Ethereal ✭Fred Weasley✭

46.

Within a day, Harry had already gotten into an argument with the new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher. She had announced that they wouldn't need their wands in her classroom as the Ministry wanted to take a new non-practical approach. This had set the class into a range of whispers with a few Gryffindors' piping up with their doubts, only to be shot down with Professor Umbridge's blunt answers. Sophia helplessly watched Harry blurt out about Cedric's death being a result of Lord Voldemort's return, putting the class into another uncomfortable state of tension. Sophia tried hard to keep her mouth clamped shut as the Professor attempted to assure him that what Harry was saying was a lie, and that he would have to meet her in detention that same evening.

The rest of the class was spent reading a very basic textbook labelled 'Basics for Beginners'. It was painful to read about how to do the most childish of spells that weren't meant for fifth years or even pre-first years. Umbridge continued to make small 'hem hem's noises as well as sweet giggles when glared at or asked questions by students. Sophia continued to glance up at where Harry sat during the 'lesson', noticing how hunched his shoulders were and couldn't possibly understand how frustrated he must be right now. With this thought in mind, Sophia jumped up from her seat when the class was eventually dismissed and followed after Harry who was making his way quickly out of the room he had now come to hate with a passion.

"Harry!" she called over the heads of other Gryffindor and Slytherin students, looking distastefully at the students who glared at Harry as he walked by them. The boy didn't stop on his quick pursuit and kept his head down as if he didn't hear her. He was too angry to talk to anyone right now even if it was someone who could understand and sympathise with him to a certain extend.

"Harry wait!" Sophia tried again. She continued to follow after him and was making it as far as the courtyard of grass and benches where coincidentally, Fred and George were sitting while openly ditching their lessons. The twins looked up from one of their Skiving Snackboxes at the sound of Sophia's voice and the name of the boy who was storming away from her. Sophia was able to finally fall into step with the rigid student and attempted to keep pace with him as she spoke in a hurried tone.

"Look I know your angry and you have every right to be-"

"Noticed have you?" Harry spat back without looking at her. But this didn't faze Sophia yet and continued to speak to him while keeping up her quick walk.

"You can't go blurting out that sort of stuff Harry," Sophia stared at Harry's stony face. "Umbridge is just like Fudge. She's obviously going to go off what the Ministry believes."

"Doesn't mean I can't be angry about it," Harry said again with just as much anger as the last.

"I'm not saying that," she tried and lowered her voice considerably for the next part. "But it's not good for you to draw more attention to yourself by mentioning Cedric especially-"

"Oh like what you've been doing?!" Harry stopped walking and whipped around real fast while absolutely fuming. "Staying under the radar even though you know what's going on is wrong?! Just like what the Ministry's doing?! You're no better Sophia!"

Fred and George had already made their way over to the scene as other students had begun to stop on their walks to listen and watch. Harry was now facing Sophia with balled fists and with a deep glare, pinning Sophia to her spot who had wide eyes and parted lips in surprise. She knew he was angry yet couldn't help but feel a little insulted by his accusations and comparisons of her to the Ministry.

"I'm just trying to help-" she tried to keep her determined demeanour on but was slowly starting to lose her courage.

"Well you're not!" Harry yelled, his face beginning to turn red with deep veins popping out from his neck. "Just like how you didn't help last year before the last task! Where were you then huh?!"