Someday, I will own something of great value. This will not be Harry Potter, as J K Rowling already owns it.
Classes Don't Get Better
It was Transfiguration the next morning, which was all right. Not wonderful, as Ryua's snail was very stubbornly not vanishing, but McGonnagall also said it was a difficult spell. And the amount of work she said was on the way for their OWLs... well, that was just plain depressing.
And then, to make matters worse, there was double DADA. Normally, Ryua would look forward to this class. Lupin, and the maniac Death Eater-Moody had been really good, and even Lockhart and possessed Quirrell had been slack enough that she could comfortably goof off while still getting good marks. This year, she was only hoping for the latter kind of teacher.
When she walked into class, and carefully took a seat not on the front, sides, or back, but not in the direct center either, her hopes for even that plummeted. "Wands away please, and quills out," came the squeaky voice of Umbridge.
"Well, at least we can curse our way through anything on that OWL this year, eh?" Ryua said in a whisper as she pulled out parchment, quill, and ink.
"True, but we're supposed to know defense, not the Dark Arts themselves." Draco whispered back.
"...Right... wonderful." Ryua glumly copied down the course aims. Understanding the principles of defensive magic, eh? Lovely. Like that would be any help. They would really need to learn the spells, or they would be in very, very real danger.
Learning to recognize situations...what? Ryua privately thought that any time you were being attacked by Death Eaters (or Ministry wizards, depending on your alignment) was a very good time to use magic. Of course, her private tastes ran much more towards the attack, not defense.
Practical use... hmm, let's think about that one for a second. Maybe, getting attacked? Just how dumb does she think we are? Crabbe and Goyle know the answer to that one.
"Now, does everyone have a copy of "Defensive Magical Theory by Wilbert Slinkhard?"
"No, we all thought we should bring Lockhart's entire set instead," Ryua said in a very low, sarcastic undertone as she pulled out the book.
"Now, come on, when I ask a question, I expect an answer, either Yes Professor Umbridge, or No Professor Umbridge. Let's try it again..."
As she asked if everyone had the book again, Ryua said, "Well, I'd definitely like No Professor Umbridge... Yes Professor Umbridge," she chorused with the rest, fighting down the urge to make a face.
"Excellent. Please start reading at Chapter one, page five."
Ryua opened the book, ignoring the fact she'd already read it through briefly during her long immurement in her room over the summer. Excellent. Please start reading at Chapter one, page five."
Ryua opened the book, ignoring the fact she'd already read it through briefly during her long immurement in her room over the summer. Yep, just as dull as I remember... She fought through the chapter, eventually just giving up and doodling on a piece of parchment while gazing studiously at her book. By the time Ryua had finished drawing Goyle sprawled in his desk, staring blankly at the title page of the chapter, she couldn't stand it anymore. She raised her hand, not really expecting a response.
What she hadn't taken into account was that with her hair pulled back and head bent down, she looked exactly like Draco, who was snoozing on his book. So, Umbridge, thinking she was the "better twin" immediately asked, "Yes, Mr. Malfoy, what is it?"
After a quick glance at her oblivious brother, Ryua realized she was being addressed. "Actually, Professor, Umbridge, I'm Ryua. ...Are we going to do any studying this year?"
"Of course dear. It says so on the board."
Her hand still raised (Ryua had had 'How to talk to superiors' drilled into her head for a long time) she said, "Actually ma'am, I was talking about using spells. If we're expected to pass our OWLs..."
"You should be fine with just studying the theory. IF you do it thoroughly enough..."
"I wasn't finished. If we're expected to pass our OWLs, or not get killed..."
"Where on earth would you be expected to get killed, my dear?" Instead of being irritated with being interrupted, Umbridge appeared to be more worried about her students expecting an attack."
Draco was fully awake now, and was trying to pull down her arm, seeing where this was going. Ryua shook him off and looked sweetly at the toady woman staring at her with beady little eyes. "In the outside world, Professor Umbridge. We're living in a dangerous time, in case you hadn't noticed."
"There is nothing different about the world we live in. All of you are perfectly safe, the Ministry guarantees it."
Ryua threw back her head in exasperation. "Honestly woman, do you expect any of us to believe that? He's back. We all know it. And we'd like to live through our next summer, if the Ministry doesn't mind."
For a minute, Ryua actually thought Umbridge was going to explode. She got bright red, and her already round, flabby face seemed to inflate. "I will not have any of these lies repeated in my classroom. I had hoped that this class would be much more intelligent than certain other ones I've had to teach."
"They are not lies. Of course, I doubt you would have the intelligence to notice that."
Immediately, Ryua knew she'd gone too far. Umbridge said, in a low, angry voice, "Detention. To be served over the next week. Report to me after dinner."
"Yes, Professor Umbridge..." Ryua muttered, letting her hand drop back down to her desk. Just what I needed. I've got two Potions essays, Transfiguration review, extra research as well as practice for Charms... and I'm not even finished the day yet. I am going to have to start sleeping in class, and working all night long. Oh, no... I've got Quidditch tryouts... time to go wheedle with Snape a bit...
She'd have to wait until lunch, unfortunately. The double period dragged on, with Ryua spending some of it drawing various objects lying around the room, and most of it imagining nasty things to do to Umbridge. Her fertile, well-nurtured imagination could have filled three rolls of parchment by the time they were let out of class. Rather than go directly to lunch, she slipped down to the dungeons, managing to catch Snape on his way upstairs.
He wasn't particularly happy. After a bit of shameless pleading on her part, however, Ryua managed to convince him to tell Umbridge Ryua already had to serve Detention with him for the early part of the evening. She'd been hoping to get all the way out of it, but just long enough for Tryouts would have to do.
After wolfing down her sandwiches and juice, since convincing Snape had taken most of the hour, Ryua walked out to Care of Magical Creatures, with a slightly more cheerful outlook.
Which was actually not nearly as bad as her previous classes. Ryua was a little thrilled to have an assignment of drawing a bowtruckle. That was something she could finish during class, and scratch another bit of homework. Harry and Draco seemed to be having no such ease, and were getting into a minor shouting match about Hagrid. Ryua was slightly worried about him, but was just too busy to care right now.
In History of magic, Ryua bribed Draco to take down legible notes, while she flew through one of her Potions essays. She'd gotten the rough copy completely done, and was halfway through scribing it onto clean parchment by the time the bell had rung, releasing them. Ryua got Cassie to make a copy of Draco's notes (she was actually good at charming things), handed them both a Honeydukes' chocolate bar from her private stash, and started writing out her essay. Draco dragged her up from the common room for supper, after which, she had no choice but to go to detention.
She was there ten minutes early, but found Umbridge already waiting. "Nice to see someone's punctual. Now, please sit down, and pick up your quill."
Ryua's eyes traveled to the desk she was indicating and saw the all-too familiar quill. "No." she said flatly, "Those things are illegal."
"You recognize it, I see?"
"Of course I do. You know what kind of a person I am. And I am never touching one of those again. You can't make me."
"I think if you look at the Ministry for Magic Educational Decree #19, you'll see that as a representative of the Ministry, I am allowed to use whatever means necessary to ensure my students maintain a proper attitude towards learning."
"I don't believe you."
"You should, my dear." Umbridge rummaged around in her desk, coming up with an official looking piece of parchment. "As you can see, it is indeed within my rights. I was planning to introduce this to the other teachers to let them know of their new abilities tonight, but you've filled up my evening."
Ryua carefully scanned the parchment. The Minister's seal and signature, the quality of the parchment and ink, and the gold-embossed detail in the corner... they all checked out. Damn. With a snarl, Ryua shoved the parchment back at Umbridge and swung into her seat. "What do you want me to write?"
"Oh, since you've already done this before, I believe we'll just continue with that."
"I will act as befits my station?" Ryua said bitterly, rubbing the faint lines across her palm. She's just too lazy to change the setting from what it was before. Pathetic.
"Yes, that should do nicely. You may start."
Ryua watched the clock until it read exactly five o'clock before she started, knowing that every second of perfectly legal rebellion would infuriate her more. And as she touched the quill to the page, Ryua felt the familiar sting, and knew if she turned her hand over, she'd see fine lines being cut directly on top of the old scars. She'd gotten through five rounds when the door opened again.
"Ahh, Mr. Potter. So nice of you to join us." Ryua carefully didn't look up or stop writing, but she paid very close attention to their voices. "Well, sit down."
"Er, Professor Umbridge. Er-before we start, I-I wanted to ask you a...a favour."
"Oh, yes?"
"Well, I'm...I'm in the Gryffindor Quidditch team. And I was supposed to be at the tryouts..." Ryua heard him say. And he wouldn't have a teacher he could get to get him out of it. Poor guy.
Sure enough, Umbridge responded exactly as she was expected. Ryua could almost feel waves of hate coming off Harry, coupled with frustration because he knew he couldn't actually do anything. "There, we're getting better at controlling our temper already, aren't we?" Umbridge said, in her sickly sweet voice. Now, you are going to be doing some lines for me, Mr. Potter. No, not with your own quill. You're going to be using a rather special one of mine."
She wouldn't...But Ryua heard her say, "Oh, you won't need any ink," and then Harry's gasp of pain and surprise. Meanwhile, she was still writing, over and over, cutting through the old scars down to tender flesh. She knew she wouldn't drip blood onto the page tonight, but by tomorrow, or maybe the next day...
And she wrote. Again and again, I will act as befits my station, over and over, lines of fire cutting into her palm. I'd forgotten how much I hated this... Still, when Umbridge called them up, Ryua waited until Harry had left before she rose. When Umbridge asked for her hand, Ryua made sure to extend the left one, making her ask for the right hand. She fought down a shudder as the woman traced a finger across the tender skin, for she knew Umbridge would take it as a sign of weakness. "If I may leave, now," Ryua said, picking up her bag with her left hand and walking out without waiting for a reply. Looks like all that practice with my left hand will pay off...
