Chapter 8
- High Inquisitor of Hogwarts -
"Do you ever stop eating?" Hermione gasped at Ron, who appeared to be trying to shovel as much food in his face as possible. Teddy smiled, shaking his head and looking back down at his textbook.
"Planning on joining competitive eating are we?" He smirked as Ron smeared his egg on a sausage, squishing it between two slices of toast and stuffing it all in his mouth.
"I'm just hungry." Ron muffled.
Weeks had passed and Teddy had soon come to dread Dark Arts classes. Umbridge was yet to teach them any real spells and was constantly on the look out for those stepping out line. Which was usually himself and Harry. The scar on his hand had depended but he paid no attention to it. "Why isn't Arkie sitting with us?" Hermione said, noticing Arkie hidden among her friends.
Teddy lowered his eyes. "We had a fight."
"Wha? Wha abowt?" Ron asked, his mouth full again.
"I didn't tell her I was still getting detentions from Umbridge. She found out and... she thinks I should say something-"
"You should! Both you and Harry should!" Hermione burst out.
"Harry and I agree that Dumbledore has far more important things on his mind."
"Well, what about your dad?"
He shook his head in dismay. "That's another reason why she's angry at me. I've told her I've been writing to Dad but..."
"But let me guess, you haven't."
He shook his head again. "I don't know if I should write to him, considering how we left things. I was thinking or just waiting till the holidays. But, she called me a coward and now she won't talk to me." He glanced at Arkie, who deliberately had her back turned to him. "I mean, ever since my first detention with Umbridge I... Maybe I am being cowardly. I just don't know what I'd write."
"Hey guys," Harry stood next to them. "Can I join you?"
Teddy nodded, opening his mouth to reply but was interrupted by loud shouting outside the hall. All the students rushed to the entrance. McGonagall and Umbridge standing on the staircase, glaring at each other.
"Pardon me, professor, but what exactly are you insinuating?" Umbridge asked, the sweet tone in her voice gone.
Professor McGonagall's eyes narrowed. "I am merely requesting that when it comes to my students you conform to the prescribed disciplinary practices."
She giggled. "So silly of me, but it sounds as if you're questioning my authority in my own classroom... Minerva." She walked up one step, so she was towering over her.
"Not at all, Dolores," McGonagall as took another step. "Merely your medieval methods." Teddy felt a wave a satisfaction wash over him.
"I am sorry, dear. But to question my practices is to question the Ministry and by extension, the Minister himself. I am a tolerant woman... but the one thing I will not stand for is disloyalty."
McGonagall looked taken aback and stepped down. "Disloyalty." She murmured.
Umbridge faced the students and staff who had gathered at the base of the stairs. "Things at Hogwarts are far worse than I feared. Cornelius will want to take immediate action."
"I don't like the sound of that." Teddy whispered.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Later that day students were gathered outside the Great Hall, watching as Flich mounted an extremely tall ladder and hung up the first of a series of weird portrait shaped boxes. Teddy squinted his eyes at the portrait, which was so high up he could barely see it. Inside was an official-looking sheet of paper.
Proclamation
Educational Decree No. 23
Dolores Jane Umbridge
has been appointed to
the post of
Hogwarts
High
Inquisitor
He cocked his head in confusion, before walking into the Great Hall for breakfast. The others were already waiting for him. "Did you see the-"
They passed him the lastest issue of the Daily Prophet. A picture of the smiling Professor Umbridge was across the front page.
When we ask the Minister for Magic, Cornelius Fudge, for the inside scoop on his plans for the future of education, he had this to say: 'Having already revolutionized the teaching of Defense Against the Dark Arts, Dolores Umbridge will, as high inquisitor, have powers to address the seriously falling standards at Hogwarts School.'
"I don't believe it." He said after opening and closing his mouth several times.
"The Ministry's attempting to take over the whole school." Hermione sighed. "And apparently Umbridge is going to question each teacher."
"What for?"
"To see if they're 'up to standards' with modern day teaching." She rolled her eyes.
Teddy looked back down at the newspaper, reading some of the other headlines.
'Parents Endorse Ministry Move'
'Minster Fudge Puts Education In The Front Line'
'Dumbledore; Daft or Dangerous?'
For the rest of the day, Teddy went from class to class, each one Professor Umbridge had taken part in. Everytime she was walk around, clipboard in hand, asking the teacher's and students questions and occasionally giving rather rude comments. Teddy noticed each teacher reacted differently to the toad-like woman's presence in their classroom. McGonagall had completely ignored her, Professor Sprout kept giving her sideways glances, Professor Grubby-Plank, who was still standing in for Hagrid, who was annoyed at Umbridge, who kept asking if she knew where Hagrid might be returning and if she knew where he was.
Snape went rigid and seemed to be in a fouler mood than usual, slapping Teddy on the back of the head when he mixed up his ingredients and giving him extra homework. Both to which, unsurprisingly, Umbridge turned a blind eye to. "You applied first for the Defense Against the Dark Arts post, is that correct?" She asked sweetly, circling him like a pink, fluffy tiger.
Snape was hesitant to repond. "Yes."
"But you were unsuccessful?"
"Obviously." Both Teddy and Ron broke into silent giggles, which were soon met by a second slap on the head.
Professor Trelawney seemed incredibly on edge during her Divination class. "To reach into the beyond you must-"
"Hem, hem." The Divination teacher turned around in surprise. "Just one question, dear. You've been in this post how long, exactly?"
"Well... I- I" Umbridge began to write on her clipboard, which a lot of students were attempting to read. "I've been teaching for sixteen years."
"Could you please predict something for me?"
Trelawney's huge eyes grew twice their abnormal size. "I'm sorry?"
Umbridge stuck out her bottom lip. "One teensy little prophecy?"
She hesitated before closing her eyes, trying her hardest to predict something. She tried so hard that it looked like she needed to go to the bathroom. Teddy would usually laugh at this, but instead he just stared between the two women. "Pity." Professor Umbridge sighed, scribbling again on her clipboard.
"No, wait!" She yelled in panic. "Wait, no. I think I do see something. Yes, I do. Something dark." She held her hand out in her usual melodramatic fashion, only it was quivering with fear. "You are in grave danger."
Umbridge smiled, unconvinced. "Lovely." With a small giggle she left the classroom. Trelawney stood there, her legs wobbling. No one knew what to say.
"That didn't go well." Ron whispered and Teddy nodded. When the class was dismissed the four of them stood in the hall talking. Suddenly, the familiar pink witch glided down the corridor, flicking her short wand at a couple who were snogging on a bench, then towards a group of lousy dressed boys, tightening their ties and tucking in their shirts. They all gave her soar looks in return.
Teddy's gaze darkened as she passed, the healed cut on his hand burning, as if sensing her presence. "This is insane, I mean, did you see the look on Trelawney's face." He said, empathically. He'd never shown much kindness to the Professor, who he considered to be a fraud. Every time he came to her class she would predict that one full moon he would lose control forever. Occasionally she would shake it up, and instead say he was going to die soon.
The only two girls, Parvati Patil and Lavender Brown, actually believed her and had taken to avoiding Teddy at all costs. They wandered out into their court yard, where Fred and George were throwing a sparkling ball up into the air, catching it and throwing it between each other. Students were watching and giggling with excitement until-
Zip!
The ball was sucked into Umbridge's wand. She smirked, then sauntered off. Students groaned.