Chapter 17
Brianna was packed and ready to go. She packed up all her new books, clothes, birthday stuff-which was at the beginning of summer. She was now 16-along with her broom and sat her truck by the door. Today they were going back to Hogwarts and Draco and Brianna couldn't wait. Like last year they had breakfast with Lucius and Narcissa, while Narcissa fussed about not forgetting anything. When they were ready to leave Brianna wrapped Nyx around her neck, pinned her perfect badge on and they apperated to where they catch there limo and off to king's crossing they went.
"Brianna your father gave me this letter to give to you." Lucius said handing it to her. She only saw her father a handful of times over the summer but he always sent messages through someone for her. He didn't call her for all the meeting right now not wanting word to get out quite yet who her father was. She only went when he was meeting with the inner circle or those he trusted completely.
"Thanks." she said before opening it and reading while they drove to the train station.
My Darling Daughter,
This letter is charmed to be read by your eyes only. I wanted to wish you well on your new year at Hogwarts, I know you will do me proud. If I call for you during the year go to Snape and he will make sure you get to the meeting safely. Also he as agreed to continue your dark arts training during the year, he will give you more details on it later. Stay close to Draco and the other Slytherin and if you have any problems see Snape immediately.
I want to hear how your year goes so write me letters and send them trough Lucius, he will know how to get them to me. Congratulations on making perfect this year along with young Draco. Stay safe my daughter.
Always,
Your father.
She smiled and pocketed the letter as they walked through the platform 9 and ¾. Just like last year Lucius put there trunks on the train while Narcissa hugged and kissed them both over and over telling them how much she would miss them. Lucius had to pull her off so they wouldn't miss the train.
They went to the heads compartment for the perfects meeting. There they saw Granger and Weasley made perfects too.
"Weasley, you actually made perfect. I am shocked." Draco told him laughing.
"Shut up Malfoy." he replied turning red.
When they passed by Potter's compartment after the meeting they stopped to resume the yearly banter. This year they were sitting with Neville again and a blonde girl dressed weird and Ginny Weasley.
"What." Potter ask aggressively.
"Manners, Potter, or I'll have to give you a detention." Draco said pointing to his badge.
"You see I, unlike you, have been made a perfect, which means that I, unlike you, have the power to hand out punishments." Draco drawled out.
"Yeah but you, unlike me, are a git, so get out and leave us alone." Harry bit back.
"Oh temper, temper." Brianna tsk.
"Tell me, how does it feel being second-best to Weasley, Potter?" Draco ask him.
"Shut up, Malfoy." Hermione said sharply.
"I seem to have touched a nerve. Well, just watch yourself, Potter, because I'll be dogging your footsteps in case you step out of line." Draco said mentioning they had seen his godfather at the station in dog form.
"Get out!" Hermione said standing up. Brianna glared at her before they left headed to the Slytherin compartment to sit with there friends.
"Welcome my lady." the Slytherin said when she entered. She motioned for them to keep it quite as her and Draco sat down. They all apologized quickly.
"So any idea who the new DADA teacher is going to be." Pansy ask.
"Father said Fudge talked about sending some women from the Ministry to keep Dumbledore in line but he wasn't sure who." Draco said and everyone nodded. They talked and ate sweets till they made it to Hogwarts.
Draco pushed past the first and second years to get them the first carriage. Hermione of course yelled at him but he just ignored her. When everyone was seated Brianna nudged Draco to get his attention.
"Who is that ugly women in that hideous pick cardigan." Brianna whispered.
"Don't know maybe that's the new teacher." he told her with a look of disgust on his face. Brianna looked over and saw Snape looking about the same as he glanced at the new teacher from time to time.
"Who the hell is that sitting next to you." she ask him in his mind.
"The new DADA Professor Umbridge." he said.
"Ew. Who the hell dresses like that. I feel so sorry you have to sit so close to all that hideous pink." she told him laughing.
"Yes, I feel sorry for myself as well." he said
"Not you type huh? Maybe you should get to know her better. Take her on a date." Brianna joked laughing. He raised his head and shot her an evil nasty look that she could feel in her mind.
"Shut it women. I am trying to eat." he snarled at her before breaking the connection.
"Tuck in." Dumbledore told everyone when the sorting was over.
After the food was gone Dumbledore stood to make his announcements.
"Well, now that we are all feed I want to welcome back all our old students as well as the new comers. As always the forest is out of bounds to all students. Mr. Filch has ask me to remind you all that magic is not permitted in corridors and a list of banned items is on his office door. We have two changes in staff this year. We are very pleased to welcome back Professor Grubbly-Plank, who will be taking Care of Magical Creatures lessons, We are also delighted to introduce Professor Umbridge, our new DADA teacher." Dumbledore said and everyone's eyes went to the smiling women next to Snape.
"Tryouts for the house Quidditch teams will take place-." he broke off when he heard "HEM, HEM." from Umbridge who was standing and walking towards the stage. Most of the teachers looked stunned no one every interrupts Dumbledore.
"Thank you Headmaster, for those kind words of welcome." she simpered in a high-pitched, breathy, girlish voice. "Well, it is lovely to be back at Hogwarts, I must say. And to see such happy little faces looking back at me. I am very much looking forward to getting to know you all, and I'm sure we'll be good friends." she said. Brianna and Draco exchanged looks saying that was never going to happen. She "HEM, HEM." again to get everyone's attention Brianna already didn't like her.
"The Ministry of Magic has always considered the education of young witches and wizards to be of vital importance. The rare gifts with which you were born may come to nothing if not nurtured and honed by careful instruction. Every Headmaster and Headmistress of Hogwarts has brought something new to this historic school, and that is as it should be, for without progress there will be stagnation and decay. There again, progress for progress's sake must be discouraged. Let us move forward, then, into a new era of openness, effectiveness and accountability, intent on preserving what ought to be preserved, perfecting what needs to be perfected and pruning wherever we find practices that ought be prohibited." she squeaked then sat down. Everyone in the hall including some of the teachers where staring open mouthed at his women.
"Thank you, Professor Umbridge, that was most illuminating." Dumbledore said before finishing his speech and dismissing everyone. Brianna and Draco did there perfects duty before calling it a night to get ready for there first classes of the day.
That morning when they got there schedule they had double potions with the Gryffindor's first. Brianna was excited. They lined up outside Snape's door. Moments later he opened the door and let everyone in.
"Settle down." said Snape coldly, shutting the door behind him.
"Before we begin today's lesson." Said Snape sweeping around over to his desk and staring around at all of them. "I think it appropriate to remind you that next June you will be sitting an important examination, during which you will prove how much you have learned about the composition and use of magical potions. Moronic though some of this class undoubtedly are, I expect you to scrape an Acceptable in your O.W.L, or suffer my…displeasure." He said in that silky voice eyes lingering of Neville who gulped. Brianna smirked at Snape.
"After this year, of course, many of you will cease studying with me. I take only the very best into my N.E.W.T potions class, which means that some of us will certainly be saying good-bye." Snape continued glaring at Potter who was glaring back.
"But we have another year to go before that happy moment of farewell, so whether you are intending to attempt N.E.W.T or not, I advise all of you to concentrate your efforts upon maintaining the high-pass level I have come to expect from my O.W.L students."
"Today we will be mixing a potion that often comes up at ordinary wizarding level: the draught of peace. Who can tell me what it is used for." he ask and Hermione's hand shot up along with Brianna's.
"Brianna." Snape called.
"The Draught of Peace is a potion to calm anxiety and agitation." she replied.
"Correct 5 points to Slytherin." he said and the Slytherins cheered.
"Be warned: if you are to heavy-handed with the ingredients you will put the drinker into a heavy and sometimes irreversible sleep, so you will need to pay close attention to what you are doing. The ingredients and method." Snape flicked his wand. " are on the blackboard you will find everything you need" He flicked his wand again. "in the store cupboard. You have an hour and a half…..Start." he said and everyone moved to grab there things and begin. They worked the whole class with Snape walking around commenting on everyone's potion. When there were only 10 minutes left he said.
"A light silver vapor should now be rising from your potion." Brianna looked at hers and it was perfect. She felt Snape behind her bending over to look in her cauldron his hand lingering on her lower back making her heart speed up.
"Perfect Brianna at least someone has the makings to create perfection in my class same to you Draco 5 points to each of you." Snape said and they both beamed at him while Potter and his friends scowled. Snape swept over towards Potter's table. He didn't say anything to Hermione who looked upset he didn't tell her she was perfect as well.
"Potter, what is this supposed to be?" Snape ask him causing the Slytherins to look up eagerly.
"The Draught of Peace." Potter replied tensely.
"Tell me, Potter, can you read?" Snape ask softly. Brianna and Draco laughed out loud.
"Yes I can." Potter said fingers clenching his wand.
"Read the third line of the instructions for me, Potter." Snape told him.
Harry squinted at the blackboard trying to see through the thick clouds of vapors.
"Add powdered moonstone, stir three times counterclockwise, allow to simmer for seven minutes, then add two drops of syrup of hellebore." Harry read out loud.
"Did you do everything on the third line, Potter?" Snape ask.
"No." Harry replied quietly.
"I beg your pardon?" Snape drawled.
"No. I forgot the hellebore." Harry said.
"I know you did, Potter, which means that this mess is utterly worthless. Evanesco." he said cleaning away Potters cauldron before turning back to the class.
"Those of you who have managed to read the instructions, fill one flagon with a sample of your potion, label it clearly with your name, and bring it up to my desk for testing. Homework: 12 inches of parchment on the properties of moonstone and its uses in potion-making, to be handed in next class." he said going back to his desk. Brianna and Draco filled there's with perfect potions and took them up front before clearing away there things then heading for lunch then Divination which was as boring as it always was. Brianna couldn't wait to drop it next year.
After that they had there first DADA class. Draco and Brianna took there normal seats in the back and waited. Brianna used that time to start righting down her answers to Snape's homework. Moments later Umbridge walked in wearing more pink and a god awful ugly hat.
"Well, good afternoon." she said. A few people mumble "Good Afternoon."
"Tut, tut. That wont do, now, will it? I should like you, please, to reply 'good afternoon Professor Umbridge.' one more time please. Good afternoon class!" she said.
"Good afternoon, Professor Umbridge." they said back loudly to her.
"There now. That wasn't too difficult, was it? Wands away and quills out, please." she said sweetly. Brianna didn't have to move she already had her stuff out.
"Well now, your teaching in this subject has been rather disrupted and fragmented, hasn't it? The constant changing of teachers, many of whom do not seem to have followed and ministry approved curriculum, has unfortunately resulted in your being far below the standard we would expect to see in your O.W.L year."
"You will be pleased to know, however, that these problems are now to be rectified. We will be following a carefully structured, theory-centered, ministry approved course of defensive magic this year. Copy down the following, please." she said and tapped her wand on the blackboard forming a message to which they all copied down.
"Has everybody got a copy of there book." there was a dull murmur as an answer.
"I think we'll try that again. Does everyone have there book." she ask again.
"Yes, Professor Umbridge." they all replied.
"Good please turn to chapter one. There will be no talking." she said sitting at her desk. Everyone but Hermione had started reading. She had her hand in the air. Brianna had already read the whole book during the summer and knew it was a load of crap but she pretended to read anyways. There was something about this woman that made her not want to really cross just yet. After several minutes of Hermione being ignored half the class started watching and waiting.
"Did you want to ask something about the chapter, dear?" Umbridge ask.
"Not about the chapter, no." Hermione said.
"Well, we're reading now. If you have other queries we can deal with them at the end of class." Umbridge told her.
"I've got a query about your course aims." Hermione told her. Draco and Brianna looked up from there books eye brow raised watching. Something was about to happen.
"And you name is-."
"Hermione Granger."
"Well, Miss Granger, I think the course aims are perfectly clear is you read them though carefully." she said sweetly and Brianna giggled drawing attention to herself.
"And your name Miss." Umbridge smiled at her.
"Brianna LeStrange ma'am. Sorry but what you said was rather funny. The aims are easy to understand." she replied sweetly.
"LeStrange. Yes, Lucius Malfoy speaks highly of you at the Ministry. The Minister also informed me of how polite you have always been in his presence." she said smiling.
"Thank you." Brianna replied getting glares from the Gryffindor's and smiles from her house.
"Well I don't find them easy to understand. There's nothing written up there about using defensive spells." Hermione said drawing the attention back to her.
"Using defensive spells? Why, I cant 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?" he said.
"We're not going to use magic?" Ron ask loudly.
"Students will raise there hands when they wish to speak in my class. Mr. -"
"Weasley." he said thrusting his hand in the air along with Harry and Hermione. Umbridge eyes lingered on Harry for a moment before turning back to Hermione.
"Yes Miss. Granger. You wanted to ask something?" she said.
"Yes. Surely the whole point of DADA is to practice spells?" Hermione ask.
"Are you a ministry trained expert. Miss. Granger?" asked Umbridge.
"No but."
"Well then, I'm afraid you are not qualified to decided what the 'whole point' of any class is. Wizards much older and cleverer than you have devised our new program of study. You will be learning about spells in a secure risk free way." she told her.
"What use is that. If we're going to be attacked it wont be in a -." Harry said but was interrupted.
"Hand. Mr. Potter." Sang Umbridge. He put his hand up along with several others but she ignored him.
"And your name is." she ask a Gryffindor boy. The Slytherins were the only ones smart enough to keep there mouths shut. None were happy about not using spells even Brianna but they didn't dare get in trouble.
"Dean Thomas." he said.
"Well, Mr. Thomas." she replied.
"Well, it's like Harry said, isn't it? If we're to be attacked it wont be risk free." he told her.
"I repeat do you expect to be attacked during my class?" she ask him.
"No but."
"I do not wish to criticize the way things have been rum in this school, but you have been exposed to some very irresponsible wizards in this class, very irresponsible indeed- not to mention extremely dangerous half-breeds." she said looking disgusted.
"If you mean Professor Lupin. He was the best we ever had." Dean said.
"Hand. Mr. Thomas! As I was saying you have been introduced to spells that have been complex to your age group, and lethal. You have been frightened into believing that you are likely to meet dark attacks." she told them.
"No we haven't. We Just." Hermione said.
"Your hand is not up Miss. Granger!" Umbridge shouted and Hermione stuck her hand up to which was ignored.
"It is my understanding that your last teacher actually performed illegal curses on you. Am I correct Miss. LeStrange." she ask Brianna.
"That is correct Professor." Brianna replied.
"Well, he turned out to be a maniac, didn't he. But we still learned." Dean said.
"Hand. Mr. Thomas! Now, it is the view of the Ministry that a theoretical knowledge will be more than sufficient to get you through your examination, which, after all, is what school is all about. And your name." she said pointing to one of the twins in the class.
"Parvati Patil, and isn't there a practical bit in our O.W.L?" she ask.
"As long as you have studied the theory hard enough, there is no reason why you should not be able to perform the spells during the exam." Umbridge told her.
"Without practicing them first. Are you telling us that the first time we'll get to do the spells will be at the exam." Patil ask.
"I repeat as long as you have studied the theory hard enough-"
"And what good's theory going to be in the real world." Harry ask interrupting her again.
"This is school, Mr. Potter, not the real world." she told him softly.
"So we're not supposes to be prepared for what's waiting out there?" he ask.
"There is nothing waiting out there, Mr. Potter." Umbridge told him.
"Oh yeah how about Lord Voldemort." Harry said face red with anger. Half the class gasp at the use of the name. Brianna and Draco exchanged glances.
"Ten points form Gryffindor Mr. Potter. Now let me make a few things clear. You have been told that a certain dark wizard has returned from the dead." she said.
"He wasn't dead. And yeah he's returned." Potter and angrily.
"Mr. Potter you have already lost your house points don't make matters worse! As I was saying, you have been told he has returned. This is a lie." Umbridge told them.
"It is NOT a lie. I saw him, I fought him." Harry spat at her.
"Detention, Mr. Potter. Tomorrow at 5. Now as I said this is a lie and if someone is arming you with such lies I want you to come to me. I am here to help. I am your friend. Now please get back to your reading." she told them.
"So according to you. Cedric Diggory dropped dead on his own accord, did he?" Harry ask voice shaking.
"His death was a tragic accident." She said coldly.
"It was murder." said Harry. "Voldemort killed him and you know it."
"Come here Mr. Potter, dear." Umbridge said to him taking out paper and writing a note. He stood grabbing his things and walked to her desk.
"Take this to your head of house." was all she said. He snatched the paper and stomped out. With the Slytherins laughing at him. After that class stayed silent no one wanted detention. Brianna use this time to write a letter to her father and mother about this new teacher that she couldn't stand.
At dinner that night everyone was talking about Potters out burst making him out to be crazy in the head. After dinner Brianna went to Snape's office for her dark arts lessons and tell him about what went on in DADA. He found it highly amusing that Potter got detention for his big mouth. Snape promised that he would teach her what she needed to pass her Owl's since Umbridge refused to do it. After that she felt much better about the exams.
