A New Snake

Chapter 24

Harry understood that each professor decorated their classrooms and offices differently, but what he saw when he walked into Defense was something he'd never seen before. Instead of stone walls, there was pink, lacy wallpaper. Instead of the usual stone floor was a plush pink carpet a few shades darker than the walls. Professor Umbridge's desk was covered in a lacy, pale-pink tablecloth. All the pink was giving him a headache, and seemed that his sentiments were shared. It was an all Slytherin class and the green of their robes clashed horrendously with... well... everything. But he wasn't sure any of the other house colors would look much better. Though Gryffindor's might be good for Valentine's Day.

There were several rows with two columns. Each section had three desks. Harry sat closest to the middle of the aisle next to Lily who sat next to Malfoy and they all sat on the left column, somewhere close to the middle. Crabbe and Goyle and Zabini—unfortunately for the latter—all sat in the section behind those three. Zabini was stuck being squashed between the giant oafs.

Everyone in the class looked up and stopped talking when Umbridge came out from what must have been her office and—from what little Harry could see before she closed the door—was even more pink and lacy than her classroom, if possible. They held back a grimace when she began speaking in that high-pitched voice she'd exhibited during the welcoming feast. From there it was the endless torture that would consume 45 minutes of their lives every day for the rest of term.

~ ~ ~ ~

Harry and Lily joined Hermione in the library for their free period where she's doing her work for Transfiguration—which Harry knew wasn't due for another week and a half. The two Slytherins flopped into seats at Hermione's table. Hermione didn't look up from where her quill was scratching at parchment, only said, "Defense?" They groaned in response.

"Talking like that can't be good for that woman's voice." Lily complained, "It's just not natural. Especially for six 45-90 minute classes a day all year." Lily's voice had risen above library-acceptable levels and it earned a sharp 'shush' from Madam Pince who was a couple of bookshelves away putting some books back in their place.

"It was a headache for more than one reason," Harry added in a whisper. "How can one person possibly be that insufferable? And not using wands for Defense? What do she and the Ministry think they're going to teach us? We're going to fail our O.W.L.s if this keeps up. Not to mention how everything is just so... pink. How could anyone stand being surrounded by that much pink? I might go blind by the end of the term." Hermione looked at them with empathy. "I'd rather spend a whole day sorting fan-mail for Lockhart than spend another minute listening to that insupportable woman."

Hermione sighed, "Unfortunately, there's nothing we can do. Dumbledore didn't hire her, so likely, he can't fire her without consulting Fudge or the Board of Education. And they're not likely to agree. All we can do is do our best to get through it until Dumbledore can find a new Defense teacher." As she spoke, Lily and Harry started taking out their homework so they could get it all done before evening. The three of them had Astronomy later that night and they didn't want to have to be up too late. They were glad that they didn't have an astronomy lesson more than once a week or every student in the school would be like zombies.

Much like they were becoming with the new Defense Professor.

~ ~ ~ ~

They met the others on the way to the Great Hall. Both Ron and Neville looked as if they'd been through something. Luna and Ginny were more or less fine. Luna's outfit was covered with the fur of whatever creature Hagrid had them studying in Care of Magical Creatures and seemed Happy enough. Ginny looked tired, but considering she had just come from History of Magic with Binns, one couldn't expect much else. But everyone had something to say about their new Defense teacher. In fact, about half of the school—anyone who had Defense that term—had something scathing to say on the topic. And the woman sat in her chair at the head table as if it were a throne. If she didn't look so much like a toad, they might have thought she was a peacock, considering how much she was preening. It made her seem even more insufferable in the eyes of her students.

The other teachers noticed the unrest but were powerless to do much to help. Professor McGonagall especially wanted to strike down this new menace in their lives. Everything the woman said was Fudge-worshipping. Honestly, it was like the minister could do no wrong in her eyes. The man didn't walk on water for Merlin's sake. Severus was not at dinner. He was busy penning a letter to Lucius Malfoy. The man had power over every person in the Board of Education. He practically was the Board of Education. If Severus could convince him to take the Umbridge woman out of the school, it would be better for them all. They could simply hire Lupin again. He may be a werewolf, but the students loved him and it would be good to have another protective set of eyes on Harry and Lily. Werewolves protect their pack. Lupin would protect Harry and his friends to the best of his ability. He would suggest it to Dumbledore after dinner when Delores wasn't around.

He watched Harry, Lily, and their friends chatter at their seats. They all looked uncomfortable and frustrated. Then he saw a light pop into Harry's eyes. The same light he saw in Lily's eyes when she had a brilliant idea. He wasn't sure he liked that if he had any of James' blood in him, but he would just have to see.

For now, he would concentrate on talking to Dumbledore and finishing, revising, and editing his letter to the Malfoy patriarch—making sure to include news on how his son was doing.

~ ~ ~ ~

Harry suddenly got a great idea. He pulled Lily and Hermione and Cedric close to him, "I have an idea that would solve one of our problems." They looked at him curiously, "Our problem is that we're not really learning anything in Defense, right?" They nodded and he leaned closer so they could hear him while he whispered, "What if we started our own? A Defense Club of sorts. Some of us could take turns teaching and we'd actually learn something. We could get Professor Snape or Hagrid to be the advisor. I'm sure neither of them would be against it. I'm sure they see how little we're actually learning."

He paused and saw a small smirk on Lily's face, Hermione's was thoughtful, and Cedric was thinking, but he seemed into it. "I think it sounds like a great idea. It could use a bit more fine-tuning and we'll need a better pitch if we're going to convince Professor Snape to be the advisor and we'll need to have a specific set of rules that follow school guidelines so there won't be any reason for Umbridge to be able to disband it." Cedric suggested.

Hermione added, "It might also be good to create a way of communication that's quicker than owls in case we have a sudden change in meeting time or date. We want to be able to get the info to the members as quickly as possible." Harry nodded in agreement.

"Those are all good suggestions and we'll definitely put them into action. Hermione, Lily and I have a free period just before dinner. If Professor Flitwick doesn't mind, maybe you could come and meet us in the library, Cedric?"

"I'm sure he wouldn't."

Lily felt eyes on them and turned to the Head Table. Her father was watching them with a curious glance, hand lightly holding a quill hung over a parchment—the type he only uses for her godfather. She simply smiled at him and he returned to his writing. She returned to the conversation which had switched to the Slytherin Quidditch tryouts next week. She told them how she was planning on trying out for Chaser and had no doubt that Harry would whip the competition at Seeker. The conversation trailed off from there, but Harry's idea didn't leave their minds all night.

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