The Pacifist Necromancer of Hogwarts

Chapter 346 Confrontation
"Caridi, I need your advice," Anthony said the moment the office door opened. "Do you know that Ms. Umbridge -"

He was interrupted. Professor Bubbage was standing behind her desk with her eyebrows raised, her hands on the table, glaring at the person sitting opposite her, without giving Anthony a glance. And that person was none other than the respected Senior Inquisitor, Ms. Dolores Jane Umbridge.

Umbridge turned her head with her wand raised, and a disgusting smile slowly appeared on her pale and swollen face.

"Oh," she said in mock surprise, as if she had merely opened the door accidentally. "Sit down, Carity, dear, and don't get so excited, or Professor Anthony will think you're going to do something - is there any news I should know, Professor Anthony?" She waved her wand and tried to close the door.

Anthony reached out and grabbed the door handle: "I'll get back to you later, Kerry." He exerted a little force and pulled the door open further.

"No, Henry." Professor Burbage finally spoke, but she was still staring at Umbridge, her tone cold and hard, "I would rather you stay in case I really want to hit someone."

"You want me to roll up your sleeves?" Anthony asked, letting go of the handle. The door slammed against its frame and closed.

Professor Burbage's icy expression relaxed. After a while, she took a deep breath and sat down, motioning Anthony to drag another cushioned chair from the corner over. Umbridge looked at them with a smile. In front of her was a teapot with cats painted all over it and a matching teacup. It was hard not to suspect that she had brought it from her office, because there was nothing in front of Professor Burbage.

"It's great to see you, Professor Anthony." Umbridge said sweetly, "You know, I was just praising the teaching level of Muggle Studies at Hogwarts. Look, I happen to have the academic results of Muggle Studies in various grades in recent years... After Charity joined Hogwarts, the academic performance of each grade has improved significantly, and the performance is quite balanced. You don't know how happy I am to see colleagues from the Ministry of Magic bring such an improvement to our ancient magic school."

Anthony looked at the list pushed in front of him, then looked at her, unsure of what expression he should show. He was sure it was ironic, but the data was exactly as she said. Umbridge grinned her toad-like mouth, obviously very satisfied with Anthony's confusion.

"And you, Professor Anthony," Umbridge continued, "I heard that your students also performed very well in the OWLs this year - of course, the specific OWLs results are still confidential, but this does not affect my congratulations to both of you. In my report -"

"Your damn report," Professor Bubbaji interrupted her rudely, "should be thrown into the toilet and flushed down the drain!"

"What report?" asked Anthony.

"She wrote a report—"

"It is simply a report on the magical education that the next generation of wizards will receive," said Umbridge.

"- compared students' performance from various perspectives, from college, to subject, to grade and gender-" Professor Bubaji's voice gradually rose.

"In fact, I'm surprised, Caridi, that you know this news and are so angry about it--"

"—and family background!" Professor Burbage shouted. "She even spends a full twenty-three inches in there suggesting—no, arguing—that Muggle-borns don't do well!"

"What a detailed description. This means that someone must have leaked the contents of the confidential documents. This is not a good thing..." Umbridge said softly with a fake smile, "Let me think, it may be Mafalda from the Abuse of Magic Office. She seems to like you very much, don't you think?"

"This has nothing to do with Mafalda!" Professor Bubaji said with disgust, "Before you came, I had never heard that family background had an impact on students' academic performance! I don't know how you distorted the data, but I just don't believe your conclusion!"

Umbridge pretended to be surprised and said, "Distorted data? Are you questioning the authority of the OWLs and NEWTs exams? If the person who tipped you off was more accurate, you should know that the average performance of Muggle-born students in this OWLs and NEWTs was obviously worse than that of half-bloods, not to mention those pure-blood wizards who have received magical education since childhood... Come on, Charity, don't make such a face. This is not purism, it's just reality."

"I just don't believe it." Professor Bubbaji maintained the expression of seeing a dead mouse after opening a chocolate frog. "Whatever you say, yes, if necessary, I would rather question the authority of the exam."

"Oh." Umbridge tilted her head slightly, her tone as innocent as a little girl, "Then perhaps you should report Ms. Marchbank to the Minister and the Wizengamot Court."

Professor Bubaji's chest rose and fell violently. "I'm not questioning Professor Marchbank. What I'm saying is - you are sure -"

Umbridge leaned forward slightly. "I sat none of the exams, Charity, and you know that. In fact, you made sure of that... I was always in my office, writing reports..."

"And detention," said Anthony.

Umbridge turned her head, as if suddenly aware that he was there. "What?"

"And detentions," Anthony said slowly, gathering his thoughts. "To be more precise, Madam Umbridge, detentions are given to impressionable Muggle-born students. I hear you've been doing this for months."

Professor Burbage said with realization and anger, "That probably won't do them well in their exams, will it, Umbridge?"

"That was not my intention," Umbridge objected decisively. "I just wanted to regulate their behavior. If they were all well behaved, how could I give them detention? Do you think the other professors would agree?"

Anthony said: "I heard that several students were dazed and distracted after the lockdown. They couldn't concentrate and didn't want to talk."

"And I would say that students shouldn't talk freely in class," said Umbridge with satisfaction. "I think this may just show that they know the rules better."

Professor Bubaji said through gritted teeth: “I will report you.”

"Well, to whom?" asked Umbridge, her bulging, baggy eyes twinkling with curiosity and malice.

"minister--"

"Connelly gave me the authority to do that."

"So, Professor Marchbank—" "You know I passed the compliance check, right? Anyone who can see the Examination Authority's records will say that I did not cheat on this exam."

"Dumbledore——"

"Have you seen him lately? I heard he's been busy."

"Ms. Bones—"

"The Wizengamot?" said Umbridge sweetly. "My dear, because I gave students detention for a few nights? When did the Wizengamot start accepting cases like this?"

"I'm here to report it. I'll handle it." Professor Burbage stood up abruptly, his chair falling backwards on the ground. "As the special consultant for Muggle Studies at the Wizengamot, I can't just watch you slander Muggle-born wizards like this—"

"Well, I'm very sorry to tell you," Umbridge raised her head slightly with a smug smile on her face, "you don't really belong to the Wizengamot and cannot handle cases on behalf of the Wizengamot. Special Advisor..." She read the position slowly, "If I remember correctly, this is not part of the Wizengamot. On the other hand, I, the Senior Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Magic, am a formal member of the Wizengamot."

"You? How many times have you attended?"

"Only the very important ones," said Umbridge. "But that's enough. By the way, there are voices suggesting that the Wizengamot doesn't need advisers on certain subjects."

Professor Bubaji's eyes narrowed. "Is this a threat?"

"What? Oh, no, of course not, Carity. Don't be so aggressive. Sit down, sit down. You know, the students of Muggle Studies have performed very well this time - of course, I would say that your students are smarter than those Muggle-born students - there is no need to deny the results of this exam. Let's enjoy this cup of tea. After all, I don't want to find out who leaked the confidential report to you..."

Professor Bubbage did not sit down: "And I am unwilling to give up pursuing the unfair treatment of Muggle-born wizards."

Umbridge raised her head and looked at Professor Bubbage for a moment, then slowly raised her eyebrows and put the teacup back on the saucer with a click.

"Think about it, Caridi. You have only been a special adviser for a short time. I heard that you are still planning to implement a revised version of the Muggle Protection Act by the end of this year... Oh, and early next year, aren't you planning to advocate that St. Mungo's take in the Muggle relatives of wizards? You know it's not a good idea to get involved in controversy at this time, right?"

Professor Bubbaji's expression could be described as disgust. She tightly shut her mouth, and for the first time, a trace of struggle flashed across her face.

Umbridge smiled triumphantly, but the next moment, Professor Burbage said firmly: "No."

"What did you say?"

“I say no,” Professor Bubaggi said. “I’m not going to let this go.”

Umbridge said: "You have no evidence -"

"I." Anthony also stood up, "I am her witness."

Umbridge shook her head and said delicately, "You should remember the Ministry's generosity towards you, Professor Anthony. I thought you knew that the Ministry would not accept your testimony."

"Why?" snapped Professor Bubbage. "Because Henry was a Muggle-born? At the trial of Peter Pettigrew -"

"Because you, Professor Anthony, are a necromancer," said Umbridge, standing up as well (although she looked about the same height as when she was sitting). She drew her wand, and Professor Burbage raised his as a reflex. Anthony hesitated, then drew his wand as well.

For a moment, Professor Bubbage's expression was blank. The next moment, she laughed, as if she found Umbridge quite ridiculous. "What are you talking about?"

"Oh, you didn't know." Umbridge raised her eyebrows in surprise. "It seems that when Dumbledore recruited new professors, he did not inform the original employees of the dangers behind them. Yes, Charity, and you may be shocked by how many dark secrets he knows..."

"Dark secrets?" said Professor Burbage sarcastically. "What, look at the stars? It would be more plausible to say he was a centaur than to accuse him of being a necromancer! Good God, Umbridge, you don't really think -"

"I am, Carity," said Anthony.

"What?" Bubbaji turned to him angrily.

Anthony faced her wand and whispered, "I am."

"He said he was." Umbridge said smugly, "Sometimes, I can't help but wonder why those who are keen to flaunt their own light always turn a blind eye to the darkness before their eyes? And those who really care about students, those who really care about the future of the wizarding world, always face unwarranted accusations."

"Really?" Professor Bubbage asked coldly, quickly pointing the tip of his wand at Umbridge. "So, what do those who really care about the future of the wizarding world do about the darkness before their eyes?"

Umbridge's smile widened. "You may be surprised, but I did take some measures..."

At this moment, the fireplace beside them burst into green flames, and Dumbledore's head appeared in the flames.

"Ah, Henry, there you are," he said cheerfully, seeming not to notice that the three people in the office were holding their wands. "I was thinking of asking Carity if he had seen you... Oh, Dolores, that's great. Perhaps you could come to my office sometime? I've got an interesting letter."

(End of this chapter)