Chapter 3
Thursday. Urgh.
Normally I would look forward to Thursdays, true double potions in the morning dragged on for what felt like eternity but at least charms in the afternoon made up for it. But of course, today was different. Today would be the day I would discover if what I had been warned was true.
Fred had told me about how she would keep students behind in detention with special quills that sliced into your skin as you wrote but to be honest, it just sounded like a first year horror story that was floating around to scare of potential-Weasley-wannabees that would try to disrupt lessons. Most likely started by Fred and George themselves of course.
"Oi Bri!"
I put down my toast and sighed. Is it too much to ask to eat breakfast in peace these days? Fred and George sat down opposite me holding a bizarre looking box.
"Good luck with Umbridge later,"
"And if it doesn't go well," George slid the box across the table.
"You could always be our first test subject for these beauties!"
"And what the hell are they?" I asked as I opened the box and was presented with an array of different coloured sweets.
"Puking pastilles." Fred replied with pride.
"Clues in the name," George added before helping himself to a slice of my toast.
"Gets you out of class pretty easily, or at least that's the theory"
"You might die of dehydration first but were working on that."
I laughed and slid the box back in their direction,
"You know what, I think I'm good."
"Suit yourself!" Fred laughed before rummaging through his pocket, "but I um... I got you these, they're not poisonous I promise," he said as he threw a small box in my general direction. I say general since it hit the third year next to me causing him to turn around and glare angrily for a few moments. "Any way I really must be going, places to be, people to see," He said as he got up from the table hastily and practically running out of the hall without glancing back. George stared at him for a moment or so before turning back to face me.
"What on earth has got into him?"
"Hell if I know," I said.
"Those aren't poisonous though, you know." He said, "But I suppose I'd better catch up with him, just check if he's ok, you know, manly stuff."
I laughed, "Yeah sure you do that," I winked at him as he got up and headed in the direction that Fred took off. I stared down at the package and came to the conclusion that If I didn't open it, it would probably explode knowing Fred. I tore of the wrapping and carefully opened the box to face a beautiful assortment of finely decorated chocolates which looked at lot more safe than the pastilles. I smiled to myself before gathering up my stuff and walking out of the softly lit hall and into the big wide world of responsibility and lessons.
I don't know how teachers expect us to keep our sanity or have any free time at all. We'd only been back for a week at the most and already I'd been given a foot-and-a-half long essay on giant wars from Professor Binns, a foot on the use of moonstone from Snape, a two month dream diary to complete from Trelawney and not to mention the countless hours were expected to practise our wand movements for charms. I could only expect to receive more from Umbridge the way this term was going.
As I entered the Defence against the Dark Arts classroom for the first time this year, the first thing that hit me was how much it'd changed. All the new teachers bring something new to the room. A change of layout, self portraits, odd creatures, auror gadgets, but this year the room smelt strongly of cheep perfume and the once brown and grey colour scheme was now replaced with shades of pale pink and many pictures of cats. Umbridge was already seated at the teacher's desk wearing her tacky pink cardigan and matching bow for her hair. I took my seat and waited for the rest of the class to file in behind me. There was an unnatural hush that washed over the classroom as her piercing eyes appeared to see straight into our souls. When everyone had finally located their seats, the lesson began.
"Well, good afternoon!" she said expecting an enthusiastic reply. All she received were a few murmurs, a mix between hello's and good afternoon. I however stayed silent.
"Tut, tut" she sighed, "That won't do, now will it? I should like you, please, to reply 'Good afternoon, Professor Umbridge'. One more time, please. Good afternoon class!"
"Good afternoon Professor Umbridge," The class chanted back, minus a few people including me who chose to mime their reply.
"There now," said Umbridge with her sickening smile, "That wasn't so bad, was it? Now. Wands away, quills out please." She said as she turned to face the blackboard. The class took this opportunity to exchange miserable looks. The only fun thing about defence against the dark arts was the practical work, it was never any fun to just copy. I stuffed my wand into my pocket and reached into my bag for a quill and parchment and placed it on my desk. Meanwhile Umbridge has taken out her own wand and tapped it gently on the board and the words 'Defence Against The Dark Arts; A Return To Basic Principles' had appeared instantly.
"Well now, your teaching in this subject has been rather disrupted and fragmented, hasn't it?" stated Professor Umbridge. I instantly thought of all our previous teachers and their 'tragically' short residence at this teaching post.
"The constant changing of teachers, many of whom do not seem to have followed Ministry-approved curriculum, has unfortunately resulted in your being far below the standard we would expect to see in your OWL year." She continued to stare at the class with her hands clasped tightly together in front of her. "You will be please to know that these problems can be rectified." Once more, Umbridge tapped the board with her wand and the words 'Course Aims' appeared at once.
"Copy these down please." The room was filled with the scratching sound of quill to parchment and everybody hurried to note down the aims that had appeared. Not soon after had we finished, books were being taken out of bags and the faint whisper of disappointed pupils filled the air.
"I'd like you to turn to Chapter 1, Basics For Beginners. There will be no need to talk." I opened my book and added my sigh to the collection as I felt all intelligence I ever had being mocked. The chapter literally was first year knowledge. Glancing around the class, I could tell that everyone shared the same opinion, that they would rather be listening to Professor Binns drone on about goblin civil war than whatever garbage filled these pages. However Hermione was fixated on Umbridge, the look that she was about to say something stupid covered her face. Slowly but surely she raised her hand.
"Do you want to ask something about the chapter dear?" Umbridge asked.
"Not about the chapter no," said Hermione.
"Well we're reading just now, If you have queries, we can deal with them at the end of the class."
"I have a query about your course aims." Hermione said, bravely. Here we go.
"And your name is?"
"Hermione Granger."
"Well, Miss Granger, I think the course aims are perfectly clear," Umbridge replied in her tone of sickening sweetness.
"But there's nothing about using defensive spells." Umbridge seemed almost taken aback by Hermione's statement, as if it had offended her personally.
"Well I can't imagine why you would require to use defensive spells! You surely arn't expecting to be attacked in my class?"
"So we're not going to use magic?" I added, surprised at my own bravery to speak up,
"Students will raise their wands when they wish to speak Miss-"
"Renner." I said while holding my hand high into the air, "Surely the whole point of this lesson is to prepare us for what's out there."
"And what could possibly be out there that would harm children like yourselves!"
"Oh I don't know, Voldemort?" Harry chimed in, causing the entire class to fall silent. Cedric's death was still fresh on our minds.
"Now let me make things quite plain." She began to pace around the classroom, maintaining eye contact with Harry. "You have been told that a certain Dark wizard has returned from the dead-"
"He wasn't dead," Harry said, angrily.
"Mr Potter, do not make things worse for yourself. As I was saying, you have been informed that a certain Dar wizard is at large once again. This is a lie."
"It's NOT a lie!" Harry shouted. "I saw him, I fought him!
"Detention, Mr Potter!" Umbridge said triumphantly. "Tomorrow evening, five o'clock. My office. I repeat this is a lie. Now would you kindly return to page five, chapter one."
Professor Umbridge sat behind her desk with triumph. I couldn't stand the look on Harry's face any longer. It was twisted with the pain of no one believing him for an event which no one can even imagine what it's like to witness.
"So, according to you, Cedric dropped dead of his own accord." I said. My voice shaky with the fear of speaking out.
"Cedric's death was a tragic accident." She replied coldly.
"It was murder," said Harry. The whole class now was focused on Harry, his body shaking from the rage that filled him. "Voldemort killed him and you know it." Umbridge's expression was blank. She appeared to be torn between screaming at him and not reacting at all. Finally she scribbled a note and in her sickliest voice said, "Come here, Mr Potter, dear." I watched Harry kick his chair to the side as he stormed up to face her.
"Take this to Professor McGonagall, dear," Harry took the note from her and left the room with out saying another word. The class remained silent and nervously began to reopen their books. Umbridge returned to her chair before looking at me, raising an eyebrow, smirking and saying,
"Miss Renner?" I raised my head slowly to fix my gaze on her.
"Detention."
A/N I am so so so so so sorry this took so long to update, I've had so much on my mind, GCSE drama is a week away, my sister was in hospital and overall I've just been busy, but its here! Thank you everyone for the positive feedback and can anyone suggest a way to build Fred and Brielle's relationship? I'm not quite sure how to do it and I'm worried that my inability to write fluffy scenes may ruin the story some-what :/