B.Q. Book Two: Black Princess Ascendant

Chapter 13: Diverging Opinions

Yes, with Umbridge I'm once again "de-Flanderizing" a character's canon presentation. My personal view is that if she's a career public servant, she should at least be able to keep her bigotry to herself when in public. Her characterization in book 5 felt like it was meant to accomplish two goals: one, make the Ministry out to be a center of bigotry and corruption, and two, pose to the students the question of "Do you support Harry and Dumbledore or the Ministry?", which was rather unfair considering that for many of them Umbridge was the only member of the latter they had ever interacted with.

This is the third – and hopefully last – chapter that takes place on September first. I really need to stop spending so much time on individual days, or this story will never get done.

Disclaimer: Did Gryffindor house turn on Harry at only the slightest provocation, not once but multiple times? If so, I don't own the Harry Potter franchise; it belongs to J.K. Rowling, Scholastic Press, Warner Bros., and whoever else she sold the rights to.
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The wall containing the knocker swung inwards, allowing them to see the other Ravens assembled in a loose circle on the edges of the room. Jen nearly groaned when she noticed that they were all watching her.

I suppose I shouldn't be that surprised. Smiling sweetly, she remarked, "Well, this doesn't look too inviting."
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Despite the seriousness of the situation, Luna could not hold back her snort of laughter. Oh, Jen. Only you.

One of the seventh-years cleared his throat and stepped forwards. "Welcome to Ravenclaw house, first-years. Professor Flitwick will probably have something to say to you in a few minutes. Black? We were wondering if you would be willing to answer a few questions for us."

"Ah, I think I see. All of you are curious about the same things, I'm guessing?" Most of the house nodded, but the blonde could not help but notice that several of the youngest students, the second-years Jen had taken under her metaphorical wing the previous year, were glaring at the upper years. Clearly they aren't any happier about this than we are, she thought, glancing over at Padma and Morag. Both girls had their arms crossed and were radiating their displeasure for all the world to see.

"Very well." Jen crossed the floor and settled into one of the armchairs by the fireplace. With her legs crossed and her fingers absently tracing patterns in the soft leather of the armrests, she looked eminently comfortable, like there was nothing she would rather do more than answer their every question. It was only the tight edge to her little grin and the way her right foot was twitching in the air that revealed to Luna just how stressed she was feeling at this moment. "Go ahead. Ask what you wish."

The other Ravens look at each other, apparently unsure just how to respond to Jen's show of confidence. Finally, one of them spoke up. "So you're the daughter of Bellatrix Lestrange."

"As Skeeter revealed and we confirmed."

"And you didn't tell anyone? Why?"

"Look around you," she answered with a sad smile. She waved at the assembled students. "All of you – except the firsties, of course – got to know me at least a little over the past year. Even still, we come back, and you set up this... Is 'inquisition' too strong a word?" The teenagers muttered amongst themselves, uncomfortable with that characterization. "No matter what it should be called, it's clear that there are some of you who distrust me, even fear me, due to my mother. How much worse would your reaction have been if that was the first thing you knew about me?"

"Is there any reason we should trust you?" The ranks shifted until one of the older boys, a sixth-year, was at the front of the crowd. He aimed a baleful glare at Jen. "My aunt and uncle were murdered by that woman. How do we know that you're any better than her?!"