Dance of Fates

chapter 13

Chapter 13

"Professor, May I come in?" Daphne knocked on the door in front of her.. 

"Yes?" came the reply.

Umbridge was surprised to see a Slytherin student in her office in the middle of the night. "Well, Miss Greengrass, what a delightful surprise! How can I be of help at this time of the  night?" Umbridge simpered.

Daphne apologized for her sudden appearance in her office at this time, but she was in an emergency that could not be delayed.

Umbridge smiled, especially as Cyrus Greengrass's daughter was in her office, and asked her to sit down. That was in favor of Daphne.

"An urgent matter, I hope I didn't disturb anything," she answered quietly. 

"No! Not at all. Please do come in," Umbridge said, leading the way. Scanning the pink room as she entered Daphne instantly spotted the cats on the walls and smiled. 

"Is it that urgent, that you had to come at a late hour?" Umbridge asked. 

"Oh yes, very very," she said innocently.  

"Then a tea should do, would you like a cup?" she suggested.

Daphne thought for a few seconds then nodded, ”Maybe some tea won't hurt." 

"My speech will be a little longer," she said in an apologizing tone. 

Umbridge prepared the teapot with a wave of her wand and poured it into china tea cups.

After taking her first sip Daphne started talking. 

"As you know, the OWLs are coming soon and it's time we, as students, start to think about our futures outside these walls. Honestly...I'm a bit embarrassed to say this, but ..," Daphne paused, biting her lip, eyes on her lap .

Umbridge encouraged her to speak. 

"I had never thought about this before you stepped into this school of teaching, but after seeing that your tactics are to avoid violence I have started admiring it ,and I would like to be just like you Professor," she praised smiling. 

Umbridge almost choked on her tea and looked up to see Miss Greengrass praising her and felt self confident.  

"Yes, yes, as you see, I am really a fan of your teaching methods, your rigor and the emphasis on the theoretical side. This place has become a ruin for anyone who could teach or study here. I personally hate violence," Daphne said with wide amazed eyes. 

Umbridge felt shy from Daphne's praise and giggled in her girlish voice and Daphne smiled back broadly.

"That’s why I said that if I wanted to be like you Professor, I should know everything about you." 

After the little fluffy conversation, Daphne put down her cup and cleared her throat.

"I wish to discuss what I was truly here for," she sighed. 

"Excuse me? " Umbridge asked with confusion. Daphne blinked her eyes and the smile vanished from her lips leaving a mask of emotionlessness. Yet Daphne’s eyes remained cold.

"What do you mean by that?"

"Well...There is another reason why I'm here."

Umbridge stiffly snipped her tea, "Then what is it Miss Greengrass?I like being straightforward."

"We all are, let’s say that this is about …," Daphne paused and looked over to the cats, then turned her focus back on Umbridge with sharp cold eyes making the woman shiver.