When Orli arrived at the Great Hall, Hermione and the others had already progressed to dessert. However, Hermione had commandeered an enormous platter, heaping it with sandwiches and sausages before positioning it strategically on the bench—beyond the house-elves' immediate reach.
Hermione "Orli! Finally—any later and you'd have missed lunch entirely."
Hermione thrust the massive plate toward her along with a fork.
Hermione "Twenty minutes until our first afternoon class. Eat quickly."
Ron "Snape was absolutely mental today."
Ron declared with his usual talent for catastrophic timing:
Ron "I mean, he's always been vile to Harry, but with Orli..."
Hermione fixed him with a withering glare. Yet Harry couldn't resist joining the conversation:
Harry "I thought this year might be different. I mean—"
He glanced around cautiously, ensuring privacy before continuing in hushed tones:
Harry "Isn't he an Order member?"
Ron "That vindictive old bat."
Ron seethed with righteous indignation:
Ron "Can't fathom why Dumbledore trusts him so completely."
Hermione "I suspect Dumbledore possesses compelling evidence. Besides, he's hardly obligated to share everything with you, Ron."
Hermione replied with crisp authority.
Ron bristled with argumentative energy, forcing Harry to drag him toward the North Tower before warfare erupted. Only Hermione and Orli remained at the Gryffindor table. Orli consumed her sandwich mechanically, unable to distinguish between meat and egg filling.
Hermione "Orli..."
Hermione began with obvious hesitation:
Hermione "Did you two... quarrel?"
Orli choked on her bread. She forced the obstruction down with considerable effort.
Hermione "You didn't end things, did you?"
Hermione asked with mounting alarm.
Orli "Merlin's sacred beard. I swear upon magic itself—we were never, absolutely never, remotely together."
Orli gripped her fork until her knuckles whitened.
Hermione "But how did everything deteriorate so drastically? Weren't you supposed to continue your weekend..."
Hermione pressed with genuine concern.
Orli "Not anymore."
Orli shook her head with arctic finality:
Orli "Future weekends will be liberated from dungeon imprisonment. I can now dedicate myself completely to academic pursuits."
Hermione's expression twisted with conflicted emotions—she lacked crucial context, and Orli clearly rejected any consolation attempts.
The afternoon Divination class proved spectacularly tedious. Orli dozed through Professor Trelawney's dream interpretation lectures. Their assignment matched the lesson's insufferable dullness: document every dream from the current month. Orli could fabricate the entire requirement within an hour.
Next came the challenge requiring genuine alertness: confronting Umbridge.
When Harry, Ron, Orli, and Hermione (who'd skipped Divination) converged and entered the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom, Umbridge had already claimed the professor's throne. Today's ensemble featured a fluffy pink cardigan paired with a velvet pink hat sporting decorative netting. Every entering student maintained careful silence—none understood Umbridge's teaching methodology. Except Orli. Her internal alarm systems activated immediately.
Umbridge "Good afternoon!"
When the class assembled completely, Umbridge spoke with saccharine enthusiasm. A handful of students offered tentative responses.
Umbridge "Tsk, tsk."
Umbridge produced disapproving sounds:
Umbridge "That simply won't suffice. I require proper acknowledgment. You must say, 'Good afternoon, Professor Umbridge.' Shall we attempt this again? Good afternoon!"
Orli "Good afternoon, Professor Umbridge."
The instant Orli spoke, she fervently wished this repulsive toad would voluntarily leap into the Black Lake—where amphibians belonged by natural law.
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