Fighting Fate // Mattheo Riddle ♣️

Chapter Thirteen - The Questioning

Word Count: 3,034.

Warnings: None.

The next time I saw Professor Umbridge, I really wish I hadn't. Positioned beside Professor Grubby-Plank, Hagrid's substitute and the former Care of Magical Creature's Professor, she smiled brightly as the Gryffindor's and the Slytherin's approached the edge of the Forbidden Forest.

I sighed in frustration, turning to Draco. "I might strangle her if she keeps smiling like that."

When we had all settled into our group and the Professor had begun talking about bowtruckles, I scanned the crowd, noting the two missing Slytherin's. Mattheo and Blaise hadn't shown up to class.

"Do you think Riddle is at the Manor?" Draco asked me.

"More than likely," I replied.

"Has he told you what's happening there?"

I shook my head. "He can't without that Mark burning the shit out of his shoulder," I told him.

"Well –"

"Is Blaise still in his room?" I asked, changing the subject.

Draco took the hint. "Yes. I couldn't get him out earlier. He's still sleeping as far as I know."

I sighed. "I'll go see him after class."

"You do not usually take this class, is that correct?" Umbridge asked the Professor, gaining our attention.

"Quite correct," said Professor Grubbly-Plank, hands behind her back and bouncing on the balls of her feet. "I am a substitute teacher standing in for Professor Hagrid."

"Hmm," said Professor Umbridge, dropping her voice, though I could still hear her quite clearly, "I wonder — the headmaster seems strangely reluctant to give me any information on the matter — can you tell me what is causing Professor Hagrid's very extended leave of absence?"

I looked up eagerly. It couldn't help my curiosity as to why the Groundskeeper was missing.

"'Fraid I can't," said Professor Grubbly-Plank breezily. "Don't know anything more about it than you do. Got an owl from Dumbledore, would I like a couple of weeks teaching work, accepted — that's as much as I know. Well . . . shall I get started then?"

"Yes, please do," said Professor Umbridge, scribbling upon her clipboard. Umbridge took a different tack in this class and wandered among the students, questioning them on magical creatures. She seemed to completely avoid me, asking Draco a question before passing over me and moving on to Theo.

"Overall," said Professor Umbridge, returning to Professor GrubblyPlank's side, "how do you, as a temporary member of staff — an objective outsider, I suppose you might say — how do you find Hogwarts? Do you feel you receive enough support from the school management?"

"Oh, yes, Dumbledore's excellent," said Professor GrubblyPlank heartily. "No, I'm very happy with the way things are run, very happy indeed."

Looking politely incredulous, Umbridge made a tiny note on her clipboard and went on, "And what are you planning to cover with this class this year — assuming, of course, that Professor Hagrid does not return?"

"Oh, I'll take them through the creatures that most often come up in O.W.L's," said Professor Grubbly-Plank. "Not much left to do — they've studied unicorns and nifflers, I thought we'd cover porlocks and kneazles, make sure they can recognize crups and knarls, you know. . . ."

"Well, you seem to know what you're doing, at any rate," said Professor Umbridge, making a very obvious tick on her clipboard.

"Now, I hear there have been injuries in this class?" The Professor turned to us, her gaze fixed on Malfoy.