Chapter Eight

The Pink Toad

For the most part I had done a fairly good job ignoring the idiocy of Delores Umbridge. She was a large, pink and incredibly fake human being with little intelligence, and whom held little regard for anyone other then herself and those who shared her own beliefs. She had been all but forced on the school by the ever incompetent Minister Fudge who stated she was there help lighten the load of the new Defense Teacher and to see that the school was living up to it's long-standing history of renown standards. After the death of the Diggory boy the previous year, concerns about the schools safety and academic proficiency had been brought up.

To anyone with a brain stem it was more then obvious why she was there. She was a Ministry mole.

Since Dumbledore had already hired Potter to teach defense they ended up splitting up the classes, Potter taught first through fourth years and Umbridge taught fifth through seventh. The decision was not welcomed by most and lets just say the upper years had never been more jealous of the younger students who were being educated by a well know and decorated war hero while they were basically being given to real useful information but were having a bunch of propaganda shoved down their throats and given no practical education at all.

One day, at dinner, the unfriendly woman had begun to ask me questions about Lily and our family, of course Lily was not there at the time, she was in our quarters with the children. Her questions were far from what one would consider part of a friendly, get-to-know-you conversation, and I felt as if she was trying in some underhanded way, to gather some sort information, though as to why I wasn't sure. Of course I was much too clever to fall for her scheming.

At the sound of the pink toad clearing her throat, I raised a brow and turned my heard slightly in her direction. "Can I help you, Professor?"

"School has been in secession for almost two months and I feel we don't know each other very well."

I did not respond but simply shrugged my gaze going back towards the sea students in front of me.

"You met your wife when you were children, even before you started Hogwarts did you not?" She asked, her much too bright blue eyes gazing up at me from over the top her teacup as she took a long, slurping sip.

"Yes," I answered simply, looking down at my plate as I cut off a piece of my steak.

"So you grew up near muggles then?"

"Yes," I replied still refusing to look at her. I was curious as to how she knew that, it wasn't common knowledge.

"If you don't mind me asking, why is that? Your mother was a Prince, a very prominent pure blooded family, it seems odd she would choose to raise you near muggles?"

I refrain groaning in annoyance this was ridiculous and a waste of my time, instead and replied, "You would have to ask my parents, but considering they are no longer alive that is a question I am afraid will have to go unanswered."

I heard Flinkwick snicker at my remark, though he attempted to cover it up with a fake cough. Umbridge narrowed her eyes at the Charms professor, but only for a brief moment. It was quite obvious she cared for the half goblin about as much as she care for my muggle-born wife.

"You were in prison for quite some time, or so I heard from Professor Potter." She stated plainly, continuing her interrogation.

Of course Potter would tell her that, the pot stirrer.

"I was. I make no excuses. I served my time and have moved on from my past."

It's the same thing I tell anyone who asks me about my time in Azakaban. No more no less.

"Hum, I find it surprising that you served ten years in prison for serving You-Know-Who and the moment you get out you elope with a muggle-born, one who actually fought against The Dark Lord and then proceed to have not one but two children with her. It's quite curious don't you think?"

This conversation was traveling in a dangerous direction, and it made me nervous. How much did this woman know about me?

Letting out a soft sigh I placed my fork down on my plate, folded my hands in my lap and turned toward the frustrating pink pain in the ass.

"Ms. Umbridge, while I don't see how my personal life is any of your business I am going to answer your question simply to get you to stop with the incepted questions.

Placing her teacup next to her place she fully turned in my direction. I had her full attention.

"Lily was a childhood friend, we met when we were nine, I was the one who told her about her magic. While we drifted apart during school, when she heard I had been arrested she visited me. No one else did. Not my so-called friends, no family, no one, but her.

She was my sanity.

Not only did she visit me as often as allowed, and brought as much chocolate as she could, she helped me keep my mind off the madness that surrounded me. I fell in love with her and she with me and despite our pasts and our differences we choose to make a life together."

With that I took the napkin that was on my lap, placed it on my plate and stood from my seat. "Now if you will excuse me, I believe I will retire for the evening."

When I told Lily what happened later that evening her response had been to pull be into her arms, burry her head into my chest and cry. I had been worried I had upset her, but it turns out that wasn't the case.

"Thank you. Thank you for shutting up that horrible woman. God I hate her!"

I hated her too, but at the moment there was nothing I or anyone else in the castle could do about her presence and it utterly infuriated me.

A/N: Next up more of the pink toad, another visit to the Dark Lord and a little conversation with Dumbledore.