Wish Upon A Star

The Hogwarts High Inquisitor

Hermione let out a huge gasp and flattened the newspaper to reveal a large photograph of Dolores Umbridge, smiling widely and blinking slowly at them from beneath the headline:

MINISTRY SEEKS EDUCATIONAL REFORM DOLORES UMBRIDGE APPOINTED FIRST-EVER "HIGH INQUISITOR

"'High Inquisitor'?" said Harry darkly, his half-eaten bit of toast slipping from his fingers. "What does that mean?"

Ashlyn groaned. "No. Nope. Nuh-uh. Nada. Oh, hell naw!"

Hermione read out the article about Umbridge being appointed as the High Inquisitor of Hogwarts.

Hermione finished reading and looked across the table at the other three.

"So now we know how we ended up with Umbridge! Fudge passed this 'Educational Decree' and forced her on us! And now he's given her the power to inspect other teachers!" Hermione was breathing fast and her eyes were very bright. 

"I can't believe this. It's outrageous . . . "

"I know it is," said Harry. He looked down at his right hand, clenched upon the tabletop, and saw the faint white outline of the words Umbridge had forced him to cut into his skin.

But a grin was unfurling on Ron's face.

"What?" said Harry and Hermione together, staring at him.

"Oh, I can't wait to see McGonagall inspected," said Ron happily. "Umbridge won't know what's hit her."

"Oh, yeah," Ashlyn said recollecting the scene with a grin.

"Well, come on," said Hermione, jumping up, "we'd better get going if she's inspecting Binns's class we don't want to be late . . ."

Ashlyn knew that Umbridge was not inspecting their History of Magic lesson, nor was she going to be in Snape's dungeon when they arrived for double Potions, at least not yet.

"I have awarded you the grades you would have received if you presented this work in your O.W.L.," said Snape 

 "This should give you a realistic idea of what to expect in your examination."

Ashlyn bit her lip stop herself from smiling. A black O was written on the corner of her essay.

She looked at Hemrione who carried the same bright expression. Hermione however, had a black E. Ashlyn looked at Snape, feeling slightly guilty that she was even more elated after seeing Hermione's grade. Ashlyn was sure, it was because Snape was slightly partial to her, but if she was being honest, it was not that she disliked it. And mind you, she did put a lot of effort into her work.

Snape reached the front of the class and turned to face them.

"The general standard of this homework was abysmal. Most of you would have failed had this been your examination. I expect to see a great deal more effort for this week's essay on the various varieties of venom antidotes, or I shall have to start handing out detentions to those dunces who get D's."

He smirked as Malfoy sniggered and said in a carrying whisper, "Some people got D's? Ha!"

Harry stuffed his essay into his bag quickly, before Hermione could see. Ashlyn sighed.

"Well, that wasn't as bad as last week, was it?" said Hermione, as they climbed the steps out of the dungeon and made their way across the entrance hall toward lunch. 

"And the homework didn't go too badly either, did it?"

When neither Ron nor Harry answered, she pressed on,