Two weeks after the Hogsmeade trip, there was an article in The Quibbler giving all the details of Voldermort's return. Ari only found out about it because of the new educational decree banning The Quibbler. Some Ravenclaws figured out how to bewitch the Quibbler pages to look like pages of a textbook and shared it with the school. Ari suddenly realized he had a solution to the boredom that was Defense Against Dark Arts. All he has to do is bewitch a muggle novel to look like his textbook, and he can read whatever he wants in class.
Not long afterwards, Professor Trelawney was fired. Ari didn't really know her as he never took Divination, and most of the Ravenclaws weren't too impressed with her, but he still felt sorry for the woman who was out of a job. Ari was shocked that the new Divination teacher was a centaur.
The DA was starting to work on Patronuses. It wasn't easy, but those who mastered it were very proud of themselves. Ari was horrified when a house elf interrupted a meeting to say that Umbridge was coming. He ran with the others, hoping not to get caught.
The next day, all anybody would talk about was how Dumbledore took the blame for the DA and hexed five people to escape. Umbridge declared herself the new headmistress, but the headmaster's office wouldn't let her in.
Umbridge took her power to her head. She appointed a bunch of idiot Slytherins to be the inquisitional squad, and they were deducting points from all houses besides their own.
Ari was very impressed when he saw fireworks all over the school. Umbridge spent the whole afternoon running around trying to get rid of them.
When Ari was home for Pesach, he told his family what the curse was on the parchment. He explained that a girl a year older than him has the word sneak written across her face. Oma was disappointed that the DA was no more, while Tatti was relieved that Ari was no longer taking part in anything dangerous. Mommy found the fireworks story to be hilarious and suggested some pranks Ari could pull on Umbridge, but Tatti said that if he does, he won't be going home for Shabbos anymore.
"That's only if you get caught," Mommy said cheerfully. "Besides, if a whole class does something together, the teacher won't know who to blame."
"Don't give him ideas," Tatti said quietly. Mommy dropped it for the time being.
After Pesach, Ari had to meet with Professor Flitwick to discuss career options.
"Do you know what you would like to do in the future?" Flitwick asked.
"I would like to become a professional rugby player," Ari told him.
"I will admit that I'm not so familiar with muggle sports," Flitwick confessed. "What do you need to become a rugby player?"
"It's easier if you're scouted," Ari told him, "but Hogwarts doesn't have a rugby team so I was never scouted. I could try to join the academy after I graduate. Otherwise, I'll just have to join a lower club and hope to do well enough to move up."
"Do you have other options?" Flitwick asked.
"I could become a professional football player," Ari suggested.
"How do you do that?" Flitwick asked.
"I would say I have about a .1% of becoming a professional football player," Ari told him.
"Anything else?" Flitwick asked.
"I could become a basketball player," Ari said optimistically.
"Anything not sports related?" Flitwick tried again.
"I suppose I could drive a bus," Ari suggested.
"Do you have any interest in a magical career?" Professor Flitwick asked.
"No," Ari said. "I'm going to be rejoining the muggle world as soon as I graduate, so a magical career isn't an option."
"Why can't you stay in the magical community?" Flitwick wanted to know.
"I will end up marrying a muggle," Ari explained, "so I can't be living in a magical area."
"Why can't you marry a witch?" was the next question.
"There are only two Jewish witches in Europe," Ari told his professor. "One is my grandmother and the other one is already married with grandchildren around my age. The only way I can stay in this country and marry a Jew is by marrying a muggle."
"Do you know what NEWTS you will take next year?" Professor Flitwick asked.
"Defense against Dark Arts," Ari said confidently.
"What else?" Flitwick asked.
"My father said NEWT classes are hard and give lots of work," Ari offered weakly.
"Are you having a hard time this year?" Flitwick wanted to know.
"No, I do my homework as soon as it's assigned, usually during my next class," Ari said. "If I can't do it in class, I do it the next break. Sometimes I do other people's homework too if I have extra time."
"You and your father are very different," Professor Flitwick said.
"My grandmother says the same thing," Ari said. "But I get my love of sports from my father."
"You should easily be able to handle at least three courses," Professor Flitwick told him.
"Fine," Ari conceded. "I'll take Arithmancy and Ancient Runes."
Ari left his meeting, leaving a very confused professor behind.