"I've been dreading this moment all day!" Damien whined. "People tell me she's a horrible old hag!"
Hayden smiled sympathetically as they walked down the corridor to Professor Umbridge's classroom. "It can't be that bad, mate."
"I doubt it," Damien muttered angrily. They approached the classroom and walked in. Students were already seated in the classroom, and were reading.
"Guess people are being studious already," Damien said under his breath. They scanned the room for two empty seats.
Suddenly a book slammed on a desk and they jumped. Dolores Umbridge's face appeared from behind the book. She stood up, smiling, dressed in a frilly pink blouse and cardigan, with a pink skirt and shoes. She slowly walked over to them, still smiling.
"Boys," she said sweetly, trying to control her anger. "You are late to my class."
"Really?" Hayden said, confused. "But, my classmate told me it was-"
"Your classmate was wrong!" Umbridge proclaimed shrilly, startling the class. "Keep reading!"
She breathed deeply, turning to smile at them once more. "You are ten minutes late to my class."
She pointed to an empty desk in the back of the room. "You will sit there."
They both started to move, but Umbridge put her hand in front of Damien's chest and he stopped, staring at her.
"No, you, Mr. Boyle, will sit over here next to Ms. Bones," she said, pointing to Susan, "And you, Mr. Taylor, will sit next to Mr. Finnegan."
Hayden cursed silently and obliged. He sat down next to Seamus, and looked up at Umbridge expectantly.
She raised an eyebrow.
"Aren't we supposed to be learning?" he asked obviously.
Umbridge's smile faltered slightly. "This is learning, Mr. Taylor. Open your books to page three, wands away; there will be no need for talking."
With that she skipped away smiling at all of the students, who had never looked more depressed.
If I could talk...I would have a few things to say to you...
"So, I vote for a conspiracy. We should all gang up on her while she sleeps," Damien pronounced that afternoon during lunch.
"Now you're talking sense," Adam said with a grin. "That was literally the worst class of my life. Were they all that bad, the defense against the dark arts teachers?" He took a bite of his potato. They were sitting in the Great Hall with Kylie.
"Oh, never," Kylie answered quickly. "Some of...actually, only one was nice. Professor Lupin. He was the best."
"Yeah," Damien added. "First year was Quirell, and he died."
"How?"
"Possessed by You-Know-Who."
"Oh."
"Yeah," Damien said with a frown. "Anyway, second year was Professor Lockhart, and he was a playboy. He ended up getting hit by a Memory Charm, by accident."
Adam snorted into his potato.
"I know, what an idiot, right?" Kylie grinned. "Third was Professor Lupin, and he was the best by far. He actually taught us the things we might need to know, like boggarts. I heard they're on the O.W.L.'s, by the way," she added to Damien.
"Really, then."
"Fourth was Professor Moody, but he turned out to be a death eater. Well, not really. A death eater kidnapped the real Moody and pretended to be him." Kylie frowned as the Third Event of the Triwizard Tournament replayed in her mind. "And this year we've got Umbridge because the Ministry is interfering here."
"Why?" Adam asked.
"Well...I think they're afraid of Dumbledore," Amanda said, shooting a quick glance at Damien.
"Yeah. Apparently, Fudge is all paranoid now; he doesn't believe Harry or Dumbledore, so he's placing someone here to regulate the school. My dad told me that," he added.
"Wow. Sounds like I have a lot to learn," Adam said with a smile. "What've you got next?"
"Oh, no," Amanda groaned. "Divination."
"Darn it!" Damien exclaimed, as they got up.
"So do I. Who's the teacher?" They started walking out of the Great Hall.
Damien looked at Amanda and roared with laughter. "You'll find out soon enough, mate!"