A/N Hey people! Here's chapter 9. This ought to get interesting! So I have the usual good and bad news.
The good news is, congratulations! If you reviewed, you get to join Dumbledore's Army!
The bad news is, if you didn't review, Umbridge is your teacher! That's never good…
Onto chapter 9!
Harry watched as Hermione, looking embarrassed and furious took a seat at a desk, labeled "MUDBLOOD." Dean Thomas took a seat next to her, looking uncomfortable. Malfoy, who would have usually strutted to his seat and quickly sat down, looking as if he didn't want to be at a desk labeled "Pureblood." Luna was the last called. She took a seat next to Neville, and nobody could believe the next words that came out of her mouth.
"Professor Umbridge?" asked Luna, waving her hand in the air.
"What do you need?" asked Umbridge, simpering sweetly.
Luna answered in a tone even sweeter "This is discriminating. Mudblood is an offensive term. I don't think anyone is comfortable sitting in a labeled desk."
Umbridge's voice was light, but had a warning tone in it. "And Miss Lovegood, are you teaching this class?"
"No Professor."
"So hold your tongue, Miss Lovegood. I am teaching this class."
Umbridge turned, practically beaming at the class. "Now, mudbloods, stand up."
Nobody moved.
"Tut tut" announced Umbridge, smirking. "Now that won't do, will it? I said, mudbloods, STAND UP."
Harry's blood boiled as he saw everyone in the back row stand. Hermione's lip was trembling. Umbridge slowly walked over to the desks. "Now, who wants to demonstrate what will happen to mudbloods when they ruin a pureblood community?"
Suddenly, the door burst open, and Professor Mcgonagall strode through. She froze, her lips pursing as she spotted the desks labeled and Umbridge standing before them.
"Professor Umbridge, may I ask what you are doing?" asked Mcgonagall, striding over to Umbridge.
"I am teaching. I could ask the same of you, Minerva. Do you not have students to supervise, halfblood?"
"They are in a study hall Dolores. Seventh year students hardly need my help with that." Mcgonagall replied, coldly. And to everyone's surprise, Professor McGonagall sat down in a desk marked "Halfblood." Umbridge, deciding to ignore McGonagall's presence, continued.
"As I was saying, who would like to demonstrate what will happen to mudbloods when they ruin a pureblood community."
"A pureblood community?" the remark came from Professor McGonagall. "There isn't a wizard today who isn't halfblood or less."
Harry silently agreed, wondering why Umbridge cared so much about blood type. She was evil, but that sounded more like something s death eater would do.
"Yeah" Neville announced. "What blood type are you, Umbridge?"
Umbridge smiled again, and grabbed Hermione's arm, bringing her to the front of the class. Harry didn't know what Umbridge was going to do until, "CRUCIO!"
Hermione screamed, falling as Umbridge stood over her, wand raised in triumph. Harry and Ron had both shot up out of their seats.
"Dolores!" cried McGonagall, loudly.
"CRUCIO!" cried Umbridge again. Hermione screamed louder. Ron made a furious move towards Umbridge, but he was being pushed out of the way by McGonagall, who disarmed Umbridge.
"Dumbledore will be hearing about this" cried Professor McGonagall, helping Hermione up.
"Dumbledore doesn't know. It's my word against yours, Minerva. And besides, the word will not get out to Dumbledore."
"And why not?" asked McGonagall.
"If you say anything, anything at all, all the mudbloods will be killed, Miss Granger being the first. And I will know if any of you talk."
Harry, Ron, and Hermione entered charms class, taking seats next to Luna and Neville.
"We have to do something about this!" yelled Ron, to no one in particular. "We have to talk."
"No. Umbridge will kill Hermione and every other muggle born" announced Harry miserably.
"She doesn't seem herself" announced Luna.
They all turned to look at her.
"Well" said Luna, calmly. "It seems like she's different. Wrackspurts in her head, probably. It's a very serious case."
Harry sighed. "She seems…more evil" he announced.
"That's what I was thinking" Hermione whispered. She was still in shock. "She's never done the cruciatus curse before. And in front of Mcgonagall too! Why do you suppose she did that?"
"Maybe she got fed up" suggested Ron. "Decided to hurt someone." He had his arm around Hermione protectively.
Harry shrugged. He was still shocked that Umbridge was allowed back in the school after the last time she had taught. He wondered if he should tell Dumbledore. What was bothering his most was what Umbridge had said. "I will know if you talk." How though?
Hermione, who was still in dizzy shock from the unforgivable curse, burrowed herself into Ron's shoulder. She couldn't imagine how bad things would get. From the little Hermione had seen and heard of the Carrows, Umbridge was acting just like them. She seemed even more evil, if that was possible.
"Don't worry" Ron whispered to her. "I won't let her lay a finger on you Hermione."
Hermione still managed to listen intently to Flitwick, take notes on the course schedule, and copy down the homework. When she had free time to read. She opened up the charms book.
"Hermione" called Luna.
Hermione looked away from her book. "Yes?"
"Hermione, I wouldn't touch that book. It's swarming with nargles!"
"Nargles?"
"Yes. They're not usually dangerous, but in this case, they look deadly!" Luna managed to still keep a light tone while saying this.
"Oh, I'll…be careful" announced Hermione, slightly confused. Luna was so sweet, but half the time, nobody really knew what she was talking about.
Hermione turned back to her book, and frowned. She saw her note that she wrote in the library, telling the person that drew a bird that drawing in books was childish. But she saw…there was a note written back to her! It said: Leaving notes to people in books is childish, too.
Hermione paused, her mouth open. How could someone have replied to her note? She had written the note when she took it out, and it had been in her bag the whole time until now. How did someone write a response in the book already? It made no sense.
"Harry?" she asked.
"Hmm?" asked Harry, looking up from his book. "What is it?"
"Have you seen anyone else using my book recently?"
"No, why?" asked Harry, curiously.
Hermione scribbled a message next to the person's, which said: How did you get this book?
"Nothing, Harry."
Harry was eating dinner in the Great Hall with all the other Gryffindors when he noticed Dumbledore was absent from his usual seat in the middle of the staff table.
"Where do you reckon Dumbledore is?" Harry muttered to Ron.
"Dunno." Ron caught the look on Harry's face, and rolled his eyes. "Relax mate, he's probably doing…whatever it is he does. Playing with that bowl thingy."
"That bowl thingy is a pensieve Ronald" announced Hermione, but she was smiling. They were both having to eat one-handed because they were holding hands under the table.
Suddenly, Ginny appeared at the Gryffindor table. Harry was surprised to see her. He started to nervously flatten his hair.
"Aren't you gonna sit with your friends?" asked Ron.
"I ditched them for one night, so you'll have to put up with me for thirty minutes" announced Ginny, rolling her eyes. "And Ron and Hermione, try and keep it PG at the table. We're eating."
Ron's face turned as red as his hair. He quickly started eating.
"Did you see the new hair dye in Fred and George's joke shop?" asked Ginny.
"Oh yeah" Hermione announced. "Everyone's been buying it. Tonks thinks it's pointless though."
"Easy for her to say" Ron announced. "She can change her hair whenever she wants."
"I bought some" announced Ginny, holding up a bottle. "I might do it bright blue."
Ron choked over his pumpkin juice.
"Kidding!" cried Ginny, rolling her eyes. I'm only streaking it purple!"
"Why would Fred and George sell hair dye?" asked Hermione, thoughtfully.
"Only some of the bottles are actual hair dye" announced Ginny. "The rest were full of hippogriff droppings, toxic waste…and I think toenails."
"EATING!" cried Ron.
"How do you think I'd look with purple in my hair?" Ginny asked, turning to Harry.
"Oh" said Harry, turning red. "Uh..well, very…um, atractive."
Ron glanced at Harry, suspiciously. Hermione smiled knowingly.
"You'd look good with your hair streaked blue, Harry" announced Ginny, who was looking at him.
Ron laughed.
"Oh…" announced Harry, who felt his face heating up. "I would?"
"Yeah…" announced Ginny, who was still staring at him. "That would really do it for me."
By now, Harry's face was beet red.
Meanwhile, Hermione was sorting her books under the table. Transfiguration, herbology, charms…Hermione flipped through her charms book again, just to make sure someone really did reply to her note. She flipped to the page, and…there was an answer to the note she's just written! Someone had written a reply in her book. But how could they? Her book was in her bag the whole time…
A/N Hope you guys liked chapter nine. I wrote this one really fast. R/R!
If you review, you get a Harry Potter book set.
If you don't review, you get Hermione's charms book.