The Power Needed

Chapter 14

Three good days. That's what Harry got. Three days where he could breathe easily, where everything seemed to be good.

That was until he returned to Hogwarts. The train ride was torture. So many students avoided each other's gaze. Harry learned that Gringotts had unlocked the memories of all those affected by Dumbledore. It wasn't all the students, but it was very close. Ron and Hermione said they had seen no less than ten panic attacks while they did their rounds as Prefects.

Things didn't get better at the Opening Feast. One good thing was their new Transfiguration Professor, as McGonagall was to be Headmistress full time this year. It turned out she had given the job to Remus. Anyone who had been his student previously was thrilled. Harry wondered how McGonagall had convinced the Board of Governors to approve his appointment. What he didn't know, was that McGonagall had blackmailed Lucius Malfoy into convincing the board to approve it.

But McGonagall had been unable to find anyone for the Defence against the Dark Arts position. So the Ministry had seized the opportunity to put one of their own there. Dolores Umbridge. A toad-like woman dressed in so much pink it was blinding. She gave a speech, which Hermione helpfully told them all was about the Ministry interfering at Hogwarts. Apparently they wanted to 'keep an eye on things in Dumbledore's wake'. Just the mention of Dumbledore's name sent several people into hysterics. McGonagall had stepped in then, dismissing the students for the night.

--

Harry had received special permission from McGonagall to bring Lily to his classes with him, on the condition that she was well-behaved, and if Fred and George didn't have class and Harry did, she would be with the twins.

This was fine for his first class of the day, Transfiguration. Remus helped Harry set up a little play area near Harry's desk. When she became a bit fussy, Remus picked her up and held her while he was teaching. Lily adored Remus, so this worked just fine.

Harry's next class was DADA. Umbridge told them to put their wands away the moment she entered the class. She handed them each a syllabus.

"Professor, there's nothing in here about using defensive spells." Hermione piped up after reading the syllabus.

"Using defensive spells? Why would you need to use defensive spells in my classroom, Miss...?"

"Granger." Hermione supplied. "Shouldn't we be practicing?" She went on.

"I believe the theory will suffice for educational purposes, Miss Granger. Next time, please raise your hand before you speak." Umbridge said sharply. Harry raised his hand.

"Yes, Mr Potter?" Umbridge said, "Did you have a question about the reading?"

"No, but Hermione is right, we should be practicing." Harry said, not liking the way Umbridge had spoken to his best friend.

"Practicing for what, Mr Potter?"

"Voldemort. He's back and we need to learn to defend ourselves."

"That is a lie. He Who Must Not Be Named was defeated fourteen years ago. You know that, Mr Potter."

"I watched him come back last year. He killed my friend."

"What happened to Mr Diggory was a tragic accident. I believe the Ministry has indulged you enough, with Dumbledore's farce of a trial and your continuous outbursts." Umbridge said dismissively. Many people in the room flinched worse at the mention of Dumbledore's name than Voldemort's.

"FARCE? How can you say that? Were you there?" Harry asked, standing and growing angry.

"I was, Mr Potter. I saw it all."