The Hufflepuff Artist (The Four Maidens of Hogwarts #2)

Chapter Four

A/N - I had a small groove for writing this story recently since I didn't really update during the holidays.  Hope you all enjoy and thanks for always being patient for whenever I update next! :)

The other classes today weren't that bad. Cait and the others were too busy completing class work to really focus on talking with each other. Surprisingly, Transfiguration with Professor McGonagall felt relieving. Her teaching style was very structured to distract Cait from all her jumbled thoughts.

The last class of the day was Defence Against the Dark Arts. Cait pursed her lips, wondering how this year's class would be. Last year, Professor Moody turned out to be a madman. She didn't know the complete details, but rumors circulated around everywhere. One crazy rumor being how he had a hand in what had happened to Jade.

Well, at least he was better than Professor Lockhart... hopefully this new professor will be better than both of them.

Cait took her usual seat in the middle, by the aisle. Cedric shortly joined her, plopping his bag down.

"Hey, I saw you and Pucey in Potions for a bit. I didn't get a chance to ask how you were doing." Cedric greeted, giving Cait a small smile. "How was working with him?"

Cait shrugged, twiddling her wand to prepare herself for today's lesson. "It's fine, just, uh, different."

"Okay, he and I sometimes crossed paths on the Quidditch pitch. He's not a bad sport, but he just looks like someone who prefers watching grass grow rather than initiating conversation." Cedric laughed. "If he gives you a hard time, you can let me know."

Cait chuckled. "Thanks, Cedric. I'm sure it'll be fine."

"Hem, hem."

Cait nearly fell out of her chair by the sudden high-pitched simper in the front. Chattering died down, and Cait rested her gaze on the fluffy pink woman.

"Good afternoon, class!" Professor Umbridge called.

"Good afternoon." Cait and a few others mumbled back.

"My, that won't do. 'Good afternoon, Professor Umbridge'." She corrected. "Let's try that again now, with a little more enthusiasm this time. Good afternoon, class."

Everyone chanted it back.

"Much better! Now, wands away and quills out, please."

Cait frowned, noting that everyone around her seemed to be looking forward to a class that usually favored wand work over taking notes. Cait opened her bag, taking out a quill and some parchment before putting her wand away.

Professor Umbridge took out her own wand, a rather short looking one for that matter. She waved it at the blackboard, and white words started scribbling themselves.

Defence Against the Dark Arts - Basic Principles and Defensive Theories. Cait read in her mind.

Before she could question it, Professor Umbridge said, "If you are in this class, you have already passed the O.W.L. examinations. The constant changing of professors, however, many of whom did not seem to have followed a Ministry-approved curriculum, has unfortunately resulted in your test results being far below the average standard. Not to worry, though, as these problems have been resolved so you all can excel in your N.E.W.T. examinations."

Cait twiddled her quill in her hand. All of a sudden, Potions with Snape, Adrian, and porcupine quills seemed far more favorable than sitting in Umbridge's classroom. She didn't understand what the problem was. Everyone here had passed their O.W.L.s with at least a good score, otherwise they would not be in the N.E.W.T. level class for the last two years.