Snape and Lily's daughter

Dolores Umbridge

It was a Monday afternoon and it would be the first Defense Against the Dark Arts class for the fourth year students. Grace was not at all anxious or excited for this class, as she normally would have been in other years. After Umbridge's boring speech at the welcome dinner, her expectations were low.

All the students entered the room in silence.

"Well, good afternoon!" she said when finally the whole class had sat down.

Everyone mumbled a "good afternoon" back, not in the least excited.

"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," the students responded, this time louder and clearer.

"There, now," she said sweetly. "That wasn't too difficult, was it? Wands away and quills out, please."

Many students exchanged glances, including Grace and her friends. No teacher had ever asked to put away their wands in a class.

The teacher waited for everyone to put away their wands and grab parchment and a quill to start the lesson.

"Well now, your teaching in this subject has been rather disrupted and fragmented, hasn't it?" Umbridge stated. "The constant changing of teachers, many of whom do not seem to have followed any Ministry-approved curriculum. You will be pleased to know, however, that these problems are now to be rectified. We will be following a carefully structured, theorycentered, Ministry-approved course of defensive magic this year. Copy down the following, please."

And then on the board, with a wave of a wand, appeared "Course Aims."

1.Understanding the principles underlying defensive magic.

2.Learning to recognize situations in which defensive magic can legally be used.

3.Placing the use of defensive magic in a context for practical use.

For a few minutes all that could be heard was the sound of the students writing down what was written on the board. Soon after everyone was finished, she spoke again.

"Has everybody got a copy of Defensive Magical Theory by Wilbert Slinkhard?"

The students murmured yes.

"I think we'll try that again," she said. "When I ask you a question, I should like you to reply 'Yes, Professor Umbridge,' or 'No, Professor Umbridge.' So, has everyone got a copy of Defensive Magical Theory by Wilbert Slinkhard?"

"Yes, Professor Umbridge," the students said.

Grace rolled her eyes quietly, without letting her teacher notice.

"Good," Professor Umbridge said. "I should like you to turn to page five and read chapter one, 'Basics for Beginners.' There will be no need to talk."

The teacher sat in the chair facing the students, and watched them all. Grace, who was irritated by the situation, didn't even open her book, but kept her hand raised, staring at the teacher.

After a while many students gave up reading the chapter, which was extremely boring and tedious.

"Did you want to ask something about the chapter, dear?" Umbridge said.

"Not about the chapter, no," Grace said.

"If you have other queries we can deal with them at the end of class."

"I've got a query about your course aims," Grace said.

"And your name is — ?"

"Grace Snape,"