Even though the student council had already noticed the problem, what puzzled everyone was that all the professors, including Dumbledore, seemed to act as if they saw nothing at all, tacitly allowing Umbridge to run rampant.
No, if everything were explained in Umbridge's own terms, then all of it was carried out strictly under the Educational Decrees, entirely lawful, well-founded, and necessary for proper discipline and education.
Perhaps, in Umbridge's eyes, this was the correct path forward.
She was the one in the right.
And so, what had once been a relatively relaxed learning environment gradually grew oppressive under what Umbridge believed to be her righteous direction.
That said, it didn't seem to affect Draco and the others, nor those little lions who weren't so easily cowed.
It was hard to tell whether those young lions were genuinely mischievous, or simply that stubborn by nature...
...
Umbridge did occasionally have to return to the Ministry of Magic.
Compared to staying at Hogwarts, she clearly preferred her position as Senior Undersecretary of Magic and the power that came with it.
Perhaps, to her, her assignment at Hogwarts was nothing more than a minor perk, a way to unwind and indulge herself.
Today happened to be one of the days when Umbridge wasn't at Hogwarts, and for most students, it was a day worth celebrating.
With the mountain pressing on their chests temporarily gone, the young wizards ran around and joked as if venting weeks' worth of pent-up frustration.
That alone spoke volumes about the psychological pressure Umbridge had inflicted on them...
The moment Draco stepped into the Great Hall, the chatter he heard wasn't about the recently revived inter-house Quidditch league, nor was it about Hermione's ever-present Society for the Promotion of Elfish Welfare.
Instead, it was all about Dolores Umbridge's classes.
Even in her absence, she remained the central topic of discussion.
And none of it was praise.
"That pink toad is finally gone."
Pink toad was the nickname the students used for Umbridge behind her back.
Of course, Umbridge herself had no idea. If she did, there would probably be yet another Educational Decree by now.
"I can't take it anymore! I'm writing to my mum and asking her to get me transferred out of here! Do you know what? I haven't learned anything at all! Not a single thing!"
"Damn it... aren't the professors going to do anything?"
"I heard Penelope's gathering all the Prefects this weekend to figure out a solution to the Defence Against the Dark Arts class."
"Hey, how's a student council president supposed to win against a professor? Especially when the Pink Toad is also a High Inquisitor sent directly by the Ministry."
"What did you say?! How dare you question my goddess!"
"Huh? Your goddess? Senior Penelope belongs to everyone!!"
By the end, the discussion had drifted far off course, but it was still easy to tell what they were really talking about. All of them had taken Defence Against the Dark Arts.
Clearly, something was very wrong with what Umbridge was teaching in her classes.
"So it really is just like the books say. The Defence Against the Dark Arts position at our school really is cursed by that person."
Hermione had never truly believed in that so-called curse. Even if the one who cast it was the Dark Lord, she didn't think it was anything to fear. This was Hogwarts, after all.
But now, looking at it, it seemed that almost every year, something went wrong with the Defence Against the Dark Arts professor. Last year, they'd even ended up with a Death Eater loyal to the Dark Lord.
And this new one seemed to be here purely to wreak havoc...
With all those precedents in mind, Hermione couldn't help but start to waver.
"I'm starting to get curious. What exactly is going on in her classes?"
"Hm... it can't possibly be worse than Lockhart's lessons, right?"
"Who knows? After all, she's a woman who's more Slytherin than Slytherin itself."
Pansy's comment made Hermione's expression turn a little strange.
So was that an insult aimed at her own house, or was she saying all Slytherins were villains?
...
Hearing about something was never as convincing as experiencing it firsthand.
And today, Draco and the others were finally getting a taste of Professor Umbridge's Defence Against the Dark Arts class...
On the way to the classroom, they ran into a small detour.
Just as Draco and his group reached the bottom of the Marble Staircase, they ran into a group of Gryffindor seventh-years. Among them was a familiar face.
More precisely, one of the students from the Head Boy's carriage back then...
"Hermione?"
"Angelina, senior."
"Let me guess. You're heading to that perverted witch's class, aren't you?"
Perverted witch?
Hearing something like that come out of the mouth of a strikingly attractive girl was genuinely surprising. Even Draco, who hadn't planned on stopping, glanced over at the witch named Angelina.
Whether it was because Hermione had been called out, or because Umbridge had been mentioned, Draco ended up slowing to a halt as well.
Hermione, on the other hand, clearly already knew what kind of personality Angelina had, so she didn't seem particularly surprised by the comment.
That said, the usually energetic Angelina and the companions behind her all looked utterly drained at the moment.
"You guys... what happened to you?"
"Aren't you going to that lunatic woman's class? You'll understand soon enough why we look like this."
"...."
Watching Angelina give her a weak wave, looking like she didn't even want to think about it, Hermione couldn't help but grow uneasy.
Could it really be worse than Lockhart's lessons?
"Anyway, forget that," Angelina said. "You're a Prefect too, right? Help me pass this along to the students in your year."
"Hm?"
"Friday afternoon, our team will be holding tryouts for a new Keeper. If anyone's confident, be at the Quidditch Pitch on time. I'll be testing them myself. That's it."
Without caring in the slightest that the Slytherin Quidditch captain was standing right there listening, the newly appointed captain gave a casual wave and left.
Although she hadn't greeted Draco even once, her openness and straightforwardness still left a clear impression on him. That was Angelina, a seventh-year Prefect and Gryffindor's Quidditch captain.
Still, compared to who would become Gryffindor's new Keeper, what Draco cared about far more was...
The Defence Against the Dark Arts class with Umbridge that was coming up next.
...
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