Ruby Dellamark ⍎ Malfoy

15) Table Scraps for Biscuit

Luckily, lunch time had rolled around quicker then expected. The day wasn't even over, and Ruby was already fed up with this new Professor. That, and she received a two minute lecture for wearing trousers instead of skirts...in front of her whole class. Talk about embarrassing.

Not only that, but this woman reminded Ruby of a tea kettle. She seemed to only be able to take so much heat before she blew her top. In this case, that wouldn't be a bad thing.

Biscuit trailed behind Ruby, licking up the crumbs as she went along. Ruby slumped down at the Ravenclaw table and let out a long sigh.

"Long day?" Cho asked her.

"You don't know the half of it," she replied. While they chatted away, Biscuit – who at this point was just over a year old – had wandered off in search of more table scraps.

She slinked through the table legs and scurried around frantic students. She was nearly kicked a few times. But eventually, she spotted a morsel of roast beef on the floor. She licked her lips hungrily and trotted over. But just as she was about to munch on her snack, a foot came along and stamped on the beef. Biscuit yowled sadly. The owner of the foot – a tall boy with platinum blonde hair – looked down, and was shocked to find the kitten sitting there with a sat expression.

"Hey, what're you doing down there?" Draco reached down and picked up the cat. The cat seemed awfully familiar. Biscuit stared up at him and licked her lips again. He took a piece of meat off his plate and threw it on the floor, and Biscuit bounded after it happily. Once she had her scrap between her teeth, she trotted back to her owner before she would notice she disappeared.

"Pardon me, professor! But what exactly are you insinuating!" the familiar high-pitched, irritation voice travelled through the grand hall, capturing the attention of many students.

"I'm merely requesting that when it comes to my students, you conform to the prescribed disciplinary practices!" that was Professor McGonagall. Ruby and Cho looked at each other, then went and followed the rest of the students out in the foyer. On the stairs was Professor McGonagall herself, and she seemed to be having a tense disagreement with Professor Umbridge.

"So silly of me, but it sounds as though you're questioning my authority in my own classroom, Minerva," Umbridge said.

"Not at all, Dolores," McGonagall used the same stern tone that Umbridge, "Merely your mid-evil methods," now everybody had crowded around to watch the spectacle.

"I am sorry, dear. But to question my practices is to question the ministry; and by extension, the minister himself," Umbridge gasped, "I am a tolerant woman, but the one thing I will not stand for is disloyalty!"

McGonagall looked incredibly hurt as her words, "Disloyalty?" Umbridge then turned to the rest of the students who were listening intently.

"Things at Hogwarts, are far worse then I feared. Cornelius will want to take immediate action,"

And just like that, Umbridge's first educational proclamation was hung on the wall for all the students to see. She had been promoted to be the high inquisitor at Hogwarts. The press were having a field day as well, and all the while – Minister Fudge distracted from the growing situation at hand, and focused more on Hogwarts becoming a revolutionized school.

And Ruby absolutely hated it.

-

"Dream interpretation, is a most important means of divination," the fifth years listened intently to Trelawney's lesson, "For the inner eye, sees sights to which the outer world is blind–" she suddenly walked into a table, knocking one of her books to the floor. But as she stooped down to pick it up, Professor Umbridge strided in, catching Trelawney by surprise.

"Oh–oh! What-what are you doing here?" she asked her.

"Don't mind me, dear. You see – Professor Trelawney, isn't it? In addition to my teaching duties, the ministry has asked me to act as an informal observer here at Hogwarts. Cornelius' eyes and ears, as it were," she beamed. Harry looked at Ruby, who then looked at him, and they both rolled their eyes in dismay.

"Nothing to worry about, please do go on. I'm just a fly on the wall," Umbridge told her.

"I'd love to smack this fly," Ruby muttered to Cho. Cho bit back her smile as Trelawney continued.

"Oh, yes-yes, well..."

"Just one question, dear," Umbridge didn't give her ten seconds, "You've been in this post how long, exactly?" she asked.

"Ehm...nearly sixteen years," she replied.

"Quite a period!" then the pink pom pom went on to write on her clipboard, "And it was Dumbledore who appointed you?" she asked.

"He did," Trelawney replied sheepishly. Umbridge wrote down a few more things, then urged her to continue.

"The interpretation–"

"Just one more thing, not much bother," what was the point of all this? Ruby thought.

"Could you please predict something for me?" she asked. Trelawney looked absolutely gobsmacked.

"I'm sorry?" she asked.

"Predict something. Surely you're not surprised I asked, you would have..foreseen it," she giggled.

Trelawney's hands trembled immensely, "The inner eye does not see upon command," she replied.

"Come on, now. One teensy little prophecy?" she asked. Trelawney was absolutely terrified, so much so that she opened her mouth, but nothing came out.

"Pity," Umbridge scribbled on her clipboard again and began to walk away.

"No! Wait-wait! I think I do see something! I see something dark!" she exclaimed, "You are in grave danger!" she shouted.

Umbridge turned to her, completely unphased by this garble of words and smiled, "Lovely,"

Meanwhile, Ruby let her forehead fall against her desk. This day was exceptionally not going well.