Obliviate My Rebellion {Book 3}

16. The High Inquisitor Toad

I thought that we'd have to search and search for the article Percy was on about. But as soon as the owl dropped to Hermione with her paper, she let out a gasp.

"What?" I asked warily, looking up at Umbridge on the teacher's table--to see she looked awfully smug. And something that made Umbridge happy wasn't good for the rest of us.

MINISTRY SEEKS EDUCATIONAL REFORM 

 DOLORES UMBRIDGE APPOINTED 

 FIRST EVER HIGH INQUISITOR 

 “Umbridge – Inquisitor?” said Harry darkly, his half-eaten piece of toast slipping from his fingers. “What does that mean?” 

"Well she looks as if she's just eaten the tears of children for breakfast, so nothing good." Cole muttered, lying his head on the table.

He was exhausted and honestly quite irritable. Gennie and I suspected he'd become somewhat dependant on drink to make him feel better, and it wasn't making him feel better away from it.

Hermione began to read aloud: “In a surprise move last night the Ministry of Magic passed new legislation giving itself an unprecedented level of control at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. 

 “‘The Minister has been growing uneasy about goings-on at Hogwarts for some time,’ said junior Assistant to the Minister, Percy Weasley. ‘He is now responding to concerns voiced by anxious parents, who feel the school may be moving in a direction they do not approve.’ 

 “This is not the first time in recent weeks that the Minister, Cornelius Fudge, has used new laws to effect improvements at the wizarding school. As recently as August 30th, Educational Decree Number Twenty-two was passed, to ensure that, in the event of the current Headmaster being unable to provide a candidate for a teaching post, the Ministry should select an appropriate person. ‘That’s how Dolores Umbridge came to be appointed to the teaching staff at Hogwarts,’ said Weasley last night. ‘Dumboldore couldn’t find anyone so the Minister put in Umbridge, and of course, she’s been an immediate success —’” 

 “She’s been a WHAT?” said Harry loudly. 

 “Wait, there’s more,” said Hermione grimly. 

 “‘—an immediate success, totally revolutionizing the teaching of Defense Against the Dark Arts and providing the Minister with on-the-ground feedback about what’s really happening at Hogwarts.’ 

"So she's spying on us." Gennie frowned. "I just really hope all the sassy comebacks to her have made their way to the ministry. Alia told me that some kid in her class gave her a bag of flies as a snack 'because toads always eat flies."

"Oh that was classic." Cole said, a glimmer of a smile on his tired face. "Alia helped catch the flies. I was so proud."

Hermione frowned at us for the interruption before continuing.

 “It is this last function that the Ministry has now formalized with the passing of Educational Decree Number Twenty-three, which creates the new position of Hogwarts High Inquisitor.

“‘This is an exciting new phase in the Minister’s plan to get to grips with what some are calling the falling standards at Hogwarts,’ said Weasley. ‘The Inquisitor will have powers to inspect her fellow educators and make sure that they are coming up to scratch. Professor Umbridge has been offered this position in addition to her own teaching post and we are delighted to say that she has accepted.’ 

 “The Ministry’s new moves have received enthusiastic support from parents of students at Hogwarts.

 ‘I feel much easier in my mind now that I know Dumbledore is being subjected to fair and objective evaluation,’ said Mr. Lucius Malfoy, 41, speaking from his Wiltshire mansion last night. ‘Many of us with our children’s best interests at heart have been concerned about some of Dumbledore’s eccentric decisions in the last few years and are glad to know that the Ministry is keeping an eye on the situation.’