So Much for No Strings Attached

Chapter 100 Meetings of a Legitimate and Not So Legitimate Nature

‘Right, so that’s the end of our first week,’ smiled Filius. ‘How are the children coping with the changes?’

 

Umbridge smiled hatefully, ‘this much disruption is not good for them in such a delicate period of their lives.’

 

‘And that is why we gave them a week to settle in,’ Filius said coolly.

 

‘And that’s not what I was seeing,’ Septima said sharply. ‘A lot of my second years are very excited about the new Magical Theory and Wizarding Studies lessons. As for the older ones – in third year all of my students have opted to change at least one of their electives to the new subjects, in fourth year that number is five out of eight, and in fifth year only two have not. As for the NEWT students only one in both sixth and seventh who are not taking any of the electives at either OWL or NEWT level. And there is a lot of excitement for the new classes.’

 

‘That’s good to hear,’ Filius said smiling brightly.

 

Umbridge humphed.

 

‘Any of your students who you have concerns for?’ asked Filius.

 

‘There are several of the older students who are already beginning to show stress about exams who I do not want them to make themselves ill with worry,’ Septima said.

 

‘A common occurrence,’ sighed Poppy.

 

‘Aside from that there are a couple of students who I am concerned about snippets they said about their home-lives,’ admitted Septima. ‘Nothing concrete but I’ll keep an eye out for them.’

 

‘My students are much the same,’ agreed Pomona. ‘Maybe a little less excitement, but the Muggle-raised do all seem to share a lot of relief at having official instruction rather than learning things through their friends or having to do a lot of background reading.’

 

Umbridge sneered.

 

‘And as for the older ones – almost all my students have taken at least one new subject,’ Pomona continued. ‘And I haven’t seen any children that I have concerns that we have not previously talked about.’

 

Charity nodded, ‘of course, the first years are too young to have made choices and most don’t seem to care too much about timetable changes. However, they do seem to be mingling more with non-house mates than is typical.’