The Era of Aria Snape

88

Chapter Eighty-Eight

ARIA WAS FED up with her useless Defense Against the Dark Arts lessons. She was learning nothing except for the habitat in which deadly creatures could be found. It was useless.

"Professor Umbridge!" She decided to call out during the class. Every student's eyes darted to her, some in warning (like Anna's), others in the hopes of seeing a fight.

"Raise your hand when asking a question."

Aria raised her hand high into the air, almost standing up so as to lift it higher and emphasize her agitation.

Umbridge smiled. "Yes, Miss Snape?"

"We've already done this spell. The one in Chapter Three, Cave Inimicum."

"It is revision from your sixth year, Miss Snape," Umbridge replied bluntly.

"Yeah, except in my sixth year I actually learnt how to perform it, not just the color it made when cast."

Umbridge took a long, deep sigh and slammed her textbook onto the table. "I see no reason to allow any spell casting in my class, or in the school for that matter. There is no danger."

Aria snorted. "Sure there is." She pulled her wand from the pocket of her robes and levitated her thick textbook. "You see, this book could land on somebody's head." She lowered it towards the head of some Gryffindor girl, catching it at the last second and letting it float through the air yet again. "That can be considered a danger."

Umbridge's nostrils flared. "You stop that right now!"

"Or what?" Aria sent the book flying towards Umbridge's face, stopping just at her nose before it disintegrated.

"Detention!"

Aria smirked. Everything was going exactly according to plan.

ϟ

That night, Aria arrived at Professor Umbridge's office and knocked twice on the door before letting herself in. She was greeted by the disgusting array of cat portraits and pink furniture.

"Right on time, Miss Snape." Behind a large desk, Umbridge spoke, setting down a cup of tea. "Please sit."

Aria did as instructed, sitting down at a small desk and staring at the blank page set in front of her. Umbridge handed her a quill.

"I have my own, thanks."

"I insist you use this one."

Aria took it from her. "What do you want me to write? Don't ask questions that should be asked?"

Umbridge smiled stiffly. "I will not disrespect my Professors."

"How many times?"

She smiled without saying a word and made her way back to her desk.

With a sigh and a slight sense of regret, a terrible sensation fired through her arm as she began to write. She wanted to cry but didn't want to give Umbridge the satisfaction.

A drop of blood fell from her arm and onto the desk. Aria slammed the quill onto the table and stood up. "It's in, I'm done."

"Ten more times, please."

"No. I'm bleeding already, you have what you wanted."

"Do you know now not to disrespect your Professors?"

Aria nodded. "It won't happen again, Professor."

"Then we don't have a problem." She smiled. "Goodbye, Miss Snape."

Aria slammed the door on her way out, hoping to hear the crash of one of the cat portraits, but no sound came.

When she was a good way away from the office, she leaned against a wall and held on tightly to her injured arm, taking deep breaths and trying not to cry as trickles of blood slipped down her fingers.

Perhaps telling her father was not a good idea. This was much too severe and judging by the number of students that Umbridge sent to detention, a Professor was bound to already know.

Aria lifted the sleeve of her robe and stared at her bloody arm, unable to make out the words engraved into it.

She let out a sob. The pain was one of the worst she had experienced in years, probably even worse than anything she had had to endure at the tournament.

"Aria."

She wiped her eyes. "Harry. You're out late."

"Are you crying?"

She sniffed. "It's nothing."

"No, it is something." He looked at her arm. "You got detention too."

She nodded. "I'm fine, though. I was just about to tell my father—"

"No, don't do that."

"But Harry..."

He shook his head. "Percy just sent Ron a letter telling him to cut ties with the both of us."

"What does that have to do with Umbridge?" Aria was confused.

"He also said that if trouble arises after he does, he should go to Umbridge because she's a delightful women. This is bigger than detention, Aria. The ministry is up to something. Something that can't be helped by telling your dad."

"So what are we supposed to do? Sit around and let her torture us?"

Harry looked down. "I wasn't supposed to tell you, but I'm going to. Hermione and Ron want me to teach Defense Against the Dark Arts. There's a meeting tomorrow at Hogsmeade, please come."

Aria nodded. "I'll be there."

"Excellent. Then I'll see you tomorrow."

She nodded and watched as he walked off before gripping tightly onto her arm again.

She only hoped that she was making the right choice by not telling another Professor. Only time would tell if that was a wise decision.