Bumblebee (A Fred Weasley Fanfiction)

- CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE -

The Ministry's Approved Curriculum

"I'm never speaking to her again," Emmie said to Fred as they walked to potions the next day, "you say that every time you have an argument," he replied, "yeah but this time-"
"This time it's gone too far. Yeah you say that too,"
"So what, you want me to stay friends with her?" She asked, "no, I want you to mean it, about never speaking to her again," he replied, "don't get me wrong, she's fun but I don't think she's a very good friend. Of course only if you want to,"
"Yeah," she sighed, "I suppose you're right. For once."
"Hey what's that supposed to mean?" Emmie just giggled as they entered the classroom.
They sat down next to George who whispered, "I put the notices up,"
"Great!" Fred replied.
"What notices, what are you on about?" Emmie asked and George passed her a piece of parchment which read:

GALLEONS OF GALLEONS!
Pocket money failing to keep pace with your outgoings?
Like to earn a little extra gold?
Contact Fred and George Weasley, Gryffindor common room, for simple, part time, virtually painless jobs.
(We regret that all work is undertaken at applicant's own risk.)

Just as Emmie finished reading and before she could say anything Snape burst through the door.
"Today we will be learning about Amortentia, the most powerful love potion in the world. It is distinctive for its mother-of-pearl sheen and a smell which is different for each person according to what attracts them."
As Snape spoke he poured and placed numerous things into the cauldron before him, "powerful infatuation can be induced by a skillful potioneer, but never yet has anyone managed to create the truly unbreakable, eternal, unconditional attachment that alone can be called love."

Emmie snorted, "I wonder what Snape smells from the potion," she whispered to the twins. "Miss Nightingale, you have alot to say. Why don't you come up and tell us what the potion smells like to you," Snape spoke.
"Erm okay," she stepped forward and hesitantly moved her head closer to the cauldron, "mmm," she inhaled, "chocolate and... Rain and... Gunpowder."

*

After Potions they made their way to Defence Against The Dark Arts. When they entered the classroom, they found Professor Umbridge already seated at the teachers desk wearing a fluffy pink cardigan and a black velvet bow on her head.
"Well, good morning!" She said, when finally the whole class had sat down.
A few people mumbled "good morning" in reply.
"Tut, tut," she said, "that won't do, now, will it? I should like you please to reply, good morning Professor Umbridge. One more time please, good morning class!"
"Good morning Professor Umbridge," they chanted back at her.
"There now," she said sweetly, "that wasn't too difficult was it? Wands away and quills out please."
Many of the class exchanged gloomy looks; the order wands away had never yet been followed by a lesson they had found interesting. Emmie shoved her wand back inside her bag and pulled out a quill, ink and parchment. Professor Umbridge opened her handbag, extracted her own wand and tapped the blackboard sharply with it; words appeared on the board at once:

Defence Against the Dark Arts
A Return to Basic Principles

"Well now, your teaching in this subject has been rather disrupted and fragmented, hasn't it?" She stated, "the constant changing of teachers, many of whom do not seem to have followed any Ministry approved curriculum, has unfortunately resulted in you being far below the standard we would expect to see in your NEWT year. You will be pleased to know however that these problems are now to be rectified. We will be following a carefully structured, theory-centered, Ministry approved course of defensive magic this year."

Emmie groaned and whispered to Fred, "this is such bullshit,"
"I know."
Professor Umbridge turned away from the blackboard to face them, "you two, what are your names?"
"Erm Emmie Nightingale,"
"Fred Weasley,"
"Miss Nightingale and Mr Weasley please don't speak in my lesson,"
"Sorry Professor," Emmie replied, "but I was just wondering when in this Ministry approved shit,"
"What was that?"
"Ministry approved stuff... Will we be doing actual defensive spells,"
"Defensive spells?" Umbridge asked, "oh no, we won't be doing any of those,"
"What!" George yelled, "you can't be serious," Fred added,
"Students raise their hands when they wish to speak in my class. The Ministry have devised our new program of study so you can learn about defensive spells in a secure, risk-free way," Umbridge said calmly.
She made them read for the rest of the lesson.

"It's such bullshit," Emmie said as they walked down the corridor, "yeah, you said," Fred replied laughing, "they can't do this, especially now. We need to know how to protect ourselves."
"Has anyone ever told you you should be an Auror?" George asked, "no, why?"
"I don't know, you're just very passionate about that kind of thing,"
"I suppose but I'm useless at spells. I'd probably be better if we were actually learning some this year."

- Princexiero xx