CHERRY, george weasley

062, professor umbridge!

CERISE WAS NOT HAVING A good morning. For starters, she had to deal with so many stares from all of her peers, so many whispers about Cedric, and now, she had to sit in Defense Against The Dark Arts with the new Professor whose voice went through her.

"Well, good morning!" Professor Umbridge said, as soon as everyone had taken their seats first thing the following morning. Fred and George were sat in front of Cerise and Loralei, the two girls already not enjoying Defense Against The Dark Arts this year.

A few people mumbled 'good morning' in reply, Umbridge stood in front of the class, "Tut, tut," she said. "That won't do, now, will it? I should like you, please, to reply "Good morning, Professor Umbridge". One more time, please. Good morning, class!"

"Good morning, Professor Umbridge," they chanted back at her. Loralei nudged Cerise, who didn't open her mouth. Cerise remembered when Cedric would sit behind her with Cho in their DADA lessons, and she found herself glancing back, hoping to catch a glimpse of him smiling at her.

Loralei knew what Cerise was doing, and she reached over to grab her hand, snapping her back into reality.

"There, now," said Umbridge sweetly. "That wasn't too difficult, was it? Wands away and quills out, please."

Umbridge opened her handbag, and pulled out her own wand, which was an unusually short one, and tapped the blackboard sharply with it; words appeared on the board at once as Cerise placed her wand in her shoe.

Defence Against the Dark Arts:
A Return to Basic Principles

"Well now, your teaching in this subject has been rather disrupted and fragmented, hasn't it?" The teacher said, "The constant changing of teachers, many of whom do not seem to have followed any Ministry-approved curriculum, has unfortunately resulted in you being far below the standard we would expect to see in your NEWT year. You will be pleased to know, however, that these problems are now to be rectified. We will be following a carefully structured, theory-centred, Ministry-approved course of defensive magic this year. Copy down the following, please."

She rapped the blackboard again; the first message vanished and was replaced by:

Course Aims:
1. Understanding the principles underlying defensive magic.
2. Learning to recognise situations in which defensive magic can legally be used
3. Placing the use of defensive magic in a context for practical use.

"Has everybody got a copy of Defensive Magical Theory by Wilbert Slinkhard?" Umbridge asked. Nobody replied, they just stared at her as if she had grown a second head.

"I think we'll try that again," said Professor Umbridge. "When I ask you a question, I should like you to reply, "Yes, Professor Umbridge", or "No, Professor Umbridge". So: has everyone got a copy of Defensive Magical Theory by Wilbert Slinkhard?"

"Yes, Professor Umbridge," rang through the room.

Once again, Cerise did not open her mouth.

"Good," said Professor Umbridge. "I should like you to turn to page five and read "Chapter One, Basics for Beginners". There will be no need to talk."

Cerise opened her book onto the first chapter and leaned back in her chair. Loralei, surprisingly, had her hand in the air. She hadn't even opened the book.

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

"No," said Loralei.

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

"I've got a question about your course aims," Loralei said.

Professor Umbridge raised her eyebrows. "And your name is?"

"Loralei Hollow,"

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

"Well, I don't," Loralei stated, narrowing her eyes in confusion. "There's nothing written up there about using defensive spells."

Cerise stared at Loralei.

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

"We're not going to use magic?" Lee asked loudly, his eyebrows furrowing. "What's the point in that? We're wizards and witches."

"Students raise their hands when they wish to speak in my class, Mr. —"

"Jordan," Lee thrusted his hand into the air.

Professor Umbridge, smiling still more widely, turned her back on him. Cerise and Loralei quickly raised their hands.

"Yes, Miss Hollow? You wanted to ask something else?"

"Obviously," Loralei said. "Surely the whole point of Defence Against the Dark Arts is to practise defensive spells?"

"Are you a Ministry-trained educational expert, Miss Hollow?" asked Professor Umbridge, in her falsely sweet voice.

"No, but—"

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

"Well, that's not very useful, is it?" Cerise said loudly. "If we're going to be attacked, it won't be in a—"

"Hand, Miss Diggory!" Professor Umbridge stated.

Cerise rolled her eyes, "My hand was raised!" She exclaimed. Loralei placed her hand on Cerise's arm, giving her a warning look.

Professor Umbridge turned to George, who also had his hand raised from his seat next to Fred. "And your name is?"

"George Weasley."

"Well, Mr. Weasley?"

"Well, it's like Cherry said, isn't it?" George shrugged. "If we're going to be attacked, it won't be risk free."

"I repeat," said Professor Umbridge, smiling in a very irritating fashion at George, "do you expect to be attacked during my classes?"

"Well, you'll never know what could happen —"

Professor Umbridge talked over him. "I do not wish to criticise the way things have been run in this school," she said, an unconvincing smile stretching her wide mouth, "but you have been exposed to some very irresponsible wizards in this class, very irresponsible indeed — not to mention," she gave a nasty little laugh, "extremely dangerous half-breeds."

"If you mean Professor Lupin," Cerise said angrily, narrowing her eyes at the new professor, "he is not dangerous, in fact he's the nicest man I've ever met! And the best Defence teacher, too! Much better than you."

"Hand, Miss Diggory! As I was saying — you have been introduced to spells that have been complex, inappropriate to your age group and potentially lethal. You have been frightened into believing that you are likely to meet Dark attacks every other day—"

"No, we haven't," Loralei said, "we just—"

Professor Umbridge turned to Loralei, "Your hand is not up, Miss Hollow!"