cast the further spells in the office, to extend his voice throughout the school. She muttered underneath her breath, exhaling in frustration. After a moment, she nodded to him, her lips thin with worry and displeasure. With a growing grin, Harry began.

This is going to be fun.