Fragile Delay

Chapter 3 - Chapter Three

Cecelia began pulling her materials out at a purposefully slow pace. Once she was done and had her desk space set up, the chalkboard was covered in clean, smooth writing that read: "Defense Against the Dark Arts: A Return to Basic Principles".

She internally groaned. Another lecture on the basics before they got to practicing the real stuff. Most teachers did so on the first day, but that had never been the case for DADA. She really should've expected as much from a Ministry pet like Umbridge, but she'd been hoping to avoid another boring lecture on safety protocols and the basics.

"Now then," she began with another dopey smile sweeter than sugar. It made Cecelia feel sick. "I'd like for you to copy this down from the board, please."

The sound of writing filled the room. Cecelia took her sweet time with the notes, exaggerating each loopy letter as she went to drag it out as much as possible. She ended up being one of the last to finish, and as soon as they were all done, Umbridge moved on.

"You all have a copy of Defensive Magical Theory by William Slinkhard, yes?" She asked sweetly.

Cecelia didn't bother with a response, already digging around in her bag for the book. The most she heard from the rest of the class was an indiscernible grumble.

"When I ask a question," she began with feigned tenderness, "I expect a clear and concise response. Now, do you all have a copy of Defensive Magical Theory by William Slinkhard?"

"Yes, Professor," the class chorused back at her in a dead tone.

Cecelia was still slumped over her bag, digging around for the book. She heard the sharp clack of heels approaching from behind her and glanced up just in time to meet Umbridge's cold eyes.

"Do you have a copy, Miss...?"

"Nadir," she replied sharply. "I do."

"Good, good," Umbridge said consolingly. "In the future, please do respond with the rest of the class when I ask a question. And do try to keep your nose out of your bag when I'm trying to teach, thank you."

She walked away, a grin still held tight on her face like it physically pained her to drop the expression. If Cecelia were anyone else, she may have been embarrassed. At the moment, though, there wasn't anyone in here who's opinion she gave a damn about enough to care about a professor telling her off in front of them.

"Open your books to chapter five, please," Umbridge ordered. When Cecelia finally acquired her book, she flipped to the directed chapter, wrinkling her nose at the chapter title about Defensive theorem. "I'd like you all to read through this chapter now."

The room was dead silent as everyone sat reading the bland chapter. Cecelia felt her eyes nearly slipping shut when Draco nudged her shoulder gently. She blinked slowly at him in question, wondering why he'd want her attention. He jerked his head to the side, over toward where she knew Harry Potter was sitting. Cecelia sighed, wondering if this was his obsessive streak peeking its head again when she noticed one person in the room not reading, her hand futilely raised in the air—Hermione Granger.

Granger was known as one of the brightest students, not only in their year, but at Hogwarts in general. She was the last person Cecelia could've imagined ignoring a teacher's orders, especially when it came to something like reading. Every time she visited the library, Hermione Granger was already there, curled up and reading a book. Seeing her ignore one now was definitely out of character.

Cecelia and Draco weren't the only ones staring, though what Draco was doing couldn't really be called staring. He was futilely pretending he wasn't paying any attention to the girl at all while peering quite obviously out of the corner of his eye at the scene now and then. Pansy, on the other hand, was eagerly watching for Umbridge's reaction as though this were some soap opera set up just for her entertainment. She wasn't alone in this, as more than half the class had their eyes drawn towards Hermione's raised hand and Umbridge, who was stubbornly turned away.