It’s been a few months since Umbridge became the newest DADA professor and Harry couldn't doesn’t think he can handle it any longer. No one is listening and the numbers of people going missing just seems to keep rising. And even when he doesn’t say anything he gets punished with those damned quills. As if he was causing a riot, just by breathing.
And now they have to go through another one of her amendments.
“Do you have any idea on what she’s going to amend now?” Ron asked through a mouthful of food, snapping Harry out of his thoughts. No matter how much he loves his friend, he does have to agree with Hermione when it comes to his table manners. Especially when sometimes bits of it come flying in his direction.
“I don’t know Ron. Last time was her amending the bathroom rule for class time and the time before that was…”
“The time before that was some stupid rule about appropriate materials in the library. It’s censorship, is what it is!” Hermione interrupted Harry bringing up the school-wide book cleansing in an effort to rid the school of ‘immoral’ books. Ie. Books that didn’t align with the ministry's views. One of the few rules that caused an uproar from the slytherins since a lot of their favorite books got taken in it all.
The slimy bastards deserved to have it taken. It was probably dark magic related.
“Honestly, I just want to get back to the dorm. The less time I’m with her, the less likely I am to get detention again”, Harry sighed out, already feeling a phantom ache in his hand from the mere thought of having to go through that quill again.
Hermione just gave a sympathetic smile in return white setting herself down before prepping her dinner plate. Ron nodded along in agreement.
“ I hear ya mate. But maybe it’ll be one that’ll make the snakes mad! At least then it would be somewhat worthwhile” Ron said, reaching over to try to get more food from the dishes that have been laid out. Which one? Who knows, Harry certainly didn’t.
“Ron! That isn’t something you should hope for! Especial si-“, but a sudden sharp shrill interrupted what Hermione was going to say.
Ahh, yes. The Umbridge whistle. The signature call indicates that Professor Umbridge is going to start speaking. She used to go ‘ahem, ahem’ to call for people's attention but quickly started using a whistle charm after too many people ‘ignored’ her.
“Attention Students… I am glad to see everyone here!” She started with her overly sweet voice vibrating the dining rooms walls. Ah how he wished to meet the person who introduced Umbdrige to the vocal charms.
“I'm glad to see everyone is having a lovely day, so I’ll make this quick. It has come to my attention that some of you fellow students have been involved in some…discerning relationships and habits”
Discerning? We’re teenages? Of course we'll date? While I might not understand it, it doesn’t mean nobody else does. But look, the slytherins seem to be concerned.
“And while you have the freedom to do what you want outside of class, I want to make it abundantly clear that you can’t here. So here are the new rules that will commence here on out.
In regards to social events a person can only invite another person of the opposite sex
A student can only be appropriate relationships with their peers
And
One can only wear clothing that has been deemed as appropriate by staff . “
There was an immediate uproar from most of the house, but Harry was kind of confused by it all. But at least he wasn’t the only one since it looked like some of the people in the other houses (excluding the Slytherins and Ravenclaws who all seemed to adorned a look of indignation) were also confused. What social events? Hogwrts has only ever had one big social event the entire time Harry was here. And it was because they decided to bring back that European death competition. Were there other social events Harry wasn't aware of ?!?!
And the relationship seems pretty okay. This will stop the 7ths years from going out with the first years at least.
But the clothes? What does that even mean? Were all wearing the school uniform? Or is she trying to be racist? Harry couldn’t help, but sneak a look to the Patil twins, having gotten closer to them in the past year. Surprised to see that they were also looking at him with what seemed to be the same thought in their minds.
“You know, this isn’t that bad?” Ron said after swallowing the last bit of food in his mouth. Looking like he wants to get more.
“Ron! This is probably one of her worst rules yet!” Hermione said, looking at him in shock that he didn’t get what just happened.
“Hermione's right Ron. It does seem as if they're starting to breach into our personal life now.” Harry said, quick to back up Hermione after everything started to sink in, especially the one regarding relationships.
Appropriate? What do-
“-you mean by appropriate?” A voice ranged out silencing the rising commotion. A voice that no one thought would be the first to raise a question against the new rules Unbridge proposed.
Draco Malfoy… The dragon prince himself.
Draco Malfoy has asserted himself in the beginning as one of Umbrudge's lackeys and one of her favorites, but he seemed to have quickly lost his place after disagreements against some of her rules. Especially after he was caught with stuff she labeled as contraband, which caused her to fall into legal trouble once it was found out that it was just Malfoy's medications.
Nobody knows why, but his position seemed to have only worsened in the past few weeks.
“I’m sorry Mr. Malfoy, would you care to repeat yourself”, Umbrudge said, looking as if she was trying to stare him down. And maybe it would have worked. After all, some people find frogs to be intimidating. But this is a Malfoy we're talking about. And as much as Harry disliked him, even he had to give Draco a point for having a pretty good stare-down. Sure he may have been more than a bit whiney the first few years but he more than proved why he was named Dragon during the the time Triwizard Tournament, was being held. Would have been a feast for the gossip-mongers, if it wasn't for Malfoy pinning their attention on Harry.
What an asshole.
“I asked… What. Do, You. Mean. By Appropriate Relationships?” Draco repeated, looking at Umbridge from where he sat at the Slytherin table. Legs crossed, in the middle of eating, seemingly bored if it weren't for the tensions between his hand and fork.
“What more do I need to say about appropriate, Mr. Malfoy?” Umbridge said, avoiding the answer by giving another.
“Oh, so you’re finally going to investigate that one Gryffindor 7th year, who's been exclusively dating 1st and 2nd years since he got here? Sure it wasn’t creepy when he was still their age, but it's gotten concerning now that he isn't, hasn’t it?” Draco replied, bringing attention to said person.
Ahh yes. Randy. Honestly, I hope so. People have been trying to get him expelled since 5th year. Some like Fred and George have even tried scaring him away, while others (like the Slytherins) have been trying to get him to have an ‘accident’.
“Yes… well, he will certainly be… looked at. There are others of greater concern. Don’t you think Mr.Malfoy '' Umbridge responded, looking at Malfoy through a smug smile?
What does she mean by others?
“Unless others are people like Randy, then I certainly wouldn’t know”. Draco continued, finally having his fork removed from his hand by Jiang Zhuliu, the Hufflepuff-turned-honorary-Slythern who was sitting right next to him. Thank god he did. Harry doesn’t think he could go through another fork accident. He still doesn’t know if that was just the Black Family Madness that Malfoy inherited, or if it was just Malfoy being Malfoy. Sirius said that his middle cousin used to do that when they were kids, but who knows?
“But I feel like you do know”, she wouldn’t, “wouldn’t you, Mr. Malfoy?” Umbridge questioned back.
She did.
She is trying to imply something about his relationship with Jiang Zhuilu
And it seemed that Malfoy picked up on what she was trying to imply. The look in his eyes seemingly having snapped. An infuriated look came to his eyes, while his hair started to become more feather-like, looking as if it was rising up in anger. Zhuilu next to him looked like he was trying to figure out if he should try to hold him back or join him on whatever came next, looking as if he was going to reach for something by side, before seeming to remember that whatever that thing was isn’t there currently.
But they weren’t the only ones mad. Everyone in the Slytherin looks just as affronted by that comment. With some in the Hufflepuff table even getting up looking ready to throw more than just a charm or two at her face, for what she implied about one of their members. With some of the Gryffindors looking ready to jump whenever. While Ravenclaw just looked shocked she would say something like that, not just in a public setting, but to the kid whose Dad basically controls the school board, Britain's international trade (and wow was that a shock when Harry learned that tidbit of information) and who knows what else.
“No, I wasn’t. Unless you call kissing and hanging out with one’s boyfriend immoral.”
And there it is. That was the cusp of the rules.
Huh. Out of everything Umbridge being homophobic, was the last one Harry expected. Oliver explained to Harry a long time ago that the Wizarding World was a lot more accepting than the Muggle World. Comes with the freedom magic brings to people. Sure they may hate people based on their magical background, but they would never hate you based on what you wear, who you love, or whatever else ( huh, they have to have some redeeming qualities).
And Harry could easily believe it. Heck, he sees it with the Slytherin and Purebloods and magical raised half-bloods. Especially in regard to the clothes they wear, sometime he wishes he cou-
Ahhh… ‘appropriate clothes’. Huh. Guess that rule wasn’t racist… maybe.
But Harry could see that he wasn’t the only one who stopped being confused and was sad to see that a few of the Halfbloods and even more of the Muggleborns seemed to have become more accepting of the rules. At least that one.
What a load of showboats.
“ It isn’t right, now, is it? And we're going to correct that now, won’t we?” Professor Umbridge continued looking down at Draco, as if she already knew she won.
“Hmh” Draco stops, his hair seeming to settle down and Harry couldn’t help, but feel worried for Umbridge of all people.
What was it that Sirius said about his cousin?
Something about… reputation… yada yada.
Goddammit, now's not the the time to forget
As he struggled to remember,he watched Draco get up from where he was, dragging Zhuliu by the hand.
It feels important… he also said something about the Malfoys…
Something about social rules?
And while he was still thinking, he finally realized what it was when he saw Malfoy kiss Zhuliu right in front of everyone, a kiss meant behind closed doors. A kiss that isn’t supposed to happen unless they are…
Betrothed.
Huh. That’s what it was.
“Well see about that Jane. After all -”
Mr.Malfoy and other heirs from the family have been known to hurt anyone who slighted their betrothed and children. With one account during the past war, being when he burned down the house of a reporter who slighted his wife and child. With the people still in it.
“It’s like you said , there are others of greater concern .”
His middle cousin was known for making certain people disappear, even during her time in Hogwarts.
“And I can’t help, but wonder… if you're one of them?”
His other cousins were known for the strings they’ve pulled. With the youngest being the reason why her husband isn’t in jail now.
“And it would be such a great shame if you were. After all, what would that say about the minister who put you here?”.
And with that Draco and his betrothed, Zhuliu, left the Great Hall, While others stared on, wondering what came next.
Never expecting to be made queasy by what they read in the newspaper the following day.
And no, not just on the daily profit.
Where Rita Skeeter had a ball, after being given certain pictures of Professor Umbridge, her reading history, and anonymous accounts from students.
Or the Quibbler
Where they had pictures of her pushing around the people around her alongside accounts from people who knew her from her time in Hogwarts till now.
But also on Wizards International.
Where the main spread was Professor Umbridge image yelling slurs, and possibly the most damning of all, bank statements and her insulting most of the known leaders of the wizarding world.
Oh yeah that's what Sirius said.
Harry never makes Malfoy or Black personally mad. You do, and you won’t make it outside of Great Britain. Reputation is local only, there’s? Is international.
Or why do you think the Malfoys never took his mark?