The first Defense Class, the Gryffindors and Slytherins are whispering amongst each other - a miracle in itself, seeing as the two Houses normally hate each other to death. Neville Longbottom is talking quietly with Theodore Nott and Blaise Zabini, while Dean Thomas and Seamus Finnegan are whispering with Daphne Greengrass and Millicent Bulstrode. The main reason being that as soon as everyone was in, Draco announced that Slytherin House was willing to call a truce with Gryffindor to fight Umbridge - and, with Bloom's warnings about the woman going through their heads, they quickly accepted. Now, five minutes later, they're all deep in the plotting. Slytherin House will contact Ravenclaw about a school-wide study group for Defense, and Gryffindor will notify Hufflepuff, and the Houses will spread the word through their own ranks.

Right up until Umbridge walks in, incinerating a paper bird Parvarti was sending through the air.

The first thing she says is that there'll be no magic in her class - and then proceeds to levitate books to everyone, the hypocrite - while lecturing in that same sickly sweet tone of voice that makes her sound like a five-year-old girl. Explaining what the big test this year is, sort of, and reminding them to study hard for it - and coming off distinctly irritating to even the most level-headed of the class.

Oh, yes, and the book she gives everyone is called 'Dark Arts Defense: Basics for Beginners' - as if Bloom needed any more proof that this teacher is nothing but a joke, it was just shoved into everyone's hands. She also makes everyone raise their hands like kids in Muggle Elementary school, waiting to be called on before they can speak - resulting in a lot of discontent mutterings among everyone. Which she silences with a look, and says "It is the view of the Ministry of Magic that a theoretical knowledge will be sufficient to get you through your examinations. Which, after all, is what school is all about."

Bloom casually raises a hand in the air, asking "And how's theory going to prepare us all for what's out there? How's theory going to keep us from freezing when faced with another person's wand, or forgetting which spell to use to defend ourselves?"

Umbridge gets a stone-cold glare on her face, but then schools it into confusion and asks "Now, what could you possibly think would want to at-"

"Human or creature?"

Umbridge blinks, and asks "What?"

"Humans, or magical creatures? Rather, which list would you like first? Because there's a rather extensive one for each category."

"Young la-"

"Creatures first, then. Well, I can think of several creatures that would love nothing more than to attack someone. Dementors, for instance. Madam Pomfrey was constantly looking after kids that had a brush with them in our third year. Boggarts are another - the Charm for those is actually learned in this class. Lethifolds, to. Trolls, as well. Then there's people - which, according to some, are the most dangerous creature on the planet. I agree, honestly. Magical history is riddled with various Dark Witches and Wizards, after all. Take Gellert Grindelwald, for example. The Dark Wizard before Tom Riddle. He started a war that got both muggle and wizarding society alike involved, and killed countless people due to his obsession with wizards dominating Muggles. There was also Herpo the Foul, the earliest known Dark Wizard and the one who discovered how to breed Basilisks. And lets not forget the latest one, the one everyone's so terrified of - despite the detail that Fudge keeps saying he's gone - that they won't say the name he made up. Voldemort - or, if you prefer his given name, Tom Marvolo Riddle. Went and became a terrorist, killing people just because of who their parents were. Or, if they didn't side with him."

Umbridge looks like she's fuming at this point, and says "That's quite en-"

"And then there's the people that just attack people because they can. Those that just go around randomly hexing or cursing people because they feel like it. Oh, and, given the way my life has gone, I've grown up expecting to be attacked every time I turn a corner. Seeing as I got attacked in the girl's bathroom by a troll in our first year, found a Basilisk under the school in second, there were Dementors everywhere in third, and I got unwillingly entered into the Tri-Wizard Tournament and ended up in a Graveyard due to a Portkeyed Cup, I'd say it has a bit of merit."

Umbridge looks like she's about to blow a blood vessel, but says "Let me make this very plain. You have all been told that a certain dark wizard is back. It. Is. A. Lie."

Bloom fixes Umbridge with her most level stare, and quietly says "Look me in the eye, and call me a liar, Umbridge. Go on. Do it." The entire class goes still as a grave, practically holding its breath at Bloom's tone of voice - it's calm, and quiet, and deadly. Like a lion stalking up on a gazelle. Not the kind of voice that makes someone want to mess with you.

They see Umbridge go pale, but then her eyes land on Hermione…who's reading a book she brought to class. A Defense book. A Defense book far above 'Dark Arts Defense: Basics for Beginners.' She gets a sick grin on her face, and says "Miss Granger, is that your assigned text?"

Hermione looks up, and says "No, Professor Umbridge. I've merely read through the assigned text…over the summer before first year."

Umbridge rips the book from Hermione's grasp, tosses it to the floor carelessly - not seeing Bloom magically catch it just before it hits the ground, and float it carefully under her chair, though most of the students don't miss it one bit - and asks her to tell her what's on a certain page.

Hermione valiantly ignores the abuse done to her book, and says "Well, seeing as that's the chapter going over the basics of counter spells, I'd imagine that's what it details."

Umbridge's grin turns almost feral, and she asks "But you don't know?"

"I haven't memorized the book word for word, Professor. I've been studying much more advanced material for the past few years. Would you like me to demonstrate a Counter spell? Finite Maxima, perhaps?"

"Detention, Miss Granger. My office, tonight after dinner."

There's a stunned silence, as Umbridge turns back around. But nobody misses the look she shoots at Bloom. And, from Bloom's glare at her, she didn't either.

As soon as class is ended, Bloom verbally explodes in the corridor with "I can't believe that spineless, cowardly little toad! She's too scared of what I might do to her if I ever got even five minutes alone with her, so she immediately went after Hermione!"

Neville asks "It won't be too terrible, though, will it? I mean, there's school rules and such that Umbridge can't violate, else she'll lose her position as a professor."

Bloom just shrugs, looking uncharacteristically helpless for once in their entire school career, and says "I don't know what its going to be. And, dammit, that's what worries me the most. During the meeting between that pink toad and Fudge, she said she had a way to ensure I stayed in line, but that's all she told him. He was satisfied with it, and moved on to how they were going to keep us from getting stronger and better able to defend ourselves. All I saw was the meeting, that's what I dreamed about and then Scry'd!"

Neville nods, and says "Makes sense. He seems utterly convinced Dumbledore wants his spot as Minister."

Draco adds "And, if he had your backing…what? You're the Girl-Who-Lived to the Wizarding World. All he'd need you to do to boost his popularity straight to the blasted sky would be to make a statement publicly supporting him."

Bloom rolls her eyes, and says "Not in a million years. In fact, I was planning the exact opposite."

Hermione gets into the Common Room well after curfew, and Dean Thomas and Seamus Finnegan are there in an instant. Two of the second-years immediately go to find Bloom and Ron, and Neville pokes his head up from the couch he was reading on. "Hermione, where've you been?! It's well past curfew, and…and why are you holding your hand like that?"

Bloom and Ron both come running out, as Bloom was going through a list of Charms Professor Flitwick gave her to know by the time N.E.W.T.s are taken and Ron was talking with Fred and George. Bloom immediately sees that Hermione's hurt, being something of the foremost expert in Gryffindor when it comes to dealing with pain, and asks "What did that bloody bitch do to you, 'Mione?"

Hermione shakily holds up her hand, with the words 'I will only read the assigned text in class' carved into it. Ron takes one look at Hermione's injured hand, and yells "Bloody hell! Sit down on the couch, 'Mione!"

Almost the instant they're seated, Bloom takes Hermione's hand in hers - but, when she brushes her fingers over words carved into the flesh of it, Hermione lets out a noise somewhere between a yelp and a shriek of pain and yanks her hand away. "Damn, that's bad. Whatever she did used dark magic. Ok, Ron, hold Hermione still. This is going to hurt, and there's absolutely nothing I can do about it until its done. Fred, George, go get some Blood Replenishers and a Pain Reliever Potion."

The Twins are gone in a flash, even as the words keep seeping blood that looks darker than its supposed to, and Bloom coaxes Hermione's hand out again. Once Hermione's hand is cupped in Bloom's, she says "Hermione, I want you to hold Ron's hand, alright?"

Bloom counts to three, and then the words start smoking and the blood starts bubbling and hissing - Hermione buries her face in Ron's shoulder, squeezing his hand until he and everyone else swears they can hear the bones in it cracking. Whatever Bloom's doing is over in maybe a minute and a half, but the red-haired girl looks furious beyond any description. When she looks up, she motions for the twins to come over as Hermione's shaking like a leaf - her hand looks good as new, but its painfully obvious that however Bloom healed her hand hurt more than the wound itself did.

Once Hermione's managed to swallow the potions, Bloom quietly says "Whatever she used on you has Dark Magic in it, Hermione. It was in the words, to. I had to literally burn it out."

Hermione nods, and Ron furiously asks "What'd she do, 'Mione?"

"S-She had me write lines. It seemed standard, but then she had me use a quill of her own. Said I didn't need any ink, either. When I wrote the lines, they got carved into my hand. She wouldn't let me s-stop until the lesson had sunk in…"

From the burning shade of Bloom's eyes, Umbridge is in big trouble.

So.

Much.

Trouble.

Draco absentmindedly looks over at the journal from Bloom, only to see there's words appearing. From Bloom's handwriting alone, he can tell she's furious. 'Don't get a detention with that torture-happy toad-bitch. She used a cursed quill on Hermione, made her carve words into her hand while writing lines. I can heal it, but it hurts like hell - because I have to burn out the dark magic gouged into the flesh. Getting detention next class. Don't interfere. PLEASE.'

Draco rereads that, gulps, and goes to round up the rest of Slytherin House - a Blood Quill. She's using a blasted Blood Quill on people.

There's a stunned, horrified silence in the Common Room when that piece of news is delivered, and Pansy sums it all up nicely by saying "Bloody fuck."

If anyone had any problems about working with the Gryffindors, they've just been carved out by a torture instrument.

AN: Hey, everyone! Guess what, I'm DONE with classes! All my tests and projects are in! HOORAY!

As for the story, yeah, Umbridge is going to regret messing with what's Bloom's to protect instead of just going after Bloom. Lets just say, the water she's in is so hot...its long since boiled away. If i didn't need her alive for the plot, she'd be a dead woman walking. As it is, she - unfortunately - has a not-insignificant role to play in future chapters. Rest assured, my fellow Umbridge-haters, he'll get what's coming to her. *Evil grin*

Anyway, enjoy! More chapters coming soon! And, get this, i recently started playing a game called 'Dragon Raja' on my phone - great game, and storyline, and WAY too good not to write something about. I've got to get through the storyline to do it, though.