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ACT3CH14 - Professor Harry Potter
🕑 Added 2023-09-15 14:11:24 +0000 UTCHermione Granger sat on the Gryffindor table, silently eating her dinner. It was apparently an important event as Dumbledore had requested everyone’s presence at the Great Hall. All four houses were in full attendance, as were the staff. Even Professor Trelawney, who only joined the High table on rare occasions, and Professor Burbage, who usually preferred eating in her office, were present, sitting next to Professor Grubbly-Plank. Hermione noticed that Newton Scamander, the revered magizoologist, whom Dumbledore had mentioned would be staying as Visiting lecturer for the remainder of the term, was sitting beside the Headmaster and Professor Flitwick. Everything just reeked of formality.
“Where’s ‘Rry, Hermione?” asked Ron, his mouth stuffed with steak.
“Don’t talk your mouth full, Ron,” she said automatically, grimacing at his awful manners. She could have said more, but her constant harping over the years had changed a thing.
“I don’t know,” she admitted. “But I’m not surprised. He’s absent half the time anyway.”
It was the truth. Harry was withdrawing completely from everyone. Actually, that wasn’t right. He was just withdrawing from them, and giving more time to a few select other people. Part of her was actually jealous that he was part of the private workshop hosted by Professors Babbling, Vector and Sinistra. That their project was receiving private funding from the Department of Mysteries only increased the bitter feeling in her gut. She had been so excited when she had been offered the chance to be a part of an infield research program with the Time Turners, even if it was for something so inane as taking extra classes. She had even mentioned it to Professor Babbling, hoping to be included in the special Workshop, but the Ancient Runes professor hadn’t been convinced.
In a way, it hurt. She had been one of the highest scorers in Ancient Runes, Astronomy and Arithmancy over the years, yet Harry, someone that only jumped into Ancient Runes this term, was brought into the Workshop. She’d have thought that after all these years of helping him with his adventures and with all the research she had done for him during the Triwizard, he’d be grateful enough to add her in the Workshop, but apparently not.
“Yeah,” said her redhead friend, putting the steak down and looking at her seriously. “But McGonagall told everyone to be present, didn’t she?”
Hermione observed him from the corner of her eyes. Had this been last year, Ron would have instantly tied Harry’s absence with flaunting his status as Warlock, and accuse him of letting his fame go to his head. Honestly, after his falling out with Harry after the Triwizard Champions were chosen, Hermione had feared it would be the ending of their friendship. Somehow, Harry had been understanding and forgiving of Ron, and welcomed him back with open arms. Between that, the fiasco in the Third Task and everything that happened with Percy, Ron had undergone a drastic transformation, becoming far more mature than she could have foreseen. It showed in the way he took everything in stride, the way he stopped complaining about their mutual best friend’s absence in the Gryffindor Common Room, and his association with other people that he hadn’t exchanged a word with over the past four years.
It was surprising, and impressive, in a weird sort of way. Over the last four years, it had always been Harry that was quick to agree with her arguments, while Ron was the one that constantly bickered with her to the point of exasperation. And now, Ron was the one that acknowledged her help and gave her the time of day, even if he did call her a Know-It-All twice a week.
She smiled. It was endearing.
“‘At ro’ thinking, ‘mione?”
She exhaled in exasperation. “Don’t talk with your mouth full, Ronald.”
Almost. Almost endearing.
She glanced at the Slytherin table on the other side of the Great Hall, and found Daphne Greengrass sitting between her sister Astoria and Tracey Davis. It was definitely an improvement from Pansy Parkinson, but it was less because of Greengrass’s own choices and more to do with Pansy throwing that stunner at her to trick Harry. Bigoted or not, it wasn’t difficult for anyone to understand that Pansy had chosen to side with Draco Malfoy — no surprises there, even at the expense of her friendship with Greengrass.
Still, Daphne Greengrass irked her in ways she couldn’t explain. It wasn’t about blood status, or Gryffindor versus Slytherin. The bitch had all but stolen her best friend away. She couldn’t wait to take the girl down a peg or ten if she ever got the chance. Her condescension, her spoiled rich girl attitude and the way she flaunted to everyone how she’d be Harry Potter’s wife as if Harry was some sort of prize she had won and not someone her father had manipulated to marry her. Harry might claim otherwise, but a willing prisoner was still a prisoner.
Even to this date, she was unsure exactly how that bigoted queen bitch got Harry to start getting all affectionate with her. She knew that he was resistant to the Imperius, so lust potion was the only thing that came to mind. Hermione didn’t know the finer details behind why Harry accepted Daphne’s father’s proposal to marry his daughter, but she imagined that his descendancy from House Greengrass had something to do with it. After all, why else would Sirius of all people not stop such a travesty from happening. Hermione had no way to prove it, but she was certain that the sly bitch must have fed Harry with lust potion during the time he spent with her. Nothing else explained why he’d take her side, defend her from everything, and choose to spend all his time with her. Honestly, she was half-certain that Malfoy sending that bludger after her was a setup, forcing a public demonstration that not only proved how far Harry was going to go for her, but also firmly established Daphne as different from the likes of Malfoy in Harry’s mind.
If Hermione could see this, then why couldn’t Harry?
As if she could sense her looking, Greengrass turned in her direction, and Hermione instantly looked away. Or maybe she too was looking at the table, wondering about Harry’s absence.
She glanced at the Staff Table, as Dumbledore stood up and waved his wand, and silence fell upon the Hall like an invisible weight. The food cleared off all the tables simultaneously, and Hermione noticed the odd expression on the man’s face. If she had to wager a guess, she’d say that the Headmaster was amused at what was about to follow.
“Thank you. We have convened here tonight for an important announcement, and observe a tradition that has not been utilised for many years at Hogwarts. Indeed, the last time this happened was during the period of Phineas Nigellus Black, a former Headmaster of Hogwarts a few hundred years ago. Today, we have gathered here to witness the choosing of an existing student for the position of a Professor of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.”
Hermione blinked. A student being chosen as Professor?
She surveyed the faces of the Staff. Some of the teachers looked utterly uncomfortable. Snape’s lips were thin to the point of disappearing. Flitwick and Sprout looked strangely sombre. Even McGonagall had a semi-conflicted expression on her face, and Hermione suspected she had been wearing it for a long time.
Just what was the Headmaster up to? Who among the students was good enough to be welcomed as a professor? And for which subject?
Whatever was coming, it was big.
“The curse on the Defence Against the Dark Arts position has always been a centre of interest and paranoia in recent history. In the last twenty-six years, the curse has made us change thirty-seven professors of the subject. A problem that both the Hogwarts Board of Governors and the Ministry of Magic are well-acquainted with. Luckily, we finally have a way out of this issue for good, and for that, I have requested one of our most prodigious students to help us, by taking up the mantle of the Defence Against the Dark Arts professor in the interim.”
“Hem! Hem!”
Hermione felt a stirring of anger rush through her. If she didn’t already despise the toady bitch, she certainly did so now.
Dumbledore slowly turned to his left. “Yes, Madam Umbridge.”
“I prefer High Inquisitor Umbridge, if you please,” said the woman in her sickeningly sweet tone, as she stood up. “You will remember that according to the Education Decree Number 22 and 23, I am authorised by the Ministry of Magic to inspect the eligibility and competency of every single member of the staff, and under no circumstances can I allow a student to take up the mantle of a professor! It’s preposterous! Such a hiring policy is the height of foolishness! Surely this is the proof that perhaps, it is high time that a new Headmaster be elected to ensure proper administration of this school. I strongly suggest —”
“Dolores!” snapped McGonagall, standing up. “Please keep in mind that you are addressing the Headmaster of Hogwarts.”
The pink-obsessed woman let out a girlish laugh. “Thank you, Minerva, but the fact that you’re not objecting to such a travesty is grounds enough to put your name on the top of the inspection list. Why, the Minister will definitely not like this when I report to him.”
“Please,” said Dumbledore softly. “Do send your report to Minister Fudge. If that is all —”
“You cannot look down on me like that,” screamed the toad. “I’m the High Inquisitor.”
The entire Great Hall had gone silent now. Hermione had seen others call him biassed, or dotty or crackpot insane, but no one, no one, had ever spoken so callously in public. Not at Albus Dumbledore.
She glanced at McGonagall who looked absolutely infuriated. Almost all the staff had stood up from their chairs, shocked at Umbridge’s audacity.
The Headmaster smiled disarmingly, and spoke with the deepest respect. “High Inquisitor Umbridge, the final say on who gets hired, or expelled from this castle, belongs only and only to the Headmaster of Hogwarts, which fortunately for myself, is Me.”
Umbridge smiled, and then said in her sickly sweet tone. “For now.”
The Headmaster spoke up again. “With that established, perhaps I could return to the statement I was making? It is truly poor manners to leave the audience waiting in the middle of a statement.”
Several students, including Hermione, laughed at that.
Albus Dumbledore turned to face the students again. “My apologies. So without further ado, I would like to invite Professor Harry Potter to take up the mantle of the post of the Defence Against the Dark Arts instructor for Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.”
The Hall went as silent as a grave for a second, and then started clamouring at their loudest. Ron opened and closed his mouth like a fish. Ginny had her mouth open in an ‘o’ and the Weasley twins were talking excitedly. Hermione caught Susan Bones and her lot looking at Harry and staring with looks of anticipation and befuddlement, while the rest of the students were jabbering fervently, with a small minority yelling in outrage at what they probably thought was another case of Dumbledore playing favourites.
Hermione herself was amazed at how Harry looked. Gone were his Gryffindor robes, and instead, he was wearing the black garb favoured by the professors, complete with the wizard’s hat. He was doing his best to not look at the audience. She saw Professor McGonagall stand up and offer him felicitations and welcome him to join the Staff table, where he took his place right between Professor Babbling and… Delacour.
Hermione’s nostrils flared. Yes, the veela had finished her NEWTs but Hermione would be damned if she considered her an adequate professor.
“WHAT?” squawked Umbridge, standing up. “PREPOSTEROUS! Potter hasn’t even cleared his OWLs. He is not even a Prefect! I cannot allow this mockery to continue! You— this! I was right! This was all part of your insane conspiracy to turn Hogwarts into your personal fiefdom and arrest control from the Minister of Magic! I — The Minister must know about this!Right away!”
And with that, she slipped out of the Staff Table and hurried out, muttering to herself. That only led to the students to chatter even more wildly. Hermione was scandalised when Angelina yelled out about the loss of her seeker, while Malfoy and his ilk were glaring at Harry, as if expecting him to immolate right then and there. She saw Greengrass stare at him in abject surprise, before her friends engaged her in gossip.
For her life, Hermione couldn’t blame her. Seriously, what was Harry playing at?
“What about Gryffindor?” Ron stood up and yelled. “You’re taking our Seeker away!”
“RON!” Hermione hissed, appalled at his bluntness.
“I understand this sudden appointment can come as a surprise to many,” said Dumbledore, “but I would ask all of you to give Mr. Potter the same respect as the other professors. Despite being a student, he is risking his life to help counter the curse on the Defence position, and for that, he has my respect.”
And he clapped his hands.
It began as a slow thing. McGonagall was the first to join, followed by Flitwick, and Fleur Delacour, and then it spread across the Staff table and the Great Hall.
“And now,” said Dumbledore. “I’d request Professor Potter to come up here, and as is tradition, speak a few words.”
Harry stood up from his seat and walked up to the stage and stood next to the Headmaster. Hermione was oddly reminded of his expression when Sirius and the rest had made him give an impromptu speech in his birthday party. At the same time, a plethora of questions bombarded her head. Why Harry? Why was he chosen and why did he accept? She remembered the utter callous way in which he had denigrated her proposal when she and the other girls had approached him to teach them defence. And yet in about two weeks, he was accepting the position of Defence against the Dark Arts professor?
Why? Was it because he was being attacked by Umbridge and painted as a dangerous element because of Clause 159, while now, he was being given a respectable position? The Harry Potter she had known and grown up with would have never cared for things like position and fame, but now, she wasn’t sure.
“Right. Uh, settle down you lot, please,” said Harry, looking a trifle unsure about what to do or say next. Either way, the chatter died away as the expectant faces looked back at him with varying expressions of dubious interest. “Honestly, all of this came as a surprise to me the other day, and I’m still not sure if it’s just a nightmare I haven’t woken up from—”
Ron snorted, and several other people joined in.
“ — But just in case it isn’t, I guess I’m going to try to do justice to this position. That said, there is something I wish to share with you all. It… has to do with the proposal I got a couple of weeks ago.”
Hermione narrowed her eyes.
“A little before Halloween, I was approached by a group of students from all four Houses — Hermione Granger from Gryffindor, Susan Bones from Hufflepuff, Sue Li from Ravenclaw, and Daphne Greengrass of Slytherin.”
The clamouring had completely died now, as every single person was listening to his words intently.
“All four of them presented me with a proposal. Because Madam Umbridge wasn’t teaching us any defensive spells, or well… any spells really, they wanted me to teach everyone as part of some Defence club. I’ll be honest, I was shit scared. Like, what if I start teaching and the Ministry comes knocking at my door, accusing me of training Dumbledore’s Army?”
Hermione looked down, mortified and embarrassed.
“I told them that if their real issue is that the professor isn’t teaching them properly, they should go complain to the professors and write to their parents. I mean, that’s what I’d have done. Next thing we know, the syllabus is reverted to the old one and all problems are solved. So I guess, thank you all. And specifically to you four, Hermione, Susan, Sue and Daphne.”
“I’d do it again, Harry,” yelled Susan Bones, before giggling with her friends.
“Yeah, thanks. I thought all problems were solved, and then Professor Dumbledore handed me this job. Talk about irony.”
Laughter followed.
“Ever since I’ve joined Hogwarts, a whirlwind of trouble has always come for me. Be it possessed professors or basilisks in secret chambers, dementors or just dark wizards trying to kill me, I have always had to push myself to learn how to fight them, and if not, then survive them. Facing that in real life is not like school. In school, if you make a mistake, you can try again tomorrow. But out there, when you’re a second away, from being murdered, or watching someone die before your eyes…. You don’t know what that’s like.”
He paused for a moment. “If there’s one thing I’d want to accomplish, it’s that.”
Silence rang in the Great Hall for a moment. Then Daphne Greengrass stood up, and began clapping. Her friends joined a second after. Susan and the rest of the Hufflepuffs were next, followed by Gryffindors and finally Ravenclaws. In less than a few seconds, almost the entire Great Hall was clapping, with the exception of some from all four Houses, who were shooting him dark scowls. Cho in particular, looked absolutely murderous, while Draco Malfoy looked like he was about to suffer an aneurysm. She glanced at Zacharias Smith who was scowling as Alice Talbot shot him a dirty glare for not clapping, and finally at McLaggen who looked like he had just swallowed a bad egg. Everywhere the students were muttering in low, excited voices, pointing at Harry. Between this, and Umbridge’s earlier reaction, no doubt this would have extreme repercussions.
She glanced at Harry, at the oddly calm look on his face. Gone was that trepidation, as if cast aside like a mask. Instead, he looked perfectly comfortable in his own skin, utterly nonchalant about the whisperings across the Tables. It was like he had anticipated Umbridge throwing a tantrum, and those words he chose to say during his speech…
Come to think of it, the duel in the DADA classroom somehow served his ends perfectly. Hermione had been suspicious before, but now she was completely certain that he had staged the entire thing. True, he hadn’t confided in her or Ron about it, but Susan Bones looked absolutely proud that day. The way he had led Malfoy and his cohorts to throw a challenge, and then utterly destroyed their reputation before everyone — it looked like a planned event the more she thought about it.
And ever since then, every single thing had served his purposes. Not only had they gotten the old OWL syllabus reverted, Umbridge had been removed from the Defence Against the Dark Arts position. And quite conveniently perhaps, he had gotten the basilisk harvested and gifted Hogwarts with that mind-boggling sum of money. As much as Hermione was glad and proud of her friend for being so magnanimous, she had the sneaking suspicion that the sudden removal of Clause 159 had something to do with his generous donation.
And now this. It was like every move he made was now calculated. It was almost as if he was born to be in…
Hermione glanced at the Slytherin table. Just how much of that had been Harry’s own plans, and how much did Daphne Greengrass have to do with it?
Hermione felt worried. That was natural. That and proud of everything Harry had accomplished this year. But why, oh why, couldn’t she get rid of that weird twisted feeling in her stomach?
....
....
....
“This is getting dangerous, Minister,” whispered an agitated Dolores Umbridge to her superior. “There is a coup in place. I can sense it. I thought it was all aimed to get the students to mutiny against the Ministry, but I was wrong, Minister. I was so wrong. Albus Dumbledore and Harry Potter are playing a far more intricate game, and I’m afraid we’ve been acting like fools.”
“Dolores, I’m already trying to regain my lost points on the Popularity Index. I swear to Merlin if you’ve given that bumbling old fool another opportunity to strike against me—”
“I have not done anything, Minister,” assured Dolores. “If anything, I have been too late in acting.”
“I made you High Inquisitor for a reason, Dolores,” Cornelius huffed as he stared at her through the fireplace. “All you had to do was to use your authority to weed the truth from Dumbledore’s web of lies. Instead you come running to me, complaining about him all over again.”
“Cornelius, just minutes ago, he made Harry Potter the Defence Instructor of Hogwarts.”
That froze the Minister in place.
“... he what?”
“Albus Dumbledore made Harry Potter the Defence Instructor at Hogwarts.”
“...how?” The Minister’s voice came out strangled. “HOW IS THAT EVEN POSSIBLE?”
“Will you listen to me now?”
The Minister of Magic was too shocked to even speak.
“I told you, Minister. Albus Dumbledore’s plans are byzantine and work in circles. We underestimated him yet again,” she said in a whisper. “Have you not heard the news? Albus Dumbledore invited Newton Scamander as a visiting lecturer to Hogwarts.”
“Newton Scamander is a renowned magizoologist that has been living in the States for over two decades now. I highly doubt he is part of that fool’s plan. You are seeing phantoms, Dolores,” scoffed Cornelius. “Now stop wasting time and tell me why Potter was even allowed to become a Professor with you sitting there as the High Inquisitor.”
“Because of you, Minister.”
“Because of — what nonsense is this?”
“Nonsense?” Dolores squeaked. “The Educational Decrees Number 22 and 23 appoint me as High Inquisitor, but all I can do is inspect the teachers here. I cannot hire new professors, or expel old ones. That power only belongs to the Headmaster. I can only bring the issue to him, and if he doesn’t care, then to the Board of Governors, and might I remind you who’s the current Chairman again?”
“... Greengrass,” said the Minister in a small voice.
“Yes!” hissed Dolores. “It’s all a trap, Minister.” She was particularly affronted that her superior would have so little faith in her. “Do you really think that Potter and Dumbledore declared the basilisk from the Chamber of Secrets to be harvested on Halloween at a whim? Clearly every single thing was part of a plan — brainwashing the students, coercing them to act against the Ministry, while also playing the Board of Governors by paying all that gold to Hogwarts, and getting Clause 159 annulled —”
“And what of them?”
“Minister,” she hissed in exasperation. “Albus Dumbledore brings a member of his old guard into Hogwarts to take the position of a lecturer. And who does he bring? A magizoologist that will probably snatch the role from Professor Grubbly-Plank, the new substitute professor from Beauxbatons. Do you not see the strings at play, Minister? I know that Grubbly-Plank is not a Dumbledore loyalist, which is why Dumbledore is getting her substituted by Scamander. If that isn’t right, I’ll eat my wand.”
“Dolores —”
“And with the Clause 159 annulled, he declares Harry Potter as the new Defence Against the Dark Arts professor. The same brainwashed child that wants everyone to believe that the Dark Lord is back. And now, he’s in the position of a professor, and he’ll be teaching our entire generation of students about how a dead Dark Wizard is miraculously alive, and how they all need to trust and worship him, because he’s the Boy-Who-Lived. He provoked his fellow students to rise to a mutiny against the Ministry! Can you imagine the kind of damage he can do to our society as a professor?”
“But Potter is a student —”
“Dumbledore claimed some absurdity about the curse on the Defence position, and how Potter is conveniently the only person that is immune to it. And I can shout and cry about how Potter is just a student and incapable of being a professor by any right, but the Board will just ignore me, because Regent Greengrass is sitting at the top. I’m — I’m telling you, Minister. It’s got all the signs of a coup. Dumbledore wants to turn Hogwarts into his own personal fiefdom!”
“WELL, DO SOMETHING!” Fudge screeched. “I MADE YOU THE HIGH INQUISITOR AND GAVE YOU ALL THOSE POWERS FOR A REASON! JUST DO SOMETHING AND GET POTTER EXPELLED OUT OF HOGWARTS!”
His tone had a note of hysteric desperation in it. His eyes were wide, so wide that they were practically bulging out of their sockets. Spittle was flying from his lips, and his tone was getting higher and higher with hysteria.
“Minister —”
“NO MORE EXCUSES!” Cornelius snapped, his voice hoarse. “This — This — this has to end NOW! Use your authority! I’ll sign a blanket order! Inspect all the professors and find out how Dumbledore controls them! Get me statements from the students themselves. Ask the younger Mr. Malfoy and his associates for help. For Merlin’s sake, get Runcorn to help you! I will not have another day of Albus Dumbledore ruining my career. He — he declared Harry Potter as a professor, did he? That just proves how desperate — how desperate he is! Yes! It does! He’s putting people in places, and we’ve to take action. Immediate! Action! Use the Prophet! Use the students! Get the skeletons out on Potter and everyone. I — I need them all gone. I — I —”
Dolores winced grimly. The constant pressure, the tension that had been slowly building since the summer, all of it was coming to a head in Cornelius Fudge, and it looked like it was too much for him to bear anymore. She had seen it earlier, when he had stormed at her after the mutiny stunt, but the time since then had only made his tension worse, and he was lashing out at her.
And could she even blame him? The poor man was having to fight conspiracies and plots hatching against him from every direction. He had already lost so many of his supporters to Potter, and even the Board of Governors was now back in Dumbledore’s pocket. She, his loyal Undersecretary, was away at Hogwarts, unable to be with the Minister in his time of need, and she too, was horribly failing to keep Albus Dumbledore and Harry Potter from taking over the Ministry.
She felt like such a failure.
No, she couldn’t let this happen. She absolutely couldn’t. This needed to stop. Could she hire dementors again to attack Potter, now that he was at Hogwarts?
She couldn’t risk it. Besides, the brat was proficient in using the Patronus charm. No, she had to get started using what she had. Her thoughts went to the Hogwarts professors and settled on Snape. She had read his files — a Death-Eater that had been pardoned because Albus Dumbledore spoke in his defence. Arguably, the very first person that she should see removed from Hogwarts. But both the junior Mister Malfoy had spoken of Professor Snape in reverent tones, claiming how he had been the lone voice at Hogwarts among the staff that saw Potter for what he was — a vainglorious liar hiding behind Dumbledore’s skirts. Perhaps…. Perhaps she could ask him for a little help? He was a halfblood — an annoying fact for sure, but at least he had his heart in the right place. Why else would Lucius Malfoy and his son be so supportive of him? Perhaps she could ask him for veritaserum? Not very much, just enough to loosen the lips? Of course, Potter had demonstrated some resistance against the serum, and using it in high doses could attract attention. She had seen enough of his prowess with a wand to know that he was faster than her at casting. No, using it on Potter was a bad idea. His friends on the other hand…
She considered Greengrass and Bones, and immediately dropped the idea. They came from powerful families, and were both Nobility. Greengrass’s father led the Board of Governors, and Amelia Bones was the DMLE director. That Chinese girl perhaps? No, no, she was likely a dupe. No, there is exactly one, or perhaps two people out there, that would fit the bill extremely well.
And both had been quite vocal against Dolores from the very beginning, even without Potter egging them against her.
Yes. Those two would do.
“Dolores? DOLORES —”
“Don’t worry, Minister,” she said calmly. “I assure you. I will take care of it. I will make sure we find the evidence to get both Albus Dumbledore and Harry Potter dragged off to Azkaban. And then…” her eyes brightened. “No one will trouble you anymore.”
Comments
The BlackStaff and NightMarE
#Edits with minor additions
Harish
I finally figured out why Umbridge is despised more than Voldemort. And am left wondering which idiot JKR based her on. Also, you are doing very well in portraying the utter paranoia of power hungry lunatics. But could you also start focusing on the other frontlines of this conflict. Hogwarts is a very important line in it but it is only one line. What is the rest of the British magical world doing?
