C. M. Black: Eyes of an Owl
Chapter XXX: Giant visitors and mammoth exams
As exams drew ever closer, Cassy thought there were few people who had been as energised by Professor Umbridge's struggles as Harry. He smiled more, particularly each time someone threatened to 'pull a Weasley' after a terrible lesson, or when her shrieks echoed down the halls as she failed to vanish another bog. While they would normally be gone within a day under anyone else's leadership, the staff were happy to leave the new Headmistress to struggle. Professors McGonagall and Flitwick did not even reprimand passing students who laughed as they watched idly and pretended to brainstorm solutions.
The twins' growing legends, the conversation with Sirius and Remus, and the knowledge their vile professor was loathing every moment of her job pacified Harry like nothing else had ever done. Revision was going well, oddly well even, although Cassy could think of several other reasons he seemed to enjoy it so much.
Her arms were wrapped around his neck in the darkened aisle of the library. His were around her waist as he pulled her closer.
'If anyone takes our table, I will kill you,' she muttered.
'Or you could just kill them and reclaim it,' he murmured, his forehead against hers.
'I can do both,' she said.
The night's revision had been going rather slowly as Harry attempted to avoid touching Potions after their latest lesson and Professor Snape's particularly cruel grading. Harry had found something he had much rather do and despite Cassy's small complaints, she really did not mind at all.
'Ew, get a room, you two.'
Harry huffed and grinned. His chin moved to rest on Cassy's head as the pair of them turned. He said, 'What is it with you Weasleys and interrupting us.'
'I don't even want to know what that means,' said Ginny playfully.
'It's not like I have not walked in on you and Corner anyway,' added Cassy and Ginny smirked and shrugged.
'What does that mean?' came a loud demand.
Ginny rolled her eyes and Cassy and Harry parted in the wake of the upcoming storm. Ron stomped into view from another aisle, red-faced and glowering.
'We were just kissing,' huffed Ginny, her arms folded.
'I don't care. I don't want people to think my sister is some sort of – of – of scarlet woman!' he cried.
Ginny laughed hollowly, 'Just because you don't have a girlfriend doesn't mean I have to be alone.'
Ron turned a deep maroon, almost purple colour reminiscent of when Cassy had first met Harry's Uncle Vernon.
'We should revise,' said Harry suddenly.
'Great idea,' agreed Cassy.
The pair were gone before Ron had a chance to explode and neither wanted to witness the full extent of Ginny's biting anger. The table they had previously occupied was still free and their things were untouched. The sound of Ginny's cold laugh ripped through the quiet library. Heads turned.
'They have been fighting much more than usual,' comment Cassy.
'I think it's the Quidditch match tomorrow,' admitted Harry. 'We have to win or we'll be out of the running.'
Cassy hummed. 'I was going to ask you earlier before you so rudely interrupted me, was what do you plan to tell Hermione when she asks after Occlumency again?'
Harry groaned. Hermione had asked in concern after she had finally heard of the incident. As Harry's mood improved, he soon told their friends about the memory and the subsequent consequence; Hermione was mortified. Cassy had told him on more than one occasion that she believed Hermione's concern to be well justified. He needed to continue the lessons as soon as possible, but she equally understood what was stopping him from asking. Had she been in his position, she very much believed she would much rather die than beg for Professor Snape's help.
'I know she means well, but I wish she'd stop asking. It's not like we're not doing anything about it,' he said.
'Yes, but Voldemort has sixty-years more experience than me,' Cassy pointed out. She began to fear Harry had put too much trust in her and her ability to know and learn everything. She could not teach him like a fully trained Occlumens could. It was fine to practice between lessons, but she knew she was not capable of fully qualifying him for a fight against Voldemort's mind right then.
'Doesn't mean it doesn't hurt when you jab my mind,' he said. 'Sometimes I block.'
'A good Legilimens would be undetectable. You would have to chance to know it was happening,' she stressed.
Harry made a non-committal noise in return and Cassy knew she had upset him.
'I'm not trying to upset you,' she said.
'I'm not upset,' he said quickly and distantly as he began to once again work on his essay.
She frowned and returned to her own work without another word. She had even offered to accompany him to see Professor Snape so he had moral support to agree what an unreasonable hag he had surely been after Harry asked, but he refused. So, she left the unrelenting pressure to make him ask to Hermione, who did not fail her later that evening when she once again rounded onto the subject. However, the conversation soon turned to Quidditch as the team entered the common room moments later from a last minute practise session.
The next morning was filled with anxious stares and encouraging cheers. Ron slunk off mid-way through breakfast and Ginny had moved to kiss her boyfriend for good luck, although Corner was eyeing the Gryffindor team as though Ravenclaw had already won. Cassy idly wondered if the match would be the one to finally break their relationship. They had been on a 'last attempt' for a while now.
Luna waltzed up to them in her eagle hat and sat beside Neville while it cawed loudly. She smiled with a distinct vagueness to her expression that Cassy had come to learn meant she was excited.
'Ron seemed happy just now,' she said.
'Really?' asked Harry sceptically.
'Oh, yes. He seemed quite optimistic about the match. He said there was nothing left to lose anymore. Everyone knows he is going to fail so no matter how badly he plays it won't matter, at least, that's how he greeted me in the Entrance Hall just now,' she said.
Everyone sighed. The feeling of inevitable disappointment did not fade by the time they climbed high into the stands or by the time the match had begun. It was fortunate Luna had moved to stand with her own House. Within the first five minutes, Ravenclaw had already scored twice. Gryffindors Beaters were failing to deter and their Chasers were failing to intercept. Ron, as the final hurdle, was failing to defend. Even as Hermione murmured encouraging words, the Slytherin chant began to resonate from the stands once more, louder and louder each and every time Ravenclaw was in possession. The other team members were working twice as hard in an attempt to prevent the other team from even having the opportunity to make it thirty-feet to the goal posts.
'It'll be fine as long as Ginny can catch the Snitch,' said Neville optimistically.
Another goal to Ravenclaw.
Cassy looked above. Ginny circled high in the sky in opposite rotations to Cho Chang.
The crowd rang again and it was no longer just the Slytherin's singing.
'Hey!' came a loud hiss from behind.
Only mildly surprised – it was hardly the first time they had been disturbed during a Quidditch match – Cassy turned at the familiar voice of Hagrid. He was as bruised and beaten as ever with a new cut down his left cheekbone and several fresh grazes on his knuckles, as though he had been pressed harshly against stone or bark. His dire appearance had attracted several curious stares from the younger years, especially the first years who had gotten pleasantly used to Professor Grubbly-Plank. As he glanced around them, his appearance shifted from urgent to just nervous.
'Can you four come with me? I've er – I've got somethin' to show yeh,' he said in a tone that suggested he was supposed to have whispered it.
'Can it wait?' asked Harry as Lee Jordon swore loudly and cheers erupted again.
'No,' said Hagrid quickly.
Cassy's eyes narrowed. She commented, 'You are bleeding, there, in your hairline.' A trickle of blood had moved slowly through his wiry hair down to the joint of his ear. 'Hagrid, what have you done?'
He waved his hand and laughed loudly, too loudly, in fact, to be natural.
Frowning, Cassy, Harry, Neville, and Hermione each agreed to accompany him out of the stadium. Of all times he felt the need to divulge important information it was during the most critical match of the season and although Cassy had no love for the sport, it had grown on her enough that she did not want to lose and she had wanted to see Ginny's match as Seeker.
Harry glanced back as they left the stands. Professor Umbridge and her Inquisitorial Squad were sat in one of the box stands, but their attention was fixed solely on the match.
They made it to the edge of the grounds when Hagrid called for them to stop. There was nothing visible around them. Hagrid slipped into his hut. The sounds of the match were still audible and the enthusiastic 'Weasley is out King' song bellowed clearly even at such a distance. A click and a slam indicated Hagrid had left his hut again, only this time he emerged with a crossbow.
Into the forest it is then, thought Cassy, unsurprised by where he kept his dangerous creatures anymore.
'Hagrid, we have our wands to defend ourselves, we don't need the bow,' said Hermione.
He shifted uneasily. They were led deeper and deeper into the wood. Soon enough, rocks were overturned and strong, old trees were torn up by their roots and the bones of deer scattered around them. Considering the man had a three-headed dog and an Acromantula hidden within the depths of the Forbidden Forest, it was not surprising that one more could be smuggled inside. However, this devastation was wild. It was not the sign of a nest, or a home being built. It looked like rage. Such anger and destructive power were almost awe inspiring. The strength of the creature would have to be immense. The creature would most likely be huge, with large limbs and little sense to rip apart its surroundings so blindly.
'Hagrid,' said Cassy lowly. 'You better not have brought back what I think you have.'
Hagrid ignored her. 'We're not goin' too far in. The Centaurs aren't happy with us humans now that Firenze has left.'
Centaurs were notoriously stubborn on their opinions of humans. To work for them was servitude and to save them was questionable at least. Firenze having gone into work for Dumbledore would have shaken their herd and there was little doubt what had caused the deep purple bruising across his torso that was just visible on the neckline of his shirt.
'They're not impressed with me either,' admitted Hagrid. 'I stepped in to stop them killin' him when they found out he was working up at the castle. This bow's not for what I'm about ter show yer.'
'Is it really safe for us to be here?' asked Neville nervously.
'They won't attack kids,' said Hagrid confidently.
'No, but the giant you brought back from Europe might,' said Cassy bluntly.
Hagrid tripped over a tree root.
'What?' demanded Harry and Neville loudly.
'Don't even try and deny it, Hagrid,' said Hermione firmly. 'Look around us. These are all the signs of a Giant habitat.'
The further they had trekked into the forest, the denser the canopy above and the darker the surroundings. Upheaved soil and the dark, fractured bark covered the new shoots, extinguishing much of the colour. Dense moss grew from the wet spring, smothering their footfalls. The four drew their wands. They waited as Hagrid tried to find something to say.
'What makes you so sure I have a giant with me?' he asked at last.
Everyone stared, dumbfounded.
'Because you brought a dragon off a bloke in the pub?' said Harry.
'Because you keep a three-headed dog?' offered Neville.
'Because you had a pet acromantula you released into this very forest?' stated Cassy.
'Because we know you well enough, Hagrid,' finished Hermione seriously. 'I assume that's why you're always so beaten up.'
Hagrid shifted and said, 'He doesn't mean to. I'm teaching him better manners. Look, normally I wouldn't ask this of yer, but Umbridge thinks I'm the one putting Nifflers in her office, so I won't likely be around much longer. The only reason I haven't left is because of Grawp.'
Neville mouthed the name nervously.
'You can't let her drive you out, Hagrid!' protested Harry, but Hagrid waved his hand flippantly.
'At least if I left I would be of some use to Dumbledore. I can't do much up here with her around,' he said, unconcerned. 'I know yer probably think this is another one of my silly projects, but I wouldn't show yeh if yer help wasn't important.'
Cassy did not want to take care of a giant. This was not a dog that could be tamed, fed each day and left to its own devices. Giants were powerful, they were destructive and they had no place in a school. Their culture was brutal and if Hagrid had managed to civilise him, which she had no doubt was possible within a thorough regime, then that was excellent. Yet it did not change the fact that a giant lay in twenty-foot in front of her and within easy running distance of the school should be one day venture far enough to see it.
'What were you thinking, though, Hagrid!' hissed Hermione.
The giant lay on his side, turned away from them. His torso heaved with great inhales and exhales and his snores sounded like a muffled call of a whale, deep and slow.
Cassy crept forward.
'None of them wanted to come,' said Hagrid mournfully.
'You should have left them then!' cried Neville.
Cassy would be satisfied if she could just see his face. Photographs of their faces were rare. They were always taken at a great distance or from below.
'Hagrid, how are we supposed to care for a fully grown giant?' asked Harry heavily.
'He's actually smaller than I expected. Is something wrong with him?' asked Cassy. She stood some distance away from the group, but with the growing conversation she decided not to creep around the giant in case their chatter woke him. Had she been alone she would have circled him and been back by now.
'He's a runt – Cassy! Get back here!' snapped Hagrid.
The giant grunted at the sound and Cassy quickly walked back to Hagrid's side, wand drawn, although she knew it would probably of little combatant use.
'This is Grawp,' said Hagrid evenly. 'He's my half-brother, my mum's son.'
There were a few raised eyebrows, but that was not what was important to anyone right now. What everyone wanted to know was how Hagrid could have possibly smuggled a giant – runt or not – into Britain at all. In the end, it was Neville who asked.
'Well, we did a lot of travelling at night, though Grawp wasn't keen. He didn't want ter leave, yer see,' recalled Hagrid simply.
'If he didn't want to go, then why force him?' asked Hermione.
'I couldn't just leave him! They would've killed him,' protested Hagrid loudly.
The conversation was going to go around in circles, so despite her senses telling her not to, Cassy ventured around to the front of Grawp. Her curiosity finally got the better of her and she was determined to use the valuable little time them had left with him sleeping to observe him properly. Unsurprisingly, his head was round like a boulder and his hair was tightly curled. He had little neck and a wide nose and tiny, closed eyes.
'I want ter teach him – for Merlin's sake, Cassy, get back here. If he learns what it's like here, he'll want ter stay.
No one responded immediately. Hermione sat on a stump with her head in her hands while Neville was completely still, pale and rigid at the mere concept of training a giant. Harry chewed on his lip. It was only Cassy who stared critically at the sleeping form.
'What would you have us do, Hagrid?' she asked stiffly.
'Well, jus' keep him company, you know, so he doesn't get lonely. I've been teaching him some words, he knows my name and good and bad,' he said uneasily. The tone of her voice must have shaken him out of his endless optimism. Cassy did not want to care for a giant. She could not care for a giant.
'Hagrid, look at yourself. You are bruised and bleeding. We do not have your skin or your bones. If we were to be hit like you have been we would most likely die,' she said seriously.
She did not want to see the sadness pull at his features, but it was the only way to get through to him that this was an awful idea.
'What she means, Hagrid, is that we can only try,' said Harry. 'We have magic, but it isn't usually effective and we can't be seen to be sneaking off here too often or Umbridge will catch us. We'll see what we can do, I promise you that.'
Soft hearted as always, thought Cassy with an inward sigh. If Harry wanted to care for it then he could. Cassy would observe his behaviour from a distance because she knew she might never get a chance to study one so closely again.
'It is obvious he cannot be left alone,' she conceded. Truthfully, she had no idea what to do with Grawp, but he could not be left alone in case he grew bored or hungry and ventured too close to the grounds. They had to do something, whether for safety or as a favour to a friend, but she was not pleased.
Hagrid's eyes lit up and he sagged in relief. With a big smile, he said, 'The centaurs might give yer a bit of trouble, they don't like him here, but they won't hurt yer because yer kids. Now, let's wake him so I can introduce you all!'
'Hagrid, no!'
Hagrid woke him regardless of their outcry. Grawp had taken a particular liking to Hermione and had tried to pick her up twice. The commotion had drawn the attention of the centaurs, their bows pointed at the teens' chests and their lips drawn back in sneers. Everyone retreated to the forest edge shortly after that, although Hagrid refused to see the threats as of any serious consequence. He maintained they would not kill children and Cassy very much thought the power of their youth was draining when they were all nearly of age.
They returned to the castle with distant chants of 'Weasley is our king' still echoing through the grounds. As they listened, though, it was not the usual song, but instead:
Weasley can save anything,
He never leaves a single ring,
That's why Gryffindors all sing,
Weasley is our king!
For a moment, there was only silence, before Harry and Neville burst into joyous laughter and the four sprinted up the steps to the common room, where, sure enough, it was alive with red and gold. Ron was hoisted on the shoulders of two seventh-year boys and a merry feast had been laid across every surface, inevitably stolen from the kitchens. Ron's miraculous recovery was something of a surprise to everyone who gazed upon him, but no one dared to say it. Instead, there were a lot of pats on his shoulder and calls of 'I knew you could do it'.
When they asked Ginny about it, she merely said it surprised her too, but once he had accidentally saved one goal, the rest came naturally. She had caught the Snitch and Gryffindor won by ten points in the end, despite their disastrous beginning. She then frowned.
'Why do you have to ask?' she said suspiciously.
In a quieter corner of the common room, the four sat with her and explained everything. Ginny looked relieved she was not there, she seemed to be under the very false impression it voided her of any responsibility towards Grawp. Everyone had their fingers crossed that Hagrid would not be fired more than ever before, but each of them knew it was merely a matter of time. Professor Umbridge had already got rid Professor Trelawney, so Hagrid was just another liability to be struck off. Probation was not an opportunity to prove himself worthy. It was just a title while she bided her time to find someone to replace him.
With exams growing ever closer, it was more and more likely that Hagrid would not make it passed the end of the year's lessons. There was not much time to consider it, though, for every available moment was dedicated to revision. The remainder of their class times were revision based and books and notes even made their way out onto the tables at meal times. Panic surged amongst the fifth-years, particularly Hermione, although Cassy remained coolly confident she was not going to fail anything. However, in her absolute determination to beat Hermione's grades, she kept up dutifully with the other's manic work schedule.
'It's not what you know that matters, it's who you know,' said Malfoy loudly in the corridor one day.
'Ignore him, Neville,' instructed Cassy calmly as Neville began to shrink into himself visibly at the words. 'It is just a front to reinflate his ego after the sight of his dreadful grades.'
Neville grinned while Harry and Hermione sniggered behind her. Malfoy turned with a sneer and Cassy pretended to have not said anything at all.
As they passed, however, Neville let the smile slip again and said, 'Gran knows Griselda Marchbanks, the Head of Wizarding Examinations, but that won't help me at all. Gran goes on and on to her about how I'm not as good as my dad.'
Cassy frowned distastefully. Mrs Longbottom was a fiery lady and Cassy admired her strength very much, but sometimes she really did hate her.
'Confidence, Neville,' commanded Cassy. 'We have been through this. You are your own worst enemy and please tell me the tablets I saw you take at breakfast today were not those false brain stimulants Ron was raving about on Monday.'
His pink cheeks told her all she needed to know. She held out her hand expectantly and he gave the packet over wordlessly. She then turned and threw it over the ledge and straight into the back on Ron's head.
He shrieked and turned, demanding, 'What the bloody hell did you do that for?'
'Stop selling fake merchandise to people! They do not work and in case you have failed to hear several people have been reduced to bedrest for eating what was actually Doxy eggs. You are a Prefect, for Merlin's sake,' snapped Cassy.
'I didn't sell them!' protested Ron, scowling. 'I just know people what sell them, it's totally different and if one of them happens to work then that's great.'
'Ron!' scolded Hermione, who had turned at the shouting in the busy corridor.
'It's not like he actually paid anything for it. We split what we took from Zacharias Smith – '
'Ron!' she roared.
The Black Market amongst the students was always rife every exam season, but never had so many people Cassy knew delved into their pockets to pay for such nonsense miracle cures to their revision blues. It was amusing to watch, particularly the part where Hermione burnt several boxes of pills and potions in the common room fire, but Cassy put her foot down when Neville had been enticed into it. They would not work and the last thing he needed was to assume any success he had come from any source but himself. To prove the uselessness, Cassy concocted an identifying potion late one night which changed colour as various ingredients were identified. Mostly household items or crushed potions ingredients, but it had stopped him thinking of ingesting any more.
The day of the first exam was met with silence. Breakfast was eaten without a word. Everyone's eyes were keenly searching for the examiners they had seen arrive the night before, but there was no sign of them, even as they were ejected into the entrance hall while the Great Hall was being set-up for the exam.
During the exam, the examiners strode up and down the aisles as if on clockwork. Carefully, Cassy tuned them out and focused calmly on the questions in front of her. A single quill was already etching away at the answer booklet, undoubtedly Hermione's.
The rest of the exams were much like the first. Late nights and tense mornings, the two weeks of examinations were two of the quickest Cassy had ever had and left her wanting more time to study, despite knowing the textbooks inside and out. The practical exams were the worst. They were taken with only the student and the examiner or sometimes with multiple students waiting around the periphery. However, immediately it was known how they had done and Harry much preferred them while Cassy favoured writing. Not that she thought she had not done well. To her knowledge, she had not made a mistake on any of the practical exams, even Potions where the instructions were slightly miswritten; an entire gram of root was over-calculated for what she knew the Befuddlement Potion required. In the end, her potion had a brighter sheen to it, but almost everyone's was a canary yellow as Professor Snape's lack of presence allowed for positive progress.
Hermione fretted over the error so much that she almost made herself sick before their Herbology exam that afternoon. Defence Against the Dark Arts was another exam that Cassy had complete faith in herself for and it was the only one Harry had left grinning. It helped that for half the year they had been illegally practicing many of the spells, but it helped even more that while Cassy had been teaching Harry all the other classes he took, he had returned the favour and continued to give her tips on Defence. Cassy, Harry, Neville, and Hermione each basked in the satisfaction of Professor Umbridge's furious face at the sight of their success. Harry had even been asked to produce a Patronus and the squeals of the examiner were audible even behind closed doors.
Ancient Runes had Hermione almost in tears as she realised she had mistaken one rune for another. Her panic made Cassy wonder if she had done the same and the two sunk into low spirits over dinner.
'One mark will not change your grades,' assured Harry as he piled treacle tart on Cassy's plate in a bid to get her to eat.
'But lots of one marks do!' protested Hermione, shrilly.
Cassy knew it did not matter, but the perfectionist in her was silently plagued by the thought she might have made such a rudimental mistake too.
Knarls amongst hedgehogs was the test for Care of Magical Creatures, with Fire Crab and unicorn care for the written field study. It proved more difficult for the boys because of their inability to get close to the Unicorns that lesson and almost half the class walked away with minor burns from the crabs. Hagrid's eyes had peered out of his little hut window anxiously for the entire exam.
No one came out of Muggle Studies pleased. It was less factual and more opinion based on Muggle morals and scenarios which had little bearing on the function of any item they had studied. Half the exam was merely asking to expand an opinion and it was only the latter half where Cassy could fully explain the production of electricity that she had any confidence in. Disheartened, she sat with Hermione who loathed her Arithmancy exam, and Harry and Neville who had come out of the worst Divination exams they could have imagined.
By Tuesday night, there were only two more exams to be done. Astronomy was at midnight and History of Magic was held the next afternoon. It was fortunate, thought Cassy, that she knew the constellation names and stars most of her life as she effortlessly wheeled through them on her chart. The only issue was locating them amongst the stars which burnt brightly in the clear night sky. The clouds had parted earlier that evening and left splatters of white in the sky, unobscured by poor weather and unlikely to receive any special consideration for poor visibility.
There was a flash of light from the grounds, but Cassy ignored it. She continued to record Orion's Belt's co-ordinates, sparing a quick glance to Harry who had turned his telescope to the source. Unbothered, she assumed it to be a few younger years trying to distract them. She had certainly heard tales of Fred and George doing it and it was quite possible it might just have been Colin and Dennis Creevy taking photographs of Harry taking an exam. Yet, Harry did not look away.
Sighing, Cassy looked away from the last page of the answer booklet and also turned her telescope to the grounds. Small, dark figures sprinted over the sloping hillside, six in total with Professor Umbridge leading, her coat bright even in the dead of night. She turned her telescope away again, perfectly certain they were heading to Hagrid's hut. She cleared her throat pointedly, but Harry did not return to his exam.
As she wrote down the next batch of co-ordinates, a roar resonated through the air.
'Concentrate,' said Professor Tofty, the examiner, when several people turned at the noise.
Cassy spared a quick glance down at the hut but continued her nearly finished chart at the final twenty-minute reminder. There was nothing to be done for Hagrid now. It was not as though they could kill him – even Professor Umbridge could not dispute that – and he had prepared to be evicted from his home. However, when another beam of light lit the darkened grounds and a yell echoed up, Cassy did turn to him once more.
'You leave my dog alone!' bellowed Hagrid. The barking had halted suddenly.
Six red lights shot at his silhouette in the doorway of his home. Hermione cried out in fright and no one paid attention to Professor Tofty's reprimand. All attention was on the hut. The stunners had no effect on Hagrid it seemed, because in the next moment a man sailed ten-feet through the air and into the pumpkin patch where Hagrid had thrown him.
'It's McGonagall!' called Pavarti.
'This is an exam!' cried Professor Tofty.
The thin, tall figure striding down the path was much more interesting than any star chart.
'Leave him alone!' she bellowed.
Instantly, four red lights darted towards her. There were multiple shouts of outrage as their Head of House crumpled to the floor, even from Professor Tofty. Another roar sounded from Hagrid, deeper and louder this time. The men nearest him collapse instantly beneath his strength. He swooped down and collected Fang, still unmoving, before he ran into the forest and out of sight. Only the sound of Professor Umbridge's screams could be heard after that.
Five minutes later, everyone departed from the tower. Many of the fifth-years congregated at the bottom of the stairwell, shocked and livid.
'She probably wanted to avoid another scene like Trelawney's,' said Ernie Macmillian.
'Professor McGonagall just took four stunners to the chest,' said Cassy icily. 'It is lucky Hagrid had giant blood to repel them, but at her age…' She shook her head. Madam Pomfrey had come hurrying out immediately and Professor Flitwick aided the move of her limp figure. Her favourite teacher was knocked down for protecting her friend.
There was simply no way Umbridge would be allowed to stay. She would be driven out. She had done a lot of wrong since joining, but Cassy would no longer allow her the title of a teacher. All she taught was misery and bullying. She even attacked her own staff.
No, thought Cassy, if Umbridge was still present next year then she would be in for a shock at the hell Cassy would raise when she turned of age that year.
Next chapter and we're off to the Ministry! Finally.
Thank-you for all the reviews and favourites. I really do love receiving alerts each day when someone is working their way through the series. I like to see if they make it through all five or not, haha.
On a note, I realised how much re-reading the sixth-book as an adult has changed my view on the characters. I used to really dislike Ron and Hermione as a pairing, but reading the books through now as I started to write this series, I realised that they are made for each other. It is the films that changes my opinion because Hermione is made to be this reasonable, never-wrong, above emotional nonsense person, when she is actually very petty and jealous like Ron can be and Ron actually cares a lot more than I realised as a child. Sixth-year is the year there I really got the sense that actually, she's just as bad and therefore I like their pairing a lot more than I ever have. I'm still not keen on Harry and Ginny though. I just don't feel like a saw enough of it to have any particular attachment, though I do like Ginny, though I think she needs to be a bit more flawed. I do find her character a bit flat. I would have liked to see her transition from shy and giddy to master-of-her-own-mind-and-body that she became.
Anyway, hopefully there will be an update next week.
Thanks!