Disclaimer: As usual, I just own this fanfic. Everything else belongs to J.K. Rowling, no copyright intended!

Chapter 25: What Was Really Going On With Cedric And Cho

Back at the ministry, Dolores and her minions were patrolling the ministry. It wasn't long after they returned to the break room before they started receiving more howlers (because the citizens weren't finished yet and were determined to get Umbridge into quitting her job). The employees who cared about their job could hear the howlers shouting and some of them exploding. Umbridge and her minions claimed that the howlers from yesterday were all a part of their imagination. This time, a real investigation started despite the corrupt employees 'warning' them to call it off or face the minister's wrath. Once the chaos ended, the ethical employees barged their way into the break room to confront Dolores and the other corrupt employees.

"Alright, Dolores," Kingsley began demanding. "Where is Amelia and why hasn't she returned? How could she just disappear without any indication as to why?"

"That's none of your business, Kingsley," Umbridge retorted in her sickly-sweet voice. "And you don't talk to the minister that way."

"You're not even a quarter of being a real minister!" Dora snapped.

"Would you like to be terminated?" Dolores snapped back.

"You're not even the rightful minister," said Dora defiantly. "So you don't have the power to terminate me."

"Any critical thinker knows that you just self-appointed yourself as minister," said one female employee, who was asian, in a matter-of-fact voice. "You just use Cornelius' death in an attempt to usurp…"

"That's enough, Chuya," growled Dolores at the asian woman. "I would never usurp anything."

"Lies!" the woman named Chuya growled back.

Dolores retaliated by ordering Chuya to be arrested, but the asian woman didn't go down without a fight. It took four of Dolores' minions to hold Chuya down so she could be placed in magic suppression handcuffs and taken into a ministry holding cell.

"Chuya's arrest should be a lesson to you all!" Umbridge snarled, particularly at the employees who cared about doing their job. "No one's above the law, no matter who they are."

"In that case, you should be under arrest." Dora retorted. "You tend to go around behaving like you're above the law."

"I think this lady needs to learn some manners and treat her superiors with respect," Dolores told her minions, pointing to Dora. "Arrest her, too. She's also terminated from her job. Furthermore, her employment opportunities anywhere else in the wizarding world will be permanently revoked and I'll see to it that it happens."

Some of Umbridge's henchmen surrounded Dora, only for Kingsley and the other moral-abiding ministry employees to take them down with stunning spells. In spite of that, more of the toad's goons came out of hiding and defeated the employees who cared about their jobs and had them arrested (including Kingsley), except for Dora. The few remaining conscious ethical employees left the room, knowing they were outsmarted and defeated. Augustus also advanced towards Dora to place her in magic suppression handcuffs, but she punched him in the stomach. Dolores tried to place the handcuffs on Dora herself, only for Dora to turn the tables on the toad.

"You're in real trouble now, Nymphadora!" growled Dolores. "Your charges will also include high treason for putting handcuffs on the minister."

Dora kicked the toad in the groin in retaliation for Dolores calling her by her full name. One of the other minions grabbed Dora by a wrist and proceeded to smack her arse, but she grabbed his bits and gave them a firm squeeze, causing him to squeal out in pain.

"You don't ever touch a lady there, especially without her consent, pervert!" Dora growled at the minion, through gritted teeth (making sure he saw the glare on her face).

Despite Dora's best efforts, more of the toad's goons came in to 'restore order' and subdued the Tonks' daughter. After unlocking the handcuffs on Dolores, another one of her goons placed them on Dora and pulled her up onto her feet.

"You can take this treasonous lady to a maximum security cell in Azkaban," Umbridge told her lackey. "To await a date with the dementors and get the kiss. I have some more important matters to take care of."

Dora widened her eyes in horror at Dolores unjustly sentencing her to the dementor's kiss, as she was led away to Azkaban. The other out-cold ethical employees were dragged away over to some kind of room, tossed them in and heavily locked it up. The henchman ignored the shouting protests of a woman (who was also trapped in the heavily-locked room). Once the other goons returned to the break room, Dolores had another scheme in mind.

"It's time to send dementors to all of those who've been sending the howlers," Dolores shouted in an angry and adamant voice. "They need to learn that sending howlers must be done when it's urgent and rightful."

"There's too much ash and so many of our fellow wizards and witches have been sending them," one of the goons tried reasoning with the toad. "It'll be nearly impossible to track them down."

"Oh yeah, why didn't I think of that one before, you shitbag?!" Dolores asked the lackey rhetorically, sarcasm clearly in her voice. Then she whipped her wand out, pointed at said henchman and hollered. "CRUCIO!"

The minion began screaming like crazy in utter pain. Dolores didn't have an ounce of care in the world, instead laughing as she watched the henchman screaming from unbearable pain, with the other minions watching the ordeal in fear. Dolores kept the Cruciatus Curse going until the henchman was no longer screaming. He was reduced to being in a vegetative state.

"Let that be a warning to you all," Dolores warned her other witnessing goons, in a dangerous voice. "If any of you try what he tried, you'll face the same fate!"

The others continued going around helping the toad out, now in utter fear of being tortured to insanity to the point where they were being more than careful not to cross her. The evil toad was now even more determined to make sure Harry was apprehended for his 'crimes.'

/Scene break\

The next five weeks or so passed by uneventfully. By the beginning of February, Ginny returned to Hogwarts once her suspension from school was over. With that, Neville made sure to keep well away from her, remembering her smacking him across the face (with Tori making sure Ginny wouldn't violate Neville's personal space). Amelia was still missing somehow and missing posters of her were printed out, but still no one knew where exactly she was. Dolores continued to pass Amelia's absence off as being on vacation. It was Valentine's Day and once breakfast was over, Harry and Neville headed off to Charms class (since they had that class with the Hufflepuffs). Today's lesson was going to be learning the charm to send up red sparks.

"This charm could be useful." Harry told Neville in amazement.

"It's used to signal that someone is in danger," stated Neville. "You shoot the red sparks up into the air to call for help."

"Definitely useful." said Harry with realization.

The rest of the lesson progressed. After morning lessons were finished, everybody reported to the Great Hall for lunch. This time Harry and Neville opted to sit at their house table nearest to the double doors. They were joined by Tracey and Tori as usual, then Terence and Susan joined them, as did Fleur.

"Harry, have you been having trouble with the golden egg?" asked Fleur.

"Pretty much," Harry admitted. "All I keep getting is the ear-splitting wail anytime it's opened."

"The next time you take a bath, you should bring the egg with you," Fleur advised. "I found out about it yesterday. But it would be best if I don't tell you anymore than I already have."

"You're right, Fleur," agreed Harry. "Thanks for the heads up."

"You're welcome, Harry." said Fleur.

Soon, lunch ended and everybody went to get their stuff to head off to afternoon lessons. After getting their school bags, Harry and Neville took shortcuts whenever possible, just in case if certain students like Ginny could and likely would use the opportunity to follow them and memorize their schedules to the point of waiting around every corner and allow the delusional Weasley girl an easier chance of kissing her hero on the lips.

Later that afternoon once classes ended for the day, Luna dropped her stuff off inside her school trunk charmed to fit as much in it, right under her bed in Ravenclaw Tower before going to meet up with Blaise. Along the way, Luna came across a distraught Fleur sitting on a bench in the courtyard, so she approached the part-veela.

"Are you alright, Fleur?" asked Luna.

"Yeah, just worried," Fleur told Luna. "The clue in the golden egg means that… I don't know if I can say it yet."

Before Luna could say anymore, she and Fleur jumped in shock to hear someone coughing rather harshly, so the girls went to investigate. Once they were back inside and followed the direction in which the coughing was coming from (in an empty classroom), Fleur and Luna gasped in shock to see Cedric down on his hands and knees (his shirt was untucked for some unknown reason). Even Cho was down on her hands and knees, coughing violently. Then she fell to the ground and began shaking and trembling as if she was getting cold.

"Luna, what's going with Cedric and Cho?" asked Fleur with concern.

"I don't know, Fleur," said Luna, equally concerned. "I have no idea what happened, but something tells me that it was bad. Cedric usually keeps his shirt tucked. My dad and I live close to him and his parents."

"Cedric, what happened?" asked Fleur.

"Something…" Cedric tried responding, unable to lift his head up.

He couldn't speak any more than he could because he felt another urge to cough and trying to take deep breaths made it worse. He even threw up, forcing the girls to back away from the stomach acid spreading out onto the stone floor. Cho was unable to speak because of how violently she was trembling, and she also started throwing up.

"I'd better get some help." said Luna.

"I'll keep an eye on Cedric and Cho." said Fleur.

Luna left the classroom to get a couple teachers at least. Luckily she crossed paths with Sirius, Remus, Andi, and Professor Flitwick. Luna informed the four teachers what all was happening and showed them over to the classroom where Fleur was still keeping a close watch over Cedric and Cho. A couple stretchers were conjured, then Cedric and Cho were escorted to the hospital wing, with Luna and Fleur following them. Once Cedric and Cho were on hospital beds, Madam Pomfrey came in and cast some diagnostic charms. It didn't take long before the strict nurse widened her eyes in sheer horror once the results came up.

"Oh, dear!" exclaimed Madam Pomfrey.

"What is it, Poppy?" asked Professor Flitwick.

"Mr. Diggory and Miss Chang were experiencing an overdose of several potions in their system," Madam Pomfrey informed the four teachers, Luna and Fleur. "They were both drugged with hate potions keyed to Lord Potter. Miss Chang was also drugged with loyalty potions keyed to Miss Edgecombe and Amortentia keyed to Mr. Zacharias Smith. Mr. Diggory was also drugged with Amortentia keyed to Miss Edgecombe and loyalty potions keyed to Miss Weasley."

"Will they be alright?" Luna and Fleur asked simultaneously, concern in their voices.

"Yeah, I believe they will be," assured Madam Pomfrey. "But they'll stay here for the next day or two, possibly three, just to be safe. They'll need to be given flushing potions, so the other potions can be flushed out of their systems."

"Miss Edgecombe and Miss Weasley both having drugged Miss Chang and Mr. Diggory was a nasty shock," said Professor Flitwick in bewilderment. "So Mr. Diggory and Miss Chang must've genuinely been on Lord Potter's side all along."

"Marietta likely drugged the rest of Cho's friends with loyalty potions keyed to her," Luna informed her head of house. "Anytime Cho and her friends tormented me, their movements were all automatic-like, similar to robots from the muggle world and how they move. They also spoke in monotone voices at the same time. Marietta was the only one who genuinely enjoyed antagonizing me in any way."

"You never told me any of this before, Miss Lovegood," Professor Flitwick told her in a shocked voice. "Why didn't you do so?!"

"Well, I didn't want to be seen as a tattle-tale, professor," said Luna sheepishly. "Not only that, but I didn't think of them being under the influence of potions at first and there wasn't any proof I could find. Not until Harry asked me the other day, then he and Tracey informed me of how they overheard some of the students, including Marietta, planning on using a number of potions."

"In this case, it wouldn't be tattling, Miss Lovegood," stated Professor Flitwick. "The overdose could've killed Miss Chang and Mr. Diggory. If you and Miss Delacour hadn't come across them and alerted us, who knows how long it would've kept on going."

"First chance we get," Fleur told Luna. "We'd better tell Harry about all this."

"Fifty points to Ravenclaw for bringing this to our attention and for helping Miss Chang and Mr. Diggory out." Professor Flitwick told Luna.

Madam Pomfrey began ordering everyone out of the hospital wing, so Cedric and Cho could get some rest and be given flushing potions. By that time, dinnertime was already five minutes away. Everyone reported to the Great Hall, with Luna and Fleur spotting Harry and Neville sitting with Fred, George, Lee and Demelza at Gryffindor table at the end closest to the doors. Fleur and Luna took turns explaining to Harry and company about Cedric and Cho being drugged with potions.

"Cedric and Cho having been given hate potions keyed to me was even more unexpected," said Harry in shock. "Even more so with Cedric. How did Marietta give him love potions and how did Ginevra do the same to him, but with loyalty potions?"

"Maybe one of them has a house elf," Luna guessed. "And ordering it to help do their dirty work."

"Nott and/or Marietta's families more likely have house elves," said Demelza. "I've come across them bragging about having a house elf helping them and their dirty group of students' nasty work."

"It'll be a matter of time before they get arrested for their crimes," said Lee. "Since criminals are generally thin-brained."

"Unfortunately with the ministry going outta control because of that filthy toad, justified arrests won't happen," Fred and George spoke in their twin talk simultaneously. "Dad had been writing to us and alerting us to all that. It's only a matter of time before he faces the moment of getting unjustly arrested, since we are declared as blood traitors by those pure-blood supremacists and dad enjoys his position as head of the Misuse of Muggle Artefacts office."

"Harry, where are Tracey and Tori?" asked Fleur in confusion. "Usually they join you and Neville at mealtimes."

"Having some girl time with Daphne," said Harry and Neville in unison. "They needed it."

"I see Blaise sitting with Adrian and Terence," said Luna as she looked over at the Slytherin table. "I'd better let him know what happened."

Luna got up and walked over to the Slytherin table to join Blaise. Dinner progressed uneventfully and then Harry and Neville approached Susan and Terence and asked them to follow the two Gryffindors into an empty classroom, as everyone else returned to either their common rooms, the Beauxbatons carriage, or the Durmstrang ship.

"Any news of your aunt's whereabouts, Susan?" asked Harry.

"No!" said Susan, trying to hide the distraughtness in her voice. "She always writes back when she gets the time, and it's so unusual that she still doesn't respond."

"Do you and your aunt own a house elf?" asked Harry. "If you do, you ought to call for him or her."

"Thank you for the help, Harry!" said Susan gratefully. Then she called out. "Trixie!"

"Did young mistress calls for Trixie?" asked the Bones family house elf (identified by wearing the House Bones crest on her shirt), as soon as she appeared with a pop.

"Yes, did auntie ever return home?" Susan asked her family house elf.

"No, young mistress," Trixie informed Susan. "It's been all lonely for Trixie for the past fives weeks or so. Even Trixie haves been wondering wheres mistress is and why she hasn't returns home."

"I have an idea!" said Harry. Then he called out. "Oreo! Piper!"

"Did Harry Potter calls for us!" Oreo and Piper asked Harry in unison, once they appeared with a pop.

"Yes, could you help Trixie in locating Amelia?" Harry asked Oreo and Piper urgently. "Susan hasn't heard from her aunt for weeks and we all fear that something happened to her. We also fear she may have been kidnapped or something."

"Yes, we cans do thats for Trixie!" assured Oreo and Piper at the same time.

The three house elves apparated away to search for Amelia. Susan began feeling her body relaxing a little, but still feared that her aunt was in terrible danger. Then she and Terence left the classroom, so he could escort Susan back to the Hufflepuff common room. Harry and Neville began returning to their private quarters to pass the time before dinner, with Harry planning to use that time to work on the clue of the golden egg (with Tracey helping him out).

To be continued!

Author's note: I'd like to give a shoutout to the anonymous user 'Heavy' for suggesting that the howlers anger Umbridge to the point of sending dementors after the wizarding citizens who sent the howlers, only to discover that there were too many to get any clear addresses for, especially with so many ashes and some of the howlers being left unopened for too long to the point of exploding, and causing chain reaction explosions from other howlers.