BOOM!
Somebody (and Constantine had a very shrewd and accurate idea who) had set off what seemed to be an enormous crate of enchanted fireworks. Dragons comprised entirely of green-and-gold sparks were soaring up and down the corridors, emitting loud fiery blasts and bangs as they went.
Shocking-pink Catherine wheels five feet in diameter were whizzing lethally through the air like so many flying saucers. Rockets with long tails of brilliant silver stars were ricocheting off the walls. Sparklers were writing swearwords in midair of their own accord.
Firecrackers were exploding like mines everywhere Constantine and Harry looked, and instead of burning themselves out, fading from sight, or fizzling to a halt, these pyrotechnical miracles seemed to be gaining in energy and momentum the longer they watched.
Filch and Umbridge were standing, apparently transfixed with horror, halfway down the stairs. As Constantine Harry watched, one of the larger Catherine wheels seemed to decide that what it needed was more room to maneuver; it whirled toward Umbridge and Filch with a sinister wheeeeeeeeee.
Both adults yelled with fright and ducked and it soared straight out of the window behind them and off across the grounds. Meanwhile, several of the Dragons and a large purple bat that was smoking ominously took advantage of the open door at the end of the corridor to escape toward the second floor.
"Hurry, Filch, hurry!" shrieked Umbridge. "They'll be all over the school unless we do something — Stupefy!"
A jet of red light shot out of the end of her wand and hit one of the rockets. Instead of freezing in midair, it exploded with such force that it blasted a hole in a painting of a soppy-looking witch in the middle of a meadow — she ran for it just in time, reappearing seconds later, squashed into the painting next door, where a couple of wizards playing cards stood up hastily to make room for her.
"Don't Stun them, Filch!" shouted Umbridge angrily, for all the world as though it had been his suggestion.
"Right you are, Headmistress!" wheezed Filch, who was a Squib and could no more have Stunned the fireworks than swallowed them. He dashed to a nearby cupboard, pulled out a broom, and began swatting at the fireworks in midair; within seconds the head of the broom was ablaze.
Constantine then chanted. "Draco pompae pessimum terrent peccatorem."
The firework Dragons twirled around Umbridge, making her scream in horror as Constantine pressed his hands and they closed upon Umbridge, making her scream in horror and pain, though Constantine was making sure she wouldn't get burnt (yet).
He then waved his hands as the flames spewed here and there while Umbridge and Filch ran off, screaming.
Umbridge saw Draco standing in a corner, simply looking at the whole thing. She had made an Inquisitorial Squad a while ago, hiring Draco and his cronies as the members, but Draco hadn't done anything with the power yet, in spite of his cronies urging him to and doing it themselves.
"Do something Malfoy!" Umbridge yelled at him.
Then, as Constantine watched, Draco unpinned his Inquisitorial Squad batch and tossed it to the ground at Umbridge's feet, a defiant expression on his face, before walking off.
Umbridge and Filch continued running.
Constantine turned to see Harry congratulating Fred and George as he walked to them and shook hands with the two. "Well done, boys, now this is what I call my kind of school."
"Oh yeah, let's see how she likes that", Fred smirked while looking ahead.
"Besides, our career lies outside of academic achievement", George told him as Constantine snapped his fingers and Peeves appeared.
"What do you want?" Peeves inquired and Constantine handed him a small pouch.
"Throw it on the toad when she's talking to a Professor."
"Will do."
Later, McGonagall had called Umbridge to deal with a firework in her class, obviously to waste her time when Peeves threw the pouch at her head and it exploded, covering her in slime all over as she screamed in horror and humiliation, the students laughing and even McGonagall chuckling.
"Oooh, slimey wimey, slimey limey toad we've got here", Peeves cheered happily before flying off as Umbridge sobbed.
A while later, Umbridge opened the door to Constantine's class only to see him and Rosmerta hot at it on the table while fireworks were exploding here and there.
She gasped as Constantine telekinetically slammed the door so hard the impact sent her flying off and crashing into a wall as she screamed again.
Next day, there was another class, and some firecrackers were still exploding in the distance due to Constantine's shenanigans.
Constantine this time started the class to test how much his students were listening and learning.
"Alright, this is more of a creative thinking class. No books required." Hermine deflated. "I want to hear a kind of magic from all of you. You've been learning more about the world and the roots of magic. Time to see if you have the initiative to think beyond what you know. For a start, pyromancy is an example, the art of fire." To emphasize the point, John then conjured a fireball before dissipating it just as quick.
"Right then, Ron, go!" He pointed at the Weasley, who stammered initially before thinking.
"Light magic?"
"Good. Point for you." Ron smiled relieved. "Now you." He pointed at Seamus.
"Druid."
"That's more of type of magic user, but you have the right idea. Half a point. You, lad." He was now pointing to Draco.
The Malfoy heir thought for a moment, before saying. "Necromancy."
"Correct. Point for the man. Come on people, give me something new. Something creative."
He pointed to Hermione.
"Logomancy."
"Oh, someone has been hitting the books." John saw the confused faces of his students and elaborated. "Logomancy is a unique branch of magic that is simple yet complex. The logomancer speaks the spell they want in English, but backwards."
"How does that work?"
"Like I said, simple yet complex. Don't knock it till you try it though. One of the most powerful spellcasters in the world solely uses logomancy, and let me tell ya, she'll take me to school."
The students blanched at that bit of info of John admitting there was someone stronger than him, their expressions of course of having their jaws dropped.
"Problem with Zatanna though is that she concentrates on logomancy. Now true, you learn one tool and dedicate years to honing your skills with it, you'll be unmatched in how to use that tool, but there are other fields that she would be lacking, such as darker magics. This is where I come in. I'm a dabbler in all sorts of magic, hence my skills are more versatile and open than Zatanna's is. When fighting a magically superior enemy, you need to realize your strengths and weaknesses, as well as your foe, then it's down to how you use your wits so you can win, since a straight up confrontation will get you killed."
A while later, as they were walking off, Harry walked to Constantine. "John?"
"Yes?" John turned to him.
"What happened at Newcastle?"
Constantine's face betrayed some emotion before he said. "Something horrible." And then he walked off as Harry watched after him in sympathy, knowing this girl Umbridge had mentioned must be a sore point.
Sometime later, Constantine walked across the classroom and found Umbridge and McGonagall in a shouting match with Harry sitting nearby.
"Potter has no chance whatsoever of becoming an Auror!"
"Really, why is that? The Ministry only employs wankers nowadays, eh?" Constantine asked mockingly as Umbridge and McGonagall turned to face him, Harry smirking.
"You teach your students useless things, they cannot do anything I know!" Umbridge said confidently.
Constantine saw Draco passing by and got an opportunity. Pointing at Harry, he said. "Now that is my best student, and I'll show you what the ones who're less good than him can do." He then called out. "Hey Draco! Come here!"
"Yes Constantine, what's the matter?" Malfoy asked as he arrived, and then Constantine took apart his lighter, covering Draco's hands in it, making him rub it all over his hands.
Then John handed him the lighter. "Light it up."
Draco seemed scared now. "But-"
Constantine grabbed him by the back of his head and had him focus on the teacher. "Listen, mate, it's all about belief. Believing is just half the battle, the other part is intent. You hear me?"
Draco nodded fearfully, still unsure. John tapped the boy's chest. "You have the magic in here, you just have to visualize it into your hands. No words, no wands, just YOUR power."
Draco became firmer and felt the fear slipping away, closing his eyes and visualizing like Constantine told him, magic focusing around his hands.
And so, with his eyes still closed, he clicked the switch and felt the heat of the flames, then opened his eyes to see his hands on fire, but he did not feel them burn.
John had a proud smirk as he looked at the astonished Umbridge and even McGonagall watching.
"I opened you up to a larger world. A world where anything is possible, where the limits of wizards and witches do not apply. It's all in your hands now," he looked at Draco still admiring his own flaming hands, "literally."
Draco looked up, a smile on his face as he looked at Harry, who had a smile too, knowing of Draco's slow but visible change recently, and having seen him throw away the badge earlier.
Harry gave Draco a nod.
Draco nodded back.
A while later, Fred and George had managed to make a swamp on one of the floors, and Constantine decided to add to it by having the Swamp Thing infest the place for a bit and dirty both Umbridge and Filch, then scare Umbridge as well as Filch away, as Constantine then thanked him for his help and sent him back.
But a while later Fred and George were cornered, a crowd gathered to witness the whole thing.
"So . . . you think it amusing to turn a school corridor into a swamp, do you?"
"Pretty amusing, yeah," said Fred, looking back up at her without the slightest sign of fear.
Filch elbowed his way closer to Umbridge, almost crying with happiness.
"I've got the form, Headmistress," he said hoarsely, waving a piece of parchment. "I've got the form and I've got the whips waiting. . . . Oh, let me do it now. . . ."
"Very good, Argus," she said. "You two," she went on, gazing down at Fred and George, "are about to learn what happens to wrongdoers in my school."
"You know what?" said Fred. "I don't think we are." He turned to his twin. "George," said Fred, "I think we've outgrown full-time education."
"Yeah, I've been feeling that way myself," said George lightly.
"Time to test our talents in the real world, d'you reckon?" asked Fred.
"Definitely," said George.
And before Umbridge could say a word, they raised their wands and said together, "Accio Brooms!" Harry heard a loud crash somewhere in the distance. Looking to his left he ducked just in time — Fred and George's broomsticks were hurtling along the corridor toward their owners.
They turned left, streaked down the stairs, and stopped sharply in front of the twins, the chain clattering loudly on the flagged stone floor.
"We won't be seeing you," Fred told Professor Umbridge, swinging his leg over his broomstick.
"Yeah, don't bother to keep in touch," said George, mounting his own.
Fred looked around at the assembled students, and at the silent, watchful crowd. "If anyone fancies buying a Portable Swamp, as demonstrated upstairs, come to number ninety-three, Diagon Alley — Weasleys' Wizarding Wheezes," he said in a loud voice. "Our new premises!"
"Special discounts to Hogwarts students who swear they're going to use our products to get rid of this old bat," added George, pointing at Professor Umbridge. "And its free for John Constantine."
Constantine smirked and shrugged. "Thanks."
"STOP THEM!" shrieked Umbridge, but it was too late. As the Inquisitorial Squad (which Draco was NOT a member of) closed in, Fred and George kicked off from the floor, shooting fifteen feet into the air.
Fred looked across the hall at the poltergeist bobbing on his level above the crowd and also Constantine. "Constantine, Peeves, give her hell from us."
And Peeves, whom Harry had never seen take an order from a student before, swept his belled hat from his head and sprang to a salute while Constantine just nodded with two thumbs-up as Fred and George wheeled about to tumultuous applause from the students below and sped out of the open front doors into the glorious sunset.
A few days later, Umbridge opened the door to her office to see Constantine, Rosmerta AND Zatanna hot at it on her table.
She started. "This-"
"tuhS reh htuom", Zatanna chanted as stitches shut Umbridge's mouth, preventing her from talking, and when she tried to open her mouth they burst, making her bleed as she cried.
Constantine telekinetically shut the door again and Umbridge was sent flying off from the impact.
Later, the Quidditch match was held and this time Ron played well, with Gryffindor managing to win as 'Weasley Is Our King' was turned into a respectful song praising Ron, and cheers went all around.
"The game makes no sense to be honest", Constantine said to a fuming Snape. "I mean, once the Seeker catches the Snitch you get so many points its ridiculous to have played it in the first place."
Snape didn't respond as Constantine chuckled.
And now the final class, where Constantine had taken all students to the Chamber of Secrets.
"The toad will not disturb us here", he said as all students laughed. "And now, the final test-"
He snapped his fingers as portals opened and various kinds of low-level Demons appeared. He wasn't going to help either, the students had to fight all of these themselves to show what they had got.
Bile Demons were the easiest to beat, like always. The students used shield charms to defend themselves and managed to take those out with a Stunning Spell or two.
The Reptawks were fast but the students had good reaction timing now and defended themselves in time or simply gave them an 'Incendio' and that was it.
The Stranglers had strong backward hands to strangle and were immune to most spells, but a 'Levicorpus' could hang them upside down and after that they could be hit by a Full Body-Bind Curse and that was it.
The Stone Giants were the biggest threat, and it usually took many Reductos to wear them down, after which a Stunning Spell would do it, but the plus point was they were slow.
Constantine had brought all these types to force his students to adapt, but they had learnt well, and by the end they managed to defeat all these low level Demons.
Constantine clapped for them. "Well, well, well, ain't I proud? Great job students of Warts, now we all know the O.W.L.s isn't even a nuisance for you, for this subject at least."
They all thanked him together as he nodded with a smirk.
The O.W.L.s examinations had begun soon, with all the 5th year students writing them down. The Defence Against the Dark Arts exam had gone really, really well.
Harry knew he was going to get an 'Outstanding' and no student was going to get less than 'Exceeds Expectations' either way due to all Constantine had taught them.
Then came the night of Astronomy Exam which was when a 'BOOM!' was heard as Hagrid's door was burst open, 6 Aurors, including the Dawlish guy who had come earlier with Kingsley, Fudge and Umbridge, were trying to kick him off of the grounds.
The students were distracted from their exams, and Harry saw Fluffy getting knocked out.
A person was now sprinting toward the battle beside Hagrid's cabin.
"How dare you?!" The figure shouted as she ran. "How dare you?!"
"It's McGonagall!" whispered Hermione.
"Leave him alone! Alone, I say!" said Professor McGonagall's voice through the darkness. "On what grounds are you attacking him? He has done nothing, nothing to warrant such —"
There were screams but then they calmed down.
McGonagall opened her eyes to see Constantine standing before her, having caught all Stunning Spells with his magic, and he crushed them as the Aurors looked at him in horror, and Umbridge was terrified.
"Sneaking up in the dead of the night are we?" He asked with a smirk as flames spewed from his hands and twirled around the Aurors and Umbridge, making them cower in fright.
Then suddenly giant hands burst out of the ground, grabbing the Aurors. One giant hand pulled the other back and tossed all screaming Aurors away into the air as another hand sprang up and caught them like a player caught a baseball in a game.
Now all were knocked out from that and fell down as Constantine turned to Umbridge who scampered away.
"Thank yer, Constantine", Hagrid said gratefully as Constantine simply nodded at him and McGonagall, then walked off.
The exam was over as the students went back.
"That evil woman!" gasped Hermione, who seemed to be having difficulty talking due to rage. "Trying to sneak up on Hagrid in the dead of night!"
"She clearly wanted to avoid another scene like Trelawney's," said Ernie Macmillan sagely, squeezing over to join them.
"Constantine was so great, wasn't he?" asked Ron, who looked more impressed than alarmed. "Especially with those hands."
"I think as long as he is around Umbridge and the Ministry won't be getting to do anything really", Ernie commented as all drifted away, still talking excitedly about all they had witnessed.
Constantine was about to go out of his office to get Rosmerta for another round (which both loved) when Snape appeared.
"Ah, what's the matter?" Constantine asked Snape, who simply tilted his head.
"The Potter boy says Sirius Black has been captured by the Dark Lord and is being tortured, when he tried to look into it he and his friends were caught by Umbridge", Snape revealed as Constantine nodded, processing the information. "I believe you'd want to know."
"As a matter of fact, yes, good job tall, dark and brooding", Constantine tapped his shoulder and walked off.
"He never knew I ordered Dementors after Potter last summer, but he was delighted to be given the chance to expel him, all the same. . . ."
"It was you?" gasped Harry. "You sent the Dementors after me?"
"Somebody had to act-"
Constantine appeared in a swath of flames as all jumped, and Umbridge turned to him in a rage.
"You, you have been the biggest obstacle in my way since Day 1", Umbridge sneered at him. "I will-"
"Expelliarmus!"
Crabbe was hit and fell off, letting Neville go, and they turned to see it was Draco Malfoy, who Constantine had brought alongside him just to see what he would do.
And he had not disappointed.
"Draco?" Goyle cried out in shock. "How could you-"
"Shut up Goyle! You're a pig!" Draco snarled at him, wand aimed at all of his former friend.
Umbridge now pointed her own wand and screamed. "I'm in-charge here!"
She aimed her wand at Constantine and cried out. "Crucio!"
Only, it was still the trick wand from before and exploded in her hand, sending her flying off and crashing to the ground.
Next moment, they were all in the Great Hall as all students and teachers turned to look at the scene, Constantine's eyes now red as his hands glowed, Umbridge crawling back in pure terror.
"You know, I've met the worst of Demons, and you are so evil and callous you put most of them to shame!" Constantine roared at her, appalled and enraged. "Picking on children for being weaker, only the scummiest toad can do that. Should have enchanted the Black Quill to carve your face too, wouldn't be much of a difference really."
The castle was shaking, the lights flickering as all watched in terror, with Harry, Ron, Hermione, Luna, Neville, Ginny and even Draco glaring at Umbridge as she was terrified.
"You hate half-breeds and muggle-borns and muggles due to how much of a racist you are. We're not muggles or Wizards ya hag. We're human beings, and inside of us is what keeps us alive, that made us special and powerful even without being born with magic. This thing... is called humanity. It kept us together and strengthened bonds. But then you... You left your humanity aside as it meant nothing to you. You're a fucking git bastard, you know?"
"Someone help me-"
"Fred asked me to give you Hell, and Hell I shall give you!" Constantine started chanting. "Aperi infernum et trahe hunc obscurum et malum peccatorem intus ad puniendum pro omnibus peccatis suis malis!"
A portal opened underneath Umbridge, hands coming out of it as they grabbed her from everywhere, her legs and her hands.
The students and teachers were silent, witnessing the sight as Umbridge screamed in pain and agony, feeling burnt already, and was then dragged down into Hell by the hands as the portal closed, Constantine coming back to normal.
Someone started clapping slowly, and then someone joined that person, and a third person joined them as soon there was a standing ovation for Constantine for having sent Umbridge to Hell.
Harry nodded at Constantine gratefully, then turned to Draco. "Thanks Malfoy." He had never thought he'd say those words, but he had.
Draco simply said. "Do what you have to, Potter."
He walked off as the applause continued and Constantine turned to Harry, Ron, Hermione, Luna, Neville and Ginny.
Harry started. "Sir-"
"I know", Constantine had a feeling it might be a trap, but he was in touch with Esrin and Zatanna, and he had a feeling this would work in their advantage. "Let's all go."