Chapter 6 – A Lesson in Transfiguration
It wasn't until after midnight before Delores had calmed down enough to remember that she had a Sleeping Draught to take. She downed the potion and grimaced at the bitter taste. She really hated to take a potion like this but she understood the necessity of getting a good night's sleep. Something she really hadn't gotten since Cornelius Fudge had informed her of the need to go to Hogwarts and to deal with not only Harry Potter but that other thorn in the Minister's side Albus Dumbledore.
It did not take long for Delores to fall asleep but her rest was anything but productive. Vague dreams and memories of her own days as a student kept her tossing and turning during the night and halfway through the morning. When she finally woke she thought she felt more tired than when she had taken the potion.
Delores sat half dazed through brunch and chastised herself for letting the strange dreams disrupt her usual routine. She had a number of things to accomplish today and she was already a half day behind in her strict timetable. There was no avoiding it however; some of her weekly chores would have to be relegated to another day of the week before she had to start her new duties as THE Professor of Defense against the Dark Arts.
The more she thought about it however, the more Delores wondered why the subject was still taught at Hogwarts. There had been a relatively long period of peace in magical England since He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named had disappeared. The efforts of the Wizengamot led by Minister Fudge and his close friends, like Lord Malfoy, had insured that there were adequate measures in place to insure the continued safety and security of their way of life. Something that those half-bloods and the muggle born trash certainly had no right to.
Duels were all but a thing of the past and Delores had no doubts that those 'proper' families were very involved in teaching those spells to their sons and daughters in order to protect themselves for the rabble and undesirables of the world. Delores had thought about forming a special study group composed of the pureblood offspring to learn advanced spells to take care of those 'students' that were shamelessly flouting their stolen magic and attending the finest institute of learning in the world. Perhaps one of the Ministerial Decrees she could have Cornelius issue would restrict Hogwarts to those students that were 'truly qualified' to attend Hogwarts and let the pretenders be relegated to those inferior schools like Beauxbatons and the – ugg – Salem Academy of Magic in the states.
Delores spent most of the afternoon and evening thinking about her carefully laid out plans for taking over Hogwarts and eliminating the liar that threatened the stability that Cornelius Fudge had so carefully constructed. She only left her house during the day to make a personal trip to the local Apothecary store. She instructed (under the threat of her title as Senior Undersecretary) the Potion Master to mix her the strongest sleeping drought he could prepare as she had an important meeting the next day that she had to get a restful night's sleep for.
For once Delores Umbridge did not underestimate the necessity and importance of tomorrow's meeting. She had to deal with the Assistant Headmistress of Hogwarts – Minerva McGonagall.
The two women did not like each other; a condition that reached all the way back to when Delores had been a student herself at Hogwarts. McGonagall had already been teaching a number of years when Delores had been sorted into Slytherin House and had developed a taste of the power that Lucius Malfoy and his friends had so powerfully wielded. While McGonagall had been a strict disciplinarian in the classroom, Delores had thought that her teaching methods were inferior as she had never done well in the practical part of the class, barely garnering A's on both her OWL and NEWT exams. McGonagall was only one of the inadequate teachers that Umbridge blamed for her lowly starting position in the Ministry of Magic.
During her years at Hogwarts, Delores had also watched the animosity that existed between some of the members of Gryffindor house and all of Slytherin House, especially a talented young wizard named Severus Snape. It was partially a matter of revenge that Delores was so overjoyed at taking this assignment at Hogwarts. She had failed on the matter of having Harry Potter punished and his wand snapped after the incident with the Dementors but now an entirely different situation was all but guaranteed to take care of the half-blood brat.
Delores didn't know how much of a stand Professor McGonagall would take against her but she felt that once she had taken over as High Inquisitor things would be much different. McGonagall loved her position as Transfiguration Instructor too much to risk losing it by opposing her. Or interfering on how she planned to deal with Potter.
Thinking of the tour in the morning at the hands of Professor McGonagall, Delores downed the stronger Sleeping Drought and snuggled into her feather-down bed with kittens playing with small balls of yarn and fell asleep.
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Since the selected target was Harry Potter, Delores made a special effort to attend the classes he was taking to evaluate both the instructor and see what exactly the half-blood understood about magic. Delores also understood that Potter had received preferential treatment by at least the headmaster and wondered if it would also be granted by the other professors. Not that anyone was really safe from removal by the High Inquisitor. Today was a chance to take care of not only Potter but Minerva McGonagall.
Delores found a seat in the back of the Transfiguration classroom right before the class was scheduled to appear. She noted the faces of the Gryffindor and Ravenclaw students as they entered and saw her. Most grew very nervous and there were some mutterings between some of the students. Delores jotted down a quick note about Potter, Granger and Weasley to add to her growing files on them.
The young witches and wizards grew quieter as they took their seats and waiting for the arrival of the Transfiguration teacher. Delores checked her watch and prepared to write down that McGonagall was late for her own class. Professor McGonagall entered room with five whole seconds to spare with the sound of the bell coinciding exactly with the snick of the door closing. She didn't glance at Umbridge but went right to the front and started directing the class as the students started uttering again.
"That will do" she said and the silence fell immediately. "Mr. Finnegan, kindly come here and hand back the homework – Miss Brown, please take this box of mice – don't be silly, girl, they won't hurt you – and hand one to each student –" (Ch. 15, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix)
"Hem, ahem."
Professor McGonagall ignored her as the student calmly handed back the homework that students had previously handed in. Delores tried again.
"Ahem, hem."
This time Professor McGonagall reacted and turned to look at Umbridge as if she was somehow disrupting her class.
"Did you not get the notice of the time and date of your inspection Professor?"
"I am very sorry Delores but my official duties have managed to keep me out of my office for the last couple of days. If the message was delivered there I have not had the opportunity to read it."
"Professor McGonagall, I would hope you would have had the professionalism to refer to me by my title, especially in front of the children."
"My apologies Madam High Inquisitor. I thought it was your practice to just silently observe the teacher in question without delaying his or her instructions. I apologize to both you and my students."
"Very well, you may continue Professor McGonagall."
Delores took her seat as McGonagall looked around at the students who seemed to be anxious to get on with their lesson.
"Madame High Inquisitor?"
The question surprised Delores as it came from McGonagall.
"Yes?"
"Since you are already here, I was wondering if I could impose on you to help with an advanced lesson of transfiguration. I'm sure you are the perfect person to help us today since you have had so much experience as the Senior Undersecretary of Magic."
"I would… I would be pleased and honored to assist in any way I can."
"Thank you. Miss… Turpin would you mind taking the box from Miss Brown and gathering up the mice again?"
The High Inquisitor watched the young girl start around the room but then McGonagall spun around and cast a purple spell right at her where she sat at the back of the room. The students gave a great roar of approval for what had happened but Delores was unable to respond…
For sitting in the chair that she had formerly occupied was a large stuffed toad. Delores could see herself but could not respond at all.
"Silent casting is a trick that will be taught to you in the sixth and seventh year" Professor McGonagall said. "As you can see, one of the main advantages is surprise as the target has no warning or time to erect a shield."
"Or dodge out of the way" Harry Potter said.
"Take two points for Gryffindor for logical thinking Mr. Potter. We will not be going over silent casting today however. Since Professor, excuse me, High Inquisitor Umbridge has so generously volunteered her time and body to help us out we will be learning a new spell today. Books away now and clear the floor."
The students stowed away their books, quills and ink and pushed their desks to the sides of the room. They all gathered around in a semi-circle as the professor brought the chair with the stuffed animal to the front of her desk.
"Queue up everyone please. Today we will be learning a new spell. It is "Demutavio".
"Demutavio" the students repeated.
"This is an intent-based spell much like the Riddikulus spell you learned in third year from Professor Lupin. Would anyone care to refresh our memories on what an intent spell is exactly? Miss Brocklehurst?"
The young lady stepped out of line just to speak up a little. "An intent-based spell results in an outcome fueled by the imagination or desires of the caster."
"Very good Miss Brocklehurst. Take two points for Ravenclaw. As High Inquisitor Umbridge had volunteered, you will all have an opportunity to change this stuffed animal into anything you want. Points will be given for successful casting as well as imagination. Remember you are all responsible for the form Professor Umbridge takes until the spell is reversed, worn off or till the next student casts. Who would like to try it first? No shoving Mr. Weasley. You there - Mr. Boot."
"Demutavio!"
"Shouting isn't necessary Mr. Boot. And your wand movement wasn't quite right; a backwards 'C' with a jab on the end. Please try again."
"Demutavio."
"Excellent; a watermelon. Next, Miss Brown?"
"Demutavio."
"Was it your intention Miss Brown to have a grey squirrel?"
"No Professor McGonagall. I was trying for an elderly flying mammal."
"Well, some people privately do regard Professor Umbridge as an old ba-. Half-points. Finite. Miss Parvati Patil."
"Demutavio."
"A reversed colored skunk?"
"Yes Ma'am."
"Very well. Mr. Finnegan – your turn. And nothing alcoholic please."
"Demutavio."
Delores didn't know what she changed into but the young wizard got a pat on the back for turning her into something that the mudbl… muggleborn called a mailbox. Delores hated that it was a muggle whatever it was and that the 'children' were all laughing at her.
The rest of the class members all rapidly took their turns transfiguring her into a number of different articles. Delores was seething as much as she could considering as she rapidly went through a series of different forms. Not everyone got the spell right. Mr. Longbottom, for example, tried to make her into a potted cactus plant but she overheard that she was turned into a solid rubber ball and fell off the chair and bounced twice.
And not all the forms she took had eyes or ears; so she could only rely on the voices she had heard from the students as they stated their objective before they cast the spell. It was quite disconcerting and Delores never had a chance to stop the whole procession as her wand had mysteriously disappeared; along with hands or a mouth to actually reverse the spell.
She was aware of the changes but couldn't always tell what was going on. Some of the forms were inanimate but the changes made her head (when she had one) dizzy and her stomach quite upset.
Thankfully, Delores had done her counting and knew that the end of the line and lesson were approaching. Unfortunately, it was her favorite three targets from Gryffindor that were left.
"Demutavio."
Delores felt herself falling apart. And felt very queasy.
"Mr. Weasley! If you are going to actually cast a spell to make flobberworms, you should create a container to hold them in."
"I'll try to remember that for next time Professor McGonagall. Should I clean up the mess?"
"I'll do it for you this time Mr. Weasley but you'll have an extra four inches to write for your assignment than the other students. And two points from Gryffindor for bad planning."
"I thought the twins would like it" was Mr. Weasley's only comment as he headed for the side of the classroom and joined the other students that had already cast their spells.
"Wingardium Leviosa!" There was a sensation of gathering of her parts together and floating off the floor as Professor McGonagall prepared Delores for the next to last student.
"Miss Granger?"
"Demutavio."
"An archery target Miss Granger?"
"I wanted to make sure Harry had a clear spot to aim at Professor."
"Excellent choice then Miss Granger. Take a point for creativity and assisting a fellow house member."
"Thank you Professor."
"And last but by no means least, Mr. Potter."
There seemed to be a certain anticipation in the air as Harry Potter cast his gaze on the target. Everyone was waiting to see what the Boy-Who-Lived would do to the person that had been picking on him all semester and calling him a liar.
"Demutavio!"
There was a gasp from everyone present as they saw what Harry had done but a few students had begun applauding. The Transfiguration teacher glared at the students for a bit but awarded Potter ten points for being a good judge of character. She then dismissed the class after assigning the written homework.
Delores was back in the chair but couldn't move as she wasn't alive in this form. She had eyes and ears but couldn't even move her head.
Wait - She had a head! Delores opened her mouth to scream at McGonagall to remove all the spells but found she couldn't talk at all.
"That's my silencing spell. Whatever you have to say Delores, dear, I'm very sure that I don't want to hear it. Remember you volunteered to help me with my class so you have nobody to blame for this but yourself. I saw Mr. Creevy hanging outside this classroom as the fifth years left."
"To explain further, Mr. Creevey is an excellent photographer and I'm sure he took a few pictures of you in your present condition. Make what you will of that but I'm sure the Minister would not like to see your photograph in the Daily Prophet."
With that Professor McGonagall made a wave with her wand and a full length mirror appeared beside her. She moved it so that that Delores could see herself.
Delores wasn't sure if her face had turned white but she did feel very faint.
"Ahem, ahem." This time it was McGonagall that sought the High Inquisitor's attention. "Mr. Potter has a great number of attributes. For example, he never lies. He suffers in silence when he shouldn't but he is a powerful wizard in his own right. He did win that little competition we had last year after all. His spell should fade out after about a half hour but you never know. Just have a little patience and you'll be back to your cheery self in no time."
McGonagall adjusted the mirror so that it was right in front of Delores but left the classroom door open so that anyone could look in. It was the sniggering that finally forced Delores to open her eyes. Many students had paused on their way to the next classes and were pointing at her.
It was embarrassing; it was humiliating. It was way too, too much to deal with. As Delores felt the silencing spell finally fade away she raised her head to scream at the onlookers.
And looked directly into the back end of a horse! And in the place of its tail, Delores' head appeared right over….
Delores awoke screaming and couldn't stop for almost an hour!