Chapter Eighteen: Are You Prepared?
Ron was awoken the next morning by Hermione's lips on his. Ron smiled as she kissed him awake and he decided that this was the best way to be woken up in the whole world ever. When they stopped kissing, he looked into her brown eyes and said, 'Good morning, my love.'
'Good morning to you, too, but we need to get dressed,' she replied.
'Yeah, staying here all day to make love would probably get us in the shite,' replied Ron.
Hermione sighed and stood up and made to dress.
'By the way, how did you get in here last night, before me I mean,' Ron said.
'We're connected, just through that door there's a small common room where we can study and do our homework together, as well as sit down by the fire, my room's just off that, though I don't think you'll be able to come into my room,' replied Hermione, as she pointed at a door.
'We'll have to use that room after classes, won't we?' said Ron.
'I think that goes without saying, sweetheart,' replied Hermione.
Ron quickly washed and dressed before meeting Hermione in the common room and then they set off for breakfast.
Meanwhile, Dolores Umbridge was making her way to the Headmaster's study. She was surprised but pleased to receive his summons this morning. She had already begun to plot how she would soon be in the very office she was on her way to as she reached the gargoyle outside and gave the password. 'Silly old man, sweets for a password,' she thought scathingly.
Once she was up the steps, she entered without knocking.
'You wanted to speak to me, Dumbledore?' she said.
'I did indeed, Dolores,' replied Dumbledore.
Umbridge made to sit down but Dumbledore spoke again.
'I did not invite you to sit, Dolores. I summoned you here to inform you of something. Now, while you work at the Ministry of Magic as Senior Undersecretary, you are in the employ of Minister Fudge, however, right now, you are the Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher and that makes you my employee – despite the fact that I did not hire you myself, and last night you overstepped your bounds and violated Hogwarts' Protocol by giving an unauthorised speech to my students in my school. I must insist that you apologise to the entire school at breakfast or I will be forced into removing you from my school, furthermore, you will treat my teachers, students and this school with respect. I am your employer and if you wish to remain employed here you will do as I tell you, and, finally, you have until Friday to provide me with your qualifications in the field of Defence Against the Dark Arts, you are dismissed.'
The look of shock on her face was one that Dumbledore would commit to his memory forever, and it might even fuel his Patronus, too.
He watched as she stood up and made to leave his study.
'Oh, one more thing, Dolores, you are on probation, good day to you,' said Dumbledore, coolly before watching her face turn an ugly shade of red as she left.
Back in the Great Hall, Severus Snape was eating his breakfast and thinking about what had occurred earlier in the Headmaster's study. Professor McGonagall had given him a right earful about the treatment of "her lions". She had used words that he did not think she even knew. Making students cry was unacceptable and unprofessional, she had yelled at him, before warning him that if she got another report about him from any student, he would find out why there's an unwritten law that you do not fuck with the Transfiguration teacher.
Meanwhile, in the hall, Ron and Hermione were eating breakfast together and happily ignoring the looks from the other Gryffindors. Eventually, Professor McGonagall handed out timetables, and they heard the moan from their former friend about their Mondays. Potions, History of Magic, and Defence Against the Dark Arts were what made up Ron's Monday. Hermione had the same but with Arithmancy before DADA. They even heard the twins offering something called Nosebleed Nougat cheap to get out of the lessons, but were declined. Hermione would have confiscated the lot in a heartbeat given the chance.
Once breakfast ended Ron and Hermione made their way to Potions. The class itself was not all that bad. The Draught of Peace was a fiddly potion to make but they both managed to make a good job of their first attempt, while Snape singled out Harry for forgetting the hellebore before moving on to lambaste Longbottom's hopeless concoction and then moving away.
During History of Magic, Ron sat and doodled on his parchment throughout the entire class, while Hermione paid attention to what Professor Binns was saying. Of course, she was the only one that was, but she still managed to tell off Ron for doodling when the class ended. Ron gave her the excuse that he was tired and the fact that Binns' voice had the power to send people to sleep seemed to placate her and she agreed to lend him her notes while she was in Arithmancy.
Ron went back to Gryffindor tower and his dormitory to read Hermione's notes. As usual, Hermione's small, but beautiful handwriting stood out on the parchment. Ron marvelled at it as he had always done. He had never cared much for the subject; the allure of Hermione's notes lay in her handwriting. It was then he realised how bad he had it for her before shaking his head and reading the detailed notes his girlfriend had given him.
Ron met up again with Hermione after her Arithmancy class. She gave him a smile that told him that she had missed him during her class before they made their way to Defence. Once there, they were invited to take out their books and to read the course aims written on the board as well as to read the useless book they had all been set. However, after a few minutes, Ron raised his hand.
Umbridge was trying to ignore his hand but Ron kept his hand in the air until Umbridge had no choice but to call on him.
'Yes, Mr –?' she said.
'Weasley, Ron Weasley, I have a question for you,' replied Ron.
'About what, Mr Weasley?' she asked in her most patronising tone.
'This class, and this book,' he replied coolly.
'Well, Mr Weasley, right now we are reading,' she replied.
'Doesn't change the fact that I have a question,' said Ron.
'Very well, what is your question?'
'Aren't we a little old for "Basics for Beginners"? We are all fifth year students who will be taking our O.W.L.s next June; shouldn't we be learning new spells and what's actually on the syllabus so we can pass Defence?' Ron asked.
'You will be learning new spells, Mr Weasley, although I cannot think of a single reason why children such as yourselves would need to use said spells, particularly in my classroom,' Umbridge replied patronisingly.
Ron saw Harry's head shoot up and was about to raise his hand before he spoke again.
'There are plenty of reasons to be able to defend yourself, even while you're still in school, from bullies, for example,' said Ron.
'If you are being bullied, Mr Weasley, there are teachers you can go to,' she simpered.
'I was using bullies as an example, and teachers aren't always around. I'll give you another example; what about someone with a grievance against you, how would you defend yourself from someone who is beyond reason?' Ron asked.
Umbridge stood there doing an impersonation of a fish before Ron spoke again.
'Are you going to be teaching us new spells and allowing us to practice new spells in class?'
'The new course that the Ministry of Magic has designed for all students is Theory based, meaning that if you all study the theory hard enough it should be sufficient to help you pass any Defence Against the Dark Arts test – whether it is an end of year test, O.W.L, or N.E.W.T. examination,' replied Umbridge.
'So, just to clarify, all students are expected to be able to perform spells on the first try during their actual examination, without any kind of practice at all?' Ron asked.
'If you study the theory well enough, yes,' she replied.
'That's interesting … and impossible,' said Ron, coolly. 'Are you and the Ministry prepared for the fall out?'
'I do not understand what you mean, Mr Weasley,' Umbridge replied confused.
'Well, are the Ministry and yourself prepared for the backlash from angry parents when their sons or daughters fail their exams? Let's say ninety-eight per cent of the students fail whatever exam they have taken, that's still a lot of angry parents who will send Howler after Howler to the Minister, to you, and others who have helped design this course, for example; Draco Malfoy tells his father why he failed his Defence Owl, he tells his father word for word what you just told us. Susan Bones, also fails, she tells her aunt who is the Head of DMLE, again word for word what you just told us, that's two students from prominent pureblood families, and most of the blame is going to go on you, Professor, as the teacher and figurehead of this new course, so if I may, I suggest you begin teaching us what is actually on the syllabus instead of this nonsense,' said Ron.
He sat back down and waited for Umbridge to say something but she remained silent as she was pondering over his words, while every student, including Potter and Longbottom, agreed with everything he had said.
Unfortunately, it was then that Potter stood up and started to ask his own questions, but his questions were about Voldemort, they and his anger were met with Umbridge giving him detention, before referring him to Professor McGonagall.
Once the class was over, Ron stormed back to his dorm at high speed while Hermione struggled to keep up with him, once inside, Ron exploded.
'That stupid fucking arse!' he exclaimed, 'why couldn't he keep his fucking mouth shut? Why the fuck did he have to say all that about Voldemort? Now I expect the stupid twat has detention with that twisted toad for the whole fucking week! Well, serves him right, come on, love, let's get some dinner.'
'At least we'll find out if she harms Potter during the detention,' said Hermione.
'I doubt it, the stupid git won't say anything, and she'll know that,' replied Ron.
'In that case we need to speak to Professor Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall,' replied Hermione, as they made their way to dinner.