Chapter 1- Inspection
Well my day just got a lot more interesting, James thought to himself.
The noise of the crowd of fifth-year students shuffling in the door of McGonagall's classroom gradually died as the group of Gryffindors and Ravenclaws laid eyes on the toad-faced witch that sat with her clipboard in a corner at the front of the room.
With her newly acquired powers, Dolores Umbridge, the Defense Against Dark Arts professor turned High Inquisitor to the Ministry had become even more of a nuisance to every witch and wizard in Hogwarts than she already had been in her first few months here. James couldn’t stand her and her clipboard, lurking around every corridor, docking points from Gryffindor for his hair being messy or his shirt being untucked.
James slid into his seat next to Sirius, Remus and Peter taking their usual spot behind them.
“This ought to be good.” whispered Sirius, “Minnie’s gonna show her who really runs this school.”
Professor McGonagall marched into the room, not even sparing Umbridge a glance as she passed the other witch.
“That will do,” she said and the silence fell immediately over the remaining murmurs. “Miss McKinnon, kindly come here and hand back the homework assignments from last week- Mr. Fenwick, please take this box of mice and hand one to each student-”
"Hem hem," said Professor Umbridge, employing the same obnoxious little cough she always used to interrupt anyone she didn’t feel was worth her time. McGonagall ignored her. Marlene handed back James' essay, he had unsurprisingly received an A. Transfiguration being his best subject in school, James often felt more inclined to put in more effort, anything to impress his dear house head.
"Right then, everyone, listen closely- Mr. Burke, if you do that to the mouse again I shall put you in detention- most of you have now successfully vanished your snails and even those who were left with a certain amount of shell have the gist of the spell. Today we shall be-"
"Hem hem," said Professor Umbridge.
"Yes?" said Professor McGonagall, turning round, her eyebrows knitted so close together they almost seemed to form one long, severe line.
James shot Sirius a grin, Let the entertainment begin.
"I was just wondering, Professor, whether you had received my note reminding you of the date and time of your inspec-"
"Obviously I received it, otherwise I would have asked you what you are doing in my classroom," said Professor McGonagall curtly, turning her back on Professor Umbridge. Many of the students exchanged looks of glee as James and Sirius had. "As I was saying, today we shall be practicing the altogether more difficult task of vanishing mice. Now, the Vanishing Spell-"
"Hem hem."
"I wonder," said McGonagall in an icy tone, turning back to face Professor Umbridge, "How do you expect to gain any informed idea of my usual teaching methods if you continue to interrupt my class? You see, I do not generally permit people to talk when I am talking."
James barely stifled a holler at McGonagall’s retort, as a satisfied murmur rolled through the classroom; students hardly containing their smiles and awed looks at their Transfiguration professor, looking back and forth at the two professors like this interaction was the best tennis match they’d ever seen. This was going even better than he imagined.
Umbridge looked as though she had just been slapped in the face, her pompous sneer turning to a barely-contained scowl. She did not speak, but straightened the parchment on her clipboard and began scribbling furiously, staring daggers at the page in her hands. Looking supremely unbothered, Professor McGonagall addressed the class once more.
"As I was saying, the Vanishing Spell becomes more difficult with the complexity of the animal you are attempting to vanish. For example, the snails from earlier this week, as invertebrates, do not present much of a challenge; however the mouse, as a mammal, offers a much greater one. This is not, therefore, magic you can accomplish with your mind on your weekend plans. So- you know the incantation, let me see what you can do ...."
The quiet murmurs of students resumed as the Ravenclaws and Gryffindors began working on the vanishing spell.
"Bloody brilliant, isn’t she?” Sirius grinned, “Oh I wish I had my camera to capture Umbridges’s face! I’d hang it on the ceiling and stare at it every night before bed.” James chuckled at the thought.
Professor Umbridge only briefly followed Professor McGonagall around the class as she inspected the progress of the fifth-years. After about five minutes of her little annoying coughs being completely ignored by McGonagal, Umbridge stomped back to her little chair in a huff.
She did, however, take many more notes while she sat in her corner, eyes darting around the room, searching for any loose threads to pull at.
Once most of the students had succeeded in vanishing their mice, excluding Peter, who likely struggled trying to vanish a creature so similar to his own likeness in animagus form, Professor McGonagall returned to the front of the room, charming the chalk to write something on the board as she walked.
“Excellent work, now can anyone tell me-”
“Hem hem.”
Oh she was really pressing her luck now, do it Minnie, finish her!
“Now can anyone-”
“Hem hem.”
McGonagall stopped in her tracks, abruptly changing direction to march over toward her desk. Not wasting a moment, she pulled open one of the drawers and fished out a colorful striped box, she strode back to Umbridge’s chair, depositing the box of cough drops in the High Inquisitor’s lap with a smirk like nothing James had ever seen.
“I do apologize, Albus has already taken all the lemon favored ones.” Then she turned back on her heel, walking straight back to the chalkboard, leaving Umbridge a beet red color.
Sirius barked out a laugh, unable to stop himself, and Umbridge perked up immediately.
“Ten points from Gryffindor Sirius Black!” The professor grinned evilly.
“Excuse me professor, but I am perfectly capable of handling my own students.” McGonagall said coolly, “Pray tell, what was this penalty for?”
“Why, for speaking out of turn of course!”
Gotcha, James thought.
McGonagall raised an eyebrow, “Well professor, I hardly see any issue with that. Mr. Black only seemed to be following your example.”
This sparked the room into a frenzy, McGonagall had just won the respect and admiration of the entire classroom with just a badass one-liner and a box of cough drops. “You tell her professor!” Sirius exclaimed amongst the frenzy and the other marauders laughed.
Umbridge outright glared at McGonagall, not even trying to hide it anymore. She scribbled a few more lines before dotting the final period with enough force to move the clipboard in her arm. “You will receive the results of your inspection in ten days time.” Umbridge sniffed.
“I can hardly wait.” McGonagall grumbled, fixing Umbridge with a glare of her own, “Class dismissed.”
As the fifth-years packed up and filed out of the classroom, with Umbridge being the first one to storm out, the four Gryffindor boys deliberately fell behind their peers, packing up their things as slowly as possible.
“You four best get moving.” Minnie said pointedly, her serious expression faltering slightly when she saw their own awed expressions. Remus immediately began applauding her, with the others joining in and Peter adding a whistle. “Boys-”
“Oh but Professor, we were just applauding you on what a great lesson you taught today!” James said triumphantly.
“Right, exactly! Bloody brilliant lesson today, Minnie!” Sirius grinned, smiling innocently.
McGonagall narrowed her eyes, but her lips tugged upward, “Now boys, off you go.”
“Of course, oh great one!” Sirius proclaimed, bowing to McGonagall as he passed her on his way out, Peter and Remus in tow, “We’re not worthy to stand in the presence of such greatness!
James snickered at Sirius’s antics before giving McGonagall a formal-looking salute and a sideways smile before dashing off after his friends.
Her boys would be the death of her. McGonagall smiled, HER boys.