The Last Riddle

65. Weasley is our king

"Merlin I couldn't wait for that lesson to be over" Malfoy runs a hand through his bright hair as he walks besides Blaise and I. We walk through the large wooden door of our defence against the dark arts lesson together not waiting around for even another second.

"What on earth is Umbridge's issue? Her curriculum is shit, her lessons are slow and she seems to have it out for Harry?" I hold my books in my hand as I look between the  two boys besides me my eyes wide with confusion.

Malfoy shrugs "you didn't hear her speech at the start of the year, she made it very clear what her purpose here is."

Blaise nods slowly "oh yes she certainly fucking did. Who knew that she was going to be such a shit teacher though."

Blaise and Malfoy continue their assault of Umbridge as we reach our common room, slumping down on a sofa together I pull my legs into my chest.

"What does this mean though? For our O.W.L.S surely we aren't going to pass our exams with a teacher like this? Can't Dumbledore do something about it?" I rest my head against the sofa as I look between Malfoy and Blaise.

"Dumbledore can't do much, not in the long run anyway. My parents warned me about her before we arrived" Malfoy looks into the fireplace "they told me that the Ministry is getting more involved with Hogwarts this year. That the plan is to get rid of Dumbledore before the years out, that Fudge has planted someone in the school to undermine him."

"For fuck sake will we ever just have a normal school year? Will we ever just have an ordinary year of learning things, it's our O.W.L year, why can't we have a good teacher?" I throw my hands up in frustration "I mean think about it, our best teachers to date were Quirrell, Lupin and fake Moody."

Malfoy laughs "oh yeah Quirrell, the guy with your dad growing under his turban, or Lupin the known werewolf or even better Moody who was actually a murderer in disguise hell bent on killing Harry Potter. We've had a real easy time of it haven't we?"

I chuckle slightly, my laughter dies however when looking at Blaise's expression. "What is it?" I ask him as he sits there stony faced.

Blaise raises an eyebrow as if I have interrupted a deep thought of his, he looks slowly between Malfoy and I as he takes a deep breath.

"My mother, she has told me stories about her time in school in France. The government or Ministry whatever you want to reference it as, they start slowly. They start to infiltrate the schools bit by bit, first they hire their friends to work in the schools. Then the friends begin to be the only ones working there, soon all the students are being taught by government employees. The curriculum begins to shift and change, lessons are cut and new ones are made instead. Soon it isn't a learning environment at all but a factory to shift and mould the future generations into the exact type of person they want. A person who numbly listens to their superiors without any free thinking.
Of course their schools are better now but still not as free as Hogwarts is, it's why my mother insisted I come here." He looks at us both his face serious "I can feel the air changing here also. Umbridge being sent here, her changing the way we learn. It is a matter of time I tell you."

Malfoy shakes his head "but what can we do?"

Blaise shrugs "us? Nothing. We have no power, the best thing to do is to be silent and blend into the background. Avoid drawing attention to yourself and just simply shut up."

I look into the fireplace as Blaise's words sink in, Hogwarts is changing this year he's right. We can all feel it.

Something is different. Different and darker.

"Come on, come on" Montague calls us forward as we stand in our quidditch robes rain falling down on us.

"Montague has a real complex since making captain" Malfoy grumbles whilst standing besides me his broom clutched in his hand tightly.