Harriet Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

Chapter 5

The next day they were all sitting at a desk playing with a paper bird at Defense Against the Dark Arts.

"Bring it over here. Over here. Oh, go on, Seamus. Go on, get it." Dean said.

So he hit the bird. Then Crabbe hit it.

A few seconds later the paper was on the ground. They all turned around and saw the Professor.

"Good morning, children." she said and started writing something.

"Ordinary Wizarding Level examinations. O-W-L. More commonly known as OWLs.

Study hard and you will be rewarded. Fail to do so, and the consequences may be severe." she said.

She waved her wand and some books started to go to the desks.

"Your previous instruction in this subject has been disturbingly uneven. But you'll be pleased to know, from now on... you will be following a carefully structured, Ministry-approved... course of defensive magic."

Then Hermione raised her hand.

"Yes?"

"There's nothing in here about using defensive spells?" she said.

"Using spells? Well, I can't imagine why you would need to use spells in my classroom."

"We're not gonna use magic?" Ron asked.

"You'll be learning about defensive spells in a secure, risk-free way."

"What use is that? If we're attacked, it won't be risk-free." Harriet said.

'Especially me, Ron and Hermione every year.' she thought.

Ron and Hermione thought the same thing.

"Students will raise their hands when they speak in my class. It is the view of the Ministry... that a theoretical knowledge will be sufficient... to get you through your examinations... which, after all, is what school is all about."

"And how's theory supposed to prepare us for what's out there?" Harriet asked.

"There is nothing out there, dear. Who do you imagine wants to attack children like yourself?"

"Oh, I don't know. Maybe Lord Voldemort."

They all sat quietly for a few seconds.

"Now, let me make this quite plain. You have been told... that a certain dark wizard is at large once again. This is a lie."

"It's not a lie. I saw him. I fought him. You saw what happened last year!"

"Detention, Ms. Potter."

"So according to you Cedric Diggory dropped dead of his own accord?"

"Cedric Diggory's death was a tragic accident."

"It was murder. Voldemort killed him. You must know that!"

"Enough! Enough. See me later, Ms. Potter. My office."

A few hours later Harriet was at Umbridge's office. Then she knocked the door.

"Come in." she said with something on her hand.

"Good evening, Ms. Potter. Sit. You're going to be doing some lines for me today, Ms. Potter."

She opened her bag and started to grab a quill.

"No, not with your quill. Going to be using a rather special one of mine. Now... I want you to write, "I must not tell lies."

"How many times?"

"Well, let's say for as long as it takes for the message to sink in."

"You haven't given me any ink."

"Oh, you won't need any ink."

So Harriet started writing the words on the parchment. While she did that she felt pain going on her hand. She looked at her hand and was surprised at what was on it.

I must not tell lies.

She looked at Umbridge for a second.

"Yes?" she asked.

"Nothing."

"That's right. Because you know, deep down... you deserve to be punished. Don't you, Ms. Potter? Go on."

When she was done she sat on the Gryffindor couch studying.

"Skiving Snackboxes." Fred said.

"Sweets that make you ill." George said.

"Get out of class whenever you like." Fred said.

"Obtain hours of pleasure from unprofitable boredom." George said.

"Care for another?" Fred asked.

"I'm not asking you to write all of it for me. I've been busy studying for these stupid OWL exams." Ron said.

"I'll do the introduction. That's all." Hermione said.

"Hermione, you're honestly the most wonderful person I've ever met." Ron said.

Neville shook his head smiling at his friends. He was glad he joined the trio and made some really good friends.

"And if I'm ever rude to you again..."

"I'll know you've gone back to normal."

Then the three of them sat on the couch with Harriet.

"What's wrong with your hand?" Hermione asked.

She hid it behind her book and put her left hand down.

"Nothing."

"The other hand." Neville said gently picking it up.

"You've got to tell Dumbledore." Hermione said.

"No. Dumbledore's got enough on his mind right now. I don't want to give Umbridge the satisfaction." Harriet said.

"Bloody hell, Harriet. The woman's torturing you. If the parents knew about this..." Ron started but Neville elbowed him in the hip to get him to stop.

"Yeah well I haven't got any of those, have I, Ron?" she said.

She didn't see Neville elbow Ron or see Ron wince after that.

"Harriet, you've got to report this." Neville started and then went closer. "She's acting like a school copy of your aunt and uncle."

She looked up and looked at him for a second.

"It's perfectly simple. You're being..." Hermione said.

Then she looked at her.

"No, it's not. Hermione, whatever this is, it's not simple. You don't understand." Harriet cut her off.

Then she started to stand up.

"Then help us to." Neville said with his hand on hers.

She got off his hand and started to go upstairs.

The other three looked at her go.