A Mind Gone Astray

While breakfast next morning, Professor Snape handed out their timetables and when their eyes met for a moment, Cathy could have sworn that there was relief in his pair of black eyes. With a frown she turned to see what her first lessons were and saw that she had Arithmancy, double Potions, Ancient Runes and double Defence Against the Dark Arts today.
‘Nice, Potions on our Monday. I can use a good laugh at Potter and his failing in that subject,’ Theodore said who just joined in for breakfast.
‘What's up with you being late? Did it take too much time to be styled purrfectly?’ the blonde sighed and looked at him, blinking wildly and laughed shortly then when he rolled his eyes at her. ‘I agree though. I love Potions. Also we got the new teacher so we'll see how that's going to be!’ Cheerfully she finished her crumpets and tea for breakfast before she headed back downstairs with Nott so they could get all their things for today's classes. Theodore and her had the same courses which is probably why they always stuck together. Whenever Malfoy appeared though, she had to take her side next to him. Deep down she thought that there might be rivalry between these two but she got so used to boys behaving strangely around her, that she ignored almost everything they did.
Arithmancy went over really fast since Professor Vector used the first fifteen minutes to talk about how important and exhausting this year would be with the OWLs exams at the end of term. She proved her words to be true when she gave them already homework. They were supposed to write an essay, eight inch long, about why Bridget Wenlock is the most celebrated witch among Numerologists. Next was Potions for which they went back downstairs and into the dungeons.
‘I can't believe that old witch gave us homework already,’ groaned Theodore and Cathy nodded grimly.
‘I know, right? I guess that's going to be normal from now on though … ’ She mumbled when they turned into the hallway where the other students were already waiting to enter. Draco stood already there and so she walked up straight up to him, smiling when he put his arm around her shoulders. Moments later Professor Snape let them walk inside and she took a look at Ron whose facial expression was a mixture of distaste and antipathy. Potions was no different than Arithmancy, concerning the importance of the OWLs and the homework they got. Cathy did much more concentrate on her Draught of Peace. So far everything went well for her but she was just one of the few. Not caring about the Gryffindors, she saw her brother messing up his potion which was a blubbering black liquid, reminding her of tar and not a potion anyone would want to drink. Just that moment, Snape passed her table and headed directly to Potter's potion that was fuming and spread dark grey smoke above his cauldron. Everybody of the Slytherin's looked up when the Professor started to talk loudly to make sure his words will be heard by all students. The green-silver group always loved it when he made fun of Harry and they seemed to get their money's worth once more. At the end of discussion, Snape erased Potter's nearly perfect potion because he forgot one ingredient and Cathy's whole table started laughing. Everybody else got up to hand in their little flasks of potion and Catherine flashed Professor Snape a smile before she turned to leave.
After lunch came Ancient Runes with more essays and more practical homework. Already annoyed by how much she would have to do, the Ravenclaws were just bothersome with their know-it-all behaviour and answers. At some point the blonde just wanted to throw her book at Anthony Goldstein when he stretched out his answer just to let everybody know how smart he was.
‘I swear, one day he will just not know what hit him,’ Catherine said when they all left for Defence Against the Dark Arts. ‘I'm going to jinx this smarty pants into the next dimension.’ Nott just laughed and even Blaise Zabini had to smile who usually was so reserved that he ignored everyone around him and just lived for himself. ‘I just hope for this Umbridge person that she is decent.’
That being said, the door opened and let the students inside. Draco and Catherine sat down in the back of the classroom and curiously looked at the woman at the front who was wearing pink again. The fluff made her look bigger than she really was and Cathy felt like she was watching an accident happen because she couldn't take her eyes off this monstrosity.
‘Good afternoon, class.’ She cheered with a thickened voice and looked around the class that just gave her a half-heartedly greeting back. ‘Tut tut, that won't do it now, will it?’
‘What's she expecting? Us all cheering when we have to suffer under this … thing she calls a cardigan?’ Cathy whispered and shook her head for a moment. Draco gave her a warning look and she rolled her eyes.
‘I expect a proper reply, please. When I greet you, I want you to say “Good afternoon, Professor Umbridge”. Let's try again. Good afternoon, class.’
‘Good afternoon, Professor Umbridge,’ echoed the students back at her.
‘Very well. Now wands away, please. We will reform the whole subject that, in the previous years, has been taught very poorly by, for the Ministry's standards, incompetent teachers.’ She continued now and then pointed at the blackboard with her wand where now three main points appeared which she asked the students to write down. The sound of quills scratching over parchment filled the room for ten minutes after which everybody looked up again, some still curious for what Professor Umbridge had to say next.
‘Good, now I should like you to turn to page five of your books and read “Chapter One, Basics for Beginners”. I wish no talk among the students and in case anyone has a question, like those of you with only half-human intelligence, you can ask at the end of class,’ Professor Umbridge said and Catherine looked at her irritably. When she mentioned the part about the half-human, undoubtedly her eyes had focussed Cathy. The Veela couldn't help but stare at the toad who now sat down behind her desk and looked around the class to watch everyone reading. Somewhere left to the Slytherins a hand was in the air but Professor Umbridge ignored it. That policy didn't work for long because half of the class stopped reading the first chapter and concentrated on the girl with the hand in the air. Cathy leaned back for a moment and saw that it was Hermione Granger who seemingly tried to look Umbridge into the ground. At some point she couldn't continue to ignore her and so she decided to take care of the situation. The moment of her distraction was Cathy's to turn to her classmates: Draco was too busy listening to what was going on now so he won't miss a predictable showdown, Crabbe and Goyle did their usual “Stare in your book, pretend you can read”-tactic and Zabini was the only one to really read. Theodore in front of her was the only one looking around as he was already finished reading. He turned around and obviously wanted to start a conversation when he saw Cathy's facial expression and it was the blonde who started speaking first.
‘Did she just … say that I have only half-human intelligence?’ She whispered to Nott who looked at her with big eyes and it seemed like he wasn't sure if he wanted to try and walk through the dragon cave he suddenly faced or if he wanted to turn around again, acting like he didn't hear anything.
‘W- What? No, I … I didn't notice anything,’ he tried to say calmly but it didn't work. While at the other end of the classroom a ruckus broke lose, Catherine didn't pay attention as her own anger and disbelief slowly started boiling.
‘Oh really? You want to tell me you didn't notice how she looked at me when mentioning it?’ she whizzed at him.
‘No, I mean … yes. I mean … I don't know! It could've been just a casual look. She probably meant all the mudbloods in this room.’ Quickly he turned around after that and cleared his throat. The blonde wouldn't let him get out this soon though and poked his shoulder which made him hiss silently. He turned around with his eyes narrowed but once he looked into her eyes, his face relaxed.
‘Just let it slip, alright?’ he said a little louder over the voices of the Gryffindors who were now protesting in their own ways against the purely theoretical ways of Professor Umbridge.
‘But I can't! I am not going to let her speak to me like this. I am the smartest in class and she better acknowledges that or I'll make her feel how good I am at jinxing people!’ A loud groan escaped Draco's lips now and her head turned to face him. ‘What!’
‘Nott is right. Let it slip, babe,’ he said and gave her a peck on the cheek. Cathy couldn't decide by what she was confused more. It was either him calling her babe or the fact that he took the offensive every now and so often.
‘Do you honestly think I will let it slips that she just called me a-,’ but the rest of her sentence was overshadowed by Harry Potter's voice.
‘… Lord Voldemort?’ he said loudly and Cathy's heart felt like it skipped a beat while her insides dropped down.
‘And I wish he would finally stop saying this name,’ she whispered and finally paid more attention to the source of the riot. Harry sat in his seat with his fists clenched and Professor Umbridge was standing behind her desk. The whole classroom was now silent and she had a dangerous tone in her voice when she started speaking.
‘Ten points from Gryffindor, Mr Potter. Now, let me make a few things quite plain,’ she said, leaning forward on her desk with her hands supporting her pink fluffiness. The next things happened really fast and before anyone could say something else, Harry couldn't stop his temper and was eager to stand his ground on the Dark Lord being back to full power. Umbridge on the other, much more powerful, hand sent him off for detention. The class turned silent the moment Potter smashed the door shut and a few people were looking at each other as if they tried to figure out if this was a dream or reality.
When the bell rang everybody got up instantly and the blonde took her chance to walk up to the front desk to talk to Umbridge. Nott rushed after her and tried to hold her back but she slipped out of his grip and continued her way to the front until she faced the little toad whose face was much paler than she had seen before. She cleared her throat and smiled politely at the woman in front of her.
‘Excuse me, Professor Umbridge? I am afraid I might misunderstood something you mentioned earlier. I think it was about people here who are not as intelligent as others in this room and, if I am not mistaken, you looked directly at me when you said this.’ It took all her self-control not to put negative words into it or to scream at her face.
‘Yes, that's correct. It takes one look to know what you are and it was a simple offer in case you do not understand what this is all about. I wish to convince the Ministry that only humans should be taught on this school but the Minister is too busy with other things at the moment to listen. Do you have a question then or what is it you talk to me for?’ Her sweet and thick voice was back and the blonde gritted her teeth before she leaned down a little.
‘No, Professor. I have read the whole book already and I have to admit, to your disappointment, that I understood everything perfectly. I would ask you though to stop treating me like scum because I am an apparent half-breed or you will see how much anger and brilliance lies within us,’ she whispered threateningly. Umbridge looked at her with a sweet smile and leaned forward as well so that their faces were now close to each other.
‘I am doing you a favour and forget what you just said so that you can watch out what you say to the Undersecretary of the Minister of Magic the next time, dear.’
The scraping of chairs made the blonde snap out of the situation and she straightened up to look around the room. The next class had entered and with a grimace she realised that it was the seventh years. With one last look on Umbridge she turned around and stormed out of the room, peeking at Fred Weasley who sat in the far back when she left and somehow it made a big part of her anger disappear.