➵ Choice ➵ {DM and HP)

➵ Chapter 11 ➵

Not the ferret again.

I look up, meeting his icy eyes and I raise an eyebrow, "First Harry and I? Now Ron and I? Honestly, at least pick one Malfoy."

The Gryffindors laugh around me and Malfoy's eyes flash in anger, "Well, you—"

"Foster!" Snape's loud bark catches my attention. "What did I say about talking?"

I hold his dark stare as he hisses, "10 points from gryffindor."

"What?! But they didn't—" I start but Snape cuts me off.

"Should I make it 20?"

I close my mouth, seething with anger as Snape turns to address the class, "Professor Umbridge will be surveying the class, now open your textbooks to page 274 and begin the Babbling Potion. I expect perfect results...."

I pair up with Ron and walk over to grab the ingredients from the cupboard. Harry appears next to me, and I whisper to him,

"I'm sorry, if I'd have known that he would take points from Gryffindor, I wouldn't have—"

"Oh no need to apologize," Harry says, grabbing some Knotgrass. "If you hadn't said something to Malfoy, I probably would have and better you than me. I've been told I have a bit of a temper when it comes to people like him."

I nod, "Who wouldn't, he's a bully."

"Potter! Foster! Stop chatting and get to work," Umbridge's high voice echoes from across the room.

I grab my final ingredient and say quickly, "And so is she."

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The rest of the class is spent brewing our Babbling potions as Snape and Umbridge prowl the tables. Ron and I's end result isn't perfect, but not horrible. The color is more pink than red, but it smells fine and it didn't explode like Seamus Finnigan's.

"Now everyone, bottle up your potions and bring them to the front, they will be graded," Snape orders.

Groans fill the classroom but before we can begin on the task, Umbridge clears her throat.

"A few questions Professor," her voice is sweet like honey as she steps carefully to the front of the class.

This pulls everyone's attention to the front and I see Snape's eye flash with exasperation but he keeps his tone evern, "Of course, Professor Umbridge."

She starts pacing around Snape slowly as she asks carefully, "You have been working at Hogwarts for how long?"

"Fourteen years," Snape responds, his eyes fixated on the wall opposite to him.

Umbridge continues to walk very slow circles around Snape, reminding me of a predator stalking its prey, deciding if it's worth the kill.

She takes a few moments to observe his appearance, and this is followed by a loud scratching of her quill on her clipboard.

"You applied first for the defense against the dark arts post, is that correct?" Umbridge questions innocently, and I see Snape's jaw tighten.

"Yes," he responds, annoyance seeping into his words.

"But you were unsuccessful?" Umbridge continues, ignoring Snape's obvious anger.

Snape takes a slow, angry breath before saying, his voice icy cold, "Obviously."

I hear a few snickers pop up in the quiet room, the closest source being Ron, and it takes a lot of willpower for me not to join them.

Umbridge scratches more onto her clipboard, then says, smiling sweetly, "Thank you, Professor Snape, that will be all, good day."