Slytherin Heart

30.

There weren't many people in our Defence Against The Dark Arts class when I arrived. One of the Patil twins had made a paper bird which flew around the room, over my head as I took a seat, towards the back of the classroom.

One of the Gryffindor boys spoke up then. "Go on Seamus. Go on, get it!"

Seamus stood up and swatted the bird which changed its direction. That's when Crabbe, using a slingshot he had, hit the bird and changed its course again.

It made its way back to the Patil twins only for it to disintegrate. Hermione was sat beside me, Harry and Ron behind us.

"Good morning, children," came a sickly sweet voice from behind us. We all turned our bodies to see Umbridge. "Ordinary Wizarding Level examinations," she said as she wrote it down on the chalkboard. "O-W-L's, more commonly known as OWLs."

She paused a moment before she continued. "Study hard and you will be rewarded. Fail to do so and the consequences may be, severe," Umbridge told us.

She flicked her wand and a stack of books moved up the aisles and settled themselves in front of us on our desks. The book title said: 'Dark Arts Defence: Basics For Beginners.' It looked like a kids' book.

"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."

I flipped through the pages of the course book. Hermione rose her hand.

"Professor, there's nothing in here about using defensive spells."

"Using spells?!" She gave a high pitch laugh. "Well, I can't imagine why you would need to use spells in my classroom."

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

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

Hermione and I glanced at each other. Harry was feeling the same way.

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

"Students will raise their hands when they speak in my class," Umbridge said sharply. "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?" He argued.

"There's nothing out there dear! Who do you imagine wants to attack children like yourself?" She scoffs.

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

Everyone started to mutter at Harry's words, some didn't believe him or thought he was just trying to be cocky. But it was true. Voldemort would attack children such as ourselves.

"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!" Harry argued.

"Detention, Mr Potter!" Umbridge shrieked.

"So according to you, Cedric Diggory dropped dead of his own accord?!" I yell, twisting the ring I had on my finger.

"Cedric Diggory's death was a tragic accident," Umbridge said carefully.

"It was murder!" Harry and I both yelled.

"Enough! Enough! See me later, Mr Potter and Miss Pond! My office!"

***

After mine and Harry's stellar performance, which got us detention, the rest of the day felt dismal as we knew we'd have to go to Umbridge's office after our last class.