Ten Questions (Harry Potter x Slytherin reader)

Chapter 37

After a rather uneventful day of classes, Daphne, Blaise and I make our way to the defense against the dark arts classroom. As I step inside, I wonder to myself if Professor Umbridge will be the first defense against the dark arts professor to last the entire year. During the previous four years at Hogwarts, not a single professor returned the following school year for seemingly unknown reasons. However, I did not mind, as the only competent professor seemed to be Professor Lupin, who had abruptly left towards the end of my third year. Even Malfoy, who was more than happy to criticize any professor at any given moment, seemed to enjoy his lessons.

As I look at Professor Umbridge, however, I think to myself that it wouldn't be the worst thing if the defense against the dark arts curse extended to her as well.

I take a seat sandwiched between Blaise and Daphne, and diagonal from Harry, who sits almost completely across the room from me. Feeling bold, I sneak a glance at him, and as if feeling my eyes on him, Harry turns around and meets my gaze. He gives me a quick smile, fast enough so that nobody else can catch it, and I have to look down at the ground to hide the one threatening to creep across my face.

"Well, good afternoon!" Professor Umbridge's pitchy voice cuts through the air, and the class, once buzzing with anticipation and excitement, quickly falls silent.

"Good afternoon." Hardly anybody replies.

Professor Umbridge's face falls, but only for a moment before returning to her usual state of forced excitement. "Tut, tut. That won't do, now, will it? I should like you, please, to reply 'Good afternoon, Professor Umbridge.' One more time, please. Good afternoon, class!"

"Good afternoon, Professor Umbridge." More people join in this time, however, the chant is equally as enthusiastic as the last. I can already feel myself, along with the rest of my classmates, growing increasingly irritated.

"Why can't Dumbledore hire a normal professor for once?" Blaise mutters under his breath, rolling his eyes. Professor Umbridge snaps her head up at this, her beady eyes landing on Blaise.

"Is there something you would like to say, Mr. Zabini?" she asks sweetly, although poison laces her voice.

Blaise returns a smile equally as fake as hers. "Of course not. Please, don't let me interrupt you."

I worry for a moment that his painfully obvious sarcasm will land him a detention, but Umbridge only frowns and turns her back to the class, writing instructions on the blackboard.

"Well now, your teaching in this subject has been rather disrupted and fragmented, hasn't it?" states Professor Umbridge, turning to face the class with her hands clasped neatly in front of her. "The constant changing of teachers, many of whom do not seem to have followed any Ministry-approved curriculum, has unfortunately resulted in your being far below the standard we would expect to see in your O.W.L. year. You will be pleased to know, however, that these problems are now to be rectified. We will be following a carefully structured, theory-centered, Ministry-approved course of defensive magic this year. Copy down the following, please."

As the class reads the new course aims that she swiftly inscribes on the board, a wave of confusion seems to simultaneously wash over the class. Granger is the first to raise her hand.

Professor Umbridge turns around and spots Hermione. Although she seems irritated, she says, "Yes? Mrs-?"

"Granger," Hermione quickly finishes. "There's nothing written up there about using defensive spells."

Upon hearing this, the whole class returns their attention to the board, which confirms Granger's statement. I turn to look at Blaise and Daphne, who seem to share my confusion as to why we wouldn't perform spells in class. There are a couple of hushed whispers between some students, but they quickly fall silent when Professor Umbridge speaks again. The class suddenly starts to feel very tense.