The moment we've all been waiting for! Wheee!
Once he had gotten the Firebolt locked in a broom closet on the ground floor, Harry and co. headed for History of Magic.
History of Magic was by far the most interesting subject yet. It was an insult to Professor Binn's expertise that everyone else was asleep. Itachi huffed in indignation as the Potter boy and Weasley went on to play hangman. Itachi scribbled notes in his notebook like Hermione, and listened carefully. They were fools to skip this class. Wizard history was full of wars. Goblin turf wars, giant wars, everything Itachi found interesting. It was a pity almost everyone was asleep.
Emerging from History of Magic, Itachi kept only half an ear to what Hermione was saying to Harry and Ron. Unless it concerned him, or his mission, he wouldn't pay much attention to it.
"… While Itachi and I were scribbling our notes, you were playing Hangman!" Hermione finished grumpily as the four students went to the dungeons for Potions. "I can't believe this."
A fine misty drizzle was falling, so Itachi stuck to the driest areas he could possibly find. Harry met up with, whom Itachi suspected, his crush, Cho Chang and her boyfriend Cedric Diggory, who was very much alive thanks to a timely Katon. From what Itachi had pieced together, Harry had succeeded in scorching Voldemort partially to escape.
Itachi tugged on Harry's sleeve to get them moving again. With a small goodbye, Harry's group went toward the dungeons, where the chill seeped into their bones. Itachi was contemplating using Katon for a moment before the door swung open and Snape stepped into view.
"Settle down." Snape said, glaring a hole through Itachi. Itachi glared back, and soon Snape cut off the eye contact in favor of bullying Neville. "Before we begin today's lesson, I think it would be appropriate to do a review."
There was a chorus of groans. Snape glared a hole through each person before resting his gaze on Itachi. "Uchiha Itachi." Snape said coolly. "Would you mind telling me what the Draught of Peace contains?"
Itachi stood up. "The Draught of peace contains hellebore syrup, powdered moonstone, peppermint and powdered unicorn horn. Is there anything else you want to know, Sir?" Itachi gave him a smirk.
"Five points from Gryffindor for cheek." Snape growled in return. Itachi gave a shrug as he sat down. "It appears that you have passed the test. We will be brewing the Draught of Peace today." He pointed his wand at the supply cupboard, which opened. "The ingredients are found there, and the formula…" he pointed his wand at the blackboard. "…is there. You have an hour and a half. Begin."
Itachi rose and took his supplies from the cupboard. Laying out the ingredients, Itachi looked in front of him. Hermione was already cutting her peppermint. Itachi focused and centered his gaze on Hermione.
"Sharingan." He murmured. He kept an eye at Hermione as he copied her every movement, down to the way she stirred her potion. While this may be considered cheating, Itachi was an expert at looking underneath the underneath. He was a ninja, therefore he cheated in style. By the end of the session, Itachi and Hermione were one of the few who managed to brew the Draught of Peace properly.
Snape looked like he was sucking a sour lemon. Itachi put a protective charm on his flask in case Snape accidentally dropped it.
Harry was found sulking when Itachi, Ron and Hermione went up for lunch. The Potter boy was eating some sort of pie. Itachi took a seat next to him as Hermione and Ron began bickering again.
"Leave them be." Itachi advised. The Uchiha took two bento boxes from the table and rose.
"Where are you going?" Harry asked as Hermione and Ron's bickering rose to a fever pitch.
"I'm going to teach you teamwork." Itachi said simply. "Come on."
Harry gave a small grin as he rose and followed Itachi. They made it up to the North Tower by Harry's instructions, and the two sat down on the floor. Itachi held out a bento box and gave Harry a set of eating utensils. He, on the other hand, brandished a pair of chopsticks.
"You shouldn't be so annoyed at them." Itachi spoke around a mouthful of tempura. "From what I can see, that's what they do."
"I know." Harry sighed. He swallowed some sushi thoughtfully. "Say, have you worked with Wolf before?"
"Of course." Itachi said with a sort of fondness. "He is my captain. We all are proud of him."
Harry gave a grin. Itachi finished up on his meal and pointed his wand at the bento box.
"Evanesco." He said. The box vanished. Harry held his out to be vanished too. When the bell rang, the two were the first one in the Divination classroom.
Itachi's nose clearly hated being there. The smell of perfume was strong. He was sorely tempted to use a Wind Jutsu at that moment, but didn't. He had to keep his cover. Divination wasn't anything special. Itachi read through the book and left it at that.
This was it. Defense against the Dark Arts with Dolores Umbridge. Itachi found the professor already seated, wearing a fluffy pink cardigan. The sheer brightness of it made him want to strangle her with it, but he kept silent, filing into the room and taking a seat next to the window.
When the whole class had settled down, she gave a wide toady smile. "Well, good afternoon." She said.
Itachi was the only one who said 'Good Afternoon' nice and loud.
"Tut, tut." Said Umbridge. "Five points to Gryffindor for Mr.…?" She glanced at him. Itachi cleared his throat. Part one of the master plan; earning the toad woman's trust.
"Uchiha Itachi." He said, raising a hand. She nodded approvingly. "Now, let's have a repeat." She said sweetly. "Good afternoon, class!"
The response was much livelier.
"That wasn't too difficult was it?" She said, smiling and addressing them like they were five years old. "Now, wands away and quills out please."
A few grumbled. Itachi took out his quill, ink and parchment quietly. Umbridge opened her handbag, took out a pitifully weak wand and tapped the blackboard. Words appeared. Itachi assumed they were going to copy it.
She tapped the board again. "Copy down the following please." She said. Silently, without a fuss, Itachi copied it down. For a couple of minutes, the class was silent after they had copied everything down. Itachi looked up as she cleared her throat.
"Has everybody got a copy of Defensive Magical Theory by Wilbert Slinkhard?"
There was a dull murmur of assent.
Itachi spoke clearly and raised his hand. "Yes ma'm." She smiled again. "Five points to Gryffindor once more, Mr. Uchiha." Her smile was so plastic, Itachi wanted to puke out of disgust.
But he must not. Shinobi Rule 25. Shinobi Rule 25. Shinobi Rule 25. Shinobi Rule 25. Shinobi Rule 25…. Itachi chanted mentally.
"Let's try that again." Umbridge said. "Do you all have a copy of Defensive Magical Theory by Wilbert Slinkhard?"
"Yes, Professor Umbridge."
Silence reigned until Hermione raised her hand. Itachi lowered his book. He was halfway through with it. Most of it was regarding random rubbish. He did not need this. He watched as half the class was now staring at Hermione.
"Did you want to ask something about the chapter dear?" She asked sweetly as if she had noticed her only now.
"Not about the chapter, no." Hermione replied.
"Well, we're reading just now." Umbridge replied, showing a wide pointy smile. Itachi sincerely hoped she was still alive after his mission so he could kill her. He also hoped, as he glanced at the Potter boy, he wouldn't be so foolish.
"I have a question regarding your course aims." Hermione said.
"And your name is..?"
"Hermione Granger." Hermione replied.
"Well, Miss Granger, I think the course aims are perfectly clear if you read them carefully." Umbridge replied with honeyed words.
"Well I don't." Hermione stated bluntly. Itachi was ready to hold his head in his hands and quit the mission at her foolishness. "There's nothing written up there about using defensive spells."
Silence.
"Using defensive spells?" Umbridge looked scandalized. Itachi was ready to call the mission quits and slaughter everyone in sight. "Why, I can't imagine any situation arising in my classroom that would require you to use a defensive spell. Miss Granger, you surely aren't expecting to be attacked during class?"
"We're not going to use magic?" Ron nearly screamed. Itachi's eye twitched. Shinobi Rule 25. Shinobi Rule 25. Shinobi Rule 25. Shinobi Rule 25. Shinobi Rule 25. Shinobi Rule 25. Shinobi Rule 25. Shinobi Rule 25. Shinobi Rule 25. Shinobi Rule 25. Shinobi Rule 25. Shinobi Rule 25. Shinobi Rule 25. Shinobi Rule 25. Shinobi Rule 25. Shinobi Rule 25!
"…..the whole point of Defense against the Dark Arts is to practice defensive spells?" Hermione asked. Umbridge smiled sweetly.
"Are you a Ministry-trained educational expert, Miss Granger?"
"No... But…"
"Well then, I'm afraid you're not qualified to decide what the 'whole point' of any class is. Wizards much older and cleverer than you have devised our new program of study…"
Shinobi Rule 25. Shinobi Rule 25. Shinobi Rule 25. Shinobi Rule 25. Shinobi Rule 25. Shinobi Rule 25. Shinobi Rule 25….
"What use is that?" Harry said loudly.
SHINOBIRULE25FORTHELOVEOFGOD!
"Hand, Mister Potter!" Umbridge snapped. Harry raised his hand resolutely. Umbridge promptly turned away from him. Itachi gave Harry a glare fit to kill.
"Well Mr. Thomas?"
"Well, it's like Harry said, isn't it? If we're going to be attacked, it won't be risk-free."
"Do you expect to be attacked during my class?"
"No, but…"
"I do not wish to criticize the way things have been run in this school." She said with a wide smile on her face that only served to make her scarier. "But you have been exposed to some very irresponsible wizards in this class, some not even wizards!"
Concentrate. Think. Don't kill them yet.
"If you're talking about Professor Hatake and Professor Lupin--!"
Think of the consequences!
"Hand, Mr. Thomas!"
You're going to regret it!
"As I was saying, you have been introduced to spells that have been complex, inappropriate to your age group and potentially lethal. You have been frightened into believing you are likely to meet Dark attacks…"
"No we haven't." Hermione. "We just…"
"Your hand is not up Miss Granger!'
"It is my understanding that my predecessor not only performed illegal curses in front of you, he actually performed them on you!"
"Well he turned out to be a maniac, didn't he? Mind you, we still learned loads!"
"Your hand is not up Mr. Thomas!" Umbridge snapped. "Now it is the view of the Ministry that a theory will be more than sufficient to get you through this school year…" She glanced at Parvati's raised hand. "And your name is..?"
"Parvati Patil." Parvati replied. "And isn't there a practical exam in our Defense against the Dark Arts O.W.L.?"
"Of course there is, but if you've studied the theory long enough…"
Control yourself Uchiha.
More arguing. Itachi sighed. His mission would fail if they kept this up… he was contemplating using his Sharingan on them all when Harry's voice pierced through his concentration.
"It is NOT a lie!" Harry yelled, standing up and sending his chair falling down. "I SAW HIM! I FOUGHT HIM!"
"Detention, Mr. Potter." Umbridge said sweetly, and Itachi knew he had failed.