Saudade

Chapter 8 Some That Would Never Understand Ophelia

        The first half of Ophelia's Sunday was spent with Snape enduring an exhausting lesson. She dedicated the other half to working on her homework. Thankfully, she managed to finish it all in just one day. Now that it's Monday, she can shift her focus to her mission of getting closer to Harry. To achieve that, she needed to get closer to Granger.

"Hi!" Ophelia greeted the trio Monday morning.

"Hi," Hermione said distracted.

"What's going on?" Ophelia inquired, noticing Harry's silence.

"You haven't read the Daily Prophet?" Hermione asked, handing Ophelia the newspaper.

On the front page was a large photograph of Dolores Umbridge, smiling widely and blinking slowly at her from beneath the headline.

MINISTRY SEEKS EDUCATIONAL REFORM

DOLORES UMBRIDGE APPOINTED

FIRST EVER HIGH INQUISITOR

"High Inquisitor?" Ophelia laughed as the four of them stepped aside. "That's funny," she sneered reading again.

In a surprise move last night the Ministry of Magic passed new legislation giving itself an unprecedented level of control at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

"The Minister has been growing uneasy about the goings-on at Hogwarts for some time," said Junior Assistant to the Minister, Percy Weasley. "He is now responding to concerns, voiced by anxious parents, who feel the school may be moving in a direction they do not approve of."

This is not the first time in recent weeks that the Minister, Cornelius Fudge, has used new laws to effect improvements at the wizarding school. As recently as 30th August, Educational Decree Number Twenty-two was passed, to ensure that, in the event of the current Headmaster being unable to provide a candidate for a teaching post, the Ministry should select an appropriate person.

"That's how Dolores Umbridge came to be appointed to the teaching staff at Hogwarts," said Weasley last night. "Dumbledore couldn't find anyone so the Minister put in Umbridge, and of course, she's been an immediate success--"

Ophelia scoffed loudly.

"--totally revolutionizing the teaching of Defense Against the Dark Arts and providing the Minister with on-the-ground feedback about what's really happening at Hogwarts."

It is this last function that the Ministry has now formalized with the passing of Educational Decree Number Twenty-three, which creates the new position of Hogwarts High Inquisitor.

"This is an exciting new phase in the Minister's plan to get to grips with what some are calling the falling standards at Hogwarts," said Weasley. "The Inquisitor will have powers to inspect her fellow educators and make sure that they are coming up to scratch. Professor Umbridge has been offered this position in addition to her own teaching post and we are delighted to say that she has accepted."

The Ministry's new moves have received enthusiastic support from parents of students at Hogwarts.

"I feel much easier in my mind now that I know Dumbledore is being subjected to fair and objective evaluation," said Mr. Lucius Malfoy, 41, speaking from his Wiltshire mansion last night. "Many of us with our children's best interests at heart have been concerned about some of Dumbledore's eccentric decisions in the last few years and are glad to know that the Ministry is keeping an eye on the situation."

Ophelia paused. "What a bunch of rubbish," she mumbled, shaking her head. As if her father has ever cared for her safety. He sold her to the darkest wizard.