Little Phoenix (Harry Potter Fanfiction)

53. Professor Umbridge

Nic blew through her first classes of potions and transfiguration until she sat down in DADA next to Hermione. "Well, good afternoon!" Umbridge called in her overly cheery voice. A few people muttered responses, but Nic remained completely silent. "Tut, tut," she said, "that won't do, now, will it? I should like you, please, to reply 'Good afternoon, Professor Umbridge.' One more time, please. Good afternoon, class!"

Nic remained rebelliously quiet as everyone else chanted, "Good afternoon, Professor Umbridge."

"There, now," Umbridge said sweetly. "That wasn't too difficult, was it? Wands away, quills out." Next moment she hit her wand against the black board with a snap. "Well now, your teaching in this subject has been rather disrupted and fragmented, hasn't it? The constant changing of teachers, many of whom do not seem to have followed any Ministry-approved curriculum, has unfortunately resulted in your being far below the standard we would expect to see in your O.W.L. year."

Nic rolled her eyes and stopped listening until Hermione nudged her shoulder to take notes. Once she'd copied these down, they were ordered to read from their book. Nic was staring off at it until she heard Hermione say, "There's nothing written up there about using defensive spells."

"Using defensive spells?" Umbridge repeated. "Why, I can't imagine any situation arising in my classroom there would require you to use defensive a spell, Miss Granger. You surely aren't expecting to be attacked during class?"

"We're not going to use magic?" Ron exclaimed.

"Students raise their hands when they wish to speak in my class, Mr.-?" Umbridge snapped.

"Weasley," Ron retorted, raising his hand forcefully. Harry, Hermione, Nic all raised their hands.

"Yes, Miss Granger, you wanted to ask something else?"

"Yes," she replied. "Surely the whole point of Defense Against the Dark Arts is to practice defensive spells?"

"Are you a Ministry trained expert, Miss Granger?" Umbridge retorted scathingly.

"No, but-"

"Well then, I'm afraid you are not qualified to decide what the 'whole point' of any class is," Umbridge retorted. "Wizards much older and cleaver we than you have devised our new program of study. You will be learning about defensive spells in a secure, risk-free way-"

"What use is that?" Harry snapped.

"If we're going to be attacked, it won't be in a-" Nic began.

"Hands, Potters!" Umbridge yelled. Both instantly raised their hands again. "And your name is?"

"Tyriq Hufflepuff," Ty replied.

"Well, Mr. Hufflepuff?"

"Well, Nicki had a point," he replied. "If we're going to be attacked, it won't be risk-free."

"I repeat, do you expect to be attacked in my class?"

"Wouldn't shock me," Nic snapped angrily.

"Really?" she called, turning on her. "Who would you imagine would want to attack children like yourselves?"

"Hum, let's think," Harry replied in a mock thoughtful voice. "Maybe Lord Voldemort?"

"Ten points from Gryffindor," Umbridge snapped with a sickly sweet smile. "Now, let me make a few things quite plain. You have been told that a certain Dark wizard has returned from the dead-"

"He wasn't dead," Harry said angrily. "But yeah, he's returned."

"Mr.-Potter-you-have-already-lost-your-House-ten-points-do-not-make-matters-worse-for-yourself," Umbridge said in one breath. "As I was saying, you have been informed that a certain dark wizard is at large once again. This is a lie."

"It's not a lie!" Harry yelled. "I saw him, I fought him!"

"Detention, Mr. Potter!" she shouted. "Tomorrow evening, five o'clock, my office. I repeat, this is a lie."

"So according to you," Nic thundered, getting to her feet with her eyes burning. "My boyfriend dropped dead of his own accord!" The entire class fell deadly silent.

"Cedri-"

"Don't!" Nic screamed, her eyes flooded with tears.

"Ms. Potter," Umbridge snapped. "I will forgive you this transgression on the condition you serve a week's detention and I won't take away your prefect's badge." Shaking with anger, she sat down. Hermione grabbed hold of her hand sympathetically and she saw Tyriq trying to catch her eye. Once she had sat, she raised her hand. "Ms. Potter?"

"May I be excused?" she asked quietly.

"I think that would be wise," she replied with her sickly sweet smile.

As she rushed out the room, she heard Harry shout, "Cedric Diggory was murdered! It wasn't some kind of tragic accident!" Nic ran to McGonagall's office and banged on the door.

"What is it?" she cried, opening the door in exasperation. Her expression instantly softened as she caught sight of the tears on her cheeks. "Please, take a seat, Ms. Potter." Minerva began to make tea and handed a cup to her. "Chamomile I believe is your favorite?"

"Yes, ma'am," Nic replied, taking a sip. "Sorry to just burst in, but...I don't know if I can do this."

"Do what, Ms. Potter?" she asked.

Nic glanced at the door and pointed her wand, muttering, "Muffliato."

"This is about the Order isn't it?" McGonagall asked. "What is giving you trouble?"

"I lost it in Umbridge's class," Nic explained. "She started talking about Voldemort and...and Cedric."

"Ms. Potter," McGonagall began. "We gave you this job because your parents wanted you to help fight Voldemort, but we also gave it to you because we believe in you. Now, it's best we don't talk about this more here. Biscuit?"

"Thank you," Nic replied, taking the biscuit from her. "Now I just have a week's worth of detentions."

"Ms. Potter-"

"Please, Professor, just Nic or Nicki," Nic laughed.

"Well, as this is not a formal meeting, I will consent to call you Nic if you will call me Minerva," McGonagall replied with a small smile.

"I can do that," Nic laughed. "Thank you, Prof...Minerva."

"You're welcome, Nicki," she replied. The two spent a time chatting about this and that before Nic stood. "Can we do this again?"

"Any time you like," she replied getting to her feet with a smile. "Outside of my classes, of course."

"Of course," Nic agreed. She left with a happy smile and headed for her next class.