Gryffindor students had never been good at keeping secrets, let alone first-years who didn't yet understand the lesson of watching their mouths.
In less than a single day, the story Draco had told spread everywhere. Before long, all kinds of wildly altered versions began circulating.
According to one particularly outrageous version, Cornelius Fudge had become Umbridge's… ahem.
In any case.
Although the whole thing caused quite a stir, what surprised everyone was that the supposed "protagonist" of the story showed no sign of stepping forward to refute it. She didn't even try to cause trouble for Draco, as if it really had been nothing more than a story...
Hermione, who hadn't stopped Draco at the time and had even gone along with him, naturally noticed this strange and almost absurd turn of events.
While Hermione tried to make sense of Draco's motives on her own, Pansy couldn't hold back her curiosity. Under Hermione's half-contemptuous, half-curious stare, she finally asked Draco outright.
"Draco, was this what you wanted?"
"Mm. I wanted to test Umbridge's attitude."
"Ohhh, I see."
Pansy's vaguely understanding, overly sweet expression made Hermione roll her eyes. "Do you actually understand what he means, Parkinson?"
"That's none of your business!"
Ignoring the two girls as they started bickering again, Astoria, who clearly felt like the eldest of the trio, lightly supported her chin and murmured to herself.
"So this is a way to probe the Ministry's attitude toward noble families? Trying to pull us in to deal with Dumbledore? Or even… that person?"
If Hermione excelled at handling details, then Astoria was the type who could grasp the bigger picture and coordinate the whole board.
That wasn't really Hermione's fault, though. Her Muggle-born background and limited perspective naturally constrained her imagination. For now, she simply couldn't compare to Astoria, who had been specially groomed by her family.
"I don't know," Draco replied calmly. "But at least for now, we know she isn't an enemy."
"What's there to be afraid of?" Pansy cut in confidently. "Everything Draco said is true anyway! We're not scared of that eight-eyed giant spider!"
With unshakable faith in Draco, Pansy hooked her arm around his without hesitation. The sight made both Hermione and Astoria narrow their eyes at the same time.
This Parkinson really was getting bolder and bolder.
...
Just as Draco had intended to test.
After that, Umbridge indeed didn't come looking for trouble with him. But that didn't mean the other students were spared.
Umbridge began to move.
[Educational Decree Number 25: The High Inquisitor shall henceforth hold supreme authority over all punishments, sanctions, and the deprivation of rights involving Hogwarts students.]
This decree proved disastrous for the students who had spoken without restraint.
During this period, the happiest person wasn't Umbridge, nor anyone else, but Filch, the man who would gladly expel every student if he could.
Lately, he had personally punished quite a few students, with the Weasley twins receiving some of the harshest penalties of all.
After all, the most exaggerated version of the story had come straight from their mouths.
In short, although no one was actually expelled, Filch spent his days roaming the castle with a constant grin on his face, looking like an old pervert who had finally satisfied some twisted hobby...
Naturally, such ruthless measures produced immediate results. Taking advantage of this opportunity, Umbridge quickly established her authority at Hogwarts. At the very least, most students had begun to fear her.
That was something Draco hadn't anticipated.
As expected, no wizard was ever simple, especially not Umbridge, who had climbed to the position of Senior Undersecretary in such a short time...
Looking at the heavy, lifeless atmosphere in the Great Hall, Hermione shot Draco a strange look.
"Just like you said, that High Inquisitor really isn't someone simple."
"Mmm. I wouldn't lie to you, Hermione."
Draco had only meant to say that he had no reason to lie to her. But Hermione, clearly misunderstanding, flushed red all at once, her fair cheeks burning as if lit by the setting sun.
Embarrassed and annoyed, she punched Draco in the waist.
"Since when did you learn to talk so sweetly…?"
Draco: ???
Completely baffled, Draco looked down at Hermione's fist. It hardly looked like anger. If anything, it felt more like she was sulking at him.
After blinking a couple of times, Draco decided not to argue with her assessment.
Even though he genuinely had no idea which part of what he'd said counted as sweet talk...
While the two of them were "flirting and bickering," with Pansy and Astoria watching coolly from the side, the ever-pink Umbridge finally set down her knife and fork and left the Great Hall.
The moment she disappeared through the doors, the previously stifling atmosphere instantly became lively again.
And the most talked-about topic, or rather the most complained-about one, was still the newly appointed Professor of Defence Against the Dark Arts...
...
No one had ever thought that a wizard sent by the Ministry of Magic could truly bring about any real change to Hogwarts's daily life or operations.
After all, Hogwarts was Dumbledore's territory. Even the Minister of Magic had to give him a certain degree of respect, just as had happened a couple of years ago.
In other words, no wizard could truly shake Headmaster Dumbledore's position or force meaningful change. Perhaps even Dumbledore himself believed this. It was the confidence that came with power and status.
But as Educational Decrees from the Ministry were issued one after another, and as criticism of Dumbledore from outside continued to mount, what had once seemed completely unshakable began to look far less certain.
And the first to feel the impact, the ones caught squarely in the crossfire, were naturally the students themselves...
"Have you heard about that new Umbridge professor?"
"Professor? Call her the High Inquisitor."
"Hey... you mean her Defence Against the Dark Arts class?"
"You've heard too?"
"Of course. It's all over the place. I even heard someone's getting ready to report her."
"Report her? Who's got the nerve? Aren't they afraid of getting another detention?"
The moment detention was mentioned, the wizards who had been chatting animatedly all shuddered in unison. They nervously glanced toward the doors, and only after confirming that the pink-clad figure wasn't there did they finally let out a collective sigh of relief.
But their mood had already been spoiled.
No one felt like lingering any longer, and before long, a good number of students had left the Great Hall.
Scenes like this were playing out at every house table, all because of Dolores Umbridge.
As for the true instigator behind all of this—
Draco, completely unaffected, was still in high spirits, fooling around with the girl beside him.
Noticing the situation, the Head Girl, Penelope, let out a quiet sigh. Under the circumstances, she couldn't possibly do nothing. She already had plans to speak with all the Prefects and try to sort this mess out...
Being as perceptive as she was, Penelope knew exactly where the spark had come from. Perhaps this outcome had been inevitable, but it shouldn't have happened so early, nor escalated so quickly.
That realization made her mutter bitterly under her breath, "That troublesome underclassman."
Just thinking that all of this traced back to a certain someone made irritation surface on the face of this beautiful, composed senior.
After all, she was graduating this year, and with the N.E.W.Ts Advanced Wizarding Examinations approaching, she already had very little free time to spare.
And yet, barely into the school year, the Prefects under her had already stirred up something this big.
With that thought, Penelope stabbed her fork hard into the steak on her plate.
Completely unaware that this slightly sulky, almost girlish expression had caught the attention of several nearby wizards, she didn't notice them staring at her in a daze...