Cold Beauty (Harry Potter)

Blood Quills

The next day, Alexandra's first class was Defence Against The Dark Arts with Professor Umbridge. Alexandra took a seat next to Bella while Nicholas sat with a boy from Hufflepuff. The classroom was filled with chatter as Professor Umbridge had not arrived yet. There was a noisy, cheerful atmosphere but despite this, Alexandra couldn't help but feel wary. But she didn't know why. Even as she chitchatted away with Bella, she couldn't shake off the bad feeling in her gut. 

Alexandra looked to her left where Harry and Ron were sitting at a desk together. She wondered whether Harry guessed that Umbridge was sent from the Ministry. Harry seemed to notice Alexandra and leaned a few inches closer and began speaking. "She works at the Ministry," he said, "Umbridge, I mean. She was at my hearing."

Alexandra raised a brow. "So my guess was indeed correct," she nodded her head. "The second Umbridge mentioned the Ministry in her little speech, I guessed that she was the little weapon the Ministry sent against Dumbledore." 

Harry opened his mouth to speak but before he could do so, the sound of heels clicking against the ground interrupted him. Alexandra looked up to see Professor Umbridge entering the classroom and taking her stand in front of all the students. She was dressed in pink from head to toe. "Good morning, children," she greeted them. "Ordinary Wizarding Level Examinations," her wand began writing the words on the chalkboard. "O-W-L. More commonly known as OWLs. Study hard and you will be rewarded. Fail to do so and the consequences may be severe."

Nobody said a single word in reply. However, the few moments of silence in the classroom were rather tense. They were all aware of the important exam coming up in a year, and Professor Umbridge's words didn't exactly calm their nerves about it. 

"Your previous instruction in this subject has been disturbingly uneven. But you'll be pleased to know that from now on you will be following a carefully structured, Ministry-approved course of defensive magic." Umbridge stopped and noticed Hermione's hand that was raised in the air. "Yes?"

"There's nothing in here about using defensive spells?" Hermione was indeed right. This was because their book covers read Dark Arts Defense, Basics For Beginners. As Alexandra flipped through some of the pages of the book, she was disappointed to see that this was a book that should be used be used by First Year students and definitely not by students preparing for their OWLs.  "Using spells? Well, I can't imagine why you would need to use spells in my classroom," Umbridge stepped closer to Hermione's desk. 

"Professor," Alexandra spoke. "are we not going to be using any magic at all?"

"You'll be learning about Defense spells in a secure, risk-free way," Umbridge looked over at Alexandra, expanding her fake smile. Alexandra bit her lower lip, trying to hold in a scoff. The world was not a secure, risk-free place. So why should they learn magic in a secure, risk-free way when the purpose of Defense was to protect themselves from risk?

"What use is that," Harry voiced, his tone loud, "if we're attacked, we won't be risk-free."

"Students will raise their hand before speaking in my classroom," Umbridge's tone had a slight sharpness to it. Of course with Harry and Alexandra being the center of the rumors about Voldemort, Umbridge would have it out for them. Alexandra told herself not to be surprised if Umbridge does something to push her to a corner. 

"It is the view of the Ministry that a theoretical knowledge will be enough to get you through your examinations. Which, after all, is what school is about."

"And how's theory supposed to prepare us for what's out there?"

"There is nothing out there, dear. Who do you imagine wants to attack children like yourself?"