Four days ago, if you had asked Hermione or any other student well-versed in Hogwarts history who had ever managed to unite the four houses in shared animosity, they would have confidently told you the name Phineas Black, also known as the most unpopular headmaster in the school's history.
Now, however, another figure had achieved the same remarkable feat: the new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, Dolores Umbridge.
Thanks to Dolores Umbridge's insufferable teaching methods, nearly every student at Hogwarts now harbored an intense loathing for the toad-like woman. As for the students' attitudes toward her, Umbridge either hadn't noticed or had noticed but was convinced they wouldn't dare openly defy a professor.
On Friday evening, the Gryffindor Quidditch team held tryouts for new members. After over an hour of fierce competition, Ginny's exceptional flying skills secured her the position of Seeker, while Ron took over Oliver Wood's role as the new Keeper.
But these events barely registered with Harry and Hermione, who had been dragged to the pitch by Ron to watch the tryouts. Harry preferred boxing matches to Quidditch, and while Hermione wasn't particularly fond of boxing, she'd rather spend an hour watching that with Harry than endure Quidditch. So, instead, they sat in the stands, working on their newly assigned Herbology homework together.
After the tryouts, a small celebratory party was held in the Gryffindor common room. With the Weasley twins, who usually handled food and drink supplies, still in detention, the feast consisted mainly of leftover snacks from the Hogwarts Express. It was a bit meager compared to usual, but a party's success hinges on the lively atmosphere, not the food. Everyone was in high spirits, and no one thought they could outwit Filch—or rather, Walton Gridelrode—better than George and Fred.
The festivities ran late, so the next day, by the time Harry and the others returned to the common room after lunch, Ron and his dormmates were just crawling out of bed.
"Harry, what time is it?" Ron asked groggily, rubbing his flattened, messy hair in the dormitory.
Harry glanced at his watch. "One o'clock."
"P.M.?" Ron's scratching paused mid-motion.
"What do you think?" Harry kicked off his shoes, changed into pajamas, and flopped onto his bed. "If you want food, better head to the Great Hall now, or you'll be hoping you don't starve before dinner."
Ron, Seamus, and Dean bolted out the door, while Harry drifted peacefully into a nap.
The entire afternoon, Harry and Hermione holed up in the library, reviewing material from the past four years. After dinner, when they returned to the Gryffindor common room, they found Ron, face flushed with anger, tearing a letter into pieces and tossing them into the fireplace.
"Who's got you riled up now, Ron?" Harry asked, settling into his favorite armchair and watching Ron closely.
"Percy's letter," Ron spat, glaring at the parchment as it curled and burned in the flames. "Going on about congratulating me for becoming a prefect, but it's just a load of rubbish! All he really wants is for me to suck up to Fudge and his lot, like he does!"
"'Dumbledore's days at Hogwarts might be numbered,'" Ron mocked, quoting the letter. "'Certain authorities have a very different view of Potter's behavior.' And, oh, 'look out for the latest developments in tomorrow's paper…'" He spun to face Harry and Hermione, seeking their agreement. "Do they really think the Ministry can take down Dumbledore?"
"I reckon Fudge and his crowd genuinely believe they can," Harry said, pulling Hermione's Advanced Rune Translation from his bag and flipping to the bookmarked page to continue reading.
"Harry, could you pass me a quill?" Hermione asked, not looking up from sorting her afternoon notes, oblivious to Ron's rant.
Harry rummaged through his bag, finding only the fountain pen Hermione had given him, engraved with "HTH." He handed it to her.
"Harry, I meant a quill…" Hermione began, then sighed. "Never mind, this'll do."
She took the pen and began scribbling furiously.
They assumed they'd have to scour Hermione's copy of the Daily Prophet the next morning to find the article Percy mentioned. But as soon as Hermione unfolded the paper, a large black-and-white photograph of Dolores Umbridge stared back at them, her face plastered with a saccharine smile as she blinked repeatedly.
Beneath the photo, a bold headline screamed: Ministry Seeks Educational Reform: Dolores Umbridge Appointed First High Inquisitor.
"Umbridge? High Inquisitor?" Harry frowned. "What's the Ministry playing at?"
In a swift move the previous evening, the Ministry had passed a new decree, granting it unprecedented control over Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
"For some time, the Minister has grown increasingly concerned about the state of affairs at Hogwarts," said Percy Weasley, Junior Assistant to the Minister. "He's acting in response to worried parents who feel the school is heading in a direction they strongly disapprove of."
In recent weeks, Minister Cornelius Fudge had introduced multiple decrees to reform wizarding education. On August 30, the Ministry passed Educational Decree Number Twenty-Two, ensuring that if the current headmaster failed to fill a teaching post, the Ministry would appoint a suitable candidate.
"That's how Dolores Umbridge was appointed as a Hogwarts professor," Percy Weasley announced to reporters last night. "Dumbledore couldn't find a candidate, so the Minister assigned Umbridge. Needless to say, she's been an immediate success, revolutionizing Defense Against the Dark Arts and providing the Minister with on-the-ground feedback about Hogwarts' true state."
This latest move was formalized with the passage of Educational Decree Number Twenty-Three, creating the new position of Hogwarts High Inquisitor.
"This is an exciting step in the Minister's plan to address the perceived decline in Hogwarts' educational standards," Weasley said. "The High Inquisitor will have the authority to inspect her fellow teachers to ensure they meet required standards. Professor Umbridge has graciously accepted this additional role alongside her teaching duties."
The Ministry's measures have garnered enthusiastic support from Hogwarts parents.
"I'm greatly relieved to know Dumbledore will finally face a fair and objective evaluation," said Lucius Malfoy, 41, in an interview last night in Diagon Alley. "Many of us who care about our children's welfare have been deeply troubled by Dumbledore's eccentric decisions in recent years. It's comforting to know the Ministry is closely monitoring the situation."
Those eccentric decisions undoubtedly include the hiring of controversial staff, as previously reported by this paper—see our January 1, 1994, article on Rubeus Hagrid, the half-giant.
Rumors also abound that Albus Dumbledore, former president of the International Confederation of Wizards and Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot, is no longer fit to manage the prestigious Hogwarts.
"The appointment of a High Inquisitor is the first step toward ensuring Hogwarts has a headmaster we can all trust," an unnamed Ministry insider said last night.
Wizengamot elders Griselda Marchbanks and Tiberius Ogden resigned in protest of the High Inquisitor's appointment.
"Hogwarts is a school, not an outpost of Cornelius Fudge's office," Madam Marchbanks declared. "This is a disgusting attempt to further tarnish Albus Dumbledore's reputation."
(For details on Madam Marchbanks' alleged ties to a subversive goblin group, see page seventeen.)
"Now we know what Umbridge is up to," Hermione fumed, glaring at the photo of Umbridge in the paper. "Fudge used this 'Educational Decree' to bypass Professor Dumbledore and plant her here! And now he's given her the power to inspect other teachers! It's utterly shameless!"
Unlike Hermione, Ron's face broke into a barely suppressed grin as he read the article. "If this is true, I can't wait for Umbridge to inspect Professor McGonagall or Snape's classes. I guarantee you, McGonagall and Snape will give that old toad a warm welcome."
After breakfast, Harry and Hermione headed early to the Potions classroom, taking their usual seats at the front.
Today's task was to brew a Strengthening Solution according to the instructions on the blackboard. But first, Snape lambasted the entire class for the abysmal quality of their last homework.
"The overall standard of your assignments was deplorable," Snape said, his gaze sweeping slowly across the room. The students, especially the Gryffindors, felt a chill down their spines, as if a venomous snake had fixed its eyes on them.
"If this were an exam, most of you would fail. I expect far more effort in this week's essay on antidotes, or those who earn a 'P' will find themselves in detention."
"Now… follow the instructions on the board and begin brewing the Strengthening Solution."
After class, Harry, Hermione, and Ron left the dungeon classroom and climbed the stairs to the Great Hall.
"After a week of adjusting, it's not as overwhelming as it was at first, is it?" Hermione said, nudging Harry's side with her elbow. "The homework's not too bad, right?"
Harry nodded. "At our current level, passing the O.W.L.s shouldn't be an issue. If we revise for a year, we might even pick up a few more, beyond Transfiguration and Charms."
"Honestly, Harry, last week's progress exceeded even my expectations," Hermione said, counting on her fingers. "An 'O' in Transfiguration, an 'O' in Charms, an 'E' in Potions…"
Hearing Harry and Hermione discuss their studies, Ron groaned. "For Merlin's sake, Hermione, Harry, can we not talk about schoolwork while we're eating? It really kills my appetite!"
"Ron, I wasn't—" Hermione started, but Ron cut her off brusquely.
"I got a 'P' on my Potions homework, alright? Happy now?"
"Er… I didn't mean…" Hermione tried to explain, but Ron had already stormed off to sit at the other end of the table.
"What's his problem?" Hermione frowned, watching Ron's retreating figure. "What did I do to upset him?"
"No idea," Harry shrugged. "It's Ron. He's got those days every month."
Harry had hoped to avoid seeing Umbridge's face for the rest of the day, but the moment he stepped into the Divination classroom, there she was, her face a mask of false smiles.
Professor Trelawney was visibly unsettled by Umbridge's presence, especially when Umbridge kept interrupting her lesson. At one point, while Trelawney was explaining dream divination, Umbridge demanded she perform a prophecy on the spot.
After Divination, Ron was about to rush to the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom, but Harry grabbed his collar, stopping him mid-stride.
"Harry! What're you doing? We're going to be late!" Ron spun around, looking frantic.
"I know," Harry said calmly.
"Then why—"
"If you want to waste your time with Umbridge, be my guest," Harry said, releasing Ron and heading down the staircase. Ron suddenly noticed that the rest of the class was moving at the same leisurely pace as Harry—none of them seemed eager to get to Defense Against the Dark Arts before the bell.
"Harry… is it really okay to skip?" Ron jogged to catch up, his voice uncertain. "She's from the Ministry, you know."
Harry gave a nonchalant smile. "So what if she's from the Ministry? It's not like one or two people are skipping. What's she going to do? Put the entire school in detention? If she tries, I'd love to see how she manages that."
Harry and Ron parted ways on the fifth floor. Ron and the others headed back to the common room, while Harry, grinning, slid into a seat next to a brown-haired girl in the library.
"How was Arithmancy?" Harry whispered, leaning close to Hermione.
"Fine," Hermione said with a slight grimace. "Not as good as calculus."
--
Support me & read more advance & fast update chapter on my patreon:
pat reon .com/yuuwand