Umbridge was watching her class, containing the Gryffindor and Slytherin fifth years, as they read her "Ministry Approved" textbook. She was confident in the knowledge that now; there was no way that they were going to rise up against the Ministry. That was everyone's (who was truly loyal to the Ministry at any rate) worst fear, an army of students being commanded by that doddering old fool, Dumbledore.
She took a particular pleasure in watching young Mr. Potter read through the book and write some notes down in a notebook with a scowl on his face. Nothing seemed to brighten her day more then to see the horrible little liar get taken down several pegs.
"Ahh...being a teacher to small children is so wonderful" she thought with a large smirk on her toad like lips.
If she had moved a little closer towards the young, raven haired lad she would have had the chance to read what the boy was writing. Unfortunately for her, she didn't know that it wasn't anything that spelt good news for her.
After the bell had rang to signal that it was the end of class, Harry, Hermione and Ron had wandered down to the Great Hall for lunch. Harry was still writing into his little black notebook as they walked and that, in itself, attracted Hermione's attention.
"Harry, what are you writing?" she said trying to peer into the small book. It wasn't often that Harry would write in that book, normally it was just one or two lines and she never got to see what it was he was writing.
Harry looked sideways at her and smiled. "Something that will completely eradicate that sorry excuse for fiction she insists that we read."
Slightly taken aback by his tone and manner of speaking, she stared at Harry. But then Hermione frowned.
"Harry, while it’s true that the book preaches non-practical use of magic, it is still reasonably sound, the Ministry would have checked out all the facts. The Department of Magical Education wouldn't let the book past them without it having at the very least 95% truth to it." she said shortly.
Harry smirked "One word, Lockhart." and with that he turned away from the Great Hall's staircase and traveled onto the direction in which the library was located. Hermione wanted to follow him, but Ron held her back.
"Leave him be, when he gets this way, you know it will be good." he said with a wicked grin on his face.
“What are you talking about? He's never been this way! Every time he plans or thinks he knows what’s really going on, it turns out he's wrong. Name one time that he was right and I was wrong." said Hermione with a slightly snobby attitude.
"One word, Lockhart" said Ron with that same evil grin, as he took an embarrassed Hermione by the hand and led her to the Great Hall.
Thankfully it was only a half-day that day because Harry didn't reappear to them until dinner had already started. They even went to the library to find him and try as they might. It was to no avail. Madam Pince had shuffled them both out, with a strange smile on her face, telling the both of them that Harry didn't want to be disturbed. It was no secret that even she held some contempt for the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. Especially after what she said about disposing of half of the books in the school library.
When he arrived in the Great Hall, he wasn't carrying anything except for a small white envelope and his little black book, the strange thing was, he wasn't alone. A tall, stern looking man came walking up behind him.
As Harry stopped he held up the small envelope, the man walked past him and snatched the envelope right out of his hand, without even stopping. Harry gave a small smile and placed both hands into his pocket, leaned back in a smug pose and smirked up to Umbridge, who didn't have any inkling of what was going on, but she did look quite frightened.
