At ten past eight in the morning, Christopher Patrick arrived at the door of Professor Dolores Umbridge's office on the fourth floor.
He knocked lightly, and a sickly sweet voice called from inside, "Come in!"
Although Umbridge officially taught Care of Magical Creatures, she had long since decided that the subject was far too "uncivilized" for someone of her refinement.
Taking advantage of her influence as High Inquisitor, she had moved herself into the Defense Against the Dark Arts office instead—leaving the actual Defense classroom to Professor Moody, who now conducted his lessons amid the pens, quidditch pitch and paddocks behind Hagrid's hut.
This was likely Jon's third time entering this office.
Over two years ago, when he was still a first-year Hufflepuff, he had once come here and learned a secret from Professor Gilderoy Lockhart. Back then, the walls had been plastered with Lockhart's own smiling photographs.
Later came Professor Remus Lupin, but Jon hadn't been particularly close to him, so he hadn't visited this office during his second year.
The fake Alastor Moody hadn't been familiar with Jon either. But a few months ago, near the end of his third year, Jon had once followed Dumbledore into this very room. At that time, the place had been packed with various dark magic detection devices and the cauldrons the fake Moody had used to brew Polyjuice Potion.
Now, however, the room looked completely different from how it had been just months ago.
Everything was draped in lace-trimmed cloths and pink frills, and several vases filled with dried flowers sat neatly on small embroidered mats. One wall displayed a line of decorative plates. Most featured brightly colored kittens, each one wearing a bow like Umbridge's own. A few of the plates, however, were empty.
As the door opened, every kitten on the plates turned its gaze toward Jon, meowing in unison—"Meow, meow, meow..."
"Good morning!" Professor Dolores Umbridge looked up from her desk and asked softly, "May I ask... what brings you here?"
She wore a dazzling crimson robe patterned with flowers, the color blending so perfectly with her tablecloth that one could hardly tell them apart.
"I'm Christopher Patrick, a fourth-year Slytherin student, Professor Umbridge," Jon replied quickly.
"Oh, very well. Please wait a moment." Umbridge nodded politely and smiled.
She waved her wand, and from a thick stack of documents on her desk, a small file floated up and landed before her.
"Christopher Patrick... exchange student from Durmstrang... expelled for repeated misuse of dark magic... transferred to Beauxbatons..." Umbridge murmured as she skimmed through the paper.
Then she looked up, her tone softening considerably. "Mr. Patrick, so your great-aunt is the renowned magical historian Madam Bathilda Bagshot?"
Jon froze for a moment before quickly nodding. "Yes, that's right!"
"And how is Madam Bagshot doing?" Umbridge asked kindly.
"She's quite well..." Jon replied, forcing himself to sound composed.
Fortunately, Umbridge didn't press further. There was a faint smile in her eyes as she continued, "So, what can I do for you?"
"Professor Umbridge, it's like this," Jon began. "I just saw the contents of Educational Decree Number Twenty-Four. It states that all organizations or clubs must be approved by you, correct?"
"That's right!" she replied sweetly.
"Some of us senior Slytherin students recently formed a small group," Jon explained. "Our activities are simple—occasional gatherings to study new Ministry directives. All of us come from families deeply loyal to the Ministry..."
"...such as Draco Malfoy, Pansy Parkinson, Tiffany Selwyn, and so on."
With each name Jon mentioned, Umbridge's eyelids twitched slightly.
"We all fully support you and the Ministry's efforts to purify Hogwarts," Jon continued earnestly. "We also believe the school's current state is in desperate need of reform."
"I've no doubt of that!" Umbridge nodded approvingly. "Mr. Malfoy, Miss Parkinson, and Miss Selwyn have always been very supportive of the Ministry's cause."
"Indeed. Draco came up with the idea on his father's advice," Jon added smoothly. "That's why we want to contribute in our own small way—to assist you and the Ministry, to help make Hogwarts a better place."
"Is that so? Hee-hee!" Umbridge giggled behind her hand, her voice taking on an unnervingly girlish tone. "Welcome, welcome! As it happens, I could use a few reliable students here at Hogwarts to help me."
...
With surprisingly little effort, Jon had managed to earn Umbridge's trust.
On one hand, in the Ministry's eyes, old Malfoy—the Death Eater—was considered one of Cornelius Fudge's most loyal supporters.
On the other, Jon's fabricated identity clearly helped as well. Bathilda Bagshot was, after all, a world-famous magical historian—a figure of great standing. Because of that, Umbridge seemed to regard Jon with newfound respect.
Next, they began discussing what to name the new organization.
Umbridge suggested calling it the "Surveillance Task Force," tasked with monitoring the behavior of Hogwarts teachers and students.
Jon, however, objected. "Professor Umbridge, what if we named it after you?"
"Oh?" Umbridge raised an eyebrow, intrigued.
"To show our support for you," Jon said with a polite smile, "how about calling it the 'Dolores Aid Association'?"
"We could call ourselves Dolores's Assistants—or perhaps simply the Dolores Association," he added. "As for an abbreviation—D.A. sounds perfect, doesn't it?"
"What a wonderful name!" Umbridge exclaimed, clearly delighted. She nodded approvingly.
Then she took out a piece of parchment, wrote the letters "D.A." across it, and handed it to Jon. "Fill in the names of your members," she instructed.
...
"Patrick, I believe I already have a first task for your D.A. members," Umbridge said quietly once they had finalized the name and roster.
"At your service," Jon replied immediately.
"That madman Moody—your Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher," Umbridge said, her face turning stern. "I suspect he has an unusually close connection with Dumbledore... and that he may play a key role in Dumbledore's plans. As soon as Cornelius gives me permission, I intend to take action against him!"