A/N Double post? What? life has been hard, but never fear, i'm still here, still posting, and have half a dozen more ready and that again written. This story is not dead, it's just taking it's time revealing itself. enjoy the double post and i'll get more to you soon.
46 Hostile Takeover
Harry suppressed a groan as he and Hermione entered the Great Hall on September first. At the front of the hall, in a grotesque pink cardigan, was Dolores Umbridge. There was no mistaking her toadlike visage and the glaring pink among the plain black of the rest of the teachers' standard robes. It was also evident that the rest of the staff shared similar views by the looks on their faces, as well as their apparent refusal to speak with the witch.
As they sat and watched the Sorting, they whispered back and forth, reassuring each other. Each was afraid of different things; Harry's biggest fear was that Umbridge would attack Hermione somehow. For Hermione it was that she'd damage the education of everyone in the school. It took the whole Sorting for them to relax a little, trusting that their partnership would be enough to overcome any potential issues.
"Welcome back to Hogwarts," Dumbledore spoke as the last first year was seated. "And to you first years, welcome. As we begin our year, I have a few short announcements before we enjoy our meal. First off, Mr Filch has added every item available on the Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes' catalog to his list of banned items. This brings the total to a staggering three thousand four hundred fifteen items. The complete list is available on the board outside his office for those of you who are curious."
"As Professor Moody has returned to active service with the Aurors, we have a new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor," Dumbledore gestured to Madam Umbridge. "The Ministry was kind enough to allow Madam Dolores Umbridge to help us with this vacancy."
"Hem hem."
"Now I must also," he tried to continue, but was interrupted again.
"Hem hem."
"Are you quite alright Dolores?" Dumbledore turned and asked the squat witch. Harry was slightly surprised when she walked over to Dumbledore's podium. He'd not noticed she'd stood up.
"Thank you for that lovely introduction Headmaster," the toad-like witch simpered before turning to the hall. "And it is so nice to be back at Hogwarts, and with so many smiling faces looking back at me too."
Looking around Harry didn't see a single happy face outside of Slytherin house.
"The Ministry has become concerned with the level of education at this great institution, a subject that has always been near and dear to the Minister's heart. The ancient knowledge and skills amassed through the years must be preserved and passed down through the generations. The education of our noble youths in these arts has always been a high and noble purpose, with the highest expectations placed upon our educators."
"Each Headmaster and Headmistress has added their own mark upon this great school. New skills or ideas, which is as it should be, for without progress we would stagnate and decay. But progress purely for progress' sake must be discouraged, for our traditional methods require no adjustments. A balance must be found, between old and new, between the tried and true methods of old and properly tested and researched new ideas. To charge ahead too fast would be disastrous…."
Harry tried, he really did, but there was just no helping it. He lost his ability to concentrate as the pink toad droned on. He thought he had caught the gist and knew Hermione could help him remember the details later. As she finally stopped speaking several minutes later, everyone seemed surprised as she stepped aside.
"Oh, yes," a surprised Dumbledore said as he regained his podium. "As I was saying…"
"Excuse me Professor," a ravenclaw called. "I thought that Hogwarts was separated from the Ministry, how are they able to make these changes Professor Umbridge implied?"
"Ah, an astute question," Dumbledore smiled. "The answer is complex. There is no real direct control, but as Professor Umbridge is a professor, she has the same ability to institute change as any other professor."
"Now, as I was going to say, everyone is reminded that the forest on the grounds is forbidden for a reason."
"Did Dumbledore just admit he couldn't stop her from interfering?" Harry whispered to Hermione.
"That's what I heard," Hermione agreed. "Or at least he wasn't going to try."
"You know? I'm suddenly wishing we didn't have to wait until Christmas to take those tests, then we could skip Defense."
"Harry!" she smacked his arm. "Even once we have taken the tests, Professor McGonagall still wants us to attend our classes."
"I know," Harry sighed, looking around and making sure everyone else was engrossed in eating. "But you have to admit, given the book she assigned, there's not going to be much learning going on in that class."
"Probably not, but there is the possibility that it will apply to in class assignments." She caught his look of disbelief and chuckled. "I never said I believed it, just that it was possible."
"Okay, you have me there," Harry grinned and threw his arm over her shoulder. "But there's still the question of what we have to do if it isn't legitimate."
"We'll have to see just how bad it is first, I guess."
Their luck being what it was, Defense was their first class the next afternoon. They entered and had to cringe at the bareness of the Defense classroom. Over the years they'd seen many incarnations of this room, a different one each year as each professor styled it in their own way. This year seemed to be a bare bones approach. Gone were all the decorations, anything that even hinted at the purpose of the room. There were the students' desks, the teacher's desk and a chalkboard. That was all. Harry spotted two photos on the teacher's desk, and they seemed to be the only decorative elements anywhere in the room. He even spotted a cupboard door slightly ajar, revealing that the shelves within were bare.
"Take your seats, wands away, books out," the plump professor waddled up to the front, destroying an animated origami crane as she moved. "When I call your name, respond with 'here'."
The roll went on in this manner until she reached the G's.
"Granger, Hermione."
"It's Potter Ma'am," Hermione replied.
"Not according to this roll it isn't," Umbridge sniped back. "And you were informed this summer that you were too young to be married so answer to your name."
"Call it correctly then," Hermione retorted. "Every other teacher has called it correctly, so I can only assume you have an out of date roster. And as to your comment about our encounter this summer, the one where you tried to railroad my husband in front of the Wizengamot, even they agreed that our marriage was legitimate, so my name is Potter."
"It is not!"
"Then why did the Ministry give us a copy of our magical marriage certification? With the Ministry seal and everything?"
"Obviously it was a clerical error," huffed Umbridge.
"Well, Hogwarts keeps an updated, magically verified roster. Let's check that shall we? Tippy?" Hermione grinned a bit as the house elf popped beside her. "Can you retrieve the most up to date roster for this class for Professor Umbridge please? I think the one she's using is in error."
"Right away Mistress Hermi-iony." The elf popped away, then reappeared next to Umbridge, holding a scroll to the irate woman. Grumbling under her breath, she snatched the scroll from the elf who popped away again.
"I see the rumors are true Potter. You really did marry the mudblood," sneered Malfoy from across the aisle.
"Yeah, Magic ordained it and all that," Harry agreed cheerily as he took the opportunity to tweet the ponce. "How much are you paying Pansy to date you again?"
"Quiet!" Umbridge growled out. Obviously still furious over being defied, she finished the roll, almost choking as she called 'Potter, Hermione'. The glare as Hermione calmly replied 'here' seemed to do nothing for the throbbing vein in her forehead.
"Now class," she began once she was done. "It has come to the attention of the Ministry that your education in the subject of Defense has been rather… haphazard. Different instructors every year, none of whom seem to follow any Ministry approved curriculum, has left you woefully unprepared for your OWL year."
"Fortunately, I am here now to ensure you get that preparation." She flicked her wand at the board and writing began to appear.
Defense Against the Dark Arts
A return to the Basics
Course aims:
Understanding and defining the underlying principles and theory of defensive magic.
Determining the conditions in which the use of Defensive magic is legal
Placing the theory of Defensive magic in the context of practical use.
"Now, does everyone have their copy of Defensive Magical Theory by Wilbert Slinkard?"
The mumbling that answered her did nothing to improve her mood.
"When I ask you a question, you either answer 'Yes Professor Umbrige' or 'No Professor Umbridge.' Now let's try that again: does everyone have their copy of Defensive Magical Theory by Wilbert Slinkard?"
"Yes Professor Umbridge," the thoroughly unenthusiastic reply came back.
"Good, then open them to Chapter 1: Basics for Beginners and start reading. There will be no need to talk."
Harry glanced at Hermione, speaking to her over their link. He knew he shouldn't speak out, but even Hermione was forced to agree that they had to ask the question, and she was already in the line of fire so it was his turn.
"Professor?" Harry raised his hand, knowing the petty woman would probably ignore him otherwise.
"You have a question about the reading Mr Potter?"
"No ma'am, it's-"
"Well we're reading right now Mr Potter."
"I know, but it's about the course aims, ma'am."
"What could you possibly not understand about them, they're very straight forward?" Umbridge asked, simpering like she was speaking to a small child.
"Well Professor, they appear to be incomplete as there is nothing about actually casting defensive spells."
"Casting spells, why ever would you need to cast anything in my class?" Umbridge was clearly affronted.
"Well, for one there is a significant portion of the OWLs which is practical, meaning we'll have to actually cast the spells. You don't mean for us to cast these for the first time during our exams, do you?"
"A properly prepared mind should have no trouble casting the spells during your exams," her huff of indignancy was a mighty one.
"I don't disagree," Harry smiled just a bit. "However, proper preparation includes practice. Besides, what if we need them in real life? Casting for the first time in a stressful situation is less than ideal."
"Why would you need to cast outside of school, Mr Potter?"
"I don't know, maybe because there are dark creatures and dark wizards out there? I seem to recall a war in the magical world not fifteen years ago."
"And situations like that are what Aurors are for Mr Potter, not common citizens."
"So I'll have an Auror with me all the time?" Harry asked, and Hermione could feel his enjoyment over their link. "That'll be nice."
"Of course not Mr Potter," Umbridge used her speaking-to-a-child tone again. "If you encounter trouble, you call the Aurors and wait for them to arrive to help you."
"Well that seems stupid." Harry waited for her huff to boil into rage before continuing. "There are so many situations where I may be unable to call for help, or even if I could then help may arrive too late. Take the last war for example; Voldemort's troops would cast anti-disapparition and anti-portkey wards over the house they were attacking, as well as time the attacks when the Floo Network was undergoing supposed maintenance. There was no way for them to call for help."
"Isolated incidents," Umbridge dismissed his argument. "Unfortunate for sure, but still unlikely to occur again."
"Maybe, maybe not, but in any case your solution is to hunker down and wait to be rescued? Even if you got a message out, the average Auror response time is between five and ten minutes. There's a lot that you could have to endure during that time. Wouldn't it be better to defend yourself during that time? Maybe even fight off your attacker?"
"And this class will give you the knowledge to do so," Umbridge snapped. "Now do your assignment and I'll see you here tonight at seven for your detention."
"What detention, Professor?" Harry asked, his tone unsurprised. "I never heard you give me detention, nor the reason for it."
"I just did and your reason is because I told you that you have it."
"Professor, school policy dictates that a student be informed of the reason for any merits or demerits awarded," Harry replied, begging the witch to push it.
"I gave you detention because you deserve one Mr Potter. Now be quiet and stop disrupting my class before I give you more."
"Yes Professor."
"Professor McGonagall?"
Minerva looked up from her meal at dinner that night, wondering what could have happened on the first day to warrant Mr Potter's presence at the head table at dinner. Then she remembered what class her fifth year Gryffindors had had that afternoon.
"Yes Mr Potter?"
"As Deputy Headmistress you are in charge of discipline, correct?"
"I am Mr Potter," Minerva's sharp eyes noted the closest tables quieting down to listen in.
"In that case, I wish to appeal a disciplinary action handed out by one of the teachers," Harry, who had also noted the decreased noise behind him and started projecting a bit.
"And what was this punishment and why were you given it?"
"I was awarded detention, but I was not told why. When I asked for clarification and pointed out it was required by school policy, I was told it was because I deserved it and if I spoke again I would receive more."
"And who awarded this detention?" Minerva allowed some hardness into her voice, which she was sure Umbridge, who was two seats down, would assume was aimed at Harry.
"Professor Umbridge."
"I see." McGonagall leaned forward and looked down the table past Professor Flitwick to the toad-like woman. "Professor Umbridge, could you please assist us in clarifying something? Why was Mr Potter awarded a detention today in your class? It seems you failed to make his error clear to him."
"He knows why and if he insists upon trying to weasel out of it I shall give him another," snapped Umbridge.
"He is not asking, I am," Minerva's hard voice was at a high enough volume that it cut through what remained of the dinner noise.
"He disrupted my class," Delores glared at Harry.
"Professor McGonagall, I merely asked for clarification on her stated class aims and when she asked why I thought it necessary to learn to actually cast spells, I answered her and even gave examples. After she brushed my concerns aside she stated I had a detention. Perhaps Professor Umbridge has other ideas but in every other class we are encouraged to ask questions if we don't understand."
"I agree, Mr Potter." Minerva turned back down to Umbridge. "May I ask how Mr Potter was disruptive? It sounds like he was merely asking a question."
"He asked it at an inappropriate time and prevented others from completing their assignments."
"I see, anything to add Mr Potter?"
"The assignment was to read the first chapter, which is only ten pages. This incident occurred at the start of class, leaving more than enough time to complete the assignment. As we had just been given the class aims, I felt that was the best time to ask my question to clarify them."
"I see, it seems we have a simple misunderstanding. However, I won't overrule Professor Umbridge." The smirk on Umbridge's face was arrogant as ever, until it fell at Minerva's next statement. "Instead, I shall join you and we shall discuss proper classroom decorum, for both students and teachers. Hopefully this shall enlighten both of you to any gaps in your knowledge and prevent similar issues in the future."
"Thank you Professor." Harry turned away, fighting the grin that threatened as he heard Umbridge protesting McGonagall's decision behind him.
The detention went about how Harry expected, Umbridge insisting the students act like drones while Harry and McGonagall tried to get her to loosen up. Eventually it boiled down to Dolores basically saying this was her class to teach and to stay out of her business. The fallout came three days later with the morning Prophet.
Minister signs Educational Decree number 24! Disciplinary reform at Hogwarts!
"That doesn't look good," Harry commented as he read the headline over Hermione's shoulder.
"It's not, Umbridge is apparently now 'High Inquisitor' and has full authority to dish out discipline however she sees fit. She will also be reviewing teaching methods and instituting reforms to, and I quote, return our education system to greatness."
"So basically she's got the authority to meddle now."
"And to make our lives miserable."
"This is going to be a long year."
