WILD FLOWERS ✿ d.malfoy

20.

The next morning is bleak. I don't feel like eating much, so I don't. I hadn't slept much either, and the throbbing cuts on my left hand were no help.

Charms went easy enough, but as we enter Transfiuation, I'm mildly surprised to see Professor Umbridge and her clipboard seated in a corner.

"Oh, this is going to be fun," Carina smirks.

"Umbridge wouldn't even know what's hit her," Tracy remarks, smirking evilly.

Professor McGonagall marches into the room without giving the slightest indication that she knew Professor Umbridge was there.

"That will do," she says and silence falls immediately. "Mr. Finnigan, kindly come here and hand back the homework — Miss Brown, please take this box of mice — don't be silly, girl, they won't hurt you — and hand one to each student —"

"Hem, hem," says Professor Umbridge. Professor McGonagall ignores her.

I get my essay back; 'E'.

"Right then, everyone, listen closely — Dean Thomas, if you do that to the mouse again I shall put you in detention — most of you have now successfully vanished your snails and even those who were left with a certain amount of shell have the gist of the spell. Today we shall be —"

"Hem, hem," says Professor Umbridge.

"Yes?" says Professor McGonagall, turning round, her eyebrows so close together they seem to form one long, severe line.

"I was just wondering, Professor, whether you received my note telling you of the date and time of your inspec —"

"Obviously I received it, or I would have asked you what you are doing in my classroom," says Professor McGonagall, turning her back firmly on Professor Umbridge. The three of us looked at each other with wide smirks.

"As I was saying, today we shall be practicing the altogether more difficult vanishment of mice. Now, the Vanishing Spell —"

"Hem, hem."

"I wonder," says Professor McGonagall in cold fury, turning on Professor Umbridge, "how you expect to gain an idea of my usual teaching methods if you continue to interrupt me? You see, I do not generally permit people to talk when I am talking."

Professor Umbridge looks as if she has been slapped in the face as she looks back at her parchment and scribbles furiously. Professor McGonagall seems unphased and continues her class.

"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. . . ."

I manage to make my mouse vanish: verbally and non-verbally. Carina is nowhere near vanishing her mouse. Her mouse has turned a sick shade of brown and was slightly see-through.

She groans and flops back on her chair, "I give up."

"Come on," urges Caelum. "You know you can."

Sometime later, Professor McGonagall dismisses us, and we go down to the grounds for Care of Magical Creatures. Surprisingly enough, we see Professor Umbridge and her clipboard there too.

"You do not usually take this class, is that correct?" We hear her question Professor Grubbly-Plank.

"Quite correct," says Professor Grubbly-Plank, hands behind her back and bouncing on the balls of her feet. "I am a substitute teacher standing in for Professor Hagrid."

"Hmm," says Professor Umbridge, dropping her voice, "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?"

" 'Fraid I can't," says Professor Grubbly-Plank 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," says Professor Umbridge, scribbling upon her clipboard. Umbridge takes a different tack in this class and wanders among the students, questioning them on magical creatures. Most people answer well.

"Overall," says Professor Umbridge, returning to Professor Grubbly-Plank's side, "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," says Professor Grubbly-Plank 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 goes 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.," says Professor Grubbly-Plank. "Not much left to do — they've studied unicorns and nifflers, I thought we'd cover porlocks and kneazles, make sure they can recognize crups and knarls, you know. . . ."

"Well, you seem to know what you're doing, at any rate," says Professor Umbridge, making a tick on her clipboard.

"Now, I hear there have been injuries in this class?" she asks Goyle.

Malfoy hastens to answer the question. "That was me," he says. "I was slashed by a hippogriff."

I raise my eyebrows. Really? I mean mate, anyone should know better than to – even off-headedly – insult a hippogriff.

"A hippogriff?" says Professor Umbridge, now scribbling frantically.

"Only because he was too stupid to listen to what Hagrid told him to do," says Harry angrily. Arse. How thick is his skull? Lemme get a scale.

"Another night's detention, I think," she says softly. "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," says Professor Grubbly-Plank, and Professor Umbridge sets off back across the lawn to the castle.

I glare at Malfoy and his gang, who are grinning madly.

Carina groans, "Why the hell is he so bloody vain?"

We just shake our heads and proceeded to handle a bowtruckle.

--a/n--

I wish McGonagall would just Transfigure Umbridge into a toad. 
Umbridge, more like Um-bitch. Damn the Ministry. Be a rebel.
Pramiti xx