Chapter 5: Detention and Rebellion
"Detention, Mr. Potter. Report here at 7:00 sharp every night next week," Umbridge told Harry, a small smirk tugging at her lips.
"What? Why? I haven't –"
"Two weeks, Mr. Potter," she cut him off, "for denying your crime and protesting punishment. I cannot believe that your relatives raised you to lie." With what was normally considered an insult, she assigned homework and dismissed the class. Harry numbly put his book away, gaping at his latest Defense teacher. The jibe about his relatives didn't bother him at all; it was almost true, after all. It was the first day of classes, and already he had detention. He hadn't even done anything!
"Surprised to have another teacher that doesn't want to fall at your feet, Potter?" called Malfoy as he passed them. "I must say, I'm glad to have a teacher in this class that knows how to deal with orphaned scar heads." Goyle, at the blonde's heels as usual, whipped his bag to his shoulders, managing to clip Harry hard with it.
As Harry steadied himself, Hermione snapped, "So does this mean you actually support the Ministry and its representative?"
"And here we thought you and your family only used the Ministry for fame, privilege, and "Get Out of Azkaban Free" cards," added a smirking Ron.
"Or are you just pleased to have a teacher that won't bounce you about? That must be a relief, Ferret." Harry finished their joint retort, and they all slipped out of the classroom, fighting their urge to laugh at Malfoy's livid expression. They didn't give in to it until they were a hallway away.
"Thanks, guys," Harry offered as they headed up the stairs leading to the Gryffindor common room a few minutes later.
"You're welcome, Harry. Though I must admit, it was rather stress-relieving, especially after class with that horrible woman. I mean, can you believe her? No practical lessons? We won't be able to prepare for our OWLs then! And she gave you two weeks of detention, when you did nothing! How awful!" Hermione fumed. Then, as an afterthought, she said "Mimbulus mimbletonia." The Fat Lady obligingly swung open, and Angelina, seeing them, headed over.
"Hey, Harry. Have a good summer? Listen, McGonagall's made me Quidditch captain and –"
"Congratulations," All three interrupted.
"Thanks. Anyway, I'm going to hold tryouts the Friday after next, and I want our whole team there, alright?" Harry frowned.
"I would, Angelina, but I've got detention with Umbridge then. I've got it for the whole next two weeks, actually."
"He didn't even do anything," Ron added. "If anyone should have gotten detention, it should have been the rest of us in class. Everyone in Gryffindor fifth year was complaining about how she won't let us do magic in class but Harry!"
"What? That's insane!" She protested, as other Gryffindor overheard and came over to add their complaints.
"I've got NEWTs this year. How can I do well without practicing?" One girl said, looking worried.
"That's even worse than last year, and I thought nothing was worse than Unforgivables!" added a sixth year boy. All around the common room, worries and complaints were voiced, until a second year interrupted them all.
"Isn't there another way to learn them?" Everyone turned to the little girl, who flushed and continued. "I mean, you know, clubs and study groups. Aren't people allowed to form them?" Hermione and many others nodded thoughtfully.
"We could have someone teach us all how to use the spells in a practical setting. Dueling, for example. Or perhaps something like what Professor Lupin did. Did the rest of you do that?" She asked the older years. "It was an obstacle course. We had to face all sorts of dark creatures." The rest nodded.
"But we'd need someone in charge." A seventh year pointed out. "Someone who's had real experience and is really good at DADA." A couple kids frowned.
"Katie Bell?" One suggested. "She's got top marks in the class." Katie shook her head.
"I'm horrible at teaching. I can't even tutor my little sister in reading and writing!" She protested.
A few other names were suggested, but each one was put down, usually by the nominee himself. Finally, Hermione threw out a suggestion.
"How about you, Harry?" Everyone fell silent and stared at Harry and Hermione. Harry was startled. Some looked thoughtful, others looked rebellious at the idea, but a good deal of them began nodding their heads and murmuring affirmatives.
"What? Why me? I can't teach," he tried to protest.
"Have you ever tried?" asked Katie.
"Everyone knows you're brilliant at Defense," piped Colin Creevey.
"He won the Tournament last year," a second year confided to a first year. Harry shook his head.
"Most of the Tournament was pure luck. Besides, Cedric should have won it, not me."
"But you had to get through the lake and the maze by yourself," Ginny pointed out. "Ron kept complaining about how stiff and tired he was from letting you practice jinxes and counterjinxes on him."
"I still feel rather stiff from all those Stunners," Ron complained. He grinned. "Gin's right, Harry. Even if you did get help for each task, in the end, it was all you, and each time you came out on top."
"You even dueled with You-Know-Who, right, Harry?" Fred reminded him. Then he and George turned to everyone else. "So it's decided."
"Mr. Harry Potter, wizard –"
" – and dueler extraordinare –"
" – will instruct all of us who protest Professor Toad –"
" – in the fine arts of dueling and defense!" The twins concluded. "Everyone who agrees, shout it out!" Harry's protests were drowned out by the resounding cheer of Gryffindor House.
Five minutes later, Ginny moved over to Harry. "So, great teacher ours," she grinned at Harry's face, "are you only going to teach Gryffindor? Because I'm sure that Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff probably will feel the same as us." Harry frowned.
"I'm still not sure about all of this. But," he sighed, "since all of you want me to, I'll do it. As to Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff, well, I don't have a problem with it. We just have to find somewhere to do this – this – whatever we're calling it – and manage to keep it from Umbridge's notice. She'd probably throw us all in detention for the rest of the year!" Ginny wrinkled her eyebrows.
"Can she do that? I mean, only Dumbledore and McGonagall can do much of anything about inter-House clubs, and that's what this could be."
"She gave me detention for two weeks today, and I didn't do anything. If she can do that, I bet she won't have any problems with giving us all detention for holding a club to teach Defense." Ginny looked up, shocked.
"She did what? What happened?" She cried. Harry sighed again.
"I'm still not sure. She had us take notes about her 'course aims', and then had us read the first chapter of our textbook. Hermione asked why the course aims didn't mention using defensive spells, and that got everyone into an argument with Umbridge about how we need to be able to practice the magic if we want to learn it. I mostly just stayed out of it. I mean, I agree with all of them, but it's not like arguing with the teacher would do anything. All I did was maybe nod a couple of times to agree with someone, and at the end of the whole thing, she just gave me a week of detention. When I asked her what for, she gave me another week and called me a liar." He shrugged. "Then she dismissed us, Ron, Hermione, and I argued with Malfoy a bit, and we left." Ginny stared, open-mouthed.
"But she can't do that! Come on!" She pulled Harry to the painting and to Professor McGonagall's office, Harry protesting her manhandling and asking what she was up to the whole way. When they reached the office, Ginny knocked and they were allowed in.
"Miss Weasley, Mr. Potter, what can I do for you?" Harry opened his mouth, but Ginny elbowed Harry to keep him quiet.
"Professor Umbridge gave Harry two weeks of detention for no reason, Professor. Everyone else in the class was arguing with her about how she planned to teach, but Harry didn't say anything, and she gave him detention. Can you do anything about that?" McGonagall frowned.
"Is this true, Potter?"
"Yes," Harry admitted. "But really, my main problem with it is that it's going to make me miss the Quidditch tryouts this year. Angelina said she wanted the whole team there. Other than that, it's alright, Professor. I'll just go to them and see if I can reschedule that day's detention." Ginny groaned and shot him an exasperated look, but McGonagall simply continued to frown.
"I can speak to her about it, and I will see to it that the rescheduling is possible, but if you don't mind it, Potter, I won't insist she stop it. I will find the reason, though, and if it's unreasonable I trust you won't mind having the nights free?"
"Of course, Professor. Thanks." Harry said hastily. "We'll get going." This time he was the one to pull Ginny along as she quietly protested.
Author's Note: I'm so sorry! I've been meaning to update, honest! But I've never had any inspiration, and I've never had a lot of time to write! Please don't hunt me down or hurt me!
Okay, that's a bit too dramatic. Seriously, I just haven't had any drive lately. But now my mom is making me write 1500 words every day before I can go on the Internet or computer, so writing should become a bit easier.
Also, I'm sorry this chapter is a bit short, but I kind of like my current stopping point.
So, yeah, I know I'm changing a lot, especially where Harry's attitudeis concerned. But I really think he was always angry fifth year as a result of his guilt concerning Cedric and also his connection to Voldemort's moods, and since Asitel got his memories of the third task and his bad summer pushed back, it's easier for him to control his anger. Therefore, he's going to be calm and cool for the most part. I know I'm also changing the way DA started, but I kind of like this way better. So it's staying.
And yes, I'll try to update again soon!