As we finished up with our breakfast I kept my mind closely on Umbridge to try and figure out what exactly it was that she was planning to do to me in class today. I was surprised to find that she was more engaged with the conversation she was having with Professor Snape than she was with me. I nearly choked on my toast when I caught the word veritaserum cross her mind.

"You alright?" asked Neville, smacking my back gently as I felt my cheeks start to turn red from my excessive coughing.

Once I was done choking and everyone was sure that I was going to be alright, we left the Great Hall and headed towards the Defense Against the Dark Arts class on the third floor. Most of our class had already arrived by the time we had gotten there, and had taken seats scattered throughout the room. I led the way in, choosing a seat towards the back with the hopes that the farther I placed myself from her the less chance she would have to try and talk to me. After all teachers usually stand in the front when they teach, right?

Parvati had cast a spell on a folded piece of paper in the form of a bird, and it was now gliding gracefully through the air. Everyone was watching it as they carried on their own side conversations, and everyone fell silent when the bird suddenly caught fire, the ashes crumbling to the floor.

Professor Umbridge had entered the room and was smiling at us sickeningly, as if we were bacteria inside of a petri dish. She walked to the front of the classroom, her eyes surveying each us closely, her pink high-heeled shoes making a click, click noise on the wooden floor. Once she was done giving us all a once-over she flicked her wand and words began to form on the chalk board behind her.

"O.W.L.s," she stated simply, that sickening smile remaining on her lips. "As you all know these tests will determine the kind of wizard you are going to be, and what you are going to do with your magical talents the rest of your lives. For those of you who do well, your futures will be bright and open, for those of you who don't...well there are always mundane positions to be filled."

She chuckled quietly to herself and with the exception of a few Slytherins the class remained quiet. She turned on her heel and flicked her wand at two neat stacks of books lying on her desk. They floated up into the air and glided towards us, stopping at each aisle so that the top few books could scoot out and land in front of the students. As the books landed on our desks Hermione picked up her own book and stared at the cover skeptically.

I had to agree with her skepticism. The artwork on the cover of the text book looked like it was designed with five year olds in mind, and as I opened the book I saw the words "positive thinking" appear at least ten times on the first page alone. Hermione had scanned through the book already and turned to look at Ron, Harry, and me with concern.

"It doesn't say anything in here about using spells does it?" asked Hermione.

"Why don't you ask her?" said Ron, pushing it away like it was a moldy piece of bread. Taking his advice Hermione raised her hand, and Umbridge, surprised that there was a question already, nodded at her to go.

"Professor Umbridge, forgive me, but there's nothing in these books about actually using spells."

She chuckled. "Well my dear girl that's because you don't need to practice spells in order to master them. With enough studying and learning of the spells and their uses, that will be enough for you to understand them and perform them at your examinations."

"But Professor," chimed in Harry, "how will we defend ourselves?"

"Those who wish to speak in my class with raise their hands and wait to be called on," said Umbridge through her teeth.

Harry flung his arm into the air forcefully, and Umbridge, although reluctantly, indicated that he was allowed to speak.

"As I said before, how will we defend ourselves?"

"Defend yourselves? Dear boy what exactly do you need to be defending yourself from?"

"Oh, I don't know, Voldemort maybe?" The entire class went silent as the words left Harry's lips. Umbridge looked at Harry as though he was the most repulsing looking bug she had ever seen in her entire life.

"Mr. Potter I must ask you not to tell such lies in my classroom."

"It's not a lie! I told you I have seen him and I fought him last year!"

"So you say Mr. Potter," Umbridge responded sharply.

"So I say?! What about Cedric Diggory?! He was murdered and I watched Voldemort do it!"

"That is ENOUGH Mr. Potter! Mr. Diggory's death was a horrible accident. Stop with this nonsense at once!"

"Why do you refuse to see what's so obviously right in front of you?!" screamed Harry, rising from his seat.

I jumped up and grabbed Harry's shoulders as the vision of him taking out his wand and casting a spell at Umbridge crossed his mind.

"Get out of my classroom Potter! I will send along a letter to Professor McGonagall explaining how poorly one of his house students has behaved in my classroom."

"Fine!" roared Harry, ripping his bag off of his chair and flinging it over his shoulder.

"I'll take him to her," I said to Umbridge, collecting my own things and leading Harry out of the classroom.

"Miss Carson I want you to say. I have some questions to ask you."

I turned as Harry continued out the door and looked at her. "I have nothing to say to you." I turned on my heel and left Umbridge there with a stunned look on her face, the door slamming shut behind me.