Harry returns from Hogwarts Legacy

Chapter 344 Umbridge's Ambition

“She seems to be sick,” Hermione commented sharply from behind, frowning as she asked, “What did the club do to her? Why doesn’t she allow students to hold clubs on campus? Is she trying to interfere with the personal freedom of the students at school?”

“I don’t think so,” Ron said from the side. “He’s definitely targeting Harry. Don’t forget—Harry is preparing to teach the other students Defense Against the Dark Arts. She’s absolutely determined to ruin Harry’s ‘tutoring’ sessions. I know her too well!”

“Oh, save it, Ron!” Hermione rolled her eyes. “You know, Harry is a professor now! A professor has the right to start his own club without Umbridge’s permission!”

“But Lockhart’s opening of a dueling club… oh, I mean, Ms. Rosier, doesn’t it still require prior application to Headmaster Dumbledore?” Ron asked with some concern.

He didn't quite agree with Hermione's statement.

“But Umbridge’s permission isn’t required!” Hermione snapped like an angry lioness. “She’s just the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor—for the first through fourth years and the sixth and seventh years!”

Ron sighed.

“More than that, I want to know who snitched!” he said angrily. “Think about it, if no one snitched, how would Umbridge know what Harry was doing? I think there are just too many people in the pub, maybe one of them is Umbridge’s informant—guess who it is?”

“Umbridge probably knows!” Hermione said angrily.

"Let's face it. We don't know how many people here can be trusted. Anyone could run to Umbridge and tell on us!"

Ron thought for a moment, then uttered a name: "Zakaris Smith!"

He slammed his fist into his palm. "Or—I think that Michael Conner is also acting a bit suspiciously..."

“Don’t think the worst of your classmate, Ron,” Harry said, holding up a finger. “Don’t worry, even if she has all the resources, she can’t control us—I mean, don’t worry.”

They left the common room while talking.

Upon entering the Great Hall, they noticed that Umbridge's notices were posted not only inside Gryffindor.

There was a peculiar tension in the auditorium; it was filled with chatter and chaos as people ran around discussing the news they had seen.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione had just sat down when Neville, Dean, Draco, Luna, Fred, George, and Ginny rushed over.

"Did you see it?"

Do you think she knows?

"what should we do?"

They were all looking at Harry.

"So what if I know?" Harry said nonchalantly. "I'm the acting professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts in fifth year, and I'm qualified to start an advanced Defense Against the Dark Arts club. The headmaster and the board of trustees don't object to that."

"What if she moves out of the Ministry of Magic?" Ginny asked with some concern.

“Oh, the Ministry of Magic,” Harry said with a smile. “The Ministry of Magic has no jurisdiction over our free Hogwarts. Don’t worry, Ginny, we have plenty of ways to deal with all sorts of potential dangers and threats!”

“For example?” Fred and George asked, raising their eyebrows.

“It’s a secret.” Harry smiled at the twins. “Don’t worry, the Ministry of Magic isn’t just Fudge’s personal fiefdom. Even if he wanted to completely control Hogwarts, there are people who wouldn’t allow it.”

"Harry! Ron!"

Harry turned around and saw that it was Angelina who had called him.

She rushed over, her face filled with despair.

"Did you notice she included Quidditch in that too?" Angelina said sadly. "My God, how could she! How dare she! We have to ask for a Gryffindor team to be reorganized!"

"Huh?" Harry didn't quite understand Angelina's words.

“Impossible!” Ron exclaimed in shock.

"You read the notice, it mentioned the team!" Angelina said angrily. "That old witch, what kind of flying broom is she up to!"

Just then, Professor McGonagall suddenly walked over.

The noise in the auditorium suddenly fell silent.

“Potter!” she called Harry’s name sternly. “Come with me for a moment.”

Ron glanced at Harry with concern, thinking that Professor McGonagall calling Harry at this moment couldn't be anything good.

"Don't worry," Hermione said, tugging at Ron's arm. "It'll be fine."

“Okay.” Harry stood up and followed Professor McGonagall out of the Great Hall amidst the concerned or worried gazes of his classmates.

The two walked up to an abandoned classroom on the second floor. Professor McGonagall closed the door and said in a serious tone, "Listen, Harry, the communications channels inside and outside Hogwarts may be being monitored, understand?"

"Being watched?" Harry asked, puzzled.

“Exactly,” Professor McGonagall said in a low, urgent voice, “I don’t know exactly what methods Umbridge and the Ministry of Magic used, but they have basically controlled all communications inside and outside the school using owls. If you want to communicate with the outside world, you should never use owls—I hope you can tell Weasley about this.”

“Okay,” Harry nodded calmly.

"As for the Quidditch teams, I'll figure something out," Professor McGonagall said again. "I also don't quite understand why Umbridge would order the disbandment of all clubs, but you should know that she is a senior investigator from the Ministry of Magic, and we can't stop her."

“But,” Harry raised an eyebrow, “you’re the vice-principal, and the head of Gryffindor. Does she think she can control you?”

“Oh, Potter.” Professor McGonagall shook her head regretfully. “Even if I were the vice-principal and dean, there’s nothing I could do. The senior investigators in the Ministry of Magic have almost the same authority as the headmaster.”

Harry shrugged and didn't say anything, but he didn't take it seriously.

He did want to find Umbridge and expel her from the school—but as Vivi had said before, it was best not to use overly violent methods against Umbridge and the Ministry of Magic, since they still controlled the media and their credibility had not completely collapsed.

If you want to take over the Ministry of Magic, you must use the most overt methods to deal with them.

“It’s getting late,” Professor McGonagall said. “You should leave now and go to your class—”

“Yes, Professor,” Harry said, and left the abandoned classroom.

When he returned to the Gryffindor longseat, everyone was already packing up to go to class.

Seeing Harry return, Ron rushed over and, together with Angelina, asked, "What's wrong? What happened?" "Did Professor McGonagall inform you that the Gryffindor Quidditch team's activities and training were proceeding as normal?"

“Take your time, one at a time.” Harry rubbed his eyes and answered Angelina first: “Don’t worry, Angelina, there won’t be any problems with the Quidditch team’s normal activities. You should discuss that with Umbridge. As for Ron, I have something to tell you.” He pulled Ron to a corner and lowered his voice: “Professor McGonagall told me that Hogwarts’ internal and external communications seem to be under surveillance by the Ministry of Magic, probably starting in the last couple of days. I need you to stop contacting Percy proactively, so he doesn’t get exposed, okay?”

Ron took two deep breaths, looked up and asked, "What if Percy contacts me? I don't think he knows anything about this. What if Fudge finds out?"

“Don’t worry,” Harry said in a low voice. “I’ll have Sirius find a way to notify Percy right now, so Fudge doesn’t find out.”

After saying that, he turned on his phone and started calling Sirius.

When the call connected, Sirius sounded a little tired, but still asked with a smile, "What's wrong, Harry?"

“Listen, Sirius,” Harry said seriously. “Professor McGonagall just told me that the Ministry of Magic seems to be monitoring Hogwarts’ internal and external communications. I’d like you to inform Percy Weasley so he doesn’t write to Ron and expose something.”

Sirius's expression turned serious. He nodded and said, "Don't worry, Harry, I'll inform Percy himself about this—using as discreet a method as possible."

With that, he hung up the phone.

Ron, however, remained somewhat worried. He stood up and sat down repeatedly, fidgeting with himself.

“Don’t worry, Ron,” Harry said, patting Ron on the shoulder. “Percy will be fine.”

"I hope so," Ron forced a smile.

When they returned to the group, Hermione was already standing up, carrying three people's books.

“You’re really energetic,” Ginny said from the side.

"I didn't see you holding one for me," Hermione said, rolling her eyes.

Ginny smiled. "We're not going the same way, Hermione. We're on our way to Herbology class, and we won't be passing by the History of Magic classroom with you."

Hermione sighed and continued walking forward.

“Alright, we’re back,” Harry said to Hermione as he walked over.

"What happened?" Hermione asked, carrying her schoolbag.

Harry recounted what had just happened, and Hermione immediately frowned.

"Oh dear, how could the Ministry of Magic be so wicked!" she said angrily.

“I think we should forget about the Ministry of Magic,” Ron said gloomily. “I bet Umbridge hasn’t even attended Binns’s History of Magic class yet… I’d bet anything she’s there!”

But he was wrong. There was only one teacher in the class, Professor Binns.

He hovered an inch above his seat as usual, ready to continue his buzzing sermon on the War of the Giants.

“Looks like you’re wrong,” Hermione said, putting down her book. “Everyone knows that Professor Binns is a ghost, and he has been the professor of the history of magic since the founding of Hogwarts. No one can expel him, and I don’t think Umbridge would do something so foolish.”

“No, the most important reason is…” Harry looked up and glanced at Professor Binns, “Professor Binns is a ghost, he can’t be Dumbledore’s man—in other words, he’s whoever is the headmaster.”

“You’re wrong,” Ron interjected. “He’s not anyone’s man, he’s someone’s ghost.”

Makes sense.

Outside, the wind and rain raged, but inside the classroom, it remained warm.

“Take a guess,” Hermione whispered, “What exactly is Umbridge trying to do with this order? Does she really think she’s the headmistress?”

“I suspect…” Ron speculated, “this could be a prelude to her next move. Perhaps she wants to replace Dumbledore and become the headmaster of Hogwarts?”

“You’re really dreaming,” Hermione said, rolling her eyes. “How could she possibly become the headmaster of Hogwarts? Do you think the portraits of all the past headmasters would approve of her?”

Harry thought about it and realized there was no problem.

Even Phineas Black wouldn't like a guy like Umbridge who's just causing trouble.

He peered out the window at the windswept, cloud-shrouded field, still pondering how to respond to Umbridge's twenty-fourth educational decree.

With Professor Binns's chanting voice ringing in his ears, Harry found himself getting sleepy without even realizing it.

When he opened his eyes, he found that get out of class was over.

“Wake up, Harry,” Ron nudged him. “We’re going to rest in the Great Hall for a bit, then we’ll continue with Potions class.”

Harry stretched and clicked his tongue, asking, "Is the history of magic over so quickly?"

"It felt so long, especially since Hermione wouldn't let me sleep!" Ron complained. "Good heavens, is it so hard for me to just catch up on some sleep?"

“No, Ron, no,” Harry said, patting him on the shoulder.

“However,” Hermione suddenly asked, “Umbridge didn’t go to Professor Snape’s Potions class last week, but she should go this week, right?”

“Not necessarily,” Ron said. “She might choose Potions class in sixth or fourth year, who knows.”

After resting for a while in the Great Hall, it was time to go to Potions class.

Harry yawned, got up, and followed the group to the underground Potions classroom.

He sat down in his usual seat at the back of the classroom and pulled out parchment, a quill pen, and the textbook "A Thousand Wonderful Herbs and Mushrooms".

The students around him were whispering about Neville's behavior, but when Snape closed the door to the underground classroom with a loud thud, the whole class fell silent.

“You will all find,” Snape said in his low, sarcastic tone, “that we have a guest today.”

He pointed to a dimly lit corner, where Harry saw Professor Umbridge sitting with a writing tablet on his lap.

Harry, who was initially a little sleepy, suddenly felt wide awake.

Professor Snape versus Umbridge? That would be a sight to behold—Harry was eager to see if the notoriously sharp-tongued Professor Snape would unleash his venom on Umbridge.

The other students were the same, especially Ron, who had already sat up straight and was staring intently at Professor Snape.

Although he disliked Potions class and Professor Snape, he thought this epic encounter—a pink toad versus Slytherin's old bat—would be spectacular.

(Sorry, I typed this on my phone while in a hospital bed...)
(End of this chapter)