If This Isn't Love (Fred Weasley Sequel)

Chapter 3 | First and Worst Day

Monday, September 4

Let's see... DADA and double Potions today... Plus Muggle Studies... Alright. I've got this week in the bag.

Well, today at least.

In the mornings I have DADA with Umbridge, the new teacher, and then Potions. After that comes lunch, a break, Potions again and then Muggle Studies. That doesn't sound so bad for a Monday.

When I am in DADA, I almost don't recognize the classroom. It is completely different from Moody's. It is quite terrifying now... Pink. Everywhere. I shudder when I walk in the room.

Umbridge is sitting delicately in her desk. I want to get on her good side so I walk up to her desk.

"Professor, I just wanted to say you look lovely today." I have to refrain from cringing at myself. I put on a smile for her and she, delighted that at least one student "liked" her, smiles back.

"That's very generous of you. What is your name?"

"(Y/N) (L/N), Professor."

Her smile falters, but she keeps it up. "Wonderful. Take a seat."

Uh oh. Please don't tell me my mother, who shares the same last name, has some sort of beef with this woman. She's basically the reason Daphne hates me so much, so why does Mom have to mess this up?

When everyone is seated, Umbridge points to the board with her wand. The board writes standards of the school year on itself, though none of it is about learning how to use defensive spells, but how to study them.

This is already making up to be a boring year.

On second thought, maybe not so.

Harry and Ron are both in my DADA class, though I sit more in the back than they did. I don't want her to so much as look at me.

Anyway, Harry is not happy about studying this instead of actually learning it. He challenges her of how she is to teach us how to defend ourselves.

She just responds with, "Oh, but there's nothing to be afraid of," or something. She also accuses Harry of lying about Voldemort's return.

Naturally, Harry explodes after this. It ends horribly. He gets a week's worth of detention. He doesn't really deserve it, because who would lie about Voldemort coming back?

Is she trying to cover something up? No, I doubt it. She's part of the Ministry, she's probably just trying to prevent panic from spreading. It isn't working. Some people are panicking, but some people do believe the Ministry over Harry.

Namely, Finnigan. He let us know, too, that he didn't believe Harry. Not that I wanted to hear from his point of view. For sure, I believe Harry.

After DADA's horrible class, we have Potions, thank Merlin. I am excellent in Potions and Professor Snape would be lying if he doesn't see it.

"Good morning, Professor Snape," I say as I walk in.

"Morning." I am not surprised by the short reply.

I take a seat nearest his desk, like I did last year. What a weird thing to do for a Gryffindor. Well, unlike them, I like Snape. He's calm and collected and sometimes he's fair to me.

"Did you have a good summer?" I ask, both eyebrows raised. I get out my cauldron, ready to brew some potions.

"My well-being is no concern to you." He stares at me, perhaps trying to tear out my soul with his eyes. It is such a Snape thing to do.

I smile back. He looks away and sighs. "My vacation was rather busy. I doubt you could call it a vacation at all."

"Really?" I exclaim. "Me too! I got a summer job back around my place and my mom wanted to be with me as much as possible. Even then, I still had to all my summer work for this year."

He doesn't look up from the schedule he is looking at. I continue. "I'm not complaining, I love my mom and my job. I even didn't mind all the work." That last part is a bit of a stretch.

"Well, I'll let you start the class," I say. He gives me a very exasperated look and I turn back around, waiting. Alicia and Katie are sitting near me, reluctantly of course. They aren't really fans of Snape.

I missed Snape, I really did. Everyone around me is so upbeat and outgoing, so it's nice to see someone unlike that once in a while.

Snape starts by telling us he expects a little less disappointment than normal, since we passed last year's Potions with good enough grades to get into this year's.

He also makes sure we knew that us bumbling idiots will be dismissed immediately if we are to be caught fooling around at this age. I sure did miss his insults.

At the end of class, I announce, "See you later, Professor," and leave to get lunch with the twins, who are already out of their classes.

~~~~
After the last class of the day, Muggle Studies with Professor Charity Burbage, I can finally eat dinner and lie down for the day.

Fred comes and lies down with me, complaining about the new DADA teacher. I agree with every one of his insults. 

This is only the first day back, and I'm already exhausted.

~~~~
Published 5-4-20