Daughter of Black

5.07

It was our seventh year at Hogwarts, which really only meant one thing. NEWTs exams. Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Test is a subject specific exam that seventh year witches and wizards take to help us pursue certain careers after our graduation. Which means that passing these exams is critical. It also means that our entire seventh year is focused on these exams. If one wanted to be an Auror, the Ministry of Magic would only accept applicants with at least five NEWTs with top grades of either Os or Es (Outstanding or Exceeds Expectations). When we took our OWLs in our fifth year, they kind of predetermined the classes that we would be taking. Both the twins got 3 OWLs each. Fred got OWLs in Charms, Defense Against the Dark Arts, and Herbology. George got OWLs in Charms, Defense Against the Dark Arts, and Transfiguration. I received OWLs in Potions, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Charms, and Care of Magical Creatures. I was excited to take Snape's more advanced Potions class, despite Snape being the professor. But before I could go to Potions, we all had to sit through Unbridge's Defense Against the Dark Arts class.

The class was bustling with conversation, no one noticing the toad-like smile of Umbridge as she walked to the front of the room. She coughed lightly, getting everyone's attention. George sat next to me, his arm around my chair and his own chair pushed against the table behind us. "Good morning, children." No one said a word back to her, as she walked towards me and George. "There will be no public displays of affection in my classroom, Ms. Black." George slowly removed his arm from me and Umbridge used her wand to move me across the classroom, far away from Fred and George. I said nothing. I didn't know what to say. She gave another sickeningly sweet smile and turned to the chalkboard, writing on it with magic. "Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Test. N-E-W-Ts. More commonly known as NEWTs. Study hard and you will be rewarded. Fail to do so, and the consequences may be severe. Your previous instruction in this subject has been disturbingly uneven." The doors to the classroom were loudly opened, the whole class looking to see Katie Bell as she came staggering into the classroom. Late.

"Sorry, Professor..." She starts, taking a seat in the back of the classroom. Once again, Professor Unbridge smiles like a toad.

"Now, as I was saying before Ms. Bell interrupted with her antics, your Defense Against the Dark Arts education has been rather fragmented and disjointed in your past classes, hasn't it?" The classroom was silent, no one saying a word. "Know now that this is about to be rectified." Using magic, she passed out our textbooks for the year. Dark Arts Defence. Basics for Beginners. "You'll be pleased to know, from now on you will be following a carefully structured, Ministry-approved course of defensive magic. Yes?" I raised my hand as I looked at the contents of the textbook.

"There's nothing in here about using defensive spells?" I asked her, confused why we were reading a book that looked like it was made for children. Certainly we weren't beginners. We are seventh years.

"Using spells?" She giggled that awful giggle and I looked around the class to see if anyone else was revolted. "Well, I can't imagine why you would need to use spells in my classroom." She walked closer to me as if challenging me to say something.

"We're not gonna use magic?" Fred asked from the other side of the classroom.

"You'll be learning about defensive spells in a secure, risk-free way." She said as she looked around the classroom.

"What use is that? If we're attacked, it won't be risk-free." I argued, my leg bouncing up and down.

"Students will raise their hands when they speak in my class." Suddenly the sweet-ish voice of Umbridge was gone as she turned around, not facing the class. When she turned back, she smiled again. "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."