Chapter Fifty One
Harry felt a mixture for sadness and relief at the end of his Occlumency lessons. He felt bad that he hadn't been trying hard enough, and made a mental note to try and practice a little more but he was, for the most part, relieved he wouldn't have to stand there, failing repeatedly to block Professor McGonagall forcing herself into his head.
As promised, he'd told no one about McGonagall's past, even when Pansy and Daphne had repeatedly asked him why he was off in his own little world over dinner.
"I'm thinking of joining the Inquisitorial Squad." Draco announced, over toad in the hole and mashed potatoes.
"Are you out of your mind?" Harry asked, pulled away from his own musings over whether or not he would choose to give up his magic over a girl.
"No, I just think it would be extremely useful to have someone on the inside." Draco explained, "At the moment we're like sitting ducks."
Harry nodded, he couldn't deny it would be useful, it would also be extremely dangerous for whoever had to play nice around Umbridge.
"She'd never let you join." Daphne told him frankly.
Pansy nodded, "Fred and George told us that they'd overhead Zacharias Smith trying to join and Umbridge refused him, anyone in the DA is banned, let alone one of the 'inner circle'."
Draco sighed, "I'm just not good at sitting and doing nothing."
Harry nodded in agreement, they were all getting impatient for the next thing to happen.
Just under a week later, Harry was sitting in Defence Against the Dark Arts, reading another boring chapter on how to jump out of the way of jinxes.
"If one tries hard enough, and uses appropriate timing, one can jump out of the way of nearly any spell, including such ones as the stunning spell, immobilising spell, and even the killing curse. Using this method prevents harm to either party and allows the one being 'attacked' to retain the moral high ground..."
Harry wiped his eyes, it was impossible to follow such logic at the best of times and now was not the best of times.
"Books away class." Umbridge called, uncharacteristically five minutes before the bell was due to ring, "Now did you all enjoy your reading?"
"Yes Professor Umbridge." The class chorused back to her.
"Excellent." Umbridge beamed, "Now I wish any of you who have not finished today's chapter, to do so by the next lesson. Homework is five examples where removing yourself from the unpleasant situation is the best course of action."
"Yes Professor Umbridge."
"Wonderful. Now I have an extra announcement; as I am sure some of you know, you are all to attend a half an hour careers advice session. These will take place throughout the school day over the next week."
Harry looked worriedly at her; he couldn't say that a future carer had been high on his list of priorities lately, he had been more focused on trying to get to his future in one piece.
"Normally these advice sessions would be with your head of house, but as you all know your head of house was… removed." Umbridge said, smiling cruelly at Harry, "So I have the great pleasure and responsibility of conducting your carers advice sessions myself. Any questions?"
There was a painful silence in the class, Daphne slowly raised her hand.
"We are, of course, honoured to have you give us our carers advice, however won't you be busy? You have so much to do already." Daphne said quietly.
Umbridge smiled down at her, "I will always have time for my students, don't you worry your pretty little head over it."
Daphne gritted her teeth and forced a smile; carers advice from Umbridge. Joy.
Harry arrived at Umbridge's office, three o'clock on Friday afternoon. It was clear she'd left him for last and proceded to keep him waiting a further half an hour. He had thought about leaving but it wasn't worth Umbridge's inevitable wrath; she wanted him to give her an excuse.
Just after the bell rang, signalling the end of the school day, and Harry had just finished a sketch of him and his friends sitting down by the lake when Umbridge's office door opened. Tracy walked out, flicking her bright blonde hair and giggling.
"I see such a bright future for you Miss Davis." Umbridge beamed, patting Tracy's arm.
"Thank you, Professor. I do try." Tracy smiled.
"Well it shows. Your marks are excellent. Well done." Umbridge praised, "I am sure you could have whatever career you would wish for."
Tracy grinned and sneered down at Harry before walking off down the hallway, her heels clacking loudly; she'd been one of the chosen few who were allowed to continue to wear heels.
"Mr Potter, sorry for the wait, we had a lot to cover with Miss Davis and her bright future. On the other hand, I'm sure this won't take too long." Umbridge smiled, gesturing for Harry to go into her office.
Harry pulled a face behind her back and flopped, loudly down into the chair next to her desk.
"Well, take a seat Mr Potter." Umbridge said, tartly, sitting down at her desk and making a few notes on a bright pink sheet of parchment, "So, what are your hopes for the future?"
"Surviving." Harry said bluntly.
Umbridge rolled her eyes, "And for a job?"
Harry shrugged, he hadn't really thought about it, "I'm not sure."
"Well, lets see what subjects you excel at." Umbridge said, pulling out a slightly battered file with Harry's name on, she read, dramatically down the pages, sighing and tutting every few second.
Harry waited, quietly, picking at his fingers and gritting his teeth at Umbridge's theatrics, she finally finished and placed the file, carefully, on her desk and looked sympathetically at Harry.
"Well I see that breaking school rules is something you excel at, possibly the only thing you excel at." Umbridge pouted, "That must be hard."
Harry forced a smile and shrugged, "I hadn't realised my grades are so disappointing."
"Well they aren't brilliant." Umbridge sighed, "And there is no clear field at which you excel."
"I thought my…" Harry took a deep breath, "my Defence Against the Dark Arts grades were pretty good."
Umbridge let out a scornful laugh, "Why on earth would you think that?"
"Professor Lupin gave me an Outstanding." Harry muttered quietly.
"Professor Lupin was not qualified to teach, nor was he a… suitable, individual to be around children." Umbridge said, "I'm sorry he gave you false hope."
Harry didn't say anything.
"I think he might of altered your test results because of your family connection. I can't see how you would of achieved such a grade otherwise." Umbridge informed him, matter of factly.
"I worked my arse off." Harry said through gritted teeth.
"Are you saying you don't work hard in my lessons?" Umbridge asked, raising her eyebrows.
Harry shook his head, "No, no of course not."
"You try as hard for me as you did for Professor Lupin?" Umbridge asked.
Harry gritted his teeth, no. Of course he didn't, Umbridge was a cow, who's lessons were boring, Harry had to put all his effort into staying awake for Umbridge's lessons; there was nothing left to 'try hard'.
"Yes, Professor." Harry lied.
"And yet, when you sit your exams in just a few short months, you will be lucky to get a 'poor'. So you can't possibly have gotten an 'Outstanding' just two years ago." Umbridge explained.
Harry hung his head, 'she's just messing with you, trying to get into your head' he told himself, 'stop letting her'.
"Well what about my other subjects?" Harry asked, forcing a smile.
"You do have a few half decent grades, Care of Magical Creatures you are expected an 'Exceeds Expectations', although that might change… Transfiguration an 'Acceptable'…" Umbridge said, running her fingers over the list of Harry's subjects again.
"Sorry to but in," Harry said, "But are there any subjects, other than yours, that I am actually failing?" he made sure to say it in a level voice, not threatening or picky at all; nothing Umbridge could pick on.
Umbridge narrowed her eyes, "You are at least scraping by an 'Acceptable' in most subjects. Divination seems to be a weak point but considering you previous teacher, I'm surprised that any of you aren't failing massively."
Harry picked at his finger nails again, his thumb was bleeding, stinging painfully every time he brushed his finger over it.
"Unfortunately, your poor grades strongly impact you carer prospects." Umbridge sighed, "Any idea what you'd want to be?"
"I… I've thought about becoming an Auror." Harry said, picking the first job that he could think of, that wouldn't have him stuck behind a desk.
It made a lot of sense, Lily had been an Auror, Sirius and James had freelanced. Nikka was an Auror, even if she was currently unemployed and he was good at Defence Against the Dark Arts, whatever Umbridge said.
"An Auror?" Professor Umbridge scoffed, "They only take the best Mr Potter, you would need all five of your N.E. to be at least 'Exceeds Expectations'."
Harry nodded, "I know it is a very difficult course to get into."
"And two of those N.E. would have to be Potions and Defence Against the Dark Arts." Umbridge continued.
Harry nodded again and gave her a small smile.
Umbridge sighed and placed her hands together on her desk, "Mr Potter, I don't think you understand. In order to even get into a N.E.W.T class, you must have, at minimum, an 'Exceeds Expectations' and you will not achieve that, not in my class, and not in Potions."
Harry shrugged, "Well… we'll just have to see."
"Let me make myself clear." Umbridge said, an edge of frustration in her voice, she stood up and walked round to Harry's side of the desk, sitting in the spare chair, "You. Will. Not make it."
Harry didn't know what to say and looked at her blankly, "I… I might."
"You're just not good enough." Umbridge shrugged, clasping his hands in hers and running her finger over his scars from the lines she made him write, "To become an Auror, it's simply outside of your ability."
"What do you suggest, Professor?" Harry asked, forcing a smile and pulling his hands free of her horrid grip.
"Well let's see shall we?" Umbridge beamed, thinking she had broken his resolve.
She walked back round to her normal seat and dug out several pamphlets. Harry adjusted himself in his chair to try and see what the pamphlets said.
"We have a magical zoo helper, you can't work with the animals with your grades but cleaning up? Or just a general cleaner? If you want to work in the Ministry we're always looking for hard working, loyal cleaners and staff. Of course you will need to tidy up your school record if you wish to work in the Ministry." Umbridge suggested, handing him a couple of leaflets with overly happy people on the front.
"Well I do like the zoo." Harry said sarcastically, "What about teaching?"
Umbridge laughed, "Oh Mr Potter, I don't think so. Leave someone like you in charge of young minds? Besides, you don't have the qualifications."
"So you would suggest… cleaning?" Harry said.
Umbridge nodded and gave him a broad, toad-like smile, "Yes. And think how exciting it could be! If you do agency, you could be working all over the county."
"I don't think being a cleaner is for me." Harry said politely, he even managed a smile.
Umbridge shrugged, "Well all I can do is advice Mr Potter. Your father was always unemployed, it could become a family tradition."
Harry felt his blood boil, "Excuse me?"
"Your father, your real father, James, he never had a job in his life." Umbridge continued, "Now, now Mr Potter, there is no need to get angry."
"I'm…" Harry couldn't say he wasn't getting angry, not without it be a very obvious lie, "My father worked, incredibly hard."
"I'm sure he did." Umbridge said, condescendingly.
"He helped save so many people fighting against Voldemort." Harry said, it felt strange, standing up for James was not something he was used to, nor was feeling protective over him.
"But the fact remains, he never actually had a job." Umbridge pointed out.
"He died before he was twenty two, hardly a life time of doing 'nothing'." Harry pointed out, proud of himself over how calm he was staying, "I mean, he fought so hard against Voldemort, facing him and surviving three times before… before that night."
"I would ask you to stop using that name." Umbridge hissed, "I know your father 'worked', against the Ministry's protocols to fight You-know-who. He disrupted several attempts by the Ministry to bring 'Him' down; many of Dumbledore's followers did. And who knows, he might be alive today if he had worked with those, trained to fight dark forces."
Harry glared at her, even Umbridge seemed to look as though she knew she'd gone too far, her chin trembling as she stuck her nose in the air.
"Is there any more careers advice you wish to give me Professor?" Harry asked, levelly.
"No. I think we're done here." Umbridge said, her voice quivering a little.
Harry nodded and picked up his bag, "You seem to disprove of the work Dumbledore and 'his followers' did during the war, even though according to the Ministry, they were the ones who killed Vo… You-know-who. James did what the Ministry couldn't. You should have built him a statue. Besides, some of us come from families that don't need to 'work'. I think you'll find there's never been a single Black or Malfoy that has been a cleaner, or Potter for that matter. No true, good Pure-Blood family needs that sort of thing. Gentlemen don't have 'jobs'."
Harry didn't wait for her reply, he swept from the room, letting the door bang shut behind him and rushed to the Slytherin common room, hoping to find his friends to calm him down.