Defiant Potter

September 3rd, 1995 – Hogwarts, Great Hall

The next morning Harry, Ron and Hermione walked in silent dread toward the Defense classroom, wishing that the upcoming class could somehow be avoided. It was time for Dolores Umbridge to begin her instruction of them.

Fred and George had experienced Umbridge's "class" yesterday, and they had both left it with a week's detention. Harry had a feeling that today was not going to go as well as yesterday. On top of Defense, they all had Potions with Snape this afternoon.

Reaching the open door, the trio entered and took seats in the middle of the classroom. They were a few minutes early, and the room was not yet at capacity. A slew of Slytherins sat together in the back, glaring disdainfully at all the Gryffindors. Malfoy did not meet Harry's eyes. Harry wondered not for the first time why Dumbledore felt it necessary to throw the Slytherins and the Gryffindors together for classes.

A few minutes later Professor Dolores Jane Umbridge, Undersecretary to the Minister of Magic, entered her classroom. She was once again wearing a pink cardigan over her robes. All chatter quieted immediately.

"Good morning class, and welcome to OWL-level Defense against the Dark Arts. In this class you will learn Ministry-approved methods for defending yourself against magical attack…." she simpered at them, eyes roving from person to person.

"…However, it must be said that, despite rumors to the contrary, you are in no danger outside of Hogwarts' halls. The Ministry is fully capable of protecting you, and it is highly unlikely that what you learn in this class will ever be needed. Wouldn't you agree, Mr. Potter?" she asked, her childlike voice at odds with the threat in her words.

Here we go, thought Harry. If I provoke her, she'll make my life a living hell all year long. I can't afford to have detention every night. Time to swallow some pride.

"If you say so, ma'am," Harry replied politely. "You're the expert, after all."

Harry put enough emphasis on the word "expert" to raise Umbridge's eyebrow, but she just gave him a sickeningly sweet smile.

"Quite right, Mr. Potter. Quite right," she said in response. "So you admit that you were—ahem—mistaken about your claims at the end of last term?"

Harry closed his eyes in aggravation. This foul woman was not going to stop until she found some means to punish him. If he just agreed with her, he was sure that his retraction would be headlines in tomorrow's paper. It looks I'll be getting those detentions after all. Screw it, he thought, opening his eyes to glare at her.

"No, Professor, I was not mistaken in the least. I saw Voldemort resurrected with my own eyes, and I saw one of his Death Eaters murder Cedric Diggory."

There was an intake of breath and then total silence in the room, everyone anticipating an explosion of wrath from Umbridge. She did not disappoint.

"You insolent boy!" she hissed. "How dare you make such outrageous claims! The Minister himself has confirmed that you are lying."

"And just how did he confirm that, Professor? Did he ask his buddy Lucius Malfoy, a confirmed Death Eater? Are you suggesting that I murdered Cedric Diggory in cold blood just to win some stupid tournament?!" Harry thundered, his temper getting the best of him. He was so sick of the suspicious way people were looking at him.

Malfoy gave an ugly sneer at the mention of his father, but he made no move to contradict Harry.

Umbridge glanced uneasily in Malfoy's direction for a moment, then put a mask of civility back on her face. "We shall see, Mr. Potter, we shall see. Perhaps we could arrange some questioning with veritaserum, dear boy?" she asked politely, thinking that this would cow Harry.

"You name the time and place, Professor," he replied confidently, and now there were mutterings of disbelief in the classroom. Harry Potter was willing to take truth serum to confirm his story?

"Well—hem, hem—class, quiet down," Umbridge said, disconcerted that her tactic had failed so spectacularly. "It appears that you need to learn some respect for your betters, Mr. Potter. I think that 50 points from Gryffindor and a week's worth of detentions would be a nice start."

"No," replied Harry, shocking the class into silence once again. Even the Slytherins were looking at Harry with open curiosity now; was he trying to get expelled?

"Excuse me, Mr. Potter?"

"I said 'no,' Professor. If you take your punishment to Headmaster Dumbledore and he agrees with it, then I will serve the detentions. But I refuse to be punished because you don't like me; I have not been disrespectful towards you, I have only answered your questions," Harry said evenly.

Umbridge was completely taken aback at his defiance. Evidently she had expected to put The-Boy-Who-Lived under her thumb with ease.

"Very…very well, Mr. Potter. You are dismissed. I will meet you in the Headmaster's Office at the end of class," she said, trying to regain her sense of authority. "Now, class, wands away and quills out, please. Open your textbooks to Chapter One and begin reading."

Harry made no reply; he gathered his things and left, seething at the incompetent Professor. He gave her a two-fingered salute as soon as he was out the door.

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