On God?

Chapter 27

in which she enters in the next episode of Paternity Court

Blair,

The next weekend is when we will use the test. Dumbledore will call you to his office. Tell no one.

Snuffles

"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."

Focusing on books had never been my strong suit. Back in middle school I would constantly get in trouble for focusing on things other than a reading or a book we were supposed to be reading. It wasn't my fault; reading just never really appealed to me.

Hermione's hand was raised a few seconds later.

Instead of trying to pretend Umbridge had not noticed Hermione, 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?"

'Iʹve already read Chapter Two." Hermione said.

ʹWell then, proceed to Chapter Three." Umbridge looked strangely pleased with herself before she heard Hermione's next words.

"Iʹve read that too. Iʹve read the whole book."

Umbridge blinked but recovered her poise almost instantly.

"Well, then, you should be able to tell me what Slinkhard says about counter‐jinxes in Chapter Fifteen."

"He says that counter‐jinxes are improperly named." Hermione said promptly. "He says 'counter‐jinx' is just a name people give their jinxes when they want to make them sound more acceptable."

Professor Umbridge raised her eyebrows and I knew that she was impressed, even is she didn't want to be.

"But I disagree." Hermione continued.

"You disagree?" Umbridge repeated, looking like someone had just shown her a dead frog.

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

"Oh, you do, do you?" Umbridge asked, forgetting to whisper and straightening up. "Well, Iʹm afraid it is Mr Slinkhardʹs opinion, and not yours, that matters within this classroom, Miss Granger."

"But-" Hermione began.

"That is enough." said Umbridge. She walked back to the front of the class and stood before us, all the 'kindness' she had shown at the beginning of the lesson gone. "Miss Granger, I am going to take five points from Gryffindor house."

Most of the class broke into muttering complaints, and I rolled my eyes. "This woman never quits."

"What for?" Harry asked angrily.

"Don't get involved!" I hissed. Harry didn't deserve another detention. I would take it for him if I had to. He needed to focus on other things.

"For disrupting my class with pointless interruptions." Umbridge said 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 licence, 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-"