The door closed with the echoing clang that only a metal structure in a stone building has. Dolores Umbridge looked around the room – her cell – with an expression of total disbelief on her face. Her mind was still reeling with one of the only two questions she had asked herself these past months. How? The other question was "Why"?

Dolores Jane Umbridge, part-qualified witch, Ministry of Magic official for 35 years until her arrest, had been sentenced to life imprisonment in Azkaban. As she sat upon the hard cold bench that would be her bed for the rest of her life she looked at the one piece of paper which broke the monotony of the stone walls. She crossed to read it, assuming it would be the prison rules. Even now, she wanted to read rules. Instead, she found it was one of these "Thoughts to inspire", the new Ministry alternative to Dementors and just as mind numbing.

"To protect those who are not able to protect themselves is a duty which everyone owes to society.''
— Edward Macnaghten

She sank back on to the bench, looking at the grey prison clothes, feeling her hair which hung loose around her head. They had not even allowed her a bow. She looked again at the notice and railed against it, seeing the only word that mattered to her.

'You dare tell me about duty? I have done my duty every day of my life. Look where it has got me'

For the first time since Dolores Umbridge was sixteen years old, a real tear ran down her cheek. How? Why?

-o0o-

1946 had dawned with great expectations. The Muggle war had finally ended, though it had had little effect of the Wizarding community. True, some had chosen to fight, but those who stayed behind found their charms and shields were more than adequate protection against the rather simple bombs that had rained out of the sky. Far more importantly for them, Dumbledore had defeated Grindlewald, and a new era of peace beckoned.

In a neat little house, tucked away in a small village, a third event was even greater cause for celebration. After many years of marriage, Stanton and Copia Umbridge were safely delivered of a daughter. Originally, Stanton had hoped for sons, but as the years went by, he was satisfied with the small bundle who smiled up at him. They thought that Dolores was a pretty name, perhaps even a little exotic. They never found out it meant "Lady of Sorrows"

Stanton was a small grey man, with a neatly clipped moustache, who had worked for the Ministry of Magic since leaving school. His work was always small, grey and neatly clipped as well. He knew he would never rise far, but that was not the point at all. As he used to say"Our duty is to be useful, not according to our desires, but according to our powers.'' (2) He had read that somewhere and it became the rock that lead him through his life.

Copia Umbridge had never attended school, being educated at home. She was an only child, and was needed by her mother to help nurse her father, whose health was never good. She had known Stanton, as they lived in the same village. Eventually, they married. There was never a proposal, more an agreement. She needed a place to live once her parents were dead, and he needed a wife to become a respectable Ministry employee. They were neither in love nor in hate. They were always pleasant to each other, and one day was very like the rest.

Dolores lived the first 11 years of her life in the little house, playing "mummy" in the garden with her dolls and cats. They behaved as one should in a quiet ordered way and they never asked questions. She had learned early on that the answer to most questions was "because", and you never questioned your parent's decisions anyway "because" they were your parents, "because" they knew better, "because" they were older and wiser.

She had no friends. The Umbridges were not great socialisers. Small talk could not be pigeon-holed, and they had no interest in gossip. There was always plenty to do around the house, and as Stanton said

"We cannot do everything at once, but we can do something at once." (3) He had read that as well.

-o0o-

In 1957, Dolores left home for the first time in her life, to attend Hogwarts. Her mother had wondered why she needed to. Copia had not gone to school, and the house ran itself perfectly. She could cook and clean and raise a child using the spells she had been taught by her mother. For once, probably the first time ever, her father made a joke.

'Now Copia, we need to make sure there is an Umbridge to follow me in to the Ministry, how ever would they manage otherwise?'

At 11 years of age, Dolores' life was mapped out. At King's Cross, her father gave her a small handwritten parchment, and told her to hang it on the wall. It was something he had read.

"Any man's life will be filled with constant and unexpected encouragement if he makes up his mind to do his level best each day." (4)

Her school career was thoroughly unremarkable. She was an able student, to be sure, as long as the work did not require a great deal of thought. Potions, for example, went well whilst it involved following a recipe. However when the teacher asked her why the ingredients needed to be added in exactly that order, she gave the answer "because" and received her first (and only) detention for cheek. Dolores was by no means stupid, so learned from this. She realised that on occasions things did need to be investigated. That was when she discovered how wonderful the library was. Here, she could find answers already provided by others. They had actually written books full of answers, so were surely better, older and wiser.

She made no friends at school. She had no interest, and could see no benefit, in the giggling and gossiping of the girls. Boys, of course, were pointless. One day she would get married, and that would necessitate finding a husband, but that was a long time in the future so it could wait.

Teachers were dealt with in the same summary fashion. Professor Binns was, not surprisingly, her favourite. He dealt with facts, cold hard facts that could be verified and cross referenced. She had little time for Dumbledore, for despite his "Grand Order of That" and "Chief of This" his hair and beard were far too long, and his eyes twinkled. Occasionally, the corners of his mouth would turn up. He actually smiled. Dolores had never seen the point of smiling, and it certainly did not make him look any wiser. In fact, it looked rather like the smirks on the boy's faces when they made comments she couldn't quite hear, because they were always said behind her back.

It therefore came as a surprise to Dolores, as much as anyone else, when she felt a small spark of rebellion in her bones. OWLs were upon her, and she had started a correspondence with her father about possible NEWT subjects. His reply had stunned her

Dolores,

There will be no need for you to stay at school after this year. I have arranged a junior position for you here at the Ministry doing clerical work.

Your loving Father

She had written in reply saying that she had always hoped to take her NEWTs, as this would improve her prospects at the Ministry, and after school wanted to travel in order to see the workings of the wizard world at first hand.

In reply, she received the only Howler she had ever had in her life.

Dolores

I once read "The question for each man to settle is not what he would do if he had the means, time, influence and educational advantages, but what he will do with the things he has." (5)

Your Father

She had cried, but joined the Ministry in 1962, two weeks after taking her final OWL.