Into The Light (Golden Trio Era) {2}

Allies

Professor Umbridge looked as though she had just been slapped in the face. She did not speak but straightened the parchment on her clipboard and began scribbling furiously. Looking supremely unconcerned, Professor McGonagall addressed the class once more.  "As I was saying, the Vanishing Spell becomes more difficult with the complexity of the animal to be vanished. The snail, as an invertebrate, does not present much of a challenge; the mouse, as a mammal, offers a much greater one. This is not, therefore, magic you can accomplish with your mind on your dinner. So- you know the incantation, let me see what you can do..."  "How she can lecture me about not losing my temper with Umbridge!" Harry said to them in a low voice as he grinned. It looked like his anger with Professor McGonagall had gone. Professor Umbridge did not follow Professor McGonagall around the class; perhaps she thought that Professor McGonagall would not permit it. "Well done Miss Black and Miss Granger, 5 points to Gryffindor each." She smiled at the missing mice after they spoke the "Evanesco" incantation. Umbridge's face twisted as Mikayla received praise.

Umbridge took many more notes while she sat in her corner, and when Professor McGonagall finally told them all to pack away, rose with a grim expression on her face. "Well, it's a start," Ron said, holding up a long, wriggling mouse tail and dropping it back into the box Lavender was passing around. As they filed out of the classroom, Mikayla saw Professor Umbridge approach the teacher's desk; she nudged Harry, who nudged Ron, who nudged Hermione in turn, and the four of them deliberately fell back to eavesdrop. "How long have you been teaching at Hogwarts?" Professor Umbridge asked.  "Thirty-nine years this December," Professor McGonagall told her brusquely, snapping her bag shut.  Professor Umbridge made a note.  "Very well," she said, "you will receive the results of your inspection in ten days' time."  "I can hardly wait," Professor McGonagall replied in a coldly indifferent voice, and she strode off toward the door. "Hurry up, you four," she added, sweeping past the foursome before her.  Unfortunately, it was not the last time they saw Umbridge that day. When they walked down the lawns toward the forest for Care of Magical Creatures, they found her and her clipboard waiting for the class beside Professor Grubbly-Plank. "You do not usually take this class, is that correct?" Mikayla heard her ask as we arrived at the trestle table where the group of captive bowtruckles were scrambling around for wood lice. "Quite correct," Professor Grubbly-Plank nodded, hands behind her back and bouncing on the balls of her feet. "I am a substitute teacher standing in for Professor Hagrid." Mikayla exchanged uneasy looks with Ron, Harry, and Hermione. Draco was whispering with Crabbe and Goyle, he would surely love this opportunity to tell tales on Hagrid to a member of the Ministry. 

"Hmm," Professor Umbridge said, dropping her voice, though I could still hear her quite clearly, "I wonder, the headmaster seems strangely reluctant to give me any information on the matter, can you tell me what is causing Professor Hagrid's very extended leave of absence?" Draco looked up eagerly. "'Fraid I can't," Professor Grubbly-Plank said breezily. "Don't know anything more about it than you do. Got an owl from Dumbledore, would I like a couple of weeks teaching work, accepted, that's as much as I know. Well... shall I get started then?" "Yes, please do," Professor Umbridge said, scribbling upon her clipboard.  Umbridge took a different tack in this class and wandered among the students, questioning them on magical creatures. Most people were able to answer well and Mikayla's spirits lifted somewhat, at least the class was not letting Hagrid down.  "Overall," Professor Umbridge said, returning to Professor Grubbly-Plank's side after a lengthy interrogation of Dean Thomas, "how do you, as a temporary member of staff, an objective outsider, I suppose you might say, how do you find Hogwarts? Do you feel you receive enough support from the school management?" "Oh, yes, Dumbledore's excellent," Professor Grubbly-Plank said heartily. "No, I'm very happy with the way things are run, very happy indeed." Looking politely incredulous, Umbridge made a tiny note on her clipboard and went on, "And what are you planning to cover with this class this year, assuming, of course, that Professor Hagrid does not return?"  "Oh, I'll take them through the creatures that most often come up in O.W.L.," Professor Grubbly-Plank told her. "Not much left to do, they've studied unicorns and nifflers, I thought we'd cover porlocks and kneazles, make sure they can recognise crups and knarls, you know..."  "Well, you seem to know what you're doing, at any rate," Professor Umbridge said, making a very obvious tick on her clipboard.

Mikayla didn't like the emphasis she put on "you" and liked it even less when she put her next question to Goyle: "Now, I hear there have been injuries in this class?" Goyle gave a stupid grin. Draco hastened to answer the question. "That was me," he said. "I was slashed by a hippogriff."  "A hippogriff?" Professor Umbridge asked, now scribbling frantically. "Only because he was too stupid to listen to what Hagrid told him to do," Harry spoke up angrily. Mikayla winced and both Ron and Hermione groaned. "And Mikayla shielded him, dove in front of him and took the slashes, Draco only got a scratch." Neville spoke to the Professor, Mikayla smiled at him thankfully. Professor Umbridge turned her head slowly in Harry's direction. "Another night's detention, I think," she said softly before turning to Neville, "Yes, it's clear Miss Black likes to put herself in dangerous positions to play hero." Mikayla's face began to redden, "Well a lot of us owe our lives to Mikayla." Avery stood towards the Professor, who looked displeased at the reaction of her insulting Mikayla. "She'd do anything to protect anyone in this class, even someone whose bullied her since first year." Dean spoke up sending daggers at Draco, who has fallen quiet. "Quiet Children, don't encourage her." Umbridge spoke angrily before spinning around to look at Professor Grubbly-Plank, "Well, thank you very much, Professor Grubbly-Plank, I think that's all I need here. You will be receiving the results of your inspection within ten days."  "Jolly good," Professor Grubbly-Plank nodded, and Professor Umbridge set off back across the lawn to the castle.