A Change of Feeling

Umbridge's Demise - Part One

Harry got up from the table and walked all the way around it, passing the long table with the professors. He didn't notice the cold gaze of Professor Umbridge that followed him. He walked quickly to Theo and pulled the shy boy up. Theo stepped uncomfortably over the wooden bench and blushed as he felt the gaze of many students.

Harry looked around angrily for a moment, especially the Hufflepuffs sitting next to Slytherin's table seemed to shrink from Harry's gaze. "Don't take any notice of them, Theo," Harry said, looking warmly at his pale friend. "Thank you for your words, Theo. I know we don't always talk to each other, but I see how much you do for me- for the group. You may have spent the most hours of us all, doing that stupid research into my problems. Please know how much I appreciate you."

He pulled Theo close to him and put his muscular arms around him. He laughed softly as he felt Theo's rigid body slowly relax against Harry's. He then held Theo at a distance with his outstretched arm and grinned teasingly. "Come on, Theo, let's go to Transfiguration, if we cuddle any longer, everyone else will be jealous."

Theo laughed softly and he glanced at Blaise, who looked amused at the pair. The rest of the Slytherin clique began to gather their belongings to attend the first lesson of the day. Harry was now chatting animatedly with Blaise and Theo about the difference in Vanishing and Conjuring spells, and Harry immediately realized he needed to talk more about Transfiguration with these two friends; they were both far too good at the subject to ignore, his grade would improve by leaps and bounds if he listened a little more to his two friends.

Harry was about to walk past the long table where the professors were sitting when his way was blocked by a small, portly witch dressed in pink.

"Mr. Potter, a word?" Professor Umbridge asked in a high-pitched voice.

Harry nodded and looked at his friends who looked surprised at their professor. "Go on, I'll catch up with you in a minute."

Draco stepped forward and opened his mouth to speak, but Theo was ahead of him, with a determined expression on his face. "With all due respect, Professor, we have a class from Professor McGonagall in just under ten minutes, I can't imagine what is so urgent that Harry needs to discuss with you now. If it pleases you, we will wait here for Harry, we Slytherins care for each other like family."

Professor Umbridge made an ugly face, she reminded Harry of Jabba the Hutt and for a moment he felt disappointed that he couldn't make the Star Wars reference to his friends. His mind wandered, and Harry thought about ways he could introduce wizards to movies. He envisioned some sort of hologram, the same kind they worked within the Star Wars movies, only more beautiful, a sort of three-dimensional experience from Muggle movies. There must be some Galleons to be gained from that, Harry thought.

(...) "- don't think I'll stop there, Mr. Potter!" said Umbridge, almost shrieking.

Harry blinked and looked at Jormy, who looked irritated at the hysterical woman.

~ "What did I miss?"~ Harry asked his snake almost bored.

Jormy looked at his young master and Harry could have sworn that if the snake could have rolled its eyes, the sassy snake would have.

~"Pink Toad has received a letter from the Ministry, her boss is being pressured by your mate. Investigators are coming today and tomorrow to investigate your injuries."~

Harry looked surprised from Jormy to Umbridge. "And what do you think you can do about it, Madame?"

The woman began to turn red, at first a light pink, until she had an unhealthy magenta color that matched her outfit disturbingly. She grabbed Harry by the collar with her pink gloves and pulled him down so he was at eye level.