Chapter 24

They had expected to have to comb Hermione's Daily Prophet carefully next morning to find the article Percy had mentioned in his letter. However, the departing delivery owl had barely cleared the top of the milk jug when Hermione let out a huge gasp and flattened the newspaper to reveal a large photograph of Dolores Umbridge, smiling widely and blinking slowly at them from beneath the headline:

MINISTRY SEEKS EDUCATIONAL REFORM

DOLORES UMBRIDGE APPOINTED FIRST-EVER "HIGH INQUISITOR"

"'High Inquisitor'?" said Harry darkly, his half-eaten bit of toast slipping from his fingers. "What does that mean?"

Hermione read aloud:

"In a surprise move last night the Ministry of Magic passed new legislation giving itself an unprecedented level of control at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."

"I knew Fudge was going to do that when Dumbledore declared he had no ruling over Hogwarts." Alicia hissed angrily before Hermione continued to read.

"'The Minister has been growing uneasy about goings-on at Hogwarts for some time,' said Junior Assistant to the Minister, Percy Weasley. 'He is now responding to concerns voiced by anxious parents, who feel the school may be moving in a direction they do not approve.'

"This is not the first time in recent weeks Fudge has used new laws to effect improvements at the Wizarding school. As recently as August 30th Educational Decree Twenty-two was passed, to ensure that, in the event of the current headmaster being unable to provide a candidate for a teaching post, the Ministry should select an appropriate person.

" 'That's how Dolores Umbridge came to be appointed to the teaching staff at Hogwarts,' said Weasley last night. 'Dumbledore couldn't find anyone, so the Minister put in Umbridge and of course, she's been an immediate success —' "

"I knew Dumbledore had no choice in her hiring." Alicia said, her good hand balled into a fist.

"She's been a WHAT?" said Harry loudly.

"Wait, there's more," said Hermione grimly.

"'— an immediate success, totally revolutionising the teaching of Defence Against the Dark Arts and providing the Minister with on-the-ground feedback about what's really happening at Hogwarts.'

"It is this last function that the Ministry has now formalised with the passing of Educational Decree Twenty-three, which creates the new position of 'Hogwarts High Inquisitor.'

"'This is an exciting new phase in the Minister's plan to get to grips with what some are calling the "falling standards" at Hogwarts,' said Weasley. 'The Inquisitor will have powers to inspect her fellow educators and make sure that they are coming up to scratch. Professor Umbridge has been offered this position in addition to her own teaching post, and we are delighted to say that she has accepted.'

"The Ministry's new moves have received enthusiastic support from parents of students at Hogwarts.

" 'I feel much easier in my mind now that I know that Dumbledore is being subjected to fair and objective evaluation,' said Mr. Lucius Malfoy, 41, speaking from his Wiltshire mansion last night. 'Many of us with our children's best interests at heart have been concerned about some of Dumbledore's eccentric decisions in the last few years and will be glad to know that the Ministry is keeping an eye on the situation.'

"Among those 'eccentric decisions' are undoubtedly the controversial staff appointments previously described in this newspaper, which have included the hiring of werewolf Remus Lupin, half giant Rubeus Hagrid, and delusional ex-Auror 'Mad-Eye' Moody.

"Rumours abound, of course, that Albus Dumbledore, once Supreme Mugwump of the International Confederation of Wizards and Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot, is no longer up to the task of managing the prestigious school of Hogwarts.

" 'I think the appointment of the Inquisitor is a first step toward ensuring that Hogwarts has a headmaster in whom we can all repose confidence,' said a Ministry insider last night.

"Wizengamot elders Griselda Marchbanks and Tiberius Ogden have resigned in protest at the introduction of the post of Inquisitor to Hogwarts. " 'Hogwarts is a school, not an outpost of Cornelius Fudge's office,' said Madam Marchbanks. 'This is a further disgusting attempt to discredit Albus Dumbledore.' (For a full account of Madam Marchbanks' alleged links to subversive goblin groups, turn to page 17)."

Hermione finished reading and looked across the table at the other two.

"So now we know how we ended up with Umbridge! Fudge passed this 'Educational Decree' and forced her on us! And now he's given her the power to inspect other teachers!" Hermione was breathing fast and her eyes were very bright. "I can't believe this. It's outrageous…"

"She's going to cause us to fail every subject now, not just Defence Against the Dark Arts." Alicia thought annoyed

"I know it is," said Harry. He looked down at his right hand, clenched upon the tabletop, and saw the faint white outline of the words Umbridge had forced him to cut into his skin.

But a grin was unfurling on Ron's face.

"What?" said Alicia, Harry and Hermione together, staring at him.

"Oh, I can't wait to see McGonagall inspected," said Ron happily. "Umbridge won't know what's hit her."

"What about Snape?" Alicia wondered "He might get fired!" the three looked at her.

"Well, come on," said Hermione, jumping up, "we'd better get going, if she's inspecting Binns's class we don't want to be late…"

But Professor Umbridge was not inspecting their History of Magic lesson, which was just as dull as the previous Monday, nor was she in Snape's dungeon when they arrived for double Potions. Alicia wasn't impressed by the A sitting in her corner but she took that as her initiative to work harder and get it up to an O.

"I have awarded you the grades you would have received if you presented this work in your O.W.L," said Snape with a smirk, as he swept among them, passing back their homework. "This should give you a realistic idea of what to expect in your examination."

Snape reached the front of the class and turned to face them.

"The general standard of this homework was abysmal. Most of you would have failed had this been your examination. I expect to see a great deal more effort for this week's essay on the various varieties of venom antidotes, or I shall have to start handing out detentions to those dunces who get D's."

He smirked as Malfoy sniggered and said in a carrying whisper, "Some people got D's? Ha!"

Alicia saw Harry shove his paper out of sight quickly and she looked at Snape annoyed. She didn't even need to guess to know Snape gave Harry a low mark just out of spite.

They spent the lesson working on a Strengthening Solution in which Alicia took just as much care in as she had done last week. She was impressed when she saw Harry's potion was a nice blue — although not the clear turquoise it should have been like her's and Hermione's — before they bottled the potions in flasks and left the room.

"Well, that wasn't as bad as last week, was it?" said Hermione, as they climbed the steps out of the dungeon and made their way across the entrance hall toward lunch. "And the homework didn't go too badly either, did it?"

"Well for Snape's standards no. But I'm sure my essay was better than what he gave me for." Alicia responded

"Well I didn't expect the top grade, not if he's marking to O.W.L. standard, but a pass is quite encouraging at this stage, wouldn't you say?" Hermione said, turned to the boys, earning a noncommittal noise in his throat from Harry.

"Of course, a lot can happen between now and the exam, we've got plenty of time to improve, but the grades we're getting now are a sort of baseline, aren't they? Something we can build on…"

"Give Snape something to spit about when he can't mark us down." Alicia smirked as they sat down together at the Gryffindor table.

"Obviously, I'd have been thrilled if I'd gotten an O —"

"Hermione," said Ron sharply, "if you want to know what grades we got, ask."

"I don't — I didn't mean — well, if you want to tell me —"

"I got a P," said Ron, ladling soup into his bowl. "Happy?"

"Well, that's nothing to be ashamed of," said Fred, who had just arrived at the table with George and Lee Jordan and was sitting down on Harry's right. "Nothing wrong with a good healthy P."

"Especially when it's from Snape." Alicia nodded in agreement

"But," said Hermione, "doesn't P stand for…"

"'Poor,' yeah," said Lee Jordan. "Still, better than D, isn't it? 'Dreadful'?"

Harry started having a coughing fit over his roll he'd been eating and Alicia, with a raised eyebrow, hit his back between his shoulder blades.

"So top grade's O for 'Outstanding,'" she was saying, "and then there's A —"

"No, E," George corrected her, "E for 'Exceeds Expectations.' And I've always thought Fred and I should've got E in everything, because we exceeded expectations just by turning up for the exams."

They all laughed except Hermione, who plowed on, "So after E, it's A for 'Acceptable,' and that's the last pass grade, isn't it?"

"Yep," said Fred, dunking an entire roll in his soup, transferring it to his mouth, and swallowing it whole.

"Then you get P for 'Poor' " — Ron raised both his arms in mock celebration — "and D for 'Dreadful.' "

"And then T," George reminded him.

"T?" asked Hermione, looking appalled. "Even lower than a D? What on earth does that stand for?"

" 'Troll,' " said George promptly.

They laughed again, even if George was joking or not to which he grinned proudly at.

"You lot had an inspected lesson yet?" Fred asked them.

"No," said Hermione at once, "have you?"

"Just now, before lunch," said George. "Charms."

"What was it like?" Harry and Hermione asked together. Fred shrugged.

"Not that bad. Umbridge just lurked in the corner making notes on a clipboard. You know what Flitwick's like, he treated her like a guest, didn't seem to bother him at all. She didn't say much. Asked Angelina a couple of questions about what the classes are normally like, Angelina told her they were really good, that was it."

"I can't see old Flitwick getting marked down," said George, "he usually gets everyone through their exams all right."

"Who've you got this afternoon?" Fred asked Harry.

"Trelawney —"

"A T if ever I saw one —"

"Sinister." Alicia said looking at Hermione.

"— and Umbridge herself."

"Well, be good kids and keep your temper with Umbridge today," said George. "Angelina'll do her nut if you miss any more Quidditch practices."

Alicia sighed.

"I think I'd have to eat a heap of your Blood Blisterpods if I have to take any more of Umbridge's detentions." Alicia admitted. She glanced at her hand, no longer bandaged, and the words, white and only just visible from the right angle, were carved into her hand.

Alicia and Hermione got up and left for Arithmancy while the boys trotted on to Divination. It wasn't until they met up for Defence Against the Dark Arts that they learnt Umbridge had surveyed Trelawney.

"That mustn't have gone well…" Alicia believed

"Umbridge followed her around and asked questions and made notes before asking her to predict something." Harry admitted

"Predict something?" Alicia asked with a raised eyebrow

"That old bat predicts?" Hermione scoffed

"She decided to tell Umbridge she was in danger."

"Yeah well if she continues her lessons like last week she will be." Alicia smiled in an uncharacterised sweet way. "Cause I'll be cursing her." she decided before they moved into the Defence Against the Dark Arts room.

Umbridge was there already, humming happily to herself and smiling as they took their seats. Hermione was stopped from questioning the boys about the inspection when Umbridge brought them to order and silence fell.

"Wands away," she instructed them all smilingly, and those people who had been hopeful enough to take them out sadly returned them to their bags. "As we finished chapter one last lesson, I would like you all to turn to page nineteen today and commence chapter two, 'Common Defensive Theories and Their Derivation.' There will be no need to talk."

Still smiling her wide, self-satisfied smile, she sat down at her desk. The class gave an audible sigh as it turned, as one, to page nineteen.

Alicia had a smile on her face and she looked at Hermione as the two of them raised their hands. Anything to spite the women and Alicia had decided to do so by reading Umbridge's entire set text book. Now what was she going to have them do?

Professor Umbridge noticed them and, instead of trying to pretend she had not noticed either girl, she got to her feet and walked around the front row of desks until they were face-to-face, then she bent down and whispered, so that the rest of the class could not hear, "What is it this time, Miss Granger? Miss Evans?"

"We've already read chapter two," said Hermione.

"Well then, proceed to chapter three."

"I've read that too."

"We've read the whole book, Professor." Alicia said smiling

Professor Umbridge blinked but recovered her poise almost instantly.

"Well, then, you should be able to tell me what Slinkhard says about counterjinxes in chapter fifteen."

"He says that counterjinxes are improperly named," said Hermione promptly.

"He says 'counterjinx' is just a name people give their jinxes when they want to make them sound more acceptable." Alicia added on, causing the women to look between the two girls, her eyebrows raised and seeming, against her will, impressed.

"But I disagree," Hermione continued.

Professor Umbridge's eyebrows rose a little higher and her gaze became distinctly colder.

"You disagree?"

"Yes, I do," said Hermione, who, unlike Umbridge, was not whispering, but speaking in a clear, carrying voice that had by now attracted the rest of the class's attention. "Mr. Slinkhard doesn't like jinxes, does he? But I think they can be very useful when they're used defensively."

"After all a simple jinx can be rather handy in the right situation." Alicia agreed

"Oh, you do, do you?" said Professor Umbridge, forgetting to whisper and straightening up. "Well, I'm afraid it is Mr. Slinkhard's opinion, and not yours, that matters within this classroom, Miss Granger."

"But —" Hermione began.

"That is enough," said Professor Umbridge. She walked back to the front of the class and stood before them, all the jauntiness she had shown at the beginning of the lesson gone. "Miss Granger, I am going to take five points each from Gryffindor House for you and Miss Evans." Alicia balled up her hands but said nothing, keeping her expression blank.

There was an outbreak of muttering at this.

"What for?" said Harry angrily.

"Don't you get involved!" Hermione whispered urgently to him as Alicia hit him.

"For disrupting my class with pointless interruptions," said Professor Umbridge smoothly. "I am here to teach you using a Ministry-approved method that does not include inviting students to give their opinions on matters about which they understand very little. Your previous teachers in this subject may have allowed you more license, but as none of them — with the possible exception of Professor Quirrell, who did at least appear to have restricted himself to age-appropriate subjects — would have passed a Ministry inspection —"

"Yeah, Quirrell was a great teacher," said Harry loudly, "there was just that minor drawback of him having Lord Voldemort sticking out of the back of his head."

Alicia hit her forehead to the table with a groan. This was the only sound that penetrated this pronouncement as it was followed by one of the loudest silences ever heard. Then —

"I think another week's detentions would do you some good, Mr. Potter," said Umbridge sleekly.

Alicia bandaged Harry's hand again the next morning. His hand was still bleeding when he'd met her in the common room and had barely healed from the night before. The girl said nothing to him about the detentions, or asked him how it went. She had however warned him about Angelina, who would be more then angry, probably ready to seriously maim the boy, for missing another weeks worth of practices.

As expected, Angelina had cornered Harry at the Gryffindor table when he and Alicia had arrived in the Great Hall and started shouting so loudly that Professor McGonagall came sweeping down upon the pair of them from the staff table.

"Miss Johnson, how dare you make such a racket in the Great Hall! Five points from Gryffindor!"

"But Professor — he's gone and landed himself in detention again —"

"What's this, Potter?" said Professor McGonagall sharply, rounding on Harry. "Detention? From whom?"

"From Professor Umbridge," muttered Harry, not meeting Professor McGonagall's beady, square-framed eyes.

"Miss Potter?"

"I'm not being punished this time Professor." Alicia admitted "I just had house points taken for expressing an opinion about the text book we were reading with Hermione." she said and Professor McGonagall released a breath as she turned back to Harry.

"So, you are telling me," she said, lowering her voice so that the group of curious Ravenclaws behind them could not hear, "that after the warning I gave you last Monday you lost your temper in Professor Umbridge's class again?"

"Yes," Harry muttered, speaking to the floor.

"Potter, you must get a grip on yourself! You are heading for serious trouble! Another five points from Gryffindor!" Alicia looked surprised as Harry was furious at the injustice.

"But — what? Professor, no!" Harry said. "I'm already being punished by her, why do you have to take points as well?"

"Because detentions do not appear to have any effect on you whatsoever!" said Professor McGonagall tartly. "No, not another word of complaint, Potter! And as for you, Miss Johnson, you will confine your shouting matches to the Quidditch pitch in future or risk losing the team Captaincy!" She strode back toward the staff table. Angelina gave Harry a look of deepest disgust and stalked away, Alicia sighed, releasing a breath and continued to sit beside Hermione at the table as Harry, fuming, flung himself onto the bench beside Ron.

"She's taken points off Gryffindor because I'm having my hand sliced open every night! How is that fair, how?"

"I know, mate," said Ron sympathetically, tipping bacon onto Harry's plate, "she's bang out of order."

Hermione, however, merely rustled the pages of her Daily Prophet and said nothing.

"You think McGonagall was right, do you?" said Harry angrily to the picture of Cornelius Fudge obscuring Hermione's face.

"I wish she hadn't taken points from you, but I think she's right to warn you not to lose your temper with Umbridge," said Hermione's voice, while Fudge gesticulated forcefully from the front page, clearly giving some kind of speech.

Harry looked absolutely furious and Alicia concentrated on her breakfast as she felt him look at her. She had a feeling that Harry was angry, having Dumbledore ignore you and people whisper behind your back… but the snap he'd made about Voldemort possessing Quirrell had, in her opinion, been completely unnecessary.

We need to do something to help remove the anger… Alicia thought as they got up and moved towards their Charms class. Neither Ron or Alicia said anything about Harry ignoring Hermione for all of charms, but shared a few looks despite that.

When they walked into Transfiguration however Alicia felt a pang of anger. Professor Umbridge and her clipboard were sitting in a corner. Alicia grabbed Harry and began to pull him to their usual seats.

"Excellent," whispered Ron. "Let's see Umbridge get what she deserves."

Professor McGonagall marched into the room without giving the slightest indication that she knew Professor Umbridge was there.

"That will do," she said and silence fell immediately. "Mr. Finnigan, 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 —"

"Hem, hem," said Professor Umbridge, employing the same silly little cough she had used to interrupt Dumbledore on the first night of term. Professor McGonagall ignored her. Alicia looked at her essay as Seamus handed it to her and was delighted by the E sitting on it's front.

"Right then, everyone, listen closely — Dean Thomas, if you do that to the mouse again I shall put you in detention — most of you have now successfully vanished your snails and even those who were left with a certain amount of shell have the gist of the spell. Today we shall be —"

"Hem, hem," said Professor Umbridge.

"Yes?" said Professor McGonagall, turning round, her eyebrows so close together they seemed to form one long, severe line.

"I was just wondering, Professor, whether you received my note telling you of the date and time of your inspec —"

"Obviously I received it, or I would have asked you what you are doing in my classroom," said Professor McGonagall, turning her back firmly on Professor Umbridge. Many of the students exchanged looks of glee. "As I was saying, today we shall be practicing the altogether more difficult vanishment of mice. Now, the Vanishing Spell —"

"Hem, hem."

"I wonder," said Professor McGonagall in cold fury, turning on Professor Umbridge, "how you expect to gain an idea of my usual teaching methods if you continue to interrupt me? You see, I do not generally permit people to talk when I am talking."

Professor Umbridge looked as though she had just been slapped in the face. She did not speak, but straightened the parchment on her clipboard and began scribbling furiously. Looking supremely unconcerned, Professor McGonagall addressed the class once more.

"As I was saying, the Vanishing Spell becomes more difficult with the complexity of the animal to be vanished. The snail, as an invertebrate, does not present much of a challenge; the mouse, as a mammal, offers a much greater one. This is not, therefore, magic you can accomplish with your mind on your dinner. So — you know the incantation, let me see what you can do…"

"How she can lecture me about not losing my temper with Umbridge!" Harry said to Ron under his voice, but he was grinning; his anger with Professor McGonagall had quite evaporated.

Alicia managed to completely vanish her mouse as she had her snail and asked for a second one as she had done before only to do the same again. She was most impressed and Hermione and her received house points, gaining back what Umbridge had taken, for their work.

Professor Umbridge did not follow Professor McGonagall around the class; perhaps she thought that Professor McGonagall would not permit it. She did, however, take many more notes while she sat in her corner, and when Professor McGonagall finally told them all to pack away, rose with a grim expression on her face.

"Well, it's a start," said Ron, holding up a long, wriggling mouse tail and dropping it back into the box Lavender was passing around. As they filed out of the classroom, Harry saw Professor Umbridge approach the teacher's desk; he nudged Ron, who nudged Hermione, who nudged Alicia in turn, and the four of them deliberately fell back to eavesdrop.

"How long have you been teaching at Hogwarts?" Professor Umbridge asked.

"Thirty-nine years this December," said Professor McGonagall brusquely, snapping her bag shut.

Professor Umbridge made a note.

"Very well," she said, "you will receive the results of your inspection in ten days' time."

"I can hardly wait," said Professor McGonagall in a coldly indifferent voice, and she strode off toward the door. "Hurry up, you lot," she added, sweeping Harry, Alicia, Ron, and Hermione before her.

The three set down for lunch and Alicia could see it wasn't just her spirits that were lifted but Harry's as well.

"We need to see that more often." Alicia decided as she grabbed some food for her plate "Oh to be an adult and put Umbridge squarely in her place." she hummed.

The four walked down the lawns towards the Forest for Care of Magical Creatures only to find Umbridge there again, her clipboard in hand and waiting beside Professor Grubbly-Plank.

"Well this'll be interesting." Alicia mumbled eyeing the toad-like women.

"You do not usually take this class, is that correct?" She asked as they arrived at the trestle table where the group of captive bowtruckles were scrabbling around for wood lice like so many living twigs.

"Quite correct," said Professor Grubbly-Plank, hands behind her back and bouncing on the balls of her feet. "I am a substitute teacher standing in for Professor Hagrid."

Harry exchanged uneasy looks with Alicia, Ron and Hermione. Malfoy was whispering with Crabbe and Goyle; he would surely love this opportunity to tell tales on Hagrid to a member of the Ministry.

"Hmm," said Professor Umbridge, dropping her voice, though the four could still hear her quite clearly, "I wonder — the headmaster seems strangely reluctant to give me any information on the matter — can you tell me what is causing Professor Hagrid's very extended leave of absence?"

Harry saw Malfoy look up eagerly.

"'Fraid I can't," said Professor Grubbly-Plank breezily. "Don't know anything more about it than you do. Got an owl from Dumbledore, would I like a couple of weeks teaching work, accepted — that's as much as I know. Well… shall I get started then?"

"Yes, please do," said Professor Umbridge, scribbling upon her clipboard.

Umbridge took a different tack in this class and wandered among the students, questioning them on magical creatures. Most people were able to answer well and Alicia was proud to call the class mates her house mates as they did not letting Hagrid down.

"Overall," said Professor Umbridge, returning to Professor Grubbly-Plank's side after a lengthy interrogation of Dean Thomas, "how do you, as a temporary member of staff — an objective outsider, I suppose you might say — how do you find Hogwarts? Do you feel you receive enough support from the school management?"

"Oh, yes, Dumbledore's excellent," said Professor Grubbly-Plank heartily. "No, I'm very happy with the way things are run, very happy indeed."

Looking politely incredulous, Umbridge made a tiny note on her clipboard and went on, "And what are you planning to cover with this class this year — assuming, of course, that Professor Hagrid does not return?"

"Oh, I'll take them through the creatures that most often come up in O.W.L.," said Professor Grubbly-Plank. "Not much left to do — they've studied unicorns and nifflers, I thought we'd cover porlocks and kneazles, make sure they can recognise crups and knarls, you know…"

"Well, you seem to know what you're doing, at any rate," said Professor Umbridge, making a very obvious tick on her clipboard. Alicia watched annoyed when she put her next question to Goyle: "Now, I hear there have been injuries in this class?"

Goyle gave a stupid grin. Malfoy hastened to answer the question.

"That was me," he said. "I was slashed by a hippogriff."

"A hippogriff?" said Professor Umbridge, now scribbling frantically.

"Yeah because he's an idiot." Alicia said unthinkingly as Harry spoke angrily

"Only because he was too stupid to listen to what Hagrid told him to do,"

Both Ron and Hermione groaned. Professor Umbridge turned her head slowly in both their direction. Alicia sighed as she realised what she'd done.

"Another night's detention, I think, Miss Evans you can join tonight as well." she said softly. "Well, thank you very much, Professor Grubbly-Plank, I think that's all I need here. You will be receiving the results of your inspection within ten days."

"Jolly good," said Professor Grubbly-Plank, and Professor Umbridge set off back across the lawn to the castle.

"Dammit." Alicia mumbled

"And here I thought you were doing better." Hermione said to her

"Well that's something I'd say to any teacher and usually they listen and write something about Malfoy being stupid, not give an detention." Alicia admitted.