Playing with Fire

Chapter twelve ~ Sorry

It didn't take long before the whole school was hissing and whispering about what had happened in our class on Monday. No matter where we walked together with Harry, he got stared and pointed at. People talking about Cedric Diggory, calling Harry either a maniac and liar or a crazy-head who didn't have all of his braincells there.

As Friday finally arrived, I was in great need of a break. During breakfast that morning, Hermione came running through the hall, a paper in her hand as she sat down between me and Harry. She almost tipped my glass of Pumpkin juice over as she spread out the paper, revealing a huge picture of Umbridge smiling at the camera. The headline reading MINISTRY SEEKS EDUCATIONAL REFORM DOLORES UMBRIDGE APPOINTED FIRST EVER HIGH INQUISITOR.

"High Inquisitor?" asked Harry, frowning. "What does that mean?"

Hermione begun reading out loud and me, Ron and Harry gathered closer to listen: "In a surprise move last night at the Ministry of Magic passed new legislation giving itself an unprecedented level of control at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

"The Minister has been growing uneasy about goings-on at Hogwarts for some time," said Junior Assistant to the Minister, Percy Weasley. "He is now responding to concerns, voiced by anxious parents, who feel the school may be moving in a direction they do not approve of.

"This is not the first time in recent weeks that the Minister, Cornelius Fudge, has used new laws to effect improvements at the wizarding school. As recently as 30th August, Educational Decree Number Twenty-two was passed, to ensure that, in the event of the current Headmaster being unable to provide a candidate for a teaching post, the Ministry should select an appropriate person."

Hermione paused in her reading, looking up at our starstruck expressions. Hermione had been right, the Ministry was clearly trying to get involved with the school.

She turned back toward the paper and continued: "That's how Dolores Umbridge came to be appointed to the teaching staff at Hogwarts," said Weasley last night. "Dumbledore couldn't find anyone so the Minister put in Umbridge, and of course, she's been an immediate success-"

"Hold on," I interrupted, surprised I hadn't noticed it before. "Weasley? As in-?"

"My dumb older brother Percy, yes," Ron muttered.

"Wait, there's more," said Hermione grimly.

"-an immediate success, totally revolutionising the teaching of Defence Against the Dark Arts and providing the Minister with on-the-ground feedback about what's really happening at Hogwarts. It is this last function that the Ministry has now formalised with the passing of Educational Decree Number Twenty-three, which creates the new position of Hogwarts High Inquisitor.

"This is an exciting new phase in the Minister's plan to get to grips with what some are calling the falling standards at Hogwarts," said Weasley. "The Inquisitor will have powers to inspect her fellow educators and make sure that they are coming up to scratch. Professor Umbridge has been offered this position in addition to her own teaching post and we are delighted to say that she has accepted."

"The Ministry's new moves have received enthusiastic support from parents of students at Hogwarts: "I feel much easier in my mind now that I know Dumbledore is being subjected to fair and objective evaluation," said Mr. Lucius Malfoy, 41, speaking from his Wiltshire mansion last night. "Many of us with our children's best interests at heart have been concerned about some of Dumbledore's eccentric decisions in the last few years and are glad to know that the Ministry is keeping an eye on the situation."

I felt my mood drop. That's that.

"Shit," I said, glancing over to the Slytherin's table, searching for Draco but didn't find him. Perhaps he had already ate breakfast?