Professor Umbridge
Thursday morning brought the news that Angelina Johnson had been made Gryffindor Quidditch Captain (B5, 224). She booked the pitch for Friday evening, for Keeper tryouts. It also brought a heavy drizzle. Siria even nodded off in the common room, when they were supposed to be working on Professor Sprout's essay on self fertilizing plants.
On their way to the dungeon, the trio tried to guess which of the Potions in Cassius's notes Snape would start with. Ron joked that they should ask Trelawney. Hermione gave a disapproving sigh, but did a poor job of covering her smirk. Siria laughed, loudly.
"There you are!" Lavender peaked around Dean Thomas and Seamus Finnigan. "Oh, Siria— how could you not tell us?" Siria looked to Ron then Hermione.
"About?" she asked.
"Your date!" Lavender rolled her eyes so hard that her head rolled back. Siria tucked her chin to her chest. "Honestly, your face is so red."
"Psh, no," Siria muttered. Lavender and Parvati hugged Siria, who could not fight them off and cover her face.
"It's just a study date," Siria grumbled.
"But it's a date!" Lavender squeed and hugged Siria tighter. "That's amazing! Who was it? Do we know him— her— the person?"
The dungeon door creaked open and Lavender deflated. It was just as well, Siria was ready to shove her head into a cauldron. They filed into the room in silence. Snape closed the door behind him. He, as Professors Trelawney, Sprout, McGonagall, and Sinistra had, lectured them on their O.W.L.s before he assigned the Draught of Peace (B5, 232).
As they had last year, Cassius Warrington's notes lined up perfectly with the instructions Snape put on the blackboard. Siria reread each step at every comma. It was particularly useful in the third step. She added the powdered moonstone, reread, then stirred three times counterclockwise, reread, let it simmer for seven minutes, and reread again (B5, 234). Siria really thought the last part of adding two drops of syrup of hellebore should have been in the next line because who is going to remember that after waiting for so long?
Despite her thoroughness, when Snape called that they should see a light silver vapor from their potion, hers was nothing to Hermione's. Snape had nothing to say of Hermione's, which meant that it was too good for him to comment on. He paused over Siria's and examined the surface. Her Potion emitted silver steam. Siria bit her lips together. [B5, 233]
"Tell me Potter-Black," said Snape, "can you read?" he asked very quietly (B5, 233). This was not Snape's usual method of bullying Siria in class. He normally announced it enough for at least Draco Malfoy to hear it. Siria clenched her teeth. Her head trembled in a nod.
"I didn't hear you, Potter-Black," Snape said. Siria glared over her glasses at him.
"Yes," she said through gritted teeth.
"Yes, Sir," he instructed (B6, 180). Siria had half a mind to tip her cauldron over and storm out, but, before she could, words were out of her mouth.
"There's no need to call me 'sir,' Pro-fes-sor," the words were much louder than Siria intended (B6, 180). She wasn't even sure they were what she intended. They'd just escaped her, like the "Though I do appreciate your respect for me" that followed, which she had no choice but to smile about. The words were out. It was said and the cartwheels in her stomach didn't matter.
It was like the graveyard. It was like the Chamber of Secrets. She knew. Somewhere inside her she knew she shouldn't say these things. She knew she shouldn't have told Tom Riddle he got killed by a baby— knew she shouldn't taunt Voldemort, in a graveyard, in front of his Death Eaters, but it felt so good. The words just came to her and came out of her and what should it matter?
"Detention, Potter-Black," said Snape. "My office, tonight. I do not take cheek from anyone." (B6, 180).
"I can't do tonight," Siria told him. "I've a date with a very cute girl, not that you'd understand."
"My office, tonight" Snape repeated, "five o'clock." Siria opened her mouth, but Hermione slammed her elbow into Siria's back. Siria winced.
"She'll understand," Siria groaned.
Ron and Siria ran high on her retorts to Snape. Even Hermione's disapproval could not get them down. Though, they silenced before entering Defense Against the Dark Arts.
Professor Umbridge sat at her desk, waiting for them. Hermione picked seats about halfway in. Everyone could immediately tell that would not like Umbridge very much. She greeted them and the class murmured in reply (B5, 239).
"That won't do, now, will it?" Professor Umbridge simpered at them. "I should like you, please, to reply 'good afternoon, Professor Umbridge.' One more time, please. Good afternoon, class!" (B5, 239).
After Snape's class, Siria was very much not in the mood for being bossed around. Hermione seemed to sense this and shot Siria a scathing look. With the others, Siria replied, "good afternoon, Professor Umbridge." She wanted to kicked something.
Professor Umbridge considered herself their savior from what she called "disruptive and fragmented" learning. This was at least how she justified the words "A Return to Basic Principles" she put on the blackboard. Then she made them copy down the course aims. Siria pretended to write them until Hermione kicked Siria's foot under the table. [B5, 239-240]
There was something odd about the course aims. They left Siria wondering. "1. Understanding the principles underlying defensive magic," made it sound like they wouldn't be doing magic. It sounded like theory. "2. Learning to recognize situations in which defensive magic can legally be used," sounded odd too. To Siria it sounded like they were being told defending themselves was an exception, not the rule. "3. Placing the use of defensive magic in the context for practical use." Siria confessed to herself she wasn't even sure what Professor Umbridge meant. It just sounded like more theoretical work. [B5, 239-240]
Once Umbridge made them all reply "Yes, Professor Umbridge" to confirm they had their books, she told them to read chapter one. Wilbert Slinkhard could out bore Professor Binns. Siria would bet on it. She read the first page twice without taking in a single word. Siria read a third time before accepting she would just need to read Hermione's notes on each chapter, when she looked up to see Hermione had not opened her book. [B5, 240-241]
Hermione's hand was high in the air, stretched as much as Hermione could manage. Professor Umbridge ignored her, until more than half was class decided to watch Hermione's raised hand over read the chapter. Though not at all happy about it, Professor Umbridge smiled. [B5, 241]
"Did you want to ask something about the chapter, dear?" Umbridge asked.
"That's a leading question," Siria thought and Hermione confessed it was not about the chapter. Professor Umbridge told Hermione to wait until after class, but Hermione quickly said it was about the course aims. [B5, 241]
"I think the course aims are perfectly clear, if you read them through carefully," Professor Umbridge said in forced sweetness, but Hermione did not agree. [B5, 241]
"There's nothing written up there about using defensive spells," Hermione said (B5, 241).
"That's it," Siria thought. Of course the aims were odd! She had understood perfectly: it was only theoretical.
"We're not learning magic?" Ron asked in completely surprise, but Professor Umbridge told him he needed to raise his hand to be recognized. Hermione wrestled one of Siria's hands into her own and Ron took Siria's other. Ron raised his free hand, but Professor Umbridge turned away. [B5, 242]
"Let go," Siria told Hermione. Hermione shook her head and raised her free hand higher.
"Siria, please," Hermione pleaded through gritted teeth. Professor Umbridge glared over the hands raised in the classroom. "Just this once, don't." So Siria didn't.
She gnawed her tongue in silence while her classmates asked why they weren't being taught the spells. Siria sat in silence when Parvati panicked that her first attempt at the spell would be during her O.W.L. Silent, when Dean Thomas had to defend Remus Lupin because Umbridge called him a "dangerous half-breed." Silent, while her leg trembled as the anger boiled inside her. [B5, 243-244]
"Who do you imagine wants to attack children like yourselves?" Professor Umbridge asked in a sickenly sweet, fake voice (B5, 244).
"Death Eaters, like Peter Pettigrew, and Lord Voldemort, himself." Siria knew her ears had not deceived her. She knew someone definitely said that, but it couldn't have been who she thought.
"Ten points from Gryffindor, Ms. Granger."
"What?" Siria shouted, but nothing came out. Her wide, shocked emerald eyes looked to Hermione. Hermione glared at Professor Umbridge. When Siria had not been looking, Hermione snuck a Silencing Charm on her.
Professor Umbridge tried to tell that class that Voldemort died and was still very much dead. "If someone is alarming you with fibs about reborn Dark wizards, I would like to hear about it. I am here to help. I am your friend. And now, you will kindly continue your reading," Professor Umbridge told them. [B5, 245]
"We saw Voldemort return," Hermione said so very clearly that even Professor Umbridge could not ignore it.
"Detention, Ms. Granger."
"How could you do that to me?" Siria screamed at Hermione in their dorm room. "A Silencing Charm? And now you have detention— you, Hermione!"
"I know," Hermione hissed through gritted teeth. She paced their room and kept her eyes on the floor. "Don't you have more pressing matters?"
"What could be more pressing? Hermione 'we-could-be-expelled-or-worse' Granger just got detention for something that wasn't my fault!"
"Would you please stop shouting?"
"Why? Is lowering my voice going to get you out of detention?"
"No," Hermione's voice broke and guilt punched Siria in the stomach. She leaned against her desk and tilted her head back. If Hermione looked at the floor, she would look at the ceiling.
"Look," Siria sighed in a normal tone, "I just don't understand why you would throw a Silencing Charm on me only to fight her yourself."
"Because you're more valuable," Hermione said.
"I'm— what are you even— Hermione," Siria let out a short yell of frustration. She slapped her thigh. "Hermione, Cassius and I might be the poster children to our anti-Voldemort campaign, but you are the brain. Do you know what I would do to get you out of that detention?"
"Detentions…" Hermione whispered at the floor. Siria groaned. She slumped onto the floor.
"Hermione, I would sooner…" Siria searched for the words with her eyes squeezed shut. "I would sooner walk into Voldemort's lair, unarmed, and accept whatever torture he could think of than see you kicked out of Hogwarts."
"You don't mean that," Hermione shook her head very slightly. It was the sway of her bushy hair that gave it away. "You're just upset, but it's like Patricia told Colin—"
"No," Siria shook her head. "Hermione, I tried to cut you out last year because I thought it would be easier on you."
"Siria, it's just detention," Hermione's voice was quiet. "Shouldn't you worry about Lily Moon?"
"Why would I worry— my date!" Siria slapped her forehead. "Do you see what I mean? I forget my first date because you get detention— you," Siria pressed her head into her hands.
"You need to tell Lily Moon that you'll miss your date," Hermione said. "I'll call Cedric on the mirror, to have her meet you."
"'Mione, you can't just dismiss this," Siria said, but Hermione had already opened one of their compacts.
"You're blowing it out of proportion," Hermione told her. "I understand that you're upset about the Silencing Charm and that I've got detention, but I made my bed. It isn't yours to lay in."
"Hey, Ced," Hermione said into the mirror. Siria groaned into her hands. "Could you ask Lily Moon to wait outside your common room?" Siria pleaded in silence with Hermione. "Siria's heading over now."
Siria paced along the corridor to the Hufflepuff common room. She focused on the stones in the ground and not that she had cancel on Lily Moon. Siria rubbed her scar. It stung all summer. "Is it going to sting until I die?" Siria wondered.
"Diggory said you wanted to see me," Lily Moon said. Her light red hair was tied up in towel. A lock escaped the towel and trailed to her sharp collar bone. "Er, Siria?"
"Right," Siria uttered as her breath returned to her. "I can't do tonight."
"Oh," Lily Moon choked. "Of course— thank you, for—"
"I have detention," Siria rushed out. "If I can keep my mouth shut with Snape, would you like to meet Saturday? I'd say tomorrow, but I've got to be at Quidditch tryouts for Keeper"
"You want to study with me on Saturday?" Lily Moon asked.
"I mean," Siria ran her hand through her hair, "study date, a walk if the weather's okay, maybe sneak down to kitchens or something."
"That… that would be nice," Lily Moon's eyes fell to the floor. Her face was red down to her roots. "A walk or study date… or something."
"Cool," Siria bit her lip and ran her hand through her hair again. "See you Saturday. Just after lunch okay? Library if the weather's poor and Entrance Hall if it's clear?" Lily Moon nodded.
Siria waited until Lily Moon returned to her common room. She waited for a moment, just to be sure Lily Moon was really gone. "Yes!" Siria cheered. "Yes! Yes! Yes!"
"What are you so happy about, Potter-Black?" the cool, drawl of trouble asked. Siria clenched her fists tighter and not because she was elated enough to burst. She opened her mouth to let the words come out, but closed it.
"Lily Bloody Moon," Siria thought, "Hermione, Ron, the lessons." She opened and closed her hands, focused on the motion while she continued to list things. Siria linked her fingers and tucked them behind her head.
"Girls, Malfoy— girls are amazing," Siria told him. Pink tinted Malfoy's nose. "Right!" Siria said, more excited than she meant to. She even reached for his shoulder, but let her hands fall. Siria clapped her hand into the other. "You know, it's a crying shame you made me choose between you and the others" Siria told him. "Moments like these," Siria wagged her finger, "when it's you and me— like in the Hospital Wing— and you're not putting on a front, and we can celebrate girls... I almost feel like we could be friends," Siria confessed. "But you just won't stop talking shit," she added.
"Who'd want to be friends with you?" Malfoy asked. "What kind of girl would even like you? Aside from Granger."
"Oh," Siria nodded and leaned toward him with a grin, "there's a girl beside 'Mione." Siria shrugged and peered down the corridor.
"At least my friends aren't waiting to drop dead," said Malfoy. Siria's grin dropped.
"You know," Siria started, but Malfoy tapped his prefect badge.
"You wouldn't want to reschedule your date again, would you?" He asked. Siria gave a quiet click of her tongue.
"One day you'll see that people are more than their parents," Siria told him. "I would very much like to go on my date though, if you don't mind— Mr. Malfoy," and she made a show of bowing before she left.
Siria rubbed the back of her head and ruffled her hair. Maybe Hermione was right. Maybe the other voice inside her was right. If she spent a little time on what she was about to say, she wouldn't say such things. "Hey, Malfoy," Siria said to herself, "if you stop being a bully to Hermione, who I love more than anyone, and Ron, who is my best friend in the world, maybe we could be friends? After all, I made up with my cousin…"Siria shook her head. "He's still a prat."
A large sigh escaped Siria while she climbed through the portrait hole. She nearly jumped back through at the sight of the group waiting for her. Siria clutched her heart and entered the common room.
"Did you get turned down?" Colin asked.
"Don't be stupid," said Fred.
"Who'd turn her down?" asked George.
"But you look sad," said Dennis. Hermione pushed to the front. She waited, brow furrowed, for Siria's reply. Siria raised her arms and waved her hands to say "bring the praise."
"Told you!" Ron shouted. "Of course she was fine with it!"
"We told you!" Lavender scoffed.
"Oh, Siria," Parvati hugged Siria again. "What are you wearing?"
"I don' know?" Siria shrugged. "We might be going on a walk, if the weather's nice."
"Astrology's practical lab got cancelled from thunderstorms," Hermione reminded Siria. "I doubt you're going on a walk."
"Don't get too excited," Fred told them.
"She's got to make it through detention first," George reminded them.
"Sir," Fred winked. Siria blushed and shook her head.
"It was good," George told her.
"Sirius'll be proud," said Fred.
"I couldn't help it," Siria grinned without a drop of remorse. "Oh, his face—" she looked to Colin and Dennis and the grin washed right off. "Told me I was in huge trouble," Siria adjusted her tone to a firm one, not unlike Mrs. Weasley's. "It is very wrong to talk back to professors and I…" Siria looked to Hermione, with the hope whatever Siria should say would appear on her face, but it did not. "I'm very sorry."
"Right!" Colin nodded and winked to her.
"No!" Siria pointed at him. "No. I should not have talked to Professor Snape that way. It was…" Hermione sighed, but mouthed. "It was wrong," Siria read of Hermione's lips. "I feel really, very depressed—distressed." She pinched the bridge of her nose. "Look, just don't get detention or… I don't know, but I'll figure something out."