Coup de Foudre [Fred Weasley] [5]

⚡️ Chapter 23 ⚡️

Several more minutes passed on by and soon Harry wasn't the only one watching Vega and Hermione's actions. The chapter they had been instructed to read was so tedious that more and more people were choosing to watch the two girls' mute attempts to catch Professor Umbridge's eye than to struggle on with the boring 'Basics for Beginners.'

When more than half the class were staring at Vega and Hermione rather than at their books, Professor Umbridge seemed to decide that she could ignore the situation no longer so she turned to look at them as if she had just noticed them –

"Did you want to ask something about the chapter, dear?"

It was clearly directed toward Hermione as Vega was being ignored, but Vega had expected this from Umbridge and she wasn't going to let this get to her. She had already started to get agitated by this woman's behaviour since she stepped into the castle.

"No, it's not about the chapter, no," Vega spoke up and she watched as Professor Umbridge's expression soured at the sight of her face, clearly not concerned about hiding it.

"Well, we're reading just now," Professor Umbridge responded, showing her small, pointed teeth. "If either of you have other queries, we can deal with them at the end of class,"

"We've got a query about your course aims," Hermione interjected and Professor Umbridge raised her eyebrows at the brunette girl next.

"And your name is?" Professor Umbridge asked.

"Hermione Granger," Hermione answered. "And that's Vega Lestrange," Professor Umbridge's lip curled slightly but Vega was oddly satisfied by seeing that reaction.

"Well, Miss Granger and Miss Lestrange," Professor Umbridge said in a voice of determined sweetness. "I think the course aims are perfectly clear if you read them through carefully,"

"Well," Vega replied, now that Professor Umbridge had been forced to acknowledge her by her name. "We don't see that – there's nothing written up there about using defensive spells,"

There was a short pause of silence in which many members of the class turned their heads around to frown at the three course aims still written across the blackboard.

"Using defensive spells?" Professor Umbridge repeated with a little laugh. "Why, I can't imagine any situation arising in my classroom that would require you to use a defensive spell, Miss Lestrange. You surely aren't expecting to be attacked during class?"

"We're not going to use magic?" Ron ejaculated loudly.

"Students raise their hands when they wish to speak in my class," Professor Umbridge said. "Mr. –?"

"Weasley," Ron said, thrusting his hand into the air.

Professor Umbridge, smiling still more widely, turned her back on him. Vega, Harry and Hermione immediately raised their hands too. Professor Umbridge's pouchy eyes lingered on Vega and Harry for a moment before she addressed Hermione.

"Yes, Miss Granger?" Professor Umbridge asked. "You wanted to ask something else?"

"Yes," Hermione replied as she lowered her hand. "Surely the whole point of Defence Against the Dark Arts is to practice defensive spells?"

"Are you a Ministry-trained educational expert, Miss Granger?" Professor Umbridge asked in her falsely sweet voice that was getting on Vega's nerves.

"No," Hermione said. "But –"

"Well then, I'm afraid you are not qualified to decide what the 'whole point' of any class is," Professor Umbridge said. "Wizards much older and cleverer than you have devised our new program of study. You will be learning about defensive spells in a secure, risk-free way –"