O.W.Ls

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"What were you two doing together last night?"

I woke up at a decent time for the first day of school, the conversation about my parents still in my head. I threw on my Slytherin robes and fastened the tie neatly making sure it looked nice. I've heard the dress code policy's going to be stricter.

I met up with Tracey and Theo and walked down to breakfast before our first class with Umbridge. I was not looking forward to it at all.

"You ready?" Theo asked me as we walked towards the defense against the dark arts classroom. I nodded my head. Tracey didn't have this class with us so it was just us two which I didn't mind. I just hope we can sit together at least. 

When we get to the door we are greeted by the professor who tells us where we were sitting. There was only one person I didn't want to sit next to.

Not Malfoy.

I begged silently in my head. I can't face him right now. Why? I had no idea. I just knew I couldn't

Suddenly the rest of the class came in and I held my breath hoping to god it wasn't him. It wasn't, thankfully. But it wasn't better.

"Oh fancy seeing you here." The voice I knew all too well scoffed. 

I pressed my lips in a line and ignored them. 

"You know, I've heard the rumors, Hartwood. Bout You-Know-Who returning. I think it's fake but if it is real, I hope he does come for you." 

"That's what I told her last night." A snicker came from behind me. Damnit. Sitting down behind us was Malfoy. Pansy spun around in her seat so quickly it was like she teleported.

"What were you two doing together last night?" Her voice cracked a couple of times making me cough out a laugh quietly.

"Just ran into her in the hallway." He said nonchalantly. Pansy was burning holes in the side of my head with her gaze. She turned to talk to him again but I stopped paying attention to it.

A white paper bird flew around the air, cast by someone on the Gryffindor side. It reminded me of that one bird that Malfoy sent me and I tossed back to him. I followed the bird but my gaze shifted when I saw someone from the middle of the room stand up. Crabbe aimed a slingshot at it at tried to knock it off course but it didn't until a spark of light hit it, shooting it up in flames. It tumbled back down to the Gryffindors it was set from. 

"Good morning, children." A cheery voice echoed through the now silent classroom. Umbridge walked from the back of the classroom forward talking. "Ordinary Wizarding Level Examinations. O - W - L. More commonly known as OWLs." Her voice was high, very annoying, and squeaky. She clasped her hands together when she reached the front of the room. "Study hard and you will be rewarded. Fail to do so, and the consequences may be severe." She lifts her wand and lightly taps it sending books slowly drifted towards the tables. Being close to the back of the class I receive mine later but judging by the ugly grimaces, it's not good. 

When I finally receive the book I lifted it up so I could see through the dim lighting. 

"Your previous instruction in this subject has been disturbingly uneven. But you'll be pleased to know from now on, you will be following a carefully structured, ministry-approved course of defensive magic." The dark cover read. 'Dark Arts Defense, for beginners.' We were fifth years doing elementary work. Even me who had recently become a Witch in the past three years found this stupid and not useful.

Hermione raised her hand, of course. 

"Yes?"

"There's nothing in here about using defensive spells." She states rather than questions. 

"Using spells?" A sharp chuckle escapes Umbridge's mouth. "Well, I can't imagine why you would need to use spells in my classroom." She approaches Hermione.

"We're not going to use magic?" Asks Ron. The Weasly twins younger brother.

"You will be learning about defensive spells in a secure, risk-free way." This was stupid. How were we supposed to learn without doing it?

"Well, what use it that?" Harry adds on. The entire golden trio was pissed. "If we're going to be attacked, it won't be risk-free."

"Thank you." I murmured to myself letting out a huff.

"Students will raise their hands when they speak in my class." Umbridge scolds obviously knowing she's wrong. "It is the view of the Ministry that a theoretical knowledge will be sufficient to get you through your examinations, which, after all, is what school is all about." Now I'm mad. Now it's my turn to speak out in her class.

"And how's theory supposed to prepare us for what's out there?" My tone was harsh and if it were anyone else I might have felt a little bad but it was Umbridge so I didn't. 

"There's is nothing out there, dear." Her head, cocked sideways, glares at me. "Who do you imagine would want to attack children, like yourself?" 

"Oh, I don't know, maybe Lord Voldemort." I let out a snort at Harry's snarky remark. He turned to look at the amusement on my face and a grin spread over his face too. 

The class grew quiet and murmured quietly amongst themselves. Soon I felt something hit the back of my head. A pencil. It tumbled to the ground making it clatter sofetly in the silent room.

I turned around to see who threw it and I could tell it was Malfoy because of his smirk that was aimed down, his eyes refusing to meet mine.

"Now let me make this... quite plain," Umbridge said, almost threatening. "You have been told that a certain Dark Wizard is at large once again. This... is... a... lie." She taunts as she walks up beside Harry who was angered.

"It's not a lie. I saw him! I fought him!" He yelled back at her.

"Detention, Mr. Potter!" Umbridge snaps. 

"So according to you, Cedric Diggory dropped dead of his own accord?" I butted in once again, my breath shakier than it was the last time at the memory.

"Cedric Diggory's death was a tragic accident." She snaps at me instead of Harry this time.

"It was murder!" Harry and I say at the same time. 

"Voldemort killed him! You must know that!" Harry continued pressing on.

"Thank you." I breathed out, loud enough so Harry and Umbridge could hear.

"ENOUGH!" Umbridge shrieks. "Enough." She says softly this time. "See me later, Mr. Potter, my office. Oh, and Hartwood you can join him." She giggles. I just rolled my eyes and slumped back onto the bench.

"Good going, Y/N. Might have lost us house points." Malfoy whispers behind me.

"Typical." Pansy groans beside me. 

This class couldn't get any worse. It literally couldn't. 



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